Newsdesk- Military Aviation

Avalongets Airshow:

After some discussion as to whether ornot Avalon would retain theinternational air showit first staged in October last year, The Aerospace Foundation of Australia has announced the March 1995 show will again be held there.

The choice represents a victory for the Geelong area of Victoria as it creates hun- dreds of jobs and brings considerable amounts of money into the region. The Victorian State Government is to approve a $2m funding package to assist in the staging of and preparation for the show, much of this money going to greatly increasing the hardstand/taxiway capability of Avalon at the revised expo area which will now lie abeam the western side of the main runway.

The number of new and used surplus airliners stored outdoors in various desert parks in the south western USA is reducing, according to a Boeing survey.

By the end of March this year the number had reduced to a still substantial 776 compared with nearly 1000 last year. Of these, more than 550 are Stage 2 aircraft (mainly 727s and older 737s and DC-9s) most of which will not return to service due to ever more stringent noise requirements.

US airlines must have either 55% of their fleets complying with Stage 3 noise requirements by the end of next year or reduce their noisier Stage 2 fleet numbers by 25%. The proportion of Stage 3 aircraft required in a fleet increases as the years go by; 65% by the end of 1996 and 75% by the end of 1998. Overall, the US commercial fleet currently comprises just under 60% Stage 3 aircraft.

Research Centre Goes Public:

The Cooperative Research Centre for Aerospace Structures has become a public company.

The centre was established to provide an Australian focus for the development of advanced technologies which will help foster the growth of an efficient and competitive Australian aerospace industry.

Organisations participating in the centre’s activities are Aerospace Technologies of Australia (ASTA), Hawker de Havilland Ltd, the Defence Science and Technology Organisation-Aeronautical Research Laboratory (DSTO-ARL), Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) and three universities-Sydney, New South Wales and Monash.

Saab 340B Upgrade:

Saab’s popular 340B regional turboprop has been the subject of various improvements to maintain its appeal to operators and passengers. The changes are mainly associated with increased passenger comfort and better airfield performance and include active noise control systems in the cabin (along with revised interior and furnishings designs), an improved propeller brake and low pressure tyres.

Composite wingtip extensions will be offered in two years time and these will result in a 12% reduction in field length at maximum weight. Saab is also examining the 340’s maintenance programme with the aim of extending the period between checks and therefore reducing hourly maintenance costs.

MD Made in China:

China has for some years been involved with the coproduction of McDonnell Douglas MD-80 airliners for local use, but soon the first fully Chinese assembled aircraft should be delivered to a US airline.

McDonnell Douglas and the Shanghai Aircraft Industrial Corp (SAIC) are negotiating with TWA for an order for five MD-83s as part of a longer term operating lease agreement involving 18 aircraft. The five aircraft involved were ordered from SAIC by McDonnell Douglas specifically for sale in the USA and all are already in the country in various stages of fitting out. SAIC built MD-80s have been operating in China since 1987 and the 24th aircraft is now nearing completion.

 Made in Australia:

ASTA and the Department of Defence have signed an agree ment with McDonnell Douglas for the manufacture of trailing edge flaps for the F/A-18 Hornet.

The agreement will see ASTA become the sole source supplier of the F/A-18 trailing edge flap for the C and D aircraft. In addition the deal sees ASTA well placed to obtain additional major component work on the forthcoming E and F models.

ASTA was responsible for the assembly of 73 Hornets for the RAAF, and has major component manufacturing contracts with Boeing (747 flaps, 757 and 777 rudders) and through Aerospatiale, Airbus.

ASTA manufactures floor support structures and landing gears doors for the A330 and A340, the latter recently entering airline service with Lufthansa and Air France. ASTA in fact was given 36 months to complete its share in the design and manufacture arrangements of the floor support structure for the two aircraft, completing the task 12 months ahead of schedule.

 Tcas Hercs:

USAF Lockheed C-130 Hercules will be the first military transports to be fitted with traffic alert and collision avoidance systems (TCAS).

The systems will be fitted to new C-130Hs which are scheduled to be delivered from 1994. They are Allied Signal TCAS II units and an initial 16 have been ordered. A further 14-16 will be ordered later this year along with an option to purchase an additional 30 units.

Alpha Jets Mothballed:

Germany is to sell all but 35 of its 175-strong fleet of Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet trainers and will store and maintain the aircraft until political clearance for a sale is given.

