Chinook Mk3 fiasco condemned by government committee

The Public Accounts Committee has condemned the fiasco that is the Chinook HC3 which has wasted millions of pounds and may have led to the deaths of British troops in theatre who had to travel overland because of a shortage of helicopters. Despite costing £422m the 8 Chinooks have hardly been used as, because of MOD bungles, the helicopters cannot fly at night or in adverse weather. The MOD did not get the software code that would enable them to get an airworthiness certificate for the type. Now the plan is to downgrade the new Chinooks back to HC2 standard so they can finally be used and relieve the tension on the rest of the fleet in Afghanistan.