In 1958, the SR.177 received one last burst of interest when Japan, which was interested in developing a rocket-jet fighter itself, approached Britain with a request for quotations for the purchase of the two prototype SR.53s along with the completion of two SR.177s. However, due to a lack of backing from the British government, this initiative did not come to anything; the Japanese ultimately turned to the F-104 as well. Woods summarises the cancellation of the SR.177 as: "...it could ultimately have been built in hundreds or thousands. Due to ridiculous defence policies and a complete lack of Whitehall inter-departmental collaboration in the technology field, one of the most promising projects in a decade was destroyed".