| AW159 Lynx Wildcat | |
|---|---|
| Role | Utility, SAR and ASuW helicopter |
| National origin | United Kingdom |
| Manufacturer | AgustaWestland |
| First flight | 12 November 2009[1] |
| Primary users | British Army (future) Royal Navy (future) |
| Developed from | Westland Super Lynx |
The AgustaWestland AW159 Lynx Wildcat (previously called the Future Lynx) is an improved version of the Westland Super Lynx military helicopter. The AW159 will serve in the battlefield utility, search and rescue and anti-surface warfare roles. The helicopter has been ordered for the British Army and Royal Navy. It is to enter service with the Army in 2014 and with the RN in 2015.[2]
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The Future Lynx project originated in two 2002 studies to determine the suitability of a derivative of the Super Lynx 300 to replace the existing Lynx helicopters of the Royal Navy and British Army. These requirements were known as the Surface Combatant Maritime Rotorcraft (SCMR) and Battlefield Light Utility Helicopter (BLUH) programmes, respectively.[3] The utility transport aspect of the BLUH requirement was subsequently de-emphasised and the programme renamed Battlefield Reconnaissance Helicopter (BRH).[4]
Both Army and Navy variants are based on a common marinised airframe with a wheeled undercarriage. The Future Lynx is powered by two 1362 shp LHTEC CTS800 turboshaft engines, and features a new composite tailboom, tailplane, tail rotor, nose structure and avionics suite. The naval version is also equipped with a SELEX Galileo Seaspray 7000E active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar.[4]
On 22 June 2006, the UK Ministry of Defence awarded AgustaWestland a £1 billion contract for 70 Future Lynx helicopters as a commitment under the Strategic Partnering Arrangement with AgustaWestland. The programme envisaged providing the British Army and Royal Navy with 40 and 30 aircraft respectively, with an option for a further 10, split equally between Army and Navy.[5] In December 2008 the MoD announced that contract would go forward with the order reduced to 62.[6]
Production Future Lynx helicopters will comprise 95% new components; the remaining 5%, consisting of such items as the fuel system and main rotor gearbox, will be sourced from existing Lynx AH7 and HMA8 airframes.[7]
On 24 April 2009, it was announced that the Future Lynx had been renamed AW159 by AgustaWestland, and would be known in British military service as the Lynx Wildcat.[2] The first Lynx Wildcat took the type's maiden flight from Yeovil on 12 November 2009,[1] with initial deliveries of the type expected in 2011. The second AW159 first flew on 14 October 2010,[8] and a third helicopter joined the flight testing on 19 November 2010.[9]
The UK is to initially receive 34 AW159s for the British Army and 28 for the Royal Navy. The Army variant is to enter operational service in 2014, with the RN variant following in 2015.[10]
The Royal Navy has commissioned its first Lynx Wildcat Fielding Squadron, to be known as 700W Naval Air Squadron (700W NAS).[11] The Army Air Corps has formed the Wildcat Fielding Team. Both units located at RNAS Yeovilton.
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Data from Future Lynx brochure,[12] AW159 page[13]
General characteristics
Performance
Armament
| External videos | |
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| Inflight video of AW159 | |
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