All Fixed-Wing news – Page 1295
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Boeing eyes paintless JSF
BOEING HOPES TO cover one of its two Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) concept-demonstrators with plastic film, rather than paint, following successful flight-testing under the Joint Paintless Aircraft Programme (JPAP). Boeing and 3M were awarded a contract in 1996 to demonstrate the feasibility of replacing paint with appliques - ...
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STOVL promise lifts JSF
EMPHASIS ON THE short-take-off/vertical-landing (STOVL) variant of the US/UK Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) is increasing. Progress with the JSF concept-demonstration phase is leading programme and service officials to speculate that the STOVL variant planned for the US Marine Corps and the Royal Navy could find applications with the US Air ...
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Paris '97: a preview
FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL Flight International will provide full editorial coverage throughout the build-up and duration of the show, starting with a comprehensive guide to the show in the Paris Show Special issue (11-17 June). First News will be published in the 18-24 June issue, followed by a full Show Report (25 ...
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Philippines spells out maritime needs
The Philippine air force has begun drawing up its requirement for six new long-range maritime-patrol aircraft (MPAs), as part of a recently approved 15-year defence-modernisation programme. A replacement fleet of MPAs represents the air force's next procurement priority after the acquisition of new multi-role fighters and surveillance radars. ...
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Broad horizons
To many of the pilots who were trained by the UK armed services during the 1950s and 60s, the de Havilland Chipmunk is no more than a basic trainer with a tailwheel. To a team of senior Royal Air Force flyers in 1997, however, it is the vehicle for a ...
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Joint-mission E-6B is delivered to Pentagon
RAYTHEON E-SYSTEMS has delivered the first E-6B joint services command and control aircraft to the US military. The TACAMO (Take Charge and Move Out) aircraft, an extensively modified Boeing 707, combines the functions of the US Air Force's EC-135C Airborne Command Post (ABNCP) and the US Navy's E-6A ...
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P&W advances work on JSF turbine
PRATT&WHITNEYplans to run an advanced turbine for its Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) engine by the end of this month. The turbine, incorporating the company's Superblade/Supervane advanced cooling, will allow higher temperatures to increase thrust for the short-take-off/vertical-landing (STOVL)JSF, and will be tested in its CEASAR research engine. JSF ...
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Lynx faces Malaysian backlash
Growing Malaysian Government dissatisfaction with UK industry-supplied weapons is undermining efforts by GKN Westland to win a deal for Super Lynx naval helicopters. UK officials are becoming increasingly concerned that Malaysia might once again resort to a "buy-British-last" policy, unless problems with existing programmes are settled. Kuala Lumpur ...
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US Government resists Thai bid to buy Popeye
The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) wants to purchase the Lockheed Martin/Rafael AGM-142 Popeye air-to-surface missile (ASM) for its Lockheed Martin F-16A/B and McDonnell Douglas F/18C/D fighters, but it is facing resistance from the US Government. According to US Government sources, Washington has asked Thailand to defer any ...
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French forces hit by Tiger delivery delays
Delivery of the last Franco-German Eurocopter Tiger anti-tank/support helicopter to the French armed forces is expected to suffer an 11-year delay, with delivery of the final helicopter not now expected until 2025, say programme managers. Signature of the production-investment contract, giving the go-ahead to gear up for production ...
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Simulator rivalry
When Thomson-CSF acquired the Rediffusion simulation business from Hughes Aircraft in 1993, the company became, at a stroke, the largest simulator manufacturer in Europe, and the world leader outside North America. Today, Thomson Training and Simulation (TTS) is competing fiercely in every market for simulators, and in 1996 ...
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Arms dynamism
Matra and British Aerospace started to discuss pulling together their respective guided-weapons units in 1992. It was to take four years of difficult negotiations, coupled with the occasional bout of brinkmanship, to conclude the deal. Despite the trials and tribulations, including those that still continue as two very ...
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Defence realms
The largest defence and professional electronics company in France, and also Europe, is Thomson-CSF. This majority-owned subsidiary of Thomson SA generated Fr36.3 billion ($6.28 billion)-worth of sales in 1996 (a 2.2% rise on 1995), with proÌts of $404 million. Of this, 65% was defence-related, around half of that being of ...
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Engine power
France has been in the aero-engine business as long as aircraft have been flying, and today the industry remains present in virtually every area of propulsion activity. The two principal companies, state-owned Snecma and privately owned Turboméca, provide power for civil and military aircraft, helicopters and space - the latter ...
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Helicopters on the rise
France's helicopter industry is poised for a comeback after several years of steadily declining fortunes during which, in common with helicopter manufacturers elsewhere, the recession hit civil and military sales particularly hard. In 1996, however, the industry saw real signs of progress, with orders up by an astonishing ...
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Franc facts
This year's Paris air show arguably comes at the most crucial time in France's post Second World War aerospace history. It now finds itself on the brink of a fundamental restructuring which will change forever the shape of the industry, not only in France, but throughout the whole of Europe. ...
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Euro-frightener
MANY A SHIP, IT IS SAID, is spoiled for a ha'p'orth of tar. The aeronautical equivalent could be the biggest-ever European collaborative fighter project being spoiled for the sake of not a half-penny, but a coin worth maybe a couple of dollars. The Eurofighter EF2000 is technically ready ...
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GE maintenance business challenged by P&W moves
Pratt & Whitney is seeking to combat General Electric Aircraft Engines' growing dominance of the powerplant maintenance market with the launch of its own scheme to secure a major slice of the business. The US engine maker is offering airlines a "thrust-manager" deal covering the entire life of ...
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Bell steals a march on rivals for Colombian Huey re-engineing
BELL HELICOPTER Textron is to upgrade as many as 14 UH-1 Huey helicopters now used by Colombia for drug-interdiction and other military missions. The modernisation project, which has yet to be formally announced, gives Bell the lead on two other joint ventures seeking UH-1 re-engineing contracts. In recent ...
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Australia and Indonesia plan a defence for disputed territory
In an unprecedented move, Australia and Indonesia are putting together a $1 billion defence package, covering the acquisition and deployment of air- surveillance and air-defence equipment, to protect key economic assets in the South China Sea. Defence officials from both countries have been working since November 1996 to ...