Westland Seaking

Westland Seaking Statistics

Westland Seaking
Type	Carrier-borne anti submarine/search and rescue/utility helicopter
Manufacturer	Westland Aircraft Ltd, Yeovil, Somerset, UK
Ordered	1973
Number purchased	12 (10 Mk 50, 2 Mk 50A)
First Delivered	1974
Last Delivered	1983
Weight	6,201 kilograms6,201,000 g 6.201 t 13,670.861 lb 218,733.838 oz (empty) 9,525 kilograms (loaded)
Dimensions	Wing Span: 18.9 metres (rotor) Length 22.15 metres Height: 5.13 metres
Engines	Two 1,500shp Rolls Royce Gnome H 1400 shaft turbine engines
Performance	Initial Rate of Climb: 3,000 ft/min Ceiling: 14,700 ft Speed: 230 kph Range: 925 kilometres
Armament	May be fitted with door mounted Mag 58 machine gun 4 Mk44 or Mk 45 torpedoes (external) in ASW configuration

Workhorse of the RAN's fleet the Sea King is a large and very versatile helicopter with the ability to pick up loads heavier than a Land Rover. The aircraft can operate day and night, in good weather and bad at low level over the sea and over land.

The roles of the Sea King are:

• Delivery of people and provisions between ships and from ships to the shore.
• Search and rescue missions.
• Detection and reporting of hostile shipping.
• Army support when the Army moves from ships to shore.

Two Sea King helicopters land at Forest Hill to transfer residents to Gatton to escape rising flood waters.