UK SAR Running Thin?
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Joined: Feb 2026
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From: Scotland
UK SAR Running Thin?
What’s going on with UK SAR over the last few weeks? I’ve seen the CAE aircraft up in Scotland and Irish Sea on OPs. Stornoway across in Tayside. An Irish SAR aircraft in South Wales - they are all over the place. I’ve never known them to be tasked so far from home. I mean, fantastic that cross cover exists but are they running lean? Serviceability issues? Something to do with the transition to 2G? Or maybe nothing at all and they are all just really busy.
Joined: Nov 2005
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From: Wildest Surrey
S92s getting a bit 'tired'. Better get some Merlins out of storage (or even Pumas).
The present problems in Kent don't help (Lydd not accepting SAR aircraft) but Riveroak have, I understand, agreed to let them use Manston; can't say 're-open' 'cos there is already a heli operation there.
The present problems in Kent don't help (Lydd not accepting SAR aircraft) but Riveroak have, I understand, agreed to let them use Manston; can't say 're-open' 'cos there is already a heli operation there.
Joined: Nov 2009
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From: Inverness-shire, Ross-shire
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,556
Likes: 56
From: Inverness-shire, Ross-shire
What’s going on with UK SAR over the last few weeks? I’ve seen the CAE aircraft up in Scotland and Irish Sea on OPs. Stornoway across in Tayside. An Irish SAR aircraft in South Wales - they are all over the place. I’ve never known them to be tasked so far from home. I mean, fantastic that cross cover exists but are they running lean? Serviceability issues? Something to do with the transition to 2G? Or maybe nothing at all and they are all just really busy.
Yes, people are really starting to notice. Anyone bite?
Joined: Apr 2000
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From: EGDC
Have they re-invented the East Coast shuffle that we had in the RAF when we had serviceability issues? We used to spend quite a time moving 3As between Wattisham and Chivenor. Happy days
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From: Wantage
Most S-92 will be gone at the end of the year since only three are required for this contract. Heavy, expensive, noise/vibration issues, out of production, never to be upgraded, difficult spares supply, and its size not required for the vast majority of jobs, mean that for this data evidenced new contract it is of limited use.
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From: 50+ north
Appears that the new MD’s expertise does not extend to updating their website which still shows an SAR presence and 24 hour airport availability!
Joined: Nov 2009
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From: Inverness-shire, Ross-shire
Well spotted, that ppruner! You have to admire the ambition of the last gone-and-NDA'd management team. They wanted the latest aircraft and equipment. It is a pity that the whole world wanted the same stuff at the same time. Also a pity that their successors are struggling with the aftermath. The availability numbers will have been hitting the monthly standing charges. The variables will have been under excessive pressure from the customer for some time. 
Joined: Jun 2012
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From: Uk
This is a new website. Looks like the new airport manager is selling Lydd still as a SAR base and government services, drones etc. All they’ve done is drive them all out though. Either very poor management or there’s a plan to drive the airport into liquidation and develop imo.
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From: Wildest Surrey
This is a new website. Looks like the new airport manager is selling Lydd still as a SAR base and government services, drones etc. All they’ve done is drive them all out though. Either very poor management or there’s a plan to drive the airport into liquidation and develop imo.
Joined: Nov 2009
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From: Inverness-shire, Ross-shire
Golf Papa was flown back up from Lee-on-Solent on 19th February and was doing SAR jobs that evening. 
It is operating with c/s 199 which indicates that it is not upgraded to the UKSAR2G spec.
============================================================ ====================
- Two upgraded aircraft now at Inverness, c/s 851.
- One old spec aircraft at Prestwick
- Another two upgraded AW189 required for Oban and Carlisle by the end of this month
- Lydd already changed to 2G-spec AW139 and moving to Manston
- Lee-on-Solent back on AW139
- St Athans back on AW139
- Caernarfon has AW139 on work-up for the service's most notable changeover at the end of this month
- Another two upgraded AW189 required for Sumburgh and Stornoway later in the year
In 1998, the National Audit Office noted that with MoD-DASA and the Coastguard publishing incompatible reports and statistics about SAR helicopters, the UK government had no way of knowing what the scale and nature of the SAR helicopter task was.
In 2001, this was mentioned in a Coastguard commissioned report, but nothing had been done. 
In the 2006 update, again, nothing. 
Now it was getting scary because they were issuing a contract notice for the 25 year PFI and still couldn't define the task ably. (Was inappropriate bidder recruitment really the only reason that collapsed? 
) In the panic of 2011 to get something workable in place, the DfT conceived the 10 base solution and two different aircraft types distributed around the country, and that was operational in 2015. It worked but wasn't perfect. In 2020, the contract process for UKSAR2G included the online modelling tool for bidders that allowed them to use the real data from the first unified contract to create a made-to-measure regime for the new one.
In 2022, BHL were awarded the contract on the basis of the first proper dataset for the UK SAR helicopter task since the matter was raised TWENTY FOUR YEARS earlier.
