俄羅斯出臺2010年前裝備發展規劃 力保空軍強勢


www.XINHUANET.com　　2004年08月31日 08:45:11　　來源：中國國防報

據俄羅斯航空新聞和軍事新聞網報道，近日，俄羅斯總統普京批准了《俄聯邦國家2010年前武器裝備發展規劃》，重點加強俄空軍戰鬥機的改進、裝備和研製力度，以大力提高其作戰能力。
一面加快改進一面大舉購買

《俄聯邦國家2010年前武器裝備發展規劃》表示，改進俄空軍現役戰鬥機是一條提高戰鬥力的捷徑，相比於裝備新型戰機，可節省大量經費，減輕捉襟見肘的國防預算壓力。目前，俄羅斯已開始批量改進俄空軍現役蘇-25強擊機、蘇－2 7戰鬥機與米格－29戰鬥機。改進後的戰機將換裝一些先進機載設備和系列武器使用系統。如“雪豹”瞄準定位系統將以新一代的高速計算機為基礎。它可以將武器精確打擊能力提高1∼2倍，並且將導航精確度提高到原來的10倍。

與此同時，《俄聯邦國家2010年前武器裝備發展規劃》還指出，裝備新型戰機可大幅提高俄空軍戰鬥力，使其發生質的變化。目前，俄羅斯空軍已決定訂購大量蘇-34型前線轟炸機。蘇-34型前線轟炸機也屬於俄4代半戰機，但蘇霍伊飛機製造公司稱其機載電子設備已達到俄第5代戰機的水準。蘇-34型前線轟炸機裝備有可向後攻擊的空空導彈，這是世界航空史上前所未有的。

另外，2004下半年俄空軍將裝備第8架蘇-32型轟炸機、1架圖-160型戰略轟炸機和數量不詳的米-28“夜間獵手”型戰鬥直升機。

　　全力開發第5代戰機

《俄聯邦國家2010年前武器裝備發展規劃》提到，加緊研製新一代戰機，有利於俄戰機保持領先地位，並促進航空業的發展與戰機出口。俄羅斯空軍司令弗拉季米爾·米哈伊洛夫上將日前表示，俄羅斯正在建造第5代戰機試驗型樣機。俄空軍對第5代殲擊機的要求是：起飛重量20噸，具超音速巡航速度，隱形性能好，有高度機動性，可在300∼400米的短距離上起降，可利用衛星導航技術。

據悉，俄羅斯生產第5代戰鬥機主要為了對抗美國的F-22戰機。這一計劃可能耗資15億美元。該機型計劃於2006年進行首飛，2010年正式投產。當前俄羅斯已重新啟動輕型前線殲擊機米格1.44型的研製工作。這種集多功能、超音速巡航、超機動性和隱形性能於一身的戰鬥機採用了目前世界上最先進的推力向量技術，令美國人無比自豪的F－22“猛禽”戰鬥機感到了前所未有的巨大壓力。

打造空中戰略優勢

在美軍加速研製新一代戰略轟炸機後，俄羅斯為了追求戰略優勢，不斷改造現役戰略轟炸機，並研製新一代戰略轟炸機。

據俄媒體稱，俄目前正在進行新型戰略轟炸機T－60S的研發工作。這種新型的隱形、空天一體化轟炸機的尺寸比圖－160小，主要用於執行戰役全縱深和對海上目標的空襲任務。預計T－60S的隱形性能將達到美國的B－2A的水準。另外，俄還正在研製一種具有洲際作戰能力、攻擊性更強的圖－202新隱形戰略轟炸機，其性能將超過美制B－2A戰略轟炸機。

而且，為提高戰略打擊能力，俄正大力改進現役戰略轟炸機。據俄羅斯文傳電訊社近日報道，俄羅斯空軍正分兩階段改進圖－160、圖－22M3和圖－95MS戰略轟炸機。在目前正在進行的第一階段為微改階段。圖－160、圖－22M3和圖－95M S戰略轟炸機將對航電設備進行部分升級以發射新的機載武器，如新型的“白楊” -M空射導彈。第二階段為大改階段。飛機將換裝大量現代化機載設備。據俄空軍官員透露，改進後的圖－160、圖－22M3和圖－95MS作戰能力將得到大幅提升。(尹方文)

By Robert Gottliebsen
September 6, 2004

WHILE the ALP is vulnerable in the election campaign because of the link between its industrial relations policies and interest rates, the Governments policy weakness is in air defence.

Unfortunately, air defence struggles to hit the headlines when compared to the popular issues but longer term it is more important because it goes to the heart of our security.
The risks we are taking in air defence were underlined by last months amazing pre-election decision of the all-party Joint Standing Committee on Defence.

It recommended that the defence minister in the next parliament conduct an inquiry into the ability of the Australian Defence Force to maintain air superiority in our region to 2020 – the linchpin of our defence strategy .

It then went further and recommended that in 2006 the government should make a statement focusing on the delivery date for the replacement combat aircraft and the decision to retire the F-111 and, in the meantime, instruct the defence chiefs not to run down the F-111.

Clearly the defence chiefs have not convinced either the Government or the Labour members of the committee that they have the right answers.

The defence chiefs believe we should phase out the F-111 and concentrate on making the F/A-18A far more powerful with better equipment and backup network technology.

The danger in this strategy is that the F/A-18A struggles against the Russian-built Sukhoi, which is being bought by Indonesia, China and India and will have similar network equipment.

The alternative strategy is to improve the equipment inside and around the F-111.

The defence chiefs claimed that the F-111 was unreliable but they were aggressively challenged on this assumption.

In particular, shadow defence minister Kim Beazley believes they are likely to be wrong.

After reviewing the evidence and the experts conflicting opinions, the all-party committee clearly believes there is at least a good case for extending the F111s life.

When it comes to replacing current aircraft the defence chiefs favour (but have not committed themselves to) the Joint Strike Fighter, which is in the early stage of development. The JSF has all the hazards of a new plane, including ballooning costs and possible long delays, which underlines the importance of making the right decision on the F-111. And many believe Australia should choose the F/A-22, another US plane which is already developed.

Writing in the ASPI Journal, RAAF chief Air Marshal Angus Houston concedes the popularity of the F/A-22 and says: The F/A-22 will be the most outstanding fighter aircraft ever built. It may even represent the end of the line in manned fighters. Every fighter pilot in the air force would clearly love to fly it.

He then sets out a series of magnificent new features incorporated in the F/A-22 and details how the aircraft is being developed to extend its ability.

But in the end Houston and the other defence chiefs still favour the JSF over the F/A-22 and Houston points out that the JSF will have advantages in many areas, including versatility and the ability to carry larger weapons.

Nevertheless, the JSF is the biggest single purchase Australia has ever undertaken and to be buying an untested aircraft over one that is the most outstanding aircraft ever built is taking an incredible risk.

The defence chiefs also use cost/benefit to justify the JSF and say that the JSFs cost forecasts are about $US45 million ($63 million) compared with $US153 million for an F/A-22.

The clear implication is that you can get three JSFs for every one F/A-22, so it makes more sense to take the JSF.

But Britain estimates that the cost of the JSF is about $US100 million – more than twice the Australian estimate.

It seems that we may have used a figure that would only apply if we bought the aircraft much later in its production run and we do not count the necessary investment in backup and installation systems.

If John Howard wins the next election, he should seriously consider appointing a different defence minister because these are vital issues that need a second look.

If Mark Latham wins, you can be sure that Kim Beazley will carry out the instructions of the joint standing committee.

[email protected]

The Australian

Seoul Selects 2 AWACS Bidders
南韓選擇美國波音及以色列IAI ELTA 為預警機競標者
By Joo Sang-min

The Defense Ministry will choose American manufacturer Boeing or Israels IAI ELTA to launch its 2 trillion won ($1.3 billion) airborne reconnaissance system for the Air Force, ministry officials said yesterday.

The ministry had expected five bidders but three did not join the process.

Code-named E-X, the major project will deploy four Airborne Early Warning and Control systems, commonly known as AEW & C. Two will be deployed by 2009 and the others by 2011.

The project comes as the government seeks to build up its own defense posture against possible North Korean aggression while the United States goes ahead with plans to reduce its forces in Korea by a third.

AEWC is designed to detect, track and intercept hostile aircraft operating at low altitudes over any terrain, and also identify and control friendly aircraft in the same airspace.

Maj. Gen. Won Jang-hwan, the ministrys chief procurement officer, said the ministry received presentations from Boeing and IAI ELTA in early June and determined both met the initial operational requirements.

The radar equipment will be installed aboard large jets; Boeing nominated its B-737 and IAI ELTA its G-550.

The aircraft will operate above 26,500 feet (8.1 kilometers), can stay aloft for six hours and will have 360 degree radar able to detect objects 200 nautical miles on either side and 180 nautical miles to the front and back.

The ministry will send an inspection team led by Air Force Maj. Gen. Koh Kyung-ryun to the United States and Israel this month to inspect the two aircraft systems and will choose the winner in November.

The lowest price is the most important factor in deciding the successful bidder, once they meet other government requirements, Won said.

http://www.mosnews.com/money/2004/09/01/thailand.shtml
Thailand Offers Chickens for Russian Arms

泰國用雞換 Su-30?

Created: 01.09.2004 14:19 MSK (GMT +3), Updated: 17:38 MSK

MosNews

Thailand, its huge poultry industry stricken by bird flu, wants to pay for Russian weaponry with chickens, the Reuters news agency quoted the country’s prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra as saying.

