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JHMCS, adjusting
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The introduction of helmet mounted sights like the US-Israeli JHMCS and its F-35 successor the HMDS, Thales TopSight/TopOwl, Saab Cobra, et. al. have changed air combat. They’ve also changed the biodynamics of fighter cockpits, because they’re inevitably bulkier and heavier than the older helmets they replaced. During high-g fighter maneuvers – or worse, rocket-boosted ejections – that can become a problem. StrategyPage reports that the USAF has introduced a new neck muscle exercise machine in some air force gyms, in order to compensate.

Now Survival Innovations, Inc of Arden, NC received a contract for $6 million “to tailor development, integration and testing of a head and neck restraint system to provide improved head and neck injury protection within acceptable limits for the smaller anthropometric population range of fighter aircraft, thereby optimizing warfighter injury tolerance and protection during emergency escape.”

This is not necessarily about the development of a new ejection system, but rather about research that could benefit all aircraft ejection systems. At this time, all funds are already committed; Wright-Patterson AFB, OH is managing the contract (FA8650-08-C-6925).

Testing, testing…
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Perhaps you’ve had this experience with your car. A warning light goes on intermittently, or another system doesn’t seem to operate reliably. The car goes in to the mechanic, where it may or may not display any symptoms. Repeat as required. Eventually, the dreaded diagnosis is given: electrical issues. The problem may or may not be consequential. The fix will be uncertain. The experience will be maddening.

For a military pilot and their maintenance crew, electrical issues are inherently more serious – but no less maddening. Few of us can afford to pay a mechanic for 24 hours of work in order to diagnose an electrical fault, but militaries often do so. Now consider the long-term effects on wiring from the constant airframe vibrations produced by high-energy turbines, and the buffeting produced by travel at several hundred miles per hour. Especially in a machine that may be 30 years old or more, while still possessing some of its original wiring.

As military aircraft fleets continue to age, wiring diagnosis and product improvements will be critical. The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program is beginning to introduce production innovations involving self-diagnostic wiring, but what about existing aircraft without a full wiring refit? Enter a US NAVAIR project, and a product made by Eclypse International…

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Maintenance
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Martin-Baker Aircraft Co., Ltd. in Middlesex, England make the rocket-boosted pilot seats used to get pilots out of their planes quickly, away from lethal impacts with a tail or wing, and if necessary, to a safe altitude for parachute deployment.

The firm recently received a $42.2 million modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-07-C-0011), exercising an option for 178 Navy Aircrew Common Ejection Seats (NACES) including 78 for the Navy F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and E/A-18G Growlers; 12 seats for the US Marine Corps F/A-18A+ Hornets; 46 for the Government of Canada (upgraded F/A-18A+ Hornets); and 42 for the Government of Australia (same). The contract also covers 285 thermal batteries for the NACES, including 251 units for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, 23 units for the Government of Finland (F/A-18C/Ds) and 11 units for the Government of Switzerland (F/A-18C/Ds). In addition, this contract provides for associated component parts and production support for the U.S. Navy production aircraft and the Governments of Canada and Australia.

In total, this contract combines purchases for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, ($21.8 million; 51.69%; and the governments of Australia, ($9.7 million: 22.94%); Canada, ($10.6 million; 25.01%); Finland, ($102,632: 0.24%); and Switzerland, ($49,085: 0.12%) under the Foreign Military Sales Program. Work will be performed in Middlesex, England, (71.5%); Johnstown, PA (16%); Northridge, CA (7%); and Ronkonkoma, NY (5.5%), and work is expected to be completed in December 2009. The Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD issued the contract.

Mitsubisihi F-2s
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Japan’s F-2 looks like the F-16 from which it was derived. When placed side by side, however, it is noticeably bigger, with a 17” longer fuselage, larger horizontal tails, 25% more wing area, more internal fuel storage, and 2 more weapon store stations than the F-16. Weapons carried include the AIM-9L Sidewinder and MHI AAM-3 short range air-air missiles, the AIM-7F Sparrow medium range air-air missile, MHI’s Type 89 ASM-1 and ASM-2 anti-ship missiles, rocket launchers, and bombs including GPS-guided JDAM weapons. The centerline and inner-wing hardpoints are “wet,” and can carry drop tanks with up to 4,400kg of fuel for long range combat air patrols. The aircraft is powered by GE’s uprated F110-129 engine generating 17,000 pounds of thrust, or 29,600 pounds with afterburners on.

