Westland Lynx

From The Black Vault Encyclopedia Project

Westland Lynx
Description
Role	Helicopter
Crew	2
Manufacturer	Westland
Nationality	British
Dimensions
Length	13.33 m
Main rotor diameter	12.80 m
Height	3.67 m
Main rotor area	129 m²
Mass (empty)	3,291 kg
Mass (Maximum takeoff)	5,330 kg
Powerplant	2x Rolls-Royce Gem 42-1 turboshafts, 1,000 hp (746 kW) each
Maximum speed	256 km/h
Range	1,045 km
Rate of climb	606 m/min
Armament	Naval: 2 x torpedoes or 4x Sea Skua missiles or 2 x depth charges Attack: 8 x TOW ATGM Either: GPMGs

The Westland Lynx is a helicopter designed by Westland and built at Westland's factory in Yeovil, first flying on 21 March 1971 as the Westland WG.13. Originally intended as a utility craft for both civil and naval usage, military interest led to the development of the Army and Navy Lynx, which went into operational usage in 1977 and was later adopted by the armed forces of over a dozen nations.

Several aircraft were built under license by French company Aerospatiale for French usage.

When piloted by Roy Moxam in 1972, it broke the world record over 15 and 25 km by flying at 321.74 km/h. It also set a new 100 km closed circuit record shortly afterwards, flying at 318.504 km/h. In 1986, a specially modified Westland Lynx piloted by John Egginton set an absolute speed record for helicopters over a 15 and 25 km course by reaching 400.87 km/h (249.09 mp/h).

The British Army ordered 100 Lynx AH (Attack Helicopter) Mk.1 for various roles, including tactical transport, armed escort, antitank warfare (with eight TOW missiles), reconnaissance and evacuation. The Army have fitted a Marconi Elliot AFCS system to the Lynx for automatic stabilisation on three axis.

Contents 1 Service history 2 Versions 3 Users 4 External links 5 Gallery 6 Copyright

Service history

In British service it equips the Army Air Corps (AAC) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA). For the AAC the Lynx AH.7 and AH.9 operate as attack helicopters. The Lynx AH.7 is service with the FAA where it operates as an attack/utility helicopter in support of the Royal Marines, and the Lynx HMA.8 as anti-submarine warfare helicopter equipped with the Sea Skua anti-ship missile for Royal Navy warships.

The Lynx most prominent combat role was operating the Sea Skua, to devastating effect against the Iraqi Navy during the 1991 Gulf War. The Lynx also saw service with British Army forces during that conflict. It had already made its first combat operations in British service during the Falklands War in the 80s. Three were lost but not in combat, one on the MV Atlantic Conveyor and one each on board HMS Coventry and HMS Ardent.

It was used during Operation Barras to rescue 11 British soldiers in Sierra Leone on 10 September 2000.

The most recent wartime mission for the Lynx was during the invasion of Iraq in 2003. It has also seen extensive service during peacekeeping operations and exercises, and it is standard equipment for most Royal Navy surface combatants when they deploy.

