AW101 Merlin HM.2
AgustaWestland / Leonardo · United Kingdom · first flew 2012 · helicopter
The Merlin HM.2 is the Royal Navy's three-engine anti-submarine helicopter, carrying dipping sonar, sonobuoys, and torpedoes, and distinguished by its folding blades and grey naval scheme from the RAF's olive-drab HC.3 troop carrier.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, rotary |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 3 × turboshaft, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Grey overall scheme with dipping sonar housing visible beneath fuselage amidships; HC.3 is olive drab with no sonar |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Folding main rotor blades and folding tail for carrier stowage — the HC.3 troop transport tail does not fold
- Grey overall scheme with dipping sonar housing visible beneath fuselage amidships; HC.3 is olive drab with no sonar
- Large chin-mounted Thales FLASH dipping sonar winch fairing and sonobuoy dispensers along lower fuselage
Three-engine sponsons and large five-blade rotor shared with all Merlin marks; the HM.2 is distinguished by its grey paint, folding tail and rotor, chin sonar housing, and the absence of cabin windows in the rear fuselage found on the HC.3.
Specifications
- The AW101 Merlin HM.2 has a length of 22.81 m (75 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 18.59 m (61 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 309 km/h (192 mph).
- Typical crew: 2 pilots + 1 observer + 1 sonar operator.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The HM.1 entered service with 700M NAS in 1998, replacing the elderly Sea King HAS.6 in the anti-submarine role. An Integrated Mission System upgrade programme delivered the HM.2 standard from 2012, with a new glass cockpit, updated mission computer, and improved acoustics processing.
Variants
The HM.1 was the initial production standard; the HM.2 upgrade added the new IMS with JTIDS/Link 16 datalink, improved FLIR, and a fully digital cockpit. The HC.3 and HC.4 are the RAF and Royal Navy troop-transport marks.
Where you'll see it
814, 820 and 824 NAS operate the HM.2 from RNAS Culdrose, deploying aboard Queen Elizabeth-class carriers and Type 23 frigates; the type routinely trails submarines across the North Atlantic and Norwegian Sea.
Related aircraft
- Leonardo AW149
- AW101 Merlin HC.3
- Leonardo AW169
- Airbus EC645 T2
- AS350B3e Écureuil
- Harbin Z-19 Black Whirlwind
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