Marines get revamped Merlins in £330m boost to Commando Helicopter Force

Gestart door dudge, 29/01/2014 | 14:19 uur

Sparkplug

Citaat van: JdL op 02/11/2016 | 14:25 uur
Dat bedoel ik, de merlins zullen in hun huidige taak toch vooral laag vliegen?

Het hangt er van af waar ze laagvliegen. Als de Royal Marines weer op winteroefening gaan in Noorwegen, dan hoeven ze de transport Merlins in principe (correct me if I'm wrong) niet van witte camouflage te voorzien. Iets dat zij met de oude Sea King HC.4 wel deden.
A fighter without a gun . . . is like an airplane without a wing.

-- Brigadier General Robin Olds, USAF.

JdL

Citaat van: Thomasen op 02/11/2016 | 10:56 uur
Groen is ook een goede camo als je laag vliegt. De dreiging van uit de lucht in tegenwoordig toch nauwelijks visual en boordkanon. Vlieg je hoog is grijs een betere camo.
Dat bedoel ik, de merlins zullen in hun huidige taak toch vooral laag vliegen?
'The goal is world peace, and to do so you must have strength' Ronald Reagan

Sparkplug

Citaat van: Thomasen op 02/11/2016 | 10:56 uur
Groen is ook een goede camo als je laag vliegt. De dreiging van uit de lucht in tegenwoordig toch nauwelijks visual en boordkanon. Vlieg je hoog is grijs een betere camo.

Het hangt natuurlijk ook van de natuurlijke omgeving af of grijs of groen de betere kleur is.
A fighter without a gun . . . is like an airplane without a wing.

-- Brigadier General Robin Olds, USAF.

dudge

Citaat van: Sparkplug op 02/11/2016 | 10:17 uur
Dezelfde kleur maakt het qua logistiek en onderhoud wel gemakkelijker. De transporthelikopters van bijvoorbeeld de USMC zijn ook al decennia lang grijs.

Groen is ook een goede camo als je laag vliegt. De dreiging van uit de lucht in tegenwoordig toch nauwelijks visual en boordkanon. Vlieg je hoog is grijs een betere camo.

Sparkplug

Citaat van: JdL op 01/11/2016 | 21:33 uur
wat is het voordeel van die nieuwe camo?
of is het alleen vanwege standaardisatie met de merlin MK2?

Dezelfde kleur maakt het qua logistiek en onderhoud wel gemakkelijker. De transporthelikopters van bijvoorbeeld de USMC zijn ook al decennia lang grijs.
A fighter without a gun . . . is like an airplane without a wing.

-- Brigadier General Robin Olds, USAF.

JdL

wat is het voordeel van die nieuwe camo?
of is het alleen vanwege standaardisatie met de merlin MK2?
'The goal is world peace, and to do so you must have strength' Ronald Reagan

Sparkplug

Royal Marines' New Helicopter Completes its Maiden Flight

(Source: Royal Navy; issued Oct 30, 2016)


The Leonardo Merlin Mk. 4 helicopter, modified as an assault transport for Britain's Royal Marines, made its maiden flight last week. A total of 25 Merlin Mk 3s will be modified to this new standard, and all should be delivered by late 2020. (RN photo)

Just in time for the Corps' 352nd birthday, the Royal Marines new flying steed has taken to the skies for the first time. The Merlin Mk4 – much better adapted to operations at sea than the Mk3 it is replacing – will be the mainstay of Commando Helicopter Force for the next decade and beyond.

This is the Royal Marines' flying steed of tomorrow, the fourth incarnation of a battle-proven helicopter – and the one best suited to both commando operations and flying at sea.

The very first Mk4 took to Somerset skies earlier this week after technicians and engineers at Leonardo – previously Agusta-Westland – in Yeovil completed turning a battlefield Mk3 into a battlefield Mk4.

The difference?

Well, for a start it's maritime grey not battlefield green (although it's easily distinguishable from its submarine-hunting Mk2 sisters by the lack of a radar dome under the cockpit).

Less obvious to the eye is a folding main rotor head and folding tail which make it much more suited to operating from RN carriers and assault ships at sea.

In addition, inside the crew of four have access to a vastly-improved avionics suite.

The first Mk4 is likely to be ready for front-line operations by late 2017, with the entire fleet of 25 converted by the end of 2020.

At present the two troop-carrying squadrons of Commando Helicopter Force, based at RNAS Yeovilton – 845 and 846 NAS – operate the Mk3 and Mk3i (the latter has undergone enhancements and improvements which plug the gap between Nos.3 and 4).

