De los 67 Apache en servicio con el ejército británico, solo 18, el 27%, están disponibles para operaciones de guerra en Afganistán o para entrenamiento.
Menos de la mitad de la flota de helicópteros del Reino Unido está disponible, el 62% (322 de un total de 522) fuera de servicio.
Según el Partido Conservador solo el 44% de los Chinook, el 35% de los Merlin y el 43% de los Sea King de la Royal Navy están disponibles, lo que demuestra los efectos del calor y el polvo de Afganistán.
En los últimos dos años, las cargas explosivas utilizadas por los Taliban en los caminos, han hecho extremadamente peligrosos los desplazamientos por carretera, y el helicóptero es el medio mas seguro y solicitado para desplazarse.
Los conservadores han recordado la advertencia a Gordon Brown sobre la carencia de helicópteros, realizada en 2004, y han criticado duramente la decisión de recortar el presupuesto en plena guerra de Afganistán, cuando mas necesario es.
combataircraft.com
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Of the 67 in service, just 18 – or 27 per cent – are available for front line operations in Afghanistan or for training pilots in the United Kingdom.
Across all the aircraft types, less than half of Britain's military helicopters are available for operations, with 62 per cent (322 out of a total of 522) out of service.
Ministry of Defence figures obtained by the Conservative Party also show that only 44 per cent of the RAF's Chinook helicopters, 35 per cent of Merlins and 43 per cent of the Royal Navy's Sea Kings are available for service in Afghanistan.
The figures demonstrate how the heat and dust of the Helmand desert and the constant use of the aircraft on combat operations has started to degrade the fighting capability of the entire fleet.
Eighteen months ago 20 Apaches were available for service in Helmand and 53 per cent of the 48-strong Chinook fleet were available for front line operations.
In the last two years the number of improvised explosive devices being used by the Taliban has made travel by road extremely hazardous and many soldiers believe the only safe way to travel in Helmand is in a helicopter.
The Apache provides vital "top cover" for troops serving in the province and is on constant call when soldiers patrol into enemy controlled areas such as the "Green Zone".
The aircraft is now so essential to the military mission in Helmand that troops rarely venture out on large scale operations without support from the Apache.
While the Chinook does not provide fire support to ground troops it is vital for the Afghan mission.
Most of the out stations in Helmand are resupplied by Chinook and the helicopter provides a vital role in evacuating injured troops from the battlefield back to the main hospital at Camp Bastion.
Shadow Defence Secretary, said: "Gordon Brown was warned about the shortfalls in helicopters in 2004, yet he went ahead and cut the helicopter budget anyway.
"This was a catastrophic decision when our forces were at war. Gordon Brown's talk about new helicopters for Afghanistan masks the reality that the fleet is still being overworked and that the numbers available for operations are too low."
combataircraft.com
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