Active UK helicopter strength

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JBodnar39

New Member
I've been going through the info I have on UK military assets and I have a question about their helo strength that someone out there may be able to clarify for me. My info may be way off, so please correct me if you see an error.

CURRENT ACTIVE ASSETS
11 Sea King AEW
32 Merlin ASW - 4 Sqds
8 Merlin ASW - OCU/Training
26 Sea Lynx - 1 Sqd
10 Sea Lynx - HQ Flt
12 Sea Lynx - OCU
33 Sea King/HC4 - 3 Sqds
6 Lynx/AH7, 8 Gazelle AH1 - 1 Sqd

48 Gazelle AH1 - 4 Sqds, 4 Flts
52 Lynx/AH7 - 40 in 5 Sqds and 12 in a SF Sqd
16 Lynx/AH9 - 1 Sqd
32 AH-64D - 4 Sqds
36 Puma/HC1 - 2 Sqds + 1 Flt
22 Merlin/HC3 - 1 Sqd + 1 Flt
18 Sea King, 4 Griffin/B412, 1 CH-47 SAR
4 Griffin/B412 - 1 Flt
6 B212 - 2 Flts
4 A109 - SAS Flt
33 CH-47/HC2
8 MH-47 - non operational
Training/Evaluation - 3 Sea King, 18 AH7, 11 Griffin/B412, 28 Squirrel,
12 AH-64D

From what I have read, the following changes are due in the helo force by the end of this year:

*Gazelle AH1 will be reduced to 32 active machines vis the 48 current with the army

*The Lynx/AH7 will be stripped of their TOW missles and reduced to 44 active machines vis the current 58 with the Army

*AH-64D numbers will be increased from the current 32 to 48

*6 Pumas will be purchased frm South Africa as attriction reserves.

Does anybody know if these changesd have occured, or if they have been delayed and/or altered.

Any input would be helpful
 
S

Super Nimrod

New Member
I can't comment on the numbers but does this include the Merlins that were coming from Denmark ? That was half a dozen or so wasn't it, for delivery round about now if I remember rightly ? Or did the whole thing fall through ?
 
J

JBodnar39

New Member
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #3
Super Nimrod said:
I can't comment on the numbers but does this include the Merlins that were coming from Denmark ? That was half a dozen or so wasn't it, for delivery round about now if I remember rightly ? Or did the whole thing fall through ?
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I heard about that order. But I don't know if they have been delivered yet an dif they are going to be active AC or used as attrition replacements
 
R

regstrup

Member
regstrup said:
I think it fell through. The last of the 14 EH-101 ordered was delivered to Denmark the first of March.
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New information. The danish airforce will transfer the six Merlin utility transport helicopters to the UK defence.

The reason for Denmark to make the transfer is, that the danish airforce lack the nessary mechanics and technicians to keep all of the helicopters flying, so they have concentrated their ressources to retrain the crews for the new SAR helicopters and educate new mechanics and technicians.

The UK have no lack of crews and technicians, but lack the helicopters because of the commitments in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The UK will buy six new helicopters for Denmark, which will be delivered in 2010.

Se also the website of Agusta Westland:

http://www.agustawestland.com/communication_det.asp?id_news=309&yy=2007
 
Tasman

Tasman

Ship Watcher
Verified Defense Pro
regstrup said:
New information. The danish airforce will transfer the six Merlin utility transport helicopters to the UK defence.

The reason for Denmark to make the transfer is, that the danish airforce lack the nessary mechanics and technicians to keep all of the helicopters flying, so they have concentrated their ressources to retrain the crews for the new SAR helicopters and educate new mechanics and technicians.

The UK have no lack of crews and technicians, but lack the helicopters because of the commitments in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The UK will buy six new helicopters for Denmark, which will be delivered in 2010.

