Newsdesk – Military Aviation

A real TF30 combustor will be used to test the modifications in the DSTO’s new combustion test facility. The mods are only applicable to the early build TF30-P-3 engines of the RAAF’s F-111Cs, and is not applicable to the laterengines in the F-111G. bSTO has also used its combustion test facility and water modelling to refine the low smoke modification already developed for the combustors of the Allison T56 turboprop. DSTO had previously developed a low smoke modification for the T56 specifically for the RAAF’s fleet of P-3 Orions, to reduce their visual signature. the modification increased the occurrence of hard carbon erosion. Testing and a number of experiments has been able to reduce the build up of hard carbon through improving the gas flow.

The benefits of the low smoke modification (a reduction in the aircraft’s smoke emissions by up to 80% ) has generated significant overseas interest. Already the technology’s marketer Defence Technologies Australia has been awarded a contract with the Netherlands Navy, while negotiations are being held with Belgium Canada, Norway and the UK. Over 10,000 T56s are in service throughout the world powering the C-130, P-3 and E-2 Hawkeye.

 Arl to Fatigue Test Pc-9 for Raaf:

The Aeronautical Research Laboratory is shortly due to commence fatigue testing of a PC-9 for the RAAF to determine the type’s safe life.

Unusually for a modern aircraft, the PC-9’s manufacturer Pilatus has not conducted a full scale fatigue analysis of the trainer. ARL’s testing will aim to measure the fatigue rate hopefully allowing greater air force utilisation. Currently the PC-9’s safe life has been calculated at 5000 hours but this figure was reached through mathematical calculations and has a high safety margin built in. The full scale fatigue test should allow the accurate determination of a safe life greater than that currently calculated, providing significant safety and economic benefits.

A PC-9 airframe is currently being in- stalled in a test rig at the DSTO’s Aeronautical Research Laboratory in Melbourne. The airframe will be tested to destruction, and when structural failures do occur, repairs will be designed and applied to the test aircraft which themselves will be tested to destruction.

British Aerospace has seconded three engineers to work on the fatigue test at no cost to DSTO. In return BAe will gain access to all data from the test allowing them to also fulfil their contractual obligations with the Royal Saudi Air Force, with whom they sold a fleet of PC-9s as part of the Al Yamamah deal.

Much of the parameters used for the test will be based on detailed aerodynamic loading data gained using a PC-9 model in the ARL’s low speed wind tunnel. The 17% scale model was designed and built by ARL using three dimensional CAD/CAM computer modelling techniques. The model features a 15kw engine driving a propeller to simulate the effects of the propeller slip-stream. In its final form the model will be equipped with approximately 1000 pressure measurement ports, from which 20,000 readings per second can be recorded.

 Hornets for Singapore?

Singapore has elected to open up its selection process for its next fighter order, rather than purchase more F-16s.

Despite the fact that Singapore had proposed purchasing as many as 18 F-16C/Ds, the small island nation has invited McDonnell Douglas to supply information on the F/A-18C/D family. Previously Singapore had planned to purchase 11 F-16C/bs to complement eight F-16A/Bs already in service, with the US DoD notifying Congress of its intentions to sell the aircraft plus weaponry as late as November last year. It is worthy of note that this new interest follows plans by Malaysia to purchase eight night attack capable F/A-18Ds.

It is interesting to note that South East Asian nations have been particularly sensitive towards armaments purchases by their neighbours. In the 1980s, Singapore taking delivery of its first batch of F- 168 until Indonesia and Thailand had received theirs, while Singapore was quick to order E-2 Hawkeyes shortly after Malay- sia announced its intention to order IDS Tornados. Singapore’s new interest in the F/A-18 may, at least in part, be a reaction to Malaysia’s intentions to purchase F/A-18s and MiG-29s.

 Italy to Lease Tornado F. 3s:

Italy has decided to lease 24 RAF Tomado F. 3s as a stopgap measure until the arrival of the Eurofighter in 2002.

