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Aviation History
1997
1997 - 2460.PDF
ommrce European navies worry about Harrier arms ANDREA SPINELLI/GENOA ITALIAN AND Spanish navies are voicing increasing concern over the weapons for their Boeing AV-8B Harrier II Plus aircraft. Friction with the US Marine Coqis is starting to rise as differing priorities between the programme partners are becoming increasing ly apparent. Overtures from the Europeans to the USMC to fund jointly the integration of the Boeing AGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missile have been rebuffed within the past few months. There is now concern within Italian industry and military circles diat die navy's aspirations to integrate the Hughes AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-to- Air Missile (AMRAAM) on its air craft could suffer the same fate. The Italian and Spanish navies An Italian Hairier II Plus - minus its AMRAAM proposed to the USMC that all three jointly fund the integration of the Harpoon on the AV-8B Plus. The USMC, however, is under stood to have proved lukewarm to equipping its Harriers with these missiles. The USMC uses the Hughes A.GM-65F as the Harrier's anti- shipping weapon. This is intended Russia and Sweden combine on imaging IR F-15 network trainer award is imminent AWARD OF A contract to sup ply and operate networked simulators at US Air Force Boeing F-15C bases is expected in late September. Boeing and Lockheed Martin are the only bidders for the Distributed Mission Training (DMT) programme, after Hughes elected not to compete. The deployable simulators will be used for training and mission rehearsal. The initial contract is for two sets of networked four-aircraft simulators for installation at F-15C bases at Langley, Virginia, and Eglin, Florida, in 1999. The devices will be owned and operated by die winning contractor, with the USAF paying for training time. Options cover additional four-air craft simulators for installation at 12 further Air Force and Air National Guard F-15C bases. Later phases of die DMT pro gramme are expected to cover net worked simulators for USAF F-15Es, Lockheed Martin F-16s and F-l 17s and Fairchild A-10s. Boeing's bid is based on a four- aircraft networked simulator already delivered to the US Air Force F-15C training base at TyndallAFB, Florida. • T TRALSKY Optical-Mech- Uanical Plant (UOMZ) of Yekaterinburg in Russia is actively marketing an imaging infra-red system (IIR) for helicopter and naval platforms developed in co operation with Swedish company AGEMA. AGEMA supplies sen sor arrays, and UOMZ is responsi ble for integrating the system in a gyro-stabilised ball mounting. The system is designated GOES-310/320/330, depending on the number of channels inte- ATLANTIC Research (ARC) is proposing to use a scaled-up version of its variable-flow ducted- rocket (VFDR) motor to power a rocket/ramjet-powered follow-on to the Raytheon Texas Instruments AGM-88 High-speed Anti- Radiation Missile (HARM). The engine was originally developed for potential use with the I Iughes AIM-120 Advanced Medium- Range Air-to-Air Missile. Raytheon TI Systems is work ing with ARC on the proposed Advanced Strike Weapon (ASW), which is offered as a near-term grated into it. These may also include television camera and laser rangefinder/designators. The sys tem is already installed in the Alii Mi-28N attack helicopter and is expected to be fitted to the twin- seat Kamov Ka-52 soon. The tracking system has ±235° horizontal and up to 160" vertical angle tracking coverage. The latter is divided into +407-115° in the Mi-28N. Tracking angle rate is limited to 30° per second. The laser rangefinder/designa- solution to the US Navy's emerg ing AGM-88 replacement require ment for a hypersonic missile for suppression of enemy air-defences. The proposed weapon combines improved HARM guidance and warhead sections with an ARC- developed engine. The solid-pro- pellant rocket/ramjet would raise both the speed and range of the missile. For the ASW, ARC would scale up the diameter of the YTDR motor from 180mm to 250mm. Company-funded conceptual- design work is now under way. Raytheon TI Systems (formerly to enable die aircraft to attack small surface vessels, primarily in the coastal combat role. The USMC's 1 larrier s primary role is providing close air support (CAS) during amphibious operations. With die Italian navy role also encompassing fleet defence, it is looking to acquire the Hughes AIM-120B for its 16 single-seat aircraft, to complement its AIM- 9L Sidewinders. The AMRAAM integration programme was originally intend ed as a tri-national project, although there is growing concern over the priority which the USMC now attaches to such a project. The Italian navy is due to take the last of its 18 AV-8B Plus aircraft by the end of 1997. Plans for a fol low-on batch of an additional eight aircraft are unlikely to materialise, given budget constraints. • tor has a range capability of 10- I2km(5-7nm). The choice of a Swedish partner in developing the IIR system is significant because Mil believes that the Mi-28N is among the favourites for the Swedish Armed Forces' next-generation attack helicopter. UOMZ says diat another prom ising customer is India, which may want to modernise its fleet of Mil xMi-24/25 Hind helicopters to night-attack capability. 3 Texas Instruments) is scheduled to complete HARM production for the US services in 1998 and is keen to find a follow-on product. ARC has developed and tested the YTDR under US Air Force contract for potential use with die AMRAAM, most recently com pleting two successful boost-to- sustain transition tests. The propulsion specialist is also involved with Science and Ad vanced Technologies in offering the Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile as a potential HARM successor. Q ARC proposes engine to power HARM follow-on 20 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 24 - 30 September 1997
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