I'm afraid this has been a dreadful example of individual services thinking of themselves and stuff the overall package, with the RAF as much of a villain as the other two services. Until the last moment, the Tornados were going to be withdrawn over the next five years, and then the RAF jumps in and insists it has to keep some, so the RN's Harriers have to go, leaving no aircraft to fly from the carriers. The decision to get rid of Sentinel and keep AWACs also looks like a duff idea. If a fleet had to go it should have been Tornado not Harrier. That at least would have provided a balanced overall package.