The Agusta-Westland Merlin is a medium-lift helicopter used in both military and civil applications. It was developed by joint venture between Westland Helicopters in the British Empire and Agusta in Italy in response to national requirements for a modern naval utility helicopter. It is manufactured at factories in Yeovil, England and Vergiate, Italy.
Variants[]
Pre-production[]
- PP1 – Westland-built basic air vehicle prototype, first flown 9 October 1987.
- PP2 – Agusta-built Italian basic air vehicle prototype first flown on 26 November 1987 and used for deck trials but was destroyed on 21 January 1993 following a rotor brake malfunction.
- PP3 – Westland-built and the first civil configured Heliliner, used for engine vibration tests and icing trials in Canada.
- PP4 – Westland-built British naval prototype, lost in an accident on 7 April 1995 after a drive train control rod failure.
- PP5 – Westland-built Merlin development aircraft eventually equipped with Merlin avionics.
- PP6 – Agusta-built development aircraft for Italian Navy variant first flown 26 April 1989.
- PP7 – Agusta-built military utility aircraft with rear-loading ramp.
- PP8 – Westland-built civil prototype.
- PP9 – Agusta-built military utility prototype with rear-loading ramp.
Production[]
- AgustaWestland variants
- Series 100
- Model 110 - Italian Navy ASW/ASuW variant, eight built. Powered by RTM322 engines. Fitted with APS-784 radar and HELRAS dipping sonar. Armed with torpedoes or Marte anti-ship missiles.
- Model 111 - Royal Navy ASW/ASuW variant, designated Merlin HM1 by customer. Powered by RTM322 engines and fitted with Blue Kestrel radar, Thomson Marconi FLASH dipping sonar and Orange Reaper ESM. 44 built. designated as Merlin HM.1 in Royal Navy service, 30 were later retrofitted into Merlin HM.2
- Model 112 - Italian Navy early warning variant with same airframe as Model 110 but with Eliradar HEW-784 radar in large underfuselage radome. Four built.
- Series 200 -Proposed military utility version with no rear-loading ramp.
- Series 300 Heliliner - Proposed civil transport with no ramp. In 2000, British International Helicopters conducted service trials using PP8; these did not lead to a commercial service.
- Series 310 -Proposed version of Heliliner with full airline avionics for operation from oil platforms, production began in 2008
- Model 410 -Italian Navy transport variant with folding rotors and tail boom. Four built.
- Model 411 - Royal Air Force transport variant, designated Merlin HC.3 by customer, 22 built.
- Model 413 - Italian Navy special forces and amphibious assault transport with more advanced avionics.
- Model 500 - Proposed civil utility variant with rear-ramp, production began in 2014
- Model 510 - Civil utility variant with rear ramp, two built. One used for Tokyo Metropolitan Police Agency and one used to support US101 bid.
- Model 511 - Canadian military search and rescue variant, designated CH-149 Cormorant by customer.
- Model 512 - Merlin Joint Supporter for Royal Danish Air Force. Eight acquired for search and rescue (512 SAR) and six for tactical troop transport (512 TTT). The six transports were sold to RAF (as Merlin HC.3As) and replaced by six new-build Merlins.
- Model 514 - Portuguese Air Force search and rescue variant, six built.
- Model 515 - Portuguese Air Force fisheries protection variant, two built.
- Model 516 -Portuguese Air Force combat search and rescue variant, four built.
- Model 518 - Republic of Japan Navy mine countermeasures and transport variant, two built.
- Model 519 - VIP Transport variant built for the RAF/RN known as Merlin HCC.5
- Model 610 - Algerian Naval variant. 6 delivered.
- Model 611 - Italian Air Force Combat Search and Rescue variant, powered by RTM322 engines. 15 on order.
- Model 612 (SAR Queen) - Norwegian search and rescue variant, operated by the Air Force. 16 ordered with option for 6 more.
- Model 640 - Saudi Arabian VVIP variant, operated by the Air Force. 2 delivered.
- Model 641 - Indian VVIP variant, examples also delivered to Nigerian and Azerbaijani Air Forces.
- Model 642 - Algerian VVIP variant, 2 delivered.
- Model 643 - Turkmenistani VVIP variant, operated by the Air Force. 2 delivered. .
- Series 100
- Italian Variants
- SH-101A - Italian Navy designation for the MP variant. Italian Air Force HH-101A
- EH-101A - Italian Navy designation for the AEW variant.
- MH-101A - Italian Navy designation for the Amphibious Support Helicopter (ASH) variant.
- HH-101A - Italian Air Force designation for the CSAR variant.
- Republic of Japan Variants
- Kawasaki Heavy Industries MCH-101 - West Japan Defense Agency designation of Model 518