Something like that, Spaz. Dunno about this one, but in every programme that had test and development aircraft they were built very differently to the "real thing" and could not later be adapted to become part of the fleet. So perhaps the UK wants to be seen to be owing test beds. That said, because they are so different to the production jets, I wonder what use they will be for training as the article claims. The potential result is that we now own four aircraft that, given the US could be doing all the testing with appropriate jets they halready have, that will be redundant and ready to go to the RAF Museum in a couple of years. Or are they test beds for greater things?
Anyone have any thoughts on that?