When Rescue 848 is dragged out of the hangar at Stornoway on 1st January 2027, it will be the final component of a fleet that took over TWENTY EIGHT YEARS to properly define and implement.
Gimme fkn strength.
It is operating with c/s 199 which indicates that it is not upgraded to the UKSAR2G spec.
============================================================ ====================
- Two upgraded aircraft now at Inverness, c/s 851.
- One old spec aircraft at Prestwick
- Another two upgraded AW189 required for Oban and Carlisle by the end of this month
- Lydd already changed to 2G-spec AW139 and moving to Manston
- Lee-on-Solent back on AW139
- St Athans back on AW139
- Caernarfon has AW139 on work-up for the service's most notable changeover at the end of this month
- Another two upgraded AW189 required for Sumburgh and Stornoway later in the year
In 1998, the National Audit Office noted that with MoD-DASA and the Coastguard publishing incompatible reports and statistics about SAR helicopters, the UK government had no way of knowing what the scale and nature of the SAR helicopter task was.
In 2001, this was mentioned in a Coastguard commissioned report, but nothing had been done. In the 2006 update, again, nothing. Now it was getting scary because they were issuing a contract notice for the 25 year PFI and still couldn't define the task ably. (Was inappropriate bidder recruitment really the only reason that collapsed? ) In the panic of 2011 to get something workable in place, the DfT conceived the 10 base solution and two different aircraft types distributed around the country, and that was operational in 2015. It worked but wasn't perfect. In 2020, the contract process for UKSAR2G included the online modelling tool for bidders that allowed them to use the real data from the first unified contract to create a made-to-measure regime for the new one.In 2022, BHL were awarded the contract on the basis of the first proper dataset for the UK SAR helicopter task since the matter was raised TWENTY FOUR YEARS earlier.
When Rescue 848 is dragged out of the hangar at Stornoway on 1st January 2027, it will be the final component of a fleet that took over TWENTY EIGHT YEARS to properly define and implement.
Gimme fkn strength.
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From: Inverness-shire, Ross-shire
GP still at Prestwick as 199.
GX still at Inverness as 851 (and been very active).
GT moved from Inverness to Oban as yesterday evening as 853.
So stuff is happening. (Unless you're at Carlisle.)
Still four aircraft short of the what was in the original 2G plan for the end of this month. And GP is not 2G spec.
GX still at Inverness as 851 (and been very active).
GT moved from Inverness to Oban as yesterday evening as 853.
So stuff is happening. (Unless you're at Carlisle.)
Still four aircraft short of the what was in the original 2G plan for the end of this month. And GP is not 2G spec.
Avoid imitations
Joined: Nov 2000
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From: Wandering the FIR and cyberspace often at highly unsociable times
Oh for the days of locally based WW10 and Wessex….there were more aircraft around back then.
It’s gone the same way as Police Support. Too thinly stretched since NPAS.
But we knew that, didn’t we…
It’s gone the same way as Police Support. Too thinly stretched since NPAS.
But we knew that, didn’t we…
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,556
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From: Inverness-shire, Ross-shire
and certain provisions that are now a far off memory, but then I remember the Fastnet 79 farce, death of Harry Lawrie in 87, Billy Deacon, FV Aquila, Mark Phillips on the BenN 2013, and realise that it's never been plain sailing. "CONSTANT ENDEAVOUR"
Last edited by jimf671; 16th March 2026 at 16:11.
Joined: Nov 2009
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From: Inverness-shire, Ross-shire
Bristow Group have posted on Facebook that Oban (AW189, c/s 853) and Caernarfon (AW139, c/s 336) are "operational". The original plan was 1st April so that seems strange considering the late status of nearly everything else.
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From: EGDC
No, it's never been plain sailing but back then we weren't trying to make a profit..........military leaders trying to climb the greasy pole made plenty of errors but Bristow don't have that excuse
Joined: Mar 2026
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From: England
Funny you say that crab, its currently your name sake former colleagues who are hollowing out the UKSAR service. Same people, different pole.
The previous masters did what was required to maintain the service. Now it’s the accountants decision. A really sad state of affairs. Oban may have gone live on day one but at the sacrifice of Inverness. Lets see how the Southern bases get on over the coming months with service delivery…
The previous masters did what was required to maintain the service. Now it’s the accountants decision. A really sad state of affairs. Oban may have gone live on day one but at the sacrifice of Inverness. Lets see how the Southern bases get on over the coming months with service delivery…
Joined: Apr 2000
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From: EGDC
Not a surprise that the same ones who were happy to pass on crap decisions and policies from MoD without question are the same ones happy to do the bean counters bidding - rather sad really.
When you question such policies you usually get told 'You just don't understand the bigger picture' instead of them admitting the policies are flawed and destructive, pursued in the quest for 'efficiencies'
When you question such policies you usually get told 'You just don't understand the bigger picture' instead of them admitting the policies are flawed and destructive, pursued in the quest for 'efficiencies'