Back أغستاوستلاند إيه دبليو159 ويلدكات Arabic AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat Czech AgustaWestland AW159 Danish AgustaWestland AW159 German AgustaWestland AW159 Spanish آگوستاوستلند ای‌دابلیو۱۵۹ وایلدکت Persian AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat French אגוסטה ווסטלנד AW159 ויילדקט HE AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat ID AgustaWestland AW159 Italian

AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat

AW159 Wildcat
Wildcat HMA2 naval variant in 2013
Role Utility, SAR and ASuW helicopter
National origin United Kingdom, Italy
Manufacturer
First flight 12 November 2009[1]
Introduction 29 August 2014 (AH1)[2]
Status In service
Primary users British Army
Produced 2009–present
Developed from Westland Super Lynx

The AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat (previously called the Future Lynx and Lynx Wildcat) is a military helicopter, developed by the British-Italian helicopter manufacturer AgustaWestland, and later marketed by the Italian aerospace company Leonardo. It is an improved version of the Westland Super Lynx designed to serve in the battlefield utility, search and rescue, aerial reconnaissance, anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASuW), utility, command and control, and troop transport duties.[3]

Development commenced during the early 2000s under the name Future Lynx to replace the existing Lynx helicopters then operated by both the Royal Navy and British Army. Refurbishment and upgrading of the existing first generation Lynx airframes was evaluated but found to be uneconomical in comparison to producing a new generation airframe. Various new electronics and avionics systems were incorporated, including a glass cockpit, onboard integrated digital open systems architecture, Bowman communications system, and various mission systems. The Wildcat also features numerous airframe improvements, such as the redesigned tail rotor and nose, greater structural strength, and a longer lifespan of 12,000 flight hours. New munitions, such as the Martlet anti-surface missile and the Sea Venom anti-ship missile, were also integrated.

The Wildcat performed its maiden flight on 12 November 2009. On 29 August 2014, the Wildcat AH1 formally entered service with the Army Air Corps; in early 2015, the Fleet Air Arm's first Wildcat HMA2 commenced its initial operational deployment at sea. Within five years, both services had withdrawn the last Lynx helicopters in favour of the Wildcat.[4][5][6] The rotorcraft is also actively marketed towards export customers; overseas operators include the Republic of Korea Navy and the Philippine Navy.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference ff was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Desider_Oct2014 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference into manuf was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ "Royal Navy Lynx HMA8 fleet bows out of service" Archived 17 March 2017 at the Wayback Machine. Flight Global
  5. ^ Rankin, Mel (24 June 2016). "Lynx helicopter departs RNAS Yeovilton for its final flight". Archived from the original on 25 June 2016. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
  6. ^ Ripley, Tim (12 September 2017). "UK reorganises special forces aviation". Jane's 360. Archived from the original on 4 November 2017. Retrieved 13 February 2018.

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