Versions

• Westland WG.13: prototype that first flew on 21 March 1971.
• Lynx AH.1: Initial production version for the Army Air Corps, with over 100 examples built. Used for a variety of tasks, including tactical transport, armed escort, anti-tank warfare (equipped with eight TOW missiles), reconnaissance and casualty evacuation.
• Lynx AH.1GT: Interim conversion of the AH.Mk 1 for the British Army.
• Lynx HAS.2: Initial production version for the Royal Navy and the French Aeronavale. When it is used in the anti-submarine role, it is equipped with two torpedoes or depth charges and a dipping sonar. For anti-surface warfare, it is equipped with either four Sea Skua missiles (Royal NAvy) or four AS.12 missiles (Aeronavale).
• Lynx HAS.3
  • HAS.3 GM: Nineteen modified helicopters for the Royal Navy, for service in the Persian Gulf.
  • HAS.3 ICE : Two helicopters for the Royal Navy for use in the Arctic.
  • HAS.3: Upgraded version for the Royal Navy.
  • HAS.3S: Improved version of the HAS.Mk 3 for the Royal Navy.
  • HT.3: Proposed training version for the RAF, not built.
• Lynx HAS.4(FN): Upgraded version for the Aeronavale.
• Lynx HAS.2(FN): French version of the HAS.Mk 2 for the Aeronavale.
• Lynx AH.5: Experimental version for the British Army. Only 4 were ever built.
• Lynx AH.6: Proposed version for the Royal Marines, not built.
• Lynx AH.7: Attack version for the Army Air Corps.
• Lynx HMA.8 ("Super Lynx"): Upgraded maritime attack version.
  • HMA.8 CTS: Improved Tactical System.
• Lynx AH.9 ("Battlefield Lynx"): British Army version of the Super Lynx.
• Lynx Mk.21: Export version of the HAS.2 for the Brazilian navy. Brazilian navy designation 'SAH-11".
• Lynx Mk.21A: Export version of the Super Lynx for the Brazilian navy.
• Lynx Mk.22: Unbuilt export version for the Egyptian navy.
• Lynx Mk.23: Export version of the HAS.2 for the Argentine navy. Later sold to Brazil and Denmark.
• Lynx Mk.24: Unbuilt export version for the Iraqi army.
• Lynx Mk.25: Export version of the HAS.2 for the Royal Netherlands Navy, also designated "UH-14A" in Dutch service.
• Lynx Mk.26: Unbuilt export version for the Iraqi army.
• Lynx Mk.27: Export version for the Royal Netherlands Navy, also designated "SH-14B" in Dutch service.
• Lynx Mk.28: Export version of the AH.Mk 1 for the Qatar State Police.
• Lynx Mk.80: Export version of the HAS.Mk 2 for the Royal Danish Navy.
• Lynx Mk.81: Export version for the Royal Netherlands Navy, designated "SH-14C" in Dutch service.
• SH-14D: Upgraded helicopters for the Royal Netherlands Navy.
• Lynx Mk.82: Unbuilt export version for the Egyptian army.
• Lynx Mk.83: Unbuilt export version for the Saudi Arabian army.
• Lynx Mk 84: Unbuilt export version for the Qatar army.
• Lynx Mk 85: Unbuilt export version for the United Arab Emirates army.
• Lynx Mk.86: Export version of the HAS Mk 2 for the Royal Norwegian Air Force.
• Lynx Mk.87: Embargoed export version of the Argentine navy.
• Lynx Mk.88: Export version for the German Navy.
• Lynx Mk.89: Export version for the Nigerian navy.
• Lynx Mk.90: One helicopter exported to Denmark.
• Super Lynx Mk.95: Export version of the HAS.8 for the Portuguese Navy.
• Super Lynx Mk.99: Export version of the HAS.8 for the South Korean Navy.
• Battlefield Lynx: Proposed export version.
• Battlefield 800: Proposed export version, the project was abandoned in 1992.
• Super Lynx 300:
• Lynx ACH: Expermential version

Notes:

• HMA: Helicopter Maritime Attack

Users

• Argentine Navy
• Brazilian Navy
• British Army
• British Royal Navy
• Royal Danish Navy
• French Navy
• German Navy (Twelve ordered in 1981 for use on navy frigates.)
• South Korean Navy
• Royal Malaysian Navy
• Netherlands Royal Navy (Six search and rescue and 18 anti-submarine warfare models.)
• Nigerian Navy
• Norway (Six operated on behalf of the Coast Guard by 337 Skvadron of the The Air Force from the Nordkapp Class cutters.)
• Royal Air Force of Oman
• Portuguese Navy (Used on "Vasco da Gama class frigates".)
• South African Air Force (Four of the Super Lynx 300 version for use on the SAN's Valour class patrol corvettes.)
• Qatar State Police
• pakistan navy(Westland Lynx Anti-Ship/Anti-Submarine/Transport Helicopters )

Designation sequence:

External links

• helis.com Section on the Westland Lynx
• Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) rotorcraft world records page

Gallery

A Lynx helicopter taking off from the Ouragan	Replacement of a turbine on one of the two Lynx helicopters of the Motte-Picquet	a Lynx helicopter armed with a Mk46 torpedo	A Lynx helicopter of the 31F wing
A Lynx helicopter of the French Navy flying over Musha and Mascali islands (air wing of the Motte-Picquet frigate)	A Lynx of the Royal Malaysian Navy	A Lynx Mk95 of the Portuguese Navy	Lynx HAS3 of the Black Cats (Royal Navy) display team at RIAT 2005

Copyright

"Original data received from Wikipedia on April 11, 2006. Credit given to original authors can be seen Here."