Is an SDSR in election year good or bad? To me, it makes for hasty decisions. None of the parties have published their defence policies to the level of detail required. Our planners in MoD main building will be spread very thin trying to cover all bases, which will suit the politicians. The answers to "what if?" questions may not be well thought out.
In addition to the above list, BOWMAN is being replaced. It is only 11 years since the contract was let, but it bought a lot of kit that had already been obsolescent for over 10 years, almost immediately scrapping hundreds of millions worth. It blew over £2Bn and didn't come close to delivering what was required, and never will. Volume programmes such as this, as opposed to ships or aircraft with a higher unit cost, tend to be ignored. BOWMAN is a double whammy because the requirement is largely driven by the US, and the need for interoperability. If that ever became policy, then we'd really be in the clag!