VOLUME 18 international AIR POWER REVIEWinternational AIR POWER REVIEW Published quarteay by AIR Publishing Ine 191 Post Road West, Westport, CF 06880 Tel (205) 454-4775 + Bas (2038) 226-5967 {© 2105 AlRime Publishing Inc $022 and Vallant cutaways © Mike Badrocke $-20/22 profiles © Tom Cooper Photos and othe illustrations are the copyright of their especie ISBN: 1-880588-97-8 (ofbound) SDSS 98.6 (casebound) SN 1473-9917 Softbound Fdtion Publisher ‘Mel Williams | Editor David Donald «ai chdondhemaeash US Desk, “Tom Kaminski Russia/CIs Desk Piotr Butowshi, Zaur Eylanbekor Burope and Rest of World Desk John Feicker, Jon Lake, Marni Sap Correspondents Vlngentina: Santiago Revas ad Juan Cats Cicles Australia: Nigel Ptaway Belgium: Dirk Lamargae Brat: Claio Lucehes! Bulgaria: Alexander Mladenov Canada: Jeff Rankin-Lowe France: Hens-Pirte Grolieas Germany: Frank Vewer, Bere Veter India: Pushpindae Singh ‘srael: Shlomo Adoni Italy: Luigino Caliaro Japean: Yoshinomo Aoki Netherlands: Theme Fesiner Romania: Danwe Vlad Spain: Salvador Mafé Heres (USA: Rick Burgess, Brad Phar, Mark Farmer (Notth Pacific region), Peter Mersky, Bil Sweetman Artists Mike Badracke, Pott Butowsi, "Tom Cooper, Chris Davey Controller Linda DeAngelis Sales Director “Brooks Origination by Chroma Graphs, Singapore Printed in Singapore by KHIL Printing All ights reserved. No part ofthis publication may be copied reprcisced, stored electeoniclly or transmitted in acy manner for in any form whatsoever without the writen permission of the publishers and copyright holders, International Air Power Review is published quartet ia tv0 editions Softbouod and Deluxe Casebound) and is walle by subscription or as single volumes, Please see detals opposite Acknowledgments Thanks o Tom Cooper, ing Berger a Frank Rosendaal fr belp with the Finer article “The authors of the Rogal Jordanian Ai Force article would lke to thank ll the people involved for thee help and assistance during the preparation of this feature, especially our guide Harar Mismar, Commander of he RJAP (General Hussein AL-Bis an all pos and squadron commanders that made ‘our visit unforgettable, Shukan to you all The author of the HT-18 feature would lke to thank CDRs Gerald Briggs, John Fleming, Pam Kunze, LT COL Joe Richards, MAJs Michael Marko a Kar Stoetzee, LCDR Erie Sturgl, CAPTs Sean Dickman and Andes Lavato (both USMG), LT Matt Keowles, LIJG Shaun Roberton, andthe many ‘others that helped ‘Tanks to Lt Col Valere"Tefts Sgt Ryan Hansen, Col Donal Wattous, Col Dawn Puilop, Me'Tom Pulls, Mr Bo Sls andl Mr Joe Stovt for their assistance withthe ‘Desert Testers’ fetare Contact and Ordering Information (hours: 104m -4.30 pan EST, Mon Fe) addresses, telepbome and fs naar: International Air Power Review, P.O: ox 507%, Westport, CT 06881, USA Tel (08) 4st-r3 ae a) soe To rec win USA and Cana: 1 HD 359-303 Til fee from the United Kingdom Belg, Dena, Francs, Germany, oll, land Tay, taser Norway Saitzerind 6 tour sev 00 BM) 7373 ican 6 boat ahead). 99080) sabe Tal fe from fap (14 Bouts aad. O01 IO 7573-7573 wotate wscirimepublshingcom sirpomcr@iinpt mines arp Subscription & Back Volume Rates ‘One-year subscription (4 quarterly volumes), inclusive of ship. & hdlg./post. & pack: Softbound Edition USA $59.95, UK £48, Europe EUR 8, Canada Cn $99, Rest of Would USSI19 (ai) Deluxe Caschound Edition USA$7095, UK £68, Furope EUR 120, Canada Cala $13 Rest of World US $135 (ai) ‘Two-year subscription (8 quarterly volumes), Inclusive of ship. & hdlg./post. & pack: Sofibound Edition USA SLI2, UK £92, Furope FUR 169, Canada Cin 18 Rest of Woeld US $219 (at) Deluxe Caschound Edition USA S149, UK £130, Europe BUR 230, Canada Cdn $246 Rest of World 183295 (ai) Single/back volumes by mail (each): Softbound Edition USA $19.95, UK £1495, Europe FUR 22 line ship. & hle/ post & pack) Deluxe Caschound Edition US $24.95, UK £18.95, Europe EUR 30 (inl ship. & hl post. & pack ces ue subject lo change without noice, Canadian residents plete add GST: Connect rete pleste sss taxIR POWER INTELLIGENCE "Programme Update 4 Project Development 4 Upgrades and Modifications i? Procurement and Deliveries 9 ‘Aie Arm Review 13 Jobn Fricker and Tom Kaminski s REPORT Althea Dragons: Belgian helicopters ‘in Bosnia 16 Stefan Degraef and Edwin Borremans Force Report 20 Robin Polderman 26 Guy Martin Nevada Airpower 36 Rick Linares/Dash 2 POWER ANALYSIS © Royal Jordanian Air Force 2 Eric Katerberg and Anno Gravemaker Volume Eighteen CONTENTS Focus AmcRAFT Sukhoi Su-17/20/22 Fitter’ 52 Initially discarded by the West as an unpromising development of the Su-7, the swing-wing ‘Fiter™ evolved into a hard-hitting attacker that has outlasted many of its contemporaries Alexander Mladenov Unrr Report HT-18 ‘Vigilant Eagles’ 80 Ted Carlson/Fotodynamites Aim Force REPORT Philippines air force and navy 84 Rogier Westerbuis SPECIAL REPORT Desert ‘Testers: 586th FLTS 94 Marnix Sap ‘Vaniant FILE Douglas A-26/B-26 Invader 104 David Willis “WARPLANE CLASSIC Vickers Valiant 128 David Donald Pioneers & PROTOTYPES 158 Terry Panopatis INDEX 174 Mayor Features pLawnep ror Vouuse NINETEEN Aircraft Bell-Bocing V-22 Osprey, Warplane Classi: Junkers Ju 8, Variant Briefing: Supermarine Swift, Air Power Analysis: Germany, Air Combat: B-52 close air support, Spectal feature: Ist Fighter Wing F/A-22sPROGRAMME UPDATE Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey On 28 September the Pentagon's Defense Acgqisition Board (DAB) approved a “so-called” Milestone III decision which allows the Bel Boeing V-22 Osprey to enter full-rate production GRP). The decision allows the Osprey Team 0 Jncreate feom the current low-rate inital produe tion (LRIP) of 11 aircraft per year up 10 48 by 2012. In preparation for delivery of the fist Block B MV-22B, tikrotor test squadton VMX-22 erans> ferred the first ofits Block A Ospress to sltrotor texining squadron VMMT-204 at MCAS New River, North Carolina, on 28 September. The ‘Osprey fleet readiness squadron (FRS)_ subse ‘quently launched! is frst MV-22B sortie in mid. October. The mission ended an operational pause that has been in place since December 2000 when the fect wis grounded, VMX-22 will receive the first Block B Osprey in December and the first fect squadzons wil also be equipped with the later version which incorporates various improvements lover the Block A taining aircraft. Among improvements in the Block B airceaft are retractable refuelling probe, updated avioi navigation and communications e advanced combat The fist ‘now production’ MH-60R helicopter was fered to Lockheed Martin's tailiy ‘in Owego in early October. Bult by Sikorsky Aircraft in Suatford. Connect the ‘icra whieh was accepted bythe Navy io Aogus, was flown to Owego as a bare Aidrame, Lockheed Martini currently installing the helicopters malin radar, ‘tipping sonar acoustics equamont and othr systoms wil deliver tho aircraft tthe ‘Navy in abot five months. suse, with P1O0-PW:229 engines, by ae 2008, wth programme comple APG-8(V)9 radars and assocated arms ton, including opdons planned by 2010, and equipment. On 25 October US ‘The Greek contact ncodes offer, Congeat was noted of «pooped apeceects yobrng Hele FBI toocrect fr this progenies Aerospace Industry 1A) participation worth up t0 $3 tbn with ll opdons More than 40 NH are etre These wil supplement previous Helle being bt on assembly Unes in France ac force (HAP) receipes of 80 eer Germany, ay and Filand, fractal F-16C/Ds und 60 Block 52 vestona._ of 357 frm orders, 86 options and more ‘Thiny HAP F-1GC/Ds ps pls 10 than 45 selecons, by 13 countries coptiogs wee expected to cst some 17 armed forces iba iad, wah hance of funding covering advanced arme and Hungary ‘suipmentinlsding helmet cacing and QVE%sicns 10 LANTIRN tamcting Gripen weapons selected ‘nd 11 seeoanaisance pods four AGM- Mul-toe capabilities of recently dl {SAC Joint Sancot? Weapons (SOW), ered Hungaran Air Detence and and sx font Direct Attack Munitions Aviation Command (LERP) JAS 39C/D. DAM) with thre BLU-109 and thse Grpen combat aiteraf ae being Mi 84 bom’ bois ‘estended fom inegeation of new The Grek government emphasised atgeting and precson-puded weapons that the new Fle onder was ws replace jets: Clearance was netting compe HAE atidon lacy sd meet intern Hon in Ag to oe Rafel Lien IIL reguremcnt for thindgencrstionfght- _lacrdesgnation pod (LDP) wth, cf "An even more important HAE Raytheon GBU1, GBU-T2 and pe” remained for (a educa wt of) GBU-IG Pavewny I laser guided bora 4 sew fouth-gencration combat (LG) to achive «fal phe titer, robe discused Iter this year, atic leather precision guided Johann Heareann, EADS Milt Zuinition PGA) capabiy Aicrat president sai the Greek F-16 "The Gripen development team then fonder “did nox pre-empr anything in began integration sn May of the rat. term of HAF Eusofighter peoere sen Lockhoed Martin detvred the st F360 {othe Royal Ai Force of Oman (RAFO) at its Fort Worth, Tora, facility after a fist The int of 20 NHOO tactical tcnspor Might on & ly. The fighters the fist of hoicoptes, equipped wies Ralls Ruvee 12advanced Black 50 lighters ordered by Tuchomecs RTMG2201/9 erie, and the Sultanate of Oman's Ministry af oderet in Avgust 2098 For Helenie. Defence in My 2002 The Peace Aeame ‘Army Aviation EAS) fou a EuotS7im Abaya (Clear Skies) FMS programme (3792 4m) contract, hepan Mgiests a nelndes eight single-seat F-16Cs and Encocupee’s Maxgasre fact oa four to: s0at F160, powored by Sly This wne serach production General Elect FIO-GE-129 engines. NHN 0 Mh, fllwing eave examples The fii areralt was followed bythe for Germany Finlzd, [aly and Sweden. ist 166 and both ightrs wor ered “The EAS wil wceve ts fist NHV— t Oma fa mid-OctoberTho US Army recenty accepted the fist ‘AN.S40 trom Bocing on behalf ho Government of Kuwait a the contactors ‘aciiyn Mesa, Arizona. The aircrat. ‘whic fs the rt of 16 bul or Kuwait ‘will remain in the US oni 2006 to ‘Support qualification testing. Kowati ‘maintenance persone! are currently ‘undergoing traning inthe US and plot taining Bogan in at 2005 Cin King Abhi TI, 0 supply se ‘ne llyshin I-TOMF strech miitary transports fed with 12.36N, (42,001) drut Avadvigatel Pox DSO. 76 tans the RJAF. This isthe Bint export conrat fe the TLT6ME own in prope form snc August i995: Pung has nl eects ‘been approved forthe Fre coo of an intel Ree Fedcston a Foee powered MBDA Meteor advanced Other comestant inched the steal, whieh comprised two fe the sit requirement for Why 2010, with opt Rejon-vissabrangesirto-air misile Dassale Mirage 2000-5 and Ra force and one tat wl be wed by oo more te. (BVRAAND, to supplement medium. MIG-20M/MB. and Swedens JAS 39. ___Inisk Border Seeurky ore, ate part of In ealy 203 the