NoVANav,
Your statement,
I'm am not familiar with the official certification hoops within MoD but the contracts would not have been signed if there were a problem.
Unfortunately, contracts are signed by the MoD, when significant issues have not been resolved. The lack of information, resistances to share information and legal constraints can make RTS extremely difficult.
There have been many near misses with the RJ over the years from which the USAF has learnt valuable lessons. Will we benefit from these lessons or have to relearn them?