Is there any documentation which indicates why the programme was halted? For example, was the equipment (despite its apparently successful trial) deemed incapable of being integrated at reasonable cost?
None that can be located, at present. It seems to have got lost in that "Golden age" that H-C referred to in his report.
The programme was costed and the the OR(Air) document states that
"The maturity of the design and technology allows design to proceed straight into prototype/C model production". The ISD was given as 2004, which is in line with the 1998 SDR statement.
Perhaps the OR(Air) of the day will be able to give some sort of explanation at the FAI. I should add that that there were one or two big-hitters who were copied the 1998 OR (Air) document, including ACAS (Sir Jock Stirrup), and I of FS(RAF)
DV