It sounds as if the Sea Kings are being paid off early with no replacement. Merlins and Wildcats to replace them? Where are the airframes coming from?
Or have I missed something obvious?
All news : RN Live : News and Events : Royal Navy
Commander Joint Helicopter Command, Rear Admiral Tony Johnstone-Burt, said:
"The superior lift performance of the Chinook has proved invaluable on operations. This new strategy will dramatically increase our military capability on the battlefield for many years to come."
The new strategy will see the ageing Sea Kings, which the Royal Navy and RAF currently use, being taken out of service early.
The Navy's future helicopter requirements will be met by a combination of the Merlin fleet and new Wildcats.
The Army will also operate Wildcats alongside the hugely successful Apache. It will mean that following the retirement of Puma from 2022, the UK's Armed Forces will operate four core helicopter fleets of Chinook, Apache, Wildcat and Merlin, with around 65-75 of each aircraft.