#1608 AW101-612 Merlin print
Description
Squadron Prints Lithograph No. 1608 - 0268, AW101-612 Merlin, OT&E AW101, RNoAF Sola Air Base.
Since 1 May 1973, 330 Squadron has provided the Search and Rescue (SAR) service in Norway with the Westland Sea King. In 1995, the Forstervold Committee was tasked to review the experiences of the Norwegian SAR service and submit a proposal for future SAR helicopter emergency response and base structuring. The Fostervold Committee submitted its report in December 1996, which, amongst other things, highlighted the need for new and larger SAR helicopter as a replacement for the ageing Sea King. The committee’s recommendation was that the Sea King should be phased out by 2020. On 25 October 2007, the NAWSARH (Norwegian All-Weather Search And Rescue Helicopter) project was initiated, with the aim that the Sea King should be replaced by 2020. Following an extensive procurement process, a contract was eventually signed on 19 December 2013, between Augusta Westland and the Norwegian Government for the purchase of sixteen AW101-612 helicopters.
OT&E AW101 was established as a new and project-dedicated squadron at Sola in March 2015. The squadron was commissioned to carry out Operational Testing and Evaluation (OT&E) of the new helicopter, including the design of operating procedures and training programs, as well as performing conversion training at all 330 Squadron bases on the new helicopter. The first AW101 landed at Sola on 17 November 2017, however for various reasons, the initial test phase took somewhat longer than planned. On 1 September 2020, Sola became the first base to become fully operational on the AW101, after a lengthy and intensive conversion period. Conversion at the remaining 330 Squadron bases at Ørland, Banak, Bodø, Rygge and Florø will follow and are all expected to become operational on the AW101 by 2023.