Thaksin said he had ordered his ambassador in Moscow to offer Thai chicken for Russian weapons and that he would consult with military chiefs on what arms they wanted.

“Our chicken exports have been hit by bird flu,” Thaksin told reporters on Tuesday. “When we can’t sell in our traditional markets, we need to penetrate new markets by bartering. We can’t leave all this chicken in Thailand.”

Thailand, the world’s fourth biggest chicken exporter until the industry was ravaged by bird flu early this year, has never exported poultry to Russia.

But with the European Union and Japan, its biggest customers, barring imports of Thai fresh and frozen chicken, it has been offering incentives like cheap credit to Asian countries willing to buy Thai poultry.

Thaksin gave no hint on whether warplanes were on his Moscow shopping list, but Russia’s Vedomosti business daily reported on Wednesday that Bangkok wanted to buy at least six Sukhoi Su-30s worth $200 million.

It quoted a source close to Russia’s arms trade authority as saying Thailand, which has equipped its air force with U.S. fighters, had sent a defence delegation to Russia recently to Irkut, which has a licence to produce the Su-30.

Another company making Su-30s is state-owned Sukhoi Corporation, Russia’s top arms exporter, which forecasts 2004 sales at $1.5 billion and plans to export 40 fighters.

Su-30s, together with MiGs, form the backbone of Russia’s arms trade and go mainly to Southeast Asia, where Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia have long been buyers.

Boosting defence exports is part of President Vladimir Putin’s plan to revive the arms sector, but sales are still a tiny fraction of what they were in Soviet times.

THE highly modern Singapore Air Force plans to import aggressive hawks from Germany to help scare off birds which can cause fighters to crash if sucked into jet engines, a report said.

A Harris hawk seconded for military duties from a wildlife amusement park has failed to live up to its mission, prompting the air force to consider enlisting German goshawks known for their tenacity and strength.

You simply cant risk life, and the aircraft are expensive, Lieutenant Colonel Penny Ang, commanding officer of the Tengah Air Base flying support squadron, told the Straits Times newspaper.

The biggest problem is the migratory egret that appears between September and November. Singapore, a leafy island dotted by nature reserves and water catchments, has a sizeable population of birds even in the city center.

About 10 bird strikes are recorded monthly in four bases and pilots have felt the shock of birds hitting their aircraft, the report said. So far, only minor aircraft damage has been reported, but officials are taking no chances.

In addition to birds of prey, the air force also uses flares, digitally recorded bird distress calls, pesticides to kill insects eaten by birds, and a chemical repellant dispenser activated by SMS text messages from the control tower whenever unwelcome avian guests are spotted on the runway.

XML-based software program offers low-cost solution to the complex problem of military information sharing.
By William Miller

An innovative Air Force approach to achieving machine-to-machine integration, called Cursor on Target (CoT), is stirring hopes of solving the historic problem of interoperability—the inability of field command and control systems to talk to each other and share mission-critical information.

CoT is currently in prototype development, although segments of it have already gone to war in Afghanistan and Iraq. Being built modularly with commercial components, CoT has been developed at a modest cost, with a total investment so far of only about $800,000, according to Air Force sources.

The goal of the project is to replace the human voice and physical interface needed when combat controllers in the field transmit targeting data. For example, controllers call in target coordinates to a forward command center, which in turn relays them to an airborne command center. The data is then given by voice to an Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft and then relayed again by voice to a strike aircraft pilot.

The CoT process speeds up operation and greatly reduces the possibility of human error in such circumstances. It will allow all the necessary information and tasking orders to flow to the target as needed when command center personnel literally put their computer cursor over the target and click to approve.

A partnership that began in 2002 between the Air Force Electronic Systems Center at Hanscom Air Force Base, MA, and MITRE has produced this prototype software initiative designed for speeding information sharing between service communities. Based upon a simplistic, universal machine language, CoT is eliminating the text format problems that have historically impeded the ability of various warfighting elements to communicate easily and quickly in the digital same language.

CoT is made possible by extensible markup language (XML), a simplified version or subset of the standard general markup language (SGML). XML was developed in 1996 by a working group within the World Wide Web Consortium and was primarily directed at electronic business. It wasn’t long, however, before the military potential of XML became apparent.

Common Message Elements

CoT is a small initiative with a large and ambitious objective: improving the effectiveness of the entire military messaging process. Because it’s keyword-based, CoT doesn’t carry the connotation of complexity generally attributed to other machine languages.

CoT requires only a few hundred lines of XML code, according to the Air Force. As one senior engineer close to the project commented, the best part is that XML is not rocket science—it’s actually very easy to do and can be widely used.

Employing common message elements, CoT helps space, air and ground forces work as a synchronized unit. At the same time, it brings their communications together as a single network to expedite mission critical information across all segments. It eliminates the problem of incompatible user formats by introducing a common data overlay that lets them communicate.

Colonel Mike Therrien, who is director of the Command Interoperability Program Office for the C4ISR Enterprise Integration Office at ESC, said he is paying considerable attention to the ongoing CoT work.

“This is a major step in moving mission-critical information,” he said. “Each service traditionally builds its own systems, and CoT is a specific capability we’re using to connect those individual systems together. Voice and manual data exchange today takes time. We need to shorten our timeline in a machine-to-machine format and improve our accuracy.

“Net-centric capabilities are in demand today, and we need to take advantage of Web services and move on to the next level. That doesn’t mean taking the man out of the loop. The decision to put the cursor on the target and bring firepower on it always has to be a human decision,” Therrien continued.

That perspective is shared by Richard J. Byrne, executive director for networks and information integration at MITRE, who oversees major infrastructure and transformation programs targeted to replace existing systems with next-generation capabilities. He also leads a set of Four Star Rapid Prototyping Initiatives that focuses on finding ways to rapidly bring some of the key net-centric capabilities to warfighter systems operating in the field today. This immediate value is critical, since in many cases full capability deployment of the next-generation systems may be a decade or more away. CoT is one of these initiatives.

Byrne explained how CoT received the emphasis it has been given. “Four Star Rapid Prototyping Initiatives must address a priority warfighter need that’s currently unmet,” he said. “They also have to be net-centric in terms of their scalability and be aligned with the enterprise integration vision of the Air Force. Finally, they must be cost-effective enough to be rapidly applicable to fielded systems without major re-work or expenditure.”

The name of the of the project, Therrien explained, came from comments made by General John P. Jumper, the Air Force chief of staff, in 2002. Addressing a Four-Star Summit Conference, Jumper referred to the criticality of bringing all information to bear so that “the sum of the wisdom is a cursor over the target” without regard to where the information came from. The Cursor on Target initiative is intended as a step in that direction.

Learning the Language

“Cursor on Target essentially is designed as a simplified software translator in a machine-readable format containing a core of data elements or strategies satisfying the ‘what, where and when’ data requirements,” in order to rapidly achieve message interoperability between user communities, Byrne said.

“When you’re in a foreign country,” he noted, “you don’t learn the entire language, just the key words necessary to get your message across. Some words are much more valuable and useful for achieving that goal than others.”

Similarly, in a fast-paced military messaging environment, some data elements are significantly more useful than others. “Therefore, the Extensible Markup Language allows us to tier the value of the data, accommodating the most mission-critical and important information first and expanding the capability, if needed, upon that foundation,” Byrne said.

“The advent of Cursor on Target is a fundamental augmentation of existing machine language standards,” he continued. “Each battlefield system contains a myriad of data that takes time to learn and understand. CoT contains a kind of abstract of the key data that’s common across the user communities. It provides a lightweight, simplified common interface language that contains the important elements. That means it can be quickly read, or understood, by the next user community in the chain.”

CoT isn’t just a drawing board initiative, however, but is already at war and scoring impressive successes. Developed by a team comprising ESC, MITRE, Air Force Special Operations Command, Air Force Research Laboratory and the Navy, CoT was initially designated for deployment to special forces units to provide improved time-critical targeting. Tests have shown that sensor-to-shooter paths enabled with CoT software improve the speed of the process by nearly 70 percent, while also significantly increasing firepower accuracy.

There currently is no official program to implement CoT data message standards across the services. But Byrne pointed out that a coalition of between 40 and 50 systems across the Department of Defense is working to add CoT to achieve rapid, machine-to-machine interoperability. The systems are in various stages of development on a wide variety of platforms.

“Implementation means looking for every program or system that contains the core data requirements of ‘what, where and when’ and offering them a very low cost tool that will allow them to talk to a multitude of other systems,” he said.

“This is a shift in the way we do enterprise integration. It’s a way of building a different strategy to get major communities talking to each other and interoperating with the simplified approach that CoT provides.”

That approach has already drawn attention within the technical community. The Air Force-MITRE partnership effort on Cursor on Target resulted in an International Golden Link Award for excellence and innovation from the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA) this spring.

The AFCEA award is significant, Byrne said, because it will help more potential users become aware of the CoT capability and its availability. “The voluntary partnerships being created between ESC, the Air Force and the other services will extend beyond CoT to provide other innovative, net-centric capabilities. These will accelerate the realization of net-centric operations to the warfighter.”

At ESC, work on CoT continues, as the Air Force coordinates closely with other services to define areas of applicability for the concept. The schedule calls for some upcoming testing to be done under fire at joint exercises.

“While major segments of the system are being implemented in theater, other elements are set to go under extensive test at JEFX04, the Joint Expeditionary Forces Experiment, at Nellis AFB, [NV], and at other areas starting in the July-August time frame,” Therrien said.

