Lockheed Martin press release
May 23, 2003
Chief of UAE Armed Forces Views Final Assembly of First Block 60 F-16
阿拉伯聯合大公國軍隊首長參觀第一架 F-16 Block 60 最後組裝過程
FORT WORTH, Texas - Lt. Gen. Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan, Chief of Staff of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Armed Forces, and his delegation visited Lockheed Martins [NYSE: LMT] Fort Worth plant on May 23 to review the status of the UAE F-16 program.

The visit included a program status briefing, a tour of the Block 60 program area and a demonstration in the Block 60 F-16 flight simulator. During a tour of the factory, the delegation observed that the forward, center and aft fuselage sections of the first UAE F-16 are in final assembly. The delegation also was able to meet with Lockheed Martin executives and with UAE pilots and project team members residing in the United States.

I was very impressed with the design tools and modern aircraft factory that are being used to develop and produce the UAE F-16, said Sheikh Mohammed. I am pleased with the progress of the Block 60 program, which is tracking to schedule. This is a very important program for our national defense, and we eagerly await receiving our first aircraft next year.

The delegation also included Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al Nahyan, the UAE Minister of Information and Culture, and Maj. Gen. Khalid bin Abdullah al Buainain, Commander of the UAE Air Force and Air Defence.

We highly value the strong relationships with the United Arab Emirates, said Dain M. Hancock, president of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics. Sheikh Mohammed has been a strong supporter of this program, and his personal involvement since the beginning has set the tone for success.

Hancock explained why the UAE program is important to the company: The 80 aircraft in this program extended our F-16 production and provided a solid continuing production base. This program also involved major development of new capabilities that allowed the F-16 to remain technologically superior to the international competitors. Finally, some of these technologies will be shared among other F-16 programs and next-generation fighters.

The UAE selected the F-16 in an intense competition in 1998, and in June 2000, the program was officially launched. The UAE has ordered 80 Block 60 F-16s, which will be delivered during 2004-2006. The first aircraft will roll out later this year and begin extensive flight testing. Engine flight testing already has begun.

The Block 60 configuration is the most extensive change in the history of the F-16 program. The unique features of the Block 60 version include the APG-80 multimode radar with active electronically scanned antenna, internalized forward-looking infrared navigation and targeting system, advanced cockpit (three large multifunction displays, picture-in-picture, enhanced automation), fiber-optic avionics data bus, commercial off-the-shelf processors, Falcon Edge internal electronic countermeasures system and the 32,000-pound-thrust-class F110-GE-132 engine. Like other advanced F-16s, the Block 60 can carry conformal fuel tanks, and the two-seat version will feature a dorsal avionics compartment and a fully mechanized rear cockpit.

The F-16 is the choice of 24 countries. More than 4,000 aircraft have been delivered. Major upgrades for all F-16 versions are being incorporated to keep the fleet modern and fully supportable over the aircrafts long service life.

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., a business area of Lockheed Martin, is a leader in the design, development, systems integration, production and support of advanced military aircraft and related technologies. Its customers include the military services of the United States and allied countries throughout the world. Products include the F-16, F/A-22, F-35 JSF, F-117, T-50, C-5, C-130J, P-3, S-3 and U-2.

Germany: New Delays in Eurofighter Procurement Expected
德國﹕預估歐洲戰機軍購會有延遲
Hamburg Der Spiegel in German 26 May 03 p 20
Unattributed report: Late Start

PARIS, May 27 Seven European countries agreed today to acquire 180 military transport planes from Airbus in a deal valued at $24 billion.

The deal, one of Europes most ambitious military projects, comes after decades of delays. And it comes as a welcome lift for Airbus and its principal shareholder, the European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company, whose civilian business has been battered by the slump in air travel and the plight of major airlines around the world.

To diversify EADS, which receives about a fifth of its revenue from military sales, its management has said it wants to raise the proportion of revenue from military sales to roughly a third over the long term. Much of that growth was expected to come from the United States, the worlds largest arms market, but those plans have suffered a setback because of the bitterness in Washington over the refusal of France and Germany, where much EADS production is based, to support the war in Iraq.

Nick Cook, an aviation consultant at Janes Defense Weekly, said the contract was terribly important for EADS and Airbus, of which EADS owns 80 percent, but also for European defense cooperation. The remaining 20 percent of Airbus is owed by BAE Systems of Britain.

For Airbus, Mr. Cook said, the deal helps level out the fluctuations, from a business point of view, caused by the volatility of the market for civilian aircraft.

From a trans-European collaboration standpoint, theyve been trying to get this project off the ground for 20 years, he said. Today, were a huge step closer.

European governments have been casting about for a military transport plane to reduce their reliance on American companies like Boeing and Lockheed Martin for decades. The urgency was underscored during the first Persian Gulf war in 1991 and again in the Kosovo conflict of 1999, when European forces found themselves reliant on the American military for transportation. The aircraft are part of European plans to create a 60,000-strong rapid reaction force independent of NATO.

The aircraft, to be called the A400M, powered by four turboprop engines, is intended to replace aging military transport planes like the Hercules C-130. It will be delivered to seven customers: Belgium, Britain, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Spain and Turkey. Two other prospective customers Italy and Portugal have decided against joining the project. The first aircraft, which will be assembled in Spain, are expected to be delivered in 2009.

EADS, in a statement, said that first revenues are expected to be generated as soon as this year, and to ramp up very quickly, with a total amount of 2 billion euros already generated between 2003 and 2005.

EADS recently reported a first- quarter loss of 93 million euros, compared with a 25 million euro loss in the same quarter last year, as revenue slumped in the quarter by 14 percent, to 5.5 billion euros. Airbus has said it hopes to sell 300 civilian aircraft this year, about the same number it sold last year, but some EADS directors have said the number may be more like 280, because of financial difficulties among the airlines that buy Airbus planes.

　 華府利用全球定位衛星與其他太空科技贏得阿富汗與伊拉克戰爭後，提出前述計劃。美國的雄心表現在對此計劃的中心態度：他國若未得到美國支持，將拒絕其利用太空從事軍事情報蒐集或其他活動。 美國負責管理間諜衛星的「國家偵察局」將發展一套策略，確保盟邦與敵國若未獲得華府允許，將永遠無法利用同一太空資源。國偵局已於日前將前述策略的提案送交空軍的太空指揮部。

　提案內容顯示，華府可能拒絕其他國家取得近地太空的利用管道。人類現有的衛星間諜皆在近地太空運行。 美國還將發展一支可迅速動員的太空機隊，負責攻擊、毀滅敵人發射的衛星，且亦可能負責保衛美國的太空設施。

　周日電訊報指出，美方尚未公開每架太空飛機的可能成本，但勢將是人類史上第一架具備直接軍事功能的太空飛機。飛機原型預定二??五年問世，但預料不會在二?一四年前展開軍事部署。 美國贏得阿富汗、伊拉克戰爭後，太指部聲稱，美軍地面部隊在蒐集情報與鎖定敵軍目標位置上具絕對優勢。

　五角大廈認為，爭奪太空控制權將成為全球軍事競賽下一目標；前述星戰計劃顯示，華府決心取得他國無法趕上的科技優勢，並認為未來可在中程內完成太空「武器化」目標。

　 美國國防部長倫斯斐兩年前授權進行的一份報告曾指出，美國若未採取自我保護措施，將可能遭受「太空珍珠港」式的攻擊。

　太空指揮部指揮官羅德今年四月參加全美太空座談會時指出，尋求非對稱優勢並非新戰略；二十世紀的優勢指標是空中戰力，但美方發現，二十一世紀將是太空戰力。 現行的國際條約禁止各國在外太空部署武器，但卻有漏洞讓美國得以部署軍事情報衛星。

　一九六七年的「太空條約」是國際社會首度透過立法規範太空探險；該條約規定外太空應開放供各國自由探索，任何國家不得透過佔領或其他手段竊據。 俄羅斯外長伊凡諾夫今年四月曾重申該國要求太空全面非軍事化的立場。

　不過，美國空軍部次長兼國偵局局長提茲去年即表示，人類在太空部署武器是遲早的問題，華府必須先馳得點。五角大廈前年的檢討報告指出，華府的目標不僅是確保美國具備以軍事為目的的太空探險能力，且須阻止敵人擁有相同能力。 美國欲在太空遂行軍事壟斷，與歐洲長久以來反對將太空科技用於軍事有關。

Lockheed Martin has revealed images of a stealthy, supersonic strike aircraft designed to penetrate heavily defended airspace in the initial phase of a conflict and deliver precision-guided munitions on time- sensitive and other high-value targets.

The company developed the concept, which it refers to generically as the long-range strike aircraft, in support of studies on future strike platforms that the US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is leading.

Although the air force anticipates operating its current bomber force of B-1B, B-2A and B-52H aircraft until 2040, it is examining complementary capabilities. It is prioritising its technology investments to be in a position to launch a next-generation strike programme around 2012-15, with the goal of fielding the system starting around 2020. The system it chooses may not be an aircraft, but rather a capability that traverses space, or some other unconventional approach.

Nonetheless, the service is examining a range of notional subsonic, supersonic and hypersonic aircraft designs as it formulates its technology roadmap.

The Lockheed Martin aircraft is a M2.0-M4.0-class system with highly swept wings and large engines, said Kevin Renshaw, Lockheed Martins programme manager for long-range strike and advanced combat aircraft. Crew would consist of a pilot and a weapons systems operator.

The company is examining a mix of payload and range options. A payload capacity between 15,000 lb and 40,000 lb (6,802kg and 18,140kg) is envisaged, Renshaw told Janes Defence Weekly, noting that between 20,000 lb and 25,000 lb appears to be the preferred design trade space. The concept has a notional combat radius of 3,000 miles (4,827km) without mid-air refuelling.

Renshaw said the company believes that many of the key technologies exist today for such a system but need to be refined so that they are smaller, lighter and more affordable. The company has a heritage in developing supersonic aircraft like the M2.0-class B-58 Hustler bomber and M3.2-class SR-71 Blackbird reconnaissance aircraft.

The Airbus Military A400M strategic transport aircraft will finally enter production following approval by Germanys parliamentary budget committee for the purchase of 60 aircraft. Representatives of EADS and the seven participating governments signed an EUR18.2 billion ($21 billion) contract in Bonn on 27 May for the production of 180 aircraft.

Germany has committed EUR8.3 billion, making it the largest procurement programme in the history of the federal German armed forces.

An initial contract for the programme was signed on 18 December 2001, but work has been delayed because the German parliament approved funding for 40 aircraft but refused to fully commit to a further 33. Budget difficulties led Germany to cut its requirement from 73 to 60 aircraft in December 2002.

Although the defence committee approved the project, the more important budget committee was reluctant to give its approval before the engine selection. Airbus Military announced on 6 May the selection of the Europrop International (EPI) TP400-D6 engine to power the aircraft. The EPI consortium comprises: Frances Snecma; Germanys MTU Aero Engines; Spains IPT; and the UKs Rolls-Royce.

The sale was in its final stages and was confirmed during the weekend by the international consultancy, Ernst and Young, which also confirmed it was about to close a deal to sell the air forces fleet of 17 mothballed Skyhawk fighter bombers.

The Skyhawks are being sold to a private American company, Advanced Training Systems International Limited of Arizona. We have got a purchaser for the Aermacchis, Gareth Morgan from Ernst and Young said.

He would not confirm the price of either the Skyhawk or the Aermacchi fleet or that the new owner of the Aermacchis was the Malaysian Government.

Last month Malaysian chief of defence force General Tan Sri Mohd Zahidi bin Hj Zainudin visited the air forces Ohakea base near Palmerston North where he sat in the cockpit of an Aermacchi and was given a quick rundown on the aircraft.

Recently the fleet of 17 Aermacchis have been progressively restored to flying condition after being mothballed along with the Skyhawks in December, 2001, after the Governments decision to axe the air forces air combat wing.

Mr Morgan said they were now working through a regulatory restraint before the sale of the Aermacchis was finalised.

