that proved the type's adaptability to varying mission specifications.
Designation: Westland / AugustaWestland Lynx
Classification Type: Multi-role Helicopter / Anti-Submarine / Anti-Ship
Contractor: Westland / AugustaWestland - UK
Country of Origin: United Kingdom
Initial Year of Service: 1978
Number Built: 415
The Westland Lynx (AugustaWestland since 2000) was designed to a British
Army requirement and initially consisted of four planned projects that
included an army, navy, 2-seat attack and civilian passenger versions. The
main idea of the planned four designs revolved around utilization of
differing airframes centered around the same powerplant components making
for one economical and reusable solution. In the end, only the army and navy
versions were ever actually completed but both types went on to see
extensive usage in military forces of various nations, taking on other roles
in the process and spawning a myriad of variants as needed. The Lynx is
currently in active service - a sound testament to the original 1960's era
design.
Development
Lynx began as the Westland WG.13 (Westland numbered each of their designs in
this consecutive format meaning that it had already completed some 12 other
designs previous to WG.13), intended to replace the aging "Scout" and gangly
"Wasp" platforms, both past Westland products themselves. This system was
also intended to challenge the role currently held by the American Huey UH-1
Cobra helicopter in the attack role. Initially, the helicopter endeavor
included Aerospatiale of France (to make up some 30% of the Lynx
production), with France looking to purchase both army and navy versions of
the Lynx while Britain was to take deliveries of Aerospatiale products in
turn (Gazelle and Puma). The 1967 coproduction agreement led to nowhere as
the French bowed out so Westland proceeded on the Lynx design on their own,
achieving first flight on March 21st, 1971. A total of 6 prototypes were
eventually built (along with 7 preproduction models) while production of the
Lynx line was handled at Westland in Yeovil, Somerset, England.
Despite its origins as a naval attack platform, the Lynx was quick to
showcase its performance capabilities and roomy cabin, offering more
potential for the system than originally envisioned for armed service. The
aircraft was quite capable of performing loops and could roll and handle
much like a traditional fixed-wing aircraft thanks to its main rotor design
- making it quite responsive. In 1972, the Lynx set a new helicopter speed
record by achieving 321.74 km/h and would later best this number by hitting
400.87 km/h on August 11th, 1986, the latter thanks to new rotor blades
(complete with swept tips) via the British Experimental Rotor Program (or
BERP). This particular Lynx was the 102nd production AH.Mk 1 model but
modified with twin auxiliary tail fins and water-methanol boosted engines.
The converted AH.Mk 1 model was later reconfigured back to its army status
with standard equipment eventually retired to the UK Helicopter Museum.
The Lynx has appeared in both land-based and naval variants, both stemming
from the two original army and navy designs. Land-based variants included
the initial British Army AH.Mk 1 - which took on a variety of tasks during
service - and the AH.Mk 7, an improved version of the AH.Mk 5 for the Army
Air Corps and Fleet Air Arm featuring an IR suppressor over the exhaust, the
BERP main rotor arrangement and Sky Guardian radar warning receiver (RWR).
100 of the original AH.Mk 1's were ordered. The AH.Mk 9 (or "Battlefield
Lynx") became the British Army version of the "Super Lynx" and featured a
retractable wheel undercarriage.
Naval variants began with the HAS.Mk 2 (HAS = Helicopter, Anti-Submarine)
and could be fielded as an anti-ship or anti-submarine warfare role. The
HAS.Mk 2 achieved first flight in February of 1976. The HAS.3 was an
improved version and featured sub-variants. The HMA.Mk 8 "Super Lynx" (HMA =
Helicopter, Maritime Attack) was an upgraded attack model for maritime usage
while other HMA.Mk 8 sub-variants appeared with improved technologies.
The Lynx was the focus of a major export program as well and was sold to a
variety of nations in both its army and navy forms. Though the French Army
cancelled their need for the Lynx, the French Navy went on to field the
helicopter, complete with French systems such as the OMERA-Segid search
radar. Operators of the Lynx - in all their varied forms - have included
Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Denmark, France, Germany, Malaysia, Netherlands,
Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Portugal, South Africa, South Korea,
Thailand, Qatar and - of course - the United Kingdom. "Super Lynx"
represents a successful export venture with nation-specific avionics. Brazil
was one of the first export nations to take deliveries of the Super Lynx.
On June 14th, 1984, a prototype of the "Lynx 3" went airborne. The Lynx 3
represented the successor in the Lynx line and was intended primarily as an
attack helicopter with potential buyers in France and Germany. This project
was basically nullified when the French and Germans geared up to produce
their own solution in the Eurocopter Tiger. The Lynx 3 was then officially
cancelled in 1987. Development of the Lynx 3 did further the basic Lynx
line, allowing Westland to produce the AH.Mk 9, based on the AH.Mk 7.
