Air International 2013-07

£4.50

MAY 2012

X47

INTERNATIONAL

For the best in modern military and commercial aviation

www.airinternational.com

JULY 2013 Vol.85 No.1

Fl ig ht

W F r or & i A3 s l 50 t d Ta s ke

INTERNATIONAL

FINAL PART OF OUR SERIES ON ATTACK HELICOPTERS

X-47 Embarked, Unmanned & Unbelievable

Flight Ops on the USS George Bush

A350 Maiden Flight The World’s Most Advanced Airliner Lifts Off

Airbus A350

The Ultimate Airliner?

Pratt & Whitney Thomson’s 787 Military Engines

Makes UK Touchdown

CH

cials

E ABL & L I AVAE FIRE ! W L NO KIND WS 8 ON INDO W

Your favourite magazine is now available digitally. DOWNLOAD THE APP NOW FOR FREE.

FREE APP with sample issue

IN APP ISSUES £3.99

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE NEWS REPORT

Airbus Military is preparing to hand over the first A400M to the French Air Force – Mark Broadbent gives the details

T

he A400M has been a long time coming. Its development challenges have been well documented. But with full European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Type Certification achieved, initial military certification imminent and delivery of the first customer aircraft to the Armée de l’Air (French Air Force) due soon, the A400M is at last becoming a reality. EASA certification was awarded on March 13, concluding an intense certification testing campaign (see Taming the Grizzly, January 2013, p70). The milestone means that military certification is now just weeks away. Damian Allard, A400M Market Development Manager, told AIR International: “It’s still on-going. We expect to get military certification sooner rather than later. As soon as we get the certification we’ll deliver the aircraft to the French Air Force.” Allard didn’t provide a specific timeframe about when the certification might be achieved and MSN7, the first series production aircraft, handed over, only saying that the target is to complete this process in the second quarter.

10

Read on your

AI.06.13

MSN7 will be one of four A400Ms delivered to customers this year. The second French aircraft, MSN8, was undergoing electrical, hydraulics and pressurisation testing at the final assembly line (FAL) in Seville, Spain, at the time of writing. MSN9, the first Turkish Air Force A400M, and MSN10 (the third French aircraft) are undergoing completion in the FAL. Another eight A400Ms are in different stages of assembly. “Once production is mature we’ll produce 2.5 aircraft a month, or 28 aircraft a year,” Allard said. After France and Turkey, the next customers, in 2014, will be the Luftwaffe and Royal Air Force. The first French AF pilot and maintenance crews arrived at the Airbus Military Training Centre in Seville in February 2013, completing their courses in April. Pilots trained on A380 simulators because that for the A400M was awaiting certification. With its eight large LCD cockpit displays, two head-up displays (HUD) and side-stick controls, the A400M cockpit is based on the A380’s and so training can be carried out in an A380 simulator with no issues apart from the addition of some military

functions. The A400M simulator is “about to be certified”, Allard said.

Service Entry Once handed over, MSN7, MSN8 and MSN10 will be operated from BA123 Orléans-Bricy by the MEST (multinational entry into service team). This dedicated A400M test unit will oversee the aircraft’s initial service entry in France and help co-ordinate A400M military operations by all the customer nations. Over the next few months, air and ground crew training will ramp up. The various functions supporting the A400M in service at Orléans, including ground equipment, training documentation, maintenance management, mission planning and technical assistance, will also come into play. Meanwhile, exploration of the A400M’s military capabilities will continue. As previously reported by AIR International, this has been part of the flight testing during the EASA certification campaign. There have been initial trials of cargo and

Please send all news correspondence [email protected]

iPhone & iPad

paratrooper air drops, military radar, the defensive aids sub-system (DASS), night vision goggles (NVGs), air-to-air refuelling and operations from unprepared strips. An Airbus Military spokesman told AIR International that the next few months will see military trials focus on air drops, DASS and advanced handling in a military context. Testing military capabilities will be a gradual process dictated by customers’ requirements. The A400M will pass through a series of standard operational capability (SOC) milestones over the coming years to steadily mature the aircraft. SOC1, which will clear the aircraft to perform “initial aerial delivery and self-protection”, according to A400M Programme Manager Cédric Gautier, is scheduled for the turn of 2013-14.

First Impressions Although the A400M isn’t yet at Orléans, the French Air Force already has favourable impressions. Lieutenant Colonel Williams Grac, Head of the MEST, said: “I have been really surprised by the ease of flying the aircraft and its stability. The

Monthly £2.99 6 issues £19.99 12 issues £34.99

NEWS REPORT

Grizzly Awaits

A400M is capable as well to reach load factors of up to 3g depending on the configuration and the loading. The manoeuvrability of the aircraft is excellent, and will enable close formation flying which, associated with a self-protection system, will contribute to increase the survivability of the aircraft above a threat zone. It is a real pleasure to fly this aircraft. “The absence of a big control column and the use of sidesticks are features which, at first sight, can be the most puzzling aspect for Transall and Hercules pilots transitioning to [the] A400M,” Lt Col Grac added. “But they can be reassured that the transition is fast, especially for the ones already being trained on commercial simulators.”

The Serval Example Airbus Military says the A400M’s appeal is that it blends the best of strategic and tactical airlifters. “It’s the first aircraft to combine those two capabilities,” said Allard. “The C-17 can airlift heavy equipment but cannot land on [all] unpaved airstrips. The C-130J can land on airstrips but it

can’t airlift heavy equipment. With the A400M you buy just one fleet that you can do everything with. It can also be a tactical tanker, so actually when you buy an A400M you buy three aircraft – a tactical airlifter, a strategic airlifter and a tactical tanker.” To illustrate this, Airbus Military recently undertook an “intellectual exercise” to show how the A400M could have contributed to the French Air Forces’s Opération Serval in Mali. Although C-130s and Transalls can operate tactically into unprepared strips they can’t move larger, heavier equipment, meaning France had to rely on other nations’ C-17s and hired Antonov An-124s. And because these aircraft can’t operate into unprepared strips, the equipment had to be flown to Bamako before being transported on a slow 559 mile (900km) journey to Timbuktu, Gao, Tessalit and Kidal, travelling on poor roads and with the threat of IEDs. Airbus Military’s point is that the A400M could have removed this problem because it hits a sweet spot in being both large enough to transport heavy equipment and capable of operating tactically from unprepared strips. “The A400M can airlift 90% of the typical equipment in service with the armed forces – helicopters, guns, missile batteries, Patriot launching stations, armoured vehicles,” Allard said. “We can also airlift humanitarian equipment, such as heavy cranes and excavators. That’s the advantage. You don’t need to use ground convoys, and directly from Europe you could have delivered everything that was needed in Opération Serval.” Airbus Military says the A400M is capable of delivering 25-tonne (55,000lb) payloads into 250ft (750m) unpaved strips. Its 12ft 7in (8.5m) cabin height (extending to 13ft/4m aft of the wing) and 13ft (4m) width gives double the volume of the C-130J, according to Allard. The aircraft will also be capable of carrying 116 fully-equipped paratroopers (or 110 passengers on palletised seats), 66 stretchers and 25 medical assistants, nine military pallets, one 40ft (12.1m) container or two 20ft (6.09m) containers or a mixed load of nine pallets and 54 troops. Airbus Military also claims that four A400Ms can do the work of nine C-130Js (measured in tonnes per nautical miles transported over the course of a year) and that the type’s life-cycle costs will be 35% lower than the C-130J’s.

SEARCH: AIR International

Sales All this, together with the fly-by-wire cockpit, has led Airbus Military to lay claim to the A400M being the “only fifth-generation airlifter”. In total 174 A400Ms have been sold, but the company wants a larger slice of the market, believing the A400M’s strategic/tactical mix to be a unique selling point. “We’re actively looking for customers all over the world,” said Allard. “Many air forces are interested in our aircraft because it’s totally new, cost-effective and extremely capable. Discussions are on-going. We want to do as well as the C-130 did in the 20th century – we want to be the C-130 of the 21st century.”

Please send all news correspondence [email protected]

AI.06.13

11

PC & Mac

Android

kindle fire

SEARCH:

ALSO

SEARCH Britain at War

AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD

Blackberry

Windows 8

SEARCH

COMBAT AIRCRAFT

AVIATION NEWS

FREE APP

FREE APP

IN APP ISSUES £3.99

IN APP ISSUES £3.99

with sample issue

NEW Aviation Specials App FREE DOWNLOAD IN APP ISSUES

£3.99

with sample issue

How it Works.

Simply download the AIR International app and receive your sample issue completely free. Once you have the app, you will be able to download new or back issues (from January 2011 onwards) for less than newsstand price or, alternatively, subscribe to save even more!

Simply download to purchase digital versions of your favourite aviation specials in Don’t forget to register for your Pocketmags account. one handy place! Once you have This will protect your purchase in the event of a damaged or lost device. It will the app, you will be able to also allow you to view your purchases on multiple platforms. download new, out of print or archive specials PC, Mac & iTunes for less than the Windows 8 cover price!

Available on PC, Mac, Blackberry, Windows 8 and kindle fire from Requirements for app: registered iTunes account on Apple iPhone 3G, 3GS, 4S, 5, iPod Touch or iPad 1, 2 or 3. Internet connection required for initial download. Published by Key Publishing Ltd. The entire contents of these titles are © copyright 2013. All rights reserved. App prices subject to change.

398 AI Digi.indd 2

398/13

13/06/2013 11:30

FREE D VD!

News

04 BREAKING NEWS

Lift off for the A350XWB, Pilatus unveils PC-24 Super Versatile Jet, Canada’s fixed wing SAR programme, Spanish Defence Cuts reduce Eurofighter fleet, F-35A launches first AIM-120 AMRAAM missile, latest French defence plans impact on Rafale and A400M procurement.

08 GENERAL NEWS

Bombardier’s new Challenger 350, first order for CH-53K, maiden flights for EMARSS King Air and the MQ-4C Triton, Algeria evaluates the C-17 Globemaster and the A330 MRTT, details of the UK SAR helicopter transition and MiG-31 Foxhound review.

Subscri b claim y e to AIR Intern our ati Airlines free ‘Flying’ o onal and Boeing r Ethiop 7 worth u 87 Cockpit D ian p to £1 VD 9 .9 9. See pag es 88 for deta -89 ils.

42

Features

35 

ATTACK HELICOPTERS PART THREE

AIR International concludes its major series of the world’s attack helicopters featuring the A129 Mangusta, Z-10, Ka-52 Alligator, Tiger ARH and AH-1Z Viper.

Editor Mark Ayton [email protected]

News Editor David Willis [email protected]

Designer Dave Robinson

Commercial Director Ann Saundry

Production Controller Danielle Tempest

AIR International’s Mark Ayton spoke to Unmanned Combat Air Systems programme manager at NAVAIR, Capt Jaime Engdahl, about the historic X-47B demonstration aboard the USS George Bush.

Europe’s third largest low-cost carrier, Norwegian, is entering the long-haul business with Boeing 787s. Andreas Spaeth reports.

Marketing Assistants Shaun Binnington & Jess Jagger

Production Manager Janet Watkins

UNMANNED AND UNBELIEVABLE 70 EMBARKED,

NORWAY TO THE WORLD 82 FROM

Sub Editors Sue Blunt, Carol Randall, Norman Wells

Group Editor in Chief Paul Hamblin

Managing Director & Publisher Subscriptions/Mail Order Manager Adrian Cox Roz Condé Executive Chairman Marketing Manager Martin Steele Richard Cox

90 A TIME OF TRANSITION

Mark Broadbent reports on Thomson Airways receiving the first UKbased Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner.

• ISSN 0306-5634 • is published monthly by:

Key Publishing Ltd, PO Box 100, Stamford, Lincs, PE9 1XQ, UK T +44 (0)1780 755131 F +44 (0)1780 757261 The entire contents of AIR International is © copyright, and no

As manufacture of Pratt & Whitney’s legacy military engine models tails off, the company is ramping up production of new engines and developing the next generation of powerplants for military aircraft. Chris Kjelgaard reports.

94 FRENCH RECCE MEET

Jan Kraak reports on the Armée de l’Air’s recent Recce Meet 2013 at Mont-de-Marsan.

FRONT COVER: This month AIR International features a major feature on the X-47B UCAS. Naval Air Systems Command LEFT INSET: Airbus MIDDLE INSET: Lockheed Martin RIGHT INSET: Nik French

Editor’s Secretary Julie Lawson [email protected] part of it may be reproduced in any form or stored on any form of retrieval system without the prior permission of the publisher. All items submitted for publication are subject to our terms and conditions, which are regularly updated without prior notice and are freely available from Key Publishing Ltd or downloadable from www. keypublishing.com Distribution by Seymour Distribution Ltd • T. +44 (0)020 7429 4000 • Printed in England by Warners

Piotr Butowski

36 Mangusta 42 Zhishengji Ten 48 Alligator’s Bite 56 Taming the Tiger 62 Marine Corps’ Viper

68 THOMSON TOUCHDOWN

Advertisement Manager Ian Maxwell [email protected]

Midlands PLC. • Please refer to main Subscriptions Advertisement within the magazine or Email: subs@ keypublishing.com T +44 (0)1780 480404 F +44 (0)1780 757812 Readers in USA may place subscriptions by telephone toll-free 800-676-4049. Air International is distributed in the USA by Mail Right Int., 1637 Stelton Road B4, Piscataway, NJ 08854. Periodicals Postage Paid at Piscataway, NJ and additional mailing offices

Postmaster send address corrections to: AIR International, Key Publishing Ltd, C/o Mail Right International Inc. 1637 Stelton Road B4, Piscataway NJ 08854

We are unable to guarantee the bonafides of any of our advertisers. Readers are strongly recommended to take their own precautions before parting with any information or item of value, including, but not limited to, money, manuscripts, photographs or personal information in response to any advertisements within this publication.

3

Breaking News

Lift Off Airbus has completed the long-awaited first flight of the A350-900. Mark Broadbent reports AA350-900 F-WXWB (MSN1) above south-west France on its first flight on June 14. All images Airbus

T

he first Airbus A350900 (MSN1, F-WXWB) completed its maiden flight from Toulouse-Blagnac, France, on June 14, making good the European company’s promise to fly its eagerly-awaited new twin-jet by mid-year. The flight kicked off a 2,500-hour flight-test programme that will involve MSN1 and four other A350-900s to attain type certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) by mid-2014. MSN1 lifted from the Toulouse runway at 10.00am local before climbing to altitude to undergo its first handling and configuration tests, flying in racetrack patterns over south-west France. It landed back four hours and five minutes later.

Towards Flight The timing of MSN1’s first flight had been an industry talking point since last summer when Airbus revised the aircraft’s first flight date to mid-2013 after the well-publicised supply chain and sub-assembly problems. Airbus acknowledged to AIR International earlier this year that achieving the target would be “challenging”. That the company achieved it gives Airbus confidence in its schedule – as well as a handy PR fillip, coming as it did three days before the opening of the Paris Air Show where Airbus and

4

AI.07.13

parent company EADS have a major presence. Airbus worked towards the first flight over several weeks. Following the powering-up of the auxiliary power unit and Rolls-Royce Trent XWB84 engines early in June, a number of engine run-up tests were made followed by low-speed taxi trials and braking tests. After the end of a 72-hour strike by French air traffic controllers, the date of the first test flight was fixed.

Airborne MSN1 was flown off the ground in direct laws using the stick to enable the test pilots to get a feel of the aircraft. This was followed by a climb to 10,000ft (3,048m) and 200kts (370km/h) for initial handling before checking flap and landing gear configurations. The flight control computers were then engaged to check their functionality before the aircraft climbed to 25,000ft (7,620m) for further handling exercises at higher airspeeds (Mach numbers). During the flight each crewmember had specific responsibilities. The test pilots co-ordinated the test evaluations, the test flight engineer was responsible for the aircraft’s configuration during test events and the three flight test engineers conducted the evaluations. Telemetry

equipment installed aboard the aircraft enabled engineering and design teams on the ground at Toulouse to monitor progress and flight data in real time.

Building Blocks Extensive pre-flight developmental testing was carried out over many months at Airbus facilities across Europe using several static test rigs in the run-up to MSN1’s first flight. Airbus has a building-block approach to the

A350-900’s development, conducting testing as the development progresses to reduce risk. The test rig, known as High-lift Zero in Bremen, Germany, is an exact copy of the aircraft’s flap and slat system which Frank Chapman, one of the A350XWB project test pilots said was “essential as a confidence-builder” before MSN1’s first flight. Another test rig at Filton, UK is called LandingGear Zero and has been used for testing gear lowering and retraction; Cabin Zero in Hamburg is for checking

MSN1’s flight test crew comprised from the left: Peter Chandler Airbus chief test pilot, Emanuele Costanzo flight test engineer, Guy Magrin A350XWB project test pilot, Patrick du Ché Head of Development Flight Tests, Fernando Alonso Head of Airbus Flight & Integration Test Centre and Pascal Verneau test flight engineer.

For daily stories go to...www.airinternational.com

Breaking News

cabin systems; and in Toulouse, a full cockpit simulator linked to the ‘iron bird’ hydraulic test rig enabled the flight test teams to undertake a virtual first flight (VFF), a detailed trial run of the maiden flight. Some 12,260 test hours had been accumulated using these rigs by the start of June, said Chapman, giving Airbus what he described as a “high degree” of confidence in the A350-900 even before MSN1 got air under its wheels for the first time. As another example of what Airbus calls

the ‘front-loading’ of A350-900 testing, the second flight test aircraft MSN3 (serial numbers are non-sequential for Airbus test aircraft) has already carried out some vibration testing even though it was still in final assembly.

Testing Testing will continue using the rigs (together with MSN5000, the static load testing airframe), complementing that carried out by the five flight-test aircraft, to correct problems and steadily build

maturity. Chapman explained: “The first phase of testing is aircraft identification. We need to know what [aerodynamic] bases we start from. Early on we’ll freeze the aerodynamic configuration and at that point we can fine-tune the handling qualities and performance measurements. We’ll then go onto the systems testing.” At the start of systems testing, Chapman says, “certain parts of the aircraft will mature to a point where we feel they’re right for certification”. This means Airbus can start collaborating with EASA on putting key items, such as VMU (minimum take-off speed), stalling speeds, VMCG (minimum ground control speed), crosswind performance and water trough tests through certification. Flight-testing will be split between

the five aircraft. MSN1 for handling and the flight envelope; MSN3 for high altitude, hot and cold weather performance (the latter will involve trials at the McKinley Climactic Chamber at Eglin AFB, Florida); MSN2 for cabin testing and early long flights; MSN4 for external noise, lightning and cockpit head-up display and MSN5 for route proving, ETOPS operation and the training of the initial customer flight crews. Airbus knows that it faces a challenge in testing and certifying the A350 in 12 months, but the company says having five flight test aircraft – the greatest number Airbus has used to date – together with the static rigs will compress the timescales. It plans to deliver the first A350-900 to launch customer Qatar Airways in the second half of 2014.

Guy Magrin, the A350XWB project test pilot discusses the plan with Airbus chief test pilot Peter Chandler onboard MSN1 on June 14.

For daily stories go to...www.airinternational.com

AI.07.13

5

Breaking News

Command II Arrives in Europe

177

NEWS BY NUMBERS

CH-47FS FOR US ARMY

A multi-year buy of 177 Boeing CH-47F Chinooks for the US Army was announced on June 11. The contract includes options to increase it by a further 38 helicopters. The first examples from the $4 billion contract will be delivered in 2015.

99

OSPREYS ORDERED

Arriving for the 352nd Special Operations Group (SOG) based at RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk, on June 7 was Lockheed Martin MC-130J Commando II 10-5714 (c/n 382-5714). The aircraft is the first of its kind to be based in Europe and will be assigned to the SOG’s 67th Special Operations Squadron. The unit will receive 12 MC-130Js within five years to replace its current fleet of first generation special ops Hercules variants. The SOG was also due to receive its first pair of Bell-Boeing CV-22B Ospreys this June. Ten of the tiltrotors will be based at RAF Mildenhall by the end of 2014. Matthew Clements

Canada Looking for New Fixed Wing SAR Platform

The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) is currently studying the acquisition of a certified Fixed Wing Search and Rescue (FWSAR) fleet to replace de Havilland Canada CC-115 Buffalo and Lockheed CC-130 Hercules currently serving in that role (further to Canadian FixedWing SAR Project Moving Ahead, May 2012, p18). Canada’s search and rescue requirements are unique, because of the size of the country and its small population. It stretches 3,400 miles (5,500km) from east to west, covering six time zones and has a landmass roughly equivalent to the European continent, but only 34.5 million people – 5% of that in Europe. There are 7,000,000 sq miles (18,000,000km2) of land and 6,000,000 sq miles (16,000,000km2) of water to be covered. The geography means that some SAR missions involve longrange operations that are better suited to fixed-wing aircraft than helicopters. The six CC-115s already fulfilling the role are expected to be retired between 2018 and 2021, and the 13 SAR Hercules will remain in service until 2021. FWSAR will be a capability-based procurement, whereas in the past the RCAF has had to adapt aircraft already in its inventory for the mission. “It is a mandate to procure an asset that can get to the very extreme,” Lt Col Chris Conway, Director for Air Requirements (Air Mobility and SAR), told AIR International. “We have already released many of the basic air vehicle’s requirements, and by late summer we will release the draft

6

AI.07.13

request for proposals, followed within a year by the full request for proposals,” he added. The RCAF wants the first aircraft to be delivered in 2017, with an initial operating clearance in 2018 and full operating capability in 2021. The new aircraft will have a service life of at least 20 years. The platform should be equipped with a search-radar and a dual sensor station, carry an SAR payload of 1,530kg (3,374lb), be certified, and be equipped with a ramp. Aircraft currently being considered are the Embraer KC-390, BellBoeing V-22 Osprey, Lockheed Martin CC-130J Hercules, Alenia Aermacchi C-27J Spartan, Airbus Military C295 and the upgraded Buffalo NG offered by Field Aviation and Viking. The Embraer KC-390 entered the competition late and is the only jet option. While it meets the requirements, the challenge for Embraer, given that the aircraft has yet to fly, would be to deliver the first in 2017. The Osprey tiltrotor would alter the way the RCAF currently undertakes FWSAR operations, as it combines the attributes of a fixedwing aircraft and a helicopter. The Canadians say a mixed fleet of types would be considered. There will be a ‘single point of accountability’ with one prime contractor for the fleet and a Canadian systems and sensor integrator. Another stipulation is that training has to be carried out in Canada. The aircraft will be flown by military aircrews and maintained by first line maintenance personnel. Alan Warnes

On June 12 the US DoD announced an order for 92 MV-22 Ospreys for the US Marine Corps and seven CV-22s for the US Air Force. The deal is worth approximately $4.9 billion and covers a multi-year acquisition programme. Work on the aircraft is expected to be completed by September 2019.

French Defence Plans

The French Government has released a much-delayed White Paper on defence and national security. Further reductions in equipment, personnel and infrastructure will be implemented in between 2014 and 2025 when spending is expected to total €364 billion according to the document released on April 29. President Francois Hollande government aims to maintain a credible nuclear deterrent with an airborne component consisting of Rafale B F3 fighters (and for the time being Mirage 2000N K3s) assigned to the Forces Aériennes Stratégiques (Strategic Air Forces command) and carrier-borne Rafale M F3s. Both variants are capable of carrying the ASMP-A (air-sol moyenne portée améliorée) improved medium range air-to-surface missile. A previous White Paper in 2008 stipulated that the French air combat component should consist of a uniform fleet of 300 Rafales (air force and navy) and modernised Mirage 2000Ds to meet the stated operational requirements. Due to the latest guidelines, the fighter inventory will shrink to 225 fighter aircraft (air force and navy). With overall firm orders for Rafale standing at 180 airframes (including 48 Rafale Ms), total production will be significantly lower than the 234 air force and 60 navy aircraft originally envisaged. By mid-2012, approximately 60 Mirage 2000Ds remained in operational service out of 86 produced. The fleet is currently undertaking roles previously flown by older types like the Mirage F1CR, which is due to be withdrawn from service in 2014. According to the French Air Force Operational Evaluation Centre, the ASTAC (analyseur super hétérodyne

tactique) ELINT (electronic intelligence) pod should reach operational capability on the Mirage 2000D in late 2014. The Mirage 2000D fleet has significant service life left and was expected to undergo a major upgrade. How this will be affected by the latest White Paper remains to be seen. The future force will also include 50 tactical transport aircraft (down from 70). In early June, Marshalls Aerospace was awarded a study contract by the French defence procurement agency for upgrading 14 C-130H Hercules transport aircraft. It is likely that the French MoD is contemplating a possible reduction to the 50 A400Ms currently on order. Seven airborne early warning aircraft (4 E-3F Sentries and 3 E-2C Hawkeyes) will be retained and 12 MALE (medium altitude long endurance) unmanned aerial vehicles will be acquired. French Army Aviation will have a future fleet of 115 support helicopters (down from 130), including a minimum of 68 NH90 Tactical Transport Helicopters and 26 refurbished Eurocopter AS532 Cougars. French Army Aviation will also operate 140 reconnaissance and attack helicopters (including 40 Eurocopter Tiger HAPs, 40 Tiger HADs, and up to 60 refurbished SA342 Gazelles) for its air mobility requirements. An official MoD announcement for a second batch of 34 NH90s is imminent, though the planned 133 fleet now seems unlikely. Lessons learned from the air campaigns over Libya and Mali have led to a light surveillance aircraft need, similar to the Beechcraft MC12W, and an urgent operational requirement for two General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper UAVs. Pieter Bastiaans

For daily stories go to...www.airinternational.com

Breaking News

Spanish Defence Cuts Announced

F-35A Lightning II Launches AMRAAM Lockheed Martin F-35A Lighting II AF-01 flown by Lt Col George ‘Boxer’ Schwartz, the F-35 Integrated Test Force director, completed the first in-flight missile launch on June 5. The aircraft fired an instrumented AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) within the Point Mugu Sea Test Range over the Pacific Ocean. This was the first time the aircraft had demonstrated a launch-to-eject communications sequence and ignited the weapon’s rocket motor. An AIM-120 was first ‘dropped’ from the F-35A on October 19, 2012, during a separation trial, but its rocket was not fired. The latest trial was undertaken as part of the aircraft’s Block 2B software tests prior to its service introduction later this year. US Air Force

Pilatus Unveils PC-24

An artist’s impression of the Pilatus PC-24, details of which were revealed at EBACE in Geneva, Switzerland. Pilatus

For years Swiss manufacturer Pilatus has refused to reveal any details about the PC-24. On May 21 at the European Business Aviation Convention in Geneva, Switzerland, all speculation ended when Pilatus Chairman Oscar J Schwenk unveiled the aircraft. He said, “over ten years ago, we started asking our PC-12 customers what they would like to see in the next Pilatus aircraft. The answers were always the same: further and faster, whilst retaining the much-appreciated strengths of the

PC-12, such as the ability to use very short runways.” Promoted as the world’s first ‘Super Versatile Jet’, the PC-24 is an allnew twin turbofan design that, the company says, will combine the short, soft-field operational capability of the Pilatus PC-12 turboprop with the cabin volume of a midsize jet and the cruising speed of a light jet. The PC24 will be powered by two 3,600lb st (16.01kN) Williams FJ-44A turbofans, giving a maximum speed of 425kts (778km/h) and a maximum range

For daily stories go to...www.airinternational.com

with four passengers of 1,950nm (3,611km). According to Schwenk, its take-off field length of 2,690ft (820m), and soft runway capability will enable the PC-24 to operate from more than 1,300 airports worldwide that are currently not accessible by existing business jets. The PC-24’s cabin will offer a choice of configurations ranging from an executive layout with six/eight passengers to a ten-seat commuter, combi version for passengers and cargo, and installations for emergency medical flights or special missions. A wide aft door and flat floor for easy loading of cargo are standard features. On the flight deck the aircraft has an ‘advanced cockpit environment’ with four large-format display screens in T-configuration, SmartView synthetic vision, traffic collision avoidance system II, Laseref inertial reference system, attitude and heading reference, enhanced ground proximity warning and the option to complete flight planning procedures on screen. Work on the prototype is under way at the Pilatus factory in Stans, Switzerland. Roll-out is scheduled for the third quarter of 2014, with a maiden flight towards the end of that year. Three aircraft will take part in a 2,500-hour development programme leading to US Federal Aviation Administration and European Aviation Safety Agency certification and initial customer deliveries are planned for early 2017. List price, at 2017 values, is $8.9 million. Mike Jerram

On May 23 Spanish Secretary of State for Defence Pedro Argüelles informed Congress of various measures intended to reduce the defence budget. The Ejército del Aire (Spanish Air Force) will bare the brunt of the cuts, with reductions to procurement of several key programmes. A total of 14 of the 87 Eurofighter Typhoons on order will be cancelled to save €2.9 billion, while the number kept operational will also be reduced to save on maintenance. Spain is already offering some of its early Typhoons for sale and had previously agreed to delay acceptance of 15 aircraft from 2012 to 2015. A formal offer of 20 Typhoon to Peru during a visit there by Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy was reported in January. Eleven Tranche 1 singleseaters (including one Instrumented Production Aircraft) and eight twoseaters were accepted by Spain before deliveries of Tranche 2 aircraft began. The early Typhoons are likely to be included in any sale to Peru. A further €800 million will be saved by reducing the number of Airbus Military A400Ms entering service from 27 to 14. The other 13 will be offered for sale to generate an additional €1.5 billion. All 24 Eurocopter EC665 Tigers will be delivered, although six will be sold, most likely the original six HAP (Hélicoptère d’Appui Protection, Support and Escort Helicopter) variants, leaving the Spanish Army with 18 HADs (Helicoptero de Apoyo y Destrucción - Support and Attack Helicopters). The number of NHIndustries NH90s will be reduced to 22, although the addition of a support package will actually increase the cost beyond that of the original planned purchase of 45 helicopters.

GOT A NEWS STORY, PHOTO OR FEATURE ? AIR International is keen to hear from readers who have news stories, photos or features of modern civil and military aviation for inclusion in the magazine. Please contact AIR International at the following address [email protected]

AI.07.13

7

UK

Airseeker Programme Advancing The initial Boeing RC-135W Rivet Joint for the RAF is understood to have been rolled out by L-3 Communications at Greenville, Texas, in late March. A ceremony was held at the plant attended by the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton, and the US Air Force’s Deputy Chief of Staff for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, Lt Gen Larry D James. No official statements about the roll-out have been released, but Lt Gen James stated at an Air Force Association-sponsored breakfast in Washington DC on April 18 that it had occurred “about three weeks earlier”. Images released on the internet show the aircraft (ZZ664, c/n 18773, ex 6414833) in the standard grey and white scheme worn by the US Air Force’s Rivet Joint fleet, but with large ‘Royal Air Force’ titles on the centre fuselage. The aircraft the first of three RC135Ws on order under the Airseeker programme. ZZ664 was due to be flown this spring following its conversion from a standard KC-135R Stratotanker airframe, but a first flight had not been announced by June. Delivery is expected in October and the aircraft is due to be accepted by the Ministry of Defence in December. The aircraft will be operated by No.51 Squadron at RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire, and enter service from October 2014. The second and third RC-135s will be delivered in 2015 and 2017.

736 Naval Air Squadron Re-commissioned Four No.736 Naval Air Squadron Hawk T1/1As over the Cornish coast. Royal Navy Culdrose

In early June No.736 Naval Air Squadron of the Fleet Air Arm was re-formed, absorbing both the Fleet Requirement and Direction Unit (FRADU) based at RNAS Culdrose, Cornwall, and the Royal Navy Hawk detachment at RNAS Yeovilton, Somerset. The squadron continues to operate the 14 British Aerospace Hawk T1/1As used by the former units from the two locations. Commanding Officer Lt Cdr Tim Flatman RN leads a staff comprising

a mixture of service and civilian (from contractor Serco) pilots. Its aircraft provide airborne threat simulations against Royal Navy or foreign ships undergoing realistic training at sea, as well as supporting the training of Royal Navy Observers in the airborne early warning role. The weekly ‘Thursday War’ involves the Hawks simulating attacks on Royal Navy warships off the Cornish coast. No.736 NAS’s last incarnation was

as a jet strike training unit for the Blackburn Buccaneer S1/S2. It disbanded at RNAS Lossiemouth, Morayshire, on February 25, 1972. On June 11 it was announced that a Royal Naval Reserve Air Branch Pilot with the unit, Lt Cdr Tim Taylor, had accumulated 4,000 flying hours on the Hawk. Lt Cdr Taylor is a former RAF Tornado F3 and Royal Navy Sea Harrier FA2 pilot. He began flying Hawks for the Royal Navy in 2006. Ian Harding

Voyager Cleared to Refuel Tornados

Sentinel Completes Mali Deployment Sentinel R1 ZJ694 deployed to support the French military intervention in Mali has returned to RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire. No.5(AC) Squadron was notified of the deployment three days before departing for Dakar-Yoff in Senegal on January 25. The first mission was flown on January 30. During its time in Africa ZJ694 flew 70 sorties amassing over 700 hours of flying.

Voyager KC3 MRTT021/EC-338 (msn 1334, to become ZZ335) was rolled out of the Air Livery hangar at Manchester Airport on May 28 after being painted in RAF colours. It is expected to be the sixth to be delivered to RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire. Nik French

Air-to-air refuelling training has started with the Airbus Military A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport Voyager. Release-to-service approval for the capability to refuel Tornado GR4s was granted by the Ministry of Defence on May 16. The initial training sortie was conducted four days later when Voyager KC2 ZZ331 (msn 1248, ex EC331) departed its base at RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, to meet up with Tornados.

8

AI.07.13

Earlier tests with Tornados in April 2012 demonstrated problems with the mating of the probe and drogue. Approval for the Voyager to refuel the aircraft was delayed after it was decided to replace the original Cobham High Speed-Variable Drag Drogue with standard Sargent Fletcher units (see Voyager Delayed, February 2012, p8). Prior to being cleared to refuel Tornados, the Voyager was used only in the air transport role. By mid-

May the fleet of four had carried over 50,000 people and more than 3,000 tons of cargo. Clearance to tank Eurofighter Typhoons is expected to be granted later this summer and a full service capability will be achieved with nine Voyagers in April 2014. The fifth Voyager (KC3 ZZ333, ex MRTT020) arrived at RAF Brize Norton for No.10 Squadron on May 29 and the sixth is due in late June/early July.

Students Complete Hawk T2 Course The first four RAF fast jet student pilots to graduate under the United Kingdom Military Flying Training System concluded their training in early June. The course lasted approximately 11 months in the BAE System Hawk T2s of No.4(R) Squadron and involved around 120 hours of live flying and a similar number of hours using ground-based simulators. In late May No.4(R) Squadron undertook a detachment to RAF Leuchars, Fife.

Please send all news correspondence [email protected]

Europe

German Arctic Tiger 2013

Seen performing overshoots at Wittmund on June 6 was Tornado ECR 46+57 from Aufklärungsgeschwader 51 (Reconnaissance Wing 51) ‘Immelmann’, painted in the scheme applied for the unit’s participation in Exercise Arctic Tiger 2013 in Norway. The unit will send six Tornados to Ørland for the exercise, which is due to run between June 17 and 28. Matthew Clements

French C-130 Upgrades The French Direction Générale de l’Armement (DGA) procurement agency has awarded Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group a €1.25 million study contract to design a cockpit upgrade for the Armée de l’Air’s (French Air Force) 14 Lockheed C-130H/H-30 Hercules transports. Marshall will work with Thales and Air France Industries KLM Engineering and Maintenance to define the project. Sabena Technics also announced that it had received a C-130 upgrade study contract from the DGA on April 17.

TAI Fighter Programme Progressing Three TF-X concepts will be presented in December to the Savunma Sanayii Müstes¸arlıg˘ı (SSM, Turkish Undersecretariat for Defence Industries) by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), according to the company. Details of the concepts were revealed by TAI at IDEF 2013 held at Istanbul in Turley between May 7 and 10. All are single-seat fighters, with low-observable features, internal weapons bays and

the ability to supercruise. Two are powered by a single engine with a maximum take-off weight of 50,000 to 60,000lb (22,680 to 27,215kg), one having a canard layout; the third is a two-engine design of between 60,000 to 70,000lb (27,215 to 31,751kg) with a conventional layout. The choice of powerplant/s has yet to be made. TF-X aims to produce an indigenous fighter optimised for the air-to-air

Croatia to Upgrade and Augment Fishbed Fleet

RNLAF’s 322 Squadron Celebrates 70 Years

F-16AM J-006 of 322 Squadron has an image of a Spitfire on its tail, the aircraft flown during its time as an RAF unit and upon reactivation as the first Royal Netherlands Air Force fighter unit. Kees van der Mark

Koninklijke Luchtmacht (Royal Netherlands Air Force, RNLAF) F-16AM Fighting Falcon J-006 of 322 Squadron received special markings in late May to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the service’s oldest squadron. Established as an RAF unit at RAF Woodvale, Merseyside, on June 12, 1943, No.322 (Dutch) Squadron flew Supermarine Spitfires throughout the remainder of World

War Two. Re-activated on September 27, 1946, at Twenthe AB as the first Dutch fighter squadron, it was again equipped with Spitfire Mk IXs and deployed to Semarang AB in the Netherlands East Indies between 1947 and 1949. Soon after moving to Soesterberg AB in 1951 it converted to Gloster Meteor T7s, F4s and later F8s, followed by

role to replace the Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 30s Fighting Falcon and augment the Lockheed F-35 Lightning II in Türk Hava Kuvvetleri (Turkish Air Force) service. It will also be the basis of an advanced trainer to replace the Northrop T-38M Talon. TAI was awarded a 24-month concept design phase contract in August 2011 (see Turkey Launches TF-X Project, October 2011, p4), and has been assisted by Saab.

