How could they do that without it being prohibitively expensive
Are you sure they're not prohibitively expensive? Have their Armed Forces got an equipment programme that due to mimanagement at the highest levels (for example - slip the programme to the right so 'it's not on my watch') like ours? Have they got other broader budgetary problems that need sorting out without resorting to being bailed out bu the EU i.e they are having to rob Peter (JFH / MRA4 / T45 etc) to pay Paul (Carriers / JSF / NHS / Social Welfare / Aid to former countries of the Empire / bail out the banks)?