The Defense Department announced late Nov. 1 that the Air Force Research Laboratory has awarded a $20 million, multi-year contract to Boeing for the MOP program, which is funded by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA). The initial increment of $500,000 is for work that is to be completed by February 2005.

The Air Force has said that MOP would be guided, weigh up to 30,000 pounds and be carried internally on the B-2 and B-52 bombers. The weapon would be used to destroy multi-story buildings with hardened bunkers and tunnels, targets believed to be proliferating in rogue states.

The Air Force had issued a broad agency announcement seeking proposals for MOP. The new effort is supposed to build on an earlier phase that aimed to perform such activities for MOP as defining the guidance kit packaging and assessing the potential to integrate the bomb onto the B-2 and B-52.

The MOP would be the largest guided bomb in the Defense Departments inventory, surpassing the 21,000-pound Massive Ordnance Air Burst (MOAB) bomb, which was designed to create massive damage. The C-130-delivered MOAB was developed for the Iraq war but not used.

LOCKHEED MARTIN FLIGHT TESTS SNIPER XR DOWNLINK CAPABILITY
ORLANDO, FL, November 3, 2004 --

Lockheed Martin’s [NYSE: LMT] Sniper® XR™/PANTERA™ advanced targeting pod (ATP) data downlink capability was successfully flight tested on a Norwegian mid-life upgrade F-16 aircraft at Bodo Air Force Base in Bodo, Norway. This event marked the first flight for the Sniper XR-based downlink capability.

A production PANTERA pod was modified in country by Royal Norwegian Air Force personnel in less than one hour to provide the downlink capability. The data downlink demonstration included both a ground-based safety-of-flight electromagnetic compatibility test and two flying missions. The downlink performed flawlessly and was shown to have no adverse affects on other aircraft systems.

Representatives from both the Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF) and the Norwegian Army witnessed the demonstration and were impressed with the success of this first time event. The downlink system transmitted a real-time PANTERA video stream to a downlink ground station from the F-16 aircraft at tactically significant ranges. It was “absolutely phenomenal” stated Lou Karbiener, PANTERA Norway program manager. “The system exceeded even our most optimistic operational expectations.”

The Sniper XR/PANTERA downlink supports the armed forces move towards a net-centric battlespace, allowing ground forces to view the battlefield from the airborne vantage point by providing wireless, scrambled, real-time streaming video (infrared and day TV) from the aircraft to ground forces. Linking targeting sensor imagery to ground forces significantly enhances their situational awareness, allows for greater precision and shortens timelines in coordinating air and ground operations.

The Sniper XR/PANTERA downlink is compatible with currently fielded, man-portable ground receiver stations (Rover III) and features a long-range line-of-sight transmission radius. User-defined pod symbology, including aircraft display indications and Global Positioning System (GPS) information, are contained in the video transmission. Additionally, this downlink allows for simultaneous video transmission from multiple downlink-equipped aircraft operating in the same airspace.

Wynne also authorized an unspecified amount of additional funding for a potential alternative F-35 engine being developed by General Electric Corp. in an acquisition decision memorandum signed Thursday.

General Electric is to be awarded a transition contract in a manner consistent with preparing for system development and demonstration, a major development stage, a brief synopsis of the Oct. 14 program review said.

A rival F-35 engine is being developed by Pratt & Whitney, a United Technologies Corp. unit, and some Defense Department officials had opposed the dual engine development program as unduly costly.

By Jennifer H. Svan, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Thursday, November 4, 2004

Pacific Air Forces could boost significantly the speed and accuracy of its response to regional “hot spots” by permanently basing in the theater weapons with the latest high-tech information-gathering and warfighting advances, PACAF officials say.

They say they’re considering permanently basing intelligence, surveillance-reconnaissance, strike and refueling assets in the Pacific as part of an “ISR strike task force.”

Planners indicated Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, appears to be a leading candidate to receive new assets — including fighter aircraft — among Pacific Command bases.

Though no decision has been made, said Col. Mark Tapper, PACAF’s 502nd Air Operations Group commander, “Guam is a tremendous location. … Guam has a bunch of great attributes to make it a worthy location.”

The ISR strike package could include Global Hawks, F/A-22s and bombers. Six B-52s now are based temporarily at Andersen.

“It’s under review,” Tapper said. “We see in the near term bombers stationed in Guam are a good thing.” They deter potential adversaries and assure allies of the U.S. military’s commitment to the Pacific region, he said.

Although PACAF can marshal resources for an ISR strike task force, not all of them now are Pacific Command-based, Tapper said. “Permanently basing strike and ISR assets in the Pacific theater provides the combatant commander with immediate flexibility to create effects” throughout the theater, he said. And the Air Force, as the service usually charged with air and space tasks, is responsible for providing the combat commander with immediate recon or strike capability in “minutes or hours, not days or weeks.”

“The only way to provide that capability in the near term is to base strike and ISR assets in theater, Tapper added.

The Pacific’s combatant commander, Adm. Thomas B. Fargo, consults with the Joint Chiefs of Staff and secretary of defense on military strategy in the Pacific and lists what’s needed for the next five to 20 years, Tapper said. “The secretary of defense and the joint staff work diligently to try and get those resources.”

Maj. Gen. David Deptula, PACAF’s air and space operations director, told the Inside the Air Force newsletter recently that a fighter presence — a key ISR component — would be established at Andersen; no aircraft now are assigned to the Guam base, which mostly receives aircraft transiting through or temporarily deployed to the region.

