Will Puma Survive?

[Melchett01]

Snafu,

I didn't say the CHF operating Merlin was an issue. What I did say was that in RW terms, the RAF is in danger of becoming operationally ineffective if all it had was CH-47 and nothing smaller to offer the flexibility required to operate in an complex urban scenario.

All I can think is that Nicholas, and possibly yourself, are alluding to RW capability being a Defence capability rather than a single service capability. Well on paper, maybe it is, but that argument would only work if we were a single Defence Force rather than the single services that we are. To take your argument to its fullest extent would be akin to saying that the Infantry belong to Defence not the Army. In practice, JHC is far from being Joint and has single service rivalries running right the way through it (apart from at the operator level, when the guys just crack on) which means that the RAF still very much fight their own corner within JHC as do the Army and the RN / RM and assets are still viewed very much as being RAF or Army or RN/RM. Be under no illusion, the loss of Puma would have broader political implications for the RAF outside of pure capability. The day the RAF were unable to provide the required SH support because we lack a balanced capability is the day the Army then make a bid to take over RW in total, arguing that the RAF cannot provide the effect required.

So if Puma does end up getting the axe, at a stroke, not only have we reduced our overall RW flexibility & capability in the manner already described (Wildcat will never be an effective Puma replacement), but the RAF could also end up facing more base reductions and the loss of more personnel associated with those defunct capabiltiies as the bean counters start to question the need for retaining Benson, the SHF construct and associated appointments and broader RAF manning liabilities. And in the current febrile atmosphere of SDSR and PRs, any chance for any of the services to get one over their sister services is being taken with both hands.

Plus, I just happen to believe that the SH role is still an RAF role. That is my opinion, many would question it, but in terms of operational experience over the years, numbers of aircraft and crews and associated personnel and infrastructure, the RAF has and continues to provide the lion's share of the capability. And as I don't see any other SH sqns outside of the RAF and the CHF's much smaller capability, in that respect, I don't see how I am wrong in describing SH as a primarily RAF capability.