The Westland 30 (or WG.30) was a derivative designed from the Lynx. This
passenger transport model (commercial and military) was based on the army
version of the Lynx helicopter and was intended for VIP use. The
ill-conceived aircraft was doomed to failure, forcing Westland into
bankruptcy (forcing the creation of AugustaWestland), with only 40 of the
type constructed - all for civilian use. Operators were limited to India
(Pawan Hans), the UK (British Airways, British International Helicopters and
Helicopter Hire Ltd) and the United States (Omniflight and Airspur). First
flight of the model was achieved on April 10th, 1979.
"Future Lynx" will ensure the Lynx's reach into the new millennium. The
revised design features the tailfins as seen on the WG.30, new tail rotor
unit, 2 x LHTEC CTS800-4N turboshaft engines, 4,533lb payload, improved
countermeasures and IFF, a laser target designator and a new digital cockpit
with large multifunction displays (MFDs) numbering four.
Of the total 415 Lynxes produced, 267 of them have been for navy use.
Design
Outwardly, the Lynx featured a forward cockpit area behind the nose assembly
for pilot and copilot seated in a side-by-side arrangement with a cabin
directly behind. Cabin access was made possible by two windowed cabin doors
along either side of the fuselage. The twin turboshaft engines were mounted
behind and above the cabin and powered a four-blade, semi-rigid main rotor
component along with a four-blade tail rotor on the tail port side. Both
blade systems were arranged in a cruciform pattern while the composite tail
rotor spins in the opposite direction to reduce operational noise. The main
rotor was mounted on a forged titanium hub. The undercarriage could be of a
traditional skid system or a three-wheeled retractable undercarriage.
Armament
Armament for the Lynx varied depending on the role it was to play.
Anti-submarine versions had provision for 2 x torpedoes (Mk 44, Mk 46, A244S
and Stingray types), 2 x Mk 11 depth charges and a dipping sonar system.
Anti-surface variants could field 4 x anti-ship missiles (Sea Skua - British
Navy / AS.12 wire-guided - French Navy). For basic army attack use, the
aircraft could be fitted with x 20mm cannons (on fuselage sides), 2 x 70mm
rocket pods or 8 x TOW anti-tank guided missiles (four launch tubes to a
side) as required. For all other general purpose battlefield use, the Lynx
could be defended with crew -operated pintle-mounted machine guns.
Operational Service
The lynx was available during the British Falklands War with Argentina in
its HAS.2 naval form. The only losses occurred in the conflict were landed
Lynxes on British ships that were struck by Argentine airborne munitions -
none were lost operationally to direct enemy fire however. The Lynx also
served the British Army well in monitoring activities in Northern Ireland.
Lynxes were then deployed during the first Persian Gulf War of 1991, to
which the helicopter system was given credit for engaging Iraqi Navy
elements to good effect. The Lynx also saw combat action in the follow-up
Invasion of Iraq in 2003. More recently, a Lynx helicopter was hit by an
enemy projectile (missile or rocket) on May 6th, 2006, forcing the system to
crash into a home, killing all onboard (5). Beyond that activity, the Lynx
has proven quite capable of humanitarian and Search and Rescue (SAR)
operations as well.
Conclusion
Operationally, the Lynx has succeeded in becoming one of the top helicopter
designs of modern warfare (moreso the naval version over the army one). Not
only did it prove itself on being an adaptable platform, its performance
capabilities earned the respect of many a pilot. The Lynx legacy could very
well live on in the proposed "Future Lynx" project - a program set to take
all things good of the original Lynx and package it in an all new advanced
design with an increased lifespan. Future Lynx is expected to become
airborne in 2009 with production examples ready for delivery in 2011. The
deal with AugustaWestland and the British MoD could net some 70 to 80 total
initial delivery examples with a contract worth 1 billion pounds.
The Lynx anti-tank models in British Army service are being phased out of
service by the more capable Boeing/Westland WAH-64 Apache AH.Mk 1 - a
British Army equivalent of the American AH-64 Apache attack helicopter.
Variants
WG.13 - Initial Westland Prototype Designation
AH.Mk 1 - Initial Production Version
AH.Mk 1GT - Conversion model for Royal Army based on AH.Mk 1 model.
HAS.Mk 2 - Naval model for Britain
HAS.Mk 2(FN) - French naval model designation
HAS.Mk 3(S) - Improved version of the HAS.Mk 2; Updated communications
equipment.
HAS.Mk 3(GM(S)) - Persian Gulf Conversion Model for Royal Navy.
