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Aviation History
1995
1995 - 0066.PDF
DEFENCE Pentagon awards more JAST work RAMON LOPEZ/WASHINGTON DC THE US DEFENCE dep artment's Joint Advanced Strike Technology QAST) pro gramme office has handed out 24 contracts, worth $140 million, for concept definition and design research. No foreign firms were on the list, but the Pentagon says that it wants to open up the project. The Pentagon is trying to establish a framework for allied participation in die JAST project, which was recently merged with the Advanced Short Take- Off/Vertical Landing (ASTOVL) programme.This already involves foreign contractors. With the merger, "...the stage is set for wider dialogue with allies" and die USA "...welcomes discus sions on their participation in the JAST programme", the Pentagon says. It points out, however, that until a framework is formulated, foreign involvement is limited to JAST subcontracting and existing ASTOVL work. The Pentagon statement flies in the face of a recently released Defense Science Board report which questions the merits of foreign participation in the JAST project. It says that foreign teaming should be minimised because "...foreign participation in co- development of next-generation strike fighters, other than limited participation for special reasons, would complicate the pro gramme to the point of reducing the probability of success". It says that foreign involvement should be "...measured by credi ble expectation of valued added". The contracts involve weapon- system concepts, avionics, air- vehicle structures and materials, propulsion and modelling/simula tion. Weapons system research- and-development contracts have been awarded to: Boeing ($28 million), McDonnell Douglas ($28 million), Northrop Grum man ($24 million) and Lockheed ($20 million). Boeing also received a $2.3 mil lion avionics development award and a $1.7 million contract for common airframe studies. North- rop Grumman won $2 million for avionics research, while Lockheed was awarded two odier contracts, worth a total of $2.4 million, for JAST research and development. Other awards include: Texas Instruments ($2.5 million), for avionics; Hughes Aircraft ($1.6 million), for electronics; TRW ($2 million), for electronics; Unisys ($1.2 million), for comput ers; Rockwell International, two contracts worth $1 million, for avionics and engine-nozzle work; Pratt & Whitney ($5.5 million) and General Electric Aircraft Engines ($3.7 million), for advanced engine research. • Tests have shown the compatibility of US and French EW systems Belgian air force completes testing of Carapace ECM THE BELGIAN AIR FORCE has completed pre-produc tion testing of the Dassault-built Carapace tJireat-warning system. Delivery of die first sets for instal lation on Lockheed F-16A/Bs, starting with No 2 Wing at Florennes, will start by tiie second quarter of die year. In all, 100 aircraft are to be equipped by die end of 1996. The Bfr7.5 billion ($225 million) pro gramme will be completed at a rate of one aircraft a week. Belgian F-16s have been flown for 14 years without electronic-counter- measures (ECM) protection. Air force Chief of Staff, Lt Gen Guido Van Hecke, says: "It took us some time and it may look a temporary solution. But, at last, we have something." Originally, 135 systems were ordered in 1988. Since then, the air force has suffered cutbacks and the Belgian Government is now talking to Dassault to find a way out of die order for the remaining 35 units. While passive Carapace ECM is being installed, an active sys tem, still under development, may be added later. As a temporary measure, active ECM capability will be provided through a Bfr250 million scheme to acquire 25 ex- US Air Force ALQ 131 pods. The Belgian aircraft already have the Tracor ALE-40 chaff dispenser. Funds to acquire ALQ 131s have not yet been freed, although static tests with the Cara- pace/ALQ 131 combination have shown them to be able to work without mutual interference. Around 80% of the work on Carapace work, worth Bfr4.5 bil lion, will be undertaken locally as part of an offset agreement between Belgium and France. • Lockheed and Taiwan expect to seal F-16 deal LOCKHEED EXPECTS soon to conclude die first co- production contract with Taiwan for the manufacture of F-16 fight er airframe components, as part of wider offset package attached to the 1992 sale of 150 aircraft. The contract, estimated to be worth up to $40 million, will cover the production of seven compo nents, consisting of die F-16's air inlet, two engine-access doors, ven tral fin, centre and underwing inboard fuel pylons and launcher adapter for the AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missile. Component co-production will cover aircraft purchased by Taiwan and F-16s on order for other coun tries. Lockheed hopes to finalise a deal before the end of January, according to local industry sources. Work will be subcontracted to dif ferent Taiwanese manufactures by a single Taiwanese prime contrac tor, expected to be die state- owned Aero Industry' Develop ment Centre. Taiwan's Ministry for Economic Affairs has in return agreed to invest an initial $10 million to upgrade local aerospace-industry capability with new equipment and training. Additional funding is expected from the private sector. The co-production deal is part of a wider, $600 million, F-16 off set agreement signed in July 1993. Other areas include the establish ment of an F-16 maintenance and overhaul site in Taiwan and tech nical-training and environmental- protection programmes. • Taiwan's first operational squadron of 20 Ching-Kuo Indig enous Defence Fighters (IDF) entered service on 28 December at Ching Chuan Kang air base. The air force has ordered a total of 130 IDFs from state-owned manufac turer Aero Industry Development Centre for delivery by late 1997. • FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 11 - 17 January 1995
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