This has less to do with the UK being backward in my opinion than it does with the fucking navy. Steeped in tradition to the point of ridiculousness, Navies cling to their traditions for good and bad reasons. Some of them save lives. Some are just pedantic to the point of absurdity. I always recall Kelly Johnson’s 15th rule for the Skunkworks - Johnson had a 15th rule that he passed on by word of mouth. According to the book “Skunk Works” the 15th rule is: “Starve before doing business with the damned Navy. They don’t know what the hell they want and will drive you up a wall before they break either your heart or a more exposed part of your anatomy.”