UK Royal Navy Primed to Receive First Lynx Wildcat

AgustaWestland is poised to hand over the first maritime variant of the Lynx Wildcat to the UK Royal Navy.

The Anglo-Italian airframer confirms the service will accept the helicopter, which carries the military registration ZZ397, in the week beginning 17 December. Three further deliveries will take place by April 2013, says AgustaWestland.

"Factory-delivered training" for Royal Navy instructors is progressing, says the airframer, and should be completed by next April, when the first four aircraft will enter operational service.

The navy has a total of 28 of the Honeywell/Rolls-Royce LHTEC CTS800-4N-powered Lynx Wildcats on order, with deliveries due to be completed by January 2015. Flightglobal's Ascend Online Fleets database reveals the British Army will receive a further 34, five of which have already been delivered.