Internationale fighter ontwikkelingen

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

Vliegtuig zal uiteindelijk prima zijn.. aantal niet.

Dat denk ik ook waarbij ik nog steeds uit ga van een hoger aantal in het volgende decennia.

[Huzaar1]

Ik heb ook helemaal geen goed gevoel over die F-35...kwa kosten en kwa prestaties is het niet veel

Vliegtuig zal uiteindelijk prima zijn.. aantal niet.

[Oorlogsvis]

Nou als de halve wereld aan de Su-35 en Su-30 gaat dan kunnen we wel ophouden met onze 30 F-35.

Ik heb ook helemaal geen goed gevoel over die F-35...kwa kosten en kwa prestaties is het niet veel

[Huzaar1]

Nou als de halve wereld aan de Su-35 en Su-30 gaat dan kunnen we wel ophouden met onze 30 F-35.

[Sparkplug]

Raytheon offers American-made T-100 for T-X

By James Drew, Washington DC | 22 February 2016

Raytheon has officially jumped into the US Air Force's T-X race, offering the Italian Finmeccanica-Alenia Aermacchi M-346-based T-100 with twin Honeywell F124 turbofan engines and training support from CAE.

At an announcement in Washington DC on 22 February, the world's third-largest military contractor confirmed that air force pilots have already trialled the "Master" in Italy to verify that the current design meets stringent, high-g performance criteria associated with T-X.

Once allied with General Dynamics, the T-100 will now compete against the Lockheed Martin/Korea Aerospace Industries T-50A and clean-sheet alternatives proposed by Boeing/Saab and Northrop Grumman/BAS Systems for US Air Education and Training Command's procurement of 350 high-performance training jets to replace the 48-year-old Northrop T-38 Talon.

Once outfitted with wide-screen avionics displays and a boom refuelling mechanism, company officials expect the T-100 to meet all of the air force's requirements, but with less cost and schedule risk than the completely new designs pursued by Boeing and Northrop.

Those officials also stressed that a large portion of the aircraft will be made in America, reflective some anxiety about the M-346's Italian origin.

"Our offering will be built, tested and fielded in the United States," says Roy Azevedo, VP of Raytheon's airborne systems division.

Azevedo says his team will deliver a complete package that includes the aircraft, ground-based training system and courseware, and it will blend live, virtual and constructive (LVC) elements into a single, high-end training environment.


James Drew/Flight International

Raytheon is also confident of meeting and even exceeding the air force's tentative initial operational capability date of 2024.

"The aircraft is already supporting training today," says Jim Hvizd, vice-president of business development for Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems. "We absolutely believe we can bring a very low-development programme to bear."

Unlike the single-engine T-50A proposed by Lockheed, Raytheon is offering a twin-engine aircraft powered by Honeywell's F124, with each engine enabled by dual-channel, redundant full authority digital engine control (FADEC) for safer flying.

Peter Costello, Honeywell's senior director of international business development, says the engine is currently built in Taiwan but has also been assembled for Israel's M-346 training fleet in Phoenix, Arizona. That site will be reactivated should Raytheon win T-X.

"We just delivered the last Israeli engines a few months ago, so we'll just turn the lights back on," says Costello.

Honeywell/International Turbine Engine Company (ITEC) F124s and the afterburner derivative, known as the F125, power the M-346, Czech Aero L-159 Alca and Taiwanese F-CK-1 Ching-kuo.

Alenia Aermacchi chief executive Filippo Bagnato says the T-100 is not a prototype and enters the race as a mature alternative to the T-50A and clean-sheet designs, and it is already supporting the training needs of fourth- and fifth-generation fighter jet pilots.

Bagnato says the M-346 strikes the right balance between the needs of pilots preparing to fly the highly manoeuvrable Eurofighter Typhoon and the more sophisticated Lockheed F-35.

There are currently three possible cockpit configurations under consideration including an evolutionary approach from the current design to a completely new avionics display. The T-50A, by comparison, will have a cockpit based on the F-35 Lightning II.

For refuelling, there are three potential options for centreline boom refuelling from the USAF-operated KC-135, KC-10 and future KC-46A.