“We’re looking ahead to CoT development to improve Air and Space Operations Center communications activity, and that work will be part of what is planned for the JEFX04,” he said. “We will also be looking at using CoT to link to the Navy’s F-18 cockpit and bringing in the Army’s Blue Force Tracking system, which enables the commander to track his forces on the battlefield and provide situational awareness.”

Therrien summed up the CoT initiative: “CoT has been shown to work. It’s simple to use, secure and can handle mission-critical information. We would like to see this capability proliferate in terms of solving the interoperability problem.”

http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/holnus/002200409031713.htm
IAF plans joint exercise with Singapore Air force
New Delhi, Sept 3. (PTI): After proving their mettle in joint exercise with the US Air Force F-15s, Indian Air Force pilots and frontline warplanes would get a chance to cross swords with the F-16 fighter aircraft, the mainstay of its adversary Pakistan, during exercises with the Singapore Air force next month.

In the exercise aptly codenamed Ankush (check), IAF main fighters like the just inducted Su-30MKI, Jaguars, Mirage 2000, MiG 21, MiG 27 and upgraded Mig 21 bisons would match skills with six Singapore Air Force F-16s for over 15 days from second half of October, according to IAF sources here.

The clash would again take place over the skies of Gwalior, where last year, the IAF pilots in SU-30s proved more than the match for the US Air Forces F-15 fighters, in the first ever fighter to fighter exercises held with a foreign air force.

But this time, the IAF would have a chance to match their skills against the much vaunted F-16, labelled as one of the most manoeuvrable fighters in the world.

The US Air Force had last year turned down Indian request to bring in the F-16, fighting falcons, but the Singapore Air Force has no such qualms.

---------------
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/040909/neth007_1.html
Press Release Source: Raytheon Company

Raytheon to be Awarded Contract to Add Active Array to B-2 Bomber Radar
Thursday September 9, 10:00 am ET
B-2 轟炸機雷達加主動電子掃描陣列(AESA)天線
EL SEGUNDO, Calif., Sept. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN - News) has been notified it will be awarded a contract to modernize the radar system on the U.S. Air Forces B-2 Spirit stealth bomber with the addition of a new Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) antenna. Terms of the contract were not disclosed. Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems (SAS) is the primary subcontractor on the B-2 Radar Modernization Program (RMP) for prime contractor Northrop Grumman Corporation, which will award the contract.
Total value of the B-2 RMP to Raytheon, including the remaining development work and a future production contract, is expected to be approximately $600 million. The majority of the radar work will be performed in El Segundo, Calif. and Dallas, Texas.

The contract begins the fourth phase of a multiyear program to retrofit the B-2 bomber fleet with a new AESA radar antenna. The scope of the system development and demonstration award includes design, development, and fabrication of engineering models and demonstration units, and flight test activities for integration into the B-2 fleet.

Our AESA antenna design significantly improves the radars performance and operational stealthiness, said Rich Auerbach, Raytheons program director for the B-2 RMP. Our solution boosts the radars power, makes future upgrades easier and was accomplished without making costly modifications to the 20- year-old B-2 platform.

The B-2 Radar Modernization Program began with a study that defined two alternatives the government could pursue to improvements in radio frequency usage between the B-2 and commercial systems. The Air Force chose the AESA option because of its inherent reliability and growth potential.

As the industry leader in AESA technology -- both the F-15 AESA and the F/A-18 Super Hornet AESA are Raytheon systems -- we have the expertise to produce a reliable active array in the specified band, said Raytheon SAS Vice President Erv Grau. The antenna requires small, densely packed transmit/receive modules to assure reliable ESA performance -- and no one builds T/R modules better than Raytheon.

The T/R modules have already become a success story for the program. Each antenna requires more than 2,000 of the two-channel modules, making them the single largest investment for the system. The modules are now fully qualified with zero failures in the qualification test program, and Raytheon has demonstrated its ability to mass produce them at an affordable cost.

Raytheon Companys Space and Airborne Systems (SAS) designs, develops and manufactures advanced systems for precision engagement; missile defense; and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance. Headquartered in El Segundo, Calif., SAS has 11,000 employees and additional facilities in Goleta, Calif.; Forest, Miss.; Dallas, McKinney and Plano, Texas; and several international locations.

Raytheon Company, with 2003 sales of $18.1 billion, is an industry leader in defense and government electronics, space, information technology, technical services, and business and special mission aircraft. With headquarters in Waltham, Mass., Raytheon employs 78,000 people worldwide.

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) has set a timeframe of seven years for the development of the Awacs — which will be less sophisticated and smaller than the Phalcons — at a cost of Rs 1,800 crore.

U.S. Air Force Selects Northrop Grumman Team for E-10A Battle Management Contract
Friday September 10, 5:46 pm ET
美國諾廠獲 E-10 合約
MELBOURNE, Fla., Sept. 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The U.S. Air Force has selected a Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC - News)-led team to develop the services E-10A aircrafts Battle Management Command and Control (BMC2) subsystem, one the most important programs in the development of Joint Network Centric Warfare in this decade.

The companys BMC2 team was selected following a 15-month competitive process for the estimated $308 million system design and development phase of the program. The BMC2 subsystem is the backbone of the E-10A program. It provides the information processing capability for the E-10As Multi-Platform Radar Technology Insertion Program (MP-RTIP) radar as well as the command and control functions key to the aircrafts mission. BMC2 is also capable of accessing and correlating sensor data from other sources to provide commanders with a comprehensive battlespace picture.

BMC2 will provide critical seamless real-time communications, while supporting full spectrum dominance and persistent situation awareness for the warfighter. The result will be reducing the time required to find, fix, track and target fleeting and mobile targets and other hostile forces. The subsystems cutting edge technology will fulfill the Air Forces vision for cruise missile defense and executable decision-quality information.

This is a key win for Northrop Grumman, one that reaffirms our position as a premier battle-management C4ISR system supplier and puts us in a good position to offer similar technology for future platforms, said Ronald D. Sugar, Northrop Grumman chairman, CEO and president. Northrop Grummans team has a great deal of experience ranging from operational airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance to systems integration. We will deliver to the Air Force a transformational system that will play a pivotal role in the multi-dimensional battlefield.

The Northrop Grumman Integrated Systems sector leads the team, which also includes the companys Electronic Systems, Information Technology and Mission Systems sectors. Two other top-tier team members, Harris Government Systems and General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, will have key roles along with support from second-tier partners located throughout the United States. These include Cisco Systems, San Jose, Calif.; Oracle Corp., Redwood Shores, Calif.; Zel Technologies (ZelTech), Hampton Roads, Va.; Alphatech, Burlington, Mass.; L-3 Communications West, Salt Lake City, Utah; and L-3 Comcept, Rockwall, Texas.

The E-10As MP-RTIP radar sensor will provide high-resolution radar imagery of ground targets and be able to track cruise missiles in flight.

By Arieh OSullivan, The Jerusalem Post

The visiting commander of the Indian Air Force has proposed joint maneuvers and training exercises with the Israeli Air Force.

In an interview with The Jerusalem Post, Air Chief Marshal Srinivaspuram Krishnaswamy said that he had received a positive reaction from his Israeli counterpart.

OC Air Force Maj.-Gen. Elyezer Shkedy is hosting Krishnaswamy, a former test pilot. He has given him the honor of becoming the first non-Israeli to fly in the US-made F-16I, Israels newest fighter jet.

We look forward to exercising with the Israeli Air Force, Krishnaswamy said. We can learn from each other in many ways as we are learning from the others.

It is a matter of working out the practicalities, whether they wish to come [to India] or we come here and other various modalities. I believe there are mutual appreciations and interests. We hope that it would progress further.

He said that his air force has not conducted joint training with any Arab states.

Speaking to The Jerusalem Post earlier this week, Shkedy said the IAF was in the process of developing links with other air forces.

One of these nations is no doubt India, Shkedy said. Openness to the world and training around the world has benefits for the IAF.

Krishnaswamy noted that the Indian air force has trained with the French and most recently with the United States in Alaska. It was the first time Indian fighter jets crossed the Atlantic Ocean, traveling 30,000 kilometers one way.

It was a very successful exercise and they quite enjoyed themselves, he said.

He said that the Indian air force was dispatching next week their Mirage 2000 to train in South Africa. They will be crossing the Indian Ocean. Next year the air force is planning to send them to France to exercise with the French Air Force.

Next month, Singapores F-16 squadron is slated to come to India to train.

In Israel for a five-day visit this week, Krishnaswamy toured on Thursday the Ramon air base, home of the F-16 I squadrons and the Palmahim base, where Israel maintains part of its large UAV aircraft and attack helicopters.

His visit is part of the ongoing warm relations between the two militaries.

During his visit here, Krishnaswamy also stopped by Israel Aircraft Industries to review the progress on the $1 billon deal to supply India with three Phalcon early-warning airborne radar aircraft.

It will be a force multiplier by providing a radar in the sky. It will give us a longer look beyond the horizon and it certainly has its operational utility. We look forward to it, Krishnaswamy said.

Krishnaswamy said he was not familiar with reports that said India was keen on getting Israeli satellite photos of Pakistani nuclear sites.

We have our own access to whatever intelligence is necessary, he said.

He also was adamant that India would not request or require any Israeli aid to meet future threats.

I dont expect any significant help as such from Israel. We are quite capable of managing it ourselves. We dont expect any help or support to meet our threat from any nation. Lets make that very clear, he said.

