The majority of UK service helicopters are assigned to the
Joint Helicopter Command which is under the command of
C-in-C Land Forces. The primary role of the JHC is to
deliver and sustain effective Battlefield Helicopter and Air
Assault assets, operationally capable under all
environmental conditions, in order to support the UK's
defence missions and tasks. Major formations under JHC
command are as follows:
-
All Army Aviation Units
-
RAF Support Helicopter Force
-
Commando Helicopter Force
-
16 Air Assault Brigade
-
Combat Support Units
-
Combat Service Support Units
-
Joint Helicopter Command and Standards
Wing
Our estimate for the JHC service
personnel total is approximately 13,000 from all three
services.
Our figures suggest that the JHC appears to have about 350
aircraft (forward fleet) available as follows:
| UK
Helicopter type available during 2011 (The
Forward Fleet) |
|
ROYAL NAVY |
| Merlin HM1 |
23 |
| Lynx Mk 3 |
21 |
| Lynx Mk 8
|
20 |
| Sea King
Mk 2/7 |
9 |
| Sea King
Mk 5 |
11 |
| Sea King
Mk 4 and 6c |
29 |
| TOTAL |
113 |
| |
|
|
ARMY AIR CORPS |
| Apache |
50 |
| A109 |
4 |
| Gazelle
|
42 |
| Lynx Mk 7 and Mk 9 |
59 |
| TOTAL |
155 |
| |
|
| ROYAL
AIR FORCE |
| Chinook |
29 |
| Merlin Mk
3 |
17 |
| Puma |
23 |
| Sea King
Mk 3/3a (Search and Rescue) |
17 |
| TOTAL |
86 |
|
Note: These figures suggest numbers
of aircraft available for operations and not the
total inventory which includes aircraft being used
for training or being upgraded etc. |
In a normal non-operational environment
(with the exception of Lynx), each individual aircraft is
resourced to fly approximately 400 hours per year. The Lynx
fleet is generally resourced for 23,900 hours, which
averages about 405 hours per aircraft.
Helicopters not under the command of the JHC include the
Royal Navy's fleet helicopters (in support of ships at sea),
and the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy’s search and rescue
aircraft.