Thushin Aviation fange Rayihcon AIMG-I20 AMRAAMs Gripen. The MiG 29M has been edesi mining Complex whih inculs dhe Design Gapen International wil undertake all nated the MHG-35, nd is being offered Legacy Executives, whic are bed on” Bareaa (OKB) in Russx; VASO the nial live-rng tas of the Metcor, fr Indian enced production, withthe ERY 135, willbe delivered in ones Aicraft Manutctiog From late 2005.The Hungarian MoD” uitiaais truse-yovoring, now under- October. nia holds options on two Enterprise. and TAPOCR (Tashkent tho pins to acquire 0 AIM-I20C 5 goigfighe development onthe further examples Claw Airerat Manutactting Pl AMRAAMs, for whic lil integration in Urbckstn, had compere peoknype Wille need ne the Gripen Boeing Business Jets for VIPs 170M git development, fer ore Sexy cara forthe AIM“AiB More TL38s considered The Indian Generic ae sancunced 130 ree src. Ieaon of PSA Tanga ls nang tenders for The Indian government fil conser plana to purchase hee cig 737-700. ofa and new dal wines a snore ai aca aetngrod csi of two yuan 138 anes ace jr The gpony exiting I-TEMDs ns thom 0 met crapons These aw expec te inde foarssrboprop mae pol and which willbe dlvered br Jamsay 2008, ICAO Stage 4 ne and ai tal The Rivdeon AGMCO8 Maver ASM survllane art fm Rar secor- ill eure male defence cqupmnt. management standards for internal ind aw shortange AANL for which ingto Defence Miter Nuihere, They wil epace he two Booty 797- fgh with improved performance nd HeGapentsaleayceued: Tee awe Toewaeroqd o repace two siniar Ns purcate in 1983 an wil primar. combat eines tle sain athe Capon of Ue Cola lnckan Ney era lst napa ay be ued or ntentonal tp by he incr mooted dsp (MD), to. collin in October 22 nl supple. prewdetthe vice presen and the Suth Korea | Sound heareafteaglesio-irand neat thne reining IN 38s They rime miter pec guided weypon copabicn, ae crt beng upgraded and ref First F15Ks arrive Pee NSE SO SPINS ESGHa Roa asentond herent ‘Tankerftransport plans Fight delves seein xy Cc India ig ves by another 15 yeas The Indian Ar reef annoonced of the Btn of 40 ASK Eagle dedin ae cea sid Une atbough pls to cue sk aional 78 ar ul ole combat aca fom Boing US aircraft and arms terest the TAF wil acquire three Perm PS-90A.—efueling aera. Theat force which St Louis production lin, for the Tate summer, Defence Minister Shei 76 rurbofamengioed Iurhin 176s previously Bought ix ake fom $535m 202 contact After thes landed Pranab Mulerce confirmed tht ‘Sipped with Isic Phaleon aichorse —Usbekiean, cites the need to stengthen at Hickam API Hava, Boeing KC-138 Bocing ard Lockhced Martin had been ey warning and contol radar adits ability to acta an ‘expeiionary—Stratorakers fm the Hawai A Approved to spond with offers of the mission systems fom a 20 order, feces wide reporing to materal ec National Guard nivefieed the bo Pict and F-t6 to Indies Request for Inds DRDO sanctioned a design and ter and emerpencics in the tegion, as fies twice on thee way to Andere Proposals (REPS for 126 AF mediam —developaent poogesmme for ndigenose the reason for the purchase The TAF AFB, Guam, before they cominued 0 tulsrole combat acral, No date had AEWELC areraft n October 200, tho plans upgrae aig An RokAl’s Scongaam AV then been gen, weve, for REP issue. Preliminary designs of vagious AEWA medium transport let andi a Bong te ples and ROKAF pilots Tia was expected to be olfesed = sub-aystems had already boen ‘onsideig the purchase of other tsns- took the Hrs two T-156throogh various both surplus and new Flos and Fis, completed, he added, and completion of port ates performance tvs during tt 20-hour the ate including te atest tlevclopment actives to start ure als "Fight me, covering 13962 km (6188 E/A1AL/Fs being prsuced only for we planned within 78 months Italy fen} eoute to Hate The the US Navy. With ether Raytcon isk made their Korean debut athe APG-13 or sess cleeronieall Legacy Jets accepted SF-260EA deliveries begin Sco Air Shown October fanned arty (AESA) APG-79 dae, Embraer recenlydetivered three Acrmacch dlvered he fsewo of 30 formal ROKAT accepnce in GeF/ATEE/r coukl cont be TAF up specaly confyured Legacy Executive new SE-240RA piston-egined pemary November Two more were expected by to $5im pe acral, trent to the Indian government, The trainers to the Ilan afore (AN) inthe year end eght by 2006; 16 by 2007 Agus, from the Euro (40m) 2004 and 12 by 2008 The F-15k wil contact, One S-24IEA hasbeen used became operational fom Janay 2007, to quai fue 7oHh Wing Pot snd replace al dhe ROKAF¥ obsolete Invtructors a Latina Air Foree Base. MDC F-4D/EE Phantonts by 201. The Having fist flown om 20 October RoKAF plans tn intodus 40 more 2004, witha new avionics suite and ——e15Klvel sera afer 200 talanged buble canopy, the protonype SF-2S0BA obtained Navona Kuwait Aemaments Dircetorterpe crtfica snot 10 Nay The AMI will seve 19 More Hornets planned ST'2c0EAs from 2006, for por sereen- After estenave KAF evalatons of ing an primary ein sever contenders, the US Defense ee Sccwity Conapeaton Ageney notified Jordan CConggets in August of «proposed Fon Miliary Sac FMS} to Kira U-76s ordered of Bocing 1718 combat sera ‘In Aagust the Ka took delivery ots frst Pleas PC-7 ater corrosion inspection and Agrcemens ws reached on 17 August package: With techie sevies, hs ‘epaiting no black sebeme by RUAG at Oberpafontafen. The scheme was adopted nt meeting becneen ‘Ssocuted armament, equipment and tolimrove conspicuity i the az with a yellow tie added to maketh aircraft more scbexonexpert dhecror-gencrl SN, services through 2011, this el be sible on the runway for ar ac comalers CChemeron atl Jordanian armed forces worth wp to 295m,The Soou ai show in October provided an interesting glance a some of South Korea's new sreaft which have been procured irom variety of source. From ‘Russia comes the Nysuhin 1-108 ight ain (ef loca designation 7-103) a amor Ka-32 (above) The USis supplying 40 F-15Ks fra heavy mult-oe fighter ‘competition while the local aviation lusty has produced the KO- light ittack/wonpons trainer (below). The F-15K (elo lel was one ofthe first two tobe ‘own to Koro: the fst vo sireraft tron the in ramain ithe US for tots, Batata Panes cooracl ders were then feeb avough Kut has hal a Bes reqpiemen for at east 20 PIMISE/E Super Hornets "These will BCID Horses, powered by F404 Rentanced performance engines, ler Al bar A Base, ns {iyi 199293 from an August fer of offer an accep receives Panthers puboréen Are! 2C powered espe ASSGSSH Panter uty Ba wer cei delivered WBeonact which ncade a frther fois As we ae featuring asa Bor SAR hot, they ae Sd For cong, dru intr op eanspert TieRoyal Neha Ac Force has lly puchasd duce C1500) a cost of $65 million. Tae ee prvioy persed as Bie cormrocatics icra by the PNery Theat fore eportedy plans fiero of the aera srworty Bing te thd a «source of pare The tne scr are ty rptred wo Derco Acrorpace teases Wisconsin, but remain in Bia Ticson, Azone helicopters sought INZ poreracnt plas to spend TAO Soto ($278.74 91m) on new elcpeee were flrs in by mote deta propos for Fal UH-1B Iroguots and Bel BB ius replacement These will inchale 8:12 NHiIndustries NHOQs to 205 oder for only two refried No ination was then given of reploce the RNZAU's 1 UELIBs forts F-16A/Bs These were d ery aircraft etl, bebeved to ole 20-24, ‘medium uty helicopter (MUH) in October o supplement some 20.” although pethaps inal only 12, Feapiremen, and anew light att, Block 1S 1-16As nd 10 T-16is received Contract egonntions with Boeing ad Trane helicopter to supplant five aged in 1983, en stil to be finalised, bt faring was Piston engine Bell 73 Parl fonding for adational F-16e not expected to bea prablem, ance ‘Welcoming these plans, RNZAF was toe fom five-year US mitary Singapore» $99.26ba(§58bn} defence Cin€ Air Vice Macsal Join Hamikoa aid package promised to Pakistan fore budge repeesented 51.2 percent of ‘id shar negotiasons remained wo be aniteroriam support Addional funds eatonal spending, among the highest Finalise with NH lndeattis to fcalite are sequred fom Pakita's defence Ati ont srcraft ota, and dlvery dates. budget ahowgh unlikely to be sufiient The US lated Major Defence SS ee Seen Bgipment (MDE) ems os inching Nigeria Raythcon Systems recived a 200 Raytheon AIN-120¢ AMRAAMs oe $29,143,350 modification toa previous 290 Raytheon AINCOX Sidewinder, 50 Fighters ordered MS contac in October for 3 Mis2 GBU38 Bocing JDAMs with “Tie China National Aero AIN-OM tata! and 10 captive i BLU-111 warheads 4 AN/AVS QV ‘ ing mines for PAF F-16s for delivery night-vs Link Ue mak (exnic Teng F/PE- by August 27 fanetona INI mule comin aircraft system low-volume terials [Niger beginning iv june 2005. The first Airborne surveillance system (MIDS/I\VI5); 30 Raytheon totic ft Nigti wil be es fwovest Seu AB sxaouired sites of « NGM-IS#A-1 SOWs wih BLU-AI5 PT-TNIs which wl be Followed in SERA3bn (G1-055br) contact in 430 AGMEISAC JSON Octobe 2006 by the fit of 12single- October, na owo-thtd/one hind pa "The proposed US F-15 puchage also seat END As pare of the $2513 nership wits Eeeson Micron inchs 30,00 20m (0747) prac Trlion deal 12 Nigerian piles focuding Sytem wo supply an stborne sure: te rounds, 100 KMU-356 GBU3T four inetractre, will undergo conversa itera Sor Patan This wll JDAM tal kt assembles, four Mk 8 tesining in China next yet opeop Saab 2000 and MK BS bomb practice eines eg Betceentt cpr pee radar tetng igo end pp Pakistan fystem, for continuous suevellance of stent toni atten and sea aren With Orion delivery nears cating promot based cada fl math Africa Pakistan wil ake delivery of is inal prone 4 more dead pica Drivof rfurbished PACs from the US Counter air and ground threat, and A209 delivered Reavy in December 2005 n toa eight conduct SAR operations. The South Afoean Ai Force took det Oils dcr zeit | _____ cv ut te it arf cn $970 millon. The inital group of apore AuetsWestlaa A109 igh uti Pakistani wists baz ting wid | — ee ______ rrr Blocagpeit AB \P30at NAS Jackson, Fonds, US details winning F-15 bid 19 October. Delivery of te AiO wll Scpombe: Techie vaso vpe> Secon of te Boeing FIST ia prefer allow the SAAF io bg splay i ing soo ace already intervie thence to the sma shor sted ‘deny Aloette II eee The fist ight 28 Squadron at Karachi, Pakistan Yook Dassault Rafe forthe Republic of ios wil sat dee tng on the ew ownership of the eight aireaft ducing Singapore ai forces next-generation elicoper with 87 Helcopes Flying Aug iter replacement progamme (NFRP) School in Febroary 2006 spobenedt wet pred in Angi ‘Two F-16s ordered when the US Defense Seeurty Co-opee- ‘Thailand While continuing discussions with the ation Agency notified Congress of US since lst Api, for ponsble FMS