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| HH-101A Caesar |
Militarymedia.net | The AgustaWestland HH-101A Caesar is an Italian special operations helicopter. This mid-sized helicopter evolved from the AW-101 military transport. The Caesar was customized to meet the requirements of the Italian Air Force.
It performs various missions, such as search and rescue, transportation, recovery, air support and other special operations missions.
The HH-101A was first introduced in 2013 at the Farnborough air show. The first helicopters for the Italian Air Force were publicly revealed to journalists and officials in 2015 at the Cervia air base near Venice. The Italian Air Force ordered 20 Caesar helicopters. Deliveries are planned to be completed in 2020.
This helicopter uses modern technology. The cockpit includes an electronic system that provides radar, laser and infrared protection. Of course this helicopter has the ability to fly at night and in bad weather conditions.
This helicopter will soon replace the aging Agusta AS-61R helicopter, namely the main heavy search and rescue (SAR) helicopter and the Italian Air Force SAR combat helicopter.
Actually the name Caesar comes from Combat Search And Rescue or abbreviated CaeSAR. Thus the new HH-101A received an Italian symbolic designation with a double meaning.
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| HH-101A Caesar |
The HH-101A can carry 20 full troops, or 9 paratroopers along with six crew members. For combat missions, the helicopter can be equipped with 3 machine guns or a minigun.
Additional options such as armored seats and bulletproof goggles are available depending on customer requirements.
Like all new AgustaWestland helicopters, the Caesar has new rotor blades of an unusual shape. These rotor blades are referred to as BERP. This gives the helicopter increased lift and a higher maximum speed. As a result, this new helicopter has better maneuverability than its predecessor. Also the shape of the rotor blades prevents the rise of dust and mud splashes in desert or other types of terrain and provides a clear view not only for those on the ground but also for the pilot. But the most important advantage of the BERP design is the low noise level. This feature is especially important for special operations helicopters that are intended to operate primarily at night. No wonder Caesar was painted black.
Also the HH-101A has air-to-air refueling capability for longer distances. Even without air-to-air refueling the Caesar range is tough.
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| HH-101A Caesar |
