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Aviation History
2002
2002 - 1242.PDF
DEFENCE UNMANNED SYSTEMS CHRISTINA MACKENZIE / PARIS Dassault and Sagem unite on UAVs Manufacturers form "open" alliance to take advantage of surge in demand for unmanned aircraft Sagem will help Dassault develop a larger version of its Due UCAV Dassault Aviation and Sagem are co-operating on the development of tactical unmanned air vehicles (UAV) with the "clear intention" of eventually forming a UAV joint venture. The two companies had been competing for a number of French unmanned system programmes, but Dassault says the aim is now to design fast, stealthy UAVs and to fly a full-scale demonstrator before the end of next year. "We do not want to waste any time because the market is clearly demanding new UAV products," Dassault says. The French defence procurement budget has €43mil- lion ($38 million) earmarked for multi-mission, multi-payload UAVs. Charles Edelstenne, Dassault chief executive, told French news paper Le Monde last week that the company is joining Sagem rather than EADS - a 45.9% Dassault shareholder - because of "the great er synergies with Sagem". Dassault declines to go into detail about the partners' invest ment, but says that the joint ven ture when formed "will not be a closed alliance and will be open to any other interested parties". Sagem has sold its Sperwer UAV system to Denmark, France, the Netherlands and Sweden and also offers the Crecerelle and the Ugglan as well as the Hesis for civil ian applications. New systems will be interoperable with existing Sagem UAVs, say the partners. Sagem intends to concentrate on ground control systems while Dassault will be responsible for air vehicles. They also aim to opti mise the complementary nature of manned aircraft and UAVs, says Dassault. The company's unmanned work has centred on the company- funded development of the Due family of unmanned combat air vehicles (UCAVs). It flew the smallest family mem ber, the Petit Due, in July 2000. The 60kg (1301b) UCAV has a 2.4m (7.8ft) span delta wing. When it was unveiled 18 months ago, Dassault said a medium-range UCAV, the Moyen Due, would appear two years later. The company says Moyen Due will be completed by a Das- sault/Sagem team and will resem ble the smaller UCAV but weigh more than 500kg. AIRBORNE EARLY WARNING E-2C role set to expand further Northrop Grumman is considering a wider role for the E-2C, providing it with full battle-management capability and making it an active decision-making node in the US Navy's future network-centric architecture. This would build on the next planned Advanced Hawkeye evolution of the airborne early warning system - full-scale development, which is due to start this year. The company-funded study is examining potential for multi-sensor fusing of on- and off-board intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) data, including that from unmanned air vehicles such as the proposed Nor throp Grumman RQ-4A Global Hawk naval variant. This would permit the E-2C to analyse remotely acquired targets and approve weapon release. Northrop Grumman's proposed E-2C battle management command, control, communications and computers (BMC4) and ISR targeting role would leverage off investment in the Advanced Hawkeye to be fielded around 2009. This is expected to include a surveillance infra-red search and track (SIRST) sensor to augment the E-2C radar for theatre ballistic-missile air defence, and a digital glass cockpit with a fourth tactical display position. BMC4/ISR targeting could become a feature of the E-2C as early as 2012 if the USN backs the concept. The idea came from Northrop Grum man's broad-area maritime surveillance study for the USN using the Global Hawk. SIRST-equipped E-2C could provide target identification, and exer cise sensor or vehicle control of an adjunct UAV system. Northrop Grumman has produced a tactical cockpit demonstrator and tested the SIRST on a live ballistic-missile target, though funding has been separate from Advanced Hawkeye. Other elements are a new modular communications system and the radar modernisation programme (RMP), which is in pre- system development and demonstration (SDD). The RMP review is due in July, followed by the award of a full SDD contract in Novem ber to Lockheed Martin and partners Northrop Grumman and Raytheon. TRAINERS Sukhoi and Yakovlev meet Russian needs Russia's air force has confirmed its selection of the Yakovlev Yak-130 over the RSK MiG-AT for its advanced trainer requirement. It has also chosen the Sukhoi Su-49 over the Yakovlev Yak-152 for a piston-powered basic trainer requirement. "Yakovlev with the Yak-130 did a better job in meeting the air force requirements for a combat trainer than RSK MiG with the MiG AT," says Gen Anatoly Maksimov, Russian air force head of training. He adds that the selection com mittee has "recommended to the Russian air force commander the selection of the Su-49 for screening and initial training, and the Yak-130 for advanced training, combat training and weapons release training. This will also include the use of guided munitions." Sukhoi and Yakovlev are due to receive money from the 2003 state budget in order to proceed with the Su-49 and Yak-130 programmes. Maksimov says that "$80-150 million" is needed to build "a sufficient number" of Su-49s for "all our training regi ments", and service introduction will be "fairly quick". Yakovlev plans to continue Yak- 152 development using company funds. It is aiming to build a demonstrator this year and two more airframes in 2003. Although the Yak-130 has been selected, no firm orders will be placed as the existing fleet of Aero Vodochody L-39 trainers "will be sufficient until 2010". The air force intends to fund Yak-130 development so produc tion can start "between 2006 and 2010" with the trainer becoming operational "in 2010-15". 14 23-29 APRIL 2002 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL www.flightinternational.com
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