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Aviation History
2002
2002 - 1121.PDF
UPGRADES Enaer to strengthen I Al ties with avionics move... Israeli and Chilean companies combine to offer cockpit upgrades and promote UAV Enaer has broadened its long-stand ing relationship with Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) and will market jointly to Latin American nations an avionics upgrade for the Lock heed Martin C-130 Hercules. The two are also teaming to equip the Enaer T-35DT Turbo Pillan and Bell 412 with an electro- optic (EO) system and to locally promote the IAI Searcher II unmanned air vehicle. The Chilean company has just delivered the first of two mod ernised C-130Bs to the Uruguayan air force and is also hoping to upgrade the Chilean air force's five Hercules. "The Chilean air force has a requirement to upgrade its transports and we have already upgraded a [de Havilland] Twin Otter with the new cockpit for them to evaluate," says Brig Gen Alfredo Guzman Matuis, Enaer executive director. The modernised C-130 cockpit is global air traffic management com pliant and features up to four 150 x 200mm (6 x 8in) multifunction displays integrating navigation, communications and engine data, two new flight management sys tems and the option of a head-up display. The first modified C-130B for Uruguay flew in January and will be joined shortly by a second. IAI and Enaer have also teamed to market an upgrade for the Bell 412 helicopter, including a night vision goggles compatible cockpit and chin-mounted HMOSP (heli copter multimission optronic sta bilised payload) EO turret incorpo rating forward looking infrared, a daylight camera and laser target ing system, from the lAl's Tamam division. There is an alternative option to equip the helicopter with the lighter weight Tamam POP (plug-in optronic payload) FLIR turret. Enaer has modified one of the A Chilean air force Bell 412 has been equipped with the IAI HMOSP turret Chilean air force's four recently acquired 412s as a demonstrator. An underwing pod-mounted version of POP is also being offered on the T-35DT, as is the competing FLIR Systems 7500, as a low- cost solution for reconnaissance and surveillance. "We're offering it to Central American countries for border patrol and anti-narcotics missions," says Guzman, who adds that the aircraft would cost $1.3 million. A Rolls Royce 250-B17 turbo prop-powered Pillan has been fly ing for a number of years without securing an order. Enaer is also looking for a launch order for a newly unveiled glass cockpit vari ant equipped with a 200 x 250mm ARNAV ICDS 2000 display. Enaer recently restarted produc tion of the T-35 with an Ecua dorian navy order for four aircraft equipped with the standard "Millennium" cockpit. It has also delivered two reconditioned T-35 Pillan trainers to Panama. • EuroEnaer is seeking financial backing to begin production of the Eaglet two-seat composite light air craft in Europe, following the recent Joint Aviation Authorities certifica tion. The Chilean company has been partnered with the University of Delft in the Netherlands for sev eral years. Enaer, which is a 20% shareholder in EuroEnaer, plans to ship Eaglet airframe structures to the Netherlands for completion, but says additional financing is needed first. FIDAE 2002 ADVANCED TRAINER First T-50 Golden Eagle set to fly in early June The first of four flight develop ment Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI)/Lockheed Martin T-50 Golden Eagle lead-in fighter trainers is expected to make its maiden flight in early June, with the sec ond due to join the test programme in August. "We've had two first-flight readiness reviews and every thing looks on track," says Robie Notestine, senior marketing director for T-50 International - the joint company set up to mar ket the aircraft. The third and fourth develop ment aircraft are in production and will join the programme by the middle of next year, while structural tests are now under way on the dynamic and static test airframes. The prototype was rolled out in South Korea in October last year. Deliveries to the South Korean air force of the first 94 on firm order are scheduled to start around mid-2005, South Korea has options on another 100 A-50s as a replacement for an ageing fleet of Northrop F-5E/Fs. The Mach 1.4 aircraft is being offered at a baseline fly-away price of between $20 million and $22 million without weapons and fire control radar, and will be available for deliver ies to other countries "from early 2006", says Notestine. T-50 International believes the potential export market is for around 800 aircraft over a period of 20 years. MAINTENANCE ... as it plans service deal with Lockheed Martin Lockheed Martin hopes to reach an outline agreement with Enaer by the end of this month to approve the Chilean company as a C-130 Hercules service centre in an initial step towards meeting a 100% offset requirement linked with Chile's purchase of 10 F-16C/D Block 50 fighters. Enaer has outlined three areas it wants to develop under an eight- year co-operation contract agreed by Lockheed Martin in late January. In addition to becoming a preferred C-130 support centre, the Chilean company is seeking to manufacture parts for Lockheed Martin aircraft, including the F-16, and extend its composite structures manufacturing capability. The Chilean government agency CORFO is negotiating with Lockheed Martin and General Electric on the offset programme. "A broard range of technology transfers is anticipated, including design capability enhancements," says Lockheed Martin. www.fliqhtinternational.com FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 9-15 APRIL 2002 13
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