Leonardo Lobbying for Puma Replacement to Secure Yeovil future
 

Telegraph 15NOV2020

Quote:

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Helicopter jobs fears as Leonardo lobbies for UK order

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Haven't seen this picked up elsewhere but it looks they are still pushing the AW149 as a replacement for the Puma fleet. Not sure if this a new story or a rehash of earlier ones. There is a perceived capability gap between the current Puma OSD of 2025 and any purchase resulting from the UK getting involved in the US FVL/FLRAA program(me). However, as I have said before my understanding was the UK Rotary Strategy included consolidating on fewer platforms. Following the AAC Apache D replacement decision does "The answer is Boeing what's the question?" now apply to RW. The RN won't be looking for a new platform until the mid 2030s so does this mean the end of UK OEM military RW is almost certain?

The new money isn't to fill the existing procurement budget shortfall but for Cyber and Space. So I don't see any funding for Puma replacement likely.

They'd be better off figuring out how to supply 12-16 Merlin HM variants quickly and cost-effectively. Which might support export orders off the back of them. We need more Merlin - the case for Puma is less clear.

I suspect the answer will end up being 'more Chinooks'.

Surely the Pumas can't need replacing ALREADY?

https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-n...early-setbacks

But in the comments...

Yeah! The oldest is only a mere 50 years old!

Surely there must be a few refurbished Wessex around.

What happened to the 12 unconverted airframes? Pre-Covid were the RN still struggling with aircrew retention like five years ago?

Four deregistered and in various locations (inc 2 at Yeovil apparently), plus eight in xmas-tree state in a Boscombe Down hangar. More trouble to rebuild rather than fix the systemic issues with new builds..

[QUOTE=Jn14:6;10930240]Yeah! The oldest is only a mere 50 years old![/Q​​​​​​



The remaining fleet was upgraded to HC.2 standard, only within the last 10 years, at an exorbidant cost. Some sources suggest the OSD could 'slide' 10 extra years though!

I think Leonardo may have played the same card too many times. The few marginal Limp Dumb constituencies are probably less valuable after the collapse of the red wall.

This is what you get in supposed “mergers” the greater partner “home team” sooner or later disposes of their previous competition.

I was the blade bay inspector at Middle Wallop. A team of 5 of us overhauled Lynx/Wildcat main & Tail blades (plus Gazelle) and we were churning out more blades than Yeovil site were/could. Out of the blue we got shut down and made redundant and “all work went to Yeovil”. One of the staff was an ex-Leonardos employee and kept in touch with his mates, who were still on the inside. They reported that there was a lot of sitting around by permies and the contractors picking up the workload.

I’m told it’s a strange place to work.

Seen that happen in a major UK aircraft company, at the end they only had one aircraft in, a full workforce to work on it but were banned from doing so and a hangar full of connies brought in and doing the check... Turned out some accountant had figured out it was cheaper to have contractors do the work than their own staff, but never took into account the company staff were still being paid to do nothing on top of his cheaper labour..

It folded shortly afterwards.

[QUOTE=BTC8183;10930479]They could probably have done a total swap for EC725s for less!

I worked on SKIOS for 7 months doing calcs to reinforce Aussie Sea King cabins for crashworthy seats amongst other things, as a young contracting stressman.

It was quite different to Filton...

"The remaining fleet was upgraded to HC.2 standard, only within the last 10 years, at an exorbidant cost. Some sources suggest the OSD could 'slide' 10 extra years though!"

£400m for 20 aircraft which gave 10-14 yrs of extra service, whilst out-lifting the Merlin in Afghanistan was a bargain!

to re-engine the Merlin was around £800m...

£260 million for 24 aircraft but an absolute bargain.


“Probably” nope, would have been about 12 EC725s vice 24 Puma 2.

AST 404
 

ASt404 Ring a Bell with anyone ? When the Super Puma offered back in the early 80S?

cheers

Pound and dollar faff 😀