So we are getting 10 new chinooks! Big whoppee! Have we not written off about 5 in the past 3-5 years or so? Is it not about time someone with some nouse tells the powers that be we need new airframes every year, just to replace worn out airframes coming back from the desert. We may end up with a surplus in 5 years time but that is surely better than the present day scenario of not enough.
The puma upgrade will be a very positive upgrade to the helicopter capabilities ( though it doesn't mean that its the best thing around[cougar anybody]).
What about spares? Time to get british industry geared up me thinks. Solve the unemployment problem.