Before heading to the NATO Tiger Meet 2024 exercise at Schleswig-Jagel, Airspeed Media had the opportunity to visit the German Marine base at Nordholz Naval Airbase, Lower Saxony to speak with two pilots who fly the Westland Sea Lynx Mk88.
History of the Sea Lynx with the German Navy
The German Navy Naval Air Arm, Marinefliegerkommando, comprises of fixed wing aircraft, Lockheed-Martin P-3C and Dornier Do228, and rotary aircraft including the Westland Sea King, Sea Lynx Mk88A, NH-90 NTH Sea Lion and NH-90 NFH Sea Tiger, with their main operating base being at Nordholz in Lower Saxony, Northern Germany.
The first of the twin engine Westland Sea Lynx Mk88 was manufactured in 1981 and a total of 19 were built for the German Navy with seven more being ordered in 1996 to an upgraded version, the Mk88A. In 1998 the Mk88 fleet were upgraded to the Mk88A standard. In 2009, Germany was studying a limited upgrade program for their Super Lynx fleet, this reportedly included the replacement of the anti-ship missile. In 2013, the German Defence Ministry signed a contract with Selex ES to integrate new electro-optical/infrared sensors onto the Super Lynx.
The Sea Lynx is due to continue its role until the NH Industries NH90 NFH Sea Tiger replaces it in 2026. The Sea Tiger will be an upgrade in capabilities and due to commonality with the NH-90 NTH Sea Lion will decrease the maintenance cost.
Role of the Sea Lynx
The Sea Lynx introduced Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) and Anti-Surface Warfare (ASuW) from a helicopter platform to the German Navy. The Sea Lynx has embarked upon the Frigate class ships where they have the capacity to house two of these 4.5t helicopters. It is not only the ASW and ASuW roles that the Sea Lynx is able to provide to the German Navy but it can be employed as a Search and Rescue asset and complete transport of personnel and cargo from ship to shore and vice versa. The Sea Lynx crew usually consists of three soldiers: the pilot, the co-pilot and an operator, who operates the sonar and other systems. A total of 18 naval aviators are on board a frigate to fly and maintain the two helicopters embarked.
In the ASW role the Sea Lynx can be equipped with the L-3 Communications AQS-18D depth variable dipping sonar and two torpedoes, type mk46 or type MU-90. Guided by the Frigate the Sea Lynx can act in pairs in the approximate submarine target area with one helicopter hovering using the dipping sonar whilst the second carries the torpedoes, awaiting the order to employ the weapon on the target.
The secondary tasks of for the Sea Lynx include being on standby for the Search and Rescue (SAR) role to aid with the rescue of personnel who have fallen overboard. The movement of personnel from ship to shore/ship is not only for visits or leave but the Sea Lynx is also utilised by boarding teams. This involves both helicopters embarked, one helicopter carries the boarding team whilst the other provides armed overwatch with an FN M3M .50 machine gun.
Recent German Navy Sea Lynx Mk88A deployments since the year 2000
- Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) - The German Navy Sea Lynx carried out patrols in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden monitoring shipping and additionally to prevent Al Qaeda fighters escaping to Somalia from various countries bordering those areas.
- Operation Active Endeavour - NATO ships patrolling the Mediterranean and monitoring shipping to help deter, defend, disrupt and protect against terrorist activity after 9/11.
- VJTF/SNMG – With two Sea Lynx embarked involved in support of NATOs VJTF(M) (Very High Readiness Joint Task Force Maritime) as part of the SNMG’s (Standing NATO Maritime Groups), this has seen a continuous operational focus for MFG-5s Sea Lynx’s. Various Frigates have been used in support of VJTF (M) where the two Sea Lynx’s are embarked for periods of three months. The VJTF deployments are within the old Cold War stomping grounds patrolling the Atlantic and the Baltic Sea.
- European Union (EU) Operation ATALANTA – Operational area around the Horn of Africa to provide protection for vessels of the World Food Programme and prevention and suppression of acts of piracy.
- Operation IRINI – support of the EU led operation to monitor the UN arms embargo against Libya.
- Operation ASPIDES – The German Navy mission in the Red Sea, led by the EU, to protect international shipping from Iranian backed Huthi rebels in Yemen. Two Sea Lynx are deployed aboard a Frigate class ship to provide air defence. During this deployment in 2024 a Sea Lynx crew were directed to engage an Uncrewed Surface Vessel and were able to destroy it using the 0.50 Caliber heavy machine gun. The ‘kill’ marking can be found on the port side of Sea Lynx 83+15.
