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Aviation History
1973
1973 - 2672.PDF
FLIGHT International, 25 October 1973 AEROSPACE GERMANY 714-715 ERNO A WHOLLY OWNED SUBSIDIARY of VFW-Fokker, Erno embodies that group's not inconsiderable space capability spreading over rocket propulsion, spacecraft and satellite systems and re-entry vehicles. With main head quarters and integration halls at Bremen and rocket test stands at Trauen, Erno now employs 1,000 people, slightly reduced during the past year, and has a turnover of DM65 million, about £11-4 million. Following the years of uncer tainty and discussion, now resolved with the emergence of the European Space Agency and the L.3S, Spacelab and Marots programmes, Erno is looking for a brighter future on condition it can secure its share of the available work. Alongside space work, 12 per cent of Erno's turnover is currently generated in diversified technology outside the space field. This includes nuclear technology, the gas ultra-centrifuge, electronics, hydrazine monopropellant applications such as motor-car air bag, fuel transfer and propulsion systems. Possibly the largest sector at present is oceanology, for which Erno's location in the Bremen and Bremerhafen area is most appropriate. By 1980, Erno aims to have 50 per cent of turnover in diversified activities. In space, Erno feels that present good profitability is threatened by sharpening competition for the smaller number of rather larger programmes to be expected in future. Erno is a founder member of the European Mesh consortium and is leader of one of the competing consortia for Spacelab. TRW Systems is its adviser in satellite pro grammes and it worked with McDonnell Douglas on the orbiter and space tug projects before Europe withdrew. ESG/FEG T HESE TWIN COMPANIES grew up, FEG in 1963 and ESG in 1967, as half-way establishments between govern ment and industry for the logistic support (FEG) and systems planning (ESG) of existing and new military pro jects. ESG employs 258 people and has DM2 million (about £350,000) capital equally contributed by Standard Elektrik Lorenz, AEG-Telefunken, Siemens and Rohde & Schwarz. FEG has a DM1,940,000 capital contributed by ESG, Eltro, Honeywell, Litton and Teldix, the last four at that time deeply involved with F-104G avionics. Employment is 406. ESG is able to be totally independent in testing equip ment and developing systems. It can develop a specifica tion, evaluate tenders, integrate the prototype system and manage the development programme. Most of its business is still military, but an increasing number of civil projects is being undertaken. These include computer applications language projects such as Pearl and LTPL, a computerised fingerprint record system for the German and possibly the South African police and study of the use of SSR in civil VFR flying. ESG's biggest tasks are in MRCA, for which it runs the avionics integration rig in Munich and supplies 30 men for the CDMT Central Design Management Team and 1ST International Software Team working with Easams. Other military projects include development of the BNS self-contained navigation system destined to provide a blind-flying terrain-following system for the CH-53G using a variety of sensors. An offshoot of this are flight tests in a UH-1D of a Texas Instruments FLIR. Air superiority avionics (ASA) are being studied for the Phantom. Beob Art is an armoured artillery target identification, location and transmission system. HFla System is an anti aircraft detection and fire control system for the German Army based on a convoy of eight armoured vehicles. ESG is also studying the electronics fit for Kampfpanzer 3. ESG is at present working with AEG-Telefunken on a computer-controlled automatic test equipment system which will eventually become a German military standard called Remus. The language will be Atlas (abbreviated test language for avionic system) and all new avionic equipment must now be supplied with an Atlas test pro gramme. Test, measuring and interface units are being progressively standardised in what must necessarily be a long-term programme. MRCA will as far as possible be in step with the Remus programme, but the first fully adapted system will be the German anti-aircraft tank in 1976. Next year, Siemens, Rohde & Schwarz and Teldix will receive . sub-contracts to adapt units-under-test. British companies are taking part in the programme, notably BAC, HSD, Honeywell and Marconi-Elliott Avionics. Above, biggest US-German space programme is Helios, here in Erno's integration hall at Bremen. Right, ESG evaluates a forward- looking infra-red scanner in a UH-ID
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