Krishnaswamy said the Indian air force was interested in learning how other countries manage their air forces and train their pilots and crews.

He said he found openness from the Israelis and was inspired by the training methods he was shown.

We were briefed that the Israeli air force has about 35,000 people in uniform, but you have some very formidable capabilities. You have your number of squadrons and you manage it so efficiently, he said.

In his capacity as chairman of Chiefs of Staff Committee, Krishnaswamy also visited TASS Israel Military Industries, Elbit, and Rafael.

Defense links and deals are blossoming with India, but Krishnaswamy indicated that India expected to off-set purchases in India for weapons purchases here.

Between countries there is a certain reciprocity, like in the good old days of trade and barter. We are looking at which way we can be beneficial, he said.

　在伊朗興建核能發電廠到最後階段之前，以色列空軍少將指揮官史開第表示，以色列空軍目前有美國製造的F-16I長程轟炸機中隊，只要政府下令，以軍可以很快飛抵伊朗的核電廠。

　史開第說，他們擁有的新型F-16I戰機，飛行員技術成熟，熟悉武器，以軍可以有效使用這種武器執行任務，只要到達一定的距離，他們就可以發射武器。

　史開第是在接受耶路撒冷郵報訪問時作了上述表示，他指出，以軍是政府的武力，只要政府作出以武力解決的決定，以色列空軍就會去完成任務。

　史開第說，伊朗可能擁有核武一事，需要從外交、祕密協商或軍事行動的解決方案；而他不能明白指出相關細節。

　史開第強調，伊朗有野心獲得大規模殺傷武器，並擁有地對地飛彈，加上伊朗和恐怖活動組織的聯繫，讓全世界都受到威脅；而以色列空軍得到百分之三十的國防經費，當然要發展打擊恐怖攻擊的能力。

“王牌”轟炸機兼搞電子戰 作戰距離遙遠


www.XINHUANET.com　　2004年09月15日 14:35:43　　來源：人民網-環球時報

準備改裝成電子戰飛機的B—52戰略轟炸機

B-52“同溫層堡壘”轟炸機

據波音公司對外披露，該公司設在韋奇塔的改裝中心正在緊鑼密鼓地實施一項飛機改裝計劃，改裝的主角是B—52重型轟炸機。按照美空軍的計劃，波音公司將把它改裝成電子戰飛機，代號EB—52。

在現代戰場上，電子偵察、電子干擾、電子欺騙等手段的作用日漸重要，直接影響到戰爭進程，因此美國空軍急於補充電子戰實力。經過一番論證，他們把目光落在了已有50多歲“高齡”的B—52轟炸機上。

B—52從1948年開始設計，1955年開始裝備美國空軍。在歷次戰爭中，它都是美軍“殺手��”，許多難啃的目標都由它來解決，是美軍的“王牌”轟炸機。因此，空軍希望它能堅持到2050年，創下一種戰機服役百年的神話。

空軍之所以選中B—52進行改裝，主n是看上了它的兩荅S點。一是負載能力巨大。電子戰飛機的軟殺傷力主要來自“機載電子攻擊”吊艙，對於小型戰術飛機來說，電子戰吊艙太重，它們根本無法承受；此外附屬的天線系統、發電設備也需要佔很大的空間。B—52是為了將巨大的核武器投向蘇聯而設計的，因此具有巨大的負載能力，正常起飛重量達221噸，完全可以滿足電子戰飛機的要求。此外B—52本身就有一個電子領航員/電子戰軍官工作站，改裝起來相對簡單。

其次，B—52的作戰距離可達1.5萬公里，如果進行空中加油，續航時間可達35小時，最遠飛行距離2萬多公里，能夠到地球上任何地區執行任務，可以滿足美國空軍全球打擊的要求。因此空軍將EB—52稱為戰略電子戰飛機。空軍將為EB—52研製一種新型遠程雷達干擾/雷達欺騙電子吊艙，它可干擾敵方雷達陣地與導彈瞄準人員之間的通信。電子戰吊艙將挂在機翼下油箱的位置，兩翼各挂一個，每個可以覆蓋180度。

按照空軍的計劃，第一批將改裝16架B—52轟炸機，最終空軍將改裝成76架EB—52。

（法新社德黑蘭十八日電） 伊朗國營電視台今天報導，伊朗最高領導人哈米尼今天校閱軍事演習時，伊朗革命衛隊將試射長程飛彈。

電視台報導說：「今天演習計劃中最重要的部分包括針對假想敵陣地發射長程飛彈。」

報導將這種飛彈稱為「戰略」飛彈，這種說法通常意指用來攻擊敵軍力量根源的武器系統，諸如攻擊敵方的城市、工廠、軍事基地、通訊與運輸設施等。

報導並未詳述飛彈的射程與威力。

伊朗的核子活動已令國際擔憂，如今又發展彈道飛彈，令國際益為憂心。

伊朗最近曾試射改良型的流星三號中程飛彈，這種飛彈源於據報導能負載一公噸重彈頭的北韓蘆洞飛彈。

[路透新德里電]美國已解除對印度商業太空計劃和核電廠設備長達數十年的出口限制。這項舉措似是美、印雙方關係增溫的跡象。

由於華府視新德里為冷戰時期蘇聯的盟友，因此數十年來一直禁止美國企業銷售精密設備或技術給印度，以免印度用來作為軍事用途。

印度外交部週六表示，在針對美方於武器擴散方面的疑慮提出滿意答覆後，華府已放寬了出口禁令。

外交部在聲明中稱：「這些努力已使美國對其出口授權政策作出修改，俾便雙方展開商用太空計劃，並允許若干技術出口給具預防措施保護的核電廠。」

美國國務院發言人埃雷利(AdamEreli)說，兩國現在可以進一步合作。

他在美、印官員週五於華盛頓的一項會議後說：「他們同意在三方面拓展合作關係：民用核子活動、民用太空計劃和高科技貿易。此外，我們還同意擴大在飛彈防衛方面的對話。」(完)

外電稱，中共已經完成第三代陸攻型「東海十型」巡弋導彈的試射，該型導彈射程一千五百公里、命中精度十公尺內。這個消息需要進一步查證，因為它超過西方的預期；如果消息屬實，又能證明「東海十型」已定型且準備量產，其所帶來的威脅意義將顛覆美國在東亞地區部署導彈防禦系統的立意。

美國在東亞建立的導彈防禦系統，主要是攔截彈道導彈，而非針對命中精度高、通用性強（可供空射、潛射、海射）、機動靈活、效費比高且能執行飽和攻擊的巡弋導彈。美、俄等國有鑑於此，遂把射程大於五百公里、能運載五百公斤常規彈頭、命中精度小於十公尺的常規巡弋導彈，視為對敵實施有效威懾之絕佳手段而大量生產。「東海十型」的性能似乎接近美、俄的實力，因此讓人感到懷疑之餘也令人震驚。

根據美國國家航空情報委員會的情資顯示，中共早於一九七○年代預研巡弋導彈，尤其在俄羅斯和以色列的協助下，中共研製巡弋導彈確有明顯成果，但在大部分蒐集的數據當中尚未出現「東海十型」的字眼。比較可靠的消息來自大陸華北工學院，二○○○年所展示「集成微型加速度測試系統」成果中，提到一點「東海十型」陸基巡弋導彈全彈道的過載測試消息，可見確有該型導彈。

[路透耶路撒冷電]以色列安全部門消息來源周二指出，美國計畫出售以色列價值3.19億元的空中投擲炸彈，其中包括500枚可以炸穿伊朗地下核子設施的碉堡炸彈(bunkerbomb)。

今年6月，美國五角大廈曾表示，將考慮出售以色列500枚專為摧毀強化目標而設計的BLU-109炸彈，以做為加強美國策略及戰術目標的軍火專案。

美國駐以色列大使館方面對於此項交易是否已經敲定並未做出評論，指出應向華府方面查詢。以色列國防部也拒絕置評。

以色列安全消息來源指出，這項交易將會完成。同時也有一位人士向路透表示，「這並不是用於應付巴勒斯坦的軍火需求，碉堡炸彈可用來對付伊朗或是敘利亞。」

Haaretz日報引述以色列政府消息來源指出，這項交易可能在11月美國總統大選後完成。

一名伊朗國防部發言人對此表示，這項消息的發佈可能是美國及以色列對我們的一項心理戰。(完)

（中央社記者姜遠珍漢城二十三日專電）南韓「聯合新聞通訊社」今天報導指出，據來自日本方面的消息透露，目前北韓正在進行射程達一千三百公里、足以將日本列島覆蓋在攻擊範圍之內的蘆洞導彈的發射準備，因此，日本海上自衛隊已將神盾戰艦和EP3電子偵察機等派往日本海，展開了二十四小時全天候的監視工作。

「聯合新聞通訊社」今天引述日本「讀賣新聞」的報導指出，東京的多名消息靈通人士透露，美國政府和日本政府透過對偵察衛星和電波情報等的資料進行分析，掌握了二十一日下午北韓軍隊的車輛、軍人及導彈技術人員等聚集在北韓東部的多處蘆洞導彈發射基地周圍的情況。

報導指出，北韓的導彈發射設施大部分位於地下基地，至今尚未能確定是否已經注入了發射導彈所需的液體燃料，也不清楚是否移動了導彈發射台等。但據美國和日本政府當局的研判結果，即使北韓現在進行發射導彈的準備，要完成實際發射至少得需要兩週左右的時間。

