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Aviation History
2000
2000-1 - 1978.PDF
The F-16 is the mainstay of Israels fleet and numbers are to increase following the signing in 2000 of a deal for 50 F-16Is with 60 options north of the 36th parallel and south of the 33rd remain. Quantity was no match in 1991 for the coalition forces, and many of Iraq's aircraft were either shot down or destroyed on the ground. Another 100-120 aircraft were dispatched to sanctuary in neighbouring Iran where they have remained as reparations for the Iran/Iraq war of the 1980s. Reports in mid-1999 suggested many of these aircraft were being repatriated. It has not been possible to confirm this and it is difficult to understand what the Iranians could gain from such a move. Following Desert Fox, the UN Special Commission (UNSCOM) reported that the Iraq air force has tried to modify I--29 trainers and other fixed-wing types as UAV's which would cany chemical and biological warfare agents. UNSCOM was responsible for cataloguing and removing Iraq's weapons of mass destruction capability. Iraq is subject to an arms embargo which makes spares acqui sition difficult, although rumours suggest some aid is flowing from Russia. 'lodays air force is spearheaded by Mirage FIF.Qs, ,V1iG-2ls and MiG-23s of various types with a few M iG-2 5s in support. Aircraft evacuated to Iran include ,\li( i- 25s.MiG-29s,II-76s,Su-20/22s,Su-25s, Mirage FlEQsand one of the two Adnans. It is likely that the entireTu-16 Badger fleet was destroyed during the 1991 conflict. Fight or so MiG-29s are apparently in long-term storage. In mid-2000, an Iraqi defector to Kuwait told the latter's news agency that the air force was suffering from a lack of spares and repeated accidents that have reduced Iraq's active fleet to 75 airworthy fast jets. Type Ne P**e MiG-25 Foxbat MIG-23ML/BN Flogger Chengdu F-7 (MiG-21) MiG-21PFM/MF Fishbed Su-7/20/22 Fitter Mirage F1EQ/BQ Su-25 Frogfoot SA342L Gazelle Bell 214ST B0105C Mi-24/Mi-25 Hind Mi-8/Mi-17 Hip SA321 Super Frelon 10 60 40 36 33 60 13 20 10 40 20 80 10 int/recce int/attack int int strike attack/trng attack attack/ comms/trng trans attack/comms/ trng attack trans ASuW 11-76 Adnan 1 MD500D/MD530F An-12 Cub An-26 Curl Mi-6 Hook SA330 Puma AS-61TS Alouette III BK117A/B L-39Z0 EMB-312 Tucano AS202 PC-7 Turbo Trainer PC-9 1 10/16 3 2 2 20 3 15 10 50 40 18 20 10 AEW obs/trans tanker/trans trans trans trans AIP VIP comms SAR trng trng trng trng trng • l:iatJ?M AER-CH0R NAH EIREANN (IRISH AIR CORPS) The Irish Air Corps, along with die Irish Navy, was the sub ject of a Price YVaterhousc report published in 1998. If the recommendations are followed four now-retired Magisters and the SF260Ws will be replaced by eight aircraft of a single training/light-strike type. Four medium lift helicopters would replace a contractorised SAR capability and meet a troop carrying requirement. The Cessna 172 fleet would be replaced by two Defender-type aircraft. A mixture of 15 heli copters would be replaced by eight Squirrel-type rotorcraft and the King Airs would in time be replaced by more (N2 ; 5s. Rationalising the fleet would bring maintenance and personnel savings while taking over Ireland's SAR com mitment from private contractors would reduce costs. Mter the Price YVaterhouse study a further report was commis sioned to determine ways of raising acquisition funds. A move forward was made in mid-2000 when a request for information for medium helicopters was issued. The Irish defence ministry's request was for two SAR machines plus a SAR option plus two more options for troop transports. Ireland is aiming for a 2002 in-service date. Other recommendations from the Price W'atcrhoiise report are then likely to be implemented. Type HM—her Be<e SA365F Dauphin 4 SA342L Gazelle 2 SA316B Alouette III 7 Gulfstream IV 1 BN-2T Defender 4000 1 SA355N Squirrel 1 naval liaison/ SAR trng utility/SAR/ comms VIP GASU GASU SF260WE Super King Air 200 Cessna FR172H/K CN235MP 7 1 5/1 2 trng/COIN VIP trans/trng AOP/liaison fish protect/MPA TSVAH HAGANAH LE ISRAEL - HEYL HA'AVIR (ISRAELI DEFENCE FORCE - AIR FORCE) The Israeli air force's biggest acquisition in 1999 was 50 F-l6Is and options on another 60 more for delivery from 2003. A $2.5 billion deal for the firm order two-seat F-16ls - which hasconformal fuel tanks, a new-modular mission com puter, colour displays and a host < >f Israeli-developed avionics -was signed in 2000. It is expected that Israel will exercise 52 of the 60 options taken as the deal sometime in 2001. Initial F- 16ls will be delivered in 2003 with the additional fighters to follow from 2005. Israel has also become a participant in the JSF programme. The F-161 will fill some of die gap left by the retirement of types such as the F-4 and A-4 over the next few years. Many of its avionics systems could be used to upgrade !•'-16A/Bs. The F-151 - basically the same as an F-15 K - was selected in November 1993; the first squadron was declared operational in January 1999 and Israel is keen to order attri tion aircraft before the Boeing line closes. Israel had planned to replace its Magister basic trainers with an aircraft in the 1 lawk/T-45/L-l 59 class. It had speci fied a jet-powered aircraft but opened the competition to tur- boprops in August 2000. This will allow consideration of the Pilatus/Beech PC-9MfcD which Israel can acquire through die US FMSprogramme. Israel isalsoseekingareplacemcnt for its Piper Super Cub flight screening trainers. Up to32 air craft are required from mid-2001. The Aermacchi SF260E/F, EnaerT-35 Pillan, Grob II5T and PAC CT-4 have been shortlisted. The aircraft would be acquired by a private com pany that would sell flying hours to the air force. It is to buy 10 AI1-64D Apache Longbows ami is likely to upgrade iis Al I- 64As. Israel has also requested another 35 UH-6()s via the FMS scheme in 2000. These will be used to replace Bell 212s. The Hercules fleet also needs replacing and Lockheed Martin/Alenia have offered a bid based on a mix of 10-12 C- 70 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 28 November - 4 December 2000
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