Newsdesk – Military Aviation

The trip-out of the ELU through EMI has been experienced only in Switzerland in the region of a very powerful FM radio transmitter. EMI is not to be underrated though as it caused the loss of control and subsequent destruction of an RAF Tornado in West Germany in 1985 in a similar situation.

The ELU is programmed to scan its self-check systems every 20 milliseconds, thus it the slightest EMI pulse is received it can erroneously record a fault and close the engine controls down. Tests have been conducted to de-sensitise the system to EMI by extending the time of the built-in test checks. As we went to press the tests had proved successful. All the incoming sensor wiring is shielded to prevent EMI signals being picked up by the ELU. However, the shielding is carried through the ELU plug to be connected to earth inside the ELU box. This seems to have actually acted as an antenna for the ELU and caused the shorting due to EMI.

PC-9 aircraft destined for the RSAF, and currently being test flown by the British Ministry of Defence, have shown no tendency to EMI problems.

It is envisaged now that the 2 Swiss built aircraft will arrive in Australia at a similar time as the first locally produced aircraft is rolled out in November. All HdH aircraft will be modified to be EMI-resistant.

Fleet Support Contract Tender Grounded!:

The GA industry has again Been exposed to the vagaries of dealing with government entities following the virtual abandonment of the promising high speed Navy Fleet Support programme.

The Fleet Support requirement would have seen a private sector aviation firm operating fast jet aircraft in the Hunter/Skyhawk class in support of RAN air defence training requirements (refer p20 Mar 87 AA).

Following an internal problem within the Defence bureaucracy earlier this year and a subsequent delay of two to three months, the latest news from DoD is that the whole question of ADF Fleet Support is being examined by a Departmental working party. In a letter from the Department to tenderers the Senior Assistant Secretary, Contracting, Mr CW Barclay states, “The Department has reviewed the project and it is unlikely that we will proceed with the contracting of the high-performance component of the air support task as previously envisaged”.

That one sentence, for the majority of private sector companies that poured thousands of valuable manhours and large slabs of hard-earned funds into winning this contract, spells the end of the line in credibility terms for future cooperative ventures between GA and Defence. One company has already invested more than $100,000 in the venture while several have been paying significant monthly holding deposits on possible aircraft fleets in order to keep their options open.

This latest debacle again brings into question the manner in which contracts are called, managed, evaluated and awarded. Another GA firm, which naturally preferred not to be identified, recently stated that it had lost a similar contract to a firm that neither had any aircraft, expertise or support infrastructure. The contract simply went to the lowest tenderer irrespective of past experience, operator credibility or a successful track record. The upshot was that the losing tenderer then had to extend their service by several months while the new company got operational. Sound familiar!

More Hornet Orders for Ata:

Aerospace Technologies of Australia (née GAF) have won a $9 million contract to supply wing flaps for the McDonnell Douglas F-18 Hornet fighter aircraft.

ATA will supply 55 shipsets of wing flaps. Some will be fitted to Hornet aircraft being assembled for the RAAF at ATA’s Avalon plant and the balance will be exported to McDonnell Douglas for use at its US plant. This is the third such order contracted to what was the Government Aircraft Factories. The latest contract brings to about $30 million the total value of orders for flaps awarded to ATA under the Hornet project offsets arrangements.

These orders will exercise new ATA capabilities including composite bonding and chemical milling required for through life support of the Hornet. The importance of these facilities, considered by McDonnell Douglas to be amongst the most modern in the world, will be vital to the drive by the Australian aerospace industry for more work through civilian offset contracts and collaboration programmes.

Anyone for Back Copies?

One of our long time subscribers, John Tottey of 72 Columba St, Inala, 4077 is moving from a large house to a small unit and consequently has asked us if any of our readers would like to buy some of his early series back copies of Australian Aviation.

On offer are the first annuals (77&78) and thence virtually every issue from the first of the quarterlies (June 79) through till November 85. If you are interested then John is waiting to hear from you.

Centrespread

As our own Mirage fighters begin to stand down, it is interesting to witness the basic type still being marketed in ever-developed variants.

Our centrespread topic this issue is the Dassault Mirage 50M. The 50M represents an interesting marriage between proven design and modern technology as it is essentially a Mirage 50 utilising canard foreplanes, the more powerful Atar 9K50 engine from the Mirage F1 and much of the state of the art avionics, fly by wire controls, radar and fire control system from the Mirage 2000.

