Article Posted on : - Jul 03, 2014

Lynx Mk21A helicopter. Photo: AgustaWestland

AMSTERDAM (BNS): The Brazilian Navy has signed a contract for a major midlife upgrade of eight Lynx Mk21A helicopters.

The contract signed with AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica Company, is valued in excess of US$160 million (euro 117 million).

The upgrade activities will begin in mid-2015 at the Company's plant in Yeovil, U K, with the first helicopter scheduled to be delivered back to the customer in the autumn of 2017.

The complete batch of upgraded aircraft is planned to be delivered by early 2019, according to AgustaWestland.

The contract includes replacement of the aircraft's engines with the CTS800-4N product from LHTEC, navigation, displays suite and mission avionics besides a comprehensive support and training package.

These upgrades will give Brazil's Naval Aviation a significant improvement in its capabilities, with better performance, operational range and aircraft mission effectiveness.

The new generation CTS800-4N engines, already used on the British Army Lynx Mk9A, the Super Lynx 300 and the AW159, will provide the helicopters with major performance improvements in hot and high environments, enabling increased payload and an extended area of operation.

A new glass cockpit will be complimented by an advanced avionic suite comprising a tactical processor, satellite based navigation system, traffic collision avoidance system, instrument landing system, radar warning receiver/electronic surveillance measures integrated with countermeasures dispensers and a full Night Vision Goggle compatible cockpit, together with a new electrically powered rescue hoist.