Air International 2015-08

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INTERNATIONAL

For the best in modern military and commercial aviation

Bears

Poking around out West

Putin’s Stalwart Bomber

H160

Sky High in Marseille

CSeries

Rookies in Europe

X6

Unwrapped

DC 8 NASA’s Vintage Jet

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AUGUST 2015 Vol.89 No.2

Ru ss ia ’s

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INTERNATIONAL

FIGHTERS • TRAINERS • TRANSPORTS • CLASSICS

! W E N AN

SPECIAL

The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multi-role fighter, developed and built in Fort Worth Texas by General Dynamics in the early 1970s and since 1993 by Lockheed Martin Aeronautics. Operated by 25 air arms around the world, and over 4,600 aircraft built, the F-16 is one of the world’s most successful fighters. Combat proven in roles that include air defence, air interdiction, close air support and suppression and destruction of enemy air defences, the F-16 remains at the forefront of air force inventories on each and every continent of the world. It remains the original 9G ‘off the runway’ fighter. This unique 132-page publication written and produced by the AIR International team, showcases the jet from its origin, through combat operations, various US Air Force units and the very latest variants. FEATURES INCLUDE: ROLL ‘EM Air Combat Command’s 20th Fighter Wing – HARM missile shooters and more. MILE HIGH MILITIA Colorado Air National Guard’s 140th Wing – on worldwide operations NETZ, BARAKS & SUFAS Israel – an original member of the Viper club DESERT FALCONS The United Arab Emirates – the world’s only Block 60 F-16 operator.

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NEWS COLUMNS

Top Stories 06 RELENTLESS FIRST FLIGHT Maiden flight of Bell Helicopter’s 525 Relentless.

08 X6 UNCOVERED Details of Airbus Helicopter’s futuristic X6.

10 FIRST OF A NEW BREED Maiden

flight of Airbus Helicopter’s H160.

12 A BREATH OF FRESH AIR

Lockheed Martin’s LMH-1 hybrid airship.

16 THE ROYAL NAVY’S SCANEAGLES InSitu’s ScanEagle

Claim or Ethio your FREE R p Cockp ian Boeing 7 afale it DVD 77-20 a 2-yea when you ta 0LR ke o r or Dir e c t Debit ut subscri p ti o n to AIR Inte rnation al. See pag

20 PIRATE HUNTERS How a Swedish

18 FRANCE: OPERATION SANGARIS, FENNECS AND A400Ms

32 SWISS Cs THE FUTURE

22 US AIR FORCE: B-3 BOMBER AND AC-130J GUNSHIP

unmanned air vehicle in Royal Navy service. Air Force helicopter is helping to counter the threat of piracy around Somalia. Bombardier tours Europe with its brand new C Series.

es 38 for det and 39 ails.

22 US NAVY: A DEEP STRIKE REQUIREMENT

36 PASSENGER-TO-FREIGHT

28 ASIA: INDIA’S FIGHTER WOES

Airbus A320 and A321 passengerto-freighter conversions.

FRONT COVER: One of this month’s big features is about the Tu-95 Bear. Andrew Zotoff LEFT INSET: Airbus Helicopters MIDDLE INSET: Lukas Roesler/AirTeamImages RIGHT INSET: Airbus Helicopters

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Features

40 

58 

50 AVOIDING BLAMISM

62 CHANGING TIMES

STILL GOING STRONG

Alexander Mladenov profiles the Tupolev Tu-95MS Bear. Dr Simon Bennett discusses the merits of taking a wide view following aircraft accidents.

TO THE RESCUE 52 CAMCOPTER

Andrew Drwiega describes how Schiebel Camcopter S-100s are helping to rescue refugees in the Mediterranean Sea.

Nigel Pittaway explains how the Royal Australian Air Force is preparing for it first EA-18G Growler.

Editor Mark Ayton [email protected] Designer Dave Robinson Production Manager Janet Watkins Ad Production Manager Debi McGowan Group Marketing Manager Martin Steele Marketing Manager Shaun Binnington Commercial Director Ann Saundry

Executive Chairman Richard Cox

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Sérgio Santana charts the modernisation of Brazil’s A-1 AMX fleet.

Riccardo Niccoli visits 61° Stormo to find out about the T-346A trainer.

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Dave Unwin flies the new Diamond DA62.

94 TRANSALLITO

74 

PATAS NEGRAS

Henri-Pierre Grolleau outlines the French Air Force CN235 tactical airlifter.

Roberto Yáñez and Alex Rodriguez profile the last F-5 Freedom Fighters in Europe.

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WORKHORSE SOLDIERS ON Alexander Mladenov assesses

The entire contents of AIR International is © copyright, and no 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

FIGHTER SHOWCASE 90 RUSSIAN

Piotr Butowski visited Kubinka airfield in Russian to see the latest fighter aircraft on show.

AN AUSTRIAN GEM

Assistant Editor Mark Broadbent [email protected] Managing Director & Publisher Adrian Cox

88 PERFECTING A STRIKER

Andreas Spaeth goes on-board NASA’s unique DC-8 research aircraft.

96 IMPROVING THE FLOW

Mark Broadbent features the new technologies being used to boost UK air traffic efficiency.

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54 INTRODUCING GROWLER

the future of the Mi-8T/P Hip.

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Leading Stories

Solar Impulse Breaks Endurance Record Solar Impulse HB-SIB approaches O’ahu Island in Hawaii towards the end of its near five-day flight across the Pacific from Japan. Solar Impulse

Solar Impulse 2 HB-SIB set a record for the longest solo unrefuelled flight when it arrived at Kalaeloa Airport on Hawaii’s O’ahu Island, following a flight of 117hrs and 52mins from Nagoya, Japan. Pilot André Borschberg said his 3,887 nautical mile (7,200km) journey

further validated the Swiss-based project’s vision to demonstrate unlimited endurance without using aviation fuel. Despite the successful crossing, HB-SIB suffered battery damage from overheating. A statement said: “During the first ascent on

Milestone Transition for UK Merlins The last RAF Merlins were handed over by No.28 (Army Cooperation) Squadron to the Royal Navy’s 845 Naval Air Squadron (NAS) in a ceremony at RAF Benson, Oxfordshire, on July 9. The process of transitioning 845 NAS to the Merlin from the Sea King HC4 began in 2012 when Royal Navy Commando Helicopter Force (CHF) aircrew and engineers were integrated into the Merlin Force at RAF Benson to work alongside and train with their experienced RAF colleagues. The unit, which stood down as a Sea King squadron in May, will join 846 NAS at RNAS Yeovilton, Somerset, early next year There is no let-up in the pace of activity, as Commander Mathew Punch, 845 NAS’ new Commanding Officer, told AIR International: “We deploy to America in four weeks for Exercise Black Alligator and soon after we are off to Norway. The hard work continues and I am excited by the challenge.” The status on aircraft numbers for both 845 and 846 remains fluid as the former RAF Merlin HC3/HC3As enter a marinisation programme at AgustaWestland’s Yeovil manufacturing facility. The first upgraded aircraft is scheduled to leave

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the factory during the fourth quarter. No.28 (AC) Squadron will become 28 (Reserve) Squadron, and move from being an operational squadron to a combined Chinook and Puma Operational Conversion Unit. It will be equipped with Chinook HC4s (six are scheduled to arrive during October with initial operating capability declared soon after) and Puma HC2s. Wg Cdr Martin Lock, Officer Commanding No.28 (R) Squadron, explained. “We have a significant challenge ahead of us here and at RAF Odiham [home to the UK Chinook Force] to prepare personnel for frontline operations. Preparations started approximately two years ago. As we have not had Chinooks based here before, this will include setting up a new dedicated Chinook engineering capability.” Chinook simulators have been housed at Benson for many years and the hope is that co-location will produce synergies that will enhance student training output in future years. Students and trainers will only be qualified to fly one aircraft type. Both training syllabi are already well established and no changes are planned. Ian Harding

day one of the flight, the battery temperature increased too much due to over-insulation. The damage to certain parts of the batteries is irreversible and will require repairs and replacement. In parallel, the Solar Impulse engineering team is looking at various options for better

management of the cooling and heating process for very long flights.” This work was expected to take until at least early August to complete, after which project cofounder Bertrand Piccard will fly HB-SIB on the next leg to Phoenix, Arizona. Mark Broadbent

AW609 Tiltrotor Marks Westland Centenary

The AW609 seen on display at RNAS Yeovilton on July 11 is the first civilian tiltrotor. Ian Harding

AgustaWestland’s revolutionary AW609, the world’s first civilian tiltrotor aircraft, has given rare UK displays. It flew at the RNAS Yeovilton Air Day in Somerset on July 11, and the following day appeared at a private event at AgustaWestland’s Yeovil manufacturing facility marking 100 years since the birth of Westland. AgustaWestland confirmed to AIR International that two test AW609s are flying. Two more are to follow and the company is progressing towards the aircraft’s civil certification in 2017. Built

at AW’s production facility in Philadelphia, the AW609 can fly at twice the speed of a helicopter, at 275kts (509km/h), with a range extending close to 810nm (1,500km). The aircraft has many potential applications, including private and commercial operators, government, parapublic and emergency medical services. AgustaWestland confirmed it will extend its tiltrotor technology as it looks to a second generation tiltrotor with the potential to carry more passengers further at great speeds. Ian Harding

Please send all news correspondence [email protected]

Leading Stories

F-35B Leaps with Ski-Jump Take-off F-35B Lightning II BF-04 takes off from a ski-jump for the first time at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland. Naval Air Systems Command

New KC-135R IRCM System A new infrared countermeasures (IRCM) system for Boeing KC-135 tankers flown by the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve is to be developed by Northrop Grumman under a $31.7 million contract. Three prototypes will be produced for testing by 2017. The new equipment is to be based on the current LAIRCM (large aircraft infrared countermeasures) but adds the new Northrop Grumman Viper active defence multi-band laser system, an advanced processor and an upgraded control interface unit. The current LAIRCM remains in production. The first of these to be fitted to a Lockheed Martin C-5 Galaxy was recently installed at the Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex, Georgia. David C Isby

More ScanEagles

The Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II has completed the type’s first ever ski-jump take-off. The test launch, involving System Development and Demonstration aircraft BF-04, took place at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, on June 19. The aircraft was flown by Peter Wilson, a BAE Systems test pilot. The Pax River ski-jump simulates those that will be fitted to the UK’s two new Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers, from which the Joint Force Lightning F-35B fleet will operate. The F-35 Lightning II Integrated Test Force at Pax will

continue with Phase I ski-jump testing as a prelude to UK carrier operations. Peter Williams, the skijump project leader, said the first test was a great success. Another UK F-35 milestone was reached when RAF test pilot Squadron Leader Andy Edgell released two inert 500lb (227kg) dual-mode Paveway IV precisionguided bombs from F-35B BF-03 over the Atlantic Test Range on June 12. This marked the first drop of the weapon from the F-35. Meanwhile, one of the final steps towards the US Marine Corps achieving F-35B initial operating

capability has been completed after Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121 (VMFA-121) ‘Green Knights’ based at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona, carried out the first operational F-35B ordnance drops. A group of 14 VMFA-121 pilots flying six F-35Bs launched inert and high-explosive munitions in Restricted Area 2507, southeastern California, between June 22 and 26. Eighteen GBU-12 Paveway II laser-guided bombs and 12 GBU32 Joint Direct Attack Munitions were launched during the missions. It was hoped the IOC could be declared in late July.

Lithuania has announced a $4.5 million Foreign Military Sales contract with the US for InSitu ScanEagle unmanned air vehicles, parts and other system components and operations. This is a follow-on procurement to 2012-14 ScanEagle FMS to Lithuania. David C Isby

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]

Airbus Picks Beluga XL Suppliers Airbus has announced the key suppliers for the Beluga XL. Stelia Aerospace in France is to design and build the nose fuselage section and the distinctive cargo door. The Italian companies Aernnova and Aciturri are producing the rear fuselage/dorsal fin and horizontal box extension/ auxiliary fins respectively, and the German firms Deharde and P3 Voith Aerospace make the cargo bay’s fuselage. Based on the A330 airframe, the Beluga XL will be 1m (3.2ft) wider and 6m (19.6ft) longer than the current Beluga, enabling it to carry two A350

The Beluga XL, based on the A330, is the next generation of Airbus’ in-house transporter. Airbus

XWB wings at a time. Five XLs will be built, with the first scheduled to enter

Please send all news correspondence [email protected]

service in mid-2019. The existing Belugas will be retired one by one

through to 2025 as the XLs gradually arrive. Mark Broadbent

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n a bright and warm July 1 at its Amarillo aircraft assembly centre in Texas, Bell Helicopter conducted the maiden flight of its 525 Relentless, the first commercial helicopter equipped with a fly-by-wire flight control system. Test pilots Troy Caudill and Jeff Greenwood began the sortie in Flight Test Vehicle 1 (FTV-1), N525TA with ground taxiing. They then took off and made an initial assessment of the 525 in the hover, before testing low-speed handling qualities. FTV-1’s first flight followed a series of ground tests, including engine runs and evaluation of the rotor drive, conducted after the installation of the tail boom and rotors. Those tests followed the helicopter’s assembly and its first power-up in March.

transport to search and rescue or firefighting – if their needs change.

‘Super Medium’, Multi-Role

Fly-by-Wire

Bell classifies the 525 as a ‘super medium’ helicopter, intended for heavy-class roles but with medium-class economics. Target markets include offshore oil and gas transport, corporate/VIP work, emergency medical services (EMS), rescue and firefighting. Companies from these and other sectors form a customer advisory panel, which has had an input into the 525 since design work began. Earlier this year Larry Thimmesch, the Vice-President of the Bell 525, told AIR International the panel’s views led Bell to make the Relentless multi-role from the start, after customers expressed they wanted the type to be adaptable for different tasks. The company put a dozen different role kits into the basic design, enabling operators to repurpose their 525s – for example, switching from passenger

The customer advisory panel said the 525 should meet Category A operations criteria. This is a requirement for twin-engine helicopters to continue flying and maintain satisfactory safety margins in the event of an engine failure, including during take-off and landing. To meet the requirement, Bell designed the 525 with a full-authority fly-by-wire flight control system. Pilot inputs are electronically transmitted and processed by three flight control computers and triplex electro-hydraulic actuators. The controls are designed so a pilot doesn’t need to be hands-on all the time – they can release the controls, and the helicopter will hold the last position until there’s another input. A stabilisation system will recognise if the helicopter enters an unstable flight condition,

Orders At the time of the first flight, Bell had more than 60 Relentless helicopters reserved under letters of intent (LOIs). These include commitments from Abu Dhabi Aviation for ten, from the lessor Milestone Aviation Group for 20 and from Nairobi, Kenya-based Africair for two. Those ordered so far will serve a variety of roles, including oil and gas transport, EMS, utility work and corporate VIP taskings. In comments released after the first flight, Bell sales executives said the 525’s versatility was generating widespread interest from operators in all these markets worldwide. Additionally, Richard Thornley, the Representative Managing Director for Bell in Japan, said the 525’s safety features for search and rescue missions at long distances are proving particularly interesting to operators in that country.

All photos Bell Helicopter

NEWS REPORT

Bell Helicopter has flown the fly-by-wire 525 Relentless, as Mark Broadbent reports

Relentless F and will automatically return the aircraft to its previous safe altitude and speed.

Cockpit The Relentless is the first civil helicopter with touchscreen displays, giving pilots tactile input on the multi-function displays and the ability to access information through icon-driven menus. The flight deck features Garmin G5000H avionics, synthetic vision technology (which presents a 3D depiction of terrain, obstacles and traffic in any visibility condition, day or night), a helicopter terrain awareness and warning system, voice control, 3D audio, video inputs, a data link and a power situation indicator. The cockpit is branded as the ARC Horizon Flight Deck (the ARC stands for Awareness Reactive Control). Martin Peryea, the Chief

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Please send all news correspondence [email protected]

NEWS REPORT

BELL 525 SPECIFICATIONS Size dimensions not released by the manufacturer Engines: Two GE Aviation CT7-2F-1s with full authority digital engine control Maximum cruise speed: 155kts (287km/h) Standard fuel capacity: 634 US gal (2,400 litres) Range: 500nm (926km) Seating: 2 crew plus 16 passengers (1 or 2 crew plus 20 passengers in high density layout) Passenger cabin height: 51in (1,370mm) Passenger cabin floor area: 88ft2 (8.2.m2) Baggage compartment volume: 128ft3 (3.6m3)

Opposite bottom: The first Bell 525 Relentless N525TA airborne at Amarillo, Texas, on July 1. Below: Low-speed handling and hovering was the focus of the maiden flight.

s First Flight Engineer for the 525, said the combination of the avionics and the fly-by-wire would provide, “unprecedented situational awareness to the flight crew”.

Testing Milestones FTV-1 is the first of five Relentless test helicopters, and will explore the flight envelope. The second and third FTVs will assess performance characteristics, while the fourth and fifth will perform function and reliability testing on the different role kits. Bell confirmed to AIR International the four other FTVs will enter the test programme progressively through the remainder of this year and into the first part of next. The company’s plan is to have the 525 certified early in 2017 and begin deliveries shortly thereafter.

Please send all news correspondence [email protected]

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he successor to the Super Puma was revealed by Airbus Helicopters at the Paris Air Show in June – the twin-engine ‘heavylifter’ X6. The futuristic-looking first illustration of the X6 suggests there will be some design similarities to Airbus Helicopters’ new twin-engine H160 – and its features look to include what would be the latest version of the five-bladed Blue Edge technology main rotor and a large five-bladed tail rotor with no Fenestron shroud. The X6 will be the first commercial Airbus helicopter to incorporate fly-by-wire and only the second in the company’s portfolio to do so, the other being the military NH90 (which the company jointly produces with AgustaWestland and Fokker Aerostructures as NH Industries).

Airbus Helicopters

NEWS REPORT

Concept Phase At Paris, Airbus Helicopters Chief Executive Officer Guillaume Faury said the X6 had now entered a period of consultation with industry and customers: “The two-year concept phase will define the design, specification and the right position in the market for the helicopter. It will involve a customer advisory team as we did successfully on the H160.” One of the drivers behind the decision to develop this heavy helicopter seems to be the expansion of the energy sector towards greater and deeper resource fields further offshore or in remote locations, Faury noting: “The market is evolving and the level of specification is changing. We have customers who are willing to go longer distances and this helicopter will be smoother and more comfortable for them.” The term ‘value creation’ is being used by the company to imply the expansion of the

X6 Uncov

roles helicopters will be able to meet. There is an unashamed link between the X6 and Airbus Helicopters’ new ‘H’ helicopter development, the H160 (formerly known as the X4). Faury explained: “X6 will be for the heavy segment in the next decade what the H160 is today for the mediums. “It will set new standards in the industry, not only for design but for its production strategy as well, as we’ll rely on the industrial capacities of our core countries, including the upcoming pillar in Poland.”

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Polish Presence

The Polish angle is important because, with Airbus Helicopters’ recent win of the nation’s military utility helicopter order, based on its offering of its H225M Caracal, it is now being positioned as the company’s fifth ‘home’ country in design, development and production alongside France, Germany, Spain and Brazil. The partnership with Poland is seen as strategic by the wider Airbus Group, Faury saying the aim is “to widen [Airbus’] industrial presence in the country, going far beyond

low-cost or mono-product partnerships by further opening its divisions in a structured and lasting relationship”. This has already happened in Brazil, where the armed forces have just received the 16th H225M Caracal out of a total planned order of 50, all of which are being produced by Airbus Helicopters’ Brazilian subsidiary, Helibras. Several local companies contribute to the production line with sections or components for the H225M. But, owing to financial restrictions in Brazil, the delivery of

Please send all news correspondence [email protected]

NEWS REPORT

overed all 50 aircraft has slipped two years to 2019. The X6 will share commonality with the company’s latest rotorcraft, including the new H175 and H160.

New Engines At least two engine manufacturers are looking to power the X6: Pratt & Whitney Canada and Turbomeca. Faury was not specific on which was favoured – but Turbomeca has been running tests on its Tech 3000 demonstrator, its declared starting point for a new family of engines of around

3,000shp (2,200kW). The demonstrator will validate the design of any new engine in this category and tests have been conducted on components and modules since the start of 2015; more will begin at the end of the year, focusing on the integration of the compressor, combustion chamber and turbine. According to Turbomeca, the Tech 3000 family will deliver 25% better fuel efficiency than engines in this helicopter class that are currently in service on the market. Airbus Helicopters is promising the X6 will

Please send all news correspondence [email protected]

Andrew Drwiega reports on the helicopter that will eventually replace the H225

be “a next-generation, twin-engine rotorcraft that’s mature and all-weather ready – including full de-icing – from the first delivery”. Its first flight is expected around 2020. Faury was quick to reassure existing and new H225 customers their aircraft was still current and would be around for some time to come. “The H225 will be in production for the next decade and a half, so we will start the X6 in the civil sector for oil and gas, and search and rescue, as well as personal transportation.” Military versions of the H225M will remain a lower priority.

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NEWS REPORT

First of a N

Above: The first H160 airborne near Marignane during one of its early test flights. Thierry Rostang/Airbus Helicopters Opposite: The Fenestron shrouded tail-rotor in the H160 is the largest of its type fitted to a helicopter. Jerome Deulin/Airbus Helicopters Below: A H160 mock-up was displayed at the Paris Air Show. Andrew Drwiega

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A

mid little fanfare, the Airbus Helicopters H160 took its first flight at the company’s French headquarters in Marignane, outside Marseille, on Saturday June 12, just before this year’s Paris Air Show. Ground tests had begun at the end of May on prototype PT1. Company test pilot Olivier Gensse was at the controls for the 40-minute flight, which took place within the confines of the Marignane airfield boundaries and within ground effect. This enabled the design engineers to validate and verify the aircraft’s behaviour in the air and performance data. Gensse said afterwards: “The first flight was very promising in terms of stability, vibrations, and sound levels.” A second flight followed on June 17 with the helicopter accelerating up to a speed of 130kts (240km/h). The flight test campaign has now

Please send all news correspondence [email protected]

a New Breed

NEWS REPORT

The H160 is Airbus Helicopters’ first new type since the company changed its name from Eurocopter. Andrew Drwiega reports Dauphin/H135 Successor The H160 has been positioned to succeed the Dauphin/H135 family, between the H145 and the H175. Its weight is in the 5.5 to 6 tonne class and it is a direct competitor to AgustaWestland’s very successful AW139. The oil and gas and search and rescue sectors are two of the major target markets. The H160 has been designed to carry 12 passengers up to 120nm (222km). Airbus Helicopters will use three dedicated prototypes. The first will continue with the flight test programme, including hot weather tests which will progress throughout the summer. The second prototype had its initial ‘power-on’ on the same day as PT1’s first flight. Bernard Fujarski, Head of the H160 Programme, stated the progress already made had led to an expectation of ambitious results. He said: “New technologies will reduce not only its fuel consumption but also external sound levels.” This is in keeping with the company’s ambition not only to increase performance and add value, but address environmental issues (helicopters are traditionally associated with loud noise levels).

Blue Edge

been launched and the next flights will open the flight envelope progressively.

A New Approach Airbus Helicopters’ closer alignment with its parent company since the name change from Eurocopter has led to the H160 being developed more in line with standard procedures within the Airbus Group. The H160 was known as the X4 during the initial design and development phase. During the Paris Air Show, Airbus Helicopters Chief Executive Officer Guillaume Faury provided more detail on how this new approach was contributing to the final product: “We had the concept phase running from 2011 to 2013 then moving forward with full-scale development. We did make some significant adjustments during this concept phase.” The twin-engine Pratt & Whitney PW2 10Es, although powering the prototype, will give way to the Turbomeca Arrano A1 engine for all of the production aircraft, a decision made public at Heli-Expo in February.

One of the technologies being used on an Airbus helicopter for the first time are the Blue Edge rotor blades. Developed in co-operation with the French aerospace laboratory ONERAT, these blades feature double-swept tips and, according to Fujarski, will cut the blade vortex interaction (BVI) noise by around three to four decibels. The signature Fenestron shrouded tail-rotor – the H160’s is the largest of its type fitted to a helicopter – is canted slightly, which will also contribute to increased performance, better flight stability and lower noise. There is a biplane stabiliser fitted just in front of the Fenestron which will improve handling, particularly at lower speeds. The design of the main rotor assembly uses a Spheriflex bearingless main rotor hub, and has been enhanced through the use of composite thermoplastic technology which contributes to weight reduction and damage tolerance. Airbus Helicopters’ new Helionix avionics package is the first to be fully designed and integrated into one of the company’s new products (it is already in service on the H175 and H145 T2 helicopters). The software promises to reduce pilot workload while enhancing situational awareness and can be

Please send all news correspondence [email protected]

updated across the family of aircraft using it as development continues.

Mature Maintenance The maintenance plan for the H160 is based on the MSG-3 method (originally designed for fixed wing aircraft). This is a formula devised with aviation authorities and the industry, and takes into consideration safety and financial factors alongside operational needs. First introduced with the H175, MSG-3 should allow operators to adapt maintenance schedules to their particular business profiles. It involves harmonising both the engines and the helicopter’s servicing needs. Included in this concept is a new generation of 3D technical publications. These provide maintainers with advanced visual imagery and will be available through a Keycopter portal provided by the manufacturer. A further advantage of the Helionix avionics suite is that as it is inserted into a wider variety of Airbus Helicopters aircraft, pilot familiarity with each new cockpit will be increased leading to shorter requalification times. Fujarski praised the H160 team working on the programme and said their efforts had led the aircraft to enter its final development phase on time. The H160 is expected to be completed and available for purchase in 2016 with the first customer deliveries scheduled for 2018.

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NEWS REPORT Opposite bottom: Lockheed Martin has demonstrated the technologies that will go into the LMH-1 with its P-791 one-third scale hybrid airship demonstrator, which flew in 2006. All images Lockheed Martin Below: The LMH-1 is being designed to carry cargo to remote, austere locations.

A Breath

Lockheed Martin is offering a new solution for cargo transport in the civil market – a hybrid airship. Mark Broadbent explains

L

ockheed Martin believes that with its LMH-1 hybrid airship, it has found a way to confront the logistical difficulties and costs of transporting goods to remote areas. In its promotional material for the aircraft, the company claims: “More than two-thirds of the world’s land area and more than half the world’s population have no direct access to paved roads. As you move farther away from infrastructure, cost, time and the safety of transport becomes more of a challenge.” It says the design and technology of the LMH-1 means the aircraft will be able to land cargo and personnel “virtually

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anywhere”. It’s a bold vision, promoted with the strapline ‘The Road Not Needed’ and a glossy video featuring CGI of the aircraft flying above remote territories.

LMH-1 BASIC SPECIFICATIONS Cargo bay dimensions: 10ft x 10ft x 60ft (3m x 3m x 18.2m) Payload: up to 47,000lbs (21,000kg) or 19 passengers Cruise speed: 60kts (111km/h) Range: 1,400 nautical miles (2,592km) Fuel capacity: 5,000 US gal (18,927 litres) Field requirements: 2,400ft (730m) Data: Lockheed Martin

From the P-791 Hybrids combine the characteristics of conventional fixed and rotary wing aircraft with those of lighter-than-air airships. There have been several experiments to create hybrids in the last few decades, including the Aereon 26 developed in the 1960s. Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works started research in the area in the early 1990s. That work led to the P-791, a one-third scale hybrid airship demonstrator developed in response to the US Army’s Long Endurance Multi-Intelligence Vehicle (LEMV) programme. A fully functional, manned P-791 flew on January 21, 2006, but the aircraft lost out to its competitor for the LEMV requirement with the Northrop Grumman HAV-3. (The LEMV project was cancelled in 2012; the HAV-3 is now the basis of the Hybrid Air Vehicles Airlander project in the UK.)

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NEWS REPORT Rather than using landing gear, the LMH1 has an Air Cushioned Landing System (ALCS). This functions like a hovercraft, enabling the airship to land on any flat surface including water. The LMH-1’s four engines are thrust-vectoring, giving 180º of thrust in both horizontal and vertical axes and full control of the craft on the surface for ground taxiing. The fans powering the ALCS can be reversed, enabling the airship to ‘grip’ the surface and be kept stationary for unloading or loading. Lockheed Martin pointed out the infrastructure needed for handling traditional airships on the ground, most notably mooring masts, will not be needed. The company claims this will give the LMH-1 flexibility: “Hybrid airships will be able to operate from locations currently unreachable by any other means. Any open field or body of water is a potential landing zone.”

Cargo Capacity The LMH-1’s crew will consist of a pilot, first officer and two crew members. The airship is being designed to carry up to 21 tonnes of freight in a cargo bay that measures 10ft x 10ft x 60ft (3m x 3m x 18.2m).  This will accommodate three standard 20ft (6m) aluminium air freight containers or one standard 40ft (12.1m) or 53ft (16m) container. Bob Boyd, Hybrid Airships Programme Manager at Lockheed Martin, told AIR International: “Much like a truck, the loads will vary widely from job to job. We expect a significant amount of the remote cargo delivery will be diesel fuel for the mining or drilling equipment stationed at the forward areas. Consumables used in the extraction process, like drilling muds or treatment

chemicals, will fill much of the volume. Additionally support supplies such as food, water, medical supplies are likely candidates. “We could also carry equipment like a pick-up truck or bulldozer, either in one piece or disassembled for the larger equipment. We could return waste material to the source base for proper disposal rather than having to arrange for containment in the forward areas, which are sometimes environmentally sensitive. “Along with all of these loads, we could carry personnel in up to 19 seats back and forth from the source base to the remote area for crew changes, specialist work, or even emergency situations.”

Loading The LMH-1 is designed so the cargo is accessed at ground level. The CGI video showed freight being moved out of the aircraft without the aid of large loading equipment. Rob Binns, the Chief Executive Officer of Hybrid Enterprises (appointed by Lockheed Martin to help market the LMH-1), said this design, “will significantly reduce the cost and environmental impact of remote operations, making it possible to reach locations previously thought inaccessible”. Lockheed Martin will only build a prototype LMH-1 once a customer has been secured. However, it said because the LMH-1’s technology has been validated with the P-791, certification by the US Federal Aviation Administration is the next major step. If an order is forthcoming, the LMH-1 could fly in the middle of next year.

th of Fresh Air But Lockheed Martin used experience amassed with the P-791 to generate a new concept for an efficient, cost-effective hybrid for civil applications, and the LMH-1 is the result.

Air Cushioned Landing System

Hybrids are so named because they blend aerodynamic and buoyant lift. Eighty percent of the LMH-1’s total lift is generated by buoyant helium inside the ‘tri-lobe’ envelope; the remaining 20% comes from the envelope’s aerodynamic wing shape. In LMH-1’s promotional video, Lockheed Martin says this means: “Hybrid airships can achieve the operating efficiencies of traditional airships while retaining the reliable ground handling characteristics of fixed-wing aircraft.”

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13

Military

Cessna 208Bs Delivered to Argentine Army

Newly delivered Argentine Army Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EXs AE-225 (c/n 208B-5196, ex N3045W) and AE-226 (c/n 208B-5204, ex N3053R), on the ramp at Campo de Mayo on June 30. They will be used for air ambulance and general transport duties. Both are brand new and had been delivered from the factory in Wichita, Kansas, earlier in the month, AE-225 arriving on June 9, followed by AE-226 on June 27. They were ordered under a $10.87 million Foreign Military Sales contract awarded to Cessna on January 26, which also includes a yet-to-be-delivered, second-hand Cessna 550 Citation Bravo. Juan Carlos Cicalesi

TPE-331 Engine for IAF trainer Honeywell Aerospace’s TPE33112B turboprop has been selected by India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to power the prototype HTT-40 basic flight trainer. Its selection was announced at the Paris Air Show on June 7. Arijit Ghosh, President of Honeywell Aerospace India said: “With our engine at its core, HAL’s new locally developed HTT-40 will offer pilots rapid acceleration, low fuel consumption, improved reliability and the ability to train for a wide range of missions.” Nigel Pittaway

Super Tucano Bound for Africa Two African countries are to receive the Embraer A-29 Super Tucano light attack and trainer aircraft, after contracts from Ghana and Mali were announced at the Paris Air Show. Both deals include logistic support and a training system for pilots and mechanics. Mali signed a contract for six A-29s on June 15 at the show. Embraer said the Malian A-29s will be deployed for advanced training, border surveillance and internal security missions. On June 19, the aerospace giant announced a deal with Ghana for five A-29s, although it is not effective until the second half of this year after unspecified conditions have been met. These new orders mean that six African nations have ordered the Super Tucano, following Angola, Burkina Faso, Mauritania and Senegal, which already have the type in service. Embraer has received more than 210 worldwide orders for the aircraft, with 190 delivered to date. Guy Martin

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Singapore Air Grading to Stay at Tamworth BAE Systems has been granted a contract extension to provide aircraft, facilities, instructor training, student accommodation and recreational facilities to the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF)

Air Grading Centre (AGC). The company announced the award on June 29. The four-year deal will see air grading carried out using BAE Systems PAC CT-4B Airtrainers at Tamworth, New

Algerian Interest in the Ka-52

Russia is due to demonstrate its Ka-52 attack helicopter to the Algerian armed forces in July to August, following a request from the North African country. Kamov said it received a $1.7 million contract on December 8 last year to cover the costs of the demonstration to Algeria, which it listed as a ‘potential buyer’. There is speculation Algeria has already ordered the type after Rosoboronexport reported on June 18 at the Paris Air Show that

the Ka-52 had received its first, undisclosed, foreign order. Algeria has ordered Mi-28N Night Hunter attack helicopters from Russia, but may acquire the Ka-52 for naval use. In February 2014 the country signed a $2.7 billion contract covering 42 Mi-28Ns, at least three Mi-26T2s and modernising 39 Mi171Sh (Mi-8AMTSh) helicopters. Almost 200 Ka-52s are being built for the Russian Air Force and Naval Aviation. Guy Martin

South Wales, Australia, until the end of 2019. Under the extension, the RSAF will seek to increase the number of students undergoing air grading annually from 220 to 240.

