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German Navy / Deutsche Marine Westland Sea Lynx (Sea Lynx Mk.88 and Super Lynx Mk.88A) |
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The Westland Lynx is a British
multi-purpose twin-engined military helicopter designed and built by
Westland Helicopters at its factory in Yeovil. Originally intended
as a utility craft for both civil and naval usage, military interest
led to the development of both battlefield and naval variants. The
Lynx went into operational usage in 1977 and was later adopted by
the armed forces of over a dozen nations, primarily serving in the
battlefield utility, anti-armour, search and rescue and
anti-submarine warfare roles. Origins: The initial design, then known as the Westland WG.13, was started in the mid-1960s as a replacement for the Westland Scout and Wasp, and a more advanced alternative to the UH-1 Iroquois. The design was to be powered by a pair of Bristol Siddeley BS.360 turboshaft engines. As part of the Anglo-French helicopter agreement signed in February 1967, French company Sud Aviation (later Aérospatiale) had a 30 per cent share of production work, Westland performing the remainder. It was intended that France would procure the Lynx for its Navy and a heavily modified armed reconnaissance variant for the French Army, with the United Kingdom in return buying Aérospatiale Gazelle and Puma for its armed forces. In October 1969, the French Army cancelled its requirement for the Lynx, so development of the armed variant was terminated at an early stage. The first Lynx prototype took its maiden flight on 21 March 1971. In 1972, a Lynx broke the world speed record over 15 and 25 km by flying at 321.74 km/h (199.9 mph) and set a new 100 km closed circuit record shortly afterwards, flying at 318.504 km/h (197.9 mph); both of these records were set by L. Roy Moxam OBE, Westland's Deputy Chief Test Pilot (later Chief Test Pilot). In 1986, the former company demonstrator Lynx, registered G-LYNX, was specially modified with Gem 60 engines and British Experimental Rotor Programme (BERP) rotor blades. On 11 August 1986 the helicopter was piloted by Trevor Egginton when it set an absolute speed record for helicopters over a 15 and 25 km course by reaching 400.87 kilometres per hour (216.45 kn; 249.09 mph); an official record with the FAI it still holds. At this speed, its lift-to-drag ratio was 2, and its BERP blade tips reached a speed of Mach 0.97. The initial naval variant of the Lynx, known as the Lynx HAS.2 in British service, or Lynx Mk.2(FN) in French service, differed from the Lynx AH.1 in being equipped with a tricycle undercarriage and a deck restraint system, folding main rotor blades, an emergency flotation system and a nose-mounted radar. An improved Lynx for the Royal Navy, the Lynx HAS.3, had Gem 42-1 Mark 204 engines, an uprated transmission, a new flotation system and an Orange Crop ESM system. The Lynx HAS.3 also received various other updates in service. A similar upgrade to the French Lynx was known as the Lynx Mk.4(FN). Operational history: The first German Navy Lynx, a Sea Lynx Mk.88, was manufactured in 1981. A total of 19 were built. In 1996, the German Navy elected to purchase seven additional Super Lynx Mk.88As; in 1998, the decision was taken to upgrade the existing Mk.88 fleet, by then numbering a total of 17, to the improved Mk.88A standard. In the anti-surface role, Germany's Lynx fleet were supplemented by several Westland Sea Kings, which were upgraded with Sea Skua missiles in the 1990s. In 2009, Germany was studying a limited upgrade programme for their Super Lynx fleet which reportedly included the replacement of the current anti-ship missile. In 2013, the German defence ministry signed a contract with Selex ES to integrate new electro-optical/infrared sensors onto the Super Lynx. Since 2012, German Lynx have been deployed routinely off the coast of Somalia to discourage and intervene against acts of piracy as a part of the multinational Operation Atalanta. In September 2014, 15 of the navy's 22-strong Sea Lynx Mk.88A fleet were temporarily grounded following the discovery of fuselage cracks on some aircraft. The German Defense Ministry estimated that the Sea Lynx fleet will return to full strength in early 2015. In the long term, the German Navy is to retire the Super Lynx in favour of the NH-90 NTH Sea Lion and Sea Tiger. Variants: Lynx Mk.88 Export version for the German Navy with Gem 42 engines, and dipping sonar. Nineteen built. Super Lynx Mk.88A (also called Sea Lynx Mk.88A in German Navy) Upgraded export version for the German Navy with Gem 42 engines, under-nose radome with 360° traverse radar and FLIR above nose. Seven new build helicopters plus conversion of 17 Mk.88s. Specifications (Super Lynx): Length: 43 ft 9.25 in (13.3414 m) including tail-rotor Length overall: 50 ft (15.24 m) Length folded: 35 ft 7.25 in (10.85 m) Width folded: 9 ft 7.75 in (2.94 m) Height folded: 10 ft 8 in (3.25 m) Height: 12 ft 0.5 in (3.670 m) including tail-rotor Main rotor diameter: 42 ft 0 in (12.80 m) Main rotor area: 1,385.4 sq ft (128.71 m2) Maximum speed: 175 kn (201 mph, 324 km/h) Empty weight: 7,225 lb (3,277 kg) Max takeoff weight: 11,750 lb (5,330 kg) Range: 285 nmi (328 mi, 528 km) Crew: 2-3 Powerplant: 2 x Rolls-Royce Gem 42 turboshaft engines at 1,000 / 890 shp (746 / 664 kW), each Armament + systems: 2 x Mk.46 or MU90 torpedoes 1 x Caliber 0.50 (12.7 mm) heavy machine gun (door) AN/AQS-18 dipping sonar Seaspray 3000 radar FLIR MRT source: wikipedia + Bundeswehr |
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         cutout - 12,7 mm (caliber .50) door gunner                                                                                               Sea Lynx Mk.88     with a Mk.46 torpedo loaded - 1990    receiving the first Sea Lynx Mk.88 - 1981 |
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German
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