It is assumed that initial sales will be to a NATO country. France has been named as a probable taker of up to 60 of the aircraft to supplement its existing fleet while Portugal has also been suggested as a customer to replace its elderly Fiat G. 91s and Lockheed T-33s. Other potential customers (India, Greece, Egypt, Austria and Turkey) have for the moment been removed from the list as a result of Germany’s restrictive arms sales policies. •

Starlifter Wing Cracks Found:

Wing cracks, possibly wide-spread, have been found in many of the USAF’s USAF’sLockheed C-141 Starlifter transports and grounding of a portion of the fleet is possible.

The cracks emanate from ‘weep holes’ (which allow fuel to flow through risers on the inside of the lowerwing structure) some 1500 of which are in each aircraft. The USAF has ordered inspections of the C-141s and restrictions on their operations including 20% lower payloads and banning air-to-air refuelling and low level flying until all aircraft have been inspected.

Lockheed has already proposed a programme which would replace the aircrafts” outer wings, modify other structural and systems components and almost double their service lives to 85,000 hours. Some suggest the discovery of the cracks makes the matter urgent, as the C-141 will remain the USAF’s airlift workhorse for some time, the new C-17 Globemaster III notwithstanding. That programme is in trouble (refer Newsdesk this issue) and its cancellation, although unlikely, is possible.

 Air Training Corps Expansion:

The Air Training Corps is to be expanded by 1100 positions from this month, in response to community demand.

The new positions include 1000 cadets and 100 instructional staff, and bring the ATC’stotal strength to 7900 comprising 7060 cadets and 840 adults. The extra numbers will allow the formation of 23 new flights across Australia.

Nulka Gets Funding:

Developed and tested in Australia and following successful trials by the Royal Australian and US Navies, the Nulka off board missile decoy system has had funding approved for the production of equipment for the first of the ANZAC frigates.

A request for tenders is expected to be released shortly. Nulka was conceived by DSTO scientists and engineers more than a decade ago as Project Winnin and in the Joint US/Australia R&D project we have been responsible for the development of the flight vehicle, payload integration and launcher, while the USN has taken care of the EW payload. Evaluation and operational aspects have been jointly handled.

Centrespread

The Lockheed P-3 Orion has formed the backbone of the ADF’s maritime patrol force since the late 60s.

Tasked with long range maritime patrol, anti shipping and anti submarine warfare roles, the Australian Orions also undertake search and rescue as well as coastal surveillance. In fact a number of occasions have seen Orions locate and assist stricken crews from everything ranging from small yachts to large tankers. Interestingly a typical patrol mission sees the aircraft cruising at only 200kt (370km/h) as low as 1500ft (460m) on two engines.

An in depth feature on the Orion in RAAF service appears on page 27 of this issue.

 Newfrench Carrier:

France is to order a second nuclear powered aircraft carrier to join the Charles de Gaulle which is due to be commissioned in 1998.

The move comes as a result of France’s recent change of government from a socialist to a centre-right one. The new carrier will cost about $US1. 8bn and will eventually carry Dassault Rafale fighter bombers, 86 of which are on order for the Aeronavale and due to enter service from 1997.

Old Migs Big Business:

With some 2000 MiG-21 fighters still flying with 40 air forces around the world, there exists a potentially lucrative market for western avionics firms in the upgrading of these aircrafts’ obsolete radar and avionics systems.

Smiths Defence Industries has identified a potential market for about 500 of these MiG-21 upgrades and estimates itto be worth a conservative $USIbn over the next ten years. Many other nations’ MiG-21s could not be upgraded by western firms as they are banned from purchasing western military equipment. Iraq is an example.

Smiths and other companies could provide mission computers, head up and head down displays and integrate these with a fire control radar at a cost of around $US2m per aircraft, depending on the extent of the upgrade. India, Egypt, and Czechoslovakia are mentioned as possible MiG-21 upgrade customers. Already, Israel Aircraft Industries has been awarded a $US300m contract to upgrade 100 Romanian MiG-21s.

Australian Aeronautical Conference Set for Melbourne:

The Fifth Australian Aeronautical Conference will be held in the Regent Hotel, Melbourne during the period September 13-15 1993.

The conference continues a biennial series which brings together National and International speakers on a wide range of aeronautical topics. Australia is well placed to have an increasing involvement in the international aeronautical market, and is focusing its extensive aeronautical infrastructure towardsparticular niche markets.

