[Vehicle] Flying Kitties! (Lynx Helicopter Series Update)

[Rhino]

(Click to Enlarge)

Hey Guys! As part of my grand "Type 21 Frigate" project for PR:Falklands, I needed to make the correct version of the Lynx (the HAS.2) to operate from its flight deck, based off of PR's existing Lynx AH.7 model. This, inevitably, lead to a total update and optimization of the original Lynx AH.7 and in turn the creation of the modern Lynx AH.9A variant of the Lynx.


British Army Air Corps Lynx AH.7

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PR players should all be very well acquainted with the Lynx AH.7 (Army Helicopter Mark 7) since it has been ingame as the British Army's Light Utility Helicopter since v0.85 (2009), but since then I have optimized and improved somewhat and they were actually quietly implemented into v1.5 last year, just other than the changelog it wasn't mentioned as the other versions of the Lynx were not finished enough for me to make this post.
Most of these changes are invisible or hard to notice but most of the changes have either decreased the overall load on the client's system to draw and load, while some have just made the vehicle look better with little or no extra load on the client's system. One of the most notable changes is the main texture resolution which have been increased from 1024x1024 to 2048x2048 (four times the texture size/detail) while only slightly increasing the overall memory usage from before with moving all the transparent parts off the main sheet and onto their own unique small sheet with only transparent parts on it.
New optimized & higher quality "Rotor Blur" textures were also made since the old rotor blurs used the main rotor's rotor blur for the tail rotor, missing the tail rotor's iconic red and white stripes from the blur.
There is a whole range of other small improvements and optimizations made but most of them I can't remember and are too small to be worth noting but the bottom line is that the Lynx does not only have a smaller impact on your hardware but also looks better than it did before v1.5, and all these optimizations have of course been passed on to the other mew versions below!

While the Lynx AH.7 was retired from service in 2015 it will still be found ingame but on historically older maps/layers, fulfil the same Light Transport/Utility Helicopter role as it did before. With both Temperate and Desert versions/skins, where the Desert version features the extra engine intake and exhaust sand/dust filters that the Temperate version does not and as before, it can be armed with two GPMG 7.62mm door guns.


Credits:
Model: Wybl, foul_killer & Rhino
Textures: Pride & Rhino
Export & Coding: TrahnLee & Rhino


British Army Air Corps Lynx AH.9A

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Design and Development
In late 2008 an "Urgent Operational Requirement" contract was undertaken by AgustaWestland to upgrade the Army's Lynx AH.9 aircraft to support operations in Afghanistan with integrating improvements developed for the new "AW159 Lynx Wildcat" which was still well in development, into the old airframe. This most notably included the new CTS800-4N engines (that were originally developed for the cancelled RAH-66 Comanche program but had been adapted for the Wildcat program), which transform the performance of the Lynx AH.9, producing 37% more power than the original engines, giving the AH.9A a significant increase in power, allowing it to operate in the extremely hot and high altitude conditions found in Afghanistan, and at the same time enabling it to carry more equipment. The Lynx AH.9A upgrade required modifications to be carried out to the main gearbox, top deck structure and rear fuselage to accommodate the new engines. On top of the new engines and other not so notable improvements include a port mounted, rapid-fire, M3M Heavy Machine Gun, seriously increasing the firepower from the previously mounted 7.62mm GPMG & a port, nose-mounted MX-10 IR Camera with laser range-finder/illuminator that is operated by the co-pilot.

In-Game
Ingame this helicopter will fulfil the same Light Transport/Utility Helicopter role for the British Army as the current Lynx AH.7, but will be featured on more modern maps/layers and is set to be included in update v1.6. The Co-Pilot will have full control of the nose-mounted MX-10 IR Camera with laser range-finder/illuminator & it can be armed with a rapid-fire M3M Heavy Machine Gun on its port side with 600 rounds of ammunition.

The ingame model is a modified version of PR's Lynx AH.7 and on top of the modifications mentioned above, the landing skids were removed and replaced with the new wheels and suspension system found on the AH.9, as well as many other smaller differences found between the AH.7 and AH.9/AH.9A variants.


