A #62 million contract with Boeing to convert eight Chinook Mk3 helicopters to a support helicopter role was announced by the MoD today.
Aaah, MoD spin at work. That sounds a little better than stating that they are to 'convert eight Chinook Mk3 helicopters to Chinook Mk2'. Also, the number of times that this batch of Chinnies has been announced in press releases, the general public probably think we've acquired about 80 of them in the last few years.
It is great news that these airframes will finally fly and that the wokka fleet will be reinforced at a time when the cabs are being flogged to death. However, it is an absolute scandal that this procurement has been handled so negligently. Letters of resignation should be flying in government circles over this matter, but of course that will never happen.