TCF, I think you may be right about why there have been so few replies.
Another factor is likely to be PPRuNe contributors' previous schizophrenic attitude to Boscombe and QinetiQ.
Half the time it is viciously accused of being a handbrake on progress (an attitude which applied before the creation of QQ, I might add), and the other half acknowledges the sustained & effective contributions made to a far from perfect airworthiness and fleet flight safety process . (See Nimrod/Chinook threads, for several detailed examples).
The former attitude never bothers to acknowledge the highly committed SMEs and test aircrew whose primary aim has always been - and remains - the safe an effective deployment of military capability in accordance with JSP55x, Def Stan 05-123 etc etc.
Likewise, it almost always refers in dismissive terms to "QinetiQ" alone, as if the ATEC partnership, and its superb military/civil strengths, has never existed.
This forum is likely far more enlightened than the other on PPRuNe that commonly discusses UK Military T&E and Procurement, and here we understand what the UK, and MOD, might be in danger of losing.
A timely thread, WF. I hope it does develop, ideally with contributions from the wider MOD and which also discuss the pros and cons of what properly planned and implemented OEU/Development T&E integration might look like.
Last edited by BossEyed; 25th Oct 2010 at 17:23.
Reason: Dire typing and even worse proof reading.