Credits:
AH.7 Base Model/Textures: Wybl, foul_killer, Pride, TrahnLee & Rhino
Model Extras: Rhino
Texture Extras: Rhino
Export & Coding: Rhino


Fleet Air Arm Lynx HAS.2

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Design and Development
This was the initial Naval production version produced for the Royal Navy and the French Navy (known as the Mk.2 with a few small differences), first flying in 1972 and entered service with the FAA in 1981. The HAS.2 was powered by two Gem 2 engines and featured a tricycle wheeled undercarriage, folding main rotor blades & tail, a "harpoon" deck restraint system, an emergency flotation system & a nose-mounted British Sea Spray radar giving it an all-weather capability and the ability to target surface vessels with Anti-Ship Missiles. When deployed in the anti-submarine role, it could carry two torpedoes or depth charges. For anti-surface warfare, it could be equipped with up to four Sea Skua Anti-Ship Missiles although only two were often fitted to extend the operational range and endurance of the helicopter. A total of 60 Lynx HAS.2 were built for Royal Navy and 26 Mk.2 for the French Navy. The Lynx HAS.2 set the foundations for many later naval versions of the Lynx which has probably been the most deployed & successful Naval Helicopter of all time.

Operational History
The Lynx HAS.2 participated in combat operations during the Falklands War in 1982 in both Anti-Submarine and Anti-Surface Warfare, as well as the covert insertion of Special Forces into the islands by night. On the 3rd of May, a Lynx conducted the first combat-firing of a Sea Skua Anti-Ship Missile, firing on the Argentinian patrol boat Alferez Sobral, inflicting considerable damage to the vessel. This was the first use of sea-skimming missiles in the conflict. Although none were shot down in combat, a total of three Lynxes were lost aboard vessels that were struck by attacks from Argentine aircraft, these vessels being HMS Coventry, HMS Ardent and the SS Atlantic Conveyor.

In-Game
The Lynx HAS.2 will operate from the flight deck of the Type 21 Frigate & as such, will not be included ingame until the Frigate is. How exactly it will operate ingame I'm going to keep under wraps for now as things have yet to be finalized and I don't want to give too much away at this point but you can probably guess somewhat from the information and pictures above.

The ingame model is again a modified version of PR's Lynx AH.7 and on top of the modifications mentioned above, the landing skids were removed and replaced with a new tricycle wheeled undercarriage system (that differs from the Lynx AH.9A's), a modified nose, two versions of the Sea Skua Missile Racks & a modified cockpit with the co-pilot's radar screen.

(Click To Enlarge)

Credits:
AH.7 Base Model/Textures: Wybl, foul_killer, Pride, TrahnLee & Rhino
Modified AH.7 Textures: TheObscure & Rhino
Model Extras: Rhino
Texture Extras: Rhino
Export & Coding: Rhino


Argentine Naval Aviation Lynx Mk.23

(Click To Enlarge)

Design and Development
This was the Export version of the Lynx HAS.2 for the Argentine Naval Aviation (Spanish: Comando de la Aviacion Naval Argentina, COAN) with only a few minor differences & only two were built.

Operational History
The two COAN Lynx Mk.23s took part in the initial Argentine invasion and occupation of the Falkland Island in March 1982 as part of Task Force 40, with one lost in an accident on the ARA Santisma Trinidad (a Type 42 Destroyer) on the 2nd of May 1982.
They were grounded following the Falklands War due to British embargo on spares with the single surviving helicopter later being sold to Denmark.

In-Game
Again I don't want to give too much away here as to how you will see this ingame but you can probably guess somewhat from the information and pictures above. This will also not be included until the HAS.2 & the Frigate are released either.

The ingame model is a slightly modified HAS.2 with new diffuse textures, although it shares the same normal and spec textures as the HAS.2 to save memory.


Credits:
AH.7 Base Model/Textures: Wybl, foul_killer, Pride, TrahnLee & Rhino
Modified AH.7 Textures: TheObscure & Rhino
Model Extras: Rhino
Texture Extras: Rhino
Export & Coding: Rhino



Thanks for reading and stay tuned for more updates!

[Lorfah]

Simply beautiful. Awesome work, Rhino!

[[R-DEV]​Dr Rank]

Great work as always Rhino!

[AnimalMother.]

Might have to come back to PR to fly these! Love the Lynx gutted I missed working on them.

Is there much difference in handling between the 7 and 9A?


