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Aviation History
1999
1999 - 2932.PDF
DJzrMNGM Czech Republic gets answers to fighter RFI ANDREW DOYLE/MUNICH THE CZECH Government is evaluating the responses to its request for information (RFI) on Western fighter aircraft ahead of the expected release of a formal request for proposals (RFP) next year. The country, which joined NATO earlier this year, requires up to 36 aircraft to replace its ageing Russian-built supersonic fighters. The US Government provided pricing and availability data on die Lockheed Martin F-16C/D and Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and confirms that it has also offered the Czech Republic an unsolicited interim lease solution. This would involve the provision of used F-16A/Bs or F/A-18A/Bs that are surplus to US requirements, in a similar offer to that made to Poland earlier this year (Flight Inter national, 21-27 July). Saab/British Aerospace says it decided to base its offer on the sup ply of 36 Gripens, comprising 30 single-seat and six twin-seat ver sions. It did not address the possibil ity of an interim lease, but would be "happy to make proposals" if asked, according to BAe vice-president central Europe, Julian Scopes. Sweden has already offered to lease Poland a squadron of Gripens, after that country speci fied an interim lease requirement in its own fighter RFI. Also supplying information to the Czech Republic were Daimler- Chrysler Aerospace (Dasa), on behalf of the Eurofighter consor tium, and France's Dassault Aviation, on its Mirage 2000. The Eurofighter is not seen as a realistic option for the Czech Republic due to its prohibitive cost. Confusion surrounds the Czech Republic's intended timetable for its fighter acquisition, with the defence ministry suggesting an RFP will be issued shortly ahead of a selection as early as the second quarter of next year. The air force wants to take delivery of aircraft from 2 003, when it is to begin retir ing its Mikoyan MiG-2 Is. Other government sources say, however, that due to budget con straints the country may take up to a year to evaluate the RFI respons es before initiating a formal tender process. This would lead to selec tion in 2003/4 and deliveries from 2006, requiring an interim lease solution to be considered. • Australia watches East Timor with JORN PETER LA FRANCHI/MELBOURNE THEAUSTRALIANDepart-ment of Defence (DoD) has demonstrated the ability of the Jindalee Operational Radar Net work (JORN) to monitor aircraft movements over East Timor, with surveillance of the INTERFTT air bridge undertaken as part of initial capability verification trials. The Australian DoD reveals that the JORN BackScatter Sounder, which is used to monitor the condition of the ionosphere and determine optimal frequencies for the main surveillance radar, operates regularly at ranges of 12,300km (6,650nm) from the transmitter site. The acknowledgement of the Sounder range is the strongest public evidence yet that the range of the radar system is far above die stated official ceiling of 3,000km. The Sounder system is virtually identical in configuration to the main surveillance system and is co- located with arrays at Longreach in Western Queensland and Lav- erton in central Western Australia. A 12,300km range for the main radar would enable the Australian DoD to monitor air traffic move ments across all East Asia, with the only limitation prevailing ionos pheric conditions. A demonstration using the Rl array at Longreach showed that the A JORN station includes a map display on the right and raw data on the left radar is capable of tracking targets at distances down to 500km from the transmitter site. This shifts the JORN surveillance footprint back to include air traffic over the north ern areas of mainland Australia. The demonstration showed near real-time tracking of military aircraft operating between Darwin and Dili in East Timor. It also showed the movement of civilian airliners operating between South- East Asian nations and Australia, and aircraft movements at least 300km to the south of Darwin. According to officials from pro ject prime contractor RLM Systems, the Rl array demon strates sustained target trackingfor periods of more than 2h. This is expected to improve significantly by the time the full system is hand ed over for operational usage. Final system delivery is due in mid 2002. The Rl array, however, is to be made operationally avail able to the Royal Australian Air Force in March 2001 under a deal negotiated with RLM earlier this year. The complete radar system was originally scheduled for hand over in 1997. • Slovakia to open range to USAF THE SLOVAK Republic is to open a training range and air field to the US Air Force, becom ing the first former Warsaw Pact country to allow their routine use by Western air forces. The ranges could be in USAF use by April. A Slovak-US agreement, two years in development, gives the USAF access to the Kuchnya bombing range and nearby Malacky air base, about 25km (13.5nm) east of the Austrian bor der, for air-to-ground training. In return, the USA expects to spend about Si million to upgrade the range and airfield. Initially it will deploy Boeing F-15Es and Lockheed Martin F-16C/Ds, dien Fairchild A-10s and, potentially, Lockheed Martin AC-130 gun- ships four to six times a year for stays of up to two weeks. Other NATO air forces may eventually use die range and airfield. As well as cutting the USAF's airlift needs and transportation costs to ranges it now uses in south ern Europe, Tunisia and Turkey, "the greatest benefit is the oppor tunity for further interoperability with the Slovak air force", says Gen John Jumper, commander of US Air Forces in Europe. Interoperability is key to NATO doctrine. Slovakia's aspirations to join the alliance would be furdiered by increasing familiarity between the USA and Slovak air forces. • FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 6 - 12 October 1999 25
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