Hawker Hunter F4/6s in 1958. While operating Hunters, it flew from Biak AB in Netherlands New Guinea between 1960 and 1962. When reestablished at its current home base at Leeuwarden in 1964, it operated F-104G Starfighters until converting to the F-16A/B Fighting Falcon in 1980. Since 1998 the unit has flown the Mid-Life Update version of the fighter. Kees van der Mark

Please send all news correspondence [email protected]

Ukraine’s Odesaviaremservice will upgrade seven of Croatia’s MikoyanGurevich MiG-21bisD Fishbeds and MiG-21UMD Mongol-Bs. A further five MiG-21s will be supplied to Croatia from Ukrainian stocks as part of the deal announced on May 18. The programme has a budget in 2013 of 80 million kuna ($14 million). Ukraine was selected for the programme over its Romanian competitor, Aerostar, on the basis of a lower bid (reportedly €20 million for the overhauls). The Croatian defence ministry has also expressed dissatisfaction with upgrade work undertaken on these aircraft in Romania during 2003 and 2004. The Hrvatsko Ratno Zrakoplovstvo i Protuzrac˘na Obrana’s (Croatian Air Force and Air Defence) combat airpower has been reduced to a pair of MiG-21s at ZagrebPleso with the 21st Air Combat Squadron, although another two are intermittently available for back-up or training. David C Isby

AI.07.13

9

All images Roberto Yáñez unless noted

NEWS REPORT

Multi-engine S

Above: A400M EC-402 fitted with a Cobham 908E air-refuelling pod, on final approach to Seville

International Airport on May 29.

Bottom: Airbus Military used this year’s trade media briefing to launch the C295W fitted with winglets, which

is aimed at improving hot-and-high airfield performance. Nigel Pittaway

D

espite predicting flat defence spending in traditional markets for the next five to ten years and an inconsistent military market, Airbus Military reported a strong year for sales in 2012 and in June launched a new version of its C295 medium transport aircraft. For the remainder of 2013, the company is concentrating on the upcoming delivery of the first A400M to the Armée de l’Air (French Air Force) and the completion of three more, including the first for Turkey.

Market Update According to Rafael Tentor, Airbus Military’s Head of Programmes, Light and Medium Transports and Derivatives, the next five to ten years will see a further increase in the number of missions flown by military forces around the globe, driving the need for multirole aircraft. “The year 2011 was very weak for us as several contracts were postponed,” he said. “But 2012 was a very strong year and Airbus Military is well positioned with modern, cost efficient, multi-role aircraft.” All of the companies’ 2012 sales were for its CN235 and C295 aircraft, but it could conceivably record orders for its A330-based Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) this year, as it is the preferred supplier in India (for six aircraft) and is competing in Singapore against the brand new Boeing KC-46A and a Boeing 767 tanker conversion proposal. In 2012 Airbus Military sold a total of 32 CN235/C295s to customers across the globe, including North America (US Coast Guard), South America (Colombia), Africa (Cameroon), North Africa (Egypt), the Middle East (Oman), Central Asia (Kazakhstan), Asia (Indonesia) and Europe (Ireland and Poland). But it lost an Australian order for ten C295s to the competing Alenia Aermacchi C-27J Spartan. Between 2003 and 2012, Rafael Tentor claims a 51% share in the light and medium

10

AI.07.13

transport market (51 aircraft), 32% in the heavy airlift sector (174 A400Ms) and 88% of the MRTT/tanker market (28 aircraft), not including the future US Air Force KC-Y competition. Over the next decade Airbus Military predicts it will capture $43 billion worth of orders across its portfolio, out of a worldwide market of $133 billion.

C295W Rafael Tentor also used this year’s trade media briefing to launch an updated version of the C295, dubbed the C295W (W for winglets), which is aimed at improving hotand-high airfield performance for a small increase in empty weight. Besides the addition of winglets, Pratt & Whitney has also certified improved engine performance enhancements which are predicted to provide a 3% to 6% reduction in overall fuel consumption. The new power settings available allow for an increase in payload of 1,500kg (3,306lb) at 25,000ft (7,620m) and, together with the winglets, will result in an

overall increase in payload of more than one tonne for the transport aircraft – or an extra 30 minutes on station for the special missions versions. Empty weight is increased by 90kg (198lb), each winglet contributing 30kg (66lb), and a further 30kg is added in the strengthening of the wings. Tentor said certification flight testing would begin in early 2014 for INTA (Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial) certification in the second quarter. The C295W will become the baseline production aircraft and be available for delivery to customers from the fourth quarter of 2014.

Light and Medium Transport Earlier this year Airbus Military signed an agreement with Indonesian Aerospace for the production of a new version of the C212 Aviocar, known as the NC212i. Further details of this aircraft, which will be produced at Bandung by Indonesian Aerospace, emerged at the event in Seville. Improvements over the earlier C212-400 include the incorporation of a TCAS (traffic collision avoidance system), a new autopilot and cockpit displays, and a cockpit voice recorder. The production design review was completed at the end of May and the critical design review will follow in the third quarter of this year. Airbus Military predicts growing markets for its medium transport aircraft in subSaharan Africa, the Middle East, North Africa and Asia.

Multi-Role Tankers The MRTT programme recorded a major milestone in late February with the declaration of initial operating capability by the Royal Australian Air Force for its KC-30A. This allows unrestricted refuelling of RAAF Hornet and Super Hornet fighters and operational test and evaluation of the

Please send all news correspondence [email protected]

e Showcase

ARBS (aerial refuelling boom system) will begin early next year. This will follow manufacturer’s trials and subsequent INTA certification using an Australian aircraft retained in Madrid for the purpose during 2013. Antonio Caramazana, Programme Director, Airbus Military Derivatives, told reporters that the RAF had received four Voyagers (three tankers and a transport aircraft) by the beginning of May and two further aircraft were due in May and June. The RAF’s Tornado GR4 fleet received clearance to refuel from the Voyager on May 16 when the UK Ministry of Defence issued the Voyager’s Release to Service for the type. The first air-refuelling sortie with Tornado GR4s was completed on May 20. Typhoon is due to receive its clearance to refuel from Voyager by the end of July. Caramazana also reported that all three Saudi MRTTs have now been delivered (with one retained in Madrid for training) and have been refuelling Royal Saudi Air Force Tornado and Typhoon fighters. Two of the three MRTTs for the United Arab Emirates have now been delivered,

with the third due in July, and have been conducting trials with Mirage 2000-9s of the UAE Air Force. Airbus Military recently sent an aircraft to Algeria at the request of its government and carried out trials with Algerian Air Force Sukhoi Su-30s (trials with the Su-30 have also been conducted in India). Short-term sales prospects include India, where Airbus Military is the preferred bidder and is in contract negotiation for six aircraft; Singapore, the company submitting a final offer for six aircraft in May; France, which has a requirement for between 12 and 14 aircraft, each fitted with an upper deck cargo door; and Saudi Arabia (for more aircraft). In the longer term Airbus Military sees potential opportunities in Australia (for a sixth aircraft), Spain, South Korea, Algeria, UAE (more aircraft), Oman, Turkey and Canada.

Year of the Grizzly The recent Paris Airshow kicked-off a marketing campaign for the A400M, with Airbus Military dubbing 2013 as ‘The year of the A400M’. With the majority of testing

Please send all news correspondence [email protected]

NEWS REPORT

Nigel Pittaway reports on the Airbus Military trade media briefing at the company’s Seville plant in early June

now behind it and deliveries to the first customer set to begin in the middle of the year, the company is now turning its attention to the export market. Flight test work is now focused on delivering expanded mission capability through the SOC 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 increments, which will enable the use of NVG devices, clearance of the defensive aids sub-system, tanker capabilities and clearance for full aerial loads delivery. The A400M final assembly line in Seville is now starting to ramp up production and four aircraft (three for France and one for Turkey) were undergoing completion in June. The first two for the Armée de l’Air are already in the test flight and acceptance stages. Despite existing customers such as Germany and Spain reviewing their requirements for the A400M, total orders remain at 174 and Airbus Military predicts the sale of a further 400 aircraft over the next 30 years. “The A400M will become the benchmark airlifter for the 21st century (and) 2013 will be the year of the A400M,” concluded Cedric Gautier, head of A400M programme.

AI.07.13

11

Europe

RNLAF 323 Squadron Anniversary Jet

Koninklijke Luchtmacht (Royal Netherlands Air Force, RNLAF) 323 TACTES Squadron celebrated its 65th anniversary on May 31. For the occasion F-16AM J-002 received these special markings earlier in that month. No 323 Squadron was established on November 15, 1948, at Twenthe AB as the first of six Dutch air defence squadrons operating Meteor F4/T7s (and later also F8s), converting in turn to the Hawker Hunter F4/T7 and T/F-104G Starfighter before receiving F-16A Fighting Falcons in 1981. The squadron was renamed 323 Tactical Training, Evaluation and Standardisation Squadron (TACTESS) in July 1992. Kees van der Mark

Six MiG-29M2s for Serbia Serbia is to purchase six Mikoyan MiG-29M2 Fulcrum fighters from Russia following an agreement signed at the May 21 meeting in Sochi in Krasnodar Kray, between the Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic’, and Russian President Vladimir Putin. This is the first major aircraft procurement by Serbia since 1987. Pilots for the new fighters are already being trained, the first Serbians to

train in Russia since 1997. Serbia originally wanted to procure 12 fighters, but the purchase was reduced for financial reasons. Although the cost of the deal has not been announced, it is understood to be approximately €32 million per aircraft, financed through a Russian-provided loan. Although unconfirmed, it is understood that the fighters were built for Syria, and are capable of using long-range R-77

Spanish Fokker F27 MPA Retirements

Fokker F27-200MAR D2-01 is seen on the apron at Cuatro Vientos on May 25, awaiting preparations for its transfer to the nearby Museo del Aire. Roberto Yáñez

The Fokker F27-200MAR maritime patrol aircraft of the Ejército del Aire’s (Spanish Air Force) 802 Escuadrón is in the process of being withdrawn from service. By the end of May two of its three Fokkers used in the search and rescue (SAR) role had been grounded. The first aircraft to be retired was D2-02 (c/n 10585), currently stored at the unit’s base at Gando on the Canary Islands. The second was D2-01 (c/n 10581), which was flown to Cuatro Vientos in Madrid last April to be prepared for exhibition in the Spanish Air Force’s Museo del Aire (Air Museum) located near

12

AI.07.13

the air base. This leaves D2-03 (c/n 10587) active with 802 Escuadrón, although it is due to be withdrawn later this summer, concluding the 34-year career of the type with the service. The three Fokkers will be replaced by two SAR-configured CASA CN235 VIGMA (Vigilancia Marítima – Maritime Surveillance). Initially D4-06 and -08 were identified as the aircraft due to be based at Gando, but it is possible they will be rotated with others in service with 801 and 803 Escuadrónes at Son San Juan and Cuatro Vientos as required. Roberto Yáñez

(AA-12 Adder) air-to-air missiles. They became available for sale to Serbia because of the civil war in Syria. Serbia currently has four MiG-29s remaining from the original order of 16 procured in 1987, armed with R-27 (AA-10 Alamo) air-to-air missiles. They are not currently operational, as the service life of certain components (including the K-36 ejector seat propellant) has expired. David C Isby

FAP Looking at Future of Montijo The Força Aérea Portuguesa (FAP, Portuguese Air Force) says it is considering closing Base Aérea Nº 6 Montijo. Esquadra 501’s Lockheed C-130 Hercules and Esquadra 502’s Airbus Military C295s at Montijo would, if the base closed, relocate to Beja, while the AgustaWestland EH101s of Esquadra 751 would move to Sintra. Esquadra 601, currently equipped with Lockheed P-3C CUP+ Orion maritime patrol aircraft, departed Montijo for Beja in February 2008. Consideration is being given to making Montijo available for civil air traffic. However, if it was decided to retain the airfield, the Portuguese government’s VIP Dassault Falcon 50 executive jets could move in from Aeroporto Militar do Figo Maduro, adjacent to Lisbon Portela Airport. Meanwhile, during the summer the FAP will provide bases for firefighting aircraft at Ovar, Monte Real, Montijo and Beja, as well as committing a C295 and an Aérospatiale Alouette III to the role. David C Isby

200,000

ITALIAN AMX FLIGHT HOURS On May 30 the Aeronautica Militare (Italian Air Force) marked the accumulation of 200,000 flight hours by the AMX International AMX fighter-bomber since its first flight on May 15, 1984. The total includes 2,200 flight test hours, plus operational missions over Afghanistan, Kosovo and Libya. Six prototypes were built and Italy received 110 single- and 26 AMX-T two-seaters from 1988, of which 42 and ten respectively were upgraded under the Adeguamento delle Capacità Operative e Logistiche (Upgrade of Operational and Logistic Capabilities) programme completed in 2012. AMX International was a joint venture by Aeritalia, Aermacchi and Embraer of Brazil, with 56 examples being delivered to the Força Aérea Brasileira (Brazilian Air Force) as A-1s. They are currently being modernised under the separate A-1M programme.

NEWS BY NUMBERS

The End Approaches for Spanish Mirage F1s After more than 35 years in service with the Ejército del Aire (Spanish Air Force), the operational service of the Dassault Mirage F1 was due to end on June 23 with a retirement ceremony at Albacete-Los Llanos AB. Eight of the aircraft (seven F1Ms and one two-seat F1BM) remained in service with 141 Escuadrón of Ala 14 at the base. Known as the ‘La Abuela’ (the grandma) to its pilots and designated the C.14 by the air force, the F1 entered service in 1975 and has been flown by Ala 11 at Manises in Valencia, Ala 14 at Albacete and Ala 46 at Gando on Gran Canaria. Spain acquired 45 F1CEs, six F1BEs and 24 F1EEs from the manufacturer, one F1B and four F1Cs from France and two F1DDAs and ten F1EDAs from Qatar, while an additional F1EDA was lost prior to delivery. A total of 55 were upgraded as F1M/BMs by 2002 with improved systems. Ala 14’s 142 Escuadrón already operates eight Eurofighter Typhoons loaned from Ala 11, and 141 will convert to the same type later this year. In addition to being the last to operate the aircraft, 141 Escuadrón was also the first to receive the Mirage F1 when it entered service. Negotiations are on-going with Argentina about a possible sale of Mirage F1Ms to replace the Dassault Mirage IIIEAs of the Fuerza Aérea Argentina (Argentine Air Force). Bob Fischer

Please send all news correspondence [email protected]

Russia & CIS

New Colours for Antonov An-70 The Antonov An-70 prototype has been painted in a new grey scheme. The transport is seen at the company’s flight test facility at Gostomel Airport in Kiev, Ukraine. Tamás Martényi

Duma Reviews MiG-31s Future

400

COLD WAR AIRCRAFT TO BE SCRAPPED Russia’s defence ministry plans to scrap over 400 Cold War-era aircraft, a process that will cost around 40 million rubles ($1.25 million), according to the ministry. Aircraft due to be reduced to product include the prototype Tupolev Tu160 Blackjack bomber, which was revealed to the world when it was photographed next to a pair of Tupolev Tu-144s at Zhukovsky from a passing airliner in November 1981 and the picture appeared in the Western press. Others due to be scrapped include the last surviving Tupolev Tu-22M Backfire-A bomber, an Antonov An-26 equipped for landing aid calibration and an electronic intelligence collection An-26RT, currently stored at Chita in Zabaykalsky Kray. A total of 103 Sukhoi Su-24 Fencer strike aircraft; 28 Aero Vodochody L-39 Albatros trainers; 28 Antonov An-2 Colt biplanes; 23 Mikoyan MiG31 Foxhound interceptors; plus unspecified numbers of Tu-22M3 Backfire-B bombers, Antonov An12 Cub and An-26 Curl transports, Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 Fishbeds and MiG-23 Floggers, and Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker fighters will also be processed. Helicopters to be disposed of include 87 Mil Mi-24 Hinds of different versions, including examples of the specialised chemical, biological and radiological radiation reconnaissance variant, 87 Mi-8/ Mi-17 Hips, and a quantity of Mi-6 Hooks. David C Isby

NEWS BY NUMBER

The future of the Mikoyan MiG-31 Foxhound was recently discussed during hearing at the Russian Duma. During the ‘Resumption of MiG-31 Manufacturing: Reality and Prospects’ review on April 11 the current status of the interceptor and its engines were covered, as was the possibility of returning it to production. Russia has 122 MiG-31s and upgraded MiG-31BMs in service, with more in reserve. Reports from the hearing state that if additional modernisation is funded they can remain in service for up to 20 years. The planned upgrade programme for these aircraft would include investment in a new engine overhaul plant. The hearings also described how the redeployment of MiG-31-equipped units had left the Russian arctic without fighter cover. The nearest MiG-31 base was noted as being that of the former 761st Interceptor Regiment at Perm (Bolshoye Savino). The 763rd Interceptor Regiment,

equipped with MiG-31s and based at Yugorsk 2, was disbanded in 1998. At the hearing, Aviadvigatel OAO (open joint-stock company) Managing Director and General Designer Aleksandr Inozemtsev stated that the Russian Air Force currently has 987 engines for MiG-31s, with an average of 42% of their service life expended. He said: “in order to set up the maintenance operation we will need something in the order of 600 million rubles to re-establish spare parts production, and 220 million rubles for the plant to manufacture the assemblies.” Re-establishing engine spare parts production at the Perm plant would reportedly cost about 1 billion rubles. Aviaremont General Director Irina Krivich told the hearing that her organization’s 514 Aircraft Repair Plant at Rzhev in Tver oblast has so far overhauled 277 MiG-31s (including those upgraded to MiG-31BM) since 1986 and that the 218 Aircraft Repair Plant at Gatchina, Leningrad oblast, has

Su-35 Demonstrated to Chinese

On June 5 a Chinese delegation witnessed a demonstration of Sukhoi Su-35S ‘07’ red at Kubinka near Moscow. China has long had an interest in acquiring up to 48 Su-35s (see China Looking at Su-35s...But Russia Wary of Copies, April 2012, p4). On March 25 Chinese state media announced that the country had agreed to purchase 24 Su-35s, but the Russian authorities denied this. The latest delegation is understood to have held discussions with Rosoboronexport, the United Aircraft Corporation and Sukhoi towards finalising a sale. Sergy Aleksandrov

Please send all news correspondence [email protected]

overhauled 669 D-30F6 engines for the aircraft since 1987. Speaking to the press after the hearing, Russian Air Force Commander-in-Chief Lt Gen Viktor Nikolaevich Bondarev described the MiG-31 as “a good plane” and stated that current MiG-31s are planned to remain in service until 20282031. He said he is opposed to resuming MiG-31 production at Nizhniy Novgorod’s Sokol Plant, as had been proposed – and explained that the basic MiG-31 systems design relies on outdated electronics and that it would cost 50 billion rubles to reopen the production line. Instead he advocates the design of a new interceptor that could serve as a replacement and be in a position to enter production in seven years, before the conclusion of the current armament programme under which 60 MiG-31s will be upgraded to MiG-31BM standard. He had stated that MiG-31 units are also capable of using air-tosurface weapons. David C Isby

Russia Receives New Su-34s The first Sukhoi Su-34 Fullback bomber built under a full-rate production contract was handed over to the Russian Air Force on May 6 at the JSC Novosibirsk Aircraft Production Association. It follows the deliveries of batches of five Su-34s in December 2012 and January. The full-rate production aircraft have standardised electronics and mission systems, while low-rate initial production Su-34s were built in multiple configurations. David C Isby

AI.07.13

13

NEWS COLUMN

Launching, G and Planning by Robert F Dorr

“Caught in waist-high mush,” is the way a Pentagon official described attempting to pin down

“any

decision

about

anything” amid the debt and deficit paralysis in Washington. In today’s climate of budget uncertainty, where nothing is ever final, no decision has proven more elusive than a future, firm date when the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter will enter service. Ordered to do so by a Congress unhappy over delays, in June the Pentagon published dates for F-35 initial operating capability (IOC). Because each F-35 service branch – air force, marine corps and navy – has different definitions, the IOC dates may be less significant than they appear because of each service’s interpretation of what it represents. The marine corps says it will attain IOC with its F-35B model in December 2015, the air force with the F-35A a year later in December 2016 and the navy in the F-35C by December 2019. Delays and cost overruns have made the F-35 programme a handy target for pundits. Once expected to cost $90 million per aircraft as a lower-cost alternative to the F-22 Raptor, the F-35 will now eat up at least twice as many dollars. Analyst Winslow Wheeler, a long-time critic, wrote: “In the eighth year of production – after significant opportunity for learning-curve

14

AI.07.13

efficiencies to occur – the air force’s A-model appears to be stabilising at approximately $190 million per copy. Unit costs of the navy models have not stabilised; for the period 2012 to 2014 they are climbing dramatically, and they are now projected for 2014 to top $270 million each.” Wheeler also wrote: “Prognostications that they will achieve anything approaching what Congress today considers ‘affordable’, especially as soon as 2015 – when the marines are declaring [unrealistically] their F-35Bs will achieve IOC – go beyond implausible to fantastic.” The marines’ version of IOC is 10 F-35Bs with Block 2B software, which is insufficient for many military missions. The air force definition of IOC is 12 F-35As with Block 3F software. The 3F release adds capabilities like suppression of enemy air defences and new airto-air and air-to-ground modes. The navy concept of IOC is

10 F-35Cs, also with Block 3F software. But air force and navy officials acknowledge that the 3F package has not been tested, let alone fully integrated. Press releases fly forth from the military-industrial bureaucracy whenever an F-35 does something new. “I read these and I know they want me to think, ‘This is a sign of progress’,” retired Lt Col Dave Sibbett, an aerospace analyst, told AIR International. “Instead, I scratch my head and think, ‘You mean this is only happening just now?’ If they didn’t brag about it, I wouldn’t realise it hadn’t happened already.” One such example was the first F-35 launch of an air-to-air missile on June 5 when test pilot Lt Col George ‘Boxer’ Schwartz, flying the aircraft known as AF-01, fired an AIM120C-5 AAVI missile (AAVI stands for AMRAAM air vehicle, instrumented) over the Naval Base Ventura County (Point Mugu) sea test range, off the coast of southern California. Press releases say the launch paves the way for the Block 2B software fleet release. “If they hadn’t publicised it, I’d have assumed they accomplished that years ago,” said Sibbett.

Reviving Grounded Squadrons The US Air Force is altering its April decision to ground 17 combat squadrons, including 13 that ceased flying operations immediately and four more that were scheduled to stand down. The change is a positive one but it won’t put more aircraft into the air. In June, the Pentagon asked Congress to reprogram $9.6 billion in existing funds to return

seven squadrons – five with fighters and two with E-3B/E3C Sentry airborne warning and control aircraft – from a status called ‘basic mission capable’ to fully combat-coded status. If made available, which is expected as a matter of routine, the funds will bring the squadrons to the highest level of readiness, but will not fill their fuel tanks or cover flight operations. In response to the budget crisis in Congress, the air force still plans to cut flying by 203,000 hours this year. The aircraft and squadrons to have readiness increased are: • 14th Fighter Squadron, Misawa AB, Japan, F-16C Block 50 Fighting Falcon. • 27th Fighter Squadron, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, F-22 Raptor. • 44th Fighter Squadron, Kadena AB, Okinawa, Japan,

Please send all news correspondence [email protected]

NEWS COLUMN

, Grounding ng At a projected cost of $270 million each, the US Navy’s F-35C carrier variant of the Joint Strike Fighter is an expensive jet to operate from super carriers. Lockheed Martin

F-15C Eagle. • 67th Fighter Squadron, Kadena AB, F-15C Eagle. • 79th Fighter Squadron, Shaw AFB, South Carolina, F-16C Block 50 Fighting Falcon. • 961st Airborne Air Control Squadron, Kadena AB, E-3B/E3C Sentry. • 962nd Airborne Air Control Squadron, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, E-3B/E-3C. Air Force chief of staff Gen Mark Welsh called this “a positive step” as the service seeks to be battle-ready despite budget cuts.

Et tu, UH-72? A popular US Army helicopter may be the solution to the air force requirement for security

at American intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) sites. The ICBMs belong to Global Strike Command, which operates 25 UH-1N Twin Huey helicopters for security forces (SF) airmen. The helicopters are used to transport quick-reaction teams of heavily armed SF airmen who would respond to an attack on a missile silo or command post. The helicopters also provide escort when an ICBM’s nuclear warhead is being transported by road. The UH-1Ns are long in the tooth and perform poorly in hot weather and high elevation. One ICBM base in Wyoming is at 6,300 feet (1,920m) of elevation and has summer temperatures up to 100°F (37.7°C). Up until now, suggested UH-1N replacements have been priced

around $30 million and the air force has been looking for a helicopter with a $20 million price tag. Enter the UH-72 Lakota, military version of the EC145, manufactured by EADS North American in Columbus, Mississippi. Global Strike Command boss, Lt Gen James Kowalski, received an orientation flight in a UH-72 on April 26. That month, Kowalski told the Senate: “The UH-1N’s deficiencies in range, speed and payload can only be remedied through replacement with a new platform.” According to its maker, the UH-72 has 30% greater speed, 30% greater range and 30% greater loiter time than the UH1N. Its cabin interior floor is just one square foot smaller than that

Please send all news correspondence [email protected]

of the UH-1N. Because of the budget crisis affecting all areas of defence, the US Army – so far, the only US military purchaser of the UH72 – has 262 Lakotas but now plans are being made to halt production at 316 rather than 347 of the type. Without new purchases the 600-job Columbus plant will shut down at the end of next year. Maintaining or upgrading the UH-1N for the ICBM security mission is “unaffordable” because the current helicopter is “unsustainable,” retired air force Lt Gen Charles Coolidge told AIR International. Coolidge is a vice president of EADS North America. He gave AIR International a briefing on the company’s belief that the UH-72 is right for the ICBM mission. Some 37 other UH-1Ns are in service at other locations, including the Washington DC area where they are required to evacuate government officials at short notice. For this mission too, performance under hot and high conditions is an issue for the aging UH-1N. A UH-1N replacement programme labelled Common Vertical Lift Support Platform (CVLSP) “doesn’t exist any longer,” Coolidge told AIR International. “However, the UH-72 would be an effective replacement for all 62 UH-1Ns in inventory.” If the Columbus assembly plant is to stay alive, UH-72 purchases must be included in the Pentagon’s Program Objectives Memorandum (POM) for fiscal year 2015, which begins October 1, 2014, Coolidge said. Work on the POM is already under way.

AI.07.13

15

North America

Ocean Sentry Deliveries

On June 5 EADS North America announced that the 15th Airbus Military HC-144A Ocean Sentry had been delivered to the US Coast Guard. The maritime surveillance aircraft (2315, msn 207) is seen undergoing flight tests at the Airbus Military facility at Seville-San Pablo Airport on May 30. The last two handed over (2313 and 2314, msns 202 and 203) were noted at Coast Guard Air Station (CGAS) Mobile, Alabama, in March. The Coast Guard has received 15 HC-144As, 14 of which have entered service at CGAS Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and CGAS Miami, Florida, as well as at Mobile, while a further three are due to be delivered this and next year. A fleet of 36 is planned. Roberto Yáñez

US Seeking Contractor for African Special Operations The United States Army is looking to private industry to transport its special operations forces around Africa. In a document issued on April 1, the US Army’s Transportation Command (Transcom) requested contractors to conduct air drops, fly commandos in and out of hostile territory and carry out short-notice medical evacuation between August 12, 2013, and June 27, 2017. A ten and a half month initial period will start in August, to be followed by three one-year options, in support of the Trans-Sahara Short Take-Off and Landing Airlift Support initiative. Contractors will work out of Burkina Faso and operate in various African countries. Joint Special Operations Task Force - Trans-Sahara falls under US Africa Command and is tasked with counter-terrorism, especially against extremist groups in the Sahel. Guy Martin

361st ERS Hours

The US Air Force’s 361st Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron (ERS) based at Kandahar amassed its 100,000 combat hour over Afghanistan on April 14, less than three years after it first stood up there. It operates Beech MC-12W Liberty twinturboprops. David C Isby

16

AI.07.13

Optionally Manned F/A-XX Sixth-Generated Fighter? Boeing has released a new artist’s impression of its F/A-XX sixthgeneration fighter concept. Revealed at the annual US Navy League’s Sea-Air-Space Exposition at National Harbor, Maryland, between April 8 and 10, the Boeing illustration showed both manned and unmanned combat air vehicle versions. Boeing’s F/A-XX concept is

a tailless design with low observable features, including supersonic engine air intakes without diverters similar to those of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lighting II. The latest images depict an aircraft with a canard layout, which is not usually associated with stealthy aircraft as it may increase the frontal radar cross section. The F/A-XX is a potential

replacement for the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EF-18G Growler that would be ready in the 2030s, when those aircraft reach the ends of their service lives. A request for information was issued by the US Navy to industry in April 2012 to solicit concepts for a sixth-generation multi-role fighter. David C Isby

First EMD EMARSS King Air Flies

The first EMD Beech King Air 350ER EMARSS during its maiden flight on May 22. Boeing

On May 22 a combined US Army and Boeing team completed the maiden flight of the first of four Enhanced Medium Altitude Reconnaissance and Surveillance System (EMARSS) Engineering, Manufacturing and Development (EMD) airframes. The aircraft, based on the commercial Beechcraft King Air 350ER twin turboprop, flew from Wichita, Kansas, and was in the air for more than four hours during which all the first flight test objectives were completed, including

an evaluation of aerodynamic handling qualities, aircraft systems performance and autopilot functions. “This is a key event on the path to Limited User Tests and the Milestone C low-rate initial production decision,” said Boeing. “EMARSS will provide the army with the ability to detect, locate, classify, identify, and track surface targets in nearly all weather conditions, day or night, with a high degree of timeliness and accuracy.” The initial EMD EMARSS aircraft

follows the EMARSS Risk Reduction Prototype, which was configured with the aerodynamic configuration for the type and first flew on October 6, 2012 (see EMARSS Risk Reduction Prototype Flown, December 2012, p14). All four EMD aircraft were due to be delivered to the US Army by the end of 2012, but the programme was delayed as the service reappraised its airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance requirements. Mike Jerram

Please send all news correspondence [email protected]

35

LOT 19 T-6BS ORDERED

NEWS BY NUMBERS

Production lot 19 of the Joint Primary Aircraft Training System (JPATS) procurement programme covers the acquisition of 35 Beechcraft T-6B Texan IIs (plus two more on option). Beechcraft announced that it had been awarded a $210 million contract for lot 19 from the US Air Force on May 13. However, the aircraft are destined for the US Navy (33 aircraft) and US Army (two), the first examples ordered for the latter service. The US Army will use its Texan IIs to replace Beech T-34C TurboMentors used on long-term loan from the US Navy by the US Army Aviation Technical Test Center at Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville, Alabama. Production of the aircraft at Wichita, Kansas, began in May and the last of the lot are due to be delivered in February 2015.

Super Galaxy Software Tests Completed Testing of the Lockheed Martin C-5M Super Galaxy’s Operational Flight Program (OFP) 3.5.2 software was completed at Edwards AFB in California at the end of May. The flight-testing at Edwards followed extensive ground trials of the software at the C-5M simulator at Dover AFB, Delaware, before installation on C-5M 85-0002, which was used for flight tests. The tests included using a Northrop T-38C Talon advanced trainer to validate the flight management system’s inflight traffic avoidance messages. OFP 3.5.2 addresses deficiencies with OFP 3.5, including problems with the automatic throttle function (see OT&E Highlights Super Galaxy Concerns, April, p9). The US Air Force’s current ‘programme of record’ for the C-5M – 52 upgraded aircraft – is scheduled to be achieved by the end of 2016. David C Isby

North America

Thunderbolts Depart Europe

The final four A-10Cs Thunderbolt IIs assigned to the 81st Fighter Squadron taxiing at Spangdahlem AB before departing for the United States on May 17. US Air Force/Airman 1st Class Gustavo Castillo

An important chapter in US airpower in Europe closed on May 17 when the last four Fairchild A-10C Thunderbolt II attack aircraft returned to the United States. The aircraft (81-0945, -0988, -0992 and 82-0647, all with the tail code ‘SP’) departed Spangdahlem AB in Germany, where they served with the 81st Fighter Squadron (FS) ‘Panthers’, 52nd Fighter Wing. All 21 A-10Cs previously assigned to the unit have been reallocated to units in the United States, with many joining the 355th Fighter Wing at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona. All four arrived at that base (in

company with 82-0656, which left Spangdahlem on May 11) on May 23. The 81st FS conducted its final sortie with the aircraft on May 14 and was due to disband on June 19. Designed during the Cold War to blunt an armoured thrust by the Warsaw Pact into western Europe, the A-10A was an unsophisticated, robust and survivable aircraft armed with a large GAU-8A Avenger cannon and a wide range of ‘dumb’ munitions. The Thunderbolt arrived in Europe in June 1979, initially for the 78th Tactical Fighter Squadron, based at RAF Woodbridge, Suffolk, one of six squadrons equipped

WI ANG in Poland A detachment of Wisconsin Air National Guard Lockheed Martin F-16C/D Block 30 Fighting Falcons and over 90 personnel deployed to Łask airfield in Poland for an exercise between May 13 and 25. The personnel from the 176th Fighter Squadron, 115th Fighter Wing, based at Truax Field Air National Guard Base, Wisconsin, undertook dissimilar air combat training with Mikoyan MiG-29 Fulcrums and Sukhoi Su-22 Fitters of the Siły Powietrzne Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej (Polish Air Force). The deployment to Łask is the second by the US Air Force in the current fiscal year. David C Isby

Fresh Look for Polaris

Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) Airbus CC-150 Polaris (A310-304) 15001 (msn 446, ex-C-GBWD) has recently been repainted in a VIP scheme with Government of Canada titles in English and French on the fuselage. The RCAF has five CC-150s assigned to No.437 Squadron, 8 Wing, based at CFB Trenton, Ontario. CC-150 15001 is seen at Cologne, Germany, on June 8. Rainer Bexten

Please send all news correspondence [email protected]

with over 100 of the type assigned to the 81st Tactical Fighter Wing. The end of the Cold War resulted in the number based in Europe being reduced significantly and in 1994 the 81st FS became the last US Air Forces in Europe unit to fly the aircraft. In recent years the survivors were equipped with a precision engagement capability to employ ‘smart’ weapons as A-10Cs, with the 81st FS re-equipping from May 2009. The squadron’s disbandment was announced on February 16, 2012 (see Last Thunderbolt IIs to be Withdrawn from Europe, October 2012, p18). David C Isby and David Willis

Preferred KC-46A Bases Announced

The US Department of Defense has revealed its preferred bases (and alternatives) to house the US Air Force’s initial Boeing KC-46A tanker transport fleet. The announcement was issued on May 22 and covers the training and main operating bases (MOBs). It follows the release of a list of candidates on January 9 (see KC-46A Candidate Bases Revealed, February, p12). Altus AFB, Oklahoma, will house the KC-46A formal training unit rather than McConnell AFB, Kansas, which is the preferred alternative for the active-duty MOB for the aircraft. Fairchild AFB, Washington, and Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota, are the alternatives. Both the formal training unit and the active-duty MOB will begin receiving KC-46As in fiscal year 2016. Pease Air Guard Station (AGS), New Hampshire, is the preferred MOB for the first Air National Guard (ANG) unit, with Forbes AGS, Kansas; Joint Base McGuire-DixLakehurst, New Jersey; Pittsburgh International Airport AGS, Pennsylvania; and Rickenbacker AGS, Ohio, the alternatives. The ANG MOB will start to receive

KC-46As in fiscal year 2018. The Environmental Impact Analysis Process for the base selections began in April and is on-going: upon its conclusion the plans will be confirmed or updated. A total of 179 KC-46As are expected to be delivered by the end of fiscal year 2018 under the KC-X programme, for which Boeing was awarded an engineering and manufacturing development contract in February 2011. The critical final design review is scheduled in July and the first KC-46A is due to fly in 2015. Two other procurement phases are anticipated under the ‘KC-Y’ and ‘KC-Z’ projects to replace the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker and McDonnell Douglas KC-10A Extender. On May 1 FlightSafety Services Corp of Centennial, Colorado, was awarded approximately $78.4 million for engineering, manufacturing and development of the KC-46A aircrew training system, including delivery of courseware and simulator-based training systems. The initial aircrew training device is scheduled to be handed over in February 2016, with deliveries to the formal training unit and MOBs that year.

AI.07.13

17

NEWS COLUMN

Australia’s Air Combat Capab

Australia has ordered two F-35A Lightning IIs and committed to 14 aircraft. Lockheed Martin

by Nigel Pittaway With the release of the government’s Defence White Paper and subsequent Federal Budget in May, the future of Australia’s air combat capability has become a little clearer. In a US-style launch of Australia’s Defence White Paper in Canberra on May 3, complete with Super Hornet and Globemaster backdrop and in the presence of Australian Defence Force Academy personnel, Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Minister for Defence

18

AI.07.13

Stephen Smith reaffirmed plans to purchase the Lockheed Martin F-35A Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) and announced the acquisition of 12 Boeing EA-18G Growler Airborne Electronic Attack aircraft. The government had earlier expressed its intention to

convert 12 existing F/A-18F Super Hornets to Growler configuration, but the purchase of new-build aircraft will mean two squadrons of F-models will be available during the withdrawal of the ‘classic’ F/A18A and F/A-18B Hornet fleet and introduction of the F-35A.

