Lynx

Well we could never have taken an easy, cheap option could we? Those somerset based designers have to justify their pay some how, without the wildcat “redesign” (surely they just dug out the old Lynx-3 plans and tinkered???) I am sure much of the yeovil based doodlers would have been sketching P45s….

3. max. weight is increased from 5330 to 6000kg (but the engines stay the same)
4. passenger numbers reduced from 9 to 7.

Isn’t the increaed weight and reduction in passengers due to the installation of improved crash resistant seats?

If you look at the specs and PDF brochures for both types on the AgustaWestland site, they seem virtually identical in terms of dimensions, engines, equipment, roles: the only significant differences I can see are on the AW159 compared to the Super Lynx 300 are,

1. the revised boom design, including the addition of a new tailplane
2. the ‘toilet bowl’ IR-suppressing engine exhausts, already installed in the up-engined Army AH9s
(both of the above changes make the helicopter look uglier, IMHO)
3. max. weight is increased from 5330 to 6000kg (but the engines stay the same)
4. passenger numbers reduced from 9 to 7

I’m sure there are some changes under the skin also, but I still don’t see why they couldn’t have bought the existing Super Lynx 300 and saved hundreds of millions in the process.

Following the link for the AW159 shows the maritime version fitted with dipping sonar.

Does anyone know whether the UK version will have dipping sonar? What model of sonar is this?

More like the SH-60B to the MH-60R. The Wildcat is what was previously known as future lynx.

Something along the lines of MH-60R and MH-60S. More ASW specialization vs more multirole orientation.