Cancelling Vulcan is proposed as a way to force an earlier British heavy-bomber replacement. Fatigue in the Valiant and Victor fleets would then leave a capability gap. In this interpretation, filling that gap earlier would also change the later competition between heavy bombers and aircraft carriers, helping Britain retain long-range bomber capability. Vulcan's low-level adaptation is identified as one justification for ending TSR-2. Without that alternative, the case for buying TSR-2 would be harder to dismiss. Another panellist objects that the Treasury could still delay procurement or abandon the capability. The disagreement concerns whether an operational requirement would be enough to secure funding.
Notable Point · 3:56:10-3:58:12
Would cancelling Vulcan protect a replacement bomber?
A counterfactual links Vulcan's survival to TSR-2's cancellation and asks whether an earlier capability gap would change procurement.