However, he said the final sales documents for both the Aermacchis and the Skyhawks had yet to be completed.

But I am confident and I think we will close, Mr Morgan said.

He said the sale of the fleets needed the approval of several regulatory authorities in several countries. Those countries were understood to include America, Britain and Italy and their approval was needed because of the components in both aircraft.

It is understood pressure from the Iraqi war has delayed some of the regulatory approvals from America and Britain.

Mr Morgan said he would strongly recommend ATSI to the Government as the buyer of the Skyhawks. If that did not happen, a back-up deal had been negotiated.

ATSI is based at the Williams Gateway Airport in Mesa Arizona.

We think ATSI is a superb organisation and I have only the highest respect for the people, their professionalism and their capabilities, Mr Morgan said.

ATSI told NZPA during the weekend it anticipated the aircraft would be dismantled, packed into containers and leave New Zealand in three or four months.

The Skyhawks will join ATSIs existing fleet of 12 in Arizona and be used in a commercial deal to train air force fighter pilots, including pilots from the United States Air Force and other air forces.

Neither ATSI chairman Larry Hoss Pearson, nor Mr Morgan, would discuss the price of the Skyhawks, although within the last 18 months a Defence Ministry spokesman said $ 85 million for the 17 aircraft and spares would be a good price.

However, a defence commentator said on Saturday the Skyhawks could have been sold for $ 50 million to $ 60 million.

The Skyhawks have avionics and weapons systems identical to the F-16 fighter and Mr Morgan said it was a perfect advanced training aircraft.

A letter contract valued at approximately $40 million was awarded in March 2002, and preliminary work began at that time. The remaining $279.9 million was awarded May 20. Design, development and procurement are well under way, and fabrication of parts and components for the fighter jets are scheduled to begin this year. The aircraft will be assembled in the Lockheed Martin facilities at Fort Worth next year and delivered to Chile beginning in early 2006.

The mix of aircraft in this package will be six single-seat F-16Cs and four two-seat F-16Ds. These aircraft are the Block 50 configuration. They are powered by the General Electric F110-GE-129 engine, which is being procured under separate commercial arrangements.

This high-tech jet fighter is fully capable of meeting Chiles operational needs, said John Bean, Lockheed Martins vice president of F-16 programs. The F-16 has proven itself time and time again to be a versatile, front-line fighter because of its evolving technical and operational capability.

The F-16 is the choice of 24 countries, including Chile. More than 4,000 aircraft have been delivered. Major upgrades for all F-16 versions are being incorporated to keep the fleet modern and fully supportable over the aircrafts long service life.

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., a business area of Lockheed Martin, is a leader in the design, development, systems integration, production and support of advanced military aircraft and related technologies. Its customers include the military services of the United States and allied countries throughout the world. Products include the F-16, F/A-22, F-35 JSF, F-117, T-50, C-5, C-130, C-130J, P-3, S-3 and U-2.

　　（中央社記者余歌滄雅加達六日專電）印尼軍方不顧英國政府的抗議，將堅持把英製鷹式戰機用在正於亞齊進行的清剿獨運武裝力量的軍事行動中。

　　空軍總部發言人哈爾佐科上校聲稱，空軍所擁有的英製鷹式戰機將在亞齊（軍事行動中）發揮其特定功能，並將根據三軍總司令作出的決定行動，因為現在亞齊進行的恢復治安行動是為了維護國家主權。

　　他說，英製鷹式戰機只用於護衛運送軍隊和補給品到亞齊的大力士型軍事運輸機，以應付外來攻擊，此外，也將用以保護領空，在情勢緊急時對地面作出攻擊，另外還負責空中巡邏以支援陸、海軍。

　　印尼於一九九六年向英國購買四十架鷹式戰機，其中二十四架已交貨，現部署於蘇門答臘島中部巴干峇魯和加里曼丹島西部坤甸空軍基地，成為空軍主力之一，當時英方出售該戰機的條件是，不得用以攻擊民事目標或涉及侵犯人權行動，尤其是用在當年的東帝汶衝突中。英國副外相歐布萊恩日前訪問雅加達會見梅嘉娃蒂總統後表示，他已同總統談及有關在亞齊展開的綜合行動中使用鷹式戰機問題，英國政府對印尼軍方的做法有所異議。

　　他說，如果該戰機用在亞齊進行的軍事行動中，將干擾英國與印尼軍方的合作關係，尤其是供應該戰機所需零組件協定將受到影響。

　　政治與安全統籌部長助理西拉拉希少將對此指出，以民眾納稅錢購買的戰機是用來保護人民，不是僅供作飛行表演而已，與英方的協議須予更新。

　　空軍總參謀長查比哈金上將曾說，向英國購買該戰機的款項已付清，印尼有權用在符合國家利益的用途，購機時英方所訂條件是適用於東帝汶，一直不曾用來攻擊民事目標及侵犯人權。

　　據了解，軍方上月十九日空降快速反應部隊到亞齊首府萬達亞齊機場時，已派出該英製鷹式戰機護航，後又在司馬威地區由該戰機發射空炮彈，以震懾亞齊武裝分子，這些行動已引起英國外交部關切，認為有違購機時所訂協議。

http://tw.news.yahoo.com/2003/06/09/international/bcc/4037489.html
澳洲確認傳統戰機，足夠應付現代戰爭
澳洲空軍完成伊拉克戰後評估，確認傳統戰機仍足以應付現代戰爭，澳洲決定，暫不汰換 F-18。

　　張至璋報導

　　澳洲戰前派出一中隊 F-18 加入美英聯軍。當軍事及武器專家認為，儘管澳洲的 F-18 是該機種中最先進的，但仍不足應付現代電子戰爭。

　　澳洲空軍完成戰後評估。空軍元帥休斯頓宣佈，伊拉克戰爭中，澳洲的 F-18總共出動 1500 小時，任務相當繁重。

　　可是不論在高空護航，和低空炸射上，不但完成任務，而且表現極為良好。

　　休斯頓將軍說，與許多擔任同樣任務的美國 F-14，F-15，和 F-16等相比，澳洲的 F-18更為精良。這點說明，像 F-18 這類傳統戰機，在現代戰爭中，仍足以完成任務。

　　空軍建議，澳洲目前沒有必要，汰換 F-18。不過戰後發現，澳洲使用了 20 年的 F-18，應該換裝機身主體部份，以延長金屬壽命。

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/data/communiques/data/2003May15924/index.htm
ROK, Russia to Agree on Space Tech Cooperation
(Source: Korean Information Service; issued May 22, 2003)

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/data/communiques/data/2003May15926/index.htm
T-50 Completes 100th Test Flight
(Source: Lockheed Martin; issued May 21, 2003)

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/data/communiques/data/2003May15980/index.htm
Galileo Becomes a Reality For Europe
(Source: European Space Agency; issued May 26, 2003)

http://tw.news.yahoo.com/2003/05/30/international/cna/4019488.html
土耳其失事戰機飛行員遺眷要求希臘政府賠償

(中央社記者張弘光莫斯科十日專電)十二日俄羅斯聯邦共和國國慶日將首次在莫斯科克里姆林宮上空舉行新型戰機展示，俄羅斯最大的兩家飛機製造公司，俄「蘇霍伊」航空生產聯合體和「米格」飛機製造公司將推出蘇鎧27與米格29等戰機。

這次國慶日舉行戰機空中展示雖然是慶祝節日，但是背後還有更重要經濟目的。俄羅斯政府把參加巴黎航空展的空中展示全部搬到莫斯科。準備在家裡接訂單。

據消息指出，這次戰機表演原本是要參加十五日在巴黎舉行國際航空展。由於俄羅斯有關單位擔心，重演兩年前一家瑞士公司藉與俄羅斯政府有債務問題曾企圖扣留蘇-30MK和米格-AT飛機。

今年由於法國航空展主辦單位無法保證能制止類似事件發生。俄羅斯方面遂放棄派實體飛機參加這次巴黎航空展，而以飛機模型替代。所有展示機隊安排在俄羅斯國慶日當天在克里姆林宮上空秀給全世界看。

（中央社記者郭傳信安卡拉十一日專電）希臘指控土耳其戰機侵犯領空及侵擾希臘民航客機，並特別強調土耳其軍方有意違反政治領導階層遵守歐洲聯盟規範的心意，招致土耳其總參謀部強烈反駁，譴責希臘蓄意挑撥土耳其軍方與總理艾爾段政府的關係。

據希臘官方雅典新聞社引述政府發言人貝格里迪斯的指控說，九日上午九時左右，兩架土耳其Ｆ十六戰機在希臘愛琴海飛航情報區內，侵擾一架正飛往土耳其第一大城伊斯坦堡的希臘奧林匹克航空公司三二一號波音客機，當時機上有乘客七十人。

發言人說，由於土耳其戰機距離客機僅九點六公里，引發客機上的防撞警報系統示警，迫使客機自兩萬九千呎的飛行高度緊急向上爬升，避開與土耳其戰機相撞的可能。發言人又說，侵擾希臘客機的土耳其戰機稍早也曾侵犯希臘愛琴海領空。

據報導，土耳其戰機侵犯希臘愛琴海領空已是常事，但這次希臘當局準備擴大土耳其戰機侵犯領空及侵擾客機事件，將分別向聯合國、歐洲聯盟、國際航空總署以及其他國際組織提出照會，要求制裁土耳其軍方一再違反國際航空協定及威脅飛航安全的行為。

報導同時引述希臘外交部的譴責聲明說，希臘與土耳其政治領導階層討論維持雙方關係發展之際，土耳其軍方卻蓄意製造緊張事件，顯示土耳其軍方態度有問題，應當改變，但這問題應由土耳其政府決定，是希望加入歐盟還是要認同軍方的行為。

土耳其軍方總參謀部則在昨天發表書面聲明，強烈駁斥希臘的指控，聲稱土耳其戰機當時距離希臘客機十公里遠，根本不構成任何侵擾要素，希臘方面的聲明是「子虛烏有」，並譴責希臘旨在挑撥土耳其軍方與總理艾爾段政府的關係。

據軍方人士指出，希臘愛琴海大小島嶼兩千多座，星羅棋布，若干島礁與土耳其大陸海岸相距僅兩至三浬，希臘又片面宣稱領海主權從六浬擴大到十浬，土耳其不接受，導致雙方戰機經常無意中侵犯對方領空，但這次希臘顯然蓄意將事態擴大為土耳其與歐盟之間的問題，並將矛頭指向土耳其軍方。

對於希臘將戰機侵擾客機事件完全怪罪在土耳其軍方身上，與軍方早已不和的土耳其回教「正義發展黨」政府，至今未作任何回應，似乎默認希臘的指控。據與軍方關係密切的土耳其「每日新聞報」總編輯契維克今天表示，總理艾爾段政府的反常沈默，等於幫助希臘傷害土耳其軍方的地位和國家利益。

土耳其與希臘雖同為北大西洋公約組織盟國，但兩國向為世仇，自一九七四年賽普勒斯南北分裂戰爭以來，雙方曾因愛琴海領域紛爭數度瀕臨戰爭邊緣，幸賴西方國家居間斡旋得以化解戰爭危機。

(中央社記者張弘光莫斯科十二日專電)俄羅斯政府決定派民營飛機製造公司以輕型雅克130殲擊機，參加預定十五日在法國巴黎布爾歇機場舉行的國際航空展，使俄羅斯新型戰機沒有在這世界性航空界盛會缺席。

據了解，由於俄羅斯國營「蘇霍伊」航空生產聯合體和「米格」飛機製造公司都宣佈不參加這次巴黎航空展。據此間媒體報導，美國因為伊拉克戰爭因素決定降低參加巴黎航空展代表團的規模，所以今年巴黎航空展缺乏美俄兩國支持將黯然失色。

由於美國方面牽涉到極高層次的國際政治角力，主辦單位無力挽回，俄羅斯方面兩家國營飛機製造廠無法參與是屬於債務糾紛問題，雖然俄國國營單位不方便參展，民營公司則沒有此顧慮。此事經法國駐莫斯科有關單位努力，俄羅斯政府在國慶日連續休假前，做出決定派民營公司攜帶輕型雅克130殲擊機參展，以解決國際航空展主辦單位的窘困。

據悉，瑞士「諾加」公司曾在90年代與前蘇聯和俄羅斯政府簽署協議。根據協議，瑞士公司向俄提供糧食和價值10億美元的貸款，而俄政府應向該公司支付石油產品用以償還該項貸款。1994年瑞士公司指責俄羅斯聯邦政府沒有履行協議規定，並向斯德哥爾摩法院提出訴訟請求。1997年2月經該法院審查，裁定俄羅斯政府應向該公司償還2300萬美元。

http://www.nti.org/d_newswire/issues/newswires/2003_6_13.html#4
Pakistan: United States to Resume F-16 Sales to Islamabad
巴基斯坦﹕美國將恢復 F-16 軍售

The United States is preparing to resume sales of F-16 fighters to Pakistan, high-placed U.S. sources said yesterday (see GSN, May 23).

