The maritime variant of the AgustaWestland AW159 Lynx Wildcat helicopter has made its first landing aboard a frigate at sea, marking the start of a month-long series of trials off southern England, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 12 January.

According to a ministry statement, prototype aircraft ZZ402, a Surface Combatant Maritime Rotorcraft (SCMR) variant Lynx Wildcat, will undergo a series of flying and deck-handling trials aboard the Type 23 frigate HMS Iron Duke (F 234) in the English Channel.

The trials have been timed to take place during the winter to test the helicopter “over the full envelope of operations”, the MoD said.

The Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm is to receive 28 SCMR-variant helicopters, with the Army Air Corps due to begin operating the first of 38 battlefield reconnaissance helicopter variants in 2014.