[holding answer 10 September 2007]: The following table sets out the number of helicopters in the UK armed forces broken down by type and role as at 4 September 2007. Aircraft that are out of service due to reduced readiness has been taken to mean aircraft in the Depth Fleet, that is, aircraft on scheduled routine maintenance, repair and upgrade programmes. Mothballed has been taken to mean aircraft placed in storage in a flying or ‘near flying’ condition. The fleet sizes quoted cover those aircraft expected to be flown and does not include some aircraft that are currently classified as redundant or un-repairable.
Helicopter type Helicopter role Fleet size In depth fleet (as part of fleet size) In storage (as part of fleet size Agusta A109A/AM Light multi-role 4 0 0 Apache AH MK1 Attack helicopter 67 18 0 Chinook Mk 2/2a Heavy lift 40 13 0 Gazelle Mk 11 Light utility/reconnaissance 73 19 0 Lynx Mk 3/Mk 8 Anti-submarine & anti small surface craft 64 20 0 Lynx Mk 7/9 Multi role light utility (lift, reconnaissance, casualty evacuation) 99 33 7 Merlin Mk 1 Anti-submarine & anti surface warfare 39 11 0 Merlin Mk 3 Battlefield support helicopter 22 8 0 Puma Mk 1 Battlefield helicopter 38 13 0 Sea King Mk 3/3a Search and Rescue (SAR) 25 8 0 Sea King Mk 4 Commando 37 8 0 Sea King Mk 5 Helicopter utility (HU) 16 5 0 Sea King Mk 6CR Commando 5 1 2 Sea King Mk 7 Airborne surveillance and control (ASAC) 13 4 0 1 Gazelle is being progressively removed from service. In addition to the figures provided above there are a number of Gazelle which although in storage have been cannibalised and are not in a flying or ‘near flying’ condition.
In addition to the aircraft in the table there are 14 Sea King Mk 6s which have been removed from service having gone beyond their out of service date and are not in a flying or ‘near flying’ condition.
Also the MOD has acquired six Danish Merlin aircraft that are currently in the process of being modified to theatre entry specification. There are also eight Chinook Mk3 helicopters currently being converted to a support helicopter role.
In addition to the aircraft above the Department contracts for commercially owned but military registered helicopters and the following table shows those broken down by type and role as at 4 September 2007. These aircraft are on availability contracts and are not owned by the Department.
Helicopter type Fleet size Helicopter role Dauphin 2 Winching and operations to NATO ships Bell 212 7 Utility Bell 412 15 Utility Squirrel 37 Flying training Agusta A109E Power 3 Communications flight/VIP