FLynx is go?

[Ian Corrigible]

Side article in this week's Defense News claiming that the Future Lynx contract was signed on June 9th, covering 75 aircraft. None of the other rags have reported the contract, so is it just journalistic license or is the MoD waiting 'til RIAT to formally spread the good news?

Also, does the AAC still plan to team FLynx with the AH fleet or will the rumored leased Gazelle replacement plug this role?

I/C

[Si Clik]

IC,

Defense News seemed to have exactly the same insider knowledge on Merlin CSP. Clearly they have a good 'source' although I have heard nothing on this one.

SC

[ZH844]

Just spoken to my source in Yeovil, it appears that they are having a knee-ups this Thursday to celebrate the signing of FLynx and SPA! It might not be everyone's cup of tea but at least a decision has finally been made.

Know all they have to do is deliver! :D

[vecvechookattack]

Now...all they need is to deliver...??? Shouldn't be too difficult seeing as they are rolling of the shelf as I peer over the fence at wastelands...

[junglyking]

Agree with Si Clic - DN obviously has a good source.... :suspect:

[Mr-AEO]

Local radio news this morning said that Min(DP) is in WHL today to sign partnering agreement and formally announce the decision to buy 35 SCMR & 45 BRH

[Jackonicko]

35+45 (=80)?
75? (?? + ??)

Or just 70? (30+40).......

[Mr-AEO]

Best wait and see:oh:

[Archimedes]

BBC news ticker has the announcement that 70 helicopters have been ordered, but no link to a story at the moment (1420hrs).

[Low Ball]

The numbers as seen by me are 40 for the Army with 5 options and 30 for the Royal Navy with 5 options. Quite how one lays a hand on the options is not clear?

Low Ball

[pubsman]

Latest according to Ananova at:

http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_1888223.html?menu=

[Ian Corrigible]

Now also confirmed by Yeovil:

AgustaWestland and UK Ministry Of Defence sign landmark Strategic Partnering Arrangement and Future Lynx contract
AgustaWestland (http://www.agustawestland.com/communication_det.asp?id_news=245) 6/22

The Minister for Defence Procurement, Lord Drayson, announced today that the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) and AgustaWestland have signed a Strategic Partnering Arrangement (SPA). Lord Drayson also announced the award of the Future Lynx contract to AgustaWestland, the launch programme under this new Strategic Partnering Arrangement. The signing of this SPA fulfils one of the key commitments in relation to the helicopter sector as outlined in the UK Government White Paper on Defence Industrial Strategy published on 15th December 2005. This arrangement, along with the Future Lynx contract, will ensure that the critical design engineering and knowledge of UK military demands will be retained at AgustaWestland’s Yeovil facility to ensure that the support of the MoDs current fleet of AgustaWestland helicopters can be effectively and efficiently sustained. The arrangement commits both AgustaWestland and the MoD, through challenging business transformation arrangements, to deliver a number of objectives focused on schedule and cost reduction and aircraft availability improvements. The SPA also places very strong emphasis on developing an effective and co-operative working environment between the two parties, based on increased transparency, openness and respect.

The SPA is underpinned by an incentivised Business Transformation Agreement where key business improvement targets have been agreed, consistent with the objectives of the Strategic Partnering Arrangement. On signing the SPA and Future Lynx contract, Alan Johnston, Managing Director of Military Programmes at AgustaWestland, said “This partnering arrangement marks a key step in the development of the relationship between AgustaWestland and the MoD. We understand the trust that the MoD is placing with AgustaWestland through this agreement and we are committed to meeting and exceeding their expectations. Future Lynx is the first opportunity for both parties to put this new way of working into practice. It will help secure the technology base and defence capability of the UK and is very important for AgustaWestland and its suppliers to be able to plan and invest for the future.” The Royal Navy and the Army will receive 70 Future Lynx helicopters fitted with state of the art mission systems under a programme with a maximum value at just under £1 billion. The contract, awarded to AgustaWestland, will see the replacement of existing Army and Royal Navy Lynx helicopters with a much more capable version to deliver more capability and reduced whole life costs. The contract will support over 800 high technology jobs at AgustaWestland and within its supply base across the UK.

The new aircraft is expected to enter operational service in 2014 with the Army and in 2015 with the Royal Navy. It will embody a range of technological improvements including: configurable cockpit displays, networked enabled capability, more powerful engines, improved defensive aid systems and a new upgraded tail rotor system. The current Lynx entered service with the Royal Navy and the Army in the mid-1970s in anti-submarine and utility roles. Since then the aircraft has taken on an increasingly wide range of roles including: anti-surface warfare, battlefield reconnaissance, casualty evacuation, airborne command post, logistical support and tactical troop transport. Future Lynx will help preserve and extend this operational capability for the Royal Navy and the Army. New technology onboard will also mean reductions to support and maintenance costs over the life of the aircraft which will stay in service for thirty years.

