AW EH-101 Merlin, Development, Variants and Projects

[riggerrob]

This may sound daft but, as a non pilot it's struck me it may have relevance. How do all these weight claims relate to the ability to auto rotate on power loss? I understand slung loads can be dumped quickly but hot and high (Like in Afghanistan etc) I can se it being quite important.

How does EH101 hot-and-high performance compare with UH-60 Blackhawk, CH-47 Chinook, CH-53K and competing Russian helicopters.
Let's try to limit this part of the discussion to lightly-equipped pure cargo versions.

 

[totoro]

What I am looking for is empty weight of a pure transport variant, like HC3 variant.

The original EH-101 was advertised with a 8,600kg basic empty weight, or 9,300kg equipped in civilian Heliliner or military utility version. MTOW 14,600kg.

The equipped RAF/RN versions were heavier, 10,300kg (RAF HC3) or 10,500kg (RN HM1). Canada’s SAR Cormorants were similar, ~10,100kg equipped.

Newer AW101 with the increased MTOW of 15,600kg are slightly heavier than the original EH-101s. Over 11,000kg equipped for the Norwegian SAR birds. The utility version should be around 9,600kg empty equipped, extrapolating from the brochure’s payload range diagram.

Thanks for your reply. Do you have any idea why would a design go from 8600 kg to 10300 kg, though? (HC3 variant?) Most other transport helicopters seem to have a better ratio of empty to max take off weight. So what's the deal with AW101? Is it designed to fly for thousands of flight hours more than other helicopters? In a way, is it overengineered and made sturdy to last a long time, which could explained why it's heavier?

Is it designed to have a much longer range than most other helicopters, which could again cause weight to be added for additional fuselage material to hold all that extra fuel?

Is it designed to have its landing gear retract? And is that something that might require hundreds of kilos more in weight, compared to helicopters with fixed landing gear? (ultimately again a way to achieve long range)

Or some other reason you can think of?

 

[Hood]

I think its most likely because its design DNA was based on its main role as a naval ASW helicopter rather than a tactical transport helicopter.

Yes the undercarriage retracts.

Basic empty and equipped weights are not necessarily the same thing. The calculations will involve counting different items fitted to the airframe for equipped weights.

Definitions vary according the weight classification:

Basic Empty Weight (BEW) - weight of the aircraft "as built" and includes the weight of the structure, power plant, furnishings, installations, systems and other equipment that are considered an integral part of an aircraft before additional operator items are added for operation.

Manufacturer's empty weight (MEW)/Manufacturer's Weight Empty (MWE)/Licensed Empty Weight - the weight of the aircraft "as built" and includes the weight of the structure, power plant, furnishings, installations, systems and other equipment that are considered an integral part of an aircraft. This excludes any baggage, passengers, or usable fuel.

Operating empty weight (OEW) - the basic weight of an aircraft including the crew, all fluids necessary for operation such as engine oil, engine coolant, water, unusable fuel and all operator items and equipment required for flight but excluding usable fuel and the payload.

Maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) - the maximum weight at which the pilot of the aircraft is allowed to attempt to take off.

Regulated takeoff weight (RTOW) - depending on different factors (e.g. flap setting, altitude, air temperature, length of runway), RTOW or maximum permissible takeoff weight varies for each takeoff. It can never be higher than MTOW.

Maximum landing weight (MLW) - the maximum weight at which an aircraft is permitted to land.

Maximum ramp weight (MRW)/maximum taxi weight (MTW) - the maximum weight authorised for taxiing or towing an aircraft on the ground.

Aircraft gross weight - the total aircraft weight at any moment during the flight or ground operation. This decreases during flight due to fuel and oil consumption.

 

[RavenOne]

Anyhow go ahead has gone ahead for RCAF Cormorant mid life upgrade to Leonardo under 1 billion contract

https://www.leonardo.com/en/press-release-detail/-/detail/23-12-2022-leonardo-awarded-1-billion-can-€690-million-contract-for-the-aw101-ch-149-cormorant-sar-helicopter-mid-life-upgrade-cmlu-project

First time I saw the Cormorant was Farnborough Airshow 2 and half decades ago (my pics below)



cheers

 

[ArtosStark]

First time I saw the Cormorant was Farnborough Airshow 2 and half decades ago (my pics below)

I am lucky enough to see them fly over my workplace near every day.

 

[Hood]

Crowsnest IOC should be this year (hopefully - only 2 years late...).
10 kits with 5 fitted at any one time. The RN wants a UAV replacement for 2030, but this does feel ambitious but probably ties in with the mini-EMALS system, HMS QE will probably be due a big refit by then to fit that.

Crowsnest Airborne Surveillance and Control due to achieve Initial Operating Capability in 2023 | Navy Lookout

www.navylookout.com

 

[hesham]

From Aviation magazine 1987.

