FARNBOROUGH — Boeing has completed the final design review for the Indian navy’s 737-based maritime patrol P-8I, a variant of the U.S. Navy’s P-8A, and is preparing to begin fabrication of the first aircraft in the fourth quarter.
UP IN THE AIR: Various problems encountered in the past may hinder use of unmanned aircraft on the U.S. border with Mexico or Canada, according to a recent report by the Congressional Research Service. “There are concerns regarding the high accident rates of UAVs, which have historically been multiple times higher than that of manned aircraft. Inclement weather conditions can also impinge on a UAV’s surveillance capability,” the nonpartisan service says.
FARNBOROUGH — Sukhoi’s T-50 PAK-FA fighter will be delivered to the customer in 2015, Sukhoi Director General Mikhail Pogosyan said in an interview at the Farnborough International Airshow here on July 20, notwithstanding Western skeptics who compare that timescale to other fighter programs. “It’s a matter of the experience that we have, the level of preparation and the solution that we have chosen,” he said. “We did not wait for a new engine, but modernized an existing engine, and we have a lot of bench testing. Combined, that gives us a chance to succeed.
FARNBOROUGH — Saab is continuing along the road to fully defining — and will soon make an important supplier decision on — its next-generation (NG) fighter’s self-protection suite. The Gripen NG will have a fiber-optic towed decoy as a baseline subsystem to help defeat radar-guided missile threats. A towed decoy is only an option on the current model, but the supplier choice is pending for the subsystem on the NG, says Eddy de la Motte, a Gripen International program official.
FARNBOROUGH — Northrop Grumman’s decision to cast off its shipbuilding business is more about its lack of synergy with other units than its underperformance, CEO Wes Bush says. “We see shipbuilding as a good business,” Bush tells AVIATION WEEK editors. “There are a lot of folks who have said, ‘This means Northrop Grumman gave up on shipbuilding.’ And that is not where we are.” Northrop announced last week that it would look at options to sell or spin-out its shipbuilding unit, which accounted for 17% of the U.S. defense giant’s sales last year.
The European Union, in a planned July 21 filing, will spell out at least seven legal points in its appeal of the June 30 World Trade Organization ruling on the U.S. case on illegal subsidies to Airbus.
FARNBOROUGH — The Brazilian air force has made an initial purchase commitment to the Embraer KC-390 military airlifter, with the goal of fielding the aircraft starting in 2016. The Brazilian government had previously only agreed to fund the development of the KC-390 and build two prototypes. The service plans to replace its entire fleet of C-130s with KC-390s eventually, says Brazilian air force chief of staff Lt. Gen. Juniti Saito, without saying what the total inventory objective is.
PERFORMANCE CRUNCH: Consultancy AlixPartners says the western aerospace and defense (A&D) sector is in for more consolidation, if only because companies will have to “drastically” cut costs and improve efficiencies to maintain their profit-making. “This will be hard given anemic demand, pressure to develop technologies to cut fuel consumption, and pressure to remain competitive,” according to an announcement discussing the “new normal” environment.
FARNBOROUGH — Mobile satellite operator Iridium is here at the Farnborough International Airshow to promote its solution to the problems highlighted by last year’s Air France Flight 447 accident over the Atlantic. All 228 passengers and crew perished when the Airbus A330-200 crashed, and the loss of the flight data recorder (FDR) deprived investigators of information they could have used to pinpoint the disaster’s cause.
FARNBOROUGH — General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) plans to offer its Avenger/Predator C unmanned combat air vehicle in two variants, with the second featuring radar absorbent materials, a Joint Strike Fighter-type electro-optical sensor and other features for survival in heavily defended airspace, according to Aircraft Systems Group President Frank Pace. “We are working that program, but it’s a few years out,” Pace said at the Farnborough International Airshow July 21.
SAUDI HAWK: Saudi Arabia’s ministry of interior is the launch customer for Sikorksy’s S-70i International Black Hawk, with an order for three helicopters for delivery from early 2011, plus options for another 12, for border protection, transport and other roles. Assembled in Poland by Sikorsky subsidiary PZL Meilec, the export variant of the Black Hawk made its first flight on July 1.
