Untitled Page

The AgustaWestland AW101 is a medium-lift helicopter used in both military and civil applications. It was developed by a joint venture between Westland Helicopters in the United Kingdom and Agusta in Italy in response to national requirements for a modern naval utility helicopter. Several operators, including the armed forces of Britain, Denmark, Norway and Portugal, use the name Merlin for their AW101 aircraft. It is manufactured at factories in Yeovil, England and Vergiate, Italy; licensed assembly work has also taken place in Japan and the United States.
Maiden flight: 09 Oct 1987 Length: 74.80 ft Wingspan: 60.99 ft Passengers: 45 Introduced: 2000 Manufacturer: HYPERLINK "/search?q=AgustaWestland&filters=ufn%3a%22AgustaWestland%22+sid%3a%22e7aee056-d0cb-7a0d-729b-0e2432e3023c%22&FORM=SNAPST"AgustaWestland.

General characteristics
Crew: 3-4
Capacity:
26 troops (38 passengers) or 5 tonnes of payload or 4 stretchers (with sonar removed) for Merlin HM1;
30 seated troops or 45 standing fully equipped combat troops, or 3,050 kg (6,724 lb) of internal payload, 5,520 kg (12,169 lb) of external payload, or 16 stretchers for AW101
Length: 19.53 m-fuselage length (64 ft 1 in)
Rotor diameter: 18.59 m (61 ft 0 in)
Height: 6.62 m (21 ft 8¾ in)
Disc area: 271.51 m² (2,992.5 ft²)
Empty weight: 10,500 kg (23,149 lb)
Max. takeoff weight: 14,600 kg (32,188 lb)
Powerplant: 3 × Rolls-Royce Turbomeca RTM322-01 turboshafts, 1,566 kW (2,100 shp) (take-off power) each

Performance
Never exceed speed: 309 km/h (167 knots, 192 mph)
Cruise speed: 278 km/h (150 knots, 167mph)
Range: 833 km (450 nmi,517 mi)
Endurance: 5 hours
Service ceiling: 4,575 m (15,000 ft)

Armament
Bombs: 4× Sting Ray homing torpedoes or depth charges

Avionics
Smiths Industries OMI 20 SEP dual-redundant digital automatic flight control system
Navigation systems:
BAE Systems LINS 300 ring laser gyro, Litton Italia LISA-4000 strapdown AHRS
Radar:
Selex Galileo Blue Kestrel 5000 maritime surveillance radar
ECM
Racal Orange Reaper ESM
Sonar
Thomson Marconi Sonar AQS-903 acoustic processor
Active/passive sonobuoys
Thomson Sintra FLASH dipping sonar array

The RN's final order was for 44 ASW aircraft, originally designated Merlin HAS.1 but soon changed to Merlin HM1. The first fully operational Merlin was delivered on 17 May 1997, entering service on 2 June 2000. All aircraft were delivered by the end of 2002, and are operated by four Fleet Air Arm squadrons: 814 NAS, 820 NAS, 824 NAS and 829 NAS, all based at RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall. 700 NAS was the Merlin Operational Evaluation Unit from 2000 to 2008. In March 2004, Navy Merlins were temporarily grounded following an incident at RNAS Culdrose in which a tail rotor failed due to a manufacturing defect. An improved tail rotor was designed and adopted on most AW101s; according to AgustaWestland, the redesigned rotor also significantly reduced associated maintenance.

In 1995, it was announced that the Navy's Westland Lynx helicopters would be retired in favour of an all-Merlin fleet. However, the subsequent 2010 SDSR stated that the future naval helicopters would be the Merlin and the Wildcat, a derivative of the Lynx. Royal Navy Merlins have seen action in the Caribbean, on counter-narcotics and hurricane support duties, as well as maritime security duties in the Persian Gulf. Merlins have also seen active duty in Iraq, providing support to British and coalition forces based in the region.

A Merlin HM1 from HMS Monmouth flight, 829 NAS, 2007
The Merlin HM1 has been cleared to operate from the Royal Navy's aircraft carriers, amphibious assault ships, Type 23 frigates and several Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) vessels including the Fort Victoria-class; it is also to equip the Type 45 destroyer. 30 aircraft have been upgraded to Merlin HM2 standard under the £750m Merlin Capability Sustainment Programme; Lockheed Martin UK delivered the final HM2 on 11 July 2016. The HM2 has a new mission system, digital cockpit, electro-optical camera and multi-static processing for the sonar system. The HM2 performed its first ship-borne test flight in September 2012 and achieved IOC on 30 June 2014, after nine HM2 had flown 480 hours from Illustrious during Exercise Deep Blue earlier that month. It was also reported that some of the eight airframes not scheduled to be upgraded for financial reasons may be updated.

Five HM2s are in maintenance at any one time, leaving 25 available at readiness, of which 14 will be assigned to the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier. In addition to its anti-submarine role, the HM2 will be able to carry an airborne early warning (AEW) pod under procurement through the Crowsnest programme to replace the Sea King ASaC7. In September 2011, Thales UK proposed re-using Sea King ASaC7 equipment, such as the Searchwater 2000, on the Merlin; Lockheed Martin has proposed developing a new multi-functional sensor for either the AW101 or other aircraft.[82] Lockheed originally planned to use a derivative of the F-35's APG-81 radar but is now believed to be using an Elta system; both it and the Thales system will begin flight trials in the summer of 2014 with Main Gate in 2016. Ten pods are planned with IOC in 2019.[83] On 22 May 2015, The MOD and Lockheed Martin UK, as the prime contractor for Crowsnest, selected Thales as the chosen bidder to provide the radar and mission system at the heart of the Crowsnest capability.

On 15 December 2009, plans were announced to transfer RAF Merlin HC3s and HC3As to the Royal Navy's Commando Helicopter Force to replace retiring Sea King HC4 helicopters. The Sea King was set to retire in 2016, leaving the Navy operating a combination of the Wildcat and Merlin. 846 NAS reformed with ex-RAF Merlin HC3s on 30 September 2014; 845 NAS followed on 9 July 2015.
Royal Air Force