Newsdesk – Military Aviation

Countries operating the Mirage III, 5 and 50 include Argentina, Brazil, France, Lebanon, Israel, Pakistan, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Abu Dhabi, Belgium, Colombia, Egypt, Gabon, Libya, Peru, Venezuela, Zaire and Chile. From that group the most likely contenders for a quick buy would obviously be South Africa (as attrition spares, etc). Argentina (with updates from IAI). Other potential buyers include Spain, which is updating its existing Mirage fleet, Chile and Brazil, which is presently discussing acquisition with the DoD for a number of the aircraft presently stored at Woomera.

Just as quiet is the future market for our ex-RAN Grumman S-2 Trackers. Rumors that these aircraft would covertly head north to Taiwan were eventually baseless while attempts to upgrade them to turboprop standards (refer Paris report this issue) have proved uneconomic In the meantime they continue to rot at Nowra, perhaps the least ideal environment in which to store long-term non operational aircraft.

F-111 Contracts Let:

Two US firms have been awarded contracts worth $64m 10 modify the Attack and Terrain Following Radar systems of the RAAF’s F-111Cs.

Texas Instruments will upgrade the TFR and General Electric will be responsible for the Attack Radar system, these programmes representing the first in a series of updates. which will be applied to the F-111 in the future The contract package includes assembly and testing of major components in Australia by sub-contractor Philips Industries, who will further benefit by being given access to the USAF F-111 radar spares market. Twenty-two F-111s remain on RAAF strength out of the 24 originally delivered in 1973 and the four attrition replacements which arrived from USAF stocks in 1982. Six have been lost in accidents.

Glasnost in Action:

Pinched from our friends at Aviation Week & Space Technology but too good to pass up: Mikihail Simonov, chief of the Sukhoi Design Bureau, used humour skillfully in the unveilling of Western intelligence operatives trying to gain information at a Paris Air Show press conference.

Simonov’s briefing on the Su-27 interceptor was well attended-too well attended. An ear- nest young attendee wearing a press badge asked a highly technical question, prompting Simonov to ask which publication he represented. After an embarrassed pause, the questioner replied “Air Force Systems Command, Washington. ” “Ah yes”, Simonov replied. “This journal I know very well” Further questioning tuned up representatives of the Israeli and Swedish Air Forces and five more from Systems Command! When a reporter asked a question, Simonov asked, “Which Air Force do you represent?”

Raaf UK Recruiting:

The RAAF has begun a recruiting drive in Britain in an attempt to find replacements for the ever increasing number of pilots leaving the Service for the private sector.

Following an initial two week visit by an RAAF recruiting officer in July, another officer arrived in August for a five month stay in an effort to find experienced pilots and navigators of Flight Lieutenant/Squadron Leader rank to fill a middle order experience gap in maritime, strike, fighter and tanker roles. The RAAF is also seeking Qualified Flying and Weapons Instructors plus avionics and armaments specialists. About 25 to 30 people are being sought initially and the response so far has been described as excellent.

In 1988, 123 RAAF pilots resigned early leaving the Service with 724 qualified pilots 10 fly the 373 aircraft on strength at the end of that year. A mid rank aircrew shortage is the main area of concern and the shortfall currently stands at an ever increasing 160 personnel.

By Mig Across Europe:

The recent flight of an unmanned Soviet MiG-23 Flogger across a large portion of Europe was an amaz ing occurrence which could have ended with considerably more tragedy than it did.

The MiG departed its base in northern Po- land, but shortly after takeoff lost power due to fuel starvation of the afterburner in its single Tumansky turbojet engine. The pilot, Col Nikolai Skuridin, ejected but the aircraft continued to fly on military power, trimmed to climb. It reached 37. 000 feet before levelling out and settling into a cruise at Mach 0. 74, or approximately 430kts.

The MiG conlinued across the northern tip of East Germany then traversed West Germany, the southern end of the Netherlands and most of Belgium before apparently running out of fuel and crashing onto a house near the east Belgium town of Wevelgem. One person in the house was killed. During its flight, the MG had been tracked by a NATO Boeing E-3 Sentry and was quickly intercepted by USAF F-15 operating from a Royal Netherlands Air Force base. It was considered too dangerous to shoot it down over land but permission had been given to destroy the MiG once it reached the sea. Unfortunately, the MiG didn’t make it that far. All along the flight path of the runaway aircraft, emergency and rescue services were standing by, although those on the spot at Wevelgem were hampered by exploding ammunition.

