CF-18: which way?
(click to see clearly)

The Hornet is the F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet’s predecessor, and the first models were introduced in the late 1970s as a spinoff of the USAF’s lightweight fighter competition. While the General Dynamics F-16 won, Northrop’s YF-17 eventually evolved into the McDonnell-Douglas (now Boeing) F/A-18 Hornet.

The F/A-18 Hornet is currently flown by the US Marine Corps as their front-line fighter, by the US Navy as a second-tier fighter behind its F/A-18 E/F Super Hornets, and by 7 international customers: Australia, Canada, Finland, Kuwait, Malaysia, Spain, and Switzerland. The USA’s aircraft were expected to have a service life of 20 years, but that was based on 100 carrier landings per year. The US Navy and Marines have been rather busy during the Hornets’ service life, and so the planes are wearing out faster.

This is forcing the USA to take a number of steps and issue a series of contracts in order to keep their Hornets airworthy, replacing center barrel sections, re-opening production lines, and more. Some of these efforts will also be offered to allied air forces, who have their own programs and services to call upon. The latest additions involve engine support for several countries…

Continue Reading… »

French Mirage F1s
(click to view full)

Morocco’s combat air force currently flies 2 squadrons of old F-5s, and 2 squadrons of only slightly newer Mirage F1s; T-37 light jets serve as key transitional trainers. Their neighbor and rival Algeria flies MiG-23s of similar vintage, but adds far more modern and capable MiG-29s. The Force Aerienne Algerienne also flies SU-24 Fencer and SU-25 Frogfoot strike aircraft, and is set to receive 36 multi-role MiG-29SMTs and 30 multi-role SU-30MKs as part of a multi-billion dollar weapons deal with Russia. Morocco is looking for replacement aircraft that will prevent a complete overmatch, and provide it with a measure of security.

Initially, they looked to France. France’s Rafale is part of a set of European 4+ generation fighters that were developed and fielded during the 1990s-early 21st century, with the aim of surpassing both existing offerings among America’s “teen series” fighters, and Russia’s Mig-29 Fulcrum and SU-27/30 Flanker family. “Dogfight at the Casbah: Rafale vs. F-16” discussed the French sales slip-ups that cost Dassault its first export order for the 4+ generation fighter. That outcome is now official. Just to make things worse, the final multi-billion dollar deal involves new-build F-16s, at a price comparable to the rumored figures for the Rafale. Not to mention an accompanying request to replace Morocco’s T-37 trainer fleet. Now, the contracts are beginning…

• Contracts and Key Events [updated]
• Why The F-16? DID Analysis – Dec. 2007
  
  Continue Reading… »

F/A-18F Super Hornet
(click to view full)

The US Navy flies the F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet, and has just taken delivery of its first operational EA-18G Growler electronic warfare & strike aircraft. These buys are actually managed out of a common multi-year procurement (MYP) contract, which also manages many of the EA-18G’s support costs since it’s derived from the Super Hornet and many of the required maintenance items are common to both planes. The contract covers 42 aircraft per year, split between Super Hornets and EA-18Gs, with a variation quantity clause permitting up to 6 additional aircraft per year under the same terms. FY 2008 marks year 4 of the 5-year MYP-II contract.

DID already has an EA-18G FOCUS Article; we will be using this entry to cover the Super Hornet MYP program’s budgets, and this article has been updated to include all announced contracts since MYP-II began. The latest entry is service life assessment work, and the EA-18G’s arrival at NAS Whidbey Island…

• Hornet MYP: Aircraft Types & Budgets
• Contracts & Key Events [updated]
• Additional Readings
  
  Continue Reading… »

MiG-21 ‘Lancer’
(click to view full)

Israeli companies have made something of a specialty of refurbishing older Western fighters and even Soviet fighters with modern radars, avionics, and Israeli weapons like the Python air-air missile, giving the systems new life. India’s refurbished MiG-21 ‘Bisons’ combined Russian, Indian and Israeli technology* to excellent effect in the COPE India 2004 and 2005 exercises with the USAF, and there’s even a Russian-Israeli MiG-21 2000 variant that exists for general sale. An all-Israeli effort was undertaken along somewhat similar lines to create Romania’s MiG-21 ‘Lancers’ via upgrade.