ponile FMS package othe Singapore More F-16s planned procurement of 58 Block 80/52 goverment, Worth upto $74lme tis Farther procoreziene plaoned Tnekiced Mactin F-16e, plus 20 options, incaded wespons, logics and taining LocKheet Martin F-16C/Ds forthe Pakistan government placed aah support, pw 8 ments RYAF from a $1.136n programe‘Archangel 2005 ‘1 Soptomber the Hellenic Ait Force organised its first frge-scale international at ‘show at the base of Tanagra (howe o 14 PM aod Mirage 2000s, pls Holenic ‘Aerospace Industries facilites). On display were most of the aircraft in Greok ‘military and government sevice, including the latest types. and» high turnout rom licernaional guests Among the special schomes on display wore a A-7E Corsi I! ‘rom 3 Mira wit tiger stipes Mending fot the Greek lag onthe rear fuselage (hotow right anda spectacular F-4E (SRA) Phantom I rom 337 Mira a Larissa (Welow) Those FE tat have not been upgraded wader the Peace Icarus Above: Greece’s now CFT equipped F-16 Block 52+s were on ‘display a Tonagra, including this sircratsurounded by ‘weaponry. The later included EADSFX AFOS stand-off lie ‘bom, AGM-48 HARM, AIN-120 AMRAAM and GBU-12 LG. according t ts Cin C, Air Chief nary work will be completed. The for five more, for delivery from 2008, JSON glde-bombs, plus asocsted “Marshal Konguk Wanthana, in fone upgrade programme wll erate 4 These will opplement eight S-70Bs ‘equipment and serices The inal THK statement. F-16 was then eemained © common avionics configuration for the recewed bythe Turkish nay Kom 2002, onder will eoraprse 30 AGAE-IS4A-Ts he finalised in the programme, which Turki alr force's (THK) 102/15, wl the Land Forees also operate mort wih 5018 BLU-TT1 Mk 82 bls ag Would iselude weapons and support” F-16C/D Block 40 and 60/20 Black SO than 10)S-TUA Black Hawk wanspor., mestaton bomb warhead, and 34 ‘ems ona barter bass for Tha agrenl-_aicrf, pe more mest modifications and wit hecoptrs SHC Unitary [SOWs. Also ture products The F-6s are eguied toa iw 34/9 F-16C/D Block (Othe ntenavonal Seahawk fnclade are four dammy asrning replace recent decommisioned Turkish uprades include Northrop customers include Aust Grecee, AGNE-ISHA-Ts three capave fight Rodkvell OV-10C Broncos and some Grumman APG-68(V)9 muls-mede Japan, Spin and Thad. Shorsky 's__ehices and thee sma ure. 12/30 Northrop F-SA/e aod F-SE/Ps rad, curren installed in new aby unuer contact deliver six $70 | m bing witha, Aevanced Block 30/52 F-16x colour Seahawk helcopers to Singapore fom United States The RIAF had previously acquised cockpit displays an recanders;new core 2008 = * 36 new and 15/1 refurb Black vanes procetwors; VST Joint Helene. Airlift project accelerated ISOCU/ADF F-16A/Bs in four Peace Meuned Coing Sytem Link I6date. Attack helicopter revived The US Remy has acelerted develop Naresua programmes beresen 1986- link advanced IFP interm Turkeys ambicoss but log delayed ment ofits Future Cargo Aircraft (PCA) 2003, the seth Falcon Up strocraltanepondr integrated precision savign- mid 1990s programme for planned ned now experts to make a dec Upgrades and other mouifcaions, plus ton, enhanced Slt Protection Procurement of anit 3 attck heli- ie $13 alom programe by june 2 two Block 1NOCU F-16As for spares Electonie Warfare Sytem (SPEWS I}; copes was further extended ia The FCA wal semately replace the laszation. Last Janary,the RTAF aso and compasbilty with sever new September when the Ankara ven. Army eet of 43 C-238/+ Sherpa teesved Singapore’ semsining the seeapons and eagetng stems, Ae sent postponed a eal bid deadline to sitters in service with the Arm Block 15OCUF-16As and four F16Bs, programme prime contacto, Lockheed November. Some contenders mails National Guard, The service inal donated in rrurn for RSAF continaa- Martins providing al tequied upgrade in che US, had reportedly asked fora” plane to purchase 2 areraft and tke tion of waning facies at Thaland’s faces, Iogistc sport, and ering, caine extension, secs disputed options ona further (1, Proposals se Uden Thani at base for 37 THIK Block 3, 76 Block S0}and causes in the contin! speciation expected ffom IL-3 Commmuticntions fur Block 40 ts pls options for Agreement had been reached in 288) Alenia and Raytheon EADS North Turkey nother 100 Block 40 kts These willbe for joint Turkish production and assem Ameria for she C221) and ey ________ fnvrated in Turkey by TUSAS Acronpace bly of 50 upgraded AIL1Zs snack helt Common avionics for F-16s Industnes (FAD, with Lockheed Marts copter, but four yeats of contact nego- USAF acquires transports ocuheed Mastin at Fort Worth, Tex, help Initial THK operationl capability tations ended in 204, following major The 31th Special Operations Squadeon sis auarded an $53.535m firm fixed. withthe nw configurations s scheduled pce and leensing spenes The SSM! (SOS) was actatd fo par of the 16 Price FMS contract in July to begin fon 201 ‘en opened eh itneracona Spesal Operations Wing SOW) st tlveoping the Turkic goveraments competion to meet increasingly urgeat_ Hurbure Ped, londa on 1 October Pace Ons IIT F-I¢ mison sytenm More Seahawks planned urs aemy requirements t0reintrce 205. The squdeon, which is sign tmaderniation programme. Some Ta Jone, Sikorsky Aveeaft announced its shrinking fonee of only seven Bell othe loth Operations Growp, wl be $67-73n was lilly obligated for this signature of an MoU withthe Turkish AHIW Super Cobras and about 2). equipped wit ss singl-enggned U2BA Programm: ya $80m in al, government for 12 new S.70B Seahawk eater Cobra versions, for operations uty craft nd appronimacely 43, for mid oa, when pecini- ASW/ASuW helicopters, pl oprions against reamed PKIK rrr attacks. personne wl be stig, : The SSM sued sequess for propor: The U-2HA is massed version of als (RFPs) forthe $385m programme the Sits Platus PC-13/45 ae forup to 80 elcopters ia February. and Spable of operating from sors ui tert their ermein Ny to act proved ranonye Theo forme De tore poten contenders These bref recotentyseitered o Sem t “ included the Bll elcopeer Teron Nevada Corporation Sparky, Neva AH-1Z, Boeing AH-G4D,and an armed which x Htly equipping ters wa Sikonaky 870 version, pus the peialed equpmenc before dverng Eurocopier Tuer, ays AgusaWestand them othe USA The syten inger ll A129 Mangusta, Moscow Flelicopte tion contactor ovns Aviation Rescue ll The USAF ended operations at bein Main AB, Germany when ithold a cormony hat Psts Mi 2h and Sous Ata Desel_ I Ine AKD) lager, ' ‘marked the ease oh sit hub on 10 etobee Th bas, which sarod tx ruvways Ross Maryad, wich gece in err ‘with rank introationa Airport. had boon the USAF primary European hu since repair and modiiestion, The single 145 Moin Main’ operational career came fo a close on 1 October wher the ait YSOW procurement plans ned PC12 powcr by 4 9954 Suppor mission wansionedoRamsten AB and Spangdablom AB. The bases final Io Sept, the US Deen Sosy 100) Peat Witney Caace Imitary and commercial mission departed carr on September 26 and 30 Co-operation Agency noted Congtess_PTGA-GTD and ean carry x fsud of ‘espetively To mak the closure (-17A 98-0049 operated bythe 62nd Airhit Wing was 0! » jus $35 | ‘named tho Spe of Bhain Main. and was unveiled daring the deactivation ceremony. Tvricy 0 Raytheon jan Miltary Sale 1465 ky 3.209 IIe capable of being \GN-ISHA/C flown by one or wo pow aftr a maar overhaul this Dalos otn Grook service ~ the fast sorving C475 In Europe. tis that tis icraf will continue to operate wit a historic Might Highligh ofthe show fom an international aspect was the NAMC (Nanchang) KBE tana from ‘he Epytian Air Force, which was supported by a C130. wears ‘aerobatic display tam China is offering the K-8 othe Grocks as a Buckeye replacement orours ofthe national iat Ali 27) Spartan for Greece was 00 2s was aCL-415 conigred for SAR dates. ‘Typhoons came trom Spain (above) and Germany. A Aefale and Saab Gripes aso atonded Wearing civil ost registration this ste fist EMBRAER EMB-145 AEW tor Greece. tralia y heloper changes rts ee Betand in 2007. The programme Beene bat =a mass ARH in 2007/8, The arcior wil lo conwct ance ning a lad tb ecieinetraction. ‘The lof Amy Aviadon wil continue Bec pe taston a Be Army's 162 Reconnaissance on made its hs igh a Laverack on 13 October pir to eae bis ne borne a Darvin, The Bs in been based in Twnsvle ne 20) person! and 12708 Hav helcopes from Beil, Queensland, o Holswort ee Sync. ale Asal Special Forces w Beet co wil ake place i {ommand x developing pans for prcae of aew anspor and erie (SAR) areata rbedcoptere a a cost of $5.1 The propor incics 15.2 Narn C130 and 15 new fag sxch ad rescue arr, Bevo replace the CAPs fe BSIE/H ais and CC-115 SAR ates The plan also inches he purchase of 20 CH-47 Iebcopeers Under the peo the acquisition would be spread over the ext Bie to 10 5 stcady has formulated plans to replace the Buffalo are is bebeved to favour the Alen 627) for tse mo SAR shuffle 1 Canadian Ait Division has temporasy transferred sw CH.146 Griffon el acral remain cht ter longer. Th have suffered pooe seni Czech Republic MiG-218 retired Following recent intl deliveries of M4 leased JAS 39 Gripens the VSACR feted the ist of es MUG-21MF ina Formal tout by nine of these Russi fighters over Namest tad Onlavou, Pardubice aed Pile ar bees a July. nal, 67 MOG-21s were delivered 1962, at lest 100 eg owt in acide, VEACR iG-21 31 August of ro tar seat JAS 39D) Gripen from Sweden followed six JAS 35Ca in Apel and ax more in Angas, 00 complete VSACR delves, Ga eave unt a least 2015, these hed Thi Croatian AF MiG-21UMD received those patriotic markings to oad the ‘ypast atthe celebrations marking the 10h anniversary of Operation Olja (Storm) in which Croatian forces Iibrated th Sor: held vilago of Kno ‘and the surrounding area Wing n Sweden 2006 defence budget details Miley bodes propor foe 200 prcoreed in picnics by Defence 3.3 pet cent over the previous ye, to arnt ($56.4) and reps et 2 per eent of GDP. Eurulbn wi located The French nay gts prod 06 esuipment funding ably Euro 26n pre AA Mage 200, 160 ship launched MBDA SCALDP-EG eruive mil MBDA MICA, pis snarher 130 planned, media eange AAM Fateh of 1é SAGEM ASM precio sided attack weapons new genera Submarine laonched MSY balls misses and miler aicstike ASMP? New Rafal fundig increases tra rench orders 0 134 and production through 2011, Formation of the fi operational AA Rafale unt Escadlle de Chase 1/7 was scheduled inate Isat Di ieteast Moriches AdA DC- retired Seprember of two veteran Ad ated since 1982 for longer ‘ Personnel and ight cag ta i CEMS6 turbot Nirbae A340-2M The big sequited from Ai ian Aline wet options sother four years, dcugh TAP Portugal which wl ako ender Indi ‘Training squadron