Newsdesk – Military Aviation

Presently powered by the General Electric T700 in the 1500/1700shp range, the Black Hawk and Seahawk would claim Rolls Royce, benefits by fitting the more powerful (by over 25%) RTM322 which is also lighter and more economical to operate and maintain. Furthermore, of greater long-term relevance is that in May 1985 the Anglo-French combine signed with Pratt & Whitney to be their US partner in possible US manufacture of the engine.

With Pratt & Whitney parent, United Technologies also owning Sikorsky, the world’s largest helicopter producer, you don’t need a crystal ball to envisage the push that is occurring to get the RTM322 aboard future US Army Black Hawks and USN Seahawks. Australian Aviation believes that this is already occurring and that the second batch of US Black Hawks, up to a thousand machines, will most likely be powered by the RTM322 as built by Pratt & Whitney.

In Australia interest in the alternative engine is high and Defence has already asked for definitive cost and performance data on supply. ing engines for future buys of the Black Hawk and it is possible their installation from new if the consortium can meet the present IOC date for the RAAF Black Hawks.

New Cac Head:

Aeronautical engineer Anthony Carolan has been appointed as the new General Manager of Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation.

Mr Carolan, 38, spent 20 years at Hawker de Havilland in Bankstown, NSW, before briefly leaving the aviation industry to join a high technology manufacturing company.

Mr Carolan replaces Bruce Hattersley who is returning to Bankstown to continue in his position as HDH Deputy Managing Director.

Rapier Tested as a Tank Buster:

The surface-to-air Rapier missile system has been successfully tested in the UK in the demanding, and somewhat diverse, role of tank busting.

During May, tests in the north of England in Inclement conditions proved the viability of employing the standard tracked Rapier in the anti-armour role when the unit was used against a Saracen vehicle. A standard operational Rapier missile was fired at the APC and a direct hit was obtained. This low-level hit was achieved due to the Rapier missile having a semi-armour piercing fuse, whereas a proximity-fused missile would have been prematurely detonated by ground clutter.

The destruction of the Saracen cleared the Rapier SAM unit to be operated on behalf of the US forces in Europe and coincidentally opened up new avenues for Rapier deployment against hostile armour in addition to aircraft.

NATO Looking to Acquire Common Tanker Force:

NATO is evaluating the feasibility of operating a combined tanker force similar in concept to their established E-3A AWACS force. NATO operates a total of 18 Boeing E-3A Sentry AWACS aircraft. Among NATO only the US and Britain have dedicated tanker aircraft and while the US has pledged NATO tanker support in an emergency many observers feel that in reality there would simply not be enough surplus USAF tanker capacity available to meet requirements.

Dornier and Boeing are jointly evaluating the possibility of refurbishing civilian Boeing 707 aircraft. Boeing is presently marketing 707 tankers and has recently sold the conversion to both the Spanish and Brazilian air arms. Domier meanwhile was instrumental in integrating the electronics suite aboard the NATO E-3A fleet and is eager to replace this lost workload with a new programme.

Soviets Emphasising Quality According to Pentagon Report:

The 1986 edition of Soviet Military Power, issued annually by the US DoD reports that in almost every area the Soviets are vastly increasing their technology base in an effort to match Western systems.

Probably their most formidable aviation programme is the Blackjack bomber, an aircraft that has no Western equivalent as the B-18 is roughly aligned to the now common Tupolev Backfire. Blackjack is expected to attain operational status in 1988, the aircraft, which has an unrefuelled of range than more th 4500nm and is c capable of Mach 2, will be armed with the new AS-15 cruise missile which is also equipping Bear H squadrons. The AS 15 is similar to the American Tomahawk and like Tomahawk will be produced in both air launched and surface-launched versions.

These is the new I The US now estimates that there are more than 1200 dedicated advanced technology interceptor aircraft tasked with USSR continental air defence. Foremost amongst v Mikoyan Min MiG-31 Foxhound with its new AA-9 long-range AAM. AAM. This missile looks very much like a Phoenix clone and along with the radar and fire control system of the new Soviet look down/shoot down fighters thought to be gained from lessons learned after the Soviets acquired an F-14A courtesy of Iran in 1979.

In addition to having more than 100 Foxhounds in service, the Soviets are also thought to be approaching the initial entry to service of the Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker. Flanker is roughly equivalent to the F-15 and no doubt will form the mainstay of Soviet continental air de ence in the decade ahead.

The Soviet’s third new fighter type, the MiG-29 Fulcrum achieved operational status early last year and it is expected that more than 200 will be in service by the end of the year. Fulcrum is similar in appearance to our own F-18 though is more closely allied to the smaller F-16 in terms of weight and performance. As the Fulcrum is destined for service with the Indian Air Force most Western defence experts feel it will only be a matter of time before its ‘secrets’ are revealed.

Ansett Technologies Win Airfield Radar Contract:

The ever-diversifying Anset Transport Industries has won another major contract via its newly created Ansett Technologies associate. Ansett Technologies represents a number of high-tech companies within Australia and www encompasses the resources of the NIC Instrument Company which has now been renamed Ansett Technologies.

The latest contract is valued at A$29m and involves the supply and integration of Selenia airfield surveillance radars at RAAF Tindal and East Sale. The Tindal radar will be operational prior to the deployment of the No75 Squadron’s F-18As later this decade.

Sikorsky Wins Mammoth Raaf Helo Contract:

Sikorsky has won the lucrative RAAF Iroquois replacement helicopter order from Aerospatiale with their Super announce Puma. Defence minister Kim Kim Beazley made the decision to acquire an initial batch of 14 S70-A-9 Black Hawks for the RAAF on May 1st. As reported in our previous issue the RAN has also has also formally acquired an additional 8870- B-2 Seahawks for their FFG frigates.