Watching the Mk4's maiden flight was Col Lenny Brown, the Royal Marine in charge of CHF – who can't wait for his men and women to get their hands on the upgraded helicopter.

"What a fantastic achievement for Leonardo, the Merlin project team and all those involved at Commando Helicopter Force," he said.

"This is truly a leap forward in CHF's capability to support 3 Commando Brigade at the speed and range required on the modern battlefield, whether operating embarked in Royal Navy warships or on land."

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/articles-view/release/3/178411/royal-marines%E2%80%99-new-helicopter-completes-its-maiden-flight.html
A fighter without a gun . . . is like an airplane without a wing.

-- Brigadier General Robin Olds, USAF.

Sparkplug

Royal Marines' New Battlefield Helicopters Get Their Sea Legs Aboard HMS Ocean

Royal Navy | March 29, 2016

Royal Marines' new battlefield helicopters get their sea legs aboard HMS Ocean
29/03/2016

The new wings of the Royal Marines have been getting their sea legs ready to carry commandos into action around the globe.

The green Merlins of 846 Naval Air Squadron joined Britain's flagship HMS Ocean off the south coast for basic, but vital, amphibious training.

With the veteran green Sea King now retired – the legendary helicopters conducted a farewell fly-past around the South West – the burden of flying commandos into battle falls squarely on the Merlin.

The battlefield Merlin is bigger, faster, more powerful, has a greater range and is easier to board/disembark than the helicopter it replaces.

But it's also designed for operations over land (unlike the grey submarine-hunting Merlins the Navy has flown for the past 15 or so years) ... and marines fight by land and sea.

Since transferring from the RAF, the helicopters have received a mini upgrade – the Merlin iMk3 ('i' for interim) is better suited to supporting the green berets on amphibious operations than the 'basic' model thanks to a folding main rotor head, strengthened undercarriage and communications upgrades.

"The iMk3 has a number of modifications to allow us to operate at sea, day and night, as well as the ability to conduct various other tasks such as the fast roping of troops to the deck of a ship on the move," explained pilot Lt Cdr Alex Hampson.

It plugs the gap until the truly 'marinised' version of the battlefield Merlin, the Mk4, is delivered in late 2017. With an enhanced avionics suite, automatic folding main rotor head and folding tail, it's perfect for operations at sea.

846's Commanding Officer Lt Col Del Stafford said that the few days embarked on the helicopter carrier would serve the Commando Helicopter Force well: first sea time for the iMk3; first green Merlins landing on assault ship HMS Bulwark; ferrying loads between ships on the move at sea; and air and ground living and working in the confines of a warship.

"The aircrew, engineers and aircraft have been undergoing the transition process from Sea King for several years," said Lt Col Stafford.

"Even though this short embarkation on HMS Ocean may seem like a relatively minor achievement, it marks an extremely important milestone for all that have been living and breathing Merlin operations for the last few years."

Lt Cdr Hampson added: "The efforts of so many people involved in the transition are now coming to full fruition as we see the first Merlin iMk3 on the deck of a Royal Navy warship at sea.

"The small team of engineers and aircrew that we brought on board with us understand this perfectly and are rightly proud to be the first to do so."

Two squadrons of Merlins are assigned to the green berets – 845 NAS will shortly move from RAF Benson in Oxfordshire to Yeovilton – plus reconnaissance Wildcats of 847 NAS.

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/articles-view/release/3/172556/royal-marines%E2%80%99-new-battlefield-helicopters-go-to-sea.html
A fighter without a gun . . . is like an airplane without a wing.

-- Brigadier General Robin Olds, USAF.

Sparkplug

Commando fliers receive upgraded Merlins

Royal Navy | 14 October 2015

On a very wet day in Somerset, the first of seven next-generation Merlins which will carry Royal Marines into battle arrives at its new home.

This is Merlin iMk3 – 'i' for interim – better suited to supporting the green berets on amphibious operations than the 'basic' Mk3.

The Merlin is taking over from the venerable Sea King as the workhorse of the Commando Helicopter Force.

A big step forward from its predecessor (it's 30 years more modern), battlefield Merlin Mk3 – which has been transferred to the Fleet Air Arm from the RAF – prefers operations over land than sea, whereas the Royal Marines operate in both environments.