The decision to lease Tornado ADVS follows attractive offers from both the USA and UK to lease surplus fighters. The US had offered the option of either leasing or purchasing surplus US Air Force F-158 or F-16s and the offered UK Tornado F. 3s, small numbers of which were being placed in storage. Leasing Tomados was considered a more logical option given that the Italian air force already operates Tornado IDSs, giving logistics support benefits. Af- ter minor modifications the F. 3 would also be compatible with Alenia’s Aspide medium range semi active AAM, which would

avoid the costs of leasing new missile types. Politically the Tornado is a more acceptable decision as it would be perceived that a decision in favour of a US type would have undermined the credibility of Italy’s commitment to the Eurofighter 2000.

The need for a stopgap fighter has in recent times been exacerbated by the further delays in the entry into service of the Eurofighter 2000 and concerns over airspace incursions from warring former Yugoslav states. Italy desperately requires a capable air defence fighter as its current frontline equipment of F-1048 Starfighters are for all intents and purpose obsolete, and are suffering from increasingly lower levels of maintainability.

 Greece to Lease Orions:

Greece is to lease four ex US Navy P-3A/ B Orions pending a decision regarding the purchase of P-3B/Cs. The four aircraft are currently in storage and will replace Grumman Albatrosses which are currently used in the anti submarine warfare role, pending a purchasing decision on Orions.

 Further Rafale Delays:

Development of the Dassault Rafale may be as much as a year behind schedule, according to a French parliamentary report.

Previously it was expected that the development programme was running six months behind schedule. Primary concerns centre around problems with integration of a number of key systems, including the Thomson-CSF/Dassault Electronique RBE2 radar. Dassault has admitted that there are some delays but given the scale of the project they are relatively insignificant.

Current timetables see the Rafale entering French naval service in mid 1998, and air force service in late 2001.

Defensive Ew for Raaf Hercs:

Four RAAF C-130Hs will be equipped with an electronic Warfare Self Protection (EWSP) suite to reduce their vulnerability to hostile fire.

Based on similar systems fitted by major western powers the suite will comprise a radar warning receiver, missile approach warning system and flares and chaff. In addition the four 36 Squadron Hercules transports will also be equipped with kevlar/ ceramic composite panels to protect crew areas from small arms fire.

The $15. 7m modification programme is to be handled by the US Air Force, with Lockheed Aircraft Systems, Ontario, per- N82884) forming the work at its eastern Los Angeles site.

The programme will allow the four aircraft to operate in a more safer environment when performing UN peacekeeping work or humanitarian operations. A heightened awareness for the need for protective EW followed the destruction of an Italian G222 by a SAM over Sarajevo in late 1992.

Few Australian military transport aircraft are fitted with protective EW despite its proven worth. The unofficial policy of ‘wired for but not fitted with’ meant that when six Army Black Hawks were deployed to Cambodia during 1993 protective EW had to be leased and fitted to the helos. While the leased equipment for the Black Hawks has subsequently been purchased, the remainder of Army’s large helicopter and the air force’s transport fleet has no protective EW suites.

Tindal Development Continues:

Construction was scheduled to begin in February on further development work at RAAF Base Tindal.

Theiss contractors, in a $32m contract, is to construct additional aircraft pave-ments, airfield lighting and a further 10 aircraft shelters. Base operations will not be affected by the work which represents the third stage in the development of the airfield. Provision for a Sector Operations Centre and relocating the RAAF’s No 2 Control and Reporting Unit from Darwin have also been provided for in the third stage of development.

Australian Naval Aviation Museum Fly-In/Family Days for 1994:

The Naval Aviation Museum at Nowra has advised the following dates and events for 1994; March 20: Sea Fury, Boomerang, Spitfire and Mustang. May 8: Wings and Wheels weekend. July 10: Official opening of completed museum hangar. Sept 11: Australia all Over. Oct 30; Spring Festival.

