Towed decoys- can also be bought from companies

So can better aircraft. What’s your point?

Why not? The pods would be reusable, the rockets unguided.

The Apache already has a limited version of this since its weapons pylons are articulated and can change their elevation (not traverse, though).

I would like to see more trade between countries inside Europe … when you look at all the arms products from all European countries combined, there’s really no need to buy from anywhere else. You can get 1st-rate gear entirely inside Europe, and you’d get massive economies of scale.

I think the first positive step would be for the Euro to be adopted by the last stragglers of the EU. If only the UK government would show a little backbone and make the switch. Sure, people would whine about it, but it wouldn’t take long for them to forget what it was they were complaining about and go back to their reality TV shows.

I read it wasn’t a MANPAD, but it was a lucky RPG shot.

What’s the in-service date?

In the end the Harriers failed to defend the fleet better due to the inadequacy of the defence concept and the avilable technology (AEW, MRAAM, range).

I agree. If Sea Dart and Rapier had worked as advertised, things would have gone much more smoothly for the British.

Another example of the MoD accepting substandard equipment, and only fixing it AFTER lives have been lost.

It would also have helped if half the Sea Harrier pilots had bothered to get their radars to work.

I would have thought that in a global war with China the F-22 might come in quite handy …