The Ministry of Defence has identified Chinook, Merlin Mk4/4A, Wildcat AH Mk1 and Jupiter HC Mk2 as the helicopter fleets currently able to support casualty evacuation tasks, while stopping short of confirming exactly which platforms will perform the role between 2027 and 2030.
The position was set out in a written parliamentary answer to Liberal Democrat MP James MacCleary, who asked which helicopter platforms would be available to the Armed Forces to perform casualty evacuation between 2027 and 2030. Armed Forces Minister Louise Sandher-Jones said Defence does not treat casualty evacuation, or CASEVAC, as a capability tied to a single aircraft type.
She said: “The Ministry of Defence continually reviews platform capabilities to ensure that current and future Defence requirements are met. Casualty evacuation (CASEVAC) is a military task rather than a capability delivered by a single helicopter type, and Defence maintains a range of rotary-wing platforms that can be employed to support casualty evacuation as required.”
Sandher-Jones then identified the aircraft currently available for the task, saying: “At present, CASEVAC capability is provided by the Chinook, Merlin Mk4/4A, Wildcat AH Mk1 and Jupiter HC Mk2 helicopter fleets. As announced in the Defence Investment Plan, Wildcat AH Mk1 is planned to be withdrawn from service from 2027.”
The answer means the Army’s Wildcat AH Mk1 remains part of the current CASEVAC mix, but is not planned to remain in service across the full period covered by MacCleary’s question. The MOD did not identify a direct replacement platform for Wildcat in the casualty evacuation task, instead saying future decisions would depend on operational and capability requirements.
Sandher-Jones said: “Decisions on the helicopter platforms that will be available to perform the CASEVAC role between 2027 and 2030 will be taken in accordance with Defence capability requirements and operational needs, which are kept under regular review.”
The Chinook fleet provides heavy-lift helicopter support to the Armed Forces, while Merlin Mk4 and Mk4A aircraft are operated by the Commando Helicopter Force in support of Royal Marines and wider maritime operations. Wildcat AH Mk1 is operated by the Army Air Corps, and Jupiter HC Mk2 is used within the military helicopter training system.
The MOD also declined to provide a fixed figure for the number of helicopters that could be made available for casualty evacuation at any one time. Sandher-Jones said availability would depend on the wider demands placed on individual fleets, including maintenance and training as well as operational commitments.
She said: “The number of helicopters available to undertake a CASEVAC task at any given time is not fixed and will vary according to operational commitments, maintenance requirements, training activity and force readiness levels.”
The minister added that more detailed readiness information would not be released publicly, saying: “The Department does not disclose detailed readiness or availability information, as doing so could prejudice the operational effectiveness and security of the Armed Forces.”
Of that list, the handful of operational Merlin HC4 is the only contender.
Wildcat will be gone, but its too small anyway and the other isn’t even a Combat helicopter.
Nothing ordered, a pint of the usual piss poor…..