Newsdesk – Military

NASA payloads are expected to account for 32 per cent of these payloads, the Department of Defence about 15 per cent and all other users about 53 per cent.

Gossamer Albatross Research Flights Planned:

NASA will sponsor a short-term flight research program with one of the world’s most unusual aircraft, the human-powered Gossamer Albatross.

The two-month program, funded jointly by NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, Calif. , and the NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, Va. , will study the flight characteristics of a light-weight, low-speed aircraft for possible application to future aircraft capable of flight at extreme altitudes.

GD Invasion:

Australia played host to a large fifty-plus-member industry team headed by General Dynamics in January. The GD team were preparing their final submissions and collecting data from more than two dozen Australian firms that will be participating in the TFF AIP offset program. GO, officials, claim that the selection of the F-16will create thousands of long term high technology Jobs in the local aerospace industry as industry participation extends to active involvement in aircraft being produced for both the local and international market. Under GD plans now being considered by Australia, local industry could manufacture at least 20 per cent of the value of the RAAF’s F- 16s and could manufacture F-1 6 components for other nations equivalent to an additional 24 per cent of the value of the AAAF order.

Certainly both GD and McDonnell Douglas (F-18A) are placing high emphasis to AIP which is a pleasant change from the lost opportunities of recent decades. The GO team flew to Australia in that company’s private Convair CV880 which added a little extra lustre to the visit.

Us Defence Spending to Rise:

US Defence Secretary Harold Brown has stated that US defence spending will increase by 25 per cent over the next five years. In real terms, adjusted to inflation, the US spent less on defence in 1979 than it did in 1963 while the Soviets have more than doubled their total defence allocation through the seventies The 1980/85 period will usher in 1700 new combat aircraft in into the US inventory including large numbers of A-10, F-16. and F-1 5 aircraft introduction of the Pershing II missile to NATO will also free large numbers of sophisticated low level penetration aircraft to undertake tactically missions in support of ground forces.

Lockheed Delivers 5ooth Orion:

Lockheed has delivered its 500th P-3 Orion anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft to the US Navy.

The Orion series, which is the most sophisticated ASW aircraft to be produced by Lockheed during its 40 years In that field, originated in the late 1950s as a result of the US Navy’s growing concern about the ever-increasing threat of hostile nuclear submarines.

The Navy wanted an aircraft that would be a quantum jump from the P2V Neptunes – (also built by Lockheed) that were then in service.

In 1959 the prototype P-3, a modified version of the Electra propjet airliner, was flown and an intensive development program began. Production deliveries of the Orion, named after the ancient god of the hunt, began in 1961. It is a long-range patrol aircraft normally carrying a crew of 10, powered by four fuel-efficient turboprop engines.

By 1965 157 P-3As had been produced and were prowling the world’s oceans. By the end of that year, the first of 144 P-3B models were in the air, carrying more advanced detection equipment. The P-3C, which entered service in 1970, brought into use a digital computer which relieved the crew of time-consuming calculations

The “Charlie” model has been undergoing a continuing series of advancements to incorporate the newest technology and weapons systems into the Update I and Update II versions of the late 1970s.

Vastly superior in technology, to the early P-3As, the current P-3C Update II incorporates many new advances including an infrared detection system, a sonobuoy reference system, the Harpoon anti-ship missile and a 28-channel magnetic tape recorder/reproducer. RAAF Orion P-3C aircraft are also equipped with Barra sonobuoys and Marconi AOS 901 systems.

Lockheed has now begun development work on the P-3C Update Ill series, incorporating additional new features, for production in the mid-1980s.

The defence forces of six nations now fly the Lockheed P-3 Orion: the US Navy flies P-3As, Bs and Cs; Australia flies P-3B’s and C’s; Norway and New Zealand fly the P-3B; Spain the P-3A and Iran the P-3F.

In the United States, the WP-3D model is flown by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for hurricane hunting and other weather research missions.

Other nations that have ordered the P-3C are Japan with 45 aircraft (Most being produced in Japan) – the Netherlands with 13, and Canada with 18 aircraft on order in a new derivative called the CP-140 Aurora. Service will begin in these three nations in the early 1980’s.

 Seahawk Debuts

A contender for the RAN requirement for a suitable helicopter to equip our FFG frigates, the Sikorsky SH-60B Seahawk made its first flight on December 12, 1979 Five prototypes are being produced for a total of 550hrs flight testing and an additional 1700hrs electronics testing in conjunction with IBM. The US Navy has a requirement for 200 Seahawks to equip its fleet of 50 FFG frigates and similar craft. The USN will take delivery of its first Seahawk in 1983 while the RAN is expected to make a decision on its future FFG helicopter later this year, two years later than originally specified when the FFG contracts were signed in 1976. The Seahawk is basically a maritime version of the UH-60A Blackhawk which is entering service with the US Army, It shares 65 per cent commonality with the Blackhawk and thus a Seahawk purchase for the RAN could heavily influence which helicopter eventually wins the RAAF Iroquois replacement order.