Nigel Pittaway

Brazil Should Have UCAVs The Brazilian Air Force should join other developed air arms in having an unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) capability, according to Brigadier Fernando Almeida Riomar, Commander of Brazil’s Third Air Force. Currently the Brazilian Air Force operates unarmed Elbit Systems Hermes 450 and 900 UAVs. David C Isby

Davis-Monthan A-10s in Poland

In typically unpredictable European summer weather, US Air Force A-10C Thunderbolt II 82-0647/‘DM’ from the 354th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron takes off from Lask Air Base, Poland, in a rainstorm on July 9. Aircraft from the 354th, normally resident at Davis Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, have been operating from a number of bases in Europe over the last few months as part of a Theatre Security Package deployment under Operation Atlantic Resolve. SSgt Christopher Ruano/US Air Force

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Unmanned Aerial Systems Military

Maiden Flight of Philippine FA-50PH

KAI FA-50PH 15-001, the first of 12 for the Philippine Air Force, taxies in at Sacheon after its maiden flight. KAI

Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI) announced the maiden flight of the first FA-50PH Golden Eagle fighter for the Philippine Air Force on June 23. The flight had taken place four

days earlier, on June 19. The Philippine Air Force has 12 aircraft on order and expects to take delivery of the first two in December. Nigel Pittaway

Aussie Middle East Milestones Air Task Group 630, the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) contribution to operations against IS fighters in Iraq, has released more than 400 weapons since operations began in October 2014. The milestone, announced on June 30, coincided with the RAAF Hornets and the earlier deployment of Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornets reaching a combined total of 5,000 hours of operational flying. The current ATG is made up of six McDonnell Douglas F/A-18A Hornets and single examples of the Airbus KC-30A multi-role tanker transport (MRTT) and Boeing E-7A

Wedgetail airborne early warning and control aircraft. The Wedgetail has now completed over 100 operational sorties and the KC-30A has offloaded in excess of 25 million pounds of fuel. Chief of Air Force Air Marshal Geoff Brown noted, shortly before his retirement on July 3: “To provide some perspective to the enormity of the fuel volume that the KC-30A has offloaded, 25 million pounds equates to some 14 million litres of fuel. That is a complete refuel for more than 1,500 F/A-18A Hornets, achieved over Iraq by a single KC-30A.” Nigel Pittaway

China Inducts Y-8GX-6 Into Service

The new Shaanxi Y-8GX-6 long-range anti-submarine warfare aircraft is reported to have now entered Chinese People’s Liberation Army Naval Air Service (PLANAF) service. The aircraft features a large chin radome housing a surface search radar, an electro-optical turret housing a FLIR, CCD TV camera and laser rangefinder underneath the forward fuselage and, most noticeably, an extremely long magnetic anomaly detector boom on the tail. Via Chinese internet

Russian Aerospace Force Created Russia’s Air Force and Aerospace Defense Force have merged to create a new integrated Aerospace Force. The news came on June 16 and was announced by Lt Gen Aleksandr Golovko, who was, until recently, the defence force commander. The merger is to be completed by the end of the year. The new force’s operational responsibilities will include the integrated air and space warning system against ballistic missiles and air-breathing threats. David C Isby

Replacement Dutch AH-64 Sent to Mali

The Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) has deployed an AH64D Apache attack helicopter to Mali to replace the aircraft that was lost in a crash on March 17 which killed both crew during a firing exercise with another Dutch Apache. The replacement helicopter was loaded aboard a NATO C-17A Globemaster III at Gilze-Rijen Air Base on May 27 before being airfreighted out to Mali. It will bring the Dutch contingent’s attack helicopter strength back

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up to four. The Netherlands has taken part in the United Nations mission in Mali (MINUSMA) since 2014 and contributes 450 personnel. They primarily conduct reconnaissance and gather intelligence in support of MINUSMA missions. The first two Dutch Apaches had arrived in Mali in May 2014 and were then joined by three RNLAF CH-47 Chinooks in October of that year. The latter type is used primarily for medical evacuation missions. Guy Martin

Navy Kirans Transferred to Air Force The Indian Navy has transferred nine Kirans to the Indian Air Force (IAF) to bolster the number of trainers available while technical problems with the new HJT-36 Sitara Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT) are addressed by HAL. The Indian Navy has migrated its advanced jet training to the Hawk and had surplus Kirans available. The aircraft had previously served with INAS 551 ‘Phantoms’, based at INS Hansa, Goa/Dabolim. Nigel Pittaway

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NEWS REPORT

The Royal Navy

R

Ian Harding visited 700X Naval Air Squadron to find out about its ScanEagle operations

oyal Navy Command first identified the need for a persistent Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance (ISR) asset to support its Fleet in 2012 during Gulf operations. The release of an Urgent Operational Requirement (UOR) led to the setting up of Maritime Unmanned Air System HQ (MUAS) in October 2012, followed by the introduction of the Boeing Defence Insitu ScanEagle, which was first deployed aboard HMS Somerset and RFA Cardigan Bay (a Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship) from December 2013. AIR International met Lieutenant Commander Alan Rogers, former Commanding Officer (CO) and now Executive Officer (XO) of 700X Naval Air Squadron (NAS) at Royal Naval Air Station (RNAS) Culdrose in Cornwall, to discuss progress in this important programme. (The CO since March is Lieutenant Commander Matt Nelson.) Lt Cdr Rogers started working with Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in 2001 before he left the Royal Navy in 2011, only to return as the MUAS HQ Commanding Officer in 2012.

700X Naval Air Squadron No.831 Flight Royal Navy, based at RNAS Culdrose, briefly acquired the responsibility for frontline operations of the programme from MUAS before 700X NAS was commissioned on October 1 last year. No.700X employs 11 staff consisting of a CO, XO, seven deployable flight personnel, an Aircraft Engineering Officer and Senior Maintenance Rating. In the future, as 700X develops as a squadron, it will add test and evaluation, training and exchange personnel to its numbers. With ScanEagle testing scheduled to

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end in June 2017, Royal Navy Command is determining it’s future Maritime UAS requirements. Although no potential alternatives have yet been identified, future operations could potentially see the use of more than one UAS type.

ScanEagle Designed and built by the US company Insitu, a Boeing subsidiary based in Washington, ScanEagle is a relatively small, unarmed, low-cost UAV with a proven track record. It was successfully deployed by US Forces in 2004 during the Iraq War and in the maritime environment since 2005. In standard configuration, ScanEagle comprises a nose bay housing an Altcam imaging system, a stabilised turret which eliminates in-flight vibrations and automatically tracks targets, and a rear-mounted engine. Options include:

• EO900 turret containing an Electro Optical (EO) Imager for high resolution daytime imagery, • Micro Wave Infrared (MWIR) for quality thermal imaging for night time and lowvisibility operations, • Dual imager turret which includes an EO and MWIR camera for easy transition from daytime and night time missions. ScanEagle weighs 48.5lb (22kg), has a 10.2ft (3.11m) wingspan and its length (including the camera dome) is 5.6ft (1.71m). Its operational range and height are classified, but its endurance can extend up to 18 hours. Lt Cdr Rogers explained: “Scan Eagle was considered the most effective way to achieve our requirements and we moved quickly to incorporate the regulatory process so this could happen. Our vehicle of choice was the ScanEagle Mk1, now referred to as SERM Mk1 (ScanEagle Reconnaissance Maritime Mk1). “Later variants have provided greater camera capabilities and we are now operating the Mk1B which provides day/night capability, so both EO/IR capability. The air vehicle is the taxi for the camera. There are aspirations to upgrade the engine to improve efficiency, likewise with the camera.”

OPEVAL Lt Cdr Rogers said the biggest risk identified when operating the system was a mid-air collision: “To mitigate this and, therefore, reduce the risk to life, the Royal Navy decided to employ an aircraft controller (AC) aboard each ship with the sole responsibility of monitoring ScanEagle and the airspace around it.” The individual team responsible for testing the system initially aboard HMS Somerset (F82) and RFA Cardigan Bay (L3009) comprised seven people: four Insitu employees (the site lead, one dedicated maintainer and two operatives), an RN commissioned officer, a UAS Senior Maintenance Rating (SMR) and an extra AC. “We introduced an officer with aviation experience to act as link between the ship’s command and the UAV pilot in command,” Lt Cdr Rodgers said. “The SMR [Petty Officer] provides flight deck integration between the manned aviation asset and the unmanned team. It is one team per platform and this has subsequently worked exceptionally well aboard HMS Somerset, Northumberland [F238], Kent [F78] and now Richmond [F239]. All have served in the Gulf and HMS Richmond is there now. For operational reasons, the system was removed from RFA Cardigan Bay in December 2014.” The US personnel deployed with the system received full RN training, including sea survival and aviation handling training, from the Royal Naval School of Flight Deck Operations at Culdrose to familiarise themselves with RN procedures and to integrate with the ship’s company before embarkation.

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NEWS REPORT

vy’s ScanEagles

Above: The ScanEagle is launched at 40kts and recovered by a unit called the sky hook, which marries with the GPS system located on top of the air vehicle. Opposite bottom: A nose bay houses the Altcam imaging system and a stabilised turret eliminates in-flight vibrations and automatically tracks targets. Opposite top: The 48.5lb (22kg) ScanEagle’s operational range and height are presently classified, but its endurance can extend up to 18 hours. All images RNAS Culdrose/Royal Navy

Ship Integration Until now, aviation integration with RN frigates has comprised the Lynx HMA8 (to be replaced by the Wildcat HMA2 from early 2017), with appropriate standard operating procedures (SOPs) in place. The challenge for 700X was to introduce SOPs to ensure ScanEagle and a deployed Lynx Flight could operate safely together (this was achieved) and to plan for its introduction aboard a Merlin HM2 capable ship, which is under development. “We currently have a live feed from ScanEagle down to our ground control station which then transmits to other repeaters, including one on the ship’s bridge for the Captain to see and one in the operations room for the AC. The information can then be transmitted around other stations using ROVER 4 (a portable receive only terminal produced by L-3 Wescam displaying sensor data from multiple platforms). Future operations will likely see battle staff operating from a command platform other than where ScanEagle is operating from.” He continued: “We must therefore ensure battle staff can make the best use of the information received wherever they are located. [The ScanEagle’s] most impressive features are the clarity of the images and its covertness. It’s very difficult to see and hear this air vehicle when it is airborne. You can

lose it very quickly after its launched and likewise on its recovery.”

ScanEagle Operations The system aboard a Type 23 frigate consists of a launch and recovery unit and ground equipment. The air vehicle is contained within a ‘coffin’-type storage unit. The launch and recovery equipment share the hangar and flight deck facilities with the manned aviation asset. The ship’s structure has to be modified to accommodate the directional antenna providing 360° coverage. A link is made to ensure this equipment communicates with the operators and the ship’s command operations room. A ground control station houses the operating software and three screens. The left-hand screen is the cockpit, the centre one monitors the air vehicle’s GPS and the right-hand produces the imagery. The joystick is used by the sensor operator. Mission operators complete a seven-week flight controller course provided by Insitu. Safety is paramount and ScanEagle is only currently cleared to operate aboard Type 23 frigates. Lt Cdr Rogers explained: “One of the major risk factors is the effect of wind over the ship’s deck, which varies considerably across platforms. Sea limits, ship pitch and roll constrain us, as do wind limits. We have to operate within

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the SUOL (Ships Unmanned Operating Limits) which is similar to a SHOL for helicopters. Being airborne for long periods creates personnel issues as we can’t keep operators and ACs on station for excessive periods. For prolonged operations we need to increase manpower, especially another AC. Four pilots in command can rotate for that period.” ScanEagle is launched from a launch vehicle that collapses to conserve space. It launches at approximately 40kts (74km/h). The recovery is made by a unit called the sky hook, which marries with the GPS system located on top of the air vehicle. Lt Cdr Rogers said: “Using a differential GPS calculation, operators offset the unit to ensure the ScanEagle engages with the recovery wire forcing it down the leading edge of the wing. It then slides down its edge and is captured on a hook at the end of the wing. The air vehicle detects it has lost its forward flight and the engine automatically shuts down.” There is generally an acceptance within the RN that UAVs will be a part of future networked operations and it appears all areas within Carrier Strike are coming together to support this move. One imagines UAVs would have provided useful support to HMS Bulwark (L15) and other NATO forces during their humanitarian support mission in the southern Mediterranean.

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NEWS COLUMN

Sangaris, Fenne by Jan Kraak Since the beginning of June the French armed forces have been reducing their deployed troops numbers and equipment assigned to Opération Sangaris. Now the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) force of 10,800 troops is up and running, the French can hand over responsibilities and start acting as a mobile quick reaction force for the MINUSCA mission. helicopters has also been cut. On June 8 an Antonov An-124 delivered two Tigre attack helicopters to replace the two already in theatre, which were flown back to France with two Gazelles. The current helicopter force comprises three Pumas, two Gazelles and two Tigre HADs. If needed, Opération Sangaris commanders can call upon aircraft in the region under Opération Barkhane.

DETFENNEC Once the two Armée de l’Air AS555 Fennecs assigned to Détachement Hélicoptères

Fennec or DETFENNEC based at Camp M’Poko in Bangui, Central African Republic, were returned to France on June 25 the unit was stood down. This was the first time that the AS555 Fennec was deployed overseas under the command of a Joint Task Force. Prior to Opération Sangaris the Fennec had only been on overseas operations under the direct command of the Armée de l’Air. The Fennec helicopters and pilots in Africa were assigned to EH 03.067 ‘Parisis’ based at BA107 Villacoublay and EH 05.067

‘Alpilles’ currently based at BA115 Orange. A small group of five pilots and 12 mechanics were sent on temporary assignment to DETFENNEC on a rotational basis. Between December 2013 and June 2015 the crews accumulated more than 600 flying hours and provided in excess of 1,000 intelligence reports. Faced with a limited surface-to-air threat in the Central African Republic the deployment was certainly not without any danger. In January 2014 one of the Fennecs was hit by small arms fire. Fortunately no one was injured during

Paul Marais-Hayer/AirTeamImages

According to a UN statement the objectives remain the same: to provide a secure environment in which the transitional government can operate, different ethnic and religious groups can start reconciliation and basic human rights are protected. At the beginning of June the Sangaris contingent consisted of 1,700 troops. On July 1 this had been reduced to 1,000 and by July 14 the number of French troops deployed was expected to be at 900 – the permanent level going forward. The number of French

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NEWS COLUMN

necs & A400Ms AS555AN Fennec 5458/’VY’ from EH 03.067 ‘Parisis’ carries a 20mm GIAT M621 cannon as used by the DETFENNEC in the Central African Republic. Jan Kraak

the incident. The helicopters were fitted with armoured pilot seats and could be outfitted with extra armoured plates on the cabin floor. The crew wore bulletproof vests and carried guns for personal self-protection. The Fennec can land just about anywhere. The DETFENNEC helicopters operated from different forward operating bases in the Central African Republic. When protecting convoys it also operated from fields along the route. This provided the crews with opportunities to develop tactics, which were referred to as the ‘nomadisation concept’, where the crews worked from the same camps as the ground forces. When operating from a field, the pilots were supported by a team of about 20 personnel to protect the site, maintain the helicopter and interpret the gathered intelligence. Typical missions flown by Fennec crews in support of the ground troops were close air support, reconnaissance and intelligence gathering. For close air support the Fennec is fitted with an externally mounted 20mm GIAT M621 cannon, carried on the fuselage. This configuration provides it with the firepower required to counter slow moving planes, but it is rarely seen in France.

Good News from Airbus On June 10 a press release issued by the Elysée announced that the Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, had told French President François Hollande during a telephone discussion that Kuwait wanted to buy 24 H225M Caracals. The deal is said to be worth upwards of €1 billion and represents another big order for the Caracal programme. Although Airbus Helicopters did not wish to comment on the contract, several French newspapers quoted sources close to the programme saying it was a ‘done deal’. Meanwhile the Agencia Española de Seguridad Aérea (Spanish Aviation Safety and Security Agency) lifted the flying ban placed on the A400M after the fatal accident near SevilleSan Pablo airport on May 9. This allowed Airbus to continue with test flights of yet-to-be-delivered airframes currently parked on the flight line of its San Pablo facility. Before the manufacturer can fly any new aircraft, mechanics must check the Full Automatic Digital Engine Control (FADEC) system, as specified in the Alert Operator Transmission (AOT) previously sent by Airbus to all A400M operators. In 2009 the French Senate released a report informing Senators about the future transport capabilities, and

discussed a wide range of topics such as the delays in the A400M programme. The report explained how the A400M FADEC comprises the Engine Control Unit (ECU), which controls the engines and propellers and the Engine Protection and Monitoring Unit (EPMU), which monitors the critical functions of the ECU in case of any problems and provides the relevant maintenance information. An interesting point in the report is the apparent complexity of the A400M’s FADEC, which has to process 275,000 computations, compared with just 90,000 by the Dassault Rafale or Airbus A380. This increased complexity is a result of the different elements and the control of the propeller blades. It further stated that well reported engine delays before the type’s first flight were due to civilian authorities certification requirements and not the FADEC. In order to obtain these the manufacturer had to provide details for the software, which they could only provide in 2009. Other A400M operators choose to ground their planes, but the French put temporary operating restrictions in place that prevented some training sorties and banned civilians from flying on the plane. The restrictions did not interfere with operational missions. During a visit to Lorient on May 10, the French Defence minister, JeanYves Le Drian told journalists

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he had full confidence in the A400M programme and said the French fleet of six aircraft was performing very well with more than 1,700 flying hours accumulated. The Armée de l’Air continued using its A400Ms to ferry equipment to and from different operational theatres, on what Le Drian called priority missions. This was driven by the aircraft’s range and cargo capacity, and operational requirements. But other planned events also went ahead. On May 28 the sixth French Atlas, msn 014, flew to the former air base at ColmarMeyenheim to be named ‘City of Colmar’. The first aircraft delivered to a customer since the crash was flown to BA123 Orléans on June 19 – the seventh aircraft in the Armée de l’Air fleet. One week later the French Air Force Commander in Chief, General Denis Mercier lifted the nonoperational restrictions. Only days later the Armée de l’Air gave details of a mission to showcase the capabilities of the A400M. On June 25 an Atlas flew from BA123 Orléans to Al Shaheed Muwaffaq al Salti Air Base in Jordan with equipment for the Mirage 2000D detachment based there for Opération Chammal. According to the Armée de l’Air the A400M continued to Qatar, offloaded supplies, and loaded a Rafale engine that could not be repaired on site for airlift back to France the next day.

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NEWS REPORT

P

irates have been a major threat to boats and ships off the Horn of Africa and in the Western Indian Ocean since the early 2000s. Initiated by the European Union Naval Force (EU NAVFOR), Operation Atalanta is the EU mission in the Gulf of Aden, off the Somali coast, to protect ships against piracy attacks and carry out emergency transport. Other countries outside EU member states also contribute to it.

EU NAVFOR Somali-based piracy is characterised by criminals taking control of vessels transiting the High Risk Area in the Gulf of Aden (classified as the waters all along the Somali coast extending 400nm/740km offshore), and extorting ransom money for the crew, the vessel and cargo. As part of its Comprehensive Approach to Somalia

programme, EU NAVFOR was launched in December 2008 within the framework of the European Common Security and Defence Policy, and in accordance with relevant UN Security Council Resolutions and international law. Operation Atalanta’s remit is to protect vessels of the World Food Programme, African Union Mission in Somalia and other vulnerable shipping by deterring and disrupting piracy and armed robbery at sea. It also monitors fishing activities off the coast of Somalia and supports other EU missions and international organisations working to strengthen maritime security and capacity in the region. The EU NAVFOR area of operation covers the Southern Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and a large part of the Indian Ocean, including the Seychelles, Mauritius and Comoros. It is an area of about two million square nautical miles (approximately 3.7 million km2) – an area one-and-a-half times the size of mainland Europe.

craft. The Dutch vessel also acted as the EU NAVFOR flagship.

Swedish Deployments

used to conduct test and demonstration flights with the Swedish company CybAero’s APID vertical take-off and landing unmanned aerial system. The Atalanta detachment was manned by 14 Swedish personnel who carried out planning and maintenance during the operation. The Hkp 15B, callsign ‘Stingray One’, could access the maritime-shiptracker-market-intelligence-network (MINT) although it was not equipped with secure voice radio. Armed with a pintle-mounted 7.6mm machine gun, its counter-piracy patrol endurance was between 90mins and 3hrs with a 60-120nm (111-222km) operating range from the ship.

Hkp 15B The ME04 helicopter unit comprised two Hkp 15Bs, one on the ship and one spare in Djibouti. The Swedish Armed Forces ordered 20 AgustaWestland AW109LUHs, the military version of the A109E, under the designation Hkp 15, the first of which was delivered to the Swedish Defence Materiel Agency (FMV) in 2006. They are assigned to the Swedish Armed Forces Helicopter Wing’s 3rd Helicopter Squadron (3 Hkpskv) of F 17 Wing at Ronneby. Eight were configured for the maritime role, designated Hkp 15B, and equipped to operate from Swedish Navy Visby-class stealth corvettes. They have a limited antisubmarine warfare capability and can be fitted with hoists for the search and rescue (SAR) role. All are fitted with emergency flotation gear. Only three of the five Visbyclass corvettes are currently configured for helicopter operations while one is being

PirateH

The first force sent by Sweden to Operation Atalanta, ME01 in 2009, consisted of two corvettes and a support ship. The second deployment (ME02, in 2010) comprised the offshore patrol vessel HSwMS Carlskrona (P04) and two Hkp15B helicopters, one stationed on board the ship and the other (a reserve) based on shore at the Swedish national logistics site in Djibouti. The same assets returned for ME03 in 2013 with each operation lasting between four and five months on station. In addition to Sweden’s naval participation, its coast guard Dash 8 Q300 MSA was sent to Operation Atalanta in 2010 and again between 2012 and 2013. The fourth Swedish unit started its deployment on February 6, 2015. Unlike previous operations, ME04 had no ship of its own but the unit was integrated with the Dutch force. The Swedish contribution consists of combat boats, helicopters, a combat camera team and a force commander with headquarters staff. The Dutch force consisted of the HNLMS Johan de Witt (L801), a landing platform dock amphibious warfare ship of the Royal Netherlands Navy, helicopters and assault

Multinational Two Royal Netherlands Navy NH90 NFHs, callsign ‘Neptune’, shared the role of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) with the Hkp 15B and were not permitted to fly over land during the deployment. The embarked bilateral amphibious unit comprised two Swedish Combat Boat 90s and a Dutch Fast Raiding Interception and Special Forces Craft that formed a Combined Search Team tasked with human intelligence, boarding suspect boats and gathering evidence of criminal intent. The

Top right: The Operation Atalanta flagship HNLMS Johan de Witt had a Swedish Hkp 15B and Combat Boat 90 assault craft on board. EU NAVFOR Right: The Hkp 15B ME40 detachment had the luxury of working in a hangar on the HNLMS Johan de Witt. Per Skantz Left: A Swedish Armed Forces Hkp15B assigned to ME04, equipped with emergency flotation gear off the Horn of Africa. Swedish Armed Forces Above left: A Swedish Hkp 15B is prepared for lift-off from the Johan de Witt’s heli-deck. Per Skantz

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NEWS REPORT

The threat of piracy around Somalia is never far away. David Oliver reports on the latest Swedish contribution to the battle against it

eHunters unit was able to operate for up to 72 hours and 30nm (55km) from the mother ship. The Swedish contingent was presented with several challenges by ME04. Although Sweden had considerable experience of Atalanta operations, it was its first deployment to a foreign ship, a bilateral and multilateral environment with different national rules and procedures. The country’s forces had to rapidly adapt and integrate with its Dutch counterparts. However, many such issues were successfully addressed during three predeployment training exercises carried out in the Mediterranean en-route to Djibouti. In addition to routine day and night counter-piracy patrols and interceptions HNLMS Johan de Witt visited five different countries, including Tanzania and the Seychelles. In April, during a visit to Port Victoria, in the latter country, the ship’s personnel conducted a SAR exercise with local Seychellois maritime and air agencies. The exercise was held in association with a team from EUCAP Nestor, a capacity building mission aimed at enhancing the maritime capacities of countries in the Horn of Africa and the Western Indian Ocean, The exercise scenario included rescuing passengers and crew from an aircraft that had ditched into the sea after engine problems. After an exercise ‘mayday’ call was issued, the Seychelles Coast Guard (SCG) vessel and a Seychelles Air Force Dornier 228 deployed to the scene. Having relayed the distress message out to sea, the SCG requested the assistance

of the EU Naval Force flagship, HNLMS Johan de Witt, which was conducting counter-piracy patrols near the ‘incident’. In May, Swedish Navy Rear Admiral Jonas Haggren handed over his EU NAVFOR command to Spain’s Rear Admiral Alfonso Gómez Fernández de Córdobaon, and at the end of the month HNLMS Johan de Witt set course for her home base of Den Helder in the Netherlands. Commander Per Skantz, of the Swedish Armed Forces Helicopter Wing told AIR International that useful lessons had been learned by the ME04 detachment. Co-operation between the Swedish and Dutch units came about, he said, through

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the recognition of common values, the support of the HNLMS Johan de Witt’s commanding officer and because the catchwords of the operations were integration and co-ordination. The Swedish detachment also learned valuable lessons about operating two different types of ship-borne helicopters, working in a ship’s hangar (the HSwMS Carlskrona does not have one), and having a small unit of personnel that had worked together at Ronneby. The Swedes achieved 100% availability with the Hkp 15B and a tail rotor replacement was the only major technical problem encountered during the deployment.

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NEWS COLUMN

Delays, Drama and D the Bomber and the by Robert F Dorr

US Air Force officials are close to selecting the next American bomber – but are behind schedule and in danger of losing a portion of their funding. The Long Range StrikeBomber (LRS-B), which is expected to be designated the B-3, was to have been chosen this summer. A source selection is now expected in September. Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James suggested on July 9 that it’s more important to “do it right” than to be on time. The programme is being conducted under greater constraints and with more discipline than any similar effort in recent memory. Programme members are working in a secure vault — in parlance, a Sensitive Compartmented Intelligence Facility, or SCIF, pronounced ‘skiff’ — in a location that hasn’t been made public. Access is severely restricted. LRS-B is a battle of industry heavyweights. Northrop Grumman Corp is pitted against a team made up of Boeing Co (as prime contractor) and Lockheed Martin Corp. The air force wants 80 to 100 of the bombers with a price tag limited to $550 million per aircraft, not including engineering and manufacturing development costs and upgrades. The first would become operational in the mid-2020s. LRS-B is expected to work as part of a family of long-range systems, including a long-endurance, stealthy unmanned air system and a future cruise missile. The bomber will carry a broad array of sensors to perform double duty as an intelligence, surveillance and

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reconnaissance platform. Behind their cloak of secrecy, officials are frustrated. The LRS-B team has been quietly soliciting suggestions from lawmakers and recently retired senior officers and briefing them on the new bomber after first eliciting a vow of silence. Everyone involved is aware of a dilemma: the LRS-B contract will be so big that the losing competitor, with backing from parochial supporters in Congress, will almost certainly file a protest, strapping the programme with delays. Service leaders James and chief of staff General Mark Welsh aren’t participants in the acquisitions process but will be in the spotlight on Capitol Hill if anything warranting criticism arises. LRS-B officials are under unusually strong pressure to make the programme cost-effective and affordable within predicted budgets. LRS-B is the second bomber programme in a decade – a revival of the Next Generation Bomber (NGB) that was de-funded in 2010. Some have speculated that the NGB effort may have produced a prototype or perhaps a scaled-down demonstrator flying secretly in a ‘black’ programme in the Nevada desert. A source told AIR International that is “wishful thinking”. If an LRS-B source selection is not made before the fiscal year ends on September 30, the programme may lose $460

million in funds that have been authorised but not appropriated.

Bombing IS – Sometimes The top US military officer acknowledged on July 7 that most aircraft dispatched on combat missions against the Islamic State in Iraq are returning without expending ordnance. Comparing apples to oranges, Army General Martin Dempsey said: “at a similar period in the Afghanistan conflict in 2012, the number of aircraft that returned with their ordnance because there were no targets available was 83 percent. It’s 65 percent right now.” Dempsey, the outgoing chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was addressing a Senate subcommittee critical of the air campaign. Pending Senate confirmation, Marine General Joseph Dunford is scheduled to replace Dempsey on September 1. Other officials say targeting is difficult because IS fighters intermingle with civilians in both Iraq and Syria by operating near schools, mosques and other locations rife with the potential for civilian casualties. New York Post columnist Ralph Peters wrote that the air campaign is “limp” and “inadequate”. Washington Times reporter Ian Wright described the current campaign as “a little drama and few results”. Retired Lieutenant General David Deptula told AIR International that the campaign is “simply being done wrong”. “Airpower has to be applied like a thunderstorm, not a drizzle,” Deptula told AIR International. “In the campaign against the Islamic State, we are currently averaging 12 strike sorties per day. During Desert Storm in Iraq and Kuwait in 1991,

the average was 1,241; in Allied Force in Kosovo in 1999, it was 298; in the first 30 days of Iraqi Freedom in 2003, 691; during Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan in 2001, it was 86. “The Administration has shackled our airpower, leaving civilian populations to the barbarity of the Islamic State,” Deptula continued. “It is admirable that air operations in the region have produced very precise attacks with the fewest possible number of unintentional civilian casualties. However, can we really call this a success if saving some lives comes at the expense of thousands more killed by the Islamic State?” Deptula added: “Adhering to a zero civilian casualty goal is backfiring in ways that those who directed it probably did not intend. It is yielding to the Islamic State an air defence capability they do not have to pay for, equip to attain, or man to employ.”

Ghostrider Setback Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) has long planned to acquire 32 AC130J Ghostrider gunships by converting existing MC130J Commando II (formerly Combat Shadow II) models (of 37 in the inventory). The programme suffered a setback – probably a minor one – when an in-flight emergency occurred aboard the prototype AC-130J, forcing the aircraft to cut short a test flight at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The incident happened on April 21 but was not disclosed until June 15. Details remain elusive. In addition to being a second-generation J-model, the AC-130J differs from earlier AC-130H Spectre, AC-130U Spooky II and AC-

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d Difficulties: he Gunship The first AC-130J Ghostrider, 09-5710 (c/n 5710), taxies from parking for its first sortie at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida on January 31, 2014. The former MC-130J arrived at Eglin in January 2013 to be modified to AC-130J configuration. Chrissy Cuttita/US Air Force

130W Stinger II gunships (all derivatives of the firstgeneration C-130H) in accommodating the Dragon Spear Precision Strike Package – 30mm GAU-23/A cannon; 105mm mortar and Standoff Precision Guided Munitions (SOPGM) such as the GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bomb and the AGM-176 Griffin missile. AFSOC is said to dislike the 105mm weapon and probably will not employ it in an operational setting. The AC-130J is more heavily armoured than its predecessors after Pentagon

weapons testers criticised its original armour layout. AFSOC once said it would achieve initial operating capability (IOC) with 16 aircraft this year. Instead, it has just one aircraft, which has been in a test programme since its first flight at Eglin on January 31, 2014, two months behind schedule. A second is in the process of being converted at Eglin and three more have been funded. Today, the plan is for IOC in 2017 and final delivery in 2021. As for the incident that put

a temporary halt to flighttesting, an Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) release said only that the prototype AC-130J “returned to base and safely landed without further incident or any injuries to the crew”. AFMC officials belatedly elevated the accident from a Class C mishap after “structural analysis suggested damage greater than the $2 million monetary threshold for a Class A incident”, according to the AFMC statement. The AC-130J prototype suffered an earlier mishap

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when it departed controlled flight during handling trials in February, exceeding its structural limits and adding two months to flight testing. AFMC is “convening an accident investigation board to investigate the matter based on the updated damage estimate,” and will release more information when the inquest is concluded. At press time, AFMC and AFSOC officials would not confirm to AIR International that the prototype was still grounded.

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Military

Uzbekistan Air Force C295W

Uzbekistan Air Force C295W ’01 White’ during a pre-delivery test flight from Seville-San Pablo Airport, Spain, on June 25. No order from Uzbekistan has been announced, but the aircraft is believed to be one of four on order. Antonio Muñiz Zaragüeta

Multi-Role Transport Aircraft Development Accelerated Russia and India will speed up development of the Multi-Role Transport Aircraft, with the aim of performing its maiden flight in 2020, according to Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation President Yuri Slyusar at the recent Paris Air Show. Originally, MTA first flight had been planned for 2016, but constant

B-52 Engine Upgrade Plans The US Air Force has started preliminary discussions with industry on re-engining the B-52H, according to Lt Gen Stephen Wilson, Commander of Air Force Strike Command. Pratt & Whitney is developing a proposal to upgrade the existing TF33 engines as a less costly alternative and to avoid asymmetric power problems that would be caused by an engine loss on take-off for a four-engine B-52. David C Isby

Su-25M3 Completes Testing The Sukhoi Su-25M3 Frogfoot attack aircraft upgrade test programme, which began earlier this year, has been successfully completed. The first aircraft will be delivered to the Russian Air Force before the end of the year – originally, it had been planned to have the first ten delivered by that time. The upgrades will be carried out by Aircraft Repair Plant 121 at Kubinka near Moscow. David C Isby

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delays had pushed this well beyond 2020. Slyusar also confirmed that the aircraft, which is planned to enter the detailed design phase by the end of the year, will be powered by Perm PS-90 engines. He told journalists: “We really hope that by the end of the year we will sign a contract for the next stage

of detailed design. That’s why we are asking our Indian partners to increase the pace to proceed with the aircraft design itself. We need to manage the maiden flight and start flight testing by 2020.” UAC and India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) are equal partners in the project. Nigel Pittaway

Angola’s First Su-30s Due Soon

Upgrades on 12 Sukhoi Su-30Ks prior to delivery to the Angolan Air Force are progressing, with the first two due in the country in November and December. The former Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft are being modernised by the 558th Aviation Repair Plant at Baranovichi in Belarus. The remaining ten will be handed over next year. Angola purchased the aircraft (part of a batch of 18 early models traded back to Russia by the IAF in 2011) in

2013 from Rosoboronexport. The modernisation work includes improvements to the radar, navigation system and cockpit displays, plus installation of a video recorder, among other items. The Angolan Air Force currently flies around half a dozen Su-27s, out of 18 originally delivered, as well as unknown numbers of Su-22s and Su-24s. The only other African Su-30 operators are Uganda (six Su-30MK2s) and Algeria (more than 40 Su-30MKAs). Guy Martin

Indian Sukhoi Su-30MKI Upgrade Plans The Indian Government is in talks with Russian officials over modernising the Indian Air Force’s fleet of Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighters. The plans for the upgrade were reported by Russian media on June 15. Although details are sparse, it is thought the upgrade will add a new radar and datalink to around 200 Su-30MKIs in IAF service. Konstantin Biryulin, deputy director of Russia’s Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation said: “Negotiations are being carried out with our Indian partners for a comprehensive modernisation of the Su-30MKI, the first deliveries of which took place around 20 years ago.” Nigel Pittaway

NATO Retires its First E-3A AWACS

NATO Boeing E-3A Sentry LX-N90449 touches down at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, after its final flight on June 23. It will now be stripped for spares and then scrapped after a three-year period of storage. This was the first NATO E-3 to be retired and had performed its final operational mission from its base at Geilenkirchen, Germany, on May 13. 309th AMARG/US Air Force

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Unmanned Aerial Systems Military

Australia Commissions MH-60R Unit The Royal Australian Navy’s first Lockheed Martin/Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk unit, 725 Squadron, was officially commissioned at HMAS Albatross, Nowra, New South Wales, on June 11. Previously known as NUSQN 725, the unit had been working up alongside US Navy MH-60R squadrons at NAS Jacksonville, Florida, since it accepted its first two helicopters in December 2013. Defence minister Kevin Andrews said during the ceremony: “The commissioning of 725 Squadron, at the Naval Air Station HMAS Albatross in Nowra, is an important milestone for the navy and marks the formal induction of the squadron and aircraft into the fleet.” Eleven of the 24 MH-60Rs on order have been delivered and Lockheed Martin states it will deliver up to aircraft number 15 by the end of the year. First of Class flight trials aboard HMAS Perth, an Anzacclass guided missile frigate, have been undertaken and the MH-60R is on schedule to meet an initial operational capability at sea in August. Nigel Pittaway

T-50 Procurement Cut Back Procurement of Sukhoi T-50 PAK FA (Future Air System – Frontal Aviation) fifth-generation fighters has been cut back to just one 12-aircraft test squadron up to the end of 2020. The major reduction from the previous plan to deliver 52 over the same timescale, was announced by deputy defence minister Yuriy Borisov in Moscow on July 2. Procurement of Sukhoi Su-35S Flanker-Es will be increased, potentially taking advantage of economies of scale of production for the long-anticipated Chinese order, to compensate for the decrease in T-50 numbers. Borisov left open the possibility of a production ramp-up post-2020, when improved engine technology would be available. One of the air-to-surface weapons intended to arm the T-50 has recently started undergoing tests. The Kh58UShK anti-radiation missile is a modified version of the AS-17 Kingfisher series and can be carried in the T-50’s internal weapons bay. Air defence suppression has been identified as a major T-50 mission area. David C Isby

RAF A400M Delivered

Royal Air Force A400M Atlas C1 ZM403 prepares to land at RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, on the evening of July 5 after its delivery flight from Spain. This was the third aircraft to enter service with the RAF and the first to arrive since clearance was given to resume deliveries following the fatal crash of the third Turkish A400M on its maiden flight on May 9. Andrew Linnett/Ministry of Defence

Pakistan to receive Mi-35Ms The Pakistan Government has received a draft contract for four Mil Mi-35M helicopters, Russian sources claimed on

June 11. A spokesman for Rosoboronexport, Russia’s state-controlled arms exporter, declined to

comment on the timing of the potential purchase but said that negotiations ar e now under way. Nigel Pittaway

RAAF C-27J Spartan Arrives Down Under

The first RAAF C-27J, A34-001, touches down at RAAF Base Townsville, Queensland, June 24, following its delivery flight from the USA. It completed its journey to RAAF Base Richmond the following day. Cpl Mark Friend/Royal Australian Air Force

The first of ten Alenia Aermacchi C-27J Spartans for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has been handed over in a ceremony at RAAF Base Richmond, New South Wales. The first aircraft A34-001 was formally accepted on June 30 by Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Geoff Brown, in one of his final duties before retiring on July 3. He declared: “The C-27J will

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complement the capabilities of the C-130J Hercules and C-17A Globemaster and will be able to carry medium-sized loads and access smaller runways that are not suited to other aircraft. This will allow the air force to support humanitarian missions as well as battlefield airlift in remote locations and unprepared airstrips common in Australia’s region.” The Spartans will be operated

by No.35 Squadron, initially from Richmond, before moving to their permanent home at RAAF Base Amberley, Queensland, once all infrastructure is complete. Two RAAF Spartans are with prime contractor L-3 Communications in Waco Texas, to support Australian crew training and a second aircraft is due to be delivered to Richmond in August. Nigel Pittaway

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Deep Strike Capability Requir by Rick Burgess The carrier-based unmanned aerial vehicle that the US Navy plans to deploy must be able to strike targets deep inside enemy territory in an anti-access/area-denial environment, said Congressman Randy Forbes, R-Virginia, seapower and projection forces subcommittee chairman on the House Armed Services Committee. Forbes was referring to the RAQ-25 Unmanned CarrierLaunched Aerial Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) system. “We’re going to have to have a UCLASS component [of the carrier air wing] that has a deep strike capability,” he said on June 11 at an event at the Army-Navy Club sponsored by the Center for American Security, a Washington-based think tank. Forbes said the UCLASS needs stealth and endurance to get through anti-access/ area-denial (A2/AD) defences, defended the role of Congress in its oversight responsibilities and its need to ask hard questions as the navy grapples with the UCLASS requirements. He criticised some aspects of centralised authority and control in the Department of Defense as detrimental to arriving at the right decisions. Noting the divisions within the navy’s leadership on the requirements for the UCLASS, Forbes said the basic question is, “What do we want this thing to do?” He added there has been a lack of analysis, including war gaming, for determining the UCLASS requirements. He sees a lack of strategic thinking as a greater weakness and UCLASS as an opportunity to meet a vital need and reduce life-cycle costs, such as currency training of naval aviators.

