The loss of Nimrod lies firmly with BAe.
I beg to differ. The demise has a number of factors of which BAE's main contribution is selling a fantasy (delivery dates and costs) to the MOD in 1996.
Thereafter BAE operated exactly as any other commercial enterprise would do ie it maximised its profits for its shareholders and stakeholders. Had the customer (MOD) called it to account, it might have done a better job for the customer.
The Government/MOD/RAF complex have much more to answer for.
Amongst many other things....
Political interference in the initial project decision.
Failure to carry out any sort of due diligence in the contractors costs and delivery dates.
Failure to write a contract that would hold the contractor to account.
Failure to use any other form of leverage to hold the contractor to account.
Failure to listen to years and years of expertise from within the command chain.
Is there corruption in all this....?? Without an enquiry (which we won't get) who knows; I favour c**k up over conspiracy every time.
I am absolutely not a fan of BAE, but to cast the blame soley in their direction lets a whole load of jointly responsible people right off the hook.