Brian, some good points there and almost all valid. Apart from the last one. If one can count the number of potential assets (aircraft in this case) on the fingers of two people then the engineering required to maintain 'output' is critical. We don't have the luxury of carrying u/s aircraft anymore. I'm not necessarily pro noise but I do live in the real world. Close to Brize as it happens.
Some of the cold war warriors need to realise the RAF is not the beast it used to be.