Bagnato says this would likely be delivered as an adaptor or modification kit since the current set of requirements don't call for refuelling capabilities as a baseline standard.

Raytheon will announce a location where the aircraft will be built after a "rigorous" study, but well before the request for proposals (RFP) is issued later this year.

"We want to have those decisions made well before we have to make a final proposal so the government has a time-certain, cost-certain and performance-certain solution," says Hvizd.

The air force has earmarked $1.6 billion for T-X research and development with $932 million allocated between fiscal years 2017-2021. The total programme is worth upwards of $9 billion.

When accounting for the Phoenix-built engine and excluding the proposed large area display, Bagnato says the M-346 already contains approximately 50% American content. "Before beginning to work with Raytheon, the American content of the M346 is not far from 50%," he says.


James Drew/Flight International

CAE says its T-X operations will be run through its American division in Tampa, Florida. CAE group president Gene Colabatistto says the company is now well positioned for T-X, having joining Raytheon.

Colabatistto pointed to Raytheon's experience with the T-1 Jayhawk and USAF Joint Primary Aircraft Training System (JPATS) programme, which resulted in the T-6 Texan II.

"We really couldn't be happier where we ended up," he says. "I think the platform itself is very, very competitive, as we did several years ago before people started talking about clean-sheet designs."

The air force will compete its T-X requirement through 2017 before downselecting a single supplier, and a spokesman says both the clean-sheet proposals and those based on existing designs will be fairly assessed.

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/raytheon-offers-american-made-t-100-for-t-x-422269/

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

A Watershed Year for Russia's Sukhoi Combat Aircraft On the Global Arms Market

(Source: TASS-Defense; published February 20, 2016)

MOSCOW --- The current year seems to be a watershed one for Russia's Sukhoi fighters and bombers at the global arms market. As a high-ranking military-diplomatic source told at the Singapore Airshow 2016, a number of countries had already revealed their keen interest to Russian fixed-wing aircraft.

Russia may deliver Su-35S (NATO reporting name: Flanker-E+) fighters to China in late 2016, he said.

"Deliveries of Su-35S to China are likely to begin in late 2016 - early 2017. Su-35S is a sophisticated aircraft," he said adding, that export modification of the fighter will be supplied.

"Chinese adjustments were jointly designed, something was done by us and something by China. Adjustments were introduced to aircraft displays, in particular," the source said.

It was reported in November 2015 that Moscow and Beijing had agreed on supplies of 24 fighters, as well as ground equipment and spare engines. The deal was valued at not less than $2 billion. China has become the first international buyer of Russian Su-35S which are currently supplied to the Russian Air Force.

India may buy in Russia additional 40 Su-30MKI (NATO reporting name: Flanker-H) multipurpose fighter sets for local assembly, the source said.

"Indian Air Force faces a number of problems. The purchase of French Rafale fighters is in doubt and no serial production has been launched for Indian aircraft designs," he pointed out.

"The equipment of the national Air Force with new combat aircraft is vital, and the purchase of another 40 Su-30MKI fighter sets for local assembly will help India," the source said.

If agreement is reached the additional Su-30MKI sets delivery terms will be agreed in an appendix to the main contract.

India has ordered 272 Russian Su-30MKI fighters in total. The first contract for the purchase of 230 aircraft in Russia and their licensed production in India by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Corporation (HAL) was signed in the middle of the '90s. In December 2012, HAL signed another contract worth USD1,66 billion for additional 42 locally assembled Su-30MKI.

India assembles the fighters according to the license obtained by HAL. Since 2007, Russia has delivered 50 aircraft in flyaway condition. Then India has assembled 134 licensed fighters. The national Air Force plans to deploy 14 Su-30MKI squadrons by 2018. Therefore, at least 272 fighters should be delivered by this time.

A contract with Algeria for Su-34 (NATO reporting name: Fullback) front-line bombers delivery may be signed in 2016, according to the source.

"The related talks are ongoing and they have reached an advanced stage. The contract has yet to be signed. They have been willing to get Su-34s for a long period of time. Previously, the aircraft did not have the export certificate. Now the appropriate documents have been obtained. I believe the contract will be signed in mid-2016 or definitely by the end of the year," he said.