U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld informed Indian Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani during a meeting in Washington last week about U.S. plans to resume F-16 sales to Pakistan, according to Defense & Foreign Affairs Daily. Indian sources close to Advani were unhappy about the U.S. decision, but did not leak information to the media for fear of damaging Indian-U.S. relations, Defense & Foreign Affairs Daily reported.

In the late 1980s, Pakistan ordered 28 F-16s, but the United States embargoed arms sales to Pakistan in 1992, blocking their delivery, according to Defense & Foreign Affairs Daily. Improvements in U.S.-Pakistani relations following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, however, led to an end of the embargo.

Philippine Daily Inquirer
June 3, 2003

Korea To Donate Fighter Jets For Antiterrorist Campaign
南韓將捐贈 F-5 給菲律賓
By Carlito Pablo, Inquirer News Service

SEOUL -- South Korea will donate second-hand American F-5 fighter jets and patrol boats to the Philippines for the governments campaign against terrorism, a Philippine official said Monday.

The delivery date and number of the planes have yet to be finalized, said Silvestre Afable, head of the Presidential Management Staff.

The Philippine Air Force (PAF), which is considered the weakest in the region, currently has 14 fighter jets, of which only five are flying.

Besides the planes and patrol boats, the Philippines will receive military items like spare parts, Kevlar helmets and special 20-mm ammunition, Afable said.

The hardware will strengthen the antiterrorist and antipiracy efforts of Manila, said a briefing paper on the talking points between President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her counterpart Roh Moo-hyun. The two leaders will meet Tuesday.

Ms Macapagal took off for Seoul from the PAF headquarters in Pasay City on board a 16-seat Falcon jet at 12:12 p.m. Monday.

The Macapagal administration is fighting two groups of Muslim rebels: the secessionist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Abu Sayyaf, a bandit group linked by the United States to the al-Qaeda network of Osama bin Laden.

Ms Macapagal has made her antiterrorist campaign the defining track of her administration by aligning with the United States, also a military ally of South Korea.

Last month, in her state visit to the United States, Ms Macapagal obtained about 356 million dollars in military aid from Washington, most of which will be poured into Mindanao.

Since 1998, the Philippines has received three F-5s from South Korea, Afable said. The Philippines and South Korea have a memorandum of understanding on logistics and defense industry cooperation signed in 1994.

In her meeting with Roh, Ms Macapagal is expected to reiterate the importance of and the necessity for a denuclearized Korean peninsula as an important contribution leading to peace and stability in the region, the briefing paper said.

She will also state that the Philippines believes that the stability of the Korean peninsula is critical for the continued economic development of East Asia, it said.

At least three government agreements are expected to be signed during the Presidents Seoul visit. These are the Mutual Legal Assistance on Criminal Matters Treaty, a 10-million-dollar grant for putting up an information technology training center in Luzon and a vocational center in Davao City, and an agreement on commitment of Korean loans.

Business agreements expected to be signed are the following:

*a memorandum of agreement involving Korea Electric Power Corp. on construction of a 100-megawatts coal-fired power plant in Antique province to address a projected power deficiency on Panay Island

*a memorandum of agreement on a joint venture between Daewoo Engineering and Construction Co. Ltd. and Empire East Land Holdings Inc. to develop a 78,384-square-meter property in Cainta town, near Manila

*an investment agreement between Tricom Co. Ltd. and Hacienda Gold and Country Club Resort Inc. on development of a 234-hectare property in the Clark Special Economic Zone north of Manila

*a memorandum of understanding between PL Global Co. Ltd. and Philippine National Oil Co.-Energy Development Corp. to explore development of power projects in the Western Visayas region.

We can expect more South Korean investments to come, said Juanito Jarasa, Philippine ambassador to South Korea.

The biggest Korean investment so far is a 200-million-dollar power plant in the village of Ilijan in Batangas province, a build-operate-transfer project, Jarasa said.

Trade between the two countries amounts to five billion dollars a year.

Ms Macapagal and Roh are set to hold talks at the Blue House, the presidential mansion here.

Theyre going to discuss especially the situation in the Korean peninsula, probably the war on terrorism and of course, the situation of Filipino workers, Jarasa said.

There are growing concerns, particularly by the United States and Japan, over North Koreas nuclear and missile programs.

US President George W. Bush has described Iraq, Iran and North Korea as comprising the axis of evil. Thousands of American soldiers have been deployed for years to the peninsulas demilitarized zone.

Ms Macapagal will also discuss North Koreas nuclear and missile program with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on her working visit to Tokyo on June 4-6.

Before leaving Seoul on Wednesday at the end of her state visit, Ms Macapagal will lay a wreath at the Korean War Memorial to the Philippine Armed Forces that fought in the Korean war 50 years ago.

The war saw Filipino soldiers like former president Fidel Ramos and the late Nicanor Jimenez crossing the seas to fight the North Korean communist aggression.

Ramos was then a lieutenant who had graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point. Jimenez, who commanded the 14th Avengers, one of the five combat battalions sent to the peninsula, later served as Philippine ambassador to South Korea.

Some 7,000 Filipino soldiers, collectively known as the Philippine Expeditionary Force to Korea (PEFTOK), fought under the flag of the United Nations from 1950 to 1955. A total of 116 Filipino officers and men were killed in the conflict, while 300 others were wounded, according to PEFTOK accounts.

The last of the Filipino soldiers in the Korean War were led home in 1955 by then-lieutenant Gregorio Vigilar, who became secretary of public works and highways under Ramos.

Jarasa noted that the friendship between the two nations had remained strong.

The Philippines and South Korea are members of the coalition of the willing, he said.

He was referring to the US-led coalition that invaded Iraq on the pretext that the Saddam Hussein regime was in possession of weapons of mass destruction and in league with international terrorists. Both claims, however, have yet to be proven by Washington.

Russia Completes New Fighter Team
俄國新戰機研發隊伍組成
By Henry Ivanov, JDW Correspondent, Moscow

Russia has completed its selection of major subcontractors for a Sukhoi-led project to develop the countrys next-generation fighter aircraft, said Yuri Koptev, general director of the state Rosaviacosmos agency.

Following the recent choice of Bodrunovs Aerospace Equipment Corporation and Dzhandzhgavas Tekhnocomplex as joint avionics integrators and NPO Saturn as engine developer, Koptev said on 3 June: The government has made all necessary decisions on funding, project leader and co-developers. The tenders are over.

Early last year, Sukhois E-21 proposal was chosen over the Russian Aircraft Corporation MiGs T-50 in a tender for Russias fifth-generation fighter design. This made Sukhoi prime contractor for the project, and gave the company access to state funding allocated through President Vladimir Putins Armament Programme 2002-10.

Viewed as a Russian counterpart to the US F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), the aircraft is referred to as the LFI (Lightweight Frontline Fighter), or PAK FA (Future Aviation Complex for Frontal Aviation). Its development is being jointly funded under a risk-sharing agreement between the Ministry of Defence and industry.

The E-21 underwent a digital mock-up inspection in mid-2002, and will receive a preliminary design review early next year. The design is scheduled to make its debut flight in 2006-07 and to enter service in 2010-12. In some areas, such as aerodynamics, [the aircraft] should surpass the F[/A]-22 and JSF, said Russian Air Force Commander Gen
Vladimir Mikhailov, while Mikhail Pogosyan, Sukhoi general director, believes the aircraft will better the US designs in combat efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

Little is known about E-21 configuration. An early air force specification for a single-engine lightweight design has been replaced by a twin-engine medium-weight aircraft to allow for use of components developed for the Su-27 series of fighters. Janes Defence Weekly believes the new design will be made from around 50-60% composite materials to reduce airframe weight, and have a conventional, rear-swept wing, unlike the Su-47 Berkut
concept demonstrator.

In mid-2002, Rosaviacosmos launched tenders to attract major co-developers for the LFI, with the successful bidders to receive state funds for research and development activities. Production details have yet to be addressed. In addition to the three companies named early this month, Pogosyan said RPKB, NIIP, UOMZ, NII Polyet and KNIIRTI will supply avionics equipment for the new fighter. To be supplied by NIIP, the aircrafts radar is initially expected to be a passive phased-array design, which in time is expected to be replaced with a new active antenna.

This transitional approach will also be applied to the LFIs engines. Our plans call for a step-by-step evolution of the AL-31 [in use on the Su-27 series] for overall improvement and higher thrust, while the full-scale new-standard engine - the AL-41 - will appear later than the airplane, said Koptev. Some $1.5 billion has been allocated to R&D; related to the AL-41 since the early 1980s, with $300 million required to complete the project.

While Rosaviacosmos has closed the door on new companies joining the project, Pogosyan said: We continue to seek a broad-based co-operation on particular systems and to hear all reasonable initiatives to join forces.

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http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/html/uncomp/articleshow?msid=2526
IAF pilots brace for thunder in Alaska heights
印度空軍將在美國阿拉斯加與多國共同演習
TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ TUESDAY, JUNE 03, 2003 05:50:06 AM ]
NEW DELHI: In what is being seen as a manifestation of the growing proximity between India and the United States in strategic matters, the Indian Air Force has been invited to participate in a fortnight-long exercise being conducted by the US Air Force at Alaska.

This will be the first time ever that India will be taking part in such an exercise, christened “Cope Thunder”, which gets underway on June 5. Some 70 aircraft and 1,500 personnel from seven countries would be participating in the exercise.

Besides the US and India, the other countries participating in the multilateral exercise include the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia.

An IL-76 aircraft, carrying a team of 31 IAF personnel, left the country for the US today. In what is being termed as another first in the IAF’s history, the contingent, which is being led by Group Captain S R K Nair, will be circumventing the globe as part of the exercise.

The event has become a vital part of the USAF annual calendar, especially in the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist strike, and is undertaken with the aim of improving, as an IAF spokesman put it, “the inter-operability amongst the participating forces”.

“It’ll give us an opportunity to get ourselves exposed to different threat environment and war-theatres,” he said. “It’ll also enable us to understand the techniques and systems used by the other nations, especially the US.”

The Bangalore-based Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) which is developing the aero engine to power the indigenous LCA, plans to conduct limited test trials during 2005-06, GTRE Director S C Kaushal told PTI here.

The high altitude tests presently conducted in Russia on Kaveri would continue for the next two months, Kaushal said, adding a second series of high altitude tests would be conducted after evaluation of the present tests.

He said GTRE expected full scale production of the Kaveri engine, to be taken up by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd will begin by 2007. An estimated 250 to 300 engines would be built by HAL to power the LCA, which is expected to replace the ageing MiG-21 aircraft of the Indian Air Force from the next decade.

With five prototypes under development, Kaushal said, GTRE was planning to build five to 10 additional prototypes of Kaveri in the next two years.

The development cost of the Kaveri project has been estimated at Rs 1,385 crore, GTRE Director said adding that additional funds may be required for the project in the future.

Kaushal said a similar engine development in the west would cost about Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000 crores with the same development time of 15 years.

