GrahamO
"too few crew/pilots/groundstaff affected compared to the removal of another platform i.e. its too niche."
If a platform that would have contributed directly to 7 of the re-written Military Tasks and in-directly to the other 2; had the capacity for expansion in pretty much any direction defence wanted to go and was entering service with the RAF this year, as opposed to about 6 or so years for any potential future replacement is too niche, then I would suggest that, on that premise, C130J, Tristar, VC10, GR4, Typhoon and anything else we might have left should have also been axed.