"There is a mutual interest in the deal. Everything will be done this year," the source said.

Previously, a source in the United Aircraft Corporation said the talks on the sale to Algeria of 12 Su-32 front-line bombers (Su-34`s export designation) have considerably advanced. In total, the North African country may acquire up to 40 aircraft of such type.

"Talks with Indonesia are at advanced stage. There is a small technical issue. I believe it will be resolved by May and the contract for the delivery of Su-35S to Indonesia will be signed," he said.

"The contract for the delivery [of Su-35 fighter jets] is likely to be signed at the Russia-ASEAN summit in Sochi (19-20 May 2015). The summit will be a momentous event," the source said, without specifying the exact number of Su-35 fighter jets Russia would deliver to Indonesia.

Indonesian news agency Antara reported that the national defense ministry had chosen Su-35S fighters to replace obsolete F-5E/F Tiger II. The contract may be for 16 Su-35S.

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/article-view/release/171485/russia-plans-four-sukhoi-sales-in-2016.html

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

Stel, for the sake of argument, dat Bogdan geen enkel vertrouwen in de F35 heeft. Hoe groot acht jij de kans dat hij die bedenkingen nu gaat delen met de Aussies? Dat hij ze zal adviseren om verder te kijken naar een fatsoenlijk toestel? Ik schat ongeveer nabij 0, en als hij het zou doen kan hij morgen van zijn vrije tijd gaan genieten.

Of denk je dat hij vrijuit zijn mening kan geven?

Daarbij is Straya m.i. de meest gecommitteerde partner in het project, echt veel te vrezen heeft de VS er niet.

Hij is natuurlijk klant en geen producent, maar je hebt zeker een punt.

Als hij verkondigt geen geloof meer te hebben in het project dan is hij zeker van een herplaatsing of naar alle vrijheid dan wel Alaska.

Maar misschien heeft hij ook wel een punt, net zo belangrijk voor Down Under als voor ons.

[dudge]

Het wekt de indruk dat jij hem plaatst in de context: "wij van WC eend", maar wellicht vergis ik me.

Stel, for the sake of argument, dat Bogdan geen enkel vertrouwen in de F35 heeft. Hoe groot acht jij de kans dat hij die bedenkingen nu gaat delen met de Aussies? Dat hij ze zal adviseren om verder te kijken naar een fatsoenlijk toestel? Ik schat ongeveer nabij 0, en als hij het zou doen kan hij morgen van zijn vrije tijd gaan genieten.

Of denk je dat hij vrijuit zijn mening kan geven?

Daarbij is Straya m.i. de meest gecommitteerde partner in het project, echt veel te vrezen heeft de VS er niet.

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

In welk opzicht?

Het wekt de indruk dat jij hem plaatst in de context: "wij van WC eend", maar wellicht vergis ik me.

[dudge]

Uit de opmerking zou je kunnen destilleren dat jij het beter weet....

In welk opzicht?

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

Is z'n werk ook natuurlijk, Uiteindelijk zijn er ook weinig risico's in Australië.

Uit de opmerking zou je kunnen destilleren dat jij het beter weet....

[dudge]

Is z'n werk ook natuurlijk, Uiteindelijk zijn er ook weinig risico's in Australië.

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

US commander defends Joint Strike Fighter F-35A ahead of Senate inquiry

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-21/us-commander-defends-joint-strike-fighter-f-35a/7187616

US Lieutenant General Chris Bogdan in Darwin for F-35 information session ahead of Senate inquiry

http://www.ntnews.com.au/news/northern-territory/us-lieutenant-general-chris-bogdan-in-darwin-for-f35-information-session-ahead-of-senate-inquiry/news-story/3f4a3a16d8b95beabb66cc1d739dcfb1

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

USAF studies EW options for next-generation combat aircraft | IHS Jane's 360

http://www.janes.com/article/58154/usaf-studies-ew-options-for-next-generation-combat-aircraft#.Vsdv8pPfYxA.twitter

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

Military Eyes Sixth-Generation Fighter 

http://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/archive/2016/March/Pages/MilitaryEyesSixthGenerationFighter.aspx