 

[RavenOne]

Thought i had posted these years ago but i attended the launch of the RNoAF NAWSARH (Norwegian All Weather SAR Helo) back in may 31st 2016 at Yeovil. The /ac unveiled was actually the second airframe while the first one was outside performing a fly by for us so here are my photos from that day.

cheers

 

[RavenOne]

Fast forward two years and Farnborough Air Show 2018, fully equipped 7th or 8th NAWSARH SAR Queen we had the brief on the full caapbilities one of which was the ability of the aircrew to zero in on say a trapped victim under show, or obstruction , ravine by tapping into their mobile/smart phone for exact position. Here are my photos again

So in essence the Cormorant MLU is this

cheers

 

[timmymagic]

Looks like an order for 22 troop carrying AW-101 is on the way from Poland...presentation from Polish Air Force General...this is in addition to the 4 for the Polish Navy that are already on order.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1661640802777300992

View: https://twitter.com/Gabriel64869839/status/1661640802777300992

 

[riggerrob]

From Aviation magazine 1987.

The French-language text refers to "New Shipboard Aircraft" because AW 101 was proposed as a replacement for the Royal Canadian Navy/Canadian Armed Forces Sikorsky Sea King, anti-submarine helicopters.
Ottawa dithered for many years and the process took 40-odd years to purchase replacements for Canadian Sea Kings. Sea Kings had been in service for 50 years by the time they finally retired to be replaced by Sikorsky S-92 .... but that is a story for another day.

 

[timmymagic]

Leonardo have landed another AW101 order, plus upgrade contract. Unfortunately no numbers given.

Leonardo and Kawasaki Heavy Industries sign contract for additional MCH-101 helicopters and the start of a mid-life update programme for the type in Japan

www.leonardo.com

Press Release Text

Leonardo and Kawasaki Heavy Industries sign contract for additional MCH-101 helicopters and the start of a mid-life update programme for the type in Japan​

Paris 20 June 2023 13:01
The MCH-101 is a licence-built version of the world-class Leonardo AW101 helicopter, operated by the Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force
The signing coincides with Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI), Leonardo, and Marubeni Aerospace Corporation celebrating a 20-year partnership in the helicopters market

Leonardo and Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) signed a contract for additional MCH-101 naval helicopters for the Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF), and it marked the start of a mid-life update (MLU) programme for the type in Japan. The MCH-101 is a license-built version of the Leonardo AW101 helicopter. The signing, which follows the order for one aircraft placed in 2022, was made as Leonardo, KHI, and Marubeni Aerospace Corporation celebrate a 20-year partnership in the helicopter market and the Japanese AW101 programme.
The JMSDF has ten MCH-101s for mine countermeasure and transportation missions and three CH-101s for utility transport used to support Japan’s Antarctic research activities, ensuring commonality within the fleet. The update programme, which launched this year, will see a batch of aircraft updated to the latest avionics configuration for the MCH-101, aligned to the new helicopters’ configuration and enabling the enhancement of the JMSDF’s operational effectiveness.
For two decades, Leonardo, Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Marubeni Aerospace have collaborated on the MCH-101, with KHI as the prime contractor and Leonardo providing technical support for the platform. Marubeni Aerospace Corporation acts as Leonardo’s Distributor and is responsible for spares, ground support equipment and services.
Gian Piero Cutillo, Managing Director of Leonardo Helicopters, commented: “We are proud of our close partnership with Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Marubeni Aerospace and today we are excited to celebrate this important milestone and contract. It emphasises the AW101’s important role in Japan’s defence, as well as the outstanding capabilities it delivers among operators worldwide.”
Adam Clarke, Managing Director of Leonardo Helicopters UK, said: “This contract demonstrates the key role that Britain’s only helicopter manufacturer plays in global defence. Through this significant partnership with Japanese industry, exports from Leonardo’s helicopter business are contributing millions of pounds to the UK economy. We look forward to many more years working together, creating important technologies to help the customer deliver a range of challenging missions.”
Kenya Takaha, Executive Senior General Manger, Marketing Division Aerospace System Company at Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI), said: “We are proud that Japan's MCH-101 programme was able to launch additional procurement with the latest specifications and the MLU. Japan, the United Kingdom, and Italy all have this excellent platform. We anticipate that there may be common operational requirements in each country, and the introduction of common equipment on the platform can effectively contribute to strengthening the defence capabilities of each country.”
KHI delivered the first AW101 aircraft to the JMSDF on 24 May 2006. In 2015 the first Airborne Mine Counter Measures equipped MCH-101 was delivered to the JMSDF. The AW101/MCH-101 primary task is Airborne Mine Counter Measure and is one of only two helicopter types capable of towing the AN/AQS-24A, the only operationally-proven, high-speed airborne mine hunting system in the world. The unique 3-engine configuration allows for safe operations when towing at low altitude and slow speeds. The first aircraft entered operational service in 2016 and the operator achieved more than 25,000 flight hours in 2021.
Leonardo’s helicopters have been in operation in Japan since the mid-1980s in a number of key programmes. Today there are some 160 Leonardo helicopters of different types in service with the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF), Coast Guard, Police and Fire Service, with specialised operators for medical and commercial services.