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Aviation History
1995
1995 - 1654.PDF
on the Indian air force's MiG-21s, although some avionics systems are being sourced from Western countries. The upgrade market for Russian and Western combat aircraft remains a viable, if limited, marketplace. There will be several avionics houses displaying their wares at the show in the hope of getting business. Another trainer programme which will be focusing minds and budgets is the US Air Force/US Navy Joint Primary Aircraft Training System programme. After seemingly inter minable delays and procrastination, the a con tract award now appears on track for July. Cessna's bid for the 712-aircraft programme, the Citation Jet, will have its debut at the show, while the Northrop Grumman/Kmbraer EMB- 312 Tucano and Raytheon/Pilatus PC-9 .Ylkll will also be present. The other contenders are Rockwell/DASA, with the Ranger 2000; Lockheed Martin, with the Aermacchi MB339A; and Northrop Grumman, offering the Siai Marchetti S211 A. Another pair of show debutantes are the FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 7 - 13 June 1995 Northrop Grumman B-2 and the Tupolev Tu- 160 Blackjack. Both aircraft entered service dur ing the closing stages of the Cold War, and their production runs suffered accordingly. The USAF is only likely to receive about 20 B-2s, while as few as five Tu-160s are operational from the Russian air force's strategic bomber base at F,ngels. There will be more than a hint of "Jurassic Aircraft Park" if die B-2 and theTu- 160 are in the vicinity of each other. MARITIME-PATROL UPGRADES The UK, the Netherlands and Germany all have maritime-patrol-aircraft upgrades or replacement programmes in the pipeline. Germany is carrying out a life-extension pro gramme on its fleet of Dassault Atlantic AlPAs, while the Netherlands is looking to upgrade its fleet of Lockheed P-3s. Both the Atlantic, or its successor the Atlantique II, and the P-3 will be on display. The BAe Nimrod is die third contender for the UK's Replacement xMPA programme. Despite a relatively small purchase of airframes, likely to be around 20, the competition will be fierce. In these austere times any business is worth fighting for. While there will be enough military hard ware on the flightline to capture the attention of most people, the main talking points of this Paris show will be of the shape of things to come in terms of the next generation of combat aircraft and of the European industry. With companies such as Lockheed Martin stalking the halls at Paris, European combat air craft manufacturers will have to be on their mettle. It will be the responsibility of companies such Dassault and BAe to lead the way in ensuring that the next European combat-aircraft programme, be it FOA or whatever, is a truly European pro ject, encompassing all the major players. A repeat of the European Fighter Air- craft/Eurofighter farrago, first with France, when it pulled out of the programme, and then with Germany, when it did then did not with draw, must not be a template for future collabo ration. If it is it will only play into the hands of US companies such as Lockheed Martin. Q 1
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