RAF SAR to deploy to Afghanistan
With the vast number of years and experience gained at great expense, it is only right that this asset finally gets its chance to do what it really should do namely CSAR and the dangerous all weather mountain ops that only it can perform. I'm sure the SH & Army crews and service personel in theatre would welcome the arrival of this support.
Please feel free to copy and send the following to your local MP for Des Browne's attention;
Dear Sir
With the increasingly difficult and dangerous tasks inherent in Afghanistan, missions to support this fragile and vital region of the world do indeed require the extra commitment of troops and more importantly as stated recently, that of Helicopter support. To this end the question begs; why are the vastly experienced crews of RAF Search and Rescue not mobilized for this task?
The men and women of this Branch are perhaps some of the most proficient crews in difficult all weather mountain operations by day or night. They are fully equipped with advanced sensor systems and to prepare the aircraft for that theatre of operation would not take too much time nor expense in the grand scale. The provision of the UK SAR element undertaken by the current 6 RAF SAR bases could be spread and shared by the operators of the remaining 6 i.e. the Royal Navy & MCA. Perhaps a partial reduction to half of the current RAF bases would be practical? Some of them must be quiet enough in terms of rescue demand? I suspect that powers to be within the RAF would not wish to lose the Public Relations value that a few rescues here and there attract. To stop gap cover this, it would not take too much to source short term contract support from the providers of the Civilian SAR providers namely CHC Helicopters & Bristow Helicopters, both companies with vast experience in this field.
As an ex serviceman, I feel that the tax payer and more importantly the men and women risking their lives in the Afghan theatre would be better served if supported by these elements. I believe that this asset is supposed to be the UK Combat Search and Rescue pool of experience, complete with its own training school of very experienced instructors at RAF Valley, albeit some are civilian. I humbly request and believe it would be reasonable of you to enquire an explanation from the RAF hierarchy, as to why this expensive asset is so redundant in its support for the stretched frontline services, namely the troops in theatre.
Sincerely yours