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| Westland Sea King |
Militarymedia.net | The Westland Sea King is a licensed version produced from the Sikorsky S-61. In 1961 the Sikorsky S-61 was adopted by the U.S. Navy as the H-3 Sea King. Westland Helicopters acquired the rights to manufacture the helicopter in the UK. The Westland Sea King first flew in 1969 and was adopted by the Royal Navy in 1970. It was also used by the Royal Air Force for search and rescue operations. Westland built about 340 Sea Kings for anti-submarine warfare, air early warning and assault transport roles. The helicopter has been exported to a number of countries, including Australia, Belgium, Egypt, Germany, India, Norway, Pakistan, and Qatar. Westland built the last Sea King in 1997. The Australian Navy retired the helicopter, but sea king is still operating with all other operators.
Although the Westland Sea King is a licensed production version of the Sikorsky S-61, it is equipped with British avionics and carries different ASW equipment than its American counterpart.
The helicopter has a waterproof hull. It has pontoons with floating bags, which gives the Sea King the ability to land on water.
Westland Sea King has a crew of 2 to 4, depending on the mission.
The Westland Sea King is powered by two Rolls-Royce Gnome H1400 turboshaft engines, each producing 1,400 shp. It is a licensed version of the General Electric T58. The Sea King HAS.5 is powered by a more powerful H1400-2 turboshaft, each producing 1,660 shp.
Some versions of this helicopter can carry a variety of loads underneath.
The Westland Sea King can carry four Mk.44, Mk.46 or Stingray torpedoes, or four depth payloads. The export version can carry Sea Eagle or Exocet missiles for anti-ship duty. The helicopter also has equipment for a variety of machine guns mounted on the door.
This naval helicopter has a transferable tail section. For storage under the carrier deck, the tail and main rotor blades are folded.
There are many versions and improvements of the King of the Sea of Westland. In the mid-1980s Westland teamed up with Agusta of Italy to develop a successor to the King of the Sea. Eventually it became AgustaWestland AW101, also known as Merlin.
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| Westland Sea King |
Westland Sea King Variant
Sea King HAS.1 is a basic anti-submarine warfare version of the Royal Navy, equipped with sonar and search radar. It first flew in 1969 and was adopted by the Royal Navy in 1970. These ASW helicopters are usually flown with four crew members. A total of 56 helicopters were built. Then many are converted to upgraded VERSIONS of HAS.2.
Sea King HAS.2 upgraded the anti-submarine version of the Royal Navy. It is based on the Australian Navy Mk.50. The helicopter is equipped with a more powerful Rolls-Royce Gnome H1400-1 engine, each producing 1535 shp. It also has a 6-blade tail rotor, improved avionics, improved navigation and communication equipment, new immersion sonar. A total of 21 of these helicopters were newly built, plus many were converted from older HAS.1 versions. Then some HAS.2 helicopters were changed to AEW.2 standards for air early warning tasks.
Sea King AEW.2 air early warning version, used by the Royal Navy. A total of 9 helicopters were converted from Sea King HAS.1 after a lack of early warning protection in the air was revealed during the Falklands War. The helicopter is equipped with Searchwater radar and its sonar has been removed. The helicopter is usually flown with three crew members, including the pilot and two bystanders.
Sea King HAR.3, a search and rescue variant, operated by the Royal Air Force. The helicopter carries extra fuel and has an additional observation window. A total of 19 helicopters were built.
Sea King HAR.3A, an improved version of HAR.3, is used for search and rescue. It's operated by the Royal Air Force. The helicopter is equipped with improved avionics. A total of 6 helicopters were built.
Sea King HC.4, also known as Westland Commando. This is an assault transport helicopter, used by the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm. The helicopter has a longer cabin and simplified undercarriage. It can carry 28 soldiers. A total of 42 helicopters were built. It has been used intensively to support British operations in the former Yugoslavia.
The Sea King HAS.5, an improved variant of anti-submarine warfare, was used by the Royal Navy. It was equipped with a more powerful Rolls-Royce Gnome H1400-2 engine, each producing 1,660 shp. The helicopter has upgraded ASW equipment and has supplies to use sonobuoys. It was adopted in 1981. A total of 30 new Sea King HAS.5s were built, plus about 55 were converted from previous versions.
