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Aviation History
2004
2004-09 - 0257.PDF
DEFENCE AVIONICS CRAIG HOYLE / LONDON USA clears Lynx system for use on Watchkeeper General Atomics/Sandia National Laboratories-developed radar approved for export to UK The US government has given its approval to the possible export of the General Atomics/Sandia National Laboratories-developed APY-8 Lynx synthetic aperture radar (SAR) to equip the UK's future Watchkeeper tactical unmanned air vehicles. Confirmed earlier this month, the decision could see the UK acquire unrestricted systems able to provide a 100mm (4in) imaging resolution from an altitude of 35,000ft (10,700m) and a full ground moving-target indication (GMTI) capability. The UK will not, however, be offered co-production of the US payload. The Lynx system has been offered to both prime contractors contest ing the UK's Watchkeeper require ment, worth around £800 million ($1.4 billion), for possible future integration with the Firescout UAV promoted by Northrop Grumman or the Hermes WK450 being offered by Thales. The system has already been used during flight demonstra tions at the rotary-wing Firescout system in the USA, but could not be demonstrated with the Elbit Systems/Silver Arrow Hermes 450 in Israel due to export restrictions. Elta- and Thales-supplied SARpayloads are also being considered for the fixed-wing WK450, which will have an operating ceiling of around 16,000ft, according to Thales. If selected for use by the UK armed forces, the Lynx system will use the current payload's three-axis gimbal, with the radar electronics assembly to be drawn from the reduced weight Lynx II system now under development for the US Army. The 39kg (861b) system recently passed its preliminary design review and development work is scheduled for completion in May 2005. The design will then undergo six months of integration work with the RQ-8B Firescout, which has been selected as the Class IV UAV for the army's Future Combat Systems programme. General Atomics has, mean while, disclosed a number of new developments being pursued for future enhancements of the Lynx system. These include the availabil ity of 3D digital terrain elevation modelling and automatic man- made metal object detection, plus maritime moving-target indication, maritime SAR and high-resolution brick-map imaging modes. The company is also developing a larger Lynx XR (extended-range) payload for use with its Aeronautical Systems division's MQ-9 Predator B, which will offer the current imaging resolution from an increased altitude of 45,000ft. A number of additional countries have shown interest in acquiring the Lynx SAR, including Italy, South Korea, Taiwan, Turkey and a number of other NATO member nations. However, a General Atomics source says none of these countries are likely to receive approval to obtain systems with a full GMTI capability or imaging res olution better than 300mm, mak ing the UK the only country in line to receive US-standard equipment. UNMANNED AIR VEHICLES ARIE EGOZI / TEL AVIV IAI reveals details of micro UAV Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) has released first details of a micro unmanned air vehicle programme which has led to the development of the Mosquito range of experi mental systems. The Mosquito 1 weighs 250g (7oz) and has a wing span of about 300mm (12in). Equipped with a miniature video camera, the design has already undergone several test flights of up to 40min. Scheduled for first flight within the next few weeks, the larger Mosquito 1.5 system weighs less than 500g, including an enhanced video camera and improved avion ics, enabling it to perform autonomous sorties. It has a maxi mum endurance of about lh. The Mosquito 1 is equipped with a miniature video camera FIGHTER Raptor nearer to operational testing phase A top US Department of Defense panel says the F/A-22 Raptor has made progress, but it has stopped short of clearing the Lockheed Martin/Boeing fighter to begin the next phase of operational testing in April, writes Stephen Trimble. The Defense Acquisition Board (DAB), chaired by under secretary of acquisition, technology and logistics Michael Wynne, is continuing to monitor the US Air Force's progress towards achieving the avionics stability requirement before the programme is certified to begin initial operational test and evalu ation (IOT&E), says the Pentagon. "The start of IOT&E remains event-based," it says. Last September, the DAB required the air force to prove that the F/A-22's avionics suite can operate for 5h without any "instability events". The pro gramme has moved closer to that level in recent weeks, sur passing the 5h threshold in laboratory testing. Sustaining that performance in the cockpit is now the focus. Wynne was encouraged by the programme's progress after receiving an air force briefing on 22 March. "There appear to be no impediments to entering IOT&E in the April timeframe," says the DoD. Even so, the air force missed its chance to receive clearance to enter IOT&E last week from the DAB panel. The air force had hoped to begin this phase in March, but nagging avionics problems and airframe maintenance glitches have caused this schedule to slip by at least a month. The programme is scrambling to complete operational testing in time to keep on track for a decision on full-rate production in December. A report by the US General Accounting Office last week called on the air force to submit a new business case for justifying the $71.8 billion pro gramme. www.flightinternational.com FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 30 MARCH - 5 APRIL 2004 15
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