In the Beginning

OnOn 9 October 1987 the EH101 took to the air for the first time. Twenty five years later, as the AgustaWestland AW101 Merlin, the platform is well-established as one of the most successful, and operationally proven, medium-lift helicopters in the world, with a host of operators across the globe.

EH101EH101 was originally conceived as the result of a 1977 UK Ministry of Defence requirement for an anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopter. This requirement sought to replace the Royal Navy's Westland Sea Kings which, even then, were considered increasingly inadequate as Soviet submarine technology advanced.

UKUK company Westland Helicopters responded to the proposal with its WG.34 - a three-engined helicopter, similar in footprint to the Sea King but featuring the introduction of more automated controllability and increased range over its already ageing predecessor.

Meanwhile,Meanwhile, the Marina Militare (Italian Navy) had also reached similar conclusions as the UK regarding its own fleet of Sea Kings, built under licence by the Italian company Agusta, and was considering its options to replace them. As a consequence of those considerations, Westland and Agusta entered into discussions regarding joint development of a successorsuccessor and, having finalised an agreement to work on the project as a team, formed a jointly-owned company - EH Industries Limited (EHI) - to pursue the development and marketing of the new helicopter.

The UK government confirmed its backing for the project in 1981, allocating an initial budget of £20 million to develop pre-production examples, and a major milestone, which saw funding secured for the majority of the EH101's development program, was the agreement signed by both the British and Italian governments in 1984. First sighting of the new design camecame in 1985 at the Paris Air Show, where Agusta revealed a mock-up of a utility version, the concept being that this would lead to a more standardised design, albeit one that could be significantly customised to meet the needs of various customers, be they from military or civilian markets. Just two years later the EH101 took to the air for the first time.

G-17-510 is one of AgustaWestland’s development aircraft, seen here at RNAS Merryfield, Somerset, on 17 July 2012 during the open evening (Kevin Wills)

The prototype Merlin ZF641/PP1 at the Farnborough Airshow in September 1988 (Paul Dopson)

G-17-510 is one of AgustaWestland’s development aircraft, seen here at RNAS Merryfield, Somerset, on 17 July 2012 during the open evening (Kevin Wills)

The prototype Merlin ZF641/PP1 at the Farnborough Airshow in September 1988 (Paul Dopson)

The Heliliner prototype made an appearance at Farnborough to try and promote civilian sales (Rob Edgcumbe)

At this stage no orders had actually been placed for the EH101 by either the UK or Italian governments, but flight testing continued regardless.

Initial Orders

Finally,Finally, in September 1991, the UK MoD placed an order for 66 aircraft for the Royal Navy.

TheThe then Conservative-led Canadian government ordered 50 EH101s in July 1992 as they were seen as ideal replacements for the Sikorsky CH-124 Sea King and Boeing Vertol CH-113 Labrador platforms that had seen Canada through the Cold War, with thethe new helicopter being chosen instead of an upgrade programme for the aforementioned types.

But with the Cold War thawing, and as the perceived threat to Canada’s national security was reduced, debate raged on as to the cost-effectiveness and necessity of the procurement, and the order was eventually cancelled by the new LiberalLiberal government in 1993, with the issue seen as a key factor in the Conservative’s election defeat.

A second UK order was placed in February 1995 for 22 production EH101s for the Royal Air Force, with an Italian government order, for 16, following in October. Production models would eventually begin rolling off the line in 1997, and the 10 years betweenbetween that time and the EH101’s first flight would see no less than nine prototypes and test-beds take to the air, including one to look at options for a civilian heli-liner variant.

This Royal Navy Merlin HM.1 is seen landing on the deck of HMS Illustrious on 7 May 2009. The carrier was berthed at Greenwich for the Fly Navy 100 celebrations (Kevin Wills)

Left - A RAF Merlin HC.3 taxies out at RAF Benson for a sortie (Karl Drage)

Test-Flying Incidents

ThatThat decade also saw tragedy and a resultant six month test flying hiatus, following the crash of the second pre-production aircraft in 1993. PP2 (MMX600) crashed near Cameri in Italy on 21 January during noise measurement trials, after an un-commanded application of the rotor brake in flight. Sadly, all four people on board,board, Raffaele Longobardi, Gilberto Tintori, Stefano Novelli and Massimo Colombo, were killed. Airframe PP4 (ZF644) also came to grief, near Chard in Dorset, on 7 April 1995, but all four crew members parachuted to safety.