Since the first Mirage prototype flew back in 1956, some 2700 of the breed have been produced without counting around 260 IAI Kirs. The type continues in service today with the air arms of some three dozen nations and no doubt will continue to serve well into the next century as the primary form of air defence for many of these nations.

Asian Aerospace Already up 25% on Last Show:

Cahners, the Asian Aerospace organisers, are claiming that even at this early stage they are up more than 25% in floor space booked compared with the 1986 show.

The all new exhibition site is nearing completion for what looks set to be a boom show commencing next January 27. Over 220 exhibitors will be displaying their products while there will also be 10 national pavilions representing the USA, France, Canada, UK, West Germany, Italy, Sweden, Israel, Japan and Australia. A large number of aircraft will be on static display while for the first time ever a flight demonstration sequence will be slotted into the show.

 Israel Offering 707-Based Aew System:

Israel Aircraft Industries is developing an AEW system based on a L Band phased array radar.

The system is to be called Phalcon, and will, IAI claims, be superior to any rival system in operation today. Phalcon is based on a standard Boeing 707 airframe and uses a fuselage-mounted bank of six phased array radars fore and aft of the wing. IAI believes that this system offers many benefits over the traditional rotating rotodome including enhanced reliability due to few moving parts, multiple redundancy, better scan rate, a wider passive and ESM capability and vastly lower cost.

The system has been in discrete development now for several years and will proceed to the flying stage by 1989. The system, once proven, will no doubt be of interest to the RAAF as our own AEW requirement matures in the coming years.

 Lockheed Finds a Customer for Its P-3 Aew&C Aircraft:

Lockheed has found a launch customer for its AEW&C version of the P-3 Onion. The company has received a $A28m contract from the US Customs Service for what was originally Lockheed’s test and development aircraft.

Originally one of 11 P-3B Orions supplied to the RAAF during the late sixties and subsequently back traded on 10 P-3Cs, the aircraft will be equipped with an APS-125 rotating radar and a number of surveillance sensors. The P-3 AEW&C will give the service the ability to conduct missions of up to 12 hours or fly distances of up to 3200kms. Additionally, the USCS also operates a number of ex-USNP-3A Orions equipped with modified versions of the F-158 APG-63 radar mounted in the nose.

For Lockheed the sale is a coup as it now has its own AEW platform in operational service and can now intensify its efforts at selling a full military version to a number of potential clients including, Japan, Australia and possibly South Korea.

Defence Signs Contract for Sea King Minesweeper Trials:

The Department of Defence has signed a $160,000 contract with Hawker de Havilland, Sydney, to design, manufacture and fit a trial minesweeper installation to an RAN Sea King helicopter for evaluation.

The evaluation will be conducted later this year to assess the feasibility of using Sea King helicopters as a platform for Airborne Mine Countermeasures (AMCM). The installation will be fitted to a Sea King helicopter to allow minesweeping equipment to be towed through the water and measure tow tension and cable angles for analysis.

If the trials are successful, Sea King helicopters’ roles may be expanded to include limited AMCM by being modified for operational use as mine countermeasure platforms. The Sea King trials are part of the Australian Minesweeping Project, which proposes to employ an initial minesweep from helicopters to support overall minesweeping countermeasures.

The project is developing a new concept for minesweeping involving small civilian craft such as fishing boats for mine countermeasure tasks.

No Ata Share Sale Till Profitability Assured:

The new Directors of Aerospace Technologies of Australia, nee GAF, have stated that there will be no share sale or partial privatisation of the government-owned aerospace manufacturing facility till it can wholly turn round its long record of continuing losses. During 1986/87 the company earned in revenue only $54. 2m for an operating expenditure of some $75. 2m and thus required a subsidy of $21m.

ATA presently is largely involved on the RAAFF-18 programme, for which it is drawing flak as it is already 5 aircraft late in delivery with only 26 delivered at early August as against a planned for 31. As the F-18 programme begins to wind down around 1989/90 there will be little follow on work unless ATA rapidly moves to commence a new project, possibly with a foreign partner. Under discussion are a number of such projects including a Squirrel helo replacement as a joint partner with Aerospatiale (refer p84 May AA). However, until there are radical improvements in employee productivity and attitude, it is unlikely that any private sector investor would wish to commit funds to what has been traditionally little more than a sheltered workshop.