The announcement is worth more than $120m to the the Australian aerospace industry and will see all the helicopters but one assembled at Hawker de Havilland’s Banks town facility with specialist subcontract work being performed by CAC and GAF in Mel Boume. A complete report on the historic order, which could ultimately see up to 100 such air. craft acquired is detailed in the Defence Update elsewhere in this edition.

Options Abound in Possible Raf Nimrod Aew Project:

The Royal Air Force’s displeasure with the trouble-plagued AEW Nimrod programme has led to a number of interesting offers from American suppliers that could in the longer term hold implications for Australia’s AEW requirement Lockheed are offering their Orion AEW&C in virtually the same configuration as that on offer to the RAAF If the RAF took the Orion though it might well place in jeopardy much of Lockheed’s significant local All proposal as the naturally become lead partners in the programme that could see up to 14 such aircraft wearing RAF roundels.

Grumman are offering their existing E-2C Hawkeye plus an improved version featuring new technology turboprops which would extend mission endurance in addition to a Systems upgrade. Both options are also on offer to the USN though the somewhat urgent RAF requirement would see that service receiving advanced Hawkeyes most probably before the Americans. Grumman is also proposing a hybrid version of the existing ing radar Nimrod that would retain the rear-facing existing with an E-2C type and marry it up with a rotodome. This would place an existing and proven electronic suite within a large and long endurance airframe that is already owned by the RAF. As Grumman may have trouble meeting the RAAF’s endurance requirements with our own AEW RFP they could well offer conver ted Nimrods as an alternative if they won the Brishing is offering the E-3A Sentry in Finally, Boeing number of versions. While the RAAF RFP officially closed in late May, the RAF RFP remains open till this September though it is expected that due to the overall complexity of the options so far proposed it will be early 1987 before Whitehall makes a definite programme decision.

 Raaf to Hushkit 7077:

Representatives of the US company, Comtran Ltd, have held discussions with the RAAF regarding the fitting of hush kits to the service’s four 707 transports.

Comtran have sold over 100 of its FAA approved husk conversion packages which allow older generation Boeing 707s to continue in revenue operation throughout the major civil airports of North America, Asia and Europe. While technically the RAAF do not have to comply with civilian rulings dictated by ICAO, the presence of our 7075 on VIP missions, often operating into civilian Selds, could be a possible cause of embarrassment in protocol terms.

Us Navy Looking to New Orion Variant:

The venerable Lockheed P-3 Orion is certainly a hard act to follow so why not come up with simply yet another variant of the reliable sub-hunter? This is precisely what the USN has done in its initial discussions with Lockheed on on the P-30.

The D version will feature the new Allison 501-MBOC turboprops that will also power the Bell/Boeing V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft. The new powerplants, apart from being more reliable and requiring less maintenance will consume up to 20% less fuel thus extending the endurance of the Orion by several hours. The D will also feature the latest avionics and will have less requirement for electrical power and cooling while its vastly more capable processing systems will occupy perhaps half the space of that found aboard the present generation aircraft. In all, the USN are requesting 125 P-3Ds with deliveries spanning 1989- 94 while up to 200 older Orions may be retrofitted to D specifications. Also of interest is that in an effort to ensure the lowest possible programme price, the USN is looking at second-sourcing the D programme with two or more manufacturers.

 Usaf to Use Civil 767 Fleet for Additional Emergency Airlift:

The USAF Civil Reserve Air Fleet is to acquire the leased capability of a minimum of 85 Boeing 767 and 20 MD-80 twinjets. The aircraft, which are presently in regular airline service with Delta, TWA, American and United would be used in an emergency as transatlantic aeromedical casualty evacuation aircraft. The smaller MD-80s would be used for the same role within the continental USA. The USAF would operate the aircraft under a waiver from the FAA as regards long-range overwater flights and each aircraft would be configured to carry up to 111 casualty litters and assorted medical attendants.

In an emergency the 85 767s, which under the CRAF requirements must be able to be operational within 48 hours of notification of use, would replace C-1418 Starlifters on the transatlantic air-bridge. The USAF CRAF presently operates a large number of civilian airliners including DC-85, 7075, DC-10s and 747s. PanAm recently placed into service the first of 19 747-100 aircraft which have been refurbished and modified with a stronger floor and rear freight door in a programme that costs some $30m per aircraft. The added capability that the total CRAF operation gives the US military in the event of a major emergency is vast as it frees greatly the standing USAF transport force for more immediate resupply operations.

Lhx Super Team Formed:

Bell and McDonnell Douglas Helicopters have teamed to develop what will be the world’s most advanced light help, the LHX. Destined to commence operational service in the nineteen nineties, the LHX programme will be responsible for building more than 8,000 helicopters to replace a dozen existing types in the US forces inventory. In fact so big is the programme that whoever wins will have to second source a portion of their production in an effort to maintain stability within the US helicopter manufacturing community.

 Us Marine Corps Receives First Supercobra Attack Helos:

The USMC received the first of up to 140 new Bell AH-1W SuperCobra attack helos during April.

The Service has ordered 44 of the new helicopters and will convert another 37 existing AH-17 aircraft to AH-1W configuration. Hope fully up to an additional 46 SuperCobras will be procured. Equipped with advanced avionics and anti armour-guided weapons the SuperCobras 1,690eshp GE T700-401s produce an additional 65% power allowing the new attack helo to perform as a component of the Rapid Deployment Force. Other versions of the GE T700 power the US Army’s Black Hawk and Apache helicopters, the USAF Nighthawk and the Navy’s Seahawk which is additionally operated by the RAN