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Aviation History
2001
2001 - 1626.PDF
Brazil, Italy ink on AMX upgrade PAUL LEWIS/MARIO FONSECA RIO DE JANEIRO BRAZIL AND Italy are to issue a joint request for proposals (RFP) shortly to Alenia and Em- braer for a mid-life upgrade of the AMX light attack aircraft. The Italian manufacturer is looking to build on the collabora tive programme and compete for Brazil's CL-X transport, Lockheed Martin P-3 Orion upgrade and F-X fighter requirements. Alenia has teamed with Embraer to upgrade the countries' AMX fleets based on the Italian-led 70:30 workshare of the original pro gramme, says Carmeio Cosentino, Alenia Aerospazio senior vice pres ident. The companies, along with Israel's Elbit, are proposing an avionics package including two 150mm x 2 00mm liquid crystal dis plays (LCDs), 130mm x 130mm LCD head-up display and mission computer. The new suite is based on that being developed for the Aermacchi M-346 - the Italian company's development of the Yakovlev NEWS IN BRIEF • MACEDONIAN MOVES The Macedonian air force has received two more Mil Mi-24 Hinds from the Ukraine to add to the two aircraft delivered last month. The Ukraine may also supply Sukhoi Su-25 Frogfoot ground attack fighters, more Mi-24s and a transport air craft. • SWISS HORNET UPGRADE Switzerland is seeking a $225 million upgrade of its Boeing F/A-18C/D Hornets includ ing new interrogators, Link 16 datal ink terminals and sys tems to allow the evaluation of advanced short-range air- to-air missiles such as the Joint Helmet Mounted Cue ing Systems and digital links to the wingtip launchers. Italy and Brazil are to issue an RFP for a mid-life upgrade of the AMX Yak-130. A decision has yet to be taken on selecting either the Italian Fiar Grifo or an improved Telcom SCP-01 as the new radar. Alenia and Lockheed Martin are to offer the C-27J for Brazil's expected CL-X RFP to replace de Havilland Canada DHC-5 Buffalos. Brazil has an initial requirement for eight to 12 transports, for which the EADS Casa C-295 will also compete. "We're now working with Embraer to involve them," says Cosentino. Alenia is signalling its intent to compete for F-X with the Euro- fighter Typhoon, which will put it into competition with partner B AE Systems' planned Saab Gripen offering. Under the Eurofighter marketing agreement, Alenia has the lead in Brazil and "we want to promote it," says Cosentino. The Orion modernisation is another opportunity for Alenia, with the air force expected to release an RFP by June. The first Orion destined for the P-3BR programme was handed over in the USA in late February. Eight of the 12 airframes will be overhauled and modernised with the remainder being used for spares. P-3BR contenders include Alenia with its Maritime Patrol Mission System developed for the ATR 42/72MP Surveyor, EADS Casa with the FITS system recent ly selected by the United Arab Fmirates, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon and Thales with its AMASCOS 300. Embraer will co-operate with the winner. The requirement includes a new multimode radar, acoustic process ing, sonobuoy system, forward looking infrared, datalink, naviga tion and communications suite, magnetic anomaly detector and electronic support measures. The air force intends to announce the winner later this year. The firstP-3BRis expected to be delivered during 2003, a year late, with the last aircraft handed over in early 2005. • GE bids for enhanced F414 EDE funding by 2003 GENERAL ELECTRIC is hoping to secure funding in 2003 to launch full-scale develop ment of the F414 Enhanced Durability Engine (EDE) for the US Navy's Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. This will build on a series of improvements to the powerplant's fan and core due for demonstration next year. Initial development of an improved high-pressure turbine (HPT) and high-pressure com pressor (HPC) has started as part of science and technology pro grammes funded by GE, the US Navy and the US Air Force. The F414 EDE changes promise 2 % better specific fuel consumption (SFC) and either a 15% boost in thrust or threefold increase in component durability, says George Bolln, GE F404/414 general manager. An HPT has been designed with 3D aerodynamic blades and ad vanced cooling to give a 2% improvement in efficiency and a 65°C (150°F) higher turbine inlet temperature. GE is also designing a reduced stage (six instead of seven) HPC, with wide-chord swept blades and bowed/leaned stators giving a 3% efficiency improvement. As the USN does not have a requirement for more F/A-18E/F power, the emphasis is on extend ing component life: "We're taking advanced technology and seeing what we can do in terms of cost of operation. We could save $ 1 billion in total ownership costs over 20 years. If retrofitted to existing F414 engines this increases to $2 billion," says Bolln. GE is planning to conduct a demonstration of the F414 EDE core in the last quarter •of,'" next year. If engineering and manufactur ing development funding can be secured in 2 003, the new HPT and HPC could be incorporated as part of the second multi-year procure ment of F/A-18E/F engines from 2008 onwards. Bolln says the F414 EDE cost would be a third that of developing an all-new engine such as the PW7000 proposal put forward by Pratt & Whitney (Flight International, 24-30 April). Longer term, GE is proposing a two-stage fan with a forward swept all-blisk fan, a 10% pressure ratio increase and, if combined with the EDE's HPT and HPC, a 4% SFC improvement and 20% boost in thrust over the existing 22,0001b- thrust (98kN) F414. The new fan is due for rig testing next year. • I FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 8 - 14 May 2001
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