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Aviation History
1995
1995 - 0018.PDF
DEFENCE NEWS IN BRIEF • J AST AVIONICS AGREEMENT The US Department of Defense has selected a team, led by Texas Instruments, to begin development of ad vanced avionics for the Joint Advanced Strike Technology (JAST) programme. Texas Instruments, along with Honeywell, Litton Amecom and TRW, received $2.5 mil lion to analyse and define avionics systems for future JAST vehicles. The work includes development of a virtual avionics prototype able to simulate the man/ machine interface. • MIG-27MS STOPPED Hindustan Aeronautics has stopped licence-production of Mikoyan MiG-27M Flogger J ground-attack air craft. Officials say that a breakdown in the supply of parts from Russia and CIS nations is the prime reason behind the termination. In 1993/4, only one MiG-27M was built by the state-owned manufacturer, against a scheduled total of 17. Pentagon presses for approval of Singapore DC-10 tanker THE US DEPARTMENT of State is being pressed by die Pentagon and /McDonnell Douglas (MDC) to approve the sale of two converted DC-10-30 tankers to Singapore, to support its fleet of Lockheed F-16 fighters. The Singapore air force has a requirement for up to three tanker aircraft, fitted with booms to refuel its growing number of F-16s on overseas deployments and exercises. It also intends to use the aircraft as transports and chartered commercial freighters, to maximise their use when not employed as tankers. Singapore operates four elderly Lockheed C-130Bs and a single C-130H, fitted with underwing hose-and-drogue pods to refuel Northrop F-5EVFs and MDC A-4S Skyhawks. The F-16, however, is not compatible witJi probe-and- drogue operations and requires a boom for aerial refuelling. The conversion being offered to Singapore is similar to the "KDC- 10" modifications being made to two DC-10-30s for the Royal Netherlands Air Force. Work would include fitting a boom, two underwing pods and a side cargo door and reinforcing the deck MDC faces competition from Airbus Industrie, which is offering a multi-role tanker/transport ver sion of the A310, and a General Electric proposal to supply sur plus Boeing KC-13 5s re-engined with CFM56 turbofans. Singapore initially considered converting three Singapore Airlines (SIA) A310s into tanker/ transports, as part of a proposed joint programme with Canada, France and Spain. The other three countries have since dropped the idea, leaving Singapore to pursue the conversion alone. Malaysia, in the meantime, is understood to be close to conclud ing a contract with Lockheed Aeronautical Systems for the sup ply of Flight Refuelling (FR)-built equipment to convert two C-130 transports into tanker aircraft. The deal being negotiated is understood to involve the supply of two FR Mk32B probe-and- drogue air-refuelling pods, part of a deal estimated to be worth around $16 million. The two aircraft would be converted in Malaysia by local maintenance and overhaul com pany Airod, in which Lockheed holds a 30% stake.The system is removable at short notice if the aircraft should be needed for the transport role. The Malaysian air force has had a long-standing requirement for an air-to-air refuelling capability to support aircraft deployments over the South China Sea. Malaysia has ordered eight MDC F-18D strike aircraft, which will be supplied with in flight refuelling probes. The country has also ordered 18 Mikoyan MiG-29 fighters and reportedly asked for the aircraft to be similarly equipped. • New C-130J deals due LOCKHEED EXPECTS to receive a contract for the first two US Air Force C-130J Hercules lis in February. At about the same time, the company should receive a request for pro posals from Australia for 12 stretched C-130J-30s. Canada is also "very interested" in the aircraft, Lockheed says, but no order is expected before 1998 because of funding shortages. The USAF plans to seek money in fiscal year 1996 to begin a C-l 30E-replacement programme, with C-130J deliveries starting in 1997. Australia wants seven air craft in 1997 and five in 1998. Coupled with the UK launch order for 25 aircraft, Lockheed expects to build between 24 and 36 C-130Js in 1997, the first full year of production. The first three Royal Air Force and first two USAF air craft are already under construc tion and will be used for the cer tification-test programme. The first aircraft, an RAF C-130J-30, will be rolled out in September and is expected to be flown in mid-November. Two aircraft will be delivered to the UK's Boscombe Down test centre in September 1996 and the first operational aircraft is due to arrive at RAF Lyneham six months later. Plans call for delivery of eight C-l 30Js in 1997 and eight in 1998, with the bal ance due in 1999. Lockheed has agreed to buy back the RAF's older C-130Ks one-for-one as they are replaced by C-130Js. A similar offer will be made to Australia, which intends to replace its older C-130Es with C-130Js. The eventual contract may include an option for up to ten additional C-130Js for air- refuelling-tanker and airborne- early-warning missions. • Escort/support Tiger has maiden flight THE FIRST ESCORT/SUPPORT version of the Eurocopter Tiger attack-helicopter prototype has been flown for the first time. The aircraft, the fourth prototype to be flown, is the first to be equipped with an active weapon system. During the lh flight, aiming tests were carried out with the Tiger's 30mm can non, using the pilot's and weapon-officer's helmet-mounted sights and the roof-mounted main sight. Testing of the aiming systems will be completed in the first half of 1995, with cannon- firing trials scheduled for the second half. Other ordnance car ried by the escort/support Tiger variant includes Matra Mistral short-range air-to-air missiles and unguided rockets. FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 4 - 10 January 1995
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