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Aviation History
2002
2002 - 1664.PDF
HEADLINES DEFENCE STEWART PENNEY / LINKOPING Sweden begins battlespace fusion Small-scale test will lead to major exercises from 2005 that will build platform for Net-Centric Warfare capability Sweden will next week begin the first trial of systems for its Net- Centric Warfare (NCW) plans in a programme designed to lead to an integrated battlespace by 2010. The NCW concept is intended to add every manned and unmanned aircraft, vehicle and ship as well as command and control (C2) ele ments into a single network. Demo 02 is part of a series of small tests leading to major exercises from 2005. Future development will link each platforms' sensors individu ally into the network. FMV, the defence materiel administration, and Swedish indus try will participate in the three-day Demo 02 - a "basic technology AIR TRANSPORT ICAO signs Afghan deal The International Civil Aviation Organisation signed a manage ment services agreement (MSA) with Afghanistan on 30 May, launching a six-month, $8.2 mil lion project, funded by Afghanistan, to rebuild Kabul International Airport. The agree ment is part of a $37 million ICAO initiative to rebuild the country's civil aviation system to international aviation standards. ICAO will have responsibility for hiring and training airport and air traffic personnel and pur chasing airport and air traffic control (ATC) equipment and facilities. Funds to begin rebuild ing Afghanistan's 11 airports, to fully reopen the airspace and re establish the civil aviation administration are expected to come from countries that attended January's International Conference on Reconstruction Assistance to Afghanistan. ATC upgrades will include new VHF radio transceivers and antenna, VHF omni range/dis tance measuring equipment radio navigation system and Category I instrument landing system. baseline demonstration" of a com mon integrated situational awareness picture. Saab defence system analyst Stefan Nygren says the aim of Demo 02 is to prove it is possible to link military and civilian forces and create a single display for two exer cise scenarios: one involving Danish and Swedish naval forces, the other an army battalion on exercise targeted by terrorists. Real and simulated forces will be used in Demo 02, including ships and army vehicles, while one of Saab's J AS39 Gripen simulators and an unmanned air vehicle ground station simulator will also be plugged into the network. Eclipse Aviation has received its largest European order for the Eclipse 500 personal jet, securing a 112-aircraft deal with Swiss com pany Aviace for its newly launched "private jet club". Aviace's order is the second- largest single deal for the jet after an order of 1,000 from Nimbus Group, which wants to set up an air-taxi service in North America. Hilmar Hilmarsson, Aviace chief executive, says the aircraft's low price of $873,000 makes it perfect The demonstration will use two links - the armed forces secure net work and the civilian internet. Using the internet is a key element of Sweden's programme. Although Saab has developed a wide area situation picture (WASP) display, Demo 02 will be based in the FMV's Smart Lab in Stockholm. The Saab display is an element within a C: operations room simu lator that is part of the company's NCW development centre. An operational WASP will need to be adaptable to the requirements of each C? centre - supreme head quarters needs the overall situa tion, whereas a battalion comman der wants local information. for the Aviace Club concept, whereby Aviace will supply the air craft for a fixed term to networks of operators, which in turn will sell them on to club members. First flight of the Eclipse 500 is expected in late July, leading to US certification in December next year and first deliveries in early 2004. Vern Raburn, president and chief executive of Eclipse Aviation, says a large European customer will not change certification plans for the aircraft because the design is being Success in Demo 02 will lead to similar trials next year and in 2004 ahead of the key Demo 05 and Demo 06, intended to put the foundations in place for an NCW initial operating capability in 2010. Demo 05 in 2005 will be the first major test of integrating multiple sensors from numerous platforms into a WASP and correlating the information to the network. This month's test will provide only tar get numbers, with the 2005 trial to fuse data, providing coherent infor mation on each target. Demo 06 will add decision sup port to the capability so it is possi ble to use the WASP and related information to control field forces. carried out to Joint Aviation Requirement 23 standards. But the aircraft is likely to have a lower payload in Europe because keeping operating costs low is cru cial, says Raburn. For this, the max imum take-off weight needs to be restricted to 2,000kg (4,4001b), a 140kg reduction. Range under European regulations will also be reduced, to around 1,660km (900nm) from 2,400km. This "is not a problem for Europe", he adds. Raburn says a key attraction for European customers is that the air craft needs only 2,060ft (630m) to clear a 50ft obstacle and can use grass runways. The first prototype is in final assembly at Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Williams Inter national 7701b-thrust (3.4kN) EJ22 turbofan is undergoing flight test ing on a Rockwell Sabreliner 65. Aviace Standard 50h member ship will have an initial joining fee of €78,000 ($72,000), plus €650 an hour and a monthly management fee of €1,000. Hilmarsson says Aviace Club has more than 10 memoranda of understanding for membership. BUSINESS & GENERAL AVIATION JUSTIN WASTNAGE / GENEVA Swiss private jet club plac European order for Eclips First prototype of the personal jet is in final assembly in Albuquerque, USA places biggest Eclipse 500 jet 6 4-10 JUNE 2002 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL www.fliqhtinternational.com
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