Sad thing is we won’t learn anything from this saga and I’ll bet interoperability didn’t feature anywhere in the Flynx presentations a few years back.
When the MoD finally decides to replace the Sea King and Puma fleet – and please let’s not waste already inadequate MoD funding on any end-of-life upgrades – I suspect that the likes of Eurocopter, NH Industries, Sikorsky and other will refrain from entering any competition as the eventual winner will almost certainly be any AW militarised (that’s a civil helicopter painted green for effect) product from Vergiate – sorry, I meant the West Country.
If Flynx is the best on offer, then let the whole shop go to the wall and let’s promote export offsets in successful UK businesses in return for a capable and proven platform for current and future demanding operations instead of just delaying the inevitable for those in the West Country.
Proud to be British as I am, some things in life are far more important that job security and votes.