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Aviation History
1985
1985 - 1103.PDF
Ultralight *fires rockets ROCHE-LA-MOLIERE The first rocket-firing tests from a Zenith-Aviation Baroudeur ultralight have been conducted, and the manufacturer is now con sidering the possibility of fitting it with lightweight air-to-air missiles. In the first phase of tests, the Baroudeur was armed with four tube-launched 89mm unguided rockets. They were fired, either singly or in pairs, at altitudes of 30ft and 1,000ft at up to 800m from the target. The tests were declared successful. A second batch of tests was c/jnducted in which three rockets were fired in poor weather conditions—15kt windpseed on the ground and 45kt and l,500kt altitude. Firing at a target 800m away and from an altitude of 1,000ft, the Baroudeur scored two direct hits. The third rocket hit 10m from the target. Zenith-Aviation says that it is considering arming the Baroudeur with light fire-and- forget missiles. The company adds that a number of countries, including some in Asia and Africa, have shown interest in the aircraft. It can be folded up, parachuted, and carried on a light vehicle, in a submarine, or on a man's back. Four Baroudeurs were delivered to the French Army airborne units at Toulouse, Bayonne, and Nancy in November 1983. The first public display of an armed Baroudeur will take place at the Satory exhibition in June. Saudis to see Lass COLUMBIA Westinghouse is to demon strate a Low Altitude Surveil lance System (Lass), a radar- equipped aerostat, to Saudi Arabia. Under a $12-6 million contract Westinghouse sub sidiaries Wexico and TCOM will provide a 90-day demon stration of Lass next year in the hope that the Royal Saudi Air Force will buy some systems to supplement their Boeing E-3s. The Saudi Lass consists of a 365,000ft:l-capacity Sys tem 365 aerostat equipped with a slightly modified AN/TPS-63 radar. It has a nominal operating alti tude of almost two miles and can detect low-flying, small aircraft at long distances. Senate waves axe over defence jobs WASHINGTON D.C. ~ The US Senate Armed Services manpower sub committee has voted to cut defence jobs by 175,000 over the next two years—despite President Reagan's military budget call for more per sonnel. The sub-committee's recommendations, bound to be unpopular with the Defence Department, suggest that 75,000 uniformed and 100,000 civilian jobs could go in Fiscal Years 1986 and 1987. If accepted—and the pro posals have several hurdles to overcome before being finalised—they would reduce defence manpower to 220,000 below the level that Reagan wants for his rearmament programme. He wants to increase uniformed personnel by 27,000 and civilian by 18,000. Quite how the sub committee would want to lose jobs is unclear. Civilian jobs could probably be reduced through natural wastage— that is, through non- replacement of staff as they leave or retire. The same could be done with military personnel, except that it would affect rank order. Simi larly, reducing the number of Thermal imagers ordered The Ministry of Defence has a follow-on order with GEC Avionics for Thermal Imaging Common Modules, Class II (TICM II). The British Army's Phoenix battle surveillance RPV will be equipped with it and the system is also a contender for night-attack versions of the Harrier GR.5/AV-8B. HMH^MT'^^'H vi ^^g"^ • •••'• ' § ' 1 4=* 1 1 1 [ m 1 r ^MZP- » 1 »*•- .wRki*r-±'mi t tt^^Sir-. ^SMI^ «ts^^jMtfl 2ttf ^K w H9 V ^* .-•-•• —•>»• 1 iB : B J^H • JjpBBE£*P'""WVT • 35 **? Hk dH| - -^ , - ' DEFENCE recruits would lead to a top- heavy military. It would probably be left to indivi dual Service chiefs to decide how best to reduce job numbers. The recommendation has yet to be approved by the full Armed Services Committee, then it will be debated on the floor of the Senate. Japan checks outSeahawk NAGOYA Two Sikorsky XSH-60J Seahawk airframes are being equipped with Japanese elec tronic and mission installa tions in Nagoya, Japan. The Japanese Defence Agency's technical research and development institute has allocated $27 million in Fiscal Year 1985 to the project which, if successful, will lead to Mitsubishi building SH-60Js under licence to Sikorsky. The aircraft will replace Sikorsky/Mitsubishi SH-3A/B Sea Kings currently in service with the Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force. It will have a gross take-off weight of 21,3001b, a speed of 145kt, and a hover height of 2,000ft. The first of the two aircraft now at Mitsubishi's Nagoya plant should fly in 1987. Deployment is scheduled to start in the early 1990s, with complete replacement of SH-3s by the mid-1990s. XT-4 rolls out GIFU ~ The first flight-test prototype of the Kawasaki XT-4 inter mediate trainer aircraft is due to roll out on April 17 at the manufacturer's Gifu plant near Nagoya. The aircraft is scheduled to fly in mid-July and to be delivered by early December. The first static test proto type was delivered to the 3rd technical institute of the Defence Agency in February. The institute, Kawasaki, and Stencel, which makes the aircraft's ejection seats, are doing a series of tests on the seats. FLIGHT International, 13 April 1985
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