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Aviation History
1980
1980 - 0690.PDF
658 FLIGHT International, I March 1980 UNITED STATES continued -4 -4 page 653 development AV-8Bs have been funded. Production funding should have been in the FY 1981 budget but no AV-8B money has been requested. The US Marine Corps is confident that the US Congress will repeat its action of the last two years and restore funding. A minimum-change development of the AV-8A Harrier, the AV-8B, makes extensive use of carbon-fibre and has at least twice the payload/range per formance of the earlier design. Improve ments include a supercritical wing of greater area, positive circulation wing flap, underfuselage lift-improvement devices, redesigned intake, and modified cold nozzles. The new carbon-fibre front fuselage features a raised cockpit for better visibility and avionics growth. One YAV-8B was lost after an engine flame-out during high angle-of-attack trails. Fortunately both aircraft had suc cessfully completed the prototype demonstration programme, which guarantees AV-8B performance, before the accident. The Royal Air Force is to evaluate the AV-8B and has an initial requirement for 60 advanced subsonic V/Stol aircraft. Customer: USA 332 required. F-4 Phantom Production of the Phantom is now complete with some 5,100 aircraft delivered. Existing F-4s in service around the world are under going modification. USAF RF-4Cs are receiving the AN/ALQ-125 tactical elec tronic reconnaissance (Terec) system for rapid location of enemy radars. US Navy and Marine Corps F-4s are being updated to F-4S standard with leading- edge slats and life-extension modifica tions. The US Air Force is also receiving some 116 F-4G Wild Weasel defence suppression aircraft modified from F-4Es. Egypt is receiving 35 ex-USAF F-4Es. German Phantoms are receiving a new digital nav/attack system and their reconnaissance F-4s will become fully combat capable. Customers: Britain 170 K/M; Egypt 35 E ex-US Air Force; West Germany 273 F and RF4E; Greece 64 E and RF-4E; Iran 32 D, 193 E and RF-4E; Israel 216+ E and RF4E; Japan 128 EJ, 28 RF-4EJ, licence-built by Mitsubishi; South Korea 36 D, 37 E, last Phantoms delivered (in Above McDonnell Douglas F-4E Phantom II Below McDonnell Douglas F-I8A Hornet June, 1979); Spain 34 C; Turkey 72 E and 8 RF-4E; USA 3,976 delivered, all marks. F-15 Eagle The US Air Force is now receiving the F-15C (and two-seat F-15D) model of the Eagle air-superiority fighter. This variant has an extra 2,0001b internal fuel and a 68,0001b maxi mum take-off weight. The F-15C can also take the conformal Fast Pack fuel and sensor pallets. Radius of action is increased by 50 to 100 n.m. This year all Cs and Ds will receive a programmable signal processor in the Hughes APG-63 radar. This modification will expand track-while-scan capability, include raid assessment and give ECCM flexibility as well as a ground mapping facility with moving-target indication. McDonnell Douglas is to fly an F-15 equipped for all-weather attack, with synthetic-aperture ground mapping, terrain avoidance, automatic terrain following and Jtids secure data link. The company will also test a manoeuvr ing attack system (Mas) which will allow the aircraft to release weapons in attitudes other than the conventional wings-level. Customers: Israel 25, 15 more ordered; Japan 14, plus 86 licence-built; Saudi Arabia 60; USA 729 planned. F-18A Hornet Testing of the F-18A fighter included, in November, 1979 catapult launches and arrested landings on the carrier USS America, just one year after the F-18 first flew. Missile firing trials have also begun with the successful launch of an AIM-9 Side winder from the wingtip rail. The first two-seat TF-18 has joined the flight-test programme. In all, 11 development air craft will fly, including two TF-18s. The US Marine Corps will be the first Service to receive the F18, in September, 1982. The US Navy will have its first squadrons in late 1983 or early 1984. page 663 >- >- NAVY mam
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