They did not reef the R40's, they were scrapped. Reefing ended with the Redbirds. And yes, Bill has a point. Retrofitting a SMEE with NTT technology is just plain awkward. You know what they say, you can't teach an old dog new tricks.
I think the R40's have lived their lifetime and I don't think they should be brought back, as any new NTT. And even if they did, it probably wouldn't be in our lifetime.
BStyles