The arrival of the RAF's first Boeing P-8A Poseidon at Kinloss on 4 February marked the beginning of the end of a 'capability holiday' — wonderful phrase — in the RAF's provision of maritime patrol. This event occurred almost 10 years after the retirement of the Poseidon's RAF predecessor, the Hawker Siddeley Nimrod. The Nimrod served for more than 40 years and was produced in five variants. Rarely, though, have five marks of a single aircraft type enjoyed such differing degrees of success or caused such controversy. How, exactly, did we end up without a maritime patrol platform for so long?
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