There's almost too much to cover from the UK's newly-published Strategic Defence and Security Review, but what do you think about the coalition government's key decisions?
A full article is available here: http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/10/22/348801/analysis-winners-and-losers-of-the-uk-defence-review.html But in a nutshell, the most startling actions are listed below:
Nimrod MRA4 cancelled; Harrier GR9s to be retired; HMS Ark Royal to be retired; switch from STOVL F-35B to the larger F-35C carrier variant; only one new aircraft carrier to enter active use, but both to be completed; some cuts to the Tornado GR4 force; commitment to operating 'modernised Typhoon'; plans to expand the RAF's UAV fleet; Sentinel R1 to be withdrwan post-Afghanistan; C-130Js to retire early; 22 A400Ms to be fielded; all 14 Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft to enter use, with TriStars and VC10s to go in 2013; no more C-17 orders; fewer new Chinooks than planned by Labour; Puma upgrade and Lynx Wildcat both survive; and RAF to keep Merlin helicopters?
Has the government got it right, or is it taking a dangerous gamble in areas like maritime patrol aircraft and carrier strike capabilities?