There must be a lot of Prune readers who wonder why a cancelled aircraft can still elicit so much bitterness from so many. It is this statement from the PM on Oct 19th during the SDSR announcement.
Getting to grips with procurement is vital. The Nimrod programme, for example, has cost the British taxpayer more than £3 billion; the number of aircraft to be procured has fallen from 21 to nine; the cost per aircraft has increased by more than 200%; and it is more than eight years late. Today, we are announcing its cancellation.
In that one short paragraph, he dismissed 40 years of sterling service by the Nimrod force in the maritime and overland role, and consigned a vital maritime capability to the bin. He sounded almost proud to be the one canning it!
I believe that DC, apparently against the advice of his Def Sec and senior air commander, had already decided that MRA4 did not fit in with his plans for an increasingly Euro-centric vision of Defence, in particular, an Anglo-French cost saving alliance. The project budget overrun, and apparently continuing safety issues simply gave him a convenient hook on which to hang this decision. That, and the ability to attach Nimrod 'bad news' onto the previous Labour administration, made it a neat judgement for him. Nice politics, Dave.
Trouble is, he's just thrown away a vast pool of talent which made the Nimrod force probably the world's best MPA practitioners - as evidenced by Fincastle and Noble Manta results. I have no idea what maritime capability we may regenerate in the future, but a lot can happen in 10 years and I hope that Mr Cameron does not live to regret this decision.
Hanfimar, yes it would be nice for you to receive a reply to your eloquent and incisive letter, and if you do I hope you share it with us. A shame that the PM didn't feel able to reply himself - he alone knows why he cancelled MRA4. Failing that, a wee visit to Moray to explain this tough decision over a few drams? That would be good also.