As part of an MoD directive aiming to improve the recognition of RAF helicopters on operations
Presumably this is to ensure our 'clients' (the PBI) will now be able to wait at the bus stop until three noisy whirly things come along and be able to tell at a glance which one is theirs. Apart from god knows how many hours of recognition training - which did sometimes seem a little wanting in the days of both Wessex and Puma with a load of bods trying to get in the port side - the fact it appears is a pretty good indication of what/who's it is. And as the 'enemy' don't seem to have rotary assets anyway they just shoot at any helicopter in passing so they won't take time to look to see if it has a new corporate logo.
The (words fail me) idiot who dreamed up this unforgiveable waste of expenditure and then has the temerity to advertise his cleverness to the world deserves sending to Helmand for the rest of his career. Putting a
PR requirement and spending ahead of OR is almost criminal.
Our job is putting troops out and bringing them back, and it matters not what we may be called in the press. I've seen reports of RAF Sea Kings from Culdrose and Navy ones from Valley, RAF Lynx and Gazelles and lots of Army Wessex and Pumas. Yes it sometimes grates, and we seem to able to spend lots of time on this forum berating the press for 'inaccurate' reporting, but in the scheme of things is it that big a problem! The professionals know who did it, and as far as the public are concerned they probably couldn't care.
Edited to add:
On second thoughts maybe someone who can get things moving this quickly should be posted to head up the new Carrier team, in the hope it will appear some time this century.
Rant over, back to more wine!