Ref: Very tired Puma fleet
The purchased white elephant Pumas are apparently in containers in or around Wattisham, probably to stop them being robbed for spares.
The engines and avionics are incompatable with the present fleet, and the powers that made the decision to buy, do not want a fleet within a fleet. Especially as the SAAF ones have anticipators which the Puma mates have been asking for for over 30 years.
Most Puma aircraft have been cat 4 at some time and XW210 is a classic cut and shunt. The top half has been to the bottom of the English Channel and back. The bottom half rolled over and caught fire after being taxied into a hangar in Belize. The tail is from a third aircraft. This is what our front line is flying!!
Ripple lines and `structeral strengthening` plates are indicative of how bodged the Puma fleet is, yet there is supposed to be at least 12 years life left in it.
The fleet has served the UK well since 1971, but without any torque guage or HUMs has been `tested` by crews since day one.
If a replacement is not announced soon (SABR?) it will soon let everbody down in the manner that the once mighty Wessex did in its last days of service.
Even the Argentinians and Rumainians have retired theirs to museums or atop poles outside bases.
How long before we get a reality check on this faithfull (if French) old warhorse: