MILITARY AVIATION AND AEROSPACE NEWS

4th A400M Takes Off

2010-12-21T00:06:00.000+05:30

PARIS - The fourth development A400M aircraft, dubbed Grizzly 4, made its maiden flight Dec. 20, taking off from Seville, Spain, and marking a milestone in the program to field the new military airlifter, Airbus Military said.
EADS, the parent company of Airbus Military, is expected to sign by the end of December the 3.5 billion euro ($4.6 billion) agreement needed to fund the cost overrun of the A400M transport aircraft program. The deal was reached in March with the customer countries, but detailed negotiations needed to be completed to draw up the documents setting out the accord.
The program to build the A400M military transport plane includes five development aircraft, which will be flown in the test campaign which consists of 3,700 flight hours, the company said in a statement.
The Grizzly 4 plane, weighing 130 tons, took off from Seville at 10:18 a.m. local time and landed five hours and 10 minutes later, the company said. The plane, which was equipped with flight test instruments, will be mainly used to test the handling of freight and in-flight refueling.
Among the crew was test flight engineer Catherine Schneider, the first woman engineer to fly in an inaugural flight of the A400M, Airbus Military said.
The development aircraft have combined to fly for more than 1,000 hours in slightly less than 300 sorties in 2010. The first A400M is due to be delivered in about two years' time, the company said.
The A400M, budgeted at 20 billion euros, is Europe's biggest cooperative defense effort and is running around three years late.

Fifth-gen jets in IAF arsenal in a decade

2010-12-20T23:55:00.000+05:30

BY ADMIN AND TNN-
It will take a decade for India to begin inducting the first lot of the 250-300 advanced stealth fifth-generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) it is going to jointly develop and manufacture with Russia.
As per the detailed roadmap finalised between India and Russia, the “series production” of FGFA will be launched in 2019, with the actual deliveries to begin in 2020, sources said.
The stage for the entire FGFA programme, which will see India spending upwards of $35 billion over the next two decades in its biggest-ever defence project, will finally be set this week.
With Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in town, New Delhi and Moscow will ink the $295 million preliminary design contract (PDC) for FGFA on Tuesday. Then, over the next 18 months, the two sides will work out the detailed design and other agreements to kickstart the actual building of FGFA.
“Forty Indian designers and scientists will be stationed in Russia, with a similar number of Russians here. A secure data link will also be set up to ensure both sides are fully in the picture all the time,” said a source.
The total cost of designing, infrastructure build-up, prototype development, flight testing and the like has been pegged at around $11 billion, with both sides chipping in with $5.50 billion each in the “50-50% partnership”.
India, for instance, will spend $2.50 billion of its $5.50 billion share in setting up infrastructure for manufacturing plants, tooling facilities and hangars.
Each “swing role” FGFA, with a deadly mix of super-manoeuvrability and supersonic cruising ability, long-range strike and high-endurance air defence capabilities, will cost an additional $100 million or so.
Cash-strapped Russia is already flying the prototype of its single-seater FGFA called Sukhoi T-50. While the Indian FGFA will basically be based on this fighter, it will “be tweaked to meet IAF requirements”.
For one, IAF wants a twin-seater FGFA, with one pilot actually flying the jet and the other handling sensors and weapon systems. Russia, however, feels adding a second cockpit will “adversely impact” the stealth.
For another, IAF is keen on a new engine with “a greater thrust” than the one Russia is currently using for its FGFA. “All these things will take time and money… Six to seven prototypes should be flying by 2017. It will take about 2,500 hours of flying to get the final flight certification,” he said.
With IPR (intellectual property rights) being “equally and jointly vested”, India and Russia may also decide to sell the FGFA to “third countries” by mutual consent.
Till FGFA becomes a reality, India’s combat fleet will mainly revolve around the 270 Sukhoi-30MKIs contracted from Russia for around $12 billion, the 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft to be acquired in the $10.4 billion project and 120 indigenous Tejas Light Combat Aircraft, apart from upgraded MiG-29s and Mirage-2000s.

During V K Singh’s visit, Nepal to seek arms supply

2010-12-20T23:44:00.000+05:30

BY ADMIN-As the widening rift between the Unified Communist Party of Nepal-Maoists (UCPN-M) and the government backed by the pro-democracy parties threatens the ongoing peace process, Nepal is hoping to resume supply of lethal arms from India in order to strengthen its army.
A formal request in this regard, which will be in addition to another in the pipeline, is likely to made by Prime Minister Madhav Nepal during the three-day official visit of Indian Army Chief V K Singh beginning Monday.
According to sources, though India had earlier agreed to dispatch arms, weapons and Mines Protection Vehicles (MPV), the supply did not take place in the absence of a formal request from the government of Nepal.
Gen Singh is arriving here to receive the honorary General of Nepal Army, a reciprocal arrangement in practice between the Army chiefs of the two countries since the mid-sixties.
Gen Singh, who returns December 23, will receive the honourary title from President Rambaran Yadav during a special investiture to be held in the President’s office .
He would also visit mountaineering warfare institute in Mustang, UN Peace Keeping training centre in Panchkhal besides the Indian Army pension camp in Pokhara.
Besides the President, Gen Singh is likely to meet the PM, Defence Minister Bidhya Bhandari and Nepal army chief Chhatraman Singh Gurung.

CUTAWAY: AH-1Z Viper enters production as substantially new aircraft

2010-12-20T23:39:00.000+05:30

BY ADMIN-
Initially envisioned as an effort to modernise the drive train of the US Marine Corps' (USMC) veteran fleet of Bell AH-1W Super Cobra helicopters, the AH-1Z Viper has essentially evolved into a new aircraft.
The helicopter, which was developed alongside its close cousin, the UH-1Y, is a significant technological leap over its predecessor. The new airframe offers increased aerodynamic performance and exponentially more sophisticated avionics. The service hopes to procure some 226 AH-1Zs, including 58 new-build airframes and 168 machines remanufactured from the AH-1W.
For the USMC, the appeal of the "Zulu" is focused on the logistical advantages of the UH-1Y/AH-1Z combination; there are those, however, who question the value of this arrangement.


© USMC The US Marine Corps' new-model attack helicopter can carry a mix of rockets, plus Hellfire and Sidewinder missiles

© USMC

The US Marine Corps' new-model attack helicopter can carry a mix of rockets, plus Hellfire and Sidewinder missiles

"The H-1 programme originated largely because the Marines wanted to avoid ever taking any [Sikorsky] H-60s," says Richard Aboulafia, an analyst at the Teal Group, a Washington DC-based consultancy.
"Taking H-60s would have been enormously sensible in terms of costs, capabilities and intra-service commonality, but it would have jeopardised the [Bell Boeing] V-22 requirement, which was the Marines' highest priority," Aboulafia says.
Further, the US Army's Boeing AH-64D Apache, which is a direct competitor to the AH-1Z on the market, is arguably a superior attack platform.
Comparatively, the Apache possesses roughly equal manoeuverability, but greater range and payload, although the Zulu is faster. More importantly, one experienced army aviator opines that the AH-64D also offers a superior sensor suite.
The AH-1Z, which entered full-rate production on 28 November, has an estimated unit cost of $27 million. While this is projected to decline as production ramps up, the aircraft will still roughly match the $25 million price tag of the AH-64D.
"I think the most important differences are not directly related to aircraft performance," Aboulafia says. "The Apache's much larger user base guarantees a more ambitious and robust product upgrade roadmap than the Zulu. It also guarantees easier and less costly logistics and training. And the Apache's heavier production volume means better manufacturing economics, which reduces some of the Zulu's original appeal as a less costly machine. On the other hand, a customer that preferred a strategic relationship with the US Marines over the army might find the Zulu an appealing product".
OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS
Col Harry Hewson, H-1 upgrades programme manager for the US Naval Air Systems Command, argues that the USMC, in nine separate studies - some as recent as 2006 - had concluded the UH-1Y/AH-1Z combination is the most cost-effective means to meet the service's unique operational requirements.
Because a single squadron type operates both machines, commonality between the two airframes during USMC expeditionary operations is far more important than usually across the Department of Defense.
"Eighty-four percent of the components are identical. The same part number can be used on one or the other. That's really one of the strong selling points for this programme," Hewson says. "The Marine Corps exists to operate in an expeditionary environment, being able to pack up and go some place and operate without a lot of support machines for extended periods. So getting your logistics footprint down to as small as possible is critical."


Click for full size cutaway

Increased commonality means that personnel costs can also be reduced, he argues. "Now you only have to train one flavour of avionics guy, or one flavour of rotor and powerplant guy. The skills sets focus down much more, which means when you go on some extended operation at some remote site, you can take fewer people."
The reduced number of support troops and associated facilities helps to lower the operating cost of the aircraft over the course of its service life.
While the AH-1Z retains the classic lines of its forebears, one change is immediately apparent to those familiar with the Cobra. Gone are the distinctive two-bladed metal rotors, instead the Zulu boasts a state-of-the-art four-bladed system.
"It's all composite, basically carbon-fibre and epoxy. It's fully rigid," Hewson says, adding that the blades are connected to a bearing-less rotor hub. The rotor hub itself is composed of two fiberglass yokes, which accommodate blade flapping, lead-lag and pitch changes.
The yokes allow for the elimination of all bearings, hinges and vibration absorbers, which would otherwise be required. The new system utilises 75% fewer parts than conventional articulated rotors, significantly reducing its weight. The new blades also provide tangible performance benefits.
"It's an extremely responsive rotor system for manoeuverability, and, of course, a four-bladed system is quite a bit more aerodynamically efficient than a two-bladed system. We're getting quite a bit more performance out of them," Hewson says. While the new rotors boost the aircraft's manoeuverability, the system also increases the helicopter's cruise speed and improves handling characteristics.
The new rotor system is not without its problems, however, he admits. Several rotor components are falling far short of the original 10,000h goal. The rotor cuff, for example, must be replaced after 1,200 flight hours. The programme will redesign the cuff and yoke to improve durability.


© US Navy The legacy AH-1W's distinctive two-bladed rotor is replaced on the 'Zulu' version

© US Navy

The legacy AH-1W's distinctive two-bladed rotor is replaced on the 'Zulu' version

However, Hewson adds: "It remains a very high performance rotor head with very high response rates and minimal recurring maintenance."
The Zulu replaces the twin General Electric T700-401 engines found on the AH-1W, which produce 1,680shp (1,250kW) each, with a pair of new T700-401Cs, each producing almost 1,830shp.
While the new engines provide a combined total of almost 3,660shp, the aircraft's transmission is flat-rated for 2,350shp.
"When you look at that, you say, jeez, the transmission can't handle everything the engines can give it," Hewson says. "However, that's at sea level on a standard day. Take it up high into the mountains, the power available running through the engines starts to be degraded by the thinner air, and at that point the transmission and engines match up pretty well." The Zulu can easily hover out of ground effect even in the high elevations and hot climate found in Afghanistan, he notes. Typically, the aircraft will cruise at around 135-140kt (250-260km/h) in a combat configuration while the maximum dash speed is "around 180kt," Hewson says.
Above 180kt, the AH-1Z is limited by parasitic drag. Compared to the AH-1W, "you get either twice the payload in ordnance, or, you can trade some of that and you get twice the range in fuel carriage," according to Hewson.
Another significant enhancement is the new automatic flight control system (AFCS), which stops short of a fly-by-wire system. The AFCS instead "beefs up" the hydraulically-assisted flight controls.
More importantly, the ballistics tolerance of the control system has been significantly expanded, Hewson says. Materials published by Bell Helicopter suggest the controls can withstand 23mm cannon fire. The AFCS also incorporates a four-axis stability control augmentation system, which helps dampen attitude, roll, yaw and the collective.
"In straight and level flight, you can engage that, it's basically an autopilot. You can take your hands off the controls and fly it comfortably hands-off," Hewson says.
The aircraft's AFCS autopilot and navigation systems are precise enough to allow hands-free flight during the hover, which is typically the most difficult flight regime for helicopter pilots.
Hewson, a veteran Cobra pilot, attributes the astonishing capability to the aircraft's advanced software and extremely sensitive embedded GPS/inertial navigation system.
Inside the glass cockpit, most of the avionics hardware is common to both the UH-1Y and the AH-1Z, with only minor variations. The five-display layout includes two 152mm x 203mm (6in x 8in) multi-function screens for each pilot, plus a 102mm x 102mm screen.
BINOCULAR VIEW
The Thales Top Owl helmet, meanwhile, also displays information for heads-up flying in both day and night operations. The helmet display provides a 40e_SDgr binocular field of view and can display forward-looking infrared and video imagery to the pilot. The system can also overlay targeting data and navigational information directly into the pilot's line of sight.
While the Top Owl is capable of 24h operations, the USMC has opted not to use this feature operationally in the fleet. "At night time, we still use conventional night vision goggles. It took a lot of testing and a lot of debate, but the resounding opinion across all Marine aviators is that there is nothing better out there than night vision goggles," Hewson says. "So that's what we decided to stick with."
The AH-1Z also introduces the Lockheed Martin AAQ-30 Target Sight System (TSS), which incorporates a FLIR, digital colour TV camera and a laser designator. The sensor allows the AH-1Z to act as an armed reconnaissance platform in addition to its traditional role as an attack helicopter.
While the TSS is built on a production line co-located with the Apache's Arrowhead sensor, the systems only share a few common components.
The armaments package for the AH-1Z has not appreciably changed from what is currently found on the AH-1W. The aircraft carries a 20mm turret-mounted cannon, which can be slaved to the pilot's helmet-mounted sights. Additionally, the Zulu can also carry a mix of rocket pods, Lockheed AGM-114 Hellfires and Raytheon AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles. A total of 16 Hellfires can be carried, yielding a payload similar to the AH-64D.

In the future, additional weapons will be integrated onto the gunship, including the advanced precision kill weapon system and follow-on missiles.
One area where the AH-1Z is lagging is in terms of its communications and networking systems. Hewson explains: "What we're doing right now is just voice. We can do all the digital encryption and talk on all the voice radios, but data itself, we're not linking. We've got some plans that we are doing some lab work on to come up with some good data link type stuff. But one thing we are doing that we are putting on AH-1W right now - the AH-1W is still going to be around for another 10, 12 years - we're putting something we call the tactical video data link on there. This will take the sensor video that's on the AH-1W and broadcast that down to a forward air controller who has a ROVER system. We can also receive video from another Cobra, a [Boeing] F/A-18 or [Boeing AV-8B] Harrier who has a Litening pod, or if we get a frequency match, we can look at what a UAV [unmanned air vehicle] is looking at, but not control it".
For the future, new data links are very much on the agenda, Hewson says.

Sukhoi's Su-25UBM completes state acceptance trials

2010-12-20T23:32:00.000+05:30

SOURCE FLIGHT GLOBAL-
Sukhoi has completed state acceptance trials for the Su-25UBM twin-seat attack aircraft and operational trainer, including the use of live weapons.
The variant has undergone all the necessary tests to allow it to enter service with the Russian air force, says Vladimir Babak, general director of Sukhoi Attack Aircraft.
Some documentation has yet to be completed, but once state approval has been received, the Su-25UBM will be cleared to enter series production. The new version is a deep modification of the Su-25 twin-seat operational trainer, equipped with systems that will enable it to perform ground-attack missions in any weather and by day or night.
Additional new equipment will enable the aircraft to be employed in other roles, including reconnaissance and target designation, or as an airborne control post. The high-subsonic design has a reported range of up to 700nm (1,300km).
The first flight of an Su-25UBM took place on 6 December 2008. Although Sukhoi has revealed limited technical information about the new aircraft, it is known to have a Phazotron NIIR Kopyo radar and the Bars-2 set of on-board equipment. It is also believed to have a self-protection system to guard against infrared-guided missiles.

First India C-130J On Its Way

2010-12-19T19:31:00.000+05:30

SOURCE AVIATION WEEK-

Lockheed Martin on Dec. 17 delivered the first of six C-130Js for the Indian air force that comprise a $1.2 billion order placed in 2008 as the country’s first U.S. Foreign Military Sale.
The C-130J delivery is being made first to the U.S. Air Force and then will go the Indian air force in February. All the deliveries are expected to be completed by 2011.
The contract includes training of aircrews and maintenance technicians, spares, ground support and test equipment, servicing carts, forklifts, loading vehicles, cargo pallets and a team of technical specialists who will be based in India during a three-year initial support period.
Powered by four Rolls-Royce AE2100 engines, the C-130J is designed to support special operations. Equipped with an Infrared Detection Set, the aircraft can perform precision low-level flying, airdrops and landings in blackout conditions, Lockheed Martin says.
C-130 photo: Lockheed Martin

Scaled ambition Sea Harrier

2010-12-19T19:27:00.000+05:30

SOURCE FLIGHT GLOBAL-
Ewald Schuster saw his first Hawker Siddeley Harrier at age nine and was so captivated by the machine that he devoted 22 of the next 34 years of his life to creating a fully functioning radio control scale model of the vertical take-off aircraft.
This coming spring, on a dry lake bed in the high California desert, the research laboratory technician at the University of Southern California (USC) will get to find out if the all-composite third-generation Harrier he built with the help a few dozen engineering students will fly, or more importantly, whether it will transition.
While jet-powered radio-controlled (RC) models are becoming the rage in the hobbyist world, no-one as of yet has developed a properly functioning scale Harrier, meaning one that can perform the transition between hover and forward flight and vice versa using four articulated mid-body nozzles and attitude control puffers on the wings, nose and tail.


© Ewald Schuster An earlier version of of Ewald Schuster's Harrier used a turbojet engine (pictured) but the latest has a homebuilt turbofan

© Ewald Schuster

An earlier version of of Ewald Schuster's Harrier used a turbojet engine (pictured) but the latest has a homebuilt turbofan

Simple in concept, the mechanisation is difficult in practice, requiring Schuster, among other feats, to develop another first for the RC world: a miniature turbofan engine similar to the Rolls-Royce Pegasus that powers the Harrier. With a turbofan, relatively cool bypass air can directly power the forward nozzles and piping for the puffer reaction control system on the nose, the wings and the tail can be lighter weight compared to the temperature-resistant materials needed for the rear articulated thruster nozzles.
Such lessons took time, knowledge and patience to learn, however. Along the way, Schuster educated himself in the art of mechanical and aerospace engineering, creating his personal brand of mathematics largely based on observation and driven by pure motivation in an end product - the Harrier. "I started flying RC at age nine," says Schuster. "That's when I first saw the Harrier. I said, 'I have to do that'."
To date, he says no-one in the RC world has done what he hopes to do in the spring. "There's a Harrier in England and one in Taiwan, but none that transition," he says. He built his first model, a 1/10 scale Harrier that used a 4,000mm³ (0.25in³) ducted fan powered by a piston motor, at age 14. "It wouldn't lift off the grass," he says. At age 18, he built number two, a 4kg (9lb), 1/8 scale Harrier with a 14,900mm³ nitro-powered ducted fan. "I took it out, went to full throttle, and it lifted itself," he says. But there was no extra power left for transitioning to forward flight, or for putting additional needed equipment onboard. "That was an eight-year project," he adds.
At 29, Schuster began his third Harrier, a 1/6 scale model, that would accurately reflect the thrust-vectoring characteristics of the real thing. "After the second one not having enough power, I had reasons to go bigger," he says. "Bigger flies better, and efficiencies get better." He knew he needed an engine to mimic the Pegasus engine for the Harrier, a unique turbofan that has a duct around the fan output to power the forward nozzles and attitude control functions and separate rear duct to capture the output of the hot gasses to power the rear nozzles.
Like the Pegasus, his would also have counter-rotating shafts to the reduce angular momentum that otherwise might cause attitude disturbances in turns from gyroscopic cross-coupling. The problem was, no-one on the RC market, then or today, had a miniature turbofan engine. So Schuster set out to build his own.
"Originally I bought a JPX [off the shelf] RC turbine engine," he says. "It had poor power-to-weight ratio, so I took it apart and redid everything, using titanium on the hot side and magnesium on the cold side. I learned a lot about balancing and the basic things about a jet engine, like vibration and bearing pre-load."
Schuster never actually flew the resulting engine, but got it running. "At that time, I got serious about building a bigger one for the Harrier," he says, adding, "there was nothing to copy or go off of. I was experimenting - one step at a time."
He began with an outline of the Pegasus engine selected the internal architecture to meet his thrust needs - a fan, a centrifugal compressor from an automobile turbocharger (the only off-the-shelf component in the engine), an inconel combustion chamber and two inconel turbine wheels, the forward one on a common shaft with the compressor (high spool) and the rear, or power turbine, on a "low spool" with the fan.
The fan output is sleeved to send bleed air to the forward articulating nozzles and attitude control puffers; the power turbine outlet sleeved to power the rear articulating nozzles. "I kind of learned how to do more with math as time went on by studying the flow through several engines," he says. "Particularly the 'open areas'."
TEMPERATURE vs ROTOR
A key relationship he observed over the eight years of development time was turbine temperature versus turbine rotor sizing. "On the first engine, the power turbine was too small and the whole back of the engine was glowing red hot," he says. "The power turbine needed to be larger to relieve the pressure. Too big, and the temperature is too cool; Too small, and it's too hot. I lucked out on the second build and hit the right size. Because of the size difference, the engine needs a 3:1 bypass ratio to provide attitude control functions that the full-size Pegasus does with a 1.2 bypass ratio.
Schuster says about 650°C (1,200°F) behind the HPT is about right, which makes the combustors run at about 2,000°C. The 1/6th scale Pegasus engine produces 40lb (0.178kN) of thrust on a fuel flow of 0.53litres (0.14USgal)/min, about half the fuel flow of an equivalent turbojet version of the engine, he says.
Life expectancy for the engine? Schuster says that's a relative term. He's run more than 380 litres of fuel through the engine and has seen no degradation when he takes it apart. "If temps are kept at reasonable levels, it's hard to tell what the limit is," he says. "People generally crash their aircraft way before the bearings or engine components wear."
Like other miniature turbine makers, Schuster uses ceramic ball bearings and a 5% oil mixture in the fuel for lubrication. His "high spool" runs at 100,000rpm at full speed while the fan turns at 32,000rpm. He's built an engine that runs faster. Schuster has a 2.5in diameter turbojet engine that idles at 60,000rpm and runs full speed at 240,000rpm.


© Ewald Schuster Schuster (centre) works with students from the University of Southern California

© Ewald Schuster

Schuster (centre) works with students from the University of Southern California

Yet another engine, which he thinks will have an application as a handheld generator, idles at 150,000rpm and runs full speed at 500,000rpm, still in development. He also notes that there's currently no burst protection from all the spinning machinery. "Don't stand beside it," he says. While Schuster developed the turbofan engine on his own and several prototype non-hovering Harriers, the first one powered by an off-the-shelf JetCat P120 turbojet, USC provided him with merit research students who have been gaining hands on experience in research, machining and carbon fibre projects for the third generation Harrier construction. The help came quite by accident.
Schuster had previously worked in the special effects arena for Hollywood, putting his talents to work on movies like Titanic, Galaxy Quest, and Small Solders in the late 1990s when it seemed to come to an abrupt end due to computers taking over in special effects.
"I came to USC asking a professor for advice about some of my engines," he says. Impressed, the school gave him a job in the fabrication shop where he worked for five years.
After a stint away, Schuster came back in 2004 and has since put the creative talents of several dozens of students to build, hover and test the Harrier. Contributions include control system development, flight characterisation studies and composites work on the airframe. The group has successfully hovered the vehicle on a tether with a substitute electric motor, though as with any first flight, dozens of details remain open.
"How do we prepare for flying? We have to go out there and risk one," says Schuster. "We thought about testing it in a wind tunnel or on top of a truck, but those options were too complicated." Other options include adding a ballistic airframe parachute, an option that Schuster says would add about 1.4kg to the 9.5kg unfuelled aircraft. Schuster says he may take it up "really high" and try to transition to a hover, the second most difficult task as going into forward flight from hover. A successful first flight may be bittersweet for Schuster.
"When it's done, it's going to be a weird feeling," Schuster, now 43, admits. "My whole life has been in this." Along with finishing a book about the experience, Schuster plans to hit the international RC show circuit with the Harrier, and if the stars align, also put the aircraft to work in a movie.

V-22 Osprey: The Multi-Year Program

2010-12-19T19:24:00.000+05:30

BY DEFENSENEWS-
In March 2008, the Bell Boeing Joint Project Office in Amarillo, TX received a $10.4 billion modification that converted the previous advance acquisition contract (N00019-07-C-0001) to a fixed-price-incentive-fee, multi-year contract. The new contract now sits at $10.92 billion, and will be used to buy 143 MV-22 (for USMC) and 31 CV-22 (Air Force Special Operations) Osprey aircraft, plus associated manufacturing tooling to move the aircraft into full production.
The V-22 tilt-rotor program has been beset by controversy throughout its 20-year development period. DID’s “V-22 Osprey: A Flying Shame?” offers a focused look at a number of specific allegations associated with the program, with material from Pentagon test reports, critical reviews, ongoing news reports, and the US military’s responses. Despite these issues, and the emergence of competitive but more conventional compound helicopter technologies like Piasecki’s X-49 Speedhawk and Sikorsky’s X2, the V-22 program continues to move forward. This DID Spotlight article looks at the V-22’s new multi-year purchase contract, associated contracts for key V-22 systems, and program developments that arise after the contract conversion.

Contracts & Key Events (June 2008 – Present) [updated]
Additional Readings

Displaying 188 of 10,248 words (about 26 pages)

This DII Spotlight article gives quick access to news and updates on the V-22 and a comprehensive background on the hybrid aircraft, including:

Parts, procurement, and maintenance contracts
Related training
Supporting multimedia, including photos and diagrams, videos, slides and engine fact sheets
Modifications to US warships to accommodate the V-22
Links to news releases, supplemental research and corporate source materials, additional DII feature stories, including "V-22 Osprey: A Flying Shame?" and "Snakes and Rotors: The USMC's H-1 Helicopter Program"

Japan Orders Upgrades for its 4 E-767 AWACS

2010-12-19T19:18:00.000+05:30

In May 2006, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of a possible Foreign Military Sale to Japan of four sets of Airborne Early Warning (AEW) and Command, Control and Communications (C3) mission equipment/Radar System Improvement Program (RSIP) Group A and B kits, plus spares and services to ensure complete AWACS mission equipment supportability, for subsequent installation and checkout in 4 previously procured E-767 Airborne Warning and Control Systems (AWACS) aircraft.
Boeing delivered the 4 AWACS E-767s to Japan between 1998-1999; they have been in service since 2000…

AWACS RSIP Comes to the E-767
Contracts and Key Events [updated]
Additional Readings

AWACS RSIP Comes to the E-767

E-767 interior

The E-767 AWACS offers 50% more floor space, and nearly twice the volume, of the 707-based E-3 AWACS in service with other countries. While this volume is put to good use by the JASDF and the aircraft entered service in 1999, improvements are still possible to key systems as technology marches inexorably forward.
RSIP increases the AWACS aircraft’s radar sensitivity, allowing it to detect and track smaller targets. It also improves the radar’s electronic counter-countermeasures, upgrades the existing computer with a new high-reliability multi-processor, and rewrites the software to improve the interface and facilitate future maintenance and enhancements.
The kit is built principally by Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems in Baltimore, MD under a subcontract to Boeing. It consists of a new radar computer, a radar control maintenance panel, and software upgrades to the radar and mission system programs. RSIP kits have been installed on the American, British, NATO and French 707-based E-3 AWACS fleets; as of December 2006, Northrop Grumman has completed delivery of 60 RSIP radar systems to the U.S. Air Force, United Kingdom, NATO, and France.
Updates & Subsequent Developments

JASDF E-767

Dec 17/10: Boeing in Seattle, WA receives an $88 million contract to buy the RSIP and mission navigation system upgrade installation and checkout for the JASDF’s 4 E-767s. At this time, $47 million has been committed by the ESC/HBSKI at Hanscom Air Force Base, MA on behalf of its Foreign Military Sale customer (F19628-01-D-0016; Delivery Order 0072).
Nov 30/10: The US DSCA announces [PDF] a formal request from Japan to buy installation and checkout for both the 4 E-767 Radar System Improvement Program (RSIP) extended Airborne Early Warning (AEW) Group A and B kits it has purchased, and their accompanying enhanced command, control and communications (C3). The request also includes transportation of the E-767s to/from Japan, spare and repair parts, support and test equipment, publications and technical documentation, and other forms of U.S. Government and contractor support.
The estimated cost is $119 million. The prime contractor will be Boeing in Seattle, WA. There are no known offset agreements proposed, and implementation of this proposed sale will not require the assignment of any additional U.S. Government and contractor representatives to Japan.
July 23/10: Boeing Integrated Defense Systems in Seattle, WA received a $6 million contract for mission navigation systems upgrades to the JASDF’s 4 E-767s. At this time, all funds have been committed. The ESC/HBSKI at Hanscom Air Force Base, MA manages this contract (F19628-01-D-0016; Delivery Order 0065).
Aug 8/07: Boeing Co. in Kent, WA receives an indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity, firm-fixed-price contract modification for $110.2 million to exercise a software option for Japan’s E-767 AWACS Radar System Improvement Program (J-RSIP). At this time, $6.6 million has been obligated. This work will be complete in January 2009. The Airborne Early Warning & Control Systems Group at Hanscom Air Force Base, MA issued the contract (F19628-01-D-0016-0050/Mod #05).
Dec 18/06: Northrop Grumman Corporation received a contract from The Boeing Company to provide 4 Radar System Improvement Program (RSIP) kits for Japan’s E-767 fleet, spares and repair parts, support equipment, technical publications and documentation, services and other related program elements to ensure complete AWACS mission equipment supportability. A follow-on installation and check-out contract is planned to begin in 2010.
The total value could be as high as $73 million if the additional option is exercised. See Northrop Grumman release.
Nov 15/06: Boeing announces $108 million Radar System Improvement Program (RSIP) contract for Japan’s AWACS fleet. Boeing is the original supplier of the E-767.
May 2/06: The US DSCA announces [PDF] Japan’s request for E-767 C3/RSIP upgrades. The Foreign Military Sale was contracted through the Electronic Systems Center at Hanscom Air Force Base, MA, and also includes spare and repair parts, support equipment and technical documentation. Installation of the kits will occur during a follow-on contract. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale, and implementation does not require the assignment of any U.S. Government and contractor representatives to Japan.
The announcement placed the total purchase value as high as $147 million if all options are exercised, but subsequent developments seem to have pushed that total higher.

ADA confirms Tejas LSP-3 jettisoned a 1200-litre drop tank over ATR

2010-12-18T15:26:00.000+05:30

Team Tejas after returning from the maiden drop tank jettison mission at ATR Chitradurga, pose for shutterbugs at Old Bangalore airport.

(A late-night DRDO release reproduced below)

SOURCE TARMAKOO7

Jettisonable drop tanks are carried by a combat aircraft, after completing the mission are required to be dropped from the mother aircraft for a quick get away from the enemy territory and other emergency situations. To ensure safety of flight, clean separation of the tank with adequate clearances from the mother aircraft or neighboring stores need to be established from flight test. This extremely safety critical flight test requires thorough planning and preparation supported by theoretical analysis and a level of verification of the predictions through ground tests on specialized test rigs set up for this purpose.
The theoretical predictions were further verified through what is called ‘Pit drop tests’ conducted on a test specimen using specially designed test rig with part of the aircraft system and high speed photography system integrated with it. The test cases covered a member of conditions such as empty, partial and full drop tanks as well as different Ejector Release Unit (ERU) settings.
The flight test were planned by the National Flight Test centre (NFTC), ADA at certain representative critical release condition. Considering the safety critical nature of this test, a safety review was conducted at NFTC to ensure all foreseeable safety issues were taken care of before embarking on this important test. To capture the flight data, a dedicated and specialized Airborne Separation Video System (ASVS) is installed on the Test aircraft. The system comprised of very high speed digital cameras installed in a specially designed camera pod and linked to a Multi System Controller (MSC) installed onboard the aircraft. The MSC gets a pulse from trigger to jettison the tank where upon the cameras are switched on in a pre-determined sequence to capture this critical event.
Mr PS Subramanyam, Programme Director (CA) and Director, ADA told “the 1200 Ltr drop tank jettison trial was conducted on 17 December 2010 at a critical point in the jettison envelope on Tejas LSP-3 aircraft piloted by Gp Capt Suneet Krishna. The trial was conducted over the recently commissioned NFTC Air to ground range at Chitradurga. The trial aircraft was escorted by another Tejas PV-2 which captured the external video picture of the drop tank trajectory after release”.

Dr Prahlada, CC-R&D (Ae-SI) – DRDO opined “with such test experiments made by the team, the aeronautical test range facility at Challakere has paved the smooth way for subsequent trials of different natures. He also said that if this facility were not to be commissioned at Challakere, all such flight tests would have to be carried on either at Hyderabad or Pokran. In view of the close proximity to Challakere to Bangalore it was more comfortable in conducting the test flights by the dedicated team the process of which could be monitored from Bangalore”.
The successful trial is the result of orchestrated team effort on the part of different organizations and specialists involved in this prestigious national programme- yet another feather on the decorated cap of the ‘Team Tejas.’

ThalesRaytheonSystems To Supply Germany Air Defense Radars

2010-12-18T15:21:00.000+05:30

BY ADMIN
PARIS - ThalesRaytheonSystems (TRS) on Dec. 16 signed a contract worth 100 million euros ($133 million) with the German BWB defense procurement office to supply six GM 400 air defense radars, said a senior executive of the joint venture company.
"We're very proud to have won this in a competitive environment," Philippe Duhamel, CEO French Operations at ThalesRaytheonSystems, said Dec. 17. Duhamel heads the French side of the joint venture. "The BWB is a very demanding customer," he said.
TRS teamed with Thales Deutschland, Serco and EADS to pitch the Ground Master 400 digital 3D radar system in the BWB tender. EADS will supply the identification friend-or-foe module for the German contract.
TRS was bidding against Elta, the Israeli radar maker, which had teamed with German partner OHB.
Under the contract, which covers delivery and installation, a first delivery is due in 2013 and the last in 2015. The GM 400 units will replace older radars to provide the German Air Force with a national air surveillance system.
The GM400 offers high-, medium- and low-altitude detection and high reliability, with a claimed rate of mean time between critical failures that is double that of competitor systems, Duhamel said.
The six radars will be built at the Thales Limours plant, 30 kilometers south of the French capital.
TRS is involved in about 10 radar bids in various stages worldwide, Duhamel said.
The BWB Federal Office of Defense Technology and Procurement launched the tender for new air defense radars about two years ago. Other countries that have bought the GM 400 are France, Estonia, Finland, Malaysia and Slovenia. TRS has sold 24 GM 400 systems.

Retiring the Harrier GR9 will damage the ability to regenerate skills to operate the new F-35C variant of the Joint Strike Fighter off a new aircraft carrier when it enters service around 2020.

2010-12-18T15:17:00.002+05:30

BY ADMIN-
One of Britain's senior Royal Air Force commanders has rebutted suggestions that retiring the Harrier GR9 will damage the ability to regenerate skills to operate the new F-35C variant of the Joint Strike Fighter off a new aircraft carrier when it enters service around 2020.

Sixteen Harriers in a diamond formation over RAF Cottesmore. (Ministry of Defence)

"Anybody who thinks that operating a Harrier today was somehow going to link you with the F-35C on the Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier is [wrong]. It is just not true," said Air Officer Commanding No. 1 Group Air Vice Marshal Greg Bagwell.

The Harrier is a short-takeoff-and-vertical-landing aircraft, while the F-35C is a conventional aircraft requiring catapults and arrestor wires to operate. The latter aircraft is destined to be used on the new 65,000-ton carriers now being built by a BAE Systems-led alliance.
Britain originally intended to acquire the STOVL F-35B version of the Joint Strike Fighter, but as part of the strategic defense and security review in October opted to switch to the conventional F-35C variant.
At the same time, the British government decided to immediately ax the joint RAF/Royal Navy Harrier GR9 force and decommission the aircraft carrier Ark Royal, leaving Britain without a maritime air strike capability until 2020, when the F-35C and the Queen Elizabeth-class warship are available.
Britain's joint force of 79 Royal Air Force and Royal Navy Harrier GR9's aircraft took off into retirement Nov. 15 from their base at Cottesmore in eastern England and will now be scrapped, unless they can be sold or a new use for them is found.
The Daily Telegraph newspaper said earlier this week the MoD was looking at a proposal to create a reserve squadron using the Harriers.
The decision to decommission the Harrier and the Ark Royal has caused huge controversy, in part because its opponents say it will be difficult to regain the skills needed to run carrier strike operations in the future.
Bagwell said he does not underestimate the challenges and risks involved in building the F-35C operation, but he thinks the RAF and the RN forces would have faced the issue regardless of whether the Harrier had stayed in service.
"The techniques and procedures to recover a conventional carrier aircraft using catapult launches and arrestor gear recoveries, or 'cats and traps,' are totally different from that of a STOVL aircraft," he said.
"That is just as true for the aircrew as it is for the ships crew. Whilst the Harrier would have preserved the requisite skill sets for the F35B STOVL variant of the Joint Combat Aircraft" - the name the British called their JSF program - "they are largely irrelevant to that needed to operate the F35C.
"Effectively, we need to build the skill sets for the new aircraft and carrier configuration from scratch. We all ready have plans in place to begin that build up over the next 10 years with our allies and partners."
He said it was a "tall order," but regaining carrier skills is a problem Britain had previously faced and overcome.
One senior Royal Navy commander agreed with Bagwell's assessment and said there was a much bigger question mark over regaining deck skills than the capabilities of pilots
Bagwell, who commands all of Britain's fast jet operations, said the RAF and the RN "have 10 years to get our act in gear and understand what operating the F-35C variant means for training and other preparation. Some we will have to learn from the USA and France," he said.
The British already have a pilot exchange program with the U.S. with officers flying carrier operations with the F-18.
Bagwell said he was confident British pilots would also be flying French Navy jets as well
"We will be flying Rafales from French carriers within a few years. I'm sure of it," he said.
The British are targeting the availability of a single squadron of F-35Cs by 2020 to equip a joint RAF/RN operation. Briefing reporters last week, Bagwell said that would require an initial order for about 40 aircraft.
How the aircraft will be employed in the future has yet to be worked out, but said he thought the aircraft would not be tied to the aircraft carrier.
"They are there to project air power. It's irrelevant where they are launched from. The Royal Navy will hate me for this, but sometimes they will be launched from the deck of an aircraft carrier for good reason. Other times it will be in-country closer to the problem," he said.
Either way, he said the F-35C gave the British better deep penetration, ISTAR and other capabilities than the more limited STOVL F-35B.

NEW SYSTEM THAT CAN DEFEND VEHICLE FROM ANTI TANK ROCKET AND MISSILE

2010-12-18T15:15:00.001+05:30

BY ADMIN
BONN, Germany - In about two years, a system could be ready for serial production that can actively defend vehicles from anti-tank rockets and guided missile.
In November, German company Diehl BGT Defence successfully demonstrated its Mutual Active Protection System (MAPS) at a two-day test campaign at the Federal Armed Forces Technical Center WTD 91 in Meppen.
MAPS was mounted on a Fuchs armored transport vehicle and defeated incoming anti-tank rockets and guided missiles, including advanced models with tandem warheads.
MAPS is a German-Israeli research project, and the Bundeswehr has financed about 25 percent of the development of the MAPS demonstrator on the Fuchs.
In total, the German military spent about 20 million euros ($26.44 million) since 1996 to develop a concept for a launcher-based active protection system. In 2006, Diehl BGT presented a prototype. Mounted on a Leopard 2 main battle tank, it defeated an incoming Milan-type anti-tank missile.
The system includes active and passive radar and infrared sensors, and a computer controls the four-tube launcher. It is loaded with blast grenade effector cartridges. During the demonstration, the interceptors destroyed all anti-tank weapons at a safe distance from the defended vehicle.
In addition to effective vehicle protection, MAPS also localizes the enemy's firing positions, enabling rapid and precise counterstrikes by the armored vehicle.
The demonstration at the facility in Meppen was witnessed by representatives of the Bundeswehr and military officials of allied armed forces, and national and international industry representatives.
According to Diehl BGT, MAPS has been successfully tested three times this year and could be ready for serial production in about two years. A decision about the procurement of such a system has not yet been made, a German Defense Department spokesman said.

BAE Systems has launched the second of seven Astute-class nuclear-powered attack submarines

2010-12-18T15:11:00.001+05:30

BY ADMIN-
BAE Systems has launched the second of seven Astute-class nuclear-powered attack submarines destined for the British Royal Navy.
The 7,400-ton boat, officially named HMS Ambush on Dec. 16, is scheduled to be lowered into the water for fitting out at the company's Barrow-in-Furniss yard early next year, with initial sea trials planned for early 2012.
Ambush was meant to have been rolled out of the production hall yesterday 24 hours ahead of being lowered in the water, but a technical issue with the moving gear has delayed the submarine's removal to the dock.
The first of its class HMS Astute was commissioned into the Royal Navy in August, but the 1 billion-pound boat ran aground off the coast of Scotland in October during trials. The incident caused minor damage.
The government here confirmed in the recently published strategic defense and security review that it would purchase a seventh submarine to complete its fleet of attack submarines. No order has been placed yet, however.
Two vessels, Artful and Audacious, are currently under construction at the BAE yard in northeastern England, and early work is underway on a further two vessels.

France Will Give Lebanon 100 Anti-Tank Missiles

2010-12-18T15:09:00.000+05:30

BY ADMIN-
BEIRUT - France will give Lebanon 100 anti-tank missiles, a government official said Dec. 17, confirming a deal that raised concerns in Israel and the United States earlier this year.
"Prime Minister Saad Hariri was informed on [Dec. 15] of the French decision to supply the army with 100 ... HOT missiles that will be used by the military's Gazelle helicopters," the official told AFP.
"The missiles will be delivered before the end of February and are being given with no conditions attached," the official added.
In Paris, the office of French Prime Minister Francois Fillon confirmed that a letter to that effect had been sent to Hariri.
In August, a U.S. lawmaker objected to the transfer, saying the missiles could end up being used against Israel given the influence of the powerful militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon.
"The influence of Hezbollah militants and their Iranian and Syrian backers in the Lebanese government is rising," said Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., the ranking member on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
"Therefore, to sell weapons to Lebanon at this time would be very irresponsible and could jeopardize security and stability in the region."
Press reports had said Israel, which fought a devastating war with Hezbollah in 2006, also expressed concerns.
In November, Washington lifted a hold it had placed on $100 million in military aid to Lebanon after receiving assurances that the army would closely monitor the border with Israel and that the assistance would not be diverted to Hezbollah.
Hezbollah is considered the most powerful military and political force in Lebanon.
Intelligence officials estimate Hezbollah has amassed an arsenal of more than 40,000 short and long-range rockets as well as other sophisticated weapons, including anti-aircraft guns, that the party claims can reach deep inside Israel.

Pilatus receives follow-on PC-21 trainer order from Swiss Air Force

2010-12-18T14:48:00.002+05:30

BY ADMIN
Pilatus Aircraft will deliver two more PC-21 turboprop trainers to the Swiss Air Force under a deal signed on 17 December worth 30 million Swiss franks (US$31.2 million).
The follow-on order will increase the Swiss Air Force's PC-21 fleet to eight aircraft after the latest two are delivered in the first half of 2012, Pilatus says.
The PC-21 jet pilot training system (JEPAS) also includes logistics and engineering services, and a debriefing system.
Also sold to the United Arab Emirates air force the PC-21 training system "is creating a stir," says Oscar Schwenk, chief executive and chairman of the board of directors of Pilatus.


©Pilatus aircraft The Swiss Air Force is acquiring the PC-21s to serve as a lead-in trainer for the Boeing F/A-18 Hornet. The air force also operates a variant of the Pilatus PC-7 as a basic trainer.

©Pilatus aircraft

The Swiss Air Force is acquiring the PC-21s to serve as a lead-in trainer for the Boeing F/A-18 Hornet. The air force also operates a variant of the Pilatus PC-7 as a basic trainer.

Eurocopter completes four first flights in one day

2010-12-18T14:47:00.000+05:30

BY ADMIN-
Eurocopter successfully completed four first flights on 17 December, including the first sortie of the second prototype EC175 heavy twin civil helicopter being built in a joint venture with the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC).
The other three first flights involved military helicopters - a fire support and destruction (HAD) Tiger for France; an NH90 tactical transport helicopter (TTH) also for France's armed forces and an NH90 TTH for the Spanish armed forces.
The second EC175, a 7t multi-role helicopter configured for the oil and gas industry, flew for 45 minutes on its maiden sortie, validating basic handling qualities and system functionality, says Eurocopter. The companies plan to certify the Pratt & Whitney PT6C-67E-powered 16-passenger twin in late 2012.
The Tiger HAD support and attack helicopter for France will next pair with a Spanish Tiger HAD for joint testing and development flights. Eurocopter says it has orders for 64 of the 6.6t HADs - 40 by France and 24 by Spain, six of which are retrofits of previously delivered versions of the Tiger.
Both NH90 TTH first flights lasted for one hour, with dynamic systems checks, handling qualities evaluations and initial avionics checks of the 11t twin.


©Eurocopter
Second Eurocopter EC175 takes flight


©Eurocopter
French armed forces Tiger HAD first flight


©Eurocopter
NH90 for Spanish Armed Forces


©Eurocopter
French NH90 first flight

Euro Hawk passes first endurance test

2010-12-18T14:44:00.000+05:30

BY ADMIN-
The European variant of the high-altitude, long-endurance Global Hawk passed the endurance test, manufacturer Northrop Grumman says, completing a more than 30h flight in the early days of December.
The unmanned aerial vehicle took off on 1 December at 16:47 Pacific Standard Time and landed at 20:59 on 2 December, 30h and 12 minutes later.
"Soaring up to 60,000ft, the Euro Hawk performed beautifully and has logged nearly 100 total flight hours since its maiden flight approximately five months ago," says Duke Dufresne, sector vice president and general manager of the strike and surveillance systems division for Northrop Grumman's Aerospace Systems sector. "This flight not only demonstrated the aircraft's endurance capability, but it also enabled the team to collect crucial communications data points."


© Northrop Grumman

The UAV is currently undergoing testing at Edwards AFB in California, aiming for a spring delivery to Germany, where it will be outfitted with a reconnaissance payload package built by Cassidian, the military division of EADS. It is Northrop's first international configuration of the RQ-4 Global Hawk, based on the Block 20 confiduartion.
"The aircraft will undergo additional flight testing in Germany before being delivered to the German Air Force by the end of 2011 to replace the fleet of manned Breguet Atlantic aircraft which went out of service this year," says Nicolas Chamussy, senior vice president of Unmanned Aerial Systems for Cassidian.

JSF Alternate Engine Hits Congressional Headwinds

2010-12-17T21:29:00.000+05:30

By Michael Bruno michael_bruno@aviationweek.com

The General Electric-Rolls Royce F136 alternate engine for the Joint Strike Fighter program looked increasingly vulnerable Dec. 15 when efforts to prolong the controversial program appeared to be losing steam in Congress.
In separate but related actions Dec. 14-15, defense lawmakers and their aides said they have worked out a quick compromise to help pass defense authorization legislation for Fiscal 2011, not including an earmark for the engine, while a Senate Democratic appropriations proposal that included F136 language ran into growing conservative opposition.
The authorization measure – stripped down after a provision to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy stopped an earlier version – does not authorize or restrict obligations for the F-35 engines or aircraft, leaving the fate of the F136 in the hands of appropriators.
“Because of the unique circumstances in which the bill is being considered and the importance of the legislation to our men and women serving in uniform at a time of war, we have agreed to drop many controversial provisions that were included in the House and Senate versions of the bill,” explained Sens. Carl Levin (D-Mich.), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and ranking Republican John McCain (Ariz.).
The House version of the compromise was introduced there late Dec. 15. A 29-page summary provided by departing House Armed Services Chairman Ike Skelton (D-Mo.) only mentioned the JSF in the context of a potential naval tactical aircraft shortfall.
“Barring a complete reversal of the development and performance failures in the Joint Strike Fighter program, Congress expects future budget submissions to continue the production of F-18s to prevent our naval airpower from losing significance in our nation’s arsenal,” the summary said. It is estimated that by Fiscal 2017, the Navy and Marine Corps inventory could be at least 250 aircraft short of current requirements—the equivalent of five carrier air wings.
Meanwhile, a so-called omnibus appropriations bill for Fiscal 2011 unveiled Dec. 14 by Senate Appropriations Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) that earmarks for the F136 drew threats of filibuster and general opposition from several conservative senators who cited a desire to rein in earmarks in general. The measure contrasts with a continuing resolution (CR) of Fiscal 2010 spending that the House passed last week, which if enacted could provide an opening for Defense Secretary Robert Gates to literally terminate the F136, although the Pentagon has not indicated what it would do specifically (Aerospace DAILY, Dec. 2).
For his part, Gates – who opposes the F136 as does the White House – on Dec. 15 urged Congress to pass an omnibus even while he did not explicitly endorse or criticize Inouye’s legislation. In a prepared statement Gates argued against another CR of Fiscal 2010 because “the heavy volume of reprogrammings needed to manage the vast and complex operations of this department under a year-long continuing resolution would slow our efforts to meet unanticipated wartime needs.”
A Gates spokesman reiterated the Obama administration’s opposition to the alternate powerplant. “Secretary Gates’ position on the extra engine is well known and unchanged: the department does not need it and cannot afford it,” said Pentagon representative Geoff Morrell. “Opposition to the extra engine and support for an omnibus spending bill need not be mutually exclusive.”