The F-2’s increased range is very useful to Japan, given their need to cover large land and maritime areas. Nevertheless, as a result of design decisions and meddling from Washington, the resulting aircraft ended up costing almost as much as an F-15J without delivering the same performance. As a result, production will end early.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is the prime contractor for the F-2, with partnerships in Japan and America. Lockheed Martin in particular is a major subcontractor, and their releases offer a window into the larger F-2 program. This is DID’s FOCUS article covering the F-2 program, as a new award brings contracted production to its final total….

• Japan’s F-2 Program
• Contracts & Key Events
• Additional Readings & Sources
  
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SU-34 Fullback
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Russia’s SU-27 Flanker design has become one of its great export successes. It is also a design success, with a basic airframe whose characteristics absorbed lessons from all of America’s “teen series fighters” to produce a 4+ generation aircraft that remains the yardstick by which others still measure themselves. Growth capacity has allowed further refinements and modifications, from the SU-30/35 upgrades to versions that add canard foreplanes (SU-30MKI/M, SU-37), and even carrier-launched capability (SU-33).

Then there’s the SU-32/34 “Fullback,” It was envisaged as the successor to the F-111 like SU-24 “Fencer,” which remains in service and was very highly regarded in Chechnya as a battlefield support aircraft. The SU-34’s design has evolved since its initial drafts in 1986, most visibly so in the present side-by-side cockpit configuration that includes features like an aisle to rest in and even a toilet of sorts. A Sept 1/06 RIA Novosti report includes a number of details, and despite its clear “home team cheerleader” style there are a number of useful tidbits in the profile.

Recent events may make that profile timely again, as production appears set to begin in earnest. Their rise to regular production would end a journey that began with the aircraft’s maiden flight in 1990 as the T10V/SU-27IB…

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Iraq pickup
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Goodrich Corp. in Charlotte, NC received a $6.9 million firm-fixed-price contract for integrated vehicle health management system kits and associated hardware to support health monitoring for Iraq and Afghanistan deployed UH-60A/L Black Hawk helicopters. “Health monitoring” means proactive diagnostic equipment, aka. prognostics, that can tell maintenance personnel the status of key components, and eliminate guesswork about required maintenance and replacement. HUMS, Health & Usage Monitoring Systems, is also a common industry term.

Work will be performed in Vergennes, VT and is expected to be complete by Feb. 28, 2008. This was a sole source contract initiated on April 17, 2007 by the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command at Redstone Arsenal, AL (W58RGZ-07-C-0142).

OAAAI…
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Pilots don’t enjoy thinking about ejection – but when they have to, Martin-Baker Aircraft Co., Ltd. in Middlesex, England is known worldwide as the #1 manufacturer. Their rocket-boosted pilot seats are designed to get a pilot out of a plane quickly, away from lethal impacts with a tail or wing, and if necessary, to a safe altitude for parachute deployment.

The firm recently received a $39.7 million firm-fixed-price contract for 172 Navy Aircrew Common Ejection Seats (NACESs), including 70 for the US Navy’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and E/A-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft; 20 for the US Navy’s T-45 Goshawk trainers; 22 for the US Marine Corps’ F/A-18A+ Hornets; and 60 for the Government of Canada who also flies F/A-18A+ Hornets. In addition, this contract provides for associated component parts and production support for the U.S. Navy production aircraft, and for the Government of Switzerland (F/A-18 C/Ds).

Work will be performed in Middlesex, England (71.5%); Johnstown, PA (16%); Northridge, CA (7%); and Ronkonkoma, NY (5.5%), and is expected to be complete in December 2008. This contract combines purchases for the U.S. Navy/USMC ($26.5M, 66.70%); and the governments of Canada ($13.1M, 33.02%); and Switzerland ($109,549, 0.28%) under the Foreign Military Sales Program. This contract was not competitively procured by the Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD (N00019-07-C-0011).

