LYNX THE FINAL YEARS IN FRENCH SERVICE Delai:3 semaines AFM011

The Westland Lynx was the end result of a successful Franco – British cooperation that also produced the Gazelle, the Puma & the Jaguar. When introduced in 1978, it constituted a massive improvement over the older helicopters then in service with the French Navy for anti-submarine duties & quickly became a highly popular rotorcraft. It was considered to be robust, reliable, dependable & highly effective helicopter. Even more importantly, in difficult weather conditions, when winching survivors or fast roping commandos onto a ship, it was powerful, responsive & remarkably agile. From an asset specialising in anti-submarine warfare, it was soon turned into a multirole platform that proved incredibly versatile, performing an extremely wide rang of roles, at sea & from its various home bases. However after more than 40 years in service, the Lynx was an aging design & in August 2020 it was withdrawn from Aeronautique Navale service.