AgustaWestland Merlin Mk3i helicopters arrive at their news base at RNAS Yeovilton, from where they will support the Royal Marines until their intended aircraft, the Merlin Mk 4, becomes available in 2017. (RN photo)

The iMk3 plugs the gap between the Sea King bowing out of service at the end of March and the arrival of the 'fully marinised' Merlin Mk4 in late 2017, when the first of 25 fourth-generation helicopters join the force at their base in Yeovilton.

The interim model features a folding main rotor head, strengthened undercarriage and communications upgrades – but outwardly looks pretty much the same as a normal Mk3.

The Mk4 goes further – enhanced avionics suite, automatic folding main rotor head and folding tail, making it perfect for operations at sea.

For the time being, however, the iMk3, delivered by the Merlin's constructor AgustaWestland in Yeovil, fills the Sea King's boots quite nicely.

"Today marks another key milestone in the history of the Commando Helicopter Force.

"With more iMk3s due to arrive soon, we'll be well on our way to delivering real capability to our primary customer – the Royal Marines," said Lt Cdr Ben McGreal, 846 Naval Air Squadron's Merlin Flight Commander.

"It's also not often that you can say that you're the first to fly a new type of aircraft in the Royal Navy, so today is a very special day."

http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-latest-activity/news/2015/october/14/151014-commando-fliers-receive-upgraded-merlins
A fighter without a gun . . . is like an airplane without a wing.

-- Brigadier General Robin Olds, USAF.

Sparkplug

Royal Navy to receive first interim Merlin HC4 in coming weeks

By Dominic Perry | September 9, 2015

Delivery is nearing for the first AgustaWestland AW101 Merlin modified to a new interim HC4 standard for the UK Royal Navy, while work on the initial helicopter to receive the full upgrade has also just commenced.

To be operated by the navy's Commando Helicopter Force, marinisation of a total of 25 former Royal Air Force Merlin HC3/3As is being performed by AgustaWestland at its Yeovil facility in southwest England under the £330 million ($510 million) Merlin Life Sustainment Programme.

It will see the rotorcraft receive a folding tail, folding rotor blades, and for all except the first seven examples, a new digital cockpit in common with the RN's fleet of Merlin HM2 anti-submarine warfare helicopters.

The manufacturer says handover of the initial "phase 1" aircraft is due in the coming weeks, with the remaining six to enter service ahead of the 1 April retirement date of the service's current Sea King HC4/4+ fleet.

These interim examples will subsequently re-enter the modification process to receive the glass cockpit, with work due to be completed by 2020.

"The first [airframe for] full conversion is now in the factory and we have started strip-down activity," it says.

It expects the full conversion to take 11 months for each aircraft, but hopes to cut this to eight or nine, it says.

AgustaWestland also remains confident of securing additional orders for its UK-built AW159 to avoid a production break in late 2016 or early 2017. So far only the UK – where both the army and navy operate the Wildcat – and South Korea have bought the 6t helicopter.

The manufacturer says it is "working hard to progress a significant number of opportunities" for the platform, the majority from existing Lynx operators. However, it concedes that these are mostly "single-digit numbers".

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/royal-navy-to-receive-first-interim-merlin-hc4-in-co-416549/
A fighter without a gun . . . is like an airplane without a wing.

-- Brigadier General Robin Olds, USAF.

Sparkplug

UK completes transition of Merlin from RAF to RN

Gareth Jennings, London - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly | July 8, 2015

The United Kingdom officially completed the transfer of the AgustaWestland AW101 Merlin HC.3/3A troop transport helicopter from the Royal Air Force (RAF) to the Royal Navy (RN) during a ceremony held on 9 July.

The ceremony, which took place at the type's former home station of RAF Benson, saw the last of the 25 helicopters transition from the RAF's Merlin Force over to the RN's Commando Helicopter Force (CHF).

During the event, 28 (Army Cooperation) Squadron, which operated the platform for the air force, was re-rolled as the new Boeing Chinook and Westland Puma operational conversion unit at RAF Benson under the designation 28 (Reserve) Squadron, while the RN stood up 845 Naval Air Squadron (NAS) as the service's second Merlin unit, to be located at Royal Naval Air Station (RNAS) Yeovilton alongside the already constituted 846 NAS.

The decision to transfer the Merlins from RAF to RN control was one of the initiatives announced during the Strategic Defence & Security Review (SDSR) in 2010. The transition features a GBP445 million (USD685 million) Merlin Life Sustainment Programme (MLSP) that includes converting the current HC.3/3As into the HC.4/4A configuration. Major features of this programme comprise the fitting of folding main-rotor blades and tail boom for shipborne operations, as well as a new 'glass' cockpit for commonality with the RN's Merlin HMA.2 and AW159 Lynx Wildcat.

