How do you figure that one out? The AEW3 was bought because NATO couldn't make its mind up and the Shack, well . . .
Then of course NATO bought the E3 after we committed to the AEW3.
Do get a grip PN!
NATO (including UK) was going to buy 24 E-3A to be based in the UK (location
TBD - probably Fairford or Brize) but the nations could not agree the proportion of funding leading to delays. The UK pulled out of the program (as we needed AEW ASAP to cover the fleet due to the cancellation of the aircraft carriers) and was going to independently buy 6 x E-3A as the UK contribution to the AEW Force. In the meantime, the other Nations signed up and the base went to West Germany with 18 E-3A. At the time, the Unions thought that they ruled the UK and so the Government put a few pounds around UK companies for their proposals for an AEW to show the Unions that there was not a viable UK alternative to the E-3. GEC rolled out their test-bed Comet which was being used for antenna trials for the Tornado F2 Radar and clamed it could be made into an AEW platform - the rest of the disaster is well known.