Throughout the day I have read from and listened to politician after politician spin their way out of the 'are there enough helicopters for Afghanistan' question.
I still do not understand why the mobility (and therefore assistance to protection) afforded by helicopters for the troops on patrol appears to be such a hard concept to grasp - despite years of Northern Ireland and Balkans experience that (re) proved the concept in very recent times.
Surprise, random patrol routes and footprint, re-supply by air instantly to me highlight why helicopters afford the commanders on the ground the flexibility to choose their method of manoeuvre.
Although not wishing to sing my own aircraft's superb lift capability (in comparison to the usual suspects), but with sufficient numbers of CH47 we may not be able to conduct Air Manoeuvre, but routine Air Mobility yes and with sufficient numbers could assist patrols lift with medium armoured vehicles (which I think is the compromise that the Def Sec is looking for) to minimise the use of roads and tracks.
I await for CGS or CDS or CAS or even down to a tactical commander on the ground to go on Sky or BBC or interview in the media and say that the politicans are right and actually no more helicopters are required - now or in the future and that stopping the funding and 10 years of delaying decisions has been the right policy.
Again, I reiterate that helicopters are not the panacea but to brush them off as though there is enough of them and actually no more are required I find incredulous. The Merlin re-roling to theatre was always going to happen anyway, so please do not hide behind that as a magical 'look what we are doing now' as the MoD/political spin doctors used the Merlin rabbit out of the hat when the lack of helicopters in Afghanistan last hit the media/public spotlight.
As to the post on compromising technical flight safety for quick turn arounds - with a girlfriend and a responsibility to kids do you think that I would strap in to an aircraft that I knew or even thought had been rushed through a servicing?
The issue is that there are no 'spares' so if I did go u/s on start I cannot just strap into the fully prepped spare on the line, waiting to go.
So no - to my knowledge from a light blue perspective minor snags are carried (medium if there is life at the end of it), but there are no short cuts going in theatre, just the frustrations of not enough aircraft, let alone if I need the the imaginary 'spare'.
Last edited by MaroonMan4; 12th Jul 2009 at 20:49.