Empire, totally agree.
From what I can gather, the BLUH as it stands is Lynx, driven by the need to keep Westland’s buoyant. Its not what we want as it is basically a 'cut and shut' of the existing version.
Want and need are two totally different aspects.
We need something to replace the current tired frame. We don’t have the dosh as we've just forked out on a large quantity (relatively speaking) of 'Cold war assets wrapped in a 25 year+ old airframe'. I can’t see the treasury playing ball when the AAC ask for another all singing and dancing spanking new heli. So we need a cheap alternative. Politics dictate BLUH being Lynx as it’s a rehash of what we already own. Not ideal. The newer engines are thirstier, no extra room for bigger tanks = less range. A rewrite of existing doctrine to fulfil this cab. Not exactly a leap forward.
The want.
From what I gather, if we push for S70, it steps on the toes of SHF and as they have a larger portion of the pie, it will go to them as a Puma replacement, of sorts. Result, AAC becomes a one type force (AH) = AAC need to start practicing wearing white socks in the mess and a sideways walking drill movement. That, in my opinion, is not a viable solution for many reasons.
When you have fcuk all to spend, but need to re equip, you need to shop at Costcutters and live within your income.
As we know, the current dictatorship doesn’t have any idea how important an insurance policy the armed forces are and will chop it to a bare minimum just for a couple of Guardian reader types votes.
Empire, a battle of wits with ABIW is akin to hosing down a small Kent Village with DU. Darn unfair and totally unarmed.