In the absence of clear, concise and considered answers to their problems it appears that NPAS are now following Donald Trumps favourite kind of news.
Today Police Oracle, a well regarded subscription UK centric police news website ran with the 'news' that a New £2.5m aircraft added to national police air support fleet. The National Police Air Service has procured four new fixed wing aircraft. The National Police Air Service is adding four Vulcan P68R planes to its capacity to support all 43 forces across England and Wales plus British Transport Police....... Added to this there is a Twitter feed promotion of this historical addition to the NPAS fleet.
It seems that if you cannot bring to the public domain an answer to the many problems faced by NPAS, older unreliable airframes, poor central control and extended lines of reaction you bring in something 'new' to promote the service - even if it is not new and of little significant improvement in the service. False news. The 7th Cavalry riding over the crest of the hill and flying for hours on end to complete just a handful of missions. When properly deployed in a local mission profile the helicopters would complete a handful of missions in an hour and then go back for more.
Right, they have played that hand. What is next?