FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1986
1986 - 0851.PDF
Belgium seeks A. 129 deal with Dutch BRUSSELS Belgium is studying a possible bilateral helicopter buy with the Netherlands of the Agusta A. 129 Mangusta anti-tank helicopter. The Netherlands Ministry of Defence is only about one week away from announcing whether it is to buy the A.129 or the Aerospatiale SA.365M Dauphin 2. An initial order for 20 aircraft is expected (see Flight April 5, page 3). At this stage Dutch interest is understood to lean heavily in favour of the A.129 because, in accord with the MoD's ten-year helicopter procurement plan, the air craft will allow the Army to fulfil its cherished goal of a long-term common buy. The Army plans to buy 20 light helicopters in 1987 and a further 30 anti-tank machines in 1992. The developed MK.2 version of the A.129, soon to be studied by Agusta, West- land, and perhaps Fokker, is seen by the Dutch MoD as a likely candidate for the 1992 buy. The Belgian Army, cur rently studying a number of foreign helicopter packages to meet its own Aeromobility One anti-tank and liaison/ transport requirements, is said to be impressed by the A.129 and is now urging the Government to negotiate a possible joint deal with the Netherlands. This would improve Belgian industry's chances of full participation in the programme, it is thought. The Dutch MoD confirms that there have been "some contacts" with Belgium on the subject. But a spokesman was unable to confirm whether there had been any "serious negotiations". Belgium requires 28 anti tank and 18 liaison/transport helicopters to replace the Belgian Army Corps' fleet of 66 Alouette II assigned to operations in West Germany. Agusta has offered a pack age of A.129s and A.109s for Aeromobility One, but is FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL, 12 April 1986 competing against Aero spatiale with the Gazelle, Ecureuil, and Dauphin 2, MBB with the BO105 and BK117, Sikorsky with the S-76, and Westland with the Lynx III. The Eurocopter PAH-2 is also being con sidered for the anti-tank requirement. Japan slows FS-X selection TOKYO ~ Japan's Defence Agency has virtually given up on its origi nal schedule to select FS-X, a strike/fighter to replace the Mitsubishi F-l in the Japan Air Self-Defence Force. The original timetable called for selection to be made by June to allow a request for initial funding to be made in the Fiscal Year 1987 budget, which runs from October 1 this year. The Defence Agency says that proposals submitted by foreign contenders for FS-X are "too rough in description" and has asked General Dynamics, McDonnell Doug las, and Panavia to re-submit more precise proposals on the F-16 Fighting Falcon, F-18 Hornet, and Tornado, respectively. The US Govern ment is said to be pressing Japan to buy the F-18, but most JDA officials and some of the Japanese Government are reported to favour a national solution to FS-X. The Japanese Parliament is scheduled to debate FS-X this month. British Army buys night Rapier STEVENAGE ~ The UK Ministry of Defence has signed a fixed-price contract with British Aero space for an electro-optical variant of the Rapier mobile low-level anti-aircraft missile system. The system, named Dark- fire by BAe, can operate at night as well as in daylight, using an infrared tracker. It has been improved in other ways as well. Firepower has been enhanced by increasing the number of ready-to-fire missiles from four to six per fire unit, and its ability to counter jamming has been improved. First deliveries for training purposes have begun and Army trials will start soon. New-build CH-47D ready for co-production PHILADELPHIA Boeing Vertol's new pro duction CH-47D Chinook, identical to the US Army's CH-47Ds remanufactured from early-model Chinooks, has made its first flight and is to be shipped to Kawasaki Heavy Industries in Japan, as part of a co-production programme for the Japan Ground Self-Defence Force and Japan Air Self-Defence DEFENCE Force. Deliveries of 54 new- build CH-47Ds built by Kawasaki as the CH-47J will start later this year and continue into the 1990s. William Grant, Boeing Vertol's manager of the CH-47 International Military Chinook, explains that co- production so far only extends to the Japan orders, 39 for the JGSDF and 15 for the JASDF. The Kawasaki scheme involves three phases. In Phase One Boeing Vertol is supplying two "green" Chinooks which are flyable aircraft, to which Kawasaki will add full avionics, interior trims, and final paint and markings. In Phase Two Boeing Vertol is building and deliver ing to Kawasaki five un assembled Chinooks; the first was shipped last September. Kawasaki has already spliced the fuselage together and is using it to prepare its produc tion line for assembly of the remaining four knockdowns and co-production and assem bly of Phase Three aircraft. In Phase Three, which is an initial eight-aircraft procurement, Boeing Vertol will produce the main cabin section panels (unassembled), the aft pylon, rotor blades, and fuel pods. The American company will also supply detailed structural parts, gears, bearings, and rough castings and forgings for the main dynamic components. Kawasaki will splice the fuselage sections and machine the castings and forgings, and make the helicopter's wire harnesses, hoses, and tube assemblies. The Japanese will also build the cockpit and aft- cabin sections. The first new-build CH-47D lifts off from Boeing Vertol's Philadelphia plant on a test flight before being dismantled for shipping to Kawasaki Heavy Industries
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