Interview with Lieutenant Captain Patrick
Patrick, would you be able to tell us your journey into becoming the accomplished Sea Lynx pilot you are with MFG 5?
(Be aware that my story is a bit special because I was originally an air force-guy. But the Basic timeline is the same for Navy-Pilots)
I joined the forces as an Airforce-soldier in 2010. I had to do the basic training and officers-School in the first year. August 2011, I started to study in Munich (Air and Space Technologies). In 2015 I left the university with my master’s degree. 2015/2016 I was at Wittmund airbase and worked as technical officer for the Eurofighter. I never wanted to end up working on an Airframe- I wanted to fly them! So, I finally made it to get a spot in the helicopter-School. I did the basic academics in Buckeburg, Germany before I was sent to the USAACE (US Army Aviation Centre of Excellence) at Ft. Rucker, AL, USA (today it’s called Ft Novosel). I learned to fly on Bell TH67 (Bell 206) and did my basic warfare-skills school on OH-58 “Kiowa”. After I got my US-Army Wings I was sent to HAATS (High Altitude Army Training Site) in Colorado for a mountain flying course on Eurocopter UH 72 “Lakota”. When I came back to Germany I had to wait for my type-rating on the Sikorsky CH-53. But as the Commander of Airforce decided that there will no longer be a Type-Rating course for CH53 I got the chance to fly the new H145M LUH SOF (BK117 D2-M). I flew for 2 years as an Airforce pilot before I took the decision to switch branches. In 2020 I was allowed to go to the Navy and start the pilots-school for Sea Lynx. It was a new beginning, and I lost all my “seniority” as I had to start from zero. In flight school we started our VFR and IFR Rating. After that we learned to fly all the different roles for the Lynx. The highlight was the Deck-Landing-Qualification. The final check ride to become a LCR (Limited Combat Ready) Pilot was in the beginning of 2022. After passing the final check ride I was sent to the 3rd Squadron. From that moment on I am a part of the #bestsquadrononEarth
I already took part in 3 different embarkations since then e.g. VJTF and ASPIDES and can’t wait to go out again and do my best to help our ship to fulfill its Mission.
How many personnel are attached to MFG 5 and to the Sea Lynx?
At Nordholz there are around 2500 personnel. Roughly 1200 personnel are in MFG5. The squadron has got enough personnel to conduct all necessary operations and deployments, although we are always in need of new pilots and operators, especially as we will operate the NH 90 Sea Tiger with four instead of three soldiers in the near future.
How often do the crews fly the different Sea Lynx missions?
Normally everybody who is part of the Squadron will be on an embarkation for about 3 months per year. This depends on the number of missions/exercises that the Navy is completing. Every Pilot and Operator must fulfill the Training-Program every year to be able to take part in every mission.
Photos by M. Stroud
How are the crews chosen for each type once they have completed basic training?
In the past there was a selection after the basic training for helicopter-pilots based on their performance and character. Nowadays the HR of the German Armed Forces pick the Airframe that a Pilot will fly after the Basic Training. But because of the fact, that the Sea Lynx will be out of service a few years, the number of students is not high anymore. There will be only 2 more courses for the Sea Lynx with maximum of four Pilots until 2026. I don’t know how they will select future pilots regarding if they will fly Sea Lion or Sea Tiger. All Sea Lynx Pilots will complete training for the Sea Tiger.
What is the usual crewing for the different roles for the Sea Lynx?
The standard crewing is 2 Pilots and 1 Operator but for ASuW and SAR there can be a need for an extra operator.
Where are the training areas and how close are they to Nordholz?
The main training areas are the North and Baltic Seas. The North Sea training is only five minutes flight-time away. The distance to the Baltic Sea takes about 40 minutes flying time. For all land-based training we have areas inside the Airport-Area and in close vicinity.
What are the maintenance hours for the Sea Lynx?
It is around 8 hours per flight hour maintenance (the scheduled maintenance is not included; also unplanned events are not considered)
Photos by A. Parker
Tiger Meet 2024 interview with Lieutenant Captain Sebastian
This year’s NATO Tiger Meet was held at Schleswig-Jagel AB in northern Germany. We had the opportunity to speak to Sea Lynx pilot Lieutenant Captain Sebastian to ask how the opportunity arose for the Sea Lynx to attend Tiger Meet for the first time and what role it played in this yearly NATO exercise.
What was the role of the Sea Lynx in Tiger Meet?
