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Aviation History
1983
1983 - 0382.PDF
DEFENCE Lavie fighter "vital" TEL AVIV The Lavie fighter project is vital to the Israeli Air Force, says the Service's new commander Gen Amos Lapidot. Development of Lavie will ensure that Israel advances its technological skills, he says, and the fighter will take over from the Kfir in the 1990s as the Air Force's main close-support aircraft. The F-15 and F-16 are highly expensive interceptors not suited to the role envis aged for Lavie, say Gen Lapidot. His comments come at a time when US aircraft manufactures, notably North rop, are opposing the supply of US aid to develop a fighter which will then compete on the world market with the F-16 and F-20. Every year Israel receives billions of dollars of foreign military sales (FMS) assis tance from the USA—almost $2,500 million in 1982 and a similar amount in 1983—on the condition that the money is used to buy US equipment. Israel plans to develop the Lavie using as much existing equipment as possible, and approximately 40 per cent of the $6,400 million total programme cost would be spent in the USA, the Israelis suggest. The USA has already agreed to allow $180 million in FMS credits to be spent on the Lavie's Pratt & Whitney PW1120 engine. Israel also wants to buy expertise in carbonfibre wing design and manufacture, but the US Government has so far blocked the transfer of tech nology by refusing to allow $75 milllion in FMS credits to be used for advanced funding of US industry participation in this part of the project. The Israelis had hoped to exchange data on the performance of US and Soviet weaponry in last year's Lebanon conflict for tech nology essential to the devel opment of Lavie. But the USA has refused to accept the conditions imposed by the Israelis on the transfer of combat data to third parties, mainly the USA's Arab customers, but including Nato countries. With US aerospace compa nies now lobbying Congress to 576 block the allocation of FMS credits to Lavie development, Israel is threatening to go ahead alone, or in co operation with European companies. Israeli industry believes it has the technology necessary to build Lavie, pointing to advanced tech niques being used in the manufacture of the Astra executive jet. Israel had hoped to subcon tract wing development to a US company in order to save time and to use FMS credits which are accumulating because the Reagan Adminis tration is blocking arms supplies in retaliation for Israel's invasion of Lebanon. But the delays are now endangering the project. IAI plans to fly the first Lavie prototype in 1985, with production to begin in 1990. The Israeli Air Force requires 300 aircraft to replace Kfirs and A-4s. Unit cost at today's prices will be about $11 million, about half the cost of an F-16, although R&D recoupment would add about $7 million if included. US industry is worried by Israel's export success based on its low labour costs, combat-proven equipment, and absence of unneccessary sophistication. Sales of the competitively priced Kfir have been blocked by the USA because of its J79 engine, and a similar veto would apply to the Lavie because of its US content. Lavie is powered by a 20,6001b-thrust PW1120. Maximum take-off weight is 37,5001b. Maximum speed is Mach 1 • 85, and a wing area of 350ft2 gives an air-combat wing loading of 531b/ft2 (F-20 801b/ft2; F-16 781b/ft2), an instantaneous turn rate at Mach 0-8, 15,000ft of 13-2°/sec (F-20 ll-5°/sec; F- 16 12-8°/sec), and an instan taneous turn rate at 15,000ft of 24-3°/sec (F-20 20%ec). The appointment of Prof Arens as the Israeli Defence Minister is expected to give Lavie a boost. Arens is a professor in aeronautical engineering and was the guid ing force in persuading the Israeli Government and Knesset Finance Committee to provide funds for the project in the first place. Israel Aircraft Industries is to Israel to build five Lavie prototypes, three configured as two-seat combat trainers. The Israeli Government has already invested some $200 million in Lavie, with another $200 million plus planned for 1983. Libya looks to Brazil TRIPOLI Libya is negotiating with Embraer for the purchase of undisclosed numbers of EMB-121 Xingu multi-engine trainers and EMB-111 maritime-patrol Bande- irantes. The potential value of these orders is said to be about $150 million. Libya has also shown interest in the EMB- 312 Tucano turboprop trainer. US export embargoes will probably result in a French search radar being supplied for the Bandeirantes, either the Thomson-CSF Varan or the Omera ORB.32. France has purchased the Xingu for its Air Force and Navy, and export customers for the EMB-111 include Gabon and Chile. Libya expects to take deliv ery of the last three of ten French-built Combattante IIG fast attack craft in the next few months. Construc tions Mecaniques de Normandie (CMN) delivered the sixth, Beri Alkarim, last December. This is armed with four Otomat anti-ship missile launchers, an Oto Melara 76mm gun, and a Bofors 40mm twin-barrel gun. Although Lavie will replace the Kfir, Israel still requires an advanced fighter to replace the F-4. Israel is considering the F-15E, F-16E, F-18L, or a re-engined F-4, and a poten tial order for some 200 aircraft may persuade US manu facturers to drop objections to Lavie. US reports suggest that Israel wants to increase its front-line strength to 600 aircraft, 24 squadrons, by the 1990s to counter the supply of sophisticated weaponry to its Arab neighbours. Gen Lapidot says that Israel must also improve its qualitative advantages by acquiring the most up-to-date equipment. Belgium signs for F-16s BRUSSELS Belgium has signed the contract for 44 additional F-16As to replace Mirage 5s. Delivery will start in 1988. Sabca will assemble and test fly the aircraft at Gosselies. To cover the two-year gap between the last of the current batch and the first of the follow-on aircraft, Belgian industry will supply General Dynamics and its sub contractors with components for 194 US-built F-16s. The Belgian Government has secured 80 per cent indus trial offset for the purchase of 44 F-16s, 58 per cent aerospace-related, and 22 per cent indirect to be placed with Flemish industry. As all Belgian F-16s are A and B models, and from Julv 1984 GD will build only C "and D models for the US Air Force, the complexity of offset arrangements has increased. Sonaca at Gosselies will supply 194 shipsets of wing components, while Sabca at Haren will deliver 194 wing sets and 970 servo-actuators. FN at Herstal wili supply F100 engine components to Pratt & Whitney. MBLE- Philips, which produces all radars for US and European F-16s covered by the multi national co-production agree ment, will produce 50 sets for Belgian follow-on aircraft, about two months' work at current production rates. As the radar on C and D models is different, an agreement is being sought between West- inghouse and MBLE for prod uction of radar computers. Final assembly of US or third-country F-16s is.: excluded from the offsets, but Sabac and Sonaca will be responsible for maintaining all US Air Force F-16As and , Bs based in Europe. This may' involve tooling up for the C and D, an operation that is t uneconomic for only the 44 aircraft required by Belgium. • Belgium expects to spend BFr20,000 million (£266 million) on 46 multirole heli copters to replace Alouette lis. Some helicopters will carry Hot or Tow anti-tank missiles, which are included in this cost estimate, as are simulators. FLIGHT International, 5 March 1983
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