The PACAF commander, Gen. Paul V. Hester, in an interview with Stripes last week spoke highly of Andersen’s growth potential, calling it “such a wonderful piece of property. It’s properly positioned; it’s an American territory with the U.S. flag flying over the top of it; it doesn’t provide an extended burden on other countries as we continue to discuss burden sharing and burden of population in [South] Korea and in Japan.”

“So Guam,” he said, “certainly is an opportunity for us to look at a place to increase our presence, if we want to add missions.”

http://tw.news.yahoo.com/041105/14/14qzc.html

美國一架F16戰機誤擊紐澤西州一中學,幸無人受傷

【路透社 】 [路透紐約電] 一架國民警衛隊的F-16戰鬥機週三晚間誤朝紐澤西南部的小蛋港中學(Little Egg Harbor Intermediate School)發射了25輪的炮火。


該州軍事與退伍軍人事務部門中校奈伊德(Roberta Niedt)告訴記者，駕駛員原來預定攻擊的目標是約三英里半外的軍事靶場。

由於學校當時已經下課，並且只有一名管理人員在建築內，因此子彈射向學校時無人受傷。(完)

F-16s to get upgrade
美國提昇 F-16
Associated Press

AOMORI, Japan (Kyodo) — The Air Force is upgrading its F-16 multi-role fighter jets, including 40 at Misawa Air Base, Japan, to considerably enhance their fighting capabilities, Misawa base sources said Thursday.
F-16 squadrons at the base played a key role in the Iraq war on missions to destroy enemy air defense networks.

The upgrade will allow F-16s to undertake a wider range of wartime missions, the officials said.

The largest-scale F-16 upgrade since the plane’s introduction in 1979 covers all of the some 650 F-16s in the Air Force worldwide, costing about $1.6 billion, they said.

Sophisticated avionics systems are being introduced to allow a pilot to view altitude, speed and other data on his helmet visor instead of the traditional front cockpit panel, the officials said.

These systems also enhance the fighter’s capabilities to overcome jamming and secure communications, and detect tactical attack targets, they said.

美國空軍今天在聲明中指出，包括美國諾斯洛普格魯曼公司與TYBIN 公司在內的這幾家合作大廠，將為美國空軍研發戰機任務計畫系統。

Janes Defence Weekly
November 10, 2004

Turkey May Withdraw From JSF Programme

土耳其可能退出 JSF 研發計劃

By Lale Sariibrahimoglu, JDW Correspondent & Michael Sirak, JDW Staff
Reporter, Ankara and Washington, DC

Turkeys Defence Industries Undersecretariat (SSM), one of the countrys two bodies in charge of procurement, is considering withdrawal from the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) programme due to insufficient workshare for Turkish companies.

A final decision whether to continue with the JSF is expected to be made following a detailed study by a working group yet to be established, said a senior Turkish industry source.

Senior Lockheed Martin programme officials said they are unaware of a Turkish desire to exit the project.

Turkey has not given us any indication that they are withdrawing from the programme, Tom Burbage, Lockheed Martins JSF executive vice president and general manager of programme integration, told JDW on 4 November. My sense is that they are pretty solidly behind the programme and that they appreciate the work that we are doing to try to enhance their ability to bid for work.

Turkey joined the JSF programme in July 2002, signing on as a Level III participant in the 126-month, $23.8 billion system development and demonstration (SDD) phase. As a Level III team member, Turkey will provide between 1-2 per cent of the SDD funding and have one seat in the JSF joint programme office.

Turkey currently intends to buy more than 100 JSFs with the first delivery expected in 2013.

Turkeys defence industry infrastructure is too weak to grab bigger shares from within the JSF programme and that does not make it cost effective for Turkey, said the same Turkish source. In the meantime, we [Turkey] are seeking modernisation of an additional 48 F-4s in addition to the modernisation of our F-16 fleet and we also want to buy JSFs. All together they will cost Turkey over $10 billion. We have to review the cost effectiveness of all the three fighter programmes.

So far only three firms - privately owned Aydin Software and Electronics Industry and Kale Group and recently TUSAS Engine Industries, a subsidiary of Turkish Aircraft Industries (TUSAS) in co-operation with General Electric International - signed contracts with Lockheed Martin worth around $74 million.

None of those workshares involve design and development. The level of Turkish workshare within the JSF has not gone further than what Turkey did in the F-16 programme, namely the assembly of the parts of the fighters, said another industry source.

In contrast, the Lockheed Martin officials said Turkey is faring well to date on winning contracts, given the maturity of the programme. As with all eight partner countries, there is always a stated desire for more work, but on balance, we are expanding the role of Turkish industry in the programme today, said Burbage.

We are involving companies in all eight of our partner countries way up front in the development piece of the programme. Most of their experience is joining a programme when it is already in production and the opportunities are much more clear. So there is a bit of a time element here where there is a thirst or a need to have commitments on production when we dont even have any production contracts yet.

Michael Cosentino, Lockheed Martins JSF international programmes director said that Turkey is ahead of the curve in securing industrial participation that matches its time-phased investments. Opportunities will continue to arise as the programme moves into production and will require second-source suppliers of components, both he and Burbage said. The latter noted one example already identified under which TUSAS could receive work on a sizeable composites package for the aircraft if it made some internal investments in machinery and enhancing its facilities.