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Forbes was critical of the navy’s plan to retire the Northrop Grumman-built X-47B UCAS-D (Unmanned Combat Air SystemDemonstrator), which over the last two years had proven the ability of an unmanned aerial vehicle to launch from and land on an aircraft carrier. “We’re right where we wanted to be,” he said of the success of the X-47B. “It makes no sense to pack it up in a box.” Answering a question about Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus’ statement that the F-35 Lightning II would be the last manned combat aircraft that the services would buy, he responded: “We’re going to continue to have manned aircraft and we’re also going to continue to have unmanned aircraft. I think what the secretary was getting to is that the next big platform is going to be some version of an unmanned platform. That’s why I think it’s so important that we get that right.” Forbes noted the navy refers to UCLASS as a “step or bridge” to the next platform. “If you don’t know what that platform is going to look like, then you basically have a bridge to nowhere,” he said. “At some point in time we have to know what it looks like. I think it’s going to be something that can go

through an A2/AD defence and drop a sizeable payload. I think what the secretary is talking about is that we’re going to have a mix of things coming down the road.” Forbes also stressed the urgency of moving ahead with development. “We don’t have time to keep building bridges to tomorrow,” he said. “We want to build tomorrow.”

Last Operational Prowler The US Navy retired its last operational EA-6B Prowler electronic attack aircraft in ceremonies held on June 26 and 27, 2015. With a crowd looking on, EA-6B BuNo 163890/’AJ502’, the last Prowler assigned to Electronic Attack Squadron 134 (VAQ-134) ‘Garudas’, departed Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington, for its resting place as a display at Naval Air Station Point Mugu, California. Earlier in the day the aircraft, repainted in glossy gull grey and white, and in squadron markings, was flown in formation with two EA-18G Growlers – the type that has replaced the Prowler in navy service. In the rear seat of AJ502 was retired Capt Fred Wilmot, who had delivered the fleet’s first EA6B BuNo 158029 to Whidbey Island in January 1971.

The US Marine Corps continues to operate three Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadrons, VMAQ2 ‘Playboys’, VMAQ-3 ‘Moondogs’, and VMAQ-4 ‘Seahawks’, as well as the replacement training squadron, VMAQT-1 ‘Banshees’, and expects to retire its last Prowlers by 2019. The navy will continue to operate one or two EA6Bs for test work at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland and Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, California, to support the Marine Corps Prowlers. “Without question, the arrival of the EA-6B Prowler on the carrier deck established airborne electronic attack as an invaluable, ‘don’t leave home without it’ part of every navy and marine strike mission,” said retired Lt Cdr Rick Morgan, a former EA-6B electronic countermeasures officer and now historian for the Prowler Association, in a Northrop Grumman release. Between 1966 and 1991, Northrop Grumman built 170 EA-6Bs at its Calverton plant on Long Island, New York. The Prowler saw combat in Vietnam in the 1970s; Grenada, Libya, and Lebanon in the 1980s, Kosovo and Iraq in the 1990s, and Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Syria during this century.

Slow to Be Appreciated The commandant of the US Marine Corps said new aircraft sometimes surprise when the extent of their capabilities comes to be appreciated. Speaking to a June 25 breakfast meeting of the Congressional Shipbuilding Caucus on Capitol Hill, Gen

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uired Joseph Dunford Jr, nominated to become the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the US Marine Corps was slow to appreciate the capabilities of the V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft. Gen Dunford said the V-22 is, “not just another helicopter,” but that its range, with aerial refuelling, is giving the marines an unprecedented rapid-reaction capability. This was most recently demonstrated in the relief effort to earthquake-stricken Nepal and the response to the Ebola epidemic in West Africa. Dunford also described the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter, reaching initial operational capability this year, as a “server in the sky” that the corps will get to leverage in ways not yet fully appreciated.

Strike Fighter Squadron 97 (VFA-97) ‘Warhawks’ is currently assigned to Carrier Air Wing 9 (CVW-9) and operates the F/A-18E Super Hornet. The squadron deployed its latest CAG-bird BuNo 168867/’NG300’ to Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada during the air wing’s recent detachment to the desert base. Dan Stijovich

The US Navy’s last operational EA-6B Prowler BuNo 163890/’AJ502’ during pre-flight checks prior to its final flight at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington. Rick Morgan

Coast Guard HC-144B The US Coast Guard is upgrading its fleet of 18 HC144 Ocean Sentry maritime patrol aircraft with new avionics. According to US Coast Guard spokesman, Chad Saylor, the HC-144As will be modified as they go through a maintenance period to address obsolescence issues. “The key change is replacement of the cockpit control and display unit, which is used in flight management and serves as the primary avionics computer for communication control, navigation and equipment monitoring,” said Saylor. “All 18 aircraft will be upgraded.” Upon modification, the aircraft will be re-designated HC-144Bs. Eventually, the US Coast Guard plans to standardise the mission system fitted on its HC-144, HC-27 and HC-130 fleets with the Minotaur open architecture suite.

F/A-18F Super Hornet BuNo 166842/’NG100’ of Strike Fighter Squadron 41 (VFA-41) ‘Black Aces’ seen at Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada on June 29. The aircraft is painted in a striking colour scheme to mark the squadron’s 70th anniversary on June 1, 2015. Dan Stijovich

Carrier Air Wing 9 (CVW-9) ‘Team Shogun’ deployed to Naval Air Station Fallon in Nevada in late June for its final deployment work-up on USS John C Stennis (CVN 74). Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW112) ‘Golden Hawks’ sent its full-colour E-2C Hawkeye BuNo 165821/’NG601’ on the detachment. Dan Stijovich

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Airbus’ Regiona Boom & India’s F by Nigel Pittaway From late June to early July was a great time for Airbus Defence and Space, with the news that the A330-based multi-role tanker transport had won the South Korean tanker competition to supply the Republic of Korea Air Force with four aircraft, together with a follow-on order for two from Australia.

The orders cement the MRTT as the tanker of choice in the region, with Australia already operating five and Singapore having six on order. The European manufacturer is also in (somewhat protracted) contract negotiations with India for an initial batch of six. Airbus Defence and Space says that it has “won every tanker competition since it entered the market” (presumably excluding the US KC-X competition) and the MRTT has been selected by nine countries and the European Defence Agency. In addition, the Brazilian Air Force announced that it will acquire three more SC-105 Amazonas, an SAR-optimised variant of the C295, and this order follows another revealed at the Paris Air Show earlier in June covering four C295Ws for the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Interior. The Indian Ministry of Defence also announced on May 13 that it had cleared the acquisition of 56 medium transport aircraft, to be produced by the Tata-Airbus consortium, which will see 16 C295s assembled in Spain by Airbus Defence and Space and a further 40 built in India by the Indian Production Agency (IPA) over the next eight years. The manufacturer is also

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pursuing the potential sale of two C295s to the Australian Antarctic Division and sees opportunities for a further two to be sold to humanitarian aid and disaster relief (HADR) organisations in the region. The Korean tanker win was announced on June 30, with the MRTT selected over the Boeing KC-46A Pegasus and Israel Aircraft Industries 767-300-based multi-mission tanker transport (MMTT). The aircraft will be powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 700 engines. The initial two are due to be delivered in 2018, with the second pair following in 2019. “Airbus Defence and Space is greatly honoured for the A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport to be selected by the Republic of Korea as its future air-to-air refuelling and transport aircraft after an open and objective competition,” a spokeswoman for the company said following the official announcement. “This contract will also allow Airbus Defence and Space to establish a long-term and sustainable cooperation with Korean industry, as already exist with other divisions of Airbus Group. We will carry out our contractual obligations faithfully and are looking forward to executing

this programme in a timely and efficient way as we have done with other A330 MRTT contracts and to playing our

role in the security of South Korea for many years ahead.” The two additional aircraft for the Royal Australian Air

Above & Below: Many of the aircraft currently in service with the Indian Air Force are older types, such as the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 Bison and MiG-27 Flogger. Simon Watson

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nal Sales s Fighter Woes from Amberley by 33 Squadron and will bring the number of MRTTs in service with the RAAF to seven. There had been speculation that one or both of the aircraft would also have a VIP interior, as the leases on the RAAF’s current fleet of Boeing BBJs and Bombardier Challengers are due to expire around the same time; however Airbus denies that the additional aircraft will be modified. An Australian spokesperson for the Airbus Group said: “I can confirm that Airbus Defence and Space has not been asked or tasked to provide VIP suites for either aircraft. They will be pure tankers.”

India’s Fighter Dilemma Force are due to be delivered in 2018 and are former Qantas A330-200s. They will be converted to KC-

30A configuration under an A$408 million deal with Airbus Defence & Space. The pair will be operated

In mid-June an Indian Air Force Jaguar strike fighter crashed near Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh. The accident brought the total number of Indian military aircraft lost in crashes since 2007 to 86: a loss rate of around one aircraft per month. The majority of these aircraft were fighters, meaning the number of aircraft available to the Indian Air Force command is declining at an alarming rate. Many of the aircraft currently in service with the Indian Air Force are older types, such as the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 Bison and MiG-27 Flogger. It is perhaps unsurprising that an Indian Parliamentary Committee of Defence investigation has found that 34 of the aircraft lost were attributed to technical defects. India has a requirement for 42 fighter squadrons but only has 35. In June Indian media reported that a further three squadrons of older MiGs will be withdrawn and replaced by just one operating the Sukhoi Su-30MKI Flanker.

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India’s fighter replacement programmes have so far failed to address the obsolescence issues faced by its air force. The indigenous HAL Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) project suffered from developmental delays and the deal for 126 Dassault Rafales to fulfil the Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MMCA) has yet to be concluded, due to the inability of the two sides to agree on terms and conditions. In April, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi cut through the impasse and announced a direct deal with the French Government for 36 Rafales, enough for two fighter squadrons. However, even this deal had not been formally signed by June and Indian media reported Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar as saying the total number of Rafales will be capped at 36 on cost grounds. This has seen a renewal of interest from other fighter manufactures, such as Eurofighter and Saab, who have both been lobbying hard for their respective products in recent weeks. One of the problems faced by Western fighter manufacturers, however, is the Indian Government’s ‘Make in India’ rules that call for local manufacture. The agreement of these terms, at least in part, was apparently one of the reasons why the MMRCA contract could not be consummated. A combination of high attrition and obsolescence means the Indian Air Force does not have the luxury of being able to wait for yet another fighter competition to run its due course. Some analysts predict another government-to-government purchase of fighters to meet the nation’s needs.

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Commercial

Eurowings’ Initial A330

Airbus A330-200 D-AXGA (msn 530) arriving at Hamburg on July 1 following repainting in Eurowings livery. The aircraft, owned by GECAS, was previously leased to EVA Airways. It is the first in a fleet of up to seven A330s that Eurowings will use for long-haul, low-cost services from Cologne/Bonn to Dubai, Bangkok and Phuket in Thailand, Varadero in Cuba and Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, which are planned to start on October 25. HAMFive/AirTeamImages

H145’s Australian Demo Tour

Fly540’s Return Ghanaian carrier Fly540 is to resume operations after being grounded for more than a year. The airline was under the control of fastjet, which recently sold the carrier to DWG-G Company for $1. Fly540 will be rebranded as Royal Fly540, according to the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), which in late June said it was reviewing the airline’s business model. Fly540 ceased operations in Ghana last May, with its only remaining aircraft (an ATR 72) subsequently sold as fastjet focused operations on East and Southern Africa. Guy Martin

AS365 N3+s for Indonesian SAR

PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) has ordered two Airbus Helicopters AS365 N3+ Dauphins for search and rescue (SAR) operations around Indonesia. Under the contract, Airbus Helicopters will deliver the two aircraft to PTDI at its Bandung Airport base in the coming year, where they will be reassembled, tested and fitted with mission equipment.

During the contract signing at the Paris Air Show at Le Bourget on June 15, PTDI President Director Budi Santoso, said: “We are very familiar with the Dauphin platform and are confident that with the installation of dedicated SAR equipment, we will offer the right solution for the Indonesian Government for its SAR demands.” Nigel Pittaway

Chinese A330 Completion Centre The H145’s Australian tour began in Sydney, and also took in Brisbane and greater Queensland, Melbourne and Canberra. Paul Sadler/Airbus Group Australia Pacific

Airbus Helicopters has undertaken a month-long tour of Australia with its H145 demonstrator (D-HADW, c/n 20002). Beginning in Sydney on June 22, the tour took the H145 north, up Australia’s eastern seaboard, including visits to major cities and helicopter operating bases, before visiting Melbourne and Canberra. The helicopter performed 13 flights in the first leg

of the tour for a cross-section of civil and para-public operators. It was also displayed to the Australian Army in Canberra and at Enoggera Barracks in Brisbane, the Army Aviation Training Centre at Oakey and RAAF Townsville, the home of the army’s 5th Aviation Regiment. In the spring D-HADW was presented to operators in Brazil. Nigel Pittaway

Airbus has signed a framework agreement to establish a completion and delivery centre in Tianjin for A330s destined for the Chinese market. The company will work with the Tianjin Free Trade Zone Investment Company (TJFTZ) and the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), to set up the centre in the Chinese city, where Airbus already has a Final Assembly Line (FAL) for its A320 Family. So-called ‘green’ A330s will be assembled in Toulouse and flown to Tianjin for cabin installation, aircraft painting, engine runs, flight testing,

aircraft delivery and customer acceptance.. Airbus, TJFTZ and AVIC executives signed the agreements in Toulouse, witnessed by the visiting Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and the French Prime Minister Manuel Valls. The occasion coincided with Airbus announcing commitments for up to 75 A330ceos from the China Aviation Supplies Holding Company. Airbus forecasts demand for more than 5,300 new commercial passenger and freighter aircraft in China up to 2033. Mark Broadbent

Special Missions Caravan Cessna has launched a version of its Grand Caravan EX utility aircraft for special missions. It features a variety of cabin and seating configurations for aerial survey, air ambulance, paratrooper transport, amphibious operations, surveillance, training and utility/transport. Equipment options include a surveillance console, a medical stretcher, a stowable utility seat and lightweight seats. The variant will also have structural provisions for two weapons hardpoints on each wing. Cessna said the Grand Caravan EX will carry a load of more than 3,500lb (1,588kg), with the options

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Cessna’s Grand Caravan EX is targeting a range of special missions’ applications, including aerial survey, air ambulance, paratrooper transport, amphibious operations, surveillance and utility work. Cessna Aircraft

complementing the aircraft’s large cargo door and ability to operate from short and rough surfaces. The

Caravan EX’s debut at the Paris Air Show kicked off a global tour that will take in appearances in Europe,

the Caribbean, Latin America, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. Mark Broadbent

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Commercial

Embraer Signs Up for ecoDemonstrator

NASA MQ-9 Ikhana in Airspace Trials

NASA’s MQ-9 Predator B, Ikhana, is testing a sense-and-avoid system with the agency’s S-3B Viking and a Honeywell Beech 1900D. NASA

NASA is using its General AtomicsAeronautical Systems International MQ-9 Predator B UAV, named Ikhana, to test a new Honeywell sense-and-avoid system. The trials are part of NASA’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration in the National Airspace System project to support the Federal Aviation Administration’s development of standards to integrate UAVs safely

into US airspace. More than 200 encounters between the Ikhana and manned aircraft intend to validate the sense-andavoid system’s software, sensor, trajectory and other simulation models using live data. Thirty-seven flights took place during the first two days of testing in June, when the Ikhana flew with a Honeywellowned Beech 1900D. NASA’s S-3B

Viking, from the Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, will be used for high-speed trials A second test phase, due to start in August, will see a T-34 equipped with a proof-of concept UAV control and non-payload communications system to evaluate how well an unmanned aircraft interacts with air traffic controllers autonomously. Mark Broadbent

Embraer is set to be involved in the 2016 edition of the Boeing ecoDemonstrator Program. An aircraft provided by the Brazilian manufacturer will be the platform for next year’s round of tests in the American company’s on-going initiative to trial new technologies to reduce the environmental impact of commercial aircraft. The type Embraer will provide and the scope of the tests has yet to be announced. The partnership builds on existing co-operation between the two manufacturers, which includes the Embraer KC-390 transport and biofuel research. Since Boeing launched the ecoDemonstrator in 2011, more than 50 technologies aiming to reduce fuel use, carbon emissions and noise have been tested on a 737800NG, 787 Dreamliner and, this year, a 757. In June the latter aircraft N757ET flew with 95% Jet-A1 and 5% ‘green diesel’, made from waste animal fats and used cooking oil. It also tested solar and thermal ‘energy harvesting’ tools to power electronic windows. Mark Broadbent

C-Wolf Testing Plans South African company VliegMasjien aims to conduct taxi testing of its prototype C-Wolf amphibious aircraft in December ahead of a first flight around the turn of the year. Prototype manufacturing of the South African designed and built aircraft began in January 2011, with the maiden flight originally targeted for 2013. The C-Wolf has a launch customer and VliegMasjien is confident more will be sold after the aircraft flies. The C-Wolf was publically unveiled in September 2012 during the Africa Aerospace and Defence exhibition in Pretoria. It was conceived by Wolfgang Vormbaum, Technical Manager of VliegMasjien, as a rugged aerial utility vehicle for transport, surveillance and anti-poaching. Military (M-Wolf) and unmanned (U-Wolf) versions are anticipated,

The C-Wolf is being designed for aerial utility work, including transport, surveillance and anti-poaching. VliegMasjien

with weapons, radar and other sensors. The high wing, T-tail pusher propeller aircraft features canards and pontoons for good short

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take-off and landing performance (its take-off distance will be under 280m/91ft) in a stall-resistant design. Empty weight will be around 900kg (1,984lb) and

cargo capacity at least 800kg (1,763lb) or between six and seven people, although up to nine could be carried. Luggage can be held in the pontoons, under the seats and in the tail boom under the engine. The C-Wolf is made of Kevlar and composites such as glass fibre and carbon. A ballistic parachute will come as standard and large tyres will be supplied to cope with rough landing strips. Glass cockpit instrumentation will be supplied by Garmin. VliegMasjien is the first customer for the Adept Airmotive 320T engine, scheduled to be installed in August. This new turbocharged 3.2 litre piston engine turns a fivebladed propeller at 1,500rpm for low noise levels. Fuel capacity should be enough for at least 16 hours’ endurance or a range of 3 500km (2,174 miles). Guy Martin

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NEWS REPORT

Swiss Cs t T

here was a newcomer in European airspace during June, when the Bombardier C Series made its first visit to the continent. The fifth CS100 flight test vehicle, C-GWXZ, s/n 50005, spent two days at Zurich Airport as its Canadian manufacturer provided a closeup look at the new single-aisle type for the staff of the resident Swiss International Air Lines, the CS100’s launch operator. The Zurich visit came after C-GWXZ and the sole CS300 flight test vehicle C-FFDK (s/n 55001) made the C Series family’s public debut at the Paris Air Show. The aircraft were together in the static park at Le Bourget for the first three days of the event (C-FFDK also gave daily eight-minute flying displays). The CS100 then flew to Switzerland, while

on its journey home to Canada the CS300 visited Belfast – the city where the C Series’ carbon-fibre composite wings are manufactured and assembled in a purposebuilt 600,000 sq ft (55,741m2) factory.

Less Fuel, More Range The European trip was part of Bombardier’s promotional effort for the C Series at Paris, where the company announced improved performance figures for the type. On its 2008 launch, the C Series was advertised as offering a 20% fuel burn reduction on its direct competitors in the 100 to 165-seat market segment, the Boeing 737-700 and the Airbus A319. Bombardier said flight testing had shown the C Series will actually burn “more than 20%” less, though it did not elaborate on exactly how much. During a presentation, the Vice-President and General Manager of the C Series, Rob Dewar, said another 4% fuel burn reduction was possible with further performance improvements to the aircraft’s aerodynamics and its Pratt & Whitney PW1100G engines. Swiss Chief Executive Officer Harry Hohmeister praised the reduction at the Paris presentation. He added the aircraft would emit 20% less carbon dioxide and 50% less nitrous oxide emissions, and be 50% quieter than in-service narrowbodies. Bombardier claims a 15% lower operating cost over

those aircraft. Hohmeister said Swiss would achieve a greater reduction in this respect, at 25%, because the C Series will primarily replace the airline’s four-engine Avro RJ100s. There were other updates on payload and range performance. The CS100 was originally promoted with a 130,000lb (58,967kg) maximum take-off weight (MTOW), but that’s now been revised upwards to 134,000lb (60,781kg). The CS300’s MTOW has risen from 144,000lb (65,317kg) to 149,000lb (67,585kg). Range, initially targeted at 2,950nm (5,463km) for both variants, has been extended to 3,100nm (5,741km) for the CS100 and 3,300nm (6,112km) for the CS300. Bombardier said this translated into a 25% increase in the geographical area the aircraft can cover.

Testing Progress By the time of Paris, the five CS100 FTVs (serial numbers 50001, 50002, 50003, 50004 and 50005) had amassed 1,723 flying hours, and the sole CS300 a further 146 hours since its February first flight. More than 70% of the testing required for certification was complete, Dewar said. This included the flight management, automatic flight control, navigation and dual-mode fly-by-wire systems, cruise performance, stalling, VMU (minimum unstick speed), flutter characteristics, natural icing, anti-skid brakes and passenger emergency evacuations.

Top: CS100 C-GWXZ (s/n 50001) conducted a low fly-past down Zurich’s runway 16 on arrival from

the Paris Air Show, and received a water cannon salute from the airport fire service on taxiing in.

Lukas Roesler/AirTeamImages Right: The two-day visit of the CS100 to Zurich gave Swiss staff an opportunity for a closer look at a type they will be the first to operate. Swiss International Air Lines Left: The C Series cockpit includes graphical flight planning, fly-by-wire systems and side-stick controls. Philippe Noret/AirTeamImages

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NEWS REPORT

The initial C Series operator has taken a closer look at its new type, as Bombardier unveiled improved performance figures. Mark Broadbent reports

s the Future Structural tests were well advanced on the two static test rigs at Mirabel in Quebec, the Durability and Damage Tolerance Test Unit (DDTTU) and the Complete Aircraft Structure Test Unit (CAST). More than 30,000 cycles had been completed on the DDTTU, which Dewar said was twice the amount required for certification. Wing up-bending was conducted on the CAST on April 13. In this test, loads are applied to the wing that are typically one-anda-half times more than the most extreme forces an airliner is ever expected to experience in service. The C Series’ wing flexed upwards by 10ft (3m), but did not break.

Certification and Deliveries A chart shown by Dewar during his Paris presentation stated Bombardier is targeting CS100 certification in either November or December and mid-2016 for the CS300, maintaining the long-established plan that the larger C Series would be certified six months after the first. Swiss was the C Series launch customer in 2008 with an order for 30. This spring Bombardier confirmed the carrier would be the first CS100 operator, too, with service entry in mid-2016. During Paris, it was reported airBaltic would be the CS300’s launch operator in September next year. Bombardier has yet to officially confirm if that will be so. Hohmeister said Swiss will operate ten CS100s by early 2017. These aircraft will replace the Avro RJ100s Swiss uses on trunk routes from Zurich to European cities. Those destinations will include London City Airport once the CS100 receives short take-off and landing clearance to operate

there. The variant will be capable of 4,000ft (1,219m) take-offs and 4,450ft (1,356m) landings, making it ideal for London City’s 4,900ft (1,500m) runway. The next ten deliveries to Swiss after those aircraft will be CS300s, which will arrive from 2017 onwards. Hohmeister said the airline was “still to decide” on the mix of CS100s and CS300s for the final ten jets in its 30-aircraft order. But he said that whichever iteration they were, the C Series would give Swiss “one of the youngest single-aisle fleets in Europe”. The average age of the airline’s short-haul aircraft is 16.4 years (most of the Avro RJs are at least 15 years old, some are 20), but as the C Series arrive that figure will reduce to 10.2 years by 2017 and to 9.2 years by 2018. Dewar said the initial familiarisation training for the first group of Swiss C Series pilots and ground operations staff was complete and “has gone very well”. He added that authorities had approved

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the essential technical publications and maintenance documentation for the type.

Seating According to the updated brochure specifications, the CS100 is designed for 108 to 133 seats and the CS300 for 130 to 160. Swiss revealed its CS100s will have 125 in a two-class layout (16 in business class and 109 in economy). Dewar said the C Series had the widest seats in the narrowbody sector, at 18.5in (470mm), adding: “We have the largest [overhead stowage] bins. We have a 20in aisle and the largest windows in the singleaisle [market]; these windows are the same size as the 777.” Hohmeister acknowledged his airline’s decision to invest nearly $2 billion in acquiring the C Series was “quite a heavy investment for a company like Swiss”. But he said: “It’s live, it’s flying, and it’s worth every penny.”

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Commercial

Fleet Refresh for Vietnam Airlines

Vietnam Airlines’ first Boeing 787-9 was displayed during the Paris Air Show week, with the aircraft delivered to the carrier on July 6. Benoît Denet/Denetwork

Vietnam Airlines is introducing two new twin-jet widebodies to its fleet. The carrier received its first Airbus A350-900 (VN-A886, msn 14, ex-F-WZFI) on June 30 at Airbus’ Toulouse customer delivery centre. The aircraft departed for its Hanoi base the following day. Crew training is under way ahead of the type being placed on the Hanoi-Paris CDG service

BBJ MAX 9 Launched Boeing has launched a business jet version of the 737 MAX 9. The VIPconfigured aircraft will, like its MAX commercial airliner stablemates, feature CFM International LEAP-1B engines and Split Scimitar winglets and offer a 14% fuel efficiency improvement on today’s 737 BBJs. The BBJ MAX 9 will have a 6,32nm (11,700km) range and a 195,000lb (88,314kg) maximum take-off weight. A launch order has been received from an undisclosed European customer, for a single example, with the delivery scheduled for 2019. The BBJ MAX 9 will complement the BBJ MAX 8, the VIP version of the standard MAX 8, launched last year. Mark Broadbent

in September. Vietnam Airlines will operate 14 A350s, of which seven will be leased from AerCap. Finnair, TAM, Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific are among the next scheduled recipients of the A350. Vietnam Airlines also took delivery on July 6 of its first Boeing 7879 N1020K (c/n 35151, to become VN-A861), which was put through

its paces by Boeing test pilots in the Paris Air Show flying display. The carrier will initially use this Dreamliner, and a further six 7879s to be delivered over the coming months (from 19 ordered in total), on domestic trunk routes to Ho Chi Minh. They will then be placed on services from Hanoi to London Heathrow and Frankfurt, replacing 777-200ERs. Mark Broadbent

Third Heathrow Runway Recommended The UK Airports Commission has recommended a third runway is built at London Heathrow. The commission ruled out other options to extend the existing two runways or build a second runway at Gatwick. A proposal to build a new London hub on reclaimed land in the Thames Estuary, supported by London Mayor Boris Johnson, was discounted by the commission last year on cost grounds. The commission said a third runway should have operating restrictions to reduce the noise impact, including a ban on night flights. The Chief Executive Officer of Heathrow Ltd, the airport’s operator, said if the government approves the third runway, the airport would be reshaped with new housing and transport infrastructure to create an “aerotropolis” (a city around an airport). The UK Government, which is not bound by the commission’s report, said it would make a final decision by the end of the year. Mark Broadbent

SOFIA 747’s Milky Way Research

The NASA Boeing 747SP SOFIA received a water cannon salute on arrival at Christchurch at the start of its five-week stay in New Zealand for research flights. NASA

The Boeing 747SP Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) aircraft N747NA (c/n 21441), operated jointly by NASA and the German Aerospace Center (DLR), was flown to Christchurch,

New Zealand, for its latest research. A 100-strong team, including scientists, pilots, a maintenance crew and telescope operators, were involved in the deployment. The 747 conducted 14 research

flights over five weeks ending on July 20. An infrared camera and a far-infrared spectrometer were used to explore star-forming regions in the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds and the Milky Way. Mark Broadbent

Hainan 767 in the UK

Hainan Airlines is flying Chinese package holiday tourists into the UK on charter flights to Birmingham International from Beijing until August 28. The first was on July 3, operated by the 223-seat Boeing 767-34P/ER B-2490 (c/n 33047). Hainan’s two weekly flights will arrive on Fridays and Mondays. Nik French

Sierra Pacific’s Firefighter Flights

Sierra Pacific Airlines’ two Boeing 737-200s flew firefighters from various western US cities to Alaska in response to the wildfires that developed there early in July. Here 737-200 N703S (c/n 22529) is pictured arriving at Boeing Field, Seattle, for a fuel stop. Joe G Walker

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6

NEWS BY NUMBERS

MORE ETHIOPIAN 787-8 Ethiopian Airlines has ordered six Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners to join 13 already in service. The aircraft are due to be delivered from mid-2016 and are part of Ethiopian’s longterm strategy to increase capacity and provide greater route flexibility to and from its Addis Ababa hub. Ethiopian operates the largest Dreamliner fleet in Africa. Guy Martin

RUAG Resumes Do 228NG Production RUAG Aviation is to restart serial production of the Dornier 228NG turboprop. From mid-2016 the company will produce four Do 228NGs per year at its Oberphaffenhofen facility near Munich. Fuselage assembly for the first aircraft started in June and the wing panels are in the forming process. In a statement, RUAG said it was restarting production because of growth prospects in the aircraft’s market segments of commuter and passenger transport in ‘hot and high’ regions and special missions work, such as border control and maritime policing. The company halted Do 228NG production in 2013 after filling all eight orders it secured for the new generation of the twin-engine, 19seat turboprop, which features new engines, a glass cockpit and fivebladed propellers. Mark Broadbent

A320s for Congo Airways The Democratic Republic of Congo’s new national carrier, Congo Airways, has acquired two former Alitalia Airbus A320-200s ahead of a launch scheduled in August. The aircraft were acquired by the Italian carrier in 2007/2008 and were sold to Congo Airways for around $50 million. Congo Airways aims to serve eight cities in the DRC initially, rising to 14 within three years with the addition of more aircraft, possibly Bombardier Dash 8s. The DRC has lacked a national carrier since Congolese Airlines stopped operations a decade ago. Last August the DRC Government and Air France-KLM agreed to launch a new national airline in the country. Congo Airways will operate from KinshasaN’djili International Airport, which has a new terminal and control tower. Guy Martin

Commercial

COMMERCIAL ORDERS Airbus Customer Air Lease Corporation

Alpha Star Aviation China Aviation Supplies Holding Company EVA Air Garuda Indonesia GECAS Korean Air Peach Airlines Saudi Arabian Airlines Synergy Aerospace (for Avianca Brasil) Undisclosed Asian airline VietJetAir Wizz Air ATR Customer Air Madagascar Air New Zealand Bahamasair Binter Canarias Braathens Aviation Cebu Pacific Air Japan Air Commuter Unidentified Boeing Customer AerCap Ethiopian Airlines EVA Airways Garuda Indonesia Korean Air Minsheng Financial Leasing Qatar Airways Ruili Airlines SMBC Aviation Capital Sriwijaya Air Unidentified Unidentified Unidentified Unidentified European customer Volga-Dnepr Airlines Bombardier Customer Swiss International Air Lines WestJet (for Encore) COMAC Customer Ping Ang Leasing Puren Group Embraer Customer Aircastle Colorful Guizhou Airlines SkyWest Airlines United Airlines Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company Customer Yakutia Airlines

Number 1 3 1 1 45, plus MoU for 30 4 MoU 30, LoI 60 30 plus 20 options, MoU 3 30 60 62, MoU 60, MoU 6 110, MoU

Date June 15 June 15 June 15 June 15 July 1 June 16 June 15 June 15 June 16 June 16 June 15 June 15 June 17 June 17 June 17 June 18

Aircraft ATR72-600 ATR72-600 ATR72-600 ATR42-600 ATR72-600 ATR 72-600 ATR72-600 ATR42-600s ATR72-600

Number 3 1 2 3 6, purchase agreement 5, plus 10 options 16, plus 10 options 8, plus one option and 14 purchase rights 2

Date June 17 June 16 June 17 June 17 June 15 June 16 June 16 June 15 June 17

Aircraft 737 MAX 8 787-8 777 Freighter 787-9 737 MAX 737 MAX 777-300ER 737 MAX and NGs 777-8X 777 Freighter 737 MAX 737 MAX 8 737-900ER 777 737-800 737-900ER BBJ 737 MAX 9 747-8F

Number 100 6 (disclosed previously unidentified listing) 5, LoI 30, LoI 30, LoI 50 plus 20 options, LoI 2, LoI 30, MoU 10 4 30, purchase commitment 10 2 (previously listed as Unidentified) 10 17 4 1 (discloses previously unidentified listing) 20, MoU

Date June 16 June 17 June 15 June 15 June 15 June 16 June 16 June 16 June 15 June 15 June 16 June 16 June 16 June 9 June 17 June 17 June 17 June 17

Aircraft CS300 Dash 8 Q400

Number 10 (converted from existing CS100 orders) 6

Date June 15 June 15

Aircraft C919 ARJ21 C919 ARJ21

Number 50, LoI 7, LoI 7 7

Date June 15 June 15 June 15 June 15

Aircraft E190-E2 E195-E2 E190 E175 E175

Number 15 10 7, plus 10 options 8 10

Date June 15 June 15 June 15 June 15 June 15

Aircraft SSJ-100

Number 3

Date June 15

Key: LoI – Letter of Intent; MoU – Memorandum of Understanding. Data up to July 6 Compiled by Mark Broadbent

Air Astana Takes A321neoLR Air Astana is the first confirmed operator of the Airbus A321neoLR. Kazakhstan’s national airline will lease one example of the long-range

Aircraft A350-900 A320ceo A321ceo ACJ319neo A330ceo A330-300 A350 XWB A320neo A320neo A320ceo A330-300 Regional A320ceo A320neo A320neo A320ceo A321neo

variant of the A321neo from the Air Lease Corporation, for delivery in April 2019. The A321neoLR was launched in January with a memorandum of

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understanding from Air Lease for 30. Airbus launched it specifically for airlines operating ‘thin’ transcontinental and intercontinental routes. The variant will

have up to 164 seats. Air Astana will also lease four standard-configuration A321neos and two A320neos from Air Lease. Mark Broadbent

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PassengerJ

NEWS REPORT

Airbus has revived passenger-to-freighter conversions for its A320 and A321. Mark Broadbent reports ust before the Paris Air Show in 2011, Airbus cancelled the passenger-to-freighter (P2F) conversion programme for the A320 and A321, and dissolved its partnership on the project with Elbe Flugzeugwerke (EFW – Elbe aircraft works) and the Russian companies Irkut and the United Aircraft Corporation. Airbus cited a lack of freighter demand and, “increasing pressure on the business case” for the decision. Four years on, the A320/A321 P2F is back on the agenda. A new collaboration between Airbus, EFW and ST Aerospace for A320 and A321 freighter conversions was launched at this June’s Paris Air Show, with an agreement for the project signed during the event by EFW Chief Executive Andreas Sperl, ST Aerospace President Lim Serh Ghee, Airbus Chief Operating Officer Tom Williams and Airbus Group Chief Financial Officer Harald Wilhelm. Airbus led the engineering development on the cancelled P2F, but this time the technical lead will be Singapore-based ST Aerospace, which is involved in a range of maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) activities, including conversions. As the original equipment manufacturer, Airbus will provide support for the supplementary type certificate process for the converted aircraft. EFW, an Airbus Group subsidiary based in Dresden and a conversions specialist, will lead the industrialisation process and the

sales and marketing effort. The specifics of the collaboration mirror a similar agreement between Airbus, EFW and ST Aerospace for P2F conversions of Airbus A330s. That programme was launched in 2013 and Eygptair will be the first operator, receiving the first of its two converted aircraft in 2017.

