$2 Bn for British EH101 Merlin Multi-Role Upgrades
Apr 19, 2011 12:54 UTC by Defense Industry Daily staff
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The Royal Navy’s EH101 Merlin HM Mk1 helicopters will undergo GBP 1.15 billion ($2.04 billion at current conversion) in upgrades from original manufacturer AgustaWestland and Lockheed Martin UK. The Merlin Capability Sustainment Plus (MCSP) program will target 30 helicopters, with an option for a further 8. Originally built in the 1990s as an anti-submarine and search-and-rescue aircraft, the Merlin has taken on an increasingly wide range of roles. This extensive upgrade program is designed to give the Royal Navy upgrades in current capabilities, far greater operational flexibility, and reduced lifetime maintenance costs.
The Merlin HM Mk1s will be progressively upgraded and returned to service from 2010-2013 by adding a range of technological improvements to the helicopter’s avionics, control systems, sensors, and radar. The Royal Navy received 44 EH101 Merlin HM1s between 1998-2002 for training, surface attack and anti-submarine warfare duties, and has since lost 2 in accidents. The remaining 42 helicopters are now expected to remain in service until 2029. Another 28 EH101 Merlin HC3/ HC3A medium support helicopters currently serve with the UK Royal Air Force.
Team Lockheed’s Role
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Lockheed Martin UK is the lead integrator for MSCP, and it received a GBP 750 million contract to help implement an open systems electronics architecture in the helicopters, improve the mission systems processing capabilities, add large flat panel touch screens, bring new capabilities to the Merlin’s Blue Kestrel Radar and Sonar system, etc. On a tactical level, these improvements will enable 40 times the number of targets to be tracked compared to the current capability, improve submarine detection in shallow water, and enhance night operations.
Lockheed’s team includes AEI, BAE, CAE, Selex, Smiths, Thales, and QinetiQ. The firm estimates that this order creates or secures around 1,400 jobs across the UK’s defense industry.
AgustaWestland: The HEAT Is On
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An independent but closely related GBP 400 million contract was issued to AgustaWestland. That firm will be responsible for designing, procuring and integrating the new avionics suite, which will include new cockpit primary flight displays incorporating touch screen technology to deliver increased crew efficiency. AgustaWestland is also responsible for designing and integrating an updated communication and navigation system, and all aspects of air vehicle integration. The program will also connect with the move to incorporate more of an Open Systems Architecture (OSA) into the helicopter. OSA uses standard electronics components to make adaption to future requirements faster and easier, instead of requiring expensive and time-consuming efforts to design proprietary circuits, etc.
The MCSP programme will also see AgustaWestland introduce its Helicopter Electro Actuation Technology (HEAT) onto the EH101 Merlin HM Mk1. HEAT introduces a cutting edge 3rd generation fly by wire system that uses electrical actuators to provide the control inputs to the helicopter’s rotor systems, instead of using hydraulic units. Unlike other fly-by-wire systems developed for helicopters, the AgustaWestland HEAT system uses electro-actuation for both the main and tail rotors. The brushless electric motor actuators incorporate quadruplex 4-lane architecture with fail technology, allowing the system to function safely even after failure of 2 of the systems. The electrical actuators are maintenance-free and, unlike mechanical systems, do not require the same rigging checks to be made post maintenance.
In naval operations, these systems will allow flights in poorer weather than was previously possible, while the improved handling gives the helicopter more agility and better handling in nap-of-the-earth flights.
The HEAT system’s components underwent extensive testing in 2005 that covered system performance, durability, vibration, environmental, high-intensity radiated fields and lightning strike protection. Results were positive.
The UK MoD’s Bottom Line
The Merlin HM Mk.1 fleet will be progressively upgraded to Mk.2 status from 2010 at AgustaWestland’s Yeovil, UK facility, with Full Rate Production slated to begin in 2012. The new AW101 Merlin Mk2 helicopters are scheduled to enter service from 2013, with Full Operational Capability scheduled for 2014.
While improved capabilities will flow from these upgrades, the primary goal is to resolve electronics obsolescence issues in the current Mk1 variant, and reduce through life support and operating costs. The UK already has an IMOS through-life support contract with AgustaWestland, but a different structure for the support contract will not, by itself, solve technology problems.
Overall, this Mk.2 Merlin technology upgrade is expected to reduce pilot workload, cost of ownership, maintenance and weight while giving improved survivability, safety, aircraft handling and agility. The deals also reflects the objectives of the UK’s recently published Defence Industrial Strategy white paper, which seeks to safeguard national capabilities across strategically important industry sectors including rotorcraft manufacturing and support.
Alan Johnston, AgustaWestland’s managing director of military programmes, noted that:
“The EH101 is the first helicopter in the world to utilise this advanced technology which will bring significant operational and cost benefits to customers. We are pleased that, by adopting the partnering principles being developed between AgustaWestland and the UK MoD, we will be able to introduce this important technology into the EH101 Merlin HM Mk1 fleet”
As Mr. Johnson alluded, The HEAT programme is being funded through an innovative contracting strategy which builds on the partnered principles outlined in the UK’s recent Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS) Draft. AgustaWestland will offset the HEAT system production costs against future cost of ownership savings that will be made through future Merlin support contracts.
