AgustaWestland AW101

The **AgustaWestland AW101** is a medium-lift helicopter used in both military and civil applications. First flown in 1987 on Earth, it was developed by a joint venture between Westland Helicopters in the United Kingdom and Agusta in Italy in response to national requirements for a modern naval utility helicopter. Several operators, including the armed forces of Britain, Denmark, and Portugal, use the name **Merlin** for their AW101 aircraft.

## Description

The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) ordered 14 aircraft in 2003 to use in both the airborne mine countermeasures (AMCM) and transport roles. The AW101 was modified by Kawasaki Heavy Industries, and the Japan Defense Agency designated the model **MCH-101**. Special features include the automated folding of the rotor and tail. For the mine-hunting role, the MCH-101 has been outfitted with Northrop Grumman's AQS-24A airborne mine-hunting system and AN/AES-1 Airborne Laser Mine Detection System (ALMDS) for a complete surface-to-bottom mine detection capability, as well as Mk-104 acoustic mine sweeping gear.

In 2002, AgustaWestland, Kawasaki and Marubeni entered a general agreement for cooperation; Kawasaki began the assembly of both the CH-101 and the MCH-101 in 2003. Kawasaki also began licensed production of the RTM322 engines in 2005. In a separate agreement between Marubeni and AgustaWestland, a supply depot was established in Japan to support the MCH-101 and CH-101 fleets. The first MCH-101 was delivered to the JMSDF on 3 March 2006.

## Specification

### **General characteristics**

* **Crew:** 3–4
* **Capacity:**
	+ 26 troops (38 passengers) or 5 tonnes of payload or 4 stretchers (with sonar removed) for Merlin HM1
	+ 30 seated troops or 45 standing fully equipped combat troops, or 3,050 kg (6,724 lb) of internal payload, 5,520 kg (12,169 lb) of external payload, or 16 stretchers for AW101

* **Length:** 19.53 m (64 ft 1 in) fuselage
* **Height:** 6.62 m (21 ft 9 in)
* **Empty weight:** 10,500 kg (23,149 lb)
* **Max takeoff weight:** 14,600 kg (32,187 lb)
* **Powerplant:** 3 × Rolls-Royce Turbomeca RTM322-01 turboshaft engines, 1,566 kW (2,100 hp) each (take-off power)
* **Main rotor diameter:** 18.59 m (61 ft 0 in)
* **Main rotor area:** 271.51 m2 (2,922.5 sq ft)
	+ **root:** RAE 9651
	+ **tip:** RAE 9645/RAE 9634

### **Performance**

* **Cruise speed:** 278 km/h (173 mph, 150 kn)
* **Never exceed speed:** 309 km/h (192 mph, 167 kn)
* **Range:** 833 km (518 mi, 450 nmi)
* **Endurance:** 5 hours
* **Service ceiling:** 4,575 m (15,010 ft)

### **Armament**

* **Bombs:** 4× Sting Ray homing torpedoes or Mk 11 depth charges

### **Avionics**

* Smiths Industries OMI 20 SEP dual-redundant digital automatic flight control system
* **Navigation systems:**
	+ BAE Systems LINS 300 ring laser gyro, Litton Italia LISA-4000 strapdown attitude and heading reference system
* **Radar:**
	+ Selex Galileo Blue Kestrel 5000 maritime surveillance radar
* **ECM:**
	+ Racal Orange Reaper ESM
* **Sonar:**
	+ Thomson Marconi Sonar AQS-903 acoustic processor
	+ Active/passive sonobuoys
	+ Thomson Sintra FLASH dipping sonar array

## Service History

### Rodenius War Arc

First used in the New World as a VIP transport, it carried the Qua-Toynian naval officer Breweye towards the JS *Izumo* as an observer for the naval battle that what became later known as the Great Naval Battle of Rodenius wherein 1,400 ships of the Lourian Navy was sunk by 8 ships of the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF).