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In the mid 60s Britian suffered a financial crisis and as a result cut an order for 30 Shorts Belfasts to 10, and bought C130s instead. By 1976 the Belfast was a small and different part of the RAF transport fleet so they were retired. In 1982 the Falklands war showed up the limitations of the C130 at the furtherest edges of it's envelope, and the MoD chartered their former Belfasts at much greater cost.

So WI Britian built all 30 Belfasts and, as a result of having a large(ish) fleet, kept them in service for the standard 30 years? How different would the Falklands have been, would they have even been fought? What about the wars of the 90s in the Gulf and Balkans, would a more capable transport flett alter Britain's contribution?

Also WI other countries bought some Belfasts? France for example still had a lot of long range commitments in the late 60s, perhaps they are a candidate for a sqn. Or other big countires; Canada, Sth Africa, Australia, Brasil, India? Canada and Australia had extensive overseas commitments in the 70s and 80s which would be well served by a strategic transport aircraft capability.

Lastly, how would having a considerable number of Belfasts in service in the early 90s effect the process which led to the A400M? Would doing to the Belfast what Lockheed did to the C130J be sufficient to meet this requirement? Presumably it could be done faster and cheaper than the A400M, even if the result isn't as capable?
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