In 2005, rumor had it that the success of those efforts had led to a more ambitious fighter deal between Israel and Romania for upgraded Cheyl Ha’Avir F-16A/Bs – but 3 years later, that doesn’t seem to have gone anywhere. Other firms entered the mix, including Saab with its JAS-39 Gripen and – surprisingly – EADS’ Eurofighter. In the end, however, the USA appears to have flown away with more new orders for its F-16C/D fighters…

Continue Reading… »

E-8C JSTARS
(click to view full)

The USA’s E-8 JSTARS is a Boeing 707-300 derivative that provides a picture of the ground situation analogous to the E-3 AWACS’ picture of the air situation. JSTARS aircraft use their radars to determine the direction, speed and patterns of military activity of ground vehicles, helicopters, and even groups of people. They then send this information via secure data links with air force command posts, army mobile ground stations and centers of military analysis around the world. These surveillance and communications relay capabilities are somewhat unique, and have proven extremely useful in a series of conflicts from Desert Storm in 1991 to the present day. Europe originally intended to field a similar, smaller AGS aircraft based on the Airbus A321, but that project has now been cut to a small fleet of RQ-4 Global Hawk UAVs. With the Global Hawk limited by its payload capacity, and the USA’s E-10A program canceled, the USA’s 17 aircraft JSTARS fleet is likely to remain very popular for some time to come.

The question is how to keep that fleet relevant, flying, and allocated among all of the units clamoring for their attention. A range of upgrades were ordered in 2005, and a recent study claims that the structural improvements and other modifications could allow the aircraft to fly safely for another 50 years. The E-10’s demise may yet see the work on that plane’s full size MP-RTIP radar transferred to the E-8 fleet, a move that would improve the JSTARS’ ability to find ground targets by a factor of 5-10. The number one issue with the JSTARs fleet, however, remains its old JT3D-3B engines, whose core design was first introduced in the 1950s. An upgrade program is underway to address that…

Continue Reading… »

F414-GE-400 engine
(click to see in sections)

General Electric Aircraft Engines business group in Lynn, MA received a $321.7 million modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-06-C-0088), exercising an option for FY 2008 Lot 12 full rate production of 84 F-414-GE-400 engines and device kits and 10 engine fan modules. They will be installed in F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighters and EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft.

Work will be performed in Lynn, MA (50%); Madisonville, KY (22%); Hooksett, NH (13%); Albuquerque, NM (6%); Rutland, VT (5%); Dayton, OH (2%); Evandale, OH (1%); and Bromont, Canada (1%), and is expected to be complete in December 2009. The Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD issued the contract.

UH-1Y and AH-1Z
by Neville Dawson
(click to view full)

The US Marines’ helicopter force is aging on all levels, from CH-46 Sea Knights far older than their pilots to the 1980s era UH-1N Hueys and AH-1W Cobra attack helicopters that make up the Corps’ helicopter assault force. While the V-22 program has staggered along for almost 2 decades under accidents, technical delays, and cost issues, replacement of the USMC’s backbone helicopter assets has languished. Given the high-demand scenarios inherent in the current war, other efforts are clearly required.

Enter the H-1 program, the USMC’s plan to remanufacture 100 of the Marines’ old UH-1N Hueys and 180 of its AH-1W Super Cobra attack helicopters into advanced variants that discard the signature 2-bladed rotors for modern 4-bladed improvements, redo the aircraft’s electronics, and add improved engines and weapons to offer a new level of performance. At least, that was the idea. It hasn’t quite worked out that way, and the H-1 program has encountered its own share of delays and issues. Nevertheless, the program survived a recent review and continues on into the low-rate initial production stage and OpEval Phase II.

