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Aviation History
2003
2003 - 0788.PDF
DEFENCE PRECISION ATTACK PAUL LEWIS / WASHINGTON DC NetFires primed for development Lockheed Martin and Raytheon win risk-reduction contracts for Loitering Attack and Precision Attack missiles The US Army is preparing to trans fer its NetFires/Missile in a box (MIB) concept from a demonstra tion to a full-scale development programme. Lockheed Martin and Raytheon have been awarded risk-reduction contracts for the Loitering Attack Missile (LAM) and Precision Attack Missile (PAM), respectively, along with a planned common container/launcher. The two companies have been pursuing independent LAM and PAM demonstrations under a sepa rate Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency-funded pro gramme that is due to be con cluded this year. The new $7.5 mil lion contracts are designed to ready the two MIBs for the start of system demonstration and development (SDD) at year-end and to merge the two container/launcher designs into a common system. "We'll sit down with Lockheed Martin and decide what's best," says Glen Sutton, Raytheon NetFires pro gramme manager. Although funda mentally different in terms of guid ance and propulsion, PAM and LAM are complementary weapons that share a 180mm (7in) diameter air frame, designed for vertical launch from a standalone containerised box. The 15-cell container/launcher is intended initially to be mounted on the back of a Humvee all-terrain vehicle. Raytheon expects to conduct the first of seven guided tests of a com plete PAM next month. The missile has an uncooled imaging infrared seeker and will be equipped with semi-active laser guidance. A high- bandwidth datalink will be used to receive off-board targeting data and updates. The missile is powered by an Aerojet 20-4001b (0.09-1.8kN) controllable thrust rocket, intended to optimise speed and extend range to 40km (22nm). Lockheed Martin is due shortly to flight test the first LAM, which will be equipped with a laser-radar seeker, which with the aid of a tar get recognition system can be used for its own guidance and to cue PAM. The missile has a Microturbo turbojet, to be replaced during SDD by a turbofan, and an extending wing to provide a 30min cruise and 70km range. Work to be completed during SDD includes development of LAM and PAM warheads, and producing an arming device and reducing weight for production. Lockheed Martin LAM business development manager Steve Altman says SDD with full funding could be cut to three years because of work done during the demonstration. A common launcher is planned BUDGET Long-Range Aviation to benefit from Russian spending boost Russia's Long-Range Aviation (DA) is expected to receive a consider able portion of the extra defence funding that the Duma requested in response to the Iraq hostilities. The Russian parliament asked the government to increase the defence budget to 3.5% of gross national product (GNP). The 2003 defence budget is 344.3 billion roubles ($11 billion), or 2.65% of GNP. Maint enance, research and development, and construction receives 37% of the total, while procurement receives 55.2 billion roubles. The parliament demanded addi tional funds to "modernise the Russian armed forces and equip them with modern weaponry". Chairman of the Duma defence committee Gen Andrei Nikolaev says priorities are "strategic nuclear forces, space, reconnaissance, com munications and control systems, weapons using new physical prin ciples, anti-missile and anti-aircraft defence and the navy". Nuclear forces are expected to get the bulk of extra funds, allowing RS-12M2 Topol-M intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) production to increase from six to 10 missiles a year; and a life extension to 2016 for 150 RS-20 ICBMs. Decisions are expected this year on RS-18 and RS-22 ICBM life extensions. DA's nuclear assets consist of 624 cruise missiles on 78 strategic bombers. DA commander Gen Igor Khvorov says the "importance of the [Tupolev] Tu-160 and Tu-95MS strategic bombers carrying low-fly ing cruise missiles will increase" because of the US decision to field an anti-ballistic missile system, but DA is facing funding shortages. Last year bomber pilots averaged 25h flying time. The bomber fleet has been given a non-nuclear role. Khvorov says DA has received "a new variant of the long-range cruise missile with conventional warhead", believed to be the Raduga X-555, which is viewed as a stop-gap ahead of the X-101's service entry. v» PZL-SWIDNIK SA Producer of helicopters: • PZL W-3A SokoJ • PZLKania • Mi-2 • PZLSW-4 Al. Lotnikow Polskich 1, 21-045 Swidnik POLAND tel. +48 (81) 751 35 05 fax +48 (81), 468 09 18 http://www.pzl.swidnik.pl; e-mail: hem@pzl.swidnik.pl www.flightinternational.com FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 8-14 APRIL 2003 21
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