 Kc-135 Falls Prey to B-52 Wake:

Never underestimate the power of wake turbulence. On March 13th this year a Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker was slotting in behind a B-52 (reversing the normal position) when the 135 was caught by the Stratofortresses’ wake during a tum before an air show audience.

The two had only recently formed a display team called the Thunderhawks. The 135 slowed and began to roll through 90 degrees at which point it plunged into the ground killing all six crew members plus one person on the ground.

Wake Turbulence is never to be taken lightly and has resulted in many large aircraft losing control over the years. Never underestimate its ability to ruin your day!

West Germany to Proceed With Phantom Update:

The Luftwaffe has received the formal go-ahead to upgrade 75 of its F-4F Phantom aircraft.

The upgrade will principally consist of the installation of a modified version of the Hughes APG-65 radar (as fitted to the F-18) so as to be able to fire the Advanced Medium Range Air to Air missile. Other enhancements will include avionics and cockpit systems, smokeless GE J79 engines and a greater use of digital electronics. First aircraft is expected ready for flight test in late 1988 and for the first modified Phantom squadron to become operational in 1990. Japan and Israel are also planning to upgrade their Phantom fleet to keep the type in front-line service beyond the year 2000.

 Adelaide Innovation Centre to Promote Defence Inventions:

The Minister for Defence, Mr Kim Beazley, has announced that an agreement had been signed with the Adelaide Innovation Centre (AIC) to promote inventions from defence research and development establishments.

The Adelaide Innovation Centre was set up three years ago to assist Government and private interests to exploit new inventions by helping to bridge the gap between good ideas and the marketplace. It is a private organisation subsidised by the Federal and State Governments although most of its running costs are met from revenue generated from the commercialisation of new products. The centre will be responsible for evaluating the commercial viability of selected new defence inventions.

The agreement authorises the AIC to assist with the commercial development of agreed technologies arising from defence research and development. This will ensure greater exploitation of the potential for local and overseas sales in the defence area, as well as improved information on defence for science and technology.

 Smoking Ban on Aircraft:

Smoking will be banned on all RAAF C-130, Caribou, Boeing 707 and all other Operational Command aircraft effective September 1st, 1987.

While the Services appear to be well and truly leading the way in terms of getting a clean air environment aboard its transport aircraft, it is interesting to note that several more British charter carriers have recently designated services as strictly non smoking flights. Air UK, Paramount and Britannia have already introduced no smoking flights as has Indian commuter operator, Vayudoot. In the US, several airlines are actively investigating the concept as demand on some flights for smoking seats falls to as little as 10% of passengers enrolled.

Smoke in the cabin causes several million dollars of extra maintenance each year for the Australian domestic fleet in addition to irritating the majority of non smoking passengers. Where the cabin is divided by the aisle, with smokers occupying one side of a portion of the aircraft, it is generally impossible for the greater proportion of passengers, seated in non smoking seats, to escape the resultant toxic fumes and acrid stench caused by a small minority of passengers.

Meanwhile the Australian Council on Smoking and Health has reported that during 1986 some 6,940 Australians died from diseases caused by smoking. This compared with 948 deaths caused by alcohol and 51 as a result of a drug dependency. It was also 60% more than the national road toll

Usaf F-111 Upgrade Leads to Significant Capability Improvements:

Thanks to their avionics update, USAF F-111s are now four times more likely to be able to complete a mission than they previously were.

Prior to the update many key systems were experiencing a Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) of as little as two hours. With a typical mission often lasting for six to eight hours, it was not unusual to have many aircraft having to prematurely terminate their training missions following the unserviceability of a key item of tactical hardware. The upgrade has eliminated almost all of this problem and has consequently made the F-111 force significantly more vi- able.

The USAF update programme involves all 336 aircraft in inventory and is budgeted at over $US3bn with completion during 1992. Primary improvements include digitising analogue electronics, new navigation computers, new radar warning receivers, ALQ-99E tactical jammers and digital flight controls. A review of the extent to which the RAAF is to upgrade its F-111Cs is still in process and it is hoped that a full decision on this project will get the go-ahead by year-end.

Tilt-Rotor to Be Acquired as Asw Platform:

The US Navy is to acquire some 300 SV-22 Boeing/Bell Tilt-Rotor aircraft for the ASW role.