F-35A Commitment Australia has placed orders for only two F-35As to date, but has committed to 14 aircraft – sufficient for one squadron. It has a requirement for 72 aircraft to replace three fighter squadrons and an operational conversion unit, and has flagged the requirement for up to 100 aircraft in the distant future, depending on decisions around a Super Hornet replacement. Prime Minister Gillard said: “While the Joint Strike Fighter programme has suffered cost overruns and delays, the government remains committed to the JSF as our principal Australian Defence Force strike capability and is confident of

Please send all news correspondence [email protected]

NEWS COLUMN

r ability Pleas The first two F-35As will be delivered to the Royal Australian Air Force in 2014 but will be retained at Luke AFB in Arizona for pilot training. Recent speculation that some F-35As will be replaced by F-35Bs, for operations off Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) ships under construction, have also been denied by the Australia’s Project AIR 6000 (New Air Combat Capability) Project Office. Air Vice-Marshal Kym Osley, head of the NACC Project Office, said: “AIR 6000 reviewed all variants of the F-35 prior to the selection of the F-35A. As part of the consideration, the future force structure was assessed, including the amphibious capability, and it was considered that the F-35A, when supported with air-refuelling, would provide the best capability for Australia. Air-refuelling allows the F-35A to support amphibious operations, without the limitations of having the aircraft onboard the amphibious ships.”

Growlers its delivery. We envisage three operational squadrons of Joint Strike Fighters entering service beginning around 2020.” Defence minister Smith has repeatedly said he would not allow an air combat capability gap to occur and the retention of the 12 Super Hornets previously earmarked for Growler conversion is an insurance against further delays to the F-35A. “We’re proceeding on the basis that there are no further delays to JSF,” he told reporters. “We’re in the hands of others and that’s why we’ve made decisions to protect our air combat capability with the previous acquisition of Super Hornets and now Growlers.”

Australia is set to become the first country outside the US to have an airborne electronic attack capability when 12 EA18Gs are delivered later this decade. The decision to buy new aircraft rather than convert those in service will mean all 24 Super Hornets will be available for air combat operations. In February the US Defense Security Co-operation Agency notified Congress that Australia was considering the purchase of 12 more F/A-18F Super Hornets as well as the Growlers, but this option has, for the time being at least, been allowed to lapse. Smith explained: “Emerging advanced air combat and air defence capabilities within the [Australia] region, together with

the proliferation of modern electronic warfare systems, will make the air combat tasks of controlling the air, conducting strike and supporting land and naval forces increasingly challenging. As a prudent measure to assure Australia’s air combat capability through the transition period to the JSF, the government has decided to retain the 24 F/A-18F Super Hornets (one operational squadron) in their current air combat and strike capability configuration.” Australia has already allocated AUS$20 million for long-lead items of equipment for the Growler and these will presumably now be supplied to the Boeing Super Hornet and Growler assembly line in St Louis, Missouri. The purchase of the new aircraft is estimated to cost between 1.5 and 1.6 billion Australian dollars, all of which is accounted for in the fouryear defence forward estimates budget period. The original plan was to convert one of the RAAF’s two Super Hornet strike fighter squadrons to the airborne electronic attack role, but the decision to buy new-build Growlers will require the establishment of a further operational squadron.

Hornets and Super Hornets The planned withdrawal date for the ‘classic’ Hornet fleet is 2020 and the Australian Government Department for Defence has recently done a lot of work to ensure the fleet is structurally capable of operating until that date. The aircraft have also undergone a series of capability upgrades through the Hornet Upgrade (HUG) programme and are some of the most capable early-model Hornets in the world. But by the beginning of

Please send all news correspondence [email protected]

next decade they will have been significantly outclassed by fourthand fifth-generation fighters operated by other countries in the Asia-Pacific region. “It’s quite clearly the case on both our own analysis and that of the United States that the Joint Strike Fighter project under Admiral Venlet and now General Bogdan has improved, but there are still risks associated with the programme,” warned Smith. If the F-35A is further delayed, the Hornet will be struggling to retain viability, particularly with its mechanically-scanned radar as more and more AESA (active electronically-scanned array) radars enter service. While the retention of a second Super Hornet squadron will go some way towards ‘de-risking’ future air combat capability, it will not be a total panacea. The RAAF’s Super Hornet force is made up of one operational squadron and one conversion and training unit, and although the Growler decision preserves the total number of AESA-equipped, combat-capable aircraft, there are unlikely to be enough operational crews to realise their full capability. However, the future Australian air combat capability model will mirror that of the US Navy, which will operate a mixed fleet of F-35s, Growlers and Super Hornets until 2035. “This will give us a mixed fleet of 12 Growlers, 24 Super Hornets, and over time into the 2030s, 72 Joint Strike Fighters,” said Smith. “In the 2030s, the government of the day will be able to make a decision whether the 24 Super Hornets can be replaced by Joint Strike Fighters. But in the end, we have always said that to maintain our air combat capability and superiority, we need to draw from a fleet of about 100. That remains the case.”

AI.07.13

19

Rest of the World

PC-7 Inducted into Indian Service

Pilatus PC-7 Mk II P-101 (c/n 690) was the first of its type to arrive at Dundigal, where the trainer was inducted into Indian Air Force service at the end of May. Indian Ministry of Defence

The Indian Air Force (IAF) formally inducted into service its new Basic Trainer Aircraft (BTA), the Pilatus PC-7 Mk II, on May 31. The ceremony took place at the Air Force Academy at Dundigal, Hyderabad, the IAF’s premier training establishment. The head of the IAF, Air Chief Marshal N A K Browne, was present at the ceremony and said: “The event is a significant milestone in IAF’s transformation into a modern multi-spectrum strategic force.” The IAF’s first cadets began training

on the PC-7 in June. Basic training of pilots from Indian Naval Aviation and the Coast Guard will also be conducted on the Pilatus. The IAF ordered 75 PC-7 Mk IIs, of which 12 had been delivered by the time of the induction (further to Indian PC-7 Deliveries Under Way, March p19). Pilatus will have delivered all aircraft on order by August 2015. The first batch landed in India in February, within a year of the order being placed in May 2012. The IAF is likely to exercise options for an additional 37 aircraft. Pilatus

Korean F-5 Offer Turned Down by Indonesia Indonesia has rejected a Republic of Korea offer of Northrop F-5 Tiger IIs. Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Ida Bagus Putu Dunia, made the announcement in Jakarta on May 16. The reason cited was that the aircraft have limited commonality with Indonesia’s current F-5 fleet. He said

Test flights of the first Pilatus PC-21 trainer for the Royal Saudi Air Force (901, c/n 155) are under way. The aircraft is seen at the manufacturer’s facility at Stans in Switzerland on June 3. It was rolled out there on May 27, a year and two days after BAE Systems signed an order for 55 PC-21s for Saudi Arabia (see New Trainers for Saudi Arabia, July 2012, p5). Deliveries are due to start next year. Stephan Widmer

20

AI.07.13

The Algerian Air Force has evaluated the Airbus Military A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) with a view to purchasing between four and six. At Algeria’s request, Airbus Military sent a Voyager KC3 destined for the RAF to the Algerian Air Force’s main transport base of Boufarik from May 10. There it conducted refuelling trials, including sorties with Algerian Sukhoi Su-30MKA Flankers. The MRTT used for the demonstration (EC-335/MRTT016, msn 1033, to become ZZ334) was equipped with two refuelling pods on the wings. Airbus Military’s Senior Vice President Rafael Tentor said that Algeria was “very much interested” in the MRTT as it is seeking to replace its existing Ilyushin Il-78 Midas tankers. Airbus reports it is confident of receiving an order later this year. Algeria is also looking at the Boeing C-17A Globemaster III to fulfil its heavy transport requirements. C-17A 100216 of the US Air Force’s 62nd/446th Airlift Wing arrived at Boufarik on April 23 for a series of demonstrations, including flights from Tamanrasset in the desert. Between six and eight heavy transports are needed, with the C-17A understood to be in contention along with the Airbus Military A400M Atlas. Guy Martin

Japan Offers US-2 to India

that while Indonesia’s F-5s have been upgraded over the years, those used in Korea are largely equipped with their original systems. The Republic of Korea Air Force will replace the F-5 with the winner of the FX-III fighter competition in 2017. David C Isby

Initial Royal Saudi Air Force PC-21 Flying

has also said that to cater for the offset provisions in the contract, it will investigate setting up a production facility for its PC-12 single-engine turboprop passenger and cargo aircraft in India. The induction of the PC-7 heralds the end of the use of the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) HJT-16 Kiran jet trainer for basic instruction. The IAF was forced to use the Kiran in the role as it did not have a BTA after the HAL HPT-32 Deepak was grounded because of safety concerns. J C Chakravarthi

Algeria Evaluates A330 MRTT and Globemaster

India and Japan will form a joint working group to consider cooperating on the ShinMaywa US-2 amphibian to satisfy an Indian Navy need for nine search and rescue (SAR) aircraft. The Indian Navy released a request for information in 2012 for the acquisition. Japan’s promotion of the US-2 marks the first time since World

War Two that it has offered to sell military (albeit unarmed) aircraft overseas. Other contenders for the requirement are understood to be the Bombardier 415 and the Beriev Be-200. The amphibious aircraft will be used by the Indian Navy for SAR, coastal surveillance, humanitarian operations and to assist ships in trouble. J C Chakravarthi

African Boeing 727s Gather at Brussels

Boeing 727-282 Adv (RE) XT-BFA (c/n 22430, ex N727RE) operated by the Burkina Faso government, was used to transport VIPs to Brussels Airport in Belgium on May 15 to attend the international donor conference to raise funds for Mali. Three African government Boeing 727s arrived at Brussels on the same day, with XT-BFA joined by -2Y4 Adv (RE) TU-VAO (c/n 22968, ex VP-CML) of Côte d’Ivoire and Mali’s -2K5 Adv TZ-001 (c/n 21853, ex LX-MMM). Marcus Steidele

Please send all news correspondence [email protected]

Rest of the World

Argentina Receives Grob 120TP On June 10 four Grob 120TP basic trainers were handed over to Fábrica Argentina de Aviones (FAdeA) SA at its facility at Córdoba. The aircraft are the first of ten that will be delivered to Argentina in accordance with the agreement reached between the manufacturers to promote the aircraft and the IA-63 Pampa II. The trainers will be leased by FAdeA to the Argentine Air Force for use by the Military Aviation School as a replacement for the retired Beech B45 Mentor. The aircraft were purchased for €20 million, including spares and training. After five years Grob will buy back the G120TPs. By then the FAdeA will be in a position to provide IA-73 Unasur I trainers to the air force, development of which is currently under way. Santiago Rivas

CN235 for Cameroon Noted on the Airbus Military flight test line at Seville in Spain in late May was CN235 msn 208 for the Armée de l’Air du Cameroun (Cameroon Air Force). An order for a single example of the transport was announced by the manufacturer on June 6, 2012. José Ramón Valero

Nigerian Air Force Strikes Boko Haram The Nigerian Air Force has been used to support troops fighting Boko Haram insurgents in northeast Nigeria. Air assets, including helicopter gunships and jets, were sent to bomb

Islamist bases and training camps – two Dassault Alpha Jets were seen on May 14 landing in Yola, a city in one of the three provinces in which a state of emergency was declared.

18

F-16S FOR IRAQ The US Department of Defense announced on April 30 that it had awarded Lockheed Martin $830 million to procure 18 F-16s for Iraq. The aircraft are the second batch of 18 for the country. Work is expected to be completed by the end of April 2014.

NEWS BY NUMBERS

1

ADDITIONAL C-17A SOUGHT BY KUWAIT Kuwait is planning to buy a second Boeing C-17A Globemaster III transport, according to a notification passed from the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency to Congress on April 16. It will be equipped with a defensive countermeasures system, including the AN/AAR-47 Missile Approach Warning System and AN/ALE-47 Countermeasure Dispenser Set. The C-17 and its associated support equipment and spares are valued at $371 million. Details of the initial C-17A sold to Kuwait were passed to Congress in September 2010 (see One C-17A Sought by Kuwait, November 2010, p27) and it is understood the transport is currently in production. David C Isby

2

C-130J-30S SOUGHT BY LIBYA The US Congress was notified by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency of a possible Foreign Military Sale to Libya of two Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 Hercules on June 7. The deal is worth a potential $588 million and in addition to the transports includes a three year training and logistical support package, plus two spare Rolls-Royce AE2100D3 engines. The aircraft are sought for operations primarily within Libya as well as regional peacekeeping and humanitarian missions. Libya previously received 13 C-130H and L100-20/30s, of which only two or three are currently airworthy.

A major offensive involving at least 2,000 troops, backed up by airpower, was launched on May 16 in response to increased activity by Boko Haram insurgents in the northeast of the

10

DRAGONFLIES FOR EL SALVADOR

El Salvador has revealed a planned acquisition of ten Cessna A-37B Dragonfly light attack aircraft from Chile. The deal was announced by the Salvadorian President, Mauricio Funes, on May 6 and an $8.6 million credit loan has been requested to finance the purchase. The aircraft are currently stored at Santiago-El Bosque in Chile. El Salvador currently has eight A-37s, seven of them operational. David C Isby

3

C-130JS FOR MONGOLIA Mongolia intends to buy three Lockheed Martin C-130J Hercules transports, according to announcements in the local media on April 7. The C-130J missions will include deploying and sustaining Mongolian armed forces on international peacekeeping duties and supporting exercises. Personnel will be trained in the United States to fly and maintain the transports. The acquisition of the aircraft would be a significant enhancement for the Mongolian People’s Air Force, which has a handful of ageing Antonov An-24/An-26s and Harbin Y-12s, although most are believed to be withdrawn from service. David C Isby

16

GOLDEN EAGLES FOR INDONESIA IN 2013 Indonesia will take delivery of 16 Korea Aerospace Industries T-50 Golden Eagle advanced trainers from the Republic of Korea this year, replacing British Aerospace Hawk Mk 53 trainers with 15 Skadron Udara at Iswahyudi Air Base, Madiun, Java. Instructors and technicians are already being trained on the new aircraft in both Korea and Indonesia. Six of the aircraft will be delivered in the colours of the Elang Biru display team. Indonesia ordered 16 T-50s on May 25, 2011 (see Indonesia Orders Super Tucano and Golden Eagle, July 2011, p4). David C Isby

Please send all news correspondence [email protected]

country. Dozens of militants were reported killed in air strikes. One aircraft was said to have been hit by anti-aircraft fire during the raids, but managed to return safely to base. Guy Martin

New Indian Twin Cargo Aircraft At the same time as it is initiating a competition for its replacement, the Indian Air Force (IAF) is considering an upgrade for its vintage Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) built HS748 twin turboprop transports – known as Avros in IAF service. The request for proposals (RfP) for 56 new twin turboprops with a cargo capacity of 8 tonnes was issued by the Indian Ministry of Defence on May 10 and sent to Airbus, EADS CASA, Ilyushin, Saab, Lockheed Martin, Aermacchi Alenia, Embraer and the Tashkent Aviation Production Facility in Uzbekistan. The RfP specifies that the first 16 aircraft will be imported and the next 40 built under licence in India by non-governmental aerospace industries selected by the original foreign producer, which will be responsible for creating an assembly facility. The overall programme is valued at 28,000 crore rupees ($5 billion). Despite this new RfP, the IAF is still considering an upgrade to provide up to 20 years of life for some of its 748s. Around 30 are currently operational of 64 procured. The upgrade would include new radar, avionics, and a navigation and communication system. David C Isby

AI.07.13

21

Unmanned Aerial Systems

Triton Takes to the Skies

Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton BuNo 168457 during its maiden flight on May 22. Northrop Grumman

The Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton high-altitude long-endurance unmanned air vehicle undertook its first flight from Palmdale, California, on May 22. The aircraft (BuNo 168457) completed an 80-minute sortie, during which it successfully demonstrated autonomous control and reached a maximum altitude of 20,000ft (6,096m). The Triton has been developed to meet the US Navy’s Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) requirement

to provide persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and augment the Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft. Assembly of the prototype began in early 2012 (see MQ-4C BAMS Milestones, April 2012, p24) and the first flight was originally due to take place at the end of that year. Northrop Grumman said that the aircraft would undertake further flight tests at Palmdale before moving to NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, in the autumn to begin its service trials.

Lijian Sharpens its Edge

The US Navy’s ‘programme of record’ calls for 68 MQ-4Cs to be acquired, which will operate from five locations worldwide. Meanwhile, Australia’s defence minister, Stephen Smith, announced on May 16 that Australia would issue a Letter of Request (LoR) for pricing and delivery information for an order for the MQ-4C Triton. The LoR will provide cost, availability and capability information to allow plans to be formulated on how many of the UAVs would be required and how they would operate alongside Australia’s planned procurement of P-8As, but does not commit the nation to a purchase. Any procurement of the Triton to fulfil Project AIR 7000 Phase 1B will be via a Foreign Military Sale. Mark Broadbent and David C Isby

2

NEWS BY NUMBER

The Lijian unmanned combat air vehicle conducting taxiing tests, which have been under way since late 2012.

MQ-9A REAPERS SOUGHT BY FRANCE THIS YEAR

The Lijian (‘sharp sword’) unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) was carrying out taxiing and ground tests in May in preparation for its first flight. The Lijian prototype, designed jointly by the Hongdu Aviation Industry Group and Shenyang Aviation Corporation, has been undertaking ground tests since December 2012 at Qingyunpu airfield, Nanchang, in the southeastern province of Jiangxi.

France has asked for the urgent delivery of two unarmed General Atomics MQ-9A Reapers and one ground station. The systems are to be delivered before the end of the year to support Opération Serval in Mali, supplementing EADS Harfang unmanned air vehicles. The French order, which involves taking airframes intended for the US military, is part of a larger Letter of Request for 16 Reapers that are due to be delivered in 2015-16. David C Isby

The Lijian has been in development since 2009 and images of it began to appear on the internet on May 6. It is a tailless flying wing UCAV with low-observable features, including ‘serrated’ undercarriage doors and probably an internal weapons bay. It is powered by a single engine, possibly a Shenyang WP7, with a large, unshrouded nozzle. Wingspan is estimated to be 14m (46ft). David C Isby

Skeldar Completes Flight Tests Saab has completed several key test campaigns for the flight envelope and systems of its Skeldar V-200 vertical take-off and landing unmanned air system. The tests, carried out in Sweden and the

22

AI.07.13

United States on land and at sea, included fully-autonomous flights day and night to demonstrate convoy shadowing capability, precision landing, electro-optical and infrared sensor utilisation, and

long-range missions using tactical hand-over between ground control stations. A heavy-fuel engine has now been verified through extensive flight trials, and an upgraded next-generation version

German EuroHawk Buy Cancelled

Germany has cancelled its planned purchase of four additional Northrop Grumman/EADS RQ-4E EuroHawk high-altitude longendurance (HALE) unmanned air vehicle (UAV) systems and stopped flying the prototype. Details of the cancellation were revealed on May 14 by the defence ministry, which cited problems integrating the UAV into European airspace as the primary reason for the decision. German government documents state it would have cost between €500 million and €600 million to gain this certification. The defence ministry blamed a lack of sensitive technical data from Northrop Grumman and the omission of an anti-collision system on the aircraft. However, a press release from EuroHawk GmbH, EADS and Northrop Grumman on May 27 stated: “[claims of] excessive costs associated with completing airworthiness certification, are inaccurate.” This is the most expensive German military procurement programme to be abandoned in recent years, with between €600 million and €800 million having already been spent. The way the programme was handled by the government has also been attacked in the German media, as the problems of operating unmanned air vehicles in crowded European airspace have been highlighted for years. It has also reported that clauses in the contract stopped sensitive documentation being disclosed to third parties, including the Federal Court of Auditors, preventing an effective audit of the programme, which is required by German law. The first EuroHawk (99+01, EHS001) was delivered from the United States to Manching AB in Germany in July 2011, but only made its first flight from there on January 11 (see EuroHawk Flies In Germany, February, p4). Germany had been planning to buy a further four EuroHawks after the first entered service. The German defence ministry said the sensor payloads due to be carried on the EuroHawk would now be deployed on other platforms instead. Mark Broadbent and David Willis

of the original engine has been cleared for flight test. Saab said the test campaign included customer demonstration flights, but has not disclosed if it has secured any orders. Mark Broadbent

Please send all news correspondence [email protected]

Business Aviation

HondaJet Certification Delayed

Bombardier’s New Challenger Artist’s impression of the Challenger 350. Bombardier

At the European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition held in Geneva, Switzerland, between May 21 and 23, Bombardier Business Aircraft launched the Challenger 350, the prototype of which made a hitherto unannounced first flight on March 2. Compared to the current Challenger 300 the new model has a strengthened wing of increased span, canted winglets and 7,232lb st (32.17kN) Honeywell HTF7350 turbofans with 7.3% more take-off thrust than the 300’s HTF7000s.

In the cabin the aircraft has taller windows, redesigned seats, more ergonomic side ledges, upgraded finishing, a new modular galley and a new cabin management system designed by Lufthansa Technik that enables passengers to control systems with either dedicated touchscreen controllers or remotely with iPads or iPods. On the flight deck the Challenger 350 will feature a Rockwell Collins Pro Line 21 Advanced avionics system with standard synthetic vision, XM satellite

Production Turbo Skylane JT-A Flown

radio weather, paperless charts and Collins MultiScan weather radar. Predicted performance of the $25.9 million jet includes a range of 3,200nm (5,926km) with eight passengers and direct climb to 43,000ft (13,106m). Launch customer for the Challenger 350 is fractional ownership operator NetJets, which has placed firm orders for 75, with options on a further 125, potentially worth a total of $5.4 billion. NetJets will take delivery of eight aircraft in 2014 and up to 12 per year thereafter if all options are exercised. Mike Jerram

Improved Nextant 400 Announced Nextant Aerospace has announced a further upgrade in its Beechjet 400 remanufacturing programme, the Model 400XTi. It incorporates a number of improvements over the current 400XT, 28 of which have been delivered. They include a roomier cabin, a new acoustic insulation package, LED lights on the winglets, and a lighter weight,

Cessna conducted the maiden flight of a production Cessna J182T Turbo Skylane JT-A on May 21 from its facility at Independence, Kansas, with senior test pilot Dale Bleakney at the controls. It is the first production diesel-fuelled aircraft offered in the Cessna light aircraft range, powered by a 230hp (169kW) SMA SR305-230E, and has replaced the T182T Skylane TC in its product line. The powerplant will also run on Jet A fuel. The aircraft (N94883, c/n J182T-00002) was fitted with a long-range ferry tank in the rear cabin to make its international debut at AeroExpo at Sywell, Northamptonshire, between May 31 and June 2. David Willis

Hawker Sale Soon? Beechcraft Chief Executive Officer Bill Boisture says that the company hopes to sell off its dormant Hawker business jet range by the end of July. Addressing the Wichita Aero Club in

Honda Aircraft Company is delaying certification of its HondaJet until late 2014 in order to allow more time for testing of its GE Honda HF120 engines. The company had been aiming for full US Federal Aviation Administration approval in the first half of this year, with customer deliveries before year’s end, but Honda Aircraft President and Chief Executive Officer Michimasa Fujino says he now expects the jet’s engines to be certified in the latter part of 2013, although no delivery schedule has been set. The fifth production-conforming HondaJet (N420NC) made its first flight on May 16. The aircraft is the fourth HondaJet to fly, including the proof-of-concept prototype, as two of the five conforming airframes are dedicated to static testing. Some of the flight test work already completed will count towards FAA approval, but most of the aircraft certification flights will begin after the engine has received approval. Customer aircraft are already moving along Honda’s production line in Greensboro, North Carolina, and there have been “minimum order cancellations” arising from the delay, according to Mr Fujino. Mike Jerram

Kansas at the end of April, he revealed the company has non-disclosure agreements “with an unspecified number of interested parties”. No sale was reported by June. Mike Jerram

Please send all news correspondence [email protected]

lower maintenance lithium-ion battery. Nextant President Sean McGeough says that the 400XTi is the first of a family of products that the company hopes to introduce, and he is looking at three potential candidates in the light and midsize business jet classes as the basis for a new remanufacturing programme. Mike Jerram

4,000,000

4,000

By May the global fleet of nearly 1,200 Pilatus PC-12s single-engine turboprops had accumulated four million flight hours since the first was delivered in October 1994. To date, the highest time PC-12 has logged over 24,000 hours as an air ambulance with Air Bravo in Ontario, Canada. The worldwide Pilatus PC-12 fleet adds about one million flight hours to the total every two years.

On June 3 the Beechcraft Corporation delivered the 4,000 Model 36 Bonanza, a G36 (N4000L c/n E-4000) for the Segall Group of Baltimore, Maryland. Beginning with the 1947 V-tail Model 35, Beechcraft says the Bonanza is the longest continuously produced aircraft in history, with more than 18,000 Model 35s and ‘straight tail’ Model 33s and 36s delivered. Beechcraft has recently been investigating alternative-fuel engines for the Model 36.

FLIGHT HOURS LOGGED BY PC-12S

Mike Jerram

BONANZAS DELIVERED

NEWS BY NUMBERS

Mike Jerram

AI.07.13

23

Commercial

Tartarstan Tupolev Tu-154M

On approach to Antalya Airport in Turkey on May 25 was Tupolev Tu-154M RA-85833 (c/n 01A1020) of Tartarstan Aircompany. The airliner was previously flown by Ural Air before entering storage by March 2012 and being transferred to Tartarstan at the end of last year. Rainer Bexten

Small Profit Forecast for African Airlines in 2013 African airlines are expected to generate a profit of $100 million in 2013, up from the $100 million loss of 2012. So says the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which also reported that African airlines will perform most poorly out of all world groups, with operating margins of

less than 1% and passenger load factors below 70% (against the world average of 80.3% for 2013). The industry group said African passenger capacity growth of 6.7% is expected to be outstripped by a 7.5% demand in growth, improving load factors. The continent’s airlines face

COMMERCIAL ORDERS Airbus Customer

Aircraft

Number

LIAT ATR 72 Test Flying

Oman Air

A330-300

3

May 22

A350-900

30, plus 20 options

May 30

Unknown

ACJ319

1

April 26

Antonov Customer

Aircraft

Number

Date

Federal Security Bureau

An-148

1

April 23

Boeing Customer

Aircraft

Number

Date

KLM

777-300ER

1

Singapore Airlines

787-10X

30 (conditional on aircraft’s launch)

May 30

Southwest Airlines

737-800

5 (firming of existing options)

May 15

737 MAX-7

30 (conversion of existing 737NG orders)

May 15

777-300ER

6

May 21

TUI Travel

737 MAX

60, plus 90 options

May 31

Turkish Airlines

737 MAX-8

40, plus 20 options (firms April 9 agreement)

May 14

Unidentified

737 MAX-9

10 (firms April 9 agreement)

May 14

737-800

20 (firms April 9 agreement)

May 14

737 (unspecified)

101

May 21

Unidentified

737 MAX

50

April 23

Unidentified

777-200LR

1

April 26

Bombardier Customer

Aircraft

Number

Date

Gulf Air

CS100

10, plus 10 options (previously booked as Undisclosed customer, June 20, 2011)

June 4

Ilyushin Finance Corp

CS300

32, plus 10 options (firms February 20 purchase agreement)

June 4

RwandAir

Q400

1

April 22

Embraer Customer

Aircraft

Number

Date

SkyWest Airlines

E175

40, plus 60 reconfirmation rights and 100 options

May 21

Unidentified (Chinese customer)

Lineage 1000

1

April 15

Key: MoU – Memorandum of Understanding, LoI – Letter of Intent. Compiled by Mark Broadbent

24

AI.07.13

million flight hours, compared with a world average of two for 2012. Safety is the biggest challenge facing African aviation, according to Tony Tyler, IATA Director General and CEO, who made the comment at the association’s 69th annual meeting held in Cape Town at the beginning of June. Guy Martin

Date

Singapore Airlines

Swiss International Air Lines

high operating costs (especially on fuel, which is on average 21% more expensive than in the rest of the world), stiff competition and bureaucracy. In addition, IATA cautioned that aviation safety is another concern, with the total accident rate for all jet airliners in Africa standing at 10.85 accidents per

An ATR 72-600 destined for Leeward Islands Air Transport (LIAT) of Antigua and Barbuda is undertaking flight tests at Toulouse-Blagnac in southern France. The aircraft (F-WWEN, msn 1077) is seen on approach at the airfield on June 4. It first flew on May 7 and will become V2-LIA upon delivery. LIAT’s order for three ATR 42-600s, plus options for a pair of ATR 72-600s was announced in January, with deliveries due to start in June. However, V2-LIA is the first of two ATR 72-600s for the company, owned by the Air Lease Corporation, scheduled to be delivered in June and August. Olivier Gregoire

Warsaw Modlin Airport Reopens Flights from Warsaw’s Modlin Airport were due to restart in June. According to the airport’s operators, work on the runway was due to be completed by June 18 (after AIR International went to press) with plans to reinstate airline operations from the site afterwards. The idea for a second airport for Warsaw at the former military airfield was first raised in 2003, when low-cost carriers began services from the city’s primary Chopin International Airport. It was not until February 8, 2010, however that the Polish civil aviation authority officially recognised Modlin. It was

officially opened on July 8, 2012, and revenue-earning services started seven days later when a Wizz Air Airbus A320 arrived from Budapest in Hungary. The airport was closed to large aircraft just five months later on December 22, 2012, because of runway deterioration. Inadequate material had been used in its construction, causing it to chip and potentially endanger the safety of aircraft. During its initial operating period the airport handled 900,000 passengers, and both Ryanair and Wizz Air had plans to develop bases on the site. Eryk Klopotowski

Please send all news correspondence [email protected]

Commercial

More Aircraft for South African Airways South African Airways (SAA) was due to receive two new A320s from Airbus in June and another two in July as part of its order for 20 of the type. The remaining 16 will be delivered by 2017 and will replace the 17 Boeing 737-800s operated by SAA and the four 737-800s flown by low-cost subsidiary Mango. Revitalising the fleet with more efficient aircraft is one of SAA’s turnaround strategies – the carrier plans to spend between $4 billion

and $7 billion on 25 to 30 fuelefficient long-haul aircraft, to be delivered from 2017 onwards. They will replace its Airbus A330 and A340s. The carrier phased out the last of six A340-200s at the end of May, leaving its A340-300s and -600s in service. Acting CEO Nico Bezuidenhout said that the Boeing 787-8 and Airbus A350-900/1000 have been considered. A decision will be made by August. The cargo fleet is also being enhanced,

with a Boeing 737-4K5(SF) (S5-ABV, c/n 24128, ex N728CF) wet-leased from Slovenia’s Solinair. The aircraft arrived at SAA Technical on May 8. A 737-300 freighter will be delivered in July, replacing an ageing 737200, to bring the SAA cargo fleet to three examples and a 737-400F. “We are excited about new business opportunities and will continue to provide our customers with reliable connectivity to all key markets in the region,” said the general manager of

SAA Cargo, Tleli Makhetha. He also stated that the new aircraft will be used for additional routes in African. The 737-400F can carry up to 22 tons. The struggling airline believes profitability is on the horizon. In early May SAA borrowed 1.5 billion Rand as working capital to keep operations running until parliament adopts the airline’s turnaround plans, using a 5 billion Rand state guarantee extended to it last year to secure the loan. Guy Martin

Initial WestJet Encore Q400s Flying

Flybe Delays E175 Deliveries

UK regional carrier Flybe is deferring delivery of 16 Embraer 175s by three years to 2017. The aircraft had been due for delivery between 2014 and 2017 and the decision is part of Flybe’s ongoing cost-cutting programme. The airline says the move will save it £20 million in pre-delivery payments. Flybe has also announced it will close its Gatwick hub in March 2014 at the end of the winter season, concluding a 22-year association with the Sussex airport. The airline has agreed to sell its 25 slot pairs at Gatwick to easyJet. Flybe has secured cost reductions of £30 million since announcing its restructure plan earlier this year. Mark Broadbent

WestJet Encore’s Bombardier Q400 NextGens have started flight tests at the manufacturer’s facility at Toronto-Downsview Airport, Ontario in Canada. DHC-8-402 C-FHEN (c/n 4441, fleet number 402, seen here) is understood to be the second destined for Encore. C-FOEN (c/n 4440) is likely to become fleet number 401. WestJet firmed an order for 20 Q400s, plus 25 options, on August 1, 2012. The carrier will assign the turboprops to the new WestJet Encore regional division that was due to be running in June. Initially, the subsidiary will serve routes from Fort St John and Nanaimo in British Colombia, as well as from locations in Alberta and Saskatchewan, including Grande Prairie, Edmonton and Calgary. Andrew H Cline

PW1100G-JM Flight Tests Begin The Pratt & Whitney (P&W) PurePower PW1100G-JM completed its first flight on May 15. The engine flew on the company’s Boeing 747SP-J6 flying testbed (C-FPAW, c/n 21934, ex N747UT) from the Mirabel Aerospace Centre in Canada following an

Avianca Rebrands Latin American airline Avianca unveiled a major rebranding on May 26 leaving TACA Airlines, AeroGal and Tampa Cargo as separate identities. The Bogota, Colombia-based airline merged with TACA and AeroGal, the flag carriers of El Salvador and Ecuador respectively, in 2010. The former TACA and AeroGal networks are now known as Avianca El Salvador and Avianca Ecuador. Tampa Cargo, which Avianca acquired in 2008, is now known as Avianca Cargo. The ‘New Avianca’ operates 5,100 weekly flights in 25 countries across the Americas and currently has a fleet of 160 aircraft, although this will decrease. Mark Broadbent

extensive range of static tests (see PW1100G-JM Ready for Flight Testing, May, p5). The variant of the PurePower powerplant will be used on the upcoming Airbus A320neo family. P&W said “the flight went smoothly”, but did not provide any further

information about the scope of the trials carried out during the sortie. The PW1100G-JM has now begun flight testing ahead of the start of certification. Around 40 sorties are planned for the programme. P&W is targeting certification in the third

quarter of 2014, ahead of service entry on the A320neo in the fourth quarter of 2015. The engine is the third of the PurePower family to fly following the PW1524G for the Bombardier CSeries and the PW1217G destined for the Mitsubishi Regional Jet. Mark Broadbent

Retro Airbus A320 Delivered to Aeroflot

Undertaking a test flight at the Airbus facility in Toulouse-Blagnac in southern France on May 24 was A320-214 F-WWIP (msn 5614). The airliner was delivered five days later to Aeroflot Russian Airlines as VP-BNT named Dobrolet in the scheme worn by the carrier’s aircraft in the 1970s. It first flew on April 18. Olivier Gregoire

Korongo Switches Aircraft The Democrat Republic of Congo carrier Korongo Airlines has replaced its sole aircraft, a Boeing 737-300 (OO-

LTM, c/n 25070), with a 737-300 (ZSASL, c/n 24387) wet leased from South Africa’s Safair. The original airliner was

Please send all news correspondence [email protected]

damaged during a taxiing incident at Lubumbashi Luano International Airport on May 24. Guy Martin

AI.07.13

25

Commercial

Future of 747-8 Confirmed

Boeing 747-830I D-ABYI (c/n 37833) was the 50th of the Dash 8 variants to be delivered. It was handed over to Lufthansa on May 29. Joe G Walker

Boeing has reiterated its commitment to the Boeing 747-8 despite slow orders for the airliner. John Wojick, the company’s senior vice-president global sales, told the International Air Transport Association’s annual meeting in Cape Town, South Africa, that Boeing is “committed to both the 747-8I and F well into the foreseeable future”. Early next year monthly production is due to be reduced from two to 1.75

aircraft, reflecting the small backlog of only 59 aircraft, enough to keep the assembly line busy for three years. The slow pace of orders has prompted some industry analysts to question the future of the ‘jumbo’, especially as Boeing’s proposed 777-9X will offer 50 seats more than the 747-8I, and a similar range, but at the lower costs associated with two engines. However, Mr Wojick said the two aircraft “serve different

markets” and that there was a place in the market for the 747-8I before the 777-9X is scheduled to arrive in 2019-20. Boeing also says that it “expects long-term growth in the air cargo market to resume in 2014”, an indication that the company sees the future of the aircraft predominantly in the ultra-large freighter market. It is “confident” of securing new 747-8 orders. Mark Broadbent

New Aircraft for Air Zimbabwe Air Zimbabwe has put into service an Airbus A320 and Embraer ERJ 145 as the troubled carrier attempts to get back on an even footing. The flag carrier’s Airbus A320-214 (Z-WPM, msn 630, ex M-YWAT) began flying to Johannesburg on May 27, but was grounded days later after a bird strike cracked its windscreen. It was subsequently repaired and put back into service. The A320 was acquired to replace an ageing Boeing 767 and has initially been deployed on Harare-

Johannesburg flights, but will serve other regional routes at a later stage. Meanwhile, in March, Air Zimbabwe leased a 50-seat ERJ 145, which began flying the Harare-Bulawayo-Victoria Falls route from the end of May. The carrier’s fleet includes two Boeing 767-200s, three 737-200s and three Xian MA60s, but the latter are not believed to be operational. Another A320 and a second ERJ 145 are due to begin operations soon. The new acquisitions are part of Air Zimbabwe’s turnaround strategy, which

has also seen the carrier seek a new chief executive officer and cut its staff numbers. At the end of May, 600 workers were suspended, leaving 300 to run the airline. After six months Air Zimbabwe will review its progress and possibly hire them back. The carrier is in debt by more than $140 million and had to stop flights to the United Kingdom and South Africa in 2011 after aircraft were impounded in London and Johannesburg because of unpaid debts (see Air Zimbabwe Aircraft Seized, February 2012 p31). Guy Martin

Initial A330-300 for Cebu Air Pacific

1

NEWS BY NUMBERS

MD-83 FREIGHTER FOR ASTRAL Kenyan cargo airline Astral Aviation has ordered a McDonnell Douglas MD-83 freighter from Aeronautical Engineers Inc (AEI), a US-based airframe converter, which will modify an aircraft to MD-83SF standard in August this year at its conversion centre. “Astral showed early interest in our MD80SF programme which is now in full production,” said Robert Convey, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for AEI, who said the order “represents the first on the African continent, which is showing great interest in the freighter type.” Nairobi-based Astral Aviation’s fleet includes Douglas DC-8 and DC-9, Cessna Caravan, Fokker 27, Hawker Siddeley 748 and Boeing 727 freighters, flown on chartered and scheduled flights. The carrier has options for two more MD-83 freighter conversions. Guy Martin

2

BEECH 1900S FOR MASSAWA AIRWAYS Eritrea’s Massawa Airways took delivery of its first of two Beech 1900Ds (N46AR, c/n UE27) at the end of April. The aircraft will join a Xian MA60 (E3-AAV), delivered to the carrier in December 2012. Massawa Airways is Eritrea’s third scheduled carrier after Eritrean Airlines and NasAir. Guy Martin

8

ROYAL AIR MAROC 737S SOLD American private investment company Vx Capital Partners has bought five Boeing 737-500s formerly operated by Royal Air Maroc (c/ns 25317, 26525, 26527, 27679 and 27680). They were the last of the type to serve with Royal Air Maroc and were offered for sale by Airstream International Group. Royal Air Maroc also sold three of its 737-400s (c/ns 26526, 26529 and 26530) to Brazil’s Colt Aviation, where they will be converted into freighters. The Moroccan carrier sold off its older 737s and replaced them with more modern next generation aircraft. Guy Martin

1,000,000 E-JET FLIGHT HOURS

Airbus A330-343X F-WWTR (msn 1420, to become RP-C3341) is the first of the type for Cebu Pacific Air of the Philippines, leased from CIT Aerospace. Cebu will lease eight A330-300s powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 772Bs, two of which will be delivered in both 2013 and next year. The first made its maiden flight from Toulouse-Blagnac on May 15 and is seen making a test flight from the south-west France airport eight days later. It was delivered on June 13 and will enter service on long-haul flights between Manila and Dubai on October 7. Olivier Gregoire

26

AI.07.13

The worldwide fleet of Embraer E-Jets passed ten million flight hours and seven million flight cycles in May, with an average mission completion rate of 99.9%. Since delivery of an Embraer 170 to LOT Polish Airlines in March 2004, nearly 1,000 E-Jets have been delivered to more than 60 operators in 43 countries on five continents. They have carried approximately 460 million passengers. Mike Jerram

Please send all news correspondence [email protected]

Commercial

Early Aeroflot SSJ-100s to Become SBJs

Superjet 100-95LR 97006 (c/n 95032) is the prototype long-range version of the basic airliner. It completed its maiden flight on February 12. via Piotr Butowski

Aeroflot is exchanging its first ten Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company (SCAC) Superjet 100s (SSJ-100) for improved versions of the narrowbody airliner. The first socalled ‘full specification’ SSJ-100s (c/n 95025) was delivered to the airline on May 31. Improvements include individual air ventilation for passengers; separate lighting for business and economy-class cabins; weather radar with wind shear detection; a third lavatory and an additional kitchen. Aeroflot received its first SSJ-10095B in June 2011 and the tenth the following September, but declared its dissatisfaction with some of the interior fittings and layout of the aircraft. The exchange reportedly stems from a change in financing. Aeroflot’s original purchase deal with SCAC for 30 aircraft was understood to include a considerable discount over the manufacturer’s list price. The new aircraft will instead be leased from state-owned VEB Leasing, which will buy the aircraft from SCAC at the full list price. A further six new SSJ-100s will be delivered this year, with the final three following in early 2014.

