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Aviation History
1993
1993 - 2784.PDF
McDonnell Douglas T-45 Goshawk US Navy training will begin in earnest in 1994 WORLD'S AIR FORCES 01 ut of area equals out of money" is a cry which could be heard up and down the corridors of power of several European air forces. Meeting "peace keeping" and surveillance operations has added a considerable burden, both opera tionally and financially, to air forces sturggling to come to terms with the "Peace Dividend". They face less funding, fewer forces and almost as much to do over a more geographically dispersed area. In part, the problem is that of force restructuring: NATO air forces, tradition ally geared to a high-threat conflict envi ronment in Central Europe, are now having to adapt to changing roles, but lack adequate funding to do this. A low-intensity conflict, or operations which fall short of war, still place a considerable demand on air capability, if it is to be deployed. Russia continues to struggle with its own force restructuring and the inevitable break up of the CIS' "integrated" air- defence ground environment. Numerous projects have been cancelled, though some, including Mikoyan's 1.42 fighter programme would appear to be struggling on, as does Sukhoi's T60 medium bomber project. Similarly, the US Air Force has seen programmes dropped or curtailed, such as the Northrop B.2 and the McDon nell Douglas C-17 tactical transport. In Europe, the Royal Air Force is facing having to withdraw from Germany within the next few years, with a concomitant further reduction in size. Other European air forces face similar cuts in numbers, with the French, Belgian and Dutch aircraft numbers also being reduced substantially. In the Pacific rim, force capabilities are increasing, with the procurement of air craft such as the McDonnell Douglas F-18 and Mikoyan MiG-29 Fulcrum by Malaysia. China's interest in the Tupolev Tu-22M Backfire bomber would, if fulfilled, mark a great increase in its strike capability. Abbreviations: Aeromedevac Medical evacuation; AAM Air-to-air missile; AD Air defence; AEF Air experience flight; AEW Airborne early warning; AOP Air observation post; ASM Air-to- surface missile; ASTOVL Advanced short take-off and vertical landing; ASV Anti-surface vessel; ASW Anti-submarine warfare; AWACS Airborne warning and control system; BVR Beyond visual range; Calib Calibration; CFE Conventional Forces Europe; COIN Counter-insurgency; Comms Communications; ECM Electronic countermeasures; EFA European fighter aircraft; ELINT Electronic intelligence; ESM Electronic support measures; EW Electronic warfare; EEZ Eco nomic exclusion zone; FAC Forward air control; FGA Fighter/ground-attack; FY Fiscal year; FLIR Forward- looking infra-red; FMS Foreign military sale; FR Flight refuelling; FRADU Fleet requirements and air direction unit; IFF Identification friend or foe; INS Inertial navigation system; IOC Initial operating capa bility; IRCM Infra-red countermeasures; Int Intercep tor; MAD Magnetic anomaly detector; MCM Mine countermeasures; MR Maritime reconnaissance; OCU Operational conversion unit; OTHT Over the horizon targeting; PID Passive identification device; PRC People's Republic of China; RPV Remotely piloted vehicle; RWR Radar warning receiver; Recon reconnaissances SAM Surface-to-air missile; SAR Search and rescue; Surv Surveillance; SLAR Side- looking airborne radar; TT Target towing; Trans Transport; Trng Training; V/STOL Vertical/short take off and landing; VTOL Vertical take-off and landing; WFU Withdrawn from use. FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 24 - 30 November, 1993 41
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