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Aviation History
1994
1994 - 0017.PDF
DEFENCE Apache weapons-integration work would add new string to Shorts' bow Martin Marietta and Shorts reveal talks BY KEVIN O'TOOLE Short Brothers and Martin Marietta have revealed that they are holding discussions over a possible international tie-up, based around the weap ons-systems integration work being carried out for McDon nell Douglas Helicopter's (MDH) AH-64 Apache bid for the British Army attack-heli copter contract. An alliance could see efforts to offer Short's laser-guided Starstreak close-air-defence missile system for the US Army's Apaches. The UK requires that the high-velocity Starstreak be in cluded as an option on all bids for the attack helicopter, and Shorts says that it contacted the six bidders before the No vember 1993 deadline. Jusl before the deadline, the Belfast-based company also an nounced that it had joined the Westland/MDH team offering the Longbow Apache. Shorts has been offered a package of aero-structures work on the bid, but is also pursuing weapons-integration work with Martin Marietta, which, together with its part ner, Westinghouse, produces the Longbow. The Longbow system is based on a millimetre-wave mast-mounted radar and seeker head for the RF-Hellfire anti- amour missile. The British Army has yet to decide on its anti-armour weapon for the attack-heli copter requirement. The Euro- missile Trigat LR (long-range) represents the main opposition to the Hellfire. Shorts and Martin Marietta admit that their discussions cover more than the issue of integrating the Starstreak into the Longbow for the bid. Mar tin Marietta says that the talks "...go beyond Hellfire" and cover the potential for joint "efforts in the US and other parts of the world". Neither side is prepared to give details, but Martin Mari etta could help Shorts to bring the Starstreak to a wider mar ket. Such an effort could pos sibly count towards any offset, if the team's UK attack- helicopter bid is successful. Shorts confirms that it is "talking quite separately with Martin Marietta on a number of other areas", but the North ern Ireland company will not add whether this is on weap ons, aerostructures or both. The US Army has come under pressure to find a more capable air-engagement weapon for its Apaches as an alternative to the existing Hughes Stinger. The Starstreak is being evaluated by the US Missile Command as a comple mentary missile to the Stinger on the Avenger air-defence sys tem and other platforms. • ATARS sensors given F-18D lifeline Sensors developed for the cancelled Martin Marietta advanced tactical air-reconnais sance system (ATARS) are to be used in a version of the McDonnell Douglas (MDC) F- 18D for the US Marine Corps. The F-18 was intended to be the lead application for the tri-service ATARS, which was cancelled in June 1993 after both going over budget and falling behind schedule. The cancellation came as MDC was preparing to flight- test the sensors in an F-18. The tests went ahead, says F-18 programme general manager Mike Sears, and the sensors "...worked pretty well". The result is a single-service requirement to equip 31 Ma rine Corps F-18Ds as recon naissance aircraft, he says. The aircraft will be fitted with the electro-optical over flight sensors developed for the ATARS, a long-range optical sensor and a modified version of the F-18's Hughes APG-73 radar, capable of producing high-resolution strip maps. Sears says that the ATARS ran into problems with integra tion and the video-recording system. "The sensors were de veloped," he notes. Development of the radar strip-map capability has not yet been started, but would use the new processor going into all F-18s which are delivered after June 1994. This has been de veloped to improve the air craft's electronic counter- countermeasures capability. Reconnaissance is one of the missions being looked at for US Navy F-18s, Sears says, as the service studies the feasibility of reducing the number of aircraft types on its carriers. D Israeli Piano tuned for production Apassive electro-optical mis sile-warning system which can be used on a variety of platforms, including helicop ters, has been developed by TAAS in Israel. TAAS, formerly Israel Mili tary Industries, has released limited details about the sys tem, called Piano. According to the company, the system's pas sive electro-optical sensor de tects certain "emissions" from the missile motor. When these emissions are detected, the Piano displays an instant visual and audio alert. According to TAAS, the sys tem provides 360° coverage and is capable of detecting anti aircraft and anti-tank missiles. The warning system can also be linked to various counter- measures systems. A series of field tests has already been completed on the prototype of the warning sys tem and, according to TAAS, "...we can start production within months". D NEWS IN BRIEF AV-8B DECISION The Royal Thai Navy is ex pected to decide by mid-1994 whether to buy ex-Spanish navy British Aerospace AV-8A Matadors or new McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II Plus to equip an aircraft carrier on order from Bazan, the Spanish shipyard which built Spain's carrier, the Principe d'Asturias. E-8A HANDOVER Grumman has handed over the two E-8A Joint Surveil lance Target Attack Radar System development aircraft to the US Air Force. Once the 18 planned E-8C production aircraft have been delivered, the E-8As will be returned to Grumman for upgrading to E-8C standard. The E-8As will be used for tests and will form a contingency force. DELIVERY MISSION Westinghouse has begun delivering to Boeing Helicop ters data- and signal-process ing components for the Boeing Sikorsky RAH-66 Co manche helicopter's mission- computer cluster. FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 5-11 January, 1994
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