Always the same
The MOD (and DOD) want the latest specification products (for computing think more performant than the current high-end gaming computers, but with low power consumption, a -45 to +85C temperature range without fans and able to survive the shaking in a helicopter).
They want all of this in a mature product they can buy off the shelf NOW.
They won't buy any real numbers for 5+ years and will want you to supply it for 20+ years. (Sometimes only 20 boards over that time.)
And in the real world Intel change chips yearly and only supply the old ones for a couple of years (or 7 for a few specially selected variants). They only want to talk with manufacturers buying 10,000+ parts, so it's always reverse-engineering to find stuff out. And you have to keep enough inventory to support the 20+ years life-cycle.
It's all very hard and costly, and yet the "MOD experts" and hacks complain that things cost more than on the High Street! It's no wonder that very few people will deal with them!
Biting the hand that feeds IT
