Two, you are in! Well spotted and thanks for the post. I have to say, having been involved in this project for quite a while, I'm not in the least bit surprised. In fact, (BIG HEAD ON FOR A MOMENT) I bloody told them so. (BIG HEAD OFF AGAIN - for now).
Now, about this (in the article):
Conservative MP Chris Heaton-Harris said: 'It suggests that, yet again, the MoD signed contracts that were not good value for money.
Many was the time when several people (way above my pay grade) tried to improve/scrap/look elsewhere/etc, but were told they had to stick with Eurofighter (as it was then) no matter what. Where do you think most of the defence budget went all those years?
And this. We tried to set milestones so that a certain British defence manufacturer would only get paid as they delivered and as they acheived each stage of development/production. But, no! The Mod had to keep paying them regardless of acheivement because they couldn't afford to keep going and we couldn't 'punish' them for lack of acheivement.
Anyway, when did we ever get a logistics contract right? Especially when we're asked to save 10% a year?
Goodness, what a rant. Sorry.