The Answer to our Medium Lift needs?

[Imshi-Yallah]

Why the distrust of the Cougar?
I know the Blackhawk is more widely used in direct deployment roles (i.e. Air assault) but isn't airmobility more of an issue for us anyway?

SA330s are at least as widely used as H-60s, including in CSAR which is a long way off for a force that can't manage a field operation base.
Overall I strongly agree with Scorpy particularly on the political and organisational issues, there is no point on buying an airframe unless there is a real military mission for it and the IAC really needs a powerful flexible helicopter to give it military functionality...as does the army to compensate for the pathetic state of our logistical transport.

[alpha foxtrot 07]

your 100% correct scorpy, it is going to take a complete change in thinking for the coprs to get something like the blackhawk. i can get kinda touchy on this subject as it is my best buds who are flying these old a/c. i just hope the right thing is done with the replacement of the current fleet. the days of putting our heads in the sand needs to end.

[MatRotor]

ooh ooh imshi you've got me all excited. i hope by cougar you mean the mkII with the in-flight refuelling probe as an option.at least 303 sqdn wouldn't have to retool with imperial tools and we'd save the minister a few bob that way.  '>

Hah! Good point on the retooling! I heard sonewhere though that there were only seven tools required to work on the entire blackhawk, but that may be complete rubbish. Question. What do you refuel from using your probe? And Imshi, it's a distrust of the French attitude towards support rather than a distrust of their equipment. They ain't a great company to co-operate when you really need parts.

[Imshi-Yallah]

Well logistics considerations must prevail, any idea what IAR (Eurcopter Romania) are meant to be like?
I believe the main impetus for a larger MLH airframe than the H-60 to be the assumption of a minimal number of airframes being available and a minimum number of military personnel to service and operate the fleet.

[MatRotor]

hear hear scorpy.mind you its bad when a eurocopter instructer relates that he was told by his american counterpart that "they will only worry about french helis if they get their aftersales act together"!!!