Moving On
TOFO
I too had a look at this thread to see if there was something new, and like you said...
So, try and move things along a little, there *are* options for the UK to reconstitute an MPA force, but not if the rationale starts with "we need P-8s to fight China".
There is not no money - there is only some money - so instead of hankeringfor gold-plated unobtainable solutiuons, like we do every time, we need to take a cold, hard look at some cheap and un-sexy solutions that will let us get back into the air and protect our seas.
Objective No. 1 is to reinstate the capability and the force 'footprint' at whatever minimum level is attainable. Accept and tackle the budget problems head-on and there is still an opportunity to get acquire new aircraft and get flying. Do that - and thyen take stock.
Endless rehashing about who done what to MRA4 and gazing across the pond at P-8 (which is not a happy programme) will get us nowhere. Time for something smaller, cheaper and real.