the centralisation of 2nd/3rd/4th line maintenance for Fast Jets saved £1.4Bn between 2001 and 2007
The demise of MoD personnel doing 2nd and 3rd line had the effect of denying procurement much of it's historical recruitment pool.
That is not to say every 2/3 liner makes a good procurer, but it is a proven fact that the majority of well managed projects have one thing in common - the project manager who carried out project initiation has worked backwards through the procurement cycle to the point that, after 5 or 6 promotions, he becomes a junior project manager.
It is a simple concept, best explained by the fact over 80% of through life costs occur in the In Service Support phase. If you know cack all about ISS, then there is little chance you'll avoid the avoidable mistakes seen on many a programme once it enters Service. I could get to £1.4Bn wasted due to this in a few seconds - and how do you put a price on programme delays and screw ups that have contributed to lost lives in recent years? These are the factors the beancounters don't mention. Whether or not the "new" regime maintains the FJ fleets better is but one relatively minor issue, because I'm sure the "old" system was just as good. (And was it not Tornado that suffered due to poor practices at 4th line some years ago?).
Just an alternative view from someone who called upon his 2nd and 3rd line maintainer training every single day while managing over 130 projects.