Snakepit - well that's all OK then, sunshine and roses for UKSAR forever and jobs for life at AW - how fantastic.
Yes we will just get on with it but - why spend billions of taxpayers pounds on something that is not as capable as it should be?
Despite your assertion that the 189 will have been rigorously assessed, it will only meet the terms of the contract that have been stipulated - that is a very different thing from being selected on its suitability.
If the contract doesn't specify cabin size, ability to fulfill ALL current UK SAR tasks or a multitude of other factors, the aircraft will be chosen because of the contract spec (potentially poorly written and also modified by political pressure). That is NOT the same as being chosen because it is a good SAR aircraft.
It always amuses me that so many here think that a life in uniform means comprehensive institutialisation which removes the ability to think, read, understand or be otherwise cognisant of how the 'real' world works.
I can't possibly know how industry works (I clearly don't have any friends or family in industry because I am in the military), I can't possibly understand the fragility of employment outside our cossetted little military world (just remind me how many industries have lost the numbers to redundancy of the armed forces over the last 20 years of peace dividend) and I can't possibly empathise with those working at Yeovil because I don't work there.
All fundamentally fatuous and flawed viewpoints but, because I dare to question if SARH, in both its previous and now new guises, are the right way forward for UK plc and don't accept at face value what is being forced onto the country at a time of economic hardship - I am the one at fault because I have worked for the same employer (and served the UK taxpayer) for over 30 years. Dear oh dear
Govt spending on infrastruture to create NEW jobs is a good way to drag ourselves out of recession - Govt spending to replace something old but of top quality with something new of lesser capability (except that it goes a bit faster) that actually reduces the number of jobs in that sector, is not.
Fewer SAR flights, far fewer engineers and management - no new aircrew jobs as they will be filled from existing mil and civ posts - and a temporary reprieve for a few people at Yeovil. This conjoined with fewer coastguards (to improve efficiency!!!) is a retrograde step for air, land and sea safety in the UK.