U.K. Military Crews Won't Be Part of SAR-H Deal
 

I'm hearing an announcement is to be made on Monday (source not from pprune.)


U.K. Military Crews Won't Be Part of SAR-H Deal - Defense News

So, who is now going to do battlefield SAR?

We will avoid battles but if not rely on our allies for rescue:O

Yet another capability lost:mad:

"Losing bidders will be watching carefully to ensure the contract has not been materially altered since Soteria was named preferred bidder, one analyst here said."

Surely the whole prog will have to be rebid as this is a significant change to the original contract? Or will there be some crappy get out clause that protects the 'Preferred Bidder'...............:D

What a sad day that such an iconic capability is being offloaded!

And will there be any requirement for the MRT? Or is that being offloaded aswell?

Good point but such shenanigans are common place. Losing bidders (i.e. hadn't a hope in the first place) are usually told to keep quiet or they will be blacklisted. In the days when we had funding, you often found the "losers" were awarded another contract a month or so later, thus maintaining their share of the Defence budget. Happens less these days, for some reason.

Farewell Coastal! Thanks for being there when we needed you!
 

The demise of any mil input to UK SAR, while not affecting general civ helo rescue in many circumstances, will have a marked effect on the UK mil's profile in the UK...especially once we have withdrawn from that unwinnable conflict in Afghanistan. What a strange country we now live in where fighting such a distant war is apparently more important than ensuring air force involvement in our own shore and maritime defences. It will also stunt any future military initiatives in this capability as the strategic situation changes around our coasts - a double blow along with the chopping of our LRMP/ISTAR platform capability.

Thus 2010 will stand as the year in which UK plc gave up on any dedicated maritme air capability within its air force. From the 3 major components that formed Coastal Command (and it's later sub versions) from WW2 onwards (ASW, Antiship & ASR (as it was then)) - to nil...s*d all...finito...... Many of course will continue to believe that the Battle of Britain clinched the deal for us in WW2, when in fact it was the continous and brave efforts of our maritime air forces (Coastal & the FAA) that won the Battle of the Atlantic...and from there victory was borne.

Bye bye good friend....many courageous, professional and dedicated people served (and continue to serve for a few years yet) and worked hard with limited resources to develop much of the capability which is now being contracted out.....Goodbye.............

"Constant Endeavour"......no more:{:ugh::confused:

"So, who is now going to do battlefield SAR?"

It was never the SAR guys that fulfilled that role, good god, that would mean working more that 10 days a month and no slippers and pipe! :ok:

The guys that have been doing it for years will continue to do it, SH and the Americans.

I am sure the Taliban would appreciate a huge bright yellow Sea King shaped target in Afghanistan. :E

A SAR-H contract being let? :=

This is great news (although not really news) but will mean plenty of jobs for the boys in civvy street....thankfully, I see a lot of CV's being written....

Sar Who Does It
 

I have spent the last five years operating fixed wing into Aberdeen along with many angry palm trees

During those years I have been vastly impressed by the profesionalism and sheer tenacity of the helo boys and girls

Who should do SAR is a valid argument but don,t enter it with the idea the civy helos are not capable

Hardly! It's not as if the existing SAR set-up is going to be binned overnight...is it?:eek:

Quite - I mean, it may take a whole week when they finally decide who gets the job and when.

There is a distinct difference between civil SAR and CSAR. Your EH101 crews will no doubt continue to improve their CSAR ability despite the loss of civil SAR mission.

The EH101 CSAR role never actually materialised mate. As I understand it, the Merlin boys did a fairly big work-up, configured the sqn and were validated by NATO in role - only to have the role deleted.

Should the USAF be unavailable, Brit CSAR (such as it is..) will be cuffed by whatever platform is available in-theatre at the time.

So what will happen to SARTU and the SAR cover in the Falklands and Cyprus?

Noone's quite sure yet...even when the main SAR-H announcement is made (I'm assuming it's 'when' not 'if'!), it may take some time for the loose ends such as the 3 units you mention are dealt with. If you have time on your hands, you can gain some idea of the options from the concise and 100% accurate SAR-H thread on Rotorheads...:\

So when will the announcement be made...?

It sounds as though something official may finally be announced at some point this week:

BBC News - Coastguard centres face closure amid spending cuts

Well that's not going to happen as PW will, by 2014, have moved on to his next post as XO UK :D

However, my money's on the above being the angle the red tops take, soon as they realise the implications of this announcement.

Cynical? Moi?

PS By red top, I mean any and all modern dumbed down media.

:ugh:

I swear I never read this on Rotorheads before posting above!

Prince William helicopter crew could be cut as David Cameron sells off search and rescue - mirror.co.uk

You couldn't make it up! So predictable!