To promote Turkish industry, Lockheed Martin is sponsoring Turkish industrial forums in the US to expose the Turkish companies to US suppliers. Turkish companies have already begun to form partnerships with Australian counterparts to strengthen their chances of securing workshare. Further, some US companies have visited Turkey, met with Turkish companies and laid the foundation for partnerships, noted Cosentino.

Lockheed Martin also plans to brief a road map to Turkish officials in December that lays out not only how Turkeys JSF aircraft requirements and sustainment needs will be met, but also addresses how to leverage Turkish industry and align it for opportunities in the programme, said Cosentino.

It remains to be seen how Turkish Armed Forces Command will react to any possible decision of the SSM to withdraw from the JSF programme. Many Turkish defence industrialists believe increased participation in multinational projects would be an ideal procurement model if Turkey wants to win technological gains. However, JSF has revealed once again the poor state of the Turkish defence industry base vis à vis international compatibility, said another source.

F-35 News: Pentagon gives green light for tri-service F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program
Tuesday, November 09, 2004 - 05:49 PM

The Pentagon has cleared the next stage in the development of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, a procurement project valued at more than $240 billion, the biggest ever, the Defense Department said last week.

US acting undersecretary of defense for acquisition, Michael Wynne, approved the projects path forward and an optimized design for the fighters short take-off, vertical-landing (STOVL) version.

The decision came after a mid-October program review in which Lockheed Martin was able to demonstrate that its development team had shaved over 1.2 tons of excess weight from the fighter jet.

Wynne also awarded aditional funding for a potential alternative F-35 engine being developed by General Electric which will compete with a rival design by Pratt & Whitney. Some Defense Department officials had opposed the dual engine development program as unduly costly

General Electric is to be awarded a transition contract in a manner consistent with preparing for system development and demonstration, a major development stage, a brief synopsis of the Oct. 14 program review said.

The two contracts, worth in total around 150 million USD were assigned after a 6 month selection. This contract is very important for Piaggio Aero and is to them a reassuring step into the future.

Piaggio Aero Industries is an aircraft manufacturing company born from the former Rinaldo Piaggio SPA, an Italian company. The company is one of the worlds oldest airplane manufacturers, and its planes have been well known from early days of aviaton history.

According to the Greek press, the Turkish F-16 fighter jets came as close as 1,000 feet to the Greek passenger plane at 9:30h. Fortunately, this event did not cause any problems for the passengers.

The Greek national defence ministry also reported a formation of three Turkish F-16 jet fighters who infringed the Athens Flight Information Region (FIR) and violated Greek national airspace two miles west of Kastellorizo island on Tuesday morning.

At the same time, a Turkish jet buzzed a Greek army AB 205 helicopter returning from Kastellorizo to the island of Rhodes. The helicopter landed safely on Rhodes though.

Other press reports stated that six formations of Turkish aircraft entered the Aegean area on Tuesday without submitting flight plans and violated national air space on six occasions in the region of the central and southern Aegean.

In all cases, the 13 Turkish aircraft were recognised and intercepted by Greek air force jets, while in two cases the interception process developed into a mock dogfight.

Two of the Turkish aircraft were armed.

Further, the National Defence General Staff announced that an unidentified helicopter, possibly belonging to the Turkish Coastguard, flew over the eastern islet of Imia on Monday, at an altitude of 100 metres. Its flight over Greek territorial waters was tracked by radars and it lasted for 30 seconds.

Defence Minister Spilios Spiliotopoulos said that everything is being watched very closely.

Col. Michael Longoria, director of the Air Forces new Joint Air-Ground Operations (JAGO) office, said on Nov. 8 that he hopes to have influence in deciding the number of Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighters that the Air Force buys in the short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) configuration.

Air Force leaders announced in February that the service would like to buy the STOVL variant to provide close air support, especially for Army ground troops (DAILY, Feb. 13, Feb. 17). Gen. John Jumper, Air Force chief of staff, said in September that the Air Force plans to buy hundreds of STOVL JSFs but that an exact figure remains to be determined (DAILY, Sept. 14).

Longoria also said his office plans to speak with industry and the military services to explain the need for more small smart munitions that minimize collateral damage.

Wed like to see a larger contractor base, wed like to see a lot more people be interested in those smaller munitions, simply because weve got a lot of work to do, he told The DAILY.

In a recent report, the Pentagons industrial policy office said the Defense Department should consider funding more suppliers of the Small Diameter Bomb (SDB) to foster competition and technological innovation (DAILY, Nov. 4). The Air Force in August 2003 picked the Boeing Co. to be SDBs prime contractor (DAILY, Aug. 29, 2003).

Longoria also said his office will closely monitor Army and Marine Corp modernization programs to ensure they are compatible with the Air Forces.

美國成功試驗空載鐳射導彈攔截裝置


www.XINHUANET.com　　2004年11月13日 08:13:58　　來源：新華網

新華網華盛頓１１月１２日電（記者潘雲召　譚新木）據此間媒體１２日報道，由美國波音公司領導的一個小組最近成功地從一個安裝在波音７４７飛機機身內的鐳射導彈攔截裝置發射了一束功能強大的鐳射束。該裝置將作為美國導彈防禦系統的組成部分。

這次被稱為“第一束光”的試驗持續了不到一秒鐘，是１０日在加利福尼亞州愛德華茲空軍基地的一架波音７４７飛機機身內進行的。

美國防部導彈防禦局把這次試驗稱為空中鐳射攔截系統的一個具有重大意義的事件。該局發言人肯尼思·恩格萊德說，這次試驗表明該系統能夠工作，剩下的事情是對系統進行調試。未來幾個月內，工程師們將研究延長鐳射束的時間和提高其功率，然後將裝置安裝到波音７４７飛機上進行測試，其中包括在太平洋上空摧毀模擬導彈。

這種系統由６個外觀相同、大小相當於輕型貨車的模組組成，使用化學氧－碘鐳射器，其原理是透過光學裝置，把一束籃球大小的鐳射光束髮射到數百公里外的導彈彈體上，使其破裂而達到將其摧毀的目的。

ST. LOUIS , November 12, 2004 - The Boeing [NYSE: BA] Airborne Laser (ABL) team fired a laser beam for the first time using the flight laser modules in the ABL System Integration Lab at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.

