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Aviation History
1991
1991 - 2172.PDF
MILITARY AIRCRAFT OF THE WORLD The first Super Puma Mk2 flew on 6 February, 1987, and production helicopters will enter service in 1993. The first Super Puma Mk2 equipped with the Orchidee battlefield-surveillance radar flew in 1990, the antenna ^carried on a retractable, rotating mount under the rear fuselage. Since Orchidee was used operationally in the Gulf War, plans to cancel it are being reviewed. Three military variants of the AS.332 Super Puma Mkl are available: the AS.332B 23-seat tactical transport, stretched AS.332M 25-seat transport, and AS.332F naval helicopter. The 332F features folding tail pylon, deck-landing device, a nose-mounted Omera 360" -scan search radar and sonar equipment. Anti-ship armament comprises two AM.39 Exocets, six AS.15TTs or a mix. Developed from the SA.330 Puma, the AS.332 first flew on 13 September, 1978. Production -began in France in 1981, and Super Pumas are built under licence by IPTN in Indonesia. SAMCO has assembled 17 AS.332Ms under licence for the Republic of Singapore air force, and CASA is assembling 12 AS.332Bs for the Spanish army. Customers: Abu Dhabi 10, Argentina 29, Brazil 14, Cameroon 1, Chile 8, China 12, Ecuador 12, France 30, Indonesia 33, Japan 3, Jordan 12, Kuwait 6, Malaysia 1, Mexico 2, Nepal 1, Nigeria 12, Oman 2, Panama 1, Qatar 6, Saudi Arabia 12, Singapore 22, Spain 30, Sweden 10, Switzerland 15, Venezuela 8, Zaire 1. SA.342 Gazelle China may acquire a substantial number of HOT-armed Gazelles if the operational evaluation of eight helicopters acquired in 1988 is satisfactory. Two military models are in production in France: the SA.342L-1 for export and the similar SA.342M for the French army. Armament options include four or six HOT anti-tank missiles, a 20mm cannon, and machine gun or rocket pods. The Gazelle first flew on 7 April, 1967, and some 1,300 had been ordered for military use by mid- 1989. The helicopter has also been built in Egypt, Jugoslavia and the UK. Customers: SA.341 Chad 2, France 166, Great Britain 282, Jugoslavia 130, Qatar 2, Senegal 1; SA.342 Abu Dhabi 12, Angola 13, Burundi 4, Cameroon 4, China 8, Cyprus 4, Ecuador 14, Egypt 100, France 175, Gabon 5, Guinea Rep. 1, Iraq 60, Ireland 2, Jordan 8, Jugoslavia 100, Kenya 2, Kuwait 30, Lebanon 7, Libya 40, Morocco 3>Q, Qatar 14, Rwanda 6, Syria 62. AS.350/355 Ecureuil AS.550/555 Fennec is the new- designation for military versions of Aerospatiale's AS.350 Ecureuil single-turbine and AS.355 twin- turbine light helicopters. Denmark selected the AS.350L-1 Ecureuil as its first anti-tank helicopter in July 1987, and the first of 12, equipped with Swedish HeliTOW systems, will be delivered to the army Air Service in 1990. Other versions in production include the uprated AS.350L- 2 (with Arriel 1D1 turboshaft, the twin-turbine AS.355M for the French air force and the similar AS.355M-2 for export. The latter may be armed with Matra Mistral air-to-air or TOW anti-tank missiles, 20mm cannon, 7.62mm machine gun and rockets pod. Licence production is undertaken in Brazil by Helibras. The AS.350B is a contender for the US army's initial-entry rotary-wing training system. Customers: AS.350 Abu Dhabi 1, Argentina 6, Austra lia 24, Benin 2, Botswana 2, Brazil 55, Central African Republic 1, Comoro Islands 1, Denmark 12, Ecuador 4, France 32, Gabon 2, Malawi 4, Mali 1, Paraguay 6, Singapore 7, Tunisia 6; AS.355 Benin 1, Bophuthatswana 1, Brazil 21, Djibouti 3, France 50, Malawi 1, Sierra Leone 2. SA.365/366 Dauphin 2 AS.565 Panther is the new designation for military versions of Aerospatiale's Dauphin 2 helicopter. The Panther is optimised for multi-role tactical operations and is offered in two versions: SA.365K, powered by twin Arriel 1M1 turboshafts, and the SA.365M, with two TM333- lMs. Further-refined versions, with full day/night combat capability, are expected. The Panther is based on the standard SA.365N airframe, but makes extensive use of composites with military features such as armoured seats, self-sealing fuel tanks and cable cutters. Exhaust infra-red suppressors are fitted, and armament options include 20mm gun and rocket pods, Mistral air-to-air and HOT anti-tank missiles with an associated Viviane roof-mounted sight. The US Coast Guard operates 96 Lycoming LTSlOl-powered SA.366G-ls as the HH-65A Dol phin, for short-range rescue duties. During 1991 LHTEC is to flight-test two 900kW T800 turboshafts in an HH-65A. A decision is due in 1993 on whether to replace the troubled LTSlOls with T800s or Arriels. Arriel-powered military versions of the Dau phin include the AS.15TT-armed SA.365F for the Saudi navy with Thomson-CSF Agrion radar, and the similar but unarmed SA.365F for the Irish Air Corps, fitted with Bendix RDR-1500 search radar. An uprated naval Dauphin, the SA.365F-1, is also available, powered by two 600kW Arriel lMls. Mirage 2000 / Production of an initial batch of 5*^J6A.365NS is under way in China, as the Harbin Z-9, for transport use and an anti-tank version has been proposed. Customers: SA.365 Angola 4, Brazil 36, Burkina Faso 2, Cameroon 1, Chile 4, China 10+, Congo Republic 1, Cote d'lvoire 4, Dominican Republic 1, France 7, Hong Kong 3, Ireland 5, Malawi 1, Morocco 2, Saudi Arabia 30, Sri