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Aviation History
2003
2003 - 2519.PDF
DEFENCE WEAPONS PINO MODOLA / GENOA Italy approves missile production Long-running programme with France to enter third phase, but budget cut could force Rome to ditch other projects The defence committee of the Italian Senate has approved the first part of Phase 3 of the multi- year Future Surface-to-Air missile Family (FSAF) programme. The programme, a joint effort with France, covers development and production of the SAAM-IT and SAMP/T systems for naval point defence and ground-based medium- range anti-aircraft/missile defence, respectively, plus a SAMP/N (now PAAMS) medium-range naval sur face-to-air missile system. Completion of Phase 1 (develop ment of the SAAM and SAMP/T, and definition of the SAMP/N) is due by year-end, with Phase 2 (industrialisation, logistics, and upgrade of the missile seeker) expected to be completed in 2004 for the Italian naval systems and in 2006 for its ground-based system. The cost of Phase 1 was €775 mil lion ($916 million). Phase 2 is expected to cost €476 million, while Phase 3 will cost €1.09 billion. Phase 3 covers series production and maintenance, and will provide for Italy six SAMP/T systems with 288 Euromissile Aster 30 missiles to equip two air-defence regiments now equipped with Raytheon Hawk missiles, plus 32 Aster 15 missiles for the SAAM-IT system on the new Andrea Doria aircraft carrier. Italy and France agreed to split Phase 3 into three batches, due to start by year-end and be completed by 2014. Italy is committed to fulfil Batch 1 of Phase 3, with Batches 2 and 3 to be agreed with France under separate agreements due to be signed in July 2005 and July 2007. • The Italian government has called for a substantial cut in defence spen ding for the third consecutive year in its 2004 budget, potentially end angering some of Italy's interna tional programmes. The budget foresees expenditure of €14.09 bil lion, a theoretical increase of 2.1% over the figure for 2003, which becomes a 4.5% decrease when inflation and increased workforce costs are taken into account. Italian defence minister Antonio Martino admits to a "significant reduction of resources", adding that expendi tures over a longer period will have to be "diluted" and modernisation programmes postponed. Martino has told the govern ment that Italy could ask its inter national partners to renegotiate the terms of the agreements which were signed for the joint de velopment of defence programmes. The 2004 defence budget inc ludes €434 million for the Eurofighter programme, €126 mil lion for Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter development, €259 million for the NH Industries NH90 helicopter and €186.5 for leasing of 24 Panavia Tornado F3s. SATELLITES PETER LA FRANCHI /CANBERRA Australia releases cash for surveillance project The Australian government has quietly approved funding for further develop ment of the classified Joint Project 2044 military space-based surveillance programme following initial go-ahead in mid-2002. The project is believed to be based on Australia receiving radar surveil lance data from Singapore's planned constellation of intelligence satellites. Singapore finalised a deal with Israel in late 2000 for the supply of an undis closed number of satellites equipped with both electro-optic and radar surveillance payloads. It was last publicly disclosed by the Australian defence department in June 2001 and was predicated on government funding approval of Phase 2 in 2004. Existing funding approvals indicate the project underwent a major overhaul in late 2001 or early 2002. Work also continued on Phase 1 of the project during the 2002-3 Australian financial year The existence of the project was first flagged in 1995, with defence docu ments released in June of that year indicating that Australia would develop its own basic level surveillance satellites that carried both optical and syn thetic-aperture radar sensors. MISSILE Israel set to receive first improved Arrow 2 The first Israel Aircraft Industries/Boeing Arrow 2 anti-ballistic missiles will be supplied to the Israeli air force before the end of next year fol lowing another test launch this month to analyse improved software designed to increase the interception envelope. The USA is funding two-thirds of the Arrow system improve ment programme. The initial contract includes the joint pro duction of 300 Arrow 2s. OPERATIONS STEPHEN TRIMBLE / WASHINGTON DC USAF warns of readiness shortfalls following post-Iraq analysis The US Air Force is warning of operational readiness shortfalls for some aircraft as it counts the cost of losses and damage sustained during the Iraq war. Although aircraft equipment losses were few, battle damage and heavy usage extracted a huge toll on deployed units. One marine commander has said that 48 Bell AH-1 Cobra anti-tank helicopters alone required some level of depot repair during the conflict. The US Navy is concerned about its Northrop Grumman EA-6B Pro wler electronic warfare aircraft, which are expected to remain below pre-war availability rates for at least two years. The navy is seek ing $85 million to replace scores of outer-wing panels and speed up production of new centre-wing sec tions for the fleet, says vice-chief of naval operations Adm Michael Mullen. The average age of the navy's EA-6Bs is 21 years. Meanwhile, the US Marine Corps is not looking for direct replace ments for six of the seven aircraft lost in combat in the war, choosing to wait for follow-on programmes, says Assistant Commandant Gen William Nyland. Two Bell Boeing MV-22 Ospreys - due to be delivered in 2004 - will replace two crashed Boeing CH-46E Sea Knights, while a crashed Boeing AV-8B Harrier will be replaced by a Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. www.flightinternational.com FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 4-10 NOVEMBER 2003 23
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