I think Tuc's post,
not for the first time, probably nails a significant factor in the progress from Powerpoint to flying shell to scrapyard for the MRA4.
It is very easy to criticise BWoS for milking a contract (although that doesn't really stand up to scrutiny...they'd LIKE to milk it I'm sure, but intent and 'what happened' don't really coincide here).
Until MoD and RAF accept that the only way to manage a project is to have somebody in charge from start to finish, rather than imagining (for some stupid reason) that it's more important to 'groom' people by passing them at 2 year intervals throuhg a major defence project, then we'll never get anything decent done on time, on budget.
It would also help if we didn't select items for the defence budget based on parliamentary boundaries and majorities.
We'd do better to buy off the shelf from Denmark - I don't care what it is, tanks, fighter jets, frigates or hot air balloons...
This is not a capbility gap taken on risk - that's just buzzword bingo - we have currently removed our own ability to protect our coastline, a situation that prevails right this instant, the reality is we would currently be pushed to deter the Vikings.
Dave