1983 Statement on the Defence Estimates
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1983 Statement on the Defence Estimates
An interesting assumption on the aircraft side is that EH101 will replace Sea King. It was quietly pointed out that if EH101 met its declared ISD (1989), the entire fleet of nearly 40 Sea King HC Mk4s would be less than 10 years old. This was swiftly changed to EH101 would supplement SK4, and the following year the estimates said 108 dual ASW/Commando role EH101s, split 50/50. (Role mod to convert). Certainly puts the later statements that we had enough support helicopters into perspective. The SK AEW was assumed to have a life of less than 10 years - it got its mid-life upgrade in 1986 - and was to be replaced by EH101. What is now Crowsnest is remarkably similar to what won the competition in 1994, but there would have been no bag.
