Ali Barber - be fair, the SDSR was based on saving as much as possible while avoiding massive loss of votes; it had nothing to do with planning assumptions, forecasts of requirement of likely global hotspots.
Given that there are no (positive) votes to be had from Defence, the SDSR assumption (save cash - quick) is still very valid. You're confusing it with the ANNOUNCED assumptions (for Mail/Sun readers) which were some vague tosh about requirements, balanced capabilities and looking after 'Our Boys'. So Harriers (expensive), Carriers (expensive) were cast away; Nimrod R1 (expensive = due to be binned) was retained because it would have cost lives (or is that votes?) to retire it.