While the Merlin will replace the Westland Commando (Sea King) HC.4 platforms that are being retired from RN service in March 2016, they themselves will be replaced in RAF service by 14 new Chinook HC.6 helicopters.

http://www.janes.com/article/52862/uk-completes-transition-of-merlin-from-raf-to-rn
A fighter without a gun . . . is like an airplane without a wing.

-- Brigadier General Robin Olds, USAF.

Harald

UK Speeds Up Sea King Replacement

A planned gap in the British Royal Navy's air surveillance capability is being reduced by about 18 months after the Defence Ministry agreed to speed up a program to replace Sea King Mark 7 airborne early warning (AEW) helicopters due to go out of service in 2016.

The decision has resulted in a competition to supply the radar and mission systems for a new AEW capability destined to be fitted to AgustaWestland-built Merlin helicopters moving into full swing. A team from Lockheed Martin's Mission Systems and Training business and Elta Systems is competing against Thales UK.

..../....

The competition for 10 roll-on/roll-off systems finds Lockheed and Elta pitched against the incumbent supplier, Thales UK.

The British arm of Thales supplies the Searchwater 2000 radar

..../....

Matt Avison, the Crowsnest director at Thales UK, said the Cerebrus offering would be based on an upgraded version of the radar used on the Sea King.

..../....

http://www.defensenews.com/article/20140210/DEFREG01/302100048/UK-Speeds-Up-Sea-King-Replacement?odyssey=mod_sectionstories

Oorlogsvis

Citaat van: Strata op 29/01/2014 | 16:54 uur
De betogen van Poleme niet gelezen?
Aankoop van de Merlin zou weer zorgen voor een extra type + logistieke lijn binnen de vloot. En past niet in de hangar van onze fregatten.
Bedoel ook niet voor de fregatten maar voor de LPD's / HPD's en Cougars

dudge

Citaat van: Lex op 29/01/2014 | 23:44 uur
Mij lijkt het geen bezuiniging; eerder het tegenovergestelde, maar wel een vergelijk met de aanschaf door de BV-NL van de NH-90's.


Nouja, de 25 heli's worden dus weggetrokken bij de RAF, het gaat niet om nieuwe kisten, dus dat is broekzak vestzak en inderdaad een stunt vergelijkbaar met de NL NH90 die opeens 'de Cougar vervangt'.
Heb geen zin in tripple checks, maar uitgaande van de wiki vliegen ze momenteel met 34 Seaking, die gaan er dus uit, en daar komen de 25 RAF kisten voor in de plaats. Netto -34 transport seakings. 
39 seakings met SAR taken gaan er ook uit en de taken worden overgenomen door civiele inhuur.
13 AEWC seakings gaan er ook uit, taken worden overgenomen door onbekend aantal Merlins uit reserves.

Dat komt dus neer op -86 seakings, waarbij slechts een deel (SAR) door nieuwe (extern ingehuurde civiele) capaciteit wordt ingevuld.

Lex

Citaat van: Thomasen op 29/01/2014 | 23:35 uur
Ik was daar ook wel een beetje bang voor, maar aangezien het een andere heli betrof leek het me niet gepast om deze in het NH90 topic te plaatsen.
Het is in zekere zin ook wel een opvallende manouvre. De Seakings gaan er dus uit, en worden bij de Marines dus vervangen door ex RAF heli's. Dat zou dus de-facto een bezuiniging zijn.
Mij lijkt het geen bezuiniging; eerder het tegenovergestelde, maar wel een vergelijk met de aanschaf door de BV-NL van de NH-90's.

dudge

Citaat van: Lex op 29/01/2014 | 19:01 uur
Dit topic begint zeer veel gelijkenissen te vertonen met het topic over de NH-90.

Ik was daar ook wel een beetje bang voor, maar aangezien het een andere heli betrof leek het me niet gepast om deze in het NH90 topic te plaatsen.

Het is in zekere zin ook wel een opvallende manouvre. De Seakings gaan er dus uit, en worden bij de Marines dus vervangen door ex RAF heli's. Dat zou dus de-facto een bezuiniging zijn.

IPA NG

Militaire strategie is van groot belang voor een land. Het is de oorzaak van leven of dood; het is de weg naar overleven of vernietiging en moet worden onderzocht. --Sun Tzu

Lex

Dit topic begint zeer veel gelijkenissen te vertonen met het topic over de NH-90.

