The UK is to axe its oldest Puma (foreground) and Chinook (background) helicopters as it looks to save hundreds of millions of pounds ahead of the SDR due in March 2025. (Crown Copyright)
The United Kingdom is to axe its oldest military helicopters as part of an effort to plug a GBP500 million (USD632.4 million) hole in the defence budget, ahead of the release of the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) in March 2025.
Defence Secretary John Healey announced on 20 November that the Royal Air Force (RAF) is to lose its 17 remaining Airbus Puma HC2 medium-lift helicopters, as well as 14 of its older-model Boeing Chinook HC6A heavy-lift helicopters. Both helicopter types are upgraded airframes that first entered RAF service in 1971 and 1981 respectively.
“For too long, our soldiers, sailors, [and] aviators have been stuck with old, outdated equipment … because ministers wouldn't make the difficult decommissioning decisions… So today, with full backing from our service chiefs, I can confirm that six outdated military capabilities will be taken out of service,” Healey said. “[A total of] 17 Puma helicopters – some with over 50 years [of] flying – will not be extended [and] 14 Chinooks – some over 35 years old – accelerated out of service.”
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