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Aviation History
1988
1988 - 0269.PDF
ASIAN AEROSPACE '88 REPORT F-20 radar sold Taiwan has selected General Electric's APG-67 multimode pulse-Doppler radar, devel oped for the cancelled F-20 Tigershark, for its Indigenous Defence Fighter (IDF). GE unveiled a derivative of the F-20 radar designed to fit the F-5E, but refused to comment on Taiwan's selec tion. The IDF is an F-20-class fighter being developed with US assistance. The APG-67 accumulated some 20,000hr of testing, including 500hr in the F-20 itself, before Northrop cancelled its private-venture fighter in 1986. The F-5 radar, designated the APG-67E, will begin flight-testing later this year in a C-54 testbed. Radars can be delivered within 24 months of an order, says GE. Emerson Electric is already preparing for production of its competing APG-69 F-5 radar, and expects to sign a contract, the first for an F-5 radar upgrade, by April. The APG- 69 has completed some 500hr flight-testing in the F-5, including in-country demon strations for Switzerland. Westinghouse is also eyeing the F-5 market with a deriva tive of its APG-66 from the F-1,6. The company has sold this radar to Japan to upgrade F-4s, to New Zealand for A-4s, and to Grumman for Chinese F-8s. Westinghouse has also sold APG-66s to British Aerospace for an undisclosed single-seat Hawk 200 customer. Korea is now considering upgrading its F-4s, and West inghouse is offering both the APG-66 and the enhanced APG-68 from the F-16C/D. Selection is linked to Korea's choice of a fighter to meet its 130-aircraft F-X requirement, however. The competition is between the F-16 and the F-18. Nominated F-X systems integrator Samsung is offer ing either the APG-68 or the F-18's Hughes APG-65 for the F-4 upgrade, depending on the outcome of the F-X contest. Korean Air Lines, meanwhile, is proposing the APG-66 and is already supporting the radars in Korean-based US Air Force F-16A/Bs. FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL, 6 February 1988 GE is offering a derivative of the cancelled F-20's radar for F-5Es Australia seeks New Zealand sales New Zealand is considering purchasing Sikorsky Black Hawk and Seahawk helicop ters and Pilatus PC-9 turboprop trainers built in Australia by Hawker de Havilland. The possibility will be discussed when Australian Defence Minister Kim Beazely meets his New Zea land counterpart at the end of February to discuss a wider "cross-Tasman" defence co operation pact. Hawker de Havilland is already assembling the Sikorsky helicopters for deliv ery to the Australian armed forces, and plans to complete 40 shipborne .SH-60s by 1993 and 96 tactical-transport UH- 60s by 1995. In contrast, New Zealand's requirements are small—12 naval helicopters plus 15 Army machines—but signifi cant to Hawker de Havilland, which wants to establish itself as the Asian support centre for the H-60 family. Hawker de Havilland is also assembling 67 Pilatus PC-9 basic trainers for the Royal Australian Air Force. Four aircraft, including two deliv ered direct from Switzerland, are being used by the Service to develop its training syllabus. New Zealand requires about 12 new train ers, and the PC-9 is one of the contenders. The aircraft on display at Asian Aerospace was the second to be assembled by Hawker de Havilland, and was going on to Indonesia and Brunei as part of a joint marketing effort with Pilatus. The PG-9 assembled by Hawker de Havilland in Australia is the first of the type to incorporate electronic displays Israel proposes p-v fighter Israel Aircraft Industries is seeking launch customers for a private-venture fighter based around the Kfir and using avionics from the cancelled Lavi. Nammer is a new-build fighter costing less than $20 million, says IAI. The aircraft resembles the Kfir, using the same structure and systems, but has a new engine, radar, and cockpit. The engine choice is up to the customer, says IAI, but could be the General Electric F404, its RM12 derivative, the Pratt & Whitney PW1120, or the Snecma M53. All are in the 18,0001b-20,0001b-thrust class. The new cockpit features a headup display, dual head- down displays, and solid-state engine instruments based on Lavi technology. The Elta EL/M-2032 multimode pulse- Doppler radar is a derivative of that developed for the Lavi. IAI has completed prelim inary design and system defi nition. Detail design is now under way, and discussions have begun with prospective customers. IAI is offering to build the Nammer, or "to transfer manufacture to another country. Korea eyes Tracker upgrade South Korea is considering updating its Grumman Tracker anti-submarine air craft to the S-2T turboprop configuration selected by Taiwan. Refurbishment, rewiring, re-engining with Garrett TPE331 turboprops, and new mission avionics give the Tracker a new lease of life for less than $15 million per aircraft, says Grumman. Taiwan plans to upgrade 30 S-2s in a $260 million programme managed by the US Navy. Grumman is converting two prototypes. The first will fly in July, and the second, complete with avionics, by the end of the year. Other potential customers in the region include Thailand and Singapore. Secondhand airframes are available from Australia.
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