Boeing is the team lead and system integrator for the ABL system under contract to the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, and involves placing a megawatt-class, high-energy Chemical Oxygen Iodine Laser (COIL) on a Boeing 747-400F aircraft to detect, track and destroy ballistic missiles in the boost phase of flight. ABL can also pass information on launch site, target track and predicted impact point to other layers of the global ballistic missile defense system.

Today, we successfully demonstrated the critical element necessary for the ABL to enter the next phase of its testing, said Jim Evatt, vice president and general manager of Boeing Missile Defense Systems. Were proud of the ABL team for overcoming the many first-of-a-kind obstacles to get to this point and look forward to the deployment of ABL.

The lasing or first light event follows a series of chemical activation tests that occurred over the past year at Edwards AFB. The first light test simultaneously operated the lasers six COIL modules, optics and chemical supply system.

The ABL aircraft also is conducting a series of flight tests to validate the air worthiness and functionality of the battle management and beam control/fire control (BC/FC) segments integrated on the 747-400F ABL aircraft. In addition to determining missile target location, the ABL s adaptive optics in the BC/FC continually compensate for the atmospheric distortion and platform jitter to focus the high energy beam on the missile body, causing it to structurally fail.

Boeing is the weapon system integrator for ABL and provides the modified aircraft and battle management segments. Other ABL partners include Northrop-Grumman, which provides the laser segment and Lockheed Martin, which provides the BC/FC segment.

B-52 將在關島驗證以 JDAM 攻擊移動目標能力，靶標為 Newport 級

By Gregg K. Kakesako
[email protected]
Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bombers from Guam will use smart bombs this month in Hawaiian waters to sink a decommissioned troop transport, as part of training to engage moving sea targets.

Capt. David Faggard, Pacific Air Forces spokesman at Hickam Air Force Base, said the target will be the 34-year-old Newport-class tank landing ship USS Schenectady.

The Air Force demonstration, dubbed Resultant Fury, will take place in the Pacific Missile Range Facility off Kauais Barking Sands beaches. About four F/A-18 fighter jets from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 22 will support the demonstration, which be held between Nov. 16 and 24.

The 522-foot vessel will be towed Nov. 21 f

rom the Navys mothball fleet at Pearl Harbor, where its been berthed since 1993, to an undisclosed location near Kauai.
Faggard said B-52 crews from Guam will be at the center of the demonstration of the Air Forces maritime interdiction capabilities.

He said next weeks mission is to demonstrate the bombers ability to hit a moving target with a JDAM (joint direct attack munition), a guided air-to-surface weapon.

Faggard added that smart bombs could be used to take out a ship used by a terrorist without harming nearby vessels or facilities. The bombs have been used in the 1991 Gulf War and in the war in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Schenectady, which earned four battle stars for service in Vietnam, is the fifth ship of the 20-ship Newport tank landing ship class. It had a crew of 14 officers, 210 enlisted and could transport 350 troops.

Commissioned in June 13, 1970, the vessel was homeported in San Diego until it was decommissioned on Dec. 15, 1993.

美國科學家正在研製極音速巡弋飛彈，該新款飛彈將使用比目前快上十倍的新型推進器，具備穿透混凝土裝甲的戰力，而且可以從世界各角落發射。

英國《衛報》日前報導，美國研發中的新型巡弋飛彈射程將達九千英里（一萬四千四百公里），超過地球圓周的三分之一，而且能夠在兩小時內就射抵世界任何標的。第一枚原型飛彈將在明年試射，只是外界認為，非到二○一○年之前，該款飛彈不可能部署成軍。

新型的巡弋飛彈將使用「超音速燃燒衝壓噴射發動機」(scramjet)。美國「航空暨太空總署」今年三月試射「Ｘ－４３Ａ」實驗原型無人駕駛噴射機便使用這項科技，而到六．八三馬赫（時速八千四百公里）的極音速(hypersonic)境界。

Experimental NASA jet reaches Mach 10
Final test of X-45A appears to go as planned
From Kate Tobin
CNN

(CNN) -- The National Aeronautics and Space Administration conducted a third and final test flight Tuesday of the unmanned X-43A aircraft, which uses an experimental scramjet engine designed to push the craft to nearly 10 times the speed of sound.

A scramjet differs from conventional jet technology by not using rotor blades to compress the air inside the engine. Instead, the scramjet, sometimes called an air-breathing engine, burns hydrogen fuel in a stream of fast-moving, compressed air created by the forward motion of the aircraft.

Hot exhaust shooting out of the back of the jet propels it forward at high speed.

At a post-flight news conference Tuesday, mission managers said they had only begun to look at the data, but they believed the aircraft reached a speed of about 6,600 mph, or about Mach 10.

The flight took place over the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Southern California, in restricted U.S. Naval airspace.

