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Aviation History
2002
2002 - 1590.PDF
DEFENCE SPECIAL MISSIONS PAUL LEWIS / ANDREWS AFB Compass Call jammer makes debut Deployment in Afghanistan identifies additional requirements for EC-130H, including self-protection suite The US Air Force has accelerated initial fielding of the BAE Systems Special Emitter Array (SPEAR) on the Lockheed Martin EC-130H Compass Call for jamming com munications in Afghanistan. BAE is also considering a modified SPEAR pod for the Boeing B-52H as one of a number of possible future elec tronic attack (EA) alternatives. Three EC-130Hs have been mod ified to carry the two underwing- mounted SPEAR pods, and at least one was deployed to Afghanistan during the recent air offensive. The phased-array jammer was devel oped under an advanced concept technology demonstration and is intended to complement a planned Block 35 upgrade of the USAF's 13 Block 20/30 Compass Call aircraft. "SPEAR was in the final stages of development and not quite ready" when the USAF started deploying to southern Asia last September, says Lt Col Bob Johnson, USAF Compass Call programme man ager. BAE received a contract last November to broaden the system's jamming frequencies and upgrade the jamming techniques generator hardware and software. Block 35 initial operational capa bility is several years away, says Johnson, and in the meantime SPEAR will be used as alternative equipment on Block 30 aircraft. Each 550kg (1,2001b) pod contains 144 discrete elements that can be steered to form four different beams simultaneously. It is carried on the EC-130's outboard wing station and requires structural modification to the aircraft. To reduce drag and weight the USAF is removing the under- wing fuel tanks from the Compass Call aircraft. Afghanistan has identified a number of additional requirements for the EC-130H, including the need to add a self-protection suite, featuring countermeasures dis pensers and a missile warning receiver. Unlike previous conflicts, Following avionics upgrades the EC-130H will remain in service until 2025 the war in Afghanistan required the aircraft to operate over hostile high-altitude terrain, putting the aircraft in range of ground fire and surface-to-air missiles. The USAF expects the EC-130H, following a planned avionics mod ernisation, to remain in service until 2025. The USAF and BAE are also looking at ways to migrate SPEAR to other platforms. One pro posal is to repackage the jammer into a slightly larger pod to replace one of the B-52's outboard fuel tanks, to give protection to the Lockheed Martin F-117. "We're supporting this and also looking at more co-operative operations," says Michael Powell, BAE develop ment engineering. ANTI-ARMOUR WEAPONS TOW 2A/B upgrades continue Raytheon is continuing with planned range and warhead improvements to the BGM-71 TOW 2A/B anti-tank missile despite the US Department of Defense's decision to terminate funding next year for the fire-and-forget version. The company at the same time is pursuing new international orders to keep the TOW production line open after September. Although the Pentagon has opted to discontinue work on the TOW Fire-and-Forget in favour of the new Common Missile, Raytheon notes there are 100,000 rounds in the US Army inventory that are expected to remain in service until 2020. Raytheon is looking at a life extension pro gramme for existing missiles and adding capability as a retrofit and/or for new build weapons. Development of TOW 2B Aero has been under way since last November, with an armed demonstration in March. The system is now available, says Steve Ignat, Raytheon land warfare director business devel opment. The range of the wire-guided missile has been extended from 3.7km (2nm) to 4.5km, with an aerodynamically refined nose, additional wire and a radio-frequency link providing greater stand-off capability. A fire-and-forget seeker remains in development but there is no money for integration. The US Army, however, continues to invest in a bunker buster version, which would retrofit current TOW 2A missiles with a fragmenting high explosive warhead. Production of the TOW 2A/B missile is due to end in September and the company says it needs a minimum of 1,500 missiles to restart the line with a 17-month lead time. Raytheon is waiting for foreign military sales contracts for 420 TOW 2A/B missiles, plus 262 practice rounds and has supplied price and availability data for potentially a further 1,845 missiles. UPGRADES MiG-29 Fulcrum variant may get bigger engine In its latest attempt to make the MiG-29 Fulcrum more attractive to potential export customers, RSK MiG may use the more powerful Klimov RD-33(Mod) engines from the naval MiG-29K as standard for the latest Fulcrum variants. Klimov has delivered four 20,5O01b-thrust (91kN) RD-33(Mod) engines for testing in MiG-29K prototypes ahead of a long-expected Indian navy order for the aircraft. Klimov is also developing a 22,0001b-thrust RD-33 and the VK-10M derivative with an enlarged compressor to boost thrust to more than 24,2001b. RSK MiG and the Russian air force have meanwhile started "joint testing a number of upgraded air craft", including the MiG-29SMT, after an agreement made this year. Two MiG-29SMT prototypes will be joined by a third in June while a fourth is due for completion in September. The latter will be the first built by a production plant rather than the Mikoyan Engin eering Centre's prototyping factory. The Russian air force is under stood to be planning a "unifying upgrade" across its MiG-29 and Sukhoi Su-27 fleets, when both types will receive a RPKB Ramenskoye- developed avionics system, based on that for China's Su-30MKK. A compromise has been reached between RSK and the air force on the technical aspects of the MiG- 29SMT upgrade. As a first stage, the N-019 radar will be upgraded to the N-019M standard by Phazotron- NIIR, while the Phazotron Zhuk-M will be installed as a second stage. 16 28 MAY - 3 JUNE 2002 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL www.fliqhtinternational.com
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