Back in the day (late 1970's) I was thinking of re:- "soft" tubes; our (British) government would have had all the gear of the type you mention. I would have preferred to at least
try to evacuate those simple tubes. They were rugged and very much "fit for purpose" when first manufactured in the 1950's. I have sometimes wondered what became of those old Picker field x-ray sets, which had been purpose-built for battle field conditions (multiple electrical supply options, simple - "three knob" - controls, foldable design, air-portable, able to be carried by six-men - in theory at least, quickly set up and so forth). My other suggestion was to find (and-or
adapt) a more modern tube to fit. Again (for some never-explained reason) I doubt this was even
considered by my "technical superiors" (retired army officers, in the main). Such decisions were taken at meetings (followed, no doubt, by a nice lunch) in London, at a level well above my pay grade.
As for certifications: could it be that bureaucracy is blocking us from applying engineering? Perhaps engineering should extend its ability to find the fissure in the confinement of bureaucrats.
Of course ... how many engineers sit (doze) on the benches of our Parliament? Or how many ex-soldiers for that matter. I'm afraid we are "governed" (badly) by "educated idiots" who wouldn't know an x-ray tube from a washing machine motor. They rarely (if ever) innovate ... but find it easier to be seen to be "doing something" by adding layer upon layer of restrictive legislation. You know, "ban this, ban that" and so on. In short, they are not practical people.
