Merlin Mk4 upgrades progress
The first AW101 Merlin Mk4 upgraded for the Royal Navy by Leonardo-Finmeccanica has completed its maiden flight, the company announced on 21 November.
Leonardo is upgrading 25 Royal Navy Merlin Mk3/3A aircraft to Merlin Mk4/4A standard under the £330 million Merlin Life Sustainment Programme (MLSP) contract issued by the UK Ministry of Defence in January 2014.
Upgrades will prepare the Mk4/4A aircraft for ship operations, including a new automatic main rotor blade folding and tail fold. The aircraft are also fitted with the same cockpit as the Royal Navy’s Merlin Mk2 aircraft, giving the Merlin fleet a common cockpit featuring five 10” x 8” integrated display units, two touch screen units for controlling the aircraft’s systems and mission equipment, as well as two cursor control devices for cursor control of the tactical displays.
The AW101 Merlin Mk4 will be delivered from 2017 for the Royal Navy’s Commando Helicopter Force. The Merlin Mk4 and Mk4A aircraft will be supported through the existing Integrated Merlin Operational Support (IMOS) contract, which has been in place since 2006 with Leonardo as prime contractor. Deliveries will be complete in 2020.
Royal Navy Capt Kieran O’Brien, the Defence Equipment & Support Merlin helicopter project team leader, said: ‘This is a great day and a most significant achievement in the MLSP. The conversion of the Mk3/3a Merlin to Mk4/4a has been a real success story so far against demanding timelines and this first flight is excellent news for our Royal Navy ‘Junglie’ customers.’
More from Defence Helicopter
-
![Royal Navy helicopter crews transfer control of UAS in European first]()
Royal Navy helicopter crews transfer control of UAS in European first
Using technology supplied by QinetiQ, two Royal Navy helicopter crews successfully exchanged control of a UAS while in flight.
-
![Leonardo wins Canadian helicopter upgrade programme]()
Leonardo wins Canadian helicopter upgrade programme
The upgrade contract will ensure that the Candian helicopters are compliant with future technological requirements.
-
![Guatemala receives Bell Subaru helicopters]()
Guatemala receives Bell Subaru helicopters
The latest version of the Bell 412 helicopter has improved performance and weight capacity and will support Guatemala in various missions.
-
![Algeria expresses interest in AW249 while AW139 deal remains in limbo]()
Algeria expresses interest in AW249 while AW139 deal remains in limbo
Leonardo and Algeria hope to seal the AW139 deal in 2023 while Italy and the North African country further strengthen defence ties.
-
![Nigeria to receive new attack helicopters]()
Nigeria to receive new attack helicopters
The Nigerian Air Force is to receive more than 50 attack air assets to strengthen its ability to fight insecurity within its borders.
-
![Royal Navy upgrades Merlin helicopters]()
Royal Navy upgrades Merlin helicopters
The Royal Navy's amphibious helicopters have received an improved defensive aid suit and Merlin pilots can now train in a synthetic training environment.
