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Extra Chinook deal still not signed
31 January 2011
In December 2009, then-Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth announced an order for 22 extra Chinooks, with a further two ordered to replace those lost on operations.
That announcement would have increased the UK's overall Chinook fleet to 70 airframes, with the first 10 extra Chinooks available in 2012/13.
In the Strategic Defence and Security Review last October the plans were reduced to 12 helicopters.
Now, responding to a Commons question on the future of the order, Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology Peter Luff said the deal was still "subject to negotiation as part of PR 11 [Planning Round '11]".
Shadow defence secretary Jim Murphy said he was "shocked and concerned" at the coalition's failure to complete the order.
"The government have already reduced the order. Now they are refusing to place the order. And, worse than that, they appear to have abolished the order," he said.
"A huge question mark now hangs over whether the government will honour its pledge to provide these much-needed helicopters to Afghanistan.
"The Prime Minister promised that defence cuts will not impact on the frontline in Afghanistan. If he is to keep that promise he must urgently provide clarity on the status of the contract."
HAVE YOUR SAY
31 January 2011
Until recently one might have said the Government's proposals set out in the SDSR were based on a 'Wing and a Prayer' now it looks like they're just praying, praying this unstable world doesn't get any worse! Was it 30,000 British citizens currently 'stranded' in Egypt? No problem, we can rely on BA cabin crew to step forward surely?
Hereman - Wirral
31 January 2011
Lying Government, led by a liar of a Prime Minister, with a little weasel of a Chancellor.
Lives will be lost as a result of this decision and the many other cuts made by Cameron.
Fox should hang his head in shame, he'd resign if he had any dignity.
If you are convinced that your cuts are so right Mr Cameron, perhaps you should stand in the dock on a charge of pre-meditated murder, or at least corporate manslaughter when those lives are lost through a failure of your decision making.
I am a member of the Conservative Party, I will never vote for a Conservative government again, I am disgusted with you and the rest of this shower. You are a disgrace to all those great Conservative leaders and Prime Ministers who have gone before you.
Good riddance, and soon.
Andy - Dartford
01 February 2011
Andy - Dartford
The "order" was placed in 2009 by the labour government supposedly supporting our troops, there are your liars and cheats.
They are all as bad as each other (politicians) it doesn't matter whether you vote tory, labour, Lib Dem, they will spin yarns to try and get votes and stay in power, though the Tories should have placed the order by now.
Rob - Telford
01 February 2011
As soon as i saw the piece on the upgrades to the CHINOOK fleet i thought the purchase of any new airframes was doomed , i think even more so now . Way to go dave and foxy , things can only get better !
ming - AYLESBURY
01 February 2011
When the last government announced it was placing this order they cut two RAF Harrier squadrons and one Harrier FAA NAS to save one billion over a number of years and pay for the purchase.
So having done this in 2009 it now looks like the order will probably not be placed. Double hit thanks to this pathetic excuse for a British government.
BTW they have mothballed one of our two Albion class LPD's thanks to the SDSR, that might seem a bad idea sooner than they think if we have to evacuate our citizens from the middle east like we had to in Lebanon in 2006.
Graham - High Wycombe
01 February 2011
We are not going to get these Chinooks are we?
The longer this government can put off the decision the better,then they will claim that by the time they are ready we will be out of Afghanistan so they will not be needed.
I think that would be the case even if the contract were signed tomorrow.
michael - notts
01 February 2011
I did not think anyone could be worse than Gordon Brown, but sadly I was wrong.
I had such high hopes for the coalition, but 20% VAT & the near abolition of our armed forces, while they waste money on DfID & the EU, makes me want to take to the streets of London & demand an end to this Labour/Conservative/LibDem cosy, incompetent, corrupt club. What has happened to our three, once great political parties?
John Hartley - Woking/Surrey/UK
01 February 2011
It seems to me that there is a lot of confusion (certainly I am confused). The MoD (http://www.blogs.mod.uk/defence_news/) seem to be saying that the 12 helicopter order will still go ahead. However I am not entirely sure why, given that if the plan was to order them in 2009 for initial delivery in 2012/13, the delay in ordering them is going to shift delivery to 2013/14, just in time for our withdrawal from Afghanistan. Might it not be better to spend the money on buying some P-3C's and getting L3 & Honeywell to upgrade them to latest standards? We can use the P-3C's to cover our nuclear deterrent, protect the North Sea oil rigs, and in both the Falkland's and in an overland role in Afghanistan!
J.Vidal - Ashford, Kent
01 February 2011
Both the present and former governments are to blame.
Each could have finalised the order and the helicopters could have been delivered in the next year or so; allowing units in the UK to be prepared for hot n dry operations in the interim.. The new units would then take the slack in the UK.
With each new death in the forces, the public, and indeed the government need to ask questions as to why this is not a priority.
Shaun - Ex-RNZN
02 February 2011
It seems to me that there is a lot of confusion (certainly I am confused). The MoD (http://www.blogs.mod.uk/defence_news/) seem to be saying that the 12 helicopter order will still go ahead. However I am not entirely sure why, given that if the plan was to order them in 2009 for initial delivery in 2012/13, the delay in ordering them is going to shift delivery to 2013/14, just in time for our withdrawal from Afghanistan. Might it not be better to spend the money on buying some P-3C's and getting L3 & Honeywell to upgrade them to latest standards? We can use the P-3C's to cover our nuclear deterrent, protect the North Sea oil rigs, and in both the Falkland's and in an overland role in Afghanistan!
J.Vidal - Ashford, Kent
Except the Nimrod was far superior in that role and the money could have been spent on Chinooks like our soldiers want if we hadn't cut the nimrod to pieces....
Good one by the government there.
Anthony - Bristol, United Kingdom
02 February 2011
Hi Anthony,
By the time the soldiers get the Chinooks they will have left Afghanistan. The only reason to buy them is to disguise the fact that due to Project Juilius (upgrading the Chinook's), converting the Merlin's and the programme to upgrade the Puma's there is going to be a massive draw down of support helicopters to be refitted while we are still fighting in Afghanistan.
What it worse, if the post-Afghanistan the MoD cut's 10 - 15 thousand soldiers we will likely not need as many Chinook's, yet we will still need something to fill the capability gap left by cancelling Nimrod.
J.Vidal - Ashford, Kent
02 February 2011
The way things are shaping up in the Middle East, surely this is not the time to continue with the cost cutting idiocy of the SDSR? It certainly justifies the need to press on with the carriers, the Chinook order and more. This make do and mend policy (Pumas & Chinooks)and the Government's 'hope for the best' attitude seem radically out of place in today's increasingly dangerous world.
Hereman - Wirral
02 February 2011
Very much agree with J.Vidal
John Cassford - a
03 February 2011
"Shadow defence secretary Jim Murphy said he was "shocked and concerned" at the coalition's failure to complete the order",
Well why didn't Bob Ainsworth complete the order when Labour were still in power then? However he has a point the reduced order for twelve needs to be placed now.
On another point made on this news item, why did we go down the route of upgrading 28 Pumas for the same price as 60 nearly new UH-60L's off the Americans? The first batch of aircraft would have been delivered by now, the only issue would have been Crew Conversion and ground crew training, spares would not ahve been an issue as the Yanks have hundreds of these Helo's in use in theatre.
Rob - Telford