Is there any particular reason other than budget constraints why the RAF hasn't expanded its Merlin fleet? I know they had reliability problems early on but that has been resolved, no? It looks an excellent machine on paper and a perfect fit with the RAF below the Chinooks and replacing the aging Puma's.
The UK Support Helicopter (SH) strategy is a mess.
The Merlin is very good, stable, fast, decent size and even has that rather nice doughnut groundwash effect!
But, it is eye wateringly expensive at £25 million odd plus. The RAF bought a different version to the Royal Navy so there is very little interoperability (RAF version does not have rotor/tail fold for example) so they cannot be used effectively on ships to replace the Fleet Air Arms's ageing Sea King Commandos. Yes, we are paying a fortune to upgrade some ancient Puma's. Don't get me started on the Future Lunx Wildcat.
Its a real mess.
I covered this in some depth here if you want the back story
Is there any particular reason other than budget constraints why the RAF hasn't expanded its Merlin fleet? I know they had reliability problems early on but that has been resolved, no? It looks an excellent machine on paper and a perfect fit with the RAF below the Chinooks and replacing the aging Puma's.
ReplyDeletethat's kind of confused me too. they're even making planes to upgrade the ancient Puma's.
ReplyDeletefrom what i've read the Merlin has been a solid performer. very high tech.
The UK Support Helicopter (SH) strategy is a mess.
ReplyDeleteThe Merlin is very good, stable, fast, decent size and even has that rather nice doughnut groundwash effect!
But, it is eye wateringly expensive at £25 million odd plus. The RAF bought a different version to the Royal Navy so there is very little interoperability (RAF version does not have rotor/tail fold for example) so they cannot be used effectively on ships to replace the Fleet Air Arms's ageing Sea King Commandos. Yes, we are paying a fortune to upgrade some ancient Puma's. Don't get me started on the Future Lunx Wildcat.
Its a real mess.
I covered this in some depth here if you want the back story
http://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/2009/10/a-case-for-coherance/
http://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/2009/07/on-the-subject-of-helicopters/
http://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/2009/07/afghanistan-and-the-case-of-the-missing-helicopters/
http://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/2009/03/the-advent-of-future-lynx-taking-a-backwards-step-into-the-future/
http://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/2009/12/helicopters-vision-2020/
http://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/2009/08/danish-merlins/
http://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/2009/09/a-tale-of-three-upgrades-%E2%80%93-puma-and-lynx/