This is DID’s FOCUS Article regarding the H-1 program; it will be updated and backfilled as events and opportunity dictate. Recent developments include the Marines’ confirmed intent to expand the program…

• The H-1 Helicopters
• The H-1 Program
• Contracts and Key Events [updated]
• Additional Readings & Sources
  
  Continue Reading… »

P-8A Poseidon
(click to view full)

Many people would contend that the P-3 Orion is the greatest maritime patrol aircraft ever flown. These aircraft entered service in 1959 and will continue to serve past 2011. Modifications to their equipment have sharpened their capabilities, and even given them a land-attack and surveillance role. In service with 15 countries, the Orion is a great success – but it’s a very old success, and a replacement is needed.

The P-8A has emerged from the P-7 LRAACA program that was begun in 1988. That program originally envisaged an improved P-3G design, but program cost overruns and interest in opening the competition to commercial designs led to cancellation in 1990. The successor MMA program was begun in March 2000, and Boeing beat Lockheed’s “Orion 21” for the contract with a design based on the ubiquitous 737 passenger jet.

Filling the P-3 Orion’s shoes will be no easy task. What missions will the new P-8A Poseidon face? What do we know about the platform, the project team, and ongoing developments? Will the P-3’s level of global customer coverage give its successor a comparable level of export opportunities? Australia has already signed on, but has the larger market shifted in the interim?

This is DID’s FOCUS Article concerning the P-8A Poseidon Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft, and it will be updated as events and contracts are announced. In the latest news, India may be about to join the program…

• The Controversy: Turboprop, or Turbofan Jet?
• P-8A Poseidon: Platform & Capabilities
• The P-8’s BAMS Companion: Kicking It Up a Notch
• P-8A Poseidon: Program & History
• P-8A Poseidon: Contracts & Events [updated]
• News & Analysis: India’s Interest, and Broader Export Potential
• Additional Readings & Sources: Platforms & Program Background
• Additional Readings & Sources: News & Updates
  
  Continue Reading… »

VH-71 Concept
(click to view full)

In June 2005, the U.S. Navy selected the US101 for a new fleet of “Marine One” helicopters for the President of the United States. The US101 is an American variant of AgustaWestland’s successful EH101 multimission medium helicopter; it beat out Sikorsky’s S-92 Superhawk, which is already in use as a VIP state transport in countries like South Korea. Lockheed Martin, which leads Team US101 as prime contractor, received a $1.7 billion contract from the Navy for the Marine One program’s systems development and demonstration phase.

Based on the current contract schedule, the first US101 ready to transport the President is expected to be available in 2009, with the entire fleet of 28 US101s scheduled for delivered to the Marine One squadron by late 2015.

This is DID’s FOCUS Article for the program. Amidst questions surrounding the program, and rumors of cutbacks or cancellation amidst delivery schedule slippage for the key Increment 2 helicopters, the Navy has reached an agreement to proceed with the VH-71 – despite a cost per aircraft that now approaches the President’s Air Force One 747s…

• VH-71: The New Marine One Helicopter Program
• VH-71 Marine One: Contracts & Events
• Additional Readings
  
  Continue Reading… »

MQ-8B Fire Scout
(click to view full)

The USA’s RQ/MQ-8 Fire Scout Unmanned Aerial Vehicle has had a colorful history. The program was begun with promise by the US Navy, canceled, adopted by the US Army, and finally revived by the Navy as well. The MQ-8B Fire Scout is currently linked with two major new defense programs: the Future Combat Systems program and the USA’s new Littoral Combat Ships (LCS); this is both helpful to the program because of the implicit commitments, and harmful because it ties the UAV to a pair of programs that have endured stormy histories and may face more turbulence ahead. Meanwhile, a competition expected in 2008-2010 may see the Fire Scout used by the US Marines, and the US Coast Guard’s Deepwater program is another potential buyer.

Fire Scout-related awards to Northrop Grumman and Raytheon have been quite varied. DID lists them, along with budgetary figures from official DoD documents, and also explains the Fire Scout’s history and capabilities. The latest developments include news re: integration on additional ships beyond the LCS, and interest from the US Coast Guard, maritime radar testing, and a contract for a “multi-sensor suite”...

• MQ-8: The Platform (i.e. Continue reading…)
• MQ-8: The Program
• Fire Scout Program Budgets
• Fire Scout Contracts & Key Events [updated]
• Additional Readings & Sources
  
  Continue Reading… »