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Abmd70.177 net.columbia utzoo!decvax!duke!bmd70!jcp Mon Dec 7 20:28:40 1981 Aviation Week 11/30/81 - Military Affairs -------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A V I A T I O N W E E K A N D S P A C E T E C H N O L O G Y M I L I T A R Y A F F A I R S S U M M A R Y

November 30, 1981 Vol 155, #22

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Boeing AGM-86B Cruise Missile Rolled Out ---------------------------------------- First production version of the USAF/Boeing AGM-86B air-launched cruise missle was rolled out of the new Boeing ALCM facility at Kent, Wash. November 24th. The missile was the first produced at the newly commissioned 276,000 sq. ft. facility, and the first with a new nose assembly. Production rate is expected to reach 2 per month by next fall, and an eventual rate of 40 per year. Tests of an improved engine by Williams International, which could improve range by 10%, are expected next spring. The improvements will produce more thrust and less fuel consumption, without affecting engine dimensions. Improvements in the AGM-86B radar cross section are expected in the next 2 to 3 years also.

B52G Bomber with Cruise Missiles Readied for Flight --------------------------------------------------- A Boeing B52G Stratofortress bomber with 12 Boeing AGM-86B cruise missiles (prototype versions) is being tested at Griffith AFB, New York. The 12 missiles are carried on two underwing pylons. The missiles are carried with wings and tails folded, in groups of 3, with two clusters, fore-aft, on each pylon. B52's will eventually carry AGM-86B's also in a rotary launcher which will be contained within the 'bomb-bay' area of the aircraft. Initial B-52G with wing-mounted cruise missile operational capability is set for December, 1982.

Greek Leader Advocates Stronger Anti-NATO Stand ----------------------------------------------- Newly elected Greek Socialist Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou will seek removal of NATO and US bases from its territory, and will try to renegotiate its membership in the European Common Market, according to goverment statements. Secretary of Defense Casper Weinberger and Secretary of State Alexander M. Haig will be visiting Greece for a NATO ministers meeting next week. Papandreou called for the creation of a nuclear free zone in the Balkan states. He said that as part of this policy, all nuclear weapons maintained by NATO forces would be removed from Greece. Greece returned to the military wing of NATO in October 1980, after withdrawing in August 1974, to protest the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. Turkey is also a NATO member. Greece is expected to make a decision soon on whether to select the General Dynamics F-16 or the Panavia Tornado multirole combat aircraft for its air force modernization program.

US Navy and Royal Navy Plan 50 Trident Test Launches Next Year --------------------------------------------------------------

DARPA Selects Lockheed for Talon Gold ------------------------------------- The Defense Advanced Projects Research Agency has selected Lockheed Missiles and Space Co. as the prime contractor for the Talon Gold, a tracking and pointing element of the agency's Triad program for high-energy laser space defense. The other two elements are the alpha chemical laser device for weapons applications in space, and the Large Optics Demonstration Experiment (Lode) to demonstrate precision laser control. Prime contracter for the Alpha system will be selected in December, between TRW and Rocketdyne. Lode selected between Hughes and Lockheed is expected in March. Rockwell International and Hughes were also competing for the Talon Gold program.

Soviet AntiSatellite System seen as Grave Threat ------------------------------------------------ The Soviet Union's new antisatellite battle station in low earth orbit is escalating its capability for space warfare. The ASAT system is equipped with clusters of interceptor vehicles that could destroy US spacecraft. The ASAT battle station has been identified as Cosmos 1267, which has been docked with Salyut 6 since June 19, ostensibly as a test of enlargin the Salyut station's capabilities. The Comsos 1267 demonstrated extensive maneuvering capabilities after launch from Tyuratam on April 24th on a heavy Proton Launcher. The satellite weighs 30,000 lbs, and has firing ports for 1 meter long miniture vehicles guided by infrared sensors. Radar homing may also be a possibility. Docking of the Cosmos with Salyut 6 means the USSR would be able to use the manned Salyut to direct ASAT attacks against US space- craft from US retaliatory attack. US officials said the data on the new ASAT, which first appeared September 17th in an intelligence report, are now VERY HARD, from a variety of sources, "harder than anything we've seen in a long time." It was originally thought that Cosmos 1267, and Cosmos 929, an earlier vehicle, were prototype 'space tugs' for moving payloads between different orbits.

Defense Dept Proposes More Arms for Pakistan -------------------------------------------- Defense Dept. has notified Congress of a proposed letter of offer to Pakistan, supplemental to the 40 General Dynamics F-16s proposed earlier this year. The weapons include: 10 Bell Helicopter Textron AH-1S attack helicopters, with TOW antitank capability, for a cost of $82 million. Deliver to being Spring 1985. 24 M901 Improved TOW vehicles, 1005 Improved TOW missiles for $21 million, deliver to begin in late 1984. 64 M109A2 155mm self propelled howitzers 40 M110A2 8 in self propelled howitzers 75 M198 155mm towed howitzers at a cost of $176 million. 40 of the M109A2's would come initially from US Army production to meet delivery. 100 M48A5 tanks 38 M88A1 recover vehicles and ammunition total cost $117 million

To prevent the sale, the House and Senate would have to adopt a joint concurrent resolution of disapproval by December 19th.

