A proposed naval V-280 would sit between a helicopter and the retired S-3 as an anti-submarine aircraft. Whether such an aircraft found a role would depend on the programme that eventually replaced Merlin. In this 2020 forecast, the Royal Navy was expected to face that choice early because Merlin had already served for more than twenty years. A service life of thirty or thirty-five years would still require replacement planning well before withdrawal.
Notable Point · 3:42:39-3:43:27
A naval V-280 proposal and the Merlin replacement timetable
Merlin's replacement programme offered a possible route for a naval aircraft with more reach than a conventional helicopter.