We all remember the pressure that the Labour government came under regarding the lack of sufficient helicopter (transport) support from the troops in Afghanistan. Large sections of the media, ex-service groups, senior and junior service personnel and the public all believed that the lack of Chinook helicopters was contributing to the mounting death toll as soldiers were forced to travel from A to B either on foot or in equally vulnerable light vehicles.The chorus of criticisms got pretty personal suggesting that Gordon himself was to blame for the deaths of many service personnel. Eventually the government acted and informed parliament that it was to order 20 (some reports suggested 22) Chinnok helicopters.
The Mail’s headline was
‘Government orders 20 Chinooks in £1bn face-saving deal’
They added;
The Government is to order 20 troop-carrying Chinooks after the families
of soldiers killed in Afghanistan told Gordon Brown they blamed their deaths on helicopter shortages.
The face-saving £1billion deal with US aircraft-maker Boeing was being seen last night as a desperate pre-Election move by Labour to defuse the helicopter row.
In 2009 The Commons defence select committee said that a lack of helicopters is undermining UK forces' operations and troop protection in Afghanistan.
The defence select committee says commanders "have to use ground transport" - with worrying effects on protection of personnel.
The Tories said it was "irrefutable" that a 2004 cut in the helicopter budget was now hurting British efforts.
"Now, when we need more vital equipment, the cupboard is bare," said shadow defence secretary Liam Fox.
"No amount of evasion and creative accounting can disguise the fact that our troops are being let down."
The Lib Dems said ministers had "failed to respond" to clear evidence that helicopter numbers were inadequate.
During the Prime Minister’s announcements about the defence spending review he said
‘There is no cut whatsoever in the support for our forces in Afghanistan ... we have been and will be providing more for our brave forces in Afghanistan [including] crucially, at last, the right level of helicopter capability.’
The reality of the situation is that he has cut the order almost in half, down to 12 helicopters. Curiously there has been hardly a word said about that. We will leave you to make up your minds about Mr. Cameron’s statement on support fot the troops is Afghanistan.
