The U.K. is to scrap aging CH-47 Chinooks and Pumas as part of an effort to save the Ministry of Defence up to £500 million over the next five years.
The cuts, announced by Defence Secretary John Healy in an update on defence capabilities on Nov. 20, will see 14 Chinooks accelerated out of service, while 17 Pumas will be withdrawn from service in March 2025.
Healy — part of the new labour government that was elected in July — said technology is rapidly changing the nature of warfare, as illustrated by the war in Ukraine.
And while his government has pledged to increase defence spending to 2.5 percent of GDP, he said six “outdated military capabilities” needed to be taken out of service to help “get a grip” of MOD budgets.
Along with the two helicopter types, these included a frigate, tankers, and landing ships.
“I recognize that these will mean a lot to many who’ve sailed and flown in them during their deployments around the world,” said X. “They have provided valuable capability over the years. But their work is done. We must now look to the future.”
The government is also scrapping 46 Watchkeeper Mk1 drones – “a 14-year-old Army drone which technology has overtaken,” said Healy.
In May 2022, the U.K. launched the New Medium Helicopter (NMH) program, with the primary objective of finding a type to replace the Puma in the U.K.’s medium-lift fleet.
Leonardo’s AW149 is the sole remaining candidate for that competition, following the withdrawal of Airbus Helicopters and Lockheed Martin earlier this year.
During an event celebrating the opening of its new U.K. HQ in September, Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters, said the manufacturer was committed to supporting the U.K.’s Puma fleet, which had been scheduled to continue flying until 2035.
In a statement provided to media following news of the Puma’s withdrawal from service, Airbus said “we regret the likely impact on the U.K.’s defence industrial base with the potential loss of skilled engineering roles and wider consequences for the aerospace supply chain.”
“Renowned for its exceptional reliability, cost-effectiveness and high mission availability, the Puma has been a cornerstone of the UK’s medium-lift capability,” the company said.
