AgustaWestland AH-101 Merlin

The '''AgustaWestland AH-101 Merlin is a medium lift transport helicopter created as a joint venture of Agusta and Westland helicopters, that now are merged as AgustaWestland, the AH-101 Merlin is one of the most moderntransport helicopters in the world.

Description
The AH-101, is originally a helicopter to operate from ships. It has its origin in a cooperation project between Italy and the UK for the development of a naval helicopter. The name chosen for the helicopter (Merlin is the name of fish) is indicative of that. In 1984, there was reached agreement on funding the project. The first prototype flew in 1987 and were the first orders of 66 units to the UK and 36 for Italy (later reduced to 16). Since then they developed several versions, the main naval version and the version for use by the army. The naval version has specific sub-versions, of which highlights the version AEW (Airborne Early Warning), which was commissioned by Italy (4 units) to operate from its aircraft carrier. The AH-101 is one of the most modern helicopters currently in operation worldwide, and is equipped with systems for detecting enemy radar, to shield and Kevlar protection to more sensitive areas or retractable landing gear.

Variants

 * odel 110
 * Italian Navy ASW/ASuW variant, eight built.


 * Model 111
 * Royal Navy ASW/ASuW variant, designated Merlin HM1 by customer, 44 built.


 * Model 112
 * Italian Navy Early Warning variant, four built.


 * Model 300
 * Italian-built prototype civil passenger variant, one built.


 * Model 410
 * Italian Navy transport variant, eight built.


 * Model 411
 * Royal Air Force transport variant, designated Merlin HC3 by customer, 22 built.


 * Model 500
 * Prototype utility variant with rear-ramp, two built.


 * Model 510
 * Civil transport variant, two built.


 * Model 511
 * Canadian Forces search and rescue variant, designated CH-149 Cormorant by customer, 15 built.


 * Model 512
 * Royal Danish Air Force variant for search and rescue and transport, 20 built.


 * Model 514
 * Portuguese Air Force search and rescue variant, six built.


 * Model 515
 * Portuguese Air Force fisheries protection variant, two built.


 * Model 516
 * Portuguese Air Force combat search and rescue, four built.


 * Model 518
 * Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force mine countermeasures and transport, two built.


 * Model 519
 * Transport variant for the United States Marine Corps as the VH-71 Kestrel, five built.


 * Merlin HM1
 * Royal Navy designation for the Model 111.


 * Merlin HM2
 * Avionics retrofitting for 30 RN HM1s to be performed by Lockheed Martin for the Royal Navy. First flight October 2010.


 * Merlin HC3
 * Royal Air Force designation for the Model 411.


 * Merlin HC3A
 * Royal Air Force designation for six former Royal Danish Air Force Model 512s modified to UK standards.


 * CH-148 Petrel
 * 33 originally ordered by the Canadian Forces, reduced to 28 and later cancelled.


 * Lockheed Martin VH-71 Kestrel
 * USMC variant intended to serve as the US Presidential helicopter. Two used in testing.

Operators

 * Algeria
 * Algerian Navy
 * (6 on Order)
 * Canada
 * See CH-149 Cormorant
 * Denmark
 * Royal Danish Air Force
 * Eskadrille 722 (Squadron 722)
 * India
 * VIP Transport Indian Air Force
 * 12 on order
 * Indonesia
 * Indonesian Air Force
 * 12 on order
 * Italy
 * Italian Navy
 * 1º Gruppo Elicotteri
 * 3º Gruppo Elicotteri
 * Japan
 * Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
 * Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department became the first civil customer for the type when they purchased a single example in 1998.
 * Portugal
 * Portuguese Air Force
 * Squadron 751 Pumas
 * United Kingdom
 * Royal Navy
 * 700M Naval Air Squadron (Operational Evaluation Unit) (2000–2008)
 * 814 Naval Air Squadron
 * 820 Naval Air Squadron
 * 824 Naval Air Squadron
 * 829 Naval Air Squadron
 * Royal Air Force
 * No. 28 Squadron RAF, RAF Benson
 * No. 78 Squadron RAF, RAF Benson

General Characteristics

 * Crew: 4
 * Capacity:
 * 24 seated troops or
 * 45 standing troops or
 * 16 stretchers with medics
 * Length: 22.81 m (74 ft 10 in)
 * Rotor diameter: 18.59 m (61 ft 0 in)
 * Height: 6.65 m (21 ft 10 in)
 * Disc area: 271 m² (2,992 ft²)
 * Empty weight: 10,500 kg (23,150 lb)
 * Useful load: 5,443 kg (12,000 lb)
 * Max takeoff weight: 15,600 kg (32,188 lb)
 * Powerplant: 3× Rolls-Royce Turbomeca RTM322-01 turboshafts, 1,725 kW (2,312 shp) each

Performance

 * Never exceed speed: 309 km/h (167 knots, 192 mph)
 * Range: 1,389 km (750 nm, 863 mi)
 * Service ceiling: 4,575 m (15,000ft)
 * Rate of climb: 10.2 m/s (2,000 ft/min)
 * Disc loading: 53.8 kg/m² (11.01 lb/ft²)
 * Power/mass: 284.9 W/kg (0.174 shp/lb)

Armament

 * Guns: 5× general purpose machine guns
 * Bombs: 960 kg (2,116 lb) of anti-ship missiles (up to 2), homing torpedoes (up to 4), depth charges and rockets

Avionics

 * Smiths Industries OMI 20 SEP dual-redundant digital automatic flight control system
 * Navigation systems:
 * BAE Systems LINS 300 ring laser gyro, Litton Italia LISA-4000 strapdown AHRS (naval variants)
 * Tactical air navigation (TACAN), VHF Omnidirectional Radio range (VOR), instrument landing system (ILS)
 * Radar:
 * Selex Galileo Blue Kestrel 5000 maritime surveillance radar (ASW RN EH101s)
 * Eliradar MM/APS-784 maritime surveillance radar (ASW Italian EH101s)
 * Eliradar HEW-784 air/surface surveillance radar (AEW variants)
 * Officine Galileo MM/APS-705B search/weather radar (Italian Navy Utility EH101s)
 * Telephonics RDR-1600 weather avoidance radar (Royal Danish Air Force EH101s)
 * Galileo APS-717 search/surveillance radar (Portuguese Air Force EH101s)