What should Britain have done to replace the Buccaneer after the loss of XV345 and the subsequent grounding?
Short answerBuy or restore more Buccaneers if possible; otherwise the F-111 Aardvark is the realistic replacement.
NotesContinuing with the Buccaneer would preserve a proven British strike capability if the type remained viable after investigation. Buying or restoring more examples would therefore be the preferred response to the fleet grounding. A forced replacement would narrow the field to an American aircraft because no equivalent domestic option was ready. The F-111 Aardvark was the practical alternative if a different type became unavoidable.