page_title: Westland Sea King
section_title: Others
hierarchical_section_title: Westland Sea King / Operational history / Others
caption_attribution_description: An Egyptian Westland Commando Mk.1 helicopter on 16 June 1980.
context_page_description: The Westland WS-61 Sea King is a British licence-built version of the American Sikorsky S-61 helicopter of the same name, built by Westland Helicopters. The aircraft differs considerably from the American version, with Rolls-Royce Gnome engines, British-made anti-submarine warfare systems and a fully computerised flight control system. The Sea King was primarily designed for performing anti-submarine warfare missions. A Sea King variant was adapted by Westland as troop transport known as the Commando.
  In British service, the Westland Sea King provided a wide range of services in both the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. As well as wartime roles in the Falklands War, the Gulf War, the Balkans conflict, the Iraq War and the Afghanistan War, the Sea King is perhaps most well known in its capacity as a Royal Navy Search and Rescue and RAF Search and Rescue Force helicopter. The Sea King was also adapted to meet the Royal Navy's requirement for a ship-based airborne early warning platform.
  On 26 September 2018, the last remaining Sea King variant in Royal Navy service was retired.
context_section_description: Egypt is a prolific operator of the Sea King, using many different variants for a wide variety of purposes. In addition to operating ASW Sea Kings for coastal patrols, Egypt procured a land-based transport adapted from the basic Sea King, marketed by Westland as the Commando, including a VIP subvariant. An electronic warfare version was also deployed by the Egyptian Air Force, featuring sophisticated onboard jamming systems. As of 2011, 23 Sea Kings/Commandos remain in service with Egypt.
  The Qatar Emiri Air Force also operates Westland's Commando variant, as a standard utility transport for ground forces, a single one was also equipped specially to perform VIP transport duties. A few Qatari Sea Kings serve in an anti-shipping capacity and have been outfitted to carry, and deploy if required, two Exocet anti-ship missiles.
  Pakistan's Navy took delivery of six Mk.45 Sea Kings, a variant based on the Royal Navy's Sea King HAS.1 from 1975. It served in an combined anti-submarine and anti-ship role, carrying the Exocet missile as an alternative to the normal anti-submarine weapon load of four Mark 44 or Mark 46 torpedoes. One of Pakistan's Sea Kings was lost in an accident in February 1986, and was replaced by an ex-Royal Navy HAS.5, redesignated Mk.45C, in January 1989.
  The Belgian Air Force ordered five Sea King Mk.48s to perform Search and Rescue missions in 1974, which entered service in 1976. They were upgraded with new rotor blades in 1987–1988, and with revised avionics, including new radar and provision of a FLIR turret under the nose from 1995. In 2007 Belgium ordered eight NH90 helicopters in 2007, of which four were navalised NFH helicopters intended to replace the Sea Kings in the SAR role. Delays in delivery of Belgium's NH90s, together with an increased demand for the NH90s to operate from the Belgian Navy's frigates, resulted in the retirement date for the Sea Kings being pushed back to 2018. Three Sea Kings remained operational in 2017. Belgian Sea Kings had been carried out over 3300 SAR sorties by the end of 2016, with over 1750 lives saved. Belgium retired its Sea Kings in December 2018, with a final flypast on 19 December. Their SAR role was taken on by two NHIndustries NH90 NATO Frigate Helicopters (NFHs) flying out of Koksijde Air Base near the coast of Flanders. Two of the three Belgian Sea Kings will be bought by Historic Helicopters of Chard Equestrian, Somerset, which already owns five Westland helicopters having seen service with the Royal Navy or the RAF.
caption: Egyptian Commando Mk 1, June 1980
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