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Aviation History
1990
1990 - 0062.PDF
HEADLINES Congressional slip-up reveals A-12 Marconi seeks to block UK drone deal with Domier BY ANDREW CHUTER Marconi Defence Systems is trying to block a UK Min istry of Defence decision to buy an off-the-shelf anti-radiation drone system using West German and Israeli technology. The British company has submitted an unsolicited bid to the UK MoD incorporating a seeker head it has developed with private funding allied to a vehicle designed by MBB of West Germany. The UK MoD is looking to purchase an off-the-shelf system being developed by Dornier and Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) for the West German armed forces. IAI is developing a wide band version of a narrow-band seeker head used in the Israeli Harpy drone. Texas Instruments was the original seeker—head partner for Dornier but was dropped in favour of the Israeli company. Initially, the UK was consid ering a joint programme with West Germany to develop the anti-radiation drone using a Brit ish seeker head and a West German platform. This proposal was abandoned last year when the MoD opted for an off-the- shelf purchase based on the Dor nier drone selected by the West Germans after a competition with MBB. The West German Govern ment is believed to have a requirement for up to 4,200 anti- radiation drones, for which the seeker and platform would be built in West Germany. The UK requirement to meet SR(A) 1232 is thought to stand at around 2,000 drones. Marconi Defence Systems con firms that it has submitted its proposals to the UK MoD. The company says: "Our intention is to create for the MoD a UK option for off-the-shelf- procurement". The ground-launched anti- radiation-drone should be avail able—subject to Treasury approval for programme fund ing—by the mid-1990s. n An apparent editing error in the xYtranscript of a Congres sional subcommittee meeting has inadvertently revealed the cost of the US Navy's highly classified A-12 Advanced Tactical Air craft (ATA). A single line, which should have been deleted from the 888-page document pub lished last week, reveals that the Navy's new stealth strike aircraft will cost almost $100 million a copy. All previous references to the A-12's cost had been struck from the transcript of a 1989 Dornier in talks wi BY ALAN PQSTLETHWAITE Ateam from the financially troubled Claudius Dornier Seastar is to visit Moscow next week for talks on co-operation in amphibious aircraft - a move which could lead to licence production of the Seastar amphibian in the Soviet Union. The news emerged as at least one potential West German bidder was preparing to rescue the insolvent firm, now in the hands of a receiver. Financial problems halted development of the Seastar weeks short of certification. A successful deal in Moscow would give unprecedented access to the Soviet aviation market and could lead to sales of up to 200 Seastars in the Soviet Union, virtually doubling overall sales prospects for the West German 12-passenger amphibian. The discussions come at the initiative of Soviet organisation Aeroprogress, which contacted Seastar officials earlier this month, says Hannes Lucas, Seastar's managing director. Aeroprogress's motives are un clear, but Lucas expects it to suggest licence production of the Seastar, purchase of the compos ite technology needed to manu facture such an aircraft, or even joint development of a new amphibian. Equally unclear are the activ ities of Aeroprogress. Based in Riga in Latvia, it is not thought to be a design bureau (Beriev is the Soviet design bureau specialising meeting of the House Appropri ations defence subcommittee. The offending line states baldly: "The January 1989 budget included A-12 produc tion through Fiscal Year 1994 of 106 aircraft for $10.2 billion". This sum would normally in clude such items as spare parts and pilot training, in addition to research and development, and is therefore not a reliable guide to the actual production cost of each aircraft. The Navy plans to acquire up in amphibious aircraft) but a trade organisation. Licence production would have to be phased in, Lucas says, with the first 50 aircraft being produced in West Germany. He puts the market for the Seastar, excluding the Soviet Union, at 250 aircraft over ten years, so a Soviet deal would provide a significant boost. Lucas welcomes the Soviet ini tiative, but remains cautious, saying that earlier discussions between West German aviation industry officials and the Soviets to 450 A-12s by 2005, to replace its fleet of Grumman A-6E In truder strike aircraft. The A-12, being developed jointly by Gen eral Dynamics and McDonnell Douglas, is a twin-engined, two- crew carrier-borne attack air craft. It is not clear when the aircraft is due to fly or to enter service. Vice-Admiral Robert Dunn, formerly the Navy's chief of air craft procurement, told the sub committee in May last year that the A-12 is: had not been successful. Conrado Dornier, who jointly managed Claudius Dornier Seastar with Lucas until last June, is expected to bid for the company this week backed by the Dresdner Bank. Claudio Dornier, Conrado's brother is also trying to gain control of the firm. He has of fered receiver Hans Hanel a loan of DM2.5 million ($1.5 million) to progress the Seastar pro gramme - sufficient cash to keep the firm solvent until the begin ning of next month. • Soviets over Seastar output Soviets talks could lead to Seastar production in eastern Europe CI irUT IMTCDM ATir"\M AT 1 *7 1^ T„„...
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