The UK scrapped the andovers when it realised they existed solely to conduct a maximum of four operational flights per year. The current arrangements work very well (charter as appropriate) and is in fact aomething most countries now do rather than sustain an expensive aircraft for little other reason.
The question of replacement versus statis quo has been raosed many times and the answer is always clear - its a very minor nice to have and the money assigned could actually do a lot more good elsewhere, eapecially wjen we have a perfectly good solution right now at minimal cost.
And yes, the Russians were in town this week!