Private aircraft are most welcome to fly in for all these events and joyflights will be available during each day. For further details call (044) 211 920.

 Germany Gives Alpha Jets Away:

Attempts by Germany to sell most of its fleet of 175 Alpha Jet / ground attack aircraft (refer p10 July 93 AA) have failed, resulting most probably in the scrapping of 90 aircraft and the giving away of a further 50.

Portugal is the confirmed lucky recipient of the 50 Alpha Jets, which have been exchanged as payment for the Luftwaffe use of the Beja base in Portugal as a tactical training centre for the last three decades. Germany withdrew from the base at the end of 1993.

Protracted negotiations with another Alpha Jet user-France-for the 90 aircraft to be scrapped failed to come to fruition, though some last minute interest has reportedly been evinced from Greece and Morocco. Germany’s remaining 35 Alpha Jets will continue to be used for Tornado lead in training until they are withdrawn next year, from which time that part of the Luftwaffe’s training will be conducted in the USA.

Pentagon Announces C-17 Purchase:

The troubled McDonnell Douglas C-17 Globemaster III military transport has survived cancellation threats with the announcement by the Pentagon that 40 will be purchased for the US Air Force at a modest rate of production. Nine C-17s have already been delivered.

No decision has yet been made about the 80 further aircraft required by the USAF. According to the then US defence secretary Lee Aspin, that depends on McDonnell Douglas demonstrating “. . . whether it can successfully build the C-17 on time and to the required specifications”. Contingency plans are being put into place to cover the case where the remaining C-17s are not ordered. These include more Lockheed C-5B Galaxies and McDonnell Douglas MD- 11 and Boeing 767 and 747 freighters modified for military use.

Mr Aspin said it was tempting to cancel the entire C-17 project but to do so would require “. . . new spending to start up a new programme which might ultimately be more expensive for the taxpayers”.

USBomberforce could Be Cut:

The USAF’s fleet of heavy bombers could be reduced to a total of only 100 deployable aircraft by the end of the decade, the result of budget cuts.

With the first of 20 Northrop B-2 stealth bombers having just entered service, the figure of 100 includes them plus about 80 Rockwell B-1s and is substantially below the desired total of 184, comprising 20 B-28, 96 B-1s and 95 Boeing B-52s.

The B-52 total was to have been achieved after the retirement of the G model, leaving only the B-52H in service, the youngest of which is now 30 years old. Under the plans which may see the total fleet reduced to only 100 aircraft, the B-52 would virtually disappear and only about 80 B-1s remain in frontline service.

The B-1 is now being modified to operate in the conventional rather than the nuclear role, while the B-52 remains nuclear capable and the only bomber in the USAF’s inventory with precision guided munitions capability via the Harpoon and Have Nap standoff weapons. The B-52’s worth in the modern environment was well illustrated during the Gulf War.

 Amraams for Hornet:

The US Navy’s McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornets have now been cleared to carry AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM), the first aircraft so equipped serving aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln which is stationed in the Gulf area.

CCCP-70870 Trials in the USA during last September saw 29 AMRAAMs fired from Hornets with a success rate of 96%. The missile was banned from use on the F-16 Fighting Falcon last year (refer p10 Dec 93 AA) due to severe oscillations in flight. Although some restrictions have been lifted, the F-16 is still very limited in its ability to deploy the missile pending further investigation of the problem.

Stealthy Spares:

The Lockheed F-117 stealth fighter’s operational readiness has been badly hit by a shortage of spare parts, the result of reduced logistics funding.

The mission capable (MC) or operational readiness rate of the F-117 averaged just 51% in October and November last year, well below the 83% standard required and based on the aircraft’s actual previous performance which reached nearly 84% in January 1991 just prior to Desert Storm.

The shortage in logistics funding has delayed the procurement of essential spares and the repair of existing spares. This has resulted in the severe readiness rate reduction and a curtailment of flying hours in order to give groundcrews time to work on the aircraft.

