Quick make a note Bob tells the truth re eight Chinooks!!!
House of Commons Hansard Debates for 16 July 2009 (pt 0021)
The Secretary of State for Defence (Mr. Bob Ainsworth):
16 July 2009 : Column 550
Let me tell the House what I will do. I will, if necessary, bend people out of shape to ensure that the Lynx has all the necessary capability from this October, so that we do not have to withdraw it in the spring.
I will consider again whether there is any way in which we can bring the eight useless Chinooks that we bought back in 1996 into service any more quickly. Our plan is to get additional Chinooks out there next summer, and if we can do it more quickly, we will. I will consider again whether we can squeeze more out of every frame that we have. When troops are in the field, I am going to satisfy myself that every single muscle is being flexed in every single part of our helicopter capability.