AgustaWestland AW101
United Kingdom United Kingdom Italy Italy
- Westland Helicopters
- Agusta
The AgustaWestland AW101, known until 2007 EH101 is a medium transport helicopter that was developed as a joint venture between Westland Helicopters in the UK and Agusta in Italy for military purposes. It is made in several countries in service since 2000. Based on the military and later a civilian version was developed.
Development
1977 required the Royal Navy a new anti-submarine helicopters to replace the Sea King. Westland presented his draft WG.34, which was selected in 1978 for the development. The Italian Navy also needed a replacement for the Sea King and instructed thus Agusta, however, which led to large changes in the WG.34 concept. This led to discussions between the two companies and the joint venture EH Industries was founded in 1979. In 2000 the two companies merged to form AgustaWestland.
The official product definition phase of the EH101 began in June 1981. The development contract for the construction of nine prototypes, however, was signed only on 7 March 1984. On October 9, 1987, the first flight of the prototype took place in Yeovil. The first order of the UK Ministry of Defence on 44 machines was received on 9 October 1991.
The end of 1996 flew the first batch of Merlin HM Mk1 machine, after which the troops testing lasted for several years. The first betting season was set up with the 814 Squadron until October 2001. Since 2006, the now -called AW101 helicopters of the Royal Navy will be equipped first in the world with an electromechanical fly-by -wire system, which was developed by BAE Systems.
Under the designation VH -71 " Kestrel " the AW101 should replace the Marine One helicopter of the U.S. President. The Marine One have been special variants of the UH -60 ( VH - 60N ) and S -61 (VH -3D). However, this plan was abandoned by the new U.S. President Barack Obama because of escalating costs in favor of a life extension of the Sikorsky S-61.
The AW101 helicopter to be produced in the AgustaWestland factories in Yeovil English and in northern Italy Cascina Costa.
User
Variants
Specifications
Alternatively, three General Electric CT7 -6 with 1,491 kW
Arming
- 3 × 7.62 -mm machine guns FN L7A2 GPMG with multiple belt boxes each with 200 rounds of ammunition
- 3 × 12.7 -mm machine guns Manroy Engineering L11A1 ( M3M ) with several belt boxes each with 100 rounds of ammunition
- 2 × Alliant Techsystems - torpedo Mk.46 Mod 5
- 4 × ( Marconi) BAE Systems Sting Ray Torpedo (267 kg excluding against submarines used )
- 4 × BAe - water bomb Mk 11 Mod.3 (960 kg)
- 2 x A244 -S torpedo Whitehead Moto Fides
- 2 × MBDA Marte Mk.2 command- directed,
Self-defense systems
- 4 × decoy BAE AN/ALE-47 at the rear of the main gear outrigger
- 2 × infrared stray radiation Northrop Grumman Nemesis AN/AAQ-24 DIRCM (Directional Infrared Counter Measures ) on both sides front side door
- 4 × radar warning sensors
- 4 × laser warning sensors
- 4 x missile warning sensors