SEA KING HAR3/3A

The Westland Sea King HAR3 Search and Rescue helicopter entered RAF service in 1978. The aircraft is fitted with advanced all weather search and navigation equipment, as well as autopilot and onboard computer to assist positioning and hovering at night or in bad weather. In addition to four crew members, the HAR3 can carry up to six stretchers, or 18 x survivors. Under normal conditions, expect the HAR3 to have an operational radius of approximately 448 km (280 miles).

An early 1990s MoD report concluded that a total of 25 Sea Kings was required to ensure that SAR duties were carried out effectively and the Sea King HAR3A replaced the Wessex HC2 in the SAR role in 1996. An announcement was made in 1992 of an order for six more HAR3, to bring the total up to the required 25. Of these 25 aircraft, 16 are allocated for SAR duties in the UK, two in the Falkland Islands, three for conversion training and the remaining three form an engineering and operational pool.

RAF Sea King HAR3/3A are due to be phased out of service in 2017.

During March 2013 a £1.6 billion, 10 year contract was signed to provide a search and rescue helicopter service for the whole of the UK with Bristow Helicopters Ltd. Operations will commence progressively from 2015 and the service will be fully operational across the United Kingdom by summer of 2017 when the RAF and Royal Navy will withdraw from SAR operations. Sea King HAR3/3A will then be retired.

Bristow Helicopters will operate a mixed fleet of 22 helicopters from 10 locations around the UK. Sikorsky S92 aircraft will be based at the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) locations at Stornoway and Sumburgh, and at new locations at Newquay, Caernarfon and Humberside airports. AW 189 aircraft will be based at Lee on Solent, Prestwick, St Athan, Inverness and Manston. These bases will ensure maximum operational coverage across the UK.

The UK Government states that “Helicopters will be able to reach a larger area of the UK search and rescue region within one hour of take off than is currently possible, and based on historic incident patterns we estimate that there will be an overall 20% improvement in flying times, with the average flight time reducing from 23 minutes to 19. Presently, approximately 70 percent of high and very high risk areas are reachable within 30 minutes. Under the new contract, approximately 85 per cent of the same areas are reachable within this time frame”.
 

In service with:

Both 22 and 202 Squadrons have 8 x Sea King HAR3/3A helicopters. Numbers of aircraft (our estimates) have been allocated to flights for rounding-up purposes.

Photo Copyright Alasdair Taylor