Sea King HAR.5 search and rescue version, used by the Royal Air Force. It was a conversion of the anti-submarine warfare version of Sea King HAS.5 by removing ASW equipment. But the helicopter still has search radar.
Sea King AEW.5 airborne early warning version used by the Royal Navy. A total of 4 SEA King HAS.5s ASW helicopters were converted to this standard.
The Sea King HU.5 utility helicopter, used by the Royal Navy. It was converted from the advantages of the HAS.5 ASW helicopter.
Sea King HAS.6, an anti-submarine warfare version, is used by the Royal Navy. It installed a new avionics win. A total of 5 new ones were built, plus some were converted from previous versions. It launched all three Invincible-class light aircraft carriers.
Sea King HAS.6 (CR), a utility version used by the Royal Navy. Five of them were converted from has.6 ASW versions. The last utility helicopter retired in 2010.
Sea King AEW7, an air early warning helicopter. This is a conversion form of the previous Sea King AEW.2 and AEW.5 helicopters, which were equipped with Searchwater 2000 radar.
Westland Sea King Export variants
Sea King Mk.41 is the search and rescue version of HAS.1, used by the German Navy. Has a longer cabin. A total of 23 helicopters were delivered between 1973 and 1975. From 1986 a total of 20 helicopters were upgraded and equipped with additional nose radar and can carry Sea Skua anti-ship missiles.
Sea King Mk.42, an anti-submarine warfare version of Sea King HAS.1 for the Indian Navy. A total of 12 helicopters were built.
Sea King Mk.42A, an anti-submarine warfare version of Sea King HAS.2 for the Indian Navy. Only 3 are built.
Sea King Mk.42B, a multipurpose anti-submarine war and anti-ship version of the Indian Navy. It is equipped with sonar dips and can carry 2 Sea Eagle missiles. A total of 20 helicopters were dispatched.
Sea King Mk.42C, a search and rescue and transport utility version for the Indian Navy. 6 built.
Sea King Mk.43, the search and rescue version of Sea King HAS.1 for the Royal Norwegian Air Force. The helicopter has a longer cabin. A total of 10 machines were built.
Sea King Mk.43A, an upgraded version of the Royal Norwegian Air Force. Only one helicopter was built.
Sea King Mk.43B, an upgraded version of the Royal Norwegian Air Force. It has improved avionics, improved search radar, plus weather radar and FLIR towers. A total of 3 new helicopters were built and all remaining Norwegian Mk.43s and Mk.43As were upgraded to this standard.
Sea King Mk.45, an anti-submarine warfare version of Sea King HAS.1 for the Pakistan Navy. The helicopter has provisions to carry exocet anti-ship missiles. A total of 6 were built.
Sea King Mk.47, an anti-submarine warfare version of Sea King HAS.2 for the Egyptian Navy. A total of 6 were built.
Sea King Mk.48, the search and rescue version, based on Sea King HAS.2 for the Belgian Air Force. It has an extended cabin. In total there are five built. It was delivered in 1976.
Sea King Mk.50, a multi-role version for the Australian Navy. This is the sea king equivalent of HAS.2. A total of 10 were built.
Sea King Mk.50A, an upgraded multi-role version of the Royal Australian Navy. That's a follow-up order. Two helicopters were delivered in 1981.
Sea King Mk.50B, an upgraded multi-role version for the Australian Navy.
Commando Mk.1, the assault and transport utility version for the Egyptian Air Force. It has a stretched cabin. This version retains buoyancy gears. Total fire built.
Commando Mk.2, an improved version of assault and transport utility for the Egyptian Air Force. It is equipped with a more powerful engine. A total of 17 were built.
Commando Mk.2A, the qatari Air Force's version of assault and transport utility. It is almost identical to the Egyptian Mk.2. A total of 3 were built.
Commando Mk.2B, VIP transport version for the Egyptian Air Force. A total of 2 were built.
Commando Mk.2C, VIP transport version for qatar Air Force. Only one was built.
Commando Mk.2E, an electronic warfare version for the Egyptian Air Force. A total of 4 were built.
Commando Mk.3 anti-ship version for the Qatar Air Force. It can carry two Exocet missiles. A total of 8 were built.
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| Westland Sea King |
