My point isn't that the money should have been spent on more C130. It is that (more) money should have been spent on a shedload more C130 years ago, so that the current requirement would have been met with in-service resources.
Not entirely the MOD's fault, since A400M should have been in service a while back too, as an alternative to more C130. Although part of that delay might be down to the MOD... Nevertheless, once A400M is delayed, why not go to Lockheed there and then and get more C130, even if only leased, to offset the delay. Send the bill to Airbus, if the govt has the balls.
Given the current **** sandwich, some pocket change on a Band-Aid is not a bad thing to do, I agree. But this is treating the symptom, not the cause.