Westland Lynx The Westland Lynx is a British multi - purpose military helicopter designed and built by Westland Helicopters at its factory in Yeovil . Originally intended as a utility craft for both civil and naval usage , military interest led to the development of both battlefield and naval variants . The Lynx went into operational usage in 1977 and was later adopted by the armed forces of over a dozen nations , primarily serving in the battlefield utility , anti - armour , search and rescue and anti - submarine warfare roles . The Lynx was the world ' s first fully aerobatic helicopter . In 1986 a specially modified Lynx set the current Fédération Aéronautique Internationale ' s official airspeed record for helicopters . The Westland 30 was derived from the Lynx as a civil utility helicopter , however it was not a commercial success and only a limited number were built . In the 21st century , a modernised military variant of the Lynx , designated as the AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat , as multirole combat helicopter scheduled to enter service in 2014 . The Lynx remains in production under AgustaWestland , the successor to Westland Helicopters . Development . Origins . The initial design ( then known as the Westland WG . 13 ) was started in the mid - 1960s as a replacement for the Westland Scout and Wasp , and a more advanced alternative to the UH - 1 Iroquois . As part of the Anglo - French helicopter agreement signed in February 1967 , the French company Aérospatiale were given a work share in the manufacturing programme . Aérospatiale received 30 % of production with Westland performing the remainder . It was intended that France would buy Lynxes for its Navy and as an armed reconnaissance helicopter for the French Army , with the United Kingdom in return buying Aérospatiale Gazelle s and Puma s for its armed forces . The French Army cancelled its requirement for Lynxes in October 1969 . The original Lynx design was powered by two Rolls - Royce Gem 2 turboshaft engines , and used many components derived from the Scout and Wasp . However , the rotor was new , being of a semi - rigid design with honeycomb sandwich blades . The first Lynx prototype took its maiden flight on 21 March 1971 . In 1972 , a Lynx broke the world speed record over 15 and 25 km by flying at . It also set a new 100 km closed circuit record shortly afterwards , flying at . The British Army ordered over 100 Lynxes , designated the " Lynx AH . 1 " ( " A " rmy " H " elicopter Mark 1 ) , for different roles , such as transport , armed escort , anti - tank warfare ( with eight TOW missiles ) , reconnaissance and evacuation . The Army has fitted a Marconi Elliot AFCS system onto the Lynx for automatic stabilisation on three axes . Deliveries of production Lynxes began in 1977 . An improved Lynx AH . 1 with Gem 41 - 1 or Gem 42 engines and an uprated transmission was referred to as the " Lynx AH . 5 " ; only five were built for evaluation purposes . The AH . 5 led to the " Lynx AH . 7 " , which added a new tail rotor derived from the Westland 30 , a reinforced airframe , improved avionics and defensive aids . These later received upgrades such as British Experimental Rotor Programme ( BERP ) rotor blades . The initial naval variant of the Lynx , known as the " Lynx HAS . 2 " in British service , or " Lynx Mk . 2 ( FN ) " in French service , differed from the Lynx AH . 1 in being equipped with a tricycle undercarriage and a deck restraint system , folding main rotor blades , an emergency flotation system and a nose - mounted radar . An improved Lynx for the Royal Navy , the " Lynx HAS . 3 " , had Gem 42 - 1 Mark 204 engines , an uprated transmission , a new flotation system and an Orange Crop ESM system . The Lynx HAS . 3 also received various other updates in service . A similar upgrade to the French Lynx was known as the " Lynx Mk . 4 ( FN ) " . Many different export variants based on the Lynx HAS . 2 and HAS . 3 were sold to other air arms . In 1986 , the former company demonstrator Lynx , registered " G - LYNX " , was specially modified with Gem 60 engines and BERP rotor blades . On 11 August 1986 the helicopter was piloted by Trevor Egginton when it set an absolute speed record for helicopters over a 15 and 25 km course by reaching 400 . 87 km / h ( 249 . 09 mph ) ; an official record with the FAI it currently holds . Super Lynx and Battlefield Lynx . Announced in 1984 , the " Lynx - 3 " was an enhanced Lynx development , with a stretched fuselage , a redesigned tailboom and tail surfaces , Gem 60 - 3 / 1 engines and a new wheeled tricycle undercarriage . The Lynx - 3 also included BERP rotor blades , and increased fuel capacity . Both Army and Naval variants were proposed . The project was ended in 1987 due to insufficient orders . Only one Army Lynx - 3 prototype was built . A development of the Lynx AH . 