why don't the RAF want the Merlin?

[Darren]

on speaking to some RAF officers recentley they were very anti Merlin. And felt the RAF would be better getting Cougar's.
What is wrong with merlin?

[gash-hand]

I have a couple of mates who used to be aircraft mechanics in the RN and the merlin doesn't have the best reputation in the world. It mainly seems to be its over complexity for little extra benefit, think it has some relability questions as well.

As usual it seems to be another white elephant built to try and keep the UK defence industry alive, although it pains me to say it there are far better helo's available for sale.

If there are any serving mechanics on here they may be able to enlighten us further.

[ExCrabMate]

Its more expensive than Chinook
Its more complex (3 engines) than Chinook.
It has one-third of Chinook's payload capacity.
It can't carry a Land Rover internally, Chinook carries two easily.
The ramp is too steep for certain recovery techniques.
The side door is too far back when used in the search and rescue (SAR) role.
Rotor downwash is a problem in SAR (blows survivor off cliff etc)
It has an in-flight refuelling probe but we don't have any suitable tankers eg C-130.

Apart from that, its OK

On the up side its much quieter than Chinook, so a tiny plus for SF insertion.

[RAF Mancunian]

What I don't understand is that they missed out on the Apache, which is an absolute beast :evilbat: and a must have, but brought in the Merlin. This does'nt make sense as they have the Puma, which although carries around ten less people, is still effective anyway. Instead, the Army got the Apache. You would think that the RAF would have an attack helicopter, but they don't have any, the best they can do is stick a GPMG on a Merlin and hope for they'll hit some Iraqis

Adam

[ExCrabMate]

Horses for courses.
RAF uses Harrier/Jaguar for plinking tanks; helos for carting stuff around the battlefield.
I think the Pongoes will find that maintaining Apache will be a huge tech leap for them; its a very complex bit of kit and easily akin to Tornado in terms of technology.

Anyhow, if God wanted the Pongoes to fly, the sky would be brown.

[Darren]

but the chinook downwash would do the same in a SAR role.
having spoken to doctor who set up an fst in the back of a chinook and a merlin they prefered the merlin as they could actually talk and hear one another and the ride was alot smoother.
as for the engine/compleity don't pilots like having more engines to play with.
The CH53E has 3 engines and inmho is far superior to the chinook.
and don't the chinooks have a little complexty problem with meshing rotor blades and gear boxes?

[mercury]

Never seen a Chinnok in a SAR role , as for the RAF using apache , well like ExCrabMate says , the RAF use helos for humping and dumping and fixed wing for killing people


The Raf has always excelled in being the last to know what kit is going to be issued to them , look at awacs and some terrible choices for ground radar !

[kwew]

I think the simple answer to why the RAF dont want it is because its shite. not my opinion but of a navy Lt he said whatever you do dont get on a merlin. And i have no reason to ignore his advice.

[Kat =^..^=]

on speaking to some RAF officers recentley they were very anti Merlin ... What is wrong with merlin?

Why? Because it's shit ...

[kwew]

so the navy Lt was right its shite .
thanks kat

[Kat =^..^=]

Kwew any time mate you know me sitting on the fence and all that