14 New Chinooks
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: by the Great Salt Lake, USA
Posts: 1,542
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by HaveQuick2
Wow, so that is ANOTHER 14 new ones, on top of the 2 attrition replacements announced a couple of months ago, and the 12 new builds announced 6 months ago, and the 22 new builds announced last year!
We must have loads of money in the kitty obviously, getting another 50 helicopters about 5 years late!
Bloody spin doctors!
We must have loads of money in the kitty obviously, getting another 50 helicopters about 5 years late!
Bloody spin doctors!
The earlier numbers were just announced "intentions", this is the only contract actually signed.
Therefore 14, not 50.
GK121,
As I write in Post 9 - let's see the true figures on numbers before we get too excited.
When the Mk1s went back to the US for upgrade, the americans insisted that they were all of one standard. A significant chunk of activity ensued as the cabs were modified before shipment. On arrival in the US, the mods were mostly stripped out as part of the pre-update prep work that had been agreed. That's probably the last time 'configuration control' was achieved (Fleet Manager's nightmare!).
Old Duffer
As I write in Post 9 - let's see the true figures on numbers before we get too excited.
When the Mk1s went back to the US for upgrade, the americans insisted that they were all of one standard. A significant chunk of activity ensued as the cabs were modified before shipment. On arrival in the US, the mods were mostly stripped out as part of the pre-update prep work that had been agreed. That's probably the last time 'configuration control' was achieved (Fleet Manager's nightmare!).
Old Duffer
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Next to Ross and Demelza
Age: 53
Posts: 1,235
Received 52 Likes
on
21 Posts
Spotter intrusion.
The 1967 order even got as far as having serial numbers XV841-XV855 allocated.
Spotter out.
The 1967 order even got as far as having serial numbers XV841-XV855 allocated.
Spotter out.
Shirley even with the new Chinooks there will be retirements/selling off of the oldest ones in service...?
Perhaps I'm just too cynical, but I don't for a minute believe this will actually be a net improvement in RAF lift [ignoring for a minute the potential for the Merlins to go to the RN].
Perhaps I'm just too cynical, but I don't for a minute believe this will actually be a net improvement in RAF lift [ignoring for a minute the potential for the Merlins to go to the RN].
Tallsar and Martin the Martian - thanks for the info on the original Chinook order. In my first few years in the RAF there seemed to be a succession of cancellations like this, including the P1154 and of course the TSR2.
Plus ca change
Plus ca change
Bismark,
I think the aircraft formerly at Boscombe are now called something like: 'Mk3 (Retro)'. They have the fat tanks
FLIGHT magazine this week is doing a lot on helicopters in the British forces - I shall go and have a look to see what gems are revealed.
Drifting everso slightly towards: 'Chinook - Still Hitting Back', there is a letter in the same issue on the subject of the recent 'revised verdict' on the Mull but perhaps it's best we don't go there with this Thread.
Old Duffer
I think the aircraft formerly at Boscombe are now called something like: 'Mk3 (Retro)'. They have the fat tanks
FLIGHT magazine this week is doing a lot on helicopters in the British forces - I shall go and have a look to see what gems are revealed.
Drifting everso slightly towards: 'Chinook - Still Hitting Back', there is a letter in the same issue on the subject of the recent 'revised verdict' on the Mull but perhaps it's best we don't go there with this Thread.
Old Duffer
The Mk3s are flying at Odiham.
The Mk2s will eventually become Mk4s when the Thales cockpits are fitted.
The Mk3s will also get the Thales cockpit which will make them Mk5s. They will be fitted after the Mk2s.
The new-buy will be Mk6s and will be new airframes from Philly.
The Mk2s will eventually become Mk4s when the Thales cockpits are fitted.
The Mk3s will also get the Thales cockpit which will make them Mk5s. They will be fitted after the Mk2s.
The new-buy will be Mk6s and will be new airframes from Philly.
Glad Rag asked:
"So.....when we disengage from the governments foreign adventures and the Army get fired en masse, just what are we going to do with 60 plus chinnys (apart from rob then blind)?"
Simples. Give the British Army (and Royal Marines, and occasionally RAF) the support they need. For example battlefield mobility, resupply, CASEVAC etc.
Whilst statistics have a bad reputation, a 'back of the fag packet' calculation puts the CH47to soldiers ratio in US Army at 1 x CH47 per 1250 soldiers. The British Army/RM get 1 x CH47 for every 2100. (I know we have ME, PU and SK too, but then US have CH53 and UH60 before we count USMC 22s, UH1 and CH53).
Even 60 x CH47 only reduces the gap to 1 x CH47 for every 1416 soldiers (in a 85,000 man Army).
Batco
With apologies to cigarette packets, statisticians, and PU/ME/SK crews.
"So.....when we disengage from the governments foreign adventures and the Army get fired en masse, just what are we going to do with 60 plus chinnys (apart from rob then blind)?"
Simples. Give the British Army (and Royal Marines, and occasionally RAF) the support they need. For example battlefield mobility, resupply, CASEVAC etc.
Whilst statistics have a bad reputation, a 'back of the fag packet' calculation puts the CH47to soldiers ratio in US Army at 1 x CH47 per 1250 soldiers. The British Army/RM get 1 x CH47 for every 2100. (I know we have ME, PU and SK too, but then US have CH53 and UH60 before we count USMC 22s, UH1 and CH53).
Even 60 x CH47 only reduces the gap to 1 x CH47 for every 1416 soldiers (in a 85,000 man Army).
Batco
With apologies to cigarette packets, statisticians, and PU/ME/SK crews.
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Hanging off the end of a thread
Posts: 33,073
Received 2,942 Likes
on
1,253 Posts
Has anyone let Boscombe know?, so they can clear a hangar for them 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: In England
Posts: 371
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Some good stats there Batco.... Very relevant and why even after the new buy of 14 we will still be about 10 -15 airframes short to really do the job - hence the earlier intention to buy 24 + 2 new ones. Curiously, you can argue that the smaller an army becomes (within reason) it comes to rely more heavily on heli lift to remain fully effective in modern warfare. It turns out therefore that the smaller planned army is now heading towards creating a better lift ratio... Not the way it should be done, but hey.... 60 is better than 50 etc etc.
