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The US Department of Defense has placed a follow-on order with Rockwell for 17,673 AN/PSN-11 Precision Lightweight GPS Receivers (PLGRs) for the USAF. Thus far, Rockwell has delivered over 15,000 units (a number are pictured here being inspected prior to shipment) to the US armed forces as part of an original contract that will cover the production of 93,999 GPS receivers by 1998 if all options are exercised. The handheld receivers are being used by individual soldiers in the field and on board various military vehicles and watercraft where needed. Rockwell is also one of the largest suppliers of GPS units to the civilian market, and this latest contract would no doubt contribute greatly to reducing the unit costs of GPS receivers for civil use. (Rockwell)
Newsdesk — Military Aviation
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New Raaf Chief:
Air Vice Marshall Les Fisher AO will take over the role of RAAF Chief of Air Staff from November this year, replacing Air Marshall Barry Gration AO AFC who has held the post since October 1992. AVM Fisher was appointed Deputy Chief of the Air Staff in November 1993. He joined the RAAF in 1960 as an aircrew cadet, initially graduating as a navigator and serving with No 10 Squadron at Townsville. AVM Fisher earned his full ‘wings’ in 1965, flying Neptunes and then Orions with 11 Squadron. Since then he has served on exchange duties in the USA, and commanded RAAF Bases Townsville and Edinburgh, the Tactical Transport Group, the Maritime Patrol Group and the Australian Defence Force Joint Warfare Centre. In 1991 he was appointed Assistant Chief of the Defence Force before becoming Deputy CAS.
Lockheed-Martin Marietta Merge:
Lockheed and Martin Marietta have agreed to merge through an exchange of common stock worth more than $US10bn, creating a new corporation called Lockheed Martin. This is the latest in a recent series of US industry amalgamations which have seen Northrop acquire Grumman, the resulting Northrop Grumman Corp taking over Vought earlier this year, while Lockheed itself took over General Dynamics’ Fort Worth Division (maker of the F-16 fighter) in 1992. Martin Marietta already has associations with General Electric’s aerospace businesses and General Dynamics’ space systems unit. The Lockheed Martin merger creates the world’s second largest aerospace company in terms of turnover, just behind Boeing. Between them, Lockheed and Martin recorded sales of $US22.5bn in 1993 and profits of $US1.68bn. The new giant employs some 170,000 people and is only about two billion dollars behind Boeing in annual turnover.
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More Illegal Fishing Patrols:
Australian military surveillance of the Pacific Ocean is to increase by 40% as part of a crackdown on illegal fishing in the area by Japanese and South Korean vessels. The RAAF will conduct the extra patrols, using the existing P-3C Orion flights plus additional patrols flown by HS.748s. Total hours flown on fisheries patrols will increase from 500 to 700 hours per annum. The 748s will replace Orions patrolling the smaller fisheries east of Vanuatu, while the larger aircraft will concentrate on the prime fishing areas off Papua New Guinea, Micronesia, Nauru, the Marshall Islands, Kiribati and Vanuatu. The 748s will also fly patrols around Fiji, Tonga and Western Samoa. Before full operations with the 748 can begin, trials determining its suitability to the role have to be carried out. The aircraft are normally used for navigation training, and if the trials prove to be successful and the 748 is used, some training hours allocations will be transferred to the patrol duties.
Ge And Allison Team:
US engine manufacturers General Electric and Allison have teamed up to jointly develop turbojet and turbofan technology for future fighter engines. Work will initially concentrate on the second phase of the Integrated High Performance Turbine Engine Technology (IHPTET) research programme which has the aim of doubling propulsion capabilities by 2003.
Glide Bomb Tested On F-16:
A Swedish designed and US built unpowered glide bomb is being flight tested for compatibility with the Lockheed F-16. The 660kg 3.5m long weapon is based on the DWS-39 submunition dispenser which is in production for the Swedish Air Force. The weapon carries submunitions which are ejected over the target, covering an area up to 900m long and 300m wide. These include 24 runway cratering bombs, 96 area denial weapons, 120 anti tank mines and up to 1848 general purpose bomblets. The weapon has a range of 10km flying at a height of 150 feet and a speed of Mach 0.95.