The ten older SSJ-100s will be returned to the SCAC and converted as Sukhoi Business Jets (SBJ) by Kazan-based Tulpar Interior Group, with a 46-seat configuration including VIP and meeting rooms. Atlasjet has signed a provisional agreement to acquire the first three ex-Aeroflot machines. These will be converted and delivered over the next year. Meanwhile, the two former Armavia SSJ-100s are being transferred to Moskovia Airlines. The Armenian flag carrier stopped flying the type in the summer of 2012 after suffering financial problems relating to the deal to purchase the aircraft. They have since been stored at SCAC’s facility at Zhukovsky outside Moscow. On May 20 SSJ100 c/n 95021 re-flew in Moskovia colours after being re-registered as RA-89021 (ex EK-95016). Twenty-seven aircraft are planned for delivery by SCAC this year. The company was expecting to add to its 179-aircraft firm order backlog at the Paris Air Show by firming up the contract for 20 of the type from Ilyushin Finance. Piotr Butowski and Mark Broadbent

British Airways A319 Loses Cowlings The UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has opened an inquiry after a British Airways Airbus A319131 (G-EUOE, msn 1574, ex D-AVWF) lost its engine cowlings after take-off from London Heathrow on May 24. The aircraft, operating flight BA762 to Oslo, Norway, had departed Heathrow at 0816 hrs. The crew later detected what the carrier described as a “technical fault” and returned to Heathrow for a successful landing on Runway 27R/09L. The 75 passengers and five crew were evacuated safely. Photographs of the aircraft on the ground after landing revealed that both engine cowls were missing

and British Airways subsequently confirmed they had been left unlatched during maintenance. A preliminary AAIB report said the doors detached from the aircraft during take-off, puncturing the fuel pipe in the starboard engine and damaging parts of the airframe and some aircraft systems. The starboard engine developed a fire and the airliner trailed smoke as it approached Heathrow to land but the crew shutdown the affected powerplant. Airbus recorded 18 incidents where the cowl doors have been lost after take off from A320 family airliners by 2007. Mark Broadbent

Please send all news correspondence [email protected]

Launch of 787-10X Expected Soon

The prototype Boeing 787-9, ZB001, on the assembly line at Everett, Washington. Work to connect the major sections of the airliner began on May 30. Boeing

Boeing is close to formally launching the long-proposed third version of the Dreamliner, the 787-10X, after signing its first customer. Singapore Airlines (SIA) became the launch customer after placing a commitment for 30, which was announced on May 30. The carrier revealed on June 7 that it had selected the Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 to power its aircraft. The order is conditional on Boeing proceeding with development and production of the 787-10X. Todd Nelp, Boeing Commercial Airplanes Vice-President European Sales, told AIR International at Manchester that his company “hopes to have the programme launched over the next month or two”, but he did not reveal a precise timeframe for its development. SIA expects to receive and put its 787-10Xs into service in 2018-19. In recent months discussions have taken place between the manufacturer and key customers (see Dreamliner -10X Promises Savings, December 2012, p24), one of whom was SIA. Boeing is targeting the 787-10X at network carriers looking for more range and lower seat/mile costs,

according to Mr Nelp. Meanwhile, in late May, Boeing began final assembly of the first 787-9 Dreamliner (ZB001) at Everett, Washington. This will continue over coming weeks with the aircraft due to be rolled-out in the summer and start flight tests in the third quarter. In addition, modifications to all 787-8s delivered before the January grounding order – caused by problems with the lithium-ion batteries – have been completed. Thomson Airways, Air India and China Southern are the latest customers to accept 787-8s from the manufacturer. Norwegian should receive its first by the end of June and is planning to begin using it on the service between Oslo in Norway and London-Gatwick from July 4, and to Alicante and Barcelona in Spain and Nice, France, later that month. Norwegian will start longhaul routes with the type in August on the Oslo and Stockholm, Sweden to New York-John F Kennedy and Bangkok, Thailand, routes. Boeing has a target of delivering 60 787-8s this year, according to Randy Tinseth, vice president for marketing. Mark Broadbent

AI.07.13

27

Rotary Wing

Final Afghan Tour Completed by 847 NAS

On May 23 personnel from 847 Naval Air Squadron (NAS) were reunited with their families at RNAS Yeovilton, Somerset, after completing the unit’s last fourmonth tour of duty in Afghanistan. During their fourth tour in Helmand, which began in January, the unit’s Westland Lynx AH9As provided top cover support for air and ground forces. The squadron reported an overall serviceability rate of 80% during the deployment, with 90% being achieved in the final month. No.661 Squadron of the Army Air Corps replaced 847 NAS in theatre. The unit’s commanding officer, Lt Col Nick Venn RM said: “This tour has been an exceptionally busy one in which the squadron has made a very positive contribution to operations in Helmand – a contribution that is universally recognised [in Afghanistan]. The fantastic work rate and innovation of the engineering team has ensured that, despite only a small pool of aircraft, we have been able to ‘punch above our weight’, consistently ensuring that we always have aircraft ready to meet operational demands.” Following a short break the unit will begin converting to the AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat at RNAS Yeovilton, and become the first front-line unit to do so. Ian Harding

Esquadra 751’s Low Key Special Markings

To mark its 35th anniversary Esquadra 751 ‘Pumas’ of the Força Aérea Portuguesa (Portuguese Air Force) has painted AgustaWestland AW101 Mk 514 19604 (c/n 50107) with special markings, including a Puma on the rear fuselage. The squadron, based at Base Aérea Nº 6, Montijo, south of Lisbon, was formed in April 1978 and originally operated the Aérospatiale SA330L Puma, then converted to the AW101 in 2006. Menso van Westrhenen

Australia Announces Training Helicopter Shortlist Three companies have been shortlisted for the Australian Defence Force’s (ADF) Project AIR Phase 7 Helicopter Aircrew Training System (HATS) requirement (further to HATS Down-Select Soon, May, p22). Teams headed by Australian Aerospace, Boeing Defence Australia and Raytheon Australia will proceed to the second phase of the competition, according to a

joint announcement by the Ministers for Defence, Stephen Smith, and Defence Materiel, Dr Mike Kelly, on May 30. HATS will necessitate a complete new training syllabus for the ADF using light twin-engined helicopters and synthetic training devices. Selection of a HATS contractor is expected by mid-2014. Raytheon Australia is basing its

solution on the Bell 429, while the other two teams would use the Eurocopter EC135. The preferred contractor will replace the 13 Eurocopter AS350Ba Squirrels currently flown by the Royal Australian Navy and the 40 Bell 206B1 Kiowas of the Australian Army Aviation Corps, with the new fleet to be based at HMAS Albatross, Nowra, New South Wales, from 2016/2017.

US Production of AW169s

A final assembly line for the AgustaWestland AW169 helicopter will be set up at the company’s facility at Northeast Philadelphia Airport, Pennsylvania. The first US-built AW169 will enter final assembly in May 2014 for delivery to the customer in early 2015. The production line will ramp-up to produce around 20 AW169s a year by 2017, but the rate will be scalable and set according to market demand. AgustaWestland’s facilities in Vergiate in Italy and Yeovil, Somerset, will also be involved in the AW169 manufacturing programme. More than 80 AW169s have been ordered for corporate transport, air ambulance, law enforcement, utility and offshore support roles. All four planned prototypes are flying and the type is on schedule for civilian certification next year. Mike Jerram

28

AI.07.13

Initial ICH-47F on Display

The first example of the ICH-47F Chinook was exhibited in late May at the AgustaWestland plant in Vergiate, where the Italian production line is located. CSX81778 (c/n M7801) is the first of 16 ordered by the Italian Army, which also has options for a further four. The CH-47F variant is being produced under a joint production contract signed by Boeing and AgustaWestland on July 16, 2008. It differs from the Boeing-built CH-47F by having new communications, navigation and mission systems provided by Selex, including an integrated threat alert system, ballistic protection, passive countermeasures launcher and crashworthy seats for the crew. The Italian order was announced on May 13, 2009, for delivery between 2013 and 2017 (see Italy Signs For ICH-47Fs, July 2009, p10) and the first is due to fly later this year. MF

Please send all news correspondence [email protected]

REGIS YO TER INTERUR www.h EST elitech events .c om/air

The only dedicated civil and para-public helicopter event in Europe An unmissable event – Europe’s only 100% helicopter show, bringing the international and national rotary wing market together.

Register your interest in the show by visiting

www.helitechevents.com/air Have a Smartphone? Scan this QR barcode to be taken directly to the Helitech International website

An annual event taking place in ExCeL London 2013 Meet over 200 expert exhibitors at the show Join the high level, 3 day industry conference Opportunities for customer demonstration flights Discover the latest helicopter products services, parts and accessories Keep up to date with what’s new in the industry

Join & follow us Search for helitechevents on these social media channels

Supported by

Organised by

Russia & CIS...HeliRussia 2013

HeliRussia2013 Piotr Butowski reports from Russia’s annual helicopter exhibition - HeliRussa2013

H

eliRussia 2013 took place on May 16-18 in the large exhibition hall of the Crocus Centre on the outskirts of Moscow. More than 200 companies from Russia and 17 others from around the globe were present, slightly more than exhibited last year. Sixteen helicopters were on display including two firsts – a Russian-built AgustaWestland AW139 and a production Ka-226T – both making their public debuts. The Eurocopter EC130 T2 also made its Russian debut. The first production

Ka-226T was displayed just a few days after it was handed over to the Russian Ministry of Emergencies. The helicopter is finished in medevac configuration, a leading theme at HeliRussia 2013.

The Good In the Russian helicopter industry some things are going well others are not. Good because sales at Russian Helicopters, the holding company which oversees production of both military and civil Kamov

and Mil products, are increasing year-on-year (see table). Russian Helicopters also has guaranteed employment for several years: there are 817 helicopters in the firm orders backlog, totalling 359.9 billion roubles. Furthermore, the National Armament Program, which outlines the long-term procurement of equipment for the Russian Ministry of Defence, stipulates purchase of 1,124 helicopters during 2011-2020 (more than 700 have already been ordered). In addition Russian authorities have recently said they will place a

“consolidated order” for civil fixedwing aircraft and helicopters from all Russian state companies. According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the plan will involve the purchase of 224 helicopters (as well as 133 fixedwing aircraft). Exports now amount to nearly half of Russian Helicopters’ production volume (in 2012 it was 49% in monetary terms). The largest foreign customer is India, which in 2012 represented 14% of the total sales volume (up from 12% in 2011), mainly thanks to a big contract for the Mi-17.

The Bad But it isn’t all positive. The majority of the increase in helicopter production in Russia falls to one customer, the Russian MoD. The share of civil helicopter production, already modest, is further decreasing. In 2012 commercial helicopters accounted for just 7% of Russian Helicopters’ sales. In previous years this figure was much higher – 16% in 2011 and 26% the year before. And despite the increase in sales, the production rate is slower than planned. Twenty-eight more helicopters were delivered in 2012 than in 2011, but that figure was 21 less than planned. At HeliRussia, Russian Helicopters refused to provide any information about production rates for this year.

30

AI.07.13

Please send all news correspondence [email protected]

Russia & CIS...HeliRussia 2013

3

Above: The first production Ka-226T powered by a pair of Turbomeca Arrius 2G1 turboshafts (other Ka-226 versions are powered by Rolls-Royce 250-C20R/2 engines) was handed over to the Russian Ministry of Emergencies just few days before the exhibition. Piotr Butowski Opposite top: HeliRussia 2013 attracted 205 companies. Among novelties, Eurocopter’s EC130 T2 made its debut in Russia. Piotr Butowski Opposite Bottom: Mi-35M combat helicopter in front of the hall of HeliRussia 2013 exhibition. Piotr Butowski Below: The first AW139 assembled in Russia was due to be handed over to Exclases Holdings in June. During the exhibition, Exclases Russia ordered five more AW139s. Piotr Butowski

Old Designs Another negative is that the Russian helicopter industry and production is still dominated by types developed many years ago – although there are numerous upgrade programmes. The Mi-8 and Mi-17, for instance, despite being around for decades still dominates production. In 2012 two production plants produced 192 (92 by Kazan and 100 by Ulan-Ude) of the older designs – two-thirds of the entire Russian helicopter output. Two new attack helicopters have entered production, the Ka-52 at Arsenyev and the Mi-28N at Rostov-on-Don. But these are not new designs: their prototypes were built in the Soviet era. Additionally, the Rostov plant built 32 Mi-35 helicopters, the latest iteration of the Mi-24 known for decades. In total, combat helicopters amounted to 23% of the production volume.

AW139 The star of HeliRussia was the first Russian-assembled AW139. This was produced at Tomilino near Moscow by HeliVert in a 50/50 joint venture between Russian Helicopters and AgustaWestland. The helicopter (‘601’) first flew on December 19, 2012. A second example, ‘602’, is also flying. On the first day of the exhibition HeliVert received an order for five

RUSSIAN HELICOPTER RESULTS 2010

2011

2012

Total sales (billion roubles)

67.2

103.9

125.8

Helicopter sales (billion roubles)

47.1

82.0

99.0

Profit (billion roubles)

5.9

7.0

9.4

Deliveries

214

262

290

Backlog at year-end

430

859

817

AW139s from helicopter distributor Exclases Russia. The helicopters will be completed in VIP and utility configurations. Exclases Russia had previously ordered ‘601’, which was due to be delivered to the company by the time AIR International closed for press. Including these six helicopters, Russian customers have already ordered more than 20 AW139s. The most famous operator is the special air detachment Rossiya that serves Russia’s highest authorities. It has two AW139s for VVIP transport – the Russian Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev uses an AW139.

Tomilino The Tomilino facility, which can assemble up to 20 helicopters per year and employs more than 100 people, will produce three helicopters during 2013. There is the AW139 assembly, which enjoys political support at the highest

level – the HeliVert and AgustaWestland joint venture agreement signed in November 2008 was attended by Medvedev and the then-Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. Then there is the Ka-62 and the LV-2.5 (Logkiy Vertolet), which as its name implies is a 2.5 tonne light helicopter Russian Helicopters launched the AW139 assembly plant at Tomilino in parallel with developing the similar indigenous Ka-62. The company explains that each type is targeted at different markets: the AW139 is a helicopter for corporations, usually made in the VIP configuration, while the Ka-62 will be a utility helicopter similar in purpose to the Mi-8. The Ka-62 will also serve as a platform for military versions. Gennady Petrov, the head of Russian Helicopters, announced at HeliRussia that the first Ka-62 OP-01 will be presented on static display during the MAKS 2013 exhibition at Zhukovsky

Please send all news correspondence [email protected]

in late August, but said the helicopter’s maiden flight is delayed until the end of the year. The type’s Turbomeca Ardiden 3G engines have arrived in Russia and the delivery of the transmission system, manufactured by the Austrian company Zoerkler, is expected.

LV-2.5 Russian Helicopters and AgustaWestland are currently negotiating a joint venture to develop and produce the LV-2.5 helicopter at Tomilino. Roman Chernyshev, Russian Helicopters Deputy Chief Executive Officer for programmes and projects, announced that the final agreement would be signed in the middle of this year and the design work would begin. The LV-2.5 helicopter will be built entirely at Tomilino, and not assembled from parts delivered from abroad, like the AW139 and Ka-62.

AI.07.13

31

Rotary Wing

2

BELL 412EPS FOR ARGENTINA

NEWS BY NUMBERS

The Argentine Government has approved the purchase of a new Bell 412EP for $10.3 million, and a second-hand example for $7.1 million. The helicopters will be delivered to the Fuerza Aérea Argentina (Argentine Air Force) to augment the fleet of Bell 212s with VII Brigada Aérea based at José C Paz, near Buenos Aires. Both helicopters will be assigned to support the joint Argentine-Chilean Cruz del Sur (Southern Cross) peacekeeping force. The recent deal replaces one for a pair of second-hand Bell 412EPs announced in August 2011. Santiago Rivas

4

MORE EUROCOPTERS FOR JAPANESE POLICE Japan’s National Police Agency (NPA) has ordered four Eurocopters. They will be deployed to Hyogo Prefectural Police (EC155B1), Hiroshima Prefectural Police (AS365N3+) and Osaka Prefectural Police and Fukuoka Prefectural Police (one EC135P2e each) to replace ageing helicopters in their fleets. The new EC155B1 from

Venezuela Helicopter Deliveries

Eurocopter’s Dauphin family will be the first of the type for the NPA, and also the first Eurocopter to be operated by the Hyogo force, with delivery planned for 2015. Mike Jerram

Russia has completed deliveries of helicopters ordered by Venezuela, Rosoboronexport (Russian state arms export agency) General Director Anatoly P Isaykin told the state Dumas on May 13. Russian has

12

MORE MI-17V5S FOR AFGHANISTAN

handed over 34 Mil Mi-17V5 Panare utility transports, ten Mi-35M2 Caribe attack helicopters and three Mi-26T Pemon heavylift aircraft to the South American nation since 2006. David C Isby

UK SAR Helicopter Transition

An additional 12 Mil Mi-17V5 Hip helicopters will be delivered to Afghanistan before the end of 2013, according to an announcement by the Russian state arms export agency Rosoboronexport on May 16. The procurement is funded by the United States and represents the third option of a May 2011 agreement, under which 21 Mi-17V5s have already been supplied to Afghanistan (see Afghan Hips, June 2011, p25). David C Isby

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) recently provided more details of the transition of the UK’s search and rescue (SAR) helicopter coverage. Bristow Helicopters won the £1.6 billion UK SAR contract in March (see Bristow Wins UK SAR-H Contract, May, p4) to provide helicopters and support in the British Isles in place of the current system operated jointly by the MCA and Ministry of Defence (MoD). The retirement of the MoD’s Westland Sea King fleet in March 2016 was the ‘tipping point’ that led to the contract being awarded, according to Sir Alan Massey, the MCA’s Chief Executive, who gave the keynote speech at the Tangent Link UK SAR Conference in early June. He said: “There will be ten bases housing 22 helicopters [including two training helicopters] and every aircraft will bear HM Coastguard livery.” The fleet will comprise 11 AgustaWestland AW189s and 11 Sikorsky S-92s. Key features stipulated in the contract are 98% availability and a 15-minute response time during daylight and 45 minutes at night. Overall response time will decrease from 23 minutes to 19 minutes, and multiple aircraft can be surged to an incident if required. “This new service will be 360

3

GAZELLES DELIVERED TO NIGER Niger has received three 20mm cannon armed Aérospatiale SA342 Gazelles donated by France. Niger’s defence minister, Karidjo Mahamadou, received the helicopters at a ceremony at Niamey Airport on March 28. David C Isby

Frontex AW139

degrees – inland and at sea. As a result the coastguard could in effect take on police and air ambulance responsibilities. One centrally located co-ordination centre will create a more efficient system and helicopters could multirole, if they had the appropriate equipment on board,” he added. All aircraft will be tasked by the MCA through the Aeronautical Rescue Co-ordination Centre (ARCC) at RAF Kinloss, Morayshire, although Sir Alan also stated: “We are looking at the idea of integrating the Air Rescue Coordination Centre at RAF Kinloss into the MRCC [Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centres], probably in 2017, just as the new contract gets under way. Bringing the ARCC into the MCA responsibility would make the operation slicker and undoubtedly save some costs.” The MCA is keen to emphasize this is not privatisation. The migration of military personnel to the contractor has been controlled, under the Managed Transition Agreement, to ensure the Fleet Air Arm does not run short of key personnel. The crew mix in the UK SAR contract is expected to comprise one third civilian aircrew and two thirds existing military aircrew. Alan Warnes

UK SAR HELICOPTERS TRANSITION SCHEDULE AgustaWestland AW139 CSX81814/‘PS-108’ is the first of two of the type ordered by the Italian Polizia di Stato (State Police) for the European Union’s Frontex. The helicopter is seen at Vergiate, equipped with a sensor turret under the nose and searchlight, as well as emergency floatation equipment. Scheduled for delivery soon, both are due to be based at Pratica di Mare, near Rome. The Polizia has options a further six AW139s. The European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Member States of the European Union is shortened to Frontex (Frontières extérieures - French for ‘external borders’). It is the agency responsible for coordinating the activities of the member states’ border security forces. The helicopter displays Italian and Union flags on its tail. MF

Indonesia Reviewing Apache Buy The Indonesian government is reassessing its plans to buy eight Boeing AH-64E Guardian attack helicopters from the United States (further to Indonesia Seeking Apaches, November 2012, p34). Indonesian military sources have cited the cost

32

AI.07.13

of the helicopters and the desire to look at options providing a greater degree of domestic content from local industry as being behind the review. The Indonesian Army asked that AH-64E procurement be delayed in late 2012. David C Isby

Lot/Helo (No)

Original Base

Bristow Proposed

Infrastructure

Transition

1 S-92 (2)

RAF Leconfield

Humberside

New

April 1, 2015

2 AW189 (2)

RAF Lossiemouth

Inverness

New

April 1, 2015

1 S-92 (2)

RAF Valley

Caernarfon

New

July 1, 2015

2 AW189 (2)

Wattisham

RAF Manston

New

July 1, 2015

2 AW189 (2)

RAF Chivenor

Cardiff

New/Hangar Refurb

October 1, 2015

2 AW189 (2)

RNAS Prestwick

Prestwick

New

January 1, 2016

1 S-92 (2)

RNAS Culdrose

Newquay

New

January 1, 2016

2 AW189 (2)

Lee-on-Solent

Lee-onSolent

Existing

April 1, 2017

2 AW189 (2)

Lee-on-Solent

Lee-onSolent

Existing

April 1, 2017

1 S-92 (2)

Stornoway

Stornoway

Existing

April 1, 2017

With the cutting back of 12 bases to ten, the coverage currently being provided at Portland and RAF Boulmer will see their responsibilities taken on by other Bristow facilities.

Please send all news correspondence [email protected]

Rotary Wing

Italian Army Marks 40 Years of Chinook Operations To mark 40 years of CH-47 Chinook operations by the Aviazione dell’Esercito Italiano (Italian Army Aviation) retired CH-47C airframe MM80824/‘EI-802’ has been painted as ‘EI-801’, the first delivered on February 16, 1973, and had special markings applied. It is seen at Viterbo on May 17, home to the 1° Reggimento Aviazione dell’Esercito (1st Regiment Army Aviation) ‘Antares’, which operates the Italian Chinook fleet. Stefano Monteleone

RAF Merlins Leave Afghanistan The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on June 3 that the RAF’s AgustaWestland Merlin HC3/3As with No.1419 Flight have completed their final tour of operations in Afghanistan. During four years in theatre the Merlin has primarily been used to transport troops, a role it

shared with the Boeing Chinook. In Afghanistan the Merlin has flown more than 18,000 hours, transported over 130,000 personnel and moved over 7,900 tonnes of cargo. On the same day the MoD reported that the number of British bases in Helmand Province has fallen from

The Guild of Aviation Artists’ 2013 Exhibition

This year the Guild of Aviation Artists’ 43rd Annual Summer Exhibition will be held between July 23 and 28 at the Mall Galleries, London SW1. There will be 445 original new works by 139 artists on display. It will be opened by Air Chief Marshal Sir John Allison, during the inviteonly reception on July 22. There will be an impressive range of styles exhibited from representational to semiabstract in a wide variety of media, covering all forms of flight and aviation. A number of prestigious trophies and prizes

will be presented, including the BAE Systems’ £1,000 ‘Aviation Painting of the Year’ and Key Publishing’s Flypast magazine’s ‘Fellows Award for Excellence’, also worth £1,000. Entry to the event is free, and between July 23 and 28 visitors will be able to observe informal demonstrations of painting in oil, watercolour, pastel and acrylic by Guild artists. Guild Chairman Graham Cooke MBE GAvA will undertake a walkabout commentary at noon and again at 1800hrs on Thursday July 25.

137 in 2010 to 11 this year, reducing the need for helicopter support. Since 2010 the number of flight hours required by support helicopters has fallen from around 2,300 a month to approximately 1,350. Once back at RAF Benson, Oxfordshire, helicopters and

Indian Army Will Not Get Attack Helicopters The Indian defence ministry has put on hold the army’s proposal that it should operate its own force of attack helicopters, in addition or instead of those flown by the Indian Air Force. The army has a target of at least a single ten-to-13 aircraft attack helicopter squadron for each of its 13 current (plus one planned mountain) corps headquarters. Inter-service rivalry for control of the attack helicopters between the Army Aviation Corps and Indian Air Force was fuelled by the order for 22 Boeing AH-64E Guardians placed in 2012. Those helicopters will go to the Indian Air Force. David C Isby

personnel of No.1419 Flight will join the rest of the Merlin Force engaged in the on-going transition to the Royal Navy’s Commando Helicopter Force. RAF personnel are currently supporting RN crews as it transitions from the Westland Sea King HC4 to the Merlin by 2015. Ian Harding

Rotary Wing

VIP EC175 Launched

VIP AW101 for Algeria

Noted on a test flight from Yeovil in Somerset on May 23 was AgustaWestland AW101 Mk 642 ZR350 (c/n 50249) destined for Algeria. The helicopter is one of two Mk 642s ordered as VIP transports and destined for the Algerian Air Force. Six Mk 610s have already been delivered to the Algerian Naval Forces (see Final Algerian AW101 Delivered?, March 2012, p39). Liam Daniels

Ospreys for Japan?

US Orders CH-53Ks for Operational Tests Sikorsky Aircraft will receive approximately $435.5 million for four CH-53K System Demonstration Test Articles. The deal was announced by the US Department of Defense on May 30. All four will be based on the configuration of the fourth prototype currently being assembled by Sikorsky. The airframes were added to the System Development and Demonstration programme originally awarded to the manufacturer in April 2006 and will be used for the operational test phase for the CH-53K. The first

is expected to be delivered in 39 months and the final example by the end of March 2017, when operational testing is scheduled to commence. The CH-53K is being produced to replace the CH-53E Super Sea Stallion with the US Marine Corps’ heavy lift helicopter squadrons. By the beginning of June the Ground Test Vehicle and Static Test Article had been delivered, with work under way on the four flight test prototypes and the Fatigue Test Article. A prototype CH-53K is expected to fly in late 2014.

Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) government may propose that the Japanese Air Self Defense Force (JASDF) buy Bell-Boeing MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft. The proposal to procure Ospreys was included in the party’s draft document on the country’s new

20

AB206S FOR ARGENTINA

JetRanger Adopts Macedonian Markings

The first Bell 206B-3 JetRanger III assigned to the Macedonian Centar za Obuka na Piloti (COP, Pilot Training Centre) has received Makedonsko Voeno Vozduhoplovstvo (Macedonian Air Force) insignia. Bell 206B-3 401 (c/n 4513, ex EI-MER) was acquired from the Irish company Gaelic Helicopters and delivered to COP at Petrovec air base on November 22, 2012 (see Operations Begin at Macedonian Helicopter Training Facility, March, p36). COP is a joint venture between Elbit Systems of Israel and the Macedonian Ministry of Defence that was started in May 2011 to undertake helicopter training. Elbit Systems will deliver four JetRangers to Macedonia by the end of 2013, along with two full mission Mil Mi-17/171 and Mi-24 simulators currently being produced by Simultec of Romania. The Macedonian Air Force will assign five Zlin 242L piston-engine trainers (serials 102 to 106) to the establishment. All four JetRangers will eventually be repainted in the white with red and orange trim scheme already worn by the Zlins. Igor Bozinovski

34

AI.07.13

At May’s European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition in Geneva, Switzerland, Eurocopter unveiled executive and VIP versions of the EC175. Peder Eidsgaard of Pegasus Design, known for his work on business jets and luxury yachts, designed the cabin interiors. The EC175 VIP is offered in three different styles, all accommodating six to eight passengers. “The first style is ‘avant-garde’, inspired by modern sport cars; another brings French flair, inspired by modern penthouse interiors; while the third is more classical, inspired by the grand villas of Europe,” says Eurocopter. Features include two seating areas: a forward zone which incorporates a domed roof enhancing overhead spaciousness, and a four-passenger club seating ‘lounge’, while an aft sofa accommodates three passengers. Options include electrochromatic windows, in-flight entertainment and wireless connectivity. Mike Jerram

defence programme guidelines. The draft was put forward at an LDP meeting on May 17. It is likely to become official policy by the end of 2013. An 8 million yen ($100,000) study on the potential procurement was included in the fiscal year 2013 budget. David C Isby

NEWS BY NUMBERS

After more than four years of negotiations the Argentine government has approved the contract for 20 Agusta-Bell AB206B-1 JetRanger IIs with the Italian government (further to AB206Bs for Argentina, September 2010, p19). The helicopters were previously operated by the Carabinieri and will be flown by the Argentine Army. The service’s three Aeritalia G222 transports, out of service since 2007, will be part-exchanged for the helicopters, while AgustaWestland will receive €2.6 million to overhaul them before delivery to Argentina. The contract was signed between the defence ministries of Argentina and Italy. The AB206B-1s will be used for scout missions by the Escuadrón de Aviación de Exploración y Ataque 602 at Campo de Mayo in Buenos Aires, as well as with aviation sections across the country. Santiago Rivas

40

BO 105S FOR PAKISTAN Germany is negotiating the possible transfer of 40 MBB Bo 105P

helicopters to Pakistan from surplus army stocks. The helicopters would be supplied without weapons or mounts and are primarily intended for search and rescue and air ambulance missions. The German ministry of defence has told parliament that transferring the unarmed helicopters to Pakistan would not violate guidelines against the export of weaponry to crisis areas. David C Isby

250

UH-72AS DELIVERED TO US ARMY The 250th Eurocopter UH-72A Lakota delivered to US Army and National Guard units by EADS North America has entered service, joining the Oklahoma National Guard at Oklahoma City. It is the latest of 54 Lakotas equipped with the Security and Support Battalion mission package, which expands the helicopter’s capabilities from disaster response to border security operations. The combined Lakota fleet has now logged 150,000 flight hours, achieving better than 90% availability. Mike Jerram

Please send all news correspondence [email protected]

Attack

Helicopters

Part 3 includes A129 Mangusta AH-1Z Viper Tiger ARH Ka-52 Alligator and Z-10

Gunships from around the world

Below: A pair of Mangustas in flight in Alpine valleys during preparation for an Afghan deployment. Ricardo Niccoli Opposite bottom: Close-up on the M197 20mm three-barrel cannon of the A129C, a very effective weapon which is fed by 300 rounds. Ricardo Niccoli

7° Rgt ‘Vega’ via Ricardo Niccoli

MANGUSTA AGUSTA WESTLAND A129

Mangusta T The Italian Army’s A129 Mangusta is now a mature asset, as Riccardo Niccoli explains

he AgustaWestland A129 Mangusta was conceived by Agusta as early as 1978 under an Italian Army requirement laid down in 1972 for an attack helicopter to take on Warsaw Pact tanks in the event of the Cold War turning hot. The first prototype took its maiden flight on September 15, 1983 and the first machines were delivered to the Centro Aviazione Leggera dell’Esercito (Army Aviation Centre) at Viterbo on October 6, 1990, the Mangusta becoming Europe’s first purpose-built antitank helicopter.

Operational Use The first operational unit to receive the aircraft was 49° Gruppo Squadroni (49th Battalion) from the 5° Reggimento AVES (5th Army Aviation Regiment) ‘Rigel’, based at Casarsa, in

36

AI.07.13

Friuli. The second was 48° Gruppo Squadroni from 7° Reggimento AVES ‘Vega’. The first 15 machines were delivered without forward-looking infrared (FLIR) turrets and were only capable of daytime operation using the HeliTOW sight, but they were later updated to the same standard as a second batch of 30 machines. After the arrival of the first 45 Mangustas, deliveries were stopped both for budgetary reasons and to wait for the definition of a new final configuration. The end of the Cold War, and the experiences in helicopter operations such as those in Somalia in 1993, suggested the need for a more flexible platform including an advanced avionics suite, selfprotection systems, a new transmission and a chinmounted gun. The result was the A129C (‘C’ for combat), 15 of which were

MANGUSTA AGUSTA WESTLAND A129

delivered starting in October 2002 while the first 45 Mangustas were retrofitted to the same standard. The ‘C’ is distinguished by a chinmounted M197 system formed by a 20mm Gatling gun with three barrels and 300 rounds, and aimed by the pilot using a helmetmounted sight. The ‘C’ also features new avionics including night vision goggles (NVGs) and an upgraded helicopter infrared navigation system, the integration of Stinger air-to-air missiles, new power transmission and a new five-bladed main rotor. It maintained the armament already in use on the earlier models – TOW 2/2A anti-tank missiles, 70mm and 81mm rocket launchers and 12.7mm machine-gun pod.

