If this is a legitimate programme, then surely it would be more cost effective to employ the expertise to be found up at Kinloss rather than allowing them to be made redundant and then recruiting and training new people. Or is this just another attempt by the RN to save the FAA?
You'd imagine that this made sense, but I wouldn't bet on it happening. Similarly I doubt the RN will be asking too many ex Nimrod officers for their opinions on equipment etc.
It's arguable that the RN has long had an airborne ASW capability, and I suspect they'll rationalise it as just being a step up from SKJ etc to developing a fixed wing capability. The downside to it being an all dark blue project would be the wasted knowledge and experience, on the plus side the RN will, I suspect, think keeping it all in house instead of letting the crabs b****r it up is a major factor.
This'll end up as one of those things where somebody proves (to everybody above Sqn Ldr/Lt Cdr level) that going round the sides of a square is faster than cutting across the diagonal....probably by using Powerpoint.
Dave