If you were at the RAES conference this week you would have heard the usual specious argument that ‘sending a half empty Chinook is not efficient’ trotted out. On one level, it’s of course correct. But on the WLC basis it’s utter nonsense - sending a Chinook half full once in a while is massively more efficient than paying the support overhead for another aircraft type. The issue is why we need Merlin and Puma. In the SH role, Merlin is an expensive, large and asthmatic aircraft, with a fraction of a Chinook’s capability and little advantage (if any) over a Puma in high DA circumstances. The Puma is smaller and cheaper - and size can matter in an urban environment. CHF, the RN, and AW will screech ‘marinisation’ but it’s really only a shrill note of protectionism. The key to LitM is the planning, not the platform. Give CHF a Chinook Sqn and get over it - retaining the SQEP and giving them a significant capability boost. Replace Puma with FLRAA, make it usable off QEC, and suddenly the UK is in the SToM business and able to execute 250kt plus vertical envelopment missions. I was disappointed, but not surprised, by the industrial and military protectionism displayed this week.......