AW159 Wildcat Helicopter (RN & AAC)

GibMariner · Post by **GibMariner** » 17 Sep 2015, 15:09

DSEI 2015: Taming the Wildcat

The Royal Navy has revealed more details about trials it is conducting in the Gulf region to expand the capabilities of its new AW159 Wildcat Mk2 helicopter.

Speaking to reporters at this year’s DSEI exhibition in London, the head of the Wildcat maritime force, Commander Louis Wilson-Chalen, said the new 6t helicopter had embarked on the Type 45 destroyer HMS Duncan this year to perform the tests.

HMS Duncan, the sixth and last Type 45, began its maiden deployment this March and was in the Gulf at the time.

The trials involved simulating the weights of weapons that will be integrated onto the Wildcat Mk2 in the future; namely the Thales Martlet and MBDA Sea Venom.

Wilson-Chalen, who is based at Naval Air Station Yeovilton, said a Wildcat was flown to Bahrain and subsequently embarked on the Type 45 for the SHOL trials. HMS Duncan is currently deployed with a Lynx flight.

Asked about the naval variant’s lack of a data-link capability – allowing data and video from sensors to be sent back to a vessel - Wilson-Chalen said that it was a matter of funds at the moment.

‘We will have to see what SDSR gives us and, to me, it is a matter of when and I can’t answer that question.’

Full article here: http://www.shephardmedia.com/news/rotor ... g-wildcat/
Similar article from the RN: http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-la ... eat-trials

SKB · Post by **SKB** » 18 Sep 2015, 00:06

HMS Duncan trialing the new Wildcat

GibMariner · Post by **GibMariner** » 18 Sep 2015, 10:30

Halidon · Post by **Halidon** » 18 Sep 2015, 21:08

Hey, kitty, is that your SeaVenom or are you just excited?

Little J · Post by **Little J** » 19 Sep 2015, 12:24

LOL, misread it at first, thought it said "SEA VENOM / ANAL"....

Was it only attacking from behind?

Post by **RetroSicotte** » 19 Sep 2015, 12:28

Little J wrote:LOL, misread it at first, thought it said "SEA VENOM / ANAL"....

Was it only attacking from behind?

Well we do already have an ASRAAM missile.

marktigger · Post by **marktigger** » 19 Sep 2015, 12:56

be nice to see both those systems added to Merlin as well

xav · Post by **xav** » 21 Oct 2015, 11:16

Sea Venom update :-

http://www.navyrecognition.com/index.ph ... ew&id=3177

YouTube · Post by **The Armchair Soldier** » 12 Jan 2016, 11:36

AW-159 shortlisted by the Philippines:
http://alert5.com/2016/01/12/aw-159-sho ... ce=dlvr.it

GibMariner · Post by **GibMariner** » 29 Jan 2016, 17:59

24125 – Military Aircraft: Helicopters (Answered)

Mr Douglas Carswell
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the lifetime cost to the public purse of Army Air Corps and Fleet Air Arm Augusta Westland AW159 Wildcat helicopters.

Mr Philip Dunne

The forecast costs of the AW159 Wildcat aircraft programme, including the development, acquisition, training and in-service support of the aircraft, is £5.2 billion.

http://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/2016/01/2 ... -answered/

24126 – Military Aircraft: Helicopters (Answered)

Mr Douglas Carswell
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much the Army Air Corps and Fleet Air Arm Augusta Westland AW159 Wildcat helicopters cost from development and approval to the end of 2015.

Mr Philip Dunne

The accrued costs on the AW159 Wildcat helicopter programme since the main investment decision in June 2006 through to the end of 2015 is £1.5 billion.

http://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/2016/01/2 ... -answered/

marktigger · Post by **marktigger** » 01 Feb 2016, 16:13

Given how flexible the Merlin is why does the Navy need wildcat?

Merlin fitted with sea venom and LMM could do the Anti surface role
and I'm sure they could be fitted with an Elop package

SKB · Post by **SKB** » 01 Feb 2016, 16:18

Wildcat: Speed: 193mph, Range: 483 miles, Endurance: 2 hours 15 minutes.
Merlin: Speed: 167mph, Range: 517 miles, Endurance: 5 hours.