Emerging Market

Speaking at a press conference during the Paris Air Show, Williams said a key reason for the A320/A321 P2F project’s revival is a change in residual values of ten to 20-yearold A320s and A321s reaching the end of service with their first operators. When the first P2F was on the market (the aircraft was launched in 2008), potential customers were put off because those residual values were higher than they are now. However, values of older A320s and A321s have fallen in the intervening period as the aircraft have aged, so P2F conversions are now more cost-effective than they were just half a decade ago. Williams said: “There are enough good airframes that have enough cycles left in them to make them worth converting, but [they’re] not so expensive that it becomes prohibitive. We’ve done a lot of modelling focusing on the flyaway price. We think we’re coming to a sweet spot in the market in terms of timing.” Harald Wilhelm said: “We’re offering an interesting alternative [for operators] on what to do with the asset,” once it reaches the end of its career with them. He added that the

Airbus, EFW and ST Aerospace executives signing the collaborative agreements for the A320 and A321 P2F at the Paris Air Show. All images Airbus

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conversion option would enhance the value of A320s and A321s for current owners and lessors and boost the variants’ longevity.

Container Positions

The A320 P2F will have 11 main-deck container positions and carry 21 metric tonnes of cargo (46,297lb) over 2,100nm (3,889km). The A321 P2F will have 14 main-deck container positions, a 27-tonne (59,524lb) payload and 1,900nm (3,158km) range. One critical design difference between the revived P2F and the project shelved four years ago is in the cargo door’s position – originally in the rear fuselage, now in the forward fuselage. Williams recounted: “We came to a conclusion [on the first P2F] that the door had to be at the rear. We then ran into a problem because you’re into the area where there are a lot of heavy loads on the empennage.” The cargo door itself, he said, had to cope with the loads that would normally have been carried through the frames and stringers in the rear fuselage. Moving the cargo door forwards, “significantly simplifies” the P2F’s design, Williams said. He added: “It’s much preferred by the customers, because putting the door [behind] the trailing edge you get into worries about damage and trucks trying to access that area.”

Market Segment The A320 P2F will compete in the small freighter market segment with the Aeronautical Engineers (AEI) Boeing 737-400 and 737-800 conversions. AEI has already worked on 737 freighters for DHL, Sideran Air Cargo and TNT, and GE Capital Aviation Services’ Cargo Aircraft Group announced during the Paris week that AEI would convert 20 of its 737-800s into freighters. With its 14 main-deck container positions, the A321 P2F is designed for the high-20 tonne payload market. ST Aerospace’s Lim Serh Ghee said the A321 P2F would be suitable for operators looking to replace older converted Boeing 757-200 freighters that operate in that segment. The two major US cargo carriers, FedEx and UPS, have substantial 757 freighter fleets, with more than 100 and 75 aircraft respectively. In the last two years, in-service A320s and A321s have been retrofitted with Sharklet wingtip devices to reduce fuel burn. Williams was asked whether the P2F-converted aircraft would have that option. He responded that Sharklets are, “some way down the road” for P2Fs because the cost-benefit case for adding them to

Please send all news correspondence [email protected]

r-to-freight

NEWS REPORT

The first A320/A321 P2F iteration had the cargo door on the rear fuselage; in the revived conversion, it will be on the forward fuselage.

P2Fs is, “not quite so impressive” as it is for passenger-configured aircraft. “Keep in mind these aircraft are not flying at high frequencies, they’re quite often doing one cycle a day,” he said.

27

tonnes payload

Lim Serh Ghee said ST Aerospace would undertake the P2F conversions at each of its existing four MRO and engineering facilities, in Singapore, Dresden, Mobile in Alabama

P2F In Numbers

600 aircraft*

Conversion Work

2018

service entry

and Guangzhou in China. The work will take place at the centre best placed for an individual customer, he said, so operators wouldn’t need to send their aircraft on long distance ferry flights from one side of the world to another. An Asian operator, he said, would have its aircraft converted in Singapore or China rather than in Europe or the US. Wherever the conversion work took place, it should take three months to complete an aircraft. Williams explained Airbus’ critical role in the P2F programme: “When you prepare a [supplementary] type certificate, you almost have to do it aircraft by aircraft. You need to understand what modifications have already been done, major repairs, etc [on each aircraft]. The linkage back into Airbus is extremely important because we can provide traceability and information that will allow ST Aerospace to optimise [each aircraft].” The first A320/A321 P2F is expected to be completed and delivered in 2018. No orders have yet been announced, but Airbus said it foresees demand for, “more than 600” A320/A321 P2F-sized aircraft over the next 20 years, with strong demand in Asia, especially in China.

* estimated over 20 years

Please send all news correspondence [email protected]

AI.08.15

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MILITARY TU-95 BEAR

The Tupolev Tu-95MS remains the backbone of Russia’s strategic bomber force and the mainstay of its global power projection missions. Alexander Mladenov reports

Still Going

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TU-95 BEAR MILITARY

g

last B-52H was rolled out in 1962 but the oldest Tu-95MS dates from 1982. The last was taken on strength ten years later. The Tu-95MS is only slightly slower than the B-52H. Thanks to its swept wings and powerful engines, the Bear-H’s high-altitude maximum cruise speed is 397kts (735km/h) and its maximum speed is 448kts (830km/h), against the B-52H’s respective 442kts (820km/h) and 516kts (957km/h). The Tu-95MS’ unrefuelled range with a normal combat load of six nuclear-tipped cruise missiles is 5,674 nautical miles (10,520km). The Bear-H’s design has some notably outdated features. The Tu-95MS is the only combat aircraft in Russian service without ejection seats; in case of an emergency its seven crew members must instead bail out through the nosewheel bay. Compared with the B-52H, the Bear-H is more limited in the range of conventional global strike missions it can conduct due to its restricted weapons options, making it suitable only for missions against fixed targets. It cannot use either

guided or unguided bombs, meaning it will continue its service as a missile-armed medium-to-high altitude platform.

Development The Tu-95MS was developed by using the airframe and systems of the Tu-142M (Bear-F) long-range anti-submarine warfare variant and installing a mission avionics suite centred around the powerful Leninets ObzorMS surface search radar, under a huge radome in the nose. Development of the Tu-95MS was ordered as an urgent measure by the Soviet Union’s military leadership in 1977 in response to the US initiative to field the Boeing AGM-86B air-launched cruise missile (ALCM). The Tu160 swing-wing supersonic bomber, a direct response to the Rockwell B-1A programme, was still far away from service entry in the early 1980s. The only viable solution was to use an existing airframe, modified for ALCM use. The Tu-142M was the only suitable offthe-shelf platform with the range and size

AI.08.15

Andrey Zinchuk via Alexander Mladenov

T g

he Tu-95MS Bear-H remains a capable and, more importantly, affordable bomber. Armed with modern long-range missiles, it is a nuclear and conventional strategic strike aircraft. It’s the mainstay of the Russian Air Force’s Long-Range Aviation (LRA) branch, in service with six frontline squadrons at two locations, and will continue operations for at least two more decades. The upgraded Tu-95MSM being introduced to LRA service can use two types of nuclear-tipped subsonic cruise missiles in its traditional strategic deterrence role. For the conventional long-range strike role, the aircraft is equipped with two types of conventional-warhead stand-off missiles. Despite its old-fashioned looks, the Bear-H is younger than its US Air Force counterpart, the Boeing B-52H Stratofortress, and the fleet has amassed fewer flying hours. The

41

MILITARY TU-95 BEAR to accommodate a launcher for the Soviet Union’s analogue equivalent of the AGM-86, the Kh-55 (AS-15 Kent) ALCM. Developed by MKB Raduga in Dubna near Moscow, the Kh-55 had a range of about 2,500km (1,348nm) and, just like the AGM-86B, was powered by a fuel-efficient turbofan. The guidance was provided by a terrain-reference navigation system (also known as terrain contour matching) which, it was claimed, provided an accuracy of 25m (82ft). Work on the new Tu-95 derivative started in 1977 at the Tupolev OKB (experimental design bureau). The first prototype, which used a modified Tu-142MK outfitted with the new mission avionics suite including 1 radar and a missile launch control system, was modified at the Taganrog aircraft plant and made its maiden flight on September 2 14, 1979. The first production-standard Tu-95MS flew in mid-1981, and on September 3 that 1 A Tu-95MS Bear-H approaches an Il-78M Midas for fuel. The global ‘power projecyear was used for the first launch of a Kh-55 tion’ missions are performed with one or two ALCM. refuellings; a record-breaking flight of 42 hours Tu-95MS series production took place and 20 minutes in July 2010 involved four. at the Kuybyshev (now Samara) plant, Dmitry Pichugin via author 2 The Tu-95MS is the which had produced the older Tu-95 and principal aircraft used by the Russian Air Force Tu-142, because the Taganrog plant had for high-profile ‘show of force’ patrols. Royal Air commitments to other military programmes Force 3 The Tu-95MS is the principal aircraft of high importance. The first Bear-Hs were used by the Russian Air Force for high-profile rolled out in 1982 and delivered to LRA in ‘show of force’ patrols. US Air Force 4 Low utilisation until the mid-2000s means the RuAF December that year. The type continued in still regards the Bear as having used little fatigue production until 1990, with the last example life, with minimal corrosion damage. Andrey taken on strength by the newly-formed Zinchuk via author Russian Air Force (RuAF) in 1992. 3

Regiments The Bear-H re-equipped four LRA heavybomber aviation regiments, each with two squadrons. Two regiments were stationed in Semipalatinsk (which is today in Kazakhstan), one in Uzyn (now in Ukraine) and one in Mozdok, which is now in the Republic of North Ossetia. The Kh-55, fitted with a 200kT nuclear warhead, and the Tu-95MS were commissioned into Soviet Air Force service in 1983. Initially, the Bear-H was intended to carry up to 12 missiles on two six-missile rotary launchers, each accommodated inside a separate weapons bay. It turned out this wasn’t practical as it would shift the aircraft’s

4

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TU-95 BEAR MILITARY

THE BEAR’S FAMILY TREE This aircraft, serial Red 10 and named ‘Samara’, is among the first Bear-Hs upgraded to the Tu-95MSM standard, with the aircraft capable of deploying the Kh-101/Kh-102 ultra-long range ALCMs carried on large APU-5M twin-round pylon under the wings. Andrey Zinchuk via author

Tu-95s, taken from the frontline regiments, were the main Soviet aircraft The Tupolev Tu-95 has had a prominent place in the former Soviet used for nuclear bomb testing, starting in 1958 with drops conducted at Union’s, and now Russia’s, nuclear triad since the mid-1950s. The the Arctic island of Nova Zemlya. After bomb drops, the aircraft invariably aircraft was designed to succeed the first Soviet post-World War Two returned to their home base with external damage caused by the powerful long-range bomber, the piston-engine Tu-4 (a non-licensed copy of the nuclear blast, necessitating extensive repairs. Sometimes the nuclear Boeing B-29 Superfortress from 1947). The new, heavier and faster bomb testing at Nova Zemlya involved entire bomber regiments, to give bomber was to be powered by four turboprop engines to provide aircrews experience of a real attack. A specially-modified Tu-95V was extended range. Its main mission was atomic bomb delivery from high altitude against strategic targets in the territories of possible enemies (the used in 1960 to release the most powerful thermo-nuclear bomb ever United States, other NATO nations and China) otherwise unreachable by dropped by air. Weighing 27,000kg (59,508lb) and with a 30 megaton yield, this weapon was colloquially named Tsar Bomba (King Bomb). other Soviet Air Force bomber types. The aircraft’s arsenal comprised In 1962, the Tu-95RT Bear-D, a reconnaissance-targeting derivative free-fall nuclear bombs weighing up to 15,000kg (33,060lb). for Soviet Naval Aviation, was developed. Fifty-three were produced. The Soviet Council of Ministers issued the formal assignment to the The Tu-95RA was the next version, built for the Soviet Air Force’s LRA Tupolev OKB to develop the new bomber (‘project 95’) on July 11, 1951. and flown in 1964. It was a dedicated reconnaissance aircraft with Only 17 months later, on November 12, 1952, the first prototype, dubbed photo and electronic intelligence equipment, and was also the first Tu-95-1, made its maiden flight. The aircraft was based on a pistonTu-95 variant with an air-to-air refuelling probe. The Tu-95K Bear-B, engined ultra-long-range bomber, dubbed ‘Project 85’, and introduced developed in the mid-1950s, was the first dedicated missile-carrying swept wings for increased speed. Maximum take-off weight approached version, equipped with a single nuclear-tipped Kh-20 (AS-3 Kangaroo) 200 tonnes and it was powered by four turboprops rated at 11,000kW air-to-surface missile suspended under the fuselage. It first flew in (14,750shp) each, driving two four-blade counter-rotating propellers. January 1956 and launched its first Kh-20 missile on June 6, 1957. The Serial production was launched at the GAZ-18 plant in Kuybyshev (now Samara) and the Tu-95 Bear-A was officially commissioned into Soviet Air Tu-95K, commissioned in September 1960, stayed in production until 1962, with 48 built. This variant was later upgraded to the Tu-95KD and Force service in August 1957. remained in use until the mid-1980s. Additionally, 23 The production-standard Tu-95 had a maximum newly-built Tu-95KDs with air-to-air refuelling probes take-off weight of 172,000kg (379,088lb) and its range were built between 1962 and 1965. In the mid-1960s stretched to 12,100km (6,526nm). The Tu-95A featured all Tu-95Ks/Tu-95KDs received upgraded avionics a temperature-controlled bomb bay and was equipped capable of firing the improved Kh-20M missile, and with window blinds and white anti-flash paint to protect were re-designated as the Tu-95KM Bear-C. the aircraft and crew from the powerful flash produced The Tu-95K-22 Bear-G took to the air in October 1973. by a nuclear bomb’s detonation. The Tu-95A was It was tailor-made to carry the more modern Kh-22 capable of deploying the RDS-3 and RDS-4, the first (AS-4 Kitchen) missile, optimised for use against aircraft Soviet nuclear bombs, and later the more powerful carriers and large coastal targets. Testing proved RDS-6 (RDS-37). Self-defence armament comprised protracted, with the first missile firings only in 1981 and six 23mm AM-23 cannons in three twin-gun turrets on its commissioning into the Soviet Air Force in 1987. the top and bottom fuselage and in the tail. The Tu-142 and Tu-142M Bear-F were long-range antiThe Tu-95M was an improved version with submarine warfare variants with all-new mission avionics maximum take-off weight increased to 182,000kg and weapons. The airframe had an extensively reworked (401,237lb). Its range was 13,200km (7,120nm) with design, including enlarged and thinner wings with a new a maximum speed of 496kts (920km/h). Between flap arrangement and with integral tanks made in the 1955 and 1958, GAZ-18 built 31 Tu-95s and 19 Tuwing box. 95Ms; later the former aircraft were brought to the The Tu-142MR Bear-J derivative was used as a submarine Tu-95M standard and these remained in frontline communications relay platform, connecting the Soviet use until the mid-1980s. Some Tu-95Ms were modified to Tu-95U Bear-T for the training role, in A Kh-555 ALCM carried on a rotary Union’s national command authorities with the patrolling ballistic missile-armed submarines. which they flew until the early 1990s. launcher. Via author

centre of gravity, so only one six-missile MKU-6-5 launcher was installed. The Tu-95MS received four pylons capable of accommodating ten missiles, to expand the load to 16 rounds. The added weight and drag notably reduced the aircraft’s range and maximum speed. The Bear-H had an Obzor-MS long-range radar capable of detecting ground and sea targets at extended ranges. The aircraft’s mission avionics also included the Osina missile launch control system and the Meteor-N integrated self-protection suite, designed to improve survivability against fighters or ground/sea based air defence systems. The Soviet military launched an initiative

to enhance the Tu-95MS with new avionics and weapons as early as 1983. This called for the development of the extended-range Kh-55SM missile, equipped with conformal fuel tanks, and the more modern Sprut missile launch control system, as used by the Tu-160. Other improvements included 23mm GSh-23 twin-barrel cannons in the tail turret to replace the single-barrel AM-23s and enhanced integrated self-protection and communication suites.

Production Eighty-eight Bear-Hs were produced between 1982 and 1992, 56 of which were built in the Tu-95MS16 sub-version carrying 16 Kh-55 ALCMs. The remainder

were the older Tu-95MS6 version, able to carry six. Range with a full weapons load was 4,584nm (8,500km) for the Tu95MS16, and 5,674nm (10,520km) for the Tu-95MS6. The introduction of the heavier Kh-55SM, which weighed 1,700kg (3,747lb) against the original Kh-55’s 1,300kg (2,865lb), led to the Tu-95MS16’s maximum weapons load being reduced to only 14 missiles, including eight carried on external pylons. According to multiple Russian sources, the 16-missile load is no longer useful, as the Tu-95MS is limited to carrying six missiles by the START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty), entered into by Russia and the United States in December 1994.

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MILITARY TU-95 BEAR

In Service After the Soviet Union’s breakdown, the newly-established RuAF originally inherited only a small Tu-95MS force: the 25 aircraft of the 184th TBAP (heavy bomber aviation regiment) stationed at Mozdok. In 1994, the fleet was enlarged with the introduction of 40 examples after the Kazakhstan government exchanged its entire Tu-95MS inventory, operated by two regiments at Semipalatinsk, for Russian-supplied tactical combat aircraft. The ex-Kazakh Tu-95MS were re-deployed to Ukrainka Air Base in Russia’s Far East region, next to the Pacific coast, equipping the 79th and 182nd TBAPs. In 1994 the 184th TBAP was moved from Mozdok to Engels in western Russia. The fate of the Tu-95MS fleet of the 1006th TBAP at Uzyn took much longer to resolve. In the early 1990s the government of newly independent Ukraine declared it no longer needed the nuclear-capable heavy bombers, but was reluctant to give them to Russia. An agreement was reached in 1999 for the youngest three of Ukraine’s 25 Bear-Hs, together with eight Tu-160s and 600 Kh-55 ALCMs, to be sold to Russia. Of the remaining 22 Bears in Ukraine, 19 were scrapped, two were converted into

1

reconnaissance aircraft and another put into the museum at Poltava. Russia, therefore, eventually assembled 40 Tu-95MS16s and 28 Tu-95MS6s. By the early 2000s three regiments and one training centre operated Bear-Hs: the 184th Guards TBAP at Engels, the 79th and 182nd TBAPs at Ukrainka, and the 43rd Aircrew Combat and Conversion Training Centre at Ryazan-Dyagilevo, southeast of Moscow. Four or five other Tu-95MS were assigned to test and evaluation duties at Tupolev’s experimental plant at the Flight Research Institute at Zhukovsky.

Operational Tempo In the early 2000s, the Tu-95MS fleet had restricted training operations due to the lack of fuel. Experienced aircrews only received an average of 20 flying hours a year. By 2006-2007 the operational tempo had sharply increased due to the launch of the LRA’s regular global patrols. A pilot’s annual flying hours had risen to more than 80 by 2008, and in the early 2010s went to 140150 hours a year. Last year, the majority of Bear-H pilots amassed 200 flight hours. The RuAF’s three dozen or so serviceable Tu-95MS are reported to have logged a total

of 4,270 flight hours in 2013, and the figure amassed last year is believed to have been more or less the same. In 2010 Colonel Sergey Kuvaldin, the acting commander of the 6950th Guards Air Base at Engels, was quoted by the Krasnaya Zvezda (Red Star), the Russian Ministry of Defence official newspaper, as saying the proficiency levels of Bear and Tu-160 Blackjack aircrews were comparable to, or even better, than those of Soviet times. In June last year, six Kh-555 newgeneration ALCMs, equipped with conventional warheads, were launched by an Engels-based Tu-95MS (deployed to Ukrainka for an exercise) against targets in the Kura training range in Kamchatka Peninsula. All targets were reported to have been hit. A press-release issued by the Russian Ministry of Defence immediately after the exercise said the Tu-95MS bomber, armed with the new-generation ALCMs, is able to deal with strategic targets situated at any point on the globe, day and night and in good and poor weather conditions.

Current Fleet Today, the LRA’s Tu-95MS fleet consists of two squadrons under the 1st Aviation 2

44

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TU-95 BEAR MILITARY

TU-95MS SPECIFICATIONS Wing span: 50.04m (164ft 2in) Length: 49.13m (161ft 2in) Height: 13.30m (43ft 7.5in) Wing area: 289.90m2 (3,120sq ft) Max take-off weight: 185,000kg (407,848lb) Empty operating weight: 94,400kg (208,113lb) Max landing weight: 135,000kg (297,619lb) Max weapons load: 20,000kg (44,092lb) Normal weapons load: 9,000kg (19,842lb) Max fuel load: 81,670kg (180,048lb) Max speed at sea level: 297kts (550km/h) Max speed at high altitude: 448kts (830km/h) Max cruise speed: 397kts (735km/h) Practical ceiling: 34,450ft (10,500m) Maximum range with six Kh-55 ALCMs: 10,520km (5,674nm) Maximum range with 16 Kh-55 ALCMs: 8,500km (4,585nm) Maximum range with a single refuelling: 14,100km (7,605nm) Maximum endurance without air refuelling: 14 hours Take-off distance: 2,450m (8,333ft) G limit: +2 Engines: Four Kuznetsov NK-12MP turboprops, each rated at 11,000kW (14,750shp), driving AV-60K propeller units with two four-blade counter-rotating reversible-pitch propellers. Weapons payload: Six Kh-55, Kh-55SM and Kh-555 air-launched cruise missiles carried on a MKU-506 rotary launcher in the weapons bay and 10 Kh-55s or eight Kh55SMs on underwing external pylons on the Tu-95MS16 version.

Group of the 6950th Guards Aviation Base at Engels. Four more squadrons are assigned to the 1st Aviation Group of the 6952nd Aviation Base at Ukrainka. The Tu-95MS is also operated by the LRA’s 43rd Training centre at Ryazan-Dyagilevo. It is expected the 184th Guards TBAP at Engels and its associated maintenance unit will be re-formed this year, while the Ukrainka-based squadrons are to be grouped into the reactivated 79th and 182nd TBAPs. This will restore the LRA’s organisational structure to that which existed prior to a June 2009 organisational shake-up. The current Bear-H fleet numbers 62 or 63 active aircraft, down from 64 or 65 in 2012 because two Tu-95MS have been writtenoff. The first (serial Red 21) was damaged beyond repair in a ground fire in February 2013 at Ryazan-Dyagilevo (this happened only two months after its return from an overhaul). Another was badly damaged by an engine fire on take-off at Ukrainka in June. The Argumenty Nedeli newspaper claimed in 2012 the Tu-95MS fleet had suffered from a lack of serviceable engines. The article said only 40 Tu-95MS were in airworthy condition and the fleet required 48 overhauled engines at the time to restore its full serviceability.

Tu-95MSM By early this year, the majority of the activelyused Tu-95MS fleet was 25 to 30 years old, but with plenty of service life remaining. There is an active programme to overhaul the fleet. Six aircraft were cycled through main

overhauls last year, providing at least ten more years of service. A significant proportion of the Bear-H fleet will receive new missiles and systems in the Tu-95MSM upgrade. In this modernised, life-extended form, the Bear-H is set to continue serving until 2035 or even 2040 as an indispensable part of Russia’s global strike arsenal. The Tu-95MSM is a dual-role missile launch platform tasked to perform strategic deterrence by deploying nuclear-tipped ALCMs, and conventional strikes against fixed targets of interest (officially referred to as terrorist camps) beyond Russian borders. The upgraded aircraft can carry the ultra-long-range Kh-101, a new stealthy conventional cruise missile with a maximum range of 2,967nm (5,500km). Just like the smaller and shorter-range Kh-555, the Kh101 uses terrain-contour matching guidance, enhanced by inertial navigation/satellite en-route correction using a combined Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS) receiver. The missile uses scene-matching guidance in the terminal phase; its claimed accuracy is 3-5m (10-16ft). Russia is investing heavily in nuclear deterrence and the Kh-102 recapitalises the LRA’s nuclear strike capability. The nuclear-tipped Kh-101/Kh-102 was tested for the first time in 2004 and was reportedly commissioned into service in 2012, with the conventional-warhead variant following in the second half of 2013. The Tu-95MSM also carries the Kh-555, which combines the Kh-55SM’s body and

3

1 The Tu-95MS upgrade and life extension will enable the bomber to be capable of soldiering on in the nuclear deterrence and long-range conventional strike roles until 2035 or even 2040. All photos Alexander Mladenov unless stated 2 The current serviceability rate of the Tu-95MS fleet is around 50%, with plans to increase it to 75% by 2020 thanks to overhaul and the improved supply of spare parts and serviceable engines. Via author 3 The Tu-95MS is maintenance-heavy, especially given the complex engine’s counter-rotating propellers, designed for high efficiency, extended range and high cruise speed. Andrey Zinchuk via author

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MILITARY TU-95 BEAR powerplant with a new guidance system. It has aerodynamic stabilisers attached to the nose area and is equipped with a conventional warhead weighing 360kg (800lb); its maximum range is about 2,000km (1,078nm). The missile, powered by a more efficient turbojet engine, was commissioned in 2005 or 2006. Deliveries to the frontline units began in 2008. The Tu-95MSM features a number of all-new systems. The missile launch control is compatible with the Kh-101/Kh-102 ALCMs, the Kh-55, Kh-55SM and Kh555. The navigation suite incorporates the ANS-2009 astro-inertial system, introduced to considerably improve autonomous navigation capability without relying on signals from satellites and ground stations. Other new equipment includes a NVS-201M navigation computer, A-737I combined GPS/ GLONASS receiver, VIM-95 instrument landing system, KSU-021 flight control system, RSBN85V tactical aid to navigation (useful to locate the tanker aircraft in air-to-air refuelling rendezvous) and the SVVI-0216 data upload/ download units for weapons control. The Tu95MSM also has an allnew

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communication system and a radicallyimproved Meteor-NM2 self-protection suite featuring new-generation radar warning receivers and active radar jammers.

Upgrade Plans Russia’s State Armament Programme 2020 for the period 2010-2020, approved in the late 2000s, foresees upgrading at least 20 Bear-Hs to MSM standard. When originally conceived in 2001, the programme covered 35 aircraft. The Tu-95MSM development work was launched by Tupolev in December 2009. After upgrading at the Tavia plant in Taganrog, the first test flights of the prototype (serial Red 55) were reported in October 2011. Development and testing was protracted, with the go-ahead only given in 2013. The first production-standard Tu-95MSM was handed over to the LRA last year. Among the upgraded Tu-95MSMs is Red 10, named ‘Saratov’ and coded RF-94128, with pylons for carrying the Kh101/Kh-102 missiles, which was spotted performing its first regular training flights at Engels in March. It is believed six Bear-Hs have now been upgraded as MSMs. There is little formal information about the delivery schedule for the 20 more Tu95MSMs up to 2020. In a company report published on the internet earlier this year, Tupolev disclosed it should receive 11 sets of IIS-32 information-measurement systems for the Bear-H upgrade between the start of 2015 and April 2016. That indicates 11 Tu95MSMs should be upgraded and delivered this year and next. There is a second phase of the Tu95MS modernisation that calls for (as-yet

unannounced) additional mission avionics and glass cockpit upgrades and the installation of improved Kuznetsov NK-12MPM engines fitted with more efficient AV-60T propellers. There were also plans to replace the Obzor-MS with the new Leninets Novella-021 radar, but the developmental programme, codenamed BRLS-VP21, is reported to have suffered from a significant delay between 2010 and 2012 and its current status is unknown.

Long-Range Patrols Russia’s strategic bomber force has since the mid-2000s been more visible in projecting military power around the globe. The supersonic Tu-160 has attracted media attention for its occasional long-range patrols, but the Tu-95MS has emerged as the workhorse of the RuAF’s global patrol missions (which since 2013 have been officially referred to as “flights in accordance to the strategic deterrence plan”). The patrols conducted by the Bears in international airspace have an important political significance for Moscow in demonstrating Russian military power in selected strategic locations. They also bring a weighty training value for the Bear-H aircrews. The missions are task-heavy. Crews have to take-off at the aircraft’s maximum weight, sometimes flying from forward operating airfields in Russia’s freezing northern territories (such as Vorkuta and Tiksi). They perform multiple in-flight refuelling sessions and simulated ALCM launches while en route to their predesignated missile launch area. Crews are also tasked to conduct reconnaissance over the sea in certain zones of interest, using the radar and

TU-95 BEAR MILITARY

TU-95MS DESIGN FEATURES The Tu-95MS has a semi-monocoque circular fuselage divided into five sections – the nose, a The Tu-95MS’ circular-section forward pressurised compartment, a central cylindrical section with a 9ft 6in (2.9m) diameter, a fuselage has a 2.9m diameter, conical tail section and a rear pressurised compartment with a two-gun defensive turret. and can accommodate a six-unit The mid-mounted wings have a slight anhedral (to improve controllability in bank) and swept at rotary launcher for Kh-55, Kh350 for the inner panels and 33.50 for the outer panels. The wings have a thin profile and their 55SM and Kh-555 missiles. sweep is optimised for flying at speeds above Mach 0.715 (equating to 415kts/770km/h at high altitude). The upper surface of each wing is provided with three fences. The almost whole wing is used as an integral fuel tank, with a total of eight compartments of the torsion box. The wing mechanisation consists of double-slotted trailing edge flaps and three-section ailerons on each wing, while the upper surface houses single-section spoilers. The big tail features a variable-incidence tailplane, adjustable in flight depending on fuel usage. The fin has a rudder, and the tailplane an elevator, both with tabs. The flight control system is mechanical and hydraulically actuated. Power is provided by four Kuznetsov NK-12MP turboprop engines, each rated at 11,000kW. Each engine has an eight-blade counter-rotating AV-60K propeller unit, comprising two, four-blade, counterrotating reversible-pitch propellers. The rotational speed is constant at 735rpm. The forward propeller generates 54% of the total thrust from each engine; the rear prop contributes the remainder. The fuel system accommodates a total of 84,000kg (185,188lb) of fuel in eight integral wing tanks and three soft fuselage tanks. A massive air refuelling probe is installed just ahead of cockpit. The engines are fed by separate systems. Weapons are accommodated inside one 6m (20ft) long bay, which can be equipped with a MKU-6-5 six-missile rotary launcher unit to house and launch the Kh-55/Kh-555 ALCMs. The MS16 version can carry ten more ALCMs on external pylons – with three missiles on each inner underwing pylon pair and two on each pair between the engines. Defence is provided by a tail turret with two 23mm GSh-23 twin-barrel cannons with a 3,000rpm rate of fire, each provided with 600 rounds. The turret is guided either by a Krypton rear-facing radar (mounted above it) or manually by a gunner using the PS-253K sight. The guns can also fire chaff and infrared flares to counter the guidance systems of radar and IR-guided air-to-air and surface-to-air missiles launched at the aircraft. The Meteor-N integrated self-protection suite includes a SPO-15 radar warning receiver, Geran active radar jammer system with emitter antennas in the nose and tail, a Mak ultra-violet missile warner, and batteries of 50mm chaff and flare dispensers installed into the rear end of the undercarriage fairings.

honing co-operation with other RuAF branches such as long-range escort fighters, tankers and ground-based air defence. Another duty is early detection and monitoring operations of foreign fighters scrambled to intercept the Russian bombers in international airspace. The Bear-H patrol routes pass over the Barents Sea and between Greenland and

Iceland. The aircraft either then go alongside the Norwegian coast and down to the North Sea next to Scotland, or to Canada’s northeast coast. The aircraft get into their predesignated missile launch areas and simulate firing, before flying towards a new missile launch area or turning back home. Typical patrol duration is between nine and 17 hours during which the Bear-Hs do not enter other

countries’ sovereign airspace. Often they get close to borders or enter areas with active civil traffic, causing disruption to airlines. Russian bombers, as a rule, operate with transponders switched off, and are rendered invisible to civilian air traffic controllers who use information from secondary surveillance radars, and only see targets with transponders switched on.