activated Squadron INAS) 552 to ein pls fs it Sea Harrier let recently Ie Sex Huseer plots previoualy converted ‘operational tng wit dhe Sa Hater (persona Flying Training Un (SHOFTU) in lca. The later ui prof INAS 55 Traly TATAEW&C considered The Misty of Defence bas bag dleeuesone with Boing regarding theAir Power Intelligence Fresh rom overhaul and carrying R73 missiles, this Si-25UB woars he ‘markings of the Georgiana force. ‘Frogfost work is uadortakon a he TAM {actor in hil! that manatactured ‘80-258 and prodaced the Su-25KM ‘Scorpion upgrade in conjonction with Elbit of eae. and VS-4¥ at NAS North Iho CChforia. The move was dhe esl o ductalshment of Commande Sea Conte Wing Paci, Nor Inland, which had boon responsible all of the Pacific Flot $38 squadron The wing was orginally exablshed 23 Ape 193 when is predecesor al two examples wil be steed mah ax feace ae combat ‘derived engines to power the PAK FA. ‘Vikings of WAQL129 i spe 2 anh of sect staring with Bight ns ina Sukbei” Viking changes taining requirements. Wi the ci yoy 3028 pero iy Phasoon NI Flam CCW eV het nn ot a ren (edn Decener 205 Bod Wasting Jeon, Hokie The moe flows VIP unit deactivates ms wCVW7. Jacksonville, on 23 September when ont Wa i NAS chen war decade Jrcsomie sumed cote VS33_—_ in T9TT the VE deachment ha ne of Tinrans F16A Block 2s is von ‘nip ofthe Chit of No landing say armed orth wingip Cc sia a | ‘AIM-120 aid live AIM: 95 onthe outer wsing specially configured P- dri ras Sram Tae oat Ts mote ha 200Air Power Intelligence an, alhough toga: had feat, joerc VP-\Aremaned | NASA WB-57 deployment eto the VR Det when isto 8:14 local on 11 October 2005, WB.57F NE2BNA tox . 313296) teucned down at PAF Naldonhal, Suffk, fleet dwindles ‘competing a journey tor Eling, Tenas, va Googe Bay in Hits operating Europe | argc. RAF NAldonhal was selected from among ire eid whcn hchopnercomhat JSAF bases in the United Kingdom a8 tne depoynent base squdion C2 Detachment 1 | ofthe srt hacause thas plertil supplies of IP Tul lcsnted sn Naples, Fal 08 dn ai oxygen LOX nd ecu ravoay eth Eby Deachment’ of loprer | $2 teat or RAZ Fartnd Tho doobymont iwsled we scpadton HSC-28 acived in| Plocs up to tree System Equpment Operators SEOs, ung Ortber and have Fesponsiie forthe acra's payload, si maintenance per lhe dics previously assiened| | Sonnal forthe WE STF and four other NASA suppor pe Sea Kings The Ghorrders of | sonra. The arrafes deployment tothe Unted kngsam — Deacon cociiesst__| Gye sand time the o-rnged vt fre oder prin! aboard USS imercan Canberra hed landed inthe county ~ vas con ancy C2) oo rector ho colacon of coume gest seacies bere fnment Cosmic ust colacors were atached under he oc. Toporuay une so taken toseaimatse NAGA plots wining. Mounted within «fared pyonike soucuse, Four co fight wttun the European ar aie communeatons en cls a Mount on each stusturg, reverted nse Ul the arceft reaches ts operavoral Pot wis for tho iidernitbased missions wae 4,600 ft 047, ow fnough not 0 requite the crow to swear a pressure st The S60 Pts sth doy te calc’ fo ata the taminates during tho decant, On landing the sampes ae, retreved, abelos and shipped to Houston Texas or analy $s Four fights wore undertaken dung the degloyment {50h of detmoon 4 snd B hours auton wth th WS 87F terurnng fo Texae on 22 October el upon the Sith Fleet, hip which deployed tothe Sex nea Sannin in support eerie Destin Glory fon 2) Seprmber. Dusing the cx blicqer detachment adits made 23 Fh cary 158 and 730015 of ange. The ial underway pod {Ocober and continved vo support faking witht at ea Hani exes Novernher, when es King was danse an fac the US. ss UH assigned wo HC-2 ent 2at NSA Manama, wing and squadron operate as associates Blackhavks, The lanes will serve both in T-48As 10 cary ut its mission fre so ews witceren snd to he 305d Gch, general support and aivamibuance rolex" "The Sith Adresary Tatts Group Ronen desctrarcd. Krown & Bocing alo recently delivered the (ATG) wae seated on 15 September ‘The cosmic dust collectors are housed f this instalation ‘under the WB-57Fs wing. The aircrafts seen in he Midontall hangar above. ext Ducks, Det 2opernted in fist CTA toche AicForce Reserve Air National Guard changes 2005 a Nells AFT, Nevada, and was fot the Naval Forces Cente Command a March ARB, California. In preparation forte upcoming tans- assigned othe S7h Wing The unit tice uring in the area of Nate Spd of Calor, he steaft ton w the C17A the Hawall Ale ‘sumed conto of the Gith Agsresoe in 1976. The Doser Ducks’ wat formally accepted by the USAF at National Guant' 154th Wing at Hickam Squadson (AGRS), which was tessgned Be bys icchncnt from the contactors Ling Beach fcty AM cently reed ts C 130M fleet from the 37%h Operations Group and sc combat squadton HSC-26, _hefore hig fn tothe Riverside base, fom five icf 0 jst one, Seria the dSth AGRS which was acted on fdcachmens, which operas is assigned to the 4521 AMWS 725th 90-1058 wll be te final acta assigned the same date: Whereas te Gt AGRS [40S Kighthawk, asad the AS, which will have cit Globemaster to he 20d Ait Squadeon. Alhough cs F-16C/Da,the new squadron wil ey for supporting the Fit Ills signe by Janay 2006. the equadron will eonver 0 the tlie round eight -15C/Ds in the 8 September Tr ete the Globemaster Il he new area wil be aggrestor role "Det Hak’ Uncl recently Cartier retired rene bythe 15th Auf Wings 35th oped 12 UHL SHs that “The ampibiousasaue ship USS AS andthe 204 vill become an sasoci- Squadron relocating ve ay, our wits Bela Wone (LIIA 3) wisdecommis- ate uit tothe active-duy wagon. The An par of US Navy's ongoing transfor Gi tateci aod sc tse at Noval Station Ss Dias, Sia ofthe fst of get Globemesier maton effort beleopter ome eld/Neva Son Norfolk, California, on 13 Getaber The sip wat Iles schedled for Febreary 2006 upporeequadton HI, has ban so at Siiorsy UHH helcopece onc of five Tarava-clase assault ships, ‘ating fom NAS Sionela, Ty 0 eIONAS Whitey Ish, fd had teen named in homout of the USAF changes ‘Ghats Field/Naval Station Nort on, departed forshe Fvengreen historic World War bate in France in The 7h Comat Tesining Squadron Vigna The move, whi involves five fe Misc in McMinn ‘which Marines stopped Germanys last (CTS) was redesignated the “th Fighter NVSSE Sen Sabon helcopt and fon 28 September, Known as mijor offensive Itwas the second ship Squad (FS) recat. The 7th which 3% sailor wil be complet in sumaner (the Sex King was one? tobearthe name and followed aight’ is Woeated at Holloman AUB, New 2106, The squadron wil continue seis operated bythe stations aircaficarser (CV) commissioned Maio isthe formal waning unit provide combur apport for dened Pestdefarment The other doing Word Wa IL (FTU) forthe F-ITA. Beshes operating, Unit through the Geployment of eft epated fr storage at the the Nighthawk, she sucron wee ‘ional detachment Maintenance an Army National Guard changes fata Conte (AMARG) at Davis The fst of si CH-#7Ds destin for APB, Arson, September she Nebraska Atm Naional Guard 26 repecely The pe fet recent arrived at Central Nebraska Mibe HHA Sce Knight se the Regional Airport in Grand Ind The ech and rscue (SAR) Chinook vas assigned to B Compan, isfy 198. Sice that time the 2-133th Genceal Aviation Suppor few 1228 missions. A pair of Batalln. The iid crevs wil bu IMH05 Keighthavks hae taining onthe heavy lit hecopecr in hie Sea Kings and he acw hele Seprember, Construction of 2 new $2 lewis fest SAR mission oa muion aviation suppor fact at Grand Toland expected wo begin in te 2006, The Florala Army National Guaeds er II updates 111th General Suppor Aiton Bahan fil C178 (ceria 4-——Baralion recently ak clivery of the fred at McGuire AFB, New fin of xn CH-47De a the Cel fees The sires is asizned_ Commerce Center in Jcksooville The 35th ie Mobiiry Wings AMW) battalions three companie which previ- A F6CY Block 5 fram the ied Expeditionary Fighter Squadron trom Spangdohlom, Ssuaifoa (AS) butiealsoeusyoperstl the AFLG, ace cans Garman, axl at Sifu ar base i Lithuania, The Zid EFS was operating ws part of lye Stadh AMNWS 732nd toning to sev missions andaicatt” NATO Baie Air Policing mision, providing aispace security forthe Bali statos of fAc Foe Reserve Command inca the Chinook aad UH Estonia, Latvia and LithuaniaWs REPORT Althea Dragons Belgian helicopters in Bosnia From early January 2005, military personnel from various European Union (EU) countries deployed to Bosnia-Hercegovina to launch the Union's ambitious Operation Althea. This operation — which relieves NATO’s long-lasting SFOR (Stabilisation Forces) involvement in this theatre of operations — aims to assist, support and boost the Bosnian government it stable, safer, self-supporting and self-determining structure. provide Mexible transportation tothe three FU) Bosnia-hased Multinational Task Forees (MNTF), a select group of malt ther by seven Futopean nations: Belgium, Teas, Greece, United Kingdom, Caech Republi Rogiania and Switzerland, Some and their national armed gained substantial Balkans experience curing previous UN/NATO-backed missions in Bosnia and/or Kosovo, ‘One of the first governments to res EUS request to send EUFOR support asset Bosnia-Hlercegovina was that of Beleium. ‘The Council of Minister decided on 23 December 20064 to send four Agusta A109 mul-role hel: copters of the Belgian Air Component. For of these nations, forces, had already almost + decide, the Belgian military helicopter pilots, formerly belonging to the Belgian Army Tight Aviation, regularly deployed to the Balkans Gosnia, Kosovo, Macedonia and Albania) direct result of the pescekeeping- and humanitar: ian relieForientated defence policy of the Belgian Federal Ministry of Defence titutions in creating a more ‘The Belgian helicopter contingent was assigned to Mulinational Task Force (North), the northeast parts of the Bosniae Federation and. the Republic of | Srpska. Composed of 12 Eutopean Union and other European participating ties, the MNTF(North) has its headquarters located at Camp Eagle Base near Tula. At Tuzla the Belgian helidetachment ~ aka BE. HeloDet ‘grated within che Mulkinational Aviation Company (AvnCos), co-operating with Greek and Czech contingents flying CH-47D Chinook (Greck Aemy Aviation) and Mi-1? ‘Hip’ (Czech Air Force agle Bas, 7b) ground Team helicopters. In addition to Camp housing some 750 soldiers, MNTF(N orces also staff 15 Linison Observat (LOT) houses all around its area of operations to act as points of contact between EUFOR and the Joeal popula Unveiling cise the smooth deplosment of EUFOR forces in Bosnia, x needed to launch the Union's first large-scale operation without delay the Belgian Aic Component (BAC) decid pot to fy the Felicopters under