G.15 The A129Cs now in service are fitted with an improved software package, G.15, developed by

AgustaWestland. This consists of the SIAP (sistema integrato di auto protezione, or integrated self-protection system) which includes MES ECDS-2 chaff and flare dispensers, an infrared countermeasures (IRCM) system, SELEX RALM 01/V2 laser warning receiver, SELEX MILDS II missile warning receiver and Elettronica ELT-156 X(V4) radar warning receiver. The G.15 package is also used on other Italian Army helicopters such as the AB212, AB412, AB205 and CH-47. Other improvements with G.15 include an anti-glare coat on the landing gear and gun mounting, plus the capability to carry external fuel tanks. The Mangusta fleet is assigned to the Brigata Aeromobile ‘Friuli’ (‘Friul’ Airmobile Brigade) which, formed on May 1, 2000, is made up of 5° ‘Rigel’ and 7° ‘Vega’. ‘Rigel’ consists of two battalions – 27° and 49° – within which are

six companies. ‘Vega’ comprises one battalion (48°) with three companies. Other A129s are temporarily assigned to the 1° Gruppo Squadroni, the training unit, according to need.

Training Course A pilot selected for the A129 coming from initial helicopter

flight training at the US Army Training Center at Fort Rucker in Alabama undergoes further instruction on the Mangusta at the Centro di Aviazione at Viterbo, or at the Centro Formazione Equipaggi (crew training centre) within 5° ‘Rigel’. After qualifying on the Mangusta, a pilot has about 300 flying hours and undertakes a

AI.07.13

37

MANGUSTA AGUSTA WESTLAND A129 Left: An A129C firing a salvo of flares with the SIAP system. Italian Army via author Opposite top: An A129C at take-off. Note the compact dimensions of the helicopter. In Italy, engine exhaust IR suppressors are not usually fitted. Ricardo Niccoli Opposite middle: Two A129Cs in flight over Afghanistan. They are in full combat long-range configuration – with the M197 chin gun loaded, external fuel tanks, full self-defence suite including SIAP and other systems and IR suppressors at the engine exhausts. Giovanni Colla via author Opposite bottom left: Pilots and technicians around an A129C after a training mission in an Alpine environment. The Mangusta is an excellent helicopter to maintain.

Ricardo Niccoli Below: The sleek and small silhouette of the Mangusta is highlighted in this frontal shot. Note the asymmetric configuration with a fuel tank on the right and a TOW twin launcher on the left. Ricardo Niccoli

38

AI.07.13

MANGUSTA AGUSTA WESTLAND A129 further six months’ training to attain combat readiness. This is followed by a final phase of advanced training for operational deployments. The phases are not based on a fixed number of missions or hours, but training events (in the flying simulator and on the helicopter): the actual length of a course is decided by instructor pilots, and depends on the skill of the student. Once Mangusta pilots have completed the full syllabus they are destined, sooner or later, to be deployed to Afghanistan as part of Italy’s contingent within the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).

Afghanistan Italian A129s have been deployed in Afghanistan since 2007. They had already been used in operations in Somalia, Albania, Macedonia and Iraq, but in Afghanistan they operate in far more demanding and significant combat operations. Today, the Mangusta is a well-known asset in the theatre where it’s proved to be reliable and effective. And Italian Army Aviation has gained important experience which has been put into training activities at home. To learn more about current operations in Afghanistan, AIR International was cleared to talk to a pilot from 5° AVES Rgt ‘Rigel’, whose name is withheld for security reasons. The pilot said personnel destined for deployment to Afghanistan undergo specific preparation which includes individual combat training in survival, evasion, resistance and escape, types and levels of threat and IEDs (improvised explosive devices). Flying activities include a number of day and night missions to replicate situations that can be encountered in theatre and which try to simulate mountain flying and weather conditions. For 5° ‘Rigel’ this means most of the training can be flown from its home base at Friuli, while 7° ‘Vega’ usually deploys its assets at the army airfield at Bolzano, close to the Dolomites in the heart of the Italian Alps. The aim is to recreate tactical situations in theatre, often flying with other helicopter types in escort or support missions. The army adopted a short turnover system (each crew is deployed in tours of about three months) so that all personnel can gain experience and stay familiar with any new tactics being adopted by insurgents. An A129 crew comprises two

pilots – one, in the back seat, who flies the helicopter; the other, in the front seat, who manages the weapon systems. Crews always fly together in pre-deployment training and in theatre.

In Theatre Currently, the Italian Army has an aviation battalion (at Regiment level) deployed at Herat and designated Task Force ‘Fenice’ (Phoenix). It consists of three helicopter squadrons, a maintenance battalion, a fusilier platoon (provided by the 66° Airborne Infantry Regiment

AI.07.13

39

MANGUSTA AGUSTA WESTLAND A129

or other fusilier units with a basic airmobile qualification), a command and services platoon and a forward MEDEVAC team. The core of the unit is provided in turns by the 1°, 5° or 7° Regimentts, with personnel coming from other units as required. Of the three helicopter squadrons, one is for transportation (six CH-47C

40

AI.07.13

Chinooks) and a second (flying five NH90s since October 2012) is for combat support while ten A129Cs form the combat element. This package provides a wide range of services to the forces on the ground, from the transport of materials and soldiers to combat support, escort and reconnaissance. Missions are usually of two types: planned and on call. The

first are scheduled by the Air Operations Cell of the Regional Command West (RC-WEST), which supplies air tasking orders 24 or 48 hours in advance. On call missions are those flown to support the Quick Reaction Force (QRF), which usually comprises a CH-47C and a fusilier platoon plus two A129Cs. The QRF is of high importance in the management of the tactical situation in the field. Troops who patrol territory or carry out counter-insurgency combat operations often find themselves in trouble and are forced to call for aid from the sky. The two Mangustas held at quick reaction readiness are highly flexible, because it’s almost impossible to predict exactly which kind of support they will be required to provide. Often a second, and maybe a third, Mangusta team are called to replace the first QRF, depending on the strength

and determination of the insurgents. An A129C team can be forced to stop its action for two reasons: the end of the combat, or the depletion of ammunition or fuel. Usually the key factor is fuel, but thanks to the helicopter’s avionics, pilots always have the updated situation about their endurance, and always know the right moment to divert to a FOB (forward operating base) or to a FARP (forward arming and refuelling point). Even with a standard configuration of TOW missiles, 20mm rounds and one external fuel tank, the A129C has more than two hours’ endurance – not bad, even in the Afghan theatre. The Italian helicopters usually operate in support of their own troops, but they can be called to support any ISAF forces in need. Because the ISAF-tutored Afghan Army is increasingly

MANGUSTA AGUSTA WESTLAND A129

Above: A Mangusta at a forward arming and refuelling point (FARP) in ‘the middle of nowhere’ in Afghanistan. 7° Rgt ‘Vega’ via Ricardo Niccoli Opposite bottom: An A129C from Task Force ‘Fenice’ at Herat in 2011, before taking off for an escort mission. Giovanni Colla via author Opposite top: Two Mangustas at Bolzano ready to take off for a training mission in the Alps in preparation of an Afghan deployment. Ricardo Niccoli Below right: A Mangusta of the Task Force ‘Fenice’ landing at Herat. The Italian Army’s Aviation Battalion includes a squadron with ten Mangustas. 7° Rgt ‘Vega’ via Ricardo Niccoli

committed to anti-insurgent operations, more time is now spent supporting Afghan troops.

More Upgrades Since the Mangusta is destined to operate for many years to come, new upgrades are in the pipeline. For example, development of a new software

standard, G.19, is well under way. This programme started in 2010 and should be introduced this year on 32 Mangustas. G.19 integrates G.15 with a new sight, targeting system and missiles. There’s also an upgraded avionics suite consisting of a Rafael Toplite observation and targeting and spike weapon system, which is lighter than

the HeliTOW sight and has a powerful camera with infrared capability. The sight is mounted on the helicopter’s nose, above the M197 gun, and is coupled to the Rafael Spike ER (extended range) air-to-ground missile. Similar to the system used by infantry and armoured vehicles, it is equipped with an image seeker which can be fired in three modes: fire and forget, fire observe and update (with lock-on before the launch) and fire and steer (with lock-on after the launch). The missile can be fitted with different warheads for anti-tank and antibunker use, and has a maximum range of 8km (5 miles).

Further upgrades beyond G.19 are unlikely due to the high costs of any major improvements. In line with a general reduction in Italian armed forces budgets, the idea is to maintain 48 Mangustas in service, 32 with the G.19 configuration and the rest with G.15. Looking ahead, the army would like to purchase 24 new A129s with a configuration similar to that of the Turkish T129 ATAK version, allowing 24 A129C G.19s to be dedicated to training activities and international peacekeeping operations in low-threat environments. Longer term, a completely new combat helicopter will be acquired.

AI.07.13

41

Chinese Internet

Z-10 CAIC

Zhishengji

Ten Krasimir Grozev and Alexander Mladenov look at China’s new attack helicopter, the CAIC Z-10

42

AI.07.13

n

Z-10 CAIC

T

he Changhe Aircraft Industries Corporation (CAIC) Z-10 is China’s first attack helicopter. It made its public debut at last year’s Airshow China at Zhuhai after a protracted development, test and evaluation programme that lasted almost a decade, and is part of China’s strategy to introduce advanced capabilities previously unseen in its military. Full-scale production has been launched at CAIC’s factory in Jingdezhen and it’s believed that by early 2013 around 60 examples had been

taken on strength by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF).

Russian Involvement Recently it was confirmed the Z-10’s (‘Z’ denoting Zhishengji, or helicopter) development had substantial early involvement from the Russian design bureau Kamov. This was revealed by Sergey Mikheev, Kamov’s long-serving designer general, during the HeliRussia show in Moscow. Until then it was widely believed that, apart from

the supply of the engine, rotor and transmission system, the Z-10 was a Chinese design. This continues a Chinese tradition of purchasing foreign helicopter equipment and technologies. Back in the 1980s China acquired SA341 Gazelles from Aerospatiale, which led to it licence-producing other products from the French company – the AS365 Dauphin (under the local designation Z-9) and the SA321 Super Frelon (designated the Z-8). Co-operation with the West abruptly ended after an arms embargo and economic sanctions

were imposed on China following the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. The Soviet Union’s break-up in 1991 created new opportunities for China to purchase modern defence equipment and technological know-how at affordable prices. The country saw the chance to acquire the technologies to produce an attack helicopter – a project given high priority after the 1991 Gulf War when US Army Boeing AH-64A Apaches proved deadly against tanks and other moving targets on the battlefield. The

AI.07.13

43

Z-10 CAIC

Left: A four-ship of Z-10s in close ‘front’ formation. The helicopters are in the initial production configuration with the old-style sensor suite. The machine nearest the camera carries additional fuel tanks and rockets while the next is armed with the KD-10 anti-tank missile.

Chinese internet Right: A three-view design drawing of Project 941, signed in the lower right corner by Kamov’s designer general, Dr Sergey Mikheev, and dated January 11, 1996. Kamov via Alexander Mladenov Bottom middle: Two views of Project 941’s tests in an aerodynamic tunnel in Russia, undertaken by Kamov in the mid1990s. Kamov via Alexander Mladenov Bottom right top: A Z-10 group seen at a forward operating location undergoing field maintenance. Chinese internet Bottom right bottom: The KD-10 antitank missile is a semi-active laser homing weapon, resembling the early US AGM-114 Hellfire missile. Chinese internet

result was that, in secrecy, China contracted Kamov in early 1995 to develop a basic design and specification for an all-new attack helicopter. According to Mikheev, the deal was concluded via an unnamed Russian intermediary company specialising in the export of defence equipment and technologies. Kamov welcomed the contract. At the time, with reduced business from the ‘new’ Russian defence ministry as budgets shrank, the company was in a difficult financial state and actively looking for third-party customers.

Secret Project Following contract signature, Kamov received an initial set of technical requirements from the Chinese Helicopter Research and Development Institute (CHRDI) on June 12, 1995. The company began working on the project

architecture avionics suite, based on a MIL-STD-1553B standard, to allow for the rapid integration of new avionics systems in the future. From mid-1995 to early 1996 Kamov progressed through a work schedule consisting of several phases with specific deadlines plus customer acceptance meetings – with payments made to the firm on the successful completion of each design phase. At his presentation at HeliRussia, Mikheev showed slides explaining Kamov’s work on the Z-10. It built a scale model which it tested in a wind tunnel and worked on a preliminary design to satisfy the Chinese requirements, focused on the helicopter’s general layout and aerodynamic and structural strength calculations. Mikheev also hinted that the technical specification set up by the customer contained all the basic parameters needed for the preliminary design, such as the maximum gross weight, although he refused to reveal any more details, only pointing out that the Z-10 matches the drawings and specifications supplied by Kamov in the 1990s.

in secret under the designation Project 941. Mikheev assembled a team of Kamov’s most experienced designers, who completed the task of drawing up a response to the specification while also working on helicopter projects ordered by the Russian Government. China’s requirement called for a tandem-cockpit attack helicopter powered by two engines with specified power, fuel consumption and weight. The weapons suite was to include Type 90 anti-tank guided missiles, 12.7mm gun pods, rocket pods and one Type 23-2 (AM-23) 23mm single-barrel cannon in a nose turret. There was a detailed list specifying the helicopter’s desired performance and various technical features such as the field of view for the pilot and the gunner, installation of an anti-icing system, built-in ballistic protection for the crew and important systems such as the head-up display (HUD). It was also required to feature an open-

Development

Piotr Butowski

44

AI.07.13

Kamov did not have any further involvement in the Z-10 once this preliminary work was completed. China had got what it wanted: the design know-how to take Kamov’s work forward and develop the helicopter. The CHRDI and CAIC handled the rest of the development, building prototypes and putting the type into series production. This was not, however, the end of China buying foreign

technology to feed into the Z-10. The first step in this process was the design, manufacture and testing of some critical systems and components such as the rotors, gearboxes and engines. To circumvent the stringent arms embargo imposed by the West in 1989 (and still in force today), China created a ‘cover’ project – the Chinese Medium Helicopter (CMH) – featuring the same maximum take-off weight, speed and range of the Z-10. A $70 million deal with Eurocopter France was agreed in May 1997, covering the acquisition of a main rotor design and composite blade production technology. In March 1999 a $30 million deal was completed with Agusta for a main gearbox and transmission system. Then, in 2001, Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) was selected to supply ten 1,250kW (1,700shp) PT6C76C turboshaft engines and full authority digital engine control software technology. Lured by the potential of the hypothetical Chinese civil helicopter to open a huge new market worth more than US $2 billion, P&WC went ahead and sold the engines and software to China. Around this time engineers in the P&WC marketing and export team sent to China suspected the company might have unwittingly been involved in the supply of engines for an attack helicopter. This became known to the US Government soon afterwards and in 2006 P&WC walked away, later acknowledging publicly that it sold sensitive dual-use technologies. Subsequently, P&WC parent company United Technologies (UTC) pleaded guilty in June 2012 to breaching the Arms Export Control Act by illegally

Z-10 CAIC exporting the software and making false assertions about the export. UTC along with P&WC and Hamilton Sundstrand agreed to pay damages of more than $75 million to the US Justice and State Departments for violating the embargo.

Maiden Flight After initial design and production, several major components including the main gearbox, main rotor and engines were tested on static benches in 2002. The first prototype Z-10 then entered assembly before making its first flight on April 29, 2003 at the CAIC’s factory airfield at Jingdzhen. It’s unknown how many ground test and flying prototypes took part in the development programme but, owing to the availability of only ten PT6C76C engines, it’s likely there were no more than four flying examples and developmental vehicles (assuming that two engines would be kept as spares). The first, low-quality, photos of the Z-10 appeared on the Chinese internet in early 2004. Initial development testing was completed in December 2005, enabling the start of operational testing and evaluation in cooperation with the PLAAF, using pre-production aircraft. P&WC’s withdrawal from the project created an unexpected setback – a new engine was required, and there was no off-the-shelf design available in China. So a clean-sheet design, designated the WZ-9, was begun. It’s likely that its design and development was possible because of technical assistance from outside of China. There is no confirmed information about the WZ-9 and its development

although there are suppositions that it’s rated at only 1,000kW (1,360shp), some 25% less than the PT6C-76C. The lower rating in turn necessitated a redesign of the Z-10 in 2008 and 2009 in order to save weight to retain the original performance. The slim-down is believed to have affected the armour protection along with maximum combat load and mission equipment weight. The amended design, sometimes referred to as the Z-10A, was tested in parallel with the Z-10’s operational testing by the PLAAF.

Technical Features

hits from small arms fire and small-calibre anti-aircraft rounds. The canopy glazing incorporates windscreens that can withstand hits of 7.62mm or even 12.7mm rounds, although the side window panels are not bulletproof.

Sensors All the Z-10’s flight/navigation and mission avionics are integrated through a digital databus using the local GJV289A standard, equivalent to US MIL-STD-1553B. Both cockpits are equipped with two multi-function displays and a

number of back-up mechanical flight/navigation instruments. The pilot has a HUD for piloting the aircraft and aiming forwardfiring weapons. Photos have been seen of a Z-10 gunner wearing an advanced helmet-mounted display and cueing system (HMDCS), fully integrated to the on-board fire-control system. Designed by the 613 Research Institute, it is mainly used to steer the Type 23-2 gun turret, air-toair seekers and the helicopter’s targeting system. The HMDCS also features night-vision cameras using light-intensifier tube-technology and projecting

The Z-10 sports a conventional attack helicopter profile with a nail-down fuselage, fixed undercarriage with tail wheel and main legs, a high fin, short stub wings and stub fin. The stepped tandem cockpit is equipped with dual controls, and the helicopter uses a conventional mechanical flight control system. The main rotor has five all-composite blades, while the tail rotor, on the starboard side, uses four blades. The sloped-side fuselage is tapered to the rear and the engines are installed behind the cockpit with the nacelles featuring outwards-facing exhaust ducts. The cockpit is provided with some integral armour protection, said to be capable of withstanding hits from 12.7mm rounds. The pilot sits in the rear cockpit and the gunner in the front seat, both provided with energy-attenuating armoured seats capable of withstanding

AI.07.13

45

Z-10 CAIC

the image onto the visor. The Z-10’s sensor suite incorporates two systems installed in the nose, closely resembling the AH-64 Apache. The lower and larger one, featuring TV and forwardlooking infrared sensors, a laser rangefinder and a laser target designator, is used for target detection and aiming. The second, installed in the upper nose, is the pilot’s night vision sensor and includes a steerable platform resembling that of the AH-64’s PNV5. The targeting system was initially housed in a ball turret but on the latest

46

AI.07.13

configuration it has a drumshaped assembly, rotating in both vertical and horizontal plane. The Z-10’s self-protection suite incorporates radar- and laserwarning sensors, but no infrared jammer and missile approach warning sensors have so far been identified on productionstandard helicopters.

Weapons The Z-10’s weapons are carried on four hardpoints under the stub wings. It is believed that several types of warheads have been developed for the helicopter

including armour-piercing, high-explosive and thermobaric munitions. The main anti-tank weapon is the KD-10 (also known as HJ-10) laser-guided missile, broadly equivalent to the US-made AGM-114A Hellfire. Equipped with a semi-active laser homing system and weighing about 45kg (99lb), the KD-10 boasts supersonic speed; range is between 7 and 10km (3.7 and 5.3nm). Its anti-armour warhead is believed to be capable of penetrating up to 140mm (5.5 inches) of rolled homogenous armour. Up to eight KD-10s can be carried on two four-round

launcher units on the outer pylons under each stub wing. The PL-90 (TY-90) lightweight heat-seeking air-to-air missile, which weighs only 20kg (44lb), is also integrated on the Z-10. It is carried on four-round launchers. Only one type of rocket has been seen on the Z-10: seven-round launchers with 90mm rounds. The two outer hardpoints can also be used for carrying additional fuel tanks. The Type 23-2 cannon used in the chin turret is a Chinese copy of the 1950s-vintage Soviet AM-23 gas-operated cannon, produced in China for

Z-10 CAIC operating with five regiments, with 60 aircraft in service. The annual production rate at CAIC is about 20 helicopters a year. The accelerated induction into service of a type that, by Chinese standards, is a very advanced helicopter is clear evidence of the rapidlydeveloping Chinese military machine. The Z-10 is a huge leap forward compared to its predecessor, the Z-9W, a Chinese copy of the AS365 Dauphin with rather limited combat effectiveness. There is speculation that the Z-10 can take over some, if not all, the battlefield fire support tasks fulfilled by the Nanchang Q-5 ground attack aircraft. It is also expected that the Z-10 will sooner or later be introduced to Chinese naval aviation, based aboard the Type 071 landing assault craft, for close air support of naval infantry units.

Limitations

Above: This Z-10 features a new-style sensor suite with a drum-shaped targeting system and pilot night vision sensor assembly, housed in a ball turret above the nose. Piotr Butowski Below right: No fewer than 60 Z-10s are now in service with the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force, the main battlefield support force for use in joint operations. Chinese internet

the PLAAF’s Xian H-6 bombers. Weighing 43kg (95lb) and fitted with flame-holder, it has a 1,200 rounds per minute rate of fire and an effective range of 2,000m (6,600ft). The Type 23-2 is optimised for eight- to ten-round bursts, unleashing high-explosive fragmentation tracers or armour-piercing shells at an average barrel speed of 700m/sec (2,300ft/sec).

In Service The Z-10’s initial military testing was completed in October 2010 but series production at

The production of the Z-10 is limited by its engine, which is considerably underpowered. This was demonstrated during the type’s appearance at Airshow China last year when the Z-10’s display showed that, even when flying in clean configuration without stores, it lacks power. A new engine under development, the WZ-16, is rated at 1,500kW (2,040shp) in emergency mode. It stemmed from a joint venture with France’s Turbomeca for an engine to power the Z-15, the Chinese derivative of Eurocopter’s EC175. The commitment to a more powerful engine makes it clear the Z-10 will continue to be a high-priority programme for the Chinese military. In the next decade it’s likely that new and more capable versions will appear and, possibly, that the type could be sold on China’s traditional export markets.

CAIC commenced before that, allowing the PLAAF to take into service the first few production examples by the end of 2010. The PLAAF has ten helicopter regiments, each attached to its own army corps (known in China as army groups). Each regiment is equipped with a mixed fleet of helicopters, grouped in three to five component squadrons, including transport Mi-171s and Z-8s, utility Z-9s and combat helicopters in the form of the obsolete Z-9W. Six of these regiments are believed to have or about to receive a Z-10 squadron. By early 2013 the Z-10 was noted

AI.07.13

47

Alexander Mladenov

ALLIGATOR KAMOV KA-52

Russian Army Aviation is taking on productionstandard Kamov Ka-52 attack helicopters, as Alexander Mladenov reports

Alligator’s Bite I

n the mid-2000s the twoseat, coaxial rotor Kamov Ka-52 attack helicopter – dubbed Alligator – was originally intended to be procured for the Russian Air Force’s Army Aviation (RAA) branch in small numbers. It was speculated on numerous occasions that the Ka-52’s main

48

AI.07.13

use could be in the support of the Main Intelligence Department and the Airborne Troops’ special operations force units (the socalled Spetznaz) in mountainous regions as well as in counterterrorism and counterinsurgency operations. But as a two-seat, wellprotected platform with guided

and unguided weapons and modern day and night sensors and datalinks, the Ka-52 remains effective in the conventional anti-armour and close air support roles. No doubt this proved to be among the chief reasons for the Russian Ministry of Defence’s (MoD’s) eventual decision to field the Alligator in much bigger

ALLIGATOR KAMOV KA-52

s numbers than originally conceived, making it the RAA’s principal new-generation attack helicopter. The Alligator is now set to soldier on together with the with Mi-24/ Mi-35M and Mi-28N in composite attack squadrons, assigned to no fewer than seven air bases and a dedicated combat training and tactics development unit.

An initial batch of 12 Ka-52s for the RAA were ordered in 2009, with the first of these taken on strength at the end of 2010 and the last handed over by the end of 2011. A follow-on batch of 36 was ordered, the last of which are expected to be handed over to the RAA by the end of 2013. Well-informed sources from the

Kamov Company boast that the Ka-52 in its current configuration features full operational capability, including a working Arbalet-52 millimetre-wavelength radar system, a GOES-451 day/ night optronic targeting system and a fully-functional and rather sophisticated Vitebsk selfdefence suite.

Development Design work on the Ka-52 commenced as early as 1994 under the leadership of Kamov’s veteran Designer General, Sergey Mikheev. The first prototype made its maiden flight on June 25, 1997 in the hands of Kamov’s test pilot, Alexander Smirnov. It

AI.07.13

49

saw extensive use in numerous testing and evaluation campaigns as well as for marketing purposes, and the configuration of its sensor package and avionics suite was changed many times over the years. In 2003, the lone Alligator prototype completed the first phase of the type’s state testing programme. It was only in 2006 that the Russian MoD allocated budget for systems development testing and for setting up series production. The second Ka-52 prototype took to the air in June 2008 and

50

AI.07.13

the third machine, which is also known as the first pre-series configuration Ka-52, followed suit in October the same year. This was followed by no fewer than three more examples in 2009. The five Ka-52s were used in the closing phase of the Alligator’s initial testing and evaluation. Even before this was completed, the first production helicopters were taken on strength in December 2010 by the RuAF’s 344th Combat Training and Aircrew Conversion Centre in the city of Torzhok, north of Moscow.

From 2011 these initial production-standard Alligators, complemented in early 2012 by four more full-configuration machines, were used for training an initial instructor cadre, which has in turn trained the crews of the frontline attack squadrons stationed at Chernigovka and Korenovsk.

Cockpit “Our original design goal was to achieve as much commonality with the single-seat Ka-50 and that is why we have introduced

a new two-seat nose module only, while the rest of fuselage remained untouched,” explained Mikheev, who has the distinction of being the longest-serving Designer General in the Russian aerospace industry, having been at the helm of Kamov for 37 years. “This smart design solution greatly eased the series production effort and the Progress aviation plant in Arsen’iev commenced manufacturing the machines of the first series batch by utilising a great proportion of existing Ka-50 components.” The side-by-side accommodation of the Ka-52 crew was actually a requirement raised by experienced combat pilots from the Torzhok-based combat training centre. “When pilots sit side-by-side, they enjoy much easier and faster communication between them [compared to a tandem cockpit configuration], and in most cases they can understand each other without talking at all, using body language only,” explained Alexander Papay, the Kamov company’s chief test pilot and a former highly-experienced military test pilot. The cockpit is equipped with dual controls and the left-seat pilot also has an ILS-31 headup display for piloting and employing the forward-firing weapons. The side cockpit windows can withstand hits of projectiles up to 12.7mm calibre and an extra protection for the

ALLIGATOR KAMOV KA-52

Top: The Ka-52 fuselage is built around a steel torsion box beam, onto which the gearbox, cockpit section, tail section, engines, main landing gear legs and the cannon are attached. The wing centre section passes though the box. Alexander Mladenov Opposite top: A pair of early-production Ka-52s operated by the Russian Army Aviation’s Torzhok training centre. via Alexander Mladenov Opposite bottom: The two-seat Ka-52 is the most advanced of the three attack rotorcraft types entering service with the RAA. Artyom Anikeev/AirTeamImages Left: The Ka-52’s coaxial design has better controllability and manoeuvrability and boasts higher aerodynamic performance than conventional counterparts. Alexander Mladenov Below: The Ka-52 cockpit is equipped with dual controls and the left-seat pilot also has an ILS-31 head-up display for piloting and employing the forward-firing weapons. Alexander Mladenov

pilots is provided by armour screens. An extra degree of crew protection is provided as the pilots sitting side-by-side are also screening each other with their bodies in case of projectiles and high-speed missile warhead fragments in the cockpit. The nose fuselage is also armourprotected from projectiles up to 20mm calibre and, according to Mikheev, the overall weight of the armour used in the Ka-52 is less than that of an equallyprotected tandem-cockpit combat helicopter in the same weight class. The Ka-52 retains the Ka-50’s proven Zvezda K-37-800 ejection seats ensuring simultaneous bail out of both crew members through the canopy. In case of emergency landing, survival of the crew is provided by rugged and energy-absorbing landing gear and crashworthy seats. The Alligator features the Argument-52 (BREO-52) integrated avionics suite of open architecture with a future growth capability, based on dual Baget-53-17 high-speed processors. The pilots are provided with six colour LCD screens on the instrument panel plus a head-up display for the pilot in the left-hand seat.

Avionics Mikheev said that, compared to its predecessor, the Ka-52 has an expanded weapons suite carried on six hardpoints. This is possible thanks to the integration of the affordable and combat-proven Ataka and Ataka-M anti-tank guided missile (ATGMs) in addition to the Vikhr-1 ATGM, which was already integrated on the Ka-50. The Ataka and Ataka-M ATGMs originally employed radio beam-guidance but they have been additionally upgraded with a laser beam mode in order to be guided by the laser-beam guidance system of the Ka-52’s UOMZ GOES-451 optronic targeting system. “We are using an all-Russianmade optronic payload for targeting, weapons guidance and navigation, and therefore are no longer reliant on foreign suppliers,” Mikheev said. The GOES-451 payload, which is installed under the nose, houses a gyro-stabilised turret with a TV-camera (with narrow and wide fields of view), thermal imager, laser rangefinder/designator, laser spot tracker and ATGM laser-beam guidance system. To the left of the GOES-451, on the development helicopters another

AI.07.13

51

ALLIGATOR KAMOV KA-52 smaller turret is installed: the UOMZ TOES-520, housing a TV camera and thermal imager used for navigation purposes during the night. This system, however, is not yet installed on the production-standard Alligators. The cockpit lighting is nightvision goggles (NVG)-friendly – the Ka-52 pilots are provided with the Geophizika-NV Gen III GEO-ONV-1-01K NVG sets. This set, weighing 510kg (1,124lb), is claimed to work sufficiently well at low-level to enable crews to detect obstacles (such as electricity power poles, patches of woodland, individual trees or vehicles travelling through an open field) out to a distance in excess of 1km (0.5nm) in average night lighting conditions. The NVGs also enable the pilots to perform take off, hovering and level flight at altitudes between 50 and 200m (164 and 656ft) at night, maintaining visual contact with the terrain below and in front of the helicopter as well as performing approaches and landings on unprepared and unlit landing zones. “The Ka-52 has a nosemounted Arbalet-52 radar and I can say that its integration proved to be very smooth thanks to the significant radar experience and expertise of our company accumulated during the development of the Ka-25 and Ka-27 families of naval helicopters, equipped

with sophisticated radars at the time,” Mikheev explained. “In the event, we walked away from the idea of installing the radar on the rotor mast because the nose location provides some weighty advantages. For instance, there are no constraints regarding the antenna size and the size/ weight of the radar’s black boxes; furthermore, the nose is also a vibration-free location.” The X-band Arbalet-52 radar (8mm wavelength), developed by the Phazotron-NIIR company, is used for night and adverse weather operations, providing obstacle avoidance data (useful for ultra-low altitude flight) as well as mapping of the underlying terrain and target detection; it also features a moving target indication (MTI) mode. During the radar testing phase, pilots reported that the radar’s MTI mode worked well. A moving vehicle at a speed exceeding 10km/h (5.5kts) can be reliably detected by the Arbalet-52 at a maximum distance of 16km (8.6nm). The helicopter crew also tended to comment that the radar was able to precisely locate a road thanks to the detected flow of moving vehicles. Mikheev explained that there isn’t an automatic target recognition capability in the radar yet but this is to be funded in the future. Viktor Kustov, Phazotron’s chief designer for helicopter programmes, says that with

Above: By mid-2013 Ka-52s were in service with two RAA front line units at Chernigovka (575th Air Base) and Korenovsk (393rd Air Base), and the combat training centre at Torzhok. This example is painted in the new standard overall grey camouflage. Richard Gennis Left: The first Ka-52 prototype undergoing ship compatibility trials from the deck of the anti-submarine warfare ship Admiral Kulakov underway in the Barents Sea. Kamov Company via Alexander Mladenov Below left: The first Ka-52 prototype, piloted by Kamov’s test pilots Alexander Papay and Alexander Smirnov made the initial ship trials on the Marine Nationale ship Mistral during trials in the Baltic Sea in December 2010. Sergey Mikheev via Alexander Mladenov Opposite bottom: The black areas of the fuselage skin seen on this pre-production series Ka-52 are made of composite material. AAC Progress via Alexander Mladenov

the Alligator flying at between 40 and 150m (130 and 460ft), railway bridge detection range is 32km (17.3nm), while air targets can be detected between 11-15km (6-8nm). Further detection claims include incoming surfaceto-air missiles at 5km (2.7nm) and main battle tanks at 12km (6.5nm). Power lines can also be detected from 20km (11nm) away. Range resolution is quoted as being within 20m (66ft) and angular resolution amounts to 20 angular minutes.

Weapons The Ka-52 prototypes and pre-series machines have been demonstrated with both the Vikhr-1 and Ataka-M missiles

52

AI.07.13

(with a maximum range of 8km/4.2nm and 6km/3.2nm respectively), and there are two more new ATGMs planned for future integration. The first of these is the Hermes-A developed by missile specialist KBP, a very large and heavy missile (weighing some 107kg/235lb with the launch canister) and which uses combined inertial/laser guidance. The second ATGM is the longrange two-stage Hermes-A, which was test-fired by the Ka-52 for the first time in 2003. Maximum and minimum ranges achieved during those test firings were 0.8km and 18km (0.4 and 10nm) respectively and the Alligator can carry up to eight in launch canisters. The missile employs inertial guidance in the initial

ALLIGATOR KAMOV KA-52

and mid-course phases of flight (with optional radio-correction), while in the terminal phase a semi-active laser seeker is used and the control system allows for a top attack profile. The system is provided with both ‘fire, observe and correct’ (with man-in-the-loop guidance in the mid-course phase of flight) and ‘fire and forget’ capabilities. It is fitted with a tandem warhead of high-explosive/fragmentation type weighing 28kg (62lb). In addition to well-protected main battle tanks, the warhead is also designed for destroying hardened shelters, boats and air targets. Mikheev added that in the early stages of the Ka-52’s development the Kh-25ML laser-guided missile was also under consideration, but

in the event it was decided that ATGMs remain the most costeffective and versatile guided weapon to be employed. The RuAF requirements also called for the integration of the 9M39 Igla-V heat-seeking airto-air missile (maximum launch range of 5.8km/3.1nm); the Ka-52 can carry up to four of these suspended on two Strelets twin-round launched units on the outer wing pylons. Unguided weapons in the Ka-52’s arsenal include 250kg (551lb) and 500kg (1,102lb) free-fall bombs, napalm tanks, KMGU-2 bomblet/mine dispensers and 80mm (3 inch) and 122mm (4.8 inch) rockets launched from 20- and five-tube launcher pods respectively. “The S-8 80mm rocket in particular

AI.07.13

53

ALLIGATOR KAMOV KA-52 proved a very precise weapon when fired from the Ka-50 and Ka-52 thanks to the combination of a stable helicopter flight (due to the coaxial rotor system with low levels of vibration) and the highly-precise targeting system,” boasted Alexander Papay. “That is why the S-8, when launched by the Ka-50 and Ka-52, can no longer be considered as an area saturation weapon; instead it is now known as a point-killer.” The Ka-52 also comes armed with the NPPU-80 limitedmovement gun turret containing the Shipunov 2A42 30mm gun with dual feed and 460 rounds. Installed near the helicopter’s centre of gravity (in a bid to reduce the impact on the structure from the powerful recoil), it is also being promoted as a very precise weapon in both the trainable and fixed forward firing modes for destroying hardened point targets. “We routinely achieve firing preciseness in the region of 1.2-1.4 mils, which means that from a firing distance of 1,000m all the projectiles will hit a target measuring 1.5m by 1.5m,” noted Papay.

54

AI.07.13

The 2A42 cannon can fire in rapid rate mode at 900 rpm and at a slow rate of 200-300rpm and can also be used to fire single shots. Muzzle velocity is some 980m/s (3,215ft/s) and, combined with the heavy projectile, this positions the 2A42 among the most powerful helicopter-installed cannons in the world, if not the most powerful. Its armour-piercing shell, when fired at 1,500m (4,930ft), can penetrate a steel plate 15mm thick at an angle of arrival of 60 degrees; maximum effective aiming range is 4,000m (13,123ft). The Ka-52 can also use two UPK-23-250 gun pods with twin-barrel GSh-23L gun and 250 rounds each.

The Alligator boasts a fullyintegrated Vitebsk self-protection suite including Reagent UV missile approach warning sensors, L140 Otklik laser warning sensors, L150 Pastel radar warning receiver and UV26 chaff/flare dispensers as well as a new-generation infrared jammer system with two L370 downwards-pointing jammer heads of lamp type located on the fuselage sides. The suite is being sold as the most sophisticated and effective suite ever employed on an RAA helicopter type.

