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Aviation History
1983
1983 - 0005.PDF
DEFENCE US Navy resists Lamps III cuts WASHINGTON D.C. I , A Pentagon effort to cut $6,700 million from the US ' Navy's Light Airborne Multi- . purpose System (Lamps III) programme, based on Sikorsky's SH-60B Seahawk, is meeting stiff resistance from the Service. The Navy admits that a "significant cost avoidance" would be made by eliminating the SH-60's Recovery, Assist, Secure, and Traversing (Rast) system, the acoustic pro cessor, radar, and electronic- surveillance equipment. As the Seahawk's Lamps missions are frigate-based anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and over-the-horizon targeting, these cuts would severely degrade the aircraft's capability. The Navy describes the proposed system cuts as so severe that there would be "significant operational de gradation", and states that the Lamps III primary plat form FFG-7-Class frigates, "would lose their credibility as an effective ASW escort". The Lamps I airborne plat form, the Kaman SH-2 Sea- sprite, has no Rast, the Navy points out, and can be launched and recovered only at up to 8° of ship's roll. This equates to Sea State Three. The Service says that, par ticularly in winter, Sea State Four or Five is frequent and often continuous in areas such as the North and South At lantic. With Rast, the SH-60 has been operated with ship's roll of up to 28° and pitch of 7°, even though Seahawk is 50 per cent bigger and is more difficult to handle than Sea- sprite. The Navy points out that elimination of the mission equipment "would not only result in mission degradation, but the cost savings would be minimal as the system design has been frozen for some time." But the Service has gone so far as to evaluate re- engining the Seasprite with the General Electric T700 as a cost-saving measure. Devel opment and procurement * FLIGHT International, 1 January 1983 "7 -^^ffoIilpMMiif"•- 'm . *y. .' 9 ^^^^^^ r, f 'SjLf-- ••:• , •* / ' * *M i-pliillliiilli i**l|§ Sikorsky SH-60B Seahawk Lamps III in its new, toned-down paintwork would cost $800 million with an initial operational capabil ity date of 1988. The small increase in the Seasprite/Lamps I combat effectiveness after re- engining, combined with an increased fuel load, would improve on-station time by 70 per cent. But the Lamps I "would not compete with the Seahawk/Lamps III in either performance or cost- effectiveness against the present or projected threat", says the Navy. USAF forms anti-terrorist unit HURU3URT FIELD The US Air Force has formed a new anti-terrorist, counter- guerilla air division and trans ferred responsibility for such operations to Military Airlift Command. In shifting the Special Operations Squadrons (SOS) from Tactical Air Command, the USAF consolidates the SO missions with the similar combat rescue mission, al ready the responsibility of MAC through the Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service. The move will also streamline budgeting, procurement, and training, says the USAF. The new division's head quarters will be at Hurlburt Field, Florida, and will com mand SOSs at Clark AB, Philippines, Rhein-Main AB, West Germany, and Howard AB, Panama—a total of 66 fixed- and rotary-wing air craft. MAC's ARRS assets in clude 121 aircraft for combat rescue plus 109 assigned to survival schools, ranges, missile-site support, and weather reconnaissance. No Patriots for Belgium BRUSSELS Belgium expects to save BFr25,000 million (£310 mil lion) by pulling out of the Nato programme to buy the Raytheon MIM-104 Patriot surface-to-air missile. This should help the Air Force in its F-16 funding difficulties—the programme has been hit by the strength of the Dollar and last year's devaluation of the Belgian Franc. The chances of a 48-aircraft anti-tank helicop ter requirement being met are also improved by the Patriot decision. The eight Nike Hercules squadrons currently deployed in West Germany by the Belgian Air Force will still be phased out between 1983 and 1987. Personnel will be trans ferred to the Belgian Army's two Hawk Battalions, also stationed in West Germany. As Nato Patriots deploy in Germany, the Belgian Hawk Battalions will return home to defend strategic points such as Antwerp, Zeebrugge naval base, and Nato airfields in Belgium currently un protected. Belgium's defence budget is falling at 3 per cent a year, while Nato members are com mitted to a 6 per cent growth in contributions. One of the consequences has been a severe squeeze on Air Force flying. Australia debates carriers CANBERRA Australia's intricate series of Defence Department commit tees is completing a review of possible replacements for the veteran aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne, in the light of Britain's refusal to sell HMS Invincible for A$498 million (£277 million). A brand new Invincible- class ship would cost Austra lia $750 million (£418 mil lion), plus a similar amount for Sea Harriers, Sea Kings, and point-defence weapons. Britain has offered to lease HMS Hermes to Australia for £5.6 million a year while the new carrier is built. A likely offset is the prod uction in Australia of assault ships to replace Sir Galahad and Sir Tristram, destroyed and damaged in the Falklands War.
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