Snake. I am hoping that this is a place where there are people with a lot of experience who understand most of the issues and where it's possible to come for a view on some of the fine detail that still needs attention. Of course, I expect people to mercilessly take the p155 a lot of the time but I'm an MR guy and a RAF guy so that's not new territory.
10 aircraft? Possible. Not likely. I am expecting a number between 7 and 10 that will probably have been thrashed out with the DfT several months ago.
AW are bu115h1tting, on the basis the bit of HM Gov that supports industry and the bit that buys SAR helicopter services are not able to communicate with each other. AW know what they are doing. They've been at it for decades.