Hot and High “We have a working avionics suite fully meeting the requirements

Opposite top: A Ka-52 in close air support configuration during exercise Shtit Souza (Union’s Shield) in September 2011, armed with 80 S-8 80mm rockets. Andrey Zinchuk via Alexander Mladenov Below left: The Ka-52 cockpit is protected by two layers of steel armour on the fuselage and armour plates on the sides of the canopy. Alexander Mladenov Below right: Side-by-side seating for the Ka-52 was defined by combat-experienced pilots from the RAA’s Torzhok-based combat training centre. via Alexander Mladenov Bottom left: The Ka-52 boasts a NPPU-80 limited-movement gun turret with a dual-feed Shipunov 2A42 30mm cannon and 460 rounds. Alexander Mladenov Bottom right: The Ataka-V ATGM, carried on a six-tube launcher rack is one of two types of guided missile cleared for use by the Ka-52. Alexander Mladenov

of the Russian military,” Papay said, while Mikheev added that he thinks the Ka-52-equipped frontline units should specialise in mountain operations due to the useful features of the two contra-rotating, three-blade coaxial rotors – which contribute to the helicopter’s compact appearance, stability in flight and high agility. The control system is also considerably simplified and more reliable compared to that of conventional helicopters thanks to the lack of a tail rotor. The six rotor blades also reduce vibrations because they mutually suppress their oscillations. “The pilots who flew the helicopter are convinced that the co-axial rotors have weighty advantages,” said Mikheev. “Most if not all of the armed conflicts are happening, as a rule, in hot and high environments and the Ka-52 is well suited for this environment.” Another advantage for fighting in mountains, which is more of a psychological factor, is that crew members have a good chance of survival thanks to the ejection seats – when operating over

ALLIGATOR KAMOV KA-52

rugged terrain there are few chances to find a suitable spot for an emergency landing of a damaged helicopter. The planned introduction in the foreseeable future of the more powerful Klimov VK2500 engines (with take off rating of 2,400shp/1,789kW and emergency rating in OEI conditions of 2,700shp/2,012kW versus existing TV3-117VMA’s 2,200shp/1,640kW take off power) will allow the heavier Ka52 (its maximum take off weight is some 600kg/1,322lb more than the Ka-50) to demonstrate even better hot-and-high performance and maintain the manoeuvrability of its single-seat predecessor. “The military at last appreciated the technical novelties and tactical advantages of the Ka-52,” said a senior executive at Kamov. “They want to have something tested and flying instead of having brand-new aircraft being held in storage due to various reasons.” There are also hints that the Russian MoD would be ready to continue with additional Ka-52 procurements beyond the first 12-aircraft and the follow-on 36-aircraft batches. It could be predicted that the eventual number of helicopters to be procured over the long-term may reach no less than 200, as a long-term Russian MoD contract for no fewer than 140 examples was signed in September 2011.

Katran Another opportunity for Kamov is to supply the Ka-52 as the new attack helicopter for carrier operations, under the new designation Ka-52K. This is set to become the biggest nearterm helicopter procurement in Russian Naval Aviation (RNA), launched thanks to the order for four Mistral-class amphibious assault, command and power projection ships mainly intended for control of littoral regions. The contract was agreed in June 2011 and the ships are now under construction at the STX shipyard in St Nazaire, France. The first will be ready by 2014 and each is planned to include 16 helicopters – a mixture of dedicated attack Ka-52Ks and assault transport Ka-29s, the ratio between the two types depending on the specific mission requirements. The Ka-52K, already named Katran (Dogfish) by Kamov, is currently in advanced development and will feature folding rotor blades, folding wings, life-support systems for the crew members, emergency flotation gear and anti-corrosion treatment of the fuselage, while retaining the weapons control system and the ordnance of its land-based predecessor. The Ka-52K may receive a new fire-control radar and anti-ship missiles but the first production machines will be inducted into service with the mission outfit

and weapons of the land-based version in order to speedup fielding of the navalised derivative. The Russian Navy is expected to order no fewer than 50 Ka-52Ks in the long term. According to Russian Helicopters, which controls the country’s helicopter design and production companies, the first Ka-52K is expected to be handed over to the Russian MoD in 2013 for test and evaluation and enter squadron service with the RNA by early 2015, coinciding with the delivery of the first Mistral-class ship. Prior to this the Ka-52K will undergo initial naval flight testing on the deck of the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier, assigned to the Russian Navy’s Northern Fleet. The first Mistral-class ship will be assigned to the Pacific Fleet, headquartered in Vladivostok in Russia’s Far East, which

means the first squadron with shipborne attack and assault helicopters is going to be formed within the 7062nd Air Base at Nikolaevka. Mikheev considers there are good export prospects for the Ka-52 and said the helicopter can be easily customised with new avionics and equipment of Western origin if required by foreign customers, thanks to the open architecture of the Ka-52’s avionics suite. Russian media reported in 2010 that there is interest in the Ka-52 from a range of countries, the most prominent among which was Libya, but chances for sale there are now non-existent. Commissioning with the RAA will undoubtedly vastly improve the Ka-52’s export chances, with the most likely future customers being the traditional buyers of Russian weapons.

AI.07.13

55

TIGER ARH

Tamingt 56

AI.07.13

TIGER ARH Nigel Pittaway

A

fter a long and frustrating gestation, Australia’s Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH) is now nearing its full potential. Despite recent technical issues the ARH looks set to achieve a key milestone in its ability to deploy operationally in the near future. The first two Tigers were handed over to the Australian Army back in December 2004. The fact that it will have taken eight years to make ready a deployable squadron is testament to the problems the Tiger has suffered. There is no single reason for the protracted service entry and the issues are very complex; however the type is well regarded by its crews and the ARH capability it brings to the battlefield is eagerly anticipated. Once fully operational the Tiger will equip two reconnaissance squadrons within the Australian Army Aviation Corps’ 1st Aviation Regiment based at Robertson Barracks in Darwin; and the Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter School (ARHS) at Oakey in Queensland. Prior to the announcement of the withdrawal of Australian forces from Afghanistan there had been media speculation about a Tiger deployment to the Middle East Area of Operations and while this would have ultimately been a decsion for the Australian government, Army aviators have follwed the French and German Armies’ experience closely. The French experiences in the recent Libyan campaign, when Tigers were operated from the decks of Mistral-class vessels, was also studied closely by the Tiger introduction team. Australia is acquiring two larger landing helicopter dock vessels from Navantia in Spain, and over the next few years will transition

Above: Australia’s Tigers are based on the French HAP variant but operate in the Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter role.

the army from a land-based force to one capable of conducting amphibious operations.

The Helicopter The Tiger ARH, which has a crew of two (a pilot in the front seat and a battle captain in the rear), is based on the Eurocopter EC665 Tigre Hélicoptère d’Appui Protection (HAP) version for the French Army, though there are several changes to reflect its ARH role. The major difference between the ARH and the French HAP is the Lockheed Martin AGM-114 Hellfire air-to-ground missile, with associated digital M299 launcher and laser designator incorporated into the Sagem Strix sighting system. Other weapons used on the ARH are the Forges de Zeebrugge (FZ) 70mm unguided rocket, carried in either seven- or 19-tube pods under the stub wings, and a 30mm Nexter (formerly GIAT) cannon in a turret under the chin of the helicopter, slaved to the pilot’s helmet-mounted sight and display (HMSD). The HMSD is Thales’ TopOwl, now in its updated Configuration 3 form, which gives enhanced night-vision acuity. Engines

gtheTIGER

are two MTU Turbomeca RollsRoyce MTR 390 full authority digital engine control (FADEC) turboshafts, each rated at 1,285 shaft horsepower (958kW). According to Eurocopter figures, the Tiger’s performance is broadly comparable with the Boeing AH-64D Apache, though the latter has a higher maximum take off weight (MTOW) and more powerful engines. Quoted figures for the French HAP claim a speed of 150kts (277km/h) and a combat range of 800km (432nm). A number of 365-litre ferry tanks have been acquired to allow the Tiger to self-deploy across the large, open distances of outback Australia and, when qualified, will increase its range to 925km (500nm).

Cockpit Systems Tiger ARH has a comprehensive electronic warfare self-protection suite, comprising an MBDAs Saphir-M advanced chaff and flare dispenser and an EADS AN/AAR-60 Missile Launch Detection System (MLDS). Situational awareness is assisted by the EuroGrid tactical moving map display and its associated ground mission equipment (GME) segment. Communications

Nigel Pittaway looks at the Australian Army’s Tiger armed reconnaissance helicopter

AI.07.13

57

TIGER ARH

systems comprise HF, VHF, UHF and SATCOM, but as yet there is no tactical datalink fitted. The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has a number of projects aimed at ‘networking’ different platforms and a combination of Project LAND 75 and Joint Project 2089 will ultimately add a battle management system (BMS) capability to the Tiger. “The aircraft provides a capability that’s world-class and arguably amongst the best in the world at this time,” an ADF spokesperson told AIR International. “There’s little doubt that, with the sensor and weapon modifications

58

AI.07.13

implemented as part of the Australian Tiger Programme, the ADF has the most capable Tiger in the world fleet. “Though the ARH is mostly modelled on the HAP, the French version was initially designed as an airmobile escort helicopter with air-to-ground capabilities. The ARH has been optimised as an air-to-ground platform with the Australian mix of weapons and sighting system customisations, including the widely-compatible laser range finder/designator, as well as the advanced communication suite. The incredibly capable infrared camera allows crews to

detect, track and engage targets at extended ranges with great accuracy.”

Project AIR 87 The Tiger ARH was the result of Project AIR 87, the Australian Army’s programme to acquire an armed helicopter to replace the unarmed Bell 206B-1 Kiowa in the battlefield reconnaissance role. The Kiowas were assembled in Australia by the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation in the 1970s and, by the time studies began into an armed reconnaissance helicopter a decade later, were no longer

considered effective on the modern battlefield. AIR 87 was later expanded to encompass the replacement of a small number of ‘Bushrangers’ – Bell UH-1H Iroquois gunships then used in the aerial fire support role. Following a project definition study undertaken in the mid1990s, a formal request for proposal (RFP) was submitted to industry in May 1998, with Agusta (A129 Scorpion), Bell Helicopter Textron (AH-1Z Viper), Boeing (AH-64D Apache), Denel (Rooivalk), Eurocopter (with the Tigre, then dubbed ‘Aussie Tiger’) and Sikorsky Aircraft (Battlehawk, an armed version

TIGER ARH Left: Tiger ARH 38-001 fires an AGM-114 Hellfire missile during trials at Woomera in central Australia. Right top: The first two Tigers were handed over to the Army at Oakey in December 2004, pictured here with the other two operational helicopter types at the time, the S-70A-9 Black Hawk and CH-47D Chinook. Right bottom: The first two Tigers are escorted by soldiers in the World War One uniforms of Australia’s Light Horse regiment during the delivery ceremony in December 2005. Opposite bottom left: The Tiger ARH uses 70mm FZ unguided rockets in either seven (pictured) or 19-tube launcher pods. Consideration is being given to upgrading them with precision guidance kits such as Lockheed Martin’s DAGR. Opposite bottom right: Although the power generated by the two MTR 390 engines in considered adequate, Australia is considering switching to the more powerful MTR 390E during future upgrades. Bottom left: A laser designator has been incorporated into the Strix sight to designate targets for the AGM-114M Hellfire missiles used by Australian Tigers. Bottom right: The digital Lockheed Martin M299 launcher is capable of hosting a number of weapons, making any future upgrade of the unguided rockets a relatively straight forward process. Two Hellfire training rounds are pictured on this Tigers inner pylon, with a seven-tube FZ launcher pod on the outer station.

of the UH-60L Black Hawk) all submitting bids in response. In April 1999, a shortlist of the Agusta, Boeing and Eurocopter proposals was announced; but the tender process was reopened after complaints from Bell that the Defence Acquisition Organisation (DAO) had not followed correct procedure and that the original requirements were too vague to submit an accurate bid. The tender finally closed at the end of April 2001, with the three previously successful companies, plus Bell, submitting their final bids. Agusta was later eliminated from the race –

reportedly because the Scorpion was too small to meet the Australian Army’s needs – and both the Bell and Boeing bids were hampered by the high US dollar at the time. Eurocopter was announced as the winner of the AUS$1.3 billion competition with a proposal to supply 22 Tiger ARHs. In announcing the decision, the then Defence Minister, Peter Reith, said the Tiger was chosen because it provided good value for money. “That’s very important to the customer, for the taxpayer,” he noted. “But it’s also important in the sense that this helicopter has a lot of

capability, which will be very good for the army.”

Assembly The first four Tigers were assembled at Marignane, Provence, by Eurocopter before being air-freighted to Australia. The subsequent helicopters were assembled in Australia, and Australian Aerospace, a Eurocopter subsidiary, set up a facility at Brisbane Airport to produce and support the aircraft. Australian Aerospace is today manufacturing the MRH90 Multi-Role Helicopter for both the Australian Army and Royal

Australian Navy at the same facility. A38-001, the first Frenchbuilt Tiger, took its maiden flight at Marignane on February 20, 2004 before being shipped to Australia with A38-002 the following November. These first two aircraft were handed over in a ceremony at the Army Aviation Training Centre (AATC) at Oakey on December 15, 2004, just five days before the first Australianassembled Tiger (A38-005) flew from Brisbane for the first time.

Trials and Tribulations In operational service, the Tiger ARH is operated by No.161 and 162 (Reconnaissance) Squadrons from Robertson Barracks in Darwin with training undertaken by the Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter School at Oakey – but when the first two Tigers arrived at 161 Squadron in June 2008 the programme had slipped by around two years. And by the time the 22nd, and last, ARH was delivered in December 2011, the project was more than four years behind the original schedule, and further delays were to come. When the entry into service timeline was first drawn up, it was planned to leverage much of the training from the French and German Tiger programmes. But slippages to both of those, and delays in delivery of a full flight mission simulator (FFMS)

AI.07.13

59

TIGER ARH

capability, meant the Australian Tiger programme in many ways has had to take the lead. Moreover, it was assumed that operational European operational experience would be greater than it actually was when the ARH entered service: much of the maturation work has in fact been accomplished by the Australian fleet. These factors, together with an inadequate provision of spares and an immature component repair and

60

AI.07.13

overhaul pipeline, has meant the Australian Army has not achieved the flying rates it needs to raise and sustain the Tiger force. A number of technical issues have also had an impact on the delivery schedule and operational test and evaluation (OT&E) work, leading to more delays. The latest issue, involved fumes in the cockpit, resulted in two fleet-wide groundings within a six-month period during

2012. The cause was eventually pinpointed to a faulty power supply module capacitor for one of the cockpit multifunction displays, but the groundings have meant training and testing has been disrupted. More positively, some of the testing initially perceived as high-risk at the beginning of the programme has gone relatively smoothly. Hellfire missile integration, for example, has been a major success and

all weapons are now cleared for operational use. The cannon, in particular, is regarded as being very accurate and has drawn praise from Tiger crews. “It’s fair to say that a lot of concerns raised early in the Tiger’s history have broadly been allayed by good news,” explains Brigadier Andrew Mathewson, Director General, Army Aerospace Systems within the Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO). “People were worried

TIGER ARH

Right: Australian Aerospace is a Eurocopter subsidiary and assembled 20 of the 22 Tigers delivered to the Australian Army. Opposite top: The second of two Tigers assembled in Marignane by Eurocopter, A38-002 is pictured over rugged Queensland countryside during the type’s operational test and evaluation. Opposite bottom left: The front cockpit of the Tiger ARH is occupied by the pilot. Opposite bottom middle: In Australian service the rear seat occupant is designated the Battle Captain who is also a Tiger pilot. Opposite bottom right: The TopOwl HMSD is now in the latest configuration 3 form, which improves night vision acuity and is used on all flights.

Maturity Currently there are 20 Tigers in operational service, with two earlier aircraft undergoing a retrofit programme with Australian Aerospace to bring them up to the latest product baseline (PBL) standard. “Tiger is really coming to maturity now,” enthuses Brig Mathewson. “It’s certainly a formidable capability and the feedback we get is that the crews are really impressed by the level of capability the aircraft represents.” The training continuum has struggled in the past – the lowerthan-planned rate has made it difficult to generate adequate numbers of aircraft at the ARHS while simultaneously building

up the 1st Aviation Regiment in Darwin. “It’s been an issue trying to get adequate numbers of people through the training regime,” explains Brig Mathewson. “We’ve had to carefully balance the number of aircraft at Oakey with those in Darwin, but that’s really settled down now and is working quite well.” There is still a lot of work to do, however, before a deployable squadron capability can be declared and groundings have not helped this cause: the second of the two groundings came during Exercise Hamel in June 2012, which forced the Tiger’s withdrawal from the exercise and hampered further operational testing. Exercise Hamel is the Army Force Command’s major field exercise and arguably the best operational test a capability can have short of actual warfare. The Tigers impressed everyone with their prowess at the 2011 exercise, which was followed by their participation in the bilateral Talisman Sabre exercise with the US Marine Corps, and their participation this year was to have been a major milestone on the road to initial operating capability. “We had hoped to have already stood up a deployable squadron by now, but the groundings caught us short and we had to pull out of Hamel,” explained Brig Mathewson. “But we’re going to be engaging Tiger in further exercises this year and the intent is to declare that deployable squadron at the end of this year.”

more powerful engine, which is available and under test at Eurocopter for the Spanish Hélicoptère d’Appui-Destruction (HAD) version of Tiger. Known as the MTR390E (Enhanced), it promises a 14% increase in available power to 1,465shp (1,092kW) and is specifically designed for ‘hot and high’ operations. The battle management system (BMS) integration will certainly feature on the Tiger in the future, though it has yet to be decided what it will entail. This will be determined by future phases of Project LAND 75 & JP 2089. Meanwhile, weapons upgrades may include kits to convert the 70mm rockets into guided weapons. Lockheed Martin has held discussions with Australia about its Direct Attack Guided Rocket (DAGR) system – which also utilises the digital M299 launcher – and there are number of competing products available which essentially turn a ‘throw away’ rocket into a precision-guided weapon. Project AIR 87 Phase 3 in the current Australian Defence Capability Plan is known as the ARH Capability Assurance Program which will, according to

the ADF, “address elements of software and system reliability and maintainability, technology refresh, technology obsolescence and new capability to assure the combat effectiveness and sustainability of the ARH system in the land battle. The ARH must be interoperable with other supporting ADF and coalition elements”. Brig Mathewson says: “We’re already starting to turn our minds to what sort of upgrades could take place on the aircraft. We’re also engaging with other nations because we don’t want to head off down an Australiaunique path. We want to talk to our French, German and Spanish colleagues as much as we can to try and determine a common view on aircraft configuration in the future.” If you speak long enough to anyone in the Tiger ARH programme, from the AIR 87 Project Office down to the squadron pilots, it’s not long before adjectives such as ‘fantastic’, ‘awesome’ and ‘lethal’ are used. After a long wait and a lot of frustration, it would seem that Australian Army aviation is finally about to field a world-class armed reconnaissance helicopter.

Tiger’s Future Although it is still not yet in full operational service, a great deal of thought is being given to the Tiger’s future upgrades, and a number of improvements are planned. The first is a

Nigel Pittaway

about how effective the night fighting capability would be, or how effective the integration of Hellfire and the other Australiaspecific modifications, but there’s been some great work done by the Defence Materiel Organisation and by industry, and from a capability perspective there have been very few things that surprised us.” Maritime operational testing has also been significantly delayed – through no fault of the Tiger but the lack of suitable ships. Some preliminary shipboard work had started before the navy’s two Kanimblaclass LPAs were prematurely withdrawn from use in 2011. A replacement ship was acquired from the UK in the form of HMAS Choules, a former Bayclass Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) vessel, but it suffered technical issues of its own shortly after being commissioned and was unavailable for several months. This has in turn delayed final operating capability (FOC) for Tiger to 2016, 12 years after the first helicopter was delivered.

AI.07.13

61

GySgt Scott Dunn/US Marine Corps

VIPER BELL AH-1Z

VIPER

Marine Corps’

I

Andrew Drwiega, Rick Burgess and Mark Ayton assess the latest attack helicopter to enter service with the US Marine Corps – the AH-1Z Viper

n 1999 Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) launched a programme to modernise two of the US Marine Corps’ battlefield helicopters, the UH-1N Huey and the AH-1W Cobra. NAVAIR’s H-1 Upgrade Programme comprises two new aircraft, the UH-1Y Venom and the AH-1Z Viper also known as the Yankee and the Zulu. Each helicopter has undergone upgrades to increase combat radius, payload, speed and manoeuvrability and improve capability. Tail-boom, engine, rotor system, drive train, avionics architecture, software, controls, displays and the electronic warfare suite are

62

AI.07.13

common to both types. Mission systems and avionics are also very similar on both aircraft but the weapon and sensor systems differ.

AH-1Z Viper The AH-1Z Viper, based on the AH1W, is fitted with a ‘glass cockpit’, integrated helmet and sighting system, an upgraded and more powerful transmission and drive system, 10,000-hour airframe life, a new hingeless and bearing-free fourbladed rotor system and General Electric T700-GE-401 engines. The new rotor system can sustain a direct hit from a round up to 23mm calibre and continue

to operate, providing greater ballistic survivability; doubles the payload capacity; increases the functional flight envelope by 80%; and gives a smoother ride. Two multifunctional fibreglass yokes, the primary structural members of the main rotor hub, transmit torque from the mast to the blades. Each yoke also accommodates flapping, lead-lag and pitch change motions and retains the blades. The main, all-composite rotor blades are constructed primarily of fibreglass and 8552 epoxy and have a design life of 10,000 flight-hours. Blade folding is accomplished by a combination of automatic and manual means to lock out the

VIPER BELL AH-1Z

Below: AH-1Z Vipers with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 268 aboard USS Makin Island. Sgt Elyssa Quesada/US Marine Corps

blade pitch, position the blades for folding, disengage the pins and rotate them for folding and spreading. The AH-1Z Viper’s fullyintegrated armament system consists of a 20mm M190 3-barrel cannon and turret, as used on the AH-1W, with 750 rounds available; 2.75-inch (70mm) wrap-around fin aerial rockets; and AGM-114 Hellfire air-to-ground and AIM-9 air-to-air missiles. Armament is carried in various combinations on six external ordnance stub-wing store stations (numbered 1 to 6) four of which are universal (2 to 5) and can carry any weapon – including Hellfire missiles or

rockets – or fuel tanks. The two wing-tip stations (additional to the AH-1W configuration) are known as fixed non-jettisonable stations and used exclusively for the AIM-9 Sidewinder. Every type of ordnance carried on the AH-1Z has been tested, including two AIM-9 Sidewinder shots made at the Yuma proving ground in Arizona. Mk66 rockets fitted with either unitary, airburst cargo or training warheads, loaded in 7-tube LAU68 or 19-tube LAU-61 launchers, can be carried on any of the four universal stations. Weapon pylons contain self-sealing crashworthy tanks for extended mission range.

AI.07.13

63

VIPER BELL AH-1Z

Targeting and Missiles The AN/AAQ-30 Hawkeye target sighting system (TSS) is a multisensor electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) fire control system equipped with a large-aperture midwave forward-looking infrared (FLIR) sensor, colour TV, laser designator/rangefinder (with eyesafe mode), and on-gimbal inertial measurement unit integrated into a stabilised turret. TSS provides day/night adverse weather target acquisition and designation with air-to-air and air-to-ground modes including those for the AGM-114 Hellfire missile. TSS features a multi-

64

AI.07.13

mode, multi-target auto tracker with capacity for three active and ten inertial targets used in scene correlation, contrast or centroid modes. It can be used to target Mk66 rockets and provides laser range, relative angles to the target and target velocity using angular rate measurements. There are two basic modes for arming and firing rockets: direct (CCIP or continuously computed impact point) and indirect (CCRP or continuously computed release point). In direct mode the weapons processor calculates the predicted impact point, while information from the TSS and the target

tracking function are used to calculate target-tracking solutions in indirect mode. The rocket ballistics function is then used to compute an aiming vector so the pilot can steer the aircraft accordingly until the fire control reticle is positioned over the armament datum line to launch the rocket(s). Up to four AGM-114 Hellfire missiles can be loaded in each of up to four launchers. Hellfire is controlled by the integrated stores management system and armed and fired by the pilot or battle gunner using the missile and wing stores armament systems. Further firepower is given by

the M197 20mm cannon which is positioned, fed and fired using the chin-mounted A/A49E-7(V)4 turret and controlled from either crew station in either fixed, gun or IHSS modes. In fixed mode, the turret remains stationary in a forward position at zero degrees azimuth and elevation. The pilot aims the weapon by manoeuvring the helicopter so the sight is over the target, and it’s fired using the trigger. In IHSS mode – engaged by a switch on the cyclic to slave the gun to the helmet and fired using the trigger – the gun is aimed to the same point as the pilot’s helmet sight reticle.

VIPER BELL AH-1Z can be fired. The AH-1Z Viper’s defensive systems include HIRSS (hover infrared suppressor system) for the engine exhausts, an AN/APR39B(V)2 radar warning receiver, AN/AAR-47(V)2 laser and missile detection systems and the 360º AN/ALE-47 countermeasure dispensing system. An integrated avionics system includes embedded GPS inertial navigation (EGI) with a low airspeed air data subsystem to launch weapons in the hover or at nearzero speed. Digital terrain elevation data (DTED) and compressed arc digitised raster graphics (CADRG) are displayed on a digital map which is used as a navigator map display and threat visibility indicator, and is part of the inflight mission-planning mode.

Cockpit

In gun mode, the turret is aimed by superimposing the reticle on a selected target. There are a variety of methods for acquiring and tracking targets. The quickest uses either the pilot or battle gunner helmet sight. The operator slaves the gun to his line of sight and a fire control solution is calculated based on range, helicopter and target motion, wind, temperature and pressure altitude to correct the gun position to engage. The gun has a firing rate of approximately 650 rounds per minute, restricted to a 450-round burst. A minimum of six minutes is required for the cannon to cool before the remaining 300 rounds

The Zulu cockpit is a tandem arrangement. Controls and displays in the front and rear crew stations are almost identical, enabling crew members to perform the pilot or battle gunner roles from either position. Both crew stations have a mission grip that provides all the switch control functions to operate the TSS field of view, slew, track, target acquisition, weapon select and launch controls. It is designed for use by the crewmember who is tasked as the battle captain gunner. Because of its age, the existing AH-1W has been upgraded over time with systems built onto systems. On the AH-1W, each crew station has an 8 x 6 inch (200 x 150mm) multi-function display with smart bezel keys positioned around it, a digital flight display and a smaller display used primarily to give basic flight information if other systems go down. The Whiskey cockpit is very labour-intensive. Minimising the time required for the pilot to operate and cue systems, and

therefore maximise his time flying the helicopter, is one of the prime reasons for integrating all of them within the glass cockpit and the integrated avionics system (IAS) on the AH-1Z. Everything is ‘under glass’ on the Zulu (communications, navigation, IFF, electronic warfare, weapons); and all the system and flight information pages are more automated, more user-friendly and presented to the flight crew in a more intuitive way than on the AH-1W. Each AH-1Z crew station has two 8 x 6 inch (200 x 150mm) multifunction colour displays and a single 4 x 4 inch (100 x 100mm) dual-function colour display used as an interface with the majority of subsystem functions. Information displayed on the MFDs includes simultaneous moving map and FLIR imagery. The weapon display depicts the munitions being carried and allows set-up and deployment mode. The rear crew station of the Whiskey is the primary pilot seat from where the aircraft is flown. The front station is the battle gunner’s seat, and features controls for the sight and sensor along with switches used to shoot Hellfire and TOW missiles. The pilot cannot control the sight or sensor nor fire missiles. On the Zulu, with the exception of some circuit breakers required for starting the engine, the front and back crew stations have the same side stick controls from which all systems can be operated. The two cockpits are independent and crewed by a pilot and battle gunner.

Zulu Deploys The US Marine Corps rated the initial operational deployment of its new AH-1Z gunship a success. In November 2011, the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), embarked with the USS Makin Island (LHD-8) amphibious

ready group (ARG), sailed from the naval base in San Diego, California, on a seven-month deployment to the Indian Ocean and western Pacific Ocean. A detachment of four AH-1Zs from Marine Helicopter Light Attack Squadron 367 had joined Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 268 (HMM-268), the air combat element (ACE) of the MEU, for the deployment. It was the first deployment to team the AH-1Z with its UH-1Y Venom counterpart. On the 11th MEU deployment, the AH-1Z and UH-1Y “did everything we were expecting them to do”, according to Marine Corps Colonel Harry Hewson, AH-1Z and UH-1Y programme manager with NAVAIR’s PMA-276. “They never went ashore in a combat role, but they did plenty of exercises around the Pacific and Middle East area. The systems did everything we expected them to do, particularly the [Top Owl] helmet sight system [on both helicopter types] and the [AAQ-30] target sight system on the Zulu really which improved the capability to get eyes on targets. They did some anti-piracy work around the Indian Ocean. The aircraft had very high levels of readiness throughout the entire deployment.”

Afghanistan Unlikely The AH-1Z Viper, built by Bell Helicopter Textron, is slowly replacing the AH-1W Super Cobra version but, according to current near-term plans, it is not likely to see combat in Afghanistan. The rate of transition of HMLA squadrons to the new helicopter is such that deployment of the AH-1Z to Afghanistan is unlikely before President Barack Obama’s planned withdrawal of US combat forces in 2014. “The only way that would happen in the near term is if an MEU goes ashore off the boat to go and do some sort of reinforcing or supporting operations,” said Hewson.

Top left: An AH-1Z Viper from Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 364 hovers above the flight deck of the USS Peleliu during an interoperability training exercise off the coast of Southern California. LCpl Timothy Childers/US Marine Corps Left: The AH-1Z is armed with a three barreled M197 20mm cannon with a firing rate of 730 rounds per minute. LCpl

Christopher O’Quin/US Marine Corps Far left: An Aviation Boatswain’s Mate guides an AH-1Z Viper off the flight deck of the USS New Orleans during flight quarters. Mass Communication Specialist

3rd Class Dominique Pineiro/US Navy Right: Based at MCAS Camp Pendleton, California, Marine Light Attack Helicopter Training Squadron 303 (HMLAT-303) ‘Atlas’ is the AH-1Z training unit. Greg Davis

AI.07.13

65

VIPER BELL AH-1Z

Above: Sailors prepare to fuel a AH-1Z Viper on the flight deck of the USS Peleliu. LCpl Timothy Childers/US Marine Corps

“Because we’re still delivering them at fairly a low rate – not quite one a month – we just can’t build up a squadron with 15 of them to get to where they need to be to train and then pack up and deploy. So we’re still filling the Cobra role in Afghanistan with AH-1Ws.” The USMC plans to procure a total of 189 AH-1Zs, 37 rebuilt from AH-1Ws and 152 new-production aircraft. “We pushed the Yankee out ahead of the Zulu because we were really having some challenges with the old UH-1Ns, so we wanted to replace those as quickly as possible,” Hewson said. “That’s why the Zulus seem like they’re a step behind. That was a conscious decision. The Yankee [production rate] is roughly one-and-a-half per month. The Zulu is a little slower, not quite one per month coming off the production line.” After an initial MEU deployment, the UH-1Y has been deployed to Afghanistan since November 2009 in company with the AH-1W, and with MEUs based on the West Coast. The AH-1Z reached initial operational capability on February 25, 2011.

Zulu Yankee

66

AI.07.13

Commonality One operating advantage of the AH-1Z and the UH-1Y over their predecessors is their large degree of systems commonality. “Eightyfour per cent of the systems on the aircraft are identical, so the aircraft are very complementary in an expeditionary environment,” said Hewson. Reducing the expeditionary footprint is a big deal for the US Marine Corps. “When we’re talking about spare parts, tooling, support equipment, publications and the amount of training you have to give to a technician, they are all significantly reduced compared to the old AH-1W-UH-1N package,” Hewson said. He added that readiness rates were very high throughout the entire first deployment. “Despite being on a ship where you’re away from an instant supply chain, the aircraft did very, very well. There are no significant redesign efforts or any major changes we have to make to the aircraft.”

Zulu Peleliu The Zulu’s second deployment was with the 15th MEU on the USS Peleliu (LHA-5) between

More New Kit At the end of January this year, Naval Air Systems Command’s PMA-276 awarded Northrop Grumman a $9.3m firm-fixedprice order for Gen II mission computers for the AH-1Z and UH-1Y Upgrade Programme. These will be supplied for Lot 10 production aircraft. They control the IAS and interface with the tactical moving map, to provide pilots with situational awareness and data from the health and usage monitoring system (HUMS). Although already deployed in combat on the UH-1Y, the WGU-59/B Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) a laser-guided 2.75-inch (70mm) diameter rocket, has not yet been deployed on the AH-1Z. “The Zulu has a different firecontrol system for rockets than the Yankee, so it needs some modified flight and fire-control software,” Hewson said. Test and evaluation of the APKWS fire-control solution at NAWS China Lake in California should enable the Zulu to carry the rocket by the end of 2013.

GySgt Scott Dunn/US Marine Corps

Col Hewson explained: “The operating concept for and HMLA squadron now is to tag team one Yankee and one Zulu, or maybe one Yankee and two Zulus, depending on the mission, to go out and work together. Just the nature of how the aircraft are set up makes them very complementary. The Yankee can do initial scouting [and] some forward air control-type work and then bring the Zulu in for the heavy punch with Hellfire missiles.” The AH-1Z provides either twice the range or twice the payload

of the AH-1W, but the level of integration of systems and the amount of tactical information presented to the Zulu pilots is more important. Hewson said the TSS, built by Lockheed Martin, “is an extremely stable sight with a very nice digital colour TV camera and a very capable [forward looking infrared] that’s heads and shoulders above what any pilot had on the AH-1W”, adding: “This gives the pilots the ability to stand off from threat, identify targets well beyond the range of that threat’s weapons and then either close into the maximum range of the missile and still engage with a very high probability of hit, or designate from stand-off distances for fixed-wing aircraft to destroy the target. The whole package is much more integrated and really focused on giving the marines the best tactical advantage we can.” The colonel explained that the Top Owl helmet sight system, made by Thales, gives the pilot all the flight, aircraft performance and targeting information right in front of his face both day and night. “It also blends night vision.” According to a report issued last June by the HMLA Type-ModelSeries (TMS) team at Headquarters Marine Corps in Arlington, Virginia, “the enhanced sensor capability has also contributed to integration between the BlueGreen [USN-USMC] team in the form of maritime interdiction and defence of the amphibious task force”. The report also praised the performance of the AH-1Z and UH-1Y in VBSS (visit, board, search and seizure) and GOPLAT (gas/ oil platform) missions, adding that the TSS enabled the Zulu’s early acquisition of target vessels well outside audible and visual range.

September 2012 and May 2013, which also involved UH-1Ys. The Peleliu’s ACE was formed around Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 364 (HMM-364), comprising CH-46E Sea Knights, CH-53E Super Stallions, UH-1Y Venoms, AH-1Z Vipers and AV-8B Harriers. In December 2012, after three months at sea, the 15th MEU conducted a night exercise – a raid into Djibouti – staged to eliminate enemy coastal defence sites. While the marines of Battalion Landing Team 3/5 transited to landing zones onboard CH46E Sea Knights and a CH-53E Super Stallion, two AH-1Z Vipers supported by three AV-8Bs simulated attacks on enemy defences, including anti-aircraft batteries and radar sites. The strikes were quickly followed by an airborne assault in which the marines were landed to clear all enemy ground positions.

THE ATTACK HELICOPTERS

ATTACK HELICOPTER SPECIFICATIONS

A129 Mangusta Armaments

Fuselage length:

12.50m (41ft)

Max speed:

275km/h (148kts)

Wing span:

3.60m (10ft 6in)

Max cruising speed:

229km/h (135kts)

Height:

3.40m (11ft 2in)

G limits:

+3.5/-0.5

Main rotor diameter:

11.90m (39ft)

Max rate of climb SL:

612m/min (2,025ft/min)

Main rotor disc:

110.2sq m (1,197sq ft)

Service ceiling:

4,725m (15,500ft)

Tail rotor diameter:

2.32m (7ft 7in)

IGE hover ceiling:

3,993m (13,100ft)

Rotors turning:

14.29m (46ft 10in)

OGE hover ceiling:

3,048m (10,000ft)

Empty weight:

2,529kg (5,575lb)

Combat radius:

561km (303nm)

Maximum TOW:

4,600kg (10,140lb)

Range internal fuel:

510km (275nm)

Max combat payload:

---

Ferry range:

1,000km (540nm)

Fuselage length:

14.15m (46ft 5in)

Max speed:

300+km/h (162+kts)

Wing span:

---

Max cruising speed:

270km/h (145kts)

Height:

3.85m (12ft 7in)

G limits:

Main rotor diameter:

13.00m (42ft 7in)

Max rate of climb SL:

Main rotor disc:

---

Service ceiling:

Tail rotor diameter:

---

IGE hover ceiling:

Rotors turning:

---

OGE hover ceiling:

Empty weight:

5,500kg (12,125lb)

Combat radius:

Maximum TOW:

7,000kg (15,432lb)

Range internal fuel:

One 23mm Type 23-2 single barrel cannon, up to 28 --90mm rockets carried 720m/min (2,362ft/min) in four 7-tube pods or up to eight KD-10 6,400m (21,000ft) laser-guided missiles loaded in two 4-tube --pods or up to eight PL-90 air-to-air --missiles carried on --two 4-round launchers or a combination. 500km (269nm)

Max combat payload:

---

Ferry range:

---

Fuselage length:

13.53m (44ft 4in)

Max speed:

310km/h (167kts)

Wing span:

7.30m (23ft 11in)

Max cruising speed:

250km/h (135kts)

Height:

4.95m (16ft 2in)

G limits:

+3.0/-1.3

Main rotor diameter:

14.50m (47ft 7in)

Max rate of climb SL:

---

Main rotor disc:

165sq m (1,777sq ft)

Service ceiling:

5,486m (18,000ft)

Tail rotor diameter:

---

Service ceiling static:

---

Rotors turning:

---

OGE hover ceiling:

3,600m (11,811ft)

Empty weight:

7,700kg (16,976lb)

Combat radius:

520km (280nm)

Maximum TOW:

10,800kg (23,810lb)

Range internal fuel:

459km (248nm)

Max combat payload:

2,500kg (5,511lb)

Ferry range:

---

One 30mm 2A42 cannon housed in an NPPU-80 turret with 460 rounds, up to eight Vikhr-1 or Ataka-M missiles in 4-round pods or up to four 9M39 Igla-V missiles loaded on twin-round Strelets launchers on the outer wing pylons or S-8 80mm and 122mm rockets carried in four 20-tube or 5-tube pods or a combination.

