Scott Nicholas
A U.K.-based General Dynamics subsidiary and the former AgustaWestland business unit of Leonardo-Finmeccanica have teamed up to develop and integrate a Link 16 datalink system into the first AW159 Wildcat helicopter export variant.
General Dynamics said Thursday its missions systems business in the U.K. worked with Leonardo Helicopters to install the datalink and provide a full command-and-control surveillance system on the helicopter.
The datalink-equipped AW159 export variant completed the standard conformance test by the Joint Interoperability Test Command in 2015, General Dynamics added.
Steve Rowbotham, General Dynamics Missions Systems – U.K. vice president, said the company will continue to develop Link 16 datalink systems and other avionic systems to cater to customers worldwide.
General Dynamics added it will also deliver tactical processors and security enhanced data transfer units to be installed on the first export variants of the AW159 export units.
The AW159 multirole, multimission maritime and utility helicopter was designed to support military and government operations and is equipped with fully integrated avionics and mission systems.
