500N Re: Orion re-tasking
500N - well, it may just be me, but I read the press release exactly as it's being reported by the media that you cite.
I believe the Orion IS en-route to the probable location of the ELT activation. The "if required" clause, I think, applies to "render assistance", not "fly to the area".
If they hadn't have already dispatched the Orion to fly south, there wouldn't be any requirement to bring in another civil jet to replace the Orion.
I think it's the press release that had a bit of ambiguity in the writing, and the media folks might have clarified the actual operation before they wrote anything.
However, I sure might be wrong here, just a thought.