If only our lords and masters hadn't cut SABR! FRC was the worst thing to happen to the Rotary wing world over the last 10 years. Cutting the budget from £4.5 Bn to £3 Bn put us back to square 1 thus we have had to LEP the aged Sea King and knackered/dangerous Puma.
The only reason we are in this mess is because the budgets have been squeezed, the original thought was to lease new aircraft but guess what its unaffordable so LEP came along.
One thing that does jar though, you are all discussing giving CHF Chinook, it can't be folded and struck down in the hangar of CVS/CVF or Ocean. It is just not suited to the littoral environment or are you assuming CHF will always play in the sandpit?. SABR heavy was going to be CH53 which is fully folding and is perfect, just ask the USMC.
Perfectly agree we should have a version of the 101 MMI but where are you gonna find £1 Bn to buy replace Sk4? And then a further £2 Bn for the rest of FMH?
Face facts the MoD is broke. Treasury are making us pay for UORs out of our own budgets so the spiral is becoming more vicious. Therefore either we extend what we have or take them out of theatre all together.