Saaf Going Russian?:
The Rockwell/Deutsche Aerospace X-31 has far exceeded simulator predictions in actual air combat maneuvers against F/A-18 and F-14 fighters. The X-31 flew a series of simulated air combat sorties flown by USAF, USN, NASA, German Luftwaffe and Deutsche Aerospace pilots against a NASA F/A-18. Initial engagements were flown with the X-31’s thrust vectoring paddles locked in place, and the X-31 and F/A-18 came out roughly equal. However, once the thrust vectoring system was engaged and the flight control system optimized for enhanced agility (allowing it to fly at angles of attack greater than 70°) the X-31 achieved an amazing kill ratio of 32:1. 93 dogfights were flown over six days with the F/A-18, certainly no slouch in the close-in air combat arena, comprehensively beaten, scoring just eight kills for the X-31’s 77. Most sorties were flown with the combatants initially flying line abreast, with neither having a positional advantage; the Hornet fared best in engagements where the X-31 started from a defensive stance, although it still only claimed four kills to the X-31’s 10. Later the X-31 was pitted against operational US Navy F-14s and F/A-18s, with the X-31 scoring a 8:1 kill rate over the Tomcat, while the Hornets lost 16 of 16 engagements. The X-31’s results far exceeded predictions based on simulator work, revealing a lack of understanding of the characteristics of high angle of attack flight, and posing interesting questions for the design of future fighters.
The South African Air Force is looking at the possibility of fitting its fleet of 30 Dassault Mirage F.1 fighters with Russian Klimov RD-33 turbofans in place of the standard SNECMA Atar turbojet. The RD-33 powers the MiG-29 Fulcrum. Reports suggest that two F.1s have already been converted to the new powerplant and testing has been undertaken at both South Africa’s Flight and Development Centre near Cape Town and in Russia. Compared with the Atar, the RD-33 offers higher thrust, lighter weight and considerably better fuel consumption.
Lads Us Contract:
The Laser Airborne Depth Sounding System (LADS) partnership between BHP Engineering and Vision Systems has been awarded a $A5m contract by the US Naval Research Laboratory for the supply of a LADS for installation and evaluation on a US Navy P-3B Orion. The laser platform will be installed in the aircraft in Adelaide in December next year. LADS was conceived by the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) which produced two experimental systems in the early 1980s to prove the concept. BHP Engineering and Vision Systems were awarded the contract to develop and market a fully engineered system in 1989. LADS is already in service with the RAN, operating since February 1993 aboard a Fokker F27 as part of the survey of Australia’s continental shelf. The system can survey water depths of up to 50 metres at a rate of 50 square kilometres per hour.
Missing B-24 Found:
The wreckage of a Consolidated B-24D Liberator bomber of the USAAF’s 380th Bomb Group (serial no 42-40387) was found about 100km from Gladstone on the central Queensland coast in late August, almost 50 years after it disappeared without trace. The Liberator – named ‘Beautiful Betsy’ and captained by Lt William McDaniels USAAF – disappeared on February 26 1945 during a transit flight between Darwin and Brisbane. Eight servicemen were on board, six Americans and two Britons. The Brits were both Spitfire pilots from 548 (RAF) Squadron at Darwin, one of whom was on his way to Brisbane to get married. The other was to be the best man. When the Liberator went missing in 1945, the original search was conducted much closer to Darwin. Since then its whereabouts has remained a mystery. The wreckage was found by chance by a Queensland National Parks and Wildlife ranger. Initial indications are that the Liberator was under power at the time it crashed in the early hours of the morning. Examination of the wreckage by a US Central Identification Laboratory team will undoubtedly reveal more details in due course.
