Super Lynx Mk 99

        South Korea ordered Super Lynx in 1988, making it the first export customer for the type, despite their aircraft´s late numerical designation. This was reportedly allocated at Korea´s request, the number 9 reportly having connotations of good fortune in Korea, although labelled as a Super Lynx, the Korea Mk99 lacked the later reverse direction composite tail rotor and the composite BERP main rotor blades. The aircraft did have the new undernose radome, however, housing Seaspray 4 radar.
      Purchased for service aboard the Korean Navy´s “Summer” and “Gearing” class destroyers, the 12 new build Lynx Mk99s are shore-based at Chinhae with Nº 627 Squadron. As well as the 360º Seaspray Mk3 radar, they are fitted with Doppler 71 and AN/AQS-18 sonar, and may be armed with Mk44 torpedoes or Sea Skua ASMs.

        The first Mk99 made is maiden flight on 16 November 1989, and deliveries were made between July 1990 and May 1991. The serial nº 90-0704 was omitted for reasons of superstition, “4” being considered “unlucky”. In 1996 there was speculation that the Korean Ministry of National Defence had “tentatively approved” purchase of a follow-on batch of thirteen Mk99A Super Lynxes (including one attrition replacement), after evaluation of the S-70 Seahawk and the SH-2 Seasprite.

        The second batch included an attrition replacement for 90-0706, lost on 12 August 1993.

 Super Lynx Mk 99A

        A follow-on order for further 12 Lynx plus one attrition replacement was signed in June 1997 with deliveries starting in September 1999.This second batch was designated as Super Lynx Mk99As and differed from the earlier South Korea helicopters by having composite material tail planes, FLIR imaging and revised ESM equipment.