Hi Crab
Well - some good points there but perhaps 2 potentially flawed assumptions:
Carson SKs - yes they do what it says on the tin - for sure! But someone earlier in this thread pointed out that running on the SK (even with certain improvements such as C Blades & tail rotor) while undoubtedly improving operational performance may not be cheap to run - like it or not the SK is getting ever more expensive per annum to keep flying with SKIOS intiatives only lowering the curve - question is of course, would a SAR-H solution cost less - an educated guess is all that is possible at present, unless you've been lucky enough to see the bid paperwork my friend.
As for the expense of SAR-H - yep the billions involved is not cheap - but remember this is spread equally over 30 years, and not in a lump sum (probably over about 5 years) associated with a conventional procurement - even though the latter is always cheaper in total sum terms even when you consider through life ownership costs. Thats why we are where we are - with this PFI business. Have the bidders got the capability against specification right for the price? - I cannot for one minute imagine that they will not be trying their hardest to do so - and of course, the period and stages of negotiaion are lengthy and detailed - so I suspect the jury is out on whether the full capability can be provided for the money available at this stage.
More pertinently, your point about the Governments greater difficulties may have more impact - the present government is going to have to make some very hard decisions across government expenditure very soon - just as the last labour government had to in 1976, and Thatcher had to in 1981 - remember the "The Moritorium" anyone? Maybe SAR-H will die or be postponed as a result of this - we shall see!!
Cheers