Crowsnest flight test programme picks up steam
Following ‘aero-mechanical’ first flight trials held at Leonardo’s Yeovil facility on 28 March, Lockheed Martin, prime contractor of the Crowsnest Airborne Surveillance and Control (ASaC) mission system, will next embark on electromagnetic compatibility testing.
Crowsnest is part of the UK’s wider Carrier Strike Group strategy and is set to provide ten of the UK Royal Navy’s fleet of 30 AW101 Merlin Mk2 helicopters with the roll fit mission system, in advance of supporting IOC for HMS Queen Elizabeth in 2020.
‘This [first flight] milestone is key to assessing the flight envelope and handling qualities of the aircraft with the external
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