FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
2003
2003 - 2275.PDF
DEFENCE REPLACEMENT STEPHEN TRIMBLE / WASHINGTON DC & LUBOMIR SEDLAK / PRAGUE Final call for Czech fighter bidders Up to six contenders remain in the competition, and best offers for the requirement are due in at the end of October Final bids to meet the Czech Republic's requirement for 14 air defence fighters are due in at the end of October, with a decision expected before the end of the year. The deal is for an interim solution for aircraft for the next five to 10 years to replace the Czech air force's ageing MiG-21s, with a potential longer term requirement for new aircraft. As many as six contenders are still in the competition, all thought to be offering used aircraft, although an official from the Swedish procurement organisation FMV left open the possibility of bidding new BAE Systems/Saab Gripens. "Nothing is excluded at this point," he says. The Czech Republic cancelled its order for 24 new Gripens in November 2002. The US Government has approv ed a Pentagon offer of a $550 mil lion loan to cover lease or purchase of Lockheed Martin F-16s, either from US Air Force stock or in sup port of used F-16 offers from Belgium and the Netherlands. Canada is offering used Boeing The Gripen remains a strong contender for the revived Czech requirement, but faces stiff competition F/A-18s, and the UK was to offer the Panavia Tornado F3 but with drew after it became clear that the aircraft could not cost-effectively meet the potential 10-year in-ser vice requirement. France is under stood to be offering Dassault Mirage 2000s. Industry sources point to possi ble similarities between the Gripen deal brokered for Hungary and that being offered to the Czech Republic, which would see the air craft upgraded from their current JAS 39A/B standard with improve ments that could include the addi tion of a fuselage plug to accom modate extra fuel, bringing them close to the latest C/D standard. The aircraft would be leased, although industry sources say a lease/purchase deal - again similar to Hungary's - could be agreed. ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY JULIAN MOXON HELICOPTERS STEPHEN TRIMBLE / WASHINGTON DC Boeing/Sikorsky plans Comanche redesign Boeing/Sikorsky is to undertake a $50 million mini-redesign of the F*AH-66 Comanche by year-end, aiming to shed nearly 91 kg (200lb) from its overall weight. The move, which will produce an increase in vertical climb rate, is des igned to pre-empt the US Army's forthcoming review of its aviation portfolio. Programme officials say the Comanche's design will exceed weight targets during early production lots, with planned enhancements to be introduced with the third lot increasing airframe weight to 4,585kg or about 68kg over target. Officials say each extra pound (0.454kg) trims 1ft/min (0.005m/s) off the helicopter's vertical rate of climb, a critical performance parameter. Even at its projected weight, the Comanche falls within the army's required 2.28- 3.8m/s vertical climb requirement. About 600 weight saving ideas were proposed during a Comanche "weight summit" in late August, to which helicopter, fixed-wing and spacecraft design ers were invited. Solutions included replacing metal components with compo site items in areas such as the transmission housing and weapon launcher. Meanwhile, the Comanche's future is subject to a review of army aviation launched by incoming Chief of Staff Gen Peter Schoomaker. A taskforce of doctrine, acquisition and operational experts is due to report by 1 November following a review of the army's fleet mix and possibly a consolidation to two airframes from the army's portfolio, which includes the Boeing AH-64 Apache, CH-47 Chinook, Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk and Bell OH-58 Kiowa Warrior. The army says another focus of the taskforce is to examine the long- range strike doctrine using attack helicopters, a subject of intense debate since an Iraqi ambush on 23 March resulted in the loss of one Apache and rendered 28 more unflyable for several days. BUSINESS JETS G450 enters ACS project race Northrop Grumman has unveiled Gulfstream's new G450 business jet as its candidate to be the platform for the US Army/Navy Aerial Common Sensor (ACS) programme. Gulfstream formally introduced the G450, formerly dubbed the GIV- NEXT, last week at the National Business Aviation Association's annual meeting in Orlando see P21). The ACS programme began as the army's next-generation airborne intelligence system, replacing age ing RC-12 Guardrails and RC-7B Airborne Reconnaissance Lows. It has now grown to include most of the navy's cancelled Multimission Maritime Aircraft programme. The order could range from 52 to 57 aircraft, including 38 for the army and 14 to 19 for the Navy, says Northrop Grumman's ACS execut ive William Allen. A downselect is due in late February or early March. The ACS platform, which will be called the RC-20, will carry a sensor suite comprised of an infrared imag ing system, signals intelligence and a synthetic aperture radar/ground- moving target indicator. Northrop Grumman's selection of the G450 offers perhaps the most visible split with its rival Lockheed Martin, which is offering the larger Embraer ERJ-145 regional jet. Both teams are sparring over claims on affordability, starting with Northrop Grumman's assertion that Lockheed Martin's bid to use a regional jet platform can be "less expensive only if the army accepts a lower level of performance than the operator says they need". Lockheed Martin responds that its analysis of several platforms, including Gulfstream jets, showed the ERJ-145 offered the best value solution. Gulfstream designed the G450 as a commercial follow-up to the G550, incorporating the latter's PlaneView digital cockpit, 1,839m (6,000 ft) cabin environment and flight control system. A draft ACS request for proposals was due to be released late last week, offering both teams an early glimpse of any new requirements imposed by the navy. www.fliqhtinternational.com FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 14-20 OCTOBER 2003 17
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