The UK MoD has noted, however, that it expects the upgrades to deliver cost reductions of around GBP 575 million through the removal of system obsolescence and reduction in support costs. The project will “enable the cost-effective management of obsolescence on an aircraft which has components and design features that are becoming difficult to support…”
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It’s certainly true that British Merlins have displayed low readiness rates, and this has been consistent over a number of years. New technologies may help there.
The 2006 announcements offered no indication of whether the planned modifications would address the structural issues that have already led to the loss of one British Merlin, or the issues that led Canada to ground its CH-149 Cormorant search and rescue fleet for several months. As DID’s coverage of the USA’s CSAR-X competition noted:
“Canada has grounded its EH101/CH-149 Cormorant search-and-rescue fleet due to persistent cracks in the tail rotor hub (cracks believed to have caused the crash of a British EH101 Merlin as well), and reassigned smaller “twin Huey” Bell 412/ CH-146 Griffon helicopters to that role. The Canadians are also experiencing EH101 maintenance requirements and costs about 200% higher than originally forecast.”
Contracts & Key Events
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Although the AW101 is an AgustaWestland product, Lockheed Martin UK was awarded the original Merlin Mk1 contract for 44 Navy ASW/ASuW helicopters in 1991, with AgustaWestland acting as sub-prime. Lockheed Martin UK is also one of AgustaWestland’s strategic partners providing support and training services under the IMOS through-life maintenance program. In practice, these 2 programs are linked, because through-life maintenance milestones are the Navy’s preferred time to install capability upgrades.
Thales will support the fleet by providing service management, supply support, technical support and equipment performance analysis. The will also replace the sonobuoy-related sonics sub-system with a phased introduction of a new Thales acoustic sub-system, including a new common acoustic processor incorporating the latest processing technology. That work will be done under the Merlin Capability Sustainment Programme.
Jan 18/11: Aviation Week reports that in parallel with the Navy’s Merlin Mk.2 program, the UK MoD is planning for upgrades to the RAF’s 28 HC3 and HC3A variants in 4-6 years. Those “Mk.3″ plans seem to involve moving them into the Navy, including the addition of the naval version’s folding rotors and tail, tie-downs, and the Mk.2′s cockpit avionics upgrade. The RAF is still fighting to retain the machines, operating them from land or off of ships as needed.
The article adds that full-rate Mk.2 upgrades are slated to start in 2011, reaching up to 10 rotorcraft at one time, with a 9 month modification cycle for each machine. While full-rate production would begin in early 2012, therefore, the 1st production delivery would come near year end.
Although the main focus is life extension, capability upgrades also are being introduced, including new radar modes (such as inverse aperture radar) and improved acoustic processing.
Oct 25/10: Lockheed Martin UK – Integrated Systems and AgustaWestland announce that MCSP01, the first upgraded Royal Navy Merlin Mk2 helicopter, has performed a successful maiden flight at the AgustaWestland facility in Yeovil, UK. It marks the start of an intensive MCSP flight-test program.
Four trials aircraft will be dedicated to test and evaluation of the new aircraft, avionics and mission systems at AgustaWestland’s Yeovil site through to late 2011. The helicopters will then transfer to QinetiQ at Boscombe Down to perform further mission system performance evaluation, and Release to Service trials. Aircraft conversion will be undertaken at AgustaWestland’s Yeovil facility, with full rate production in early 2012. The Merlin Mk2 is scheduled to enter service in 2013, and achieve Full Operational Capability in 2014. Lockheed Martin UK.
March 6/06: British Merlin fleet’s IMOS through-life support contract announced. See “AgustaWestland Lands GBP 450M Through-Life Support Contract for UK EH101s” for more.
Jan 12/06: The UK MoD announces the MCSP program, with Lockheed Martin as the lead firm. UK MoD | Defense-Aerospace.com (Jan 13/06) – Lockheed UK & AgustaWestland corporate releases
Additional Readings & Sources
- AgustaWestland – AW101. Renamed from the EH101 in 2007.
- Royal Air Force – Merlin HC3. The HC3As are 6 former Danish helicopters; Britain did a deal with Denmark to buy the 6, in exchange for 6 later AW101 production slots. In exchange for not having those AW101s for a few years, Denmark gets newer helicopters to replace them, plus the rewards of the deal.
- Army Technology – AW101 (EH101) Transport Helicopter, Italy / UK
- Royal Navy – Merlin ASW
- Lockheed Martin UK – Merlin HM MK1 (Merlin)
- Naval Technology – Merlin ASW / Transport Helicopter, United Kingdom
- Aviation Week (Jan 14/11) – Merlin’s New Look. Discusses the 30 Merlin Mk2s.
- AgustaWestland (Dec 1/06) – AgustaWestland launches HEAT programme for EH101
- DID – AgustaWestland’s Through-Life Support for UK Merlin Helis. IMOS.
