So again more MoD leaks and media speculation on a significant reduction in the UK's rotary capability. Now I have not had sight of this leaked paper, and aside from Dr Fox's apparent 'U' turn on the requirement for helicopters (recorded for posterity in other recent threads), but can someone enlighten me as to what was wrong with the original FRWS?I thought that much effort had been made to ensure that the 2004 NAO report was satisfied within a recent review and reconciliation of revised costings (effectively bringing it with an affordable budget).
Therefore was all this effort only conducted last year in vain or is the SDSR actually purely a cost cutting exercise and absolutely nothing to do with current, future and emerging threats?
Any reduction in lift capability must surely be placing ground troops at risk and before Afghanistan the NAO highlighted this.
Even if we are expecting a few years/months warning for some of the future operations, helicopters and crews cannot be procured/trained in this time frame, especially for some of the specialist roles that could be lost forever with this so called 'strategic' review.
The silence over Pakistan is that the helicopter cupboard is empty. Do politicians/HMT think that activities will not be conducted concurrently (enduring campaign, SSFI (NEO) and disaster relief?).
All probable and highly suspect if taken on risk by HMG (look what happened when Labour took the NAO report on risk).
So tell me what holes the SDSR has found in FRWS then let's start talking about cutting helicopter capability.
This will bite us, the troops we support and the British public when they need helicopters.
Last edited by MaroonMan4; 14th Aug 2010 at 17:29.