Puma Helicopter (RAF)

[Tempest414]

As I said before make the NMH program 66 airframes split 20 to the RAF and 30 to the Army with 12 in a joint OCU and 4 held for deep maintenance next move 26 Wildcats to the Navy with 18 feed into service and 8 held for deep maintenance / upgrade with the remaining 8 sold all 3 services get what they needed

Just to add to this the NMH should be fitted with folding rotors to allow them to fit in navy hangars as needed

How much would you raise by selling 8 Wildcats? £200mn? What else would you cut or not do to pay for it?

I think getting significant helicopter platforms, pilots and support capabilities is key for a balanced force and the nation’s objectives, so have put the MRSS budget on the table, but I tend to agree with @SW1 that it’s going to take alot of money and even this will not be enough.

As this would be a cross service budget this is what I would put forward

first I think the 66 new NMH's would have a budget of 1.5 billion of which there is 1 billion already in the pot so to get to the rest I would start by selling the 8 Wildcats for 300 million I would then take from the navy 1 x MRSS = 200 million next I would look at the armies Boxer which has funding for 1000 Boxers and cut it to 800 giving 800 million of which 400 million would be pushed into the NMH program and 400 million would go on buying 400 more HMT

This would gain us 900 million on top of the 1 billion already in the pot making the new pot 1.9 billion as the aircrews in real terms we are adding 18 helicopters to active list so given the way services work we are looking at adding 6 more crews

So without going into it to deep this is what I would be looking at as a starter

[topman]

Who would pay 300m for these 8 airframes?

[downsizer]

No one.....thats who.

[Tempest414]

Ok chaps how much do you think 8 are worth

as for who maybe the Philippines as they paid 100 million for 2 they might think buying another 8 for 300 million a good thing

[Poiuytrewq]

Ok chaps how much do you think 8 are worth

as for who maybe the Philippines as they paid 100 million for 2 they might think buying another 8 for 300 million a good thing

IMO they are all needed but in their current configuration they just seem pointless.

If the UK military is to really get more lethal Wildcats with LMM/Brimstone/Sea Venom and a 20mm is a very good way to do it.

[Little J]

As I said before make the NMH program 66 airframes split 20 to the RAF and 30 to the Army with 12 in a joint OCU and 4 held for deep maintenance next move 26 Wildcats to the Navy with 18 feed into service and 8 held for deep maintenance / upgrade with the remaining 8 sold all 3 services get what they needed

Just to add to this the NMH should be fitted with folding rotors to allow them to fit in navy hangars as needed

Here's an idea to your idea...

X amount of wildcats to the Navy, but keep the remaining as a Little Bird style aircraft (would require weapons to be cleared ofc) to be used be Army / RM's...