The Ministry of Defence has said there will be no loss of operational output following the forward deployment of Chinook helicopters to Cyprus and the phased retirement of the Puma fleet, including aircraft previously operating in Brunei and Cyprus.
Responding to a series of written questions from Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge MP (Conservative, South Suffolk), Defence Ministers confirmed that the transition away from Puma helicopters is being managed with active mitigation measures and planned replacements.
Luke Pollard MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence, explained that two Chinook H-47 helicopters are currently deployed in Cyprus to provide aerial firefighting support during the wildfire season, and that one of these aircraft is scheduled for retirement under the plan to decommission the oldest 14 Chinooks in the fleet.
“There is no impact on Chinook fleet operational outputs as a result of the forward deployment of two Chinook H-47 to Cyprus,” Pollard stated.
Further detail came from Minister of State Maria Eagle MP, who addressed concerns about potential capability gaps resulting from the Puma drawdown in both Cyprus and Brunei. She confirmed that the Ministry of Defence “continues to routinely assess and reassess capabilities required by deployed UK forces.”
To support Commander British Forces Cyprus, she said, the Chinooks offer “an aerial firefighting capability through the wildfire season and are able to provide a range of supporting functions.”
As for Brunei, which previously relied on Puma helicopters for jungle training and mobility support, Eagle stated: “Mitigations against jungle training in Brunei are in place,” though she added that “it is the long-standing policy of the UK Government not to comment on UK Special Forces activity.”
To ensure continuity of capability, she confirmed that six Airbus H145 Jupiter HC2 helicopters will begin operations in both Brunei and Cyprus from 2026.
Photo by Adrian Pingstone, from Wikimedia Commons.
one thinks, someone is telling porkies ??
on the other hand, who knows.
In peace time it’s probably fine. As helicopters are probably not in major demand. It’s if they had to deploy again that the house of cards would fall down. It was clear during Afghan/Iraq that there was a serious lack of them to meet operational needs and now we have even less, so that problem has just amplified itself.
crazy decision to bin Puma2..
Labour learned from the best but, I’m getting very tired with Maria Eagle and her b/s.
The Govt is accountable to the people through parliamentary scrutiny, these trite answers are not acceptable.
Trite replies again; but don’t think we will learn more about the NMH until autumn. Numbers and types of helicopters is linked to force structure re-organisations.
WE were here before in 1998. Defence review effectively stopped us buying more Merlins etc. THen due to Afghanistasn we bought 6 Merlins for Denmark off the production line and got 6 second hand Puma’s which were from SAAF. (Aircraft Illustrated I think gave out that info way back). Order minumum 20 AW149s now.
With those Merlins, only because Gordon Brown was getting such a bad press!
It was at that time that SABR was chopped in Labour’s cuts and the Merlins went to the RN in a typical rob Peter to pay Paul moment.
Rotor numbers have dropped massively, under both parties, and jobs for the boys down at Westlands didn’t help.
7 Flight AAC Bells in Brunei. Cut.
84 Sqn Griffon in Cyprus. Cut.
Existing Pumas replace both. So a cut.
Pumas at xxxx RAF Flight in Brunei. Cut. ( I forget the Flight number now )
Pumas at 84 Sqn in Cyprus. Cut.
Replaced by existing Chinooks.
Which are being cut as for a change we had around 60. And we cannot have that there is a saving to be had there!
I believe we lack the people in 7,18,27 Sqns to utilise them all, so Eagle Speak can safely say no impact on ops output.
7 Sqn would be highest priority I’d have thought, as its part of JSFAW with its SF support role.
And these 14 are the older examples, the most pre eminent one being BN has thankfully already retired safely to the museum.
And round and round the wheel turns.
I wouldn’t say it’s a wheel, more like a contracting spiral!
Very true, Davey. Very true.
I wonder what they are using in Brunei? I can only assume some Dauphin?
30 Apr 2025 Nigel Colman, managing director of Leonardo Helicopters UK, says: “Following successful negotiations with the Ministry of Defence, we have submitted our ‘best and final offer’ for the New Medium Helicopter”. Source Flight Global on wiki.
The government is giving a lot of talk towards increasing our capabilities when the only action being taken is to remove our capabilities. If they keep going, any “increases” in our strength will simply be making up for what they mothballed.