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$2 Bn for British EH101 Merlin Multi-Role Upgrades

16-Jan-2006 05:54 EST

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AIR_EH-101_Merlin_w_Ship.jpg
EH101 shows Blue Kestrel
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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 AugustaWestland 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 amd 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 helicopters are now expected to remain in service until 2029. Another 22 EH101 Merlin HC3 medium support helicopters currently serve with the UK Royal Air Force.

The contracts and details include…

Team Lockheed’s Role

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EH101 Cockpit
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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 area flat panel displays, bring new capabilities to the Merlin’s Blue Kestrel Radar and Sonar system, et. al. 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. These improvements will be accompanied by improved Human Machine Interfaces, which will allow pilots and mission specialists to take full advantage of the improved platform and capabilities.

Lockheed’s team includes AEI, BAE, CAE, Selex, Smiths, Thales, and QinetiQ, and the firm estimates that this order creates or secures around 1,400 jobs across the UK’s defense industry.

AugustaWestland: The HEAT Is On

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AugustaWestland EH101
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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 state of the art, third generation fly by wire system that uses electrical actuators to provide the control inputs to the helicopter’s rotor systems instead of hydraulic units.

Unlike any other fly-by-wire system developed for helicopters, the AgustaWestland HEAT system uses electro-actuation for both the main and tail rotors. The brushless electric motor actuators incorporate quadruplex four-lane architecture with fail technology, allowing the system to function safely even after failure of two 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. Testing of the system components and HEAT ground rig will continue in 2006, hopefully leading to a first flight clearance in late 2006.

The UK MoD’s Bottom Line

UK Ministry of Defence Logo

Overall, this EH101 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, managing director of military programmes for AugustaWestland, 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….”

The announcements offered no indication of whether the planned modifications would address the structural issues that led to the loss of one Merlin recently and have grounded Canada’s EH101 Cormorant search and rescue fleet for several months now. 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.”

The Merlin HM Mk.1 fleet will be progressively upgraded from 2010 and will see the updated and improved aircraft come into service from 2013. The work to upgrade the aircraft will take place at AgustaWestland’s Yeovil facility in the UK.

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