Magic wand: RN Merlin force expands its repertoire [Content preview Subscribe to Jane s Navy International for full article]

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1 Magic wand: RN Merlin force expands its repertoire [Content preview Subscribe to Jane s Navy International for full article] The Merlin HM.2 helicopter is finding itself in increasing demand on the UK Royal Navy's front line. Richard Scott finds out how the type has performed in its first two years of service, and looks at what the future holds for the Merlin force In June 2016, two years after the UK Royal Navy (RN) declared initial operating capability (IOC) with the Merlin HM.2 helicopter, Lockheed Martin UK Integrated Systems will hand over the last of the 30 aircraft that have been brought up to HM.2 standard under the Merlin Capability Sustainment Programme (MCSP). Even before delivery of this final aircraft, it is apparent that the updated Merlin is winning plaudits on the front line, and finding itself in high demand across a range of missions: the last 18 months have seen the HM.2 perform across a range of roles in 10 different named operations worldwide. At the same time, significant effort is being invested at Royal Naval Air Station (RNAS) Culdrose - home to the RN's four Merlin squadrons - to regenerate core carrier-based anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capability in preparation for the arrival of the two new Queen Elizabeth-class (QEC) aircraft carriers. Three Merlin HM.2 helicopters from 820 Naval Air Squadron deployed to Sierra Leone on RFA Argus in October 2014 to support the Ebola relief effort. Here, a Merlin lifts urgent supplies for a support camp to be built near a community care centre in Kumala. (Ministry of Defence/Crown Copyright) Page 1 of 8

2 Across all this there is a growing consensus that, far from marking the onset of middle age, the MCSP embodiment represents a starting point for a continued capability evolution that could see the 'grey' Merlin fleet - as distinct to the 'green' Merlin support helicopters recently arrived in the Commando Helicopter Force - serve well beyond the type's officially mandated 2029 out-of-service date (OSD). Indeed, operators, capability managers, and programme officials in government and industry acknowledge that they are now looking at a horizon stretching out to MCSP delivery Lockheed Martin UK Integrated Systems was contracted to deliver the MCSP in December Valued at GBP807 million (USD1.16 billion) overall, the programme was conceived to resolve obsolescence issues in the Merlin HM.1 aircraft through to OSD, to introduce an open architecture mission system, and to better configure the aircraft to meet emerging missions. The MCSP contract scope has covered the upgrade of 30 existing Merlin HM.1 helicopters to the HM.2 standard, flight trials and delivery of release to service (RTS), the upgrade of the Merlin Training System at RNAS Culdrose, factory training provision, and associated upgrades for a variety of mission and ground support equipment. Key features of the Merlin HM.2 include the implementation of an open-architecture mission system, a substantial uplift in mission system processing capability, a new cockpit avionics suite, and improved radar and acoustic processing capabilities. Page 2 of 8

3 The MCSP has introduced new rear cabin mission consoles featuring a 24-inch primary tactical display, a 12-inch interactive display unit and a 12-inch touchscreen unit. Drop-down menus and Windows-style display formats are adopted to reduce crew workload and present a far more intuitive HMI. (Richard Scott/NAVYPIX) Externally indistinguishable from the Merlin HM.1, the improved HM.2 variant embodies a major avionics and tactical system upgrade 'under the skin'. The avionics system is re-architectured around a full duplex Ethernet aircraft data network and new aircraft management computers. Key features include the implementation of a new NVG-compatible glass cockpit (based on five 12-inch [1,024x768 pixel] XGA multifunction flat-panel displays and two touchscreen units), a modified navigation suite (with dual attitude, heading, and reference system; embedded GPS/inertial navigation system; standby GPS; and a new air data system), and new communications (comprising SATURN V/UHF radios, HF radio, and a new intercom system). The MCSP programme introduces a new NVG-compatible 'glass' cockpit. (Richard Scott/NAVYPIX) As for the tactical system, the MCSP introduces an open architecture mission system, based on a tactical Ethernet network, with a new tactical management system computer and updated tactical functionality. Two new mission consoles are installed in the rear cabin, with the dual 12-inch displays used in the HM.1 replaced by a Barco 24-inch (1,920x1,200 pixel) primary tactical display, a 12-inch (1,024x768 pixel) interactive display unit, and a 12-inch (1,024x768) touchscreen unit. Other changes include an improved Leonardo-Finmeccanica Blue Kestrel surveillance radar (incorporating a new digital signal processor conferring synthetic aperture radar/inverse synthetic aperture radar (SAR/ISAR) modes and improved track-while-scan performance), an updated sonics processing suite from Thales (featuring new shallow water detection and tracking algorithms, a common acoustic processor to handle both active dipping sonar and sonobuoy Page 3 of 8

