AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat Specs, Cockpit, and Price – AW159 Wildcat is a multi-mission battlefield reconnaissance helicopter developed by AgustaWestland, Italy. AW159 Wildcat is designed to meet the requirements for British Army battlefield reconnaissance helicopters. Construction of the first AW159 helicopter began in October 2007 and made its first flight at the Yeovil facility on November 12, 2009.
The AW159 Wildcat helicopter is upgraded based on a Super Lynx helicopter that has been operating with the British Royal Navy since the mid-1970s, in its anti-submarine and utility roles. Since then the Super Lynx helicopter has assumed a broader range of roles including: anti-surface warfare, battlefield surveillance, casualty evacuation, air command posts, logistical support and tactical force transportation. AW159 maintains and expands this operational capability for the Royal Navy and the British Army.
The helicopter's nose, tail structure, and undercarriage are upgraded with reinforced attachments to increase the required level of strength. A new symmetrical low-set tailplane has been incorporated to improve the quality of flying. In addition, the redesigned nose and rear body provide greater space and easier access to the avionics unit. Larger cockpit doors provide a better crew exit.
AW159 Wildcat's main rotor and four-blade tail rotor are made of composite materials. The main rotor blades of the English Experimental Program (BERP) are swept tip composite construction. A number of crashworthiness features have been incorporated into the design, including damageable and armored crew seats, crashable passenger seats, armored cabin floors (role fit), wire strike protection systems, and engine infrared suppression (IRS) systems on military aircraft.
AW159 Wildcat has about three hours of endurance with standard fuel and four and a half hours with additional fuel. The CTS800-4N engine delivers 36% more power than the Gem engine used in the current MoD Lynx helicopter, but has very similar fuel consumption. The CTS800-4N engine received European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) type certification in September 2008.
AW159 Wildcat's sophisticated avionics suite is supplied by Thales UK. Avionics systems include core avionics, communication and navigation systems and are controlled and managed by dual control screens and navigation units (CDNU). The communication system is based on the Thales Avionics (SCCS) secure communication control system which is a derivative of Thales TopSIS, which is used on UK Chinook mk2 / 2A and ASTOR. SCCS was developed for Lynx MK7. Meanwhile, the navigation suite is based on an integrated global positioning system (GPS) inertia system.
The communication system on the AW159 Wildcat provides clear and secure voice communication via VHF / UHF SATURN and HF radios. This system also provides the Bowman radio function, which is an army variant of Wildcat helicopters to be used to interact in the Bowman network, exchanging secure voice and data communications. Naval variations AW159 has ESM capabilities and data links.
Before starting a mission, a set of mission data is sent to the mission planning system (MPS). This includes mission orders, tactical airspace information, meteorological and geographical data. This allows missions to be planned for single or multiple platforms. Plans can be trained in 2D or 3D and reassembled to fit the mission parameters.
The Royal Navy variant is equipped with Selex Sensors and Airborne Systems Seaspray 7000E active electronic scan radar systems (AESA) for maritime surveillance missions. In September 2005, the Selex Sensor and Airborne System on the AW159 Wildcat were integrated with an auxiliary system, HIDAS 15.
The new shop management system allows Wildcat to use a new missile or rocket system that will replace the Sea Skua as part of the FASGW program that is guided air to surface by the Ministry of Defense.
The contract also provides options for ten more aircraft, five for the army and five for the navy. The initial order of 70 was reduced in December 2008 to 62-34 for the army and 28 for the navy. Deliveries are expected to begin in 2012 and helicopters are fully operational with the army in 2014 and the Royal Navy in 2015.
The AW159 Wildcat helicopter is upgraded based on a Super Lynx helicopter that has been operating with the British Royal Navy since the mid-1970s, in its anti-submarine and utility roles. Since then the Super Lynx helicopter has assumed a broader range of roles including: anti-surface warfare, battlefield surveillance, casualty evacuation, air command posts, logistical support and tactical force transportation. AW159 maintains and expands this operational capability for the Royal Navy and the British Army.
AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat Specs
The AW159 Wildcat airframe design is based on an upgraded version of the Super Lynx helicopter. This program includes the navy and Lynx versions with a high degree of similarity in the fuselage, cockpit display, and avionics. The navy version of the AW159 Wildcat must have a common marine fuselage, similar to the Super Lynx 300 naval design. The main changes to wildcat helicopters are new tail rotors and low symmetrical tailplane circuits, larger cockpit doors and a redesigned larger nose and rear fuselage.The helicopter's nose, tail structure, and undercarriage are upgraded with reinforced attachments to increase the required level of strength. A new symmetrical low-set tailplane has been incorporated to improve the quality of flying. In addition, the redesigned nose and rear body provide greater space and easier access to the avionics unit. Larger cockpit doors provide a better crew exit.
