Newsdesk – Military Aviation

Under the Nulka Memorandum of Arrangements (MOA) between DoD and the USN, Australia has been responsible for the development and testing of the flight vehicle, payload integration and launcher while the USN has been responsible for the development of the EW payload. Technical and operational evaluation and operational aspects of the system are joint development responsibilities In Australia AWADI, with ASTA and ADI, is contracted for the engineering development of the system while Sippican is the US prime contractor.

It is believed that the US decision not to continue was not entirely unexpected in the light of changes in the superpower relationships. DoD must now decide whether to push for the continuation of the project into the production stage and this will surely depend on attracting a commercial partner for the venture or to shelve it.

Both the British and French navies have had missile decoy programmes underway since the mid 1980s with both countries no doubt conscious of the effectiveness and wide availability of anti ship missiles. Their focus is currently on the joint development of rocket launched active offboard jammers suspended under parachutes for their active phase which reportedly lasts a maximum of 180 seconds.

DSTO’s hovering rocket technology, on which the Nulka programme is based, on paper is superior in some respects in that the decoy can maintain station under guidance and has greater endurance than parachute borne EW emitters which begin to descend when activated and presumably must be prey to the whims of the weather. However parachute borne emitters have special capabilities to overcome these disadvantages.

According to naval EW expert Martin Streetly, writing in the UK magazine Defence, British and French companies have also been collaborating in the development of rocket launched active offboard jammers for their respective navies. The RN programme originally based on the Marconi Defence Systems (MDS) Stren round, aims to provide a rocket launched decoy which can break the lock of antiship missile active radar seekers during the terminal engagement phase.

Two Anglo-French teams, MDS with Dassault Electronique and Thorn EMI with Thomson-CSF have participated in the initial project definition stage leading to hardware demonstration, but the move to full scale development/production has been delayed while the two navies try to harmonise their decoy requirements.

The Thorn EMI/Thomson-CSF proposal, Carmen, is said to operate in a similar manner to Siren – rocket powered with parachute suspension for the active phase – however Thom are guarded as to how it functions as a jammer other than to say that it uses ‘angular seduction’ techniques. Now that the restraining influence of the US Government is to be lifted from the Nulka programme, it is entirely possible that MDS and/or Thomson may put proposals to the RAN in regard to the commercial development of the programme. With at least three navies in the quest for an effective decoy the future of Nulka-assuming it lives up to expectations – could be bright.

Falcon Finally Approved for Taiwan:

The US has overturned a declsion made a decade ago which disallowed sales of advanced military aircraft to Taiwan, clearing the way for the sale of up to 150 F-16s.

A reluctance by the US to sell combat aircraft to Taiwan for tear of offending communist China – had seen Russia offering the Taiwanese MiG-29 Fulcrum fighters and the French the Dassault Mirage 2000. The USA however has reconsidered its stand due to massive job losses facing the industry, a potential political disaster in an election year.

The Taiwanese F-16 deal, if it goes ahead, could be worth up to $US10 billion

Centrespread

The elegant Vickers VC10 graces our centrespread in military livery this month. Never the success story it could (only 54 were built), or perhaps should have been, the four engined airliner now serves with the Royal Air Force as tankers and transports.

The first military version of the VC10 resulted from a specification issued in 1960 and these transports featured uprated RR Conway powerplants, additional fuel capacity and a side loading freight door compared to the civil airliner. First deliveries commenced in 1965 to No 10 Squadron.

Subsequent aircraft have included civil aircraft converted to air-to-air refueling tankers, these aircraft now forming the basis of the RAF’s tanker fleet.

ing between 6000 to 10,000 jobs. Before the policy was overturned, General Dynamics had planned to lay off 900 workers by the end of this year and a further 5000 by late 1994 if no further F-16 orders were forth- coming, August though proved a good month for GD with Greece announcing its intention to acquire an additional 40 F-16s to augment the 40 already in service. US officials have justifled the change in policy, saying the PRC’s recent purchase of Sukhoi Su-27s had dramatically changed the balance of power in the region. Futhermore China has begun negotiations for further Flankers and possibly an aircraft carrier (refer separate item) as well as MIG-31 Foxhounds as part of a new arms. deal with Russia.

The likelihood of F-16 procurement has reportedly seen Taiwan cancel further development of its Ching-Kuo Indigenious Defence Fighter. The Ching-Kuo was developed, with the aid of General Dynamics, in place of the long sought after F-16s, which Taiwan first requested a decade ago.

Taiwan needs about 150 fighters and the US ban on F-16 exports to that country had forced evaluations of other types, with the Dassault Mirage 2000-5 regarded as the prime contender. The earlier Russian offer covers 50 MiG-29s now held in stock. Some were originally built for Iraq. Besides the indigenious Ching-Kuo fighter, the first of 250 production aircraft currently under construction, Taiwan’s most advanced fighters are F-104s and F-5s.

Meanwhile, Congressional approval has also been given for the sale of an additional 72 F-15 Eagles to Saudi Arabia to comple- ment the 92 already in service with the RSAF, a deal worth more than $12bn with spares and support that will also keep the Eagle in production till 1997 and protect the jobs of over 20,000 US aerospace workers.

Chinese Buy Carrier:

According to reports published in Europe, China is to purchase the Russian/Ukrainian 60,000 tonne aircraft carrier Varyag, currently being fitted out and for sale following the breakup of the Soviet Union.

The carrier is capable of accommodating about 60 aircraft and is 80% complete though lacking an electronics and weapons suite. The deal is reportedly worth $US2. 4bn and China is also buying over 70 Sukhoi Su-27s, possibly the Su-27k variant designed for operation from the carrier. The Ukraine has denied the sale.

