Sloppy reporting by BBC. Image of an old HAS Mk6.
Decision made quickly in 1995 to call her AEW Mk7. ASAC was a later RN affectation, long after initial trials finished. Would have cost a fortune at that late stage.
Maiden flight, AEW Mk7, January 2000... Pilot was Westland test pilot Ted Mustard. She'd been stripped to nothing for over two years. It was meant to be a rotors turning ground run, but Ted thought she was fine and off he went. Came back having passed all comms and homing run tests. Saved 5 months on the programme.
