This is just a question of money. Sure Merlin HM1 is a fantastic machine BUT...... at what cost. With UK defence living off a fix or possibly diminishing budget it is simply not OK to accept an open cheque book scenario for something like Merlin. It is claimed that Merlin CPS may cost up to 30% of the total pot available for UK military tri-service helicopter support/upgrade. How do you expect Army or RAF helicopter types to look at that?
So, can we have a little more reality from the Merlin drivers on this forum? Yes, a wonderful beast and slowly clawling out of the unserviceability pit BUT let's face up to the true cost in £ sterling against what we have been delivered by industry/DLO.