Military Aircraft: Helicopters Dr. Fox To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of (a) the total helicopter fleet in service and (b) the helicopter forward air fleet were fit for purpose in each year since 2001, broken down by service and type. Mr. Quentin Davies The percentages of the total helicopter fleet and the forward helicopter fleet which are fit for purpose are not recorded as a matter of course, and are not therefore available from 2001 in all cases. “In Service” has been taken to mean the Effective Fleet, which covers all aircraft barring those which are redundant, declared as surplus or awaiting disposal. “Forward Fleet” aircraft are those that are available to the Front Line Commands for operational and training purposes, including those that are classed as “short term unserviceable”; aircraft undergoing scheduled depth maintenance, or planned routine fleet maintenance are excluded. “Fit for Purpose” aircraft are those in the Forward Fleet considered capable of carrying out their planned missions on a given date. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Service and Helicopter|2001- 02|2002-03|2003-04|2004-05|2005-06|2006-07|2007-08|2008-09| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Royal Navy | | | | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Merlin HM1 | | | | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Effective Fleet |20 |16 |17 |10 |24 |29 |29 |29 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Forward Fleet |44 |35 |37 |21 |48 |48 |46 |52 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Lynx Mk 3/8 | | | | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Effective Fleet |36 |38 |42 |44 |40 |40 |38 |40 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Forward Fleet |56 |56 |60 |66 |62 |58 |55 |61 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Sea King Mk2/7 | | | | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Effective Fleet |— |35 |38 |55 |45 |47 |44 |45 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Forward Fleet |— |75 |69 |67 |62 |58 |54 |61 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Sea King Mk5 | | | | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Effective Fleet |37 |35 |39 |39 |37 |43 |43 |42 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Forward Fleet |70 |65 |65 |66 |56 |59 |59 |57 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Sea King Mk 4 and 6c | | | | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Effective Fleet |— |— |— |45 |41 |38 |36 |38 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Forward Fleet |— |— |— |59 |59 |55 |52 |55 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Army | | | | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Apache | | | | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Effective Fleet |— |— |— |— |28 |31 |34 |30 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Forward Fleet |— |— |— |— |54 |54 |50 |40 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |A109 | | | | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Effective Fleet |— |— |— |75 |75 |75 |75 |75 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Forward Fleet |— |— |— |75 |75 |75 |75 |75 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Gazelle | | | | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Effective Fleet |— |— |— |55 |46 |38 |37 |38 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Forward Fleet |— |— |— |96 |102 |88 |90 |88 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Lynx Mk 7 and 9 | | | | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Effective Fleet |— |— |— |38 |41 |40 |36 |39 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Forward Fleet |— |— |— |59 |60 |64 |61 |66 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Royal Air Force | | | | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Chinook | | | | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Effective Fleet |— |— |— |43 |38 |40 |45 |50 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Forward Fleet |— |— |— |55 |56 |59 |62 |69 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Merlin Mk 3/3a | | | | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Effective Fleet |— |— |— |14 |36 |36 |36 |39 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Forward Fleet |— |— |— |20 |53 |57 |53 |65 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Puma | | | | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Effective Fleet |— |— |— |44 |44 |44 |38 |45 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Forward Fleet |— |— |— |64 |69 |72 |68 |74 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Sea King Mk 3/3a | | | | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Effective Fleet |— |— |— |— |— |36 |36 |32 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |Forward Fleet |— |— |— |— |— |53 |53 |47 | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Effective Fleet figures are as at 1 April of each year. Fit for Purpose and Forward Fleet figures are an average across each year.