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Aviation History
1969
1969 - 0053.PDF
FLIGHT International. 2 January 1969 Sampling Italian Air Force trainers, the C-in-C RAF Training Command, Air Chief Marshal Sirjohn Davies, climbs into a TF-I04G at Grosseto. He also flew the G.9IT at Amendola and M8.326 at Lecce orders can be assessed more exactly. Needless to say, there are still many other details to be worked out on the industrial co-operation level, from the question of proprietary rights to the know-how provided by the individual companies and the delicate matter of compensation in the event of any com pany withdrawing from the programme. It is hoped that some progress can be made on these and other details at the next industry meeting, which is due to be held in Munich next Wednesday, January 8. Meanwhile work is also continuing on the original German NKF concept. The design study has just been com pleted, but the team has been asked by the Defence Ministry to make proposals about how a systems definition phase for the NKF could be handled alongside similar work on the Minimum MRCA. It is emphasised in Munich that the differences between the two concepts are no longer very great, so that NKF could be continued without excessive cost, at any rate until the MRCA programme is absolutely firm. USMC Harrier Proposal Approved A USMC PROPOSAL Flight, December 19, 1968) to purchase 12 Hawker Siddeley Harriers has been approved by the De partment of Defence, but any actual buy will of course be subject to US Govern ment budgetary approval. According to a recent Interavia Air Letter report from Washington (issue of December 18), the corps will use the Harriers "to investi gate the possibilities of incorporating [them] into its force structure. The testing of the Harrier could well result in the Marine Corps equipping four squadrons of 20 aircraft each. . . . The Marines could use the Harrier as an attack aircraft. [Currently,] the A-4 is the Marine Corps primary attack air craft, while the F-4 is used for both attack and air superiority missions. "The Marines are continuing to purchase the Huey Cobra helicopter for close support missions, but as of this date have indicated no interest in the procurement of the more advanced Lock heed AH-56A Cheyenne compound helicopter which has much greater speed and armament. "If the Marine Corps decide to pro cure a full force of Harrier aircraft, a good possibility exists they will not purchase the Cheyenne, or at least not purchase it in substantial numbers. A V/STOL Harrier presumably would have the flexibility to perform the close support missions as well as perform the longer range attack missions. Another significant potential effect the Harrier testing could have would be on the Air Force's programme to develop an AX STOL fixed-wing aircraft to perform the close support attack mission. If the Marines can demonstrate the ability of the Harrier to perform the close support attack mission, the requirement for an AX type aircraft would be mitigated, "Indications are that the AX will be funded at about $1 million during Fiscal Year 1970, which would not be sufficient for contract definition. The AX pro gramme office had requested $12 million, but were turned down recently by the Secretary of the Air Force." C-5A Expenditure Postponement AN ASSURANCE THAT the US Department of Defence would not spend any more money on the Lockheed C-5A until detailed contract reviews have been com pleted has been given by Defence Secre tary Mr Clark M. Clifford. This was disclosed recently by the chairman of the sub-committee on economy in govern ment of the joint Economic Committee of Congress, Senator William Proxmire. This sub-committee held hearings on the C-5A in November and heard testi mony from a USAF official that the air craft's cost might be $2 billion (£833.3 million) above the original $3 billion (£1,250 million) contract ceiling. The DoD decision not to allocate any more funds, or place further con tracts, for the C-5A until detailed cost 41 studies had been completed was referred to in Flight for December 26, page 1048. Army Australian Swingfire Test TWO SERIES OF SWINGFIRE TRIALS, One in hot and dry conditions and the other in a tropical environment, are being carried out by the British Army in Australia between now and March. In the first series this wire-guided anti-tank missile developed and manufactured by British Aircraft Corporation for the Ministry of Technology (and briefly described in Flight's last World Missiles issue,- November 14, 1968), is being tested at the Weapons Research Estab lishment range, Woomera, South Aus tralia, under hot, dry conditions; then when these trials have been completed, personnel and equipment will move 2,000 miles north-eastwards across Aus tralia to Tully, Queensland, where the Australian Army is making its tropical trials facilities available for these British Army firings. The Australian Government is giving full co-operation in the Woomera and Tully tests of Swingfire, though there is no indication at this stage that the Aus tralian Army is committed to introduc ing the weapon. Indian MiG Replacement? INDIA is "looking into the possibility" of acquiring aircraft which would give a better performance than her present MiG-21s, though these would continue to meet her requirements for a con siderable time. This was stated in Parlia ment recently by the Defence Minister, Mr Swaran Singh, who said that there was no difficulty about getting MiG spares, to ensure that the aircraft were both airworthy and in battle-woTthy condition. Ryan Firebee BQM-34A jet target drone being prepared for launch from the stern of the decommissioned USN destroyer "Killen" during a recent successful series of ship launching tests on the Atlantic Fleet Weapons Range near Puerto Rico. Similar tests have also been conducted by the US Navy on the Pacific Missile Range, Pt Mugu, Calif
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