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Aviation History
2003
2003 - 1796.PDF
DEFENCE • The US Missile Defense Agency has awarded Boeing a $241.8 million contract for Airborne Laser (ABL) Block 2004 work. The ABL Block 2004 pro gramme includes cost adjust ments for the laser, beam control and integration and test efforts. • General Dynamics UK has received a £25 million ($42 mil lion) UK Ministry of Defence contract to provide the British Army's Westland Apache AH1 attack helicopters with Bowman radio system ground-to-air data connectivity. • L-3 Commun ications' Link Simulation and Training business has received a $26.6 million Boeing contract to build additional F/A-22 Raptor training devices. • Whittaker Controls has been selected by Northrop Grumman to supply bleed air components for the radar pressurisation and cooling system for the E-2 Hawkeye. • The German parliament has given the go-ahead to procure self-protection systems for the Transall C160 transport. Initially 18 sets will be acquired, 12 air craft fitted with systems and another 12 prepared for future installation. • The US Naval Air Systems Command has awarded BAE Systems an engi neering and technical services contract potentially worth $117 million to support IFF interrogator systems. • EDO is to supply a wideband multifunction antenna fortheF/A-18E/Fundera Boeing contract potentially worth over $6 million. • Northrop Grumman is to develop the Space-Based Space Surveill ance pathfinder system to detect and track objects in near-Earth orbit and deep space under a $19.9 million US Air Force con tract. • ITT Gilfillan is to provide three MPN-14K approach control radars to Taiwan under a $74.4 million contract. • Singapore Technologies Aerospace Systems has been appointed by Parker Aerospace as the first service centre for the repair and overhaul of the Lockheed Martin F-16 integrated servo actuator in South-EastAsia. • Air New Zealand Engineering Services has won a Royal Australian Navy contract for the overhaul and repair of LM2500 ship turbine engines for six years. Australia's Global Hawk UAVs are intended to take over maritime patrol missions performed by AP-3Cs UNMANNED SYSTEMS PETER LA FRANCHI / CANBERRA Australia polishes Global Hawk acquisition plans Canberra hopes to make rolling purchases of Northrop Grumman UAV to spread costs Australia has unveiled new details of its Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned air vehi cle acquisition plans. Canberra hopes to make rolling purchases to ensure continuity with versions operated by the US armed forces and to spread acquisition costs. The programme retains plans for a further round of funded Australian participation in the development of a maritime RQ-4 variant. This will be followed by three acquisition phases to build a fleet of at least six air vehicles by 2012. The first systems would become operational around 2009. The plan continues to form part of Australia's Air 7000 programme, which includes a new manned patrol and response aircraft to replace the Royal Australian Air Force's Lockheed Martin AP-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft. The phased approach is intended to allow Global Hawk UAVs to pro gressively take over a variety of mar itime patrol missions performed by the AP-3Cs. In turn, the RAAF hopes this will facilitate an increase in AP-3C service life to around 2015. Earlier plans had called for retire ment around 2007. The new round of funded Global Hawk participation has been desig nated as Air 7000 Phase 1A. Internal Australian Department of Defence recommendations on how that phase will proceed will be consid ered by DoD capability committees before year-end, with Australian cabinet approvals planned for inclusion in the May 2004 budget. The initial acquisition phase is designated Air 7000 Phase IB, under which at least two air vehicles will be provided. Phase 1C will provide additional air vehicles and may exp and the range of sensor payloads. The final acquisition tranche, Air 7000 Phase ID, will expand the cap ability established in earlier acquisi tions. Replacement of the AP-3Cs is designated Air 7000 Phase 2. The Australian government will consider how to fund the Phase IB, 1C, ID and Phase 2 requirements in late 2006, with funding approval proposed for the 2007-8 defence budget. INVESTIGATION Indonesian deal under scrutiny Indonesia's parliament is investi gating the purchase of four Sukhoi fighters and two Mil helicopters from Russia. President Megawati Sukarnoputri has been accused by politicians of bypassing normal procedures in not seeking defence ministry and parlia mentary approval before signing the deal in April. The parliament last week tasked a committee to deter mine if there was any wrongdoing. Industry officials say the probe is politically driven and is unlikely to jeopardise the contract. Megawati is seeking re-election next year. The inquiry could slow delivery of the aircraft, which was to begin late this year, and potential follow- on purchases in eastern Europe. Last week Indonesia sent a delegation to Poland to evaluate PZL Sokol heli copters and the PZL M28 Skytruck. Indonesia is paying for two Suk hoi Su-27SKs, two Su-30MKs and two Mil Mi-35 Hinds, together worth $193 million, mostly by providing Russia with local com modities. Indonesia has made a downpayment covering about one- seventh of the deal. Some polit icians have criticised Megawati for using the government logistics age ncy Bulog to provide the payment. FLIGHT TEST India's LCA to go supersonic The Hindustan Aeronautics Tejas light combat aircraft (LCA), is being primed for its first super sonic flight this week. Dr V K Aatre, scientific adviser to the Indian defence minister, says the flight will begin the next stage of envelope expansion. The two technology demon strator LCAs have completed more than 80 sorties since the first flight of TD1 in early 2001. The government has given the go-ahead for the initial pro duction of eight Tejas. 18 15-21JULY 2003 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL www.fliqhtinternational.com
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