Newsdesk — Military Aviation

Under the planned retirement schedule, all F-111As and Ds will be retired as soon as possible. The F-111Es will remain in USAF service for some time, though they will only be based in the United States and will not be upgraded through the Avionics Modernisation Program (AMP). The EF-111A Ravens, which performed so impeccably in the Gulf, will be allocated to the Nebraska Air National Guard to remain in US service and will undergo the AMP. Only the F-111F force will remain in long term, front line service. This is the only variant with the Pave Tack laser designator system and with the AMP updates will remain in service until about 2010.

Meanwhile, it has been announced that because of the reduced threat of conflict in Europe, all F-111Fs will be withdrawn from Heyford and Lakenheath AFBS in southern England by 1994. The US deployment will be replaced by F-15Es.

P-3C Radar Replacement Project:

While other projects appear to move inexorably to the right within (or even out of) the Five Year Defence Program (FYDP) as equipment funds dwindle, the P-3C Radar Replacement Project has moved sharply to the left, reports Tom Muir h the Australian Defence Intelligencer.

Previous reports indicate that the P-3C radar replacement project would not proceed until after the completion of the upgraded ESM project and that an RFT (Request for Tender) was not expected before 1995. But now the RAAF is hoping for budget approval this year to go ahead with the replacement of the APS-115 radar in the maritime patrol fleet of 20 aircraft. The increased priority is due largely to the emphasis on the role of surveillance in the defence of Australia and the clearer focus on ADF priorities generated by the reorganisation within HOADE

A submission has been prepared for consideration by the Force Structure Policy & Programming Committee (FSPPC) in the near future. Current timing envisages the equipment acquisition strategy (EAS) being endorsed by the Defence Source Definition. Committee (DSDC) in the second half of this calender year. If agreed, and assuming the EAS passes up an FMS (Foreign Military Sales) buy or restricted tender, an RFT for the project could be released by the end of the year. It is expected that this would be for the supply of 20 aircraft systems, a ground simulator and ground support equipment. Project costs could be of the order of SA70-80m.

The current APS-115 radar does not have the detection capability against small tar- gets (such as periscopes and small boats), which the RAAF would like, nor does it have a target classification capability or automatic tracking of multiple targets. And because of the aircraft’s relative vulnerability to modern guided weapons and gun defence systems a standoff targeting capability for Harpoon and other missiles is also necessary.

BAe Proposes Tornado 2000:

British Aerospace has proposed a new Tornado 2000 variant for the Royal Air Force.

The 2000 is essentially a stretched Pan- avia Tornado incorporating stealth characteristics into its design, providing a long range strike replacement for the current generation Tornado GR. 1. The 2000 would feature reduced radar signature with a reprofiled nose and new intakes for stealth. A fuselage stretch fore and aft of the existing wingbox would provide longer range with extra fuel tankage in the two stretch plugs and a large conformal belly tank, in which nuclear standoff weapons would be carried. Though the 2000 could be new built, it is more likely that it would result from a major upgrade project, BAe themselves having described the 2000 as “an update beyond the mid life update”. In configuration the 2000 is closer to the F. 3 air defence variant than the GR. 1, so it is even possible that existing F3 airframes could be modified for the intended Tornado 2000 strike role.

 P-3C Esm Project on Schedule:

Despite the withdrawal of Australian personnel from the resident project office in Israel, ADOD believes that the P-3C ESM project will continue on time and within budget, without necessarily incurring delays, reports Tom Muir in the Australian Defence Intelligencer.

This is also the view of AWA Defence Industries which was awarded the $90m contract to design, manufacture, install and integrate the ESM system into 10 of the RAAF’s 20 P-3C Orions. While the withdrawal of personnel from Israel will obviously have some effect on the project, AWADI says the contract objectives of technical solution and scheduling will remain unchanged, including control of CofG and weight variations within the limits specified in the contract. The final stage of the project, phase. 2B, which is due for decision in FY93/94, will see the improved ESM system fitted to the remaining 10 P-3Cs.

