§ Mr. Liddell-GraingerTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many helicopters there are in the(a) Navy, (b) Army and (c) Air Force, broken down by type. [98292]
§ Mr. IngramThe number of helicopters in the Navy, Army and Air Force, broken down by type, as at 12 February 2003, are provided in the following table.
300W
Helicopter Actual operating fleet Sustainment fleet1 Disposal2 Comments Navy Merlin Mk 1 28 15 0 — Sea King AEW Mk 2/7 9 4 0 — Sea King HU Mk 5 11 5 0 — Sea King ASW Mk 6 11 2 3 — Lynx HAS Mk 3 31 4 0 — Lynx HAS Mk 8 26 10 0 — Sea King Mk 4/MK 6c 32 9 0 — Army Lynx 3100 20 0 JHC asset Gazelle 3118 11 0 JHC asset Bell 212 3 0 0 JHC asset A 109 3 1 0 JHC asset Apache AH Mk 1 12 35 0 JHC asset Air Force Sea King Mk 318 18 1 0 — Sea King Mk 3a 5 1 0 JHC asset Merlin Mk 3 13 9 0 JHC asset
Helicopter Actual operating fleet Sustainment fleet1 Disposal2 Comments Wessex HC 24 0 0 14 — Puma 35 513 0 JHC asset Chinook Mk3 0 8 0 JHC asset Chinook Mk 2/2a 31 9 0 JHc asset Notes:
1 The sustainment fleet includes helicopters undergoing scheduled base maintenance, those awaiting repair to accident damage, those that are in development and those held in reserve.
2 Helicopters awaiting disposal
3Includes nine aircrat that are the School of Army Aviation assets.
4 Wessex Helicopters are no longer operationally in service.
5 Includes six aircraft recently purchased from Republic of South Africa to ensure enduring sustainability.