General Electric Powered F-16?

General Dynamics are funding a private study into the feasibility of marketing a General Electric J79 powered F-16 as a replacement aircraft for nations largely using Northrop F-5 family aircraft and wishing a more advanced aircraft without bankrupting their treasures in the process. The GE J79 is a turbojet of 17,900Ib thrust and is used in the F-4 Phantom, F-104 Starfighter and IAI Kfir C2 General Dynamics claim that a J79-powered F-16 would be around $1 million cheaper than the standard Pratt and Whitney F100 powered model GD sees a potential market for up to 500 of this type of aircraft through the next 15 years as many nations seek to replace their F-5s, early F-4s and F-104 Starfighter fleets. The long-term wisdom in opting for a less powerful version of the F-16 powered by an engine that requires much additional maintenance than the modern technology F100 turbofan and is nearly 1300lb heavier is questionable A saving of one million inflation-ridden 1980 dollars on each aircraft in a fleet of a few dozen will rapidly be lost as manpower requirements for the older GE engine become all-important.

The GE J79, though an excellent fighter engine in its time, dates back to 1950s technology and its basic design. Other contenders for this F-5 replacement market is the Northrop F-5G which is a revamped version of the successful F-5E using a single GE F-404 of 16,000lb thrust in place of the two 5000Ib thrust GE J85 turbojets and an enhanced radar and avionics fit Northrop claim that the F-5G would have near F-16 A performance at around one to $2 million more per aircraft than the current F-5E. Both aircraft are being promoted under the terms of the recently announced FX study for US produced fighters suitable for export to overseas countries.

Good News, Bad News

Good news for Lockheed and perhaps Boeing, bad news for McDonnell Douglas and Boeing. US Defence Secretary Harold Brown has virtually scuttled any hope for the future of the YC-14 and YC-15 AMST aircraft preferring to push ahead for a new CX strategic airlifter. It seems the US is becoming edgy about the ability of Military Airlift Command (MAC) to supply and deploy to foreign bases while the reality of using aircraft as large as the AMST twins. In a forward battle area becomes suspect against Soviet tactical strike capability.

The new CX would either be a simplified, modified wing version of the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy or a modified version of the Boeing 747F In the meantime the M AC will undoubtedly purchase additional Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft to maintain forward battle area tactical airlift capability – which is good news for Lockheed Georgia.

Aircraft Losses Increase:

The Royal Air Force had one of its periodic bad years for aircraft losses in 1979. The RAF lost a total of 25 aircraft including six Harriers and six Jaguars Relatively high loss rates for the sea aircraft are understandable in view of the high content of marginal visibility and extremely low level operations performed in low-altitude penetration strike training was undertaken with these aircraft. The Royal Navy lost three helicopters and the Army lost 10 aircraft including nine helicopters making the UK force total of 38. The USAF NATO forces stationed In the UK also lost six F-111 aircraft, two F-4 and one A-10 aircraft. At home the RAAF lost one F-111C aircraft, one Mirage. a CT-4 and a Macchi The RAN lost three A-4G Skyhawks (13 remaining from an originalbuy of 20 aircraft) and one Sea King helps it remain from the original buy of 10 aircraft.

Details of F-5G R Revealed:

Northrop Corporation has revealed the first details of the latest version of its highly successful F-5 series of tactical fighters, which have been supplied to US allies in many countries and in support of US foreign policy objectives.

Known as the F-5G, the new aircraft has significant performance improvements over the current F-5E/F aeroplane, particularly in the air defence role.

The US Government has approved the concept of a new export fighter, and the Northrop aircraft is specifically designed for this category The rear fuselage has been tailored to accept one General Electric F404 low bypass turbojet in place of the two General Electric J85-21 engines – increasing the available thrust from around 10.000lbs to about 16.000lbs

Northrop engineers have been working on the F-5G for over two years. It has sales potential to many existing F-5 customers and is designed to meet defence threats well into the 1990s.

McDonnell Douglas Awards Major off Set Contract to Australian Aerospace Industry:

McDonnell Douglas’s business activity in Australia has surged forward on tour fronts with the approval of a commercial aircraft manufacturing order. meetings on solar energy and anti-shipping missiles, and detailing of manufacturing work associated with possible Australian procurement of the F-18 Hornet Strike Fighter.

