I don't have many problems with most things said here.
Tourist.
An MPA based only on SAR would not be cost effective. An MPA that could not, as one of its (many) roles, provide, Search, Rescue Co-ordintion and ASRA/ Supply drop would also have diminished capabilities.
The main point I am raising is that there is no Long Range MPA in the foreseable pipeline.
Those of you who dismiss the capability of a C130 do carry out credible Long Range SAR are just plain wrong. It does this job for many militaries all over the world.
I think the main point raised by HAS 59 was not his concern about the ability of the Airframe or the crews. It is just that we do not have the Frames, the Hours and the Spare Capacity it would take to provide the adequate Training and Operational resources.
After Afghanistan, that could change.
There is at the moment great pressure to scrap the J (lack of planned funding), before the end of its Operational Life.
Its main supporters are the Special Forces who can't see the point of taking small groups of men into dangerous situations in very large expensive A340's.
By 2016 we may well have spare J's, crews and hours and still no MPA aircraft on the horizon.
This would then become a Secondary Role to SF.