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I think the Triax jet might be a little too much for them, just my opinion. Instead I'd look at a Northern Gun knock-off of the CS helo's. A couple of those should provide enough firepower to save their bacon if needed.

To limit their firepower, I would design missions that require a good deal of stealth, and just use the helo's for insertion/extraction and possible re-supply. I would go ahead and have the pilots and the aircraft techs be part of the merc team, possibly the remains of the another merc unit that decided to merge with them.

As far as expanding, perhaps a "job well done" earns them a big bonus. Or word of their exploits has gotten around and some NPC's seek them out. They could also expand by signing on a long term deal with someone that provides steady pay - someone that can cover the overhead and provides a bit of job security. Or a combination of all of the above is possible too.

As far as the handler/employer - why not do both? Could make for some interesting role-playing.

Remember that not every aircraft will be available for every mission. Helicopters in particular need maintenance after every flight in order to work properly. When they aren't properly maintained, they may fly, or something may go wrong and they may crash.

Even when all of their aircraft are working, the one they want may be on another mission. The combat team might be on a mission one place, while their helicopter is on a courier mission elsewhere. Maintaining a mercenary company is expensive, after all, and they need to pay the bills.