Primary benefit of using the Tit-Rotor in this role is that it can operate at patrol plane speeds while still being able to hover to deploy its highly sensitive dipping sonar. The US is particularly alarmed about the new generation of deep-diving, ultra-quiet Soviet strategic missile submarines that can operate deep beneath the Arctic ice pack. Normal operations against these submarines using regular ASW aircraft, such as the Orion or Viking, is difficult as they are totally reliant upon their Magnetic Anomaly Detection (MAD) equipment and sonobuoys. Sonobuoys cannot be deployed successfully in the proximity of heavy ice packs while the Soviets have also been more successful in recent times at degaussing their subs to greatly reduce their anomaly factor.

It is envisaged that the SV-22 Osprey would operate from carriers, from large cruisers and battleships and from the Spruance class of destroyers. Each SV-22 could operate for up to 3 hours at a radius of some 250nm from its base while this could also be extended via inflight refuelling. The SV-22 can carry a large assortment of mines, homing torpedoes, Harpoon anti-ship missiles and up to 60 sonobuoys in addition to its own dipping sonar.

The USN plan to have the first SV-22 squadron operational in 1996 while developed versions will probably ultimately replace the Lockheed S-3A Viking as the USNS primary shipborne ASW weapon. Total Osprey production is currently set at over 1200 aircraft with the USN. USAF, USMC and US Army acquire a wide range of Osprey types for a number of dedicated missions. First flight is expected in mid 1988 and the US Marine Corps is slated to receive the first combat support examples in 1992.

 Increasing Role for Women in the Australian Defence Force:

A major review of all Australian Defence Force positions late last year has resulted in a marked increase in employment opportunities for women.

In 1983, only 8% of positions in the ADF were open to women in competition with men, compared with 35% of all positions now available. This has increased the number of positions open to women from approximately 5,240 to 21,751. Almost 6,000 of the open positions are in the non-traditional technical areas.

Currently 6,083 women are employed in the ADF, representing 8. 7% of total strength. This compares with 7. 9% in 1986 and 4% in 1983. As another example, 224 women are employed in engineering trades, an increase of 17% since July 1986 and 57% since 1984.

Kc-10 Refuel Rethink:

The USAF is to modify its force of McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extender tanker/transports to allow hose and drogue refuelling.

The modified KC-10s will now feature wingtip refuelling pods while the central refuelling boom already features an extendable hose and drogue system. This will allow the Extenders the capability to air refuel aircraft of the US Navy and many allied nations which do not use the flying boom system. The USAF is about to receive the final batch of KC-10s to complete an order of some 60 of type.

A-7 Plus Programme Gets Initial Go-Ahead:

LTV Aerospace has been awarded a $US133m contract to modify two US Air National Guard (ANG) Vought A-7D Corsair 2 attack aircraft to A-7 Plus configuration.

The A-7 Plus features a 47 in fuselage stretch, reprofiled wing planform, including installation of lift-dump spoilers, modified flaps and leading edge stakes, revised and updated avionics and most importantly a new engine in the 25,000lb thrust class. The ANG presently operates 335 A-7Ds and the aircraft is requiring replacement during the mid to late nineties as the standard air support/battlefield interdiction aircraft of the ANG.

The two development aircraft have just entered stripdown and will commence flight testing in 1989. The project is vitally important to LTV who are major subcontractor on the Rockwell B-18 programme which itself is due to terminate during 1988.

One option being proposed is that the aircraft use early versions of the Pratt & Whitney F100 turbofan currently in use on the F-15A/B and the F-16A/B. This would then allow these aircraft to be re-engined with the latest marques of both the P&W F100 and GE F110 which are available with the F-15C and F-16C Installation of the early series F100 in the A-7 would effectively double available power. Also vastly improved would be the A-7’s presently dismal short field performance while its landing run would also be reduced by at least one third. The A-7 Plus would have supersonic capability and be able to uplift a maximum weapon load of 17,000lb.

Coming Aviation Symposiums Looking Good:

Two coming aviation symposiums are attracting a record number of speakers.

Commencing November 12 at Melbourne’s Regent Hotel will be the first-ever International Pacific Air & Space Technology Conference. Guest of honour will be astronaut John Young while papers will be delivered by representatives from NASA, Boeing, Lockheed, Rolls Royce and McDonnell Douglas. For more information contact (03) 654 7533.

Commencing one day after the Melbourne symposium ends, is Canberra’s Australian Aviation Symposium. Sponsored jointly by the Royal Aeronautical Society and the Institution of Engineers, the three day event will be held at the new Australian Defence Force Academy and will include a wide range of excellent aerospace speakers from both here and abroad. For more information phone (062) 73 3666.