　　中新網9月24日電 據防務新聞消息﹐印度空軍一架法制“幻影2000”戰斗機9月23日在飛行訓練中墜毀﹐戰機飛行員成功在飛機墜毀前彈射逃生﹐這架“幻影2000”戰斗機最終墜毀在一處人煙稀少地區。根據印度空軍官員的說法﹐這架“幻影2000”戰斗機在起飛後一個輪子脫落﹐最終導致飛行員將飛機駕駛至遠郊﹐以避免造成地面人員傷亡。(chinesenewsnet.com)

　　盡管印度空軍“幻影2000”戰機失事事件並非時常發生﹐但是戰機的頻頻墜毀一直以來都困擾著印度空軍。就在今年年初﹐印度空軍4架英制“美洲虎”戰斗機墜毀﹐3名飛行員喪生﹐並導致“美洲虎”戰機機隊停飛接受檢查。(chinesenewsnet.com)

　　求求戰機頻頻墜毀令人震驚印空軍“虛有其表”(chinesenewsnet.com)

　　對于印度空軍的墜機事件﹐人們似乎已經將其看成是“家常便飯”。印度空軍雖然號稱是世界第四大空軍﹐擁有1000多架戰機﹐但是這些戰機大多數是舊式的俄制戰機﹐且多數是陳舊不堪的米格-21戰斗機。印度空軍早前就認為﹐米格-21戰機飛行事故頻發主要是技術原因和飛行員的操作失誤。印度空軍權威人士稱﹐缺乏先進的教練機致使飛行員得不到應有的培訓﹐使飛行員在駕駛過程中頻頻出現失誤。由于印度空軍的米格─21使用時間已經很長﹐設備老化﹐性能下降﹐缺乏安全保障﹐導致飛行事故頻發。(chinesenewsnet.com)

　　印空軍參謀長今年5月26日曾宣布﹐印空軍將使300架單座俄制米格-21飛機中最老的70架退役。據印官方透露﹐20世紀90年代以來﹐印空軍因飛行事故而損失了185架飛機和80多名飛行員﹐其中大多墜毀的飛機是米格-21飛機。根據統計﹐在過去的3年中﹐印空軍共損失60架米格型戰斗機和10架包括米-8､米-17直升機在內的其他型號飛機。在這些飛行事故中﹐米格-21戰斗機事故率最高﹐佔據飛行事故總數的60%以上﹐使這種70年代的作戰飛機成為名副其實的“空中棺材”。 (chinesenewsnet.com)

　　米格-21戰機是印度于60年代從蘇聯進口的戰斗機﹐後于70年代印度引進生產線自行組裝﹐目前印空軍戰機部隊中的米格-21戰機大部分是自行組裝。印度擁有過的米格-21型號包括F型､PF型､FL型､M/MF型､bis型以及U/UM/US型等等﹐目前印度仍擁有數百架各型米格-21戰機。(chinesenewsnet.com)

　　在60年代和70年代的20年時間裡﹐米格-21戰機發生墜機事件並不多見﹐大約只有11架該型戰機在訓練飛行中墜毀﹐另有11架在印巴沖突中被擊落。到了80年代﹐米格-21戰機失事率有所上升﹐老損情況逐漸顯現出來﹐進入90年代後﹐由于年久老化和其他種種原因﹐米格-21戰機頻頻發生墜機事故﹐特別是自1999年後三年的時間裡就損失了近40架米格-21戰機。(chinesenewsnet.com)

　　求求印度空軍頻發墜機事故的主要原因(chinesenewsnet.com)

　　究及印度空軍頻頻發生墜機事故的原因﹐印度國防部曾表示﹐印度空軍戰機中55%為米格系列飛機﹐飛行次數多于其它型號戰機﹐由于米格戰機老化嚴重﹐因此發生意外的概率自然高。但是軍事分析家卻不這麼認為。(chinesenewsnet.com)

　　軍事分析家認為﹐首先印度空軍飛機事故率高與戰斗機快速老化和使用過于頻繁有關。印度空軍主要裝備都是從國外進口﹐其中70%以上是從前蘇聯和俄羅斯進口﹐正因為蘇聯解體對印空軍的裝備供應影響大﹐導致印空軍所需零部件供應出現困難﹐戰機在此期間無法進行良好的維護。(chinesenewsnet.com)

　　在印空軍40個戰機中隊中﹐除“美洲虎”中隊和“幻影2000”中隊外﹐其余都是俄制戰機中隊﹐而米格-21戰斗機中隊就佔了其中大部分。而米格-21飛機早已超過服役年限﹐飛機性能嚴重退化導致飛行事故頻頻發生。(chinesenewsnet.com)

　　其次﹐印空軍飛行員缺乏有效訓練也是造成墜機頻發的重要原因﹐根據印空軍的統計﹐印空軍2003年發生52起米格系列飛機墜毀事件﹐其中就有24起是人為因素造成﹐在90年代41%的飛行事故是因飛行員訓練不足而造成的。由此可見人為操縱失誤佔相當大的比例﹐而造成飛行員缺乏訓練的主要原因則是缺少高級教練機和飛行訓練時間少。(chinesenewsnet.com)

　　另外﹐印度政府無法投入足夠的資金來保證維護米格系列飛機的正常維修﹐也是飛機事故頻發的一個重要原因。(chinesenewsnet.com)

　　求求擺脫惡夢引進新式戰機夢想打造強大空軍(chinesenewsnet.com)

　　為了擺脫長久以來困擾印空軍的戰機老化問題﹐特別是降低米格系列戰機的失事事件﹐印空軍提出了新的戰機裝備目標﹐未來印空軍中“幻影2000”､米格-29和蘇-30等戰斗機將佔空軍機隊的30%﹐改進後的米格-21､米格-23､米格-27和“美洲虎”及國產輕型戰斗機則佔70%。印空軍還計劃在未來組建超過10個蘇-30MKI戰斗機中隊､7個“幻影2000”和數個“美洲虎”戰斗機中隊。(chinesenewsnet.com)

　　近年來﹐印度不惜耗費巨資﹐大規模從俄羅斯､法國等國採購先進戰機裝備﹐僅僅在1996年和1998年﹐印度就向俄羅斯定購了50架蘇-30戰斗機﹐並于2001年開始裝備蘇-30型戰機和改進米格-21戰機﹐使其擁有前沿空中優勢和防御能力。2000年2月﹐印度又獲得法國達索航空公司的承諾﹐採購標准型“陣風”戰斗機。(chinesenewsnet.com)

　　印度國防部曾發布報告指出﹐印度空軍若再與巴基斯坦空軍交戰﹐將無法取得決定性的勝利﹐也無法擊敗中國空軍。因此印軍制定了新的軍事戰略﹐在這一戰略的指導下﹐印軍特別強調空軍在未來戰爭中的作用﹐承認空軍成為並仍將作為戰爭的決勝力量﹐空中力量將在未來戰爭和武裝沖突中發揮決定性作用。因此﹐印空軍並不希望保持目前的空軍大國現狀﹐仍然加緊步伐發展空軍強國優勢。(章田/雅龍)

日本《讀賣新聞》今天以頭版頭條新聞報導，美國和日本的掌握的情資顯示，北韓有準備發射「蘆洞」中程彈道飛彈的跡象。而日本防衛廳已派出神盾級驅逐艦和EP３型電子情報偵察機，廿四小時在日本海水域加強偵監。

「蘆洞」飛彈射程達一千三百公里，幾可涵蓋日本全境。

讀賣新聞引據日本政府消息人士報導，廿一日下午，日本和美國透過偵察衛星和電波情報的資料分析，發現北韓東部有個「蘆洞」飛彈發射基地附近，有車輛、部隊和飛彈相關技術人員的異常集結。至於實際的發射時間，推測可能是幾天後到兩星期之間。

報導說，「蘆洞」飛彈的基地附近還有射程可遠及美國的「大浦洞二號」彈道飛彈的地下發射基地，而日美政府已提高戒備，嚴防北韓發射大浦洞二號飛彈。

不過報導也指出，由於蘆洞飛彈需要注入液體燃料才能發射，目前並無法確定液體燃料是否已注入飛彈，也並沒有偵測到發射台起動的徵兆。

日本首相小泉純一郎今晚則針對讀賣新聞的報導表示，他認為北韓再度試射彈道飛彈的可能性很小。

而南韓國防部今天也表示，北韓可能正在準備試射彈道飛彈。不過，另有南韓軍情官員稱，北韓軍方目前正在某彈道飛彈基地從事年度例行演訓，而演訓性質應屬高司模擬演習，不至於試射飛彈。

日本政府上次偵測到北韓有發射彈道飛彈徵兆是在去年的三月，當時發覺北韓在東北部集結軍事車輛，但最後並沒有發射。

（中央社台北二十五日電）法國空軍「巡邏兵」部隊將於十月七日在北京南苑機場表演飛行特技，不過，中國軍方同意其申請飛越天安門一事的可能性不高。

法國駐京使館空軍武官馬鐵軍中將向新京報透露，法國已向中國軍方提交特別申請，希望准許巡邏兵飛越北京市中心和長城，迄今，這項申請尚無回覆。

London Financial Times
September 16, 2004

Washington In Talks With Pakistan On Resumed Sale Of F-16s
巴基斯坦空軍總司令﹕美國跟巴基斯坦商議出售 F-16
By Farhan Bokhari

Pakistan is negotiating the purchase of 40 to 50 USF-16 fighter jets whose original delivery was suspended in 1990 after Washington imposed sanctions on Islamabad because of its nuclear weapons programme, according to the head of the countrys air force.