Production Aircraft

The first production Royal Navy ASW aircraft (RN01) rolled out on 6 March 1996 and though it should have remained at Westland for the installation of its full mission equipment, was diverted to the flight development program until July 1998, following a landing accident suffered by PP7 in August 1996. PP7 rolled over afterafter the tail rotor drive failed on landing in Italy, but was repaired and flew again in January 1999. The first Merlin HC.3 for the RAF, meanwhile, (RAF01 / ZJ117), emerged at Yeovil on 25 November 1998, making its first flight on Christmas Eve.

Aside from UK military usage, which we'll examine in much more detail in a moment, the AW101 (as it was rebranded following the merger between Agusta and Westland) has also enjoyed great export success, and continues to do so, fulfilling a wide variety of roles including Support Helicopter (SH), Search AndAnd Rescue (SAR), ASW and VIP transport. Variants are now in use with, or will be delivered to, the likes of Canada, ironically, as a SAR platform named the CH-149 Cormorant, Portugal, Algeria, Japan, Denmark, Saudi Arabia, Turkmenistan, India and of course Italy.

This Royal Navy Merlin HM.1 is seen landing on the deck of HMS Illustrious on 7 May 2009. The carrier was berthed at Greenwich for the Fly Navy 100 celebrations (Kevin Wills)

Above - The Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force uses the CH-101 (as it has been dubbed) in support of the nation’s work in Antarctica (AgustaWestland)

Below - M-509 was initially delivered to the Royal Danish Air Force as a Mk.512 (Danish Multi Role Helicopter - DMRH). It is seen below sporting the full SAR fit before being delivered to the RAF as Merlin HC.3A ZJ998 (Karl Drage)

The aircraft was also slated for use as the Marine One aircraft in the US presidential transport fleet, but the US101 / VH-71 Kestrel programme was cancelled in 2009 following a change of government and the nine VH-71s already delivered were subsequently purchased by Canada for spares, for its SAR fleet of CH-149s.fleet of CH-149s.

The Royal Navy’s final order was for 44 ASW variants, equipped with state-of-the-art sonar buoys and Sting Ray torpedoes. These aircraft were originally designated Merlin HAS.1, but this was changed to Merlin HM.1 with the first fully operational Merlin delivered on 17 May 1997, entering operational service on 2 June 2000. All aircraftaircraft were delivered by the end of 2002, and are operated by four Fleet Air Arm squadrons: 814 NAS, 820 NAS, 824 NAS and 829 NAS, all based at RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall. Additionally, 700 NAS operated as the Merlin Operational Evaluation Unit from 2000 to 2008.

The Merlin HM.1 is cleared to operate from the Royal Navy's amphibious assault ships, Type 23 frigates and a number of Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels. The HM.1 can also equip the newest Type 45 destroyers and a £750 million Merlin Capability Sustainment Programme (MCSP) is currently in place to upgrade 30 aircraft to MerlinMerlin HM.2 standard, this including an entirely new mission system and digital cockpit. Royal Navy Merlins have seen operational action in the Caribbean, on counter-narcotics and hurricane support duties, as well as on maritime security duties whilst deployed in the Persian Gulf. Merlin HM.1s also saw active duty in Iraq, providingproviding support to British and coalition forces based in the region.

The RAF ordered a total of 22 airframes designated Merlin HC.3, the first of which entered service in January 2001 with 28(AC) Squadron at RAF Benson in Oxfordshire. The type can be fitted with a Robertson extended-range fuel tank (ERT) and is capable of air-to-air refuelling, though this has never beenbeen utilised operationally, and the aircraft are not routinely fitted with refuelling probes. The

Above - The Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force uses the CH-101 (as it has been dubbed) in support of the nation’s work in Antarctica (AgustaWestland)

Below - M-509 was initially delivered to the Royal Danish Air Force as a Mk.512 (Danish Multi Role Helicopter - DMRH). It is seen below sporting the full SAR fit before being delivered to the RAF as Merlin HC.3A ZJ998 (Karl Drage)

RAF Merlin is most commonly used for troop transport duties and CASEVAC, the transportation of equipment, either internally or underslung, including vehicles and artillery, and complements the big-lifting Chinooks and smaller Pumas of the RAF’s Support Helicopter Force.

