Ukraine conflict: Germany may donate Sea Lynx maritime helicopters to Kyiv, Marineflieger commander says

With Germany retiring its 21 Sea Lynx helicopters by the end of 2026, the type may find a new home in Ukraine. (Janes/Gareth Jennings)

Germany may donate its soon-to-be-retired Westland Mk 88A Sea Lynx maritime strike helicopters to Kyiv, a senior military official told Janes and other defence media on 16 December.

Speaking on the occasion of the handover of the first NHIndustries (NHI) NH90 Sea Tiger Multi Role Frigate Helicopter (MRFH) to replace the Sea Lynx, Commander of the German Navy's Naval Air Force (Marineflieger) Captain Broder Nielsen suggested that the anti-submarine warfare/anti-surface warfare (ASW/ASuW) helicopters may be gifted to Ukraine in the same manner as its Westland Sea King helicopters were in 2024.

“The Sea Lynx will be retired in about a year. I guess we will find a good solution [as to what to do with them]. All the Sea Lynx will continue flying – they will not go to the museum, so we will see them flying somewhere,” Capt Nielsen said. When asked if this “somewhere” was the same place as the Sea Kings were now flying (Ukraine), he responded, “Yes, the Sea Kings are also still flying, so [the Sea Lynx] may follow.”

The Marineflieger has 21 Sea Lynx helicopters in its inventory, the first of which were delivered in 1999. The type is fitted with the Marconi (now Leonardo) Sea Spray 3000 surface search radar and multirole turret forward-looking infrared, a dipping sonar, Mk 46 or MU90 torpedoes, BAe Matra Dynamics (now MBDA) Sea Skua air‐to‐surface missiles, and a 12.7 mm door-mounted machine gun. As noted in Janes Fighting Ships: Shipborne Aircraft, the Sea Lynx has an operational speed of 125 kt, a service ceiling of 25,000 ft, and a range of 480 km.