Us Arms Sales Surge:
US companies accounted for 73% of the value of the world’s arms sales in 1993, up from 56% in 1992. The increase comes not so much from extra sales (the value rose only slightly from $US14.6bn to $US14.8bn) but a decline elsewhere, mainly among Western European countries. Britain, France, Germany and Italy saw their combined 1992 share of 29% (worth $US7.5bn) drop to only 13% and $US2.6bn last year. Russian sales increased slightly from $US1.6bn to $US1.8bn, China remained steady with $US300m, a figure matched by North Korea, while Brazil recorded $US200m worth of arms sales. The value of sales to Third World countries declined for the third successive year, dropping from $US26bn in 1990 to $US20bn. The partnership will be known as the GE/Allison Engine Team and comes about as a result of US Government fears that military engine development plans would not be met if manufacturers continued to compete. The move does not effect the two companies’ individual or other cooperative ventures.
Vision Systems Contract:
Australian company Vision Systems has been awarded a $3.9m defence contract for the development of a Radio Frequency Scene Generator. The company is also involved in the recently awarded US Navy LADS contract, as reported elsewhere in this Newsdesk. The new equipment is being developed for the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) for use at its Systems Simulation Centre at Salisbury in Adelaide. The centre’s activities are to be expanded to allow the testing of defence equipment including ‘smart’ weapons. The new Scene Generator will provide a simulation of the radar reflections and other signals which are characteristic of the operating environment of the weapons sensor systems being tested. Vision Systems teamed with French company 12E to win the contract. The scene generator was developed in France and Vision Systems will provide advanced software development, project management and systems integration. The project will be completed by early 1996.
Aircraft Register
Due to technical reasons entirely beyond our control we are not able to publish the Australian Civil Register Update in this issue. We sincerely hope that it will return with our November issue.
Indian Mig-29 Reliabilitypoor:
The Indian Air Force’s operational readiness and training programmes have been hit by the poor serviceability of its MiG-29 Fulcrum fighters. A government report has found that training shortfalls caused by aircraft unavailability rose from 20% in 1987 to a peak of 83% in 1990 before improving slightly from then. Overall availability of IAF MiG-29s has improved to just over 65% since 1992 due to efforts to improve the situation by purchasing more spares and providing additional maintenance. According to the report, India’s 70 MiG-29s have extensive maintenance problems including a large number of premature failures of their Klimov engines, components and systems. Of the 188 engines purchased, 139 failed early and of these 62 did not complete even half of their scheduled 300 hours between overhaul. The engine’s total life is just 800 hours or eight years. India sent 122 failed engines to the factory for overhaul between 1990 and early 1992, of which only 79 had been returned by the middle of 1992 and then with a $US476,000 bill for each engine. Other Indian MiG-29 problems include a lack of radar component replacements which grounded some aircraft for 20 months and unreliable computers. Despite this, the Russians are trying to sell the Sukhoi Su-30MK two seat multi-role version of the Su-27 Flanker to India and evaluations have just been completed. Russia is offering 20 Su-30s in flyaway condition on credit and licence manufacture of 60 more by Hindustan Aeronautics. India is reluctant to put another type into its inventory but the Russians are trying to convince them to increase trade to work off a $US10bn debt built up through past purchases.
Aermacchi, Hdh & Honeywellteam For Lead-In Fighter:
Aermacchi, Hawker de Havilland and Honeywell Australia have signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly cooperate and compete for the RAAF’s upcoming Lead-In Fighter/Macchi MB-326H replacement programme. To meet the RAAF requirement the team proposes to offer the MB-339FD (Full Digital), the latest development of the MB-339. The MB-339FD features a new digital avionics system and advanced glass cockpit, including a Head Up Display, three colour liquid crystal Multi Function Displays, HOTAS controls, ring laser gyro inertial platform with GPS, and a nav/attack computer. The MB-339FD is currently being acquired by the Italian Air Force, with final negotiations for purchase currently underway. The three companies say the MB-339FD provides an “optimum blending of the required level of performance, flying characteristics and systems.” They have combined their resources to provide an Australian Industry Involvement package for production, engineering, logistic support and technology transfer, all of which are fundamental aspects of the RAAF’s LIF programme. The Lead-In Fighter programme aims to find a replacement for the RAAF’s current fleet of MB-326s, which will reach the end of their useful lives at the end of the decade. The Lead-In Fighter will provide advanced training for aircrew bound for the F/A-18 and F-111, a secondary combat capability and perform Navy and Army support functions.
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