The black X-43A, fastened to a larger, white booster rocket, was carried to 40,000 feet (13,157 meters) strapped to the right wing of a B-52, which took off from NASAs Dryden Flight Research Center in Edwards, California.

The B-52 released the booster rocket, which dropped for several seconds with the X-43A attached to its nose, then ignited and ascended to 110,000 feet (36,184 meters). At that point, the scramjet engine fired and the booster rocket dropped away.

As planned, the test flight lasted only a couple of minutes and ended when the aircraft ran out of fuel. It eventually crashed harmlessly into the ocean.

The test flight was originally scheduled for Monday, but technical glitches forced NASA to postpone it for 24 hours.

Tuesdays flight was the last of three test flights in NASAs eight-year, $230 million Hyper-X program, designed to help develop a new generation of spacecraft that could fly into low Earth orbit at a fraction of the current cost.

Some engineers have even speculated that scramjets could one day power a fleet of hypersonic airplanes, capable of crossing a continent in less than an hour. The technology also has military applications, with the potential for new innovations in ballistic missiles.

Scramjet technology could eliminate the need to use heavy liquid oxygen to launch spacecraft and rockets into orbit. A speed of Mach 25, or 17,000 miles (27,200 kilometers) per hour, is needed to lift a craft into orbit.

In 2001, the X-43As maiden flight ended unsuccessfully after an onboard booster rocket misfired and flight controllers had to destroy the aircraft. But last March, its second flight was successful, reaching almost Mach 7.

太平洋指揮部周三稱，這項花費達1,000萬美元的軍演將在下週一與週二舉行，同時也是美國空軍第一次使用衛星導向的聯合直接攻擊炸彈(JDAM)擊沉海上活動目標。

夏威夷希凱姆(Hickam)空軍基地的太平洋空軍發言人法賈德表示，這項被稱為「組合狂怒」(Resultant Fury)的演習活動並不是要送出訊息給任何特定國家，也非與任何衝突有關。

分析家表示，北韓可能會自行舉行演習。該國譴責美國軍事演習旨在就其核子計畫引起區域緊張情勢。

太平洋空軍武器與戰術指揮官艾利亞森少校稱，這項於下週舉行的演習將展示美軍可以在「極短的時間內」，摧毀由敵人海軍、恐怖份子或是海盜指揮的船艦。

演習中也將展示如E-8C的聯合監視與目標攻擊雷達系統(JSTARS)以及E-3C的空中預警管制系統(AWACS)。他們將為自關島起飛的B-52與德州起飛的B-1追尋目標。上述飛機均自起飛後不降落直接攻擊目標。

演習的確切地點並未立即對外透露。(完)

根據日本下月將正式定案的「新防衛大綱」內的「中期防衛力整備計畫」，航空自衛隊將有可能選擇美製的ＦＡ廿二戰鬥機做為新一代多目的戰機，以取代現行的Ｆ四幽靈式戰鬥機。

東京新聞報導說，日本將引進八十架左右的新一代多目的主力戰鬥機，ＦＡ廿二被認為是最有可能雀屏中選的機種。

報導指出，航空自衛隊擁有的戰鬥機，目前有Ｆ十五二百零二架，Ｆ四九十架，Ｆ二支援戰鬥機五十九架，Ｆ一支援戰鬥機十八架等機種。

其中Ｆ一將在明年退役，航空自衛隊戰力將因而縮減，明年的「新防衛大綱」中，已明確設定戰鬥機目標為二百八十二架，因此將有汰舊換新的計畫。

kenshiroo 　於　2004/11/22 12:03
Re:2004 年 11 月國際新聞（其他）

HAL and Irkutsk Aviation Corporation, Siberia, plan to break into the market with two versions — a 100-seater passenger jet and a cargo version with the capacity to ferry 18 to 20 tonnes.

The two companies, which are eyeing the multi-billion-dollar global market, believe the worldwide demand for the passenger jet version will be at least 400.

To start with, they plan to roll out 100-odd aircraft of the cargo version for the Indian Air Force and the Russian Air Force. “The project report is ready in all respects. The IAF wants 45 of these aircraft (to replace the ageing Russian AN-32 transport fleet), while the Russians are looking for 60 or more,” N.R. Mohanty, chairman of the Bangalore-based HAL, told The Telegraph.

“The design specifications are finalised. We are waiting for a firm commitment of 60-plus from the Russians before a formal launch. To make the project economically viable, we need orders of 100-plus aircraft,” the official added.

Mohanty said the two companies had agreed to acquire the engine to power these multi-role transport aircraft from a third company to help them meet deadlines. “We will share our expertise in designing the aircraft, but will source the engine from elsewhere as we cannot spend much time on a new engine. We plan to achieve the first flight certification in six years from the date of a formal go-ahead by the two governments. They (the Russians) have sophisticated test facilities and that will help us work against deadlines,” he said.

According to current estimates, the project would require a budget of $350 million to be shared by the two firms. Officials said HAL’s innovative design solutions in metal and composite materials and Irkutsk’s expertise in aircraft manufacturing would ensure a sturdy fuselage which would, at the same time, be lighter than in conventional aircraft and thus increase fuel efficiency.

In the 100-seater category, the multi-role aircraft would compete with Boeing 717, Airbus 318 and Embraer 190 (Brazil). The cargo version, the two companies believe, would find sufficient takers as replacements for the Franco-German Transall C-160 and AN 12 and AN 26 of Russia.