TheThe Merlin's first operational deployment was to the Balkans region in 2003 and the aircraft was also deployed to Iraq as part of Operation TELIC where it frequently operated from Basrah Air Station until the British withdrawal in June 2009.

A pair of Merlins take on fuel during an Op HERRICK mission rehearsal exercise (Karl Drage)

The 1419 Flt Merlin emblem sits to the left of the 28(AC) Sqn badge on this HC.3 (Karl Drage)

To overcome a shortfall in operational helicopters, and to allow Merlins to be deployed in Afghanistan in support of Operation HERRICK, the MoD acquired six additional AW101s from Denmark in 2007. These were assigned to the RAF with the designation Merlin HC.3A and, as a result, a second Merlin squadron, 78 Squadron, was formed at Benson. RAF Merlins remain deployed in Afghanistan as we speak, although plans to transfer the aircraft across to the Royal Navy’s Commando Helicopter Force (CHF) to replace its ‘Jungly’ Sea KingKing HC.4s, are now well-advanced. This should occur by 2016 and will see the aircraft modified to Mk.4 standard, more of which later.

Merlin HC.3A

Gorgeous colours as this HC.3A flies over the sea while preparing to land at Dawlish for the annual airshow (Karl Drage)

Main - The ramp at RAF Benson as two HC.3s and two HC.3As rest (Karl Drage)

“W e had all 22

aircraft on our books, though one was given over

to AW as a development vehicle, and went on to introduce

the Mk.3A, which made a fleet of 28 aircraft.aircraft. It was decided that the squadron was

Pilot’s Perspective

RichardRichard Luck joined the Chinook Force at RAF Odiham in 1989 and between then and 2000 served on 7, 18(B) and 27(R) Squadrons in various capacities. In total he flew over 3500 hours on the Chinook HC.1 and HC.2, with operational deployments to Northern Ireland, the Falkland Islands, Bosnia-Herzegovina and forfor the 1992 Kurdish relief effort in Northern Iraq. Training deployments included Canada, Morocco, Kenya and Norway, and he qualified as an A2 Qualified Flying Instructor and a Qualified Helicopter Tactics Instructor.

In 2000 he was posted to the Rotary Wing Operational Evaluation and Training Unit (RWOETU) as flight commander of the Chinook & Sea King Flight and was responsible for, amongst other things, the development, trialling and delivery of the RAF’s Chinook Night Enhancement Package. Following promotionpromotion to the rank of Wing Commander he completed a tour at the UK Ministry of Defence in the Directorate of Air Staff as the Rotary Wing advisor to the Assistant Chief of the Air Staff and was the staff officer responsible for Upper Airspace Management and Unmanned Air Vehicles.

Following Advanced Command and Staff training, Richard took command of 28(AC) Squadron in March 2006, flying the Merlin HC.3 and served in that capacity until 28 November 2008. During this tour he undertook six deployments to Basrah, Iraq, including four months as Commander of the UK’s Joint HelicopterHelicopter Force (Iraq), accumulating over 300 hours on desert operations. Responsible for the training of all Merlin crews, he was instrumental, in conjunction with the Mk.3A Fielding Team, in introducing the Merlin HC.3A into service and supported the formation of the Merlin Force’s second Merlin squadron. He flew over 550 hours on both variants of Merlin.flew over 550 hours on both variants of Merlin.

Richard retired from the RAF in 2009 after 23 years of service and joined the Marketing Department of AgustaWestland where he

initially specialised as the Market Development Lead for Military Capability (Helicopter and UAV) and is the military aviation subject matter expert. In April 2012 he was appointed as the Head of AW609 TiltRotor Marketing, based in Cascina Costa, Italy, in which capacity he is responsible for all marketing related activity for the programme.the programme.

