Newsdesk — Military Aviation

High Altitude Tbm 700

Aerospatiale’s Space & Defence branch and its light aircraft subsidiary, Socata, are working on a very high altitude electronic intelligence gathering version of the TBM 700 single engined turboprop business aircraft. Intended to carry an 400kg (880lb) payload of electronic equipment for gathering electromagnetic data, eavesdropping and optical, radar and/or infrared observation, the aircraft is designed to loiter for nearly 20 hours at up to 60,000 feet (18,290m) cruising at about 160kt (300km/h). Physically, the design combines the TBM 700’s fuselage and cabin with a heavily derated 1050shp (785kW) PW&C PW127 turboprop engine, massively enlarged vertical and horizontal tail surfaces and an ultra high aspect ratio wing spanning 48.0m (157ft 6in), or four times the span of the standard TBM 700 wing. Called the HALE (high altitude long endurance) project, the aircraft will have a maximum weight of 4500kg (9920lb) and will be able to reach 55,000 feet (16,760m) in 45 minutes. An unmanned drone version is also being examined, in which case endurance would be increased to 24 hours.

1996 Airshows

For your information, here are details of three of the airshows planned for 1996, two of which are associated with the RAAF’s 75th anniversary. The official RAAF anniversary airshow will be held at RAAF Amberley over two days on May 4-5, 1996, the Labour Day long weekend in Queensland. This is the only official airshow which will be held to celebrate the anniversary and will feature a large flying and static display including aircraft from all three Australian services plus visitors from New Zealand, the USA, the UK and various of our South-East Asian neighbours. A crowd of 100,000 is expected on each day. An unusual but beautiful venue for an airshow is Norfolk Island, 760nm off the east coast of northern NSW. This show is being put on to celebrate the RAAF anniversary and will be held on April 22-23 next year. Visiting aircraft are encouraged to attend and apart from the aircraft, planned activities include a wide variety of entertainment with Vietnam era performers such as Normie Rowe, Dinah Lee and Denise Drysdale plus the South Pacific Showband, the RAAF band and others. Package tours have been arranged through Pacific Unlimited Holidays, the seven day trip taking in the airshow and the island’s Anzac week commemorations and activities. For more details contact the show director, Allan Taylor, on (06) 288 6311. Meanwhile, the Sport Aircraft Association of Australia’s annual Easter bash at Mangalore, Victoria, is on again, the 1996 event (with associated convention) taking place between April 5 and 8 at Mangalore Airport. This is always a good show with a variety of sports, vintage, historic and warbirds aircraft in attendance on the ground and in the air.

Gripen For Hungary?

Saab and Hungary have signed a Memorandum of Understanding covering the evaluation and possible purchase of around 30 JAS39 multirole fighters. Hungary will decide which new aircraft will replace elderly MiGs next year. The Gripen is contesting the order with aircraft from France, the USA and Russia. Saab’s proposal to Hungary includes a high level of local industrial participation and the Swedish company’s marketing efforts are being helped by British Aerospace, with which it signed an agreement last June.

More Hercs For Malaysia

The Royal Malaysian Air Force has purchased five additional C-130H Hercules transports with delivery expected at the end of the year. The aircraft are from the final batch of nine built by Lockheed Martin before production switches to the C-130J. Four C-130Hs (and two civil L-100s) remain available for sale. Malaysia already operates nine Hercules but needs more to meet its peacekeeping commitments in Bosnia. Two of the existing aircraft will be converted to flight refuelling tankers.

Russia Offers Missiles To Usa

Russia’s Vympel Design Bureau has been discussing the possible installation of its R-73 (AA-11 ‘Archer’) air-to-air missile on the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet and F-15 Eagle fighter bombers. The AA-11 has a passive infrared seeker and is regarded as the best short range AAM in service. It can acquire targets up to 60deg left or right and can be cued by a helmet system. A pilot can engage an enemy aircraft simply by turning his head. By comparison, the American AIM-9M Sidewinder’s field of view is 27.5deg for target acquisition and 40deg for tracking. The AA-11 is in service on many MiG-29s which apart from Russia probably includes Yugoslavia, Syria, India, Iraq and North Korea. In addition, the MiG-29s inherited by Germany’s Luftwaffe on the unification of the two former Germanies are also AA-11 equipped. McDonnell Douglas has confirmed that initial talks with Vympel have taken place but says it is too early to say if there will be any further developments on an idea which would have been impossible to even contemplate not so long ago.

Extra Issue

We are pleased to announce that from next year there will be 11 issues of your favourite aviation magazine instead of 10. The plan is to produce a January/February edition in between the usual December and March editions. This will greatly reduce the ten week gap that previously existed whilst enabling us to keep you more up to date with the latest news through the New Year period. The January/February issue will go on sale on January 11 with mail subscribers as usual not only saving money but also getting it a few days earlier. Don’t forget that a magazine subscription makes a perfect Christmas gift – a gift that keeps on giving with the lucky recipient being reminded of your goodwill now 11 times a year instead of just 10. Check out our advert on p19 for full details.

The Republic of Singapore Air Force has reached Initial Operating Capability status with its five Fokker Maritime Enforcer Mk.2 maritime patrol aircraft. The five Maritime Enforcers are operated alongside five Fokker 50 Utility general transports by 121 Squadron at Changi. Singapore was the first customer for the Maritime Enforcer Mk.2, although Fokker says it is in discussion with a number of potential customers.

The immortal Bell Huey is just one of a number of famous military aircraft that feature in Landingear’s popular range of aircraft print T-shirts, polo shirts and windcheaters/sloppy joes. Other favourites include the McDonnell Douglas Phantom, General Dynamics F-111, Sukhoi Su-27, Mi-24 helo, Macchi, North American Mustang, Canberra and Supermarine Spitfire. Landingear can be contacted on phone/fax (03) 9397 6566 – Tell them you read about it in Australian Aviation.

McDonnell Douglas rolled out the prototype F/A-18E Super Hornet on September 18, on schedule and within budget, and 450kg (1000lb) under its specification weight. The Super Hornet, as it’s now officially named, is about 25% larger than the F/A-18A/C. It is powered by 22,000lb (97kN) General Electric F414 turbofans, has two additional underwing hardpoints, some stealth features and an advanced electronic warfare suite. Its avionics are based on those in the F/A-18C. The US Navy intends to acquire 1000 Super Hornets between 1997 and 2015 at a 1990 unit cost of approx $US36m. In comparison Lockheed Martin is currently offering the USAF new build F-16Cs for a unit price of $US20m, while McDonnell Douglas is offering the F-15E for a unit price of $US50m. It is interesting to note that the first two aircraft are between a third and a quarter of the cost of competing Rafale, Eurofighter and FS-X fighters. Australian Aviation.