Product Description
The Westland Sea King performed a variety of roles during its 49 years of service with the UK defence forces, including anti-submarine warfare (ASW), search & rescue and troop transport. Regarded as a stalwart of British skies, this icon of the air is in fact a license-built derivative of the American Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King. However, the Westland built Sea Kings differ significantly from their American cousins due to the integration of British equipment. Selected by the Royal Navy to replace the ageing Westland Wessex in the ASW role, the first Westland built example took to the air in 1969 before entering Royal Navy service at the height of the cold war. Seeing action in the Falkland and Gulf wars as well as service in the Balkans, Iraq and Afghanistan; the dependable Sea King would continue to prove it’s worth for decades. Despite continuous upgrades throughout its life, by the 2010’s the airframe was beginning to be superseded in its various roles and the end was nearing. The final variant in service, the ASaC.7, would touch down for the final time on the 26th September 2018 at HMS Sultan. Although now retired from UK service, the Westland Sea King continues to be operated by several nations across the globe, a testament to the versatility of the airframe.