Lockheed

JSF LRIP IV Cost Targets Released

2010-12-17T21:22:00.000+05:30

By Amy Butler abutler@aviationweek.com
WASHINGTON

The Pentagon’s most recent per-unit target price for the conventional-takeoff-and-landing (CTOL) version of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is $111.6 million, according to program officials.
The target price for the short-takeoff-and-vertical-landing (Stovl) version, which has encountered the most challenging technical and testing problems, is $109.4 million, the F-35 Joint Program Office says. And the target cost for the most expensive variant — the carrier version (CV) — is $142.9 million, officials say.
The price data traditionally has not been publicly released, but the program office released these figures to Aviation Week in response to questions.
Neither price includes the cost of the Pratt & Whitney F135 engines; that contract is under negotiation. Based on the low-rate-initial-production (LRIP) III pricing, the average cost of a CTOL engine is about $19 million and the average Stovl engine and lift-fan system cost is about $38 million. Pratt has offered a price reduction of at least 10% for LRIP IV.
Negotiations for the LRIP IV contract began in October 2009 and continued for more than a year; the contract deal was announced Nov. 19 without data on the per-unit target pricing. During that time, the Pentagon learned of more delays in delivering test aircraft as well as a lag in the flight testing program itself. Pentagon procurement czar Ashton Carter and acting Air Force procurement chief David Van Buren shifted LRIP IV away from being a cost-plus-incentive-fee contract.
LRIP IV is the first fixed-price, incentive-fee contract on the JSF production program. Pentagon officials were planning to shift to a fixed-price arrangement in LRIP V, but accelerated that plan to reduce financial exposure to the government of potential cost overruns. LRIP IV also includes the first purchase of CV versions.
The target price is driven largely by quantities. The prices include 11 CTOLs, one of which is a priced option. The base buy includes 10 CTOL aircraft for the U.S. Air Force. The Marine Corps is buying 16 Stovl aircraft, with another going to the United Kingdom. London, however, recently announced it would not purchase a Stovl fleet and this aircraft will be used for testing. This leaves the U.S. Marines and Italy as the only potential Stovl customers.
The U.S. Navy is buying four CVs in LRIP IV — most expensive version and the least mature at this point in the development program.
The LRIP IV contract stipulates that the government’s maximum per-unit financial exposure is 120% of the target price. Any overrun exceeding that ceiling (which represents the out-of-pocket cost to the government) would be paid for by prime JSF contractor Lockheed Martin. The funding would first come out of the company’s profit.
These per-unit target costs include some ancillary items not directly associated with building production aircraft, such as testing instrumentation equipment, says Tom Burbage, Lockheed Martin executive vice president and general manager for F-35. Though he says that the government’s per-unit target price is higher than Lockheed’s unit recurring flyaway (URF) price, the two sets of numbers are following the same price reduction curve.
Lockheed officials declined to release the URF because they say it is competition-sensitive; the F-35 is still competing against the Gripen, Eurofighter and F/A-18 E/F in various international campaigns. Based on the most recent multiyear procurement of 124 F/A-18E/F and E/A-18G aircraft, the per-unit cost is approximately $42.7 million, excluding the cost of both engines.
However, Burbage says in general the target per-unit cost cited by the Pentagon exceeds Lockheed’s URF by about 3-4%. “It is not worth arguing about real prices … because it is only really a small amount of money,” he says. “These numbers aren’t important to the U.S. Department of Defense” because officials they know the numbers. “These numbers are important to the international partnership [and] they do tend to get taken out of context,” Burbage adds.
Lockheed’s decision to agree to a fixed-price, incentive fee contract in LRIP IV earlier than planned is an effort to “try and dispel some of the cost discussion … to try and signal to the world that we have confidence in our cost.”
A government source says that the if the target per-unit prices are achieved, the cost is on a steep downward curve - reducing by more than $100 million since the first lot - for the CTOL version, which is competing in the international market.
According to a government source, the prices for LRIPs 1-3 are:
LRIP 1 - CTOL - $221.2 million,
LRIP 2 - CTOL - 161.7 million; Stovl (first purchase) $160.7,
LRIP 3 - CTOL - $128.2 million: Stovl $128 million.
The LRIP IV buy doubles Lockheed’s F-35 backlog, and Burbage says that each time the quantity ordered doubles, the per-unit price will decrease by 25-28 percent. Ultimately, Lockheed plans to sell at least 3,100 of the single-engine stealthy fighters, and officials hope to achieve an average recurring flyaway cost of about $60 million per CTOL unit.
Many of Lockheed’s smaller F-35 subcontractors are already under fixed-price arrangements, but negotiations must still be done on LRIP IV with BAE and Northrop Grumman, the top two industrial partners on the airframe portion of the program.
Talks for LRIP IV are nascent, but Burbage says he hopes to have a contract for this next lot by June.

Bulgaria Changes Its Order for up to 8 C-27J “Baby Hercs”

2010-12-17T10:31:00.000+05:30

BY ADMIN

In February 2006, Finmeccanica announced that its C-27J Spartan (aka. “Baby Herc”), developed as a joint venture between its Alenia Aeronautica subsidiary and Lockheed Martin, had been finalized as Bulgaria’s choice to replace its current fleet of Antonov An-26 “Curl” airlifters. The Bulgarians want up to 8 C-27Js, which share significant commonalities with the C-130J Hercules that extend to most of their avionics and their engines as well as their look.
The “Baby Hercs” will be used for troops and material transport within Bulgaria, and may also participate in NATO operations (Bulgaria has been a NATO member since April 2004) as they are fully compliant with civil and military interoperability standards. The deal was eventually set as 5 C-27Js for EUR 91.8 million… but that has changed.

C-130J Hercules

The C-27J has been ordered so far by the Air Forces of Italy (12) and of Greece (12, in a deal worth EUR 297 million). In the U.S. the aircraft eventually won the JCA (Joint Cargo Aircraft) program to provide local airlift within theater.

In 2006, Finmeccanica noted that the C-27J is also under evaluation by Portugal, “other countries recently become NATO members,” plus Australia (to replace the fantastic but aged DH-4 Caribou), Ireland and Taiwan. In most of these cases, the C-27J is competing with CASA’s C-295. Based on DID’s research, the key tradeoff is that CASA aircraft is more efficient per flight hour and also longer, which gives it the capacity for more standard pallets. On the other hand, the C-27J offers extensive Hercules compatibility, as well as internal dimensions and floor strength levels that let it carry smaller armored vehicles like an M113 inside, or even a prepared OH-58C Kiowa helicopter.
Dec 16/10: Bloomberg News quotes Bulgarian Defense Minister Anyu Angelov, who told reporters in Sofia that Bulgaria will buy 3 C-27Js, instead of 5, with no penalty. The 20% deposit on planes 4 & 5 will be transferred as payment for the 3rd aircraft, which will be delivered in March 2011.
Aug 4/10: Bulgaria’s Sofia News Agency reports that the government recently allocated BGN 256 million (about EUR 131M/ $174M) from the country’s fiscal reserve in order to complete a number of arms deals, lest it find key defense items repossessed.
The country has already received the first 2 C-27Js, and still owes BGN 57.6 million (about EUR 29.5 million). Current Defense Minister Anyu Angelov says that “We are conducting hard talks with the Italians in order to be able to give up the fifth air plane.” Read “Bulgaria’s Finances Squeezing Existing Arms Deals” for more.

