RAF Chinook airframe destroyed - Helmand Province
 

BBC TV news have just announced (10:35 UK time) that an RAF Chinook made an emergency landing in Helmand province last night (19/29 Aug 2009) due to a (possible?) engine fire. Crew and pax recovered by another helicopter and the Chinook was then destroyed by coalition airstrikes.

Great that there appears to be no associated injuries, but what a shame we have lost such a valuable lifting asset, when the lack of rotary airframes in theatre seems to be so critical! :(

Edit: Story now up on BBC News site:
BBC NEWS | UK | Crew unhurt in Chinook emergency

The BBC quote:

The Ministry of Defence said that in the short term other UK aircraft in the region, and those operated by Nato partners, would be able to cover the "helicopter lift requirement".
"In the medium term, the UK's joint helicopter command is already planning the replacement of this airframe," it said.

Thats all right then - we have spare heavy lift kicking around apparently:ugh:

Glad to hear all on board were recovered safely.

Good news that the crew are ok but a shame to lose such a valuable asset.

Replacement as in buy another to replace or replacement as in send another one from the already small pool from the UK to Afghanistan? I've a feeling its the latter.:{

Sad when the loss of one frame is going to have such a dramatic impact on our ops :suspect:

Fantastic news about the crew. Lets hope it isnt Bravo November.

This airframe will NEVER be replaced under Labour.

Remember the 5 J model Hercules the MOD were' urgently' procuring earlier this year.As far as I am aware,this idea has sunk without trace.

Brown considers all money spent on defence a waste which could be given to Africa as aid.

A carefully worded thread title Mr Bernoulli.:ok:

Heavy Lift
 

Rotary Girl - the mighty Chinook is still not heavy lift - only medium. We dont have any rotary heavy lift assets. Brilliant to hear no injuries.

Gainsey,

Not entirely sure what you mean there - all I was trying to convey in the title was some accuracy. Some threads here have misleading or meaningless titles.:)

I think he was praising you MrB.

Often thread titles can be a little blunt ('Chinook destroyed' for instance) and give the appearance that their may be fatalities involved.

Teetering
Why then was the Chinook Mk3 IPT known (in the days of DPA) as FHL - Future Heavy Lift?
Is your definition of 'Heavy' greater than 24.5?

Mr B,
As Stacker infers, I meant exactly what I said, you carefully selected words so as not to alarm folk. Hence the :ok:

Lift
 

Can't quite remember the figures - but it was an ex Odiham Stn Cdr that picked me up on the same point a couple of years ago. Perhaps the definitions have changed so we now magically now have heavy lift helicopters - would not surprise me.

MSH
 

It's been a while, but when I was stood under the things hooking, the following were classed as Medium Support Helicopter:

Wessex - Presumably supplanted by Merlin 3
SK(4)
Puma
Chinook

Only the CH-53 was classed as Heavy.

What about the skycrane? Is that very b4st4rd heavy lift??

Still glad all made it out ok. Metal and rubber - we can buy another (but only after the nostril miner is gone)

Daily Telegraph report 'military sources' confirming 'shot down'.

RAF Chinook helicopter shot down in Afghanistan in Taliban election 'spectacular' - Telegraph

I hope the Crew are fine - I bet it was brown trousers time!
Anyway - I'm sure our NATO friends will now step up and send more helicopters out? Failing that, MOD will be buying some more Chinooks with the help from Darling and Ainsworth!!

Good job the cupboard isn't empty at ODI!!! Oh wait.......

Just a question. Why is the RAF webmaster so slow in putting up info on this subject following official release by the MoD press 'guru'? This news is in the public domain after all.

Indeed, I was taught the same many, many years ago when I was a sprog beginning my journey with those fine men with big hoses on TSW.

Webmaster was slow because it wasn't a Typhoon story