General Electric and its F414 engine have defeated the Eurojet EJ200 to become the lowest bidder in the competition to power the Indian Light Combat Aircraft Mk. 2.
The start of Fiscal 2011 will look a lot like Fiscal 2010 because after failing to finish regular appropriations, Congress squeaked out a continuing resolution to keep the federal government going until Dec. 3—but only at Fiscal 2010-enacted levels for almost everything, including the Defense Department. Still, the resolution brings some changes. It “adjusts” the current rate for operations for the Foreign Military Financing program to include $965 million that was advanced for Israel, Egypt and Jordan in a Fiscal 2009 supplemental spending law.
Andrew Pramschufer (see photo) has been named as chief operating officer of Ontic ’s operations in California. He was vice president-manufacturing and distribution for the Dacor Corp.
This family of single-main-rotor, single- and twin-engine utility helicopters has been available in a variety of models, built by Bell Helicopter Textron and several licensees. Models currently in production, or forecast for delivery through 2019, include the UH-1Y improved four-blade variant, with the first 10 units for the U.S. Marine Corps to be upgraded UH-1Ns. In addition, Bell will continue production of Model 412 helicopters and Fuji UH-1Js. More than 14,927 of UH-1/212/412 helicopters were delivered through 2009, with another 338 expected in 2010-19.
Willard “Bill” Hagan has been appointed president and Herb Mardany senior vice president of AmSafe Industries of Phoenix. Hagan was president and Mardany vice president/general manager of subsidiary AmSafe Aviation.
A concept demonstrator for a robotic explorer designed to hop, rather than rove, over a planetary surface is being prepared for a hovering flight at the Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Cambridge, Mass. Developers from Draper working with Massachusetts Institute of Technology graduate students believe the hopper concept will make it easier for explorers to access challenging sites and travel greater distances, and thus collect more data during a mission.
Something is out of whack with the editorial “Defense Overhaul Is Overdue” (AW&ST Aug. 23/30, p. 74). It begins with a chart showing defense spending in 2005 dollars, implying that the U.S. has with its current wars approached World War II spending levels. This is so only if you think it is appropriate to ignore the fact that $800-plus-billion in 1945 represented 40%-plus of the gross domestic product and produced 12 million soldiers while the same amount today is only 4.5% of GDP and buys a quite different and still very powerful military.
The MiG-AT is an advanced jet trainer in development. A prototype made its first flight in 1996; a pre-series aircraft flew in 2004. The aircraft uses two 3,175-lb.-thrust Turbomeca/Snecma Larzac 04-R20 turbofan engines, although aircraft have also been tested with Soyuz RD-1700 and Saturn AL-55I engines. Also being developed is a single-seat light fighter/attack version of the MiG-AT, called the MiG-AS. Two flying prototypes and four additional airframes have been produced.
The first flight of the J-10 combat aircraft occurred in March 1998. The single-engine, single- or two-seat interceptor/ground attack aircraft is powered by a Lyulka Saturn AL-31FN turbofan rated at 27,560 lb. thrust) with reheat, although the Chinese have been working on a version powered by the indigenous WS-10 engine. About 149 J-10s were produced through 2009 and production estimates stand at 276 more for the 2010-19 period.
The Rafale is available in a single- or two-seat configuration and can serve as both a land- and sea-based air superiority, air combat and ground attack aircraft. First flight of the Rafale occurred in 1986, and initial deliveries began in 1999. The prototype was powered by two General Electric F404-GE-400 augmented turbofans (16,860 lb. thrust each); production aircraft use two Snecma M88-2 augmented turbofans rated at 16,400 lb. thrust each.
The Lockheed P-3 Orion is an anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and maritime patrol aircraft that was produced through 1997. Lockheed won a U.S. Navy ASW competition in 1958 and began deliveries of the P-3A in 1962; the improved P-3C first flew in 1968. Lockheed produced a total of 647 P-3s, while Kawasaki produced 101 under license and, although P-3C production ended, the aircraft remains the subject of numerous upgrade programs. Power for the P-3C is provided by four 4,910-shp. Rolls-Royce T56-A-14 turboprop engines.
Researchers are hatching plans for a new, multirole hypersonic flying testbed to bridge the gap to practical missile, surveillance and reconnaissance applications.
JetBlue Airways will develop a high-speed airborne connectivity service using JetBlue’s LiveTV affiliate and Ka-band antenna components, modems and two-way transmission bandwidth supplied by ViaSat. ViaSat currently offers Ka-band capacity on WildBlue-1 and will launch a powerful new Ka-band spacecraft, ViaSat-1, next year. The service will be offered on JetBlue’s entire fleet. LiveTV will manage the integration of ViaSat equipment on the aircraft and lead the FAA certification process.
The Mitsubishi F-2 is a single- and twin-seat air combat fighter/interceptor aircraft based on the Lockheed Martin F-16C Block 40 aircraft. The first F-2 prototype flew in October 1995, with initial production deliveries following in September 2000. Lockheed Martin supplies various components for the F-2. The aircraft is powered by a single 29,500-lb.-thrust General Electric F110-GE-129 turbofan engine, license-produced by IHI Corp. Eighty-one F-2 aircraft were built through 2008, plus four flying prototypes.