Fuselage length:

15.24m (50ft)

Max speed:

411km/h (222kts)

Armaments

Wing span:

4.42m (14ft 6in)

Max cruising speed:

265km/h (143kts)

Height:

4.37m (14ft 4in)

G limits:

Main rotor diameter:

14.63m (48ft)

Max rate of climb SL:

Main rotor disc:

168.1sq m (1,809sq ft)

Service ceiling:

Tail rotor diameter:

2.97m (9ft 9in)

IGE hover ceiling:

Rotors turning:

17.75m (58ft 3in)

OGE hover ceiling:

Empty weight:

5,579kg (12,300lb)

Combat radius:

Maximum TOW:

8,391kg (18,500lb)

Range internal fuel:

Max load:

2,615kg (5,764lb)

Ferry range:

One 20mm M197 three barrel cannon with 300 rounds, two optional 12.7mm machine-gun pods, or two launchers for either 2.75-inch (70mm) or 3-inch (81mm) rockets carried in 7- or 19-round pods, or up to eight TOW 2/2A anti-tank missiles or a combination.

CAIC Z-10 Armaments

Kamov Ka-52 Alligator Armaments

AH-1Z Viper One 20mm M190 three barrel cannon and turret with 750 +2.8/-0.5 rounds; all available 852m/min (2,790ft/min) Mk66 2.75-inch (70mm) rockets 6,100+m (20,000+ft) carried in 7- or 19-round pods or up 4,495m (14,740ft) to 16 AGM-114 Hellfire anti-tank missiles 915m (3,000ft) carried on M299 208km (125nm) launchers and two AIM-9 missiles carried 685km (370nm) on the fixed wing-tip station. ---

AI.07.13

67

COMMERCIAL THOMSON’S FIRST DREAMLINER

B

lue skies, fluffy white clouds and warm sunshine are a long way from Manchester’s reputation as a rainy city but they were all present on May 31 for the arrival of the first UKbased Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, G-TUIA (c/n 34422), for Thomson Airways. The conditions perfectly matched the aircraft’s summery livery and made an appropriate backdrop for a type that will soon be plying routes taking holidaymakers to warmer climes. Thomson is to receive eight 787-8s over the next two years. The aircraft, ordered back in 2004, are the first of 13 that will enter service with TUI Travel (the parent company of Thomson), with the remaining five set to be allocated to other airlines in the group. G-TUIA landed at Manchester after a ten-hour flight from Boeing’s facility at Paine Field, Everett in Washington, where the aircraft had been handed over by the manufacturer. On board was Thomson Airways Managing Director Chris Browne, who posed for photographs alongside the

pilots and cabin crew after the aircraft parked outside Terminal 2. The fine weather and the school holidays attracted hundreds of extra visitors to the airport’s viewing park.

First impressions of the 787-8 are already favourable among the pilots. “It’s got characteristics of a fighter aircraft because of the head-up display [HUD], advanced displays and active flight controls,” said Capt Murphy. “It’s very easy to fly and tries to fly smoothly before I even touch it.” Capt Kay added that the cockpit and HUD provide noticeably “greater situational awareness” compared to the Boeing 757/767, for years the backbone of Thomson’s fleet.

Fleet Arrives Thomson’s second aircraft (G-TUIB c/n 34423) arrived at Manchester the following day. The third, G-TUIC (c/n 34424), was delivered on June 14. The aircraft are currently being used for an intense period of crew training – as with any airline accepting a new aircraft type, Thomson needs to build its pilots’ and cabin crews’ competencies. Captain Stuart Kay, one of Thomson’s training captains, told AIR International: “Initially we will train the trainers. Once they’re ready we’ll start getting the line pilots trained. They will fly internal sectors initially, then some short-haul sectors to build their training.” This means the first Thomson customers to have the Dreamliner experience will be those on short-haul routes around Europe who aren’t necessarily expecting to travel on 1 the aircraft. July 8 will see the start of longhaul services with the type on routes from Manchester to Sanford, Florida, and from Glasgow to Cancun, Mexico. Thomson will expand its 787-8 network over the coming months with routes including East Midlands-Cancun and Sanford, GlasgowSanford and Gatwick-Cancun. In November flights will start from Gatwick to Puerto Plata, Mexico, and Phuket, Thailand. A fourth 787-8 will have joined the fleet by the end of 2013. For the 2014 summer season extra routes to be added will be Manchester-Punta Cana, Gatwick-Puerto Vallarte and Mauritius and Newcastle-Cancun. 2

On Board Thomson 787-8s will seat 291 passengers. Premium Economy has 47 seats (in a 2-3-2 configuration), each with a 38-inch (965mm) pitch, and Economy Club will seat 244 (in a 3-33 configuration), each with an industry-leading 33-inch (838mm) or 34-inch (863mm) pitch. With each seat is the Panasonic eX2 in-flight entertainment (IFE) system, an increasingly popular option for many airlines, which includes iPod and iPad connectivity and allows passengers to look through their holiday snaps. Thomson says its on-board product will be “revolutionised” by the 787-8’s LED mood

Thoms

Mark Broadbent reports on T

Training Internal sector training began the day after G-TUIA’s delivery when the aircraft flew from Manchester to Newquay Airport – where a number of touch-and-goes were carried out before landing and turning round for departure back to Manchester. Similar flights will be operated to Cardiff, Doncaster Sheffield, Prestwick and Shannon. Captain John Murphy, Thomson Airways’ Director of Flight Operations, told this magazine the airline will have 105 pilots trained on the aircraft by the end of this year. 3

1 Thomson Airways Managing Director Chris Browne in the cockpit of G-TUIA at Manchester. TUI Travel 2 Thomson’s 787 Premium Economy cabin. TUI Travel 3 787-8 G-TUIA taxis to the stand at Manchester’s Terminal 2 after arriving on May 31. Nik French 4 Boeing 787-8 G-TUIA, Thomson’s first 787, prepares to park at Manchester after arriving from Seattle on May 31. TUI Travel

68

AI.07.13

4

lighting system; anti-turbulence sensors to create a smoother ride; windows that are 8% larger (enabling passengers sitting in the middle of the aircraft to see the horizon) and can be dimmed; the lower air pressure (equivalent to 6,000ft/1,828m rather than the standard 8,000ft/2,438m) which creates 8% more oxygen in the cabin; and the filtration system – all features designed to reduce jetlag and make passengers feel fresher. These are features available to each 787-8 operator but Thomson believes they will make a “game-changing” difference because, unlike network carriers’ business passengers travelling between hubs, its point-to-point customers are flying as part of an exotic holiday. The airline regards the 787-8 as part of the experience and believes the on-board environment will give people a better start to their holiday. Managing Director Chris Browne opined to AIR International: “No-one will be able to touch us when it comes to long-haul holidays. It’s the combination of this aircraft with the product we offer at the customer’s holiday destination.” Underlining this message, a TV advertising campaign promoting the

Nik French

THOMSON’S FIRST DREAMLINER COMMERCIAL

Dreamliner uses the straplines “It makes flying a dream” and “Designed for you”. There’ll also be operational advantages. “Fuel is a huge percentage of our cost base,” said Browne. “This aircraft burns 20% less fuel so it’s better for the environment. Fuel is around 40% of our costs so it’ll make a huge difference.” The aircraft’s 8,000nm (14,818km) range also promises new network opportunities: “We can open new destinations from regional airports. People going on holiday want to

fly from their local airport and this aircraft will allow us to do that.” She said Thomson Airways is already looking at opening new routes from regional airports to long-haul destinations that simply haven’t been efficient to open before. The airline believes this flexibility in network planning and the on-board product will help set it apart from the competition – and that blue skies above Manchester for G-TUIA’s arrival are an indication of a bright future with the Dreamliner.

msonTouchdown

orts on Thomson Airways receiving the first UK-based Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner

AI.07.13

69

MILITARY NORTHROP GRUMMAN X-47B

Embarked Unmanned& Unbelievable AIR International’s Mark Ayton spoke to Unmanned Combat Air Systems programme manager at NAVAIR, Capt Jaime Engdahl, about the historic X-47B demonstration aboard the USS George Bush

B 70

uilt in Palmdale California, flown for the first time at Edwards AFB and trucked across America to NAS

AI.07.13

Patuxent River in Maryland, the X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System Carrier Demonstrator has already had an interesting service career. At 11.18 EST

on May 14 the 32-foot (9.75m) long X-47B BuNo 168064 made US Naval aviation history with a successful cat shot off the deck of USS George Bush (CVN-77).

It has been developed and built by Northrop Grumman as part of the US Navy’s Unmanned Combat Air System Carrier Demonstration programme

operations. Two X-47Bs are in operation, both designed and built for carrier operations and serve with Air Test and Evaluation Squadron

Build No

Bureau No

Maiden Flight

AV-1

BuNo 168063

February 4, 2011

AV-2

BuNo 168064

November 22, 2011

Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Timothy Walter/US Navy

(UCAS-D). The objective of the programme is to demonstrate the capabilities of the tailless, low observable X-47B into the carrier control area of

AI.07.13

71

1 Sailors aboard the USS George Bush remove the chocks from X-47B AV-2 ready for the type’s first cat shot on May 14. Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Kevin Steinberg/US Navy 2 & 3 Touch and go on the flight deck of the USS George Bush on May 17, 2013. Mass Communications Specialist 2nd Class Tony Curtis (2) and Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Timothy Walter/US Navy (3) 4 X-47B AV-2 taxies on the flight deck of USS Harry S Truman during the type’s first embarkation on December 9, 2012. Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Kristina Young/US Navy

23 (VX-23) ‘Salty Dogs’ based at NAS Patuxent River.

Envelope Expansion at Edwards AFB Despite having naval roots the X-47B started its service career at Edwards AFB in a desert location so very different from the ocean environment of a carrier. The test programme’s objective at Edwards AFB was to complete the NAVAIR (Naval Air Systems Command) airworthiness process to prove the X-47B air vehicle capable of safely flying in the US airspace system administered by the Federal Aviation Administration. NAVAIR is managing the UCAS-D programme from its headquarters at NAS Patuxent River: referred to as Pax River throughout this feature. The primary purpose of the Edwards-based testing was 1 to evaluate basic operating

72

AI.07.13

NORTHROP GRUMMAN X-47B MILITARY manually compensated for during flight. VX-23 also flew a series of test events to ensure loads on the landing gear, when lowered and retracted, and those on the air vehicle itself were within the design limits. The X-47B is a software-driven system, software integration and testing involved thousands 3 of hours of lab testing using hardware-in-the-loop test was first used during the carrier benches, simulation testing with suitability tests at Pax River. detailed models, and on-aircraft PGPS compensates for the ground tests and check-outs movement of the ship allowing Two main iterations of software the air vehicle to navigate in have been released: U4 was used reference to the carrier. for the envelope expansion flight-testing at Edwards AFB, The X-47B operates and U5 used for carrier suitability autonomously controlled by testing undertaken at NAS pre-programmed operating and Patuxent River. contingency modes all of which are extensively simulated to ensure safe functionality. During Modelling flight the air vehicle can validate and Simulation its performance against the The X-47B uses two modes computer modelling. of navigation: absolute GPS All systems engineering was and precision GPS (PGPS). All complete before the maiden flight-testing at Edwards AFB flight, using AV-1, and the was conducted using absolute VX-23 test team was able to navigation mode. Precision GPS clear the X-47B’s entire flight

envelope in 16 flights with 14 hours of flying. The plan had 49 flights and 100 hours. This was achieved because modelling and simulation results matched the actual flight results. When AV-2 was delivered to Edwards later in 2011 it performed seven flights to validate that AV-1 and AV-2 flew exactly the same way. They did. The team used the remaining 86 hours of the flight-test programme to conduct further envelope expansion including touch and goes and high sink rate landings. During the envelope expansion phase the VX-23 test team used an end-to-end

Tactical Targeting Network Technology (TTNT) TTNT is a precision location and identification network developed by the US Air Force. Its key characteristics are: • Internet Protocol-based digital network that allows users to log in to the network. • Operating with very low latency, almost real-time data flow between the ship and the air vehicle; an essential part of the tightly coupled navigation system. • Sending digital messages containing control and navigation commands back and forth, from the ship to the air vehicle. There are two TTNT units on the air vehicle and two on the ship. 2

functions during taxi, take off and landing, basic flying qualities and to conduct envelope expansion. Parameter identification flights were flown to ensure the air vehicle’s basic flight characteristics matched the computer modelling. Designed for demonstration and not fleet operations the X-47B’s envelope expansion took far less time than an aircraft like the EA-18G Growler. All systems were fitted on the air vehicle during production and tested end-to-end in the lab: a primary difference between manned and unmanned aircraft. Initial envelope expansion tests validated control and subsystem design up to 15,000ft (4,572m) and 220kts (407km/h). Lab testing and the systems engineering process had to be completed to ensure full control functionality before AV-1 could make its maiden flight. This was primarily because the air 4 vehicle’s behaviour cannot be

AI.07.13

73

MILITARY U-BIRD

1 X-47B AV-2 was lifted aboard the flight deck of the USS George Bush at Naval Base Norfolk, Virginia on May 6. The air vehicle undertook the type’s first carrier-borne cat shot eight days later. Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Kevin Steinberg/US Navy 2 Sailors attach AV-2 to catapult two on the USS George Bush. Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Timothy Walter/US Navy 3 Steam builds

up as AV-1 waits to be shot from the TC-7 catapult at Pax River on November 29, 2012. This was the first cat shot performed by an X-47B. Kelly Schindler/ Northrop Grumman 4 X-47B AV-2 on the flight deck of the USS Harry S Truman on December 11, 2012. Alan Radeck/Northrop Grumman

mission control station, all of the datalinks and the vehicle management system. Three systems were not used. First, the systems relevant to the carrier segment: air traffic control, the TTNT datalink and PGPS relative navigation. The latter two were subsequently fitted on the air vehicle and used to down link data during some of the flights made later in the flight-test programme at Edwards. It was important to down link data during flights at Edwards because PGPS is the primary means of precision navigation that would subsequently be used at Pax River and during carrier embarkation. VX-23’s team certified the data for use by the air vehicle at Pax River. Second was autonomous air-refuelling equipment: the starboard wing-mounted probe, the air force standard receptacle 1 on the top of the fuselage and the vision system. Third, the control display unit (CDU) and its arm-mounted controller, which were not installed until the air vehicles arrived at Pax River. The two systems were used for dynamic taxi trials that involved moving the X-47B around the ramp and the Pax River’s network of taxiways. At Edwards the VX23 test team used survey GPS points for taxiing the X-47B, a process known as GPS taxi.

Carrier Suitability Testing After the envelope expansion phase was complete both air vehicles were transferred to NAS Patuxent River: home of the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWC-AD), an organisation that specialises in 2 aircraft development. Pax River equipped with a TC7 steam catapult, Mk7 arresting gear, and an air traffic control simulation facility, was the obvious place for NAVAIR to conduct carrier suitability testing. NAWC-AD also has a variety of test squadrons based at Pax River. VX-23, the strike aircraft test squadron, was chosen to conduct the X-47B’s carrier suitability testing because all of the NAVAIR experts who specialise in ship integration and carrier testing systems reside in the unit. Pax River also offered ready access to warning areas off the coast of Maryland and Virginia and FAA cover for flying X-47B to and from a carrier under way 3 in the warning areas.

74

AI.07.13

4

NORTHROP GRUMMAN X-47B MILITARY

“When the catapult shot goes off the air vehicle flies away, climbs up to pattern altitude, follows the pattern all the way around, configures itself for landing, descends, lands and brakes to a stop, all autonomously ” Capt Jaime Engdahl, UCAS programme manager at NAVAIR

4

AI.07.13

75

Control Display Unit

First Taxi…First Flight…First Cat Shot For some of the early taxi testing at Pax River the test team put the air vehicle close to its point of operation, for example, roll-in testing to the arresting gear where the air vehicle gets rolling and catches the gear with the hook.

The VX-23 test team then started CDU taxi testing on the ramp, building up to more extensive taxi routes around the station’s taxiways and runways. These would involve the air vehicle starting up on the VX-23

Both images Mass Communication Specialist Timothy Walter/US Navy

Once at Pax River, AV-1 and AV-2 were initially used for electro magnetic environmental effects or e3 testing. “We spent many weeks in the chamber and in the e3 pad looking across the entire electro magnetic spectrum and the carrier environment to make sure the air vehicle would be able to function in that environment,” explained Capt Jaime Engdahl. “We did the exact electro magnetic testing on X-47B as on F/A-18 Super Hornet and the EA18G Growler. That’s really nothing unique, but we paid special attention to the data links.” Sub-testing involved physical compatibility testing to ensure the air vehicle could move around on the ground and within the airspace at Pax River and in close proximity to the Washington DC metropolitan area.

The control display unit or CDU (see photos to the right) is classed as a mission control station and had to be certified just like an aircraft’s cockpit requires certification to fly. The CDU can be likened to a mission control station on the deck operator’s arm that requires a high redundancy system to ensure the safety and control required for moving an air vehicle on a flight deck. It was certified, through the standard airworthiness certification process, to be one of the types of controller used to control the air vehicle either at a land base or during embarkation on a carrier. The CDU features controls for the throttle and the brakes, for moving the air vehicle quickly and precisely into the catapult for launch, or out of the landing area following recovery, rolling the air vehicle forward and conducting tight turns. It also has push-button controls for the engine, BIT checks, folding and unfolding the wings, and lowering and retracting the hook; any function required on the flight deck. The CDU also includes a belt pack that holds the batteries and redundant digital modems that connect in with the air vehicle. 1 Sailors move X-47B AV-2 onto an aircraft elevator aboard the USS George Bush on May 14. Within hours of this image being taken, AV-2 successfully completed the type’s first cat shot from a carrier flight deck. Mass Communication Specialist Timothy Walter/US Navy 2 Sailors assigned to the USS Harry S Truman and personnel from the UCAS integrated test team perform maintenance on AV-2. 3 AV-2 being tow in the hangar bay aboard the Bush. Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Kevin Steinberg/US Navy

1

76

AI.07.13

NORTHROP GRUMMAN X-47B MILITARY

“When the air vehicle flies it is following a precision GPS line relative to the ship and uses a specific point on the flight deck and a specific glide slope. The air vehicle flies that glide slope all the way down to touchdown. It’s a simple as that” Capt Jaime Engdahl, UCAS programme manager at NAVAIR

2

Precision Relative GPS Precision relative GPS works by having three EGIs (embedded GPS/INS) systems on the air vehicle and three on the ship Capt Engdahl explained the method: “We send data about the ship’s speed and motion across the TTNT data link to the X-47B. The air vehicle undertakes relative navigation calculations to determine a very precise position of the air vehicle in space relative to the ship itself. “When the air vehicle flies

it is essentially following a precision GPS line relative to the ship and uses a specific point on the flight deck [as a datum] and a specific glide slope. The air vehicle flies that glide path all the way down to touchdown. It’s as simple as that,” said Capt Engdahl. “It’s done using, what’s called, PGPS relative navigation mode that uses the dual redundant TTNT data link to send command and control data from

flight line and following the 3 taxiways out to the runway using GPS taxi mode, proceeding down the runway and back to the line where a deck operator would take over control using the CDU and taxi the air vehicle into its parking spot. At this stage the test team was able to refine the procedures used for mission planning, and the process to fully integrate the air vehicle into Pax River’s flight operations using the station’s runways and operating areas. It was one of the most significant aspects of the programme, being the first time that NAVAIR had established and finalised procedures to operate an air vehicle as big as the X-47B – that weighs 44,000lb (10,886kg) – from Pax River’s runways, but also to fly approaches and the pattern intermixed with

the air vehicle down to the ship, which is a really important concept for carrier ops. Other unmanned air vehicles use earth-fixed GPS coordinates to locate the runway and land on a point positioned on that runway. “That’s fairly easy to do, aircraft and UAVs do that all the time, it’s when you have the ship moving at a certain speed and you have six degrees of freedom with the ship, we have

to be able to convert the air vehicle into that same relative reference frame. It’s very complex, but impressive. VX-23 performed the very first precision relative GPS on March 2, 2013 using EGI systems located at Pax River. This was the first time that all of the systems were linked up in a relative sense. “Of course, the runway wasn’t moving but the air vehicle didn’t know that it wasn’t going to the ship.

Using a standard PGPS relative navigation solution it flew the pattern relative to the navigation solution, which it took to be at the ship.” PGPS was used to conduct all of the precision touch and goes at Pax River. The only difference between the shore-based landing test and a carrier equivalent was that the EGIs sat on the deck at Pax River and were not moving through space as they do on a carrier.

MILITARY NORTHROP GRUMMAN X-47B 1

1 AV-2 rolls down the flight deck during a touch and go aboard the USS George Bush. Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Kevin Steinberg/US Navy 2 & 3 AV-2 shoots off the edge of the flight deck during the first cat shot made by an unmanned air vehicle from a US Navy super carrier on May 14. Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Tony Curtis/US Navy 4 AV-2 passes over the flight deck following it’s first practise approach to the USS George Bush. Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Michael Smevog/US Navy

78

AI.07.13

2

2

3

4

manned aircraft. The first X-47B flight from Pax River took place on July 29, 2012, with AV-2. It was a significant event in the history of the air station. “We planned on doing three flights but the test team accomplished everything we needed to in about 32 minutes,” said Capt Engdahl. The first flight was followed by extensive preparations for the first cat launch from the TC7 catapult at Pax River. Software was changed to the U5 release, required for carrier

operator’s command and to taxi the X-47B into the catapult. • A 30-minute regression flight with the U5 software. • An initial low-speed catapult shot that rolled the air vehicle on to the runway to ensure good acceleration. • Integrate the landing signals officer into the flight process using the digitised control system. The next day [after the lowspeed cat shot] the team made the very first catapult shot with AV-1 from the TC7 at Pax River. Twelve people conducted a

think about the fact that the mission operator has already pre-programmed everything – the air vehicle flies away, climbs up to pattern altitude, follows the pattern all the way around, configures itself for landing, descends, lands and brakes to a stop, all autonomously”. That said, at any point the mission operator on the loop can command the air vehicle to perform a turn in holding, a wave off or whatever needs to be done. “It’s a very interesting thing to watch,” enthused Capt Engdahl.

air vehicle, hook it up, tow it and chain it down with no change in their operational or safety procedures. Notably, a manned aircraft such as the EA-18G Growler has approximately 3,000 requirements to meet carrier suitability, 60% were different for the X-47B. “There’s a whole bunch of things that had to be re-designed for this air vehicle to integrate with the carrier. Therefore being able to give it to the deck crew who were able to just work it, was fascinating,”

operations including catapult and arrestor functionality and PGPS relative navigation. Between July and October 2012 the test team ran thousands of simulated scenarios in the lab, covering cat launches and arrested landings before switching to U5 software. Four main things had to be undertaken to achieve the first catapult launch: • CDU integration because of the intensely manual process to respond to the flight deck

standard hook-up, using the same hand signals, procedures and safety checks as used on a carrier flight deck. “The idea being that we don’t want to break the safety chain, you don’t want to change procedures from an unmanned vehicle to a manned aircraft,” said Engdahl. The second that the catapult officer gave his salute, the air vehicle was autonomous. Capt Engdahl explained: “When the catapult shot goes off – and

USS Harry S Truman

opined Engdahl. “We also checked the CDU control by taking the X-47B around the deck, across the wires up to and into the catapult.” Truman’s deck crew handled the X-47B on the hangar deck and elevator. They hooked up the fuel hoses, undertook fuelling, ran the engines, hooked up the tractors and tow gear and moved it to different spots on the flight deck to check the electro magnetic environment of

While AV-1 was completing the U5 software transition at Pax River, AV-2 was loaded onto a barge and transported to Norfolk NB to be hoisted aboard the flight deck of USS Harry S Truman (CVN-75). It was the first time an X-47B had been on a carrier flight deck, and yet a crew of deck handlers assigned to the Truman – with no X-47B specific training – were able to pull the tractor up to the

AI.07.13

79

the carrier matched the testing at Pax River.

Carrier Segment One aspect of the X-47B programme, known as the carrier segment, involved aviation/ship integration part of which was providing distributed control of the air vehicle between different shipboard controllers: • The mission operator in the mission control centre. • The landing signals officer (LSO) on the LSO platform. • The air traffic controllers in the CATCC. • The air boss in the primary flight control bridge. Digital messages instead of verbal instructions from shipboard controllers are used to control the unmanned air vehicle. In response to a digital command and control message, the X-47B software confirms, complies and responds with a digital ‘wilco’ signal. Each type of controller uses a different system to send the digital message. A mission operator uses the control station, an LSO a standard pickle switch, air traffic controllers their radar console and the air boss a touchscreen. The UCAS-D concept requires the X-47B to operate autonomously inside the carrier control area, including checking in with the marshal controller to receive instructions in the same way as a manned aircraft. To achieve that, the X-47B joins the pattern at the required altitude, and flies an approach at a planned time by simply reacting to a specific command.

80

AI.07.13

A mission operator flies the air vehicle, but control is also available for the LSO. His commands are digitally connected into the system giving him direct command of the air vehicle, using a standard pickle switch, to either clear the X-47B to land or wave off. Capt Engdahl explained: “At any time during the approach he can hit the wave off switch, instantly sending a digital message to the air vehicle, which will autonomously wave off and turn down wind for another approach. It needs positive confirmation that it’s cleared to land, so if no signal is received, it goes into a wave off situation and flies around.” Interestingly, the X-47B is a brand new, tailless air frame with a completely different shape and dynamics; an unmanned system, it also includes the network, the mission control element and the controllers operating the air vehicle. Yet much of the test concept used for the X-47B build-up was standard NAVAIR shore-based technique to get the air vehicle ready to go to the carrier. “It is the first time that we have tested autonomous systems while doing carrier suitability testing,” affirmed Capt Engdahl.

USS George Bush – the first Carrier-borne Cat Shot VX-23’s test team undertook a second series of catapult shots after the detachment aboard the USS Harry S Truman to complete exactly the same build-up

Flight deck crew assigned to the USS George Bush watch X-47B AV-2 over fly the ship following a practise approach on May 14. Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Timothy Walter/US Navy

process followed by NAVAIR for a manned aircraft. It involved successive increases in speed and g to measure launch bar loads and to ensure that the air vehicle could handle the g loads. “We then completed some off-centre work which involves positioning the aircraft slightly offset from the catapult, and launching it to check for issues with offset loads. To completely clear the envelope the team completed five cat shots with AV-1 and one, a standard shake, rattle and roll test, with AV-2. It’s notable that the Pax River cat shots were more severe than the one on the USS George Bush, to test the air vehicle to limits beyond what it would encounter on the ship and thereby avoid any operating issues. From January 2013, X-47B ground operations were all carried out by a deck operator using a CDU to familiarise everyone with its concept of operations. The air vehicles were taxied around in close quarters to other aircraft without the use of GPS coordinates or a chase vehicle.

Capt Engdahl described the build-up as “very low risk” emphasising the focus placed upon it and how it was used as the start of the build-up to the detachment aboard USS George Bush. The carrier was fitted with the TTNT data link and equipment to feed the navigation information up to the air vehicle, wiring to connect the network on the ship and a series of test conductors. Installation took about six weeks. All deck handling aboard the USS George Bush was performed by the ship’s own flight deck crew with no special training other than air vehicle familiarisation. Deck operators for the historical event were Northrop Grumman employees and former navy tactical jet pilots, Dave Lorenz and Bruce McFadden (see CDU photos). “They taxied the air vehicle up to the catapult using a CDU, lowered the launch bar, put

NORTHROP GRUMMAN X-47B MILITARY it into tension and boom… it was off the front and flew away beautifully,” recalled Capt Engdahl. Planned for launch at 11.00AM EST, the X-47B was airborne at 11.18AM. It was programmed to climb and fly a specific route. Then a mission operator, one of two in the carrier test control centre, with full control of the air vehicle, sent it back to the ship to fly low approaches “We wanted to do a handful of approaches to check the controls and gather data to check the accuracy of the precision relative navigation. “On the first approach the LSO did nothing, allowing the test team to check what happened if nobody cleared the air vehicle to land. When it received ‘no clearance to land’, it waved off, flew along the flight deck and turned down wind for a second approach. This was used to check that the ‘clear to land’ functionality worked. Approach three was designed to clear the air vehicle to land. It came within about 50 feet of the deck before it was manually waved off and departed. It was the first time that we encountered deck motion.” But what about the control and stability of the air vehicle flying around the carrier, how did it perform faced with the motion of the ship and the winds? “Very, very stable, even through the ship’s wake,” replied Capt Engdahl, “One of the unique things about the X-47B: you always know where it’s going to be, because

it always flies the same closed loop approach to touchdown.” Capt Engdahl recalled a conversation with the flight deck handler and boatswain’s mate who marshalled the air vehicle around. He asked them what they thought could be improved for them on the X-47B, they looked at him and replied: “It’s working pretty well – don’t change anything.”

Back on the Bush VX-23 flew the air vehicle back out to the Bush two days later and performed seven touch and goes in a row. After each touchdown the X-47B climbed out and joined the pattern, flew downwind, turned on to final approach, flew very, very stable approaches, touched down in essentially the same spot on the carrier deck, rolled down the centre line, rotated and climbed out for the next pattern and approach. There was a very good reason for doing this: for any aircraft, but specifically the X-47B, precision landing and PGPS relative navigation are key requirements enabled by the very latest technologies. Engdahl explained: “The most important point is lining up the air vehicle with the flight deck for touchdown and to be able to steer it straight down the centre line and not vary while the deck is moving underneath it.” PGPS was the most important element of technology tested on the ship. “If you think about the kind of g that’s induced at touchdown, the ability to use precision relative GPS to

steer the air vehicle down the centre line is a hard technical challenge. The nose gear never left the centre line stripe,” affirmed Capt Engdahl. A process known as coordinate transformation provides the required precision for landing the air vehicle on the deck. Measured in single digits, the accuracy for landing is measured in feet, lateral movement in inches and navigation in centimetres. The system has to position the 62ft-wide (18.89m) X-47B on a 100ft-wide (33m) landing area while the ship is moving at up to 25 knots (46km/h). The PGPS system is designed to land an air vehicle in up to sea state 5, which causes significant deck motion. The sea state was calm during the test period, and because the X-47B is a demonstration programme such limits were not in the plan. The system handled sea state 5 very well in the simulation already undertaken, according to Capt Engdahl.

Bolter Logic Another critical aspect of operating a UAV from a carrier is the ability for the air vehicle to conduct a ‘bolter’ – the colloquial term for when an aircraft misses the wires and flies off the deck for another approach. UAVs like the MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper do not perform touch and goes – unlike a manned aircraft they serve no training purpose. The challenge of the X-47B demonstration was to test bolter logic should the air vehicle miss the wire and roll

down the flight deck. During March and April VX-23 conducted a lot of touch and goes at Pax River to determine where the hook touchdown point was on the deck. This was followed by hard high sink rate arrested landings, but because of weather just one trap was made at Pax River on May 4 before getting under way aboard the carrier. In 90 days of testing during February, March and April VX23 carried out 48 flights with the two air vehicles (AV-1 and AV-2), performed 140 carrier approaches to the Pax River runway and 60 touch and goes.

What Next With everything on the demonstration complete, but just one arrested landing, the only major accomplishment yet to be made is a trap onboard a carrier. VX-23 is currently working through a series of arrested landings at Pax River as part of its build-up to a carrier trap with the X-47B. These will involve determination of the structural loads on the tail hook to complete the clearance procedure. Once these are complete the test team will be ready to go to the carrier. When asked to sum up the demonstration to date Capt Engdahl was emphatic: “The most significant thing about the demonstration was we just didn’t find anything that was worthy of fixing. This is showing us that unmanned carrier aviation is not only possible, but it is relatively straight forward.”

Jorgen Syversen/AirTeamImages

AI.07.13

82

NORWEGIAN COMMERCIAL

From Norway to the World

Europe’s third largest low-cost carrier, Norwegian, is entering the long-haul business with Boeing 787s. Andreas Spaeth reports

N

orway has its very own Michael O’Leary. Although at 67 years of age he’s older than the boss of Ryanair, Björn Kjos – Chief Executive of Norwegian – is as dynamic a symbol of how to make flying affordable for everybody as his Irish counterpart. During the Cold War, Kjos served for eight years as a fighter pilot in the Royal Norwegian Air Force, flying missions against Soviet intruders into Norwegian airspace. Afterwards he pursued a career as a lawyer but this brought him back to his aviation roots when, in 1993, he was hired to liquidate the small charter carrier Busy Bee, the former staff of which later founded a successor, Norwegian Air Shuttle (NAS). They convinced Kjos to be an investor in their new business. The carrier developed. It signed an agreement to fly services for Braathens and by 2000 the fleet had grown to seven Fokker 50s and profitably flew more than 500,000 passengers. But in November 2001 when SAS took over Braathens, NAS had to stand on its own two feet. It served its first route as an independent regional carrier, twice-daily from Stavanger to Newcastle, in January 2002. In April that year NAS announced that it would start services as a low-cost carrier (LCC) and acquired four Boeing 737-300s. That September the airline began using the brand Norwegian,

with the trademark red front part or the aircraft (although officially the company name remains Norwegian Air Shuttle).

Rapid Growth The rest is history. 300,000 passengers were carried in the first year. Rapid growth over the last decade means that Norwegian is now Europe’s third-largest LCC behind Ryanair and easyJet. The airline’s fleet of 74 Boeing 737-300s and -800s carried 17.7 million passengers in 2012. Having long outgrown Norway and even Scandinavia, it now has nine hubs across Europe, flying a total of 329 routes and 121 airports in 37 countries. Norwegian is well represented in the UK, serving 27 cities from its hub at Gatwick alone. The portfolio at the Sussex airport is split between 12 destinations in four Scandinavian countries and another 13 around the Mediterranean, some of which hadn’t been served from Gatwick before. From Rome to Faro and further to the Canary Islands, Norwegian flies in direct competition with the UK’s major charter carriers. From Manchester and Edinburgh it also serves a few Scandinavian cities and from Liverpool it serves Copenhagen. In Scandinavia, the airline is number two behind SAS, within Europe it ranks tenth overall, and worldwide it’s in the top ten of the biggest LCCs. How has this success

been achieved by the airline of a country with less than five million inhabitants, on the northern edge of Europe? “You have to think globally and act globally,” opines Björn Kjos. “You can have your headquarters in Scandinavia, but you have to have people on the ground locally.”

Strategy To underscore his point, Kjos presents a chart illustrating the cost disadvantages of Scandinavia: “In Norway, the average monthly income is around €5,000 (in the US or Singapore it is half that, in Thailand a tenth) and salaries are the biggest cost after fuel.” That’s why Norwegian prefers to outsource as much of the airline’s staff as possible and prefers to employ Spaniards, Brits or Asians than Norwegians. “We will never be able to compete with Ryanair on cost, because we serve main airports,” said Kjos. “Our strategy is to offer high frequencies between the main airports, particularly in Scandinavia.” Bread-and-butter runs are the routes from the capital Oslo to Bergen, Stavanger and Trondheim, each of which is served between 12 and 14 times a day. Because of its deep fjords, high mountains and great road distances, Norway is an ideal home market for air travel. “This is still where the majority of our passengers originate from, but we have evolved more into a Nordic carrier,”

AI.07.13

83

COMMERCIAL NORWEGIAN

Norwegian Air Shuttle IATA code: DY ICAO code: NAX Ownership: 65% private investors, listed on the Oslo stock exchange; 35% companies owned by Björn Kjos Operations started: January 22, 1993 Employees: Approximately 2,600 Passengers carried: 2010 – 13 million, 2011 – 15.7 million, 2012 – 17.7 million Fleet: 10 Boeing 737-300s, 65 Boeing 737-800s Orders: 35 Boeing 737-800s, 100 Boeing 737 MAX 8s, 8 Boeing 787-8s, 100 Airbus A320neos Hubs: Oslo, major bases in Stockholm, Helsinki, Copenhagen, and London Gatwick Route network: 329 routes serving 121 destinations in 37 countries, including 25 cities in Scandinavia and Southern Europe from London Gatwick Profit: 2010 €32.6 million, 2011 €16.3 million, 2012 €61.3 million www.norwegian.com

84

AI.07.13

1 Norwegian’s very distinctive aircraft colour scheme is clearly shown in this shot of Boeing 737-800 LN-DYV (c/n 39009) seen at Salzburg international airport. Michael Priesch/AirTeamImages 2 De-icing of a Norweigian Boeing 737-300 at Oslo International Airport. Jorgen Syversen/AirTeamImages 1 2

NORWEGIAN COMMERCIAL

Travel Experience Norwegian differs from typical low-cost operators in other parts of its service. Checking-in bags and reserved seats do not cost extra and it’s the only European airline to date that offers free WiFi internet access on board – a spin-off from data transfer between cockpit and ground. However, there is a charge for food and snacks. Norwegian has a simple fare structure with two prices, a flexible ticket and a cheap offer. A seat with extra legroom, however, can sometimes cost two to three times as much as the cheapest fare. “It all boils down to saving costs,” says Kjos, “and not to the question if we call ourselves ‘low-cost carrier’ or ‘legacy carrier’.” Sande adds: “You can fly Norwegian for the cheapest fare and we allow you to bypass all extra fees, that’s where we resemble network carriers, we are no longer a hybrid.”

