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Aviation History
1988
1988 - 0515.PDF
Foxhunter improvements agreed STANMORE Under a fixed-price contract signed this week, Marconi Defence Systems will upgrade the Tornado interceptor's radar in two stages, ultimately introducing a high-capacity data processor to overcome limitations of the existing radar. Four AI.24 Foxhunter radars a month are currently being delivered to an agreed Z standard which meets the Royal Air Force's original specification. Some 100 radars have been delivered, which equip two squadrons of RAF Tornado F.3s. The original specification has been found to be inade quate in certain areas, however, particularly in the man-machine interface and close-combat modes. As a first step, from delivery of the 150th radar in mid- 1989, modifications will be introduced to improve close- combat capability, target data, and resistance to jamming. In mid-1990 a new radar data processor will increase automation, allow more targets to be tracked, and provide growth capacity for the later introduction of new weapons, communica tions, and identification systems. The first-stage modifica tion mainly affects radar soft ware, while the second modi fication stage will tackle the present radar's lack of com puter power. The new multi- microprocessor data processor will not become available until after the 227 radars now on order are delivered, how ever, so it will be made avail able as a plug-in modification kit. The new processor will allow the introduction of a new beyond-visual-range raid- assessment mode, while the number of targets handled in track-while-scan mode will be substantially increased. For close-in combat a new pulse- Doppler mode will be intro duced. Including anticipated Tor nado exports, ' Marconi expects to build 50 Foxhunter radars a year until 1991. Goshawk takes shape The wing and fuselage of the first McDonnell Douglas/British Aerospace T-45 Goshawk US Navy trainer have been joined at the former's Long Beach assembly facility. The wing join ing is the last major step before the March 16 rollout. Japan launches satellite TANEGASHIMA Japan's CS-3a domestic communications satellite was launched successfully by a three-stage H-l booster from the Tanegashima space centre on February 19, reports Tim Furniss. It will eventually be placed on station in geo stationary orbit at 132° E and will be followed in August by CS-3b. Cable and Wireless, mean while, is to enter the television satellite business using the Westar 6S spacecraft rescued by Shuttle in 1984. The company will take a one-third share, together with Hutchin son Whampoa of Hong Kong and the Chinese Government, in a $150 million venture to provide TV services to main land China and other Asian countries. Westar 6S is booked to fly on a Chinese Long March 3, possibly in about 18 months. The consortium will purchase the refurbished satellite from Hughes. First Fokker 100 handed over The, first Fokker 100 has been delivered to launch customer Swissair. The much-delayed 100-seater is the first of eight ordered by Swissair, which has six. more on option. Produc tion delays and the low value of the Dollar led to the Nether lands Government having to bail out Fokker late last year. WORLD NEWS Gulfstream claims GIV record SAVANNAH Gulfstream Aerospace claims a world record for a Gulf stream IV flight in which chief executive Allen Paulson and three "co-captains" flew east wards round the world from Houston, Texas, late last week. The GIV returned to Hobby Airport, Houston, after 36hr 8min 24sec on February 27. If ratified by the Federation Aeronautique International, the flight will set a record in the C-lk class for 55,000- 77,0001b aircraft. In the unlimited-weight class it will displace a Boeing 747SP which flew round the world in 36hr 54min and 15sec only weeks before. Last June the Gulfstream IV established a westbound record in its class. Gripen runs LINKOPING The prototype Saab-Scania JAS39 Gripen fighter last week underwent its first installed engine run-up. Assuming that tests to check integration of the Volvo RM12 engine prove success ful, Saab hopes to begin Gripen flight-testing by the middle of this year. Gripen's first flight was delayed from late last year by the time taken to check soft ware in the aircraft's fly-by- wire flight controls. Test runs with Gripen's auxiliary power unit installed are under way. TV-Sat lost ~ BONN West Germany's direct tele vision broadcasting satellite, TV-Sat 1, has been written off as a complete loss, following repeated efforts to deploy one of its solar panels which has been blocked since the launch on November 21. For the German Post Office, it means a loss of DM300 million. TV-Sat 1, Europe's first direct-broadcast satellite, is now relegated to an experi mental role, and engineers are overhauling its sister satellite, France's TDF 1, which is due for launch later this year. FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL, 5 March 1988
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