MaroonMan Agree with in the near term keeping on types currently in service By using Seaking HC4 in Afghanistan and replacing them with Merlins like the Italian Navy Amphibious assualt there by retaining the capicity to deploy of Ocean. But Using SK crews from the RAF & RN and converting puma crews to SK and using reserve HAS6 airframes as training aircraft. But in the longer term isn't there a need for a helicopter falling between Lynx & Merlin?
As to liscencing AW to build for UK forces more Chinooks which model would they build? would we be looking at introducing the F at this time? creating a fleet within a fleet? or would we be looking at a rolling programe of upgrading our chinooks to F standard?