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Aviation History
2002
2002 - 3281.PDF
HEADLINES DEFENCE PAUL LEWIS / WASHINGTON DC NATO to start on AGS requirement A meeting this month should give the plan the go-ahead NATO's Conference of National Armaments Directors (CNAD) has agreed a three-phase plan to kick- start preliminary work on the alliance's airborne ground surveil lance system (AGS) requirement in January, subject to final political endorsement at a heads of state and government meeting in Prague on 21-22 November. AGS is one of several new pro grammes due to be addressed at the Prague summit to support the 1999 Defence Capabilities Initiative (DCI). NATO secretary general Lord Robertson has made AGS a top pri ority and aims to have a system in place by 2010. Other DCI priorities to be debated include transports and in-flight refuelling tankers. It is understood that representa tives from 17 nations agreed to a proposed AGS schedule, with a pro gramme definition phase (PDP) starting in early 2003, at the CNAD meeting in late October. France is expected to formally add its sup port at the summit. This would lead to release of a request for pro posals mid-year, which is expected to be a sole source exercise, with full design and development begin ning in November. A production decision is targeted for 2005. Sources say a critical factor in the CNAD decision was US government approval of a number of technical assistance agreements. These clear the way for Northrop Grumman and Raytheon to begin technical discussions with EADS, Fokker Space, Galileo, Indra and Thales on joint sensor development combin ing the US companies' Multi Platform-Radar Technology Inser tion Programme and the European Stand-off Surveillance and Target Acquisition Radar demonstrator. NATO is budgeting $350 million to integrate the AGS suite with a mid-size jet platform, with the Airbus A321 being the most likely choice. The alliance is initially seek ing six aircraft and may increase or opt for a mixed fleet with unman ned air vehicles such as the North rop Grumman RQ-4A Global Hawk. This question is expected to be addressed by the PDP. Meanwhile, a group of NATO nations led by Germany has debated the acquisition, loan, lease or power-by-the-hour use of Boeing C-17 transports until the Airbus Military A400M enters service. The German defence ministry says a NATO working group has been given a "tight timeframe" in which to report its findings. Robertson is understood to have delivered the proposal as a fait accompli to the lead nations in the A400M project and procurement details are now being discussed. Tanker aircraft could be acquired in a similar manner, by pooling assets or modifying airframes to in flight refuellers, says NATO. While some countries have tanker orders or plan procurements, there re mains a shortfall until the aircraft enter service, says the alliance. Meanwhile, German defence minister Peter Struck met his French and UK counterparts last week to discuss the A400M, devel opment of which has still not been agreed. Struck has to present spending plans to the German government by the end of this month and the dossier is thought to conclude which of the outstanding interna tional collaborations can be delayed or reduced. Germany's joint chief of staff has been asked to present the findings from a "military strategy point of view" and is thought to have been given a tacit undertaking that his budget of €26 billion ($26 million) will not be cut. The defence ministry says it is in talks with Airbus Military as well as the other major A400M purchasers to deter mine whether Germany would be able take fewer than the 73 to which Berlin is committed. The ministry adds: "If any reduction makes each aircraft more expensive, then it's back to square one." ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY JUSTIN WASTNAGE IN LONDON Briefing Mixed fortunes for US airlines FINANCE Las Vegas-based National Airlines has ceased operations after failing to finalise a refinancing package, less than three months after its applic ation for a US government loan guarantee was rejected. The airline says it was unable to complete a $112 million restructuring programme announced in September. The airline, which operated 18 Boeing 757-200s, criticised the Air Transportation Stabilization Board (ATSB) for rejecting its request for a $50.5 million federal loan guarantee. The ATSB said it was not confident that Nat ional, which has been operating under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection since December 2000, would repay the loan. New York-based carrier JetBlue Airways, meanwhile, has reported a third-quarter profit of $12.2 million, up 21 % on revenues that doubled over the same period last year. Denver-based Frontier Airlines' performance plummeted in the quarter, to a net loss of $4 million compared to a net profit of $7.3 million for the same period last year. Frontier has secured a $63 million government loan guarantee. Fairchild bidders get more time SALE The administrators of bankrupt Fairchild Dornier last week extended until the end of the year the deadline for finalising the sale of the company. Talks are proceeding with Dimeling, Schreiber & Park which is interested in taking over the 328JET line, and with a Swiss concern, believed to be RUAG, that wants the company's maintenance and component manufacturing activities. Administrator Schultze & Braun says that this process will take between three and six weeks to finalise, which gives the alternative bidders interested in buying the entire company - Russian concern Basic Element, Earl Robinson-led Alliance Aircraft and Switzerland- based Aviation Finance Consulting - extra time to put together their offers. Irish eliminate Orlik COMPETITION The Irish defence ministry has eliminated the PZL-Okecie TC-11 Orlik as it downselects trainer types in preparation for an eight aircraft order by year-end. The Embraer Super Tucano, Pilatus PC-9M and Raytheon T-6A remain in the running for the order. The ministry says it hopes to make a final choice in early December, followed by a downpayment before year-end. The aircraft will be introduced over an 18-month to two-year period from order placement. The defence ministry says the Orlik was eliminated as it "did not meet the tender specification". Meanwhile, the Irish government is rethinking its search and rescue medium-lift helicopter requirement, for which it is eval uating a lease deal and a public/private partnership arrangement. After the collapse of an order for three Sikorsky S-92s in July under legal pressure from Eurocopter, its EC725 and AgustaWestland EH 101 are being considered. Turkish forces to resist over Israel POLITICS Turkey's armed forces will block any attempt by the new government to reduce the vast defence co-operation between Ankara and Israeli industry, believe Israeli defence experts. Concerns have been raised following the landslide election victory of the Turkish AKP Islamic party. Turkey and Israel have significant links and more deals to purchase Israeli-made systems are on the agenda. Sources in Israel say the status of the Turkish armed forces as "defenders of the constitution" will foil any possible attempt to diminish defence ties with Israel. Turkey has been mentioned as the first potential export customer for the Arrow anti-tactical ballistic missile system. Aster makes first operational platform launch MISSILES An MBDA Aster 15 Naval surface-to-air missile was successfully launched for the first time from an operational platform on 30 October. The launch from France's aircraft carrier, the Charles de Gaulle, was the last trial prior to acceptance of the ship's self-defence system. In the trial, run by the French navy for the first time, the missile was launched from the starboard side of the Charles de Gaulle against a target which was entirely destroyed 6.1km (3.3nm) from the ship after an 8.8s flight. The trial took place in the Mediterranean. www.flightinternational.com FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 12-18 NOVEMBER 2002 5
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