Irkutsk has a partnership with HAL for production of the twin-seater Sukhoi-30 MKIs and upgrading of 18 Su-30K fighters, originally delivered to the Indian Air Force by the Sukhoi Design Bureau, Moscow. “The Su-30 (MKI) production is on schedule. We will deliver two fighters to IAF this financial year,” Mohanty said.

We are in no way bound by the decision of the former (socialist) government, the source told Reuters on Tuesday. We are going to a new tender in 2005 for the purchase of our new fighter jets. About 60 are needed, according to the air forces operational needs. The tender would be open to all bidders.

Lockheed Martin LMT.N which builds the F-16 fighter planes, Dassault Aviations Rafale jet AVMD.PA and a venture between BAE Systems BA.L and Saab SAABb.ST were rivals in the previous tender.

But the source said Russian Sukhoi fighter jets could also be considered for the new tender.

Greeces former socialist government, which lost elections in March, had decided in 2000 to buy the Eurofighter jets but a year later delayed delivery until after 2005 due to what it said where budget constraints because of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games.

The deal was initially for 60 jets with an option for another 30 later.

EADS EAD.PA EAD.DE EAD.MC co-chief executive Philippe Camus had said last year in an interview that the company was confident Greece would proceed with the purchase and finalise the contract in 2005.

The French government and media group Lagardere LAGA.PA hold just over 30 percent of Airbus parent EADS, as does German automaker DaimlerChrysler DCXGn.DE . The Spanish state holding company SEPI controls another 5.5 percent.

Greece, one of the biggest defence spenders in Europe due to the traditional rivalry with Turkey, has in recent years curbed defence costs in a bid to improve ties with Ankara and invested the funds in the Games and social welfare programmes.

Last year it slashed a purchase of NH90 helicopters from EADS unit Eurocopter by 50 percent, buying only 20 choppers instead of 40.

Putin, 52, will lobby Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in meetings today in Brasilia to award a $700 million air force fighter contract to OKB Sukhoi, said Vladimir Tyurdenev Russias ambassador to Brazil. Putin and Lula, 59, also may discuss oil, power, natural gas and space exploration ventures in a bid to boost trade to $5 billion in two years, Tyurdenev said.

``Its very possible to boost trade between Russia and Brazil very rapidly, Tyurdenev said at a seminar in Sao Paulo last week. ``We still need to solve the issue of this very unfavorable trade balance for Russia.

Putin, the first Russian head of state to visit Brazil since the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, is pressuring Brazil to narrow a trade surplus that reached $588 million last year. Improving ties with Russia is part of Lulas efforts to search the globe for new markets for Brazilian agriculture, steel, cars and airplanes, and help stoke an export-led recovery in South Americas largest economy.

Part of Putins strategy is to pressure Brazil with a two-month-old ban on imports of beef, Brazils biggest export to Russia, said Blairo Maggi, governor of Brazils biggest meat-producing state, Mato Grosso.

Lost Sales

Brazils meat industry is losing $1 million a day since Russia banned imports, citing a foot and mouth disease outbreak in the Amazon.

``Theyre using meat as a negotiating tool to get Brazil to buy their wheat and jets, Maggi said in an Oct. 28 interview at the governors palace in Cuiaba, Brazil.

The two countries should reach a compromise during Putins visit, when Russia probably will announce a date for lifting the ban on Brazilian meat imports, Igor Shuvalov, the Russias cabinet chief of staff, told reporters last week in Sao Paulo.

Putin may propose an agreement for the exchange of technology on producing 40-seat airplanes in Russia, Ara Abramian, president of the committee to foster Brazil-Russia investment, said. One option would be for Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil-based Empresa Brasileira de Aeronautica SA to build a factory in Russia to assemble jets, Abramian said.

``Russia doesnt manufacture this type of aircraft and with this accord we will fill up this gap, Abramian said at a news conference in Sao Paulo last week.

Russias government will also hold discussions on the tender to supply the Brazilian government with 12 supersonic fighter jets, Abramian said.

Dassault

Sukhoi and Bethesda, Maryland-based Lockheed Martin Corp. are among companies competing for the contract. Embraer is bidding with Paris-based Dassault Aviation SA to supply the jets. A venture between Saab AB, based in Linkoping, Sweden, and BAE Systems Plc, based in London, also is bidding.

``For sure, were interested in winning the fighter jet tender, not just competing for it, Abramian said.

Sukhoi is competing with Embraer-Dassault and Lockheed to replace 12 Mirage jets that date to the 1970s.

Lula suspended the fighter jet purchase in January 2003 to save funds for social spending. Lulas defense minister resigned and was replaced by Vice President Jose Alencar, who led a trade mission to Russia last month, which could delay the purchase further, Antonio Luiz Pizarro Manso, Embraers chief financial officer, said.

``It is very difficult to make a prediction today, I dont know when exactly it will happen, Manso said in a conference call with investors on Oct. 16.

Russias nine-month trade surplus grew 40 percent to $62.5 billion because of record prices for oil, which generates more than half of export revenue.

Russia exported $5.4 billion worth of arms, military equipment and technology last year, its biggest sales abroad since the fall of the Soviet Union. Trade between Brazil and Russia soared 22 percent in 2003 to $2.05 billion.

Petroleo Brasileiro SA, Brazils state-controlled oil company, will sign agreements with Russian companies as part of Putins visit, Abramian said. Russia also is seeking partners in Brazil to help refine sugar, Tyurdenev said.

