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Aviation History
2004
2004-09 - 2066.PDF
DEFENCE REQUIREMENT BRENDAN SOBIE / YOKOHAMA Japan prepares for new fighter Boeing and Lockheed Martin to enter competition to replace Mitsubishi/McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom Boeing and Lockheed Martin are preparing to contest a new-genera tion Japanese fighter requirement that could kick off as early as next year and conclude with the selec tion of a replacement for the Mitsubishi/McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom in 2006. Lockheed Martin displayed at this month's Japan Aerospace 2004 exhibition a mock-up of a new multirole configuration of the Lockheed Martin/Mitsubishi F-2, dubbed the Super Kai. Japan has also received its first briefing on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and has expressed interest in possibly acquiring the Lockheed Martin F/A-22 Raptor. Boeing believes its F-15 or F-18 could potentially meet the F-X requirement. The Japan Defence Agency will establish an F-X team next January if the project is included in its new five-year budget, to run from April 2005. The team will formulate a requirement and launch aircraft evaluations next year, followed by a selection in 2006. Funding would run from 2008, with deliveries to start in 2012-13. However, Japan could also choose in December to delay the programme by five years until 2010, say Boeing and Lockheed Martin. With Japan mulling the early ter mination of F-2 production, Lockheed Martin and Mitsubishi earlier this year began discussing updates to ensure the design's sur vival Flight International, 17-23 August). Mitsubishi has so far deliv ered 53 F-2s from an original requirement for 130 aircraft, but Lockheed Martin F-2 programme director James Shidler says this total has already reduced to about 100 and that further cuts are possible. The existing F-2, similar to the F-16 Block 40, was designed for air- to-air duties and close-in sea-land surveillance. More similar to a Block 50 F-16, the Super Kai would feature new equipment, including a helmet- mounted cueing system, conformal fuel tanks, advanced mission com puter and an active electronically scanned array radar. The aircraft would also carry an advanced tar geting pod and laser and GPS- guided weapons. The proposed F-2 Super Kai is a low-risk, cost-effective solution that provides "a very logical bridge to their next-generation fighter", says Lockheed Martin vice-presi dent Ted Samples. Boeing Japan fighter programme manager Martin Luther says "both the F-15 and F-18 would be viable contenders" if the F-X programme is launched in the next five-year plan. Tokyo could also opt for the JSF or F/A-22, although these are considered long shots because of its traditional preference for co-pro duced or licence-built fighters. The new systems also may be too expensive for Japan's defence budget and may not be approved for export in time to meet its requirements. However, a decision to delay the F-X project until the five-year plan starting April 2010 could make the JSF or F/A-22 more viable. COMPETITION LAUNCH Portugal requests 12 medium transports The Portuguese defence ministry has launched a competition worth almost €260 million ($320 million) for the purchase of 12 new medium transport aircraft. The two leading candidates expected to contest the requirement are EADS Casa's C-295 and the Lockheed Martin Alenia Tactical Transport Systems C-27J Spartan. Portugal will dedicate seven of its new aircraft to transport duties, with the remainder to be config ured for maritime patrol applica tions, according to the country's defence ministry. The selected plat form will replace the Portuguese air force's current 24 EADS Casa C-212 transport and surveillance aircraft and augment the service's six Lockheed Martin P-3P Orion mar itime patrol aircraft. Bidders have until 15 December to submit proposals for the require ment, says the defence ministry. A platform selection is likely to be linked to a decision to privatise up to 65% of state-owned mainte nance and component manufac turing company OGMA, which Alenia is bidding for in competi tion with a joint bid from EADS and Embraer (Flight International, 24-30 August). The deal to secure'a stake in OGMA should be concluded by the end of 2004, says Paolo Pozzessere, Alenia's vice-president interna tional markets development. Lisbon was previously a partner in Europe's Airbus Military A400M airlifter project, but last year can celled its requirement to buy three of the aircraft, eliminating its national industry from securing workshare on the multinational project. Airbus Military says Portugal is welcome to return to the A400M project at a later date under a con ventional procurement. The design - in development for eight European partners - is viewed as a potential long-term replacement for Portugal's six Lockheed Martin C-130H transports. The UK has drawn up a shortlist of possible sites to house its JSFs DEPLOYMENT CRAIG HOYLE/ LONDON UK outlines JSF base options The UK Ministry of Defence has outlined its future basing options for the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, while increasing speculation that it is to rationalise operations of its BAE Systems Nimrod MRA4 mar itime patrol and R1 electronic intelligence aircraft at a single site. Two bases are likely to be selected to house the UK's up to 150 F-35 joint combat aircraft, with these to come from a shortlist of current Royal Air Force facilities at Cottesmore, Kinloss, Lossiemouth, Marham, St Mawgan and Wittering, plus the Royal Navy's RNAS Yeovilton site. The JSF basing study is part of an ongoing defence airfield review that is also investigating the benefits of consolidating all Nimrod operations at Kinloss or Waddington. The majority of the FRAF's intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance aircraft fleet is now based at the latter site, increasing the likelihood of its selection to receive the MRA4 from 2009. The UK has announced its intention to reduce the number of RAF air fields from a total of 50, and has previously decided to close its Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules base at Lyneham and locate all its transport and inflight refuelling aircraft at RAF Brize Norton. Operations of the service's 232 Eurofighter Typhoons will take place from Coningsby and Leuchars. www.fliqhtinternational.com FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 19-25 OCTOBER 2004 17
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