Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 28 April to Question 44502 on Puma Helicopters: Decommissioning, what steps he is taking to ensure that there will be no loss of operational output from the Chinook fleet as a result of the deployment of two CH47 Chinook helicopters in Cyprus.

Of the two Chinook H-47 currently deployed to cover the aerial firefighting season in Cyprus, one is earmarked for retirement as part of the planned decommissioning of the oldest 14 aircraft in the Chinook fleet.

There is no impact on Chinook fleet operational outputs as a result of the forward deployment of two Chinook H-47 to Cyprus.