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A pair of Royal Navy Agusta Westland Wildcat helicopters, perform a 'maritime role demonstration' during the RNAS Yeovilton Air Day 2017.
The helicopters are both Wildcat HMA Mk.2's and carry serial numbers ZZ379 and ZZ396 respectively.
Replacing the Lynx Mk8, the Wildcat has a more powerful engine allowing it to be flown in extreme conditions all year round. It is also equipped with a more robust fuselage, a high tech interactive display and a new radar system that provides 360-degree surveillance. The Wildcat Maritime Attack Helicopter can carry Sting Ray torpedoes, a door-mounted 0.5" heavy machine gun, and new light and heavy variants of the Future Anti-Surface Guided Weapon Missiles.
The Wildcat HMA Mk2 is used for anti-surface warfare, force protection and counter-piracy and can carry out an anti-submarine role. As a ship-borne helicopter, Wildcat provides commanders with a flexible attack capability which can be deployed to tackle a range of threats at sea and from the sea. With state of the art sensors, equipment and weapons, it is an outstanding asset that will maintain Royal Naval units at the cutting edge of worldwide maritime operations.
The UK ordered 34 Wildcats for the British Army and 28 for the Royal Navy. The Army Air Corps formed the Wildcat Fielding Team (Army), which later became 652 (Operational Conversion) Squadron, for trials and operational conversion of Joint Helicopter Command aircrew and ground crew to the type. The Royal Navy also commissioned a Wildcat Fielding Squadron, 700W Naval Air Squadron (700W NAS) in 2009. Both units were located at RNAS Yeovilton. In February 2012, a prototype Wildcat (ZZ402) conducted 20 days of trials aboard HMS Iron Duke off the coasts of England and Scotland; the tests involved operating under challenging weather conditions to define ship-helicopter operating limits for when the type enters service in 2015. During the trials, a total of 390 deck landings were completed including 148 night landings, 76 of which being conducted by pilots using night vision goggles.
The first production Wildcat was received in May 2012 by the WFT (Army); ZZ406. The Royal Navy received their first airframe at the end of 2013. Further trials of the type were conducted, such as deck landings aboard RFA Mounts Bay. In July 2012, the Wildcat conducted its first public display at the Farnborough Airshow. At the event, Defence Secretary Philip Hammond stated that the "Wildcat represents a considerable advance over the current Lynx helicopters, bringing greatly improved performance and capability."
On 29 August 2014, the Wildcat AH1 formally entered service with the Army Air Corps. On 23 March 2015, the Royal Navy's first Wildcat HMA2 began its initial operational deployment at sea on board HMS Lancaster. In September 2015, a Wildcat HMA.2 of 825 Naval Air Squadron was deployed aboard HMS Duncan in the Persian Gulf to perform extreme high temperature trials.
On 4 July 2019, Royal Marines from 42 Commando unit used a Wildcat to board and detain the Grace 1 oil tanker off Gibraltar.
Crew: 2 pilots
Capacity: 6 passengers, including door gunner
Length: 15.24 m (50 ft 0 in)
Height: 3.73 m (12 ft 3 in)
Empty weight: 3,300 kg (7,275 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 6,000 kg (13,228 lb)
Powerplant: 2 × LHTEC CTS800-4N turboshaft, 1,015 kW (1,361 hp) each
Main rotor diameter: 12.8 m (42 ft 0 in)
Main rotor area: 128.7 m2 (1,385 sq ft)
Performance
Maximum speed: 311 km/h (193 mph, 168 kn)
Range: 777 km (483 mi, 420 nmi)
Ferry range: 963 km (598 mi, 520 nmi)
Endurance: 2 hr 15 min (4 hr 30 min with auxiliary fuel tanks)
Armament
Pintle-mounted machine gun, e.g. FN MAG (Army) or Browning M3M (Navy).
Air-to-surface missile systems and ASW weapons (Naval HMA2 variant):
up to 20× Thales Martlet (Lightweight Multirole Missile), formerly Future Anti-Surface Guided Weapon (Light).
up to 4× MBDA Sea Venom, formerly Future Anti-Surface Guided Weapon (Heavy), to disable or destroy vessels up to 1000 tonnes.
Sting Ray torpedo and Mk.11 depth charges.
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