The conference will comprise technical papers, industry forums and workshops on developing technical areas. Over 80 technical papers covering a wide range of topics from areas of theory and application on the operation and performance of aeronautical systems will be presented, and many prominent speakers of interest to both industry and research institutions will be present.

In one session the Association of Australian Aerospace Industries will discuss issues confronting the aircraft industry today. Presentations will also be made by the CAA on recent developments concerning Safety Regulations and Standards, Legislation Development and Airworthiness and Opera- tions. The other structured session will deal with Defence/Industry Airworthiness and Operations. The other structured session will deal with Defence/Industry issues including acquisitions, operational support, and the DSTO’s industry support plans.

Several workshops will be held in conjunction with the conference, topics being: Composites Design and Manufacture, Fracture and Fatigue Life Enhancement, Flight Simulation, and Aircraft Operational Software. For more information, contact (03) 647 7471.

Mobile Scud Launchers Escaped:

An independent study of the Gulf War commissioned by the US Air Force has concluded that Coalition air and ground forces probably failed to destroy any mobile Iraqi Scud missile launchers.

According to the report: “Although the USAF Special Planning Group had planned since August 1990 to attack the fixed Scud sites, neither that group nor anyone else had devised, prior to the war, a search and destroy scheme for dealing with the mobile launchers”.

The Israelis have always claimed that no mobile launchers were hit during the war, despite claims by aircrew and special forces units that most if not all were destroyed. Most of the items hit were probably decoys such as tankers, which were impossible to distinguish from Scud launchers on infrared or radar sensors.

The report also says the Coalition was not properly prepared to counterthe Scud threat and badly misjudged the technical capabilities of the missiles’ crews.

 Indian Mig-29 Maintainability Problems:

The Indian Air Force is suf- fering poor availability of its fleet of 42 MiG-29 Fulcrum fighters due to engine, airframe and electronics unserviceabilities.

A shortage of radar components caused the grounding of seven aircraft for between six and 20 months, Three quarters of the Fulcrums Klimov RD33 engines failed within five years and one third of them had to be withdrawn before they had completed 50% of intended overhaul life of just 300 hours. India and Russia have signed a comprehensive agreement which guarantees the supply of spare parts, product support and system maintenance.

Gulf War Lessons:

Some interesting lessons and statistics have emerged from a study commissioned by the USAF to examine the impact of US military aviation in the Gulf War.

The survey concludes that US air power was not necessarily the military-technical revolution it was claimed to be and that some of the war’s aspects which seemed most dramatic at the time appear “less so than they did in the immediate afterglow of one of the most one sided campaigns in military history”. Noted was the lack of evidence of the destruction of any Iraqi mobile Scud missiles, an issue covered elsewhere in this Newsdesk.

The report does say that new technologies gave the air campaign its distinctive character and makes note of the roles played by laser guided bombs and High Speed Anti Radiation (HARM) missiles, plus the effective use of the Lockheed F-117 ‘stealthfighter bomber’. Aerial refuelling is considered to be a critical factor, particularly in combination with the veteran B-52 bomber. B-52s dropped nearly a third of the bomb tonnage inthe war and became one of the most sought after aircraft by ground commanders for strikes against Iraqi ground forces.

B-52G missions flown from Barksdale AFB near Los Angeles helped open the war. The B-52s carried air launched cruise mis siles (ALCMs) which were used to hit communications and powerplants deep inside Iraq. At 35 hours duration, this was the longest air combat mission in history and marked the occasion of the first use of ALCMS in combat.

The report concludes however that great care must be exercised before applying the lessons of the Gulf to future wars as it would be dangerous to assume they will be fought in the same way.

 Jpats Changed Again:

The USA’s JPATS (Joint Primary Aircraft Training System) has had some of its fundamental points changed again, although this time the changes will finally lead to a decision on the winning entries this August.

The contract to replace the USAF’s Cessna T-37 and USN’s Beech T-45C primary train- ers is a lucrative one with between 650 and 760 aircraft required plus simulators and other ground training components. The aircraft and ground training systems contracts are to be awarded separately, this recent change forcing joint teams of tenderers to split.

The latest changes involve awarding the contract to the winning aircraft bidder in August and the ground training systems contracts about two months later. The aircraft prime contractor would then help in the selection of the ground systems winner.