thei own power to ‘A Belgian Altes crew poses intron of the single ‘AWOSHA deployed to Bosnia. MVGs are rowiely worn, ‘and for operational missions small arms aro caried ‘Both the halcoptr and the crew's Mightsuits ore ‘emblazoned wit the EU ag. Two of tho BE HoloDer’s fur Agustas ao ‘ck AIISH0s used for general transport liaison snd rig ‘urposes. They regularly fy key EUFOR personne! ‘round the region, often negotiating lw cloud and bed sibility inthe course of such missions. Tuzla. A long-range, medium-level navigatoa through Central Europe: in ‘caused some unfortunate weather induced sp verbal negative impact on the maintenance an cycles of the vatious helicopters Ac the same time, the BAC sca or atlft capability to transport the Agua Al0s to Tula. During previous peacchecpig operations, A109s had been aisified ne at ating by Belgian Lockheed C-130H Hercules transpo aireafe using purpose built sleds to the out of area location. However, the loading and unlonding of the dismantled A109 helicopter into the (lr tively) confined C-130H Hlereules cargo. bil always proved to be a ime-consuming and met ‘lous operation. In late 2004, the Belgian C-130f force of 11 aireraft was hit by mechanical prob Jems and various overseas transport commitmentAIDHOorerlies the town of Srebrenica, Much of alos a which the major of towns and ar stated. The task of tracking organised pans in such terrain is ehallnging Hoasequen, the Belgian Armed Forces wer bred! to contact the European Airlife Centr BAO, cited in Eindhoven, to look for suitabl port sri to airlift the four Agusta ALOD pilots, support personnel, equipment o'Tuzl. Since Joly 2004 the mul ondinated all requests fc ighe uropean jum, Norway, Tra Germany, Italy and the all available ai to offer ker) to adequately alloca fee’ mansports (and air refuel EAC, Using the EAC, a long-haul’ Boeing ATA Globe 99 Squadron, Royal Fore, land Biemct sisport 0 > dismantled A109s and ort equipment to Tula, The rs were airlifted by the reducing the deploy he Belgian helicopter deta port equipment wis transported by fsoch and Belgian C-1301 Hercules, and by 8 side a small detachment of US UH-GOA Black Hawk helicopters, operating wpendently of EUFOR under a bilateral US. Baan agreement, Belgien groundres Neklemac! tent, capable of he foptes during night-time and Prform some minor maintenance and fhe A109 the Belgian Government o Bf andthe Belian Air Component F thea for edo prevent the aircraft rom soking when jens ground. operations, the Helicopter Wir four-month rotations rouniderew of the Wing’ th Unwilling to ov the near furare, no formal d on the Pr nged presenc ter erew in Bosnia UAV operations From Jul nt wa joined at Tuzla bj BACS Ne. #0 Squadeon, TAT B-Hunter UAV aireraft. Alt operates it reports din ELFOR need 10 i stem needed t the o —_— based at Tuzla, tis fe ac and 4109 squadron anc in sion has been taken 005, the Belgian helicopter contin tachment ing Isucl-buie ground control 1b), and R (Commander L tall the laser guided automatic b dof J Interna comp used ELFOR The UAVS a weather permitting’ — on ¢ all over Bosnia, The participation of BA 2 viable option ico seo ine For the first time the Belgian hel: copter crews are en im iviation company (AraC & multinational initially commanded bn major. Fron er 2005, the AvaCoy command wa transferred tothe Belgian detachment feer the departure of the Gr gent. Furthermore, all logistical airfield operations Tuzla are omganised by US civil contracted 2, being responsible forall local ai ea curity and refuelling of all Final all non-fying related logistical support for EUFO! jordinated b} Integrated Log the Swedish-run eal Unit. ‘MultinationalThe detachmonts ATOQHA (distinguished by the ‘oITOW sight sbove the cockpit is fited with an ‘ingenious arrangement inthe ear cabin comprising » laptop connectd tothe HeliTOW system witha hand ‘conrolor Tho operator can uso the former missile sight {orecord reconnaissance ager. Although four Agusta A109s, with antitank armament removed Turla, only three helicopters are permanently assigned to. the MNTF(N), One helicopter, fully equipped for medical evacuation missions is kept on 4 24-hour ‘medical standby at Tuzla, The contingent’ five haclicopter crews rotate daily to stand alert for medical operations in the MNTF(N)s Area of Responsibility (AOR), joined by a doctor and assistant medic ‘During daytime the ANGEL. O1 medevae heli- copter needs to be airborne within 30 minutes of receiving a distress call in the form a ‘nine line report on the nature and location of the person in ‘need. Once airborne ~ especially uring night-dme ‘missions — another pilot wll man the contingent’ ‘ops centre in the Tuzla barracks. Daily at noon, the new standby crew performs the preflight ich is parked in the large “Veldeman’ tent. The first “ive! med August 2005 in fan Austrian EUFOR soldier, ht the medevae erew (With night-vision checks on the medew c helicopter, vac mission was flown on 2 Stpport gougles) nceds to be airborne within one hour. When used for occasional training or qualification flights by the standby crew, the medevae el: copter needs to remain within five minutes’ fying time of the aicbase to allow quick refueling i reded fora real emergency. Since large parts of Bosnia-Herzegovina are unfortunately stil littered with countless known {and unknown) minefields ~a sad reminder of the Yogoslavian ware of che 19908 — Althea medewse helicopters are only allowed to land on concrete ot ‘mine-sweept helicopter landings sites (HLS), Soon after the stat of Belgian Althea mission: ‘ouary 2005, all Belgian A109, including the rmedevae heleopter, were equipped with Swiss ‘made, wheel-mounted ‘slump protection pads’ to prevent the helicopter’ landing gear sinking in the Soft mud or snow of the Bosnian countryside Duting summertime, the ‘mounted on the medevac 109 due to the extra ‘weight of the medical hardware, doctor and assis ‘ant medic during landing operations slumps’ are til Dragons The BE HeliDet’ three remaining A109 heli- copters, using the radio callsigns DRAGON 15-07, are use for a variety of support missions. One of the helicopters is peemanently assigned t MNTE(N) and kept on one-hour “duty ops standby for luison and, if needed, observation Belgian pilots frequently fly EUFOR officials and military. personnel to the various EUFOR command sites (especially Sarajevo-Butmin). To prevent bad weather (low cloudhate and reduced Yisibiliy) from cancelling these liaison missions, the aircrew quickly bad-weatber routings through the vatious valleys fand mountain ridges around Tusla, These low level routings are frequently practised. by the Belgian crews, wing the curvy main road be Tuzla and Sarajevo and a winding single-track westbound rairoad track from Tusla to Banja Laka as visual references As the detachment is permitted to use 70 hours of the official monthly allocation of 120 for erew- training, one of the remaining A109 is perma saently used for pilor-training and qualiticatis flights. Almost dally, A109 crews practise various sir eafic patterns and procedures, low-level navi- zation, landings on the countless helicopter land ings sites scattered around the MNTF(N)' AOR, and (Formasion)nighe Aving using NVGs. Tinaly, the fourth ADD is kept as a spare to allow for periodic maintenance, or as a back-up Goring unforeseen helicopter unavailability. Spare parts ate airlifted from Belgium to "Tuzla using the fwo-weekly supply flight by BAC Airbus A310 or C-130H Hercules transport airraft, or arive via the two-weekly Belgian Tuzla Express’ cruck road Tn June 2005, replacement aircrew flew three ew A109s from Bierset to Tuzla, making a night stop at Ljebljana (Slovenia). A’ week after the arrival of these ‘new’ A109s, three of the inital helicopters were flown home by the pilots ending ‘mapped terrin-fllowing their two-month tour af duty. The specially equipped medevae helicopter (¢/a H-04 remained at Tuzla, having flown less then its transport colleagues and not yet nearing its ne ‘maintenance cycle As pre-planned in the Belgian MoD ‘Althe roadmap’, pilots and to four-month basis 0 B isn, Fist unit to depl fom Liege-Bierset to Tuzla in January 2005 the BACS No. 16 Squadron MRH (Muli Rol Hilicopeer) This helicopter sq activated on 1 October 2004 as an operation A109 unit, having been inthe past the Army Lig Aviation Inison helicopter unt, fying Alovere I lightweight elcopters. In April 2005 Na. MRH squadron, having swapped its pilots afi ronths in theatre, was replaced by No. 18 MR Squadron. No. 17 MRH squadron deployed i Camp Eagle Base in July 2005 for is four-mond ‘tous of dury’, planning to return to Liege Bien at the end of November 2005, Pending & possh but yet undecided extension of the Belgiin Bl HeloDer presence, No. 16 MRH will staif final detachment and wil ery’ the A109 box ‘Similar to all Althea helicoprer crews, Be sirerew have to follow an intense. prelimin three-week initiation course before deploying Bosnia. Most importantly, due to the presence d countless minefields in thei an of operon are given a mine-awareness coud instructed by the Armed Forces Engineed Corps, and a first-aid course t crewmembers in case of accident Since all aircrew wear a pistol For self-defen ating in Bosnia, and daring “tet jons an armed gunnet/crewmember wih mm FNC machine-gun will join. the pilots in the A109, a gunnery course is given to rere, During will eara or be re-quaified to shoo the pistol FNC machine gun in ‘classic’ shooting conto and also learn and train in selfdefenee ‘esp Sve’ firing techniques, when confronted with guys’ mingled with innocent bystanders ‘Other Althea related subjects include ident cation of military vehicles, tanks, uniforms wa by all military forees in the theatre and, of cou the rank markings of all Eucopean Althea cont gens, A two-hour general and inteligence bri focustes on the geo-policial, histoncal and rf ious characteristics of Bosnia Herz All pilots will spend countless hours in A109 fight simulator at Liege Bierset 10 prac ‘lying in visual and IMC conditions using GPS pinpoint navigation. Local approach and land proceduses at Tuzla will also be priced ind Simulator. Since the Belgian HeliWing fru deploys to the French Army mountain Ap training centee at Saillagouse, located in Pprenées, no preliminary mountain fying so ised prior to an Althea rotation, Having arrived at Tusla, the newcomers familiaied by the “homebound” contingent fying several mined-crew fights in the Are Responsibility, Pilots and wrounderew « two months. The BE. HeloDe's «i however, also being the MRH squad der, will say at Tuzla for four months vo gus tee smooth rotation transitions. For COMEUFOR the fight against onan crime and