UK Maritime Patrol Aircraft - An Urgent Requirement

[Lonewolf_50]

Originally Posted by Bannock

Extra Press Conference by the Defense Minister Nakatani(07:31-07:39 P.M. January 21, 2015 (Japan time))

Any Shiny and very expensive platform becomes a hell of a lot more pallatable to the bean counters when there are significant financial gains to be made for UK industry. Second last question.

Question, from the outside but of interest due to our historic "special relationship."
For MPA, as a practical matter, is it really that tough to (for example) get the P-8 shell and fill it with UK sourced (or mostly UK sourced) mission equipment? Have read the very interesting thread on the UK Rivet Joint project and wonder how the airworthiness issued would play into a P-8 buy (if chosen. There are of course other options).

From the requirements side: how much more information/persuasion is needed to convince MoD and Parliament that MPA capability cannot be left dormant?
From over here, it looks like an uphill battle.