The Mk9 was specifically procured with wheels because it was forecast to save cash and time getting them into the hangars. The original spec (quite sensibly) called for skids which is why the Mk1 et al never had wheels at all!! Also the Mk9 was only really meant to be a training aircraft with a field capability! Trouble is that lots of info gets lost over the years and youngsters forget why and how we operated and the plan always changes before the ink is dry. In the original debate (in the 60's) the navy had to fight to get wheels instead of skids so not quite the case that the army suffering the matelots lead.
After 30 years of operating in the aircraft, developing it and procurement of future equipment (especially Flynx) i can assure you that you will not get what you need but what you are given by our political idiots who never get near a tent let alone a bullet! That's the way it is, i'm glad that i'm retiring at last!