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Aviation History
2000
2000-1 - 0716.PDF
DEFENCE Italy plans future after A400M ANDY NAVITI/GENOA THE ITALIAN Air Force is considering its long-term options for structuring the military transport fleet following a commit ment to acquire 16 Airbus Military Company A400Ms. Unusually for a European air force, Rome is struggling with an excess of resources, having ordered or com mitted to the LMATTS C-27J Spartan, Lockheed Martin C-130J Hercules and A400M. The best supported solution is that the air force retain its order programme and eventually either sell part of its C-13 OJ fleet or assign aircraft to a yet to be formed joint European transport force. The Italian air force has orders for 20 C-130Js with options for a further four, while Alenia - sup ported by the industry ministry which is prepared to pay the air force's non-recurring costs - is also pushing for confirmation of a deal to acquire the C-27J. Nominally this is for 12 aircraft, although there is provision for a further six. Most of the Hercules will be the stretched C-130J-30s and all have been ordered with a comprehen sive self-defence suite and a num ber of air-to-air refuelling pods are Long-term plans may see some of Italy's C-130Js sold to be bought. The first was deliv ered recently. Previous planning by the air force sought around 40 transports. The new number envisaged is con sidered too large for a medium sized force. In addition the 50-52 aircraft committment is too many for tiie Pisa transport base to accommo date, requiring the costly establish ment of a second airfield. Also die air force does not have the person nel or other resources to operate the additional transports. Complicating matters further is the air force's desire to order this year between four and eight new tanker/transports - either Airbus A310s or Boeing 767s - to replace the four elderly Boeing 707s now in service. The air force is demanding that its first A400M should not be deliv ered until 2014, seven years after the UK is likely to receive the first aircraft. Italy is also pushing for the formation of a European transport force at an early stage. The push by Rome to acquire the A400M is part of a drive to ensure Alenia does not lose ground to tactical transport rival CASA, which is now part of EADS (European Aeronautic Defence and Space) and which will perform A400M final assembly. The Italian order gives Alenia around 7% workshare on the projected 225 aircraft programme. Some defence ministry officials wish to kill the C-2 7J acquisition as they fear that too many air force programmes are receiving industry ministry money, that move is being resisted by the air force and indus try. A proposal to reduce the C-130J order was found to be uneconomical. The Alenia/Lockheed Martin LMATTS joint venture to develop the C-27J, an updated G222, was part of the C-130J offset deal. Italy currendy operates a mixed force of G222sandC-130s. Further concerns have been raised because the industry min istry's A400M money is not addi tional funding and other programmes will have budgets cut in order to pay for the transport. This could affect the level of Alenia's participation in the Airbus A3XX airliner and Italy's plan to acquire 12-14 maritime patrol aircraft to replace its Dassault Atlantics. • Sri Lanka plans naval air wing in effort to combat separatists SRI LANKA is planning to set up a helicopter-equipped naval air wing in an attempt to combat mar itime operations conducted by Tamil Tigers separatist forces in the north of the country. "We have now finalised the administrative staff and are train ing the technical staff. The training for this is provided by the Indian navy," naval chief of staff Rear Adm Daya Sandagiri told local press. According to Sandagiri, the force will have a strength of about three helicopters. It is understood that the Sri Lankan navy is due to take delivery of a l,890t Sukanya class offshore patrol vessel from the Indian navy in December, as part of a $20 mil lion arms deal. The vessel normal ly carries a Hindustan Aeronautics Chetak (a licence-built Aero spatiale SA316 Alouette III), and Sri Lanka is expected to take one helicopter initially for this vessel. Preparations for setting up the air wing began with the commis sioning into the navy of three retired air force officers earlier this month. In recent years Sri Lanka has striven to develop its naval capabilities to counter maritime operations by the Tamil Tigers. The conflict has increased Sri Lanka's military spending. Most recently it acquired eight used IAI Kfir fighters from Israel. • Magnetic bearing turbo-generator studied THE US AIR Force Research Laboratory's Propulsion Directorate, Lockheed Martin and Smith Industries Aerospace have started work on a programme to develop and demonstrate a mag netic bearing turbo-generator for providing power for advanced military airborne radar systems. The turbo-generator combines electrical power generation with simple-cycle magnetic bearing cooling turbine technology. According to Smiths, which values the initial contract at around $2 million, the system will "simul taneously provide supplemental liquid cooling and electrical power to facilitate the application of advanced radar systems for future technology growth on military air vehicles". UK-based Smiths says the programme combines the "core competencies" of three of its US businesses, including Barber Colman Aerospace, which pro duces magnetic bearing cooling turbines, Leland (generators) and Tech Development (high-speed rotating machinery). Barber Colman Aerospace will manage the Smiths contribution from its site in Loves Park, Illinois while the programme as a whole will be managed by the US Air Force's Propulsion Directorate at Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio. The second phase of the pro gramme, should the initial phase prove successful, will involve full qualification and flight test on a military aircraft such as the Lockheed Martin F-16. • 22 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 22 - 28 August 2000
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