Courtney
The APG65 was if the Indians had been offered the GR7/9 frames.
The BV was a cracking radar and with AIM120 a superlative weapon system, which is one reason why we didn't sell our SHARs to the Indians.
Did we gash the wrong a/c back in 05? Impossible to say. Keeping SHAR would have kept 800/801 away from Herrick, so potentially an asset that "wasn't contributing". That said, it would have avoided the farce that JFH became in terms of FE@R and maintained the role of real carrier-based f/w.
However, to keep SHAR, their Lordships would have had to make the case and funding for Maritime air (not just the "Carrier Strike" drop bombs bit) more strongly, which frankly they haven't shown aptitude for. Remember just how tightly the Great Financial Genius held onto the purse strings, with promises made and never funded.
A debate that's done and dusted, with no objective "right" answer I suspect.