....sing the praises of buying US parts on this one.

rely on jonny foreigner for your hardware and they can shaft you whenever they want....

A significant risk was not identified on Initiating a Project? Someone should be in trouble.

If we had our own capability, it'd cost more but create more jobs in the UK - better throwing money at this than at the banks. Hold it - we've privitised our own capability (QinetiQ) and the US owns part of it. Bugger. I guess BAe is still mostly British...

Lets hope they don't cancel ala "skybolt" leaving us with another useless porject!

As usual, anything from our allies(?) which was not their basic idea is considered unworkable and impractical. When will those bloody Yanks realise that they do not have the scientists with the breadth of vision that SOME Britishers do? If they ever do complete a project inspired by the British they invariably claim the kudos from it but fail to remind the world that while Britian invented the internet that they then developed it, as is usually the case with anything worth having. I feel that it is a great pity that they are so shy and retiring.