corruption, unfortunately wide within Bosnia Hercegovina, and the maintni fof stability for its mlt-ethnic polation ae two key objectives of the Operation Althea fight cross-border — cri networks and their illegal activities, which tf from illegal fuel and arms teafic, her smuggling and/or illpal logging of tres, EUG hese’ — oftenfp ues the multinational helicopter Meet for imnsport and observation, ng these so-called Spring Clean operations are often flown at night, the Belgian crews Bevaous types of support to the ground! Bally able to operate at low level at night ight vision goggles, the Belgan A109 ically be used to lead Czech Mi-17 ‘Hip eres radio operating in complete are auditing to the landing zone. ( fon the ground, a Czech grounderew ill eve the Belgian A109 and mat the area for the incoming Czech helicopters Jnfortunately, during insertion sin NVG-capaile Greek CH-47D proved to be too big and dificult ro operate inthe vatious confined helicopter lopentional anti-tank war background of the frew, and their sense of ps jbas enabled the MNTTF(North) to put dou very eflective aerial observation asset ton. The gyro subilsed, roof mounted IHeHTOW opscal sighs, developed to detect ‘enemy tanks in Cold War seensros, is wed to observe the movements of or vehicles on the ground from a distant and out-of sight position. Based on the HTOW-simulator, purchased as part of the PAO? package deal in the late 1980s and lof sielating ane-tank missile shots, the fom the HelTOW sight are wired to a Teptop PC mounted in the back of the rol the sight has also punted in the Ick to allow th tthe daylghe and re and pesienc rared optics oF rienced some ms in downloading the images. From July 2005, these problems were resolved switehing to digital recording OF the observation Pictures or video. After landing, the pictures and ‘ditional audio information from the sirerew are screened by th MNTF(N) intelgence officers. Since only 28 of the 4& purchased AIDOB's (SA = Belgian Army) were edicated ALOHA a and wired to during night-time using infza-ted optics and catty BT-4) simulators for training, the PC can only by installed in one of the four Althea 109s (s/n The semaining 18 A109BAs, including her hee aetrames, ae ‘slick? AI09HO ‘observation helicapeets only capable of operating the daylight variant of the Hel'TOW sigh Although the A109s are not equipped to down Jond in realtime the video imagery oF piceute the operations centre in Tusla, these low-key but ervation platforms — very difficult ‘bad guy anti-tank helicopters, fly anti-tank mis A Belgian A109 lands back at its Tale base The sight of such hoicoptars, 25 wel asthe ground presences 1 reassuring sight to Bosnians as they continu fight the organised crime that has proliferated inthe region ince the ond of hostile. results than the UAVs dedicated 1 hey at surveillance, the U. the roe better equipped for aczal at Tuzla are frequently hampered by adverse weather conditions The panded observation capability of the A109 provides quick reaction time and high-resolution ideo footage usable for EUFOR operations, snd in weathers when other platforms cannot perform. Slefan Degraef and Edwin Rorvemans ‘low this A109 isthe memorial othe 7.000 Bosnian ‘Mosioms massacred af Srebrenica and nearby Poocar. ‘In Joly 2005, onthe 1th anniversary ofthe slaughter, 15000 Bosnians raced the steps ofthe itamous ‘March of Death’ As part of Operation Watcha Eye ‘AiO and B Hunters provided road-ecce nad crowd ‘contol cover to ensure the event passed off smoothly.Armenia’s Air Force Hayastani Otayin Udje Photographed by Robin Polderman Turkey, the s: Armenia takes up 18,000 sq miles (46616 km’) of the South Caucasus. Since its dence from the Soviet Union on 21 September 199 the country has been trying to build a credible defence. Between 1991 and 1994 Armenia and ght a bloody war over th Nagorno-Karabakh region. With an uneasy efire in place the air force of the young trains for the worst. ‘Above: One of Arment ‘most famous sone ‘atom Mikoyan, progenitor ofthe Mia eres, This MIG-185 ‘on display outside the Victory Park museum Yerevan as a tibatete Lot Bor 83 and 85 ae ‘v0 ofthe nine S25 ‘acquired rom Slovo 2004 Bort has ust ‘turned tom 2 weaped {taining sorte. The UB ‘rocket pots have bose ‘emoved and hearer ‘il soon be towed aa from te Gyumes Highline. The Frotet is used fr atack missions: or dtence of the region i ontactod ‘9 Russian Air Force ‘etechment ring (Mi6-28s rom Ebonsears. This Se-25UB was ith teil Batch, almost fran aca, wile a single et Gyo. The sedi also 0 lst inthe background area 70M 90d To 134 ad Yok of itae Armenian Airtins.Tho Su-25Ke rts the speci! markings applied whas they served withthe Slovak afore (above stiough the other seven now wear fal Armonian markings th ‘Standing next to one of tho ‘spactls fs Gyumr base Commander Major Igor Martrosyan (below). The So 56 fro operated by the 121 Shurmovaya Ava Eskadra (tate Atack Air Squadron 53661 Shturmovaya Avia Baza, Gyumri Below: A rominder of Gyan Soviet pasts this sed in US " 3 Mikoyan MiG-25PD Foxbat€ parked slongside tire active u-25KS22 Vertoletnaya Baza, Erebuni nia Lote VP ranspor forthe government and armed fores is handled by this ‘M85, operated trom Erebuni bythe {2822 Helicopter Base but retaining ins iv copsration EK = Aronia, Bolow: Amenias Hip force consists of rolatvely mader Mi-ST¥s, ‘quipped with weapon ouriggers fr freefall bombs andor racket pods scabbed-on cockpit srmour and @ ‘rescue winch Some alsa have nose ‘guns. One aicrat is maintained at Erobuni on SAR alertJet rainiog is undertaken in fa ‘fara (Bor OF and 2 was ‘received. these heving recent ‘oon repainted inthe standard ‘Armenian cxmoutlage scheme (above) The et doubled in il Below: Despite is ancient a “Annuchha' (ile Anno} iret a th training base, ‘wore taken over fom 8 former Lio the Sovieussian DOSAAF vainiog organisationcommon wit othr former Soviet states, Armenia relies ‘0 Yakovievs adit-engined ‘ecigs forte primary trainer and light aircraft ‘eds. A single Yak 187 four Seater above) is based at ‘em for lason purposes Tho Yak 52 (left isthe standard primary anes for Aussian forces, nd Armenia ses part of the let handed ‘ver nthe erly 12805 from DOSAAF forthe same purpose at Arai A single Yak-55 aerobatic aircraft (below is also at zn bt ‘currently ony one pilots pe base ysod tohouse 8 DOSBAF unt ot alive Wenstorred tothe ‘an Air Frse curing the eaty user oo: tiv further ene fou La@c Aatros fet tainere nue, oumgrborcaroctiage L-39s have been fdnc tho eaty 1990s, hao two exer Jo sngle Yok18T sin uae for ison utes ‘Cov ateaft. The uated to the ale rab ‘Below: Ratary-wing taining is conducted onthe Mi2 all seven of which ae seen bore parked ouside at Az. The aircra display five diflernt colour schemes, andthe arrafon the right retains ‘DOSAAF ties. Although the 2s appearto bein relatively good condition, not al of them are airworthy.With the exception ofEgyps AH-64 Apaches atthe ‘other endo he continent the Rooivalk ste oly ‘dedicated modern attack helicopter in service in Arica Ins developmen nd deployment hasbeen conducted at ‘4 leisrey pace, bt has boon pursued moe vigorously inrocon yours. The AH-2A Rooivalk is Africa’s only indigenous military helicopter to make it into production and service. It is a highly capable, latest generation machine on a par with, and in some respects better than, all other modern attack helicopters, making it the pride of South Africa’s local aviation industry and defence force. It forms an integral part of South Af peacekeeping and threat deterrent requirements, and provides a powerful force multiplier to the South African Air Force. I the late 1970s and easly 1980s the Before tackling the advanced new attack hall African defence forces beyan express sopter project, the government first decided i need for an indigenous attack helicopter. launch & programme that would give the Sol United Nations sanctions imposed in 1977 against. African aviation industry the necessary know hal the apartheid-era coun sented it from needed to. locally produce h aeqqiring foreign we sction March 1981, AtAs ‘was ava was the only feasible w: Fortunately, design and manufacture. the South Aftica had built up a strong loeal aviation attack proof-of ca industey aver the years, enabling it to pursue gst lown or option ncorporated many features and systems of tl South Afi’ local aviation industry was init Alouere TH, but had locally proclaced compat ated in 1965 when the Atlas Aiteraft Corporation nents in its engine, gearbox and rotor, nd hall Changed to Denel Aviation in April 1996) rally new tandem cockpit fuselage with a 20. cence production of the Aermacchi MB.326M as cannon underneath it.The gunner satin the nal the Impala Mk I jet trainer, and later the while che pilot sat behind, both under lange, le MB326KC as the Impala Mk Il light atack jet. view transparencies that gave impressive dowa Alas latee produced the radically upgraded ward views, The srframe was of semi-monccoal Cheetah f Dassaule Mirge Ill, the Super conventional construction, built mainly of mati Puma-equivalent Oryx from the Aérospatiale with some composites, However, there Weil SA 330 Puma, the indigenous C-4M Kudu light almost no. battlefield survivability” features lal patlefield wily aircraft, as well as the V3B and armour protection or engine exhaust suppresdot V3C dogfight missile The weapons fit consisted of 2 singBt one wa let ina crash i gust 205. Psound/min GA-I Rattler cann ous helmet sight that dhe gunner the cannon by looking at the target were not fitted, but a ps and anti-tank missiles Sn, slaved to an ed tc Stub wdaction version Design of the Rooivall: (Afrikaans for. Red e) began in late 1984 to mect a South user requirement spec for the Rooivalk, Aas and -XTP-2 for macepe-proving and which were basically SIP, with 1,000 rounds rings mounted on ‘cach equipped with two Matra prs wih 18 68-mm EB unguided IL Pumas. Th hich w and two stub valk programme soon led to the firs XDM_ Experimental led out on 1990, Ie had a number of features not he production Rooivalk, including rearward pointing exhaust pipes, ess ammunitio Makila "Topaz turboshaft engines. It was frst own on Il February 1990 aad used rom the exhausts Flgh ‘igh The Rooivaik XOM ‘ams rlled out the Alles 1tk2 prototype forthe (Si.2 (Comba Support Helicopter ~ANk-2 tram 1298) Inia it hd | tale, although i was Cropped inline with hat of the second provtype (ADM olow: The EDM prototype fos without exhnast ‘suppressors over Langkawi lela daring the 1987 UMA shove in Malaysia, This Country ramains Donets ‘most promising export Ihe, although financial Constraints have Tod fo 00 ‘agile aetivity thus tr Denel AH-2 Rooivalk ‘Above: Precursor ofthe Rooivalk was the Aes X41 ‘Apa. Based on Alouette I dynamics the Alpha was intended only 0 prove the gunship concep but could Ihave Goon tured int a production aierat i rquited. Lacking any defensive systems, the ight tack helicopter would have been vulerable tothe increasingly prevalent round defences in the region, 50 development ofthe RooivalkpoteredAlthough the programme was progressing well, i was temporarily halted later in 1990. The reason ‘why the South African Defence Force expressed the need for the helicopter was to fight guerillas jin Namibia and Angola, So when South Africa started withdrawing from Namibia, the require ment no longer seemed necessary ‘South Afries’s presence in. Namibia began in 1920 whea the League of Nations the United Nations) granted. South mandate over the terstory afer taking it over from Germany ia World Wat I. However, South Affica refused 10 give Namibia independence Consequently, in Jane 1971 the International CGourt of Justice ruled South Aftica’s presence ile fz but South Africa continued to gewern the ‘ovnery and extact ite valuable mineral resoutces As a result, che South West African People’ Organisation (SWAPO), a black African national ist movement led by Sam Nujoma, began a guer sila campaign agninse the South Aftieans. Fight regularly spread to Angola where SWAPO insur gents were based, South fica ako fought against the Soviet. and Cuban-backed government in the Angolan civil wir and attacked) many. Angolan targets and troops, Attica a the frst arrat bat hada full weapons system inetaled. Hor it caries the four-rund lavachors Tor the Atos Swit ater £2735 Ingo) anti-tank ‘missile, and VC Kuki at tnairmissiles {aft The EDM protoype ‘rowght together al, weapons system and the ‘Makita 1K2 engin {ntonded for production. ore it fires the Armscor Feeannon: cases ean be seen falling away. Noto the rear pointing exhaust suppressors. Alouette IIs and SA 330 Pumas were used to five transport and covering fire to South Afric troops, but were quite vulnerable to ground fire, and picked up many bullet holes — one Puma Survived 22 bullet strikes. Five Alovette Is an four Pumas were lost to surface-to-air missiles, anti-aircraft artillery and rocket-propelled grenades. Had it been available, the Rooivall Would have played a significant role in suppressing SWAPO insurgents and would have greatly strengthened the South Aiican position, ‘Alter around 20 years of guerrila warfare, South Africa agreed to grant Namibia indepen dence in December 1988, Elections were held in November 1989 and independence was attained ‘on 21 March 1990, Bu with i, South Afsica’s need for the Rooivalk evaporated. Although the government now showed i rest, Atlas continued development, mainly a8 company-funded venture in the hope of finding export customers. In 1992 the sccond prototype designated ADM (Advanced Demonstration Mode, was flown. It had a fully integrated avion- cs suite and fall weapons systems and was used test and develop the Denel Mokopa (Black Mamba} long-range anti-tank missile, HOT 3 ant: tank missile and 68 other weapons fits On 21 September 1999 th first Mokopsa was fired and in late 2001 iewas ted into the helicopter The third and final development helicopter the pre-production EDM (Engineering, Den ‘opment Model), which was ted with 1,845-shp (376kW) Makila 1K2 engines, dig ionies (which included an automatic ig Control system), an inertial navigation syste slobal positioning system (GPS), two ‘Thal colour multi-function displays, a health and us ‘monitoring system. (HUMS), ‘Thales Top( hhelmet-mounted sight displays, Kentron tack system and SFIM nose-mounted sight. It also 4 reduced IR (infra-red) signature, revised imakes, 2 lower maximum takeoff weight could carey up to 16 Mokopa missiles Ie fr fon 17 November 1996 and was used totes av sand sea level performance, as well a: ceri tion rests and verification of the Makila eng By the end of 1997, the EDM hud flown 67h the XDM 466 hours and the ADM 414 hous Redesignation ‘The Rooivalk was orignaly designated Comb Support Helicopter 2 (CSH.2), bur wae ede nated Atack Helicopter 2 (AH¢2) in 1998, Th ace three basic variant, designated Block 1A, and 1E. Block 1A standards the basic aia Block 1B has the TopOw! optical systems a nighe fying capably, and Block 1F airceate a fully operable helmet sight and weapons syste I October 2008 Denel stated that thet walk programme was R2bilion (a milion), ot including the R661 slg 105 million) needed to upgrade the helcop to Block 1E standard, Research and Developme R&D) costs have amounted to R126 nln (2 millon), while one-off restructuring cost ha come t0 R124 milion ($19.7 million) snd prod tion costs R179 milion ($284 A fur 16305 milion ($48 milion) has been wsten of Although never built, projected maritime va ant of the Rooivalk was studied and shown model form at the Furnborogh Air Show of the Reetction ANZA Rovira has» now exhaust ith pred dacs fo deflect hot gases vp ito rr dwn ash| her 1998,‘ ould has i production marin place of the cannon, a tein the nose, the tal (6.5 fi) to ease ship on forward s nanually oper rations, otation fed on. the wailboom, eli nd improved Blase had shorer stub wings that could care socet ant-slup missiles, as well IFalefence. How build the vaciant have ommunications. Tt would orto hovgh 3 a maritime helicopter, i sea el Betrown Rootalc was used 994k hook. In er 2003 2 R216 $343,000) ship Bs1994 he South African Air F lls out of x possible long-term equi int production AM2A (right) was accopted bythe ih following January to allow crew 5 deliveries was slow taking over Denel AH-2 Rooivalk up t0 36. fece to Block 1A standard, the next six were Block 1B standard and the last two ate to Block IE standard, Both Block 1A and 1B aircraft an cing upgraded to Block LE standard, at an a (Only one squadron is being nclicopeer and that is 16 Ait Force Ba ‘n conjunction with Marshal of Cambridge, Dene! ptched the Roivak tothe Bish Army under the name Kestrel. The EDM prototype tured various fextablshments inthe UX. andi sen hee caring tummy Sots amd Keri. The inability to neg Helio due to 9 US ombargo severely hampered Donel attempts to market the Rooiralk abroud. ad ld directly {othe development ofthe Kenton 275 Mokope missle Bloemsp tein. It was orig delivered on 6 January 19 fsbandedd in July of that year. Dive sivated for th en relatively sl i orginal hediuled tc fi no country hathelicopter yet, the Rooivalk has, and is stil, being aggressively promoted for export. Te made is international debut at Dubai in 1993 where it wus received enthusiastically. Is fest big potential sale vwas in 1994 when the Brish Army stated a requirement for 91 new attack helicopters, worth an approximate RIS9 billion ($3 billion). The Rooivalk EDM prototype, registered as ZU-AHC was sent tothe United Kingdom to compete with Eurocopter Tiges, McDonnell Douglas (aow ‘Westland Longbow Apache, Bell Cobra mand Agusta Mangusta "The Rooivalk was frst shown at Middle Wallop fnternational air show in May 1994 and at nborogh international air show soon after. However, the Rooivalk lost out to the Longbow Apache, buil locally in the UK by AgustaWestland a8 the WAH-G4D Apache AHMk 1A total of 67 wwas ordered on 13 July 1995 ata final cost of {3.1 billion (foughly $5.7 billion, R36 billion ‘The main reason why the Rooivalk lost the competition was thae it was sil in development form andl was not fited with the complete avion jes and weapons site, whereas the Apache was a proven system with mote advanced avionies, Including a mast-mounted radar, No Rooivals had yet entered service and had not been fully tested, There were also sanctions against South Africa imposed by the United State, the only country that hae not lifted arms restrictions, The LefeThe highly manoeuvrable Rooivak uses some ‘components ofthe Para/Super Para dynamic system. This made the development tak easier, and also provides an element of connonality withthe Ory lat Bolow: An AN-2A is sean during an army exercise. ‘Between deliver ofthe fist Block 1As in Sanaary 1999 ‘andthe dolivery othe frst two squadron nrerat in ‘weapons capable Block 1€ configuration No. 16 ‘Squadron ood ie aircraft tain nthe kindof profiles str wel hn iy praoal iered the-earth fying, convoy escorts, close support tnd the wle ange of ateck helicopter nisin. Tho main trot beneath the Rooivak’s nase houses TOATS targeting syst. cooing a TV FUR, ‘auttracker leer designator and laser rangefinder. ‘row are both wearing the TopOw! helmets, which splay TV/FUR imagery and alphanumeric in US refused to supply Denel with the technolag needed 10 make the Rovivalk compatible American Hellfire missles required by the Bi ‘essential for the new helicopter. "The Rooivalk’s next failed export attempt in 2001 when it competed ~ as the RedHaw: with the Apache Longbow, Tiger and Mangus for Australia’s AIR 87 requirement for 22 attack helicopters. However, on 14 August 2M the Eurocopter Tiger was seleted Tn December 2003 Brazil showed limited i cst inthe Rooivalk. The commander of Brasilia Air Force expressed the necd for attack helicopter for forest patrolling missions jn countering ilegal aircraft carrying weapons. The Rooivalk would be used for sie air and ot a-to-ground missions, in con with Embraer EMB-14SRS remote sens aircraft and EMB-314 Super Tucano Tighe at turboprops. Although there was no. budget @ timetable to buy an attack helicopter, the Bra goverament has placed a high priority on peo ing its Amazon forest. If an_attck helcop could well protect the Amazon forest, the gow Malaysian interest An export order neasly came frm Nala but the deal was put on hold after the Soothe Asian financial cris in 1997. In August 1995 Malaysian Prime Minister, Mahathie Mohamad, visited South Africa and was sh the Rooivalk. He was very impressed and plan to buy eight helicopters, out of possible req ‘ment of up to 30, Even though the Asian finan ériss put the onder on hold, the country slp to acquire the AH 2s wher funding s svalable A number of other countries have shown in est in the Rooivalle and the helicopter i prospects looked good. A 1994 survey indi that 180 Rooivalks could be sold abrond, ge ingg more than RB Dillion ($1.27 billion) in for exchange, RI billion ($159 million) in tases a pei Algeria, Finland, Singapore, South Kos Spain, Turkey and Studi Arabia have shown i et (a August 1997 the ADM was demons in Saudi Arabia), but no orders have been fo In order to strengdhen the marketing pos ‘of the Rooivalk, Denel signed a marketng tance deal with the Franco-German Eurocog group in April 1997. The Rooivak wll promoted to evstomers looking for a heavy a helicopter while the ‘Tiger will be