However, while it could be a decade before the Chinese will be able to deploy an operational carrier group, concern is nevertheless being shown for the destabilising effect it could have on the region.

 South Africa Selects Tucano:

The South African Air Force (SAAF) has announced its selection of the Embraer Tucano to replace its Harvards.

However, the SAAF selection has not yet been officially approved by the South African government, and its selection is likely to upset Atlas Aviation who had been proposing its indigenious NGT trainer. If the order was allowed by Parliament, full approval would still have to be granted by the Brazilian Government. Sanctions against the sale of military equipment to South Africa still apply and the SAAF requires that foreign suppliers must obtain proper export licences.

However, in view of the economic crisis extant in Brazil and the financial problems currently being experienced by Embraer it is considered unlikely that the Brazilian government would veto the sale. HDH JOBS GO: The expected fallout from the BTR-Nylex takeover of Hawker de Havilland has occurred with 225 workers being retrenched from the company’s Bankstown facility. Some 600 workers briefly went on strike when the retrenchments were announced.

The retrenchments have become necessary due to reduced orders from international aircraft manufacturers for aircraft components, the completion of the PC-9 and Black Hawk programmes and a lessening of workload in the company’s repair and overhaul departments. The company now employs about 2200 people overall.

To meet the challenges of the nineties HdH has been split into three separate operating divisions. Manufacturing will largely look after the design and manufacture of components and offsets for the company’s existing range of clients whilst Repair & Overhaul will undertake an expanded role in acquiring additional military and civil contracts to those HdH already services. A third division, Systems Integration, will oversee work on upgrade and modification programmes and stems from HdH’s recent success with the RAAF 707 tanker conversion programme, amongst others.

 Russian Cuts Continue:

Cuts in Russia’s military spending continue to affect various development programmes, the latest batch including new versions of the Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker fighter and the AS-19 cruise missile project.

Development of the Su-27K carrier com- patible naval fighter has stopped as has work on the Su-271B Platypus, a side by side two seat strike variant intended to replace the Su-24 Fencer. Both programmes have been halted due to a lack of money, although it has been reported that China is a potential customer for the Su-27K if its purchase of the incomplete aircraft carrier Varyag goes ahead, as has been suggested (refer elsewhere this Newsdesk).

The AS-19 cruise missile has had consid- erable development work expended upon it since the mid 1980s (including flight trials) but has also ground to a halt due to a lack of funding Designed to replace the AS-15 intermediate range nuclear cruise missile, the AS-19 was to be fitted to the Tu-160 Blackjack and Tu-95 Bear long range bombers and have a range of up to 2000nm carrying two independently targe- table warheads.

The Tu-160 Blackjack programme has itself suffered, with production stopping after only 40 of the planned 100-plus had been completed.

Following F-16s FOR MALAYSIA?: the United States decision to clear the way for F-16 sales to Taiwan, the US has now offered Malaysia the General Dynamics fighter at what it refers to as a ‘competitive price’.

Malaysia has been in serious negotiations with Russia for the purchase of MiG-29 Fulcrums before the US offer was made in what appears to an all out attempt to gain fresh defence contracts. Meanwhile, Zimbabwe’s President has reportedly announced the cancellation of an order for MiG-29s. The cancellation was the first confirmation that the African nation had in fact ordered the advanced Fulcrum.

 Massive French Job Cuts:

An ever-increasing decline in French aerospace exports over the past three years has brought about a major aerospace crisis in France which will see over 32,000 employees laid off.

The large falls in sales are attributed to the combined effects of a decreasing national defence budget and fewer military export orders. French aerospace industry group GIFAS has announced that 32,000 workers from its 207 member companies will lose their jobs by 1994 as companies strive to trim down and reduce costs. France’s largest aerospace company, Aero- spatiale is due to announce further job cuts shortly, while Dassault Aviation, who has not been awarded an export order for its Mirage 2000 since 1986 and has just lost the prospective sale of up to 150 such aircraft to Taiwan (see separate item) has announ- ced plans to trim 1400 workers from its payroll.

Taking into account cutbacks from companies associated with aerospace, job losses could approach 45,000. Furthermore, cuts by related electronics firms could see this rise again to a massive 100,000 jobs over four years.

French involvement in civil airliner programmes such as ATR and Airbus Industrie does little to offset the rapidly decreasing military market especially as world airliner sales have also dropped and a pick up in orders would not generate new work for a number of years after the order is placed.

Saudi Deal Concluded:

Final negotiations between Saudi Arabia and British Aerospace over the aircraft component of the Al Yamamah II agreement have been completed.

Pilatus PC-9s, BAe Hawks and 48 Panavia Tornados are thought to be included in the deal which is expected to be formalised this month. The aircraft sales deal has resulted because of the postponement of the previous preference for the construction of a new airbase. The signing of the Tornado order is essential to keep the production line open as construction has slowed dramatically as the programme winds down.

Europe Looks at a Maritime Patrol Aircraft:

Europe’s major military manufacturers have established the Europatrol Consortium which aims to study and develop a European maritime patrol aircraft.

Companies, Alenia, BAe, CASA, Das- sault, Deutsche Aerospace, and Fokker have joined to form the consortium which aims to develop the aircraft and mission systems for the 21st century, taking advantage of European airframe and sensor knowledge gained in the development of such aircraft as the Atlantic, Nimrod, Casa CN-235 MPA and Fokker Maritime Enfor- cer Mk2. First stages of design will focus on establishing common ground and approaching the governments of Europe to formulate guidelines on which to base the programme.