Westland Sea King HAS.1

Westland Helicopters · United Kingdom · first flew 1969 · helicopter

The Westland Sea King HAS.1 was the initial British anti-submarine warfare variant of the licence-built Sikorsky S-61, equipping the Royal Navy's front-line helicopter squadrons from the early 1970s.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	High-mounted, rotary
E — Engines	2 × turboshaft, fuselage-mounted
F — Fuselage	17.02 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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Spot it by:

British licence-built Sikorsky S-61 for Royal Navy ASW
Distinctive boat hull with retractable undercarriage
Sonar dome, sonobuoys and torpedoes for submarine hunting

Boat hull with sponsons, large five-blade main rotor, and characteristic chin radome distinguish the Sea King from the contemporary Wessex; the HAS.1 lacks the later marks' more prominent radomes.

Specifications

The Westland Sea King HAS.1 has a length of 17.02 m (56 ft).
It has a wingspan of 18.9 m (62 ft).
Its maximum speed is 230 km/h (143 mph).
Typical crew: 4.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Westland built the Sea King under licence from Sikorsky, incorporating British avionics including Plessey Type 195 dipping sonar and Marconi AW391 search radar. The HAS.1 entered Fleet Air Arm service in 1969 and proved highly capable in the ASW role during the Cold War.

Variants

Later marks included the HAS.2, HAS.5 and HAS.6 with progressively updated sensors; the AEW.2 added airborne early-warning radar following the Falklands conflict. The Sea King is genuinely central to UK military aviation history.

Where you'll see it

A defining aircraft of the Royal Navy's Cold War anti-submarine capability; also operated by several export customers including India, Pakistan and Norway.

Related aircraft

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