I/C

[Data-Lynx]

The MOD spin is here (http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceNews/EquipmentAndLogistics/1bnNewHelicopterContractAMajorStepForward.htm).

[airborne_artist]

What will it be called when it enters service? The Now Lynx, the At this moment in time Lynx, the Oh my God it's late Lynx, the We've waited a long time for this Lynx?

Suggestions, please.

[WE Branch Fanatic]

At least it has been ordered. Unlike a lot of other things "in the pipeline".

See this (http://navynews.co.uk/articles/2006/0606/0006062301.asp) from Navy News.

Aircrew will have a much-improved cabin – from state-of-the-art cockpit instruments, Bowman hi-tech communications, armoured seats and an armoured floor to drastically enhance survivability in the event of a crash landing.

Firepower comes in the form of a General Purpose or Heavy Machine-Gun, Stingray torpedoes, plus the successor to the Sea Skua anti-ship missile. Cutting-edge targeting systems, similar to the Apache gunship, and a 360˚ full-colour surveillance radar, will help crew pick out their prey and monitor the world around them.

What are those green missiles in the pictures?

I wonder if this will mean frigates/destroyers deploying in the future will carry either a Merlin or two Lynx (as directed by FLEET) depending on where there going? Or a tailored mix in a group of ships? As discussed here:

Type 45 Destroyer - Embarked Aviation (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=205675)

Any chance of FLynx being used aboard CVF for SAR, force proection etc?

[diginagain]

...drastically enhance.......


WTF is that supposed to mean?

[Gimme300]

The missiles are JCM - Joint Common Missiles, basically the hellfire replacement. It was looked at as one of the solutions for Sea Skua replacement.

[LowObservable]

What will it be called when it enters service?.

Since it's network-centric and all, obviously it will be the HyperLynx.

[tucumseh]

Bowman hi-tech communications

“BOWMAN” and “Hi-tech” – surely a contradiction in terms?


360˚ full-colour surveillance radar

Hopefully a much-updated version of the 360 degree full-colour Sea Spray offered to MoD by Ferranti 20+ years ago.



Bearing in mind the ISD is still 9 or more years away, I sincerely hope MoD don’t repeat the Merlin faux pas whereby they specified legacy avionics kit only to see it become even more obsolescent as the air vehicle was delayed. Hundreds of mods missing at ISD. If the price includes any type of development and support activities, this looks suspiciously cheap. Compare it with 67 Apaches at thrice the (1996) price. Plus the hidden extras like training, support, platform conversions. I suspect some of the features mentioned will be separate, dependant programmes (which history tells us can be cancelled at the drop of hat leaving FLynx in the lurch); and the cynic in me says you can get much of the avionic “capability” by re-using existing kit, with minor mods.

ISD 2015? Just in time for a lengthy mod programme to update it for CVF / MASC interoperability.

The only certain thing is that Westland will do their best. They always do.

[microlight AV8R]

At least it has been ordered. Unlike a lot of other things "in the pipeline".

Aircrew will have a much-improved cabin – from state-of-the-art cockpit instruments, Bowman hi-tech communications,

BOWMAN ? Doesn't that stand for Better Off With Map And Nokia :cool:

[althenick]

1000,000,000 GDP for 70 A/C thats about 14.5 Million each - pretty good value on the face of it. These are new builds aren't they?

[microlight AV8R]

Bowman hi-tech communications

“BOWMAN” and “Hi-tech” – surely a contradiction in terms?


.


What, you mean like: "military intelligence" ?;)

[Not_a_boffin]

If we get them for £14/15M a pop they'll be well worth it, provided that :

a. We crack on and decide what FASGW is
b. We buy it an put it on the aircraft
c. We avoid stupid ideas like putting it into the IFTU and then cancelling the first years spares as a "cost-saving"
d. We put a decent gearbox in from the off....

The T45 will carry Flynx by default, as there aren't enough Merlin airframes to sort both the 2087 equipped T23 and a T45 deployment. AS mentioned elsewhere. Merlin HM currently brings very little additional capability in anything but ASW. I am still waiting to see how a 16 tonne helicopter can be moved around by 10 blokes and a palletrion on steroids....

[vecvechookattack]

Any chance of FLynx being used aboard CVF for SAR, force proection etc? Of course it will, as does the present Lynx and as the Lynx Mk2 did previously.



What will it be called when it enters service? The Now Lynx, the At this moment in time Lynx, the Oh my God it's late Lynx, the We've waited a long time for this Lynx?

Suggestions, please.

It will be called WILDCAT

[BigBusDriver]

What will it be called when it enters service? The Now Lynx, the At this moment in time Lynx, the Oh my God it's late Lynx, the We've waited a long time for this Lynx?

Suggestions, please.

Well..based on the recent history of UK procurement I would guess that circa 2015 it will be know as the "Missing Lynx".