Although AWADI is the prime contractor, Elta Electronics Industries of Israel is the owner of the ESM technology and the major subcontractor to the project. The project also includes a software support facility (SSF), a mission simulator and automatic test equipment (ATE). The SSF will be installed at the EW Operational Support Unit, DSTO, Salisbury while the simulator and ATE will be integrated with existing equipment at RAAF Edinburgh, SA. Design and fabrication of the aircraft modification has been subcontracted to HdH Victoria while the integration of the ESM system with avionics was subcontracted to C3 but has now reverted to AWADI. Delivery of the prototype aircraft is scheduled for this September with the first production aircraft delivery in June 1993. Aircraft will then be delivered at two monthly intervals. Provision has also been made for the retrofit of the first production aircraft at the end of the production delivery should this be required. The SSF will be delivered in June 1992 and will be used for aircrew training until the delivery and installation of the mission. simulator in March 1993.

Us Defence Cuts Soaring, Despite Desert Storm:

The list of US mili tary projects scuttled or otherwise affected by US budget cuts continues to mount, Desert Storm having had little affect on the Con- gressional money purse.

The Fiscal Year (FY) 92 Defense request is for $US278bn in budget authority which, adjusted for inflation, is one per cent below FY91 and 24% below FY85. The FY93 request is even less, being just $US277bn in budget authority. And in the near term at least, prospects for increased expenditure are grim, with the Pentagon having placed a defence expenditure limit of $US278-283bn for each year up until at least FY96, based on current plans. However the projected budget does not take into account Desert Storm expenses not covered by other nations.

The US Congress has consistently cut back on the Pentagon’s requests for the Strategic Defense Initiative. The Star Wars initiative is in fact being reoriented to provide worldwide protection against limited ballistic missile strikes, and is therefore now known as Global Protection Against Limited Strikes (GPALS). The new system would consist of space/surface based sensors to provide global continuous surveillance and tracking of ballistic missiles of all ranges. Being a global protection scheme, other nations

Centrespread

Probably one of the least glamorous types in the Australian Defence Force inventory is the HS/BA 748.

Whilst not possessing the aura of the fast jets, Hercs or long ranging Orions, the diminutive 748 fulfills an important role within Australia’s armed forces as a general transport, nav trainer and dedicated ECM aircraft in Navy colours. Our centrespread this issue highlights a somewhat different application of the type’s capability-that of an airshow display aircraft in the colours of the Sale based Howelettes! The Avro 748 is actually Britain’s second best selling transport aircraft of the modern era with production running to 381 aircraft, most of which are still in service. First flying in June 1960, the type was later rebadged with the acquisition of Avro by Hawker Siddeley, itself being destined to suffer a similar fate and become a part of the British Aerospace group during the late seventies.

Australia’s dozen 748s entered service with the RAAF’s 34 Sqn in 1967, with the School of Navigation a year later and with the RAN in 1973 as ECM aircraft. Ironically, the 748 had never served commercially in Australia though nearly a third of a century after its first flight it is at last due to fulfill this role when Moorabbin based Shuttle Airlines begins commercial RPT operations later this year.

could be required to assist in financing. This may be even more necessary with Congress cuts placing restraints on support systems for GPALS.

Several aircraft programs are also affected by the severe budget restraints. The strategic bomber fleet is being cut drastically as older model, cruise missile equipped B-52Gs are retired. In FY90 268 strategic bombers were in USAF service, though this will be reduced to 171 (84 B-52s, 84 B-18 and three B-2s) by FY93. The USAF proposed. cutting back B-2 production from six to four in FY92 (costing $US2. 9bn), and from ten to seven in FY93 (SUS3. 6bn). In the following two years just 10 B-2s will be added to the USAF fleet. Tactical air wings will also be cut back from the present 36 (24 active) to about 26 (15 active). Meanwhile deliveries of the B-2’s SRAM nuclear armament will be delayed, while the AGM-136 Tacit Rainbow anti radar drone and the MKXV IFF identification system will be cancelled.

The last procurement year for F-15Es is FY91, with $1. 53bn allocated for 36 new aircraft. USAF F-16 orders will end in FY93, though only after 300-450 are modified as day/night close air support aircraft. The fate of the Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) remains unclear and full scale development may be delayed, while the number of orders will almost certainly be cut. All F-111s except the F models will be retired by the mid 1990s (refer separate item).

Orders of the McDonnell Douglas C-17 airlifter are also to be cut back and deliveries slowed. Full production will not commence until FY92 and the maximum yearly production rate has been reduced from 24 to 18.

