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Aviation History
2004
2004-09 - 1837.PDF
DEFENCE PROCUREMENT STEPHEN TRIMBLE / WASHINGTON DC New-for-old Chinook plan agreed CHAPS programme will see US Army use foreign sales of used helicopters to finance purchase of updated models Scores of used Boeing CH-47D Chinooks could be offered to for eign buyers under a new plan allowing the US Army to use the proceeds to buy new-build CH-47F models, according to service and industry officials. Assistant secretary of the army for acquisition Claude Bolton has approved a proposal to launch the CH-47 cargo helicopter airframe procurement support (CHAPS) programme, which is intended to provide a new funding stream for CH-47F production. Several details, such as pricing for and numbers of used CH-47Ds involved in the sale, must be approved as part of a final package to be reviewed by Bolton in January or February. CHAPS appears to be modelled on a similar programme adopted by the US Air Force a decade ago to sell hundreds of Lockheed Martin F-16s deactivated after the first Gulf War. That effort, called the coali tion force enhancement pro gramme, had mixed results, with few, if any, immediate deals signed but groundwork laid for future sales of new F-16s, such as Poland's 2002 order for 48 Falcons. The army proposal addresses a new acquisition strategy adopted earlier this year. The army has scrapped a plan to modernise more than 300 CH-47Ds to the -F stan dard, featuring new cockpits and nose sections, through a remanu- facturing programme. Instead, Boeing has revamped its produc tion system to provide new-build CH-47FS for the same cost as a remanufactured airframe. The new- build model also includes a new main cabin supplied by Crestview Aerospace in Florida and a new empennage built by a Boeing plant in Macon, Georgia. An army official says the service intends to sell each used CH-47D to foreign customers for a price equiva lent to Boeing's reduced cost for the new-build CH-47F. A separate deal may be needed to sell the Chinook's engine to foreign customers. IN BRI STEALTH RADAR The US military has blocked the sale of six Czech Republic- made Vera radars to China by ordering the passive air defence radar itself. Washington protested at a bid by Czech manufacture Omnipol to export the radars, which are reputed to detect stealthy aircraft, to Beijing, and instead placed a CKrIOO million ($4 million) order, says Czech foreign minis ter Cyril Svoboda. INDIAN UPGRADE Israel Aircraft Industries, RSK MiG and an Elbit/Aerostarteam are bidding for the Indian defence ministry's proposed R6 billion ($130 million) MiG-29 upgrade. India's state-owned Defence Avionics Research Establishment could secure prime contractor status on the programme, which will equip the aircraft with improved navigation, precision targeting and standoff- strike capabilities. JOINT EXERCISE India is to host a joint air force exercise from its Gwalior air base with Singapore in early October Singapore will deploy six Lockheed Martin F-16 fight ers and one C-130 transport for exercise Ankush, which will also involve Indian air force strike air craft and an llyushin II-78 tanker. RESEARCH Polish university reveals concepts for UCAV The Warsaw University of Technology has unveiled con cepts of what it hopes will be a Polish unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV). Initial design work has been carried out on an air vehicle designated PW- 124 which is proposed as a 700km (380nm) maximum range, high subsonic speed ground-strike system with an endurance of 2.5h. The UCAV would be powered by a Microturbo TRI60-5 turbojet engine. POLISH UCAV CONCEPT LOGISTICS UK MoD ready to bundle Tornado repair work and slash flying costs A decision is expected early next year to roll all logistic support and upgrade work for the UK's Panavia Tornado GR4 fleet into a single contract with the aim of reducing flying costs by 50%. The UK Ministry of Defence is expected to award the over-arching "capability provision" contract to BAE Systems Customer Solutions & Support (CS&S), which has four contracts to support the Royal Air Force's main strike aircraft. Industry sources say the contract could be valued in the "low billions" of pounds over more than a decade. The move follows an announce ment by the UK Defence Logistics Organisation (DLO) of its decision to "fold forward" long-term Tornado GR4 maintenance and upgrade work from its site at St Athan, south Wales, to a facility at RAF Marham, Norfolk, run by mili tary personnel. Hundreds of job losses are expected at St Athan when the move is complete by 2008 - a further blow to the DLO's Defence Aviation Repair Agency (DARA), which had previously car ried out such work. This follows a similar initiative to move related work on the RAF's BAE Harrier GR7/9 fleet away from DARA to RAF Cottesmore. The proposed logistics restruc turing for the Tornado GR4 fleet is part of a larger, two-year effort to reduce the UK armed forces' main tenance costs by 20%. Under a potential contract to be awarded by mid-2006, BAE Systems would provide all logistics and upgrades for GR4s except engine work, to be performed by Rolls- Royce under a separate contract, industry sources say the contract is likely to be "heavily incentivised". 18 28 SEPTEMBER - 4 OCTOBER 2004 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL www.fliqhtinternational.com
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