Why Britain needed more land-based early-warning aircraft

Would the cost of maintaining seven hypothetical ex-British Airways 707 AWACS conversions push Britain toward buying the E-767?

The initial answer is no; the discussion instead favors an established allied system and argues that Britain needs more early-warning aircraft.

The question assumes seven former British Airways 707s converted for AWACS duties. The initial answer is no, followed by doubts about the value of rebuilding old airliners for the role. Later discussion distinguishes elderly aircraft from nearly new donor airframes that could be bought cheaply during the downturn in airline demand. Use of the E-7 by Australia, South Korea, and Turkey is offered as a reason to choose an established allied system. The recurring criticism is that the British fleet is too small. Aircraft model numbers are mixed up during the exchange, so its procurement argument should be separated from those technical identifications.