AgustaWestland has announced that the Brazilian Navy has contracted the Anglo-Italian helicopter giant to conduct a major midlife upgrade of its fleet of Lynx Mk21 helicopters, the contract is valued at $160 million.
The upgrade reportedly features a comprehensive support package that includes a Flight Training Device, replacement of the aircraft’s engines with CTS800-4N, new display suites and mission avionics.
Upgrades will start in 2015 at AgustaWestland’s facility in Yeovil.
According to Rolls Royce, the new generation CTS800-4N engines are already used in a wide variety of British military helicopters. They’re manufactured by LHTEC.
“The CTS800 powers a large variety of aircraft applications, including flight test evaluations in the AgustaWestland A129 Mangusta, Bell UH-1H Huey, Eurocopter AS.365 Dauphin, AS.565 Panter and HAL Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopter, Vought HH-65.The engine was selected as the boundary layer compressor drive for the ShinMaywa US-2 amphibious search and rescue aircraft.
The CTS800 powers the next generation of AgustaWestland Super Lynx aircraft, having first flown in the Lynx in 1991. The Super Lynx is now in service with militaries worldwide, with the engine also being offered as an upgrade for existing Lynx fleets. Due to the success of the Super Lynx the CTS800 was selected to power the AgustaWestland Future Lynx, now known as the Wildcat.”
These upgrades will give Brazil’s Lynx helicopters a significant improvement in its capabilities operational range and aircraft mission systems.
“The upgrade program provides evidence of the company’s capability and expertise in naval rotorcraft, and further strengthens the long standing partnership with this leading operator, which has operated Lynx helicopters since 1978.”