Although the Soviets have offered reparations to Belgium, that country was rightly wondering why the MiG wasn’t shot down by Soviet, Polish or East German forces well before it entered Western airspace. The answer appears to lie in the fact that the Warsaw Pact countries involved were unable to track it! Soviet officials said they knew of the piot ejecting within minutes of it happening but knew nothing of the final outcome until hearing about the crash through the European news agencies. The incident raised a heated debate in the Soviet parliament.

 Top Gunski:

In what must be an almost irresistible offer, Mikhall Simonov, director of the Sukhoi Design Bureau, has suggested that USAF pilots might like to fly the Su-27 Flanker fighter provided Soviet pilots are permitted to fly an equivalent American aircraft such as the F-15C or the F-14D.

Stay tuned! Simonov has announced another idea, and this one is an absolute ripper. The Soviet Union will propose to the Federation de l’Aeronautique Internationale that a jet aerobatic competition should be established, and it is suggested the first contest should be held in Moscow next northern summer. The competition would be divided into two classes, one restricted to trainers and light strike types and the other an open class for high perform- ance fighters. Now that would be something worth walking thousands of kilometres to see!

French Navy F-188?:

Faced with the dilemma of having to retire its extremely elderly Vought F-8 Crusaders some time before its replacement, the Dassualt Rafale D enters service, France’s Aeronavale has decided to conduct trial landings of the McDonnell Douglas F-18 Hornet on its aircraft carriers, the Clemenceau and Foch. Such tests have been mooted several times recently but have always been aborted due to opposition from Dassault, who fears they will lead to an order for the F-18 and therefore cancellation of the Rafale D.

The problem is the age of the Crusaders. They will be thirty years old in 1993 and cannot without great difficulty and expense have their lives extended any further than that year. By 1993 their retirement will already be ten years overdue and the type now requires 60 manhours of maintenance per flight hour. The Ratale D will not enter service until 1998 at the earliest (two years later than originally planned), leaving a minimum five year gap. To fill this gap, the Navy has been trying for some time to purchase or lease US aircraft, even secondhand examples. One possibility mentioned is the Aeronavale buying some F-18As from the RAAF, which is reportedly seeking the improved F-18C for its own use.

New Raaf Squadron:

After being inactive for 44 years, No. 32 Squadron again joins the proud ranks of the RAAF as an operational squadron.

No. 32 was effectively reformed on July 1 and is based at RAAF East Sale flying 10 Hawker Siddely 748 turboprops. No. 32 thus now provides support to the school of air navigation and also provides dedicated passenger uplift for the RAAF. This latter task will see the squadron taking on the two 748s presently flown by No. 37 Squadron in its VIP role from RAAF Fairbairn, Canberra. That Squadron will hand over its two 747s when it officially takes over the five Falcon 900s that are due to be operational in the VIP role by year end.

Providing regular base to base passenger uplift is something that the RAAF has become heavily involved in over the past decade or so and nowadays takes a considerable portion of the capacity available on regular C-130 and Caribou courier flights. Use of the passenger configured 748s will greatly free up existing tactical transport assets for that specific function.

Abu Dhabi Hawks:

Traditionally a purchaser of British military aircraft, the Arab state of Abu Dhabi-whose air force operates as part of the United Arab Emirates has been named as the launch customer for the British Aerospace Hawk 100 trainer/attack aircraft.

A contract is expected to be signed before the end of this year. The Hawk 100 is a specialised combat version of the basic two seater Hawk with a more powerful 5,840lb thrust Adour 871 engine, an inertial navigation system similar to that on the F-16, an advanced cockpit with CRT displays, a head up display (HUD) and weapons aiming computer, HOTAS (Hands On Throttle And Stick) weapons controls and optional laser ranging and FLIR (Forward Looking Infra Red). It can carry a maximum ordnance load of 7,2001b (3,265kg) on five external pylons.

