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Aviation History
1996
1996 - 1323.PDF
Fifth-generation Russian combat aircraft go ahead ALEXANDER VELOVICH/MOSCOW RUSSIAPLANS to press ahead and procure a fifth-generation fighter and a long-range strike air craft to replace the Tupolev Tu- 22M Backfire, according to Col Gen Piotr Deinekin, commander- in chief of die Russian air force. Deinekin also confirms that a re connaissance variant of the Sukhoi Su-27TB will be developed. In an interview with governmen tal newspaper Rossiyskiye Vesti, Deinekein says that the number of different types in each branch of the air force will be reduced to one or two through introducing aircraft with multi-function capabilities. The Tu-22M and Sukhoi Su-24 Fencer bombers will be replaced by a "multi-functional bomber with increased combat capabilities". This statement indicates that the air force is still committed to the development of the Sukhoi T-60S, development of which was begun in the mid-1980s. There are uncon- Su-27 IBs will be built, hit aftthat rate? firmed reports that a prototype is under construction. Deinekin says: "We are expect ing the MFI multi-functional front-line fighter, which has recent ly been handed over for flight tests at Zhukovsky, to enter operational service." Two prototypes of the Mikoyan 1.42 have been built. MAPO-MiG sources say that if air force funding is made available for flight tests, then the aircraft could be flown before the end of this vear. So far, however, the necessary cash has not been made available. Funding issues have raised a seri ous question mark over the future of the programme, with some senior MAPO-MiG officials claim ing that the air force could not afford to buy the aircraft in opera tional numbers. Deinekin says that fighter- )omber aviation units will receive the twin-seat Su-27IB, which is now being flight-tested. Col Gen Abrek Ayupov, air force former deputy commander-in- chief for acquisition, acknowledges that, for 1996, the service has enough money to pay only for "...one and a half Su-27IBs pro duced by Novosibirsk plant". Deinekein says: "Ground-attack aviation needs an advanced all- weather attack aircraft," probably referring to the Sukhoi Su-25TAI. The air force has withdrawn all older types from operational service. About 1,700 single-engine tactical aircraft await the scrap-heap. • Summit holds key to Tiger Hughes and GEC t I •• it a begin to evaluate a mm mu m m •• export AirHawk seeker options AFRANCO-GERMAN sum mit between French president Jacques Chirac and German chan cellor Helmut Kohl on 5 June holds the key to the future of the Euro- copter Tiger and NH90 joint heli copter projects. Confusion remains over France's commitment to both programmes following the Government's recent defence plan. Sources predict that Eurocopter may have to lay off up to 1,500 employees if neither goes ahead. "It's a worst-case scenario," says Eurocopter, "and we're still hoping that it won't happen." The summit should lead to final agreement on the industrialisation of the Tiger and the NH90, and se cure funding for both types. Euro copter, with slack orders for its existing' military helicopters, badly needs assurances on their future so that it can develop its business plan for the next few years. The Loi de Programmation, which is now being debated in parliament, and will be voted at the end of June, envisages orders for 25 Tigers and 11 NH90s by the year 2002, with first deliveries of the Tiger the fol lowing year. It outlines major pro grammes from 1997-2002, and does not specify funding for either type. This will probably subse quently be decided annually. "The key is an agreement on tooling up for production," says one source. "Once it has that, Euro copter can plan for die future," the source adds. France has to come up with half of the Fr3 billion ($600 million) needed for Tiger industrialisation under the agreement forged be tween France and Germany in June 1995 covering the unit price and tooling costs for the helicopter. J HUGHES AND GEC-Mar-coni are examining an imag- ing-infra-red (IIR)-guided variant of the AirHawk, being offered by Hughes to meet die UK's conven tional stand-off missile (CASOM) requirement, for the export market. Hughes and GEC unveiled a for mal tie-up on 2 3 May for die UK bid, widi GEC involvement cover ing "final assembly and integration of the [missile] inner package", says Peter Quast, Hughes LTC's manag ing director. The AirHawk bid being offered for the UKrequirement uses digital scene-matching area correlation (DSMAC). The DSMAC, howev er, would not be released by the LTSAfor some of its potential export customers, say Hughes officials. In those cases, GEC-AIarconi IIR Dm^~ismm seekers could be used. Potential export markets for the winner of the UK Ministry of Defence's CASOA1 competition include Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). GEC is offering the MoD its Pegasus missile, based on the Hakim family of weapons devel oped for the LTAE. It is also offering die Centaur missile which is similar to the Pegasus to the UAE. The indications are that GEC is unlikely to win with the Pegasus in the UK. This will hamper its chances of winning in the UAE, where it is in competition with Alatra, offering die Apache. A range-limited ITR-guided variant of the AirHawk could bv offered bv Hughes UK and GEC in the UAE, according to sources. • NEWS IN BRIEF • TAIWAN MIRAGE ARRIVES Taiwan has taken delivery of the first of 60 Dassault Aviation Mirage 2000-5 com bat aircraft.The Taiwanese Government has also pur chased 1,200 Matra Mica air- to-air missiles, as well as other weaponry. • PAKISTAN/LEBANON DEAL Pakistan is negotiating to purchase ten Dassault Mi rage III fighters from Leba non. A high-ranking Pakis tani delegation visited Beirut on 16 May and discussed the proposed deal. The aircraft have been grounded for some years, and extensive refur bishment will be needed to return them to operational condition. It is possible that Pakistan wants to cannibalise the aircraft for spares. • EXTRA F-7S FOR SUDAN China has delivered seven Chengdu F-7 fighters to the Sudanese air force. Middle- Eastern sources claim that Iran has financed the deal which also includes spares for previously procured F-7s. FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 29 May - 4 June 1996 19
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