Pentagon: No Answers for Missile Interceptor Mishap

2010-12-17T10:23:00.002+05:30

WASHINGTON - The vice chief of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff said Dec. 16 it was unclear why an interceptor meant to knock out incoming ballistic missiles failed in a test for the second time in a row.
Marine Gen. James Cartwright said he had no doubts that the country's missile defense system could fend off potential threats, despite the failed test on Dec. 15.
"I'm not the least bit concerned that we don't have a capability to defeat, should we need to, that rogue threat that the system's been designed against," Cartwright told reporters.
In the test on Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands, an interceptor rocket launched from a base in California failed to intercept its target, an intermediate-range ballistic missile, the Missile Defense Agency said.
Officials will carry out an "extensive investigation to determine the cause of the failure to intercept the target," the agency said in a statement.
A similar test carried out Jan. 31 resulted in failure.
Cartwright said the latest test involved an "upgraded version" of an interceptor, but that older models currently deployed were reliable.
"We test in order to find out if something works," Cartwright said. "The question now is, make sure we understand, was it two failures that were of the same ilk or was it two very different failures? We just don't know those answers yet."
Out of 15 tests of ground-based interceptors since 1999, seven have failed, according to the Missile Defense Agency.
"The next flight test will be determined after identification of the cause of the failure," the agency said.
Aerospace giant Boeing is the lead contractor for the missile defense program.
The ground-based defense system is meant to shield the United States from a potential ballistic missile attack.

Unmanned Strike Jet Nearly Set For First Flight

2010-12-17T10:22:00.001+05:30

BY ADMIN-
The first unmanned aircraft designed as a carrier-based strike jet is almost ready to take to the air for the first time, U.S. Navy officials have confirmed.

The U.S. Navy's X-47B unmanned strike aircraft, as shown in Palmdale, Calif. (Alan Radecki / Northrop Grumman)

Northrop Grumman's X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System Demonstration (UCAS-D) drone has been performing taxi tests for several weeks at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., as engineers run the aircraft through a long series of pre-flight tests and checks.
Program officials had hoped for a flight by mid-December, but weather and other factors have delayed the event. Officials were reluctant to specify an exact date, but are hopeful the flight will take place before the end of the year.
Two X-47Bs have been built by Northrop's Aerospace Systems sector under a 2007 development contract. The stealthy aircraft, which resembles a miniature B-2 bomber - also built by Northrop - is intended to test the concept of operating a small, unmanned, combat jet from aircraft carriers.
Although numerous technical and command-and-control issues need to be addressed to bring the concept to maturity, war planners have routinely been using X-47s in war games as part of a carrier strike group. In some cases, they have even swapped out the manned air wing for an all-UCAS wing, with, reportedly, great success.
Northrop's work on the program includes the design and development of airborne precision-guided positioning system algorithms to help navigate the aircraft, and autonomous aerial refueling technology to keep the planes aloft - perhaps for several days at a time.
The first plane was to have taken to the air in late 2009 under the original contract, with the first at-sea tests on a carrier to have been in 2011, but those dates have been pushed back. Initial seagoing tests now are scheduled for early 2013.
The single-engine, tailless X-47B has a wingspan of 62 feet and is 38 feet long. It is designed to carry 4,500 pounds of weapons in its payload bay, reach high subsonic speeds, and fly to altitudes of about 40,000 feet. Without refueling, it should be able to operate at ranges up to 2,100 nautical miles and stay in the air for more than six hours.
Lockheed Martin, Pratt & Whitney and GKN Aerospace are teamed with prime contractor Northrop on the UCAS-D program.

Israeli Jet Downs Flying Object Near Nuclear Plant

2010-12-17T10:09:00.000+05:30

JERUSALEM - An Israeli warplane shot down a "suspicious object" flying on Dec. 16 over the southern part of the Dead Sea, the military said, adding that the intruder appeared to have been a balloon.
The country's main nuclear reactor is about 20 miles from the Dead Sea, at Dimona in the Negev desert.
"Air force planes were scrambled after a suspicious object was seen," a military spokeswoman told AFP. "It was shot down." She did not elaborate.
Local news site Ynet said one of the planes fired a missile at the object "which was hovering close to the nuclear research institute at Dimona."
It said the balloon appeared to be powered by an engine, but was unmanned.
Aircraft are forbidden from flying over the reactor near Dimona.
Israel says the reactor is for research purposes, but defense analysts say it is the centre of Israel's undeclared nuclear weapons program. They say Dimona has been used to produce up to 200 nuclear warheads.
The Dimona plant was built with French aid at the beginning of the 1950s.
But Israel has never confirmed or denied reports that it has produced nuclear warheads.
Israel is not a signatory of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and refuses to submit its nuclear facilities to inspection by UN watchdog the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Russians want $100 million more to deliver 3 Talwar class stealth frigates for Indian Navy

2010-12-17T10:07:00.002+05:30

SOURCE : RIA Novosti
Russian shipbuilding plant Yantar has asked Russia’s state arms exporter, Rosoboronexport, for an additional $100 million to complete construction of three frigates for the Indian Navy, Russian business daily Kommersant said on Thursday.
A $1.6-billion contract on the construction of the ships was signed in summer 2006. Although the ships were scheduled for completion by 2011-2012, a lack of funds has delayed construction, the paper said.
“The lack of funding is linked to the VAT refund problem: we will only receive [the money] after the frigates have been supplied to India,” Igor Orlov, the director general of the Kaliningrad-based plant, told the paper.
A source close to Rosoboronexport told Kommersant the Indian side was aware of the issue and was treating it “with understanding.”
“We are not considering increasing the contract price for India,” the source said. “We propose the problem be settled using domestic reserves, including those of the United Shipbuilding Corporation.”
Russian shipyards have struggled to complete Indian naval contracts on time and budget on several occasions. The price of a refit for the the Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier has been almost doubled, and its completion date was put back from 2008 to late 2012.

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© USMC

The US Marine Corps' new-model attack helicopter can carry a mix of rockets, plus Hellfire and Sidewinder missiles

© US Navy

The legacy AH-1W's distinctive two-bladed rotor is replaced on the 'Zulu' version

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First India C-130J On Its Way

Scaled ambition Sea Harrier

© Ewald Schuster

An earlier version of of Ewald Schuster's Harrier used a turbojet engine (pictured) but the latest has a homebuilt turbofan

© Ewald Schuster

Schuster (centre) works with students from the University of Southern California

V-22 Osprey: The Multi-Year Program

Japan Orders Upgrades for its 4 E-767 AWACS

ADA confirms Tejas LSP-3 jettisoned a 1200-litre drop tank over ATR

ThalesRaytheonSystems To Supply Germany Air Defense Radars

Retiring the Harrier GR9 will damage the ability to regenerate skills to operate the new F-35C variant of the Joint Strike Fighter off a new aircraft carrier when it enters service around 2020.

NEW SYSTEM THAT CAN DEFEND VEHICLE FROM ANTI TANK ROCKET AND MISSILE

BAE Systems has launched the second of seven Astute-class nuclear-powered attack submarines

France Will Give Lebanon 100 Anti-Tank Missiles

Pilatus receives follow-on PC-21 trainer order from Swiss Air Force

©Pilatus aircraft

The Swiss Air Force is acquiring the PC-21s to serve as a lead-in trainer for the Boeing F/A-18 Hornet. The air force also operates a variant of the Pilatus PC-7 as a basic trainer.

Eurocopter completes four first flights in one day

©Eurocopter

Second Eurocopter EC175 takes flight

©Eurocopter

French armed forces Tiger HAD first flight

©Eurocopter

NH90 for Spanish Armed Forces

©Eurocopter

French NH90 first flight

Euro Hawk passes first endurance test

JSF Alternate Engine Hits Congressional Headwinds

JSF LRIP IV Cost Targets Released

Bulgaria Changes Its Order for up to 8 C-27J “Baby Hercs”

Pentagon: No Answers for Missile Interceptor Mishap

Unmanned Strike Jet Nearly Set For First Flight

Israeli Jet Downs Flying Object Near Nuclear Plant

Russians want $100 million more to deliver 3 Talwar class stealth frigates for Indian Navy