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http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/xml/uncomp/articleshow?msid=5542
India: MiG-21 crashes in Rajasthan, pilot killed

ISRAEL --- Rafael has introduced Python 5, the latest member of the Python air-to-air missile family.

Python 5 is a fifth generation air-to-air missile that provides the pilot engaging an enemy aircraft with a full sphere launch capability. The missile can be launched from very short to beyond the visual range with greater probability of kill, excellent resistance to countermeasures, irrespective of evasive target manoeuvre or deployment of countermeasures.

Python 5 is an innovative combination of advanced new technologies and the operationally proven Python 4 components. The missile incorporates a new dual waveband imaging seeker, advanced computer architecture, INS, sophisticated IRCCM and flight control algorithms. The Python 5 maintains Python 4 unique aerodynamic airframe, INS, powerful rocket motor, warhead and proximity fuze.

Python 5’s revolutionary full sphere capability is achieved by the lock-on-after-launch combined with excellent acquisition and tracking capability. Its dual waveband Focal Plane Array (FPA) seeker and sophisticated algorithms enable acquisition of even small, low signature targets at Look-Down, adverse background and clouds environments.

Developmental and operational testing has already been carried out including extensive captive carry evaluation tests and free flight homing tests.

The Python 5 IR Air-to-Air missile compliments the EO Derby Medium Range Air-to-Air missile; together they offer superior war fighting capability to ensure air superiority for pilots in the 21 century.

-ends-

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http://www.defense-aerospace.com/data/communiques/data/2003Jun16246/index.htm
U.S. F-16 Jet Crashes, Army Helicopter Shot Down In Iraq
(Source: US Department of Defense; issued June 12, 2003)

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/data/communiques/data/2003Jun16212/index.htm
B-1B Wing Sets Mission Capable Record

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/data/communiques/data/2003Jun16209/index.htm
RAF Takes Delivery of Last Tornado GR4

http://fe40.udn.com/yamnews/MEDIA/1385446-567990.jpg
民國47年10月1日失蹤的藍天鵝水陸兩用飛機，機上有美軍人員失蹤，美國國防部最近與我軍方連繫，希望台灣協助提供當年失蹤美軍人員的下落。
圖片/復興航空提供

民國47年10月1日傍晚，一架由馬祖飛回台灣的復興航空藍天鵝（PBY-5A）水陸兩用機失去連絡，機上4名美軍官兵與3名國軍官兵、4名機組員失蹤至今45年，美國國防部戰俘與戰爭失蹤人員辦公處最近正式向我駐美單位與國防部提出協助提供失蹤人員下落資訊的要求。目前我政府正設法研究如何協助美方。
美國國防部戰俘與戰爭失蹤人員辦公處（OSD-DPMO）資深調查員班傑明•汪向本報記者表示，他奉命調查藍天鵝失蹤事件，幾個星期以來，他曾搜尋所有政府和媒體對此事件相關的資料，但到目前為止，未查到能用來確定藍天鵝和它乘客下落的政府文件或報告。

班傑明•汪說，他曾考慮過請中國大陸政府提供有關此事的資料，但是沒有能夠確定失蹤人員的確在中國大陸的消息或證據前，他不能輕率地向中國大陸遞交案件詢問。他希望台灣方面能夠提供任何有關的資料，讓失蹤人員的家屬從一生痛苦的回憶裡解脫出來。

美國國防部戰俘與戰爭失蹤人員辦公處附設在美國國防部主管公共事務的助理部長下，是美國唯一負責複查失蹤事件和尋找失蹤美國人員的單位，美方已向我駐美代表處提出請求，同時也向我國防部表達需要援助的意願。

【記者高凌雲/台北報導】

美國國防部多年來積極在全球搜尋失蹤美軍人員，最近向我國防部提出協尋藍天鵝機上失蹤美軍的下落，藍天鵝是兩岸軍事對峙期間，馬祖與台灣之間唯一的民航包機，另一架銀翼包機則專載美國中情局西方公司派在馬祖的特工人員。

根據美國國防部的資料，民國47年10月1日傍晚5時45分，藍天鵝由馬祖起飛，藍天鵝在6時18分與台北進行最後一次的無線電連絡，6時20分就從雷達螢幕中消失。

藍天鵝失蹤時，飛行高度1000呎，距離馬祖80浬，航向130朝台北飛行，事後海面上沒有發現任何殘骸或破片，美軍第7 艦隊曾進行72小時的搜尋，但毫無所獲，自此藍天鵝事件成為至今未解的一宗懸案。

http://yam.udn.com/yamnews/daily/1385447.shtml
俞大維到馬祖 常搭藍天鵝

記者高凌雲/台北報導
2003/06/14

美國國防部要求我方協助提供45年前失蹤的藍天鵝飛機相關資料，藍天鵝當時曾是台灣到馬祖的重要交通工具，當年國防部長俞大維就經常搭乘藍天鵝到馬祖，降落海面後，再換乘LCM登陸艇上岸。

在兩岸軍事對峙期間，馬祖將領返台或是台灣的將領到馬祖巡視，大都選擇搭乘軍艦往返，因為藍天鵝是小型的水上飛機，最多不過坐12人，從台灣飛馬祖時，還要載運物資，坐的人更少，身分不夠，根本沒有資格上機。

由於水上飛機是民航包機，向來沒有戰機護航，安全性不高，一般的高級長官，還是坐陽字號的軍艦為多。但也有例外，前國防部長俞大維就經常不顧危險，坐水上飛機到馬祖，他到達後都得轉乘LCM快艇登陸。

此一採購計畫的合約如果最後一部分談判順利完成，將交由英國雷松公司執行。據估計，將可在四個英國工廠製造兩百個工作機會。

（中央社記者鄒明智巴黎十四日專電）法國總統席哈克今天親自主持第四十五屆巴黎國際航空大展開幕典禮，希望為低迷的航空事業注入強心劑。法航特別安排「協和號」超音速客機在席哈克見證下，來一次「再見飛行」，結束光榮史頁，然後在全場數千人掌聲中滑入巴黎航空博物館。

受到伊拉克戰爭的影響，美法關係陷入低潮，美國空軍僅展出四架軍用戰鬥機，比前年十二架參展少了許多，且宣佈退出飛行表演節目。俄羅斯也未派蘇愷戰機及米格機參展，深恐再發生前年債主上門要求法院扣押戰機的事件。美俄戰機停飛，使本屆巴黎航空展遜色不少。

儘管如此，席哈克仍在開幕後前往各國展覽場參觀，他曾參觀中共展覽館，並在俄羅斯館停留很久，表示樂見歐俄航太合作計劃，特別是法國願與俄羅斯加強航空及太空合作。他希望很快落實俄法合作生產Mig-At教練機。

The announcement came on the first day of the 45th edition of the Paris Air Show at Le Bourget airport limited to trade visitors.

The biennial show is a source of pride for the French government. Of all the worlds air shows it is the biggest, generating the most revenues at a single time.

The French defence minister said the prototype program would allow the mastering of new pilotless plane technology.

It will contribute to the maintenance of key competencies and technologies necessary to launch future combat aircraft programs -- piloted or not -- in Europe after 2020.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/html/uncomp/articleshow?msid=29729
US shoots down rumours on sale of F-16s to Pak
印度時報﹕美國否認即將出售 F-16 給巴基斯坦
CHIDANAND RAJGHATTA
TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 2003 09:07:55 PM ]
WASHINGTON: The Bush Administration on Wednesday shot down reports that it intended to resume supply of F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan, and that it would make an announcement to that effect during military ruler Pervez Musharrafs visit to Washington next week.

Pentagon, State Department and Indian Embassy officials variously described the reports as incorrect and totally false.

The bogey was resurrected by a little-known newsletter called Defence and Foreign Affairs Daily. Citing highly placed Washington sources, it reported on June 13 that the US Government is preparing to announce sale of new Lockheed Martin F-16 fighters to the Pakistan Air Force.

The announcement would be made during Musharrafs visit and the proposed sale would symbolise the commitment of the US Bush Administration to Pakistan, which is now being seen as increasingly central in the US emerging strategy to contain Iran and to isolate North Korea, Gregory Copley, the author of the newsletter, said.

Copley went on to claim that US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld broke the news of the intended sale during his meeting at the Willard Hotel with Indian Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani. Rumsfeld wanted to tell Advani personally of the proposed sale in order to avoid the news reaching the Indian Government through less formal channels, he said.

Both US administration sources and Indian officials sounded mystified by the report and dismissed it.

The (Defence) Secretary did not say that, Pentagon spokesperson Diane Perry said, while declining to elaborate what was discussed between the two.

Were kinda scratching our heads about it. Its a strange story. I have nothing to confirm it, a state department said. A senior Indian diplomat privy to the Rumsfeld-Advani meeting described the story as totally false.

Stories about resumption of the F-16 sale to Pakistan have reappeared periodically in the years and months since Washington cut off the supply in mid-stream in 1990 despite contractual obligations, following Islamabads violation of the requirements under Pressler Amendment. The law, which has subsequently been overturned, enjoined that Pakistan should not cross the nuclear threshold of making weapons grade material.

Washington later returned to Pakistan the money it had paid after a lengthy and messy wrangle, but the incident soured ties between the two countries throughout the 1990s. Following his takeover in a coup, Musharraf himself has raised the issue each time ahead of his visit to US, ostensibly in an effort to get some kind of big ticket military items if not the F-16s.

But the Bush administration has so far rebuffed him. Except for resuming supply of spares and supplies for existing US armaments, it has not cleared any major items in keeping with its word to India.

New Delhi has conveyed to US that it will view adversely any offensive military supplies to Pakistan -- especially the F-16s -- given Islamabads past history of wanton aggression and deploying such arms against India. The administration has also been told that big ticket arms to Pakistan would affect the growing US defence and military relationship with India.

One administration source proffered a very simple explanation to reject the story: The F-16s would cost a packet, and Pakistan, at US mercy even for its economic survival, was in no shape to pay for it.

Of course there are military aid programs, but some one has to pay for it and I dont think the US Congress or the administration is in such a generous mood, especially since Pakistan faces no threat, the source, a wellplaced official, said.

In previous conversations, officials have said Washington might consider Pakistans requests for spares for its grounded F-16s -- less than two squadrons of it are now considered airworthy -- but new planes are out of question.

---------
http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_284585,0008.htm
US may resume big arms sales to Pak
印度斯坦時報﹕美國可能恢復對巴基斯坦軍售
Pramit Pal Chaudhuri
New Delhi, June 18

New Delhi believes there is a “serious risk” that the US will resume supplying major arms to Pakistan following General Pervez Musharraf’s summit meeting with President George W. Bush at Camp David on June 24.

Senior Indian officials say that while Pakistan has regularly asked for this, it is only in the past couple of weeks that it received a “positive reaction” from the US.

Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani repeatedly raised India’s concerns about such arms sales in Washington last week.

India expects the US to project the Pakistani president as a “trustworthy, reliable ally” at the Camp David summit. But when it comes to terrorism, Washington “will do little more than urge him to dispel Indian suspicions regarding his intentions on infiltration and stop there”, said an Indian official. No real pressure will be applied to dismantle militant infrastructure.

Pakistan will also receive $4 billion over five years in aid.

But New Delhi’s main concern is an expected US announcement at the summit of major arms sales to Pakistan. Sources say the weapons will include long-range artillery, ground radar and P-3C Orion aircraft.

However, the US embassy in New Delhi described a report in the US-based Defence and Foreign Affairs Daily, claiming Advani had been told the US would resume F-16 fighter sales to Pakistan, as “pure fabrication”.

Even without F-16s, the announcement of arms sales to Pakistan is expected to further undermine an Indo-US relationship that has plateaued in recent months.

It also reflects opposing views about Musharraf. The US gives him “credibility” say Indian officials, despite his continued embrace of terror. The US sees Musharraf as a bulwark against militant Islam. India believes this is short-sighted: on par with US support for Osama and Saddam.

