F_I_2015_03_17_23

DEFENCE

flightglobal.com 17-23 March 2015 | Flight International | 15

Singapore reveals

Super Puma

replacement plan

DEFENCE P

T

he US Air Force will consider
domestic and international
airframers to replace the North-
rop Grumman E-8C JSTARS fleet,
according to documents released
on 5 March, which also confirm
the service’s preference for a
smaller aircraft than the Boeing
707-based type.
Requirements are for a “small-
er, more efficient airframe, there-
by reducing life-cycle costs of the
weapon system”, the USAF says.
Its selected platform must come
complete with a JSTARS battle
management, command and con-
trol system and synthetic aperture

T

esting of the pan-European
Neuron unmanned combat air
vehicle demonstrator is set to move
to Italy, following the completion
of French assessment of the aircraft.
Following 100 test flights by
Dassault, during which the sensor,
datalink and stealth characteristics
of the demonstrator were tested,
responsibility for the six-nation
Neuron aircraft will be transferred
to Alenia Aermacchi. A later pro-
gramme phase will see further test-
ing performed in Sweden, by Saab.
All French tests were author-
ised by the nation’s DGA defence
procurement agency, and
showed “exemplary” availability
and reliability throughout, Das-
sault says. The first phase of tests

R

ussia has conducted the first

flight of a Kamov Ka-52K at-

tack helicopter, with the mari-

time type having made a 40min

debut on 7 March.

Adapted from the Ka-52 “Alli-

gator” for deployment aboard the

Russian navy’s future Mistral-

class amphibious assault ships,

the new variant features folding

rotors and folding stub wings.

Flightglobal’s Ascend Fleets

database records the Russian

navy as having signed a firm

order for four Ka-52Ks, with op-

tions to increase this by a further

28 aircraft. The programme has

been subject to delays, however,

with a first flight target initially

having been set for mid-2013.

France late last year halted the

planned delivery of the service’s

first of two ships, the Vladiv-

ostok , due to Moscow’s part in

stoking unrest in eastern Ukraine.

Russia has previously con-

ducted ship-based trials in sup-

port of the K-model development

using its air force’s Ka-52 variant.

Ascend shows the service as hav-

ing 63 Alligators in use, with an-

other 93 on order. Q

HELICOPTERS

First flight edges

Ka-52K towards

maritime debut

Neuron heads for Italy as Dassault completes tests

UNMANNED SYSTEMS BETH STEVENSON LONDON

radar/moving target indication

capability, it adds.

“The JSTARS Recap Program

Office will contract for the delivery

of a complete integrated weapon

system solution, as opposed to

holding separate competitions for

individual weapon subsystems for

subsequent integration,” the air

force says. Also required are sys-

tems with high technology readi-

ness levels and open architecture.

The decision to accept interna-

tional competitors opens the pro-

cess to manufacturers including

Airbus, Bombardier – whose

Global 6000 and in-development

Global 7000 business jets could fit

the bill – Dassault and Gulfstream.

A previous attempt to replace

the E-8C with a Northrop solution

based on the 767-400ER was can-

celled due to high costs.

Competitors already include

Boeing,  which is offering a 737-

based system, a Gulfstream pro-

posal based on the G650 and a

Northrop offering using the G550.

Lockheed Martin has joined Ray-

theon and L-3 Communications

for the contest, but was waiting

for the USAF to decide what size

aircraft it prefers before confirm-

ing a platform choice. Q

The UCAV demonstrator performed 100 flights in French airspace

Dassault

Boeing

Boeing is offering a 737-based system as a replacement for the service’s current E-8C fleet

involved the opening of Neuron’s

flight envelope – including open-

ing its weapons bay door – as

well as electro-optical sensor and

datalink performance validation.

During a second phase, “most

flights were dedicated to infrared

and electromagnetic signature/

detection confrontations against

operational systems”, Dassault

says, adding that these “pro-

duced all the expected results”.

“This success demonstrates

Dassault Aviation’s know-how in

strategic technologies and prime

contractorship, as well as its abil-

ity to lead programmes involving

European co-operation,” it says.

Neuron carried out its first flight

in December 2012. Greece, Spain

and Switzerland are also involved

in the demonstration effort.

Dassault is also involved in the

Anglo-French Future Combat Air

System (FCAS) project, with BAE

Systems, to design a UCAV under

a contract from the French and

UK governments. A two-year fea-

sibility study was launched last

November, for which Dassault is

expected to utilise some of its ex-

perience from the Neuron effort.

“Stealth-related data and feed-

back [from Neuron] will serve as

a reference for future aircraft pro-

jects,” it says. Q

CONTEST DAN PARSONS WASHINGTON DC

USAF broadens horizons in

hunt for JSTARS successor

Requirements dictate use of smaller airframe, with international types to be considered