TC: Surely the DfT does know what it wants - no less of a service or capability than is provided by the Mil/Civ mix at the moment?
So if a company claims it can be done by a certain airframe, and the DfT's co opted military SMEs say "Be wary, we don't think it can" or "It may be able to technically, but it's very impractical", then the DfT should have some ammunition to fire back at the silver tongued lounge lizards and put the onus on them to prove it?
Or am I still green?