ORAC,
Surely a slip on your part - you forgot to mention all those many Typhoons the RAF has been supplied with. At some significant expense to the UK taxpayer. I seem to remember CAS and other 'independent' experts saying that they have a 'demonstrated' and 'fully cleared' air to ground strike capability. I definitely remember the claims that they were the 'key' aircraft in the UK's Libya operations.
Right? I mean, they do have a cleared capability, don't they?
I apologise in advance for an outbreak of sarcasm, but I do think that latching on to F-35 as an example of rising combat aircraft costs (quite justifiably, in my view) but not mentioning the huge costs of the single role Typhoon is a little inconsistent.
Best regards as ever to those having to juggle the budgets
Engines