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Under Jack Welch, General Electric Company became famous for its determination to be #1 or #2 in a field, or get out and focus on areas where it could achieve a commanding position. That aim still drives GE, which is why it’s worth paying attention to GE’s announced purchase of aircraft control & diagnostic systems manufacturer Smiths Aerospace plc for $4.8 billion in cash.

Smiths Aerospace plc was part of the Smiths Group, with more than 11,000 employees in Europe, North America, and Asia; and $2.4 billion in equivalent 2006 revenues. In addition to being a leading supplier of flash-welded rings used in the manufacture of aircraft engines, their key products and services also include flight management systems, airborne platform computing systems, monitoring systems, power generation, conversion and distribution products, actuation products and systems for flight control, thrust reversers and landing gear applications, various engine components, aircraft structural components, land navigation, and a global customer services organization. The company has quietly but firmly built up key positions in these areas, with a significant presence on most commercial aircraft, many military aircraft, and even military land vehicles. See this diagram for a fine overview. More important, Smiths has a firm presence inside new aircraft such as the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A380 super-jumbo, the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter, P-8 MMA maritime aircraft, Britain’s Future Lynx multi-role helicopter, et. al.

There are still a few Is to be dotted and Ts to be crossed, with completion scheduled for Q2 2007; in the meantime, both firms have plans, and approval is moving through key regulatory bodies…

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Oh, yeah!
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Michelin Aircraft Tire Company LLC in Greenville, SC received a minimum $368.4 million fixed price with economic price adjustment contract for tires supplied to the US Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps. Locations of performance are Moorestown, NJ; Hebron, CT; Akron, OH; Nashville, TN; and Lawrence, NY. There were 23 proposals solicited and 2 responded. Date of performance completion is December 28, 2011. Contracting activity is the Defense Supply Center Columbus (DSCC) in Columbus, OH (SPM7L10-07-D-7001).

This contract will actually privatize the production and logistics for aircraft tires, and is valued at up to $700 million over 10 years if all options are exercised. See the US DLA’s January 10, 2007 release “First tire contracts to save taxpayers more than $172 million” for some descriptions of how the DLA/DSSC and the various military services reached this point.

Michelin will not be the only major player in this effort. Lockheed Martin will act as a subcontractor to Michelin to manage the logistics and warehousing for all tires used. This work is valued at approximately 15% of the contract value (calculates to $55.2 million now, up to $105 million over 10 years), and includes demand forecasting, inventory management, warehousing and transportation. Logistics analysts in the command center forecast requirements, process orders, monitor warehouse operations, track shipments and operate a 24/7 call center with Lockheed Martin’s SCM+(TM) supply chain management system. With SCM+(TM), management is performed on an exceptions basis with more than 95% of orders processed without human intervention. Lockheed Martin will manage the USAF’s global supply chain from its lifetime support command center in Moorestown, NJ; Michelin and Lockheed Martin have provided similar services to the U.S. Navy for its aircraft tires since 2001. See Lockheed Martin release | Follow on $1.7 billion contract for all US military services issued on January 25, 2007.

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SM-2 Launch w. AEGIS
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Variants of the SM-2 Standard missile are the USA’s primary fleet defense anti-air weapon, and in service with 13 navies worldwide. The most common variant is the RIM-66K-L/ SM-2 Standard Block IIIB, which entered service in 1998. It includes a number of modifications over previous versions, including greater capability at even lower altitudes, a more powerful fragmentation warhead, and a side-mounted infrared seeker developed in the Missile Homing Improvement Program (MHIP) to supplement the missile’s semi-active radar guidance system. These missiles work best when paired with the AEGIS radar and combat system, but can be employed independently.

DID details Raytheon’s recent US contracts related to the Standard Missile family, and also adds some budgetary and technical background that can help put them in context. For coverage of the Standard Missile family beyond FY 2006, turn to this DID FOCUS Article.

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