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Aviation History
1978
1978 - 3004.PDF
FLIGHT International, IS November 1978 Left The first Sea Harrier put on a show at RNAS Yeovilton, shore headquarters of the Fleet Air Arm. After the display the aircraft Pew north to join HMS Hermes for sea trials. Above WC.34 will probably be three-engined, and only existing powerplants are being considered. The undercarriage will be retractable and the weapons and deployable sensors will be carried internally. Overall length of the design is 67ft 6;'n, making it slightly smaller than the Sea King (overall length lift 8in) The remaining squadrons, 801 and 802, will embark on the Invincible and Illustrious when those ships are ready. Hermes will remain in service until the third ASW-cruiser arrives. A number of Navy pilots are already qualified on the Harrier, and the IFTU will be formed with the assistance of Harrier-experienced RAF pilots'. Future basic and advanced training will take place with the RAF, culminating in conversion training with the Harrier OCU at RAF Witter ing. Two Harrier trainers have been ordered for the IFTU, and some Hunter 78Ms, complete with Sea Harrier navigation and radar equip ment, will be used for training. Once at sea the Sea Harrier will provide fleet air cover, operating mainly against Soviet long-range patrol aircraft employed to pinpoint targets for long-range missiles. The Sea Harrier can scramble in two minutes, providing a viable alterna tive to combat air patrols by conven tional aircraft. The Navy feels that three "carriers" are better than one and that the new ships will present smaller, less vulnerable targets while providing cover for three convoys, not just one. The Royal Air Force will continue to give maritime support out to reasonable distances from land, usually around 700 n.m. The Navy is entering a new era with the introduction of the ASW- cruiser and Sea Harrier, and the Fleet Air Arm feels that by the 1980s it will be more potent than ever before. Searchwater radar deliveries begin EMI Electronics has formally handed over the first production Searchwater airborne radar to the Ministry of De fence. The equipment was accepted by Air Chief Marshal Sir Douglas Lowe, Ministry of Defence Controller of Aircraft. "In the Mk 2 Nimrod we will have the best aircraft system in the world for the task of maritime surveillance and anti-submarine warfare," said Sir Douglas. "Of course the United King dom has always prided itself on this ability to protect the vast oceans and sea areas which surround us. Since the Nimrod first entered squadron service some nine years ago, it has earned a reputation for efficiency and accuracy. "The overall capabilities of the Nim rod Mk 2 fleet will add a significant improvement to this capability and to our contribution to the North Atlantic Treaty Alliance. With longer range and greater accuracy than we have at present, each aircraft will collect in formation with Searchwater from a very much greater area of ocean. In this task the part played by this radar is of the greatest significance. It gives me great pleasure therefore to accept this equipment with proven perform ance which surpasses the best that anyone else can offer." 1927 Finland buys Soviet SAMs DELIVERIES of SA-3 Goa surface-to- air missiles to Finland are expected to begin about twelve months from now. Talks on a purchase of these weapons and the higher-performance SA-6 Gainful have been under way for some time. Finland was originally prohibited by international treaty from deploying missiles, but in 1962 the Soviet Union agreed to permit the purchase of "defensive" systems. The new missiles will be deployed around Helsinki and funded by a 50 million-rouble (£38-5 million) loan from the Soviet Union. Finland took delivery of its first batch of Soviet SA-7 Strela man-portable SAMs in September this year. No figures for the number of SA-3s or SA-7s on order are available. Kfirs for Guatemala? GUATEMALA may buy a squadron of Kfir-C2 fighter-bombers to supplement its only combat aircraft, 13 Cessna A-37Bs supplied by the United States under a military assistance' pro gramme. The Guatemalan Air Force's Chief of Staff is currently visiting Israel Aircraft Industries, and a deci sion on the purchase is expected be fore he leaves Israel. The Guatemalan Air Force already operates ten IAI Arava light trans ports and is also considering the acquisition of two IAI Westwind 1124s for fast communications duties. Since the country's confrontation with neighbouring Belize, the Air Force has been seeking a small number of fighters to improve its front-line strength. The Northrop F-5E has also been considered for this role. RAAF wins Fincastle Tropy AUSTRALIA has won the 1978 Fin castle Trophy. A Royal Australian Air Force crew flying a P-3B Orion de feated teams from Canada, New Zea land and Britain in the annual anti submarine competition. The Royal Air Force team, from 201 Sqn, RAF Kin- loss, flew two Nimrod MR.Is. The competition took place in New Zealand, each crew having to carry out two sorties, one during the day and one at night, against the Royal Australian Navy submarine Otway. Each team had a limited time in which to locate, identify and "kill" the submarine. The trophy, a silver tray, was pre sented to the winners by Air Vice- Marshal Siegert, Royal New Zealand Air Force Chief of Air Staff. There was some consolation for the RAF: the captain of the winning P-3B, Fit Lt Terry Marker, was an RAF officer on exchange.
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