UK still to settle on new medium helicopter procurement strategy
RAF Puma helicopters and three other types are to be replaced under the UK's new medium helicopter programme (Photo: UK MoD)
The UK MoD has still to put forward requirements for its new medium helicopter acquisition, which could see offers eventually arrive from the likes of Airbus, Bell, Leonardo and Lockheed Martin.
Despite committing to a new medium helicopter programme to replace 23 Puma HC2 and three other rotary fleets in the mid-2020s, the UK has not yet drawn up a procurement strategy for the effort.
A competition to replace the Puma fleet had long been expected before the Defence Command Paper made it official on 22 March, but a successor aircraft will also be sourced to replace other smaller helicopter fleets, thought to include Army Air Corps Bell 212, RAF Bell 412 types and Airbus AS365 Dauphins used by Special Forces.
All aircraft eventually procured under the new medium helicopter acquisition will
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