Britain forced to use private helicopters in Afghanistan
By Thomas Harding, Defence Correspondent (Filed: 11/10/2006)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/10/11/uhelicopter.xml
The desperate shortage of helicopters in Afghanistan has forced the Ministry of Defence to seek the help of a private helicopter company, the government has admitted.
Troops will be ferried around the country in Russian made aircraft, including the biggest helicopter in the world, if the £20 million deal is struck with the British owned company.
Military commanders in Afghanistan have for the last three months been privately demanding more helicopters to help defeat the Taliban and provide supplies to troops in remote villages.
Lord Drayson, the defence procurement minister, told the House of Lords that the Government was considering using an independent helicopter company to provide logistical support for the RAF.
A proposal from Security Support Solutions Ltd to provide four Mi17 Hip and three giant Mi26 Halo transporters was being “seriously considered” by the MoD.
The company has the aircraft, flown by former special forces pilots, available immediately to carry troops, food and ammunition around the country including the volatile towns in northern Helmand province.
The MoD is also considering an offer from the Danish military to purchase six Merlin helicopters which its military are said not to want because of the high maintenance costs, defence sources revealed.
It is also thought that the RAF is short of medium lift helicopter pilots with many either on operations or resting between deployments.
Lord Drayson admitted that there was a shortage of helicopters in Afghanistan.
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By Thomas Harding, Defence Correspondent (Filed: 11/10/2006)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/10/11/uhelicopter.xml
The desperate shortage of helicopters in Afghanistan has forced the Ministry of Defence to seek the help of a private helicopter company, the government has admitted.
Troops will be ferried around the country in Russian made aircraft, including the biggest helicopter in the world, if the £20 million deal is struck with the British owned company.
Military commanders in Afghanistan have for the last three months been privately demanding more helicopters to help defeat the Taliban and provide supplies to troops in remote villages.
Lord Drayson, the defence procurement minister, told the House of Lords that the Government was considering using an independent helicopter company to provide logistical support for the RAF.
A proposal from Security Support Solutions Ltd to provide four Mi17 Hip and three giant Mi26 Halo transporters was being “seriously considered” by the MoD.
The company has the aircraft, flown by former special forces pilots, available immediately to carry troops, food and ammunition around the country including the volatile towns in northern Helmand province.
The MoD is also considering an offer from the Danish military to purchase six Merlin helicopters which its military are said not to want because of the high maintenance costs, defence sources revealed.
It is also thought that the RAF is short of medium lift helicopter pilots with many either on operations or resting between deployments.
Lord Drayson admitted that there was a shortage of helicopters in Afghanistan.
More on link
