Junglie,
I agree that in the current financial climate that extending life of Puma (as per Sea King) would be the bean counters (and hence Staff Officer looking to continue his/her career) chosen option.
However, unlike the re-engining and Carston Blades option for the Sea King I was under the impression that Puma had well and truly gone past its sell by date and that it was not cost efficient to continue in keeping the Puma capabiltiy going.
It is my understanding that this is why the whole FASH/SABR/BLUH/SCMR/FRC renaming fiasco was taking place to hide the fact that something needed to be done without any money in the pot to fund, therefore just merge a whole load of capabilities into one and accept that although a 'jack of all trades' no one will be satisified (realisation of a resource driven capabilty).
As you have alluded to, politically the only stumbling block was the AWHL and the whole pay back thing if FLynx was not secured by the Govt. Hence the early announcement that FLynx had been selected as the main contender before the normal Procure process had taken place.
However, as the numbers start to reduce (especially if the Army does not require as many BRH) then the validity of the FLynx production line is looking in jepordy. Closely linked to this is that FLynx goes nowhere near trying to satisfy the damning lack of lift capability that keeps on dogging an Armed Forces that regularly spouts/publishes a Doctrine of Air Manoeuvre and the 'Manoeuverist Approach'.
Therefore, once it was agreed that AWHL would be happy to accept that instead of a FLynx contract they would accept a build under licence of NH 90 (as well as other sops to their CEO including EH101 Presedential selection, MTADS for AH etc etc).
And therefore no one has the 'Rolls Royce' 'Gucci' capability that all those Staff officers worked on for years and years and years in attempt to get it right for their Service. Instead, the Treasury has forced a 'jack of all trades' that politically has kept the Govt looking good in the public eye by satisfying the FRC requirement - i.e. Find function (albeit by changing names and goal posts) also rectifying some of the lift capability-FLynx couldn't lift much and also probably mosrt important of all was that AWHL weren't going to be paid huge sums of money for a contract that although announced in Parlt wasn't going to happen - again the management of AWHL are happy and also jobs for Yeovil are secured.
Now Junglie, what are the plans for the Puma - can they really extend it on until 2013 - 2018?