Originally Posted by giblets
...So in true geek style, did a little research, fuel at the time was around $0.92 a gallon (don't get me started on UK/UK gallons), or £0.50p (based on the exchange rate of the time.
Makes the cost of the black buck raids a more manageable £65,000 in fuel (basically divide all the costs by 8), or £188k (based on inflation), compare that to $1.45m for a tacit Tomahawk (yes I appreciate the numerous other incurred costs!).
Cost of 4* equivalent petrol in 1982 was £1.64 per gallon according to the AA. Presumably, one can divide today's cost of a TLAM by much more than 8 to obtain the equivalent price in 1982, what with 'defence inflation' being so much higher than other types.
Didn't all other flying (e.g. C.130 re-supplying the Task Force, Nimrod flights, etc.) have to be suspended for a three-day period for each Black Buck raid owing to the exhaustion of aviation fuel at Ascension?