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Aviation History
2001
2001 - 3841.PDF
DEFENCE UNMANNED SYSTEMS GRAHAM WARWICK / WASHINGTON DC Watchkeeper speeds up Ambitious UAV programme enters next phase with a final go-ahead due in 2004 Four teams have started work demonstration and manufacturing Watchkeeper will comprise sev- under the next phase of the UK phase. Estimates of the "whole life" eral configurations of air vehicle, Ministry of Defence's Watchkeeper cost of the system range from £1 plus different payloads and the unmanned air vehicle (UAV) pro- billion ($1.4 billion) to £3 billion, ground segment. Under its current gramme amid signs the British Starace says. six-month contract, Starace says, Army wants to accelerate fielding Under phase 1, the teams Northrop Grumman is looking at of the system. denned concepts for the system, commercial and government off- Ralph Starace, Watchkeeper pro- which will provide all-weather, the-shelf hardware and software gramme manager for the Northrop day/night reconnaissance, wide- that could be integrated to produce Grumman team, says the UK has area surveillance and target identi- the "most affordable system at low- brought forward its desired full fication, with counter-camouflage est risk". In the integration assess- operational capability date, previ- capability. Starace says Watch- ment phase due to begin next year, ously 2008, to 2007. The MoD keeper goes "far beyond" the US two contractor teams "will do a wants an initial operational Army's tactical UAV and "exceeds series of validations of the systems capability as early as 2005. the capability of Global Hawk", the they have selected" and develop Northrop Grumman, together US Air Force's Northrop Grumman- the business case to support a deci- with teams led by BAE Systems, developed endurance UAV. sion to move into production. Lockheed Martin UK and Thales, last month began work under six- month study contracts bridging the gap between the 12-month first assessment phase, completed in September, and a 12 to 18-month second phase scheduled to begin in the second quarter next year. The MoD plans to downselect to two teams for assessment phase 2, which is intended to lead to a "main gate" decision in the first quarter of 2004 on whether Watchkeeper will proceed into the MISSILES Have Lite, will travel The first launch of the new Have Lite air-to-surface mis sile is planned for May next year according to PGSUS, the Lockheed Martin/Rafael mis sile joint venture based in Troy, Alabama. Have Lite is a reduced weight version of the AGM-142 Have Nap/Popeye television guided air-to-sur face missile. The smaller 1,135kg (2,500lb) weapon is designed for use from single seat fighters such as the Lockheed Martin F-16. The missile has the same warhead as the 1,400kg AGM-142, but a smaller engine. Improved aerodynamic con trol surfaces provide the same range as the larger weapon. '•""• 14. The British Army has set its sights on beating Global Hawk's capability FIGHTER DEVELOPMENT Russia to develop first LFI as export version Russia plans to develop an export sible the first version is aimed at version of its Lightweight Frontline meeting New Delhi's requirement. Fighter (LFI) first, with a view to The officials said the work on using the aircraft as the basis of a Russia's own LFI variant will not variant for the Russian air force. Air begin in earnest until 2008-9, but force officials quoted in the local the export version should be avail- media outlined the plans, saying able between 2010 and 2012. the two aircraft will have 60% Meanwhile, industry sources say commonality. initial proposals will be submitted The decision is believed to have by the three bidders - RSK MiG, been forced on the Russian defence Sukhoi and Yakovlev - in the first ministry by funding shortages, quarter of next year. During initial development, a large The eventual winner will build portion of the funding is to be pro- two flying demonstrators for con- vided by the industrial sources and cept approval and initial flight test- foreign investors. India has already ing, followed by construction of a agreed to join the programme, series of production prototypes, probably contributing financial Full-scale production could lead to and design resources, and it is pos- introduction after 2010. CONNECTING THE WORLD CONNECTORS • CONTACTS • ACCESSORIES • TOOLS international authorized distributor for: ARRAY Connectors Golley/Buffet Connectors Airbus Approved Crimp & Solder RMS Connectors MilC 26500 Series Boeing Qualified BACC45's/BACC63's MS24264R's/MS24266R's HELLERMAN TYT0N Shrink Boots and Adapters MIL-CON Audio Connectors VISITUSATNBAA BOOTH #7625 H 12252 S.W. 131 AVE. MIAMI, FL 33186 USA TEL: 305-251-8995 FAX: 305-251-0253 TOLL-FREE 1-800-722-2233 info@introcorp.com www.introcorp.tom -INTRO— CORPORATION www.fliqhtinternational.com FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 4-10 DEC EM BER 2001 17
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