No names or locations, but yesterday the most senior of soldiers was meeting a reception line of aircrew:
" So Flt Lt, what do you fly? "
"I'm with the Merlin Flight out here Sir"
"Ah good...(points to the mighty king).. Not that piece of Junk then. So Lt what do you do out here?"
"I fly that piece of Junk Sir".
General politely shoved down rest of receiving line before 9 mils drawn
This happened yesterday and has severely upset the boys. The plan for the Sea King will see it upgraded to Puma speed, payload increased by 25% with much improved H&H performance. Let's face it fellas - we have to make the best of what w've got. If we could can 'Future Lynx, which we could by giving the RN a missile for Merlin and plonking the ones we have on the back of ships, and 212 for the army (nothing more capable is needed) then the badly overstreched Sea Kings and the moderately tasked (on 1st tuesday of the month) Pumas could be replaced by something decent.
This isn't going to happen because of Wastelands and the narrow minded attitude of Daavn and the FF/DD mafia.
Rant over - why do we need 220 cold war eurofighters btw? Prestige?