****************************

Cutting edge

• P-3C Orion will help Pakistan track Indian aircraft and ships

• Radar systems will help counter India’s air superiority

• Long-range artillery will give Pakistan an effective answer to India’s Bofors guns

• F-16s unlikely to be given. Have utility, but greater symbolic value

The elimination of Iraq as a military power has given Israeli leaders
perhaps as many as five years during which they can slash military
spending, in part by decommissioning or reorganizing up to 10 air force
squadrons equipped with older aircraft.

To jump-start the process, senior defense ministry and Israel Air Force
(IAF) officials will quickly retire the countrys remaining A-4 Skyhawk and
F-4-2000 Phantom squadrons--a combination of reserve, active and training
units. Some of these units will switch to older F-16As from squadrons that
are to begin receiving the new F-16Is late this year.

A 30-year-old aircraft is not efficient to operate, said Kuti Mor, the
defense ministrys deputy director general for policy and planning.
[Moreover,] a multirole aircraft like the F-16 is preferable to one
specialized for air defense or ground attack. The new advanced Block 52
F-16Is will all have a second seat for a weapon systems operator, conformal
fuel tanks for long-range missions, a dorsal avionics compartment for
additional avionics, and additional chaff and flare dispensers.

Even with multirole aircraft, Israel cant maintain more than a few
hundred aircraft, Mor said. We have to think about alternatives such as
flying some missions with unmanned aircraft. While no one will admit it
officially, work on weaponization of UAVs is underway.

Mor and others interviewed note that while the decision has been made to
trim the military, the exact numbers and timing are not yet final. The
process is accelerating, however, and should be completed by September,
said Jacob Nagel, acting head of the defense ministrys research and
development office. The cuts will not be applied as a fixed percentage of
every organizations budget, although they are expected to total about 10%.

To encompass a broader vision of the Israel Defense Forces long-term goals
in the budget reprioritization, the process is being run by the IDFs chief
of staff, Lt. Gen. Moshe Yaalon, instead of the service chiefs. But even
Nagels R&D; funding isnt immune. While avoiding precise numbers, he said
military R&D; would take reductions of less than 10% each year through
2008, which will chip away at the gains made in 19952000 when the budget
doubled.

The drawdown in combat aircraft wont produce a significant change in
capability, said Brig. Gen. Ido Nehushtan, chief of the IAFs Air Div. And
it will promote modernization of the IAF with the introduction of new F-16I
and F-15I aircraft, free the money for upgrading older F-15s and F-16s
already in the fleet, and streamline the fleet by operating fewer types of
aircraft, he said. Nehushtan estimates the effort will be complete in 8-10
years. In October, the IAF will receive its first F-16Is, and delivery will
continue for almost a decade. They will be the head of the spear in the
quality of the aircraft, munitions and avionics, he said.

Critics of the anticipated changes say the restructuring is too
conservative. They advocate a greater reduction in reserve and active-duty
forces that is balanced by a greater investment in precision weaponry; more
acute intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance sensors; improved
command and control to include all the services in a single network; and
the greater use of unmanned aircraft and space.

WE HAVE TO LEAN more on space assets, agreed Maj. Gen. Eitan Ben-Eliahu,
who retired as chief of the IAF in 2000. You cant collect intelligence on
the outer circle [countries] without space. He too advocated phaseout of
the A-4s and F-4s as soon as possible. They cant help in the outer rings.

There are other modernization worries. The bad buys will develop a better
jamming capability for GPS-guided munitions, said a senior aerospace
industry official. He also advocates rapid development of a common
command-and-control grid for all the services so operators can pass around
coordinated aiming points and target identification. Having such data
available through communications channels could reduce the need to buy so
many sophisticated sensors. Why put a $50-million air-to-air radar in
every aircraft? he said.

The IAF will be rebuilt and a number of squadrons reactivated over the next
decade as 102 new F-16Is enter service, making it an increasingly
homogenous force. Having only a few aircraft types also will decrease the
demand on manpower. While the funding for the air force wont fall as much
as for the other services, the budget is a continuing concern and its
going to be so for the foreseeable future, Nehushtan said.

Part of the plan is to keep the ratio of pilots to aircraft very low, about
half of most air forces. Other economies will include reductions in
military pay and the career extension--possibly by as much as 10-15
years--of nonoperational, professional members of the IAF. Operational
personnel, mainly aircrews, will continue to retire at the relatively young
age of around 45.

The military as a whole is absorbing a cut in 2003 of about $500 million
from the previous years budget with additional reductions of $200 million
to follow in each of the next two years, Mor said.

Nehushtan warned that pay cuts for the troops have to be done carefully,
since a reduction in salaries would affect the motivation of a force built
primarily around professional volunteers. Those working on the plan say the
percentage of wages in the budget is to drop from 55% to less than 50%.

Those responsible are checking every activity and expense to see how much
we can cut to adjust to the new numbers, Nehushtan said. Savings will come
from manpower mainly and streamlining of the IDFs logistics, but doing
so without affecting antiterrorist activities, maintenance of defenses
along the border with Lebanon and preparations for future technology
advances, he said.

Mor said a crucial question for the IDF is: Can we temporarily have fewer
combat units? In addition to fewer IAF squadrons, planners are looking at
reductions in tanks and armored personnel carriers--staples of defense in
past wars. So far, these are questions, not conclusions, he cautioned.

Ben-Eliahu suggested that only the navy (needed to keep the sea lanes open
and guard the coast), special operations units (dedicated to unique,
strategic missions) and missile defenses are largely immune from
reductions. The cuts, he warned, will make it difficult for the IDF to
handle conventional conflicts on two fronts simultaneously.

A key savings initiative for the IDF is outsourcing to civilian
contractors. For example, a company called Aeronautics has been hired to
conduct intelligence-gathering in Gaza using its own unmanned aircraft.
Without offering specific numbers, Mor said that buying hours of
operational use from a company is far cheaper than acquiring and operating
its own aircraft, crews and maintenance facilities. The company says it is
making money by using IAF veterans, a few inexpensive UAVs and an abandoned
World War II airstrip.

Other initiatives may include cuts to the home front command, Mor said.
With the threat of Iraqs Scud missiles gone, do we need gas masks for
everyone? he said. It costs the IDF about $60 million a year to replace
and refresh those that are currently in every home.

Mor also worries about future threats from Iraq. While there is good
potential for real change, there is still a major danger that Iran may try
to radicalize Iraqs Shiite majority. It depends on the U.S. response to
the internal threat, he said. We will find the Revolutionary Guard in
Iraq if they dont take steps now.

Mor said two other threats making an impact on IDF planning are Syria,
where nothing has changed, and Iran. The latter is closer to becoming a
power with nonconventional weapons more quickly than we had thought, he
said. Finally, despite new hopes that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict will
be resolved, the battle against terrorism is not expected to subside soon.

All the unknowns are certain to have an impact on the military budget. If
there are no changes, we will need lots of resources, he said. High on the
list of expenses will be the investment in UAVs for intelligence,
surveillance and reconnaissance and, likely, the attack mission.

Moreover, with the potent combination of attack helicopters such as the
Apache Longbow and UAVs (armed, perhaps, with antitank weapons that can
reach out 20 km.), Israeli planners think the number of armored vehicles
they need may have changed dramatically. The U.S. attack against Iraq has
left an impression. Precision-guided munitions, attack helicopters and
artillery destroyed a huge number of [Iraqi] vehicles and armor in a short
time, Mor pointed out.

In particular, the use of armed UAVs was very interesting, he said. The
phenomenon was so impressive that the IDF will again examine the use of
unmanned aircraft for carrying high-speed missiles to intercept ballistic
missiles soon after launch (BPI) and to attack missile launchers (BPLI).
These concepts will be examined again, but the IDF will invest cautiously
because--despite the Scud scare--nothing actually happened to Israel in the
war with Iraq.

Well have to see what the threats are now, Mor said. Against Syrias
Scud force, BPLI combined with the Arrow and Patriot missile defense would
probably be the right answer. But against Iran, BPI becomes a need. Were
talking to the U.S. about both concepts, he said.

The operational use of unmanned aircraft will continue to evolve, Nehushtan
said. But he stopped short of admitting that plans are afoot to arm UAVs
with antitank missiles (such as the precision-guidance Lahat) and other
standoff weapons. The IAF has developed tactics that let helicopters and
fighter aircraft stay out of harms way to launch their weapons while
targets are identified by UAVs. For the moment, he said, the Cobras and
Apaches provide the needed firepower.

Boosting UAV numbers would allow the IAF to strengthen its unmanned
aircraft fleet without increasing the number of units. Currently, there are

two UAV squadrons. You dont mind if a squadron has 20 UAVs or 50,
Nehushtan said. On the other hand, the use of UAVs is still evolving so
you dont know how many people you will need.

WHAT MAY DRIVE the greater use of UAVs, including armed craft, is the
continuing demand for round-the-clock operations by the IAF. The real
battle is with aircrew human factors, Nehushtan said. Night operations are
particularly useful, but also very demanding. Many of the aircrews are
reservists (about 75%) who have day jobs and then fly operations at night.
Being tired and flying doesnt work, he said. The helicopters are our
most busy fleet. Its a new kind of burden, and its a problem that needs
to be solved.

Those calling for a more radical shakeup of the IAF contend that armed UAVs
would allow the service to take precision attack far deeper than armed
helicopters and allow them to loiter there at low speeds looking for
targets. For second- and third-tier targets (those 500-1,500 km. away),
UAVs may be the only answer. Manned operations require lots of logistical
support [tankers and constant space reconnaissance] that we dont have. A
mission to western Iran would take 5 hr. Immediate response to a missile
launch or preparation to launch will require unmanned aircraft orbiting
overhead. You will see armed UAVs in the IAF, he predicted.

Other priority investments for the IDF include:

*Fielding of the next-generation Python 5 air-to-air missile.

*Fielding of the Merkava 4 tank beginning in 2004 to counter a new
generation of antitank missiles, although in smaller number than previously
planned.

*Participation in the F-35 program. Israel is interested in the
conventional U.S. Air Force version of the Joint Strike Fighter. In IAF
service, the aircraft would carry Israeli-developed electronic warfare
systems as well as air-to-ground and air-to-air weapons.

*Attack helicopter purchases will stop after delivery of about another 10
Apache Longbows. Purchases of at least 50 Black Hawk helicopters will
continue to replace the UH-1 fleet.

*The small fleet of Gulfstream G550 multi-sensor, mini-AWACS surveillance
and reconnaissance aircraft is expected to offer a big boost to Israel
intelligence-gathering capabilities and special operations efforts. The IAF
plans to keep costs down by exploiting the G550s electronics capabilities,
small airframe and small crews. By focusing all the services capabilities
through network-centric operations, the IDF believes it can maintain an
advantage over any potential foe, even with a smaller force.

Defense & Foreign Affairs
Daily
June 13, 2003
US Readying F-16 Deal With Pakistan To Consolidate Alliances In Preparation For Strategic Moves On Iran, DPRK
因應對伊朗及北韓的戰略佈局，美國將售 F-16 給巴基斯坦以鞏固同盟關係
Exclusive. Analysis. By Gregory R. Copley, Editor, GIS (Global Information System).

Highly-placed Washington sources confirmed on June 12, 2003, that the US Government was preparing to announce the resumed sales of new Lockheed Martin F-16 fighters to the Pakistan Air Force. The announcement would be made during the visit of Pakistan Pres. Pervez Musharraf, who was due to arrive in Washington, DC, on June 24, 2003. The proposed sale would symbolize the commitment of the US Bush Administration to Pakistan, which is now being seen as increasingly central in the US emerging strategy to contain Iran and to isolate North Korea.

Significantly, US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld broke the news of the intended sale in a special, and very private, meeting with Indian Deputy Prime Minister L. K. Advani, when the Deputy Premier arrived at the Willard Hotel, in Washington, DC, on Sunday, June 8, 2003. The meeting was highly unusual in that Secretary Rumsfeld wanted to tell Mr Advani personally of the proposed sale to Pakistan, in order to avoid the news reaching the Indian Government through less formal channels.