Lanka 2; SA.366 Israel 2, USA 96. DASSAULT Rafale A French Government contract for four Rafale D (1 Rafale C, 2 Rafale M, 1 Rafale B) prototypes was awarded to Dassault Aviation on 21 April, 1988, with the intention of an early-1991 first flight. Service entry is set for late 1996 in the French navy (Rafale M) and 1998 in the Armee de L'Air (Rafale B & C). Rafale C 01, powered by two Snecma M88-2 engines, first flew on 19 May, 1991 at Dassault Aviation's Istres flight test centre. The French navy Rafale M is due to arrive at Istres for testing shortly, with a first flight scheduled for late November 1991. The Rafale's RBE2 radar is being developed jointly by Thomson-CSF and Dassault Electronique. The single-seat Rafale C and two-seat Rafale B will be built to meet the French air force requirement for Mirage III, Mirage VF, Mirage Fl and Jaguar re placement, while the Rafale M will be a single-seat carrier aircraft to meet the French navy requirement to supersede F-8E (FN) Crusaders and Etendard IVs. Dassault's Rafale A technology demonstrator first flew on 4 July, 1986, powered by two GE F404 engines. In May 1987 the Rafale A prototype completed a successful series of carrier approaches and,, in 1988, performed simulated carrier landings on a suitably marked runway at Istres. It is a single-seat aircraft with compound-sweep delta wing, an all-moving foreplane, digital fly-by-wire and relaxed stability. On 27 February, 1990, flight-testing began of the Rafale A, fitted with the 73.5kN-thrust Snecma M88-2 engine destined for production aircraft, paired with a GE F404-400. Up to the 1991 Paris air show the Rafale A had flown more than 75 flights and logged almost 70h. The French air force is expected to buy 250 Rafale Ds and the French navy 86 Rafale Ms. The Rafale A is about 1,000kg heavier than the proposed pro duction Rafale D, which will have an operational empty weight of 8,600kg. Customers: France 250 D, 86 M. Mirage 2000 In a bid to secure a 40-aircraft Finnish order, Dassault has agreed with Valmet to market its Redigo trainer. The type has also undergone Arctic testing. The Mirage 2000 is also being offered to Malaysia, following cancellation of a Tornado order. The French air force plans to procure 373 Mirage 2000s, including 75 2000N two-seat nuclear-strike aircraft and up to 105 2000Ds, which are optimised for conventional attacks while retaining the Antilope V terrain-following/ground-mapping radar of the ASMP-armed 2000N. In April 1989, Dassault announced plans to develop two private-venture versions: the Mirage 2000S and the 2000-5. The latter is an enhanced multi-role variant, equipped with Thomson-CSF RDY radar, Matra MICA advanced air-to-air missiles and incorporating a major cockpit upgrade. It first flew in October 1990. The Mirage 2000S is an adaptation of the 2000D, aimed at the export market. The latter first flew on 19 February, 1991. Most early-model French air force Mirage 2000Cs will keep the RDM radar but all the other air-defence variant delivered or still to be delivered will be fitted with the Thomson-CSF RD1 air-intercept radar. A Rubis FLIR pod was flight-tested in December 1989. Current production aircraft are fitted with the definitive Snecma M53-P2 engine, which is available for retrofit. The first of seven Mirage 2000 prototypes flew on 10 March, 1978. Basic versions are the 2000C single-seat fighter, 2000B two-seat operational trainer, the single-seat 2000R reconnaissance fighter, the two-seat 2000N nuclear strike aircraft and the two-seat 2000D for conventional strike. Customers: Abu Dhabi 36, Egypt 20 (+20), France 380, Greece 40, India 49, Jordan 12 (+8), Peru 12. Mirage F.l Production of the Mirage F.l ended in 1989 after more than 20 years with the completion of the final batch of F.lEQs for Iraq. The French air force received its last Mirage F.1CR-200 reconnais sance fighter in 1987. The Mirage F.l first flew in December 1966, and more than 730 aircraft have been delivered. Basic versions comprise the ground-attack F-1A, F.1B operational trainer, F.1C interceptor, F.1CR day/ night reconnaissance fighter, F.1D trainer and F.1E multi-role export fighter. French air force F.l-Cs wrere delivered as F.1C- 200s, or converted by the installation of detachable flight-refuelling probes. Of these, 41 are being converted to F.1CT tactical combat aircraft and will be fitted with an update of the F.lCR's nav/attack system. The first flight of a Mirage F.lCTs took place on 3 May 1991. Customers: Ecuador 18, France 269, Greece 40, Iraq 132, Jordan 36, Kuwait 34, Libya 38, Morocco ,50, Qatar 14, South Africa 50, Spain 73. Mirage 111/5/5 0 Dassault is involved in various Mirage 111/5 upgrades, most consisting of the installa tion of an inertial platform, a digital computer, a head-up display and laser rangefinder. Brazil, Egypt and Peru have implemented upgrades to their fleets, while Chile has an indigenous programme for its Mirage 50s, which includes some structural modifi cation. Venezuela signed a contract in 1988 for 12 new Mirage 50s and the upgrade of its existing Mirage III/5 fleet to a similar standard, including re-engining with uprated Atar 9K50s. Two Mirage 5s 34 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 21 - 27 August, 1991
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