UK signs £300m deal for Puma helicopter life extension

[Skywalker]

Shame that 'we' aren't pushing for the EC725 Caracal as the next generation of the Puma

[Geneve]

I see that Brazil has ordered 50 EC725s.

[Skywalker]

A substantial order - good on them

[williamp]

What about the Merlin? A very good helicopter from what I've heard.

Besides, buying US wont help the UK economy or UK jobs, will it??

[Skywalker]

However - buying from an EADS subsidiary (with a Wastelands input no doubt) might be of use.

[Engineer1]

Eric Mc said:

That licence was back in the 1980s I think. It would probably need renegotiating.

Nearly every weapons system ever obtained for UK forces could have been obtained "off the shelf" from the US - probably at lower cost to the UK taxpayer - but probably at the cost of the extermination of the UK defence industry.

You take your choice as to which is the best option for the UK. Over reliance on foreign procurement would eventually lead to no indigenous defence manufacturing capability and total reliance on supply of kit from abroad - with all the problems that entails.

Buy military kit from abroad and where do you think you will be on the list of people to supply spares to if they run short? do you want a supply chain that adds in transport to the Uk before going to theater? Seriosly though the UK should get better new helicopters or use this life extension to develop a new British helicopter either soley British or European.

[Skywalker]

williamp said:

What about the Merlin? A very good helicopter from what I've heard.

If there was a free vote on the Merlin - then if we went for the Italian Navy's amphibious support helo, that might make an effective new Jungly with folding rotors and tail plane.

After all CH53k is not going to be coming - and the Chinook is a tad on the large side for the deck of a flat top with no realistic chance of that being made to fold down.