Classic British Flight Sim

However, they did and using it as it is is surely better than nothing at all

True, but the RAF decided they wanted to keep more Typhoon and Tornado squadrons at the expense of everything else. If you kept the Nimrod (which I would as it's far more useful than one more squadron of Tornado say) you'd have to get rid of something else which their Airships have decided they don't want to do. Which may or may not be related to most of them being ex-fast jet pilots...

Incidentally the Hawk is being replaced, by the Hawk 128 which has about four parts in common with the original and two of those are the ejector seats. For something like an advanced trainer it's more the systems that need changing than the airframe as its flying qualities are probably at least good enough. Of course the Hawk 128 was developed by BAe off its own back, whereas Nimrod MRA.4 was to fulfil a government requirement which may explain why one is a successful program and one isn't.

I do generally agree with you about the UK stretching things out too far though. The original Mini is a prime example, it should have been replaced by something else in the early '80s and I don't mean the Metro.

Hi All,

This says it all i think,

I am sorry about the link it looks like you have to be registered to be able to read it,

Cheers,

Roger

Also with the Hawk being replaced by the Hawk 128 - consider that the US is still taking final deliveries of the T-45C Goshawk and is looking to potentially take delivery of more as well or at least begin regenerating the existing airframes with 128-style avionics, so that should say something of the airframe's basic suitability. The US has a tendency to continue modifying existing airframes as much as possible if they like it (see the T-38 being rebuilt into the T-38C with the end result being a basically new aircraft at half the cost or less), so seeing a type being put up for reconditioning or upgrade means the airframe is sound and suitable for a long life, something that can't be said about quite a few types out there.