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Aviation History
2001
2001 - 2357.PDF
DEFENCE AIRCRAFT DEVELOPMENT ANDREW DOYLE/TOKYO Japan's hopes for CX/MPX commonality fade Platforms for transport and maritime patrol aircraft are bound to be completely different, warns industry Industry is sceptical over the level of commonality possible between the Japan Defence Agency's (JDA) proposed C-X and MPX aircraft programmes after the release of a request for proposals (RFP) in May. One Japanese company plan ning to bid for contractorship of ENGINES the project estimates airframe com monality potential as small due to differing operational requirements. "Some parts would be used for both aircraft, such as the outer main wing, outer horizontal sta biliser and cockpit," says one source. "But I don't think we can use commonality much. The C-X and MPX are to be developed by Japanese industry to replace Air Self-Defence Force Kawasaki C-l transports and Maritime Self-Defence Force Lockheed Martin P-3C Orion mar itime patrol aircraft. The JDA aims Turbofan to be launched for MPX by 2004 Japan's Technical Research and Development Institute (TRDI) and Ishikawajima-Harima Heavy Industries (IHI) aim to launch the full-scale development of a turbofan engine for the country's planned MPX maritime patrol air craft by 2004. TRDI is part of the Japan Defence Agency (JDA), which is funding the work. The 8:1 bypass ratio powerplant, four of which would power the MPX, will be designed to produce 13,0001b- thrust (58kN), says IHI general manager defence systems sales and marketing Hidemi Haga. Around $60 million has been allocated for development costs in the fiscal year that started in April. A test engine, incorporating a core demonstrator that has been worked on by the TRDI and IHI since 1995, is expected to be run by August, says Haga. The JDA is understood to favour using commercial off- the-shelf engines for the C-X transport aircraft which is likely to be a twinjet. Other Japanese engine manufactur ers, such as Kawasaki and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, are expected to be brought into the production phase once IHI-21 development has been completed. The MPX engine development will be Japan's most ambitious to date, though IHI previously developed the 3,680lb-thrust F3-IHI-30 with the JDA for the Kawasaki f- 4 trainer. Series production began in 1987. IHI hopes to design and produce engines itself for advanced fighter aircraft. It currently produces engines under licence for Mitsubishi F-2. UNMANNED AIR VEHICLES ANDY NATIVI / GENOA Italy to land, first Predator ii Alenia/Finmeccanica Meteor subsidiary secures deal with General Atomics to assemble co t in 2002 r l l t country's first four UAVs The Italian Air Force is to receive its first General Atomics RQ-1A Predator unmanned air vehicle (UAV) by the fourth quarter 2002. Italian Ministry of Defence pro curement body Segredifesa and General Atomics are finalising a contract for five of the UAVs, plus an option for three more. The deal will also include a ground control station, installed in a tactical transportable shelter, datalink, simulator and initial logistic and training support. Predator was selected over Israel's Silver Arrow UAV - which is mar keted in Europe by EADS as the Eagle - following the RQ-lA's suc cessful performance during Oper ation Allied Force in the Balkans. The firs^>UAV will be delivered with full mission systems, compris ing infrared sertsors and television cameras, and will be used for training. Predator is set to achieve initial operational capability with the Italians by the second quarter of 2003 and full operational capability in 2005. The Predator programme is jointly funded by the Italian armed services. The first five aircraft will cost $50 million, to include prod uct support, while the second batch of vehicles is expected to cost around $16 million. The Italian air force will operate the Predators through a newly-created UAV squadron, to be co-located at a sail- itary airbase with a manned aircraft squadron. The Predator control centre will also be designed for installation on a ship. Alenia/Finmeccanica's Meteor subsidiary has signed an agreement with General Atomics to assemble four of the five Predators on order, plus the three options. The Italian company will also provide maintenance, training and support services, as well as the ground control station. The Predator programme offers a major move for the Italian air force into the UAV arena. Discussions are underway with the Italian civil avi ation and air traffic control bodies to establish certification and opera tional requirements which will allow the UAVs to operate outside to cut development costs by using a common platform. The MPX is likely to be equipped with four engines while the cargo variant is expected to be a twin. The pair could also need different fuselage cross-sections. Responses to the RFP are due by the end of next month, and Fuji, Kawasaki and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries are expected to bid for prime contractorship. Five smaller firms are bidding for subcontracts to design, develop and manufac ture subassemblies. The JDA envisages MPX devel opment in 2001 to 2010 with a first flight in September 2006. The C-X would be in development until 2011 and fly in September 2007. Boeing aims to offer a variant of its C-l7 for the C-X, but Boeing Japan president Rick Martin does not believe that the development of a single airframe for both require ments can provide a solution. military aerospace boundaries. While the Predators will initially be deployed for surveillance, moni toring, intelligence, reconnaissance and battle damage assessment mis sions, the air force is looking at more advanced sensor options, proposals for which have already been submitted by Northrop Grumman and General Atomics. The Predator represents a major move by Italians into UAVs www.flightinternational.com FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 26 JUN E - 2 J ULY 2001 41
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