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French Mirage F1s
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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 the Force Aerienne Algerienne also flies SU-24 Fencer and SU-25 Frogfoot strike aircraft, even more modern and capable MiG-29s, and is set to receive multi-role MiG-29SMTs and/or multi-role SU-30MKs as part of a multi-billion dollar weapons deal with Russia.

Morocco can’t beat that array. Instead, it is looking for replacement aircraft that will prevent 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 existing offerings among America’s “teen series” fighters, as well as 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.

The latest development includes a contract for reconnaissance pods…

• Contracts and Key Events [updated]
• Why The F-16? DID Analysis – Dec. 2007
  
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RAF Eurofighter
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Back in 2005, DID reported that talks were underway for a Saudi purchase of Eurofighter Typhoon Tranche 2 advanced air superiority and strike aircraft from Britain’s BAE Systems – with an important (albeit denied) set of conditions on the Saudi side.

December 2005 saw confirmation that Saudi Arabia had ordered Eurofighter Typhoons, but the 72-plane deal started sinking into the tar sands shortly thereafter. Investigations from Britain’s Serious Fraud Office swirled around a GBP 43 billion oil-for-planes deal from the 1980s called Al-Yamamah (see Appendix A); in return, the Saudis played some hardball of their own. The investigation was eventually called off at the highest levels of government, and after a period of uncertainty, a contract was finally signed on Sept 11/07. Ironies aside, the price was a bit lower than many expected; even so, it comes with support arrangements that are likely to push the final value quite a bit higher.

This DID Spotlight article covers the Saudi Eurofighter deal, its associated controversies, and related developments. The latest additions include a decision that permanently shelves the Serious Fraud Office investigation, followed by rumors that the Saudis may buy a second set of Eurofighters, and a take another serious problem off of Britain’s hands…

• Typhoons Incoming: Updates and Contracts (i.e. “Continue reading…”) [updated]
• The Long Road to the Deal
• Analysis: Effects on the Eurofighter’s Export Prospects
• Appendix A: From Al-Yamamah to Project Salaam
• Appendix B: Saudi Arabia: Dependence & Deployment Options (December 2006)
  
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Global Hawk Cutaway
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The RQ-4 Global Hawks isn’t a full successor to the famous U-2 spy plane just yet, which is why the USA is keeping its U-2s for now. It’s close, however, and some people have described the HALE UAV as the equivalent of having a photo satellite on station. Flying at 60,000 feet for 30-40+ hours at a time, the jet-powered UAV used sophisticated radars and other sensors to monitor developments on land, sea, and air over an area of about 40,000 square miles/ 100,000 square km. Reported image resolution has been described as 1 foot or less.

The USA has made effective use of Global Hawks since its formal unveiling in 1997, which has prompted interest from other countries. Germany will develop and induct its EuroHawk version under a EUR 430 million program, and NATO’s AGS system will now deploy Global Hawk UAVs instead of a more effective combination of Global Hawks and modified Airbus A321 jets. Outside of NATO, however, sales have reportedly been trickier. Four issues have worked to hold up potential sales – 2 of which are acknowledged openly.

South Korea ran afoul of all 4 of those issues, when the USA rejected their application to buy 4 of the larger RQ-4B UAVs in 2006. Now, it seems, the tide has turned…

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C-17 vs. AN-124
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The long-range C-17 Globemaster III heavy transport aircraft remains the backbone of US Air Mobility Command inter-theater transport around the world, and its ability to operate from shorter and rougher runways has made it especially useful during the Global War on Terror. Recent buys by Australia, Britain, and Canada have broadened the plane’s its global use. Now NATO, who has relied on the SALIS arrangement and its leased super-giant AN-124s from Russia, is looking to buy and own 3 C-17s as NATO pooled assets with multinational crews. Participating countries will receive allocated flight hours relative to their participation (a Dutch MinDef release says they expect 500 flight hours per year for EUR 10-15 million per year over 30 years), and thus far they include: Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, and the United States.

This order will not materially change the coming shut-down of C-17 production, but it does look like the inauguration of a pool that will fill a gaping hole in Europe’s defense capabilities – its complete lack of heavy airlift. This article will cover NATO C-17 acquisition program, including its structure and ongoing announcements.