McDonnell Douglas announced the approval of a US$7 1 million order for 100 aeroplane sets of DC-9 elevators from Hawker de Havilland.

The elevators are for use on DC-9 Series 30, 40, 50 and the new DC-9 Super 80 series aircraft The company noted that earlier contracts with Hawker de Havilland for DC-9 elevators exceeded $US12 million, and estimated the total value of this work including future orders at more than US$20 million.

While approval for the DC-9 work was being decided in St Louis, a McDonnell Douglas team arrived In Australia to survey the industry for manufacturing connected with the Royal Australian Navy procurement of the Harpoon Anti-Shipping missile.

Industry officials also are involved in continuing discussions with McDonnell Douglas covering the major Australian manufacturing activity which would follow a selection of the F-18 Hornet to satisfy Australia’s tactical fighter force requirements.

Among the most important items envisioned in this Australian industrial participation plan is ongoing support by Australian industry of RAAF F-18s over the Hornet’s service life

The company’s proposal includes a firm commitment that the Australian industrial community will receive work valued at at least 30 per cent of the F-18 Hornet program placed with McDonnell Douglas.

For the Australian industry, the McDonnell Douglas proposal includes final assembly, test and flight of the RAAF F-18s, major system and sub-system assembly and test, and production of high-use spare parts. and significant work on the firm’s broad product range from solar systems to missiles, computer software, electronic equipment, and agricultural products, such as the Mivac microwave-vacuum drying system.

First Flight for Pivot-Wing Research Aircraft:

First flight of the manned NASA Oblique Wing Research Aircraft took place on Wednesday, Dec. 19, at NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, Calif Called the AD-1 for NASA Ames-Dryden, the research aircraft employs a pivoting-wing concept which could reduce noise and lower fuel consumption of future hiqh-speed. transport-type aircraft.

Analytical and wind tunnel studies conducted by NASA’s Ames Research Center, Mountain View, Calif, indicate that future oblique wing transport aircraft flying at 1600 kilometres {1,000 miles) per hour might achieve twice the fuel economy of more conventional swept-wing transport aircraft.

At lower flight speeds, the wing would be oriented at right angles to the fuselage, providing efficient, quiet operation for takeoff and landing as well as for low-speed cruise flight. The concept offers good low-speed stability and control characteristics and does not require complex high-lift systems. The engine thrust required for take-off would be substantially reduced and could result in quieter operations in the terminal area.

For high-speed flights, the wing would be pivoted fore and aft to form oblique angles up to 60 degrees with the aircrafts fuselage. Studies indicate that this “scissor-wing” concept would permit better high-speed flight performance.

As the aircraft flies faster, pivoting the wing to an oblique angle would decrease air drag, permitting Increased speed and longer range for the same fuel expenditure.

Because the concept is a significant departure from conventional aircraft design, NASA has initiated a low-cost exploratory program to study the fundamental lowspeed operations of such an aircraft using this small, lightweight, manned test aircraft.

Tom McMurtry, pilot, will be at the controls for the first flight.

The research aircraft is approximately 12.2 metres (40 feet) long, with a wingspan of 9 7m (32ft). Powered by two small 99. 8k (220Ib) thrust turbojet engines, the AD-1 has a gross weight of approximately 907kg (2000Ib) and will be capable of speeds in the 241-354km/hr (150-220mph) range.

For the first flight, the wing will remain perpendicular to the aircraft fuselage. On later flights, the wing can be pivoted from zero to 60 degrees while in flight.

The aircraft was built by the Ames Industrial Co, Bohemia, NY, under a $240,000 fixed-price contract with NASA Dryden.

 Galaxy Wings on Trial

Wing fatigue tests being conducted on a C-5 Galaxy, the world’s largest aircraft, is more than one-third of the way through a lifetime of testing at the Lockheed-Georgia Company. A lifetime of testing is equivalent to 30,000 flight hours.

The cyclic fatigue tests are being carried out as part of a United States Air Force contract calling for Lockheed-Georgia to redesign the C-5 way to extend the service life of the plane.

The company has proposed replacing the entire wrong box of each C-5 in order to extend the life of each of the 77 planes by 30,000 flight hours, about 20 years of in-service use.

The new wing box Is of similar design but features greater thickness of the wing planks and improved aluminium alloys.

Davis Monthan – A Military Moneymaker:

The Military Aircraft Storage and Disposition 9entre (MASDC) is the only bank of Its kind in the world. Over 4,000 aircraft from the Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, and Air Force are on deposit with this Air Force Logistics Command (AFLC) unit. Aircraft and parts withdrawals made from this unique savings account provide the US taxpayer with the highest possible rate of return for the smallest possible investment.