Lockheed Martin Aircraft Argentina S.A. (Lmaasa), recently nationalized and now known as Fabrica Argentina de Aviones “Brig. San Martin” S.A. (FAdeA), produces the AT-63, an updated version of the tandem-seat IA 63 Pampa trainer/light attack aircraft. First flight of the IA 63 occurred in 1984, followed by initial production deliveries in 1988. It was originally powered by a single 3,500-lb.-thrust Honeywell TFE731-2-2N turbofan engine. Twenty-two IA 63 aircraft were produced, including three flying prototypes, before the last was built in 1999.
Eurocopter is hoping a new hybrid helicopter concept will allow the company to bring to market a high-speed Super Puma- or Dauphin-sized rotorcraft before the end of the decade. The company last week unveiled its X3 helicopter demonstrator, which is aimed at validating the ability to fly more than 220 kt. using what the Franco-German helicopter makers bills as a simple design approach. The twin-turboshaft-powered demonstrator uses two propellers on a short wing for forward speed, with a five-blade main rotor.
The Airbus A400M is a four-engine, turboprop-powered military transport aircraft currently under development. Seven European nations are participating in the A400M transport program—Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Spain, Turkey and the U.K.—all to eventually acquire a total of 80 A400Ms. Malaysia joined its European counterparts in the development effort in 2005 and, along with workshare, will acquire four A400Ms. A product of Airbus Military, the A400M made its first flight in December 2009, with initial deliveries expected in late 2012.
The Boeing and BAE jointly produced T-45 Goshawk is a variant of the BAE Hawk, designed specifically for aircraft carrier pilot training. The twin-seat aircraft is powered by a single Rolls-Royce Turbomeca Adour RT172 Mk 871 non-afterburning turbofan (5,845 lb. thrust), also known as the F405-RR-401. The U.S. Navy awarded exploration contracts in August 1980 and, in 1981, the McDonnell Douglas (Boeing) design was selected. The first prototype flight occurred in 1988, and the first aircraft carrier landing was in 1991.
Missile defense activities outside the U.S. are slowly ramping up to tackle medium- to intermediate-range ballistic missile threats. One of the beneficiaries of those activities in Europe could be MBDA and upgrades to the Aster 30 weapon system, now being rolled out in ship-based and land-based applications in France, Italy and the U.K. MBDA photo by Michael Hans.
Pratt & Whitney is racing to defend the geared turbofan (GTF) against legal attacks from Rolls-Royce ahead of decisions by Airbus on whether to offer the powerplant on a re-engined A320.
The C-17 is a long-range, heavy-lift transport aircraft powered by four 40,440-lb.-thrust Pratt & Whitney F117-PW-100 turbofan engines. First flight of the C-17—a prototype designated T-1—took place in 1991. One of the largest military transport aircraft, the C-17 can carry vehicles such as the Bradley infantry fighting vehicle and the M1 Abrams main battle tank. The U.S. Air Force operates some 195 C-17s and has received funding for 215. Australia, Canada, Qatar and the U.K., among others, also operate the C-17.
Southwest Airlines and AirTran Airways face few rivals in the nonstop markets where they overlap, suggesting room for real pricing power in some important Florida leisure markets—and one area for potential regulatory scrutiny. Aviation Week analyzed and ranked departures in those markets, as well as available seats, load factors and fares, and on balance found very little overlap that might draw regulatory attention.
The Harrier II is out of production. Through 1998, 428 Harrier II vertical/short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) aircraft were produced by Boeing/McDonnell Douglas and BAE. The Harrier II is a single- or two-seat, single-engine ground attack aircraft. AV-8B Harrier IIs are powered by either a 21,450-lb.-thrust Rolls-Royce Pegasus 11-21 (U.S. designated F402-RR-406A) vectored thrust turbofan or a 23,800-lb.-thrust Pegasus 11-61 (U.S. designated F402-RR-408). The British Royal Air Force GR7 and GR9 models use a Pegasus Mk 105 vectored thrust turbofan (21,500 lb.
The AS 32 Cougar and the new EC725 are twin-engine, medium-lift military transport and special-purpose helicopters. They are the military versions of Eurocopter’s AS332 Super Puma and EC225, respectively. Current engines include two Turbomeca Makila 1A1 turboshafts rated at 1,819 shp. each for takeoff for the AS532 Mk 1; two Turbomeca Makila 1A2 turboshafts rated at 1,845 shp. each for takeoff for the AS532 Mk2; and two Turbomeca Makila 2A turboshafts rated at 2,100 shp. each for takeoff for the EC 725. Armament can include a 20-mm. cannon, twin 7.62-mm.
I found “Flying Safer” (AW&ST Sept. 13, p. 56) disturbing. After 10 years of apparent diligent evaluation of the Concorde crash attributed to a “strip of sheet metal from a Continental Airlines DC-10” causing a Concorde tire to burst, the French accident investigators are bringing a criminal wrongful death suit against multiple personnel and other entities. I doubt that anyone involved planned this terrible outcome; however, a criminal charge is sure to make fact-finding much more difficult.
