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Aviation History
1983
1983 - 1811.PDF
DEFENCE F-16 drives Amraam schedule WASHINGTON D.C. • Production Hughes AIM-120 Amraam advanced medium- range air-to-air missiles will be delivered before devel opment is complete, so that the US Air Force can arm its European F-16s with beyond- visual-range missiles in 1986. In seeking more than $300 ' million in FY1985 for r Amraam initial production, the USAF has told Congress 1 that missiles will be delivered from September 1985, while development will not be completed until February 1986. The Air Force believes the risk to be "manageable and acceptable" in the light of its urgent requirement to arm F-16s with the fire-and-forget weapon. Amraam is smaller and lighter than the AIM-7 Spar row medium-range missile and does not require continuous radar illumination of the target. It is therefore the only beyond-visual-range weapon US F-16s can carry. The Navy is more cautious. Because its F-14s and F-18s can carry the AIM-7, the Service will continue to purchase Sparrow through FY1988 before switching to Amraam, which will give the Hornet, plus USAF F-15s and F-16s, simultaneous multiple engagement capability. So far Air Force efforts to compress the programme have gone smoothly. Competitive evaluation of competing Raytheon and Hughes missiles was termi nated after five firings, Hughes emerging the winner. A further three validation launches were completed, so that only eight out of 16 planned test firings were conducted. Five were success ful. The first development test firings begin next year. Earlier this year the Air Force succeeded in obtaining $63 million in long-lead fund ing for leader-follower pro duction by Hughes and Raytheon. Updated NZ Orion flies SEATTLE ~ The first Royal New Zealand Air Force P-3B Orion to be fitted with new maritime- surveillance avionics has begun flight-test at Boeing's Seattle facility. The aircraft began an 11-week flight-test programme on September 15. Under a June 1980 contract Boeing has installed and inte grated a new data-handling and display system, surveil lance radar, infrared sensor, and Omega and inertial navi gation. Boeing's new universal display and control system comprises a multipurpose CRT display, programmable multifunction keyboard, and display generator packaged in a crew console. The updated P-3B has five tactical consoles, plus a radio oper ator's position, and provision for an additional crew station. The new radar is a surface- surveillance derivative of the Texas Instruments APS-134, similar to that fitted to Canada's Lockheed CP-140 Aurora patrol aircraft. This is the first radar to be connected to a 1553-standard multiplex digital databus, claims Boeing. The infrared sensor is a Texas Instruments AAS-36 Flir turret as installed in US Navy Lockheed P-3C Update II Orions and providing lower- hemisphere coverage. Each tactical station is provided with identical controls and displays, while the programmable keyboard allows each operator access to all sensor and tactical data. Work sharing between oper ators increases efficiency and the chances of detecting a target, says Boeing. This first updated P-3B will remain in flight-test until November 17, returning to New Zealand in December. Air New Zealand, with Boeing assistance, will refit the four remaining P-3Bs starting on October 18. All five aircraft will be operational by May next year. This is the first phase of RNZAF P-3B modernisation. A further improvement programme is planned to instal new anti-submarine warfare systems. • Spain is to buy four updated P-3A Orion maritime patrol aircraft from the USA. At the same time two Spanish P-3As will be returned for refurbishment. The "new" Orions will replace four P-3As leased from the USA. Refit at the Naval Air Rework Facil ity, Alameda, California, will bring all six aircraft up to US Navy Orion standards. TRACER Mirages of 75 Sqn Royal Australian Air Force have redeployed from Butterworth in Malaysia to Darwin. The 14-aircraft unit was recalled to release skilled manpower for F-18 service introduction starting next year. 3 Sqn, also with Mirages, remains in Butterworth. Boeing B-52Gs with the offensive avionics suite (OAS) and air-launched cruise missiles equip US Air Force Strategic Air Command wings at Griffiss, Wurtsmith, and now Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota. B-52Hs with OAS only equip a further 16-aircraft wing at Minot AFB, North Dakota. Boeing is supplying kits to convert 99 B-52Gs and 96 B-52Hs to OAS and cruise-missile capa bility, and 69 B-52Gs to OAS. The first production McDonnell Douglas A V-8B Harrier II, to be delivered to the US Marine Corps later this year, is now flying. The aircraft is the first of 12 pilot-production AV-8Bs. Four development aircraft and a prototype have logged almost l,225hr in some 1,150 flights FLIGHT International, 1 October 1983 877
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