Jimlad 1
Being involved with BAe but not working for them, their take is that nobody seems to know in the services what they want, and always want something bespoke be it ship /plane or AFV. Also as everything on a contract can be specified you would think that some one in the DOD could work out a mattress spec. If they can not, lets get rid of DOD and just set a teenager on with a modern version of Top Trumps and let them procure items but with standard specification, not the overly complex systems which we seem to try and invent (usually badly and expensively).
Not a boffin
The source claimed to be an RFA Captain who had been to the ship yard, and as I was on a flight from Soul I have no reason not to disbelieve him. As I have a cousin who is also a skipper in MN he seemed to be the real deal as they say, when discussing ships and engines. But if you say gash then not knowing your source of info you maybe right but he was very convincing.
Regards
Mr Mac