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Aviation History
2004
2004-09 - 2230.PDF
DEFENCE DEVELOPMENT BRENDAN SOBIE / ZHUHAI China's FC-1 fighter advances as Chengdu seeks buyers Joint design on track for 2005 delivery to Pakistan, but J-10 remains elusive Chengdu Aircraft is on schedule to deliver the first FC-l/Super-7 light fighter to the Pakistani air force next year, having already racked up over 300 flight test hours on three prototype aircraft. Pakistan is the only country to have placed an order for the FC-1, having agreed to take 16 aircraft equipped with Chinese radars. Eight of these will be assembled by Chengdu and eight by the Pakistani Aeronautical Complex (PAC). Pakistan has an ultimate requirement for about 150 of the aircraft, which is also being evalu ated by China and Egypt. Chengdu expects a market for at least 300 FC-ls and a joint Chengdu-PAC sales team plans to accelerate an export campaign after first delivery in the third quarter of 2005. China also requires hundreds of new lightweight fighters but has several other options. "This is a light aircraft, so there are many competitors," says Le Qiang, vice-director of Chengdu's trade department. One option is to revive the Chengdu F-7MF pro gramme, a 100% Chinese effort the government launched as an alterna tive to the joint Sino-Pakistani FC-1. Chengdu test flew the F-7MF in 2002, but the aircraft has since been parked. Chengdu continues to make improvements to the aircraft and is lobbying the government to fund more flight tests. The FC-1 and F-7MF offer a leap in capability over the existing Chengdu F-7MG because they can accommodate more weapon sys tems and support four engage ments simultaneously compared with two on the F-7MG. Le says F-7MG production will continue for several years as there is still a requirement in China and sales could potentially be made to six foreign militaries. The aircraft is already operated by China and Pakistan and Le says the first of 12 aircraft on order for Bangladesh will be delivered by early 2005. Le says four FC-1 prototypes, "three flying and one test article", are now being tested and the flight envelope should be completed by next October. "We plan to com plete all of this by next year, maybe the third quarter," he says. Pakistan considered a European radar for the FC-1, but at least for the first batch has chosen to stick with Chinese-developed systems. Chengdu had hoped to fly one of its FC-1 prototypes at the Zhuhai air show last week but did not get the necessary approval from the Chinese government. Also absent at the show was Chendu's J-10 multirole fighter. The company has been hoping to take the wraps off the design for the last few years, but China remains reluctant to even acknowl edge the programme exists. SUPPORT CRAIG HOYLE / LONDON US Army seals Sapphire purchase The US Army has finalised a deal with Boeing and Aerosystems International to acquire the UK company's Sapphire engineering asset management system to sup port 400 of its CH-47 Chinook transport helicopters. Already in service with the UK's Royal Air Force and Royal Navy fleets of AgustaWestland EH101 Merlin HC3 and HM1 helicopters, the Sapphire system could also have future applications with the US Army's Boeing AH-64 Apache attack and Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk utility helicopters. Dubbed the Cargo - Platform Maintenance Environment system for US Army use, the UK-developed system will track people, parts and work conducted in support of air craft, enabling users to reduce their daily inspection duties, says Aerosystems International. Sapphire was selected following an army field trial in which it enabled the operator Jo cut daily inspection loads by around 20% and increase aircraft availability. Maintainers can order replacement parts using a barcode reader, and return failed components to suppli ers with their full maintenance his tories stored on contact memory buttons tagged to the part. Roll out of the new system is expected at between 30 and 50 army sites from 2006. The new engineering management system will lift CH-47 availability rates TENDER Bidding opens for light utility helicopter The US Army has opened bid ding for a 322-aircraft light utility helicopter (LUH) fleet, seeking a US Federal Aviation Administration-certificated design and a contractor willing to provide all maintenance support. Since introducing the pro gramme in February, the army has slightly expanded the fleet size from 303 to 322 aircraft, but the overall goals of the pro gramme remain unchanged. The army wants a relatively straightforward LUH for "general support" flights in non-combat zones, relieving more capable aircraft, such as the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk fleet, for combat support missions. General requirements for the aircraft operating in high-altitude and hot environments include performance minimums of 400km (217nm) range, 2.8h endurance and a cruise air speed of 125kt (230km/h). The aircraft also must be equipped to carry medical evacuation equip ment and an external hoist. The winning bidder also must perform LUH maintenance on a "24h/seven-day basis", accord ing to acquisition documents released late last month. As such, the aircraft will not require an organic supply chain for army maintainers. "I'm not going to bring parts inside the army," says Col Cory Mahanna, project manager for utility helicopters. The army's relatively straight forward requirements for the LUH have prompted a diverse response. Bell Helicopter plans to interest the army in the Model 210, but could be undercut by a joint bid from Global Helicopter Technology/DynCorp offering less expensive upgrade kits. European manufacturers includ ing AgustaWestland and Eurocopter also plan to compete. Meanwhile, Sikorsky is proposing to refurbish retired UH-60As into a stripped down LUH-60 design. www.flightinternational.com FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 9-15 NOVEMBER 2004 17
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