Merlin Helicopters Pulled Out Of Afghanistan
Drag,
Only RAF Pumas flying in the UK are Mk2s; being flown by the CTT prior to RTS. The clearance to fly the Mk1 has been withdrawn.
Puma can fit into a smaller place than Merlin, and in Mk2 guise will offer better performance in some environments. Ultimately, it's a smaller cabin.
Your boy is quite correct; the Chinook is brilliant (but I may be a tad biased there...)
Merlin Mk3 was totally a 'make work' project; the RAF/Army wanted more Chinook which were cheaper to buy at the time. The then Tory Govt, looking at marginal seats in the SW, over-ruled the military advice and forced the Mk3 purchase to partially make up for a drastically cut Merlin Mk1 buy.
It's done a good job, and if we didn't have Chinook it would seem a great aircraft - in avionics terms it is, it's just top end 'grunt' that lets it down.
Only RAF Pumas flying in the UK are Mk2s; being flown by the CTT prior to RTS. The clearance to fly the Mk1 has been withdrawn.
Puma can fit into a smaller place than Merlin, and in Mk2 guise will offer better performance in some environments. Ultimately, it's a smaller cabin.
Your boy is quite correct; the Chinook is brilliant (but I may be a tad biased there...)
Merlin Mk3 was totally a 'make work' project; the RAF/Army wanted more Chinook which were cheaper to buy at the time. The then Tory Govt, looking at marginal seats in the SW, over-ruled the military advice and forced the Mk3 purchase to partially make up for a drastically cut Merlin Mk1 buy.
It's done a good job, and if we didn't have Chinook it would seem a great aircraft - in avionics terms it is, it's just top end 'grunt' that lets it down.
The question is, does it satisfy the original endorsed requirement? That is, replace the Sea King HAS Mk6 in the ASW role, while reducing ASW embarked Squadron size from 8 to 5; and augment Sea King HC Mk4 role, which could no longer meet "simultaneous two Company lift of Royal Marines". The latter became academic when Government decided we didn't need the original "lift" requirement and the Merlin Mk1 buy was more than halved (as noted by elalu8ter).
I agree the RAF Mk3 buy then became political, partly to "make up" the Merlin numbers given the original development costs were no longer being amortised over 108 cabs, but the old SABR programme must be considered as well. There was significant and successful RAF lobbying for Chinook. But ultimately these bigger decisions are taken out of the hands of MoD by the likes of the DTI. It is an age old argument; do you spread your largesse around or create a monopoly? Be glad that on aircraft, the contracts are usually awarded to companies who actually make the things and could be bothered to bid for the job. There's nothing worse than running a tender for 2 years then being told to award the contract to some cowboy outfit in a marginal constituency who hadn't bid, and having to slash capability as you need to let a second contract on someone competent to sort out the cock-ups.
I agree the RAF Mk3 buy then became political, partly to "make up" the Merlin numbers given the original development costs were no longer being amortised over 108 cabs, but the old SABR programme must be considered as well. There was significant and successful RAF lobbying for Chinook. But ultimately these bigger decisions are taken out of the hands of MoD by the likes of the DTI. It is an age old argument; do you spread your largesse around or create a monopoly? Be glad that on aircraft, the contracts are usually awarded to companies who actually make the things and could be bothered to bid for the job. There's nothing worse than running a tender for 2 years then being told to award the contract to some cowboy outfit in a marginal constituency who hadn't bid, and having to slash capability as you need to let a second contract on someone competent to sort out the cock-ups.
Chief Bottle Washer
Thanks Senior Pilot. I actually meant to say HAS Mk5 - I didn't realise the earlier requirement was for the whole aircraft. When I say "endorsed", I usually think of the time when production money is committed because my job at the time was to staff the Admiralty Board Submissions. I know Merlin's avionics required a Mid Life Upgrade long before the airframe was available, as funding had been released to develop much if it early, shortly after the Falklands War. Some of it underwent a major upgrade in 1983/4. My last Merlin task was completed in 1989, then I moved on to newer stuff, like HAS Mk6! Mk5 and Mk6 benefited from old Merlin work, which aligns with what you say.
One Civilian Helicopter logged 270 flying hours in a single month in Afghanistan....so what is the big deal about 2300 hours in a month for a fleet of helicopters? But then Logging Helicopter Companies are used to high hour usage of their machines over long periods of time.
DOD Contracts Keep U.S. Helicopter Operators Busy in Afghanistan | Aviation International News
DOD Contracts Keep U.S. Helicopter Operators Busy in Afghanistan | Aviation International News
Last edited by SASless; 6th Jun 2013 at 15:19.