Big Orders

says Lars Sande, Norwegian’s director of sales, in an interview with AIR International in the airline’s Oslo headquarters, a glass building called “Diamanten” (The Diamond), the former head office of Braathens. “In Sweden you have double the amount of people, but we Norwegians fly double as much, once a month on average.”

Regional Power From Sandefjord in the south up to Kirkenes in Lapland and Longyearbyen on Spitzbergen in the Arctic, Norwegian serves 18 airports in its home country. “There are not many more routes we could serve within Norway with the Boeing 737,” says Sande, “but in the other Scandinavian countries like Denmark, Sweden and Finland, the growth potential is still huge.” In 2013 Norwegian aims to increase its offering by 25%. “We want to become a global player, opening two or three new bases a year for the next few years, within and outside of Europe,” Kjos says.

Norwegian already enjoys a strong position in all neighbouring countries, with own bases in Stockholm (19% market share), Helsinki (10%) and Copenhagen (15%). In 2007 Norwegian took over Swedish airline FlyNordic from Finnair, which in turn received 5% of shares in Norwegian. In Denmark, meanwhile, the airline gained from the bankruptcies of Sterling and Cimber Air. It now operates domestic services in all Scandinavian countries as well as European routes and flights to the Canary Islands. In the mornings and evenings it typically serves business travel destinations, while during the day tourist routes are the focus. Each Boeing 737 is used up to 13 flight hours a day. In contrast to typical LCC strategy, Norwegian aims for transfer passengers within its own network, for intra-Scandinavian as well as international connections. “We guarantee the connections the same way Lufthansa does and even pay for a hotel room if necessary,” Sande says.

Norwegian, which arguably wasn’t widely known in the aviation industry by experts outside Europe, produced worldwide headlines in January 2012 when it ordered 222 aircraft comprising 22 Boeing 737-800s and 100 737 MAX 8s (plus options for 50 more) as well as 100 Airbus A320neos. “It would have been riskier not to order new aircraft, because airlines with older fleets are no longer able to compete at today’s fuel prices,” says Kjos of the deals. It is his strategy to completely roll over the fleet every six to eight years, before the first heavy maintenance is due. The current average fleet age is just 4.8 years. At the same time, Kjos wanted to occupy a major chunk of delivery slots with his mega order, to outdo the competition. “They now have to wait at least until 2020 before they can get new jets,” he grins. “It is better to order too many aircraft. When I realise I have too many aircraft, I just lease them out to other airlines.” Apparently, Norwegian was given a unique opportunity. “Airbus and Boeing made very good offers that you only get once in a lifetime,” sales chief Lars Sande adds. “The first new Airbus jets will arrive in 2015, the 737 MAXs from 2017, and we will be assigning the different types to different bases.”

Long-Haul Norwegian already has experience operating routes beyond Europe, flying holidaymakers to the Canary Islands and operating scheduled services from Scandinavia to Dubai. “From Oslo to Dubai the distance is 5,140 kilometres, the second-longest scheduled route for the 737-800 worldwide,” says Captain Torstein Hoås, former 737 chief pilot at Norwegian and now director of flight operations for the upcoming long-haul routes. Dubai is served three times a week from Oslo and Stockholm and once weekly from Copenhagen, with the flight time a little over six hours. “We have doubled the traffic between Scandinavia and Dubai after taking up the flights,” says Kjos. “There are also many business travellers flying with us who hate to change planes in Frankfurt or London.”

AI.07.13

85

1 2

86

NORWEGIAN COMMERCIAL Operationally flying to Dubai is a challenge for the 737-800, which has a range of just 4,400 kilometres fully loaded. “The return flight Dubai-Oslo is a challenge particularly in winter,” Hoås reveals. The airline can’t sell all 189 seats on board; in fact the maximum passenger number is 160 outbound from Oslo and only 150 on the return. Similarly, on the equally long route from Tromsö to Las Palmas (5,135 kilometres), on the return journey there is a weight penalty of 19 passenger seats.

Dreamliner

1 Norwegian has 65 Boeing 737800s in its fleet. Jorgen Syversen/ AirTeamImages 2 Boeing 737-800 LN-NGJ (c/n 39021) is one of the most recent to be delivered to Norwegian. Jan Ostrowski/ AirTeamImages 3 Cabin of a Norwegian Boeing 737-800. Europix/AirTeamImages

3

June would not happen on time. Therefore, Norwegian wet-leased two three-class Airbus A340-300s from Portuguese carrier Hi Fly, which had formerly flown for Singapore Airlines and Emirates. Norwegian’s own 787s will have 290 seats, 32 of which are in Premium Economy Class with 46 inches (116 cm) pitch and a 2-3-2 configuration in each row. “We will operate the 787s under a different AOC as Norwegian Long Haul AS, a 100% Norwegian-owned subsidiary, to mitigate the risk,” explains Hoås.

a long time, that’s why this kind of in-house training is essential for the kind of expansion we are planning.”In early 2013 Norwegian employed nine captains, nine first officers and five relief captains – barely enough for five 787s. “But we are still hiring, because in the future we will definitely operate more than the eight long-haul aircraft we have ordered,” Hoås stated. After the three 787s hopefully arrive this year, a further four are due in 2014, with the last of the current batch scheduled for 2015. According to preliminary plans, there is a need for more in the 2018-2019 timeframe. Cockpit crews, like their cabin colleagues, are stationed at all Norwegian bases including Bangkok, but all pilots need to be EASAlicensed. However, in contrast to all current Norwegian crews, a Norwegian working permit that is necessary to work on aircraft registered in the country, is not mandatory. “That’s why we will register the 787 fleet in Sweden,” Hoås revealed. A good reason, maybe, to display more Swedish legends on the tail fins of the airline’s aircraft. Since 2002 Norwegian has pursued the unique strategy of adorning the vertical stabilisers with portraits of deceased personalities from literature, science, arts and other fields of excellence. Originally only Norwegian heroes featured, but since Norwegian positions itself as a Nordic carrier, Danes, Swedes and Finns have been admitted to the exclusive club with famous faces from other nationalities remaining a small minority. “We are even holding public competitions to collect more suggestions,” Sande explains. “We need the approval of the families of the personalities, in 99% of the cases they say yes. Only the descendants of a Norwegian rock musician have rejected the request so far.”

Long-Haul Future Thanks to the 787 and its 20% lower operating costs, Björn Kjos believes it is finally possible to operate economical long-haul flights as a LCC. “Today, long-haul flying is much too expensive, and we are doing something about it,” he states. “When we opened the ticket sales, our website crashed, many flights in the first few weeks sold out quickly.” After air traffic regulation is further liberalised, the airline boss envisages massive traffic flows from Asia to Europe. “Our main competitors then will be Air Asia X, Scoot and Jetstar as well as Cebu Pacific, which will start [low-cost] long-haul flights by the end of 2013,” Kjos explains. “Long-haul lowcost flights will revolutionise the long-haul market.” He eventually wants to set up his own Asian airline. Sales director Sande says: “Starting up long-haul is a big step for us onto a new playing field, it’s very exciting.” His focus for these flights clearly lies on the holiday market – Norwegian will feed passengers from its own Nordic routes onto its long-haul flights. Hoås elaborates: “That’s what we have done for a long time with our Dubai flights,” he explains. “We will be utilising the 787 fleet 15 hours a day at first, later for 17 hours.” There will be three pilots on board – a captain, a relief captain and a first officer. The relief captains, from within Norwegian as well as from other airlines, will have to be narrowbody captains and will be trained by Norwegian as 787 captains. “Take offs and landings will then often be done from the right-hand seat,” says Hoås. The 787 captains need to be experienced on widebodies. “Long-haul pilot training takes

Jorgen Syversen/AirTeamImages

But the real focus at Norwegian at the moment is on the opening of an important new chapter in the carrier’s history: the start in the summer of its first non-stop longhaul flights from Scandinavia to Bangkok and New York-JFK and, from November, to Fort Lauderdale. For this, Norwegian has ordered eight Boeing 787s. Three have been purchased directly, the other five through leasing company ILFC. Three 787s were supposed to arrive by early summer to start services on May 30 from Oslo and Stockholm to JFK, initially twice weekly, then three times a week, followed on June 23 by flights to Bangkok from Oslo (three a week) and Stockholm (twice weekly). But after the Dreamliner’s grounding in January, it soon became clear that the first two deliveries of 787s planned for April and

AI.07.13

87

D V D E R O R E A E Y 2 R A T U F EO CHO FROM OSE T DVDSWO

CHOOSE FR

K A O T T U N O O Y I T N WHE EBIT SUBSCRIP D T C E R I D OM

in their hter jets tunning g fi e g d utting-e n of 5 s Witness c ith this collectio ed filmmaker w t elemen lms from renown collection aviation fi arlet. This ‘best of’ menal camera Lionel Ch s Charlet’s pheno ue look at iq e showcas e the viewer a un and F-18 in le iv fa g a R to , ge work ding Mira e Swiss Alps. lu c in ft th ra tes. of airc c setting ing time 115 minu ti a m ra d the D, Runn TH Region-free DV R O W .99 £19 Ethiopian mliner of jetliner a re D 7 8 ard the 7 w Boeing Go on bo fly this brand ne e capital of the th nd Airlines a heart of Africa to -depth filming e ! th C n D In from , from Washingtoboard experience and , s te ta S d s n e s it o la n ll C U siness u the fu TH brings yo crew servicing Bu commands of WOR .49 4 the cabin the step-by-step start to finish. £1 , from Class to s. Economy the cockpit crew time 120 minute nning e DVD Ru re -f n io g Re

Image: Ilias Diakoumakos

3 EASY WAYS TO ORDER...THIS FANTASTIC SUBSCRIPTION OFFER!

ONLINE www.airinternational.com

397 AI Subs.indd 88

PHONE UK 01780 480404 OVERSEAS +44 1780 480404

FAX UK 01780 757812 OVERSEAS +44 1780 757812

POST COMPLETE THE FORM AND POST TO:

AIR INTERNATIONAL, KEY PUBLISHING LTD, PO BOX 300, STAMFORD, LINCS, PE9 1NA, UNITED KINGDOM 12/06/2013 16:56

MAKE HUGE SAVINGS

when you pay by easy Direct Debit – just £9.99 every quarter PLUS FREE DVD!

 YES, I would like to subscribe to PAYER’S DETAILS Title First name ........................... Surname .................................... Address ..................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................... Postcode ......................... Country .......................................................... Email address .......................................................................................... Please complete to receive news updates and offers from us by email.

DELIVERY DETAILS

(IF DIFFERENT)

Title First name ........................... Surname .................................... Address ..................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................... Postcode ......................... Country .......................................................... Email address ..........................................................................................

M A G A Z I N E S*

5 FREE WITH EVERY

Please send gift card 

Please send gift  Flying DVD  Ethiopian 787 DVD

SPECIAL OFFER (PLEASE TICK)

2 Y E A R S U B S C R I P T I O N

2 FREE WITH EVERY

1 YEAR SUBSCRIPTION

12 FOR THE PRICE OF 10

24 ISSUES FOR THE PRICE OF 19 PLUS FREE DVD

UK

12 issues

 £45.00

24 issues

 £84.99

Europe

12 issues

 €66.00

24 issues

 €121.00

USA

12 issues

 $75.00

24 issues

 $137.50

12 issues

 £55.00

24 issues

 £99.99

Rest of the World

PAYMENT DETAILS I enclose a cheque for £/$ ................................. made payable to Key Publishing Ltd Please debit my Mastercard  Visa  Maestro (UK Mainland only)  for £ / € / $ ........................

Issue number Expiry date (Maestro Only)

OFFER CLOSE DATE: 31 JULY 2013 PLEASE QUOTE: AI0713

Signature ........................................................... Today’s date ............. ...................................................

INSTRUCTION TO YOUR BANK OR BUILDING SOCIETY TO PAY BY DIRECT DEBIT Please fill in the form in ballpoint pen and send to: Key Publishing Ltd, PO Box 300, Stamford, Lincolnshire, PE9 1NA, United Kingdom Name and full postal address of your Bank or Building Society To: The Manager

Bank/Building Society

Originator’s Identification Number

6 5

8

9

6

0

Reference Number

Address

Instruction to your Bank or Building Society Postcode

READERS IN THE USA MAY PLACE ORDERS BY: TELEPHONE TOLL-FREE: 800-676-4049

Date

Banks and Building Societies may not accept Direct Debit Instructions for some types of account

ALTERNATIVELY, ORDER ONLINE: www.imsnews.com/airinternational

QUOTING/ENTERING CODE: AI0713 Image: Evert Keijzer

• This guarantee is offered by all banks and building societies that accept instructions to pay Direct Debits. • If you receive a refund you are not entitled to, you must pay it back when Key Publishing Ltd asks you to. • If an error is made in the payment of your Direct Debit by Key Publishing Ltd or your bank or building society you are entitled to a full and immediate refund of the amount paid from your bank or building society.

✂

The Direct Debit Guarantee This guarantee should be detached and retained by the Payer

WRITE TO: AIR International, 3330 Pacific Ave, Ste 500, Virginia Beach, VA 23451-9828

397 AI Subs.indd 89

Signature(s) Bank/Building Society account number

Branch Sort Code

OR FAX: 757-428-6253

397/13

Name(s) of the Account Holder(s)

Please pay Key Publishing Ltd Direct Debits from the account detailed in this instruction subject to the safeguards assured by the Direct Debit Guarantee. I understand that this Instruction may remain with Key Publishing Ltd and, if so, details will be passed electronically to my Bank/Building Society

• If there are any changes to the amount, date or frequency of your Direct Debit Key Publishing Ltd will notify you 10 working days in advance of your account being debited or as otherwise agreed. If you request Key Publishing Ltd to collect a payment, confirmation of the amount and date will be given to you at the time of the request.• If you receive a refund you are not entitled to, you must pay it back when Key Publishing Ltd asks you to. • You can cancel a Direct Debit at any time by simply contacting your bank or building society. Written confirmation may be required. Please also notify us.

Direct Debit UK only. If paying by Direct Debit please send in form. Please allow 28 days for gift delivery. Payments are accepted by Direct Debit, cheque, Postal Order, Credit Card and US Dollar check. Payments by credit or debit card will be shown on your statement as Key Publishing Ltd. Key Publishing will hold your details to process and fulfil your subscription order. Occasionally we may wish to contact you to notify you of special offers on products or events. If you do not wish to receive this information please tick here  or mention when calling. Gift subject to change. Any alternative gift will be of equal or higher value. *Free magazines refer to saving compared to individual shop price. Please note: Free gift is only available on Direct Debit with a minimum 2 year subscription. Should you cancel your subscription earlier then an invoice will be raised for the full price of the gift. 12/06/2013 16:57

TECHNOLOGY PRATT & WHITNEY MILITARY ENGINES

P

ratt & Whitney’s (P&W) Military Engines business is in transition, according to company president Dave Hess. His comment came at the Florida Everglades engine test facility of the global aerospace manufacture during its recent annual media day. Although the number of P&W military turbofan engines in service rose from around 4,700 in 2000 to about 5,200 a decade

90

AI.07.13

later, production on three of the company’s major engine lines is winding down. In January, P&W delivered the 507th and last F119 engine for the Lockheed F-22 Raptor. Meanwhile, the potential end of production of its hugely successful F100 fighter engine is now in sight. Production of the F117 – the PW2040 commercial turbofan, militarised to power the Boeing C-17 – is also set to finish at about the same time. Pratt & Whitney is optimistic that

production of the latter two engines may continue beyond currently foreseen production end dates. New customers are likely to emerge for the aircraft they power and (in the F100’s case) the engine may prove attractive for powering large unmanned aerial vehicles. But, recognising that it is in transition as production gradually switches over to programmes such as the F135 for the F-35 Lightning II and the PW4062 for the Boeing

As manufacture of Pratt & Whitney’s legacy military engine models tails off, the company is ramping up production of new engines and developing the next generation of powerplants for military aircraft. Chris Kjelgaard reports

Raptor and the F119 Bennett Croswell, president of P&W Military Engines, confirms F119 production has discontinued. Much of the tooling will stay in place to allow spare parts production to continue, “but that tooling which is not going to be used is being stored with F-22 tooling,” to be available should the US ever decide to re-launch F-22 production. “For the F119, our focus is on the

aftermarket and sustainment of the engine – doing what we can to improve the time on wing to reduce unscheduled engine removals,” says Croswell. “We do that through our Component Improvement Program.” The F119’s service introduction has been the best ever of any US Air Force fighter engine, he says: “We’re very focused on maintaining that great record and doing what we can to develop things that will drive down cost per flying hour.”

AI.07.13

Lockheed Martin

KC-46A tanker, P&W is also looking well beyond these large runs to the longer-term future. It estimates that by 2020 some 5,900 of its military engines will be in service and P&W Military Engines’ sales – which represent about 30% of its total business – will grow along with the number of engines. P&W generated $14 billion of revenues in 2012 and is likely to reach a little under $15 billion this year. By 2024, the company expects total sales to be in the $24-25 billion range.

91

TECHNOLOGY PRATT & WHITNEY MILITARY ENGINES increases F100-229 time between overhauls from 4,300 total accumulated cycles to 6,000 – cutting out the need for one depot overhaul out of three.

Unmanned Prospects Unmanned aerial vehicles such as the US Navy’s Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) represent an area of growing interest to P&W for sales of F100s and other jet engines. The Northrop Grumman X-47B UCAS demonstrator, (see Embarked, Unmanned and Unbelievable p68) powered by an F100-220, performed the first arrested landing by an unmanned 1 aircraft, at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland on May 7 and the first catapult launch from a US Navy super carrier – USS George H W Bush – on May 14. “If you look at a lot of these programmes, they’re not going to buy 3,000 vehicles,” says Croswell. “So people are looking for off-the-

P&W has five F119s it calls ‘Compass Vector’ engines that it runs both in the field and on test stands and which accumulate operating time much faster than any other F119s. It uses the Compass Vector engines to provide advance notice of any issues – such as wear modes. In partnership with the US Air Force, P&W also runs the F119 Heavy Maintenance Center at Tinker AFB in Oklahoma City where the company already has a similar centre for the F117 and is currently standing up a third for the F135.

Globemaster Motors

2

shelf, existing capability [adaptable for new applications]. He cites the General Atomics Predator C – its first jet-powered UAV – as “another great example” that uses a PW545 made by Pratt & Whitney Canada. Croswell’s organisation works with airframers to introduce P&WC products to them. He explains: “If they’re interested and want to pursue it further, they get the proper licences so they can work directly with Canada.” By working on P&WC’s behalf, he notes, P&W Military Engines is again “taking

In April, P&W completed delivery of all installed F117 engines for the 223 C-17s built for the US Air Force. While production of spare engines continues, future F117 production will largely rely on 1 Production of the F119 engine, powerplant of the F-22 Raptor, has discontinued and Pratt & Whitney the C-17 winning additional orders from is now providing the US Air Force with aftermarket and sustainment support. US Air Force 2 The US overseas. India is the latest customer, with a Marine Corps’ F-35B variant of the Joint Strike Fighter is powered by the P&W F135 engine and Rolls10-aircraft requirement, but Croswell says the Royce lift fan. Pratt & Whitney 3 Future F117 production will largely rely on the C-17A Globemaster F117 will go out of production “around the winning additional orders from overseas. US Air Force 4 The US Air Force selected P&W’s off-the-shelf 2015 timeframe” if the C-17 does not win PW4062 large turbofan for the future KC-46A tanker. Pratt & Whitney 5 A selection of shots showing various Pratt & Whitney fighter aircraft engines under test (this shot features an F135 for the F-35A new orders. “But there are other customers variant of the Joint Strike Fighter) 6 the F100 powerplant used by the F-16 Fighting Falcon 7 a second who remain interested in the C-17 and it’s shot of an F135 engine 8 and the F-22 Raptor’s thrust vectoring F119. All images Pratt & Whitney such a capable system I think we’ll find other countries that will want to buy it,” he 3 remarks.

The F100 Croswell says P&W expects to produce 24 F100 engines for new F-16s for the Egyptian Air Force this year. Iraq is the next confirmed F100 customer for its 18 F-16IQs. Today’s Pratt & Whitney-powered F-16s feature the F100-PW-229, an engine which provides 29,160lb (129.7kN) of thrust. Admitting there are few further opportunities for F100 sales, Croswell says that going by confirmed sales won: “The F100 will go out of production in about 2015.” “I think operators of the F100 are starting to realise this [fact].” One is Singapore, which in April ordered seven additional F100-229s for its F-16s. These F100s feature P&W’s Engine Enhancement Package, which

92

AI.07.13

an off-the-shelf engine and applying it for a different application”.

F135 P&W Military Engines’ biggest current production programme is the F135. While F135 production will ramp up sharply by 2020, Croswell admits the lower-thanexpected rate of F-35 Lightning II acquisition to date has created “a challenge” for management of infrastructure it has already put in place. “If you looked back to 2009 … at the JSF programme of record, Pratt & Whitney would have been expected to produce 88 engines this year.” Instead, it is producing 51 (having delivered

46A development programme. These are being produced for the EMD (engineering manufacturing and development) phase of the new tanker. Considering that, over the service life of the F117 (it has been in service since 1993), P&W has increased its time on wing by a factor of seven even though the Boeing C-17 operates in very harsh environments, Croswell expects KC-46 PW4062s to be on wing “forever”. The [KC-46] tanker “is going to fly like an airliner, [but] only [for] a fraction of the time an airliner flies,” he notes. Today, PW4062s flying on commercial widebodies, which rack up over 4,000 hours of flying time a year, are remaining on wing for as long as 10 years.

5 6

The HPW3000 A key Pratt & Whitney development project effort is the HPW3000, a joint-venture helicopter engine under development with Honeywell. This turboshaft engine, designed as a drop-in replacement for the single-spool GE T700s powering US Army Sikorsky 87 through Blackhawks and Boeing AH-64 Apaches, the end of 2012) has a two-spool core featuring an axiand production is “essentially flat until centrifugal compressor. The low-pressure 2016,” says Croswell. F135 production compressor has axial airflow, while the should rise to about 70 engines in 2016 and high-pressure compressor has centrifugal then increase to approximately 240 engines airflow (like the rear compressor stage in annually by 2020. the T55 powering the CH-47 Chinook), For now, P&W is focusing on driving to allow sufficient air compression in a down F135 unit cost. To date P&W small space. The HPW3000’s two-spool has invested $60 million in research gas generator allows the low and the and development aimed at reducing high spool each to rotate at their optimal engine cost and increasing reliability and speeds, says Croswell. durability. The company has committed to The first HPW3000 is now under test at reducing F135 unit cost by 55% and 45% Honeywell, which manufactures the engine’s respectively for F-35A and F-35B engines high-pressure compressor, combustor and by the 250th example of each. So far high-pressure turbine. P&W is responsible P&W appears to be exactly on track on the for the low-pressure compressor and downward cost curve. “We’ve taken about low-pressure turbine (known as the power 40% out of the cost of the turbine), which drives the low spool and the F135 since we started power shaft going to the transmission this initiative in 2009,” gearbox for the rotor blades. 7 says Croswell. “Just Croswell says the in the last two years HPW3000’s 8 we’ve taken about programme goals $3 million out of the are “pretty cost of the engine. aggressive” – a But we’ve got to 25% improvement continue to provide in fuel burn and a year-over-year price 60% improvement reduction to our in horsepower-tocustomer.” weight ratio compared with the T700, while being dimensionally the same size. The The PW4062 US Army is due to issue a request for 4 Pratt & Whitney’s other proposal this year and to select the T700 major forthcoming programme involves replacement by late 2014. Should the an off-the-shelf commercial large turbofan HPW3000 be picked, sales could number in – the PW4062. The US Air Force selected the thousands. Much depends on whether the PW4062 for the 179 Boeing KCthe US Army chooses to use the new engine 46A tankers it is buying and P&W will only to power new-production aircraft or – manufacture 368 of the engines – the considering its drop-in compatibility – use programme total complete with 10 spares. the HPW3000 to also replace all T700s in The company will deliver its first PW4062s existing UH-60s and AH-64s as they to Boeing later this year for use in the KCcome in for depot overhauls.

AI.07.13

93

MILITARY FRENCH AIR FORCE RECCE MEET

French Recce Meet All images Jan Kraak

Jan Kraak reports on the Armée de l’Air’s recent Recce Meet 2013 at Mont-de-Marsan

A

three-day recce meet was staged recently by the Armée de l’Air (AdlA, French Air Force) in the south-west of France with participating crew flying a variety of different missions. Besides the two resident AdlA

squadrons, EC 2/30 ‘NormandieNiemen’ with Rafales, and ER 2/33 ‘Savoie’ with Mirage F1CRs, the AdlA and Aéronavale (French Naval Aviation) participated with Rafales at the BA118 Mont-de-Marsan exercise. The visiting AdlA squadrons were EC 1/7 ‘Provence’ and EC 1/91

‘Gascogne’ from BA113 Saint Dizier, while the Aéronavale operated two Rafales out of Landivisiau on day one of the exercise during the first week in April. However, the Rafale naval aviators were unable to participate in the final mission due to bad weather.

AI.07.13

95

MILITARY FRENCH AIR FORCE RECCE MEET 1 A Rafale C fitted with a RECO-NG pod. 2 Aircrew prepare to climb aboard a RECO-NG-equipped Rafale B for a recce mission at BA118 Mont-de-Marsan during Recce Meet 2013. 3 Mirage F1CR-equipped ER 2/33 ‘Savoie’ based at BA118 Mont-de-Marsan was the overall winner of this year’s Recce Meet.

1

PRESTO AND RECO-NG SPECIFICATIONS Thales Optronique SA RECO-NG

Thomson PRESTO

Equipment

HA/MA and TBA/TGV sensors

Oméra 33

Focal length

Variable

610mm (24 inches)

Field of vision

Variable

10.67 x 10.4°

Capacity

Virtually unlimited

Approx. 350 photos

Altitude

Low-mid-high level

Mid-high level

Operations

Day- and night-time

Day-time only

Length

5m (16.4ft)

4.6m (15ft)

Weight

1,100kg (2,425lb)

520kg (1,146lb)

Units acquired

20 (12 AdlA and 8 Aéronavale)

7

The recce meet started with aircrews using their different reconnaissance pods to bring back images to be interpreted by the analysts. There was also a type recognition exercise and on the final day aircrews flew a combined mission in a complex tactical situation with two opposing forces.

Passing on Skills The idea of a recce meet at Mont-de-Marsan was first discussed in 2012. General Guillaume Gelée, commander of the AdlA, wanted to organise an exercise to prevent his nation’s air force losing specific reconnaissance competencies ahead of the upcoming retirement of the Mirage F1CR. An exercise offers a good platform for exchange of knowledge and tactics and some of the participating pilots – in the process of qualifying for the recce task on the Rafale – had an excellent opportunity to improve their reconnaissance skills and learn from more

2

experienced pilots. Lieutenant Colonel Benjamin Vinot-Préfontaine, commander of ER 2/33, explained that passing on relevant competencies to aircrews not necessarily specialised in reconnaissance was the main goal of the exercise, rather than winning. For example the pilots of ER 2/33, who are trained for tactical reconnaissance through visual observation and interpretation during missions and engaging targets, make ER 2/33 the expert unit in strike coordination and reconnaissance (SCAR) within the AdlA. The recce meet helped ER 2/33’s skills be passed into the Rafale force, the aircraft that will eventually take over the recce role from the Mirage F1CR. Reconnaissance is one of a number of tasks for Rafale squadrons which, unlike ER 2/33, are more generalists than specialists. A typical Rafale unit is organised into four main task areas – air-to-air, air-to-ground, SCALP and reconnaissance – but pilots spend most of their time on air-to-air and air-ground missions. But the introduction of the RECO-NG pod means the Rafale is slowly taking over reconnaissance tasks within the AdlA and the the Aéronavale, so greater training is required. This was underlined by

recent events. Rafales have replaced Mirage F1CRs as the recce asset of the Opération Épervier detachment in Chad and are currently engaged in Opération Serval. According to the commanding officer of EC 2/30, Lt Colonel François Tricot, reconnaissance missions represent around half of the squadron’s missions flown over Mali.

Mirage F1CR ER 2/33 is the last AdlA fast-jet squadron with reconnaissance as its primary task. Its pilots collect images and electromagnetic data and relay this to the different forces involved. The Mirage F1CR can carry several cameras and pods for reconnaissance missions. Electronic intelligence (ELINT) is carried out with the ASTAC (analyseur de signaux tactiques) pod, which receives and interprets the parameters of any type of radar emitter. The F1CR also has a nose compartment that can carry either an Oméra 33 or Oméra 40 camera, both of which offer vertical and 180° panoramic views. The cameras interact with navigational systems to combine images and information at the time of exposure – such as co-ordinates, speed and height – which

are printed directly onto the negative. (See adjoining tables for details on the cameras.)

PRESTO The Mirage F1CR also carries the PRESTO (pod de reconnaissance stand-off) pod, the 610mm Oméra 33 camera which can take pictures of a specific target at a range of up to 30km (16nm) when flying at 32,808ft (10,000m). It operates at medium to high altitude and has variable shutter speeds ranging from 1/200th to 1/1600th of a second. Pictures can be taken by the pilot or automatically at pre-programmed co-ordinates. When planning a mission, the pilot can input data according to three different operating settings: (1) ‘punctual’, which instructs the pod to take several photos of a single target; (2) ‘route’, which can define entry and exit points of a specific area and targets along the route; and (3) ‘area’, where the pod photographs a predetermined rectangular area. The pod houses 45 metres (147ft) of film, enough for about 350 photos, and films take around 30 minutes to be developed ready for data analysts. The downside of the pod and the Oméra cameras is that reconnaissance missions can only be flown

FRENCH AIR FORCE RECCE MEET MILITARY

during the day and in favourable weather conditions. These specialised tools also lack the flexibility required for tactical reconnaissance – different types of targets may need different mixes in equipment. The last F1CR reconnaissance flight over Mali involved one aircraft carrying a PRESTO pod and another equipped with the Oméra 33 camera in the nose.

Rafale Pod The Aéronavale and AdlA have been developing the RECONG (pod de reconnaissance de nouvelle génération) pod to be operated by both air arms’ Rafales – which will make for increased interoperability between the services. It has been designed to be flown from airbases anywhere in the world or from the French Navy aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle (R91). Its predecessor in the Aéronavale, the CRM280 pod, carried two cameras: the analogue AP40 for use during low-level missions and the digital SDS250-M for medium and highaltitude photography. The RECO-NG pod, which is too heavy for the F1 and the Super Étendard, has been a long time coming. In defence budget proposals in 2001 it was stated that the first of 20 systems

NG entered its third operational for medium-range and stand-off should enter service in 2006 on theatre, Mali, during Opération long-range imagery. (RECOthe AdlA’s Mirage 2000N; the Serval. NG’s range is two-and-a-half French defence ministry had times that of the PRESTO pod). wanted to have the RECO-NG The sensor has both wide and in service earlier because of RECO-NG narrow fields of view and can be the retirement of the Mirage Capabilities used during day and night-time IV in 2005, and waiting for the The RECO-NG has two main missions. The second element Rafale to reach operational elements. The first is a highis a low-altitude and high-speed status would have meant a altitude/medium-altitude optical infrared line-scanner (TBA/ considerable gap in the air sensor (HA/MA) which allows TGV sensor) capable of taking force’s strategic reconnaissance capability. Although the first flight with a RECO-NG pod took 3 place in 2004, the system only entered service in 2009 – and in the event the Mirage 2000N never operated with it. Before the new pod was introduced to operational squadrons, it was thoroughly tested by the Centre d’Expériences Aériennes Militaires (CEAM), which is responsible for the integration of Mirage F1CR Camera Specifications equipment into the operational Oméra 33 Oméra 40 part of the air force. The first RECO-NG pod was delivered Focal length 150mm (6 inches) 75mm (3 inches) to the CEAM in 2009 and the Field of vision 42 x 42° 180 x 180° system was declared operational on November 8, 2010. A few Negative size 114 x 114mm 55 x 250mm weeks later an Aéronavale Altitude 2,000-5,000ft 500-3,000ft Rafale from 12 Flotille took off from the Charles de Gaulle in (609-1,524m) (152-914m) the Persian Gulf to fly the first Mode Manual/automatic Manual/automatic operational mission with the pod over Afghanistan. In 2011, Capacity 45m negative/360 images 110m negative/400 French Rafales flew numerous images or 215m recce missions over Libya negative/800 images during Opération Harmattan. Images per second Max 5 p/s Max 10 p/s Meanwhile, this year the RECO-

AI.07.13

97

MILITARY FRENCH AIR FORCE RECCE MEET for everybody. The Rafale pilots had the opportunity to learn more about the tactical recce role and the F1CR pilots learned about Rafale tactics during the mixed reconnaissance-strike mission. Integrating reconnaissance into the Rafale squadrons and ensuring standardisation, especially in an international context, will be an on-going challenge. This exercise provided Rafale pilots with experience in the NATO standards such as the STANAGs of in-flight reports. Colonel Benjamin VinotPréfontaine said he hoped next year would see another recce meet at Mont-de-Marsan, adding that it would be interesting to have international participants as well, as this would allow the Rafale pilots to work with NATO partners on specific aspects of the different recce tactics and techniques in use.

1 1 Aircrew listen to the debrief following a mission during this year’s recce meet at BA118 Mont-de-Marsan. 2 An AdlA technician carries a recce pod film canister back to the lab for analysis by image specialists.

panoramic 180° images at altitudes as low as 60 metres (195ft). The HA/MA sensor is fitted in the pod’s nose and the TBA/TGV sensor at its rear. An important feature of the RECO-NG is its ability to combine successive images and analyse changes between them, making it possible to assess the speed of objects. Besides this ‘video-mode’ the pod can also provide enough data to produce images after the mission. RECO-NG has a manual and several automatic settings that allow the pod to operate independently from the pilot, according to specific preprogrammed areas or targets. It can also change targets during the mission and the pilot can monitor images on a display in the cockpit.

Information Relay The biggest advantages of the RECO-NG system are the relay of live imagery to analysts via a datalink and its ability to operate at variable altitudes, distances and speeds, day or night. The system uses two antennas maintaining two data uplinks – one for datalink management and one for the secure transfer of images in real time. Two moving parabolic

antennas in the front and back of the pod allow for 360° coverage. Images can be sent at speeds of up to 100Mb per second. The relay is a particularly useful feature, the RECO-NG system complying with multiple NATO-standard agreements (STANAGs) for interoperability between NATO members. One of these, STANAG 7023, establishes a standard data format and architecture for the transfer of reconnaissance imagery. RECO-NG is also compliant with STANAG 7085, which sets the standard for interoperable data links for imaging systems, and STANAG 4545, which regulates secondary imagery formats. Each reconnaissance mission involves a pilot, intelligence officer and analyst. Images are down-linked first for the analyst to interpret before any raw data (of the images) is transmitted to the ground station. RECONG image analysis uses the SAIM-NG (système d’aide à l’interprétation multi capteursnouvelle génération); or MINDS-NG (multi-sensor image interpretation and dissemination system-new generation), a post-mission data analysis ground station developed by Thales and used by both the AdlA and the Aéronavale.

Final Mission The final mission of the exercise was a mixed recce-strike mission with two opposing teams. The

recce meet participants (‘Blue Air’, comprising two pairs of Mirage F1CRs, three Rafales and a Mirage 2000-5) flew a mission into ‘hostile airspace’ where their opponents (‘Red Air’) were two Mirage 2000Cs from EC 2/5, two Alpha Jets from EE 2/02 (flying from BA105 Orange and BA102 Dijon) and a single Rafale from ECE 5/330 equipped with the new Thales active electronically-scanned array (AESA) radar. The radar, currently under test with the AdlA, was first fitted to a Rafale C delivered in October 2012, but has since been transferred to one of ECE 5/330’s Rafale B test beds. It enables simultaneous radar functions such as air defence, deep low-level penetration, strike mission and sea skimming attacks. During Recce Meet 2013, the AESA-equipped Rafale flew an air defence mission as part of ‘Red Air’ while ‘Blue Air’ Rafales used the RECO-NG. The Mirage F1CRs used PRESTO pods because they were not flying at higher altitudes.

Winners The overall winner of this year’s recce meet was the organising squadron, ER 2/33. The runner-up was EC 2/30 while data analysts of the Aéronavale and a pilot from EC 2/30 won two other sub-categories. The organiser of the event, Captain Manuel Blache, said it had been a very informative experience

French Recce Future The Mirage F1CR will be retired in September 2014 and the Super Étendard will follow a year later. This means the RECO-NG pod will be the only image-collection platform for the French armed forces after 2015. The ASTAC pod is to remain in service and Thales and the AdlA are currently working on the integration of the pods within the Mirage 2000D fleet. Besides the fast-jet element there are strong indications that the French Government is going to invest in new unmanned aircraft. ED 1/33 currently flies four Harfang medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicles from Cognac but operations in Mali have shown there is a need for additional units. 2