Originally Posted by
PDR1
The A320/340 options were looked at, but they were deemed to be unsufficiently rugged and unlikley to stand up to the low-level rough-and-tumble that sub-hunting entails.
PDR
I know that, but the price of second hand A320s / A340s nowadays probably means that they can be bought, have all the kit wheeled on board, holes drilled where required, painted grey, flown until they fall to bits and thrown away, and replaced with another. I'd guess that'd still be a cheaper way to get a capability than what MR4a cost, even if it is 'wasteful'... An old airliner is probably, what, a couple of £mill at most?