FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1985
1985 - 3222.PDF
DEFENCE UK and West Germany to sign on SDI LONDON Britain and West Germany will sign agreements with the USA on participation on the Strategic Defence Initiative before Christmas, it was announced in London last week. Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher said, after meeting with Chancellor Helmut Kohl, that Britain would soon sign. "We are fairly well advanced with our nego tiations. It is my belief we are likely to sign agreements before Christmas," she said. Later, the West German Defence Minister, Dr Man fred Worner, announced in London that a Government - to-Government agreement between West Germany and the United States would be sealed "in two to three weeks". He expressed firm support for the SDI programme, saying that it offered the chance to "prevent, perhaps forever, the danger of first strike". But he stressed that SDI should not be used as a "bargaining chip" in arms negotiations. Mrs Thatcher makes it clear that the two agreements are separate, but are of a simi lar framework. The two agree ments are not thought to have been scheduled to coincide. The value of SDI work to British companies is esti mated at between £500 million and £1,000 million. But up to now the USA has given no clear indication of which areas of research would be open to British companies or how big a share they could take. V-22 Osprey's roles widen LONDON ~ The Bell/Boeing tilt-rotor team has revealed its plans for adapting the V-22 Osprey to various maritime roles. Although the main purchaser for the Osprey will be the US Marine Corps, the US Navy has a requirement for 50 aircraft and is inter ested in using it for anti submarine warfare (ASW). At a presentation in London, Bell/Boeing spokes man Dick Spivey said that the two companies had given substantial thought to the adaptation of the V-22 to the ASW role. The aircraft's lightweight rotor/wing folding system allows it to be stored in the same amount of space required by the S-3 Viking, and at a range of some 300 n.m. (556km) from the carrier it would have an endurance of up to 6hr. It would deploy long-range, passive sonar buoys or be equipped with dipping sonar to localise a sound source actively. Both the Navy and the Marine Corps might also use the Osprey for vertical onboard delivery (VOD), although the aircraft is not confined to vertical take-off. With an all-up weight of 59,0001b (26,762kg) and a 20kt (37km/hr) wind over deck, it has a take-off run of less than 200ft (61m); with no wind it requires 340ft (104m). A total of 913 Ospreys is planned for the Marine Corps, Navy, and US Army, and the last of these will leave the production line in 2001. More than half will go to the Marine Corps, with deliveries sched uled to begin in 1991. Scanliner launched Noricum of Austria has launched a military observation variant of the HB-23 civil motorglider and named it the Scanliner. The aircraft is powered by a four-cylinder engine, can seat two, and has a large, one-piece canopy for good visibility. Noricum is said to be aiming the Scanliner at the Third World market in particular. l'*4SSI?l5Klsj5»'fc;\J§ti.„, .:^*:K';':'^:,iv-;.-^.Vi^'''•'•:'.;-::: • V5-':^'" „ „^5SSf'S|93S|il9^"^^>fifii^t ll,\^*^-V|i^ ? -mS&L i i;>«:tCaaIijgj;iS:«»s India signs for Sea Harriers NEW DELHI 12 The Indian Government has signed a contract to buy 11 more British Aerospace Sea Harriers. The announcement had been anticipated for some time, and finally came on November 28. But India did not, as had been expected, announce that it would purchase British Aerospace Dynamics Sea Eagle anti-ship missiles as part of the deal. BAeD was still waiting for India's deci sion as Flight went to press. The £100 million aircraft contract is for ten single-seat Sea Harrier FRS.51s and one two-seat Harrier T.60. The Indian Navy already operates Sea Harriers from its carrier INS Vikrant. E-Systemswins USAF contract DALLAS The US Air Force has awarded a $14-5 million contract to E-Systems of Dallas to develop a commu nications management sub system to support the Mystic Star network. The Mystic Star system provides communications for the US President, his staff, and other senior Government and military officials when travelling aboard Presidential and other Special Air Mission (SAM) aircraft. Design, development, and installation of the ground- based sub-system will take place over the next 12 months. Japan buys Super Pumas TOKYO The Japanese Defence Agency has placed an order for three Aerospatiale Super Pumas with Sony Trading Corp, Aerospatiale's Japan dealer. The order is worth about $25 million and calls for the helicopters to be delivered in January, February, and March next year. The Super Pumas will be used mainly in the VIP role. FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL, 7 December 1985
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
