Skip to main content

AW189 Helicopter selected for UK Search and Rescue



AgustaWestland's AW189 has been selected to play a pivotal role in the provision of Search & Rescue (SAR) services in the United Kingdom.

Bristow Helicopters Ltd., which has been awarded the contract by the UK Department for Transport to provide SAR services to the UK for 10 years, has selected the AW189 SAR variant as one of the central platforms for its SAR programme.

In addition to the aircraft, AgustaWestland will provide related training, maintenance and support services. A total of 11 AW189s will be operated by Bristow in the UK, with a phased-in starting period between 2015 and 2017. The programme for AgustaWestland is valued at over 275 million euro.

The iconic Sea King, which has been operational for over 30 years, is currently providing the bulk of Search and Rescue missions in the UK alongside the AW139 which has undertaken the same role, primarily on Britain's south coast, for the Maritime & Coastguard Agency. 

The AW189 SAR helicopter is part of AgustaWestland's family of new generation helicopters that also includes the AW169 and AW139.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Eurofighter Typhoon vs Dassault Rafale

Eurofighter Typhoon is one of the worlds most advanced new generation multi-role/swing-role combat aircraft available on the market. With 707 aircraft ordered by six nations (Germany, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom, Austria and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia), and in service with all nations, the aircraft is Europe’s largest military collaborative program. Eurofighter Typhoon is the only fighter to offer wide-ranging operational capabilities whilst at the same time delivering unparalleled fleet effectiveness. When the RAFALE program was launched, the Armée de l’Air and the Marine Nationale (the French Air Force and the French Navy) published a joint requirement for a balanced multirole aircraft that would be able to replace seven types of combat aircraft then in use. Versatile and best in all categories of missions, the RAFALE is a true “force multiplier” This is what Dassault Aviation says about their pride and joy and it’s really interesting since they put too much emphasis on...
SPECTRA (Système de Protection et d’Évitement des Conduites de Tir du Rafale) is a integrated defensive aids suite for Dassault Rafale developed by Thales Group. Modern air warfare pose a different challenge on aircraft self-defense capabilities. SPECTRA provides complete automated system directly integrated into the Rafale. SPECTRA ensures efficient electromagnetic detection, laser warning, IR detection for missile warning, jamming and chaff/flare dispensing, even in the most demanding multi-threats environment. SPECTRA is divided into different modules and sensors strategically positioned throughout the airframe to provide all-round coverage. The latest advances in micro-electronic technology have led to a new system which is much lighter, more compact and less demanding than its ancestors in terms of electrical and cooling powers. All elements of the Thales SPECTRA system are built into the airframe, have high levels of automation and system integration. SPECTRA include...

Type 096 submarine can attack US homeland from China's coast

The Type 096, China’s third-generation nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, has given the PLA Navy the means to strike the continental United States from the Chinese coast for the first time, according to the Singapore-based Lianhe Zaobao. China is estimated to have four Type 094 Jin-class second-generation ballistic missile submarines. Together, those four submarines can carry 48 JL-2 submarine-launched ballistic missiles and 200 nuclear warheads, which is 35% of China’s nuclear arsenal. With an attack range of 6,000 kilometers, the JL-2 missile’s threat to American forces is confined to the Western Pacific. China is developing Type 096 Tang-class ballistic missile submarines to replace the Type 094 by 2020, according to a study from the Moscow-based Russian Military Analyst. By then, the PLA Navy is looking to have at least six Type 094 and Type 096 submarines operational. It will control 80 submarine-launched ballistic missiles with about 300 nuclear warheads. The ne...