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Aviation History
2002
2002 - 1124.PDF
DEFENCE AIR DEFENCE Malaysia to pick Jernas Malaysia is expected to announce this week the selection of the MBDA Jernas short-range ground-based air defence system, ending a long-running competition. Sources close to the competi tion say the Malaysian army has selected the system - the latest generation of Rapier, a weapon already popular in the region, where operators include Australia, Brunei and Singapore. MBDA declines to comment on any potential deal. The Thales Crotale NG was also considered and the deal is thought to be worth up to $500 million. Malaysia's selection is a boost for Jernas/Rapier, which has been without a major deal for several years. The competition has lasted for years, and was originally for a system to be operated by the air force. Malaysia's struggling econ omy and the programme's switch to the army contributed to delays. • South Korea is expected to decide soon whether to proceed with the SAM-X project to acquire 48 Lockheed Martin Patriot Advanced Capability-3 missile systems worth 1.9 trillion won ($1.5 billion). Funding constraints mean the size of the purchase may be reduced. ATTACK HELICOPTERS ANDREW DOYLE / SINGAPORE Bell tempts South Korea with HI upgrade package US manufacturer dangles dual bait in effort to extend service lives of army machines Bell is redoubling efforts to secure South Korean army interest in upgrades for AH-IS Cobra attack helicopters and UH-1H utility machines. The move follows the postponement of South Korea's AH-X attack helicopter requirement. Meanwhile, the defence min istry has delayed by two weeks the selection of a prime contractor to lead development of the Korean multipurpose helicopter (KMH). Bell has made an unsolicited proposal to the army offering to replace the AH-l's dynamic system with that of its 412 civil helicopter and re-engine the aircraft with the General Electric T700. The UH-lH's dynamic system could be replaced with that of the Bell 212. The army is increasingly inter ested in service life extension pro grammes for its helicopters, with the AH-X postponement and KMH development just starting, say industry sources. About 75 AH-Is are operated by the South Korean armed forces, alongside 150 UH-ls. The proposed upgrades would improve the payload capabilities of Upgrading AH-1 s would be a stopgap following AH-X postponement both types and extend minimum time between overhauls. The US Army intends to stop support for the AH-1, so switching to a 412 dynamic system would enable South Korea to source commercial parts instead. The army is also understood to be discussing avionics upgrades for the Cobras with vendors, including Boeing, Elbit Systems, Lockheed Martin and Raytheon. Funding is a potential stumbling block due to the cost of the air force's F-X fighter programme. Cash for helicopter upgrades is not included in the defence budget. The indigenous KMH project will be led by Korea Aerospace Industries or state-controlled research and technology agency ADD. A request for proposals is expected to be issued to potential foreign industrial partners soon after the selection. Recipients may include AgustaWestland, Bell, Boeing, Eurocopter and Sikorsky. About 400 KMHs are required to replace MD Helicopter MD500s and UH-lHs. The KMH could be the basis for a Cobra replacement. UNMANNED SYSTEMS DoD aims to improve Global Hawk in spirals The US Department of Defense (DoD) has approved a plan to develop the Northrop Grumman RQ-4A Global Hawk's capability in phases, or spirals. It has directed the US Air Force to support US Navy proposals to use the long-endurance unmanned air vehicle for its Broad Area Maritime Surveillance programme. Spiral 1 will "operationalise" the Global Hawk technology demon strator, improve communications, speed mission planning and address obsolescence issues. It will be intro duced late next year with delivery of the first production aircraft. Spiral 2 will improve air vehicle perfor mance by increasing gross weight, endurance, electrical power and payload and includes a new wing. Sensor range will be increased and an initial, quick-reaction, low- band signals intelligence (SIGINT) capability added. Last month Nor throp Grumman received contracts totalling $300 million to develop Spiral 2 capabilities to be phased in from early 2004 with the third production Global Hawk. Spiral 2 is the baseline for the naval Global Hawk. The USN is negotiating with the USAF to acquire two air vehicles from the second production batch for a demonstration and experimenta tion phase running in 2005-8 to define the sensor payload and maritime concept of operations. The baseline includes maritime modes for the Raytheon electro- optical/infrared and synthetic aperture radar sensors and an elec tronic support measures payload. Spiral 3 capabilities will be phased in from late 2004 with the seventh aircraft. They include an initial self-protection suite, simulta neous sensor image recording, satellite communications via In marsat and high-band SIGINT and will pave the way for integration of an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar during Spiral 4. The next-generation sensor is being developed by Northrop Grumman and Raytheon. Spiral 4 capabilities, designed to improve reliability and survivabil ity, will be phased in beginning with the 17th aircraft in late 2006. The AESA will be introduced with the 33rd Global Hawk in 2009. The DoD has approved low-rate initial production of 17 air vehicles for the USAF, starting with two in fiscal year 2003, four each in FY04 and FY05 and rising to six in FY06. The USAF plans to increase Global Hawk operational flexibility with Spiral 5 and 6 capabilities to begin during full-rate production. 16 9-15 APRIL 2002 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL www.fliqhtinternational.com
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