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Aviation History
2002
2002 - 2368.PDF
CONTRACTS • Oman has requested the sale of two Goodrich DB-110 or two BAE Systems F-9210 pod ded reconnaissance systems, along with a ground exploitation station for recently ordered Lockheed Martin F-16s. A deal could be worth $49 million. • Lockheed Martin has received a $27 million contract to upgrade US Customs Service P-3B airborne early-warning aircraft. Changes will bring the aircraft into line with USCS P-3 intercep tors and include glass cockpits with new flight management systems, updated mission sys tems, upgraded radar, communications and navigation systems.* The US State Department has purchased eight Bell Huey II upgrade kits for the upgrade of Peruvian national police UH-1Hs as part of the war on drugs. • DynCorp has been selected by Pratt & Whitney Canada to pro duce installation kits for its UH-1 upgrade, which replaces the Lycoming T53 with a PT6C-67D. • Sigma Aerospace has received a three-year contract with a two-year option from the Royal Netherlands Air Force to support Rolls-Royce T56 engines and Hamilton Sundstrand propellers for the Lockheed Martin C-130H. The Malaysian air force has awarded the company a three- year contract to support C-130 propellers. • Italy's Galileo Avionica has signed a memo randum of understanding with Lockheed Martin covering par ticipation in the Joint Strike Fighter programme. Galileo-con trolled Fiar and Meteor are expected to receive contracts worth €200 million ($196 million) over the next eight years. Piaggio Aero Industries is expected to sign a similar deal next year. • Bell Boeing has been awarded a $32.3 million US Navy contract to reconfigure four low-rate initial production V-22 Ospreys to a safe return- to-flight specification. Work includes depreservation, software upgrades, anti-icing instrumentation modifications, hydraulic and fuel line clearance redesigns and incorporation of specification-compliant fuel cells. DEFENCE ELECTRONIC ATTACK PAUL LEWIS / WASHINGTON DC Boeing chases USAF and Navy EW requirements But Marines want to keep EA-6B until electronic version of Joint Strike Fighter is ready Boeing and mission system supplier Raytheon are to pursue an elec tronic attack (EA) version of the planned A-45 unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) for the US Air Force. Meanwhile Boeing is lobby ing for the funding to launch devel opment of the EA-18G version of the Super Hornet for the US Navy. Despite Department of Defense moves to look for a joint electronic attack replacement for the Northrop Grumman EA-6B, the three US services are continuing to consider separate solutions. The USN remains focused on the EA-18, the US Marine Corps wants to keep the EA-6B Prowler until an electronic attack Joint Strike Fighter can be fielded, while the USAF prefers a distributed EA architecture. The USAF is considering a net work of receiver and jammer plat forms, with a focus on electronic attack rather than suppression of enemy air defences as the A-45's ini tial capability. "There is significant interest in EA and we are looking at the concept of operations and work ing closely with Boeing and USAF to assess the best package," says Heidi Shyu, director Raytheon unmanned combat vehicles. Boeing is expecting a contract shortly to begin work on the X-45B Spiral 1 UCAV demonstrator, intended to be closely representa tive of the operational vehicle and due to fly in 2005. The USAF is looking to field an initial 14 Spiral 2 A-45s in 2007-08. Work on Spiral 3 will start in 2006 and Spiral 4 in 2007. Future UCAV capabilities will include directed energy weapons. Boeing continues to work on a manned solution to the navy's needs. It had been hoping to build 180 EA-18Gs under a joint-service programme, but a sole USN buy would halve the number. Boeing has also looked at several alterna tives to new-build aircraft that could accelerate entry into service and lower costs. The EA-18G is priced at $60 million each and is due to enter service in 2009. Options include equipping two- seat F/A-18FS to take the EA-6B's ICAP III receiver and ALQ-99 jam mer pods as a retrofit, or wiring just the Super Hornet's wing. "You make the assumption that the antennas will work there when they have not been tested," says Pat Finneran, Boeing vice-president USN/USMC programmes. UNMANNED SYSTEMS Northrop Grumman shows Watchkeeper hand Northrop Grumman will offer the Swiss Aircraft and Systems Enter prise Ranger tactical unmanned air vehicle (UAV) as part of its proposal for the UK's Watchkeeper intelli gence, surveillance, target acquisi tion and reconnaissance system. The US company will also offer its RQ-8A Fire Scout, which is in US Navy-funded engineering and manufacturing development, as the longer-endurance UAV. The Ranger is in service with Swiss and Finnish armies. Bob Mitchell, Northrop Grum man Integrated Systems vice-presi dent advanced systems develop ment, says the Fire Scout will be modified with upgraded systems to meet Watchkeeper requirements. Northrop Grumman has also teamed with Spanish shipbuilder Izar to offer the vertical take-off and landing Fire Scout to Spain and Norway. All four competitors have now revealed their Watchkeeper selec tions. BAE Systems is offering the Fire Scout will receive different sensors, communications and other systems General Atomics RQ-1 Predator and AAI Shadow; Lockheed Martin the EADS Eagle and Meggitt Spectre 3; and Thales the Elbit Hermes 150 and 450. A downselection to two teams for the systems-integration assurance phase is due this month, with a win ner to be chosen next year. Meanwhile, the US Army and TRW are discussing arming the TRW/Israel Aircraft Industries Hunter UAV. The army bought seven Hunter systems before can celling the programme, although it has proposed buying additional systems. IAI and TRW will jointly develop the armed Hunter. 16 6-12 AUGUST 2002 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL www.flightinternational.com
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