'Beefer,
If only 'twas true. Military SAR is expensive; we, as servicemen, are expensive once training, pension, allowances and housing are all factored in (for groundcrew as well as aircrew). The MoD simply can't write a cheque for 20-25 new aircraft in the current fiscal environment; what would you rather cancel to prop up SAR? This delay is worrying; it opens up the potential for all sorts of day-on-day delays and increased costs. Unfortunately the PFI route is the only one that makes sense for SAR; if the community had embraced CSAR and accepted more drifting in/out of SH then perhaps people would have found a justification to roll the new SAR ac into a project such as FMH. The SARF didn't move with the times and made itself a sitting duck for privitisation. The massive reduction in mil FJ flying in the UK is probably the last nail in the coffin. SARH offers the beancounters the opportunity to recapitalise the ac at low intial cost and move the risk burden onto industry and then not worry about it for a generation. I feel the dark hand of Westlands in this mix and the coalition would just love to announce a new year fillip for LibDem South West MPs by bringing Yeovil back into the game.
Oh, and will someone offer Sven a job....