Cessna’s Double Debut:

Cessna notched up two significant firsts on consecutive days late last year with two new models taking to the air for the first time.

The first was the Model 526 JPATS CitationJet on December 20 followed on the next day by the Model 750 Citation X high speed business jet which is designed to fly at Mach 0. 9.

The Model 526 is a tandem two seat trainer very broadly based on the CitationJet light bizjet and has been designed to contest the USAF/USN Joint Primary Aircraft Training System (JPATS) contract, which requires 766 aircraft worth $US6-7bn.

Bae Sponsors Raaf Conference:

British Aerospace Defence has announced its sponsorship of the major RAAF airpower conference The War In The Air’, to be held in Canberra on March 29 & 30.

The conference is the first of its kind in the Asia Pacific region, and it will examine the role of airpower from World War I to the Gulf with analysis of many aspects of aerial warfare. Guest speakers include military leaders, historians and academics including Air Chief Marshall Sir ‘Paddy’ Hine, Joint Commander of all British forces in the Gulf War.

More than 700 delegates are expected to attend the conference including representatives from the defence forces of more than 20 countries. For more information contact (06) 265 3175.

F-111 Upgrade Progress:

The RAAF F-111 upgrade programme reached a milestone late last year when a team led by Rockwell Australia personnel began ground testing of the first modified aircraft.

Ground testing is being performed at Palmdale California and is scheduled to be completed by May this year. This phase will be followed by functional flight testing (scheduled for completion mid year) and then performance evaluation flight testing which will carry through until 1995.

Rockwell Systems Australia is the major contractor in the F-111 upgrade programme, supported by Hawker de Havilland (airframe modification, design, production and installation); Awadi Pty Ltd (operational flight software) and Honeywell (multifunction display sets, inertial navigation units, training and other equipment).

 India to Train Malaysian Mig Crews:

Malaysian pilots and ground crews who will operate to the RMAF’s 18 MiG-29 fighters will be trained by the Indian Air Force.

Although the contract to purchase the MIGs is yet to be signed, Indians will go to Malaysia to help establish a maintenance centre and will sell Malaysia spare parts. This will help Russia meet the stringent reliability and availability requirements Malaysia has stipulated.

India-which builds the MiG-29 under licence-will also train about 100 Malaysian pilots and ground crew.

 Joint Major Air Routes Review:

In what is a potentially significant move, a joint review of all of Australia’s air routes is underway involving the CAA, Defence and the aviation industry.

The object of the review is to improve the existing Air Traffic Services (ATS) and Area Navigation (RNAV) route structures. Optimum aircraft performance and ATS efficiencies will be the benefit.

The broad terms of reference for the review are to undertake a joint review of the ATS and RNAV route structures, identifying deficiencies in them and making the necessary recommendations for the early implementation of improvements.

Improvements envisaged include laterally separated one way routes, flexible or dynamic tracking, air traffic control sectorisation, separation minima, rationalising the existing route structure and providing improved chart presentation.

High level routes (above 20,000ft) will be looked at first, followed by a review of the low level route structure.

 New Ils Systems for Raaf:

The RAAF has awarded a $7. 5m contract to Australian Defence Industries (ADI) for the supply of instrument landing systems (ILS) at six ADF airfields.

The new systems will replace precision approach radars at Williamtown, Tindal, Edinburgh, Amberley, Pearce and Oakey while a seventh system may be installed at the Naval Air Station, Nowra.

RAAF Tindal in the Northern Territory will be the first to receive the new equipment, in June this year. ADI has teamed with Normac A/S of Norway, who will supply the ILS technology.

The purchase of Australian developed AWA Interscan MLS (microwave landing system) equipment was considered but rejected due to uncertainty as to the future of MLS plus the cost of fitting MLS equipment to aircraft. All of the RAAF’s aircraft (except the Macchi) have ILS installed.