FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
2002
2002 - 1633.PDF
Directory: military aircraft NORTHROP GRUMMAN Mission Powerplant Max power/ thrust dry/wet (lb) Wing span (m) Wing area (m2) Length (m) OEW (kg) MTOW (kg) Max load (kg) Range (km) Endurance (h) Hardpoints Cruise (kt) Mmo Ceiling (ft) Crew Internal fuel (kg) Fuel, opt ext (litre) Air refuel? Atta 2x 9,06 17.5 )A Thunderbol ck 3E TF-34 5 3 47.01 16.26 9,770 22,680 7,25 3,95 •8 0 - 11 - 450 - Kt 1 4,855 6,81 Yes 3 B-2 Spirit Bomber 4xGE F118-100 19,125 52.42 477.5 21.03 69,715 170,550 18,145 11.100 - bay M0.78 M0.8 50,000 2 60,000 - Yes E-2C Hawkeye AEW 2 x R-R T56 3,800 24.56 65.03 17.6 18,364 24,689 - 2,855 5.3h • 259 - 37,000 5 5,624 - Yes E-8C JSTARS Ground surveillance 4 x P&W JT3D-3B 18,000 44.42 283 46.61 77,564 152,407 41,657 12,086 11h 525 M0.84 42,000 21 70,307 - Yes EA-6B Prowler EW 2 x P&W J52-408 11,200 16.15 49.1 18.2 14,589 29.483 1,770 3,861 - 5 420 - 42,200 4 6,995 7,570 Yes F-5E Tiger Fighter/attack 2xGE J85-21 3,500 8.13 ^^^ 17.3 14.68 4,346 11,192 3,175 1,595 - 5 - M1.63 52,000 1 2,562 litre 1,040 Yes F-14D Tomcat Air superiority 2 x GE F110-400 16.110/26,775 19.54/11.63 52.5 19.1 18,950 33,725 6,577 2,965 - _^^ M0.72 M2 53,000 2 7.348 2,022 Yes T-38 Trainer 2 x GE J85 2,680/3,850 7.7 15.79 14.14 3,254 5,670 1.610km - M0.88 M1.23 53.600 2 2,207 litre No with an enlarged wing to meet a higher, 9g manoeuvre requirement, redesigned lift-fan nozzle and smaller, lighter air inlets. The divert- erless inlets have been redesigned from a two- to a three-sided configuration for improved high angle-of-attack performance. MITSUBISHI Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, 5-1 Marunouchi 2- chome, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan; tel + 81 (3) 3212 3111; fax + 81 (3) 3212 9860; www.mhi.co.jp Formerly known as the FS-X, the F-2 is a Mitsubishi-developed derivative of the Lock heed Martin F-16, powered by the GE Fl 10-129. The aircraft first flew in October 1995 and four prototypes were used for flight testing. The Japan Defence Agency (JDA) declared the F-2 ready for deployment in September 2000, and the first aircraft was delivered for opera tional service at Misawa AB at the end of that month. The JASDF requires 130 aircraft (83 sin gle-seat F-2As and 47 two-seat F-2Bs). By early 2002, 28 aircraft had been delivered and a fur ther 17 had been ordered. The F-2A/B programme ran into develop ment problems with the discovery of cracks in the wing during static testing. More recently, excessive loads were discovered at the base of the fin during high subsonic flight. Flight test ing slipped by around a year. Costs have risen significantly, with the aircraft now costing three to four times as much as a basic F-16. The unit cost for initial production aircraft is estimated at around $100 million. The F-16 was selected in 1987 as the basis of the FS-X project. Changes include a 25% bigger composite wing and a larger radome housing a Mitsubishi-developed active array radar. The F-2 A is taking over the F-l's ground attack/mar itime strike roles, armed with ASM-1 and ASM-2 anti-ship missiles. Mitsubishi is proposing development of an air-superiority variant to replace JASDF F-4EJ Kais from around 2010. The proposal would require upgrades to the radar and avionics to allow the aircraft to carry more air-to-air missiles. The two-seat F-2B is intended to replace Mitsubishi T-2/2A trainers. Fuji and Kawasaki, as well as Lockheed Martin, are major airframe subcontractors. NORTHROP GRUMMAN Northrop Grumman, 1840 Century Park East, Los Angeles, California 90067-2199, USA; tel +1 (310) 553 6262; fax +1 (310) 201 3023; •www.northgrum.com A-10 Thunderbolt II Northrop took over responsibility for support ing the former Fairchild A-10 in 1987. In February 2001 Lockheed Martin was awarded an A-10 multiple upgrade programme, poten tially worth $226 million. Savings will accrue from pulling the 367 A-lOs out of service for modification only once. It also provides the air craft with enhanced close air support and preci sion strike capability a year early. The aircraft will receive a digital stores man agement system, situational awareness datalink and 1760 weapons databus as well as a DC gen erator upgrade, JDAM and WCMD integration, and compatibility vyith the USAF's future target ing pod. The USAF has requested information on re- engining the A-10. The GE CF34-8, a commer cial engine derived from the A-10's TF34, is con sidered the favourite. It would be derated to 11,0001b thrust and replace the 8,0001b-thrust TF34. Around 400 aircraft are in service. B-2 Spirit The B-2 stealth bomber was declared opera tional in April 1997 with delivery of the 13th aircraft to the USAF. It was used operationally for the first time during the Kosovo crisis, when raids were launched from the home base of Whiteman AFB, Missouri. The six B-2s that took part dropped more than 454,000kg of GPS- guided munitions, mostly JDAMs. Northrop Grumman has provided a range of pricing options to restart production of an updated version of the B-2. Options include 40 more aircraft at $550 million each - compared with a $2 billion unit price for the initial 21 - by a production resumption is considered unlikely. Since the final B-2 rolled off the production line in 1998, attention has focused on upgrad ing the fleet to a common and more capable Block 30 configuration. This was accomplished in early 2001, except for a test aircraft at Edwards AFB, which is not scheduled for upgrade until 2002 when it will become a Block 30-plus. Post Block 30 improvements cover sup- portability, connectivity and weaponry. This includes use of advanced high-frequency mater ial that allows use of standard access panels and fasteners without maintainers having to fill and tape over gaps. Also on the list is Link 16 and EHF communi cations, planned for a 2008 in-service date. The B-2 is to receive a new centre-console 200 x 250mm LCD for en route flight and mission planning. New weapons will also be introduced, including the EGBU-28 bunker buster, JSOW and JASSM.Changes will also likely include replacing the Raytheon APQ-181 radar and updating outmoded systems. Longer-term improvements include swap ping the B-2's 1980s-vintage proprietary avion ics for a commercial off-the-shelf plug-and-play capability, and electronic digital engine control. Northrop Grumman won an order for 22 improved E-2C Hawkeye 2000s for the USN and France in mid-1999, which will keep the pro- www.flightinternational.com FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 28 MAY - 3 JUNE 2002 59
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
