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Aviation History
2001
2001 - 0591.PDF
AUSTRALIAN INTERNATIONAL AIRSNOW Boeing sees 50-AWACS market BOEING IS forecasting a potential global market for more than 50 airborne warning and control system (AWACS) air craft over the medium- to long- term. Demand is for systems in the same class as its 737-based model equipped with Northrop Grumman's Multirole Electroni cally Scanned Array (MESA) radar. Key targets include South Korea - with tenders for that requirement closing at the end of this month - Chile, Italy and Spain. In the Middle East, Boeing hopes to follow last year's success in Turkeywith sales to Egypt, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. Targets in Asia-Pacific include Singapore's medium-term requirement to replace its North rop Grumman E-2C Hawkeyes, and possible longer-term needs in Malaysia and Thailand. The com pany is also seeking sales to the US Air Force as "an adjunct/replace ment market" to operate alongside Boeing E-3 Sentrys. Boeing says negotiations will continue with Turkey for six to eight aircraft, but it will give no date for contract signing. Boeing has also released further details on the Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF's) launch customer deal for four aircraft and six mission systems signed last December. Initial aircraft/radar integration is scheduled for 2003. The first two deliveries to the RAAF are to take place in late 2006, with another two in 2007. The Australian order is valued at AS2.03 billion ($1.07 billion), structured on a US dollar component which is currently val ued at AS1.8 billion, and an Australian dollar segment set at A$466 million. The floating component is pegged to the exchange rates on 2 0 December 2000. Boeing says that the arrangement reflects the gen eral split of work between the two countries. Australia's initial contract option on two more aircraft must be exer cised within two years, and requires a funding decision in next year's defence budget. Australia has an option on a seventh aircraft. Speaking at the show, Patrick Gill, Boeing 737 AEW&C programme manager, said the RAAF configuration will differ from the standard specification. "Boeing is developing this product as part of a new line and Australia is our launch customer. They have a configuration which is a little bit different." RAAF specific characteristics include 10 operator consoles compared to a baseline of eight, a more capable communica tions architecture, and Australian electronic support measures and an electronic warfare self- protection suite. • Australian navy makes avionics software deal TNTEGRATED avionics soft- Xware under development for the Royal Australian Navy's 11 Kaman SH-2G(A) Super Seasprite helicopters is to be transferred to Australian Technology Infor mation, Comptek Federal Systems and CSC, under a deal being finalised with Litton. The deal, expected to be completed around the end of the month, follows mediation in late January after Litton last year sought to recoup $15 million in additional programme costs. Kaman says that an "amicable agreement" has been reached, with Litton still providing avionics hardware. Details of a revised delivery schedule for the Integrated Tactical Avionics Suite (ITAS) are to be finalised early next month. The problems faced by Litton have already delayed the final acceptance date for the first of the Kaman helicopters in the A$952 million ($50frmillion) deal until at least the early\rnonths of 2004, around 18 months later than origi nally scheduled. The US helicopter manufactur er delivered the first baseline air craft, which is fitted with what Australian Defence Department acquisition officials have described as only a "rudimentary-level" avionics system, earlier this month. The first aircraft is due to be followed by two others by the end of March. All three helicopters will undergo further systems integra tion and testing, with operational evaluation trials commencing mid-year. • Kaman has carried out the first live firing of a new Raytheon AGM-65 Maverick missile variant using a Royal New Zealand Navy Super Seasprite SH-2G(NZ). The company says that the weapon - designated AGM- 65D(NZ) - incorporates new autopilot algorithms developed by Kaman and Raytheon Electronic Systems with these designed to support an "extended range requirement". The Royal New Zealand Navy is scheduled to receive its first SH-2G(NZ) in the next two months and has five helicopters on order. • Airvan awaits FAA green light The eight-seat utility Airvan will compete directly with the Cessna 206 GIPPSLAND Aeronautics is awaiting US Federal Aviation Administration certification of its eight-seat utility Airvan GA-8 which it plans to market at the same price as the six-seat Cessna 206. The first GA-8 has entered service with Australian tourism operator Fraser Island Air, which has already ordered a second air craft and says it expects eventually to operate four. Gippsland co- director George Morgan says the company is holding firm orders for eight aircraft including exports to Canada and South Africa. The company is initially pro ducing one aircraft every six weeks, which will step up to one every four weeks by mid-year, and it expects soon to increase production fur ther. There is strong interest in the USA, where the GA-8 is distrib uted by J&C Aviation of Oklahoma, says Gipperland. Cessna vice-president market ing Phil Michel says, meanwhile, there is a "significant market gap" between the Cessna 206 utility and its entry-level twinjets, and is studying options to fill it. He adds that such aircraft are likely to be turbine-powered and at the higher end of the power output of current piston engines and that "interesting engines are now becoming available" to power the development. • FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 20 - 26 February 2001 23
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