It's interesting to hear how many nations now have maritime patrol aircraft in the search area or heading that way. If a B777 disappeared over the North Sea for example, the UK would be seriously embarrassed. Following the retirement of the Nimrod MR2, and the scrapping of the MRA4, the British military would not have a single properly-equipped aircraft to deploy.
Was thinking the same thing last night... perhaps we could get some lads with binoculars to stand on the loading ramp of an A400M transport... I lost track whether any have been delivered to date, or am I still a few years early?