“I was absolutely delighted to be given the honour of commanding 28(AC) Squadron, which at that time was by far the largest SH squadron in the Royal Air Force,” Richard tells me when we sit down to talk Merlin. “It was very exciting and was at a time when the squadron was really ramping up. I was the third OC after Merlin's entry in to RAF service and essentially bedded it in to an operational posture.

capabilities, to my mind, serve little purpose: it’s like comparing chalk and

cheese. The platforms are complementary.

“A Chinook pilot cannot resist saying to a Merlin pilot, ‘We can lift more than you’, to which I always answered, ‘And your point is?’

“But,“But, truth be told, coming to the Merlin from the Chinook I had that very thought at the back of my own mind, but the Merlin impressed me from day one. I very quickly fell in love with it, and

when we got the HC.3As that just made life even more exciting.

“For“For a start, this was my first encounter with a glass cockpit – that was like stepping into the Starship Enterprise! There’s nothing a pilot likes more than loads of screens and buttons to play with. It’s informationinformation rich, which really

helps with situational awareness and increases crew productivity and safety.

“While I suspect that the new Chinook cockpits have caught up or exceeded what you can see in today’s Merlin

HC.3 and HC.3A cockpits, those Merlin cockpits are not representative of what the Royal Navy is getting with MCSP and nor areare they representative of what new AW101 customers are getting – that is a generational leap in itself.

“In many respects the Merlin is very similar to the Chinook – it has the ramp at the back, the seating layout is similar, the cabin is huge and the four-crew system is the same. So it didn’t really feel very different from operating a Chinook – it was just more up to date and we didn’t have a triple hook - but I didn’t particularly miss that!particularly miss that!

“It was also a much more pleasant working environment. The Merlin is significantly quieter, so much so that you could actually take your

Image - Paul Dunn

aircraft going into a common pool,

rather like the Hercules fleet construct.”

And, as a pilot with vast Chinook experience, what of his first impressions of the Merlin?

““I think the first thing to emphasise is that there is, absolutely, a role for helicopters of different sizes within a mixed SH force. Any direct comparisons between those platforms’

now far too big for one person to command, which I wholly agreed with, so 78 Squadron stood up and we simply split the personnel up across the two,two, with the

Head-on with a HC.3A, arriving at another Dawlish airshow (Karl Drage)

helmet off and talk to each other with no difficulty at all, something you certainly

couldn’tcouldn’t do in a Chinook! Vibration levels? No comparison at all, the Chinook vibrates significantly, especially at speed, but Merlin is utterly smooth. I remember one general officer telling me when we were taking him to Baghdad that he loved flying in the Merlin because he couldcould read his papers, sign them and people could tell that it was actually his signature!

“That gives you some idea of the smooth ride, and it was the same across the speed range too. At night, it was sometimes difficult to actually tell how fast you were going, and it felt as if you had slowed right down. In the Chinook, after 3500 hours I could pretty much judge our speed by the level of vibration, judge our speed by the level of vibration, but I needed to keep cross-checking the instruments in the Merlin! The smoothness of the Merlin means less fatigue for the crew and, in my opinion, that makes for a safer crew. We would fly all night in Merlin in Iraq - seven hour stretches for example -- and I always felt that I could just go and do it again after a break for a cup of tea! The reduced noise and vibration also ensured troops were delivered into the field in a better state and, perhaps more importantly, the opposition frequently didn’t hear us coming until it was too late.

“The level of autopilot sophistication in the HC.3 was also of an altogether higher order than that in anything I had flown before. As crews we used that to our advantage to make life easier with the auto-transitions and the ability to link the autopilot to the flightplan.

“The“The aircraft’s agility, surprising for its size, is also an important factor, for both tactical flying and threat avoidance. Control authority is excellent and gives you a lot of confidence as a pilot, while

while visibility is also very good, which makes a real difference, especially when flying at night.”

RichardRichard also cites the aircraft’s endurance, speed and all-round toughness as other key attributes which have made the Merlin the success that it is. Operations in Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan have served only to back that up.

“The“The airframe is very robust, that has been proven year after year, and I have no doubt that Merlin will go on to do an excellent job for the CHF in the years to come. It is going to be such a leap forward in operational capability for them; they are going to be absolutely delighted with it.absolutely delighted with it.

