what will they do without a Maritime Force until (at the earliest) 2018???
Looks like they are following the UK example of capability holidays. In fact maybe we should collaborate...we have the helicopters and they have the MPA.
Retirement of the CH-124s is only scheduled to begin in 2015
Indeed. But assuming they only have just enough aircraft at the moment to meet their commitments (please correct me if 12 Wing has a huge pool of under-used Sea Kings and aircrew/groundcrew loafing around at Shearwater or Patricia Bay, but I didn't notice it when I visited a couple of years back!), then even a gradual drawdown will leave them exposed as soon as the Cyclone slips even a small amount. Now we all know that could never happen...
