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Aviation History
2000
2000 - 0764.PDF
iMr^^JCJM A129 gets Stinger as helicopter anti-air missile moves on RAYTHEON HAS been awarded a contract by Italy to integrate die Stinger Block I air-to- air missile (AAM) with the Agusta A129 Mangusta attack helicopter, as the US company prepares to meet the Shorts Missile Systems (SMS) Starstreak in a competitive shoot-out on die Boeing AH-64D Apache Longbow. Italy has signed a foreign mili tary sales contract for Raytheon to integrate the Stinger twin missile launcher with the A129's weapon pylon by early 2 002. A separate $ 10 million contract covers delivery of 30 launchers, with an option for 90. "Integration of the digital launcher and test firings will take place over 18 months and we don't anticipate any problems. The first phase will involve integrating the system with the navigation control and air safety testing," says Mike Crisp, Raytheon director, Stinger programme. An AAM capability will give the A129 a boost on the international sales market. Meanwhile, Raytheon is await ing a US Army contract for limited operational testing of the Stinger on the Apache. Work on fitting the missile to the AH-64D is reported to have begun, while SMS and partner Lockheed Martin are final- isinga $24 million integration con tract for Starstreak that is expected to take 18 months to complete. "We're in the process of prepar ing to participate in the side-by- side firing. The degree of difficulty in fitting the Starstreak is more extensive, so it's not necessary for us to have the same length of con tract," claims Crisp. The army is budgeting $39 million for the shoot-out, Si 5 million of which is from the 1999 budget and must be spent by September. SMS claims to have overcome problems discovered during Star streak firings from an AH-64A. The missile's discardable sabot and the launcher's clamshell opening are now hinged to reduce debris, while blast overpressure has been lessened. Work is now focused on software integration with the AH- 64D and roll compensation for the helicopter-mounted laser sight. 3 Italy orders more C-130Js as A400M requirement falls PAUL LEWIS/WASHINGTON DC THE ITALIAN' air force plans to exercise additional options for die stretched Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 Hercules, further reducing its requirement for the Airbus Military Company A400M. Italy plans to deploy two Her cules squadrons equipped with 12 C-130Js and 12 Cl30J-30s. "We have 20 aircraft on contract and, using options, will reach 24," says Col Stefano Fort, chief of the air staff logistics department. The air force is to convert two stretched C-130J-30 options imminently and intends to exercise a second pair of options later. This is on top of the order for two The distinctive missile/radar warning receivers mark out Italy's C-130J C-130J-30s placed in December. Six of the 18 C-13 OJs on firm order will be converted to the stretched versions. The C-130Js and an order for 12 Lockheed Martin Alenia Tactical Transport Systems C-27Js to equip a third transport squadron have eroded the air force's requirement for44A400Ms. "There will be a place for the A400M. There is a lot of army equipment that can't be lifted by die C-130 or commercial jets, but there is no longer space for 44 A400Ms. The number will be dra matically reduced, to no more dian a squadron," says Fort. The first six C-13 OJs are due for deliver ' from July, coinciding with die initial retirement of 12 C-130IIs. Fort says the air force hopes to be on contract for the C-27Js by the end of this year and to take deliver)' of die first aircraft in November next year. In return, Alenia will take back the air force's 34 surviving G222s (from which the C-27J is devel oped), of which 22-24 could be remarketed. The G222 is on offer to Australia and Malaysia. J SLAM-ER poised for production THE BOEING Standoff Land Attack Missile-Expanded Response (SLAM-ER) has com pleted operational test and evalua tion (OPEVAL), paving the way for full rate production in May. A US Navy test team conducted die critical evaluation at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, California, between last No vember and January this year. During the trials, the SLAM-ER scored direct hits in four out of five flight tests, savs the USN. The OPEVAL grades the SLAM-ER as operationally effective and suit able, says Boeing. Last August, die USN elected to keep the weapon in low-rate initial production because of less than satisfactory performance in flight testing. It had to repeat a portion of OPEVAL to test product en hancements, which included data- link hardware modification and software improvements, to make it easier for pilots to find the target. Several items, including die mis sile test-set batten,' and navigation computer components, were found to be unreliable and replaced. Boeing is to upgrade the USN's inventor)' of 700 SLAMs, modify ing 56 examples a year. SLAM-ER improvements over the baseline SLAM, include planar wings for improved range, an upgraded war head, to increase penetration, and software improvements. J First Arrow arrives for Israeli air force THE ISRAELI air force took delivery of its first Arrow anti- ballistic missile on 14 March. Prime contractor Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) will continue Arrow development work, says programme manager Dr Dani Peretz, with a furdier test planned for die middle of this year. The test will "enable LAI to continue devel opment of the system and allow the operating crews to train". Peretz says the first system to be delivered has an initial operational capability to intercept ballistic mis siles and "the full capability will be achieved in die coming years". IAI plans to develop Arrows to handle threats such as Iran's Shihab 3. • 20 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 21 - 27 March 2000
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