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I think 1968 is the perfect year to deviate because A) it's already a wild year B) AFVG dies in '67 C)  same year that the MRA is born and F-111K is cancelled. D) F-14 is contracted and two years away


You need something to happen in 1968 which makes the UK decide they either cannot afford to wait on MRA/ADV development and/or that they cannot afford to develop a new air defense fighter.   F-14 went to fleet in '74. ADV isn't going to be available for another decade (or more as it turned out)


Another wrinkle is instead if the F-111K order isn't cancelled in '67 or '68, does the Tornado requirement exist?  Germany and Italy would have been happy with a smaller, shorter-range MRCA. UK drove the range requirement.  Might Italy and Germany (and perhaps France) have developed a smaller aircraft, while the F-111K fills the interdiction role for the RAF? RAF still needs an interceptor in this scenario.


(And at the same time all this is happening McNamara is trying to shed the B-58's.  If some perceived danger exists and a short timeline is necessary, I wonder if Britain might not accept the exceptional operations costs if the acquisition cost was zero under a lend/lease style agreement. They receive 100 airframes, and operate 30-50 while using the other remaining aircraft for as donors and a bank for attrition.  Some combination of Aardvarks and/or Hustlers filling the high-speed medium bomber/interdiction/recce role and maybe used to further justify cutting the carriers. Means fewer V-bombers in service, and no Buccs for RAF [that order was another 1968 decision] and no MRCA participation.  Offsets some of the operational costs...  And as a deterrent, it's a lot more intimidating than the Buccs and Tornado that came later.


Just to get really "alternative" hehe.)


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