Oh dear SARREMF - you do seem to have firmly embraced the AW ethic of promising a good aircraft for the job but actually delivering a non-role specific machine with some bits added on which still don't quite cut the mustard.
The ice protection pack will improve the situation for SARH???? classic AW speak for not providing the right capability in the first place. Let me see....will the contractor have to pay AW more for the ice protection kit???Oh yes, loads I expect.
4candles seems to have cut through the bull proffered by the MCA and others - you don't have a better RoA than the S61 and less cabin space.
If it was only the search patterns not working, why would it be limsar for no poor vis/night ops?
I know the 3A had problems, but that was 13 years ago and I keep being told by you and others that buying off the shelf from civilian sources prevents expensive cockups and delays - not so it seems. This is the 21st century but aircraft manufacturers are still happy to operate to the same shoddy standards of old.