# Of SeaKings, Chinooks and Desert Sands



## Kirkhill (25 Oct 2006)

Reprinted under the Fair Dealings provisions of the Copyright Act.

Opened for interest and discussion.




> Five modified Sea Kings practice carrying troops in N.B. exercise
> 
> 
> OTTAWA (CP) - Soldiers about to deploy to Afghanistan trained last month on five of the navy's geriatric Sea Kings, raising questions about whether the troublesome helicopters are eventually bound for war-torn Kandahar.
> ...



http://www.mytelus.com/news/article.do?pageID=canada_home&articleID=2429606


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## Teddy Ruxpin (25 Oct 2006)

Such speculation...

Even an uneducated guess would suggest that these aircraft are connected with the upcoming SCTF trial and not with Afghanistan.


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## Sub_Guy (25 Oct 2006)

Sea Kings MODIFIED FOR TRANSPORT?   :

This is news to me!    ???

WOW I can't beleive that they are going to send these to KAF!    


Makes me proud to be a Canadian!   

GO GET EM!    :threat:


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## beenthere (25 Oct 2006)

I Would think that someone put 2 and 2 together and came up with 7. Slow news days can make for creative writing.


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## Kirkhill (25 Oct 2006)

Sub_Guy said:
			
		

> Sea Kings MODIFIED FOR TRANSPORT?   :
> 
> This is news to me!    ???
> 
> ...



Actually, I think it was made public some months ago that the insides of some SeaKings were going to be hauled out to use them as troop transports.   So that isn't news per se.   The speculation is news.  But as TR says they are more likely to end up being used on the USS Gunston Hall for the amphib trials.


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## Teddy Ruxpin (25 Oct 2006)

Sub_Guy said:
			
		

> Sea Kings MODIFIED FOR TRANSPORT?   :
> 
> This is news to me!    ???
> 
> ...



We really do need a sarcasm smiley... ;D


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## Kirkhill (26 Oct 2006)

:-[


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## bison33 (26 Oct 2006)

IMP did modify 5 SeaKings for transport and so far,  about 50 Vandoos have done the dunker(RUET) course in Darmouth.....I'll leave the rest up for speculation.


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## Sub_Guy (26 Oct 2006)

Sorry about that, it was pure sarcasm, I have been following the SCTF Ex for a while now.   I feel that I am going miss out on one cool exercise......


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## SeaKingTacco (26 Oct 2006)

Busy day stamping out rumours...

Just so everyone is clear, the media IS putting 2 + 2 and coming up with 4345.  Sea Kings indeed have been seen in Gagetown.  Three letters- SCF.

As for Sea Kings in Afghanistan- I've said it before and I will say it again, the laws of physics and aerodynamics do not permit such a deployment.  Full stop.  There is no secret conspiracy here.

Please do not feed the media with idle speculation.

Thank-you.


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## STONEY (26 Oct 2006)

I guess we aren't the only ones short of helo's for the sandbox.  The Brits are talking to Agusta Westland  & Denmark  about the possibility of diverting 6 transport versions of the EH101 off the production line from an order of 14 EH101's presently being delivered to Denmark from a earlier order. The 6 helo's would be replaced on the production line for a later delivery to Denmark.  The Brits are also looking to urgently buy AGL's for pintel mounting on vehicles.  

Cheers


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## Colin Parkinson (26 Oct 2006)

Have they disposed of the airframes for the Labs yet? If not, send them off for a complete gutting, re-engine, new avioncs, new rotors etc. Would take at least a year to get the first few in the air if they started tomorrow. Not perfect, but it is an imperfect world.


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## icatq (26 Oct 2006)

SeaKing Tacco has it bang on.

I've flown Sea Kings, Lynx and EH101. No matter how much you strip out an ASW Sea King it is not going to function in Afghanistan - except as a gate ornament (at which it may do a very fine job!).

I would also like to point out that its great that the Van doos are doing dunker drills - but that just points to what the sea kings are really preparing for. Much as as sea king may ditch in Afghanistan the likelihood of soldiers requiring underwater escape drills is pretty minimal.


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