Program is actually a misnomer so far. There has been talk, and spending bills have been introduced in some countries. Even so, the SAC has yet to get underway, despite an originally-planned in-service date of late 2007…

• The NATO C-17 Pool
• Contracts, Notifications & Key Events [updated]
• Additional Readings
  
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F-35A AA-1
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The F-35 Lightning II is a major multinational program which is intended to produce an “affordably stealthy” multi-role strike fighter that will have three variants: the F-35A conventional version for the US Air Force et. al.; the F-35B Short Take-Off, Vertical Landing for the US Marines, British Royal Navy, et. al.; and the F-35C conventional carrier-launched version for the US Navy. The aircraft is named after Lockheed’s famous WW2 P-38 Lightning, and the Mach 2, stacked-engine English Electric (now BAE) Lightning jet. System development partners included The USA & Britain (Tier 1), Italy and the Netherlands (Tier 2), and Australia, Canada, Denmark, Norway and Turkey (Tier 3). Now the challenge is agreeing on production phase membership and arrangements, to be followed by initial purchase commitments around 2008-2009.

This updated article has expanded to feature more detail regarding the $300 billion F-35 program, including other contracts as well as notable events. As a result of reader feedback, we’ll make the new material more visible by putting it in green type. Recent news includes over $1 billion released for the program, first flight of the F-35B, initial deliveries from foreign subcontractors, and a milestone for the GE/RR F136 engine…

• The F-35 Family of Aircraft (i.e. “Continue reading…”)
• F-35 Program: Production Timelines & Structure
• F-35 Program: Events & Developments FY 2007-08 [updated]
• F-35 Program: System Development & Production Contracts FY 2006-08 [updated]
• F-35 Program: Ancillary and Sub-contracts [updated]
• Additional Readings & Sources
  
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PAF F-16A drops Mk.82s
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On June 30/08, “US GAO Criticizes CSF Aid to Pakistan” discussed some of the tensions inherent in US aid to Pakistan, which has totaled several billion dollars since 2001. In addition to accounting and documentation issues, there have also been several instances in which the Pakistani military’s priorities and uses of its funds have diverged from the counter-terror focus intended by the US government.

Pakistan’s current status as a country with a larger and more active insurgency than Iraq’s has two seemingly paradoxical effects. On the one hand, it raises the stakes when “Coalition Support Funding” and other counter-terror aid is used for other military efforts or prestige projects instead. On the other hand, because the stakes are so high given Pakistan’s ownership of nuclear weapons, the USA’s leverage for dealing with questionable appropriations is reduced to some extent. Aid to Pakistan has always been as much about keeping its military and government on side as it has been about dealing with the Al-Qaeda/Taliban networks that currently control significant sections of the country along the Afghan border.

In late July 2008, all of these tensions exploded into view, as Pakistan proposed to redirect 2/3 of its 2008 aid into modernizing its older F-16 fighter fleet. The PAF wants to bring all of its F-16s to a standard that’s comparable to the new F-16 Block 50/52 aircraft it’s about to receive. The US State Department acquiesced; but Congress seems to be of a different mindset…

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Strike Eagle w. SLAM-ERs
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Back in 2002, the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) selected the F-15K advanced derivative of the F-15E Strike Eagle for its Next Generation Fighter Program. Under that $3.6 billion contract, Boeing will deliver 40 aircraft to the ROKAF beginning in 2006 and ending in August 2008. South Korea’s 2-seat F-15K Strike Eagles will be the first F-15s produced with the GE F110 engine common on many US F-16C/D aircraft, and they will also carry the SLAM-ER missile as their medium-range precision strike weapon. F-15Ks will not be equipped with the AESA radars found on some US F-15Cs and Singapore’s forthcoming F-15SGs, however, relying instead on the AN/APG-63(v1) radar upgrade developed in the 1990s for American Strike Eagles. See this RealVideo clip of the first F-15K in flight.

In May 2006, the Korean Overseas Information Service said that the ROKAF would purchase another 20 F-15K multi-role aircraft beginning in 2009 – but that report has since been qualified, debated, and finally superseded. Under the second phase of the F-X next-generation warplane procurement project, South Korea’s military plans to purchase 20 multi-role fighters via open bidding, with an investment of about 2.3 trillion won (currently about $2.4 billion). Things haven’t quite gone as hoped, however: the F-35 was excluded for having incompatible timelines, Dassault and Sukhoi didn’t attend the DAPA presentation after being named as candidates, then Eurofighter pulled out, leaving Boeing as the only submission.