The US Navy also faces budget cuts which will affect operations. One of the 13 carriers is to be mothballed by FY95 while active carrier air wings will be reduced from 13 to 11. With the A-12 Avenger now cancelled, the navy has had to allocate $US351m in FY93 to fund research for an A-12 replacement, In the meantime, existing aircraft must be updated. to stretch their frontline life. At least 60 A-6 Intruders the A-6 was to have been replaced by the A-12-will be equipped with new composite material wings over the next two years at a cost $US900m. A further $US1bn is expected to be allocated in FY93 for a new F/A-18E/F model. Meanwhile, the proposed naval variant of the ATF has been abandoned, so updated F-14s will have to satisfy naval air defence requirements until at least 2015.

The V-22 Osprey will have the already allocated $US237m in research funding spent on it during FY91, though the USN has stated that the program will be terminated thereaf ter. On a brighter note, however, analysts believe that the strong USMC and Congressional support for the tiltrotor Osprey will lead to it being named as the replacement for the CH-46 medium lift chopper.

China Negotiating Flanker Deal:

China is negotiating to purchase up to 24 Sukhoi Su-27 Flankers, which would make it the first non Soviet operator of the type.

The Soviet Union is reportedly seeking $US35-40m for each aircraft, representing a healthy export price for the cash starved Soviets. The Chinese, however, are negotiating what have been described as “friendship discount” prices, so it could be another year before a contract is signed. Negotiations may also be stalled by China’s insistence that its pilots and maintenance personnel be fully trained on the aircraft in the Soviet Union, as it is reluctant to accept Soviet technicians as part of a support package for security and historical reasons.

The Chinese have long preferred to remain Independent of Soviet expertise, remembering well the 1950s’ breakdown in relations when Soviet technicians departed within a matter of days, virtually closing down China’s technological and defence capability.

Another possible delay could be caused by the Soviet military, which is concerned about the regional implications of providing the Chinese with such modern aircraft. Certainly Taiwan and Vietnam, both traditional enemies of the Communist Chinese, have expressed similar concerns, especially considering China’s strong interest in an aircraft carrier and the Soviets’ Flanker carrier trials. However the Soviet aerospace industry and the foreign trade ministry are in favour of the deal, appreciating the high value of the aircraft and also the possible future bulk sales of military helicopters to China.

Gulf Boosts Patriot Sales:

Patriot surface-to-air missile successes against Iraqi Scud and Al-Hussein missiles over Israel and Saudi Arabia are boosting sales prospects for the system.

Foreign nations already operating the Patriot SAM are Germany, Japan and the Netherlands, while Italy has also signed a Patriot order. In addition Israel and Saudi Arabia are likely to buy units, while Greece and the United Arab Emirates have expressed a strong interest in the system. The expected foreign orders will go some way toward compensating for US cutbacks in Patriot procurement, the US Army having scaled back its projected purchases from 104 fire units to about 60. So far the manufacturer, Raytheon, has produced about 100 fire units and 4,000 missiles for its US and foreign customers.

South Africa Abandons Indigenous Fighter Program:

The South African Air Force (SAAF) has cancelled development of its secret future fighter project, known as CAVA, and instead intends to purchase an overseas type to replace its Mirage F1s and Atlas Cheetahs.

A new fighter is needed to enter service during the mid 1990s, and with peaceable relations with Angola and the UN arms and trade embargo almost certain to be relaxed as South Africa progressively dismantles its apartheid laws, purchasing the required aircraft overseas should prove less of a problem than was originally anticipated. Foreign purchase will also prove cheaper than developing CAVA, which was to be a twin engined, two seat canard delta fighter of similar size and appearance to the Mirage 2000.

Besides replacement of its aging fighter fleet, the probable relaxing of sanctions offers several distinct possibilities for sales to South Africa’s armed forces. For instance, since the SAAF’s Avro Shackleton MR. 3s were retired during the late 80s, the maritime reconnaissance role has been performed by less than suitable Piaggio P. 166DLs and Douglas C-478. The SAAF are seeking a more worthy maritime aircraft, so perhaps at specialist type such as the Lockheed P-3 or Dassault Atlantique 2 may find a new customer in the near future. The SAAF’s strike/bomber fleet has also been run down considerably during recent years as airframes have aged and spares dwindled. The remaining Buccaneers have been grounded and just five aging Canberra B. 12 bombers remain in service.