HAS.Mk 3(ICE(S)) - Cold Weather Conversion Model
HAS.Mk 4(FN) - French upgraded model
AH.Mk 5 - British Army trial prototype
AH.Mk 6 - Royal Marines proposed model
AH.Mk 7 - Attack Model for Royal Marines and Royal Army branches.
HMA.Mk 8 "Super Lynx" - An upgraded attack model based on the maritime
version.
HMA.Mk 8DSP
HMA.Mk 8DAS
AH.Mk 9 "Battlefield Lynx" - Royal Army version of the AH.7 model.
Mk.21 - Brazilian Export Model (SAH-11) based on HAS.Mk 2 variant.
Mk.21A - Brazilian Navy Export Model based on the HMA.Mk 8 Super Lynx
variant.
Mk.22 - Egyptian Navy Export Model
Mk.23 - Argentine Navy Export Model
Mk.24 - Iraqi Army Export Model (never produced).
Mk.25 - Royal Netherlands Navy Export Model (UH-14A).
Mk.26 - Iraqi Army Export Version (never produced).
Mk.27 - Royal Netherlands Navy Export Version (SH-14B).
Mk.28 - Qatar Police Export Model of the HAS.Mk 1 version.
Mk.64 - South African Air Force Export Model of the Super Lynx variant.
Mk.80 - Royal Danish Navy Export Model of the HAS.Mk 2 variant.
Mk.81 - Royal Netherlands Navy Export Model (SH-14C).
Mk.82 - Egyptian Army Export Model (never produced).
Mk.83 - Saudi Arabian Army Export Model (never produced).
Mk.84 - Qatar Army Export Model (never produced).
Mk.85 - UAE Army Export Model (Never produced).
Mk.86 - Royal Norwegian Air Force Export Model based on the HAS.Mk 2.
Mk.87 - Argentine Navy Export Model (never delivered).
Mk.88 - German Navy Export Model
Mk.88A - Upgraded Mk.88 German Navy Export Model
Mk.90 - Royal Danish Navy Export Model
Mk.90B Super Lynx - Upgraded Royal Danish Navy Model of the Mk.80 and Mk.90
versions.
Mk.95 - Portuguese Navy Export Model based on the HAS.Mk 8 variant.
Mk.99 - South Korean Navy Export Model based on the HAS.Mk 8 variant.
Super Lynx 300 - Export version of the base Super Lynx.
Battlefield Lynx - Proposed Export Model Designation.
Battlefield 800 - Proposed Export Model designation; Discontinued support
for project.
Lynx ACH - Experimental Test Model
SH-14A - Royal Netherlands Navy Model based on the HAS.2 variant.
SH-14B - Royal Netherlands Navy Model
SH-14C - Royal Netherlands Navy Model
SH-14D - Royal Netherlands Navy upgraded model.
SAH-11 - Brazilian Navy Export Model Designation.
Westland 30 - Passenger seating for up to 22 personnel; enlarged fuselage;
40 examples produced.
"Future Lynx" - Model under development (2009) with arrivial estimated in
2014; WD.30 style tailfins; LHTEC CTS800-4N turboshaft engines; increased
payload; digital cockpit with 4 x large MFDs; laser target designator;
nose-mounted optical sensor turret; new tail rotor.
Specifications for the Westland / AugustaWestland Lynx AH.9
Dimensions:
Length: 43.44ft (13.24m)
Width: 42.06ft (12.82m)
Height: 12.24ft (3.73m)
Performance: About MACH
Max Speed: 158mph (255kmh; 138kts)
Max Range: 426miles (685km)
Rate-of-Climb:2,480ft/min (756m/min)
Service Ceiling: 10,597ft (3,230m; 2.0miles)
Structure:
Accommodation: 2 + 12
Hardpoints: 2
Empty Weight: 7,705lbs (3,495kg)
MTOW: 11,299lbs (5,125kg)
Powerplant:
Engine(s): 2 x Rolls-Royce Gen 42-1 turboshaft engines driving a four-blade
main rotor and a tail rotor.
Armament Suite:
Variant-specific armament may include the following:
Attack Helicopter:
8 x TOW anti-tank guided missiles (set of two quadruple launchers)
2 x 70mm rocket pods
2 x 20mm cannon pods on fuselage sides
Anti-Submarine Warfare:
4 x Sea Skua anti-ship missiles (British Navy)
4 x AS.12 wire-guided anti-ship missiles (French Navy)
Anti-Surface Warfare:
2 x torpedoes (Mk 44, Mk 46, A244S or Stingray)
2 x Mk 11 depth charges
General Purpose Battlefield Role:
2 x 7.62mm general purpose machine guns (pintle mount side doors)
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