4 processing, and a digital VHF sonobuoy receiver), and a new solid-state DiRECT HR mass storage and recording system supplied by Saab. From the operator perspective, the standout feature of the MCSP is a new human machine interface (HMI), which uses large-screen flat-panel colour displays, drop-down menus, and Windows-style display formats to reduce workload and afford a far more intuitive HMI. The latter has been a particular focus for development, with an RN observer embedded with Lockheed Martin's MCSP team to guide development. Merlin HM.2 deliveries to 824 Naval Air Squadron (NAS), the Merlin operational training unit at RNAS Culdrose, began in March NAS converted from the HM.1 to the HM.2 in the latter half of 2013, followed by 829 NAS and 814 NAS. The latter unit completed a final HM.1 deployment in November 2014, converting to the HM.2 in February Pivot point According to Rob Ziemba, Lockheed Martin UK Integrated Systems' programme director, military solutions delivery programmes, 2016 is a pivotal year for the Merlin programme. "MCSP completes, with delivery achieved ahead of schedule and under budget, and Crowsnest demonstration and manufacture comes on contract. We are also continuing to work [System Release 8] retrofits, and progressing towards the introduction of TAS [Traffic Advisory System] and Multi-Static Active [MSA] upgrades into the aircraft." These two new upgrades address very different requirements. The first is the fleetwide introduction of TAS, embodied in the form of the commercial-off-the-shelf Avidyne TAS605A system. "The number one [safety] risk to Merlin is a mid-air collision," explained Tony Tite, Lockheed Martin UK Integrated Systems' maritime programmes director, who is overseeing the retrofit. "TAS provides aural and visual alert to the pilot of other air traffic in the vicinity, with a small sensor display in the cockpit showing altitude and azimuth separation. A trials installation is going into the penultimate MCSP aircraft in mid-2016, with the plan for release to service at the end of this year." Page 4 of 8

5 A Merlin HM.2 helicopter from 829 Naval Air Squadron launches a Sting Ray training torpedo off the Cornish coast. 829 NAS parents small ships' flights operating from a number of Type 23 frigates. (Ministry of Defence/Crown Copyright) Tite is also managing the development and delivery of an improved sonobuoy processing capability that will introduce enhanced buoy monitoring (increasing the number of channels from eight to 32) and MSA processing techniques. "The sonics upgrade, for which we went on contract in late 2013, is leveraging MSA capability development previously undertaken by Ultra for the Nimrod maritime patrol aircraft programme," he explained. "We are now bringing that capability into Merlin." Continuing evolution While 2029 remains an officially sanctioned OSD, there is a growing expectation that the Merlin HM.2 - or a further upgraded variant thereof - will serve through to circa "We are getting round the table with our customer, the operators, and the wider Merlin stakeholder community to discuss how we take the programme forward," said Ziemba. "So yes, MCSP is coming to a close, but this is not the end, more a note in the diary. We are building on a 25-year legacy [the original Merlin prime contract was awarded by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to what was then IBM-ASIC back in October 1991] and opening up a new chapter." Under a Continuing Design Services contract, Lockheed Martin will deliver iterative software updates for the HM.2 tactical mission system on a quarterly basis. "This is a model that has been used very successfully in the RN's Sea King Airborne Surveillance and Control [SKASaC] force," Tite told IHS Jane's. "It means that we can respond to 'pull' from the operator community, reflecting both 'lessons learned' and addressing the 'want list' from the front line." Page 5 of 8

