^^ This is a good post (apart from the P3 V Nimrod hyperbole)
The kipper fleet has history here. I was in the room when the MRA4 (correction Nimrod 2000) dissenters (or which there were many) were ordered to "get in line" with the programme. Do not under estimate how much the operator can influence military purchases (a fact very well known to the sales teams of the big players).
History too with the high level thing. The searchwater was initially optimised for medium level work...it did not take too long for the fleet to get back down in the weeds again. ASW is a varied game and technology moves on, but part of it is always going to be conducted at low level for all sorts of reasons.
I am not suggesting the P8 is not a great bit of kit...I have absolutely no knowledge of it's capabilities whatsoever. But in the HIGHLY UNLIKELY event we get an proper fully formed MPA force back and opertional again, one hopes (perhaps naively) that we learn all the lessons of history.
PS
Last edited by The Old Fat One; 15th Jul 2013 at 10:19.