MoD criticised over non-operational Chinook fleet

Summary

In 1995 the Ministry of Defence (MoD) ordered 15 Chinook Mk2a helicopters from Boeing, of which six were retained as Mk2a with the other eight modified as Mk3 to meet a longstanding requirement for dedicated helicopters for special operations. Those eight Chinook Mk3 helicopters cost some £259 million and the Department took delivery of them in December 2001. Although Boeing met its contractual obligations, the avionics software fell short of UK military airworthiness standards and the helicopters have not flown in operations.

This Report from the National Audit Office, 'Chinook Mk3 Helicopters' (HC 512), examines whether the MoD has taken appropriate steps to make the eight Chinook Mk3s operational.

The conclusions drawn by the National Audit Office include:

The MoD’s progress in fielding the Chinook Mk3 helicopters has been protracted and, as a result, the shortage of helicopters to support operations has been exacerbated. Had the MoD been quicker to progress the ‘Fix to Field’ project (the technical solution to make the Mk3 helicopters operational), the subsequent ‘Reversion’ project (to convert them to the Mk2 standard) would have been unnecessary.
The MoD’s decision to revert the Chinook Mk3 helicopters will make them available for standard support helicopter operations two years earlier than would have been the case under the ‘Fix to Field’ project and will improve operational flexibility.
The operational requirement to make additional helicopters available in Afghanistan meant that the March 2007 decision to cancel ‘Fix to Field’ and revert (adapt for standard operations) the Chinook Mk3 helicopters was made quickly and not based on the level of detailed analysis that would usually be expected for an investment of this size.
The total costs associated with the Chinook Mk3s from their initial procurement through to completion of the ‘Reversion’ project will be some £422 million not including further expenditure required to sustain the night enhancement package necessary to conduct demanding 'very low-light' missions.

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