speaking as some one who is not in the armed forces, I just wondered if it would physically be possible to reverse this, should the need arise?
I think I read somewhere that the aircraft are in hangars, if say for example it ID become neccasary to return them to service, could it be done, and if so how quickly?
You are correct, the aircraft are in hangars at RAF Cottesmore. In theory they could be returned to service however the longer they are in 'storage' the longer it will take to resurrect them again. Apart from dragging them out onto the flight line and giving them a quick BF there is a whole raft of support staff in the IPT and at BAES who have been scattered to the 4 winds. On top of that there is the embarassment that returning them to service would cause the government. It is never going to happen.