Kuala Lumpur Defence Expo Report

Australian exhibitors at the exhibition were hard to find, because, unlike many other nations, they were not grouped together. It was easy to find the Dutch, Finns, French, West Germans and Austrians because they were grouped together as a national industry group but the Australians were scattered over the three floors and various sections. The only aerospace exhibitors from Australia that this author saw was the Government Aircraft Factory.

The Australian exhibitors however seemed happy enough with the exhibition and some felt that there was a new atmosphere of encouragement for defence sales overseas from Canberra. It was perhaps more an attitude of ‘we won’t hinder you in any way’ as distinct from a positive attitude of ‘we’ll help you’. Some exhibitors felt that past Australian government bureaucratic ‘help’ had caused many restrictions and they were therefore happy to be left alone to get on with their business and seek out markets for themselves.

Indications of government support for military equipment export, of a useful kind, had been witnessed at the Singapore exhibition when a RAAF F-18 was a notable visitor. It was recognised by most Australian exhibitors that in the International Year of Peace the Hawke government could not have a high profile at a defence exhibition, which was one of the reasons for the May Pacific Defence Exhibition in Darwin being cancelled. Of the Australian exhibitors I visited at both Singapore and KL, I did not find one who felt any grief at the cancellation of the Darwin exhibition. Some expressed relief because they did not think it would have been a success. Most preferred to exhibit in Kuala Lumpur where they would be more likely to be seen by their potential customers.

Of the aerospace exhibitors, it was clear that there were those who were already well positioned in the Asian and Australasian market. This group included Spanish CASA, Swiss Pilatus and French Aerospatiale. For others, there was little encouragement, as the Malaysian Prime Minister, in opening the exhibition, had pointed out that the Malaysian budget was limited and the nation’s priorities had to be primarily economic and based on social development.

The other ASEAN states’ representatives were likewise cautious in the present climate of less-than-expected economic growth in the region. There were those exhibitors who had clearly read the ASEAN mood. They were those exhibitors who were offering updates on present equipment to extend the life of service and performance, a topic more closely studied in this edition’s Technology Explained feature. One of the interesting ‘updates’ being offered to air forces of the region was the LTV A-7 Strikefighter. The concept was originally developed in response to the US Air Force Request For Information advisory for its Close Air SupporVBattlefield Air Interdiction (CASI BAI) requirement and is now being considered as an interim solution to that requirement.

The aircraft, retrofitted with a current technology F100 engine and fully missionized, would complement USAF force structure planning extending through 2010. The program would primarily utilize A-7D aircraft assigned to the Air National Guard, which would be reconfigured to fully satisfy the CAS/BAI mission requirements. The company has proposed calling the aircraft the A-7 Strikefighter.

As proposed, the aircraft would be retrofitted with an F100-200 engine and would receive certain structural and avionic upgrades to enhance structural integrity and provide advanced capability. The survivability of the aircraft would be dramatically improved.

Under the Vought Aero Products program, 337 A-7s would be returned to the Dallas facility in small increments and thoroughly modernized.

The modifications would convert a subsonic attack aircraft into a sleeker-appearing supersonic fighter/attack system. The changes would give the new aircraft twice the thrust of existing A-7s, 16 per cent greater speed, a 45 per cent decrease in takeoff roll and a service ceiling of over 50,000 feet.

The increased power would allow a top speed of Mach 1. 2 with an afterburner. The higher speed, along with automatic manoeuvring flaps, would provide greater agility and survivability.

The Strikefighter could be equipped with a forward-looking infrared system such as LANTIRN, an anti-jam communications suite, special systems for night and under the weather operation, infrared Maverick and AIM-9 missile operation and automatic terrain following. Pilot workload would be reduced through the use of advanced avionics and cockpit systems.

Augmented flaps will permit slower landing speeds. Other changes include a closed loop air conditioning system, all new wiring, wing strakes and a new technology leading edge and trailing edge wing flap structure.

The new aircraft would combine the proven reliability of the existing A-7 with the high performance of a supersonic strike fighter, which allows the pilot to make evasive manoeuvres up to the time of weapons release. It would be self-supporting in forward battle areas, needing only fuel and ordnance support for operating out of small, unimproved airfields.

The LTV-Vought A-7 update concept could yet prove attractive to an Asian customer, especially in the light of budget restrictions. Malaysia, Singapore and New Zealand already operate refurbished A-4s and a ‘Super’ A-7 could provide a suitable successor. Likewise, a ‘Super’ A-7 could be attractive to the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia and eventually New Zealand.

Having survived the Singapore Aerospace Exhibition and Kuala Lumpur’s Defence ’86, exhibitors are now faced with two more defence exhibitions in the Asian area. There is the recently confirmed Indonesia Air Show from 22 June to 1 July to be held at Kemayoran Airport in Jakarta and the Peking Defence Exhibition to be held in December in addition to the usual major Aerospace Expos at Hannover in May and Farnborough in September.