Westland Helicopters
WS-61 Sea King
The Westland WS‑61 Sea King is a twin‑engine, anti‑submarine and transport helicopter developed in the early 1960s by Westland Helicopters under licence from Sikorsky. First flown on 22 September 1962, the type entered Royal Navy service in 1967 as the primary naval search‑and‑rescue and anti‑submarine platform, later spreading to the Royal Air Force, British Army and numerous export customers. Its airframe is built around a spacious, watertight fuselage with a hinged rear ramp, allowing rapid loading of troops, cargo, or stretchers. Two powerful Bristol Proteus turboshaft engines give a maximum speed of 140 knots and a range exceeding 600 nautical miles, while the rotors feature a distinctive five‑blade main rotor that provides excellent lift in hot‑and‑high conditions. Advanced avionics, including sonic and radar‑based sonar systems, enable effective submarine detection, and the helicopter can be equipped with torpedoes, depth charges, or a 30 mm cannon. The WS‑61 set operational standards for multi‑role naval helicopters, influencing later designs such as the Sea Hawk and the Merlin. Its long service life, adaptability to civilian SAR and offshore oil roles, and over 200 airframes built underscore its lasting impact on modern rotary‑wing aviation.