Future plans for a Wildcat as 9A has been retried?

[SShadowFox]

Are the Argentinians going to get a ship as well, or did you just put the missiles on the HAS.2 variant to show that they can fit those if the Argentinians do get a ship in the future?

Anyway, these are some very good looking models, always nice to have some new variants that add to the overall feel of the game. Looking forward to seeing those bad boys in-game.

[temexter]

Rock'n'roll

[Rhino]

Cheers guys!

Originally Posted by AnimalMother.

Might have to come back to PR to fly these! Love the Lynx gutted I missed working on them.

Hey Animal, when did you join the FAA?

Originally Posted by AnimalMother.

Is there much difference in handling between the 7 and 9A?

Currently, there isn't any engine code difference between the two so both will handle the same. At some point might look at making them slightly different but even thou the AH9A has 37% more power, it also has a lot more kit strapped to it and historically operated in Afghanistan where the air is thinner so its end performance wouldn't have been much better once you factor those bits in and don't think it is worth making a "_woodland" version for temperate climate maps either.

Originally Posted by AnimalMother.

Future plans for a Wildcat as 9A has been retried?

Shhhh, don't tell anyone
Was annoying as hell that as when Camo convinced me I should make the AH.9A it looked like it would stay in service for a few years yet then just as I had basically finished it, the MOD in their predictable wisdom announced it would be retired in a few months... Still even thou it is somewhat unrealistic for modern maps it is still the proper Lynx for Afghan ones.

As for making the Wildcat, I would like to and have thought about it but even thou I do have the engines made from the AH.9A, the entire fusalarge and the rest of it would all really have to be made from scratch including a new cockpit/1p model and all that is quite a lot of work when I have still yet to finish the Frigate etc so no, don't see myself making it unfortunately

Originally Posted by SShadowFox

Are the Argentinians going to get a ship as well, or did you just put the missiles on the HAS.2 variant to show that they can fit those if the Argentinians do get a ship in the future?

They aren't just for show

[solidfire93]

great work Rhino, keep it up

[AnimalMother.]

Originally Posted by Rhino

Hey Animal, when did you join the FAA?

Not sure if you’re being sarcastic but I haven’t, a hint in my signature. Army aviation.

Originally Posted by Rhino

Currently, there isn't any engine code difference between the two so both will handle the same. At some point might look at making them slightly different but even thou the AH9A has 37% more power, it also has a lot more kit strapped to it and historically operated in Afghanistan where the air is thinner so its end performance wouldn't have been much better once you factor those bits in and don't think it is worth making a "_woodland" version for temperate climate maps either.

Shame that maps don’t reflect altitude and temperatures, that would really make flying interesting in PR. As from speaking to pilots they raved about the difference in performance, especially in the UK or Europe. More so now on Wildcat. We’ve done 10,000ft asl hover.

Originally Posted by Rhino

As for making the Wildcat, I would like to and have thought about it but even thou I do have the engines made from the AH.9A... ...

Felt like a bit of a snap decision to disband 657 and bring an end to 9A. They were already earmarked to switch to WC by around 20/21.

You can also keep the main rotor head and blades [emoji38]



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[Rhino]

Originally Posted by AnimalMother.

Not sure if you’re being sarcastic but I haven’t, a hint in my signature. Army aviation.

Saw your location is now Yeovilton and put the two and two together since that is the home of the FAA, do the Army operate from there now too? Guess there is plenty of room for them to do so for the last 10 years

Originally Posted by AnimalMother.

Shame that maps don’t reflect altitude and temperatures, that would really make flying interesting in PR. As from speaking to pilots they raved about the difference in performance, especially in the UK or Europe. More so now on Wildcat. We’ve done 10,000ft asl hover.

Ye, would be a nice feature indeed. A shame the Army refuses to use the LMM on their Wildcat but I bet as soon as a war brakes out they will be strapping them on in next to no time.

Originally Posted by AnimalMother.

Felt like a bit of a snap decision to disband 657 and bring an end to 9A. They were already earmarked to switch to WC by around 20/21.

You can also keep the main rotor head and blades [emoji38]

Ye, most likely a cost-cutting exercise but one that did make a little sense (unlike most of them) since they could then take the engines from them and put them straight into the new WCs.

And didn't know the rotors where the same hehe