Crabette, not ex 84 are you perchance?
We are required to maintain a second standby throughout daylight hours - most of us disagree with it but it is there and requires people and airframes to do it with - COST number 1 not borne by the civvy SAR.
We are required to train more than the civvies such that for a pilots on 8/9 shifts per month, 4 hours per shift will usually be flown - COST number 2 not borne by civvy SAR.
We are required to keep 2 full crews in the Falklands all year round - COST number 3 not borne by the civvy SAR.
We currently hold the UK standby - previously done by SH - Cost number 4 not borne by civvy SAR.
We are required for umpteen other tasks (SCSR and station wets, NARO etc) COST number 5 not borne by civvy SAR.
Do you see where I am coming from now? The playing field is not level and all those bean counters can see is yellow helicopter replaced with red white and blue helicopter = money saving without understanding the bigger picture. All of the other tasks would have to be picked up by the overstretched SH force/jungly force.
PS you need more than an autopilot to carry out IMC ops over the water.
WYGetc - don't start banging on about medals after 771 got AFCs for hovering over someones house at Boscastle.