What of the future?

It's time to face the stark reality of the suitation, the fools who run this country are not going to buy combat capable aircrafts, at least in the forseeable future.
It would appear that the service is going to get it's new trainers, 'course they are not here yet. Vastly more certain is the purchase/lease/etc of that total waste of money. bertie's flyin' pub.
However all is not lost, the S-61 is going into service, only about 25 years after this type of equipment should have been purchased.
Hopefully other developments are in the pipeline, would anyone like to speculate on what they may be?
Personally, I belive that the next few months will see the restarting of the tendering process for the medium Helicopters, and possable more work on replacements for the Dauphins.
Anybody got any other ideas, thoughts, ect?

[Silver]

Over the next 8 years I reckon the following aircraft will be purchased (in this order) -

Pilatus PC-9M x 8 (confirmed purchase)
Medium Lift Heli (S92 or Cougar) x 5
Light Heli (EC145 or A109M) x 8
Cessna replacement (Islander, PC-21 or Cessna Caravan) x 3
CASA CN235MPA x 1 (Addition, long shot!)

Unless there is a major change of policy, I do not forsee the purchase of fighter jets.
The arrival of the PC-9's will bring the AC back up to "Fouga standard" .In fact the PC-9's are actually better than the fougas in most respects.  

With the above fleet in place, we will have a small, well equipped AC capable of carrying out their current tasks with increased efficiency and safety.

I'm sure Bertie & Co. will love having the use of the new helis to ferry them around  

Thats my two cents worth  :'>

Silver.

[P.Doff]

Just a note on the pc-9 front ! The ground crews are due to depart for Switzerland in jan '04 to complete a course on the maintenance end of things. All these personnel are from FTS (formally BFTS!), as it looks like all the A/C will be posted to this Sqdn. This puts an end to the rumour that LSS will be reformed!!! What a pity! Or maybe they have something else planned for Light strike/Fighter sqdn in the future???

Notas bad news as it might seem , P Doff, 'cause it sorta puts paid to some of that civie' techie nonsense does'ent it>?