7 with the wheeled undercarriage of the Lynx - 3 was marketed by Westland as the " Battlefield Lynx " in the late 1980s . The prototype first flew in November 1989 and deliveries began in 1991 . This variant entered British Army service as the " Lynx AH . 9 " . In the early 1990s , Westland incorporated some of the technology from the Naval Lynx - 3 design into a less - radical " Super Lynx " . This featured BERP rotor blades , the Westland 30 - derived tail rotor , Gem 42 engines , a new under - nose 360 - degree radar installation and an optional nose - mounted electro - optical sensor turret . Royal Navy Lynx HAS . 3s upgraded to Super Lynx standard were known in service as the " Lynx HMA . 8 " , and several export customers ordered new - build or upgraded Super Lynxes . Later , Westland offered the " Super Lynx 200 " with LHTEC CTS800 engines and the " Super Lynx 300 " , which also had a new cockpit and avionics derived from the AgustaWestland EH101 . Both of these models have achieved several export sales . Future Lynx / Lynx Wildcat . The British Army and Royal Navy Lynx fleets are due to be upgraded to a new common advanced Lynx variant based on the Super Lynx 300 , with a new tailboom , undercarriage , cockpit , avionics and sensors . Initially referred to as the Future Lynx , then Lynx Wildcat , this type has since been renamed as the AW159 Wildcat . Design . The Lynx is a multi - purpose helicopter design with a side by side cockpit for pilot and observer . It features a large sliding crew door on each side giving access to the cabin which can be used to accommodate up to nine equipped troops dependent on seating configuration , or alternatively radio equipment when used in the command post role or surplus fuel for long journeys . Its twin Rolls - Royce Gem turboshaft engines power a four - blade semi - rigid main rotor system . The Lynx is an agile helicopter , capable of performing loops and rolls . Operational history . The Lynx Mk . 2 ( FN ) entered service with the French Navy ' s Aviation navale in 1979 . The Lynx AH . 1 entered service with the Army Air Corps ( AAC ) in 1979 , followed by the Lynx HAS . 2 with the Fleet Air Arm ( FAA ) in 1981 . The FAA Lynx fleet was upgraded to Lynx HAS . 3 standard during the 1980s , and again to Lynx HMA . 8 standard in the 1990s . Most Army Lynx were later upgraded to Lynx AH . 7 standard . , the AAC operate the Lynx AH . 7 and AH . 9 as utility helicopters . Army owned Lynx AH . 7 and AH . 9 are also in service with the FAA where they operate as attack / utility helicopters in support of the Royal Marines . Lynx HAS . 3 and HMA . 8 operate as anti - submarine warfare and maritime attack helicopters equipped with the Stingray torpedo , Sea Skua anti - ship missile and depth charge s from Royal Navy warships . HAS . 3 and HMA . 8 are also capable of anti - trafficking and anti - piracy roles when carrying boarding parties and when fitted with the FN Herstal M3M pintle mounted heavy machine gun . The HAS . 2 naval ASW variant took part in combat operations in British service during the Falklands War in 1982 . Although none were shot down , three were lost aboard vessels hit in Argentine air attacks ( HMS " Coventry " , HMS " Ardent " and MV " Atlantic Conveyor " ) . Lynx helicopters used the Sea Skua to devastating effect against the Iraqi Navy during the 1991 Gulf War . The Lynx also saw service with British Army forces during that conflict . In September 2000 the Lynx was used during an operation to rescue British soldiers in Sierra Leone . The Lynx was used during the invasion of Iraq in 2003 . It has also seen extensive service during peacekeeping operations and exercises , and it is standard equipment for most Royal Navy surface combatants when they deploy . A British Lynx from 847 Naval Air Squadron was shot down over Basra , Iraq on 6 May 2006 . The helicopter was downed by a surface - to - air missile ( using a Man Portable Air Defence System ) killing all five on board . This was the first British helicopter and only the second British aircraft downed ( the first was an RAF Hercules ) due to enemy fire in the war . A flight of either AAC or RM Lynx AH . 7s were based at Basra Air Station under command of the Joint Helicopter Force ( Iraq ) on a rotational basis , but are restricted operationally during the summer months due to the very high daytime temperatures which affect lifting capacity and endurance dramatically . The Super Lynx has been used extensively by the Portuguese Navy in Operation Ocean Shield . It operates from NRP Alvares Cabral and has been fitted with a FN M3M 12 . 7 mm machine gun . On 28 February 2011 , one Royal Netherlands Navy Naval Aviation Service Lynx was captured in Libya during an evacuation mission . Three navy personnel were taken prisoner by Libyan troops and two civilians were evacuated by other means . Variants . Derivatives . NOTES : AH = Army Helicopter , HAS = Helicopter , Anti - Submarine , HMA = Helicopter , Maritime Attack , IFF = Identification Friend or Foe , ( GM ) = Gulf Modification , ( S ) = Secure speech radio , and SIFF = Successor to IFF .