Samsung began development of the KTX-2 advanced trainer in 1992. The program was formally launched in 1997, with Lockheed Martin announced as a participant, responsible for avionics, flight control systems and wings. The first prototype flew in August 2002. Two versions were developed: the T-50 trainer and the weapons-capable A-50 lead-in fighter trainer (LIFT). T/A-50s are powered by a General Electric F404-GE-102 turbofan engine (17,700 lb. thrust). A new light fighter variant, the FA-50, is being designed, with the South Korean air force planning to acquire about 150.
Your editorial “Obama’s Transport Plan Has Promise” (AW&ST Sept. 13, p. 62) was a nice shot in the arm to the airline industry, but like the Transportation Department’s Future of Aviation Advisory Committee (FAAC), it ignores business and general aviation (GA)—an entire segment of the industry.
The Su-25 is a twin-engine, single- and tandem-seat, ground attack and weapons training aircraft powered by two Tumansky/Soyuz R-195 turbojet engines rated at 9,921 lb. thrust each. First flight of an initial prototype occurred in 1975. A number of versions have been produced, the most recent of which, the Su-25TM, included new avionics and increased fuel capacity. More than 1,200 Su-25s were built before production ended in the 1990s.
Nov. 1-3—A&D Programs Conference. Phoenix. Nov. 2-3—A&D Supply Chain Conference. Phoenix. Nov. 2-4—MRO Asia Conference and Exhibition. Singapore. You can now register ONLINEfor Aviation Week Events. Go to www.aviationweek.com/events or call Lydia Janow at+1 (212) 904-3225/+1 (800) 240-7645 ext. 5 (U.S. and Canada Only)
Airlines around the globe are roaring back to financial health faster than expected, but they are also facing the disturbing prospect that they may have already passed the high-water mark of the recovery.
It is difficult to think of any developmental effort or manufacturing program without online collaboration in its DNA. But the nature of research and development within the aerospace and defense industrial sector makes the implementation of three emerging and powerful tools—cloud computing, social networking and consumerization—a severe test case for their successful deployment, given the industry’s requirements to assure the sanctity of companies’ intellectual property rights (IPR) and meet national security and export control regulations.
Clifford Topham has been named vice president-sales and marketing and Dan Monahan vice president-finance of EMS Aviation of Atlanta. Topham was a sales and business development executive for Rolls-Royce, while Monahan was vice president-finance planning and analysis for the CDC Software Corp.
The F-22 is a single-seat air superiority and ground attack aircraft selected in 1991 as the U.S. Air Force’s next air superiority fighter; first flight followed in 1997. Propulsion is provided by two 35,000-lb.-thrust Pratt & Whitney F119-PW-100 afterburning turbofan engines. Approximately 152 F-22s were produced through 2009, including test aircraft. Planned USAF procurement is for another 43 aircraft through 2012, when production will stop. The U.S. government currently prohibits export of the F-22.
Talk over the last several years concerning Iran, Israel, the U.S.—and whether Tehran’s nuclear program might be bombed—may have been a canard or a purposeful bit of misdirection.
The Pakistani government is in talks with the U.S. over the purchase of 30 Bell 412EP helicopters with a value of up to $397 million. The helos are to help Pakistan with its counter-insurgency operations, the Pentagon says.
The H-92 single-main-rotor, medium-lift helicopter is powered by two General Electric CT7-8C turboshaft engines rated at 2,550 shp. each. The H-92 militarized version of the S-92, when configured for the land assault mission, offers a 200-nm. radius while carrying 22 troops at 3,000 ft. on a 91.5F day. In the amphibious assault role, the aircraft has a dual sortie radius of 65 nm. with 22 troops under 103F conditions. Through 2009, three H-92s were produced, with 71 units forecast for production in 2010-19.
European Space Agency officials are reasonably sure they can meet a late February docking window for the second Automated Transfer Vehicle, which is needed for an International Space Station reboost mission by mid-2011 to prevent the ISS from using excessive propellant as it descends lower into the atmosphere. The space shuttle and Progress resupply ship, as well as the station itself, can perform reboost maneuvers. But the ATV can move it much higher, significantly reducing drag and improving operating efficiencies.
The AS550 utility helicopter is a military version of the AS350 powered, depending upon its generation, by a single Turbomeca Arriel 1B, 1D1 or 2B turboshaft engine (Generations 1, 2 and 3, respectively). Some 3,828 AS350/550s were produced through 2009, including civil and military variants, as well as those assembled under license by Helicopteros do Brasil SA (Helibras). Another 46 military units are forecast to be produced in 2010 19.