“The CHF essentially operates as an SH Force and has been pretty much everywhere the SH Force has, but with significant platform limitations, bearing in mind they've been using the Sea King. But it's done all that with the same energy, gusto and courage as any otherother force, and they'll do exactly the same with the Merlin, including from the littoral, that is, operating on-board ship. They are actually going to be demonstrating that the aircraft has a far wider capability than is currently being demonstrated as a land-based SHSH platform, and I think that is an excellent thing for the future of the AW101.”

Richard confirms that an AW feasibility study into what is required to adapt the HC.3 and HC.3As for the CHF will be delivered to the MoD in March 2013. It will offer a firm, fixed-price proposal for ship optimisation of the aircraft in the littoral role as an SH helicopter.

Head-on with a HC.3A, arriving at another Dawlish airshow (Karl Drage)

Prior to deploying to Afghanistan, the Merlin Force spent time at NAF El Centro to gain experience in operating in conditions similar to those they would find in theatre (Paul Dunn)

AgustaWestland’s technology demonstator for the BERP IV rotor blade trials (AgustaWestland)

“This assessment phase is funded and, from April onwards, a decision on ship-optimisation will be made. It will look at a folding head, folding utility tail, a new lashing system for ship operations and, potentially, new ratings for the Rolls Royce engines. It will also address obsolescence, especially in the cockpit, and my understanding is that we will be offering an upgrade in that area, based on the HM.2 / MCSP cockpit, but adapted for Commando usage.”

Prior to deploying to Afghanistan, the Merlin Force spent time at NAF El Centro to gain experience in operating in conditions similar to those they would find in theatre (Paul Dunn)

A Merlin MK3 on the dispersal in Afghanistan as viewed through a NVG monocle (Gareth Attridge)

The cockpit of a Merlin HC.3A (Karl Drage)

Amazing conditions as this HC.3 approaches the Forward Refuelling Point during Exercise Pashtun Eagle (Karl Drage)

Up close and personal with the 2010 Royal Navy Merlin HM.1 display (Karl Drage)So, with 25 years of history under its belt already, and an ever-growing list of customers, the Merlin looks like a great success story that will surely be celebrating many more happy anniversaries.“I“I can't comment on operating the HM.1, but I have flown alongside them, and you know what, that is the world's best anti-submarine helicopter, without a doubt. As for the HC.3, it has consistently proven itself on operations. It turns up and it does an outstanding job. Soldiers like flying in it and that is testament to the helicopter and the crews.

“It“It does a great job as a SAR asset in Portugal, Denmark and Canada and is also doing very well in the VIP market, with India having ordered a fleet of 12 VIP aircraft. AW101 is a tremendous platform and you get a lot for your money, excelling in all the roles it is asked to perform. Pilots and crews like going to work in it, that's my experience as a pilot, and when people ask

Amazing conditions as this HC.3 approaches the Forward Refuelling Point during Exercise Pashtun Eagle (Karl Drage)

So, with 25 years of history under its belt already, and an ever-growing list of customers, the Merlin looks like a great success story that will surely be celebrating many more happy anniversaries.“I“I can't comment on operating the HM.1, but I have flown alongside them, and you know what, that is the world's best anti-submarine helicopter, without a doubt. As for the HC.3, it has consistently proven itself on operations. It turns up and it does an outstanding job. Soldiers like flying in it and that is testament to the helicopter and the crews.

“It“It does a great job as a SAR asset in Portugal, Denmark and Canada and is also doing very well in the VIP market, with India having ordered a fleet of 12 VIP aircraft. AW101 is a tremendous platform and you get a lot for your money, excelling in all the roles it is asked to perform. Pilots and crews like going to work in it, that's my experience as a pilot, and when people ask

me if I preferred Merlin or Chinook, as they always do, I think I have to say Merlin. It's a tough one, all things considered, and although we did lift more in Chinook and in more configurations, the AW101 was a significantly better aircraft to fly.

“I think the AW101 has got a very exciting future ahead of it.”

AtAt the time of going to press, it had just been announced that Northrop Grumman and AgustaWestland had signed a comprehensive teaming agreement to compete for the proposed U.S. Navy’s Marine One presidential helicopter.

GarethGareth Stringer would like to thank Richard Luck and Geoff Russell for their assistance with this article.