The Engels-based Bear-H force includes 13 Tu-95MS-16s, capable of carrying 16 ALCMs plus five more Tu-95MS-6s, outfitted for six nuclear-tipped ALCMs. Via author

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Katran& 1

The Russian Government’s recent Army 2015 exhibition provided a closer look at the Ka-31R and Ka-52K. Piotr Butowski reports

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he main aviation highlight of the Army 2015 exhibition at several locations in and around the town of Kubinka, outside Moscow, between June 16 and 19 was the Ka-52K (Korabelnyi, shipborne; nicknamed Katran or

spiny dogfish) ship-based attack helicopter. This is a derivative of the Ka-52 army combat helicopter developed especially for the Mistral class of helicopter landing dock ships for the Russian Navy, models of which were presented in the main exhibition centre at Patriot Park. The Ka-52K on display (izdeliye, product 820, serial number 01001) is the first of four pre-production helicopters ordered by the

Russian Ministry of Defence in 2012 and produced by Russian Helicopters’ Progress Arsenyev Aviation Plant in Russia’s Far East. It flew for the first time on March 7, which followed the mid-January maiden flight, at Lyubertsy outside Moscow, of a Ka-52K demonstrator owned by Kamov and converted from the second Ka-52 prototype ‘062’.

Shared Systems The Ka-52K has a shortened folding wing and

2 folding rotor blades. The wing folds aft (not

upwards, as in the Ka-52K model displayed previously), with the hinge on the trailing edge near the weapons pylon. Most of the systems on the Ka-52K displayed at Army 2015 were from the standard Ka-52. The Katran has retained the 220kg (485lb) GOES-451 electrooptical turret. A new, much smaller version is being tested on helicopter ‘062’. The current Ka band (8mm) radar for the Ka-52K, used against ground targets, will be supplemented by a longer-range X-band (30mm) against maritime targets. According to PhazotronNIIR, which is developing the radar, the weight of the new device is around 80-90kg (176198lb) compared with 100kg (220lb) in the current version.

Weapons The Ka-52K was displayed in Kubinka with a weapons suite that is typically carried by the land-based variant: six Vikhr-1 anti-armour missiles and a side-mounted 30mm cannon

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RUSSIA’S ARMY 2015 EXHIBITION MILITARY

n&Helix on the starboard side, six Ataka missiles on the port side and two unguided rocket launchers. Due to its shorter wing, the Ka52K has only four weapons hardpoints rather than the Ka-52’s six. Ultimately, the Ka52K’s weapons suite is to be supplemented by Kh-35UV anti-shipping missiles. The Ka-52K owes its development to the Russian order in June 2011 for four French Mistral assault ships (two to be built in France and two in Russia). Before then, in November 2009, a French Navy Mistral visited St Petersburg, where it was shown to the commanders of the Russian Navy. Kamov Ka-27, Ka-29 and Ka-52 helicopters landed aboard the vessel. The first Mistral built by the STX France Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in Saint-Nazaire is ready for delivery. However, it is unlikely this will happen given the wider geopolitical situation between Russia and the West.

Uncertainties Russian Helicopters’ management says that despite the lack of Mistrals, the Ka52K programme is continuing because the helicopter will be used on other Russian Navy ships and by coastal aviation. Currently, however, the Russian Navy has only one Project 1174 Ivan Rogov-class assault ship in service, that is able to carry four Ka-29 transport-assault helicopters. And other vessels, such as missile cruisers,

batch of four being officially inducted into the Indian Naval Air Arm in April 2003. India ordered five more Ka-31s on August 28, 2009; these were delivered in 2011-2012. A further export order for nine Ka-31s came from China on September 24, 2007; these were handed over between 2010 and 2012. The Russian Navy always had an interest in the Ka-31, but the first order for two Ka-31Rs was only placed on November 20, 2008, with deliveries scheduled for 2009-2010. But delays meant the first Ka-31R, serial ‘90’, was only handed over to the Yeysk Naval Aviation Training Centre on June 22, 2012, followed by the second aircraft, ‘91’. These are the only two Ka-31Rs in service. Others are in production in Kumertau, although their delivery dates are unknown. Russia’s National Armament Program calls for 12 Ka-31Rs to be purchased for the Russian Navy up to 2020. The subsequent Ka-31Rs will be located at the 7050th Air Base in Severomorsk-1 (Northern Fleet) and 7062nd Air Base in Nikolayevka (Pacific Fleet). The Ka-31R ‘91’ presented at Kubinka was until recently stationed at the Yeysk training centre; it is soon to be deployed to its permanent base at 3 Severomorsk-1 airfield.

destroyers and frigates, each already carry one or two anti-submarine or search and rescue helicopters so do not need attack helicopters. On April 8, 2014, the Russian Navy placed an order for 32 Ka-52Ks, with the first 12 to be delivered this year. However, in May, Russian Helicopters’ Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Production Andrey Shibitov admitted, “as of now, there are no orders” for production 4 Ka-52Ks. In 2013 the Ministry of Defence ordered Ka-52K flight simulators for the 859th Naval Aviation Training Centre at Yeysk and Nikolayevka (7062nd Air Base of the Pacific Fleet, where the first Russian Mistral, named Vladivostok, was to be stationed). Interestingly, the Ka-52K at Kubinka was presented as a standard Ka-52: on the information chart the ‘K’ letter and the words ‘ship-based’ were obscured.

1 The Katran retains the Ka-52’s 220kg (485lb) GOES-451 electro-optical turret. All images Piotr Butowski 2 The Ka-52K’s wing folds aft, with the hinge on the trailing edge near the weapons pylon. 3 This Ka-31R ‘91’ was the second example of this version to be delivered. Its permanent base will be the Severomorsk-1 airfield. 4 Due to its shorter wing, the Ka-52K has only four weapons hardpoints rather than the Ka-52’s six.

Ka-31R Exhibited at Kubinka airfield (another venue used during Army 2015) was one of two ‘radar picket’ Ka-31R Helix helicopters operated by the Russian Navy, and designed to detect airborne and sea targets. The first Ka-31 operator was India, which in August 1999 ordered four for its navy’s Viraat aircraft carrier and three Krivak-III frigates. A contract for five more was signed in February 2001. The first series helicopter flew in Kumertau on May 16 that year. All nine were delivered in 2003-2004; the first

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COMMERCIAL ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION

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Dr Simon Bennett discusses the merits of taking a wide view following aircraft accidents here is an understandable human need to identify those responsible for death and injury. Too often, however, this need manifests as an ugly and ill-informed witch-hunt. While a witch-hunt may satisfy our desire to allocate blame, it often undermines efforts to avoid a repeat. Take the Germanwings disaster, for example. According to the Bureau d’Enquêtes et d’Analyses pour la sécurité de l’aviation civile’s (BEA’s) Preliminary Report, the primary cause of the March 24 crash in the French Alps of Flight 4U9525 from Barcelona to Düsseldorf was the suicide of Airbus A320 D-AIPX’s First Officer, Andreas Lubitz: “[Lubitz] intentionally modified the autopilot instructions to order the aeroplane to descend until it collided with the terrain. He did not open the cockpit door during the descent, despite requests for access made via the keypad, the cabin interphone and knocks on the door.” (Preliminary Report, p29)

Pawarin Prapukdee/AirTeamImages

Proximate Causes

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The BEA’s initial finding of ‘suicide by commercial aircraft’ is a reasonable and evidence-based conclusion. But what of the proximate causes? These days it is good practice to identify not only a disaster’s immediate causes (such as a flight crew’s failure to de-ice), but also any and all factors that may have contributed to the undesired outcome (schedule pressures, a lack of ground-support equipment, poor training or flawed crew resource management). Pioneered by the Honourable Mr Justice Virgil P Moshansky in his ground-breaking investigation into the 1989 Dryden Fokker F-28 accident, where a crew’s failure to de-ice cost the lives of 24 people, the holistic, inclusive, systems-focused approach to accident investigation ensures nothing is missed. Speaking in 1992, Moshansky stated the Dryden accident, “was the result of a failure in the air transportation system”. To use the University of Manchester psychologist Professor James Reason’s hypothesis on the cause of accidents, Dryden was a ‘systems’ or ‘organisational’ accident that originated in the spaces and interactions between

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the aviation system’s myriad social, economic and political components (personnel, equipment, training regimes, rules, laws, free-market competition, shareholder and investor agendas, etc).

attribution error is only made when judging other people’s behaviour [like that of Lubitz], not our own.”

Reductionism

In the aftermath of the Germanwings disaster, numerous institutions and parties committed Fiske and Taylor’s fundamental attribution error. Instead of considering wider organisational factors, numerous politicians, independent commentators and much of the press rounded on the pilot. Wider organisational and human factors that could have been mentioned included: • the demise of the in-house airline medical department (today, many airlines outsource medical support); • the possibility the authorities failed to maintain a coherent, long-term picture of Lubitz’s physical and mental health (such that a timely medical intervention could have been made); • the possible impact of careerism and peer pressure on Lubitz’s decision to report for duty against medical advice (pilots don’t like letting colleagues or employers down); • the possibility Lubitz feared disciplinary action if he did not report (as this author notes in How Pilots Live – An Examination of the Lifestyle of Commercial Pilots, such fears are not unknown amongst flight crew); • the possibility Lubitz was in such a confused state on the day he committed suicide he was incapable of reflecting on his fitness to fly; • the possibility that chronic fatigue induced by high-frequency operations in busy airspace (typical fare for short-haul European carriers) worsened Lubitz’s physical and mental state and impaired his judgment.

The counterpoint to systems-thinking is reductionism, which explains failure in terms of discrete actions (such as a flight crew’s decision to depart without de-icing their aircraft) rather than broader circumstances and trends. According to the late Professor Tom Horlick-Jones, an expert in the sociology of risk, society’s desire or, as he put it in his contribution to the edited book Accident and Design, “need” to allocate blame encourages reductionism. This is why, in the opinion of this author, the aftermath of disaster is often tarnished by an unedifying and demeaning ‘blame-game’. By individuating responsibility for failure, ‘blamism’ denies the contribution of wider societal and organisational factors, such as political selfinterest, bureaucratic incompetence, underfunding, cost-cutting, inadequate training, unrealistic schedules, equipment shortages and bad design. In their 1984 book Social Cognition, academics Susan Fiske and Shelley Taylor coined the term “fundamental attribution error” to describe the misconception that circumstance plays no part in mistake. In their 2006 book Human Safety and Risk Management, academics Ian Glendon, Sharon Clarke and Eugene McKenna explained that those who make the fundamental attribution error assume that employees act in a vacuum. As they put it: “There is a strong tendency, called the fundamental attribution error, to overemphasise the influence of internal causes, as opposed to external ones, when judging other people’s behaviour. Thus, a manager looking for a causal explanation for a worker’s behaviour will tend to focus on cues related to the actor, rather than the situation…The fundamental

Attribution Error

Avoiding ‘B

ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION COMMERCIAL

Reactions

The ferocity with which most newspapers condemned Lubitz, and he alone, merits review. Front-page headlines in the UK from March 28 included: “A picture emerges of a man disturbed and ill. Yet allowed to fly” (The Guardian); “Killer pilot ‘had made plans to go down in history” (The Times); “Girlfriend was scared of his erratic behaviour” (The Times); “Doctor had ordered killer pilot to stay off work on day of disaster” (Daily Telegraph); and “Pilot ‘had a sick note’ for day he killed 149 people” (The Independent). The Financial Times Weekend went with “Co-pilot destroyed sick note declaring him unfit to fly” and i on Saturday with “Co-pilot hid illness from his employers”. Tabloid headlines included: “Death crash pilot was depressed and ripped up his sick notes” (Daily Express), “Killer pilot tore up flight-day sicknote” (The Sun); and “Killer pilot’s secret gay torment” (Daily Star). Politicians were no more circumspect than journalists. France’s Prime Minister, Manuel Valls, claimed all the evidence pointed to an act that was “crazy, criminal, suicidal”. In failing to reference the broader context to the disaster, politicians, commentators and the media distracted attention from potentially relevant factors such as: • the possibility the outsourcing of medical services may

have an adverse effect on record-keeping and monitoring; • the possibility the capacity of an airline’s human resources department to effectively support its employees may be compromised by cost-cutting. According to Professor Tom Lawton, author of Cleared for Take-Off – Structure and Strategy in the Low-Fare Airline Business, cost-cutting is a prominent feature of airline operating philosophy and method.

Systems Thinking

budget cut, overly-tight schedule or poorly thought-out rule or regulation) provokes a catastrophic failure. We deceive ourselves if we believe we can make the world a safer place by victimising prime movers such as Germanwings First Officer Andreas Lubitz. In time, the loss of Germanwings Flight 4U9525 may be shown to have been a preventable systems accident. Dr Simon Bennett is Director of the Civil Safety and Security Unit at the University of Leicester.

Only systems investigations, such as that conducted by Moshansky into the 1989 Dryden accident, are of use to risk managers and legislators, because only this type of investigation can identify the conditions that incubate failure. As Professor Barry Turner showed in his ‘Six Stage Model of Failure’, disasters often ‘cook’ unseen over months or years until a trigger (such as a

‘Blamism’

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TECHNOLOGY CAMCOPTER S-100 he plight of migrant refugees adrift in the Mediterranean Sea desperately trying to reach Europe from North Africa, particularly Libyan ports, has been making news headlines for many months. Unscrupulous people traffickers continue to overload boats leaving North African shores and send them out into the Mediterranean, where many have drowned – although most have completed the journey or have been rescued. The chance of making a successful attempt has spurred on those behind them to accept the perils and harsh treatment, and risk their lives for what they believe will be a new start in Europe. Christopher and Regina Catrambone, self-styled humanitarians and entrepreneurs, were so affected by the news that 400 migrants drowned near the Italian island of Lampedusa in 2013 that they established the Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS), a foundation based in Malta that uses a 40m-long (131ft) ship, the former marine yacht Phoenix. They have operated two of Schiebel’s Camcopter S-100 unmanned aerial systems (UASs) from the vessel since last year. The Phoenix also uses two rigid-hulled inflatable boats for rescues

at sea and is equipped with an on-board medical clinic. At the start of this year, Christopher Catrambone confirmed the S-100s would once again be used by the ship: “They were crucial in last year’s mission for spotting and monitoring distressed vessels.” Speaking in April, he said the planned reduction in the number of ships on patrol would mean the Camcopters’ operations would be “invaluable”. (European countries later decided to commit more resources to the rescue efforts.) The S-100s can fly at up to 130kts (240km/h) and have been used to locate

and provide information on craft that are potentially in distress. So far the MOAS Phoenix has rescued around 7,800 people, with the figure still climbing.

Schiebel’s Selection Ian Ruggier is the plans and operations manager for MOAS. His prior career with the Maltese military as a national contingent commander with special duties in enhanced boarding techniques has provided him with a wealth of experience, which he is now applying to good effect in the MOAS operation. Talking exclusively to AIR International, he said MOAS identified the need for a UAS at the conceptual stage of their planning: “MOAS wanted to utilise UASs to enhance its search and rescue [SAR] capability, making the Phoenix a complete SAR boat that can deploy dedicated airborne support.” Following discussions with unmanned industry representatives, Austrian manufacturer Schiebel was selected. Ruggier said: “An agreement was reached between MOAS and Schiebel for the provision of RPAs [remotely piloted aircraft] for an operational window of 60 days. In 2015, engagement with industry continued and MOAS, once again, decided to enter into an agreement with Schiebel for the provision of RPAs for the duration of this year’s operations at sea,

1

1 A digital Selex ES SAGE airborne electronic 2 warfare system passively collects emitter data from radio frequency sources. All images Schiebel 2 In June the Camcopter demonstrated three sensors to the Royal Australian Navy and Australian Government. 3 Two S-100s are currently deployed on the Migrant Offshore Aid Station’s Phoenix, giving the ship dedicated airborne support for its rescue missions.

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[which is] six months.” The S-100 began this year’s flying operations off the Phoenix on May 2 and the intention is to keep it flying, subject to sufficient funds being raised to keep it operational. Under the agreement with Schiebel, MOAS pays for the two Camcopters and the small team from the company that supports the aircraft aboard.

Flight Operations Ruggier explained that when the Phoenix is out of harbour and conducting searches for those in distress, flight operations are pre-planned on a daily basis: “The flying hours per sortie are determined by the effect that needs to be generated in terms of area covered. “Routine patrolling helps to generate situation awareness and is crucial to detecting and locating potential vessels of interest that may require assistance. Typically two routine patrols per day are planned, with the total flight time not exceeding eight hours.” The Camcopters carry imaging systems that can deliver real-time imagery, day or night, of the vessels they encounter. The payload can be up to 50kg (110lb), which allows them to operate a range of electrooptical/infrared (EO/IR) sensors available on the market. This captured sensor information helps

CAMCOPTER S-100 TECHNOLOGY

3

The Schiebel Camcopter S-100 is part of the refugee rescue efforts under way in the Mediterranean Sea, reports Andrew Drwiega the regional Rescue Co-ordination Centre (RCC) to evaluate the situation as well as keeping the MOAS SAR operations team updated in case they are needed for a rescue. “There are circumstances whereby the coordinates of vessels in distress are forwarded to Phoenix for investigation,” added Ruggier. “In such cases, the S-100s take off to the reported last known position and commence a search pattern with a view of locating the vessel in distress.” Once the target vessel is found, the Camcopter loiters in the area to assimilate as much information as is required before it returns to the ship. “This will allow for the embarkation of rescued persons onto Phoenix, making use of the flight deck and the aft deck below the heli-deck [for the recovery of those rescued]. “Operations during 2014 and this current period of deployment have continued to show the UAS provides a dedicated and unsurpassed level of SAR capability enhancement.”

Ukraine Monitoring Away from the Mediterranean, the

Camcopter S-100 has also been used by the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in Ukraine. It is deployed by the Special Monitoring Mission in the contested areas between Ukrainian forces and separatist militia. The OSCE signed the contract with Schiebel on August 13 last year and operations are still ongoing. At the Paris Air Show in June, Schiebel and IAI Elta announced they would trial the ELK-7065 3D High Frequency (HF) Band COMINT (communications intelligence) interception and geolocation sensor on the S-100 later in the year. The system labels and identifies HF signals to create an Electronic Order of Battle (EOB) picture together with accurate geolocation. It is intended to counter a growing tendency for terrorists and criminals conducting smuggling or piracy to use HF frequencies for beyond-line-ofsight communications.

SAGE Sensor The sensor’s trials will follow a series of tests in Australia, conducted between June

2 and 12, in which the S-100’s multi-sensor capability was demonstrated to the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and other Australian Government departments. The trials took place near the RAN’s headquarters at Nowra, on the southeast coast, and featured three specific payloads: the Finmeccanica-Selex ES SAGE ESM, the PicoSAR radar and the L-3 Wescam MX-10 EO/IR turret. Missions were conducted day and night to provide the RAN with a practical demonstration of the ability of a UAS to deliver maritime and littoral intelligence surveillance reconnaissance information. The digital Selex ES SAGE airborne electronic warfare system passively collects emitter data from radio frequency sources and compares them with an emitter library to identify and locate potential threats. As for the future, Schiebel would like to manufacture a bigger version of the S-100, the S-200, which would be capable of operating with triple the take-off weight. However, there are no current plans or timetable for this development to go ahead.

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MILITARY EA-18G GROWLER

Nigel Pittaway tells the story of how the Royal Australian Air Force is preparing for it first EA-18G Growler

Introducing G

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orthrop Grumman has delivered the 115th EA18G Growler centre/ aft fuselage shipset to Boeing for induction into the final assembly facility in St Louis. What was so special about this event, which took place in March was that it marked the beginning of final assembly of the first Growler for the Royal Australian Air Force, and the first ever export EA-18G. It was also the 100th F/A-18 shipset to be manufactured by Northrop Grumman for Australia, which has previously taken delivery

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of 57 F/A-18A and 18 F/A-18B Hornets and 24 F/A-18F and F/A-18F+ Super Hornets. Australia has 12 Growlers on order and components for all of them are in various stages of production with Boeing and its suppliers. The first aircraft is due to be rolled off the St Louis production line in late July, followed around two weeks later by the second aircraft. All 12 are due to be completed by the end of next year. “We are honoured to celebrate this significant milestone with the US Navy and our industry partners,” RAAF Director General Capability Planning, Air Commodore Mike Kitcher said at the ceremony marking delivery of the initial shipset. “I am confident that Growler will provide

our air force with the most versatile and effective airborne electronic attack platform in the world.” With the entry of the EA-18G into RAAF service, Australia will boast the only tactical airborne electronic attack capability residing outside the US Navy and US Marine Corps, but the first aircraft are not due to leave the US for delivery to Australia until 2017. In the meantime, the RAAF is preparing to introduce Growler, which provides a capability it has never operated before, and has embarked on a detailed and comprehensive programme to train air and ground crews in time to declare initial operational capability (IOC) in mid-2018.

EA-18G GROWLER MILITARY Cpl David Gibbs/Royal Australian Air Force

Growler Growlers for Australia

Australia ordered 24 F/A-18F Super Hornets in March 2007, as a ‘bridging air combat capability’ to mitigate the early retirement of the RAAF’s General Dynamics F-111C and the late introduction of its intended successor, the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II. There were rumours at the time that some would be ‘pre-wired’ to facilitate conversion to Growler configuration at a later date. However, the first public confirmation Australia was seeking to acquire an airborne electronic attack capability came in October 2008, when then Chief of Air Force, Air Marshal Mark Binskin told an Australian Government Senate Estimates Committee hearing that the idea was under deliberation

by government. “Growler is still an F/A-18F. You can get it with wiring in F/A-18F+ configuration, which means it is capable of taking the Growler equipment,” he said. “You can use it in a Growler configuration, but you could de-configure it to be an F/A-18F as well. It would take a number of days to take the equipment off and put the equipment back on.” Eventually, Australia’s then Defence Minister Joel FitzGibbon formally announced that, following a review of the Super Hornet purchase which had been made by the previous government, the final 12 Super Hornets would be pre-wired on the assembly line to permit future

conversion to EA-18G if necessary. “Wiring 12 of the Super Hornets as Growlers will give us the opportunity to provide taxpayers with better value for money,” he said. “If finally pursued, the relatively small investment will significantly enhance the Super Hornet’s capability, by giving electronic attack capacity and therefore the ability to nullify the systems of opposing aircraft. It will also provide the Super Hornets with counter-terrorism capability through the ability to shut down the groundbased communications and bomb-triggering devices of terrorists.” The second batch of 12 Super Hornets are accordingly known as F/A-18F+ and have EA18G wiring and waveguides installed out to the wing-fold, blanked antenna cut-outs, and structural provisions for equipment racks. Kits developed by Boeing would be used to carry out the conversion, which included the addition of a new fairing at the wing fold and the installation of an electronic equipment pallet in the gun bay in the forward fuselage. The first F/A-18F+ (serial number A44-213) rolled off the production line in St Louis in October 2010. Indication that the Growler conversion would proceed came in March 2012 with the announcement of the purchase of long-lead items, including electronic systems, antennas and high frequency modulation receivers. US Defense Security Co-operation Agency (DSCA) approval to allow the purchase of 12 EA-18G modification kits followed two months later, comprising 34 AN/ALQ-99F(V) tactical jamming system pods, 22 CN1717/A interference cancellation systems (INCANS), 22 R-2674(C)/A joint tactical terminal receiver (JTTR) systems, 30 LAU118 guided missile launchers, command launch computers (CLC) for AGM-88 Highspeed Anti-Radiation Missiles (HARM) and AGM-88E Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missiles (AARGM), as well as engineering, technical and logistics support services. “The decision to purchase this equipment has been made now to ensure Australia continues to have potential access to the Growler technology,” an Australian Government spokesperson noted at that time. “A final decision on whether Australia converts some of its Super Hornets to Growler configuration will be made after exhaustive assessment by the government this year. This purchase ensures Australia will continue to have access to specific technologies needed to make any such conversion.” However, following further delays to the F-35A programme and the impending retirement of the RAAF’s ‘classic’ F/A-18A and F/A-18B Hornet fleet, consideration was given to an additional F/A-18F purchase. It was decided that 12 new-build EA-18Gs would be acquired in lieu, leaving the F/A18F+ aircraft unmodified. Equipment originally purchased for the conversion would be redirected to the Boeing production line for incorporation on the new aircraft. DSCA notification of this sale occurred on February 28 2013, with an estimated cost of $3.7 billion. “As a prudent measure to assure Australia’s air combat capability through

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MILITARY EA-18G GROWLER

the transition period to the Joint Strike Fighter [JSF], the government has decided to retain the current 24 F/A-18F Super Hornets [one operational squadron] in their current air combat and strike capability configuration,” defence minister Stephen Smith told journalists during the launch of a new Defence White Paper in Canberra in May 2013. “The government has also decided to acquire 12 new-build EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft instead of converting 12 of Australia’s existing F/A18F Super Hornet aircraft into the Growler configuration. Twelve Growler aircraft will enhance significantly the ADF’s [Australian Defence Force] electronic warfare capability and, together with the JSF and the Super Hornet, will form a formidable air combat force capable of controlling both the air and electronic environments.”

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Later the same month, the Australian Government signed an agreement with the US Navy for the Foreign Military Sale (FMS) purchase of an AGM-88 HARM and AGM-88E AARGM training capability as part of Growler acquisition. The capability will be delivered this year by Alliant Techsystems (ATK) to support Australian Growler flight test operations.

Testing Australia’s Growlers As with its Super Hornets, Australia’s intention is to keep the Growler as close to the US Navy configuration as possible to enhance interoperability and reduce the cost of ownership and support. However, there will be some minor differences that will require a period of flight test to be carried out in the United States prior to the aircraft being ferried to Australia early in 2017. Unlike US Navy EA-18G Growlers, RAAF

aircraft will be fitted with the Raytheon ATFLIR targeting pod which is already in use on the Super Hornet fleet. They will also have a wider range of air-to-air weapons and, along with other minor changes, will require a unique version of Operational Flight Program (OFP) software to be developed and tested. The RAAF OFP software will be tested by the US Navy’s Advanced Weapons Laboratory at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, California. Further ongoing testing of the ATFLIR pod and other RAAFunique requirements will be performed by Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 23 (VX-23) ‘Salty Dogs’ at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, and at NAWS China Lake by VX-31 ‘Dust Devils’. “The developmental flight test of the RAAF EA-18G will mimic what we currently do with US Navy Growlers. Since the RAAF funded some extra software features or

EA-18G GROWLER MILITARY Cpl David Gibbs/Royal Australian Air Force

“The testing is being carried out to ensure that whatever changes have been made, the Australian jets will retain the same level of capability and interoperability as the US Navy’s Growlers,” Wg Cdr Paul Jarvis, acting director of the RAAF Growler Transition Office (GTO) explained. Australian operational test and evaluation (OT&E) will start in the United States after the first aircraft are handed over at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington, in January 2017. This will involve six months of operations alongside a US Navy Growler squadron. “We will be testing the end-to-end Australian system, including mission planning computers, Australian tasking, mapping, maintenance procedures and logistics as well as interoperability with US and other Australian aircraft,” Wg Cdr Jarvis continued. “This will include both Australian-only and combined activities and will make use of several training ranges in the US for the purpose.”

Initial Training

improvements that are not in the current US Navy configuration, we will conduct test flying and regression testing of the minor differences,” VX-31 Lead Test Pilot, Lt Cdr Matthew Menza explained. “It’s not uncommon to change a few lines of code and have a few small changes impact the system as a whole. Therefore we will evaluate the RAAF configuration in a series of flight tests that will thoroughly check out every corner of the airborne electronic attack capabilities and regular common F/A-18E/F and EA-18G capabilities to make sure it works perfectly before turning it over to the RAAF.” The first two RAAF aircraft will be used for this testing. The other aircraft will be placed into storage as they come off the assembly line in St Louis until there is a sufficient number of experienced crews to operate them, initially in the United States.

When the Growler decision was made, the RAAF had a Super Hornet instructor pilot on an exchange posting at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California. With the co-operation of the US Navy, this position was transferred to Electronic Attack Squadron 129 (VAQ129) ‘Vikings’, the EA-18G Growler Fleet Replacement Squadron based at Whidbey Island, in late 2012. Flt Lt Sean Rutledge was posted to this position as the first RAAF airman to undergo conversion to the EA-18G. By the end of April, the RAAF had nine personnel at Whidbey Island, either undergoing training or flying with US Navy squadrons. The US Navy has also made a series of exchange postings with the land-based expeditionary Growler squadrons available to RAAF crews as they complete their training, giving Australia a wealth of operational experience before it begins operating the aircraft in its own right. This is an important point for the RAAF, which has never had a tactical airborne electronic attack capability before and is testimony to the close links between the two services. Wg Cdr Jarvis explained: “We have twoand-a-half crews [one crew comprises two people] on the expeditionary squadrons right now, VAQ-132, VAQ-135 and VAQ-138 and they will remain there until the end of 2016 as full-up crews.” Other Australian Growler crews will remain with VAQ-129 after their training to build up experience required to transfer training home to Australia from 2017. To date the candidates have come from the Hornet and Super Hornet communities, and one from the Lockheed AP-3C Orion, but from July the first ab-initio trainees will be posted to VAQ-129 fresh from their training on the BAE Systems Hawk Mk127. “The intent is that when we stand up No.6 Squadron as a Growler Squadron in January 2017, we already have the right mix of experience,” Wg Cdr Jarvis continued. “With regard to maintenance training, the commonality with the Super Hornet means the major differences are in the avionics and armaments disciplines. Our first cadre

of technicians will begin training in the US in early 2016 and then they will undergo on-the-job training with the US Navy, so they will have some experience by the time our aircraft arrive.”

Into Service No.6 Squadron has been the Super Hornet training squadron within the RAAF’s No.82 Wing at Amberley, Queensland, but is relinquishing that role in order to convert to Growler. The majority of Super Hornet and Growler conversion training will now be conducted with the US Navy, with post-graduate training conducted in-house by No.1 and No.6 Squadrons, which will concentrate on operational training. Wg Cdr Jarvis said: “Initial Operational Capability [IOC] is going to be declared in mid-2018 and Final Operational Capability [FOC] in the early 2020s. We want to give ourselves plenty of time between IOC and FOC because it is a brand-new capability. Airborne electronic attack is a whole new role and we’ve acknowledged that fact in our planning. “We’re giving ourselves an incremental approach between the two, with a couple of intermediate stages, to make sure that when we hit FOC we’ll be well and truly capable. “A lot of the work will be in the areas of command and control, targeting, logistics, support and management. All of the things that are done in current operations, but to which airborne electronic attack brings a whole new set of requirements into the Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence [C4I] function.” One example of the work required is the upgrade of Australia’s training ranges to be able to exercise Growler’s unique capabilities to the maximum extent. This is being addressed by funding within the acquisition project (Air 5349) to develop a new range close to Amberley, to cater for the day-today emitter geo-location and identification training, which forms the largest element of the Growler’s role, the ‘find and fix’ part of the operation. Active jamming activities will however be avoided due to the amount of the electronic spectrum already in use in the Amberley area. The range will be similar to one under development near Whidbey Island and will be complemented by an upgrade to the existing Delamere Weapons Range in the Northern Territory, to exercise the high-end of the Growler capabilities. The latter is similar to a range near Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada, used by the US Navy Growler community and will have emitters and emulators joined with command and control systems to replicate a modern integrated air defence system (IADS). This will allow large force employment exercises to be conducted and will have a secondary benefit to other aircraft in terms of selfdefence training. Wg Cdr Jarvis concluded: “Growler rarely flies solely for Growler purposes, other than in initial training. The majority of our flying will be training in support of either land or maritime force elements or other aircraft. For us it’s always about supporting our protected entities.”

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The Last o

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1 The DC-8’s JT3D turbofans were replaced by these CFM56s in 1986 following its acquisition by NASA. 2 NASA DC-8-72 (N817NA) at Keflavík, Iceland, in May for the polar winds research flights. All images Andreas Spaeth 3 Despite its age and analogue cockpit, NASA research pilot Wayne Ringelberg praised the DC-8-72’s solidity and performance. 2

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NASA DC-8 COMMERCIAL

t of its Kind

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Andreas Spaeth gets a behind-the-scenes glimpse at NASA’s unique DC-8 research aircraft

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ou almost have to pinch yourself to believe it. It’s 2015 and a Douglas DC-872 with cabin windows is taxiing along. It’s surprisingly quiet, almost disappointingly so, when the big fourengined bird moves. Even on take-off it’s barely audible, thanks to the modern CFM56 engines which fall under the lower noise category III. The only significant noise comes from the strong wind here at Keflavík Airport in Iceland. This aircraft N817NA (c/n 46082, line number 458) was re-equipped with the engines in 1986, replacing the earlier, shrill Pratt & Whitney JT3D turbofans and earning it the DC-8-72 series label. The jet was delivered as a DC-8-60 from the factory at Long Beach, California, in May 1969 to Alitalia, which christened it ‘Giacomo Puccini’

after the composer. In 1979 it switched owners and flew for Dallas-based carrier Braniff International Airways until May 1982. With about 40,000 hours logged, NASA acquired the aircraft in February 1986 for its Airborne Science Program. It took two years to modify it to become a research aircraft, which included the installation of the CFM56s, but since then the DC-8 has been an ideal platform for all kinds of scientific operations. Today, it’s one of the last few left flying that’s configured to carry passengers. Its home is NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center Building 703 at Palmdale, southern California, alongside the agency’s other research platforms, which include a 1977-vintage ex-Pan Am Boeing 747SP operated in co-operation with the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft und Raumfahrt, DLR)

as the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA). AIR International got a glimpse into the DC8’s operations as NASA stationed it at Keflavík for several weeks early this summer. There the aircraft, and NASA scientists, assisted the DLR measuring winds over Greenland, along with the DLR’s Dassault Falcon 20E.

Solid Platform The DC-8-72 is economical for scientific missions, enabling scientists to fly for up to 14 hours non-stop to remote areas of the world. In the past the aircraft has operated from Punta Arenas in Chile to Antarctica and back. NASA research pilot Wayne Ringelberg told this magazine: “The DC-8 is a very solidly built, strong aircraft, with its construction philosophy of the 1960s able

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to cope with even the harshest environment, and capable of missions all over the world.” The airframe’s solidity is particularly important for the installation of scientific instrumentation. This involves loading instruments into openings in the outer skin or replacing windows with plugs containing sensors. “There is a lot of built-in leeway in these older aircraft designs, non-existent in more modern types,” noted Ringelberg. “As a four-engine aircraft the main advantage of the DC-8 is its redundancy on long flights.”