What was clear was that Mr Advani was disappointed with the news, although he was given almost unprecedented access and warm treatment during his Washington visit. [See Defense & Foreign Affairs Daily, June 11, 2003, Indian Deputy PM Advanis Visit to Washington Shows
Strengthened Ties, But No Weakening of US-Pakistan Link.] However, what remains unclear is what Mr Advani hoped to achieve on his visit to Washington. It was possible that it was an effort to undercut the importance which the Bush Administration was attaching to the Musharraf visit, and it was possible that Mr Advani had heard of the proposed F-16
sale to the PAF and wished to persuade the US against it. Indian sources felt, however, that Mr Advani did not achieve anything significant from his visit, other than to reassure the Bush White House of Indias importance as an ally.

There was no doubt of that, however, in the Bush White House, nor in the US Congress, which is highly supportive of improved US-India relations. But this does not mitigate against the importance of the current US requirement to build its alliance with Pakistan both to help in containing Iran and in trying to offer it strategic alternatives to a
strategic reliance on North Korea (DPRK).

Defense & Foreign Affairs Daily, in an exclusive report on March 12, 2002, noted at that time that the PAF now seems set to request from the US the purchase of a new batch of Lockheed Martin F-16s, possibly ex-US Air Force, but possibly more advanced than the F-16A/B Block 15 models currently in the PAF inventory. The PAF has ruled out any thought
of acquiring the 28 F-16A/Bs which had been built for them, but never delivered. Those aircraft, which remain in storage in the US, were paid-for by Pakistan, but the purchase price was eventually returned in full by the US Clinton Administration.

It now seems likely that the sale would be of current-generation F-16s, either Block 50 or Block 60, although it was not known at this time what systems would be included with the sale. The PAF already operates appr.25 General Dynamics-built F-16A Block 15 tactical fighters, and appr.10 GD-built F-16B Block 15 operational trainers. A further 28 F-16A/Bs were built for the PAF, but embargoed since 1992, and another 43 more on order were not completed. Pakistan was subsequently compensated for the embargoed delivery of its aircraft.

However, when ties with the US began to improve again after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the US, the PAF made it clear that it wanted to buy newer model F-16s. The earlier Block 15s were still providing the leading edge of the PAFs air combat and nuclear weapons air-delivery capability, but were being outclassed by the Indian Air
Forces front-line fighters.

Indian sources near Deputy Prime Minister Advani were distinctly unhappy at the news of the new PAF F-16 purchase, but were keenly aware of the overriding requirement to maintain good relations with Washington and therefore did not leak the advance news from Sec. Rumsfeld to the media. However, what is of greater concern to the present Indian Government is that it faces new elections in about a year, and the BJP-led coalition is
by no means assured of victory, even though all indications are that it would win the greatest number of seats in the Lok Sabha (lower house of Parliament). There remained a difficult year ahead to ensure that a third bloc of minority parties did not win the right to form the next government, edging out both the BJP and Congress parties. Tamil
Nadu state Chief Minister J. Jayalalitha, a controversial and demagogic former actress, has been moving to use her AIADMK party to lead the third bloc of minor parties to create a coalition which could hold the balance of power in the next Indian elections.

What The Papers Say (Russia)
June 16, 2003, Monday

WHAT DOES RYBINSK MOTORS ROAR ABOUT?
Rossiyskaya Gazeta, May 29, 2003, p. 4
Yuri Loskutov

IN MAY 2000, PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN OF RUSSIA MADE A WORKING TRIP AROUND
THE YAROSLAVL REGION. AT THE RYBINSK MOTORS ENTERPRISE, THE PROMISING AL-41F
FIFTH-GENERATION MILITARY AIRCRAFT ENGINE DREW HIS ATTENTION.

BODY:

In May 2000, President Vladimir Putin of Russia made a working trip around the Yaroslavl region. At the Rybinsk Motors enterprise, the promising AL-41F fifth-generation military aircraft engine drew his attention.

It was actually at that moment that the active phase was launched to finish this new jet engine based on much higher technologies than its predecessor, AL-31, that is currently installed on hundreds of military aircraft adopted in the Russian army and the armies of a number of other states around the world. So a government decision fixed the status of Rybinsk Motors (RM) as head developer.

Three years have passed since then. As RM Director General Yuri Lastochkin saw it, three years were just enough to prepare this sort of product for production. However, AL-41F is still far from perfection. Why so?

To be just, one should note that the fifth-generation aircraft engine was first devised and originally developed in the Moscow-based Liulka-Saturn Design Bureau in the early 1980s. AL-41F was planned to differ from the previous national models by its minimum dimensions, 15% higher specific impulse, and many other technical indicators. The annual production volume supposed for such motors amounted to 1,500 units; each was planned to cost $3-4.5 billion.

However, manufacturing the first motor required spending up to $300 million, according to various estimates. Machines alone, supposed to make this engine, cost $1-5 million each. Besides, 15% of materials for the new motor are not manufactured in the country at all. They were created experimentally, but manufacturing requires re-equipping dozens of Russian plants.

In due time, experts observed that Rybinsk Motors was not able to accomplish such large-scale tasks: this plant only manufactured products designed by someone else, and it had no such gigantic spare funds. Yet, apparently, the lobbyist abilities of director general Yuri Lastochkin prevailed. And the RM obligation to allocate $150 million to finance the finishing of the unique engine was exactly the decisive factor in choosing the head developer.

Besides, Iliya Klebanov also always actively supported the RM people regarding the creation of the AL-41F. To see this most important government contract through as soon as possible, he also gave his blessing to the integration of RM with the Liulka-Saturn Design Bureau in the single Saturn Production Association with Yuri Lastochkin as director general. (...)

In this process, no one though it confusing that this most important government contract actually was transferred to a private structure; the privatized Rybinsk enterprise actually took over the 98%-private Moscow-based design bureau. So, looking ahead into the future, one can quite assume that the private company from Rybinsk can soon take over the Moscow Salyut Machine-Building Production Association, Ufa Motor-Building Production Association, and other enterprises of the branch: All this for the sake of high government interests?

By the way, before they obtained the military contract, the financial position of RM and Liulka-Saturn was far from radiant. While RM had formerly manufactured about 500 motors and repaired about 600, in the late 1990s those figures were dozens of times lower. However, as soon as they took up designing the promising aircraft engine, the Rybinsk people magically started to receive lucrative contracts. (...)

Thus, the government on its part created all required conditions to launch production of the AL-41F engine as soon as possible. For this is most urgent, in light of the foreign projects for fifth-generation engine development. However, things have never been set into motion. And, apparently, the key reason for the delay consists in that the leadership of the Saturn Production Association has been busy with everything over the
past years - information warfare, political maneuvering - everything but the fulfillment of the strategic military contract. But how could that be different? Private and public interests rarely coincide, dont they? This also was the case with Saturn. (...)

Apparently, Yuri Lastochkin is using the government contract for the aircraft engine of the future as a trump card in a big lobbyist play for lucrative contracts for his enterprise. The Saturn director general hardly has any greater interest in the radiant future of the Russian military aviation than in financial flows from lucrative civilian contracts. His super-task is to monopolize the engine-building sector. (...)

In reality, we have power to make the AL-41F come true. For example, in the last few years the Salyut Production Association has been handling large-scale technical re-equipment within the scope of pre-production of a fifth-generation aircraft engine to be applied on a promising fighter for the Russian Air Force; about $50-60 million was spent on this in 2002. Proceeding from the forecast growth in production volumes, a greater sum
will be spent on technical re-equipment in 2003.

(...) Not that long ago, the defense industry finally saw the revision of some decisions that had been initiated by former deputy Prime Minister Iliya Klebanov as military industry curator and government military-technical cooperation curator. Thus, for instance, Prime Minister Mikhail Kasianov in March last year canceled the Klebanov-approved decision to build two new destroyers for the Chinese Navy at Baltiysky Zavod instead of Severnaya Verf.

The MiG-21 aircraft have the capability to deliver services upto 40 years, Krishnaswamy told a press conference at the Eastern Air Command headquarters here.

The Air Chief, who is on an inspection round of the airbases, said various components of the MiG-21 were being routinely upgraded and therefore like other aircraft in the IAF they too would continue to render services till their lifespan.

The US had not given us the F-16 jets for which we had paid money, and now that they are giving us its advanced version is something extraordinary.

The US-based Defence and Foreign Affairs journal reported that Washington would not only now release the jets, but would hand Pakistan the new Lockheed Martin version.

Pakistan paid for 28 of the aircraft in a deal first negotiated in the late 1980s. Despite having already purchased them, the US blocked their release in 1991 when Pakistan could not certify that it had no nuclear program.

Pakistan only went public as a nuclear power in May 1998 when it test-detonated several nuclear devices in response to Indias tests the same month.

The blocking of the F-16s handover has been one of the biggest strains on US-Pakistani relations over the past decade.

The Stratfor private global intelligence think-tank also reported this week that the handover of the fighter jets was nigh, in recognition of Pakistans crucial role in the 20-month old war on terrorism.

Those aircraft -- along with debt forgiveness and trade status -- likely will be Washingtons reward for Pakistans support in the war against al-Qaeda, it wrote in a June 17 report published on its website.

There were conflicting reports over when the release of the fighter aircraft would be announced.

The Dawn newspaper quoted unnamed sources saying Washington would wait until July or August when the joint US-Pakistan Defence Consultative group next meets.

The Defence and Foreign Affairs Journal said it would be announced during President Pervez Musharrafs visit to the United States. He is due to land there Friday ahead of June 24 talks with US President George W. Bush at Camp David.

The Pakistani official said the F-16s were not listed on the Musharrafs official agenda in the US.

But such things can come up at any stage though not listed on official agenda, he said.

The anti-Musharraf Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party was suspicious of the reported deal.

It seems like a trap and in exchange of F-16s US may ask Pakistan to roll back its nuclear and missile programme, PML-N spokesman Siddiqul Farooq said.

Any deal between Musharraf and US will not be honoured by the nation because he is not a genuine president representing the people of Pakistan.

The hardline Islamic party Jamaat-i-Islami (JI), a lead party of the religious coalition Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), was furious at reports the F-16s would be released as a war on terror reward.

Pakistan got its debts written off by the US in exchange for the blood of thousands of Afghans. Reopening the F-16 deal will not be without a price, JI Shahid Shamsi said.

------------
http://www.defense-aerospace.com/afp/defense/030618121818.y6p6ezgv.html
Indian Air Force trainer aircraft crashes, pilots safe
印度空軍教練機墜毀
MADRAS, June 18 (AFP) - 12:18 GMT - An Indian Air Force trainer aircraft crashed while landing Wednesday but its two trainee pilots were not seriously hurt, officials said.
The Deepak HPT-32 piston trainer aircraft suffered engine failure and landed in a field on the outskirts of the southern city of Madras, killing a buffalo, an Indian Air Force statement said.

A rescue helicopter was sent to the accident site and the pilots, who had minor injuries, were taken to hospital.

The Indian Air Force, the worlds fourth largest, has been plagued by mishaps mostly involving its aging fleet of Russian-made MiGs.

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/data/communiques/data/2003Jun16309/index.htm
USAF Orders Additional CFM56-2 Engines

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/data/communiques/data/2003Jun16307/index.htm
Lockheed $40M For WCMD-ER Development

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/data/communiques/data/2003Jun16340/index.htm
Lockheeds Skunk Works Celebrates Diamond Anniversary

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/data/communiques/data/2003Jun16381/index.htm
US, German MoD In Joint Global Hawk Test (June 19)

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/data/communiques/data/2003Jun16308/index.htm
Miniature Decoy Development Begins
(Source: US Air Force; issued June 16, 2003)
美國研發微型誘餌
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --- Experts here are helping develop a miniature air-launched decoy that Air Force officials hope will entice enemy forces to prematurely disclose their air defense locations, keeping friendly pilots further out of harms way.

Precision strike system program office experts awarded an $88 million, five-year systems development and demonstration contract to Raytheon Corporation to develop the decoy.