The PC-9 tandem-seat military flight trainer is produced by Pilatus and has also been assembled under license by Hawker de Havilland Ltd. A PC-9 prototype first flew in May 1984, followed by initial production deliveries in 1986. The current production model is the PC-9M, introduced in 1997. The PC-9M is powered by a single 1,150-shp. Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-62 turboprop engine. Through 2006, when the last PC-9 was produced, 276 aircraft were built. Pilatus continues to market the PC-9, though it seems that there will be no future production of the aircraft.
Members of the L39 family include two-seat trainers and single-seat light-attack aircraft; all are single-engine-powered. The current version in the family is the L159, and, although the plane is still available for order, no new aircraft have been produced since 2003. Power for the L159 is provided by a 6,300-lb.-thrust ITEC (a partnership of Honeywell and AIDC) F124-GA-100 turbofan engine. The maiden flight of the L39 occurred in 1968, with the L159 following in 1997 and first delivery in 1999. Nearly 3,000 aircraft in the series have been produced.
Lockheed Martin’s X-35 (F-35 in production) was selected as the winner of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program in 2001. Lockheed Martin’s bid included numerous partners in the F-35, including Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems. The JSF program called for the F-35 to be available in three versions: the F-35A conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL), F-35B short takeoff and vertical landing (Stovl) and F-35C carrier-based attack version. All versions of the F-35 are powered by a single, afterburning turbofan engine rated at 40,000 lb.
Joseph E. Radosky (see photo) has been appointed Orlando, Fla.-based sales manager for government and military programs for the Signature Flight Support Corp. He was director of business development for SimiGon and a marketing manager for FlightSafety International.
A three-engine, medium-lift, multirole helicopter, the AW101 (formerly the EH101) has been produced in naval, military utility and civil versions. The helicopter’s various versions have had a wide range of engines: the General Electric CT7-6A, CT7-8E and T700-GE-T6A1; as well as the Rolls-Royce Turbomeca RTM322. Team US101, a partnership comprising AgustaWestland, Lockheed Martin and Bell Helicopter Textron, developed the US101 version of the AW101 for the U.S. Navy’s VH-71 presidential helicopter program.
The P-8A, a maritime patrol/anti-submarine warfare aircraft, is a variant of Boeing’s 737-800, and is powered by two CFM56-7B turbofans rated at 27,300 lb. thrust each. The aircraft will succeed the Lockheed Martin P-3C Orion in U.S. Navy maritime patrol/anti-submarine warfare service. Boeing and the Navy formally unveiled the P-8A in July 2009, after flight-testing began in April of that year. In all, seven P-8As will take part in flight-testing, while the Navy plans to purchase 117 aircraft. Initial operational capability is planned for 2013.
General Electric and Rolls-Royce are focusing on manufacturing records as they investigate the causes of an incident which forced the shutdown of an F136 development engine on Sept. 23. The shutdown was triggered when the F136 endurance engine, 008, “experienced an anomaly at near maximum fan speed,” says the GE-Rolls Fighter Engine Team. “Initial inspection revealed damage to airfoils in the front fan and compressor area.” Shutdown occurred 3 hr.
The Eurocopter Tiger is a tandem-seat, anti-tank/fire-support helicopter designed for all-weather, day/night, anti-tank, ground support, anti-helicopter and armed escort missions. Power is supplied by two MTU Turbomeca Rolls-Royce MTR390 turboshaft engines rated at 1,285 shp. each at takeoff. Variants include: the HAC Tiger—basic anti-tank version for the French army that can carry anti-armor missiles and Mistral air-to-air missiles; HAP Gerfaut—escort and fire-support version for the French army that can carry a chin-turret-mounted 30-mm.
The near-term fate of military aircraft programs will look a lot like most overall defense budgets as countries reel from the recession: Not that bad in the end, but when compared with historic growth of recent years, not that good either.
F-35 Joint Strike Fighter customers are hoping they can finally resolve some of the nagging uncertainties that have hung over the program, including the issue of pricing and how much operational sovereignty buyers can expect. Price has been a key issue for both the U.S. and the international JSF community. Discussions between the Pentagon and Lockheed Martin over the fourth lot of low-rate-initial-production aircraft have dragged on for months.
The An-70 transport is a developmental, high-wing aircraft design powered by four novel 14,000-shp. ZMKB Progress D-27 propfan engines with six-blade counter-rotating propellers; it is intended to compete with the Airbus A400M. Two An-70 prototypes have flown—one in 1994 and a second in 1997; both suffered accidents. In 2006, the An-70 effort took a further hit when Russia pulled out of a deal to buy 164 aircraft, leaving Ukraine as the sole client.
