thing is though, because we did a licensing deal to stop Westland from being shut, we ended up paying over the odds for these things compared to what we could have done if we had bought off the shelf from Sikorsky.
Much as he is derided around these parts, Lewis Page's comment of "we could have bought direct from Sikorsky, laid off everybody at Westlands with a million pounds payoff and still have had a billion left" compared to what we did get.
Not to say that the UK spec'd AH64D isnt a good platform, it has proved itself. What has been letting it down appears to be the through life aspects of it. Personally, once we're out of Afghan, the demands against the fleet are going to be less, arent they...? Why it cant be that the upgrade/capability uplift programme cant be run against a core strength of the fleet, leaving several at the old D spec until a point further down the line... I'd rather that course of action than to end up scrapping the lot. Thats just bloody stupid.
On saying those words, I think I realise now how the Nimrod guys felt. Then again, IMVVVVHO, that project should have been strangled at birth anyway....
But... as is the MoD's way... it'll end up being a clusterf**k.
Its what they do best....