The decoy is intended to saturate enemy air-defense systems by appearing on radar screens as a full-size bomber or fighter, according to Anna Harbaugh, program manager.

She said the finished decoy will be a small, cruise missile-like vehicle about 115 inches long, eight inches around, with a 60-inch wingspan. It will weigh only 200 pounds and will be launched from both fighters and bombers.

The decoy, powered by a turbojet engine, will reach speeds of Mach.93 - about 650 mph -- and altitudes approaching 40,000 feet, Harbaugh said. Air Combat Command officials, who requested the development, require it to fly for 45 minutes at 35,000 feet or for 20 minutes at 3,000 feet.

The decoys can be used in many ways, according to Mel Duval, chief engineer. He said one scenario calls for fighters to follow the decoys into enemy territory.

When the enemy turns on their surface-to-air defense radars (in response to the decoys), the real fighters or bombers arrive and launch homing anti-radiation missiles that will follow the emissions to the source and obliterate them, he said.

In another scenario, Duval said the decoy could be fired in swarms, completely overwhelming an enemy’s integrated air-defense system.

If a (decoy) gets shot down, then it has done its job, Duval said. That means the enemy has expended an expensive and deadly missile against our inexpensive little decoy. We want the (decoys) to go where we dont want one of our pilots to be.

The decoy is scheduled to begin captive flight-testing in 2005 and free flight-testing in 2006. Initial production should begin in 2007. The contract requires that 1,500 units be delivered by 2011, Harbaugh said.

The unit cost of the decoy is limited to $125,000.

Its our goal to come in much lower than that, Harbaugh said. I think we can do it.

-ends-

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/data/communiques/data/2003Jun16312/index.htm
Saab & BAE Systems sign agreement for new integrated Helmet Mounted Display System for Gripen

(Source: Saab AB; issued June 17, 2003)


Saab Aerospace & BAE Systems today signed an agreement for a new Integrated Helmet Mounted Display System (IHMD) for the Gripen. The agreement will enable the IHMD to be integrated into the Gripen fighters and be delivered to South Africa from in 2007.

The new helmet enables the pilot to view, lock and fire on targets using the helmet display. The helmet allows greater situation awareness, and enables the pilot to react more quickly than has previously been possible. The helmet system will be redesigned due to the difference in size between the Gripen and the Eurofighter. The first tests on the new helmet will be conducted in 2005 and deliveries to South Africa will begin in 2007.

BAE Systems, in partnership with South Africas Cumulus, has developed the system capability. Integration of the technology has been made possible under offset agreement connected to Saab-BAE Systems with the South Africas Government Hawk and Gripen procurement.

The helmet is a further development and refinement of the Striker helmet developed for the Eurofighter by BAE Systems. The Gripen Helmet System will now be marketed under the name of Cobra.

Lord Bach, Minister of State Defence Procurement said This three way partnership between defence companies in the UK, Sweden and South Africa is another milestone on the road to greater co-operation between our defence industries. This kind of partnership delivers real technological and economic benefits to our countries.

Saab has chosen the best technology available. Together with our partners from BAE Systems, we will develop this cutting edge system, said Johan Lehander, Head of Gripen at Saab Aerospace. The agreement is a further sign of the strong cooperation between Swedens and Britains defense industry on Gripen.

IHMD is currently available as an option in the export version of the Gripen and South Africa is the first customer to order the system.

South African pilots at Saab have tested the helmet and are very pleased with it. I think that in the future all our customers will want the system, as it provides such a clear edge in air combat. Sweden is currently evaluating the system and we are looking forward to a tendering request later this year. Johan Lehander concludes.

Sue Wood, BAE Systems Avionic Systems Managing Director said Gripens selection is a further indication of BAE Systems leadership in integrated helmet technologies. We are delighted to be working with Saab and our partners Cumulus on the Gripen variant.

Saab is one of the worlds leading high-technology companies with its main operations focusing on defense, aviation and space. The group covers a broad spectrum of competence and capability in systems integration.

BAE Systems employs nearly 100,000 people including Joint Ventures, and has annual sales of around £12 billion. The company offers a global capability in air, sea, land and space with a world-class prime contracting ability supported by a range of key skills.

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http://www.defense-aerospace.com/data/communiques/data/2003Jun16355/index.htm
T-50 Supersonic Trainer Performing Well

(Source: Lockheed Martin; Korea Aerospace Industries; issued June 17, 2003)


PARIS --- Officials from the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF), Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) and Lockheed Martin said today that the T-50 Golden Eagle development program is on track and the supersonic trainer is performing well in every aspect.

Lt. Col. Cho Gwang Je, ROKAF T-50 chief test pilot, gave an overview of the T-50 development program, focusing on the flight-test activities. Cho, a seasoned fighter pilot and test pilot, was the first to fly the T-50 on Aug. 20, 2002, and is the high-time T-50 pilot.

The T-50 is a real joy to fly and handles well throughout the flight envelop tested, Cho said. It should be a very safe aircraft, and our student pilots should adapt to it very quickly. More importantly, our pilots will be able to transition very quickly to our modern fighters, the KF-16 and the F-15K, because of the skills learned in flying the T-50. Not only will they be familiar with the performance and handling qualities of a fighter-type aircraft, they will also have the experience of operating a modern fighter cockpit and a well-integrated avionics system.

Cho said the T-50 will have several high-technology features, which will enhance pilot training compared to current trainers. One is the full- authority digital flight control system, which features selectable maneuver- performance levels for phased learning and an active side-stick controller that provides feedback to the pilot in the other cockpit. Another is the data-transfer system, which has embedded training functions that, together with audio/video recording, should significantly aid in post-flight debriefings.

ROKAF pilots selected for fighter assignments subsequently will receive tactical training in the T-50 Lead-In Fighter Trainer (LIFT) version, which also has a multimode radar, an internal 20 mm gun and an armament system for delivering a variety of air-to-air and air-to-surface weapons. The T-50 will reduce the number of trainer types and transition times for fighter pilots, plus it will reduce the initial pilot combat qualification burden on operational units. These factors will provide world-class training at reduced total training costs.

We have taken the aircraft to its operational ceiling of 40,000 feet and flown it supersonic to Mach 1.2 (1.2 times the speed of sound), Cho said. We are using a stair-step approach of expanding the flight envelop to the flight-test limits. We are looking forward to start of flight test on our two T-50 LIFT aircraft later this summer.

We are very pleased with the steady progress of the entire T-50 development program, said Ahn, Taek Soon, KAIs executive vice president for Strategic Business Development and retired ROKAF general officer. We have experienced no major problems and are tracking on schedule in all respects. We are confident we will have all prerequisites completed soon for a favorable Initial Production Authorization by the Korean government later this year.

Ahn also emphasized the importance of the T-50 program in KAIs national goal of developing a world-class aerospace industry by the end of the decade.

We highly value our relationships with KAI and the ROKAF that go back more than 20 years, said Ted Samples, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics vice president for Special Mission and Reconnaissance Aircraft Programs. This partnership has produced 160 F-16s for the ROKAF, with 20 more now being produced. The T-50 development program is the most successful in my experience in the aeronautics industry, and Lockheed Martin is proud to have a significant role on this highly successful team.

The T-50 Golden Eagle is a supersonic advanced jet trainer being developed by KAI for the Republic of Korea Air Force. Lockheed Martin, as principal subcontractor to KAI, is providing technical expertise for the program and is responsible for developing the T-50 avionics system, flight control system and wings. The two companies are cooperatively marketing the T-50 internationally.

The T-50 Full-Scale Development program began in 1997 and will continue through 2005. Initial production authorization is planned for late 2003 with production deliveries to begin in 2005.

The T-50 will have the maneuverability, endurance and advanced systems to prepare future pilots to fly current and next-generation fighters like advanced F-16s, the F/A-22 and the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. These same characteristics give it an excellent capability as a lead-in fighter trainer and potential light-combat aircraft derivative in many air forces.

Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd. is the Republic of Koreas national aerospace company established in 1999 with the consolidation of Samsung Aerospace, Daewoo Heavy Industries and Hyundai Space and Aircraft Co. KAI lines of business include fixed-wing aircraft, helicopter aircraft and satellites. Its major products are the KF-16, KT-1 basic trainer, T-50, SB427 helicopters, UAVs, aerostructures and KOMPSAT satellite program.

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, is a leader in advanced military aircraft and related technologies. Its customers include the military services of the United States and allied countries throughout the world. Products include the F-16, F/A-22, F-35 JSF, F-117, T-50, C-5, C-130, C-130J, P-3, S-3 and U-2.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin employs about 125,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture and integration of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2002 sales of $26.6 billion.

-ends-

（中央社記者張聲肇紐約十九日專電）去年四月在阿富汗炸死四名加拿大友軍的兩名美國F16戰鬥機駕駛員，今天獲得不起訴處分，逃過軍事法庭的刑事罪責。

三十七歲的施密特少校和四十四歲的翁巴赫去年四月十七日，一個夜黑風高、星月無光的夜晚，在坎達哈附近，誤把正在演習的加拿大部隊當作賓拉登蓋達組織的恐怖份子，投下一枚五百磅的炸彈，炸死四名加拿大士兵，炸傷另外八人，其中一人瞎掉一隻眼睛，另一人幾乎耳聾。

加拿大自韓戰以來，還沒有軍人在戰場上陣亡，第一批陣亡的居然出自友軍之手，加拿大全國輿情大譁，民眾情緒激動可知。對美國來講，則是第一次考慮把誤殺友軍當作刑事犯罪來審理。

如果經過宣判罪行成立，這兩名美國軍官最高可能被判六十四年徒刑，這又比加拿大一級謀殺只判二十五年重多了。

美國空軍經過多方考慮，決定對兩名嫌犯不予追究刑責，但要他們承擔「非司法」的懲罰，也就是要接受罰薪一個月、拘禁三十天、記警告一次等制裁，這些制裁實際上對飛行員的生涯極為損傷。兩人可能受禁飛處分，甚至喪失飛行員資格。

美加聯合調查發現，施密特和翁巴赫「鹵莽忽視」命令，又違犯最基本的作戰規則，才釀成大禍；美國軍方自己的聽證小組調查九天之後，也認為「罪證足夠到軍事法庭」起訴他們，不過又說「輕一點的制裁」也可以達到恪遵秩序、懲戒失職的目的。

出事地點本來是蓋達組織的基地，被聯軍佔領後改為靶場，加拿大輕步兵正在夜間演習，拿著輕機槍和反戰車榴彈槍。正要前往空中加油的美機駕駛員誤以為加拿大步兵槍口閃爍，發射曳光彈，是「敵軍」朝它開槍。

調查人員最關切的一點是，為什麼這兩名飛行員不先確定他們看到的曳光彈到底是不是敵軍在攻擊他們？施密特少校投出那枚雷射制導炸彈三十二秒，也就是擊中目標十秒後，從收音機接到指揮部告訴他們的消息，說那些地面部隊是友軍。

美加聯合調查小組發現，施密特出手太快，忽視要他們等一下的命令。兩人確曾接到命令，要他們先離開現場一下，等確定地面那些人是敵軍後再開火。此事，主駕駛翁巴赫的錯失在於沒有禁制「砲手」施密特開火。

這兩名被控訴的飛行員透過律師辯護說，他們開火是為了自衛，至於誤判敵軍友軍，則是因為受到「戰爭之霧」的阻礙，因為通訊有問題，長官又不理，他們無法知道地面亮槍的人是不是友軍。

韓國三大報之一的「東亞日報」今天在第二頁要聞綜合版，以頭條報導了這一則消息。

Effects-based operations (EBOs) are nothing new, but there are growing signals that EBO has truly come of age. There are signs, too, that it will dictate the warfighting doctrine of Western air forces for the foreseeable future and the shape of procurement policies underpinning them.

Maj Gen David Deptula, director for plans and programmes within the US Air Forces (USAFs) Air Combat Command (ACC) and a leading proponent of EBO, defines EBO as the end of strategy rather than the traditional approach of force-on-force - the attrition approach to warfare that characterised the major conflicts of the 20th century.