Crew Complement There are usually three crew members in the cockpit: the two pilots and the flight engineer. The navigator has a place in the front of the cabin, usually alongside two mission managers co-ordinating the scientific work. Then there are two safety technicians overseeing the functioning of the measurement instruments and assisting in emergencies. Two or three scientists are allocated to each experiment, resulting in about 25 people in the very spacious cabin (which in its former life was equipped for up to 175 passengers). There are wide vintage first class seats on board, surrounded by equipment racks – and the huge rectangular windows put the touting of big windows on new aircraft like the Boeing 787 or the Airbus A350 into perspective. The analogue cockpit features lots of dials and gauges on the pilots’ and flight engineer’s instrument panels. “We have a modern flight management system for

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POLAR WINDS RESEARCH The NASA DC-8 went to Keflavík because scientists wanted to research winds around Iceland and Greenland, where cold air masses from the Arctic combine with warmer air to generate weather systems that influence the climate across the northern hemisphere. As well as from the dropsondes released from the aircraft, data was collected by the Doppler Aerosol WiNd Lidar and the Tropospheric Wind Lidar Technology Experiment sensors mounted aboard. The information will be combined with data gathered by the lidar systems on the DLR’s Falcon, to help European Space Agency scientists create complex models of Earth’s weather and climate patterns. Those will be used in the ADM-Aeolus satellite, due for launch next year, which will provide real-time measurements of Earth’s wind fields to help with forecasting. Mark Broadbent

the avionics, but the autopilot is original,” Ringelberg explained. “Modern cockpits often enable the pilots to have a much better awareness of their situation. They just look onto a screen telling them what to do and where they go. In older aircraft, we have to generate this picture in our minds while looking at analogue needles.” Ringelberg pointed out what distinguishes the DC-8 from its old competitor in the early 5 days of the first jetliners, the Boeing 707: “We can take off heavy, go to high altitude and then fly slow – the 707 can’t do that.” Those capabilities were used during a recent test of biofuel emissions, when the DC-8 had to fly into the contrails of the DLR’s Falcon. “We needed to fly fairly slow, but as high as we could go,” recalled Ringelberg. And he compared the pilot’s experience of the DC-8 to that of the Boeing 747SP SOFIA he also flies: “The 747 is a generation newer, its handling is more supported by hydraulics and you have to use less physical power; it feels more like a modern aircraft.”

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Co-ordination It’s sometimes difficult to bring scientists’ demands in line with safe flight operations. “They’re often not able to clearly express what they want, and we must then translate that into concrete flight manoeuvres,” said Ringelberg. “Sometimes the scientists don’t understand the limits of the aircraft: we had cases when they asked to descend to altitudes that were below ground level at a certain area. They just think differently.” It’s paramount to have a carefully laid-out plan for these operations. “In aviationbased science you need to have a plan – changing it mid-flight is sometimes difficult,” Ringelberg said. The NASA DC-8 spends 300 to 400 hours a year in the air, about ten times less than when it flew with an airline. “We do three to six campaigns a year, but

NASA DC-8 COMMERCIAL

6 1 Some 100 small tube-shaped dropsondes were dispensed in-flight during the Iceland mission to obtain vertical wind profiles and transmit information on air temperature and moisture. 2 Two or three scientists are allocated to each experiment aboard – and close co-ordination is required with the flight crew to plan flight operations that are both safe and meet scientists’ requirements. 3 After being dropped through the fuselage from around 19,000ft (5,800m), the dropsondes transmit data for up to 12 minutes. 4 Some scientific instrumentation is loaded onto the aircraft by using openings in the outer skin or replacing windows with plugs containing sensors. 5 The DC-8-72 worked alongside the German Aerospace Center’s Falcon for the polar winds research flights. 6 Around 25 people can be carried in the very spacious cabin, where wide vintage first class seats are surrounded by equipment racks. 7 Wing-mounted sensors. 8 NASA DC-8-72 N817NA at Keflavík, Iceland, in May for the polar winds research flights. All images Andreas Spaeth

it takes two to three weeks alone to put the instruments on and calibrate them, sometimes longer than the actual flying mission takes.”

DC-8 in NASA service is not easy. No science organisation can afford the estimated $30-50 million needed to buy a new aircraft, and newer jets can’t be structurally modified in the way needed for research missions. Cabin size, range and reliability are priorities in the selection process. “A possible candidate would be the DC-10 or MD-11 with at least three engines,” Ringelberg suggested. But he doesn’t want anyone to call his beloved DC-8 a dinosaur just yet. “That has almost a negative connotation. I’d rather look at it as a very well maintained vintage car.”

Dropsondes Scientists praise one special feature the DC-8 offers them – the chance to launch measurement dropsondes from the cabin through a tube. On some campaigns, including that in Iceland, 100 of these probes were used. Costing $1,000 each, they contain a GPS tracker and sensors for air temperature, humidity, pressure and surface temperature for either sea or ice. Senior scientist George Emmitt explained: “From a typical dropping altitude of 5,800m [19,000ft], they’re in the air for seven to 12 minutes, transmitting data.” The DC-8’s sturdy airframe has no in-built limitation of flight hours and so far it has accumulated about 54,000. Ringelberg said: “We expect it to fly for at least another decade.” But at some point it will be too difficult to acquire spare parts from boneyards or have handmade replacements. As of mid-2015, only about 15 DC-8s were still airworthy worldwide, all of them freighters. NASA pilots meanwhile go to ABX Air at Wilmington, Ohio, one of the last US-based DC-8 cargo operators, for their type rating, 80% of which is done in a simulator. Looking for a long-term replacement for the

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ITALIAN AIR FORCE 61° STORMO MILITARY

Changing Times

Riccardo Niccoli visits 61° Stormo to find out about a new era for the unit as it takes on the T-346A

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The first Italian Air Force training course on the T-346A is scheduled to start at Lecce in August; on qualifying the four students are destined for the F-2000. All photos Riccardo Niccoli unless stated

he Alenia Aermacchi T-346A lead-in fighter trainer is now a reality for the Aeronautica Militare Italiana (AMI, Italian Air Force). New training pipelines in the Integrated Pilot Training System 2020 (IPTS 2020) programme (see Italy’s New Training Systems, June 2014 p70-75) and the increasing internationalisation of the Lecce-Galatina Air Base flying school have brought 61° Stormo (61st Wing) more into the limelight. Colonel Paolo Tarantino, the 61° Stormo commander, told AIR International: “The base is undergoing a very interesting phase and, thanks to the commitment of different players, we had a real boost in the flying

hours – in 2014 we recorded some 10,000.”

International Users It isn’t just the AMI that’s benefiting from the new aircraft and the increase in flying rates, as 61° Stormo’s work is attracting considerable interest from abroad. Many European air forces still operate old training fleets close to the end of their operational lives while the AMI and its Lecce school provides a modern training facility to foreign operators. The unit has carried out training for other nations since the 1950s, with more than 300 pilots from 13 countries having gained their wings at Lecce. But recently, under specific instruction from the AMI’s Air Staff, the provision of training for foreign nations has been developed further. There were negotiations during the 2000s over an international flying school for military

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2 1 The 61° Stormo FT-339CD flight line. This type is operated by 213° Gruppo for training phase 2 and 3 and by 212° Gruppo for training phase 4, but in the near future it will be used only by 213° Gruppo. 2 Two T-346As from 212° Gruppo perform aerobatic manoeuvres above Apulia. By the end of the year, the squadron will operate six examples of this aircraft. 3 Above the Apulian coast, a formation of all three types in service with 61° Stormo: the T-339A, FT-339CD and T-346A. 61° Stormo via author

pilots under the European Air Training project, also simply called Eurotraining, and the AMI forwarded its candidature to be the home (or at least one of the locations) for the new organisation. The project has since stalled due to some air arms’ indifference – but Italian efforts towards providing international training have continued. Results attained by foreign students qualifying at Lecce are at a top level: for example, the first two Austrian Air Force students to attend the 61° Stormo courses ranked first and third when they went on to train on the Typhoon with the Luftwaffe’s operational conversion unit for the type. 3

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Student pilots from Greece and Singapore have meanwhile gone on to convert onto their air forces’ respective advanced aircraft, the Block 52 F-16C/D and F-15SG. During AIR International’s visit to Lecce in March, 13 foreign pilots were flying at the school. They had come from the air forces of Austria, Greece and Kuwait. This summer, two more students will arrive from the Netherlands and by the year’s end two others will have come from Singapore. There is also an international mix of instructors, with pilots on exchange from Argentina, Austria, France and Greece, and this summer one will arrive from the

Netherlands. Col Tarantino noted: “Recently we had official visits from Austria, Finland, France, Peru, Poland, Thailand, the Netherlands, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, the US and Uzbekistan. All recorded high interest and satisfaction. We think we have developed excellent training syllabi, with competitive costs. “I think there’ll be even more opportunities in the future, since the T-346 has immense potential compared to the FT-339CD. No other air forces carry out lead-in fighter training (LIFT) as advanced as ours. It is precious knowhow that we want to maintain.”

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The Courses All training courses at Lecce are carried out in English. The introduction of IPTS 2020 has further enhanced the operational part of the syllabus. The T-339A and the FT-339CD are still used, but late last year the new T-346A arrived to form the fleet of the 212° Gruppo for phase 4 LIFT training. Training courses at Lecce start with phase 2, which is basic flight training (phase 1 is currently carried out with 70° Stormo at Latina, with the T-260B). Phase 2 is undertaken on the T-339A with the 214° Gruppo Istruzione Professionale (which trains the instructors) and the 213° Gruppo, and lasts between seven and eight months. According to the 213° Gruppo CO, Major Vito ‘C’ (surname withheld for security reasons): “In this phase we select those destined for the fighter, support or helicopter fleets. The students destined to the fighter track – including those Italian students who attend foreign schools, at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas and Kalamata, Greece – remain at the 213° Gruppo for phase 3 on the FT33CD, which introduces the fundamentals of basic fighter manoeuvres in the air-to-air role and navigation and attack; and managing a store management system in the air-toground role. “Part of phase 4 training [more advanced operational training] is now downloaded to phase 3, in particular the ‘contact’ part, which includes specific manoeuvres destined to give the students the necessary feeling in high-g manoeuvres, in order to maintain the necessary parameters.” After phase 3, the students in the fighter track get their military wings, and remain at Lecce to undergo phase 4 with 212° Gruppo.

T-346A into Use Last year the Reparto Sperimentale Volo (RSV, Test Flying Wing) concluded its evaluations of the T-346 and in July the first aircraft was sent to Lecce to start the conversion of the first two instructor pilots. In October, 61° Stormo started flying the T-346A officially, and in December 212° Gruppo arranged meetings and flying demonstrations for instructors on all the AMI fast-jet operational conversion units (OCUs – 20°, 101° and 102° Gruppi for the F-2000, AMX and Tornado IDS respectively) for them to appreciate the potential of the T-346

training system. The process also enabled 61° Stormo to understand the needs of the OCUs and which of their activities could be ‘downloaded’ (to use the military training phrase) to Lecce to save precious flying hours and resources for the fighter lines. 6 One of the issues in the T-346A’s introduction to service is informing personnel about the system’s enormous potential. Thanks to its embedded simulation and sensor fusion capabilities, the T-346A can do more than older LIFT trainers such as the FT339CD or the Hawk. It can simulate various air-to-air and air-to-ground armaments, the AN/APG-68 radar, electronic countermeasures and can represent other aircraft in-flight, friend or foe. It can also fly in data link mode with simulators on the ground. From July, the T-346A will be able to simulate the delivery of laser-guided and GPS-guided munitions, flown with helmetmounted displays (HMDs) carrying data that 7 emulates enemy aircraft. These capabilities enable the download of some training missions from the OCUs, which will then be able to concentrate on more advanced activities. That will provide combat squadrons with pilots who have a higher skill level and are nearly combat-ready when they join the frontline units.

4 Four 212° Gruppo T-346As overfly Decimomannu at the end of their first deployment for air-toground and air-to-air training this spring. Gianluca Onnis via author 5 A T-346A lands at Decimomannu after an air-to-ground training sortie carrying a BRD pod used to deliver training rockets and bomblets. Gianluca Onnis via author 6 The control console station of the T-346 full mission simulator. 7 The Alenia Aermacchi T-346A full motion simulator inside the new 212° Gruppo building at Lecce Air Base. 8 The Ground Based Training System incorporates nine simulator based training stations, which allow the student to ‘fly’ the T-346A without time limits until to boost their knowledge all the aircraft systems and avionics.

‘Decimo’ Deployment The last phase of the T-346A’s introduction to service, between January 26 and 28, saw the RSV complete the acceptance flights of the latest full trainer (FT) software release, and on February 26, the first aircraft (MM.55154/‘6101’) was officially delivered to 61° Stormo. Since then, the operational tempo 8 has been frenetic. Besides the training activity (qualification of the instructors and writing the operational manuals and the new training syllabus), itself a major task, the wing conducted a deployment to the Decimomannu Air Base and ranges in Sardinia in March. This was necessary to complete weapon firing qualifications, which are fundamental, before the first training course starts in August. The deployment by 212° Gruppo to ‘Decimo’ with three T-346As (together with a fourth delivered directly from Alenia Aermacchi) enabled the unit to complete all scheduled qualification activity. The jets

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MILITARY ITALIAN AIR FORCE 61° STORMO flew air-to-air and air-to-ground missions, the latter using BRD pods to launch inert bombs and rockets. The ‘Decimo’ deployment meanwhile confirmed the perfect integration between the T-346A’s data recording and data link system and the FPR advanced air combat manoeuvring instrumentation (ACMI) pod in use with fighters of the AMI and other air forces. Since the start of the year, 212° Gruppo has been managing two different activities with two different aircraft. It is divided in two while working with the same number of personnel. One group of instructors is working on the T-346A and another is

50% of the whole package. The heart of the Integrated Training System produced by Alenia Aermacchi is, in fact, the Ground Based Training System (GBTS) – formed by a system of computerised training aids and simulators – which increases the quality level of the training and at the same time significantly reduces costs. The GBTS is hosted in a new two-storey building Alenia Aermacchi has built near the flight line at Lecce, which is the new home for 212°

completing phase 4 for student pilots from Austria, Italy and Kuwait on the FT-339CD (the squadron’s deployment to ‘Decimo’ in March also included six FT-339CDs and one T-339A to conduct live firing for the latest crop of students on the FT-339CD). Major Alessandro ‘O’, 212° Gruppo’s commander, said: “The teamwork between industry and the RSV produced an outstanding result. Thanks to the sensor fusion capability and the distribution of switches and controls, the T-346 cockpit is compatible with that of the F-16, F-2000 and F-35, with great advantages for the students.”

Integrated Training System

The T-346 is a fundamental part of the new phase 4 LIFT training, but it represents only 1

2 1 A new badge was adopted by 61° Stormo on May 10. Seen here on a T-346A, it features an eagle in black and is considered more representative of the wing’s ‘fighter school’ orientation than the earlier badge. 61° Stormo via author 2 The first Italian Air Force training course on the T-346A is scheduled to start at Lecce in August; on qualifying the four students are destined for the F-2000. 3 A T-346A during the last pre take-off checks, inside one of the new ‘soft shelter’ hangars at Lecce built for the new trainer.

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Gruppo. On the ground floor are the full mission simulator (FMS), and the partial task trainer (PTT). These can be ‘piloted’ with HMD and night-vision goggles and can operate together through a data link. It will be possible for instructors and students to fly a mission together – someone being in the FMS, someone else in the PTT and a third person in the real aircraft, in flight. There are clear potential cost savings and huge

ITALIAN AIR FORCE 61° STORMO MILITARY training, allowing big savings but at the same time a very high level of training. “In October we’ll have the first course for Polish pilots, which will be staged by Alenia Aermacchi pilots for the conversion to type phase, while the tactical and advanced phase will be carried out by our instructors, with our aircraft. The beginning of the M-346 deliveries for Poland is scheduled for November 2016.” By the end of this year, 212° Gruppo will receive the last two aircraft of the first production batch. Deliveries of three more T-346As of the second batch, the contract for which was signed last December, will be complete by the end of 2016. The agreement between the AMI and Alenia Aermacchi foresees 15 T-346As being delivered, but the AMI Air Staff is working to have a total of 18.

Flight Hours The higher level of activity at Lecce was made possible by an increase in flight hours for the T-339 fleets, enabling the

possibilities in terms of training. On the upper floor are the mission planning and debrief station, the real time monitoring station and a room with nine simulator based training stations. The latter are simple T-346 cockpits with touchscreens enabling students to train and try all the possible procedures and missions whenever they want – with no limitations in time, thanks to the very low cost of operations. The whole GBTS will be fully complete and operational by summer 2016. Major ‘O’ commented: “The first phase 4 course on the T-346 will give an idea about how the students are able to cope with the huge workload waiting for them. Four Italian pilots who take part on this course will, at the end of phase 3, have been selected for the F-2000. At present we foresee that the course will be built on 180 events – half in the simulators, half in flight – and will last about ten months. “The flying phase will validate the synthetic

schedule for Italian and foreign students to be kept on track. Key to this process of raising productivity were 61° Stormo’s Gruppo Efficienza Aeromobili (GEA, Aircraft Maintenance Squadron) and 10° Reparto Manutenzione Velivoli (10° RMV, Aircraft Maintenance Unit), at Lecce, which are charged with managing the T-339 fleets and the T-346 line in the future. Colonel Filippo Trigilio, Director of the 10° RMV, said: “One of the assumptions of the international flight school at Lecce was that this unit could make ready an adequate number of flying hours to satisfy the ambitions

of the air force. This process of optimisation started in late 2012, and since then we have recorded a remarkable increase of about 40% in the flying hours for the ’339 fleets, including [the PAN variant] assigned to the Frecce Tricolori and to other units. “We increased from about 9,000 to 12,500 hours, and in 2015 we think [we will] reach 13,000 hours. This was made possible thanks to a review to the maintenance plan, which included an enlargement of the maintenance schedule and more careful monitoring of some spare parts.” Colonel Tarantino added: “The FT-339CDs are [achieving] reliability levels never seen before – all this [despite the fact that] the FT339 suffers from some obsolescence issues, such as the Viper engine, and is still equipped with an analogue and mechanical control system. However, it remains an easy handling aircraft, with optimum aerodynamics and excellent visibility from the cockpit.” The Viper, a turbojet no longer in production, lacks a full authority digital engine control system. Piaggio Aerospace Industries, which is responsible for its maintenance, is working on new support plans to cover the period until 2020-2025. Col Trigilio explained: “The T-339A and PAN should be completely retired from service by 2020. The FT-339CD model can fly for many years to come, and its retirement is scheduled for around 2025.” The pace of the ’339’s withdrawal depends on the introduction into service of the M-345 HET, whose cost per flying hours is estimated to be 40-50% lower A two-year technical-logistical support contract between the AMI and Alenia Aermacchi started in March and will be followed by another two-year contract for the support of fixable components. Training courses for technical personnel were included in the contract for the first batch of six T-346As and started in 2013. After a pause caused by a delay in the delivery of the first aircraft, more courses began in March, and will have been completed by the same month next year, including the on job training (OJT) element. At the 10° RMV, inspections on the T-346A are scheduled at 500 hours. Under evaluation is the possibility of the unit carrying out maintenance at phase A (every 2,000 hours) and phase B (every 4,000 hours). The operational life of the T-346A airframe has been set up at around 10,000 flying hours, or 40 years.

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t 12,000ft (3,657m) I lowered the DA62’s long nose, left the power levers at the ‘max continuous’ setting of 95% and retrimmed. The indicated airspeed was 162kts (300km/h), which the Garmin G1000 integrated flight instrument system automatically corrected for pressure and temperature to show a true airspeed (TAS) at the bottom of the speed tape. Now, 194kts (359km/h) is pretty respectable (it eventually peaked at 196kts), but to be honest I was more impressed by the fuel burn. Only 36 litres (9.6 US gallons) flows into each turbocharged Austro Engine AE330 per hour. Multiplying that by two, and then by 3.78 (US gallon to litre conversion), equals 72.6 litres (19.1 US gallons) per hour. Jet A-1 is currently around $1.60/US gallon, which meant we could’ve flown seven people almost 200nm (370km) for around $30 in fuel. Standing on the ramp at Diamond’s base at Wiener Neustadt in Austria, the DA62 looks exactly what it is – a 21st century aircraft. Although it resembles a TwinStarNG, it’s actually quite different – the biggest distinction being the DA62 can be certified with seven seats (personally, I would’ve called it the DA72). The DA62 will be offered as either a fiveor seven-seater, with the seats in either a two-three or a two-three-two arrangement. The five-seater has a 1,999kg (4,407lb) maximum all-up weight (MAUW) designed to avoid the Eurocontrol charges that apply to aircraft of two tonnes and over; the sevenseater’s is 2,300kg (5,070lb) – although overall dimensions and engine power will be common to both types.

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Shaped for Efficiency Even at a glance you can see the standard of finish is very high, while the elegant, flowing lines are extremely attractive. Indeed, the airframe is almost a work of art – although this is a happy coincidence rather than a design aim, as I very much doubt Diamond’s engineers would have placed form above function. As I was soon to learn, this seven-seat flying machine currently has no rival for sheer efficiency in its class. Starting at the long and shapely nose, I realised immediately that, although many aspects of this aircraft are the same as other Diamonds, in some respects the DA62 is quite different from earlier models; for example each pilot now has their own door. The relatively high-aspect-ratio wings use a laminar-flow aerofoil (a modified Wortman FX63-137/20 section) and are superbly made. They feature swept back, upturned winglets and vortex generators (VGs, in front of the ailerons) which combine to give the aircraft excellent slow speed handling characteristics. The winglets produce a vortex which delays airflow separation at the tip and the VGs help to retain the ailerons’ effectiveness at slow speed. The winglets are also useful in an asymmetric situation as they damp yaw and roll while increasing directional stability.

‘Weeping Wing’ De-icing is by the TKS ‘weeping wing’ system. This uses an anti-freeze solution which seeps from Titanium panels mounted on the leading edges of the wings, fin and tailplane, while a ‘slinger’ ring inside the spinner coats the propellers. This is an optional extra but it’s a must, really: I doubt many DA62s will be sold without it, as to regularly fly instrument flight rules (IFR) you have to have either an anti- or de-icing system. The tank for the TKS fluid is housed on the right side of the nose baggage

bay, and can carry up to 37.5 litres (9.9 US gallons). The wings are fitted with two different types of electrically-actuated flap. Inboard of the engines the flaps are of the simple split variety; outboard they’re of the more sophisticated single-slotted type.

Engines The pair of 180hp (134kW), 2-litre, liquidcooled four-cylinder Austro Engine AE330 turbocharged diesel engines feature common-rail injection and turn threeblade constant speed, fully-feathering MT composite propellers. The engine nacelles are extremely elegant, and as there’s a turbocharged diesel inside each one – along with its starter, alternator, radiator, oil cooler, intercooler and heat exchanger – they’re a design masterpiece. With the AE330’s engine block canted over by about 30°, each nacelle is somewhat asymmetric, with an obvious bulge on one side. They could easily be distinctly ugly, but aren’t. The aft cowling (metal-covered to avoid cooking the composite skin) blends in beautifully, while the hot, high-speed air exiting from the exhaust even adds a couple of kilograms of thrust, possibly enough to offset the drag caused by the radiator. The engines are fed from a pair of wing tanks with a combined capacity of 189 litres (49 US gallons), and a 137-litre (36 US gallon) auxiliary tank is an option. The ruggedlooking trailing-link main undercarriage retracts inwards and the nosewheel forwards. For a 2,300kg machine the relatively highpressure tyres are not overly big, but then the aircraft hasn’t been designed to operate ‘off-piste’ anyway.

Undercarriage The main undercarriage doors do not completely cover the wheels when the gear

DIAMOND DA62 COMMERCIAL 1 The DA62 features a large ventral strake, dorsal fillet, and turned-down tailplane tips. 2 The engines are 180hp (134kW), 2-litre, liquid-cooled four-cylinder Austro Engine AE330 turbocharged diesels, fitted with three-blade constant speed, fully-feathering MT composite propellers. 3 The DA62 will be offered as either a five- or seven-seater, with the seats in either a two-three or a two-three-two arrangement. 4 The main doors do not completely cover the wheels when the undercarriage is retracted. 1

An Austrian Gem Dave Unwin finds the new Diamond DA62 twin efficient, economical and easy to fly

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is retracted – for two reasons: the small increase in drag is offset by the reduction in weight; and, as the undercarriage’s VLE (the maximum speed at which it may be extended) is the same as the aircraft’s VNE (never exceed speed), the pilot can use it as a rudimentary airbrake. Overall, I think the DA62 looks great with its large ventral strake, dorsal fillet and turned-down tailplane tips. The restrained silver-grey colour scheme really suits it, although despite its obvious good looks this is clearly a machine in which form follows function. Drag reduction has obviously been one of the design team’s principal concerns – even the taxi and landing lights in the belly are flushmounted. Access to the cabin is good. Each pilot has their own door, complemented by sensibly sized non-slip wing-root walkways, and there are recessed grab handles above the instrument panel. The thigh support forward of the seat flips up, enabling them to simply step in. Access to the rear seats is via a big gullwing door on the port side. Well located grab handles built into the roof interior make getting in and out of the back seats easy, while the backs of the middle seats can be folded forwards to provide access to the two rear seats. The spacious baggage bay in the nose can carry up to 50kg (110lb) and is long enough to take those all-important longer luggage items such as golf clubs and skis. Although the seats are fixed, the seat backs and rudder pedals are adjustable – the latter electrically.

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The interior is reminiscent of a luxury car but, although it’s very plush, safety has not been compromised. The seats are extremely strong (an advantage of making them nonadjustable) and the cockpit structure features an integral roll cage. While, for a seven-seat aircraft, the cabin is not large, clever design means there’s plenty of room – and the light let in by the wrap-around windscreen and large side windows creates an airy, spacious feel. 2

Cockpit Pedals set, I acquaint myself with the overall layout of the controls and instruments. I’ve always liked how Diamond designs their cockpits, and the DA62’s is the best yet. The avionics are all Garmin, the panel dominated by the G1000’s dual multifunction display (MFD) screens. The back-up instrumentation is now an electronic standby attitude indicator that includes airspeed and altitude. Flap and undercarriage controls are exactly

DIAMOND DA62 COMMERCIAL how they should be – the aerofoil-shaped flap switch, on the right side of the panel, is guarded with three positions: ‘Up’, ‘Take Off’ and ‘Landing’. The undercarriage selector – on the left side of the panel – is wheel-shaped and has co-located position indicator lights. Lights next to the flap switch indicate when the flaps have reached the selected position and the limiting speeds are printed next to the lights. All the circuit breakers, on the right 3 side of the panel, are easy to see and reach. The control sticks are unusual for a sevenseat twin, but I like them. The pilot’s carries rocker switches for electric pitch trim along with push-to-talk and autopilot disconnect buttons. The power levers (strictly speaking they’re not throttles as they control both the engines and the props) are in a centre console which drops down from the base of the panel and extends aft between the seats. The left lever incorporates a go-around button. The console also carries the rudder trim knob; levers for the parking brake; cabin temperature control and canopy de-mist; and a large elevator trim wheel and co-located position indicator. Further back (and neatly covered by a comfortable armrest) are the fuel shut-off and cross-feed selectors, auxiliary fuel pump switches and jack plug sockets. It’s a masterclass in ergonomics, and the redesigned cockpit and lower instrument panel – facilitated by abandoning the mechanical stand-by instruments and relocating the electronic equivalent − have definitely improved the field of view. My only

1 Ingress to the rear seats is via a big gull-wing door on the port side. Well located grab handles built into the roof interior make getting in and out of the back seats easy. The backs of the middle seats fold forwards to provide access to the rear seats. 2 The wings feature sensibly sized non-slip wing-root walkways. 3 The panel is dominated by the Garmin G1000’s dual multifunction display (MFD) screens, with back-up instrumentation supplied by an electronic standby attitude indicator that includes airspeed and altitude. Control sticks are unusual for a seven-seat twin; the pilot’s carries rocker switches for electric pitch trim along with push-to-talk and autopilot disconnect buttons. The power levers are in the centre console. 4 The engine nacelles are extremely elegant, even the exhausts feature sculpted fairings. 5 Access to the cabin is good as each pilot has their own door, and there are recessed grab handles above the instrument panel.

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the post-start checks were complete and the fuel cross feed checked, the oil and coolant temperatures were outside the yellow ‘caution’ range (50°C/122°F for the oil, 60°/140°F for the coolant) and we’re ready to roll. The hydraulic toe brakes are powerful and progressive although as the MAUW is greater than the DA42’s the nosewheel steering is heavier. Really tight turns can be made by deft application of differential braking and differential thrust.

At the run-up point I set the parking brake, increase power and press the engine test buttons. Each EECU then runs through an extensive self-test procedure which even includes cycling the props. This is much better than fumbling with throttle, prop and mixture levers, mag switches, boost pumps and carb heat. The AE330s have two EECUs (A and B), and part of the pre-take-off checks require using a small ‘voter’ switch to select each

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(very minor) complaint is that the levers for the parking brake, cabin temperature control and canopy de-mist are not as different from each other as they could be. Compared to every other light twin I’ve flown, the cockpit is in a league of its own. I’ve flown some that had no fewer than ten power condition levers sprouting from the centre console – and every one had to be set correctly to achieve optimum performance. It’s extremely well thought out, with perhaps the only omission being the removal of the direct vision panels fitted to the DA42.

Start-Up Starting the engines is predictably simple. Ensure the power levers are on the idle stops, then master switch on, port engine electronic control unit (EECU) toggle switch ‘on’ and, if it’s cold, wait until the ‘glow plug’ caption on the MFD extinguishes. Press the button for the port engine – it starts instantly and idles smoothly. Check the oil pressure is okay and then start the second engine. Every reasonable engine indication is clearly shown on the MFD, and by the time

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COMMERCIAL DIAMOND DA62

DIAMOND AIRCRAFT DA62 DIMENSIONS Wingspan: 14.7m (48.2ft) Length: 9.19m (30.1ft) Height: 2.28m (7.4ft) Wing area: 17.10m2 (184 sq ft) WEIGHTS AND LOADINGS Empty weight: 1,570kg (3,461lb) Maximum all-up weight: 2,300kg (5,070lb) Useful load: 730kg (1,609lb) Power loading: 17.42kg/kW (38.4lb/kW) Wing loading: 134.50kg/m2 (296.50lb/m2) Fuel capacity: 326 litres (86 US gallons) PERFORMANCE VNE (never exceed speed): 205kts (379km/h) TAS (cruise): 176kts (325km/h) Service ceiling: 20,000ft (6,096m) Stall: 68kts (125km/h) Climb: 1,200ft/min (6m/sec) Take-off to 15m: to be confirmed Land over 15m: to be confirmed ENGINES Two Austro Engine AE330 turbocharged liquid-cooled four-cylinder in-line common rail diesels, producing 180hp (134kW) each and driving MT composite three-blade constant speed fully-feathering propellers MANUFACTURER Diamond Aircraft Industries, Wiener Neustadt, Austria

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one ‘off’ in turn to check both are functioning correctly. Should one fail in flight, the EECU automatically switches to the other. However, ECU B does not merely function as an emergency back-up – both EECUs are identical and capable of full engine control. For the first flight we flew in formation with a DA42 carrying the photographer, Philip. As the DA62 has a ‘V’ in its registration it’s considered a prototype, so for insurance reasons I have to fly from the right seat. This suits me, however, as for formation work I prefer to fly right-handed anyway. With company test pilot Niko Daroussis and Communications Director Anita Lentsch aboard (Niko joked that she was our proximity warning system), I took off in formation, flew the whole flight in close formation and landed off a formation approach. It’s fair to say the only real impression I got from the first flight was how precise the handling is. A second flight was programmed to obtain some good test data so, with 260kg (573lb) of Jet-A1 in the tanks and Philip’s 100kg (220lb) on the centre seats, we were right on the current MAUW of 2,000kg (soon to be 2,300kg) with a fairly forward centre of gravity. Ambient conditions for runway 27 were a slight 90° crosswind from the right, an outside air temperature of 13°C (55°F) and a density altitude of 1,000ft (304m).

Take-Off Performance All systems checked and aircraft configured, I lined up the DA62 with the centreline and brought the power up against the brakes.

Diamond’s engineers have chosen the primary power indication to be shown as a percentage, so as soon as the power stabilised at 100% I released the brakes and we were off. Acceleration is surprisingly good for only 360hp (268kW) of power but, like many turbo-diesels, the engines put out plenty of torque, and after a ground run of about 500m (1,640ft) I rotated at 75kts (148km/h). An electro-hydraulic system retracts the undercarriage promptly and with no perceptible change in pitch trim, although the aircraft did seem to ‘settle’ slightly as the flaps came up. Niko is eager to show me just how efficient the DA62 is, so we climb straight up to 12,000ft with the power set to the ‘max continuous’ of 95%. The Vy (speed that allows the best climb rate) of 95kts (175km/h) gives a steeper deck angle than I like (the forward field of view is rather poor) but the steady 1,500ft/min (7m/ sec) is undeniably impressive. At 12,000ft I engage the GFC700 autopilot and experiment with various power settings. The DA62’s most efficient altitude is 14,000ft (4,267m), but I think most pilots will operate at 10,000ft (3,048m) just so they don’t have to mess about with oxygen (and anyway, there’s only a couple of knots in it). Pulling the power back to 75% still gives a TAS of 175kts (324km/h), while 60% reduces fuel consumption to only 45 litres/h (11 US gallons/h). Niko then brought the ‘range ring’ up on

DIAMOND DA62 COMMERCIAL the G1000 – it was astonishing just how much of Europe we could reach. If you slowed down to around 90kts (166km/h) you could loiter for hours as the fuel flow drops to only 15 litres/h (3 US gallons/h).

compression-ignition engine and it promptly starts. I wait for the port engine’s Ts and Ps (temperatures and pressures) to stabilise before slowly increasing power and then dialling out the rudder trim.

Asymmetric Flying

Stability and Control

The next item on the test card was asymmetric flight, so we dropped down to 5,000ft (1,524m). Niko shut down the port engine, which (as the DA62 doesn’t have counter-rotating propellers) is the critical one. The blades auto-feather

and the prop soon stops, and even when flying 10 knots faster than the Vyse (best operating or ‘blue line’ speed) of 85kts (157km/h) indicated airspeed, the vertical speed indicator still showed 350ft/min (1.7m/sec) – at 5,500ft (1,676m). The Vmc (minimum control, or ‘red line’, speed) is 75kts (138km/h). The DA62 is an excellent example of how well an aerodynamically ‘clean’ aircraft can perform on relatively small amounts of power. There are quite a few self-sustainer motorgliders around which lack adequate power to take off but can climb quite well once in flight as they are so aerodynamically efficient. Restarting the port engine is easy. When Niko shut down the EECU, a valve closed in the unfeathering accumulator and a spring drove the prop blades to the feathered position. Turning on the EECU opens the valve, the pressure stored in the accumulator drives the blades out of ‘feather’ and the airflow turns the prop. The Austro is a

I ascertained that the DA62 is neutrally stable laterally, positively stable longitudinally and strongly positively stable directionally. The very strong directional stability is down to the considerable amount of keel area produced by the combination of a big fin and rudder, ventral strake, dorsal fillet and relatively large winglets. Control harmony was equally good – the ailerons, rudder and elevator all being nicely balanced and well damped with little ‘stiction’ and low break-out forces. The ailerons are perhaps slightly on the firm side and certainly get heavier with speed, but this is desirable in a touring aircraft.