Italy Plans 34% Increase in Defense Budget ------------------------------------------ More than half of the proposed 34% increase to $10billion, will go for military personnel costs. With a projected inflation rate of 16-20%, the increase would produce a real spending increase of 14-18% 53% of the budget is for personnel costs, while only 18% is for new military equipment programs. Limitation in funds have forced the army to postpone plans fr an antitank missile system, and the navy to delay replacement of two minesweepers and a frigate with new missile launching frigates.

Austrian Fighter Buy Postponed ------------------------------ Austrian purchase of a new fighter aircraft has been delayed by budgetary problems. Austria's Defense Council had recommended purchase of 24 Dassault-Breguet Mirage 50 earlier this year. The sale is valued at $24 million.

F/A-18 Instructor Pilots in Training ------------------------------------ First class of instructor pilots for the Navy/McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 fighter has begun training at Lemoore Naval Air Station, California, with the squadron VFA125, which will be the training/transition squadron for the first operational F/A-18 pilot training, expected next summer. This is the first time a training squadron will train both Navy and Marine pilots and support personnel. Performance, maneuverability and availability of the initial aircraft have been encouraging to senior VFA125 officers. Mainenance has been averaging 18 hours per flight hour on the first F-18s delivered to the squadron, with a low of 7 in one month. Areas of high reliability have included the hydraulic systems and the Hughes APG-65 radar. One of the radars operated 156.7 hr befor a downing malfunction occurred. While the F-18 burns slightly more fuel than the Vough A-7's which the squadron also operates, it exhibits greatly enhanced performance. The F-18 also demonstrates more fuel endurance than either the A-4 or the F-14. Cockpit layout and ease of operation were also identified as strong points of the F-18.

F100 Derivative Prepared for Testing ------------------------------------ Derivative model of the Pratt & Whitney F100 engine, use in the McDonnell Douglas F-15 and the General Dynamics F-16 fighters, is undergoing initial testing. Three engines based on F100 for military use are: PW1130 - Baseline fan engine series, thrust 23800-32000 lb. Entry in expected competitions to upgrade engines in the Grumman F-14 Tomcat, as well as F-15/F-16. Ready for production: 1985 PW1120 - augmented turbojet in the 20000 thrust class. Has already been selected by Israel for the Lavi fighter. Sweden and Germany are also looking at the engine for new fighters. Production date: early 1986 PW1115 - non-afterburning fan engine in the 12000-15000 thrust class. Considered a possibility for new trainer programs, also for reengining the Fairchild Republic A-10 attack aircraft.

F100 experienced a high incidence of stall stagnation in both F-15 and F-16 in early models, also recent studies show a much lower stall rate. A proximate splitter was installed in F-16, F-15 and F-16 also have modified fuel controls and nozzles. Component improvement has allowed engine life to be increased to 1350 cycles from 900 earlier. The rate will go to 1800 in Feb. 1982, and to 4000 cycles by early 1985. One Tactical Air Command cycle represents an average fighter sortie of slightly more than an hour. It involves throttle settings of power off to max power to power off, plus three transients from idle to max to idle. The 1800 cycle figure represents 4 to 5 years of flying time.

Pratt and Whitney Proposes Reengined B-52G ------------------------------------------ After a six month study, Pratt and Whitney is proposing that the B-52G cruise missile carrier be reengined with the PW2037 turbofan engine being developed for the Boeing 757 transport and the McDonnel Douglas C-17. The B-52 is now powered with Pratt and Whitney J57 engines using the same nacalle as the 757 installation. Total installed thrust would then increase from 110,000 lb with eight J57-P-43W's to 150,400 lb with four PW2037s Primary advandages would be fuel efficiency and reduced dependence on tanker aircraft. The current B-52 fleet includes: 173 B-52Gs designate as cruise missile carriers, scheduled to be phased out beginning in 1990. 96 B-52H penetrator bombers, scheduled to remain in the inventory beyond 2000. 79 B-52D planned to be retired by 1990.

The cost of reengining the complete 173 B-52Gs would be $4.2 billion, which over a 20 year period would save the military $8.4 billion for a net savings of $4.2 billion. Life of the G series aircraft would be extended another 15-20 years.

Primary Mission Benefits: Fuel efficiency - each B-52 would burn 700,000 gal of fuel annually. On the long range cruise missile carrier mission, each B-52 is refueld twice, the PW2037 modification would cut consumption 40%, and require no refuelings. No foreign bases would be required for aircraft or tankers for the cruise missile mission Thrust improvement - Takeoff distance would go from 10560 ft to 9050ft, and more dispersal fields could be planned due to lower noise. Maintanability - Modular construction and self-test capabilities would result in a 79% engine maitenance savings.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Summary prepared by J. C. Pistritto (ARPA address jcp@brl) UUCP address duke!bmd70!jcp

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