The value of helicopters in Afghanistan

An article in today's TimesOnline highlights the importance of helicopters in Afghanistan. The British are pulling six Sea King helicopters from domestic rescue duties in order to bolster their transport capability in Afghanistan. (H/T National News Watch)

RAF sends air rescue crews to Afghanistan

Extra helicopters and crews in Afghanistan are seen as vital if the number of soldiers dying there is to be prevented from escalating. Twenty-seven of the last 33 soldiers killed in Afghanistan died as a result of roadside bombs or landmines.Commanders say unless they get them, more soldiers will die.

Just 16 transport helicopters serve British troops in Helmand, an area five times the size of Northern Ireland. Concern over rising numbers of victims of roadside bombs led to an emergency meeting on Thursday chaired by Des Browne, the defence secretary, to raise helicopter numbers.

Merlin helicopters bought from Denmark and revamped special-forces Chinooks, previously deemed too dangerous to fly, will relieve pressure in the short term.

As Mark blogged about the other day, Canada is leasing between six to eight Russion MI-8 helicopters to tide us over until the CH-47-D Chinooks recently purchased from the US can be deployed.

Update: a post from two years ago discussing (and dismissing) the possibility of deploying Canadian Sea Kings to Afghanistan. Personally I think it's a shame it's taken Canada this long to deploy their own transport or even lease other assets as they're doing now in the short term.