All the controls are powerful and precise except the rudder trimmer, which is a bit vague at times, and seems to have a curious ‘null’ zone. To be fair, it’s not that bad, but the imprecision is made more noticeable by the other controls’ preciseness. Several 360o turns at various bank angles confirm my initial impressions of a finehandling machine, although the steeper turns show the field of view is perhaps not quite as good as that provided by the TwinStar’s forward-hinged canopy. A look at the slow speed of the speed envelope reveals impeccable handling and all the stalls – whether power on or off and flaps up and down – are a complete nonevent. The limiting speed for the first stage of flap is usefully high at 137kts (253km/h), while full flap can be extended below 113kts (209km/h). This will be raised to 119kts (220km/h) on production aircraft. As the speed reduces, there is some buffet at around 66kts (111km/h) but the wing just keeps on flying, and even with the stick firmly

on the back stop it doesn’t break but sort of mushes downwards with mild wing rock. The ailerons and rudder still have plenty of authority, but what I found most interesting is that recovery is practically instantaneous. You don’t even have to add power – just reduce the alpha by easing off the back pressure and the wing starts flying again instantly. It almost seems to grab the air. Philip (who was sitting in seat 2C) noticed that, with the power at idle and high alpha, there was a faint but distinct waft of exhaust fumes in the cabin. Clearly the product of some weird circulatory airflow, I very much doubt it will be an issue in normal service; even so, Diamond is sealing the gaps that allow this to happen.

Landing Back at Wiener Neustadt, air traffic control has changed runways and we’re cleared to land on 09. Niko explains we can’t go too far downwind due to the close

proximity of Wiener Neustadt West (the largest grass airfield in Europe), and just to make things interesting we end up following a microlight. On short final we’re obviously overhauling it – so it’s full power, flaps up, gear up and a climbing left turn. We’re barely established on the downwind leg before the railway line we mustn’t cross is sliding under the nose – so it’s power back, wheels and flaps down and I swing back towards the runway. I’m both too high and close in, but I’d noticed during the formation flying that when the power is pulled right back there’s a definite braking action by the prop discs as the blades go fully fine. In fact this works so well that I actually have to add just a suggestion of power on short final before pinching it off again. The trailing-link undercarriage is a real flatterer and the touchdown perfectly acceptable. This is a very tractable aeroplane. I was hugely impressed by the DA62. It’s everything a 21st century twin should be. Easy to fly, efficient and economical: I really struggled to find fault with it. If you’ll excuse the Diamond-related pun, it really is a gem!

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MILITARY NORTHROP F-5M FREEDOM FIGHTER

A Royal Moroccan Air Force F-5F taxies to the active runway during an exchange with Ala 23 at Talavera. All photos Roberto Yáñez unless otherwise stated

Patas N Roberto Yáñez and Alex Rodriguez report from Talavera Air Base in southern Spain – home to the last F-5 Freedom Fighters in Europe

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few kilometres east of the Spanish city of Badajoz, close to the Portuguese border, is Talavera la Real Air Base, home to the Ala 23 de Instrucción de Caza y Ataque – the Spanish Air Force’s 23rd Fighter and Attack Training Wing, which trains future fighter pilots. The wing traces its lineage back to December 10, 1953 when the Escuela de Reactores (Jet School) stood up at Talavera. Until then the Ejército del Aire (Spanish Air Force or EA) fighter units only operated propeller-driven aircraft. This changed when co-operation and aid treaties were signed with the US that year and the first jet aircraft arrived in Spain, creating the need for a training centre to convert pilots to the new types. On March 24, 1954 the first Lockheed T-33A Shooting Stars landed at Talavera to equip the school. North American F-86F Sabres arrived in October 1958 to complement the Shooting Stars, the two types serving until 1969 and 1970 respectively. They were used to train 49 classes of jet pilots (32 on the Sabre) – accumulating 79,000 hours on the T-33 and

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27,000 on the F-86. In November 1970 the Escuela de Reactores converted to the brand new Northrop F-5B Freedom Fighter and used it for the 50th course, which started in September 1971.

Ala 23 The Escuela de Reactores was renamed Ala 23 de Instrucción de Caza y Ataque (23rd Fighter and Attack Training Wing) on March 23, 1987, equipped with 34 two-seat F-5Bs. They were joined at the end of the 1990s by several single-seat examples from the disbanded Ala 21 based at Morón until they were withdrawn from EA service in 1998. Currently Talavera la Real Air Base, and Ala 23, is under the command of Col Ángel Fernández de Andrés, a fighter pilot with

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training. In the third year each student starts flight training on the elementary flying course, comprising around 50 flight hours in the ENAER T-35 Pillán trainer. After successful conclusion of this stage they are declared suitable for flight, which qualifies them to start the basic flight course in their fourth year. This comprises 100 hours flown in the CASA C101 trainer during which the student’s flying aptitude is evaluated so he or she can be streamed to either the fighter school at Talavera, multi-engine training at Salamanca or to helicopters at Armilla. Fighter pilot training is divided into five phases: 1 and 2 take place at the Air Force Academy; 3 and 4 are with Ala 23 at Talavera; and phase 5 with the operational conversion unit in their first frontline wing. According to Ensign Ricardo Serrano, “once they arrive at Talavera, the student 2 begins phases 3 and 4 of their fifth year of training to be a fighter pilot. In year five extensive F-5 experience, having served each trainee pilot simultaneously undertakes at Talavera as an instructor. As a training classroom and practical flight training and it’s unit the school is tasked by both the a heavy work load for them.” Mando Aéreo General (MAGEN, General In the third transition phase, which runs Air Command) and the Mando de Personal between September and January, the (MAPER, Personnel Command). student learns about the F-5’s systems and Each year between ten and 14 students basic handling: take-offs, pattern work, basic arrive at Talavera to train to become fighter manoeuvring and landing. This is followed pilots. As of June 2015 a total of a 102 by formation flying (usually featuring three Fighter and Attack courses had taken place – or four aircraft), aerobatics and advanced and all pilots that serve or have served in the manoeuvres. Local instrument flying is also Ejército del Aire’s fighter wings are graduates undertaken, which ramps up to crossof one of these courses. country flights to nearby bases such as Rota, The route to becoming a fighter pilot is Salamanca, Morón or Beja, in Portugal. not easy. Initially candidates enrol in the Phase 3 finishes off with longer-range Academia General del Aire (AGA, the Air cross-country navigation flights to more Force Academy) at San Javier, Murcia, for distant bases like Albacete, San Javier, four years of practical and theoretical military Torrejón and Zaragoza.

NORTHROP F-5M FREEDOM FIGHTER MILITARY

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Students start phase 4 in January. The most complex phase, it is specific to the fighter course, comprising air-to-air and air-to-ground missions. Detachments are undertaken to Zaragoza Air Base for weapons training with practice bombs at the Bardenas Reales range. On completion of the fourth phase each student returns to San Javier to be commissioned as a Lieutenant and graduate as a specialised fighter and attack pilot. At this point, MAPER assigns each of them to one of the five Spanish Air Force fighter wings: Ala 11 at Morón, Ala 12 at Torrejón, Ala 14 at Albacete, Ala 15 at Zaragoza or Ala 46 at Gando in the Canary Islands. Once a new Lieutenant arrives at their unit they go to the operational conversion unit and start training on the aircraft type flown by the wing. During their time at Talavera each student must undertake a minimum of 36 hours in the simulator, usually around 40-45 hours. The additional flying hours are accumulated when he or she requires additional training. Simulators used by Ala 23 at Talavera were built by Spanish company Indra. They can replicate all aspects of flying, but are especially useful for teaching instrument flying and to practise emergency procedures. Blessed with outstanding graphics, the Indra simulators can also be used for low-level and gunnery training. Ensign Jaime Llópis explained how, from a student’s point of view, “the most surprising aspect when they start flying the F-5 is a greater sensation of speed associated with the more powerful engines compared to the C101. Everything takes place faster and the time available to make the right decisions is also less. 1 Three F-5Ms taxi to the runway at Torrejón Air Base near Madrid to take part in a flypast. Equipped with modern avionics, the F-5M is a capable aircraft for students to fly and transition to combat units.

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2 Training missions flown by Ala 23 from Talavera last a little over an hour, although air-to-air sorties are shorter due to the greater use of afterburner during manoeuvring. 3 Students undertake a minimum of 36 hours in this simulator during the fighter course. 4 Ensign Moral and Major Lagos board an F-5M prior to an air-to-air training mission with other aircraft from the unit.

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5 1 This experimental colour scheme was applied to F-5 AE9-027 in 2007, probably to simulate the profile of an F-18 Hornet during an air defence exercise. The scheme was soon abandoned. 2 Before each flight the student must brief their instructor on how they intend to conduct the mission. 3 The Argentine Air Force has retained two instructor pilots at Talavera since the 1990s. 4 Students assigned to Ala 23 must plan meticulously for air-to-ground missions. 5 The last phase of fighter pilot training at Talavera is usually dedicated to air-to-air and air-to-ground missions.

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Also important is the student’s increase in workload going from a analogue cockpit like that in the C101 to a mix of digital and analogue in the F-5.” According to Ensign Serrano, “the F-5 is much more difficult to fly than the C101 since it is less forgiving and more demanding. One has to be proactive when flying this aircraft. When you make a mistake it’s much harder to correct, especially when it comes to gaining or losing energy.” The Talavera-based wing currently has 12 Captains/Lieutenants and three Majors serving as instructor pilots. Normally the school’s pilots have previous experience on the EF-18 or F/A-18 Hornet, Mirage F1M or Typhoon. “Currently there are three instructor courses,” according to Major Lagos, an instructor pilot with Ala 23. “The short course is for instructors with previous experience in the F-5; the medium course [comprising about 50 flight hours], the one most instructors undertake, is for pilots with a high level of experience in operational fighter units and flight time; last, the 75hour long course is for some Lieutenants who have graduated from Talavera and are immediately assigned to the school as instructors.” The long course is also taken by exchange pilots from the Fuerza Aérea Argentina (Argentine Air Force) on two-year assignments. They attend the Talavera-based school to learn the techniques and procedures used by the Spanish Air Force and have been assigned to the school since 1998. As well as its primary training role, Ala 23 also trains for a secondary air-to-ground attack mission to help support Mando Aéreo de Combate (MACOM, Air Combat Command) during large exercises such as Sirio-Tormenta, 6 in which EA units employ live munitions. The F-5M (see below) can launch infraredembarked on an important avionics guided air-to-air missiles from its wingtip modernisation programme designed to stations and drop 2,000lb (907kg) GBU-10 properly prepare students for the EF-18, laser-guided and 250kg and 500kg-class F/A-18 and Typhoon. Led by Israel Aircraft general-purpose bombs. Industries (the prime contractor) and CASA Collaboration with Morocco also takes as the principal sub-contractor, it involved places every other year through participation installing digital multifunction displays to in the NAVIMAES (NAVIgation MArruecos replace most of the analogue instrumentation ESpaña or Navigation Morocco Spain) in the F-5B cockpit. exercise between the fighter schools of each The upgraded aircraft, designated the nation and during Exercise Atlas. F-5M, is equipped with a head-up display F-5M (HUD), hands-on-throttle-and-stick (HOTAS) Ala 23 currently operates 19 of the 34 CASA/ controls, an integrated navigation system Northrop F-5Bs delivered to the unit at the end with embedded GPS/INS system, VHF radio of 1970. The aircraft have undergone various and angle-of-attack sensor. F-5Ms also improvements and update programmes feature a virtual radar system controlled by (structural and avionics) to enable them to the instructor in the back seat, a new primary conduct the advanced trainer role. mission computer plus video recording Notable improvements are to the systems to assist in post-flight debriefings. communication and navigation systems, In parallel to the programme of work on the which were completed more than 20 years aircraft, a flight simulator ordered from Indra ago and comprised installation of new UHF was delivered in 2003. AN/ARC-164 radios, AN/APX-101(V) IFF sets Another series of structural modifications and a new VOR/ILS navigation unit. started in 2007 to further lengthen the F-5M’s A service life extension programme service life by an additional 3,000 hours undertaken at the end of the 1980s gave – and until at least 2020. The work also each airframe an additional 2,700 flight includes fitting Martin-Baker Mk16L zerohours. This was achieved by various zero ejection seats. structural improvements primarily to the Of the 19 F-5Ms in service today, 14 have wing, rear fuselage and vertical stabiliser; had the latest structural modifications – the and the replacement of dorsal stringers and remaining five are undergoing rework with some frames. the Maestranza Aérea de Albacete (MAESAL, In mid-2000 the Spanish Air Force Albacete depot). All aircraft completed to

NORTHROP F-5M FREEDOM FIGHTER MILITARY

6 An F-5M from the Ala 23 returns to Talavera following an air-to-air mission with a Eurofighter from Ala 11 at Morón. Ala 23/Ejército del Aire 7 Talavera Air Base shares its runway with a civilian airport. 8 F-5B serial number AE9-10 was the prototype for a structural modernisation programme undertaken by Israel Aircraft Industries and CASA. It is shown returning from its first test flight, having yet to receive a grey paint scheme. 9 Exchanges and exercises with the Royal Moroccan Air Force take place every year. An F-5M waits at the runway threshold along with a Moroccan F-5E during Exercise NAVIMAES. 10,11,12 The two squadrons assigned to Ala 23 – 231 and 232 Escuadróns – are known as the ‘Patas Negras’, a reference to a ham produced in the local region and rated by the Spanish as the best in the world. 7

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date have had a new wing fitted at either Talavera or Albacete. Each aircraft takes two-and-a-half to three years to complete the entire work programme. Although the successive modernisation programmes have been undertaken either by private industry or the Albacete depot, the high level of expertise in Ala 23’s maintenance squadron has been invaluable to the project – it is the only unit within the Spanish Air Force able to perform maintenance up to level 3 on its own aircraft. The number of flight hours accumulated by Ala 23’s fleet of F-5Ms (currently 175,000plus) has been made possible through successive upgrade and modernisation projects and adherence to a meticulous maintenance programme implemented by the wing’s own personnel. The combined effects have made the F-5 one of the longest-serving types in EA history, with the lowest operating cost and highest availability in the history of Spanish military aviation. Right now there is no official programme in place to replace the F-5M, but its retirement in 2025 means the Spanish Ministry of Defence will soon need to add another requirement to its agenda.

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Workh Soldiers On Russia’s oil and gas companies, passenger, cargo and medevac operators continue to rely on the Mi-8T/P. Alexander Mladenov assesses the future of this aviation classic

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he first-generation Mil Mi-8T/P utility helicopter, powered by the TV2-117A or AG turboshaft engines, remains widely used in the remote, resourcerich northern and far eastern regions of Russia that account for

60% of the country’s territory. Oil and gas companies extracting hydrocarbon, rare metals and ore deposits in Siberia, and research organisations involved in geological surveys, are the main customers of this aged but still reliable, and most importantly, affordable workhorse. The Mi-8T/P is also used for passenger and cargo transport, supporting construction work and search and rescue.

Today, 80 Russian-registered commercial operators fly Mi-8T/P versions, but only ten have fleets running into double digits. The commercial market for the type in Russia is highly cost-sensitive. Hourly operating rates vary between $3,500-$4,500 in the oil and gas industry, and $2,500-$3,000 in other sectors. The common opinion among operators, and a view shared by Russia’s influential

khorse Mi-8 COMMERCIAL

Krasnodar-based PANH is among the largest operators of the Mi-8T in Russia, which uses the type for a wide variety of utility roles. PANH via author

Helicopter Industry Association, is that the type is – despite dating back to the mid-1960s – still doing well and the active fleet is far from retirement. In addition, no affordable alternatives are offered by Russian rotorcraft manufacturers that would enable the Mi-8T/P’s widespread replacement in the foreseeable future. Smaller rotorcraft offered by Western manufacturers to the Russian market can only do a certain proportion of

the utility work performed by the type. All the operators asked by AIR International said the new-generation Mi8AMT and Mi-171, built at the Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant (U-UAP) and powered by the TV3-117VMA engine, fall into a different payload class and have higher acquisition and direct operating costs, leading to higher flight hour rates. As a result, cost-sensitive customers continue to favour the much

cheaper Mi-8T/P. Procuring new or second-hand Western utility helicopters to do some of the jobs currently done by the classic Mi-8s is an option only for a few big, resourceful operators in Russia, such as UTair and Gazpromavia, which can afford a partial Mi-8T/P replacement effort, albeit at a slow rate. UTair has successfully introduced both the AS350Be and AS355 for utility cargo

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1 This Mi-8T is operated by the Flight Research Institute at Zhukovsky for search and rescue and various research initiatives. All images Alexander Mladenov unless stated 2 The Slovakian company Techmont uses Mi-8T/P OM-XYC for a range of specialist transport services, including moving pipes. Jan Ostrowski/AirTeamImages 3 Thirteen Mi-8MSBs have been ordered by Ukraine’s military and national guard for tactical transport.

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and passenger transport work, serving its numerous oil and gas customers in Siberia. Gazpromavia acquired EC135T2s for passenger and VIP transport across Russia. For many small operators the only real option is keeping the first-generation Mi-8 in service and carrying out a limited and affordable range of improvements. The Mi-8T/P is a 12-tonne, twin-turbine heavy-class helicopter, although in Russia it is classed as a medium rotorcraft because the 40-tonne Mi-26 comprises the heavy class. The Mi-8T/P features a spacious stand-up cabin capable of accommodating up to 24 seats or three tonnes of cargo. It has a cruise speed of between 110 and 124kts (200-230km/h) and the ferry range on internal fuel is up to 480km (259nm); extending to 780km (421nm) with one auxiliary fuel tank inside the cabin. Around 8,200 first-generation Mi-8T/ Ps were built at the Kazan Helicopters and U-UAP factories – 4,500 and 3,700 units respectively – over almost three decades. The first production-standard examples were completed in 1964 and the last (powered by

Mi-8 COMMERCIAL TV2-117AGs) in the early 1990s. The type accounts for 55% of Russia’s commercial rotorcraft fleet. There are around 530 examples (mostly produced in the 1970s and 1980s) in active service. Another 200plus in long-term storage are used as spare parts donors or reserves to be promptly brought back to airworthy status in times of increased commercial demand. The first-generation Mi-8s are reported to have accounted for nearly 50% of the flight time logged by Russian civil rotorcraft operators since the early 2010s, which represents 250,000 flight hours. Annual utilisation varies between 500 and 1,000 flight hours per airframe. According to data supplied by the Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant (Mil MHP), the type’s design authority, in 2013 there were another 135 Mi-8T/Ps in commercial operation in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), plus four more civil-registered examples in Europe, five in Latin America, seven in Africa, 16 in the Middle East and 11 in Southeast Asia. A further 825 Mi-8T/Ps are in military or paramilitary service worldwide.

Dated Technologies No new technologies have been added to the Mi-8T/P’s basic design since the type’s launch, so all civil-registered examples flying today in Russia retain 1960s-vintage avionics. This is among the main reasons behind the loose consensus among operators and airworthiness authorities that the flight/navigation avionics suite requires urgent improvements, combined with system and powerplant updates, to make the type suitable for commercial operation for another two decades. Emergency locator transmitters, satellite navigation receivers, a terrain awareness system, a satellite tracking system and new flight data recorders and radios were approved by MHP Mil for installation in the 2000s. These are installed on only a small proportion of the commercially-operated fleet in Russia. Another serious issue expected to have a negative impact on the type’s airworthiness in the long term is the availability of TV2-117A or AGs with enough residual life for the middleto-long term. Production ceased in 1997 and operators are dependent on maintenance providers supplying overhauled engines. The engine issue is especially important considering the Mi-8T’s rugged airframe is

RE-ENGINE OPTION FADES AWAY

The new TV3-117SBM1V Series 4 powering the Mi-8MSB has a one-engine inoperative rating of 1,700shp; its take-off rating is 1,500shp and it retains its output rating up to 15,000ft.

Mi-8T re-engining is being offered by Motor Sich of Ukraine, which has already undertaken a successful project installing a new powerplant that’s been approved by the Ukrainian civil airworthiness authorities. It has also positioned itself as a significant aftermarket player in Russia. It has promoted its new TV3-117VMA-SBM1V Series 4E engine, which improves the Mi-8T/P’s hot-and-high performance and fuel efficiency and reduces direct maintenance costs. The new engine was developed as a de-rated derivative of Motor Sich’s TV3-117SBM1V, featuring a one-engine inoperative (OEI) rating of 1,700shp (1,300kW) and take-off rating of 1,500shp (1,103kW). The Mi-8T’s original TV2-117 has an OEI rating of 1,677shp (1,251kW) and weaker hot-and-high performance. The new engine increases the Mi-8T/P’s static ceiling from 5,900ft (1,800m) to 13,800ft (4,200m), while the dynamic ceiling rises from 14,800 to 19,700ft (4,500 to 6,000m) and the practical range with one auxiliary tank in the cabin is extended from 780km (421nm) to 900km (486nm). The re-engined helicopter can be operated in ambient air temperatures up to 60ºC (140ºF) as the TV3-117VMA-SBM1V Series 4E maintains its output rating at 1,500shp (1,103kW) up to 55ºC (131ºF) against the TV2-117AG’s 15ºC (59ºF). The new engines mean the aircraft can operate up to 15,000ft (4,600m) compared to 5,200ft (1,600m) for the TV2-117AG. They have a reduced hourly fuel consumption rate of 500kg (1,102lb), down from 600kg (1,322lb), and are 39kg (85lb) lighter. The re-engined Mi-8MSB, which took the air for the first time in November 2010, can carry between 1.2 and 1.7 tonnes more payload or fuel for increased flight endurance than that of the Mi-8 at altitudes between 400m (1,312ft) and 4,200m (13,779ft). The maximum payload in the cabin was increased to 4,100kg (9,038lb) from 4,000kg (8,818lb). The Mi-8MSB has a time between overhaul (TBO) of eight years and the service life is extended for ensuring a sufficient period of operation after the upgrade which should be no shorter than ten years and 5,000 hours. Vyacheslav Boguslaev, Motor Sich Chairman of the Board of Directors, has strongly promoted the re-engined option in Russia, while getting orders for his Mi-8MSB upgrade for government-operated aircraft in Ukraine and Belarus. According to him, over a period of 5,000 flight hours, equal to the TV3-117SBM1V Series 4E’s TBO, re-engining could result in significant savings justifying the big up-front investment of about $2 million per helicopter. For this period, the TV2-117 will undergo three major overhauls, each at 1,500 hours, and one minor overhaul at 500 hours. Total overhaul expenses could amount to $1.35 million. The TV3117SBM1V Series 4E has 20% less fuel burn, which, at a rate of $1,200 per tonne of aviation fuel, could result in savings of $744,000 for a re-engined helicopter. The total savings, resulting from the elimination of the need for overhauls and the better fuel efficiency could reach $2.079 million according to Boguslaev’s calculations and assumptions.

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COMMERCIAL Mi-8

expected to be good for many more years of operations, provided there is a working supply chain for overhauled engines and other vital spare parts. Another important aspect of extending the Mi-8T/P’s life is the availability of enough configuration management and design capability, and goodwill from Mil MHP. That is all needed for ongoing service life extensions, the approval of system modifications and the installation of new flight/navigation avionics, parts and systems in a timely manner. Until now, service life extensions – granted to operators on individual basis upon request and against payment – have been delayed. The latest service life figure approved by Mil MHP is 30,000 hours or 20,000 flight hours for helicopters with serial numbers up to 4884 (built by Kazan Helicopters) and for those numbered up to 9744401 (produced by U-UAP). Airframe time between overhaul (TBO) is 4,500 hours and 12 years (whichever is reached first); calendar time extensions are granted on request in case of low utilisation. Mi-8T/Ps operated by commercial operators

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Mi-8 COMMERCIAL

REDUCING COSTS The main factor arresting the process of renewing Russian commercial helicopter operators’ fleets is high purchase prices of new-generation Russian-made helicopters (such as the Mi-8MTV and Mi-171) and life-cycle costs, according to Oleg Hudolenko from PANH, another big Mi-8T commercial operator. Most operators have low profitability and are unable to begin a renewal programme for their fleets, meaning they have to keep their old Mi-8Ts in service for as long as possible. UTair’s Igor Kozhevnikov noted a priority for his company is to reduce the Mi-8T’s direct operating costs by 10-12%, but the lack of progress in this area limits the chances of extending the service life of a tried-andtrusted workhorse. The company offers three principal ways of reducing the direct operating costs: simplifying avionics to allow only VFR operations; optimising preflight inspection and phased maintenance works; and introducing a two-pilot aircrew, removing the flight technician.

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1 The new derivatives of the Mi-8/Mi-17/Mi-171, such as this UTair Mi-8AMT, are more expensive than the Mi-8T/P in price and direct operating costs. Most, if not all, existing Mi-8T operators do not see them as direct replacements. 2 The Mi-8T is a real workhorse in the extreme cold of Russia’s far northern territories and Siberia. Andrey Zinchuk via author 3 More than 600 Mi-8T/Ps are in commercial use in Russia, with another 100 held in storage that could be re-introduced following refurbishment. Andrey Zinchuk via author 4 This Mi-8’s basic cockpit features some modern add-on avionics required for operations to support UN missions in Africa. 5 The Mi-8MSB is a re-engined derivative of the basic Mi-8T offered by Motor Sich of Ukraine with increased hot-and-high performance, range and payload, but no avionics and instrumentation improvements. 5

outside Russia are limited to 35 years, with an extension option to 43 years and 30,000 hours. Nikolay Osipov from the Moscow-based State Civil Aviation Science-Research Institute (GosNIIGA) maintains the Mi-8T/P has a robust fuselage that can be good, at least in theory, for up to 90,000 flight hours. The highesttime examples in commercial operation in Russia have logged about 30,000 hours and, according to Osipov, further extensions of the airframe time limits by Mil MHP would be possible in the foreseeable future.

Electrical System The most problematic areas in approving life extensions are the electrical system and the condition of plug connectors. The age of the cotton-based material used as an insulating jacket on the wiring severely weakens its insulating properties, leading to frequent short-circuits and on board fires. According to Osipov, detailed analysis by GosNIIGA shows 40% of all Mi-8T/P incidents and accidents in Russian

commercial service were caused by metallic chips in the engine oil or the main gearbox and fire-extinguishing system malfunctions (due to false activation of the engine compartment fire detectors). The electrical system’s acute airworthinessthreatening problems can be solved by installing new wiring and plug connectors. Replacing the helicopter’s entire wiring would, according to Osipov’s research, allow a two-fold reduction in the number of the false alarms in the fire-warning system. Osipov said another step in the Mi-8T/P’s improvement should be the replacement of the metallic main and tail rotors with newgeneration composite blades (already used on the Mi-171A2), which provide additional lift and extended service life to 12,000 hours. The 1960s-era main and tail rotor blades used on the Mi-8T/P are restricted to a service life of 3,000 hours or ten years.

Upgrade Prospects As yet, no clear agreement exists between

Mil MHP as the design authority, the operator community and Russia’s airworthiness authority, Rosaviatsia, on the scope of any Mi-8T/P upgrade, or if there would be any at all. Any improvements in the foreseeable future would cover the avionics suite and the electrical wiring, installing new engines and reducing the flight crew to two pilots for missions with a low workload (as wanted by UTair, for example). There are many differing opinions among operators about the extent of the upgrades necessary for the type to continue operating cost-effectively and safely. For example, UTair, which has the largest single Mi-8T fleet with more than 160 examples (90 are maintained in airworthy condition at any time), told AIR International that if the upgrade results in increased operating costs, investment would not be worthwhile. At the same time UTair (and other commercial operators) want the Mi-8’s flight/ navigation suite simplified because 95% of flying is conducted under daytime visual flight rules. Additional avionics are only

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COMMERCIAL Mi-8 1 The Russian Air Force still operates around 100 Mi-8T/Ps, and a significant proportion are used for training at Syzran. Via author 2 PANH, which operates this Mi-8T, believes there is still plenty of life remaining in its Mi-8T fleet. PANH via author 3 The 1960s-era rotor blades on the Mi-8T/P are restricted to 3,000 hours or ten years’ service, making them a focus area in any future upgrade. Denis Roschlau/AirTeamImages

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required from a flight safety point of view when operating outside those conditions. By contrast, Gazpromavia, another big operator with a fleet of 40, said its experience (accumulated in operations in extreme climatic conditions in Russian’s northern territories) showed additional avionics to ensure flight safety were badly required. Company representatives told AIR International they were expecting harmonisation of Russian airworthiness requirements in this area with those mandated by the International Civil Aviation Organisation. For Russian-registered Mi-8s operating under instrument flying rules (IFR), there are plenty of proposals for integrating new-

Engine Issue For operators flying mostly in cold-weather conditions the output rating of the existing 3

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PKV-8 navigation/flight system with a fouraxis autopilot, to replace the existing and rather primitive AP-34 autopilot. The PKV-8 is already installed on military Mi-17V-5s for India but needs to undergo civil certification, which would be a protracted and potentially expensive effort. Another new advanced system, offered by the Ramenskoye Instrument Design Bureau, is based on the highlyautomated digital flight/navigation system developed for the Mi-26T2 upgrade, which is expected to be civil-certified this year.

generation glass cockpits and autopilots. Most of those technologies are readily available, as they have already been developed and qualified on the latest military derivatives of the Mi-8/Mi-17. Increased automation offered by digital systems will reduce crew workload, enabling only two pilots to handle flying and systems management. No flight technician will be needed to assist with managing the engines and systems. Crews will enjoy better situational awareness thanks to a moving map, traffic and terrain awareness equipment. The proposed list of the new off-the-shelf avionics for the Mi-8 includes the Saratov Design Bureau of Industrial Automation

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Mi-8 COMMERCIAL

4 Most of the Mi-8T’s commercial operators in Russia, such as Karelia, are compelled to keep their old Mi-8Ts in service for as long as possible. Andrey Zinchuk via author 5 The Mi-8’s spacious stand-up cabin can accommodate up to 24 passenger seats or bulky cargo. 6 Only a handful of ‘classic’ Mi-8s are used by commercial operators in Europe. Most are operated by Heli Air of Bulgaria supporting UN humanitarian operations in Sudan and South Sudan.

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TV2-117A/AG is sufficient, so they do not see a compelling case for investing to reengine their Mi-8s. Instead, they prefer to rely on extending the engine’s TBO and total service life. There are about 2,500 TV2117A and AGs in commercial operation or held in stock in Russia, waiting for overhaul and life extension. Currently, the life limit is 12,000 flight hours and TBO at 1,500 hours; this means that during its lifespan an engine could be cycled through as many as seven general overhauls. The Central Institute of Motor Building has promoted an upgrade to the Mi-8T’s VR-8 main gearbox, aimed at improving the functionality of the gear wheels to reduce 5

vibrations up to six times and add a built-in oil diagnostics system. Simultaneously, Mil MHP and the GosNIIGA continue to insist the Mi-8T reengining by Motor Sich of Ukraine (using the TV3-117VMA-SBM1V Series 4E engine) must undergo a full-scale certification programme in Russia. The re-engined Mi-8 has already been civil-certified in Ukraine under the new designation Mi-8MSB, but the original equipment manufacturer and the principal research body are unwilling to perform a straightforward validation of the certification process already carried out by Ukraine’s civil aviation authorities between 2010 and 2012. Such a conservative approach towards the

Mi-8T’s re-engining by a non-Russian engine maker would lead to a protracted and costly certification effort, undertaken by Russia’s Interstate Aviation Committee. This may eventually delay and increase costs of the re-engining for the end-users, and thereby reduce its customer base. Despite a huge effort by operators, equipment suppliers and Russia’s Helicopter Industry Association, there has been no significant progress towards agreeing a realistic upgrade programme. The breakdown in political and economic relations between Russia and Ukraine over the crisis in eastern Ukraine has killed the chances for re-engining Russia’s Mi-8s.

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MILITARY A-1M CB Lopes/Força Aérea Brasileira

Sérgio Santana charts the modernisation programme of the Brazilian Air Force A-1 AMX fleet

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he Força Aérea Brasileira (FAB, or Brazilian Air Force) announced a programme to modernise its fleet of 52 AMX fighter-bombers in 2003. Designated A-1, the aircraft were delivered in three production batches between 1989 and 1999. The upgrade programme is required to standardise mission systems, improve spares availability for many of the systems produced by companies based outside Brazil and reduce operating costs. To meet the programme objectives the FAB decided the modernisation would include many components of the electronic suite fitted to its upgraded F-5EM and F-5FM Tigers and Embraer A-29 Super Tucano aircraft supplied by Aeroeletronica, the Brazilian subsidiary of Israeli company Elbit. Embraer and the FAB signed a contract valued at $400 million on August 9, 2004 under which Embraer was the main contractor and programme manager. However, constraints in the Brazilian defence budget caused delays and the first aircraft, A-1A single seat FAB 5530, finally arrived at Embraer’s manufacturing plant in Gavião

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Peixoto, near São Paulo, Brazil in May 2007. Re-negotiations over the cost of the programme also took place in 2008 and a new fixed-price contract valued at $337 million for 42 (rather than 52) aircraft. A follow-on contract to supply some parts manufactured outside of Brazilian industry was signed one year later. The first upgraded A-1M (M for modernizado or modernized), FAB 5530, flew on June 19, 2012, and the first series production example, FAB 5520, was delivered to 1°/16° GAv ‘Esquadrão Adelfi’ at Santa Cruz Air Base, near Rio de Janeiro, on September 3, 2013.

Mission Systems The A-1M has a Mectron/Galileo Avionica SCP-01 Scipio radar intended to give the aircraft a multifunctional targeting capability against maritime targets and surface-to-air radar sites. The original radar’s design by a joint consortium comprising Brazil’s Tecnasa (responsible for its antenna, receivers/ exciters/analogue signal processor, servo actuators, display and mechanical frame) and SMA from Italy (charged with transmitter and digital signal processor design) was due to be produced between 1987 and 1995.

But the entire programme entered a low pace phase during the 1990s because of budget constraints, and by 2000 Mectron replaced Tecnasa while Galileo Avionica substituted SMA. In its final form, the SCP-01 multimode Doppler radar is compact and weighs less than 75kg (165lb). Operating in the I-band (8 to 10 GHz) the SCP-01 is designed to detect air, sea surface and ground targets with frequency agility, various antenna patterns and a reconfigurable signal processor. The pilot can switch from one radar mode to another using the multi-functional display. In air-to-air mode, it offers track-whilesearch, look-down, automatic detection, automatic designation and tracking and tanker tracking. Air-to-surface modes include maritime monopulse detection and tracking, trackwhile-scan, mapping, ground penetrating radar and air-to-ground ranging. It has advanced electronic countercountermeasures and image processing features like zoom, image freezing and colour video output. During evaluation the A-1M identified and mapped fluvial areas 92.5km (50nm) ahead, and according to some reports, identified a 100m2 maritime target at that distance. It

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detected an Embraer Phenom business jet, at a range over 22km (12nm), and some reports suggest a range of 37km (20nm) against a 5m2 aerial target. Aeroeletronica provided most of the components fitted on the A-1M including: the gyro electronic unit, attitude director indicator, horizontal situation indicator, audible signal warning for the headset, control panel for the reconnaissance system pallets, aerial reconnaissance system interface computer, control panel for the standby attitude heading reference system, VHF/UHF transceiver (and its associated panels), colour cockpit TV sensor, a new head-up display (with 24° field-of-view) and three multi-functional liquid crystal displays (two 152 × 208mm and one 104 x 127mm). Thales supplied the Bluegate TSC 2050 identification friend or foe system, and Rohde & Schwarz the VHF/UHF XM6313D MR6000R series radio. Israeli company Elisra provides the SPS1000V-5 advanced radar warning system, which can display data on up to 16 threats simultaneously and the Passive Airborne Warning System-2, designed to protect the aircraft from infrared-guided missiles. The new system replaces the old Elettronica ELT156X radar warning receiver. Finally, FLIR Systems is supplying its new NavFLIR airborne thermal imaging system, a forward-looking infrared system installed on the nose of the aircraft. The NavFLIR enhances the pilot’s ability to see terrain and other aircraft at long range, even in total darkness, light fog, dust, and smoke.