6 On the front line There is no disguising that the original Merlin HM.1 polarised opinion. Acquired as an ASW helicopter - or 'pinger' - to replace the Sea King HAS.6, it subsequently proved its credentials as a genuine multimission maritime patrol helicopter. Indeed, the post-cold War diminution of the ASW role for which it was originally conceived saw the Merlin HM.1 tasked to perform a much wider range of tasks on the front line, including surface search, anti-surface warfare, force protection, vertical replenishment and intra-theatre lift. What Merlin also offered was a quantum leap in capability and versatility, with the ability to 'swing' roles in flight and multitask to meet the demands of the force commander. However, the less happy side to the early chapters of the Merlin story was a reputation for poor serviceability and chronic spares shortages. Early years were dogged by availability issues, in large part the consequence of early life expiry of certain line items well in advance of their predicted hours, and the wide range of different modification states extant within the fleet. According to Commander Darran Goldsmith, Merlin Force Commander at RNAS Culdrose, these issues are very much a thing of the past. "We know the aircraft better, we know where we need the spares, and the return loop via IMOS [Integrated Merlin Operational Support] is much quicker," he explained. "Operators trust the aircraft. They can shut it down in full confidence that it will flash up again." In his role as force commander, Cdr Goldsmith is effectively combining four separate responsibilities: as senior operator, he is delegated to manage the operational safety case and operating risk; as a business change manager, he oversees the introduction and transition of MCSP system releases and subsequent modifications (including Crowsnest); as force generation authority, he is responsible to Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Aviation & Carriers) for delivering capability at readiness to meet operations and contingencies; and as Merlin 'tribal chief', he provides command direction to the four squadrons. "Merlin has found itself very much in the public eye, and the diversity of missions the aircraft is being asked to do really speaks for itself," he told IHS Jane's. "For example, three aircraft from 814 Naval Air Squadron were embarked on HMS Bulwark last summer as part of Operation 'Weald' to help with the migrant crisis in the Mediterranean. "That came on the back of 820 deploying to Sierra Leone on RFA Argus to help with the Ebola relief effort. The three HM.2 aircraft were worked hard, delivering much needed stores, people, and medical supplies to inaccessible outlying villages. "This operation really demonstrated the adaptability of the aircraft. We took out the dipping sonar, sonobuoy carousels, and mission console to free up the cabin for cargo and personnel." Alongside a more flexible and inherently reconfigurable air vehicle, the MCSP has also delivered a significantly improved mission system into service. "It is a much more user-friendly system, with improved fidelity of systems and a very intuitive HMI," Cdr Goldsmith said. "So for example, the sonics picture is much cleaner. The display is [in] full colour, with very sharp image presentation. "Operators now have access to imaging radar modes. So when EO/IR is fitted, you can now match that picture to the ISAR image. Page 6 of 8

7 "And an important change [from the HM.1] is that you can now get access to most mission system information in the cockpit." Another important MCSP deliverable is the update of the Merlin Training Facility at RNAS Culdrose. "Training takes about two years from the student walking through the door to getting onto the front line," said Cdr Goldsmith. "It's about 12 months from joining 824 Naval Air Squadron to going operational. "Training has changed substantially. The system is much more adaptable, [so] we can change the syllabus and modify the simulators much more easily. Exercise 'Deep Blue' in June 2014 saw the Merlin HM.2 demonstrate its readiness for operations. The exercise, for which nine HM.2 aircraft were embarked on HMS Illustrious, also signalled a return to sustained, high tempo carrier air group operations. (Ministry of Defence/Crown Copyright) Numbers game Lockheed Martin's original MCSP contract included an option for the modernisation of up to eight additional aircraft and mission systems. In the event, these 'orphan eight' were dropped as part of the MoD's 2009 Planning Round to yield a saving of GBP65 million as part of the MoD's in-year Equipment Examination. However, given the anticipated demands on the Merlin force going forward, NCHQ, DE&S, and Lockheed Martin have for some time been examining options to bring some if not all of these now stored HM.1 aircraft up to the HM.2 standard. Lockheed Martin's Ziemba confirmed that the company has provided a range of costed options addressing a number of airframe and mission Page 7 of 8

8 system combinations. "It's a live discussion," he said, adding, "It's more than just a price, we have a number of business models. What we are trying to do is understand the [fiscal] environment in which the RN is operating so we can help them with the business case." A computer-generated image of Merlin HM.2 helicopters operating from HMS Queen Elizabeth. The Merlin Force is being re-oriented and re-brigaded to support future carrier task group operations. (Aircraft Carrier Alliance) For the full version and more content: IHS Jane's Defence Industry and Markets Intelligence Centre This analysis is taken from IHS Jane s Defence Industry & Markets Intelligence Centre, which provides world-leading analysis of commercial, industrial and technological defence developments, budget and programme forecasts, and insight into new and emerging defence markets around the world. IHS defence industry and markets news and analysis is also available within IHS Jane s Navy International. To learn more and to subscribe to IHS Jane s Navy International online, offline or print visit For advertising solutions contact the IHS Jane s Advertising team Page 8 of 8