 MDC and Bae Team to Develop New Super Harrier:

McDonnell Douglas and British Aerospace have teamed to develop a vastly improved version of the Harrier.

The new version would feature an uprated RR Pegasus engine featuring Plenum burning the VSTOL equivalent of an afterburner, a multi-mode radar and enhanced endurance. During the coming months the joint company team will make specific proposals on the new aircraft to the US Marine Corps and potential International customers.

Designated the Harrier II, the aircraft will be effective in a wide variety of missions, from air and fleet defence to surveillance and anti ship attack, in addition to its proven close air support and light attack capabilities. The Harrier II might also have an application aboard US Navy non-carrier vessels as a supplement to existing helicopter assets. In this role the radar-equipped Harrier II could provide some measure of longer range air defence against hostile long-range maritime strike aircraft, a capability that the USN presently does not possess outside of its Carrier Battle Groups.

The study will also place the team in good shape with the US Air Force as that service has just initiated an eighteen month study aimed at eventually replacing the F-16 with a supersonic STOVL aircraft.

Raaf Sets Record for Accident-Free C-130 Flying:

One of the world’s great aviation flight safety records has been set by the Royal Australian Air Force. The RAAF has flown 400,000 accident-free hours with its fleet of Lockheed C-130 Hercules transports.

As the first nation outside the US to put the Lockheed C-130 into service, Australia took delivery of its first 12 ‘A’ model Hercules in November, 1958. The RAAF subsequently took delivery of 12 later version C-130Es and afterward 12 of the still newer C-130H version. Today the RAAF, having phased out the ‘A’ models, operates a 24 aircraft fleet of ‘E’ and ‘H’ model aircraft from its base at Richmond, west of Sydney.

Coming Home:

After waiting more than a decade and a half, Australia’s young men and women who served in Vietnam are to finally get a proper homecoming.

Scheduled for October 3 is a march through the streets of Sydney celebrating their ‘return’ and their efforts in what was a very difficult, confusing and largely misunderstood war. Exactly 50,001 Australians served their country in Vietnam, 496 of them, plus four more war correspondents, did not return and a mass display of 500 Australian flags will salute their memory. If you would like to help as a volunteer or send a donation then phone (02) 29 2671. Assistance is also needed for accommodation, particularly for families.

Airship Industries Wins Benchmark Us Navy Contract:

Those who doubted the long-term wisdom of Alan Bond’s 1985 decision to purchase the then ailing Airship Industries must now be eating their words as the company has won a $US170m development contract to build a production prototype for the US Naval Airship Programme.

Airship Industries teamed with Westinghouse to win the bid in a tough competition against established US airship manufacturer, Goodyear Aerospace, since taken over by the Loral Corp. NASP will provide a large airship, designated the Sentinel 5000, as an AEW platform that would operate with the fleet as a regular surface ship would. The Sentinel would have an endurance of several days and would be able to refuel while airborne from a variety of surface ships. Additionally. Sentinel could also be armed with Harpoon missiles or ASW torpedoes in the offensive role and a variety of air to air missiles, active ECM and chaff in the defence mode.

Airship will equip the Sentinel with a standard E-2C Hawkeye radar dish which will be housed within its gondola. The crew structure will be mounted beneath the gondola and will be on a three deck configuration including sleeping/messing quarters, stores and system and aircraft operating consoles. Airships plan to have the Sentinel 5000 flying by mid 1990 in preparation for two years of fleet deployment tests (full story elsewhere in this Issue).

Raaf Awards New Competitive Maintenance Contract:

The first competitive maintenance contract awarded under the RAAF’s new tendering programme has been awarded to Aviation Turbine Overhauls (ATO) Pty Ltd of Moorabbin, Victoria. The contract is for the repair and overhaul of the Allison 250 turbine engine fitted to army Nomad aircraft and Kiowa helicopters. ATO, a small innovative company that overhauls civil turbine engines, won the contract against several tenderers.

The contract award demonstrates the RAAF’s commitment to establish a wider and commercially based involvement of Australian Industry in its maintenance programme valued at over $60m annually. The RAAF is using competitive tendering to secure performance-based contracts which are awarded for a limited period.

The RAAF is looking for performance in its contracts and encourages companies and firms which have not been involved in Defence contracts before to participate. ATO is a good example of this. A relatively small firm, ATO submitted a very competitive tender against well established competition and achieved success.