The Sea Lynx MK88A operated together with the Aviation légère de l'armée de Terre (ALAT) Helicopters, mainly the NH Industries NH90 as a troop transport and light support helicopter. Equipped with the heavy machine gun (M3M, 12.7mm/0.5 cal) the Sea Lynx provided Air-to-Ground cover for the NH90 while dropping or picking up personnel. When flying together with Aerospatial Gazelle and Eurocopter Tiger helicopters, the Sea Lynx was also used to transport personnel, mainly special forces such as CSAR (Combat Search And Rescue – in German “Kampfretter”) or JTAC (Joint Terminal Attack Controller). You could say, we were involved in less maritime tasks, but on the other hand the before mentioned operations are still part of our capabilities which must be trained.
How many crews were involved in Tiger Meet?
We operated one airframe (Side number 83+02) with a detachment of eleven soldiers, consisting of three pilots, one operator and seven technicians, including one technical officer. This small detachment operated the helicopter reliably without any technical failures throughout the two-week exercise.
What learnings from TM 24 have been brought back to the squadron?
Since this was manly an exercise focusing on land-based operations we cooperated mostly with the ALAT and exchanged TTPs (Techniques, Tactics and Procedures) with them. One of the procedures we need to train more often in the future is “PR” – “personnel recovery”. This describes rescuing downed pilots possibly behind enemy lines with a standardized NATO-procedure. This could always become a task for an embarked Sea Lynx crew during a deployment. One other lesson learned is, that flying as low as possible will prevent you from being seen on your enemy’s radar. This of course is not something we didn’t know before, but the ALAT demonstrated low flying on a different level to us and we are eager to train and fly there procedures as well, in the near future.
But the most important learning for me was, that NATO works. Although there are differences in the regulations and the procedures for each and every country, the mindset is always the same: We are only stronger together. Everybody I met was always willing to work together with you to find a solution and bring the mission to a successful outcome. And that common mindset bridges all the gaps and differences between the nations and results in one strong force.
How are these learnings disseminated to the squadron?
Besides the regular report about the whole exercise there were some tasks identified which we think should make it into our AOP (Aircraft Operating Procedures). This can be procedures, aircraft limitations or checklists. Once these possible changes have been written down as a draft, tested and evaluated by experienced pilots they might be implemented into a new version of the AOP for Sea Lynx or the standardized procedures for all German Naval Aviation squadrons. Smaller findings or changes/adaptions of regulations can also be distributed via a “CIF-note”, a short notification via the (digital) Crew Information Folder, that every crew member must check before every flight. And of course there are the participants, who can always tell the rest of the squadron about lessons learned and procedures we learned.
Cooperation is another possibility to improve the aforementioned “new” procedures and tactics. We agreed to stay in close contact with the ALAT for future training and the German CSAR-crews (“Kampfretter”) are stationed only 20 flight minutes away from Nordholz in Schortens, near Wittmund.
Was this the first time the Sea Lynx has been involved in TM?
Yes. As far as we know, it has been the first time ever that any German Naval Aviation squadron participated in a Tiger Meet.
What were the challenges when participating in TM? How were they overcome?
Usually new aspirants of the NATO Tiger Meet community send an observer for the first year to figure out how this whole exercise is organized, find all the contacts, get an overview over all the social events and just have a general idea on how to integrate aircraft and personnel into the more than 60-year-old tradition of NTM. We were given the opportunity to directly participate with an aircraft and skip the observer part. So, all in all it was a combination of improvising and adapting, fast learning process and quick integration into existing structures. The whole exercise is mainly focused on jet aircraft, but the helicopters also play a vital role. We maintained a close coordination and cooperation with the FRENCH ARMY since they provided the only other helicopter assets during NTM24. Being integrated in a major air exercise (COMAO = Combined Air Operation) with more than 50 aircrafts flying was also something totally new to us. But we were supported perfectly by our French comrades and the hosting “51 Tigers” as well. Whenever there were some questions or requests, we always got an immediate answer or were told who to contact for further information. We never felt alone or as “the new guy” since we were fully integrated since day one of the exercise.
Was there an opportunity to fly in other aircraft whilst at TM?
We offered our available seats in our helicopter during some missions to other squadrons and the NTA (NATO Tiger Association). Since the ALAT NH90 wanted to practice some naval flying as well, I got the chance to fly with them and support them in flying over the North Sea, landing at Heligoland (only German communication possible with the airfield) and maintaining all necessary distances to environmental protection zones. It was a beneficial cooperation for both sides. Unfortunately, we (helicopter pilots) do not have the necessary (German) medical clearance to fly in a combat jet. So that was unfortunately not an option.
We would like to thank Lieutenant Captain Sebastian, Lieutenant Captain Patrick and the Public Affairs department at Nordholz AB for the access and interviews.
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