Systems All the A-1M’s systems are managed by the store management system to MIL-STD1760C standard, which also monitor the EICAS (engine indicating and crew alerting system). The aircraft’s Operational Flight Program (OFP) software was developed with AdaCore’s GNAT Pro Ada system. The Ada language was selected for the A-1M based on its proven record in flight-critical systems

for many commercial and military fly-by-wire aircraft. Used for embedded and real-time system software, Ada’s main features are strong typing, modularity mechanisms (packages), run-time checking, parallel processing (tasks, synchronous messaging, protected objects and select statements), exceptional handling, and generics (subprograms). Cockpit lighting is NVG compatible and designed to work in concert with the Elbit Dash IV display and sight helmet. According to the manufacturer, it measures the pilot’s line-of-sight relative to the aircraft, and transfers the information to other systems. It is currently used by FAB F-5EM pilots. An important feature of the A-1M is the on-board oxygen generating system, which replaces the limited capacity liquid oxygen bottles which impose restrictions on specific strategic missions of the A-1.

New Weapons The new mission system installed on the A-1M will enable the aircraft to conduct suppression of enemy air defences, antiship strike and air defence, all of which the original A-1 was designed to conduct but was not equipped to do so. The A-1M will be armed with the Mectron MAR-1, an anti-radiation missile which measures 3.87m (11.35ft) long, with a 800mm (31 inch) wingspan and weighs 266kg (586lb) including a 90kg (198lb) warhead. The MAR-1 is guided towards the target using passive radar homing and home-onjam modes, with a range of up to 100km (53.9nm). Although not officially introduced into the FAB’s arsenal yet, the MAR-1 has reportedly been sold to Pakistan. The SCP-01 radar enables the A-1M to conduct anti-ship missions. Currently, the only weapon designed to destroy ships and available to the FAB is the Boeing AGM-84L Harpoon II, 16 of which were purchased in 2014 to equip its P-3AM Orions. Once operationally declared, the A-1M will

be capable of air and self-defence, thanks to its SCP-01 radar and the wiring required to enable air-to-air missiles to be employed. Missiles likely to be integrated on the A-1M are the Israeli-made Python 3 and Python 4 (600 of which were reportedly delivered between 2001 and 2011), the Braziliandesigned Mectron MAA-1B (currently under development), and the A-DARTER (also under development) designed and produced by a consortium of African and Brazilian manufacturers, and scheduled to be delivered next year. The A-1M can also employ precisionguided bombs (as demonstrated in October 2013 when an A-1M dropped nine 500lb BAFG 230 Mk82 warheads equipped with Israeli-made Lizard guidance kits) against simulated targets at the Saicã range in Rio Grande do Sul state. The aircraft was able to designate the targets using a Rafael Litening III pod carried under its centreline. Four such pods were purchased some years ago. The A-1M’s embedded NavFLIR will free the station used to carry the Litening pod to be used for munitions like the Brazilian Britanite SMKB-82 and SMKB-83 ‘Acauã’ (Falcon) GPS-guided glide bombs with a range of up to 24km (12.9nm). Magnaghi Friuli Aeronáutica do Brasil, another Brazilian company, is developing the FPG-82 glide kit to increase the range to 80km (43nm).

Current Status A-1M FAB 5520 took part in Exercise Cruzex 2013, the operational debut for the type. During Exercise Boca do Monte (designed to evaluate operational integration between ground troops and FAB aircrews) held at Santa Maria Air Base between March 8 and 21, the A-1M reached 1,000 flying hours. However, funding cuts recently imposed by the Brazilian Government on the defence budget and transfer of A-1M roles to the forthcoming Gripen NG will reduce the number of A-1M upgraded from 42 to 30. To date, three have been delivered: FAB 5520, FAB 5526 and FAB 5530.

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MILITARY RUSSIA’S ARMY 2015 EXHIBITION

1 T-50 PAK FA, side number 054, carrying two R-77 air-to-air missiles. All images Piotr Butowski 2 Russian Naval Aviation’s MiG29KR made its public debut at Army 2015.

Piotr Butowski visited the Russian Government’s huge military exhibition at Kubinka airfield between June 16 and 19 to see the latest aircraft on show

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ussia’s latest display of military might was showcased at an exhibition called Army 2015 in three locations around the town of Kubinka. The leading venue, Patriot Park, housed 20 halls and outside displays of military equipment while the Alabino proving ground played host to Russian Army systems, and aviation hardwear was on show at Kubinka airfield. The latter is home of the 237th Air Technology Demonstration Centre and Russia’s two demonstration teams: the Su-27-equipped Russkiye Vityazi

Russian

Fighter S (Russian Knights) and the MiG-29-equipped Strizhi (Swifts). The large static display at Kubinka featured fixed and rotary wing aircraft from the Russian Air Force (Voyenno-Vozdushnye Sily Rossii) and Russian Naval Aviation (Aviatsiya Voenno-morskovo Flota Rossii). Flight displays featured many of the latest types now in service with each air arm.

MiG-29KR Russia’s variant of the MiG-29K shipborne fighter produced for India, labelled the MiG29KR, made its public debut. Russian Naval Aviation ordered 20 single-seat MiG-29KRs and four two-seat MiG-29KUBRs for the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov in February 2

2012 once MiG-29K development problems were overcome. The first aircraft flew on October 15, 2013. By June of this year, 14 had been handed over to the Russian Navy including 10 MiG-29KRs (numbers 30 to 39) and all four MiG-29KUBRs (numbers 50 to 53). For reasons unknown to the author, but probably for the fire-control system to be refined, all 14 remain at either the Lukhovitsy factory or the Zhukovsky flight test institute. Delivery was planned for July 17, 2015 (Naval Aviation day in Russia) to Severomorsk-3 Air Base home of the 279th Independent Shipborne Fighter Air Regiment. The MiG-29KRs will supplement, and in the future replace the Su-33 air defence fighters currently operated aboard the Admiral Kuznetsov.

Su-30SM Another debut type was the Su-30SM Flanker-C fighter in the colours of the Russian Naval Aviation. All previous examples seen of the Su-30SM were Russian Air Force aircraft. On March 23, 2012, after ten years’ production of Su-30s for export customers, the Russian Ministry of Defence ordered 30 Su-30SMs for its own armed services. The order was doubled on December 12, 2012 and 12 more were ordered for the Russian Navy (five in December 2013 and seven in September 2014). The first production-series Su-30SM ‘01’

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1

3

5

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3 A Russian Air Force Su-34 Fullback in the type’s distinctive three-tone blue colour scheme lands at Kubinka. The aircraft is assigned to the 4th Air Crew Conversion and Military Evaluation Centre at Lipetsk. 4 Four Russian Air Force Su-30SMs from the 4th Air Crew Conversion and Military Evaluation Centre at Lipetsk took part in the flying display. 5 Su-35S Flanker-E, serial number RF-95477 with side number 34, lands at Kubinka fitted with numerous missile launchers and pylons, but devoid of any air-to-air missiles. 6 Another public debut appearance at Army 2015 was made by Russian Naval Aviation’s Su-30SM.

r Showcase flew on September 21, 2012, and was handed over for trials to the 929th National Flight-Test Centre at Akhtubinsk. The 120th Independent Composite Air Regiment based at Domna Air Base near Chita received the first batch of 10 Su-30SMs in November and December 2013 and became the first operational unit. On July 19, 2014, the first three aircraft were handed over to the Russian Naval Aviation at the Yeysk Evaluation and Training Centre. In December the three aircraft were deployed to the 43rd Independent Naval Attack Air Regiment at Saki Air Base, in Crimea. By June, the Russian Ministry of Defence had received 37 Su-30SMs. The 31st Fighter Air Regiment at Millerovo Air Base is currently being prepared for the type. One of three Su-30SM fighters belonging to Russian Naval Aviation, with tactical number 36 and registration RF-93824, (the other two are 35 and 37) was on static display at Kubinka. Four other Su-30SMs belonging to the Russian Air Force 4th Air Crew Conversion and Military Evaluation Centre at Lipetsk (numbers 16, 17, 19 and 24) took part in the flying display.

T-50, Su-34 and Su-35S Prototype T-50 PAK FA fifth-generation fighter, side number 054, carried two dummy R-77 AA-12 Adder missiles, one under each wing, as it flew at Kubinka each day, but the aircraft was not shown at close range; it took

off and landed at Zhukovsky airfield nearly 100km (62 miles) away. While awaiting the PAK FA to enter service, the Russian Air Force continues to acquire large numbers of advanced tactical combat aircraft including Su-34 Fullback bombers and Su-35S Flanker-E fighters. Both types took part in the flying display. The main role of the Su-34 is tactical interdiction, which means strikes on important targets behind enemy lines while flying at a low level. The bomber has an X-band PESA (passive electronically scanned array) radar capable of engaging four surface targets simultaneously. By June, the Novosibirsk factory had delivered 61 Su-34s to the Russian Air Force. The latest four were delivered in May. The 61 6 aircraft are operated by the 47th Composite Air Regiment at Voronezh, the 559th Independent Bomber Air Regiment at Morozovsk, and the Lipetsk evaluation centre (three aircraft from Lipetsk participated in the show). The next batch will be delivered to the 277th Bomber Air Regiment at Khurba and the 98th Independent Composite Air Regiment at Monchegorsk. Production continues at a rate of 18 per year. The Su-35S Flanker-E is externally similar to the Su-27, but the internal structure has been revised and new materials have been applied. Tikhomirov NIIP claims the N135 Irbis (Snow Leopard) PESA radar can detect a fighter-

sized target from 350-400km (188-215nm) at peak power output and limited to a narrow sector. During normal search the range is 200km (108nm) in open space or 170km (92nm) in look-down mode. Operational Su35S fighters are equipped with an ultraviolet missile-approach warning system with six sensors giving all-round coverage. By this June, the Komsomolsk-on-Amur plant had delivered 34 Su-35S fighters (48 are on order), which are operated by the 23rd Fighter Air Regiment based at Dzemgi and the Lipetsk-based evaluation centre. Three aircraft from Lipetsk arrived at the show. The next Su-35S fighters will be delivered to the 22nd Fighter Air Regiment based at Tsentralnaya Uglovaya.

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urkey is the third-largest F-16 operator after the US and Israel, with more than 220 aircraft still in service of the 270 delivered. This year, most of the Türk Hava Kuvvetleri (THK, or Turkish Air Force) F-16s have received new tail markings – some squadrons introduced two different badges on the two sides of the tail – and the Block 50+ aircraft (which at the beginning were assigned to 141 and 142 Filos at Akıncı) have been passed to 161 Filo at Bandirma and 181 Filo at Diyarbakır.

Peace Onyx The first F-16 order from Turkey, in September 1983, comprised 160 Block 30 F-16s (136 F-16Cs and 24 F-16Ds), under the Peace Onyx Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme. The first eight aircraft were built by Lockheed Martin at Fort Worth, Texas, and the remaining 152 at the Turkish Aerospace Industries plants at Murted Air Base (re-named Akıncı in 1994). The parts for the first two aircraft (serials 86-0066 and 86-0067) to be assembled in Turkey arrived in the country in March 1987. The initial Fort Worth-built aircraft (F-16D 86-0191) was officially received by the THK four months later, and arrived at Murted in October that year, destined to the ‘Öncel’ Filo, which later became 143 Filo, the type’s operational conversion unit. The initial Turkish-built F-16C (serial 860068) flew on October 20, 1987. From the 44th aircraft (88-0033), the production was switched to the Block 40 model. It ended with serial 93-0014 in 1995. The first units to re-equip with Fighting Falcons were 141 and 142 Filo at Murted. In March 1992, the THK placed a second F-16 order (Peace Onyx II), for 80 Block 50

Turkey’s

F-16s Riccardo Niccoli reviews the Turkish Air Force F-16 fleet in light of its recent reorganisation

aircraft (60 F-16Cs plus 20 F-16Ds). These aircraft were delivered from 1996 to 1999, with 191 Filo at Balıkesir the first unit to receive this model. The Block 50 gave the THK a Suppression of Enemy Air Defences (SEAD) capability, thanks to the introduction of the AGM-88 High-speed Anti-Radiation Missile (HARM). In the meantime, 161 Filo at Bandirma in February 1994 had become the first unit outside the US Air Force to introduce the AN/AAQ-13 and AAQ-14 LANTIRN targeting and navigation pods onto its F-16s. That year also saw TAI introduce the Falcon Up 1 modification programme on all the Peace Onyx I aircraft, which consisted mainly of structural improvements.

Further Modernisation In the early 2000s, the THK felt the need to improve its F-16 fleet, taking advantage of what the US Air Force was doing for its own Fighting Falcons with its Common Configuration Implementation Program. On April 26, 2005, the Turkish and US governments signed a letter of acceptance for a $1.1 billion FMS programme to modernise 217 aircraft to a common avionics configuration. Peace Onyx III introduced a number of new systems, including the AN/APG-69(V)9 radar from the Block 50/52 F-16), colour cockpit displays and a modular mission computer and processors. It also brought in the Joint Helmet-Mounted Cueing System, the Link 16 data link, upgraded identification friend or foe transponder, AN/AVS-9 night vision goggles, navigation systems and the AN/ALQ-178(V)5+ electronic warfare system, mounted internally, which includes radar warning and jamming capabilities. The AIM-9X Sidewinder, AIM-120C-7 AMRAAM, AGM-154A/B JSOW, AGM-84H SLAM-ER missiles and CBU-103/CBU-105

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bombs were added. The prime contractor was Lockheed Martin, but the modifications were carried out by TAI at Akıncı. In December 2006 a $635.1 million contract was signed for 216 modification kits (for 76 Block 50s, 103 Block 40s and 37 Block 30s). In the event, the upgrade work under Peace Onyx III concerned only the Block 40 and 50, and not the Block 30 as planned. However, on April 9 this year, the Turkish Government also agreed to modernise the Block 30s, of which about 35 are still in service. In 2011, after the US Government agreed to transfer F-16 key software source codes to Turkey, TAI started to develop a modernisation kit for these aircraft. This included new mission computers and indigenous sensors (such as the ASELPOD navigation and targeting system), missiles and precision guided munitions (the TÜBÏTAK SAGE Stand-Off Missile, or SOM). The production of the latter started in 2013, and has already been integrated onto the THK’s F-4E 2020 Terminators.

Block 50+ Order Separate to Peace Onyx III, on July 27, 2007 the Turkish Government signed a further FMS contract for 30 Block 50+ F-16s (consisting of 14 F-16Cs and 16 F-16Ds) under the Peace Onyx IV programme. The first of these (serial 07-1001) was rolled out at the TAI facilities on May 23, 2011, while the last (07-1030) was delivered on December 12, 2012. All the Block 50+ aircraft were assigned at first to 141 and 142 Filos at Akıncı. On December 11, 2009, Lockheed Martin received a contract from Turkey for 30 AN/AAQ-33 Sniper targeting pods and 30 AN/AAQ-13 LANTIRN ER pods, which feature a terrain following radar, a third-generation mid-wave forwardlooking infrared and enhanced image signal processing for better image quality.

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TURKISH AIR FORCE F-16 MILITARY 1 These two Block 50 F-16Cs, 93-0672 and 93-0673, are assigned to the Turkish Air Force aggressor squadron, 131 Filo, part of the 3ncu AJEÜ at Konya. In the background is Block 40 F-16D 92-0022 from 162 Filo and Block 50+ F-16Cs 07-1014 and 07-1019 from 161 Filo – all are based at Bandirma Air Base with the 6nci AJÜ. 2 Block 50+ F-16C 07-1007 from 161 Filo takes off from Konya Air Base fitted with conformal fuel tanks and carrying an FPR advanced ACMI pod on station 11. 3 Block 40 F-16C 90-0022 from 182 Filo part of 8nci AJÜ based at Diyarbakır Air Base takes off from Konya armed with an AIM-9X missile on station 2. 4 Konya Air Base has a large ‘S-shaped’ flight line shown here full of Turkish Air Force F-16s during Exercise Anatolian

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TURKISH F-16 SQUADRONS Squadron

Mission

Base

Type

In service

132 Filo ‘Hançer’ (Dagger)

Aggressor, multirole

3 AJU, Konya

Block 50

2007-today

141 Filo ‘Kurt’ (Wolf)

Multirole

4 AJU, Akıncı

Block 50

1989-today

142 Filo ‘Ceylan’ (Gazelle)

Multirole

4 AJU, Akıncı

Block 30

1989-today (1)

143 Filo ‘Öncel’

OCU, recce

4 AJU, Akıncı

Block 30/40/50

1987-today (2)

151 Filo ‘Tunç’ (Bronze)

SEAD, multirole

5 AJU, Merzifon

Block 50

1997-today

152 Filo ‘Akıncı’ (Raiders)

Multirole

5 AJU, Merzifon

Block 40

1999-today

161 Filo ‘Yarasa’ (Bat)

Multirole

6 AJU, Bandirma

Block 50+

1991-today

162 Filo ‘Zipkin’ (Harpoon)

Multirole

6 AJU, Bandirma

Block 40

1991-today

181 Filo ‘Pars’ (Leopard)

Multirole

8 AJU, Diyarbakır

Block 40/50+

1994-today

182 Filo ‘Atmaca’ (Hawk)

Air defence, multirole

8 AJU, Diyarbakır

Block 40

1996-today

191 Filo ‘Kobra’ (Cobra)

Multirole, strike

9 AJU, Balıkesir

Block 40/50

1990-today

192 Filo ‘Kaplan’ (Tiger)

Air defence, strike

9 AJU, Balıkesir

Block 50

1992-today

Notes: (1) Disbanded from 1999 to 2002 (2) Operates in the recce role with DB-110 recce pods

The Block 50+ aircraft also incorporate conformal fuel tanks and TÜBÏTAK SAGE HGK-2000 and KGK-500/1000 GPS-guided bombs. The Turkish F-16 can be equipped with the ASELPOD targeting pod, the TÜBÏTAK SAGE SOM stand-off missile, GBU-31 and GBU-38 JDAMs and AGM-88series HARM missiles. The tactical component of the THK’s RF-4E reconnaissance platforms have now been replaced by F-16s equipped with UTC Aerospace DB-110 pods, and in the future by UAVs. The venerable F-4E fleet should be retired in a few years’ time and, in the medium term, the oldest F-16s will be too. Both will be replaced by the F-35. However, the Fighting Falcon, which today equips 12 THK squadrons at six air bases, still forms the backbone of the Turkish Air Force combat forces – and this will remain the case for many years to come.

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MILITARY FRENCH AIR FORCE CN235

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wenty-seven CASA CN235 tactical airlifters are now in service with the Armée de l’Air (French Air Force), which originally purchased a batch of 20 to supplement ageing C160 Transalls and C-130H Hercules. They entered service in 1993 at Base Aérienne 110 Creil. The CN235 has since proved its worth in the paradropping training mission, carrying up to 44 paratroopers. In liaison and utility roles the type also progressively supplanted Nord 262s which were

100 aircraft were upgraded to the improved CN235-200 standard. From 1999 the fleet was split between BA118 Mont-de-Marsan (with Escadron de Transport 3/62 ‘Ventoux’) and BA110 Creil (with ET 1/62 ‘Vercors’), but all CN235s in continental France were concentrated at Creil in 2011 when ET 3/62 moved north to join its sister unit. Next year Creil will shut as an active airfield (but remain open for other functions, including military intelligence and communications with, and via, satellites), so the fleet will soon move again, this time to BA105 Evreux where it will join the remaining Transall NGs.

more powerful engines, modified propellers and improved pressurisation: in a hot-and-high environment, the aircraft retains more power and can operate at higher weights, with a heavier payload. It is also fitted with a considerably more modern glass cockpit relying on electronic flight instrumentation, with two flight management systems offering GNSS (global navigation satellite system) capability and an EGPWS (enhanced ground proximity warning system) with a 3D database (the original 19 Series -200 aircraft are equipped with the firstgeneration GPWS). The Series -300 can be easily identified by the new twin-wheel forward landing gear; the

‘Tran

The French Air Force’s CN235 tactical airlifters are undertaking a growing number of missions worldwide, as Henri-Pierre Grolleau reports

CN235-200 is fitted with a single nosewheel. The new gear offers better capabilities to operate from austere strips. The -300 was also equipped from the outset with armour plating to protect the crew (-200 aircraft are now having it retrofitted). The first two -300s were delivered to ET 3/62 ‘Ventoux’ in January 2012, bringing much needed fresh transport capabilities to the Armée de l’Air. Entry into service was far from smooth, however, with numerous teething problems to be solved by air force engineers. The two squadrons at Creil operate both versions, but pilots have to be qualified on each as they differ significantly. All 18 ‘Transallitos’ based in continental France are maintained by Escadron de Soutien Technique Aéronautique 2E.062 ‘Oise’ (ESTA, or Aeronautical Technical Support Squadron) and allocated to ‘Ventoux’ or ‘Vercors’ as and when required. One aircraft is permanently fitted with 32 airline-type seats for VIP transportation; the rest of the fleet is engaged in logistics and training missions in France and abroad.

Replacing Transalls With the number of Transalls in the French 1 inventory progressively diminishing, the ‘Casa’ 1 The CN235-300 cockpit’s flight management systems offer global navigation satellite system capability and an enhanced ground proximity warning system with a 3D database. All images Henri-Pierre Grolleau 2 The CN235-200 and CN235-300 are gradually replacing the Transall in French service, taking a leading role in the utility, tactical airlift, medical evacuation and paradropping roles. 3 Eight patients can be carried in the CN235, and the aircraft’s ability to land on and take off from semi-prepared runways means it can take casualties direct to medical facilities from austere locations.

withdrawn from service in 2004. The CN235 can carry a 5,000kg (11,013lb) payload over 900km (486nm) or 3,000kg (6,608lb) over 2,500km (1,350nm). Its cargo hold is large enough to accommodate an M53 turbofan, the engine that powers the Mirage 2000 fighter. One CN235 was lost in a fatal crash in the Pyrenees in 2003, while the early CN235-

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Enter the CN235-300 Delays to the Airbus A400M programme led to the decision to procure an additional eight CN235-300 airlifters to help maintain French airlift capabilities at a time when the withdrawal of the older Transalls had already begun. The new variant offers improved performance thanks to a beefed-up airframe,

(as it is often called within the Armée de l’Air) is taking on a fast expanding role in French overseas territories. Seven aircraft are currently deployed, with another two expected soon: • two CN235-200s at DA190 Tahiti, French Polynesia, in the Pacific, with ET 82 ‘Maine’, since 1996; • two CN235-200s at BA186 Nouméa, in New Caledonia, also in the Pacific. They have served with Escadron de Transport 52 ‘Tontouta’ since 1998; • three CN235-200s at BA367 Cayenne, French Guiana, with ET 68 ‘Antilles-Guyane’ since 2012 (they had been based at BA365 Lamentin, in La Martinique island, in the French West Indies, since 2005).

ansallito’ 2

From these bases, the CN235s take part in a large number of missions in French territories and beyond. Those at Nouméa, for example, deployed to Vanuatu to bring in much-needed supplies and assist the local population after Cyclone Pam hit the country. CN235s have been cleared to drop rescue equipment and life-rafts from their rear ramps, a major advantage for search and rescue operations in remote areas. At the time of writing, in July, it was expected that two CN235-300s would soon deploy to DA181 La Réunion, in the Indian Ocean, to replace the two Transalls serving with ET 50 ‘La Réunion’. Series -300 aircraft have been chosen for La Réunion because their better range and airfield performance enables them to reach the Îles Éparses, a group of five French islands – Europa, Juan de Nova, Bassa de India, Glorioso and Tromelin – spread across the Indian Ocean around Madagascar. Supplies need to be regularly delivered to soldiers and the weather specialists deployed at these remote outposts and the Transall was highly praised for the job. The CN235-200 did not have the range for the mission and the A400M’s capabilities would have been overkill for the requirement, so with the CN235-300 the Armée de l’Air has found the ideal tool to fill the gap in the region.

Combat Role The CN235 has now been operating in the combat support/logistics role in Africa for more than 20 years: the first deployment was in 1994 when France intervened in Rwanda. In 1999, during the conflict in Kosovo, French Casas flew logistics missions to support combat operations, bringing in critical supplies and spare parts. The crisis in Ivory Coast led to the deployment of a Casa in theatre from 2002 to 2005 and of another to Gabon from 2003.

The type first deployed to Chad in late 2009 to experiment with operations in a sandy environment. With combat operations taking a new dimension in Mali in 2013, the CN235 was drafted in for intra-theatre airlift and aeromedical evacuation. The number of CN235s in the Sahara has now grown to three, drawn from the 18 aircraft based at Creil: one -200 in Mali and a -200 and -300 in Chad. The series -300 aircraft offer improved performance and load-carrying capabilities in the heat of the desert. The variant is currently being cleared to drop heavy palettes of up to 800kg (1,762lb) for resupply missions of isolated patrols deep in the desert.

‘Casa Nurse’ The Casa found a new mission within the French armed forces in 2013, with those at Gao and N’Djamena ready to conduct medical evacuations should personnel be wounded or become critically ill. Called ‘Casa Nurse’ (in English, not French) when configured for medevac, the aircraft has proved ideal for the role. Lieutenant-Colonel ‘Laurent’, a French Air Force doctor (surname withheld on request), explained: “For the medical teams, the Transall has a major drawback: it cannot provide any electricity for our medical equipment. We have to use battery-powered systems instead, which give us an endurance of no more than four hours without having to change the batteries. “In the CN235, we have standard sockets, 220V/500W in the -200 and 220V/2000W in the -300. This is a major improvement for us as we can just plug in regular, modern monitoring equipment. “The embarked medical team is typically composed of an emergency medicine doctor, a nurse and an aeromedical specialist nurse. An anaesthetist nurse and a medical assistant can be added as required.

“Aeromedical personnel are provided by Escadrille Aérosanitaire 6/560 ‘Etampes’, stationed at BA107 Villacoublay. In Mali or Niger, for example, the sick and wounded are usually flown to Gao in a helicopter. The Casa would then fly them to Niamey to be picked up by a Falcon 900 or 2000, or even by a C-135FR with Morphée kit (an intensive care module) for aeromedical evacuation back to France. “Alternatively the CN235 could be used to transport up to eight patients straight from austere locations to rear echelons’ medical care facilities. It can land on and take off from semi-prepared runways, including dirt and compacted sand strips in the desert.” The CN235-200/300 is gradually replacing the Transall and taking a leading role in the utility, tactical airlift, medical evacuation and paradropping missions. The Transall was, more often than not, too large for most liaison tasks between air bases and the CN235 is filling a gap between the TBM700 and the C160 and C-130.

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TECHNOLOGY UK AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL ccording to Civil Aviation Authority figures, 2.1 million flights travel through UK controlled airspace annually. That number is predicted to grow to three million per year by 2030, which means there’s greater attention on how to move flights through the country’s air traffic network efficiently. As the UK’s aviation regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is at the heart of this process with its Future Airspace Strategy (FAS) to introduce more direct routings, optimise runway operations and use advanced air traffic management (ATM) technology. The CAA believes this will yield fuel, emissions and time savings for airlines and release more airspace for other users. The FAS is being developed and deployed in line with the European Commission’s Single European Sky project, which seeks to simplify and harmonise air traffic control throughout Europe. Work currently under way to achieve the goals of the FAS was highlighted during the Imagine Festival in Milton Keynes in June. During a presentation Phil Roberts, the CAA’s Head of Airspace, Air Traffic Management and Aerodromes, said: “What we’ve tried to do with FAS is get the airports, airlines and air traffic services providers to align their individual investment plans, so the air traffic control system has got the ability to use new technology to the best effect.”

1 1 Manchester Airport’s Electronic Flight Progress Strip systems were upgraded with Departure Planning Information software earlier this year. Other UK regional airports are following suit. Manchester Airport 2 Time Based Separation was introduced at London Heathrow in March. NATS estimates the technology could save 80,000 minutes of delays per year at the hub. Airops1/AirTeamImages 2

Arrivals Management NATS, the UK’s air navigation services provider (ANSP), is naturally playing a significant role in this process (see Clever Control, November 2014 p64-69). Its initiatives include iFACTS, a software tool that enables air traffic controllers to calculate flight path trajectories more accurately, continuous descent operations for more efficient routings, and the Cross Border Arrival Management System (XMAN) for London Heathrow XMAN uses open data exchange technology to improve information transfer between NATS and adjacent European ANSPs. Sharing data regarding delays in the holding stacks at Heathrow means flights approaching UK airspace can absorb any delays while still cruising, with the result that they hold in the stack for less time and save fuel and emissions.

Time Based Separation NATS’ latest technology initiative is Time Based Separation (TBS), introduced at Heathrow in March. Airports usually use fixed-distance separations for arrivals. But when headwinds increase, an aircraft’s ground speed reduces, which lowers the landing rate and lengthens holding times – a major issue at Heathrow, which runs at 98% capacity. TBS, developed by NATS in conjunction with Lockheed Martin, uses real-time data downlinked from the radar aboard arriving aircraft to calculate the wind speed on final

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approach. This data provides updates to controllers and generates a time separation equivalent to the distance separation in a 5-7kts (9-12km/h) headwind. Fundamental to the system’s development was a five-year study at Heathrow that used LIDAR (light detection and ranging) remote sensing equipment into how wake vortices on final approach disperse. The research showed a vortex decays faster if headwinds increase, and enabled Lockheed Martin and

NATS to develop new rules for separation minima that account for both headwinds and an aircraft’s wake vortex category. Time Based Separation reduces the separation between arrivals if the headwind strengthens and increases it when there is a tailwind or little wind. Separations are therefore managed ‘dynamically’; either increased or reduced as conditions dictate, to best optimise arrivals. The separations are visualised on

UK AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TECHNOLOGY

New technologies to boost air traffic efficiency are being introduced in the UK, as Mark Broadbent reports

controllers’ screens with what NATS calls “dynamic wind indicators”, but there is no modification to arrivals procedures. Flights continue to be radar-vectored on to final approach with the same speeds.

Real Time Information NATS isn’t the only organisation to introduce new ATM technology in the UK. Transport Systems Catapult, the UK Governmentbacked transport innovation centre, is

leading a project called Departure Planning Information (DPI) working alongside NATS, airports and the regulator. Using software developed by Nav Canada, DPI provides real time information about a flight’s status on the ground just prior to departure. It enables air traffic controllers in the airport towers to send departure information messages with accurate take-off time predictions to the European Network Manager.

The system issues real-time progress updates from when an aircraft is cleared for pushback to when it’s taxiing and when it has taken off. Crucially, the information is then sent to the air traffic network managers, giving them a more accurate picture of departure times. The Transport Systems Catapult acted as a broker to secure funding from the Department for Transport to introduce the software at a number of UK airports.

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TECHNOLOGY UK AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL may be applied. NATS intends to introduce arrival manager tools and continuous descents and climbs at other airports around the UK, while the CAA has FAS development groups for northern and Scottish airports to apply lessons from the Southeast to improve efficiency nationally.

1 Departure Planning Information software issues real-time progress updates from when an aircraft is cleared for pushback, to when it’s taxiing and when it has taken off. Jorge Guardia Aguila/AirTeamImages 2 The busy airspace in the southeast of the UK, with London Heathrow running at 98% capacity, brings a sharp focus on new technologies that improve efficiency. Simon Gregory/AirTeamImages

Data Exchange The issue uniting all these efforts is data exchange. Roberts said: “We [need to] share information in the most efficient way so we can try to ensure this whole, rather complex, jigsaw [the airspace system] comes together. That relies on IT systems and the ability to handle large amounts of data.” He added that the wider Single European Sky ATM Research project to improve data exchange between ANSPs across Europe is influencing the definition of protocols that systems will use to share information. 1

The first phase involved working with NATS to upgrade the existing Electronic Flight Progress Strip (EFPS) systems in operation at Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London City, Luton, Manchester, and Stansted. DPI became fully operational at Aberdeen, London City and Manchester earlier this year, and was scheduled to go live at the other four airports in July. In March, the Catapult awarded a contract to Lockheed Martin for a second phase to develop and deploy DPI at regional airports operating traditional paper flight strips.

Efficiency Gains The Catapult and NATS say efficiency savings from the new technologies are already evident. Analysis of offline trial data has shown a 60% improvement in the accuracy of predicted 2 take-off times due to the DPI project, according to the Catapult. Speaking at the Imagine Festival, the Catapult’s Chief Operating Officer, Mark Ruddy, said: “Without DPI messages, the levels of air traffic control do not have a fully accurate picture of departure times. If an aircraft is late in departing, air traffic network managers would not necessarily know this until the aircraft is airborne.” The consequence, NATS told AIR International is that: “Network demand/ capacity balancing has greater uncertainty around it and cannot be managed as efficiently as it can be with the DPI messages.” The Catapult estimates DPI will reduce start-up delays (classified as those before aircraft leaves the stand) by 3%. NATS said DPI will also bring greater benefits to arrivals management tools such as Heathrow’s XMAN, which has reduced stack holding times by two minutes. The company reckons that combined, DPI and XMAN could save airlines £10 million over five years. NATS said the Time Based Separation project at Heathrow has had an immediate impact. The company revealed that on March 30, with a 35kts (64km/h) headwind on final approach, its controllers landed on average two more aircraft per hour than in similar conditions on March 2, before TBS was introduced. NATS added that Time Based

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Separation “is on track to save 80,000 minutes of delays per year at Heathrow”.

Next Steps The introduction of new technologies will continue. The next major step in implementing the FAS nationally (for which the timescale extends to 2030) is the phased introduction, over the next four years, of the NATS London Airspace Management Programme. This will introduce performance-based navigation, which uses the Precision RNAV (radio and satellite navigation) functionality embedded in airliners’ flight management systems to enable crews to fly routes with accuracy to within a mile or better. Where the traffic can support it, Required Navigation Performance (RNP) parameters

Better Journeys In their presentations at the Imagine Festival, Ruddy and Roberts both stressed that IT systems need to be designed in such a way that information directly applicable to passengers (for example, the length of security queues and gate details) is part of the data exchange, and is communicated to flyers. They added there is also a need to ensure information regarding delays in other transport modes (such as road and rail) that passengers use to travel to airports, is also integrated into the system. The long-term goal is to achieve a smooth flow of information between airports, airlines and NATS within the UK, between those organisations and other transport sectors, and between the UK and its European neighbours. “If we can share information sensibly, the whole network can run better,” Roberts concluded.

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