The Puma as a mid sized but capable (12 pax) beast suitable for urban ops has a role to play and is very likely to be secure until at least 2014 which was its traditional exit date
TM,
Like most of us, I don't want to see any more fleets go the way of Harrier and Nimrod, but I worry that you're being a tad optimistic. Of course the Puma has a role to play - but it's not currently playing it, which means it could be disposed of without any impact to ongoing ops. The Govt is desperate to save money (having had to walk away from several previous ways of generating income/savings - selling forests, closing Coastguard centres etc) and the economic outlook has just got worse...If we look back to the indecent haste with which the Jaguar was disposed of (the Out Of Service date was brought forward by nearly 6 months at a very late stage, which surprised everyone, not least the Jag Mates who had already organized a big event to coincide with the planned retirement date), I think there is a real danger that the Puma may be removed very quickly to maximise the financial savings from getting rid, rather than leaving it in place until the previously agreed exit date. I just can't see us (ie JHC not RAF) hanging onto 4 SH types (if one can count Lynx/Wildcat - I'm not including Apache in this) in the current climate. Like it or not, the Wildcat is safe because of who makes it
...
Now here's a crazy thought for you...if the Puma 2 is as good as everyone says (and I'm not in a position to know otherwise), its best hope for survival is for the green Merlin to be removed entirely (ie not given to the CHF). That way, we (JHC) have Chinook/'new' Puma/new Wildcat, and we'd be able to flog the Merlins to someone somewhere. Great shame for the Navy, of course.
Just before you dismiss me as a lunatic, think on this: the people who will make the decision are the same people who reckoned we could do without an MPA ever and without an aircraft carrier for 10 years or more. All they care about is money...so if it comes down to choosing between 27 (?) green Merlins, crew of 4, with no chance of selling mixed bag of Puma HC1s/half-built & untested Puma HC2s, or a smaller fleet of 3-crew Pumas with the chance of some income from selling relatively new green Merlin, the latter may not be quite as secure as everyone assumes...and the whole CHF/Lit Manoeuvre argument doesn't hold much water (pun intended) against a Govt hell-bent on savings at all costs (see Nimrod, carrier point above). After all, Chinook, Wildcat and even Apache can all go to sea...
Now, having finished reading my ramblings, you can dismiss me as the lunatic I am!
TOTD