Air Chief Marshal Kaleem Saadat, speaking at an international defence exhibition in Karachi this week, said: Now there is a change in their (US) attitude. They have indicated that they are ready to give us F-16s.

Former air force officials working on the contract said the two sides were discussing the sale of up to two squadrons of F-16s and the price tag, suggesting that the talks had made headway.

These negotiations mark a reversal of the restrictions from the US, said one official.

Mr Saadat said Pakistans close co-operation with the US in the war on terror in the past three years had led to the change in attitude.

Last week, the Bush administration proposed the sale of other defence supplies such as new communication equipment for the military and a contract for the upgrade of at least six C-130E military transport aircraft.

But many Pakistanis continue to denounce the US for its failure to resume the sale of the F-16s and the issue is widely quoted as an example of Washingtons unreliability as a supplier of defence equipment.

Pakistani public opinion is still against Americans because they think the Americans want to keep them weak, said Mr Saadat.

The Bush administration was likely to wait until after the US presidential elections in November before proposing a new fighter aircraft sale to Islamabad, said western diplomats.

The delay was probable because of concerns over criticism from non-proliferation groups during the election campaign.

The F-16s would be seen by critics of Pakistans nuclear programme as an aircraft that can deliver nuclear weapons, said one diplomat.

The Pakistani air force uses up to 40 F-16s, which it bought from the US in the early 1980s, before the second order was suspended due to the sanctions.

Defense News
Posted 09/13/04 16:54

India Seeks Fleet Of Mini AWACS To Monitor Borders with Pakistan, China
印度預警機計劃
By VIVEK RAGHUVANSHI, BANGALORE, India

Five years after the crash of Indias first indigenous airborne surveillance aircraft, the states Center for Airborne Systems (CABS) has announced plans to build three small Airborne Early Warning & Control Systems (AWACS) over five years for $435 million.

The planes will operate at up to 35,000 feet for up to seven hours, spotting 2-square-meter items up to 300 kilometers away. The planes also will carry a 300-kilometer Identification Friend or Foe transponder, GPS and inertial navigation systems, secure microwave datalinks, and data and voice radios.

CABS sources said the laboratory will develop the planes radar warning receivers, missile warning gear, countermeasures dispensers, and other active and passive sensors for air and surface tactical data and data identification and classification equipment.

The Cabinet Committee on Security is expected to approve the program next month, CABS officials said.

Lead Candidate

But they already have a prime candidate for the airframe: the EMB-145 made by Embraer, San Jose dos Campos, Brazil. CABS officials said Embraer has mounted AWACS radar from Swedens Ericsson, and the Indian Air Force has short-listed EMB-145 aircraft for its VIP aircraft fleet.

CABS scientists visited Embraer facilities in Brazil in July. Indias defense research agency, Defence Research and Development Organisation, is expected to offer Embraer a sole-source tender for three aircraft, a deal expected to be signed before December, a senior agency scientist said.

CABS also intends to invite defense electronics firms such as Ericsson, Thales, Paris, and Elta, Ashdod, Israel, to bid on advisory contracts.The planes will help monitor low-intensity conflicts, such as the ones in the Kashmir valley bordering Pakistan and on the northeast border with China. They also will provide training for the Air Force pilots and specialists who will operate the Phalcon AWACS when they arrive from Israel, the CABS scientists said.

The proposed planes will be a more stable surveillance platform than the Phalcons, according to retired Indian Air Force wing commander Bhim Singh.

Indias Guardian AWACS program, later renamed AJRAWAT, began in the early 1980s. An Avro aircraft with 24-by-5-foot rotodome flew in 1990, and CABS was set up a year later to run the program.

Crash Forced Global Search

But the deadly January 1999 crash of a prototype Airborne Surveillance Platform dashed Indias hopes of getting a homegrown AWACS program and led to a global hunt for AWACS from the overseas market.

South African Firm To Buy Pakistan Trainer Aircraft
By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, KARACHI

A South African firm has agreed to purchase four more trainer aircraft built by Pakistan after receiving delivery of one such plane here, officials said Sept. 17.

The state-owned Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) signed the sale contract of four Mashak 17-1 aircraft with the Uni Group Holding Private Limited on Thursday, an official statement said.

The PAC delivered one Mashak to the South African company in August after which the contract was signed, it said. The signing ceremony was held during a four-day exhibition of locally-manufactured defense equipment being held here to lure foreign buyers.

Pakistan wants to expand exports of conventional weapons, which stood at $100 million last year.

The exhibition, which ends Sept. 17, attracted 160 delegates from 35 countries around the world.

We have received a very good response, especially from African and Gulf countries, the director general of the Defense Export Promotion Organization, Major General Syed Ali Hamid, said.

---------
http://www.shephard.co.uk/UVOnline/Default.aspx?Action=-187126550&ID;=5d296aed-ed36-4207-af98-c1ee07838918
Russia makes first defense purchase from Israel

Russia has made its first defense procurement from Israel. Aeronautics Defense Systems has signed a contract to sell unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) to Russias Ministry of Civil Defense, Emergencies, & Natural Disasters.

Yavne-based Aeronautics Defense Systems signed the contract with Russian company Irkut, the manufacturer of the advanced fighter-bomber Sukhoi Su-30 and other aerospace products. The contract is reportedly worth several million dollars. Aeronautics Defense Systems VP marketing Idan Shimon confirmed the report.

Russia bought the companys Aerostar UAV, which has also been sold to Angola, Ivory Coast and other African countries. Aerostar is used to defend oil installations and other facilities.

The Russian deal is worth several million dollars.

Aeronautics Defense Systems recently achieved another milestone, signing a cooperation agreement for UAVs with General Dynamics Corp. The agreement has already led to one contract: the US Navy has bought several of Aeronautics Defense Systems products. The Aerostar is manufactured in the US, which Shimon says enables the IDF to use US military aid to buy the system.

In order to expand its share of the UAV market, Aeronautics Defense Systems bought most of the shares of Italian UAV engine-maker Zanzottera Technologies early this year. Zanzottera is now developing more powerful engines for Aeronautics Defense Systems larger UAVs now under development.

JDW 的巴基斯坦 F-16 報導

Janes Defence Weekly
September 22, 2004

US Offers To Sell F-16s To Pakistan

By Joshua Kucera, JDW Staff Reporter, Karachi, Pakistan

The US is offering to sell 18 F-16 fighter aircraft to the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) pending Congressional approval: one of several such deals in the works after years of US-led defence sanctions against Pakistan, the PAF Chief of Staff has disclosed.

[The Americans] have indicated that they are ready to give us F-16s, said Air Chief Marshal (ACM) Kaleem Saadat. This is not a rumour; it is from the American government.

Pakistan said it hopes the deal is the beginning of greater US co-operation. Eighteen I consider to be the first instalment of what would follow, ACM Saadat told JDW. Approval from Congress, however, is not likely to come until after the US elections in November, he said.

Pakistan is asking that the F-16s be equipped with Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAMs). Along with additional fighter aircraft, Pakistan has also outlined a requirement for a beyond-visual-range missile, which the AMRAAM would meet.

Sanctions

In 1988-89, Pakistan arranged to supplement its stock of 40 F-16A/Bs - about 32 of which remained in service as of 2003 - by ordering an additional 71 aircraft. Lockheed Martin began producing them, but then the US Congress imposed sanctions in 1995 that barred military sales to the country unless the US President could certify that Pakistan was not pursuing nuclear weapons.

As a result, only 28 of the 71 were ever built and none of them were delivered to Pakistan. Instead they were kept in storage in the US until the Bush administration reimbursed the Pakistanis financially and assigned 14 aircraft each to the US Air Force and Navy in June 2002 for training and testing purposes.

The episode still rankles in Pakistan and the renewed possibility of acquiring F-16s is seen partly as making amends in thanks for Pakistans efforts as an ally of the US in the wake of 9/11.

Right from day one, we have been impressing upon the US government what symbolic value the F-16 has for the Pakistani people and the Pakistani nation, ACM Saadat said. So its not as if 10, 15, 20 aircraft would make a world of difference in our operational capability, but its a symbol in the sense that the people of Pakistan think that if they give us this then they are really sincere in helping us.

In addition, the US thinks that the F-16s could help Pakistan in its fight against Islamist insurgents in the countrys northwest, ACM Saadat said. So I guess the US government and [US] Central Command believes it would be helpful to their cause also, he said. The AMRAAMs, however, would be more useful against India than against ground targets in the northwest.

Lockheed Martin officials also said Pakistans key role as a US ally appeared to be paying dividends. If you read what you see in the papers in the last two or three weeks, I would say theres probably more opportunity than there was [for the F-16 deal], said James Jamerson, Lockheeds president for the Middle East and Africa. The 9/11 commission singled out Pakistan and said it was an important ally and that we need to do it right. Secretary [Colin] Powell made some comments, Senator [John] Kerry made some comments that were positive.

Jamerson said it was not yet decided what type of F-16s they would be, but said Pakistan has requested new aircraft, which would most likely be Block 50 variants. ACM Sadaat said he was also open to excess defence articles.

Lockheed Martin is currently producing only advanced Block 50/52 aircraft and the newer Block 60 configuration. However, the US Air Force has several hundred F-16A/B aircraft remaining in mothballs. The US government has already sold approximately 150 F-16A/Bs to six nations and modified them via the Mid-Life Update programme that brings their avionics and weapons capabilities near to that of earlier model Block50/52 aircraft.

