Helicopter provision in Afghanistan for US and Canadian troops takes off at about 5 per 1,000 personnel. Until recently, according to The Times, UK provision was 10 Chinooks and 13 other helicopters in Afghanistan, as reported in a previous Straight Statistics article.

Other commentators had mentioned up to 30 UK helicopters, so that UK’s maximum ratio was 2:1 for other helicopters versus Chinooks.

The Times' report of 16 July 2009 gave the run-down by load capacity as: 10 Chinooks, 5 Sea Kings, and 8 Apaches - with 8 Chinooks and 8 Merlins due some time in 2010.
 
Since then, UK is down two Chinooks but has gained 7 Merlins; and has added 500 military personnel. At around 5 helicopters per 1,000 military personnel, UK should be expected to deploy 48 helicopters to Afghanistan. Even General Petraeus, interviewed on BBC radio 4 on Sunday, was remarkably reserved on the topic of UK’s helicopter provision.
 
Operationally, two Merlins can be considered to equate to a Chinook. UK’s current provision for some 9,500 troops in Afghanistan seems to be at best 35 helicopters (which includes 11.5 Chinook-equivalents), not 48.
 
With 10 Chinooks on order, UK’s current shortfall in helicopters per 1,000 personnel in Afghanistan should be made good. How many of them are indeed deployed to Afghanistan in 2010 really matters. After Ministerial statements today, journalists will no doubt press for this information to complete my table!