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| UK Royal Navy AW159 Wildcat |
AgustaWestland (Leonardo Helicopters) delivered the last batch of four AW159 Wildcat maritime helicopters to the Republic of Korean Navy (ROK Navy) in late November. The ROK Navy selected the Wildcat to meet its Maritime Operational Helicopter requirement and signed a contract for eight units in January 2013. A first batch of four helicopters were delivered in July this year.
The AW159 is a new generation multi-role military helicopter that is now replacing Lynx helicopters in service with the Royal Navy and British Army. The AW159 has a semi-rigid rotor head which gives it high agility and the same legendary ship operating capabilities of the Lynx helicopter. It is also fitted with composite rotor blades utilising the same technology that enabled the Lynx to break the world helicopter speed record. The AW159 is powered by a pair of LHTEC CTS800-4N engines, each providing up to 1,361 shp, which gives the aircraft exceptional performance, even in hot and high environments. The engine installation also incorporates exhausts with built in IR suppression to provide increased survivability. The AW159 has the most modern integrated cockpit of any naval helicopter, featuring four large area (10” x 8”) cockpit displays and a fully integrated avionics suite and mission system to provide increased mission capability and increased crew effectiveness.
Read the full story at Navy Recognition