TC they are not as different animals (NPAS and SARH) as you believe - they are both state functions where aircraft and crews are provided by a civilian contractor and they are both about saving money and empire building.
On one hand you have senior police chiefs and on the other the chief CG - they are equally ambitious animals and all want to be seen to save money without anyone noticing a reduction in service capability.
The CG have tried for the last 10 years to build themselves into the 4th military service with the sort of extensive air power boasted by the USCG.
Not only are they prepared to compromise on the air capability for the sake of control, they are also pursuing the 'less assets give better concentration of effort' bollocks that is closing many CG stations.
It's not about what the country can afford - the govt are still spending money like water but they don't see police and SAR as important in their bigger, grander, 'posturing on the world stage' view of the world.
If you believe all the
PR from DfT and MCA about how good this is all going to be, just because they say so, then don't be surprised in a couple of years time when we in the SAR world (I know no-one cares about us) will be saying the same as those in police aviation or Virgin trains after the recent contract fiasco - "hang on there's something wrong here" - as it will all be too late to change.