The initial Abu Dhabi order is expected to be for 12 aircraft and is the first for Hawks equipped with the uprated Adour 871. Abu Dhabi’s Hawk 100s will also be equipped with wingtip launch rails for AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles. The UAE Air Force already operates 24 Hawk Mk. 60s with slightly less powerful Adour 861s and a reduced combat capability.

Another potential Hawk 100 customer is South Korea, representatives from which have been talking to British Aerospace. The Koreans are studying the Hawk as a replacement for their fleet of 30 Cessna A-37B Dragonfly COIN and weapons trainers which are nearing the end of their productive lives. In the not too distant future Korea will also need to replace 40 Cessna T-37C and 30 Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star trainers again its

Raaf Tops Again:

The RAAF has once demonstrated skills and professionalism in the international arena. Air and ground crew from 37 Squadron, based at Richmond near Sydney, won major trophies at the prestigious International Air Tattoo at the Royal Air Force station at Fairford, west of London.

In competition against teams from the UK, USA, Italy, Canada, New Zealand and Jordan, the RAAF C-130E team won the most sought after trophy, the Concours d’Elegance and was named the overall winner of the numerous ground competitions. The RAAF’s successful assault on the Tattoo is however only one of a series of accolades earned by RAAF squadrons during the past 12 months.

F-111 crews from 6 Squadron outclassed 14 other photo reconnaissance teams from the US and Europe in the RAM 88 competition in Texas last year, winning awards for night-time operations and the top crew Transport squadrons again hit the headlines when 36 Squadron (C-130H) scooped the pool against Canadian and New Zealand crews at the annual Bullseye tactical air transport competition at Richmond last April which tested skills in accurate navigation, spot landings and precision air drops. Richmond based transport squadrons continued their outstand- ing record when a 40 man detachment from 36 Squadron won the title for the best overall Military Aircraft Wing in the 1989 Airlift Rodeo in North Caroline last June against top transport crews from Europe and the United States.

Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Ray Funnell said he was delighted with the latest results at Fairford. He said the results of these competitions against stiff opposition proves the RAAF compares favourably to any other air force in the western world.

 China Pays a Price:

Desperate for Western technology, China has in some ways paid the price for the Beijing atrocities – you know, the ones we outside China only imagined happened by some aerospace programmes having been at least temporarily shelved.

Among them is an order to Boeing by the US Office of Munitions Control to delay delivery of three Boeing 757 airliners (since rescinded) and six CH-47 Chinook helicopters, while the joint McDonnell Douglas/Shanghei Aviation Industrial Corporation MD-82 assembly programme has been stopped. That programme involved the assembly of 25 MD-82s by SAIC from imported US components, the first Chinese assembled aircraft flying in July 1987. For its part, Boeing successfully appealed against the suspension of 757 sales.

Other programmes which have been affected by the situation include Grumman’s work developing an improved fire control system for the Shenyang J-8-11 fighter in conjunction with Westinghouse and Litton – the company was ordered by the US Defense Dept to sever bes with 26 Chinese nationals working at Grum- man’s factory – and the joint French, Chinese, Singaporean and Australian helicopter project headed by Aerospatiale which, although not directly threatened as yet, could still suffering the important Chinese connection was lost, the helicopter (dubbed ‘P. 120’ at the moment and seen possibly as a Squirrel replacement in its current form) could still go ahead but probably in a slightly larger form

Naval Flanker:

The star of this year’s Paris Air Show, the Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker fighter, is having naval derivatives of the basic design developed, one of which will be carrier compatible and is possibly intended to operate from the Soviet Union’s first such conventional vessel, now nearing completion.

Trials have already been conducted with Flankers fitted with arrestor gear, while takeoffs have been made from a land based ski jump. Other Su-27 trials conducted recently include those involving a variant fitted with foreplanes and under investigation is a short takeoff and landing version similar to the F-15E. Other activities at Sukhoi connected with the new aircraft carrier include dummy deck landing and takeoff trials with hook equipped Su-25UB Frogloots. It has been reported that the Su-25UB will be used for conversion training while a single seat naval version is also planned.