Gabriele · Post by **Gabriele** » 01 Feb 2016, 16:19

marktigger wrote:Given how flexible the Merlin is why does the Navy need wildcat?

Merlin fitted with sea venom and LMM could do the Anti surface role
and I'm sure they could be fitted with an Elop package

The Navy asked for an all Merlin force many years ago. No money, no luck. 22 unwanted Merlin for the RAF, though, which are now going to the one service who wanted them, for one of the missions envisaged all along.

That's the MOD for you.

marktigger · Post by **marktigger** » 01 Feb 2016, 16:37

yes the airforce originally wanted super puma I heard then when it looked like Merlin changed their minds and wanted Chinooks. But yes certainly unwanted and the gripes i've heard over the years from mates in RAF about "bloody merlin"

marktigger · Post by **marktigger** » 01 Feb 2016, 16:46

SKB wrote:Wildcat: Speed: 193mph, Range: 483 miles, Endurance: 2 hours 15 minutes.
Merlin: Speed: 167mph, Range: 517 miles, Endurance: 5 hours.

so really sprint speed and the Elop package are the only advantages

jimthelad · Post by **jimthelad** » 01 Feb 2016, 22:44

And size, smaller silhouette for ASuW.

YouTube · Post by **The Armchair Soldier** » 16 Feb 2016, 10:53

Wildcat BRH helicopters with 847 Naval Air Squadron (NAS) conducting check test and familiarisation flights at Bardufoss.

ArmChairCivvy · Post by **ArmChairCivvy** » 16 Feb 2016, 11:00

Interesting statistics, Wildcat vs. Merlin:
Range: 483 miles, Endurance: 2 hours 15 minutes.
Range: 517 miles, Endurance: 5 hours.

Practically the same range, but 100% difference in endurance? Wildcat no good in hovering?

YouTube · Post by **The Armchair Soldier** » 01 Mar 2016, 11:20

Awesome video of 847 NAS' deployment to Norway with Wildcat:

Dahedd · Post by **Dahedd** » 01 Mar 2016, 12:20

Good video.

RM & Army Aircraft need Hellfires or at least the LMM fitted to them though. A machine guns not enough.

GibMariner · Post by **GibMariner** » 10 Mar 2016, 11:51

Cool for cats as Royal Marines new helicopter is tested for first time in Norway

The Royal Marines’ ‘flying eyes’ on the battlefield have come through their ‘baptism of ice’ in the Arctic wilds of northern Norway.

For the first time, the new Wildcats of the Commando Helicopter Force have tested their ability to fly – and fight – in the harshest climatic conditions on the planet.

Four Wildcats from 847 Naval Air Squadron have spent six weeks contending with temperatures down to 30 below zero, snow storms and high winds.

Each winter the Commando Helicopter Force takes some of its aircraft, air and ground crew to Bardufoss – roughly half way between Tromsø and Narvik, and a good 170 miles inside the Arctic Circle.

The training – Exercise Clockwork (because it’s regular as) – is intended to ensure sailors and Royal Marines on the force can survive in such an unforgiving environment (living in tents or snow holes, if necessary, clambering out of holes in the ice if it breaks, cooking the local wildlife if you run out of rations) as well as maintain their helicopters and, in the case of the aircrew, fly them.

Read more: http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-la ... -in-norway

Tinman · Post by **Tinman** » 25 Mar 2016, 16:37

Wildcat is being bought by the Philippines.

rec · Post by **rec** » 30 Mar 2016, 13:06

Isn't it sensible to actually equip RN wildcats with dipping sonar and sonar bouys, so that is has some AS capability?

marktigger · Post by **marktigger** » 31 Mar 2016, 11:54

rec wrote:Isn't it sensible to actually equip RN wildcats with dipping sonar and sonar bouys, so that is has some AS capability?

No because that's Merlins job and if you fit Wildcat with sonar you then should fit Merlin with ASM's if you fit Merlin with ASM's you don't need wildcat.