Graf, ref the AEOps, as they were in old money, there were probably more than you think deployed on ops. If you take into account all the ops jobs, the R1, E3D, Sentinel and the King Air thing, it all adds up. Yes the majority were on the good old MR2, and they took the hit for that, however much I think it was a stupid decision.
I think it would be crazy to dissolve our SH, or is it now BH, fleets. I can assure you that the AEOps, remembering that you have some on the BH and SAR cabs, have the utmost respect and admiration for what crewmen do, but AEOps do have a future, albeit in limited numbers compared to previously.