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Aviation History
1998
1998 - 1049.PDF
Lockheed wins JASSM battle RAMON LOPEZ/WASHINGTON DC LOCKHEED MARTIN can expect to earn more than $2 billion from the Joint Air-to- Surface Stand off Missile (JASSM) programme after winning the first battle against Boeing to provide an initial 2,400 of the cruise missiles to the US Air Force. The US Department of De fense awarded the competition to Lockheed Martin on 9 April, providing a $36 million contract to complete the definition and risk reduction phase of the pro gramme and to prepare for engi neering and manufacturing development and eventual mis sile production. The US Navy could further swell Lockheed Martin's order- book, but the force's position on the JASSM remains unclear. The USN's waning support during 1997 sparked an independent "analysis of alternatives" which determined that the stealthy JASSM offers "a dramatic increase in effectiveness" over conventional weapons, including the improved Boeing SLAM, a derivative of the Lockheed Martin's JASSM proved the more accurate shot in meeting the USAF's stand off requirement Harpoon anti-ship missile. Capt Grant Begley, the Navy's deputy JASSM programme direc tor, says that the USN remains part of theJASSM project, but consid ers the SLAM-ER the near term solution. "The USN will continue evaluatingJASSM with the poten tial to procure it in the out-years, but there has been no decision to procure the missile," he says. USAF officials say: "Lockheed Martin had a superior JASSM pro posal in just about every aspect, including cost." They add that the company's bid is "well below" the USAF's $400,000 per missile target. Richard Caime, Lockheed Martin JASSM programme vice- president, says: "This is our entry into the cruise missile business." Boeing calls the loss "disappoint ing", but says that it is not contem plating a formal protest. Darleen Druyan, the USAF's source selec tion authority for the competition, hopes there will be no protest. Caime says that he drew upon Lockheed Martin's low cost missile manufacturing and low-observable technology experience to win the contest, and worked with the sub contractors to curb additional costs. Caime also says that his mis sile design allows for much simpler mission planning. The JASSM production begins with 95 missiles, and 100 missiles in the first two lots. Peak production calls for 360 missiles in each of the following seven years. • T-38 upgrade is on the way for July first flight GUY NORRIS/WILLIAMS GATEWAY THE FIRST complete suite of advanced displays and systems for the US Air Force Northrop T-38C avionics upgrade pro gramme (AUP) will be installed in the first of two test aircraft in May, with the maiden flight still firmly on schedule for July, says Boeing. The T-38 AUP will upgrade the USAF's advanced trainer .with a digital cockpit to provide more commonality with front line fighters and bombers. Managed by Boeing with the Lahav division of Israel Aircraft Industries as major subcontractor, the contract origi nally covered 427 aircraft, includ ing the two testT-38s, but has now been increased to 509. "We're hop ing for a few more on top of that" says Daniel Pettyjohn, T-38C AUP modification site manager at Boeing's Williams Gateway Airport, Arizona, site. "We're get ting ready for a production deci sion around January or February 1999 and, if it's positive, we're due to go ahead in August 1999 and run through to mid-2006," he adds. The data to support the go-ahead decision will be collected during flight tests starting in July with the first flight of the initial T-38C upgraded during the engineering, manufacturing and development phase. The first two aircraft will begin initial tests at Edwards AFB, California, for about two months, before transferring to Columbus AFB, Mississippi, for further evalu ation to the end of 1998. "A lot of the testing will be to do with the pilot/vehicle interface. It will also look at the new systems and see how they all work togedier," says engineering group manager, Bill Switzer. The new systems include global positioning sys- tem/inertial navigation and traffic alert and collision avoidance sys tems, as well as multifunction and electronic engine displays, up front control panels and a hands-on- throttle-and-stick. The front cock pit is being equipped with a large field of view head up display. A "dock system" has been set up in the Williams hangar where the T-38A was maintained when the site was operated by the USAF, says Pettyjohn. Up to 15 aircraft will be held for modification at once with the initial cycle lasting 90 days, later reducing to around 30. "Between seven and seven and a half T-38Cs will be turned out every month," he says. The contract, aimed at extend ing the life of the trainer to 2040, includes the provision of 14 aircrew training devices and contractor support for the aircraft and simula tors at up to four training bases. • NEWS IN BRIEF • APG-77 DELIVERED Northrop Grumman has delivered the first APG-77 radar for F-22 avionics inte gration. The active array radar will be integrated with other aircraft avionics at Boe ing's laboratory in Seattle. The radar, and initial soft ware allowing simultaneous search and track, is already being flown in Boeing's 757 avionics testbed for the Lockheed Martin F-22. • SOGERMA BREAKTHROUGH French maintenance company Sogerma has signed a contract with die Colombian air force for major checks on a pair of Lockheed Martin C-130H Hercules transports. The work will be carried out at Sogerma's Bordeaux factory. FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 22 - 28 April 1998
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