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Aviation History
1987
1987 - 1334.PDF
MILITARY AIRCRAFT OF THE WORLD Saudi Arabia 48, West Germany 324; ECR West Germany 35; ADV Great Britain 165, Oman 8, Saudi Arabia 24. SEPECAT Jaguar International Hindustan Aero nautics continues to assemble Jaguars at Bangalore, and will eventually move on to full production of 31 aircraft. British Aerospace delivered 40 aircraft in flyaway condition, and the first of 45 HAL-assembled Jaguars flew in March 1982. A number of late production Indian aircraft will be fitted with nose mounted Thomson-CSF Agave radar for maritime strike duties, for use in conjunction with suitable anti-shipping missiles (probably Sea Eagles). Latest versions have uprated Adour Mk.811 engines and overwing air-to-air missiles, while optional equipment includes multipurpose radar, Sea Eagle, Harpoon, Exocet, or Kormoran anti-shipping missiles, and a system such as low-light TV for enhanced night oper ations. The first batch of Omani aircraft has been retrofitted with the Ferranti FIN 1064 inertial navigation system, and installation in the remainder of the fleet will follow. Customers: Ecuador 12, France 200, Great Britain 203, India 116, Nigeria 18, Oman 24. SOKO/CNIAR J-22 Orao/IAR-93 The uprated Orao 2/IAR-93B flew in Jugoslavia in October 1983, and in Romania in 1985. The principal differ ence from the earlier Orao 1/IAR-93A is the introduction of a licence-built Viper 633 with reheat, giving improved performance and weapons carrying capability. The Orao 2 has a Thomson-CSF headup display, and four under- wing and one underfuselage stores pylons. Optical and infrared reconnaissance pods are available for carriage on the centreline station. TRANSALL Transall C-160 Deliveries of the Transall C-160 (Second Series), which first flew on April 9, 1981, were completed in 1985. The sole military customer was the French Air Force, which ordered 25 with updated avionics, a strengthened wing centre section incorporating an additional fuel tank, and in-flight refuelling capability. Ten are equipped as dual-role single- point tankers, and five more have the necessary modifications to allow rapid conversion to the tanker role. In 1982 four additional aircraft were ordered for the French Air Force, two as secure communications relay platforms known as Astarte for the nuclear deterrent force from 1987, and two Gabriel electronic intelligence aircraft. Modifications programmes are also offered for maritime patrol (C-160S), electronic surveillance (C-160SE), AEW (C-160AAA), photo-reconnaissance, fire-fighting, VIP trans port, anti-pollution, and medevac. Built by a consortium of Aerospatiale and MBB, the original C-160 flew in February 1963. Production deliveries began in late 1967. 175 First Series aircraft were built. Customers: First Series France 53, South Africa 9, West Germany 113; Second Series France 29. UNITED KINGDOM BRITISH AEROSPACE EAP The EAP technology demonstrator aircraft exceeded Mach 1 • 1 on its first flight on August 8, 1986. Produced by British Aerospace in collaboration with several industrial part ners, including Aeritalia, MBB, Rolls-Royce, Dowty, Ferranti, and GEC, the EAP has received financial support from the UK Government. Intended to demonstrate a complete weapons system for the 1990s, the EAP incorporates many advanced-technology ai^W- The Royal Saudi Air Force has ordered two British Aerospace Jetstream 31s, each fitted with a Complete Tornado rear cockpit for training purposes features, including the extensive use of carbon- fibre structures, advanced aerodynamics, digital fly-by-wire with relaxed stability, a digital databus, and an integrated electronic cockpit. EAP is a single-seat aircraft with a compound-sweep delta wing and an all-moving canard. Power is provided by twin reheated RB.199 turbofans fed by chin intakes. The contract for the design, development, and construction of the demonstrator was signed in May 1983. Sea Harrier British Aerospace has begun conversion of the first Sea Harrier to FRS.2 standard as part of a mid-life update programme resulting from a 1985 project defini tion study. The FRS.2, which will enter service in 1989, will be able to engage multiple low- flying targets beyond visual range, and will have extended patrol times and improved self- defence capabilities. Principal upgrades in the FRS.2 are the installation of a Ferranti Blue Vixen pulse- Doppler multimode radar in place of the Blue Fox, which will allow all-weather look-down with track-while-scan; multiple target engage ment capability combined with fire-and-forget AIM-120 Amraam; and an upgraded radar warning receiver and improved ECCM performance. British Aerospace Sea Eagle anti- shipping and Alarm anti-radiation missiles will also be compatible with the FRS.2 A MIL 1553B digital databus is installed, and the FRS.2 has an extensive cockpit redesign includ ing a hands-on-throttle-and-stick (Hotas) system which will allow simultaneous control of the aircraft, radar, and weapons system. Exter nally the FRS.2 will differ from the earlier FRS.l in having a longer rear fuselage, a more rounded nose radome, and extended wing tips. Update of the entire Royal Navy FRS.l fleet is planned. Sea Harriers are also in service with the Indian Navy's No.300 (White Tiger) Squadron, operating from the carrier INS Vikrant, and later from the newly acquired INS Viraat (HMS Hermes). India has bought 16 Sea Harriers and three Harrier T.60 trainers, and further purchases are likely. Customers: FRS.Mk.l Great Britain 57 (+ 4 Harrier T.4N); Mk.51 India 16 (+ 3 Harrier T.60). Hawk The first pre-production single-seat Hawk 200 flew on April 24, 1987, seven days ahead of the schedule set following the loss of the prototype in July 1986. The Hawk 200 multirole combat aircraft, which first flew on May 19, 1986, has some 80 per cent airframe commonality with current production two-seat aircraft, is powered by a 26kN Adour 871, and has an internal armament of two 25mm Aden guns in a new front fuselage. The redesigned nose can also house sensors such as a laser rangefinder, forward looking infrared, or a multimode radar. Roles envisaged for the Hawk 200 include airspace denial, armed with AIM-9 Sidewinder AAMs; close support, with more than 3,000kg of stores; battlefield interdiction over a radius of 1,072km, carrying 1,360kg of ordnance; long-range reconnaissance using a pod with cameras and infrared linescan equip ment; and anti-shipping strike, armed with a Sea Eagle surface skimming missile. Three optional equipment standards will be offered to allow: daytime operations with gyro- stabilised sight, an attitude heading reference system with optional head-up display, and an inertial navigation system and weapons aiming computer; night operations with the addition of a Flir and laser rangefinder; and all-weather operations with a multimode radar, such as a Ferranti Blue Fox, offering target acquisition and navigation capabilities, in conjunction with advanced weapons including Sea Eagle and Skyflash AAMs. Negotiations with several potential Hawk 200 customers continue. Also offered primarily for combat missions is the two-seat Hawk 100, which has enhanced ground-attack capability. Equipment includes a Singer Kearfott SKN 2416 INS, an advanced Smiths Industries headup display/weapons aiming computer, optional laser or Flir, an improved weapons management system, Hotas controls, and colour CRT displays in both cockpits, all linked by a MIL 1553B digital databus. External load is increased to 3,265kg, and provision is made for carrying an ECM pod. No orders for the Hawk 100 have been announced to date. The pre-production Hawk flew on August 21, 32 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL, 1 August 1987
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