More Chinooks for the RAF?

[Gary]

Plans to fast-track a large order of Chinook transport helicopters for Afghanistan are being examined by the government, the BBC understands.
A decision could be made before the Pre-Budget Report, which is expected within a month, BBC defence correspondent Caroline Wyatt said.

Full story on the BBC news

[HighlandSniper]

Fingers crossed - it would be nice if Brown's Bandits could do something right for our troops before they ride into the sunset next year.

[RichC]

Would be nice if the MoD converted a number of idle/stored Merlin HM1's at Culdrose to carry Royal Marines etc.
I was told there was quite a number them are sitting idle. And due to the amount of ships that have been cost cut and no longer requiring a Merlin or Lynx and the decreased threat of submarines surely they could spare a few out of how many is it? 44?

This would relieve some of the older Seaking HC4's.

[Vulcanone]

....

[gonk]

Did see the news, didn't our glorious leaders say we had sufficient choppers for the job, let hope it comes off and not more political bull, lets hope who ever screwed up the last wokkas doesn't get any were near them

[RichC]

Did see the news, didn't our glorious leaders say we had sufficient choppers for the job, let hope it comes off and not more political bull, lets hope who ever screwed up the last wokkas doesn't get any were near them

That would be QinetiQ then (DERA)?
The trouble is, everything we buy which isn't of UOR it goes through the usual "Britishness" before it goes onwards into operations.
Those Chinook Mk3s would have worked fine IF WE had left them alone in the first place and had them flying with the US software/avionics...
Did we *need* to mess around with them? I believe the CH-47E/F work fine as they are so why did the MoD decide to muck about with the Mk3s in the first place?

That's how i see it, obviously only my point of view and i could be entirely wrong but this is what we do with everthing we get our hands on which is issued from other countries.
It's like we do not trust what they come with which is why it takes years to get them in to theatre.

Of course, we have got some stuff under UOR very quickly but would helicopters come under an UOR to get them shifted quick?
Vehicles are. Plus we got those first 4 C17s rather quickly too.

Just can't help but think why the MoD should didn't just buy a batch of cheap Mi-17s, they are proven in hot and high, carry lots of troops, carry a decent cargo load, have a rear cargo facility and fly pretty fast and can be armoured and be armed at the same time.

[mrlongbow]

Would love to see a purchase of Mi-17`s myself but can you imagine the moaning it would cause. UK buys RUSSIAN! People gobbing off before thinking about it properly. If we had gone for(we still could) the offer of cheap-ish Blackhawks from the Americans it might have given the British defence industry the kick up the ar*e it needs. It might make them realise they need to stop ripping off their OWN country. Just watch the price of a shiny new Merlin or future Lynx drop a little and i bet it gets built on time and delivered quick sharp....or is that a little bit of wishfull thinking?

[HighlandSniper]

mrlongbow - whilst I can see your point, neither the Mi-17 or the Blackhawk would do the job the Chinook does so well. The Chinook is battle-proven in umpteen conflicts with the RAF from The Falklands, The Balkans, Sierra Leone, Iraq and Afghanistan, and it's what the RAF and the Army want.

[RichC]

From Defence Correspondent Mr Harding:

It has taken the Ministry of Defence almost four years to recognise the
impact on operations that the lack of helicopters has had with severe
pressure put on politicians after soldier’s deaths have been blamed for the
shortages.
It is hoped to build up the Chinook fleet from the current 38 to about 70
allowing the possibility of almost doubling the numbers of aircraft
currently in Afghanistan to 20.

But it is unclear where the funding will come from as Gordon Brown has yet
to promise more cash for the defence budget. The estimated £1 billion bill
could either come from cuts in other defence programmes or out of the
Treasury reserve.
Bob Ainsworth will also have to fight hard in the Pentagon to get the
Chinooks off the Boeing production line ahead of American orders if they
enter service within the next two years.
The purchase represents a “seismic shift” of the military helicopter fleet
that will cancel competition to buy 120 medium lift helicopters under a plan
known as Vision 2020.
"Vision 2020 could be sanctioned by ministers as early as this month and a
deal signed with Boeing in time to beat next year's deadline of a general
election, followed by a strategic defense review," a defence source said.
The MoD is said to have abandoned a competition for a new medium lift
helicopter in favour of the Chinooks because the aircraft is “already out
there and meeting our demands in theatre”.
“The Chinook has proven its capabilities and the most expedient move is to
purchase more but we will need significant numbers to push more into
theatre,” the defence source said
The change means that the planned expenditure of £3.5 billion on 120 new
medium helicopters over the next 10 years is unlikely to go ahead.
But some military commentators believe that the move ahead of the general
election might be good politically but is “stupid” tactically as it could
make a platoon of 30 soldiers in a single helicopter more vulnerable to
ground fire than spread among three helicopters.
The military helicopter fleet will be trimmed down to just four types of
aircraft with the Chinook as heavy lift, Merlin medium lift, the Super Lynx
utility and Apache attack helicopter.
The entire Merlin fleet is likely to be “marinised” so it can be used by the
Royal Navy but still available for land operations.

[HighlandSniper]

Razor61 - what is the source of the above article?

[RichC]

The Telegraph.

[HighlandSniper]

Thanks.