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Aviation History
1989
1989 - 1160.PDF
Pentagon wants V-22 cancelled by Julian Moxon in Washington Cancellation of the US Marine Corps Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor is being proposed by US Defence Secretary Richard Cheney as part of his budget- cutting measures for next year. Several other major weapon systems are also targeted for cancellation, cutting, or stretch ing out. The proposal to cancel the $30 billion V-22 programme comes only a month after the aircraft flew for the first time (following a seven-month delay), and heralds a long summer of concerted effort by the Marines to get its priority aircraft programme returned to the budget. The V-22 is currently the subject of a $1-8 billion full-scale development contract, with deliveries of the first of 552 aircraft to the Marines due in 1992. Cheney is attempting to meet the Bush administration's deficit-reduction budget targets for fiscal year 1990. The military budget is being hit hardest, having been revised downwards by $6 • 3 billion from President Reagan's $315-2 billion request, and by a further $3-7 billion as a result of the recently completed bipartisan negotiations with Congress. If accepted by Congress, it would be the fifth year of straight cuts in defence spending. Cheney has been forced to compromise and agree with President Bush that the rail- borne MX and Midgetman missiles should both go ahead. The B-2 stealth bomber's fund ing will be cut by $ 1 billion and deployment delayed at least one year. Over the next five years spending on the Strategic Defence Initiative will be cut by $7 billion. Other measures proposed by Cheney include cancellation of ..sWiSSiti""*1 •o*';i4ilS3:s*'*' s-SS?s!8If?«« Ijwmiasif: ::^fp«fiitt* if ill Tilt-rotor supporters gather round the threatened V-22 the US Army's OH-58D Ahip programme and the US Air Force's Agile Falcon F-16 derivative. Procurement of the AH-64 Apache anti-tank heli copter would end in 1991, and that of the F-15 fighter in 1992. The Army's LHX light helicop ter experimental programme had been threatened for cancel lation, or severe cuts, but has been restored to the budget after concerted lobbying by the Army last week. The US Navy's A-12 Advanced Tactical Aircraft and the USAF's Advanced Tactical Fighter targeted for programme stretchouts. Opinions differ as to whether the V-22 will actually have to go. There has always been strong congressional backing for the tilt-rotor programme, and the US Marines have a A Soviet Flanker would pull in the Paris crowds Soviet Flanker tipped for Paris debut by Alan Postlethwaite in Moscow The Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker, Soviet equivalent of the US F-15 fighter, could head a list of ten aircraft the country plans to display at the Paris Air Show in June, Soviet officials suggest. Show organiser GIFAS says that the Soviets have indicated they plan to exhibit ten types. The Su-27 is apparently not on the list, which includes single- and two-seat Sukhoi Su-25 Frogfoot ground-attack aircraft, Antonov An-225 transport, and Ilyushin 11-96-300 and Tupolev Tu-204 airliners, all of which are new to the West. Included in the planned line up are single- and two-seat Mikoyan MiG-29 fighters (as displayed at last year's Farn- borough Show), a Mil Mi-17 ambulance helicopter, and Sukhoi Su-26 aerobatic aircraft. While Soviet officials in Moscow suggest the Su-27 will appear, they are unable to confirm that the Tu-204 will attend. The 11-96-300 will defi nitely be at Paris, they say. The twin-turbofan Tu-204 has just begun delayed flight testing (see page 25) and a final decision on its Paris attendance has not been made—a cabin mockup will be displayed instead. Sabena / KLM/BA deal "due this month" Sabena chairman Carlos van Rafelghem says that the Belgian national carrier is about to create an international oper ation with KLM and British Airways, involving cross- purchases of shares, schedule harmonisation, and hub shar ing. His claimed partners have expressed surprise at the announcement, however, and will not confirm the plan. Van Rafelghem disclosed the proposal in Brussels on April 17, at a meeting of the Belgian- Dutch Association of which he is president. He said that both KLM and BA would buy Sabena shares in an operation soon to be discussed between the three governments, and maintained that an official announcement was due before the end of this month. British Airways has declined to comment, and KLM says: "In our opinion everything which has been said is completely premature. We have been work ing out our plans with many potential partners. We will only give information when we have definite things to announce. "Mr van Rafelghem in the past has said things which turned out to be a different story." Nevertheless, reports in Brussels say that the operation would involve BA buying a 30 per cent share in Sabena. Sabena, in turn, would buy a 5 per cent share in BA and have a seat on the British carrier's board. KLM's suggested share is not mentioned. Under the new proposal, BA would reschedule its African flights via Brussels and use the Belgian capital as a continental hub. Sabena (and apparently KLM) would have fifth- freedom rights at Manchester airport, which is to be expanded as a base for joint transatlantic operations of the three airlines. This involves frequent shuttle flights between Manchester and Brussels / Amsterdam. BA would benefit from Sabena's African expertise and gain a foothold on the European continent. Earlier talks involving Sabena and Scandinavian Airlines System centred on tax benefits for foreign carriers in Belgium. 2 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL, 29 April 1989
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