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Aviation History
1982
1982 - 0427.PDF
60B Seahawk Lamps III shipborne helicopter will be increased to $1,230 million if the aircraft successfully completes Navy operational evalua tion on board the VSS Mclnerney this spring. The increased funding will purchase the 48 helicopters. Seahawk is not without its critics. While Congress admits that the heli copter has "performed with near per fection during tests", and that its capabilities "are critically needed in the Fleet", such praise "does not mean that the rapidly rising pro gramme costs are justified or that future increases will be tolerated." Latest estimate is $6,400 million for 205 helicopters. Grumman is to sign a five-year, $700 million contract to deliver eight C-2A carrier onboard delivery air craft a year from 1985 through 1988, and seven in 1989. Multiyear con tracting will save $58 million, allow ing the Navy to buy 39 aircraft for the cost of 35 purchased year-by- year. The first C-2A will be delivered in January 1985. The US Navy wants 14 active car rier air wings by 1987, and plans to form the 13th as early as 1983. The Service's five-year plan calls for the delivery of 1,917 aircraft—964 com bat aircraft—over the next five years. The 1983 budget request includes $6,800 million for two Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carriers— the fifth and sixth such vessels. The Navy requires $11,600 million for aircraft in 1983, and $12,900 mil lion in 1984, with big increases plan ned for 1985, 1986, and 1987 when the bulk of the new aircraft—1,270 to be exact—will be purchased. Over the next five years, the Navy wants; 552 McDonnell Douglas F-18 Hornets, 216 McDonnell Douglas AV-8Bs, 144 Grumman F-14 Tomcats, 52 Grumman A-6E Intruders, 30 Grumman EA-6B Prowlers, 30 Grumman E-2C Hawk- eyes, and 26 Lockheed P-3C Orions. Research and development money is required for the VTX-TS under graduate jet trainer ($9-7 million in 1983 and $24-1 million in 1984); Grumman Model 698 tilt-fan V/Stol multipurpose aircraft ($36-3 million and $43-2 million); V/Stol aircraft development ($6-7 million and $16-8 million); Sikorsky SH-60C CV helicop ter ($9-9 million and $43-6 million); and the Marines HXM medium-lift helicopter ($9-5 million and $24 1 million). This expansion is not without its problems, and the Navy reports cost increases since March 31, 1981, aver aging 15 per cent as a result of in flation and decisions taken to "re dress the military balance". These in clude : 336 additional Grumman F-14s and 1,306 extra Phoenix missiles to arm them; a 309-missile cut in the Trident I programme to make way for Trident II; and difficulties in transferring the RIM/AIM-7M Spar row from development to production. Other points: McDonnell Douglas F-18 Hornet—84 in 1983 and 96 in 1984; $2,960 million and $2,880 million. Grumman F-14 Tomcat—24, rising to 30 in 1984; $1,200 and $1,400 million. McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier H —18, building up to 30 in 1984; $943 million and $978 million. Grumman E-2C Hawkeye—six in 1983 and again in 1984; $405 million and $364 million. Grumman EA-6B Prowler—six each in 1983 and 1984; $359 million and $408 million. Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion—11 a year in 1983 and 1984; $311 million and $367 million. Grumman A-6E Intruder—eight a year; $281 million and $314 million. Army: Cost disputes stall AH-64 HUGHES Helicopters and the US Army have failed to reach agreement on AH-64 Apache start-up costs, and a production decision on the attack helicopter has been delayed by four to six weeks, until late March. Army Undersecretary James Ambrose tells Congress: "We are not going to enter into a contract for the production of this helicopter until we resolve ... a A production decision on the Hughes AH-64 Apache attack helicopter has been delayed by four to six weeks, while the company continues to negotiate the initial US Army production contract major disagreement over the reason ableness of substantial portions of [Hughes'] proposed costs". In March last year the Army esti mated AH-64 programme unit cost at $10-9 million and the total cost for 536 aircraft at $5,960 million. By Nov ember, the total cost had jumped to $7,750 million and the unit cost to $14-2 million. The Army decided to cut planned production to 446 air craft, reducing programme cost to $6,570 million. But by early this month, programme cost had risen to $7,230 million and unit cost to $15-9 million. Congress voted $430 million in 1982 for the first 14 AH-64s, to be de livered from late 1983. This was later increased to $537 million, but the Army has now reduced its initial pur chase to 11 aircraft. The 1983 budget request contains $1,400 million for 78 helicopters. Hughes is now locked in almost continuous negotiations with the Army, justifying start-up costs which include building a new assembly plant at Mesa, Arizona, and leasing an interim facility at nearby Tempe to get production under way. Work is continuing at normal pace under a $6-9 million continuation con tract secured by the Army. An Apache prototype is now flying with the uprated General Electric T701 turboshaft planned for production AH-64s. These engines give improved hot-and-high performance relative to the original T700s. The Army wants 96 Sikorsky UH- 60A Blackhawk assault helicopters in 1983 and 84 in 1984, costing $733 million and $546 million respectively. Congress last year turned down a re quest for cost-saving multiyear fund ing on Blackhawk, saying that the UH-60A did not meet the criteria of "stability in funding and confidence in cost estimates". According to Con gress "the funding history of the Blackhawk has been turbulent, prin cipally due to a record of significantly understated unit cost estimates". The Army wants money for initial production of Sikorsky EH-60A Quick Fix electronic warfare helicop ters to be delivered in 1984, and $42 million to resume production of the Beech RC-12D Guardrail V with six in 1983. Missile purchases include: Raytheon Patriot SAM, $977 million for 376 in 1983, and $1,200 million for 644 in 1984; Vought Multiple Launch Rocket System, $506 million for 23,640 rockets, and $585 million for 36,000; Rockwell anti-tank Hellfire, $268 million for 3,970, and $255 mil lion for 6,220. Martin Marietta Pershing n—91 in 1983, and 95 in 1984; $620 million and $455 million. General Dynamics Stinger—2,256 in 1983: $215 million. Hughes Tow—13,000 and 20,371; $174 million and $276 million. Ford Aerospace Divads—96 in 1983 and 130 in 1984; $685 million and $748 million. Q FLIGHT International, 20 February 1982 409
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