Cornucopia Offers Gulf War Prints:

Cornucopia Prints, which has been operating now for three years and has developed an enviable reputation for unique products and quality service, is offering a range of full colour prints of Gulf war aircraft. The lithographic prints each measure 29 x 43cm and are printed in full colour on white coated board, ideal for mounting and framing. Many major military aircraft types are included, providing readers with an interesting visual record of the Gulf War.

On a civil note, Cornucopia have been appointed Qantas licensees for the production of a range of memorabilia. A series of poster cards featuring current and historic Qantas, BOAC and Imperial Airways travel posters is now available and other products are planned. Cornucopia also offers the popular range of Schabak die cast scale: model airliners from Germany, at what are believed to be the cheapest prices in Australia. New for 1991 is a beautifully illustrated series of books on the early development of civil aviation and various airlines. Illustrations include full colour reproductions of original airline travel posters, timetables, baggage.

labels, etc.

Look out for the Cornucopia Prints advertisement elsewhere in this issue, or contact Cornucopia Prints, Freepost 467, GPO Box 225, Jamison, ACT 2614. Ph (06) 251 6194, fax (06) 253 2948.

Bae Hawk 2000 Being Studied:

British Aerospace have revealed that studies into an uprated Hawk 2000 variant are underway.

The new Hawk variant is aimed at the future USAF Bomber/Fighter Training System (BFTS) requirement, which will not be firmed up until at least early next century. The Hawk 2000 would feature revised avionics and a new engine offering reduced fuel consumption, though BAe have yet to identify specific engines being considered for the project. Besides being developed for the future USAF requirement, the Hawk 2000 would also be proposed as a Hawk T. 1 replacement for the RAF, with EFA (European Fighter Aircraft) compatible avionics and cockpit layout. Combat variants could be offered as replacements for aircraft such as the Northrop F-5, expected to serve with several smaller air arms for many years yet.

A-12 Losses Mount:

General Dynamics and McDonnell Douglas, the two partners in the now cancelled US Navy A-12 stealth attack aircraft, have written off a further $US624m in losses on the project.

The Pentagon, however, has given the two companies until December 1992 to repay SUS1. 35bn in progress payments for which no work on the project was received. However, to avoid pushing either company into Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, a legal settlement may be reached to determine whether the ending of the A-12 contract for default was in fact justified.

General Dynamics’ latest A-12 writeoff adds to a $US450m provision already made against A-12 losses. The MDC loss provision, however, is the first such for the A-12 project, and has turned a fourth quarter profit for the company into a $US1m loss.

F-111C Simulator Upgrade:

An RFT for the last of the projects associated with the modernisation of the RAAF’s fleet of 18 F-111C and 4 RF-111C aircraft- the simulator upgrade project has been drafted and could be available for release as soon as the project has been cleared through the Force Structure Policy and Programming Committee (FSPPC) in May, reports Tom Muir in the Australian Defence Intelligencer.

When the F-111C was first proposed for acquisition, simulation was seen as essential to augment airborne training of operational crews and to allow practicing of procedures which would be dangerous or difficult in a real aircraft. However, the simulator installed at Amberley in 1968 has been able to provide only procedural cockpit training of limited effectiveness because the systems embodied are incapable of realistic simulation in terms of presentation or overall system integrations.

The current simulation is based on ant unreliable General Precision GP4B computer with drum memory and includes a flying spot scanner radar land mass simulator but has no visual simulation system. This equipment and the hardware related to other subsystems such as the hydraulically operated motion system, is now so old that it requires a disproportionate amount of maintenance manpower to achieve even the limited training now available.

Updating of the F-111C simulator to provide full mission capability was initially seen as involving three phases project definition study (PDS), engineering rectification and implementation (full grade). The PDS was subsequently awarded to Information Spectrum Inc (SI) (assisted by Ferranti Computer Systems and Ansett Technologies) who recommended that phases 2 and 3 be scrapped in favour of several levels of upgrade, the uppermost of these being a full mission capable (FMC) simulator. Tender documentation which will include some indication of the level of anticipated cost will state a requirement and ask bidders to propose alternative solutions as costed options. The winning tenderer may also wish to upgrade the current simulator as distinct from building a new one from scratch.

