So let me just get this right, and please correct me if I am wrong, but based upon the posts so far it looks like:
From a capability perspective CHF should be disbanded amongst all JHC aircraft types.
Merlin should not 'waste' money on cockpit upgrades, but in upgrading engines, gear box, drive trains and tail rotors etc.
Does that mean then:
Do we really need amphibious forces should be the question, before we ask how we marinise and crew the aircraft. The whole environment is very risky anyway, why don't we just use land SH and AH to bounce off a deck when and if required (why do we have to waste 6 months of the year bobbing around at sea, why not tip up, use the deck for the op and then come home, with grey funnel lines picking us up at the nearest willing port?).
Another option could be to give CHF the CH47 that have the ship clearances (if they think they are getting our new buy, they have another thing coming!!).
Acknowledging that the mighty wokka is not the solution for everything that Defence wants but is a JHC fleet mix of Puma and CH47 the solution for medium/heavy lift, especially now that Puma has been made safe.
But, being fair if CHF is absorbed across the whole of JHC, does that mean that we in the light blue and also the green jobs forsake our uniform (either a true defence helciopter force, under a Defence Helicopter Command) or do we accept that we all come under either the RAF or AAC?
Should a Defence Helciopter Command fall under JFC, permanently tied to RAF for the duty holder persepctive (especially if we are to lose our ISTAR assets to JFC)?
As to the wager from Tourist, when one of our serious air ships (CAS, CINC or AMP) goes to Benson and publicly tells the lads and lasses there that Merlin is transferring to the RN in entirety, I will both eat my hat, and never post again. Until that point then I believe that we will happily use the ambiguity not to commit to too much - CDS, VCDS will all change soon, possibly a Secretary of State for Defence again, maybe a Prime Minister, with another SDSR just around the corner.
Lots of lovely ambiguity, half efforts, intents and platitudes
