AW159 Agusta Westland
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AgustaWestland AW159 multi-role maritime helicopter
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The AW159 is the latest twin-engine multi-role, maritime and utility aircraft developed from the extremely successful AgustaWestland Lynx family of helicopters that has successfully met the needs of many operators for more than thirty years. Designated the Lynx Wildcat by the UK MOD, the AW159 is the multi-role helicopter chosen by the British Army and Royal Navy to replace the Lynx helicopter and to meet maritime combatant and land utility and reconnaissance requirements and to be delivered to the UK MOD in 2012. Also available to the international marketplace, the AW159 provides a unique and significant upgrade in terms of operational capability when compared to other aircraft in its class. The AW159 is a purpose built military aircraft with a fully marinised airframe that has been designed for all environments, including the harsh sea conditions associated with ship borne operations, and equipped with modern systems designed to provide low crew workload, reliability and ease of maintenance. With its unmatched agility and ability to rapidly change roles, coupled with the latest avionics, communications and mission suite, the network enabled AW159 provides the user with an advanced day/night all weather capability. Additionally, the AW159 offers air manoeuvre for command and control of specialist teams, counter-terrorism tasks, close battle casualty evaluation and additional command and control. In January 2013, AgustaWestland has announced that the Republic of Korea has selected the AW159 helicopter to meet its Maritime Operational Helicopter requirement. The contract for eight AW159 helicopters for the Republic of Korea Navy is the first export order for this new generation aircraft, known as the AW159 Wildcat in UK service. AgustaWestland is already delivering AW159 Wildcats into service in the UK to fulfil the UK Ministry of Defence’s order for 62 AW159 helicopters for the Royal Navy and British Army. Deliveries of the AW159s for the Republic of Korea will start in 2015 and be completed in 2016. |
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- AW159 Maritime: With its multi-role design and unique ability to integrate into the smallest frigates and offshore patrol vessels/corvettes, the AW159 will provide added utility and effect to any maritime operator. Able to operate worldwide in all environments, the AW159 will significantly extend the area capability and operational effect of its host maritime platform. The aircraft has the ability to autonomously detect, identify and engage surface, land and sub-surface targets. Armament options include air to surface missiles, torpedoes, depth charges, air to ground rockets, cannon and heavy machine gun.
- AW159 Military Utility: The military utility version of AW159, in common with the naval version has a fully marinised airframe and provisions for a range of mission and utility equipments which enable a true multi-role capability. |
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| Design | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Designed for all-weather operations and with the latest systems that provide low pilot workload, reliability and ease of maintenance, the AW159 can deliver an advanced day / night all weather, network enabled capability to find, fix and strike - with integration into any digital battle space or theatre of operation. The AW159 provides enhanced performance and operational capability with an increase in maximum all up mass to 6 tonnes. This provides a significant upgrade in terms of lift and operational effect, when compared with other aircraft in its class. With a spacious cabin and two large doors, for easy egress and unloading, the AW159 is capable of carrying and deploying a wide range of troop, equipment or weapon payloads including heavy machine gun and air-to-surface rockets.
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The AW159 is equipped with a comprehensive and highly capable integrated avionics suite that enables advanced navigation, communication, theatre integration and stores management functionality. The fully integrated digital cockpit provides an increased mission capability with a reduction of aircrew workload. The helicopter is equipped with a sophisticated suite of mission sensors, including, Active Electronic Scanned Array (AESA) radar; Active Dipping Sonar (ADS) for the naval variant; Electro Optical Device (EOD) for imaging and target designation; Electronic Support Measures (ESM) and an integrated Defence Aids Suite (DAS).
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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. Exceptional agility enables the aircraft to operate tactically, flying nap of the earth profiles while the proven CTS800 engines provide the AW159 with unrivalled hot and high performance. 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.
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With a spacious cabin and two large doors, for easy egress and unloading, the AW159 is capable of carrying and deploying a wide range of troop, equipment or weapon payloads including heavy machine gun and air-to-surface rockets.
- Forward firing cannon - 7.62/12.7mm pintle mounted machine gun - Air-to-surface rockets - Air-to-surface missiles - Torpedoes - Depth charges |
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