Pakistan has also sought second-hand F-16A/Bs from countries like Belgium. Such transactions would require US government approval.

Arrangement

If approved, the Pakistani F-16s, would still not fill Pakistans requirement for a high-tech fighter, ACM Saadat said, adding that the country is still looking at the Gripen, J-10, Mirage 2000 and additional F-16s. Sweden had been under pressure from the US not to allow the sale of the Gripen, but if the F-16 deal goes through, that may be resolved, ACM Saadat said. What I am told is that they have an arrangement with Saab that whatever they supply to any country, they cant prevent Sweden from doing it. That is to say, if the F-16 and AMRAAM was to come to Pakistan, the Americans will not be able to object to Sweden doing the same thing, he said.

Pakistan is now waiting for Sweden to decide whether it will allow the sale and is also conducting testing of the J-10.

That high-tech aircraft will supplement the larger numbers of more modest JF-17 fighters that Pakistan is developing with China. The first prototype flew last September and since then two new ones have been built and are being flown in China, ACM Saadat said. After the fourth prototype is produced, development will be frozen for the first small-batch production, starting in 2006. The Pakistan Air Force and the the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army Air Force will each get eight of those. Then full production should go on for 10-15 years.

In early September, the US also concluded a deal to sell six C-130Es to Pakistan. Two will be delivered by the end of 2004 and all will get wing, engine and avionics upgrades. One avionics kit will be installed in the US and then Lockheed Martin will send a team to Pakistan to help local industry install the rest.

The US has also agreed to help the Pakistan Navy refurbish its two P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft, said Chief of Navy Staff Adm Shahid Karimullah. The work will start in November, he said, and will restore them to an operational state.

Pakistan is also negotiating with the US for eight additional Orions to replace its Breguet Atlantic maritime patrol aircraft: a deal that would also require Congressional approval. The number has not been finalised - certainly enough to replace our ageing Atlantics, said Adm Karimullah. Those would probablybe used aircraft, Lockheed Martin officials said.

NO:312_19 所提到的 Tel Aviv Haaretz 原文報導

Tel Aviv Haaretz
September 21, 2004
U.S. To Sell Israel 5,000 Smart Bombs
美國出售五千枚精靈炸彈給以色列
By Aluf Benn

The United States will sell Israel 5,000 smart bombs, for $319 million, according to a report made to Congress a few weeks ago.

The funding will come from the U.S. military aid to Israel, and the bombs range from airborne versions, guidance units, training bombs and detonators. The bombs are guided by satellite, in a system already in the Israel Defense Forces arsenal. The guidance unit receives a signal from a satellite, correcting the bombs course to the target.

The Pentagon told Congress that the bombs are meant to maintain Israels qualitative advantage, and advance U.S. strategic and tactical interests.

Among the bombs the air force will get are 500 one-ton bunker busters that can penetrate two-meter-thick cement walls; 2,500 regular one-ton bombs; 1,000 half-ton bombs; and 500 quarter-ton bombs.

Government sources said the bomb deal, one of the largest weapons deals of recent years, did not face any political difficulties, despite the use Israel has made of U.S.-made F-16s in some of its assassinations in the territories. The IDF used a one-ton bomb to kill a senior Hamas officer, Salah Shehadeh, in July 2002, an assassination that also took the lives of 15 Palestinian civilians, including children. In September 2003, the air force used a smaller, quarter-ton bomb, to strike at Hamas leaders, but missed. In other cases, half-ton bombs have been used.

Extending a short probe located ahead of the cockpit, the Su-30 moves closer and locks on to a pipe extended from a pod attached to the 75-tonne Il-78, sucking in several tonnes of fuel in a matter of minutes.

During the entire procedure, both aircraft maintain the same distance and speed.

The refuelling complete, the Su-30 peels away, able to remain in the skies for several more hours and capable of flying several more thousands of kilometres.

It is this capability, said Air Commodore R.C. Baruah -- commander of the Agra airbase where the Indias four Il-78 mid-air refuelling aircraft are based -- that will allow the Indian Air Force (IAF) to project power on a global scale.

Baruah knows what he is talking about.

The IAF is only the worlds sixth air force to acquire mid-air refuelling aircraft. By refuelling in the sky, frontline jets like the Su-30 can almost double their range of 2,500 km, making them capable of striking at targets deep within China.

In just a little more than 18 months since the IAF acquired the Il-78s from Uzbekistan, the aircraft have helped jet fighters to make long journeys to Alaska and South Africa to join international military exercises.

The Il-78s are helping maximise the IAFs offensive potential and flexibility for tactical operations, Group Captain Shouvik Roy, commander of the Mid-Air Refuelling Squadron (MARS), told a group of journalists.

Currently, the IAFs Su-30, Mirage 2000 and Jaguar jets have the capability to refuel in the air.

Pilots are being trained round the clock to acquire the expertise required to hook up to the Il-78s -- each of which can carry 110 tonnes of fuel and refuel three jets at a time -- and take in several tonnes of fuel in about five minutes.

Those flying the Su-30s, Mirages and Jaguars are considered among the best of IAF pilots, but even they need to train for several months to simply become capable of hooking up with the flying fuel tankers. Only after this are they allowed to refuel in mid-air.

We have flown 2,300 hours in training missions since May last year, made 4,800 engagements (mid-air refuelling contacts) and delivered over 2,300 tonnes of fuel, said Roy.

While the Il-78s were bought from Uzbekistan, the refuelling pods, three of which are fitted on each aircraft, were acquired from Israel. With four Il-78s already in operation with the IAF, the force will receive two more refuelling aircraft from Uzbekistan next month.

Roy said his unit had framed its operational procedures from scratch, as the IAF had no experience of flying mid-air refuelling aircraft.

We have learnt concepts from the Israelis, as well as the Royal Air Force and US Air Force during our recent exercises with them, Roy said. We will also soon interact with the navy (to train for mid-air refuelling).

While refuelling, we cant relax even for a second. We have to be continuously alert because we have to coordinate with up to three jets.

The Il-78s are now capable of carrying out refuelling missions over land and sea, during both day and night, Roy said.

During recent training missions, said an officer who did not want to be named, Su-30 jets based at Pune in Maharashtra flew close to Tezpur in Assam in the northeast, a distance of over 2,100 km, with a single mid-air refuelling.

The IAF has also had to adopt innovative tactics to cope with the needs of pilots flying longer hours after refuelling.

Our aim is to provide up to five hours of flying for jets like the Su-30. So the pilots have been provided food and water, said the officer.

They were also provided diapers as that was the only way to relieve themselves in the air!

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/world/9741218.htm?1c
Posted on Thu, Sep. 23, 2004
Swedish PM Rejects Jets-For-Chicken Trade
瑞典不同意用戰機跟泰國換雞肉
MATTIAS KAREN

Associated Press

STOCKHOLM, Sweden - The Swedish government cannot negotiate a deal with Thailand to trade jet fighters for raw chicken meat, Prime Minister Goeran Persson said Thursday.

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who met with Persson in the Swedish capital Thursday, told Thai media earlier this week he hoped to broker a poultry-for-planes deal with Sweden, as his countrys chicken exports have suffered badly from a bird flu outbreak.

Persson said he would love to see the JAS 39 Gripen jet fighter sold to Thailand, but that it was up to Saab, the aircraft maker, to negotiate the terms.

I realize the Thai Prime Minister always makes deals that are extremely keen on the current economic situation, Persson told reporters during a joint news conference with Thaksin.

But how they should arrange (a deal) is not up to the Swedish government, its up to the commercial partner, Saab, he said. We will try to figure out which conditions we should have, state to state, for Saab to make a commercial deal.

Thaksin reiterated his hopes for agricultural products to be used as currency.

We would prefer to have a countertrade, instead of paying cash up front, Thaksin said. If Sweden should have a need for chickens or other agricultural products, then that can be arranged, easily.

Thaksin did not say how many jet fighters Thailand wants to buy.

A Saab spokesman could not immediately be reached for comment.

Thailand, among the top four poultry exporters in the world, has been badly hit by two outbreaks of avian influenza that killed 28 people in Asia this year, including nine in Thailand. Thaksin said earlier this week that the country has a huge inventory of raw chicken meat stored in warehouses.

My government will do whatever to help chicken farmers sell their chicken meat, he told Thailands state-owned Channel 9.

Thaksin has also tried to trade chickens for arms with Russia.

The Ministry of Defence is against the IAF’s idea of going for the French Mirage as it may lead to a single vendor situation.
BY BIDANDA M CHENGAPPA
DH NEWS SERVICE BANGALORE:

-------------
http://www.lockheedmartin.com/wms/findPage.do?dsp=fec&ci;=15913&rsbci;=0&fti;=111&ti;=0≻=400
LOCKHEED MARTIN SUCCESSFULLY TESTS TACTICAL SYNTHETIC APERTURE RADAR
TARS SAR A Tactical, High Speed, Penetrating Reconnaissance Asset
DENVER, COLO., September 23, 2004 -- Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] announced today that its Theatre Airborne Reconnaissance System (TARS) Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) successfully performed, for the first time, aboard an operational F-16 at Edwards Air Force Base in California. TARS SAR is the first all weather, day and night, precision radar capability developed for tactical aircraft.

