For the NATO Tiger Meet '25 that was held in Beja, Portugal during September 2025, the German Navy took one of their Super Lynx Mk 88A helicopters to put some appropriate markings on. After this helicopter had returned to its home base Nordholz, we joined an air-to-air photo flight to picture this one over a nice background. It was not our first photo session with a Tiger Lynx: a year earlier, we already illustrated another example; that particular report can be found here.

The German naval Super Lynx fleet is being replaced by the NH90-MRFH. Thirty-one of these have been bought, and the first pair has recently been handed over to Marinefliegergeschwader 5. The last Super Lynxes are expected to be withdrawn from service in 2027.

The one pictured here was part of a batch of nineteen Westland Lynx Mk 88 - locally referred to as Sea Lynx - bought by West Germany in 1981. Serialled 83+10 (with construction number 266), it was delivered to Marinefliegergeschwader 3 at Nordholz. Seven additional Super Lynx Mk 88As were acquired in 1996, and the  remaining Mk 88s were converted to the same standard a few year later. That included 83+10, now assigned c/n 429 in the conversion process. Since November 2012, it operates with Marinefliegergeschwader 5 at Nordholz.

83+10 was pictured over the islands of Langeoog and Spiekeroog. A larger article on the German Super Lynx will be published in 2026. Can't wait to get more details on the German Sea Lynx? A large article on this type of helicopter can be found in the archives in the reviews section.

Photos: Emiel Sloot

published 22 December 2025