The project envisages the incorporation of a comprehensive visual system with computer generated imagery with a mission software package representative of the aircraft’s fight and weapons systems characteristics. Because of the company takeovers and acquisitions that have occurred in the simulation industry there appear to be only two serious contenders for this project, viz CAE Link and Hughes Flight Simulation, both of which have previously built F-111 simulators. Australian companies which are skely to seek involvement include Computer Sciences, Rockwell, Qantas, Ferranti and Ansett Technologies. However the extent of local involvement may depend on the availability of US data and the degree of similarity with the USAF F-111 simulators.

The F/RF-111C is a unique variant (essentially an FB-111A airframe with an F-111A engine) which has undergone a program of fight testing by ARDU, data from which will be supplied to the successful bidder. However it is understood that most of the data for the development of the simulator will be based on mathematical models rather than actual flight tests with inputs, such as wind tunnel models, provided by General Dynamics and scientific institutions such as Aeronautical Research laboratories.

Hawk’s Adour 871 Cleared to Fly:

Rolls-Royce Turbomeca’s Adour Mk 871 5,845lb thrust jet engine has been cleared to fly with the signing of its type certificate.

The certification marks the completion of more than two years of development and testing since the engine was launched as a powerplant option for the BAe Hawk 100/200. The Adour Mk 871 offers a 20% power boost over its predecessor the Mk 861. It has been ordered by the US Navy as the F405-RR-401 to power its T-45A Goshawk advanced trainers. At least 42-401s have so far been ordered and an additional 250 will be needed by the USN as the Goshawk program gets underway. About 50 engines have also been sold to Abu Dhabi, Oman and Malaysia to power Hawk 100/200s on order with these countries.

Usn Seeks Additional Tomahawks:

The US Navy is seeking to procure additional land attack Tomahawk cruise mis- sies to bolster its dwindling supply. .

The Navy has requested that it be allowed to purchase about 400 additional Toma- hawks equal to about one year of current production under the Fiscal 1991 budget. It has also moved to have production and delivery schedules accelerated. The US Navy fired at least 400 conventionally armed land attack Tomahawks during the Gulf war, the bulk launched from surface vessels but also several from submarines. At the start of the war the US Navy possessed at least 900 BGM-900C Tomahawks armed with 1,000lb conventional explosive warheads and about 100 submunition dispensing BGM-1090, which were used in combat for the first time in late January.

In a related contract, the USN has also awarded firm contracts for Tomahawks originally allowed for in the Fiscal 1991 budget. McDonnell Douglas will supply 240 missiles valued at $US239. 9m and General Dynamics 160 valued at $US188. 5m. Of these 400 missiles, 32 will be nuclear armed BGM-109As, 81 will be Cs and the remainder will be Ds.

 French Companies Hit Hard by Gulf War:

French defence and aerospace companies are facing substantial business losses as a result of the Gulf War.

Iraq has been France’s most important defence equipment buyer for over a decade, and French companies have been second only to those of the Soviet Union as military hardware suppliers to the Middle East. For the past 15 years Iraq has bought copious. supplies of equipment from such French companies as Aerospatiale, Dassault, Snecma and Thomson-CSF, but this has all now collapsed. Despite the fact that Iraq has been defaulting on payments to the companies for several years now, French companies were gearing up for further deliveries of aircraft, radars and other defence technology.

Aerospatiale officials have admitted that the Gulf War had blocked the delivery of several hundred missiles and dozens of helicopters, and has halted any periodic payments from Iraq that the company was due to receive. Dassault cannot deliver Mirage F. 1s Iraq have on order and have lost a potential Mirage 2000 customer. Snecma has been unable to deliver military aircraft engines to either Iraq or Mirage 2000 customer Jordan, and has suffered also further sales losses. Thomson-CSF, which had supplied entire radar and communications systems to Iraq. (now effectively destroyed) also had further sales and supplies of spares blocked.

The cessation of hostilities is not expected to improve the sales prospects of the French companies in the Middle East region, it being expected that future sales in the area will be more closely scrutinised by the US and European governments.