Are we going for an of the shelf purchase with proper hard/software support or are we going to do the usual insist on a myriad of changes that will have to be trialed and approved?
As for pilots I'm sure once the Harrier and Tornado fleet are run down there will be a surplus of pilots available and given the offer of convert to helecopters or redundancy at a time when there will be poor job prospects outside many will air and ground crew will jump at the opportunity.
If Merlin HC3 is going CHF how much work will be needed to maritimeise it and is this why one of the Carriers or the carrier will be an LPH as it will have bigger lifts to accomidate the non folding tailboom etc.