One of the prime drivers behind EBO strategy is the ability to wage parallel warfare. In traditional series warfare, as it is applied to air operations, target sets are attacked in a linear sequence in a progressive march on the nerve centre of the enemys operations.

Operation Enduring Freedom, the Afghanistan campaign against Al-Qaeda and the Taliban in 2001, and Operation Iraqi Freedom, were both non-linear campaigns - testing grounds for EBO principles.

In Afghanistan, the inability of Al-Qaeda and the Taliban to oppose the US and its allies with a cohesive front line coupled to its failure to field an effective air-defence system, allowed the US to attack targets simultaneously, aided by an embryonic network-centric real-time command-and-control system that allowed decision-makers to view developments on the battlefield in real-time or near-realtime and react with equal speed.

In the second war on Iraq, EBO went further, US and UK air, land and sea forces attacking Saddam Husseins forces in parallel - joint operations writ large.

Under the umbrella of an EBO campaign, the goal of war is to get an adversary to act according to our strategic interests, in the view of Gen Deptula, even to the point of being able to achieve ones objectives without combat.

But EBO can, if he is right, produce even more dramatic results. I want to see a set of integrated physical and cognitive effects models that could help [the US] achieve its national security objectives without the adversary even knowing hes been influenced.

In other words, there is an emerging view that the US can achieve its strategic objectives to the degree that it may not even need to fire a shot - and in a way that leaves its adversaries completely unaware that they have been outmanoeuvred. The key to this revolution, Gen Deptula says, is the coupling of advanced technologies - notably stealth and precision-guided munitions (PGMs) - with an effects-based planning strategy. This, in turn, is yielding the parallel warfare concept of operations - and is the defining event of the so-called revolution in military affairs.

EBO is getting a positive response from key government decision-makers, who recognise that it may also provide the answer to an otherwise insoluble conundrum: how to maintain a high degree of readiness in an era of highly unpredictable threats and in the face of declining resources. At a conference on the future of airpower at the Royal United Services Institute in London last month, Mark Gunzinger, a retired USAF colonel and now assistant associate director for Strategic Planning at USAF Headquarters, noted that pressure on defence budgets will grow as more demands are made on health, social security and other government spending areas. At the same time, Gunzinger said, the demand for air-and-space assets is increasing, as is the need for a US military presence worldwide with fewer forces.

On top of that, the USAF is currently one of the oldest forces weve ever had in terms of equipment, he said, which is imposing a spiralling cost burden on the services logistics infrastructure. There are some key capability trends that should alleviate the pressure - an increasing reliance on PGMs, for example, allows the USAF to achieve more bang for buck. During Desert Storm, 7.7% of weapons dropped were precision munitions. In Operation Allied Force against Serbia in 1999 it was 40%. During Operation Enduring Freedom the figure rose again to 60.4%. In Iraqi Freedom, official statistics will show an even higher level of PGMs dropped.

Then there is the stealth revolution - the move within the USAF to an all-stealth force with the advent of the Lockheed Martin F/A-22, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and stealthy unmanned combat air vehicles.

The fielding of a new generation of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) systems and high-bandwidth communication links is giving rise to a network-centric joint fighting force, with units across the spectrum increasingly privy to a common intelligence picture and a revolution in situational awareness.

Yuri Sentyurin, deputy governor of the Nizhny Novgorod Region, said that the Yak-130s participation in the air show was an interesting and important project. He added that firstly, the Yak-130 is a new plane rather than an updated piece of long-serving equipment; secondly, as a training and combat plane it occupies an entirely new niche; thirdly, a range of modified military equipment will be developed from this plane: light attack planes, fighters, reconnaissance aircraft.

The planes participation in the air show was made possible by the fact that it was built without state investment. The organisers of the Russian section of the air show decided not to include Su and MiG aircraft because they were concerned that the planes would be impounded. Two years ago Swiss firm Noga attempted to have Russian fighters impounded due to a legal dispute with the Russian government.

/ROSBalt/

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http://www.avia.ru/cgi/news/news.cgi?action=geten&id;=1056019193
***Training plane crashes in Armavir air force garrison
[19 Jun 2003] A MiG-29UB training plane crashed while performing a test flight at the Armavir air force garrison at 7:42 a.m. on Thursday, Russian Air Force Chief Colonel Alexander Drobyshevsky told Interfax.

The two pilots ejected. The crash did not cause any casualties or destruction.

The pilots were picked up from the crash site and taken to a hospital. They are listed in stable condition.

A special commission has been set up to investigate the accident.

/Interfax/

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Singapore defers fighter decision

Flight International
June 10-16, 2003

The Singapore government has pushed back a downselection to three candidates in its fighter competition until late July or early August as it reviews late revisions in Dassaults proposal that may result in its Rafale being eliminated from the competition.

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/data/communiques/data/2003Jun16402/index.htm
Marines Order Litening Pod For Harrier (June 20)

（中央社記者鄒明智巴黎二十四日專電）甫結束的第四十五屆巴黎航空展，受到全球航空運輸不景氣，以及美國業者參展率下降，俄羅斯業者銷聲匿跡等因素的影響，今年這項全球航空業的盛事平淡收場，表現比前幾屆遜色許多，不論訂單金額或觀展人數均較往年大幅降低。

世界最大的巴黎航空展今年參展商僅一千七百家，較上屆減少兩成。主辦單位表示，本屆的總營業額估計在三百二十億歐元左右，低於上屆的四百四十億歐元。這項估計包括已經簽約的訂單以及尚未正式簽約的可能訂單。但依展覽現場公佈的資訊統計，今年的實際訂單總額可能只有兩百億歐元。

今年航空展在民用客機方面，空中巴士仍然是最耀眼的明星，訂單遙遙領先主要競爭對手美國的波音客機。法國達梭集團也是展覽的一大贏家，獲得法國政府提供三億歐元的軍事研究計劃經費，供無人駕駛戰鬥機研發之用。在太空研發方面，也有多項合同在展場簽訂，歐洲宇航集團（EADS）獲三十架亞利安五號火箭訂單。

本屆參觀人數同樣呈現衰退，不論業界人士或民眾都較往年減少。十五日開放民眾參觀的第一天雖然進場人數大約相當於前屆展覽的情形，但後繼無力。閉幕前的週末對外開放，參觀民眾僅五萬五千人，較上屆明顯減少，顯然與美俄軍機缺席、飛行表演不精彩有關。業界人士方面，今年共有十萬人參加，較二○○一年減少一成。

主辦單位表示，在國際經濟不景氣、航空運輸蕭條的大環境下，本屆航空展的表現並不能算壞。而最近幾個星期法國罷工頻頻，交通經常癱瘓，也對該展造成負面的衝擊。不過，最重要的應是法國對伊拉克戰爭從中作梗，美國參展興趣缺缺，減少了美國飛機製造商廣大的客戶群。

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/html/uncomp/articleshow?artid=43384
IAF chief doles out data, says MiGs are safe

http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_287639,0008.htm
India: Fernandes gets a feel of Sukhoi

-------
BBC Monitoring Former Soviet Union - Political
Supplied by BBC Worldwide Monitoring
June 16, 2003, Monday
Russia needs just one major player in aircraft industry - minister
副首相﹕俄國飛機工業只需一個大玩家
Interfax-AVN military news agency web site, Moscow, in English 0749 gmt 16 Jun 03

Text of report in English by Russian news agency Interfax-AVN web site

Paris, 16 June: Russia should have only one national company producing
military and civilian avionics, Deputy Prime Minister Boris Aleshin has
said.

In my opinion, the future of the Russian aviation industry is one large
national producer of avionics, Aleshin told Interfax-Military News Agency
at the Paris Air Show 2003 in Le Bourget.

Aleshin heads the Russian delegation to the show.

I know no occasions in the global aircraft building industry when the
company survived without having a full range of combat and civilian planes.
The Sukhoi military aircraft corporation is very close to attaining this
goal, but they should continue mounting the civilian component in aircraft
production, the deputy prime minister said. This does not mean that there
will be no small producers of aircraft, he noted. But the state should be
among the main players in the aircraft building industry, he said.

Aleshin stressed that diversification of products is the most important
condition for developing the Russian aircraft industry. The plants that we
inherited from the USSR still have the full spectrum of technologies ranging
from ore to the end product. They can produce everything, but global
experience proved a long time ago that this is incorrect. Everyone should
mind their own business and focus on their own diversified field. Small and
medium businesses can doubtlessly be very effective when they are oriented
on a narrow technology field. For instance, why should the MiG corporation
have its own avionics branch? It is bound to work for MiG only. And how many
projects does MiG have? Aleshin said.

WASHINGTON A proposed U.S. economic and security aid package to Pakistan
will not include the sale of F-16 fighter aircraft, U.S. President George
W. Bush said today (see
GSN, June 13).

After a meeting with Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf today at
Camp David, Bush announced that he would seek congressional support for a
five-year, $3 billion economic and security assistance package. Of that $3
billion, half would go to defense-related matters, Bush said. The sale of
F-16s though, which has long been a sticking point in U.S.-Pakistani
relations, would not be included, he said.

In the package that we discussed & half of that money goes for defense
matters, of which the F-16 wont be a part,Bush said. Nevertheless, we want
to work closely with our friend to make sure that the package meets the
needs of the Pakistan people,he added.

In the late 1980s, Pakistan ordered 28 F-16s, but the United States
embargoed arms sales to Pakistan in the early 1990s because it could no
longer certify that Islamabad did not possess nuclear
weapons. Improvements in U.S.-Pakistani relations following the Sept. 11,
2001, terrorist attacks and Islamabads increased role in the war on
terrorism, however, spurred Bush to lift the embargo and increased
speculation that the fighters would be provided.

Musharraf today praised the proposed aid package, saying it exemplifies the
U.S. commitmentto long-term involvement with Pakistan.

We look forward to diverse programs of cooperation in the economic,
commercial, political and the defense sector,Musharraf said. We also
expect greater people-to-people contact and close interaction between the
parliaments of the two countries to promote the cause of democracy,he said.

In addition to the new financial aid package, Bush and Musharraf discussed
the need to stop cross-border terrorism in the disputed province of Kashmir
a potential flashpoint between India and Pakistan. Bush praised both
Musharraf and Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee for recent moves
to reduce tensions between the two nuclear-armed countries.

Both Bush and Musharraf said that the issue of Kashmir would have to be
addressed in any larger Indian-Pakistani peace efforts, with Musharraf
saying Kashmir was a core issue. Musharraf reportedly last week criticized
Indian suggestions that the topic of Kashmir be one of several issues
discussed in any talks (see
GSN, June 19).

In addition, Bush said, the United States would remain actively involved in
seeking peace in South Asia. I assured the president that the United
States will do all we can to promote peace,he said.

編譯陳世欽／綜合二十五日外電報導

美國總統布希昨天在大衛營會晤到訪的巴基斯坦總統穆沙拉夫，會後公布附有若干條件、總額卅億美元的巴基斯坦軍經援助方案。

布希向穆沙拉夫表示，美國提供這筆軍經援助，條件是巴國須在反恐戰方面與美國合作、防止核武擴散、不再協助北韓研發核武、並致力邁向民主政治。布希又說，美國不打算提供巴國洽購已十四年的七十一架Ｆ十六噴射戰機。穆沙拉夫多次否認巴國暗助北韓建造濃縮鈾的設施。

穆沙拉夫表示，巴國軍隊矢志追剿九一一事件主嫌賓拉丹及恐怖組織凱達其他首腦，他並認為，巴國最後必能剷除可能至今仍藏匿在巴國與阿富汗邊界山區的凱達殘部。這些山區一直是巴國化外之區。

一名美國高級官員指出，卅億美元的軍經援助將分五年平均提撥。這筆援助每年攤派額度是布希向國會要求的二○○四會計年度援巴經費的六倍之多。援助經費需經美國國會同意始能動支。