``We want to do more business with the Russians, Guilherme Estrella, Petrobrass exploration director, said at a news conference in Rio de Janeiro on Nov. 12.

To contact the reporter on this story:
Michael Smith in Rio de Janeiro at [email protected]

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will make the final decision on whether to postpone the purchase, the paper said, citing Vice President Jose Alencar, who became the countrys defense minister this month after Jose Viegas Filho resigned.

Viegas had said that Brazil would announce the winner of the tender for the fighter jets by year-end, the paper said.

There are four companies competing for the contract, including Empresa Brasileira de Aeronautica SA and its partner Dassault Aviation SA, Russias OKB Sukhoi, Saab AB and Lockheed Martin Corp., Brazils Defense Ministry said.

To contact the reporter on this story:
Romina Nicaretta in Sao Paulo at at [email protected]

To contact the editor responsible for this story:
Laura Zelenko in New York at [email protected]

Turkey: F-16 Dropped Flares To Defend Against Greek Plane

ANKARA (AP)--The Turkish military on Monday accused Greece of increasingly harassing Turkish jets over the Aegean Sea, saying a Turkish F-16 warplane had to drop three flares in self defense during an encounter with a Greek warplane last week.

The Turkish complaint, the second in two weeks, comes amid frequent Greek protests to Turkey over alleged violations of its airspace and territorial waters. Athens warned Ankara that such behavior could hurt its prospects of joining the E.U.

Turkeys General Staff said in a statement Monday that Turkey was using its legitimate right to train in international air space. Turkey and Greece have long-standing territorial disputes. Greece says its national airspace extends to 10 miles, but Turkey recognizes only six miles - the same distance as territorial waters - often leading to accusations of violations.

The military said a Turkish F-16 warplane was forced to drop three flares during a training mission on Nov. 18 when a Greek warplane locked its radar on it for more than five seconds in the south of the Greek island of Limnos.

It is out of question for the Turkish plane to harass or provoke the Greek plane, the statement read. It was clearly seen that the Greek plane harassed the Turkish plane.

The military said Turkey has cut back more than half of its training flights over the Aegean since the Athens Olympic Games, as a goodwill gesture, and warned Greece that attempts to unfairly portray Turkey as an aggressor could harm efforts of confidence building.

Long-standing disputes over airspace and territorial rights in the Aegean have nearly led to three wars between the two NATO allies since 1974.

Turkey attaches great importance to its relations with Greece and wishes the Aegean Sea to be a sea of friendship and solidarity, the military said. Turkish Armed Forces carefully refrains from any practice in its naval and air training that could cause tensions in the Aegean and expects the same attitude from the neighboring country.

‘Resultant Fury’ pits aircrews against challenging targets

by Maj. Don Langley
509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs

11/23/2004 - WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. (AFPN) -- B-2 Spirit bombers flew a 23-hour roundtrip mission from here Nov. 22 supporting a two-day exercise involving a variety of aircraft striking maritime and ground targets in the Pacific.

The highlight of the exercise was the sinking of towed targets by two B-52 Stratofortresses using updated J-series satellite-guided weapons for the first time.

“Although the B-2s didn’t engage the moving maritime targets, they contributed to the overall air operation,” said Lt. Col. Steve Basham, 393rd Bomb Squadron commander, after returning here. “Our play was to push in as part of a strike package, searching for ships. By using the radar, we were able to identify potential targets located within a harbor. After determining the maritime situation, we set back up for emerging ground targets and engaged them with simulated weapons drops.”

The idea of using airpower to maintain control of the seas dates back to the early days of powered flight. In fact, the exercise name - Resultant Fury 2005 -- refers to a historical account of Brig. Gen. Billy Mitchell’s bombing missions against target ships in the 1920s, and the ‘resultant fury’ of senior Naval officials at the aviator’s success.

This was no simple recreation of an 80-year old experiment, however.

“This is the first time the Pacific Air Operations Center exercised a highly flexible kill-chain designed to reduce the time it takes to detect, track, target and destroy ground or maritime targets as well as emerging time-critical targets,” said Maj. Eric Friesel, 509th Operations Support Squadron conventional combat plans officer.

Whiteman’s aircrews joined B-52s from Barksdale Air Force Base, La., and Andersen AFB, Guam, as well as B-1 Lancers from Dyess AFB, Texas. The exercise also involved E-3 Sentry airborne warning and control system and E-8C Joint Stars air battle management aircraft, and F-15E Strike Eagles from Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, KC-135 Stratotankers from McConnell Air Force Base, Kan., Andersen and Robins AFB, Ga., and Navy P-3 Orions and F/A-18 Hornets.

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said after his talk with Russian President Vladimir Putin that his counterpart agreed to give Thailand the tariff reduction instead of offering a quota as Russia has never imported Thai chicken before.

Mr. Thaksin said he also discussed the implementation on its barter scheme to trade chicken for Russian army planes and expected a progress be made by next month.

We cannot let our poultry go bankrupt. If the business gets worse, it would take us longer time to recover and would wreck our farmers, and other related businesses. Putting our chicken into the barter system would save our poultry. And coincidentally, our army at the moment needs develop ment as it has lacked a budget to improve itself after the country hit by the economic crisis, he said

Russia has got Sukhoi 30 mk which is a popular model for army planes and Russia has offered to trade them with Thai frozen chicken which we have more than 100,000 tons in stock. If we could agree primarily on our conditions, we would then hold a further talk on technical issues with Russian foreign minister who would visit next month and we would ask the commander of the Royal Thai Air Force to join the discussion, said Mr. Thaksin.