FARNBOROUGH — To protect the 2015 timeline for the development of an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar for the key Indian export campaign, the Eurofighter radar consortium is pre-funding the system’s development until March. Some workshare issues remain to be sorted out, but the development effort for the AESA that will replace the mechanically scanned antenna began this month. Eurofighter CEO Enzo Casolini says the work has been done on the back of an agreement in principle from the U.K., Germany, Italy and Spain to acquire such a system.
FORMATION FLIGHT: Sikorsky has completed the first autonomous formation flight (AFF) as it develops technology for an optionally piloted Black Hawk helicopter. For the June flight, the company’s AFF system was implemented on the U.S. Army’s JUH-60 Rascal fly-by-wire testbed, which then flew in formation with an unmodified EH-60L. The AFF system comprises a single camera to track the lead aircraft and flight-control algorithms to maintain relative position automatically.
MAINTENANCE STRATEGY: As part of the continued drive toward a better planned and engineered surface-force maintenance strategy, the U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command (Navsea) Surface Ship Life-Cycle Management Activity will reach the key 75% milestone this month in the development of technical foundation papers (TFP) for the Ticonderoga (CG 47) and Wasp (LHD 1) classes of ships. On track for completion this September, these TFPs are designed to identify the maintenance requirements that must be performed for each ship class to reach its expected service life.
NEW DELHI — U.K.-based Cobham is in discussions with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. and India’s Aeronautical Development Agency about retrofitting a retractable refueling probe on the current model of the Light Combat Aircraft as well as the Mk2 version. While Cobham is not certain how the business model will be globally tendered, the company’s experience will be a definite advantage, according to Lee Griffiths, director of Cobham India.
The 30th MC-12W Project Liberty intelligence collecting aircraft — the final system slated for operational use — is beginning to execute combat sorties in Afghanistan and Iraq, according to U.S. Air Force officials. A total of 37 of the modified King Air 350 and 350ER aircraft are due to be delivered to the Air Force; seven are being dedicated to pilot training in Meridian, Miss. Two of the aircraft remain to be delivered to Air Combat Command for that purpose, and all 37 will be delivered by the end of October, according to Air Force officials.
DOMINATING MARKET: Boeing plans to market the Dominator medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aircraft developed by Israel’s Aeronautics Ltd. The aircraft is an unmanned version of Diamond Aircraft’s DA42 twin-engined, four-seat light aircraft. Powered by two Thielert turbo-diesels, the 2,640-lb. gross-weight Dominator has an endurance of 28 hr. at up to 30,000 ft. carrying a 900-lb. payload. The aircraft made its first flight in July 2009. Late to enter the UAV market, Boeing is fleshing out its portfolio through acquisitions and marketing agreements.
FARNBOROUGH — European missile manufacturer MBDA’s first Concept Visions effort examines very light guided weapons for infantry units intended for a notional capability around 2030. The Concept Visions approach is effectively a quick look at the art of what may be possible in the guided weapons arena given emerging requirements combined with technology trends, all at a relatively low cost of £500,000 ($760,000).
FARNBOROUGH — AgustaWestland plans to have its new AW169 helicopter available in 2015, with its eye on the government and emergency medical services markets. The AW169 is being designed to fit a hole in Agusta’s product line between the AW139 and the Grand. The new model has a design weight of 4.5 metric tons, measuring 13 meters in length and 2 meters wide.
FLYING BACN: Northrop Grumman flew the first Global Hawk unmanned aircraft equipped with the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) payload on July 14 from Palmdale to Edwards AFB in California. Two Block 20 aircraft are being equipped with the BACN voice and data communications gateway for deployment by year’s end to meet an urgent requirement to improve air and ground communications in Afghanistan. Developed by Northrop, the BACN payload is also installed on three Bombardier Global Express business jets leased by the U.S. Air Force.
FARNBOROUGH — Boeing is in production on at least one “proprietary” strike weapon system, claims Shelley Lavender, vice president and general manager of global strike systems. But Lavender refused July 20 at the Farnborough International Airshow to provide more information when pressed. “I have nothing further for you on that,” the executive said.
September 29-30, 2010 ExCeL, London, UK Learn to maintain military assets longer; sustain aircraft beyond forecast; recover from budget cuts, delays and program cancellations, and develop new strategies required to deliver and support equipment. Learn more at www.aviationweek.com/events
FARNBOROUGH — The U.S. Air Force is likely nearing a point in the KC-135 replacement source selection to determine whether the three competitors are compliant with the requirements of the competition and can be evaluated, according to an industry official with acquisition experience.