StrataNL

Citaat van: Oorlogsvis op 29/01/2014 | 16:47 uur
de Merlin had altijd de betere keuze geweest namelijk

De betogen van Poleme niet gelezen?
Aankoop van de Merlin zou weer zorgen voor een extra type + logistieke lijn binnen de vloot. En past niet in de hangar van onze fregatten.
-Strata-
Je Maintiendrai! Blog: Krijgsmacht Next-Generation

Oorlogsvis

Dit is een geschikt toestel voor onze LPD'S /JSS ipv de chinook of NH-90.......maar goed dat defensie/politiek een slecht aankoop/verkoop beleid hebben dat wisten we al

de Merlin had altijd de betere keuze geweest namelijk

Harald

Citaat van: Mourning op 29/01/2014 | 16:14 uur
De EH-101 heb ik altijd een ERG mooie heli gevonden, maar is denk ik te groot voor onze fregatten. Geen idee of het toestel ook "beter" is als de NH-90.

EH101 :




NH90 :

dudge

Citaat van: Mourning op 29/01/2014 | 16:14 uur
De EH-101 heb ik altijd een ERG mooie heli gevonden, maar is denk ik te groot voor onze fregatten. Geen idee of het toestel ook "beter" is als de NH-90.

Daar is het eea over geschreven in het NH90 topic

Mourning

De EH-101 heb ik altijd een ERG mooie heli gevonden, maar is denk ik te groot voor onze fregatten. Geen idee of het toestel ook "beter" is als de NH-90.
"The only thing necessary for Evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing"- Edmund Burke
"War is the continuation of politics by all other means", Carl von Clausewitz, Vom Kriege/On War (1830).

Harald

Was AW101 niet een betere keuze dan de NH90 voor onze KM ASW en transport-taken, tevens een AEW uitvoering voor de JSS.

Is natuurlijk wel groter en zwaarder.


AEW-uitvoering :




dudge

Marines get revamped Merlins in £330m boost to Commando Helicopter Force
29 January 2014

Some 25 'green' RAF Merlin Mk3s will be upgraded – including fitted with folding tails and main rotorheads – to ready them for use with the Commando Helicopter Force.

A THIRD of a billion pounds is to be spent turning RAF Merlins into Fleet Air Arm ones to carry the Royal Marines into battle.

Whitehall today announced a £330m investment in the nation's Merlin fleet allowing the RAF's 'green' Mk3 models to be converted ready for front-line operations with the Commando Helicopter Force.

The 25 upgraded Merlins – the Mk4 – will replace the venerable Sea King Mk4s which are due to be retired in two years' time.

The RAF Merlin is battle proven after a decade of operations in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

It can carry two dozen troops with kit, or in a 'flying ambulance' role, 16 casualties on stretchers. It can also lift artillery pieces, Land Rovers, or five tonnes of equipment slung beneath it if required.

It doesn't have a sonar and submarine hunting kit like its Royal Navy counterpart – but it does have a stern ramp for troops to climb on and off.

To convert them for Fleet Air Arm purposes, the 25 helicopters will receive new glass cockpits and avionics, a folding main rotorhead and tail, and improved undercarriage.

The upgrade was announced by Defence Secretary Philip Hammond on a visit to AgustaWestland in Yeovilton.

As well as the investment in the Merlin force, the minister also announced a £430m contract to revamp the Army's Apache gunships for continued operations around the world.

The double contracts will secure more than 1,000 jobs in UK engineering and manufacturing, with the work being carried out by AgustaWestland at its sites in Yeovil, Suffolk and Hampshire; GE Aviation in Cheltenham, General Dynamics in East Sussex, Selex ES in Luton and APPH Aviation Services in Cheshire.

"This is also an important step in ensuring our Armed Forces have the best helicopters available, safeguarding the Army's Attack Helicopter capability – and providing the Royal Navy and Royal Marines with an upgraded, modern Commando Helicopter Force," said Mr Hammond.

"The UK defence industry makes an important contribution to the economy, generating revenue of over £22 billion each year and its highly skilled workforce plays a crucial part in growing our economy. This investment will help secure British jobs, providing security to thousands of workers and their families."

Royal Navy and Royal Marines air and ground crew are already working and training side-by-side with their RAF counterparts on the green Merlin at RAF Benson.

The aircraft are due to be formally transferred to the Fleet Air Arm this autumn and will move to the Commando Helicopter Force's home at RNAS Yeovilton in due course.

https://navynews.co.uk/archive/news/item/9825