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Aviation History
1971
1971 - 1056.PDF
FLIGHT International, 24 June (971 Agusta-Bell 204Bs, while for training T-34s, T-6s, T-33s and T-37s are used. The Turkish Army has two Dornier Sky- servants on order and uses 50 Bell Jet- Rangers. UGANDA Uganda Army Air Force This air force boasts one squadron of seven mixed MiG-15/17s and another of Fouga Magis- ter armed trainers. Transport includes six C-47s and a Twin Otter with Piaggio P.149s and L-29 Delfins providing a training element. UNITED ARAB REPUBLIC Egyptian Air Force Russian-supplied, trained and with Russians serving in it, this air force is the chief opponent of Israel in the event of further hostilities. There is an independent Missile Com mand which has built about 100 mis siles of three types but it is believed that they have not attained operational capability and the future of this com mand is obscure. The air force has a bomber force of 15 Tu-16 medium bombers, 28 11-28 light bombers and a strike force of 105 Su-7s and about 165 MiG-15/17s. Air defence rests in the hands of six squadrons, drawn from 150 MiG-21Cs although unconfirmed reports have stated that MiG-23 all- weather fighters have joined the Egyp tian Air force also—these may be Soviet Air force aircraft on detachment as are some MiG-21Js also in Egypt and the SA-3 Goa SAMs, for which there are believed to be about 45 sites. There are This command is also responsible for operating the tanker force of Boeing KC-135s (about 500 aircraft) and the strategic-recce squadrons, one with 15 Lockheed SR-71s and one with Lock heed U-2Ds. A further recce squadron uses Boeing RC-135s. The USAF main tains an Air Defence Command and as part of Norad, comprising 15 squadrons of intercepters (11 with F-106A Delta Darts, three with F-101B Voodoos and one in Iceland with F-102A Delta Dag gers) and three squadrons of early- warning Lockheed EC-121s. This force is supplemented by 17 squadrons of the Air National Guard flying F-lOls and F-102As. Missile defence includes five squadrons of Bomarc B missiles, while the Army operates 13 battalions of Nike- Hercules and two battalions of Hawk SAMs. There are three large tactical commands in the USAF, Tactical Air Command, which is home-based, USAFE (US Air Force in Europe) and PACAF (Pacific Air Forces). All three com mands are similarly equipped, with the F-4 Phantom being the primary weapon, more than 1,300 F-4Cs and F-4Ds being in use, together with later versions and the RF-4C tactical recce version. F-101 Voodoos, Republic F-105s and North American F-lOOs continue to serve but are being replaced both by the F-4, by F-llls and by the LTV A-7D Corsair n now coming into service (with 645 on order). TAC itself has 28 strike-fighter squadrons and nine tactical recce squad rons equipped with the above types; USAFE has 21 and six respectively and 939 other types nineteen 737s ( + 10 options) are on order. In prospect for SAC is the B-1A, the new supersonic bomber for which a requirement of 200-240 is en visaged, and the F-15 air-superiority fighter for Air Defence Command. US Navy Employing more aircraft carriers than all the rest of the world put together, the US Navy maintains a large air fleet both for them and shore-bases. Sixteen of the carriers are attack carriers and four anti-submarine carriers, the former carrying 70-100 air craft and the latter about 50. In addi tion, the Navy operates 41 ballistic missile submarines, each carrying 16 Polaris missiles and eight of these are converting to carry Poseidon missiles, the first of which is already opera tional. Aboard the carriers the princi pal attack aircraft is the Corsair II of which more than 1,000 are ordered and many in service. For fighter and strike duties the McDonnell Douglas Phantom serves, the principal version being the F-4B (635 built), although this is being superseded by the F-4G and F-4J. Also for attack duties is the Skyhawk which, in its A-4Bs, A-4C and A-4E versions, numbers about 1,500 aircraft and still serves on many carriers. The Crusader (F-8) still serves in the fighter and recce roles aboard some attack carriers. More generally used for recce is the RA-5C Vigilante. A key aircraft in ser vice with the US Navy is the Grumman Tracker/Trader/Tracer which, in its different forms, serves for ASW, trans port and AEW. This type, like the Sky- hawk, can and does operate from the ASW carriers. Another twin-engined, high-wing Grumman serves as the C-2A Greyhound COD transport and the E-2A Hawkeye, an advanced AEW aircraft, while yet another Grumman has come into US Navy service in the attack role, the A-6 Intruder, also for carrier opera tion. Airborne tanker duties are per formed by Douglas Skywarriors con verted to the KA-3B configuration. The principal US Navy helicopter is the HSS Sea King which is operated mainly in the ASW role, each ASW carrier hav ing 16 as complement. Other helicopters are used in the transport, support and communications roles. Ashore the Navy flies some 24 squadrons of Lockheed P-3 Left, North American F-I00D of the Turkish Air Force. Mil Mi-8 of the Egyptian Air Force (below) bore the coffin of the late President Nasser last October some 25 batteries of SA-2 Guidelines which are part of the Egyptian Air Force. Transport is provided by approxi mately 40 Il-14s and 20 An-12s and 70 helicopters (MM, Mi-4, Mi-6, Mi-8). UNITED STATES OF AMERICA United States Air Force The main component of the US deterrent is made up of the Minuteman series of ICBMs. Four hundred and ninety Minuteman I and 500 Minuteman 2 are operational with the Minuteman 3 coming into ser vice during the past 11 months and intended, with its three-warhead system, to replace the Mk I. Backing up this force are 54 Titan 2 ICBMs. Of more conventional nature is the Strategic Air Command operating the Boeing B-52G and B-52H bombers of which 225 are operational and several hundred in active reserve; these can carry cruise ASMs with thermo-nuclear warheads. Coming into service are 64 GD FB-lllAs, supersonic, variable-geometry bombers. PACAF about 80 squadrons of all types. This includes the tactical transport wings equipped with Lockheed C-130 Hercules (about 300 aircraft) and, in PACAF especially, specialised units equipped with about 100 Coin aircraft of various types, such as the A-1E/J Skyraider, AC-47, AC-119, and AC-130. TAC also uses these types and has intro duced the first of 366 Cessna A-37s. Military Airlift Command is the other flying command in the USAF and pro vides the strategic transport and long- range logistics support. Its principal tasks are accomplished with 18 squad rons equipped with 45 C-133 Cargo- masters and 270 C-141 Starlifters; the first of 81 C-5A Galaxys are now in service. MAC also operates a further 25 squadrons in miscellaneous roles such as medical transport, Air Weather and Aerospace Rescue, SAR, etc. For these duties it operates VC-140B Jet- stars, Douglas C-9As, Boeing WB-47s, HH-3 and HH-43 helicopters amongst sail iiilk.
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