NH 90 helicopter in UK colours

[uk 75]

The European NATO helicopter NH 90 programme included the UK until 1987. There was even a mockup in RN colours pictured in either Flight International or Aviation Week and Space Technology when the UK withdrew. Apparently the machine would have replaced the Puma for the RAF, some Lynx for the Army and Navy, and possibly Commando Seakings. Anyone got any pictures or brochures in UK colours?

UK 75

 

[RavenOne]

On the same topic, 3 years ago there was a story in Rotorhub mentioning possibility of the SAS receiving NH-90s to combat the bad guys. The debate was who would fly it, obviously it be under Joint Helicopter Command and probably be in RAF colours and flown bymixe crew of RAF SHF and AAC crews.

Seem to recall the artilce was entitled ghost helicopters for uk or something like that

 

[alertken]

UK in NH90..waa..?I hear you say. This is complex and is not well handled in political works on Thatcher's 1985/86 "Westland Affair."
Westland/Agusta EH.101 was funded into R&D 1/84, (It.Navy+RN, ordered 10/91 as 44xMerlin HM1). RAF has 33xChinooks. Asks for +8. Westland Helicopters Ltd is broke and “had never struck me as well managed” Cabinet Minister G.Howe, Conflict of Loyalties, 94, Mac, P462. Draft RAF ASR for a close-up lifter, unwanted but intended as WHL make-work. Alan Bristow offers mid-85 to take Westland on (not to pay actual money, but to pick up ongoing pain) if WG30 is taken for it (Yes, as in PanAm and India, very briefly). Derived from Bo.125, MBB+Aerospatiale (soon to be Eurocopter)/Fokker...and Agusta initiate an EH.101 overlap, to be NH90, invite WHL to join, which they do, 9/85 (if Agusta can back 2 horses, well so can we). The world ignores both and buys H-60...except Saudi, who wind rotors into Tornado/al Yamamah, signed 26/9/85. Saudi and UK Army Air Corps have Requirements for a Super-Cobra type: BAe. discovers an interest in rotors and licences (to be EC655 Tigre). Agusta adapts A129 as TONAL and forms Joint European Helicopter (Co) (JEH). WHL dallies with Battlefield Lynx.

So as we approach New Year 1986 a bankrupt hutment on a Somerset meadow seems to be the conduit to black gold. UTC offers to fit H-60 with (50% RR) RTM322, to buy 29.9% of WHL and re-boot them…all as entry ticket to RSa.AF. WHL’s Board likes that and (as a strategic Defence Contractor) seeks Govt. permission to do that deal (Yes, backing 3 horses). Cabinet is split between the European and the US “solution”.

Are you paying attention at the back?

Maggie nearly falls; 2 Ministers do; she then acquiesces in UTC, 4/86, buying 22.02% of WHL and licencing assembly of 100xH-60 as WS-70/RTM322 for Iraq/Saudi. So that was victory for the US solution. Well, no. Agusta also took equity in WHL as it joined JEH, 9/86 to pitch to AAC...who wanted neither a battlefield Lynx, nor Tigre, nor TONAL, but MDC/Short AH-64D, like any sensible bloke.
I see your concentration is fading. To the chase…
Eurocopter sells armed Bo.105 directly to (Iraq, by way of) Saudi; Saudi buys properHawks from Sikorsky; NHI boots WHL out; GKN buys into WHL, eventually 100%; UK Govt shoves (most of) Short's workshare out of Apache into Tucano and puts WHL in as WAH64. RAF gets more Chinooks, and, ordered 10/95, 22xMerlin HC3 awhile, and then even more Chinooks. Clear now?