Meanwhile, Mr. Anuthin Charnveerakul, the deputy commerce minister said Russia also agreed to cut its tariffs on other Thai goods. He said even though Thailand has asked for tariff reduction for over 1,000 kinds of goods but Russia agreed to only 107 types of goods.

However, this would help Thai goods to become more competitive in Russian markets, he said.

The two countries would also discuss further on tariff on Thai raw sugar, he said, as they could not agree on conditions this time.

Russia has allowed Thai businessmen to invest in spa and restaurants in the country. But they have to hire local workers, said the Thai deputy commerce minister.

According to Sansanee Nakapong, the deputy government spokesperson, the Russian president has also invited Her Majesty the Queen to visit his country next year.(TNA)-E110

Nov 29, 2004
Spore opens new military air base in Changi

SINGAPORE opened a new air force base on Monday to beef up its air defences.

Changi Air Base (East) has a 3km runway, and is spread over 200ha.

The new facility will provide easier access to the training areas over the South China Sea, and allow the air force to spread planes across more air fields, the ministry said.

Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean said the Republics 145 Squadron - which operates US-built F-16 Fighting Falcons - would use the new site for its base.

Singapores air force already has four main air fields. - AP
Copyright © 2004 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved. Privacy Statement & Condition of Access.

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http://www.qianlong.com/ 　 2004-11-06 01:12:47

祖克MFE雷達天線系統

“長矛”M雷達

本網記者正在采訪俄方人員

　　千龍網珠海11月5日訊(記者 宋大昭) 今天下午本網記者在珠海航展1號展館俄羅斯展廳就機載雷達采訪了俄方相關技術人員。本次俄羅斯帶來了祖克MFE被動相控陣雷達發射單元和“長矛”M雷達，
前者主要用于改進SU-27、SU-30戰斗機，后者用于改進米格-21戰斗機。據俄方人員介紹，俄羅斯在相控陣雷達技術方面并不落后于西方先進國家，而現在采用相控陣雷達是世界戰斗機發展的大勢所趨，例如美國的F/A-22、歐洲的“臺風”等戰斗機都使用了這種雷達。他還說：“本次展覽俄羅斯并沒有帶來最先進的主動相控陣雷達技術，但在不久的將來，俄羅斯將開始生產這種先進的雷達。”

http://www.qianlong.com/ 　 2004-11-02 23:28:34
　　俄新社11月1日發自珠海的報道說，俄羅斯國防裝備出口公司空軍部經理亞歷山大·米赫耶夫告訴該社記者：俄羅斯一些公司的代表表示有興趣同中國的設計部門一道共同研制航空器材。
　　米赫耶夫說：“目前俄羅斯公司在中國市場的重點已經不是出售飛機，
而是同中國的設計部門一道共同研制航空器材。”用他的話來說，目前正在就共同研制雷達系統、發動機、控制系統和機載電腦方面的問題進行積極的談判。

　　米赫耶夫指出：俄羅斯公司維修中國正在使用的俄產飛機的計劃，也屬于中國市場需求的優先方面之一。

　　米赫耶夫并不排除中方采購一批俄羅斯飛機的可能性。他說：“我不排除這種可能性，盡管在珠海航展期間自然不會簽訂任何合同，要簽，那也是以后的事。”

　　米赫耶夫說：最有前途的是中方可能購買由別里耶夫設計局設計、由伊爾庫次克飛機制造公司生產的別-200多功能飛機。他指出：“中國已經對這種飛機感興趣了。11月6─7日將在青島為一些潛在用戶舉行這種飛機在中國的首飛儀式。”

　　第五屆中國國際航空航天博覽會是星期一在珠海開幕的。俄羅斯國防裝備出口公司是俄羅斯展品的主要組織者。今年這屆展覽會為俄羅斯劃撥了參觀最方便的位置，它就在展覽會大門附近。用俄羅斯國防裝備出口公司代表的話來說，俄羅斯展臺的總面積高達1000平米以上。

　　俄羅斯有50多家企業到珠海來參展，其中還包括俄羅斯所有領銜的設計局。俄羅斯參展代表的總數在300人以上。此次飛到珠海來的總共有兩架伊爾-76運輸機（機上運載著大量的參展設備），此外還有一架蘇-27S??殲擊機。

　　此外，用他的話來說，人們對俄羅斯產品的需求量很大。“俄羅斯國防裝備出口公司目前正在草擬的合同在50份以上，其內容是由俄羅斯供應總價值在15億美元以上的航空和航天設備。”

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瞄準科技前沿:中國先進空空導彈制導技術(圖)

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http://www.qianlong.com/ 　 2004-11-09 19:22:42
　　現代紅外格斗空空導彈開始采用凝視陣導引頭或者矩陣成像導引頭，這種導引頭的優點在于能夠分辨目標的大致輪廓，從而提高抗干擾能力，而傳統的導引頭對目標顯示僅為熱信號的強弱，在空戰中容易被熱干擾源所干擾。通常來說，成像分辨率越高，則技術越先進，抗干擾能力和識別能力越強，早期的一些導引頭采用了2X4、4X4單元，比較先進的美國AIM-9X空空導彈采用了64X64單元的凝視陣。而這次中國洛陽光電展出的128X128單元銻化銦紅外探測器和1X128線紅外探測器，代表著中國在光電技術方面已經進入了世界前列。