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Aviation History
1974
1974 - 1134.PDF
130 FLIGHT International, S August 197'4 The Sikorsky S-67 Blackhawk, which is being offered for export (see news item), can carry a variety of weapons including, as seen here, two Sidewinders, 16 Tows and a belly-mounted 20mm cannon mini DEFENCE Blackhawks for sale Sikorsky has decided to launch a major export sales drive with the S-67 Blackhawk gunship helicopter in Europe, the Middle East and other areas, according to executive vice- president John A. McKenna. He says that the decision has been prompted by several recent developments, in cluding the Middle East October war— which, he maintains, showed that heli copters can survive in a "mid-intensity conflict" if properly deployed and can achieve good results against armour when using missiles such as Tow (see also pages 132-133). The Blackhawk was developed mainly as a gunship and to provide close air support but is also be?^ig offered for high-speed rescue (it can cruise at 150'kt and has a dash speed Philco - Ford's Aeronutronic Division has delivered the first of two airborne laser locator designators (ALLDs) to the US Army Missile Command at Redstone Arsenal for system evaluation and testing. The ALLD, which will be test-flown on AH-ls during daylight and at night throughout the rest of 1974, includes a stabilised sight, laser desig nator and range-finder, laser spot tracker, television and forward-looking infra-red equip ment. It will allow targets to be attacked at night and in poor weather of 190kt), troop transport (eight per sonnel for commando raids), cargo carrying, observation and surveillance, and anti-submarine warfare. It can carry a variety of weapons (see photo graph), including two Sidewinders for air defence against helicopters or fixed-wing aircraft, 24 Tow anti-tank missiles, rockets and a belly-mounted 20mm or 30mm cannon for aerial fire support. McKenna compares the Blackhawk and the Mi-24 Hind, both of which have been developed from other types —the S-67 from the S-61 and the Mi-24 from the Mi-8. He maintains, however, that the Blackhawk is superior to the Hind—or any other helicopter gunship —in firepower, speed and manoeuvra bility. The S-67, which first flew in 1970 and has a cambered vertical tail, swept rotor-blade tips, a controllable horizontal stabiliser and a 28ft wing equipped with speed brakes, has flown at more than 220' m.p.h. and can be looped and rolled. Hawk to Dunsf old The first and only pre-production Hawker Siddeley Hawk all-through jet trainer has been transported from the final assembly line at Kingston to the HSA airfield at Dunsfold where it is due to make its first flight. The one^iece wing was removed and taken to Dunsfold on July 30 and the fuselage, empennage and engine (installed) were transported by road the following day. The aircraft was then due to be re-assembled and ground-running of the engine should start this week. Although delivery of the first pro duction wing from the Brough factory was held up earlier this year as a result partly of the three-day working week and partly of industrial action at the plant, Hawker Siddeley feels that its investment in tooling, the setting-up of jigs, etc, plus the fact that the aeroplane is essentially going Straight into the production phase, is now beginning to pay off. Some effort has been diverted from later aircraft in the development batch during recent weeks but a great deal of lost time has been made up in getting the first one together and no effect is anticipated on the timescale of the whole programme. Ten aircraft are due to be delivered to the Royal Air Force by the end of 1976. Chirac approaches Denmark Prime Minister Jacques Chirac of France has been visiting Denmark and consulting his counterpart, Mr Poul Hartling, on the subject of Dassault Mirage F.l-M53s for the Danish Air Force to replace F-104s. Conscious of the military image of France regard ing Nato and Europe in general, M Chirac said at a banquet in clear reference to F.l sales: "It is a matter of promoting the widest possible co operation, even going in some fields to the extent of transferring sovereignty, but respecting the personality of each of the nations which make up Europe." The statement reflected a growing pessimism in France about the pros pects of the M53-engined F.l, a feel ing which has been encouraged by United States pressure in the Euro pean F-104 replacement marketplace. One of the sales lines adopted by American companies has been that the F.1-M53 is not being supported by the French Air Force, but it is now reported in Paris that as a com promise 1'Armee de l'Air may be persuaded to buy perhaps 30 of the aircraft in addition to the 105 Atar 9K50-powered F.ls it at present has on order. TF34 progress ,.. General Electric has successfully completed the first 150hr model quali fication endurance test of its TF34-100 and the second such test, on the same engine, is now in progress. The first production TF34-100 was also recently delivered one month ahead of schedule to Fairchild Industries for installation in the A-10 (see photo graph last week, page 108).
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