The Brazilian Navy has awarded a contract to Anglo-Italian firm AgustaWestland to provide upgrades to eight of its 12 Mk21 Super Lynx (AH-11A) maritime helicopters.
The agreement, worth $160m, is a bid to boost capabilities, performance, operational range and aircraft mission effectiveness.
The upgrades include replacing the aircraft’s engines with the LHTEC CTS800-4N, navigation changes and displays suite and mission avionics, in addition to a comprehensive support and training package, including a flight training device.
The contract is scheduled to start in 2015 at AgustaWestland’s plant in Yeovil, UK, with the first helicopter scheduled for delivery in the autumn of 2017, followed by the complete batch of upgraded aircraft by early 2019.
CTS800-4N engines already power the British Army’s Lynx Mk9A, Super Lynx 300 and AW159 helicopters.
AgustaWestland claims these engines provide key performance enhancements in hot and high environments, while boosting payload capacity and the operational area.
The helicopters will be equipped with a new glass cockpit, which will be accompanied by an advanced avionics suite comprising a tactical processor, satellite-based navigation system, traffic collision avoidance system and instrument landing system.
Also included are radar warning receiver / electronic surveillance measures, integrated with countermeasures dispensers and a complete night-vision-goggle compatible cockpit with a new electrically powered rescue hoist.
Image: The Brazilian Navy’s Lynx Mk21A helicopter. Photo: courtesy of AgustaWestland – A Finmeccanica Company.