DAPA has put out a second request for tenders in response, and Boeing was the only respondent. They closed the deal in April 2008, leaving only the ancillary contracts up for grabs. Northrop Grumman has just confirmed a contract for electronic warfare systems…

• F-X to KF-X: The ROKAF’s Best-Laid Plans…
• Updates and Contracts [updated]
• Appendix A: Original F-X-2 Candidates
• Appendix B: Which SU-35?
• Appendix C: Additional Readings, News & Events
  
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F-CK-1A/B Ching-Kuo
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The Taipei Times passes along a China Times bulletin noting that The Aerospace Industrial Development Corp (AIDC) based in Taichung has upgraded two of the Republic of China Air Force’s 130 F-CK-1 Ching-Kuo Indigenous Defense Fighters “to improve their combat-capabilities against China.” The modified parts include the Ching-Kuo’s avionics, fire-control system and landing gear, said the paper, and the two modified IDFs will make their formal debut on October 10, 2006. Upgrades of the other 128 aircraft will follow.

If the money to do so is approved. A recent Flight International report notes that this has not happened, even as a major Taiwanese arms request that includes 66 F-16C/D fighters remains stalled in Washington…

Link 16 Display
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Jam-resistant Link-16 radios automatically exchange battlefield information – particularly locations of friendly and enemy aircraft, ships and ground forces – among themselves in a long-range, line-of-sight network. For example, air surveillance tracking data from an Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft can be instantly shared with fighter aircraft and air defense units. More than a dozen countries have installed Link 16 terminals on over 19 different land, sea, and air platforms, making it an interoperability success story.

While recent advancements may make AESA radars the future transmitters of choice, Link 16 is the current standard. The Multifunctional Information Distribution System-Low Volume Terminals (MIDS LVTs) were developed by a multinational consortium to provide Link 16 capability at a lower weight, volume and cost than the Joint Tactical Information Distribution System (JTIDS). This DID focus article describes the program, and covers international contracts associated with it. It will be updated and backfilled as time goes on.

The latest award is a contract for some of the new MIDS-JTRS terminals…

• The MIDS-LVT Program
• Into the Future: MIDS JTRS/ MIDS-J
• MIDS/ Link 16 Contracts & Events [updates]
• Additional Readings
  
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F-22: Climbing Mt. Fuji?
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Back in February 2006, InsideDefense.com’s Inside The Air Force (ITAF) reported that momentum was building within the Air Force to sell the ultra-advanced F-22A Raptor abroad to trusted U.S. allies, as a way of plussing up numbers and production. The USAF originally initially intended to purchase 700-800 F-22 fighters, but that was cut to 442, then 381, and recently cut again to just over 180. These cuts have had obvious effects on the cost per aircraft, and on the ratio of aircraft to total R&D + production money spent. With F-22 production set to terminate around 2010, and increasing concern over the capability gap between other US fighters and global competitors like the SU-30 family, MiG-35, et. al., some USAF planners are becoming concerned. Extending the F-22 production line through exports is also a way of extending the USA’s decision options.

One of the most likely export prospects is Japan. The Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) currently has 3 fighter jet models in its fleet: F-15J/F-15DJ Eagles, its F-4EJ “Kai” and RF-4EJ reconnaissance Phantom IIs, the Mitsubishi F-2s (a larger, longer-range variant on the F-16C). The Mitsubishi F-1 entered service in 1978 and is still listed on the JASDF web site, but it has now been replaced by F-2s¹. The JASDF introduced the F-4EJ in 1973, and the RF-4EJ version is slated for replacement by F-15Js with special pods. Japan has indicated it will begin retiring the F-4 platform entirely early next decade., which gives the Japanese a number of choices to make – and the F-22 is currently at the top of their list.

While the Raptor was discussed at a 2007 summit meeting, there are reports that “Pro-China officials in the White House and Pentagon are quietly undermining Japan’s request.” Meanwhile, BAE Systems is looking to pounce if the US continues to be intransigent…

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