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Aviation History
1994
1994 - 2183.PDF
S FARNBOROUQH REPORT Lockheed to offer UAE delta-wing F-16 LOCKHEED IS preparing to supply data to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on an extended-range, delta-wing, F- 16U. The Arab nation has a requirement for some 80 long- range strike aircraft and the F- 16U is being offered in a competition which includes the McDonnell Douglas F-15E and SukhoiSu-30MK. Data on the proposed F-16U will be presented in October, Lockheed says, and a decision is expected "in the next six months". The aircraft represents a "bigger change" than the extended-range F-16ES offered unsuccessfully to Israel against the F-15E, die com pany admits. The UAE require ment calls for a greater payload/range capability than even the F-16ES, Lockheed says. The F-16ES was basically a two-seat F-16D with overwing conformal fuel tanks. The two- seat F-16U is likely to have a stretched fuselage, delta wing and internally mounted infra-red nav igation and targeting sensors. Lockheed confirms that the UAE's initial interest was in the arrow-wing F-16XL, but the company says that it has devel oped an improved delta-wing planform in the 15 years since the F-16XL was flown. Lockheed is offering customers the basic single-seat F-16C at a firm price of $20 million and says that its lower price compared with die $50 million F-15E will enable die company to develop die F-16U and still produce a cheaper aircraft. The UAE requirement is included in the potential market for between 500 and 800 addition al F-16s identified by Lockheed. The company has a firm-order backlog of 550 aircraft and sees the potential for sales of 50-80 more in Europe, 150-270 in Latin America, 200-350 in the Middle East and 170-190 in the Far East. In Europe, Norway is conduct ing a long-range study into replac ing its Nordirop F-5s with additional F-16s, Lockheed says. Approval for sales to South America will "...need effort widi the US State Department, but we believe it will happen", it says. • Lockheed has completed a year-long study into integration of the Matra MICA medium-range missile on to the F-16. The pro gramme will proceed if there is sufficient customer interest. • Volga-Dnepr's An-124s may be flown with Roll-Royce engines R-R may re-engine Ruslan RUSSIAN CARGO airline Volga-Dnepr approached Rolls-Royce at the show with a proposal to re-engine the Antonov An-124 Ruslan transport aircraft with RB.211-524G turbo- fans. The cargo airline has involved Antonov in discussions and hopes to generate interest in a feasibility study. Volga-Dnepr operates six civil- certificated An-124-100s on out size-cargo charter services and is increasingly concerned with the low overhaul life and high fuel consumption of the aircraft's four Progress D-18T turbofans. Boro- scope inspections are required every 300h, the airline says. Volga-Dnepr is operating its aircraft at less than the maximum payload to preserve their fatigue life and expects to keep the An- 124s in service until 2010-15, based on the current utilisation of about l,000h a year per aircraft. The RB.211 was selected as a re- engineing candidate because of earlier studies performed by Antonov and Rolls-Royce. Airline president Alexei Isaikin would like re-engined An-124s in service within 18 months, but this prospect seems unrealistic. No thought has been given yet to how the project would be financed, although Volga-Dnepr is propos ing that An-124s operated by Antonov and Air Foyle be re- engined, along with) two aircraft belonging to the Russian Presidential flight and now used for commercial services. This would mean re-engine- ing 12 to 15 aircraft, which would be more economically fea sible, the airline says. Re-engine- ing is expected to cost around $30 million per aircraft, Volga- Dnepr estimates. • NEWS IN BRIEF • BOMBARDIER SUPPORT Shorts Support Services divi sion is setting up a logistic- support operation at Bournemouth airport to sup port parent-company Bom bardier's civil and military aircraft in Europe. It has a contract from Canadair Regional Jet operator Air Littoral and will eventually maintain Learjet, Canadair and de Havilland aircraft. • AEROSPATIALE CAPSULE Aerospatiale is to lead the development of an Atmos pheric Re-entry Demon strator spacecraft for the European Space Agency. Bell plans European tour with Griffon BELL HELICOPTER Tex tron is to tour four European nations immediately following the show with the CH-146 Griffon transport helicopter developed for the Canadian Forces from the commercial Bell 412EP. The second CH-146 is on dis play and this will be demonstrat ed in Austria, Germany, Portugal and Spain before being returned to Canada. Civil certification of the CH- 146 is imminent and will be fol lowed by Canadian Forces military-airworthiness and tacti cal-utility testing at CFB Cold Lake, Alberta. Bell Helicopter Canada is pro ducing 100 Griffons for the Canadian Forces under a com mercial contract which, Bell says, is creating interest among other military operators which arc keen to cut costs. The first CH-146s are sched uled to enter service in March/April 1995. The Canadian Forces is expect ing a major reduction in operating costs over its present Bell UI1-1 > Twin Hueys because it is adopting commercial maintenance and logistic-support practices, incluu- ing the extended overhaul-inten ^ of the civil-certificated 412 whej After Famborough, Bell is taking the Griffon to four European countries rnmnarerl with the UH-1 ^ FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 14 - 20 September
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