UPGRADE STUDY ANNOUNCED FOR ROYAL NAVY’S MERLIN HELICOPTER
FLEET
4 June 2003
HAVANT, United Kingdom – 4 June
2003 – Minister for Defence Procurement, Lord
Bach, announced today that Lockheed Martin UK
Ltd has been selected by the Ministry of Defence
for a two-year programme to assess possible
upgrades to the Royal Navy's Merlin HM Mk1
weapon system.
Westland Helicopters Ltd will be a strategic
partner in a powerful teaming for the assessment
phase of the Merlin Capability Sustainment Plus
Programme (Merlin CSP), worth approximately £18
million, which will evaluate obsolescence issues
and weapon system upgrades.
The precise scope of any future upgrades will
be assessed during the study programme, however
all aspects of the Merlin weapon system will be
examined such as the helicopter, ground support
and control systems as well as the support
structure including the sophisticated Merlin
University at RNAS Culdrose.
A major aim of the study will be to seek
whole life cost reductions moving to commercial
off the shelf (COTS) equipment and an open
system computer architecture which in turn will
allow for lower cost insertion of future
technology and system upgrades.
A particular area for study will be in
improving the human machine interface. As
mission systems become more versatile so the
need for intuitive interfaces increases.
Considerable attention will be paid to reducing
operator workload whilst making simultaneous
control of multiple and diverse missions a true
reality.
“The Merlin is a highly versatile
multi-mission helicopter which has given the
Royal Navy a major capability enhancement in
many areas. Indeed, only now is the potential of
the aircraft being realised,” said Ron
Christenson, Group Managing Director of Lockheed
Martin UK Ltd Integrated Systems. “By
undertaking this study the MOD
will avoid
high-cost, piece-meal future development or
sustainment activities and enhance Merlin’s
considerable potential in the maritime
battlespace of the future.
“Merlin’s upgraded missions systems will keep
the aircraft at the forefront of technology and
able to deal with emerging threats. Added to
these important benefits the whole-life costs
will be reduced and the overall reliability of
the systems will be increased substantially. In
addition the weight will be decreased thereby
allowing an enhanced payload or time on
station.”
Ron Christenson added: "Our strategic
partnership with Westland Helicopters Ltd makes
the team for leading Merlin CSP a strong one. We
are building on a close relationship forged over
more than a decade and our experience with the
aircraft, its missions systems, training and
support is second to none.”
Lockheed Martin UK, a unit of Lockheed Martin
Corporation, is a leader in systems integration
working on major programmes spanning the
aerospace, defence, civil and commercial sectors
with significant capabilities in the transport
infrastructure market. In the UK, Lockheed
Martin has annual sales in the range of £400-600
million working with more than 75 business
partners. Lockheed Martin employs approximately
1,000 people at over 10 UK facilities including
London, Havant, Southampton, Yeovil, Swindon,
Hertford, Bristol and Cornwall.
Notes to Editors:
1. Merlin HM Mk1 entered service in 1999 and
all 44 aircraft have been delivered to the Royal
Navy. The aircraft is normally deployed on the
Invincible Class aircraft carriers and Type 23
general purpose frigates.
2. Most recently three Merlins were deployed
on RFA Fort Victoria in support of Operation
Telic (Operations against Saddam Hussein’s
regime in Iraq).
# # #
Lockheed Martin Media Contact:
Chris Trippick
Landline: +44 (0) 207 798 2888
Mobile: +44 7905 356646
Email: chris.trippick@lmco.com
For additional information, visit our websites:
www.lockheedmartin.com
www.lockheedmartin.co.uk
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