Yes, but how often does it happen?
Not very often, and if it is beyond 200nm then what?
Better spend the money on a airborne refueling helicopter capability. At least once a helicopter gets there it can actually do something!
This dropping liferafts b@llocks is just that. Ships carry liferafts. Helicopters carry liferafts.
But lets humour the scenario where for some reason the survivors have abandoned their own liferafts and require some more. (Perhaps they were unhappy with the colour of their own ones?)
Once you have dropped your liferaft a safe distance from the survivors, then what?
Do you really expect someone in a storm to catch a liferaft that has been dropped near them. Have you ever done sea drills?
Please remember just how much has been spent on Nimrods over the years.
People who say that you can't put a price on life have a very limited understanding of reality. I am willing to bet that the Nimrod's £ to lives saved through SAR ratio is the worst in the history of emergency services.
Don't try to justify Nimrod as a SAR asset. It just won't wash with the grown ups.