WG-13 Lynx

The initial design, known as the Westland WG.13, emerged in the mid-1960s as a prospective replacement for the Westland Scout and Wasp helicopters, while also presenting itself as a more sophisticated alternative to the UH-1 Iroquois. Power for this design was to come from a pair of Bristol Siddeley BS.360 turboshaft engines. Under the Anglo-French helicopter agreement of February 1967, Sud Aviation (later Aérospatiale), a French company, acquired a 30 percent stake in the production workload, with Westland managing the remainder. The arrangement envisioned France procuring the Lynx for its Navy and a heavily modified armed reconnaissance variant for its Army. In return, the United Kingdom would acquire Aérospatiale Gazelle and Puma helicopters for its armed forces. The first Lynx prototype achieved its maiden flight on 21 March 1971. Deliveries of production helicopters began in 1977.

The Lynx is a multi-purpose twin-engine battlefield helicopter, with specialized versions developed for both sea and land-based warfare. Early Army versions were equipped with skids, while Naval and later models have wheels, a requirement for easy ground handling on a warship's deck. Early versions were powered by a pair of Rolls-Royce Gem turboshaft engines and had a four-blade rotor, mounted on a rigid titanium monobloc rotor head. The blade design comprised a honeycomb sandwich structure made out of composite material. For shipboard stowage, both the rotor blades and tail can be folded. Lag dampers were incorporated but these are not required in flight due to the rigidity of the monobloc rotor head, and the main rotor features a vibration absorption system. The efficiency of the main rotor and the overall top speed were substantially improved with the adoption of BERP rotor blade technology. During the 1990s, the hot-and-high performance was considerably boosted in the later Super Lynx 200 series, with the Gem engines replaced with the newer LHTEC T800 turboshaft engine with associated FADEC system. Later aircraft feature automatic stabilization equipment, and functions such as auto-hover are installed on some Lynx. The two-man cockpit houses a pilot and observer side by side, while the cabin can accommodate up to ten equipped troops, depending upon seating configuration. Typical combat equipment includes stabilised roof-mounted sensors, onboard countermeasures and door guns. When being used in the anti-tank role, the Lynx is typically armed with BGM-71 TOW missiles. Missiles such as the Sea Skua have been used in the maritime anti-surface role. Additional armaments that have been interchangeably used include rockets, 20 mm cannons, torpedoes, and depth charges. Those Lynx built for export have been typically outfitted with armaments and equipment customised for the end-user, such as the Mokopa air-to-surface missile used on Algeria's Lynx fleet, eight of which can be carried. Studies into equipping the AGM-114 Hellfire have been performed. Equipped armaments can be managed and controlled inflight through the onboard stores management system. In order to counteract battlefield threats such as infrared-guided missiles, various defensive aid subsystems can be optionally installed, including warning receivers and countermeasures.

The Lynx has seen extensive operational use across the globe, participating in various conflicts and peacekeeping missions. Entering service in 1979 with the British Army Air Corps and 1981 with the Fleet Air Arm, it quickly became a versatile asset, serving in roles from battlefield utility and anti-armor to anti-submarine warfare and maritime attack. During the Falklands War, the Lynx HAS.2 ASW variant played a crucial role in maintaining anti-submarine patrols and achieved the first combat firing of the Sea Skua missile against an Argentinian patrol boat. In the 1991 Gulf War, Navy Lynx helicopters were instrumental in naval engagements, significantly damaging Iraqi Navy vessels with Sea Skua missiles, while Army Lynxes were deployed to locate and attack Iraqi tank concentrations. The Lynx has also been deployed in the Balkans, Sierra Leone, and extensively during the Iraq War and in Afghanistan, where it provided essential support despite facing operational challenges in high-temperature environments and vulnerability to enemy fire, leading to equipment upgrades and ultimately, the development of the Lynx AH.9A variant with improved performance. Beyond the UK, the Lynx has been adopted by numerous countries, including Germany, South Korea, and Brazil, serving in roles such as anti-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia, maritime surveillance, and search and rescue missions, each adapting the Lynx to their specific operational needs and environments.

Main Variants:

• Lynx AH.1: The initial production version for the British Army Air Corps, used for tactical transport, armed escort, anti-tank warfare, reconnaissance, and casualty evacuation.

• Lynx HAS.2: The initial naval variant for the Royal Navy and French Navy, equipped with a wheeled undercarriage, folding rotors and tail, deck lock, and radar for anti-submarine and anti-surface operations.

• Lynx AH.7: A further upgraded version for the Army Air Corps, featuring uprated engines, a new composite material tail rotor, and later refitted with BERP-type rotor blades.

• Lynx AH.9 ("Battlefield Lynx"): A utility version for the Army Air Corps based on the AH.7, but with a wheeled undercarriage and further upgraded gearbox.

• Lynx HMA.8: An upgraded maritime attack version based on the Super Lynx 100, featuring Gem 42-200 engines, BERP-type main rotors, a larger tail rotor, and FLIR in a turret above the nose.

Argentina • Brazil • Germany • Denmark • Algeria • United Kingdom • South Korea • Malaysia • Nigeria • Netherlands • Norway • Oman • Pakistan • Portugal • Thailand • South Africa