One of the particular selling points of Puma 2 is actually its rapid deployability. Quicker and easier to strip down than its larger brethren; 2 fit inside a C-17 (just); relatively simple rebuild at the far end (I've watched half-a-dozen engineers do it in a few hours with nothing but a landie and a jingly crane!).
In other words - should Puma 2 survive, HMG will then be able to deploy a meaningful SH capability worldwide within days. Sure, if the situation demands a medium-scale commitment, then more and larger SH will be required in addition. But for smaller deployments or when the need for speed is paramount - Puma 2 should be the way forward...