File:RAF Merlin HC3A Helicopter of No28 Sqn MOD 45154033.jpg

Original file (3,000 × 2,000 pixels, file size: 3.69 MB, MIME type: image/jpeg)

Summary

Description
English: A Royal Air Force Merlin HC3A helicopter is pictured during a training flight over Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire.

The Merlin (Bird of prey) HC3 and HC3a are operated by No.28 (AC) Squadron and 78 Squadron at RAF Benson.

No.78 Squadron was re-formed on 3 Dec 07 to allow for the increase in aircraft after the purchase of the 6 Danish Merlin HC3a earlier in 2007.

The Merlin is the first of a new generation of advanced, medium support helicopters for the RAF. It is an all weather, day and night, multi-role helicopter used in both tactical and strategic operational roles.

The aircraft carries an impressive defensive-aids suite, which includes a Radar and Laser Warning Receiver, Missile Approach Warners and Directional Infrared Countermeasures equipment, all integrated with an automatic chaff and flare dispensing system.

This is one of the most comprehensive defensive aids suites fitted to any helicopter in the world. To ensure accurate navigation anywhere on the globe, the aircraft’s management computers take data from its laser-gyro, inertial-navigation platform and its doppler system and from air data sources, and combine the information with precise position data received from Global Positioning System satellites.

Navigation at night is enhanced by the crew’s use of display night-vision goggles and by the aircraft’s multi-function turret, which can be fitted with forward- looking infrared radar. To increase the aircraft’s range, the Merlin can be equipped with extended range fuel tanks and is capable of air-to-air refuelling, although this option is not currently used by the RAF. It is also fitted with an active vibration-damping system, which reduces the level of noise and vibration inside the cabin to a level no greater than that of a turboprop aircraft. As a result, crew fatigue is much reduced during long transits and airframe life is increased.

  • Organization: RAF
  • Object Name: Ben-unclass-20120625-538-225
  • Category: MOD
  • Supplemental Categories: Equipment, Aircraft, Helicopters, Merlin
  • Keywords: merlin, raf, hc3a, benson, squadron, 28 sqn, 78 sqn, training, Royal Air Force, Equipment, Helicopter, HC3
  • Country: UK
Date
Source
Author Cpl Phil Major ABIPP RAF
Permission
(Reusing this file)

Images are downloadable at high resolution, made available at http://www.defenceimagery.mod.uk for reuse under the OGL (Open Government License).

When reusing, credit the photo as "Photo: Cpl Phil Major ABIPP RAF/MOD"

Licensing

Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom
This file is licensed under the Open Government Licence version 1.0 (OGL v1.0).
Attribution:Photo: Cpl Phil Major ABIPP RAF/MOD
You are free to:
  • copy, publish, distribute and transmit the Information;
  • adapt the Information;
  • exploit the Information commercially for example, by combining it with other Information, or by including it in your own product or application.
You must, where you do any of the above:
  • acknowledge the source of the Information by including any attribution statement specified by the Information Provider(s) and, where possible, provide a link to this licence;
  • ensure that you do not use the Information in a way that suggests any official status or that the Information Provider endorses you or your use of the Information;
  • ensure that you do not mislead others or misrepresent the Information or its source;
  • ensure that your use of the Information does not breach the Data Protection Act 1998 or the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003.

See the Open Government Licence page on Meta-Wiki for more information.

Captions

Add a one-line explanation of what this file represents

Items portrayed in this file

depicts

25 June 2012

File history

Click on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time.

Date/TimeThumbnailDimensionsUserComment
current22:12, 26 June 2013Thumbnail for version as of 22:12, 26 June 20133,000 × 2,000 (3.69 MB)== {{int:filedesc}} == {{information |description={{en|A Royal Air Force Merlin HC3A helicopter is pictured during a training flight over Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire. The Merlin (Bird of prey) HC3 and HC3a are operated by No.28 (AC) S...

The following 2 pages use this file:

Metadata