AW159 Wildcat's main rotor and four-blade tail rotor are made of composite materials. The main rotor blades of the English Experimental Program (BERP) are swept tip composite construction. A number of crashworthiness features have been incorporated into the design, including damageable and armored crew seats, crashable passenger seats, armored cabin floors (role fit), wire strike protection systems, and engine infrared suppression (IRS) systems on military aircraft.
AgustaWestland AW159 Engine and Performance
The AW159 Wildcat helicopter is powered by two LHTEC CTS800-4N turboshaft engines. Each engine can provide power of 1,015 kW (1,361 shp) with full authority digital engine control (FADEC). LHTEC is a joint venture founded by Honeywell and Rolls-Royce. AW159 Wildcat has a maximum cruising speed of 264 km/ h (143 kt) and a rate of climb of 10 m/ s (2,000 ft/ min).AW159 Wildcat has about three hours of endurance with standard fuel and four and a half hours with additional fuel. The CTS800-4N engine delivers 36% more power than the Gem engine used in the current MoD Lynx helicopter, but has very similar fuel consumption. The CTS800-4N engine received European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) type certification in September 2008.
AgustaWestland AW159 Cockpit and Avionics
AW159 Wildcat's cockpit is equipped with four 10 in × 8 in integrated liquid crystal display (LCD) display units (IDU) supplied by Smiths Industries to display key flight data. Smiths Industries will also supply an integrated health and use monitoring system (HUMS).AW159 Wildcat's sophisticated avionics suite is supplied by Thales UK. Avionics systems include core avionics, communication and navigation systems and are controlled and managed by dual control screens and navigation units (CDNU). The communication system is based on the Thales Avionics (SCCS) secure communication control system which is a derivative of Thales TopSIS, which is used on UK Chinook mk2 / 2A and ASTOR. SCCS was developed for Lynx MK7. Meanwhile, the navigation suite is based on an integrated global positioning system (GPS) inertia system.
The communication system on the AW159 Wildcat provides clear and secure voice communication via VHF / UHF SATURN and HF radios. This system also provides the Bowman radio function, which is an army variant of Wildcat helicopters to be used to interact in the Bowman network, exchanging secure voice and data communications. Naval variations AW159 has ESM capabilities and data links.
AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat Sensor
General Dynamics (UK) and AgustaWestland jointly developed a tactical helicopter processor that manages the mission system. The integrated display unit and cursor control device are for display and management of tactical views and sensor suite controls. Both the navy and Royal Navy AW159 versions are equipped with the Wescam MX-15Di L3 electro-optical laser design tower.Before starting a mission, a set of mission data is sent to the mission planning system (MPS). This includes mission orders, tactical airspace information, meteorological and geographical data. This allows missions to be planned for single or multiple platforms. Plans can be trained in 2D or 3D and reassembled to fit the mission parameters.
The Royal Navy variant is equipped with Selex Sensors and Airborne Systems Seaspray 7000E active electronic scan radar systems (AESA) for maritime surveillance missions. In September 2005, the Selex Sensor and Airborne System on the AW159 Wildcat were integrated with an auxiliary system, HIDAS 15.
AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat Weapons
AW159 Wildcat can be armed with general purpose machine guns (GPMG) or M3M (HMG) heavy machine guns mounted on the pintle for offensive capabilities and self protection. Royal Navy AW159 Wildcat maintains Sting Ray torpedoes from Lynx mk8, and is equipped with a new shop management system, aircraft carriers and weapons launchers.The new shop management system allows Wildcat to use a new missile or rocket system that will replace the Sea Skua as part of the FASGW program that is guided air to surface by the Ministry of Defense.
AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat Price and Orders
The price of the latest AW159 Wildcat multi-role helicopter is around US $ 32 Million. In June 2006, AgustaWestland received a contract from the British Ministry of Defense for 70 AW159 Wildcat helicopters, 40 for the army and 30 for the navy.The contract also provides options for ten more aircraft, five for the army and five for the navy. The initial order of 70 was reduced in December 2008 to 62-34 for the army and 28 for the navy. Deliveries are expected to begin in 2012 and helicopters are fully operational with the army in 2014 and the Royal Navy in 2015.
AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat Specs, Cockpit, and Price
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