military@cbnews.att.com (William B. Thacker) (02/06/91)
From: ihlpm!jfb (Joseph F Baugher +1 708 713 4548) Number 37 in the series, the Royal Navy's version of the Lynx helicopter. Westland Lynx HAS Mk 3 Engine: Two Rolls-Royce Gem Mk 41-1 turboshafts, 1120 shp each, mounted side-by-side in top of upper fuselage decking. The engines are separated from each other and from the rest of the structure by firewalls. The exhausts can be fitted with fairings which deflect the exhaust gases up into the rotor disk, using the prop downwash to dissipate and mask the infrared signature. Performance: Maximum speed: 144 mph at sea level. Maximum inclined climb rate: 2170 ft/min. Hovering ceiling out of ground effect: 8450 feet Maximum range: 370 miles (at maximum weight). Weights: Empty weight: 6040 pounds Maximum takeoff weight: 10,500 pounds Armament: Two weapons pylons protruding from the fuselage sides underneath the cabin doors. Can carry four BAe Sea Skua antiship missiles on the outrigger pylons. Alternatively, two Marconi Sting Ray homing torpedoes can be carried. A general-purpose machine gun can be mounted in either one of the cabin doorways. Accommodations: Crew of 2 (pilot on right, navigator/radar operator on left) The cabin has provisions for a rescue winch and a door-mounted machine gun. Up to nine people can be carried in the cabin. Electronics: Ferranti ARI 5979 Seaspray monopulse radar mounted in nose radome. Used for surface search, identification, navigation homing, and air-to-surface missile target illumination. Racal MIR-2 "Orange Crop" electronic surveillance measures equipment, with sensosrs mounted on the nose, on the rear fuselage sides, and on the rear landing gear sponsons. This system provides information on the bearing of enemy radar and radio transmissions. Texas Instruments ASQ-81 magnetic anomaly detection equipment can be fitted. The detector is mounted in a towed "bird" that is attached to the starboard main landing gear leg. Racal central tactical system which processes all sensor inputs and presents mission information on a single multi- function screen. Decca TANS navigation system with associated Decca 71 Doppler and Sperry GM9 Gyrosyn compass. GEC Avionics duplex three-axis automatic stability equipment. Remarks: The naval Lynx is the wheeled variant of the Army Lynx. It is specificially designed to serve aboard destroyers and frigates, primarily engaging in antisubmarine and antishipping warfare. The Westland WG-13 Lynx originated in a 1960's British Army requirement for an antitank helicopter. Two engines were deemed essential for battlefield survivability, in lieu of American experience in Vietnam. The Lynx is one of three helicopters covered by the 1967 Anglo- French agreement under which Aerospatiale has a 30 percent share of the production of parts for final assembly by Westlands plant. In return, Westland has a stake in the manufacturing of Puma and Gazelle helicopters. Semi-rigid four-blade main rotor constructed of glass-reinforced plastics over a Nomex core. Manual rotor folding is available for stowage in confined areas. A particle separator is provided for each engine intake. The intakes can be electronically de-iced. Equipped with inflatable flotation equipment for emergency landings at sea. First naval Lynx flew in 1972. First Royal Navy Lynx was deployed in 1978. Now serves aboard Leander- and Amazon-class frigates as well as on County-class destroyers and on Sheffield- and Broadsword-class frigates. Lynx HAS Mk 2 was initial production version with 900 shp Gem Mk 2 turboshafts. 69 built. 9500 lb. maximum weight. Some of the Mk 2s were later upgraded to Mk 3 standards. Lynx HAS Mk 2(FN) was the French version of HAS Mk 2. Had ORB-31-W radar, AS-12 missiles, French avionics, and Alcatel dunking sonar. Lynx HAS Mk 3 is uprated version of HAS Mk 2. 1120 shp Gem 41-1 turboshafts. 31 ordered. Lynx HAS Mk 4(FN) is the French version of the HAS Mk 3. Versions also produced for Brazil, Argentina, Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Germany, and Nigeria. The Sea Skua is an air-to-surface antiship missile which is guided by semiactive radar homing. It has a range of about ten miles, and is powered by a two-stage rocket engine. The Sting Ray is a homing torpedo which is dropped from its launching helicopter and descends to the surface under a parachute. Once the torpedo enters the water, the Sting Ray undergoes a pre-programmed search pattern. When the target is detected, the onboard computer and active/passive sonar direct the torpedo toward an intercept course. The Sting Ray carries an 88 lb. shaped-charge high-explosive warhead. Naval Lynxes served on both sides in the Falklands/Malvinas war of 1982. The British Lynxes served as "decoys" to deflect Argentine Exocet missiles away from their targets, as well as to harass small Argentine ships at night. One of the two Argentine Lynxes crashed at sea during the war. The other survived the war, but was later placed in storage due to a lack of spare parts. Sources: Various issues of Aviation Week Various issues of Defense Electronics The Observer's Book of Aircraft, William Green. The World's Military Helicopters, Gallery Books. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft Armament, Bill Gunston Joe Baugher ****************************************** AT&T Bell Laboratories * "Patch me through to McGarrett." * 200 Park Plaza ****************************************** Naperville, Illinois 60566-7050 (708) 713 4548 ihlpm!jfb jfb200@cbnewsd.att.com Who, me? Speak for AT&T? Surely you jest!