Vector marks final UK Lynx helicopter Depth maintenance event
Above:
Members of the Vector Aerospace Lynx Team and senior representatives from Defence Equipment & Support, Joint Helicopter Command and Navy Command.
The event, which recognised the site's 37-year support of the UK Armed Forces' Lynx fleet, was attended by many of the people who have worked on the platform over the years, along with senior representatives from Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), Joint Helicopter Command (JHC) and Navy Command.
Throughout its life, the Lynx - which has held the official helicopter world speed record since 1986 - has undergone many modifications and upgrades, which the Fleetlands team have carried out on the UK Armed Forces' fleet in conjunction with scheduled maintenance routines. Since 2005, over 600 Depth maintenance events have taken place, reinforcing Vector Aerospace's reputation as a world leader in maintaining the Lynx helicopter family.
With the introduction of the Wildcat helicopter, the Lynx is now reaching the end of its operational life with the UK Armed Forces, and maintenance of this type will no longer be required by the Ministry of Defence (MoD).
Michael Tyrrell, Managing Director of Vector Aerospace UK, commented: "It is both a sad and a proud day to see the last of these aircraft leave the site. Although the UK Lynx fleet will keep flying until 2018, no additional Depth level maintenance events are anticipated. However, we shall continue to provide world-class support for international operators of the Lynx platform, as we have done in recent years for both the French Navy and the Portuguese Navy.
"The team here at Fleetlands has taken tremendous pride in supporting the UK's Lynx fleet, which has seen service with the Army Air Corps and Royal Navy in many theatres of operation, including the Falkland Islands, Northern Ireland, the Balkans, Iraq and Afghanistan, and which is still on active service around the world. Aircraft availability from Vector's Depth maintenance line has remained high throughout these operations, and we hope to be able to continue this long heritage of providing superior customer service for other MoD helicopter fleets in the future."