Wouldn't it have been sensible to sort out all this kit before we started running two wars back to back ? I cannot recall the Luftwaffe starting the
Blitzkrieg and running out of steam half way through due to lack of Stukas!
What this all stems down to is the procurement of 'enough' - not a little more or indeed ample - just 'enough' . Couple that with a procurement procedure which is ponderous in the extreme and it's hardly suprising that we look to be up a creek without a paddle.
The reason that other countries are retiring their Puma's is that there is better and newer kit available. It's not luxury - Portugal for example is in the economic doldrums at the moment . They are savy enough however to see the wisdom of buying fresh rather than indulging in enless undate programs
to squeeze that extra pound of flesh out of a machine.
The RAF should have ordered far more Bell 412's and let these carry some
of the combat burden. These are tried and tested and would have allowed for off the shelf purchase rather than having to go down the route of scrounging
off our European neighbours for any surplus helicopters they have.