Chinooks - At Long Last

[spock1]

:) Some good news for a change, and not before time.........:-

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14616028

[Dan214sqn]

good call

[CFBC]

Yes, just heard it myself... About time!

[sniperUK]

Sounds like the same twelve, reduced from I think 24,plus two replacements announced a couple of years ago, smoke and mirrors.

[shuttle]

Just what I thought - this was announced a while back? How long before they are in service?

:( Shuttle

[Ducktape Corkfeet]

Whatever happened to the new ones left to rot in a hangar? Software issue or something?

Just found it -
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/mod-accused-over-unused-chinooks-839746.html
Update anyone?

[shuttle]

I believe tbey were 'fixed' and put into service but are not 100% compatible with the rest of the fleet....

:( Shuttle

[sniperUK]

Whatever happened to the new ones left to rot in a hangar? Software issue or something?

Just found it -
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/mod-accused-over-unused-chinooks-839746.html
Update anyone?

The Mk 3s are now operational, backgraded to Mk 2 standad avionics soon to start upgrade to Mk 4:wacko: along with the rest of the fleet,think CH-47F and you are close, guess which one is one of the first Mk 2s to upgrade:rolleyes:

[shuttle]

So they will all be a common mark including the new ones? Can't wait for another Corgi 'BN'.......!

:D Shuttle

[sniperUK]

So they will all be a common mark including the new ones? Can't wait for another Corgi 'BN'.......!

:D Shuttle

Internally yes,externally the 3/4s or whatever will have the larger sponsons and pointy nose:unsure:

[Sponge Bob]

Just what I thought - this was announced a while back? How long before they are in service?

:( Shuttle

By end 2014 they say :rolleyes:

[von hitchofen]

will they be ready in time for the next war, I wonder....

[simonsfotos]

[QUOTE=sniperUK;409849]Internally yes,externally the 3/4s or whatever will have the larger sponsons and pointy nose:unsure:[/QUOTE

Trouble is the pilots don't like the pointy nose as they lose the under glazing which gave them a good ground view! In fact the upgrade is to HC.4/5 with the HC.2 becoming the 4 and the HC.3 becoming the 5. The HC.4 will have very little exterior difference to the HC.2. It's all done under Project Julius.

See here http://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/2011/01/chinook-hc4-and-hc5-%E2%80%93-project-julius/

[Christian]

60 Chooks :eek:

Seems to be ready for the next COIN conflict. Hope they get it right with what the next type of conflict will be.

[Craig]

Ten years ago this'd have been good news. Now, just another example of our current defence "strategy", buying kit tomorrow for yesterday's war. Yet at a time when SIGINT/ELINT is massively important, we've axed the Nimrod. Strategy is way down the pecking order behind cost and public opinion sadly. By the time these are delivered their relevance is likely to have passed.