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Aviation History
2003
2003 - 1983.PDF
DEFENCE DEVELOPMENT GRAHAM WARWICK / WASHINGTON DC Boeing begins enhanced Super Hornet deliveries Improved forward fuselage paves way for Block 2 avionics upgrade to increase capability Boeing has begun delivering F/A-18E/F Super Hornets with redesigned forward fuselages to the US Navy. The enhanced forward fuselage has fewer parts, reduces production cost and paves the way for the Block 2 avionics upgrade that will significantly increase the aircraft's capability. The redesigned nose is required to accommodate the major ele ment of the Block 2 upgrade, the Raytheon APG-79 active electroni cally scanned array (AESA) radar. Flight testing of the AESA has begun in a modified F/A-18F and Boeing has received a $49.5 million contract for low-rate initial produc tion of eight APG-79s for installa tion beginning in 2005. Initial operational capability (IOC) is planned for 2006. The first Block 2 element to become operational is the Rayth eon ASQ-228 advanced target forward-looking infrared (FLIR) pod, which has just passed opera tional evaluation (opeval) with a full-rate production decision planned for later this month. The initial pod has FLIR and laser designator: electro-optical camera, laser spot tracker, air-to-air laser ranging and navigation FLIR will be added next year, says Boeing F/A-18 deputy programme manager Chris Chadwick. Other elements of the Block 2 upgrade include advanced mission computer and displays. The mis sion computer, 125 x 125mm (5 x 5in) displays and fibre-optic net work will be introduced beginning in 2005, and from 2006 a large 205 x 255mm display will be installed in the rear cockpit of two-seat F/A-18Fs. This is part of the advanced aft crew station, which decouples the front and rear cock pits and enables the pilot and weapon-system operator to perform different tasks, says Chadwick. Of the other Block 2 elements, the joint helmet-mounted cueing system is already deployed with two F/A-18E/F squadrons. The Link 16 multifunction information dis tribution system is also deployed, and operational Super Hornets are equipped with Block 1 of the BAE Systems integrated defensive elec tronic countermeasures system. This uses the Raytheon ALE-50 towed decoy. IOC for Block 2, with new ALQ-214 jammer, is planned for next July, says Chadwick, while Block 3, with ALE-55 high-power fibre-optic owed decoy, is sched uled for opeval in December 2005. The Block 2 F/A-18E/F is the basis for the EA-18G electronic attack ver sion of the Super Hornet, for which Boeing expects to receive a $1.5 bil lion system development and dem onstration contract in December. The US Navy plans to buy 90 EA-18GS, with IOC planned for 2009, and the first 56 will be included in the second Super Hornet multi-year procurement, which covers 42 aircraft a year for five years beginning with Lot 27 in 2005. Multi-year will save $1 billion over annual procurement, says Chadwick. Super Hornet's redesigned nose will house the Raytheon APG-79 AESA AIR DEFENCE Russian companies offer hypersonic missile Russian state arms exporter Rosoboronexport, the TochMash design bureau and the Podolsk electromechanical factory are offer ing the Sosna short-range air- defence system comprising hyper sonic Sosna-R missiles and the 30mm twin-barrel 2A38M can non. The system is expected to be operational within two years. Mounted on a wheeled, towed chassis, the system has four con tainerised ready-to-launch missiles in containers that can defeat air craft, unmanned air vehicles, cruise missiles and guided bombs at alti tudes up to 11,500ft (3,500m) and 8km (4nm) range. The two-stage 26kg (601b) Sosna-R accelerates to l,200m/s (236,000ft/min), covering 8km in less than 12s, while withstanding 52g. The same missile is used in the Palma gun/missile warship air- defence system. The cannon, with 300 rounds, can engage air and ground targets at 4km. The Sosna has a 360° target- acquisition radar and a gyro-sta bilised multisensor turret with space for four sensors. The fire control sys tem is 24h, electro-optical type with laser beam control for the missile. PROCUREMENT Malaysia eyes trainer lease deal Malaysia is evaluating the lease of 17 ex-Royal New Zealand Air Force Aermacchi MB339CD trainers as it lacks the defence funding for a purchase. The purchase of 18 Sukhoi Su-30 fighters for $900 million and 10 Mil Mi-171 helicopters for $100 million has drained most of the budget. Several other programmes are competing for scarce remaining funds, including the roughly $75 million project cov ering the purchase of 17 MB339CDs and upgrade of eight in-service MB339As. Malaysia's defence ministry in May tentatively accepted New Zealand's offer to sell its 17 retired MB339s, but the finance ministry never approved the deal. The UK's VT Aerospace has since offered a lease deal, which the defence ministry is evaluat ing. Under the proposal, VT would buy the trainers from New Zealand and lease them by the hour to Malaysia. VT may provide maintenance while Malaysia's National Aero space and Defence Industries would upgrade the eight MB339As to CD configuration. The resulting 25 MB339CDs would give Malaysia a lead-in fighter trainer, needed to transi tion pilots to the Su-30s and Boeing F/A-18Ds. If the deal is rejected, several manufacturers are prepared to offer new-build trainers. But funds for such a purchase will not be available for several years. Industry sources say only a few of the many proposed pro curements will go ahead this year. A deal for 10 AgustaWestland A109s and several contracts that support the Sukhoi purchase, including a Thales avionics pack age, are expected to be signed in three weeks' time at the Langkawi 2003 air show. But programmes to upgrade Northrop F-5s and RSK MiG-29s and to acquire F/A-18Fs and air borne early warning aircraft will likely be delayed until next year. www.fliqhtinternational.com FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 16-22 SEPTEMBER 2003 21
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