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Aviation History
1993
1993 - 0329.PDF
IDEX93 With home markets in decline, Eastern and Western defence manufacturers took the opportunity of the IDEX 93 exhibition in Abu Dhabi from 15-18 February to battle for a slice of the still-lucrative Gulf arms market. Much of the interest focused on missile developments from Russia and a rehabilitated South Africa, which both had a large presence. Douglas Barrie reports. Westinghouse beats Hughes to UAE deal New South African SAM on display South African aerospace firm Kentron has begun trials of the SAHV-3 surface-to-air mis sile system being developed for the South African Defence Force. The company is developing command-to-line-of-sight (CLOS) and infra-red variants. The former is for South Africa, the latter for an as-yet unspeci fied overseas customer. According to Kentron, the sys tem will enter South African service in the next three years. The SAHV-IR will be available before the CLOS variant. The SAHV-3 is a Mach 3.5/ 40g-capable missile which can be used to engage targets out to 12km at heights from 100- 20,000ft (30-6,000m). The 4m- long missile uses smokeless fuel and has a 20kg high-explosive fragmentation warhead with a radio frequency proximity fuze. The launch vehicle is based on the Rooikat armoured vehicle. Kentron is developing a two- beam three-dimensional search radar, using the Reutech Radar Systems Ka-band ETS-2400 radar/optronic tracker developed for the ZA-35 anti-aircraft artil lery system. The optronic tracker is similar to that of the Rooivalk attack helicopter and combines xlO or x3 magnifica tion television and/or infra-red imager and a laser-range finder. In the planning stages are long-range ramjet-powered and vertical-launch variants. • Abu Dhabi may buy Lynx Westland is clinching a deal with Abu Dhabi to supply eight Super Lynx helicopters. The Gulf state wants the heli copters to meet its anti-sub marine and anti-surface vessel requirement. The UK helicopter builder de clines to comment on the poten tial sale, but Jonathan Aitken, the UK defence procurement minister, claimed during a visit to the IDEX show in Abu Dhabi that the sale is imminent. Other possible contenders in clude Eurocopter's Dauphin, the Sikorsky Seahawk, Kaman's Sea Sprite and the Agusta AB.214. • Westinghouse has beaten Hughes to a $300 million contract to provide the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with an integrated air-defence ground- environment system. The company is unwilling to disclose details of the 48-month programme, saying that the re quirement is classified. To develop the integrated sys tem, Westinghouse will have to interface the command and con trol environment to the UAE's Siemens DR162 and DR172 low- level radar systems. The UAE is believed to have 11 of these systems deployed to provide coastal low-level surveillance. For longer-range air surveil lance, the UAE has two Westing house TPS-70 radars, and an additional two may be ordered. The ground environment will also be interfaced with the Brit ish Aerospace Rapier and Thom- son-CSF Crotale in service in the UAE. The state is expected to acquire the new Rapier 2000. The system is also required to be capable of operating with Boeing E-3 AWACS airborne surveillance aircraft, via datalink. The UAE is also looking at acquiring a medium- to long- range surface-to-air missile. The Raytheon Patriot is one con tender, with the Russian S-300 PMU (NATO SA-10) also on offer. An SA-10 was due to be launched at a firepower demon stration during IDEX 93. • Sukhoi negotiates to close Flanker deal in UAE Sukhoi is negotiating with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for the sale of the Su-27 Flanker fighter. The Russian design bu reau's director, Mikhail Si- monov, was in Abu Dhabi during the show to discuss the possible sale. The Russian design bureau is competing with Dassault Avia tion, offering the Mirage 2000-5. Mirages are already in service in Abu Dhabi. Other contenders are believed to include McDon nell Douglas, with the F-15E and F-18, and Mikoyan, with its MiG-29 Fulcrum. • Mikoyan is working on modi fications to its MiG-29M to meet Malaysia's requirement for an air-defence aircraft. Mikoyan officials say that it is having to modify the aircraft's navigation and communications, along with the identification friend or foe system, to ensure- that they are compatible with Western systems. Officials from the Mikoyan bureau claim that they are close to finalising a deal, pointing to modifications made to the Ger man air force's MiG-29s as evi dence that they can meet Malaysian concerns. D Vympel test-fires AA-X-12 variant Russian design bureau Vympel has test-fired a ver tically launched AA-X-12 me dium-range air-to-air missile. The air-to-air variant, which is dubbed Amraamski, is in series production and is about to enter service with the Rus sian air force. The bureau says that the new system is intended for use as a land-based mobile surface-to-air missile system and for naval air defence. The Vympel development is believed to be a "private ven ture", rather than a response to a specific request from the Rus sian defence ministry. Along with the AA-X-12 de velopment, several modified Russian missile systems were also exhibited during IDEX 93. A conventional variant of the AS-16 Krypton supersonic cruise missile was on display, designated Kh-15C. Also on display was the AS- 18 stand-off missile, Ovod-M. The AS-18 is believed to be the same system as the AS-13, with the exception that it is fitted with a cruise turbojet engine under the missile's rear- body section. A conven tional variant of the AS-15 Kent subsonic cruise missile was also shown, with a re designed front section to reduce its radar cross-section. The con ventional-warhead weapon was shown with its turbofan engine deployed. It had only been seen previously with the engine re cessed into the rear fuselage. Also exhibited for the first time at IDEX 93 was a decoy variant of the AS-6 Kingfish supersonic cruise missile. The system is intended for defence- suppression purposes. D tealth-nosed AS-15 variant was on display 18 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 24 February - 2 March, 1993
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