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Aviation History
1990
1990 - 3542.PDF
OPERATIONS: DEFENCE China's Su-27 deal forces F-16s into Taiwan air-defence frame Taiwan will ask the USA to sell it General Dynamics F-16s if China succeeds in ac quiring Sukhou Su-27 fighters from the Soviet Union. Taiwan has also expressed interest in buying up to 100 Dassault Mirage 2000s but French deputy defence minister Guy Branger has said the sale is not possible. France does not want to harm its relationship with China, which is a larger customer. Gen Lin Ke-cheng, the Tai wan Air Force deputy chief of the general staff responsible for logistics, says his country would renew its request to buy F-16s "...to maintain the balance of air-combat capability" should China obtain Soviet Su-27 air- superiority fighters. Reports of preliminary talks between Beijing and Moscow on a possible Su-27 purchase sur faced in October. China has not bought aircraft from the Soviet Union since the 1950s. Most Chinese-built combat aircraft are still based on 1950s Soviet designs. Taiwan has attempted to buy F-16s on several occasions since the USA stopped overt weapons sales to the island after main land China was officially recog nised in the late 1970s. Instead Taiwan has developed its F-16- class Indigeneous Defence Fighter with assistance from several US companies. • Japan improves search capacity The Japan Maritime Safety Agency plans to purchase 56 aircraft over the next ten years to improve search and rescue (SAR) coverage. The agency plans to buy five more Dassault Falcon 900 trijets to be based at Chitose AB, Hokkaido, and Naha AB, Oki nawa, joining the two already in service at Haneda AB for long- range SAR. The medium-range fleet of 16 Beech King Air 200Ts and two Shorts Skyvans used for inshore SAR and coast-guard roles will be increased to 24 aircraft, al though no new type has yet been specified. Coastal helicopter SAR will be improved with the addition of 30 medium to large day/ night, all-weather aircraft based at 14 locations throughout Japan and capable of shipborne operations. Coastal helicopters will be held at 2h readiness and those covering inland bays or seas at lh. The Maritime Safety Agency currently operates 28 fixed- wing aircraft (two Falcon 900s, five YS-lls, 16 Beech 200s, two Skyvans and a Cessana U-206G) and 41 helicopters (36 Bell 212s, three Bell 206Bs and two Hughes 369Hs). With the retire ment of some older types, the Agency plans to be operating a fleet of 76 aircraft by 2000. • Israel flies Orlik trainer The Israeli Air Force has evaluated Poland's PZL-130 Orlik trainer as a replacement for its Fouga CM-170 Magister. The version test-flown in Is rael was powered by a 410kW (550shp) Pratt & Whitney Can ada PT6A turboprop. Although the engine was sufficient to demonstrate the aircraft, an en gine of about 710kW (950shp) will be needed if the Orlik is included in the final phase of Israel's new-trainer selection process, says AD Aviation and Development. The company, which initiated the Israeli dem onstration, says a 710kW en gine will be ready next year. The Israeli Air Force says the relatively low speed of the Orlik and the other turboprop train ers it has evaluated is a major problem compared with that of the CM. 170, which has been earmarked for replacement be cause of high operating costs. So far the Israeli Air Force has evaluated the turboprop- powered Embraer EMB-312 Tu- cano and Pilatus PC-9, and the turbofan-powered FAMA IA-63 Pampa and Promavia Jet Squalus. • HIP JAMMERS FOR HUNGARY The Hungarian Air Force has received two Mi-17P radio counter- measures helicopters. The Mi-17P has a fuselage-side antenna array with six underfuselage heat exchangers for its discrete-hand jammers. Hungary's Mi-17Ps operate from Szentkiralyszabadja AB, home to two squadrons of Mi-8/17 troop carriers and two squadrons of Mi-24 Hind assault!gunships. F-15s take place of delayed FS-X The Japan Defence Agency's rescheduling of its FS-X fighter programme, delaying the in-service date by two years to 1999, will lead to procurement of additional F-15s. Development costs of the multirole F-16-based FS-X have been revised from the original estimate of ¥165billion to 270 billion ($2.03 billion), some 40% higher than the original figure (Flight International, 14 November, P5). To compensate for the delay in replacing the Mitsubishi F-l attack aircraft, the Japan Air Self-Defence Force (JASDF) is to transfer one squadron of upgraded F-4EJs to the support fighter role. The resulting inter ceptor gap will be filled by an additional purchase of Mitsub ishi-built F-15Js. Under the revised plan the JASDF will have ten interceptor squadrons, eight with F-15s and two with F-4s, and three ground-attack squadrons, two with F-ls and one with Phan toms. The number of aircraft per squadron will increase from 18 to 22. In the next five-year plan, starting in Fiscal Year 1991, the JASDF is expected to buy 55 to 60 F-l5s, and upgrade those in service from the late 1990s. It is also expected to order more Lockheed C-130s, aiming for a aircraft transport fleet of 50. The plan includes 27 HS-X rescue aircraft, selection of which was postponed a few months ago; seven TC-X train ers for training tanker/transport pilots; and five U-X utility air craft, expected to be the same basic type as the TC-X. D NEWS IN BRIEF AMPA FOR GR.7s The UK Ministry of Defence has awarded three contracts covering a three-month pro ject definition phase for an advanced mission planning aid (AMPA) for the Royal Air Force's GR.7s. AMPA will allow one operator to prepare multi-aircraft missions. 10 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 28 November - 4 December, 1990
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