The taxpayer’s investments can be stored indefinitely because Tucson’s meagre rainfall. 10-20 per cent humidity, and alkaline soil cause a minimum of aircraft deterioration and corrosion.

In addition, the soil, called caliche, is very hard, making it possible to simply park the aircraft in the desert without having to provide concrete or steel parking ramps for them.

Before the aircraft are parked, they go through a preservation process. First, the ejection seal charges, guns, classified material and any pilferable items are removed.

Fuel is drained from the aircraft which is then pumped full of lightweight oil and again drained leaving a film of oil to preserve the fuel system. The aircraft hydraulics and tyres are serviced to normal standards.

The bottom half of the aircraft is not sealed so that circulating air can prevent condensation. The engine intakes and exhausts are covered with paper. Any gaps or cracks in the upper half of the aircraft skirt are taped. Then the tape and paper, along with any easily damaged surfaces such as fibreglass radomes, fabric control surfaces, and canopies, are covered with a vinyl plastic compound called “Spraylat”. The Spraylat, which applied with a spray gun, keeps the water and dust out, and it prevents the occasional wind storms from sandblasting the windows and canopies.

However, the main purpose of the white Spray last temperature control ln the summer the temperature inside unprotected aircraft can reach 200 degrees causing damage to rubber parts and functional components. With the Spray. lat covering, the internal temperature is only about five degrees hotter than the surrounding air. This simple process permits aircraft to be stored for many years with a minimum of maintenance.

About half of the aircraft stored here will go back to work. Some return to service with the US military; others are sold to foreign governments such as the Fairchild C-123 Providers that went to South Korea. Many go to work for branches of the Federal Government. The Grumman OV-1 Mohawk used for border patrol by the Customs Service is one example. State governments receive aircraft like the Grumman S-2 in California. The Tucson police department has two. Hughes TH-55 Osage helicopters for patrol work, As a matter of tact, any tax supported organisations, and schools for example, are also eligible for donations from MASDC.

The half of the stored aircraft that do not fly again are used as a parts source. Parts removal is one of the primary reasons for the existence of the Centre. In many cases, MASDC is the only available source for needed parts because the expensive production lines were closed long ago.

Last year, 60,000 parts were returned to service. To give one example, the B-52, when first built was expected to be in use for about 10 years. The newest 8-52 In use came off the assembly line in late 1962 and is expected to remain in service until the turn of the century. Because of the unanticipated length of the 8-52 service life, some parts are no longer available and must be removed from older 8-52s for use on those aircraft in the air. One such part is called an alligator clamp. The supplier estimated that replacement would cost $·100,000 a piece and require 18 months to remanufacture. Even if the Air Force should decide to contract for that part, it cannot wait a year and a half to receive it. MASDC can remove a used alligator clamp for about $580 in one week. Priority removal of this sort is one of the Situations in which MASDC is an Air Force resource beyond price.

Besides priority removal, MASDC also does routine removal. This occurs when an aircraft is going to be disposed of completely. Working from a “save list”, MASDC employees remove every possible usable part, especially such items as radios and flight instruments that are common to several aircraft types. Precious metals, such as the platinum in sparkplug tips and the gold wire in some electronic systems, are also removed. Contractors then buy the hulks. consisting mostly of aluminium, and melt them down into ingots for recycling.

Combat aircraft must be cut up and old as scrap to prevent them from falling into the wrong hands. Non-combat aircraft can be sold intact. Aircraft and scrap are not sold by MASDC itself, but are turned over to the Defence L ogistics Agency. Details about sales can be obtained from: DoD Surplus Sales. PO Box 1370, Battle Creek, Michigan 490H. Money from Defence Logistics Agency sales go into the general government fund, not the Defence Department funds.

In review, MASDC preserves and processes aircraft for reuse by the military. It returns parts to military supply systems at a fraction of the cost of new parts. In many cases. MASDC supplies urgently needed parts that could not be purchased elsewhere at any price thus enabling the Defence Department to fulfil its assigned responsibilities.

After precious metals are recovered, MASDC turns the remaining scrap metal and surplus aircraft over to the Defence Logistics Agency for public sale.

MASDC’s ultimate responsibility is, of course. to provide the United States taxpayer with the most benefit at the least cost. Last year. MASDC’s budget was $15 million, but $300 million worth of aircraft and parts were returned to service. That $300 million was the original price, not replacement cost at today’s much higher prices.

The Military Aircraft Storage and Disposition Centre (MASDC) is giving the US taxpayer $20 worth of defence for every dollar placed its account. Any bank should be proud of that rate of return.