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https://www.flightglobal.com/news/artic ... rt-445376/31 January, 2018
Initial work is under way to replace the British Army's active fleet of 22 elderly Aérospatiale Gazelle AH1 helicopters, as the venerable type nears retirement.
"We do have plans to replace the Gazelle," says Air Cdre Al Smith, capability air manoeuvre at the UK's Joint Helicopter Command. "It hinges on operational outputs so the customer gets the same or better product," he adds, noting: "I think we can probably do better than we do today."
https://www.flightglobal.com/news/artic ... rt-445376/An acquisition process has also begun for the Royal Air Force's Boeing CH-47 Chinook fleet. This is "still in the assessment phase" says Smith, but stresses that the UK armed forces "need heavy lift".
Any future purchase will be a "manned platform", he says, with the Ministry of Defence likely to wait until the arrival of the enhanced Block II version of the Chinook in 2023.
In addition, a part of any future Chinook purchase could include the MH-47G variant for special forces operations, Smith confirms.
"If Block II were the answer… then the MH is an attractive option, because it offers some capabilities that some of the others don't," he notes.
has more on the Gazelles.