Se also the website of Agusta Westland:

http://www.agustawestland.com/communication_det.asp?id_news=309&yy=2007
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That seems like a win/win for both Denmark and the UK! :)

Cheers
 
Systems Adict

Systems Adict

The Bunker Group
Verified Defense Pro
How many of the Sea Kings listed were being "retired from service" in the UK & where being offered to either India or the Canadians, as part of the restructuring of the helo force, following changes in the defence review that meant fewer bases / Navy ships etc. ??


...or am I barking up the wrong tree ?
 
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Todjaeger

Todjaeger

Potstirrer
Systems Adict said:
How many of the Sea Kings listed were being "retired from service" in the UK & where being offered to either India or the Canadians, as part of the restructuring of the helo force, following changes in the defence review that meant fewer bases / Navy ships etc. ??


...or am I barking up the wrong tree ?
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I wouldn't think Canada would be interested in the Sea Kings, since AFAIK they are retiring theirs and replacing them with a force of H-92 Superhawks. I seem to remember reading the words to a song written about Canadian Sea Kings, I think it was called , "Sea Kings in the Sun," though I haven't been able to find the words to it anymore.

-Cheers
 
R

riksavage

Banned Member
Disclosed sometime back in Janes DW, not sure if they have actually arrived yet! One assumes when they do it will appear in the public domain pretty quickly.
 
I

Izzy1

Banned Member
For me, this is one of the major reprecussions of our involvement in Iraq and Afgahnistan.

The state of the UK's rotary capability is almost embarassing, in my opinion the MoD should be held to account.

The RAF helicopter fleet has become stagnant, with little real investment. The Chinook HC3 fiasco for example, it should have been resolved a long time ago. Merlin HC3 is a world-class piece of kit, yet the penny-pinchers in Whitehall cut our procurement to just 22 and now we have to go cap-in-hand to Denmark who thankfully agreed to sell. I believe other sources refused. Our Puma fleet - never large enough in the first place; is over-worked, woefully ill-equipped (especially in self-defence aids) and for the most part over 30 years old.

The disturbing truth is that the RAF has less than 100 combat helicopters available to it.

The Army Air Corps isn't in much better shape either. Lynx AH.7/9 are on paper a very capable machines, but again they are heavily over-tasked, ill-suited to the climates currently deployed and susceptible to even the lightest damage. Even more susceptible, the Gazelle is totally ill-suited to operations in the middle east and again the fleet is over 30 years old. The Apaches have proved their worth, hell we have even been forced to use them as transport helicopters!

NH-90, Cougar, UH-60M - If I had my way I'd have at least a hundred of one of these!!

Rant over, sorry.
 
S

Super Nimrod

New Member
This was really brought home to me when I saw on the MOD website that "Bravo November", the famous sole surviving Chinook from the Falklands war is still seeing active service and is currently in Afghanistan 25 years later. Its apparently seen service in every UK deployment in the interveneing years and is thought to have seen more active service in hostile areas than possibly any current aircraft.
 
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Izzy1

Banned Member
This was really brought home to me when I saw on the MOD website that "Bravo November", the famous sole surviving Chinook from the Falklands war is still seeing active service and is currently in Afghanistan 25 years later. Its apparently seen service in every UK deployment in the interveneing years and is thought to have seen more active service in hostile areas than possibly any current aircraft.
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That really does say it all doesn't it. God knows how old 'Bravo November' is - the Falklands War was over 25 years ago. If memory serves, this particular Chinook jam-packed 80 troops into the hold on one particular instance during the Falklands conflict.
 
Todjaeger

Todjaeger

Potstirrer
Izzy1 said:
That really does say it all doesn't it. God knows how old 'Bravo November' is - the Falklands War was over 25 years ago. If memory serves, this particular Chinook jam-packed 80 troops into the hold on one particular instance during the Falklands conflict.
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I have to wonder though if 'Bravo November' has built up a reputation as the aircraft to use in rough patches? Something along the lines of "This mission will be rough, so take Bravo November, she will always bring you home." Or something else along similar lines about the reliability of a particular aircraft.

-Cheers
 
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