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Aviation History
1982
1982 - 1616.PDF
MILITARY AIRCRAFT OF THE WORLD Lockheed C-5A Galaxy Harpoon anti-ship missile capability, now being retrofitted to earlier Orions. Update III, with advanced IBM Proteus acoustic processor and new search radar, will enter service in 1984. The Proteus processor is now on flight-test. The US Navy plans an active force of 275 P-3Cs, but has cut back yearly pro curement to six, rather than 12, air craft. Australia has advanced its order for ten P-3Cs to maintain an efficient production rate, and will receive its first aircraft in 1984. Australia's ten P-3Bs will be returned to Lockheed for resale. The last of 18 CP-140 Aurora patrol aircraft, incorporating avionics from the S-3A Viking, was delivered to the Canadian Forces in June 1981. Customers: Australia 10 B + 10 C on order; Canada 18 CP-140; Iran 6 F; Japan 3 C, 42 C planned: the Nether lands 13 C planned; New Zealand 5 B; Norway 5 B; Spain 6 A; USA 488 (157 A + 124 B + 204 C + 3 D, 275 C planned). S-3 Viking Up to 160 S-3As could be retrofitted from 1987 under a weapon- system improvement programme. The aircraft would be redesignated S-3Bs, and would incorporate increased acoustic processing, expanded elec tronic support measures coverage, im proved radar processing, a new sono- buoy reference system, and the Har poon anti-ship missile. Lockheed re ceived a full-scale development contract for the avionics update in 1981. Three early S-3As are to be modified to US- 3A carrier-onboard-delivery configura tion in 1982, joining a single existing aircraft now operating from Diego Garcia in support of US Navy battle groups in the Indian Ocean. The Navy also has in service a KS-3A prototype tanker. Customer: USA 187.. TR-1 First delivery of the TR-1 battle field-surveillance development of the U-2R was made in August 1981, to the US Air Force, Beale AFB, California. TR-1 will carry an advanced synthetic- aperture radar system. A number of air craft are earmarked for the Precision Location Strike System, which will be used for the standoff location of hostile emitters and the direction of attack aircraft. Customer: USA 36 planned. MCDONNELL DOUGLAS AV-8B McDonnell Douglas and British Aerospace are now partners in develop ment and manufacture of the AV-8B V/Stol attack aircraft. Differences be tween US Marine Corps and Royal Air Force Harrier lis will be minimal. All aircraft will be fitted with leading edge root extensions (lerx) to increase in stantaneous turn rate for self-defence. Following flight-tests with the YAV-8B prototype, the lerx have been reduced to 55 per cent of their original size to minimise their destabilising effect dur ing bombing runs. The Hughes Angle Rate Bombing System, combining TV and laser-spot tracking, will be stan dard, as will be the General Electric GAU-12 25mm rotary cannon, with the gun in one underfuselage pod and ammunition in the other. Improvements from the AV-8A include an increased- area carbonfibre, supercritical-section wing with six stores stations, a more- efficient intake, underfuselage lift- improvement devices, and a carbonfibre front fuselage with raised cockpit. The USMC requires a number of two-seat trainers, and is evaluating a TAV-8B proposal against further purchases direct from British Aerospace of TAV-8AS. The first of 12 pilot-production Harrier lis will be delivered to the Marines in 1983, and the first of eight V/Stol light-attack squadrons will be come operational in 1985. The RAF will receive two development airframes from the early production run, and the first of 60 UK-assembled Harrier GR.5s in 1986. Customers: Britain 62 (inc 2 develop ment); USA 340 (inc 4 development I. F-15 Eagle The latest F-15C single-seat and F-15D two-seat Eagle air-superiority fighters are fitted with a programmable radar signal processor which adds raid- assessment mode (separating a close formation into individual target air craft), electronic counter - counter- measures flexibility, and high-resolution ground mapping. Structural modifica tions increase internal fuel capacity by 900kg, allow for carriage of conformal tanks with 4,420kg of additional fuel, and increase maximum take-ofF weight to 30,850kg. Initially developed for air superiority, the Eagle has now assumed the role of interceptor, taking over con- Japanese Lockheed P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft ~ "f:" ,1'^t'M'SlMBl 1534 FLIGHT International, 12 June 1982
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