Crab,
I am surprised you still defend the MOD's involvement in this process, you should be deeply afraid! After all it was the same organisation that wasted millions (enough to fund this contract several times over) on the Chinook Mk3, it is the same organisation that is responsible for Nimrod, Apache, Eurofighter, Merlin and all those other well run and value for money projects - NOT.
As you say there is not much information on the A139 - so which "experts" in the MOD assessed it and found it suitable for SAR? The rumours beginning to circulate point to the A139 being worse than the glossy sales brochures and even if it met that performance it would still struggle to do what the S61 does now. If improved capability was the driving force behind this contract change then why didn't the MOD wants S92's on the S Coast?
Finally, I am sorry if I assigned the wrong initials to Crabette. But where is Crabette with her inside knowledge, she has gone very quiet leaving only you to defend the indefensible!
DtD