Blandy,
The RAF had very little input into the Mk3, indeed, we didn't really want it in the first place. Back in the nineties, the RAF was asked what equipment it wanted to recapitalise the SH fleet and the overwhelming response was a big buy of more Chinooks. Then SecDef, Michael Portillo, counselled the RAF on their misguided notions and persuaded them that a rehashed ASW helicopter, itself rehashed from a fanciful concept for a "heliliner", with a (fairly useless) ramp and some green paint was what they really wanted in the first place.
I don't like to get embroiled in politics and i've been pretty appalled by some of the short-term decisions made by the recent Labour administration, not to mention the latest SDSR. However, most of the long-term problems that today's forces have to contend with, stem from some far-reaching choices and policies of the Tory administrations of the 80s and 90s.
FJH