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NEW SUPER SEA LYNX FOR THE GERMAN NAVY

Once the first three GKN Westland Super Sea Lynx Mk.88As have arrived as planned at the Marinefliegergeschwader 3 "Graf Zeppelin" in Nordholz in the next few weeks, the German Navy's airborne forces will be relieved. After the German Navy had put in service additional frigates, even the German Ministry of Defense had admitted that the "absolutely insufficient" fleet of only 17 Sea Lynx Mk.88s has led to "serious deficiencies in the force's ability to fulfill their tasks" in the recent years.

The situation was aggravated by the long-term deployments of the frigates within the frame of the Standing Naval Forces Mediterranean for the Balkan crises. According to the staff of the Navy Flying Group, the situation at times was so precarious "that German pilots were not able to fulfill their annual flying requirements because of the low availability and number of Lynx helicopters". Furthermore, the regeneration training was considerably delayed. Only with the support of the Netherlands, which were short on crews and accomodated German pilots in Den Helder, could the deficiency be overcome.

In spite of the widely recognized difficult situation, even by politicians, the Navy had to fight hard for the additional Super Lynx. The reason was that Westland's ship-based helicopter, which has been in service with the German naval forces since 1981, does not have the best reputation concerning the procurement and operating costs. Also the availability rates were low. These numbers were seized upon by the German general accounting office, which came out with a strong vote against a further buy. One of the GAO's statements was that the Lynx helicopter would have no chance to win a bid under purely technical-economical aspects. Furthermore, that the recognized need for additional aircraft should not be satisfied by selecting an expensive interim solution but rather by an intensified utilization of the Sea King along with an earlier introduction of the NH90.

However, the German Navy did not want to rely on emergency solutions and future projects with unsure time lines. Vice Admiral Hans Rudolf Boehmer (back then the chief of staff of the Navy) finally succeeded in convincing the responsible committees of the parliament. His effort was supported by Westland's commitments for 100 per cent offsets with the German industry. The German forces' procurement office BWB (Bundesamt für Wehrtechnik und Beschaffung) finally signed a fixed price contract with Westland on October 8, 1996.The value was 100 million Pounds (back then approximately 262 million Marks). One Super Sea Lynx Mk.88A thus accounts for 14,3 million Pounds (with today's increased currency exchange rate approximately 43 million Marks). This is a fly-away price without armament or accessories.

Parts of the Mk.88 development program were tested starting in January of 1999 with the Super Lynx 300 demonstrator. The first Mk.88A (with the registration 83+20) took off on 1 May for its first flight, followed by a second aircraft on 13 July. One day later, Westland arranged an official roll-out ceremony with guests from the military, the defense ministry and the industry.

There are no major problems expected from the certification tests since the Super Sea Lynx for the most part is identical to the Lynx HMA Mk.8 of the British Navy. All seven aircraft should be delivered to the German forces on schedule by the end of the year.

With the seven additional aircraft, the German Navy will be in a position to close the most pressing gaps. According to vice admiral Ulrich Otto, it is not only a question of quantity but also of quality. The Mk.88A features several improvements as compared to the older Mk.88 helicopters:

• The helicopters are fitted with Sea Spray 3000 radars made by Marconi. The mounting of the antenna underneath the helicopter nose allows a 360 degree field of view. This is of special importance when launching Sea Skua guided weapons. The helicopter can turn away and still illuminate the target.
• By relocating the radar there is room for a swivable infrared sensor on the nose. For this, the Navy selected the MRT (Multi-Role Turret) from Marconi which is lower in price and weight as compared to the Royal Navy's Sea Owl system. Still, FLIR and sonar can not be carried at the same time.
• It is now possible to employ Sea Skua missiles from the helicopters. They have a range of more than 15 kilometres and are supposed to offer a high probability of impact even when used against small targets. One of the weapon's capabilities is the selectable flight altitude over sea.
• The navigation system has been improved by integrating a GPS receiver.
• A more durable rotor head and new composite blades with specially formed tips allow for a higher maximum take-off weight. Also, the vibration level at high speeds was reduced.
• The tail rotor is now turning clockwise, such improving its effectiveness. Reportedly, the Super Sea Lynx can now be operated at strong cross or tail winds of 40 kts (75 km/h) even from the small frigate platforms.
• The fuselage was partially modified to eliminate known weaknesses such as the tail boom which used to be receptive to cracks.

All together, the Mk.88A allows a much more flexible operation than its predecessor. This is very necessary considering that the tasks have changed since the end of the Cold War. While in the eighties the main focus of the helicopters was the submarine warfare in the open sea, today's missions mainly include embargo control (lifting control teams to merchant ships), sea monitoring or fighting ships.

Furthermore, the helicopters are used for transport and are also employed in search and rescue operations. Each of the Type 122 and 123 class frigates are supposed to carry two helicopters in operational use. According to Navy plans, the Sea Lynx will stay in service long after 2010. In order to avoid logistics problems, it is planned to upgrade the 17 existing Mk.88 to the new Super Sea Lynx standard. This plan also was the topic of a strong argument since the costs of the modification grew quickly.

The required funds are meanwhile estimated to be around DM 320 million. This includes a prototype and series modification, as well as, achieving mature logistics. The contract, which was signed on June 24, 1998, embodies that the work will be mainly done by Eurocopter Deutschland in Donauwörth. GKN Westland will be responsible for a prototype installation which is supposed to be ready at the beginning of 2001.

Finally, the modification kits will be delivered from Yeovil. They include an entirely new fuselage in which the existing engines, controls, hydraulic systems, avionics and electrics will be installed. The upgrade includes a main and tail rotor according to the new standard. The industry plans to have all 17 aircraft returned to service by 2003.

From page 62 of FLUG REVUE 10/99