AgustaWestland's Farnborough week got off to a flying start yesterday, when the chief of the Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO), Air Vice Marshal Yahya Al Juma, unveiled the Super Lynx 300 destined for service in the country.
The aircraft on show this week is one of 16 ordered by the Omanis and is a multi-role variant of the Super Lynx 300 equipped to carry out roles including utility, troop transport, armed escort, search and rescue, maritime patrol and border security. Oman will deploy its fleet in a different way to most operators. RAFO aircraft will be land-based, but will perform maritime roles as required.
The variant is equipped with a nose mounted FLIR and chin mounted 360¡ radar for surveillance.
The aircraft features a wire-strike protection system, defensive aids suite and a cabin mounted auxiliary fuel tank for long range missions. The glass cockpit common to the Super Lynx 300 aircraft is equipped with new crashworthy armoured crew seats and a head up display. The Omani aircraft are the first Super Lynx to be fitted with a new generation Health and Usage Monitoring System (HUMS) and a data transfer device.
PAUL DERBY
Source: Flight Daily News