The test proved that TARS SAR could effectively receive, process and disseminate critical targeting information in real-time, utilizing a solid-state digital system to record imagery, an airborne data-link to electronically relay information to ground stations, and a SAR capable of accurately locating targets anytime day or night in all weather conditions. “We are delighted with this successful test. TARS SAR will provide the U.S. Air Force with onboard targeting as well as real-time bomb damage assessment capabilities, regardless of weather conditions,” said Jerry Lindfelt, vice president of Lockheed Martin’s Surveillance & Reconnaissance Systems.

Lockheed Martin’s TARS SAR is a high-resolution sensor system that accurately locates targets in all weather conditions, in addition to providing real-time capabilities for targeting, real-time bomb damage assessment and real-time reconnaissance capabilities. The existing TARS system is a podded reconnaissance sensor suite designed for under the weather flying and medium-to-high threat, daytime imagery collection. Adding TARS SAR radar and targeting capabilities (which are largely unaffected by the presence of dense cloud cover) delivers flexibility over weather constraints and introduces the ability for night operations, which will provide the U.S. Air Force (USAF) with an all-weather, man-in-the-loop fighter reconnaissance capability.

The addition of a SAR to the TARS system is part of a pre-planned product improvement effort to provide the USAF with a 24/7, day/night sensor while upgrading all the pods with a solid-state recorder and broadband data link. Over the past few decades Lockheed Martin has adapted SAR technology to meet the requirements for numerous military, government and civilian applications. This includes tactical SAR sensors, foliage penetration SAR sensors and exploitation capabilities for key military transformation initiatives.

----------
http://www.aviationnow.com/avnow/news/channel_awst_story.jsp?id=news/09204wna.xml
Aviation Week & Space Technology
USAF Plans for Fighters Change
By David A. Fulghum and Robert Wall
09/19/2004 06:24:17 PM


LOW DOWN

The U.S. Air Forces top leaders say the service will buy several wings of the short takeoff/vertical landing F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, following the news from Lockheed Martins engineers that the aircraft is shedding more than a ton of weight and gaining thrust.

The services vision includes changes to the basic short takeoff/vertical landing (Stovl) configuration that could be so extensive as to represent a fourth Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) version--in addition to the design for the U.S. Marine Corps F-35B, the USAF F-35A and the U.S. Navy F-35C. But program managers have adamantly rejected the notion, so far, of deviating from the stated program plan.

Air Force Secretary James G. Roche says the service will buy hundreds of the Stovl F-35Bs in addition to the conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) F-35As that will be bought in larger numbers. Stovl aircraft are needed to operate from short, unprepared airstrips near the front. With each wing requiring roughly 100 aircraft, the ground support force would equate to at least two wings, but more likely four or more.

We learned in Afghanistan and Iraq the importance of air support to land forces from austere locations, Roche told those attending the Air Force Assn. convention. We must be rapidly available to land forces, particularly the American Army. Thats why we will procure a short takeoff/vertical landing version of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

Adding to the battlefield impact of new and modernized aircraft, the next step is to perfect our ability to engage moving targets with precise munitions as well as increasing precision from both lighter and smaller but more effective weapons, he said.

While Roche and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper would only say that the F-35B buy would be in the hundreds, the final number depends on how the Army reorganizes itself into smaller, more widely dispersed units, Jumper says.

USAF will only need to see broad outlines of the Army strategy, though, before committing on a Stovl plan, says Air Combat Command chief Gen. Hal Hornburg. A decision on how to proceed isnt needed until 2006, he added.

The average cost of the CTOL F-35 is now $45 million each, says Rear Adm. Steve Enewold, the Pentagons program executive official. The Stovl for the Marine Corps and the larger deck carrier design for the Navy are now in the $55-60 million range, he said. That could mean that the Air Force would have to buy fewer total F-35s. It also echoes broader decisions about reducing USAFs force structure in the next several years.

Jumper contends that paying more to buy the F-35B capability is both good leadership and good finance.

I DONT THINK THAT even reduced numbers of the kind of capabilities we intend to buy will produce any less killing capacity, Jumper says. The lethality of even a reduced number of systems will be extraordinarily increased over what we have right now. Its neither right nor proper for us to argue that the same force structure and size is required when the killing capacity of each of these systems goes dramatically up.

JSF program officials say there are options for modifying the F-35B for Air Force service. These include the installation of an interior cannon (instead of the Marine Corps gun in a pod) and a probe for hose and drogue refueling (in addition to the boom capability) for operations with special forces, Marine Corps and British tankers. Whether that would require the Air Force to pay for development of an electrical refueling system to replace the standard hydraulic model is not yet known.

There were also hints that Air Force F-35Bs could evolve with a propulsion system designed for more emphasis on short takeoff and less on vertical landing. Other possibilities include a tailored combination of fuselage and wing to carry more fuel and weapons once the program office relaxes its rigid control of the fighters three versions. Other JSF options could include development of reconnaissance, electronic attack and laser armed versions, say senior industry officials.

WE WANT TO MAKE that [USAF F-35B] the dedicated close air support capability for the future, beyond what [number] we keep of the A-10s, Jumper said. I say the number [of F-35Bs] will be in the hundreds. But the Army is in the throes right now of completely redoing their concept of operations. But before we declare a number, we will need to understand more than we understand now and learn with the Army about their new concept of operations. We plan to work very closely with the Marine Corps as well with the Stovl version of the aircraft.

JSF program officials said they have identified 2,700 lb. in weight or weight equivalent reductions for the Stovl aircraft using strategies that include:

Reducing the distance between interior structural elements in the wing so the aircrafts exterior skin can be thinner.

Reducing the size of the weapons bays by 14 in. as well as the size of the vertical tails.

Rounding the shape, the loft line, of the fuselage behind the cockpit to hold more fuel. That was one of several changes that decreased drag.

Redesigning the electrical system to decrease the battery size and the amount of wiring.

Redesigning the wing-mate joint.

Rerouting some thrust from the roll post outlets to the main engine thrust.

Additional equivalent weight reductions will result from changing carrier operations requirements from those demanded for the Harrier including instrument flight patterns and vertical hover rate ratios.

The weapons bay reduction will eliminate certain weapons from the Stovl configuration, including the Joint Standoff Weapon and 2,000-lb. bombs. However, Hornburg doesnt see that as an impediment to the Air Force embracing the Stovl aircraft. Since that model will be dedicated to close air support in the Air Force, it wont need the large weapons. Instead, it would likely carry 250-lb.-class small-diameter bombs.

The Lockheed Martin team also recaptured a 600-lb. equivalent reduction by redesigning the auxiliary inlet on top of the JSFs fuselage for better pressure recovery, said Tom Burbage, Lockheed Martin executive vice president and general manager for JSF. Predictions are that the changes will decrease takeoff roll by 100 ft., he said, and allow the bring-back weight for a carrier recovery to include two 1,000-lb. bombs, two air-to-air missiles and reserve fuel. Critical design review is slated for late 2005 with first flight of the production-configured aircraft in the summer of 2006 and funding for low-rate initial production to begin in 2007. Production in 2014-15 is expected to reach one aircraft per day.

By contrast F/A-22s are now priced at $130 million each with engines and are expected to reach a production rate of 32 per year. So far, 83 aircraft are on contract or delivered with another 24 in the Fiscal 2005 budget. The 41st aircraft is to be the first delivered to Langley AFB, Va., where the initial operational squadron will be established.

Officials discussing the program hinted at new roles for the stealth fighter. Researchers believe the stealthy design of the Air Forces Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (Jassm) will allow them to carry the missile externally on the F/A-22 without a large sacrifice in low observability.

The desire to carry Jassm on the F-22 stems in part from the development of new high-power microwave (HPM) payloads for the missile that are expected to be key weapons in disabling the electronics of enemy air defense, communications and command and control systems.

However, Jumper appears testy when asked about development of these directed-energy weapons which Pentagon officials have said could be ready for production in 2-4 years if funded.

If the contractors say we will have production-ready, disposable HPM weapons in 2-4 years that means 6-8 years, Jumper says. I already have lots of good ways to kill targets. Why invest in a technology I wont be able to use for years? Replying to a call by top Air Combat Command officials for the rapid development of such non-kinetic, or non-explosive weapons, Jumper says, If ACC wants more non-kinetic weapons then lets see it in their budget.

Advocates of the technology who have intimate knowledge of work at the Air Force Research Laboratories at Kirtland AFB, N.M., say the HPM weaponry is indeed nearing a production capability. However, they also caution that directed energy weapons such as HPM are not magic. There are defenses against them. You cant use them all the time and expect success every time. Only in specific circumstances should they be brought into play.

HPM PAYLOADS also are being designed for the conventional air-launched cruise missile and Tomahawk land attack missile with an eye to further reducing the capability to fit in the miniature air-launched decoy missile.

USAF officials are still wrestling with what to do with the bulk of their existing fighter fleet and are trying to keep options open to see what happens with the F/A-22 and F-35. One example is the A-10 force. USAF leaders had suggested they would retire A-10s to free up money to upgrade the rest of the fleet. However, Air Combat Command has devised a strategy to pay for upgrades without sacrificing existing airplanes. Some A-10s will probably be retired nonetheless, Hornburg says, but mainly because they are so near the end of their service life that upgrading them doesnt make sense.

The Air Force expects to begin flight testing of the first A-10s with the precision engagement upgrades late this year, with the hope of fielding the first aircraft next year. The enhancement allows the A-10 to drop GPS-guided bombs and integrates a targeting pod into the system, notes Roger Il Grande, Lockheed Martins A-10 manager.