This is designed to alleviate the USAF of the responsibility for integrating the total training systems. Initially, the JPATS programme was intended for one industry team to be responsible for the whole package. Contenders for the airframe contract are the Agusta/Grumman S. 211, Macchi/ Lockheed MB-339, FMA/Vought IA-63/2000 Pampa, Pilatus/Beech PC-9, MBB/Rockwell FanRanger, Embraer/Northrop Tucano and Cessna with a CitationJet derivative.

C-17 Programme Threat:

Aftera comedy of errors which has seen the heads of the programme dismissed, cost overruns, slipping schedules and problems with the aircraft itself, the McDonnell Douglas C-17 Globemaster III military transport programme could be cancelled unless its management is radically improved.

A warning to that effect has been issued to McDonnell Douglas direct from the US government, the Pentagon suggesting it will consider purchasing another aircraft unless things improve. Alternatives include the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy, freighter versions of the Boeing 767 and 747 and a wing replacement programme for the Lockheed C-141 Starlifter.

According to John Deutch, the US Undersecretary of Defence for Acquisition: “Un- less there is strong resolve on the part of McDonnell Douglas corporate management to meet contract requirements, particularly schedule, specifications and testing requirements, the C-17 programme cannot be continued.

The USAF is planning to buy 120 C-17s for more than $US40bn, or about $ US340 million. This represents a unit price nearly twice that of a Boeing 747-400. The first C-17 flew in September 1991.

 F-15 Radar Upgrade:

The USAF is giving thought to upgrading the Hughes APG-63 multimode radar in its F-15C/D Eagles, using components from the more capable APG-73 radar which will be fitted to F/A-18C/D Hornets from next year.

The upgraded radar would be designated APG-63U and features the APG-73’s radar data and signal processor. Its development would also solve some obsolescence issues in the original radar, both operational and logistical. Several hundred APG-63 parts are no longer in production.

The APG-73 is a developed version of the APG-65 as fitted to current Hornets (including Australia’s) and if the programme goes ahead deliveries could begin in 1997.

 Americans Want Russian Missiles:

A group of American entrepreneurs led by a retired US Navy Admiral is seeking the rights to use Russia’s stockpile of deactivated submarine launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) as launch vehicles for commercial space missions.

The Sea Launch Investors group is interested in obtaining several types of missile, the largest of which-the 40 tonne SS-N-23 – would be capable of putting a 670kg (1470lb) payload into a 107nm (200km) orbit or a 410kg (900lb) payload into a 430nm (800km) orbit. The plan is to launch the missiles from a floating sea platform.

The plan requires close co-operation from various Russian organisations including the Makeyev Design Bureau (designers of the missiles) and Ramcon Association for Conversion of Seabased Ballistic Missiles which would provide support for the operation. The latter was formed by retired Russian Navy officers and Makeyev personnel. The Russians have previously examined sea, ground, and air launches of converted SLBMs, the last mentioned involving release from an Il-76 transport.

Pc-9 Maintenance Stays at Home:

Following a competition to find an organisation to maintain the RAAF’s Pilatus PC-9 trainers, the RAAF has decided to continue maintaining them at RAAF Pearce and East Sale. The evaluation of tenders from the commercial sector led to the conclusion that contracting out this work did not offer any additional cost savings or other benefits over No 2 Flying Training School at Pearce and Sale based CFS continuing to perform it. The in-house bid offers substantial savings of about 45% over six years with ‘real-world ‘ engineering and maintenance procedures being employed from the tried and tested world of commercial aviation.

Baea in the Black:

British Aerospace Australia (BAeA), which employs some750peopleinSouthAustralia, Sydney, Canberra and Saudi Arabia, has announced an increased profit for the year to the end of 1992. The company’s pretax profit jumped 38% to$3. 5m in1992 on sales of$87m. Some 40% of the company’s sales are exported, mainly to Europe, the Middle East and the USA. BAeA is involved with a wide range of defence and civilian projects including the ANZAC ship programme, the RAN’s new submarine programme, the supply of sorting machines for Australia Post and the design of radar systems and training simulators for the RAAF and RAN. The company also won two important contracts associated with the Australian Army during 1992: Project Parakeet Phase 4. 3, in which BAeA will supply the Army with mobile ground satellite terminals for secure longrange communications; and the management of the local involvement in the modification of 97 light armoured fighting vehicles.