Written question asked by Jim Cunningham (Labour) on Tuesday, 10 July 2007, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 17 July 2007. It was answered by Bob Ainsworth (Labour) on Wednesday, 25 July 2007 on behalf of the Ministry of Defence.

Military Aircraft: Helicopters

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to increase the number of operationally deployable helicopters.

Answer: [holding answer 17 July 2007]: We announced on 30 March, the purchase of six new Merlin helicopters, which will be available within a year, and the conversion of existing Chinook Mk 3 helicopters currently estimated to be available in two years. We keep our equipment requirements under constant review to ensure the appropriate number of platforms is available for operational deployment. In addition, work under the Future Rotorcraft Capability programme will ensure we are able to meet our battlefield support helicopter capabilities in the long-term.

Secondary information