aimed customers looking for a smaller, ighter ma ‘The two helicopters will become partney ‘opposed to adversaries “The deal also allows Dene! to sel its Oryx copters around the world. Eurocopter in turn to offer its EC 635 (military version of the Tight ewin-engined EC 138) to the South Afi Air Force. First unveiled in South Africa in 998, it was rejected, but went on to sel in Jo “The Rovival follows the design for sco tional third-generation attack helicopte, tandem stepped cockpits, stub wings for we and a nose-mounted cannon and. ser ‘Although the Rooivalke looks like a complete a 0 people jabs over 10 yearsDenel AH-2 Rooivalk nil’ wo cockpits are essonialy similar, and are dominated by the we large multi-uncton at preset navigation weapon system and areal systoms data, as wells sensor imagery ete important onctions canbe controlled using the switches on the eyelc conta tick top fre collective cone! grip located tthe piles lot. Further imagery is displayed on the visr of ipl belnet-rmouted sight system Below the MFDs area few back-up fastens fe ase in es andthe let sa small screen wit a daa entry Keyboord. mal weapons load with full internal fuel: 15539 ( load with one ton (2,208 tb) of fuel: 20: Typical TO weight: 7200 231 Max TO weight 8750 19 (3230 Performance ‘excluding gun, with tail rotor turning: 16:59 mt tvbcal70 wet of 7500 kg (16.535 bl) Maximum spoed: 309 ky 192 mp) (in Ground Effect: 350 m (19 ing {Out of Ground Effect) £255 it uses some reverse engineered parts Puma and Super Puma, including the sgstems of the Poma and engines fro" is allows i to be cost-effective, maintainable a it uses tried and so very relsble and has «30 ear ifespan, fa be extended, allowing it to remain in decades after ie would normally have been BL Awide varity of equipment can be added Bh airframe, including: pulse Doppler tad fon gear, VOR/ILS (VHF Omnidirectional fsirument Landing System), IPF Brifstion Friend or Foe) trasponier, CRV7 ring capability, a wire-steke protection hated ‘windshiclds with cleetical warheads and crew escape oth 20-0 F2 cannon i housed in sla: eek tiriogs. They are advertised as boing able vo extemal sets nstaled on each f0 special forces Woops or possibly 0 rescue otro, bul hey have not been seen inThe Rooivalk has een desigoed 0 survive in ie error cal aa eae At peters day ad igh anda ang sade Inder to aoa detent aso meat, vs for mpottiecats (NOE) fhe. Te crash constricted of aluminium alloy while the rotor toposes sand ng thew it eg Soh for ballet theres The entre landing geat, which consists of two forward: mounted Messier: Dowty main units with two-rtage high-absorprion main legs and a Filly castoring tsilwheel a the base of the lower fin, is designed to withstand a landing impact of upto {6m (20 f) per second, Cockpits The cockpits are stepped in tandem with the weapons system officer (WSO)/co-pilot in the Trot cockpit and the pilot seated! above and behind under a scparite canopy cockpits i via upwad-opening gull-wing window panes, opening on the rghtchand side- All tans parencies are ether fla or havea singe eurvaeure, ‘hus miaimising sunlight glint. They give the crew forward/lownward view anges of 25°, The crew sits in Martn-Baker crashworthy seats. with ‘sxmour protection. An environmental control system provides cockpit ait conditioning, giving safer. In order to minimise crew fatigue the cock pit has been designed to have ulta-iow vibration Fevels. This is largely duc tothe main engine near- bor being mounted on a vibeation isolation sytem using 4 tuned! beam to insulate the fuselage from As a result, it has one of the lowest vibration level in its clas. £7290 anguted 1-ra oling in rockets ar fired from {S.round M138 ounchers. The recket remains an ‘portant weapon forthe aac bicopter especialy ‘agaist area and sot targets pf four MIE can Do ‘arid onthe inboard and contra wing pylons. Access to the totor vibrations Using the terrain to hide ts prosence, this ANA Carries atypical operational weapons fi As walla ‘ackots and Mokopas, it has four Mistral AM tabs ‘mounted on the outboard pyons. A pair of external seats can be fied 10 Rooivall’s ammunition cheeks, allowing Rooivalk to transport soldiers or crew: He this clever system does not yet seer to have adopted by the SAAF Flying controls consist of a duplex fox digital AFCS (Automatic Flight Control Sy with automatic heighthold, hover-capture hhoverhold, which ean be activated by thea pilot. Boch cockpits ate interchangeable and dual flight controls, which includes bands collectve-and-stick (HOCAS). The Rooivalh fourbladed fully articulating main rotor with a brake) that rotates at between 267 aod tnd a five bladed starboard mounted rowot that rotates at 1,290 gpm. A fied le tege shat is mounted én the horizontal stabi ‘whichis mounted halfway up the port side off strumentation consists of tw if 16-em (63x 6.in) Thales MED 66 liquid colour multi-function displays (MFDs), Sextant TopOul helmet-mounted sights and a position management system in each om pit. The MFDs show flight contro, nav data (including a moving map on’ the display), threat warning. and information, weapon controls and imagery the nose-mounted target detection, acquis and tracking system. They ean also eopy info tion to each other. In addition, there is back-up instrument panel fora get home biligy in ease of a computer of power fale instrumentation is compatible with generation night vision gogeles (NVGs) Both crewmembers have Thales (Sex "TopOwl helmet-mounted sight displays tht cue the sensor turret, the cannon and aia missile seeker heads. In addition to. dsp ‘weapons dats, they show ai speed, power alrctafe heading, altude, rte of climb, tum slip, colleeive pitch setting, the helmet lie sighs, waypoint bearing, waypoint number, distance to waypoint Avionics The Rooivalk is equipped with an adv avionics suite, produced locally by Adv Technologies and Engineering (ATE) and other sub-contractors. Ie has dusl-redundaat digial mission computers, MILSTD 15538 dPte pace bears ecgeriag ose spar ebard designator The missile has 9 du- tha Bost ito 5 kn (3. miles} range i 15 and siti itto the 10a (6.2-mile) ange in 39 seconds. Up to 16 can be caried ounces and 2 stores management system that to MILSTD-I760A. standard, Other iniorcsinclide an intercom/auadio syst IF wanspoades ancations, which ae all frequency’ agile fof 90 V/UHE transceivers with FM, AM ‘speech processing, that operate Mand 400 MHz for normal use, and a HE wansccver for NOF flights. This gsbetween 2 and 30 Milz and hat secure ad ds chanel Rooialk has a comprchensive navigation fonsss of a Sextant NSS 100-1 eight KIGPS receiver, Doppler radar velocity Jpband radar alimcrer, heading sensor, at bn, omnidirectional airspeed sensor and a Seas three axis suapdown sing laser gyro beading reference system (AHRS). The fn an atic system can be programmed Jed eatrdge that can hold up to five Pans consisting of 100 waypoints, These edie in fight by cither crew’ member and ed on the helmet sight, on avionics mounted gyro stabilised turret contains IKS target detection, acquisition and fystem (IDATS). The turret holds 2 fEview Forward Looking Infra-Red with automatic guidance and tracking, 2 Bele TV (LLTV) camera, and a laser Bader and laser designator. Related avionics he crew members Thales helmet sights, fommand link and tracking. goniometer nesutes angles). A Cumulus and ‘Thales Bight Vision System (PNVS), consisting of Bis uret with 2 40 x 30° field of view is offered as an export alternative to the bles sights measures, Roowal has been designed to survive in a favironment and, 28a result, has a sophis- ite of countermeasures to help it deal any threat that t should come upon. jtermessures suite is adaptable and mabe in flgh, allowing it to match the lary with the missions area of ope onic Warfare (EW) site incorporates ind laser warning receivers, and radio infrared and eases are cither dispensed manually, tically or flly astomaticaly adie warning rccciver can detect radar jon the rource radar detection range laaaches 2276 Mokopa during trials, he wes undertaken on 21 Soprombar 1283. se at mtering Srvc on the osiralk development du to ntemitent and can pick up most frequencies, including ura broadband frequencies. These threats are cither jammed or chaff is launched. The lter warning receiver provides broadband laser frequency coverage to detect and display range-finng and missile guidance laser beams A laser jammer then deals with any threats, Cer countermeasures include a flare dispenser and an TR jammee Weaponry ‘The Rooivalk can carry up to two tons (4400 1/1996 kg) of advanced weaponsy on its stub wings. The wings each have three. stores Stations, and can carry 80 ot four M159 19-tube launchers for Belgian Forges de Zecbrugge FZ90 “Tosmm snguided folding fin aerial rockers (with a variety of warheads) and/or four-tound launchers for up to 16 Mokopa antitank missiles on the inner two pylons of each wing. ‘Two or four infared-homing Mistral air-to-air missles ean be catried on the outhoard pylons. With the Mistral, Denel AH-2 Rooivalk the Rooivalk became the second third generation attack helicopter, together with the Tiger, tbe armed withthe projectile Equipped with a passive inftaed guidance system wath tejectory-shaping. capabilities and a sf-pinning sitftame for improved accuracy, the Mistral is powered by 2 quick-burn solid rock booster and ean reach speeds of up to Mach 25, cnabling it to achieve its 93 per cent kill rat gainst highly mobile helicopters and fixed-wing fireraft, The 6-km (3.7-mile) range missles ‘warhead can either be detonated by impactor by laser proximity fase, Denels Z16 Mokopa is a 10km ( range anti-tank weapon, equipped with «millimer: fic wave or semi-active laser seeker head that can be locked on to the target cither before or after launch. It has @ tandem warhead, allowing it 0 penetrate more than 1000 mm of armour. An Alkernative an-ship warhead can algo be fited. A production order for the missile was placed in March 2004‘AN. 16 Squadeon crew palls its Booval ao abrupt ‘top. The ability to positon and r-position around the battled with rapidity and at Yow eve is a hey requirement for an atack bolicopter. Te Ronivak earties a long: of short batelled 20-mm Armscor F2 cannon under its chin, fed by “cheeks holding 700 rounds of eealy-to-fie ammunition ‘The cannon ie a doal-foed nating, jamming) as ‘operated weapon, able to fire shells at 1100 m/s (609 ft/s) at a tate of 740 rounds per minute ffectve range is 2 km (1.2 miles) and maximum range is 4 km (23 miles) Ie ean be aimed by the helmet-mounted sight display and be slewed at a (hus Tn 2002 the Denel ZT35 Ingwe missile was test fired ftom the Rooival, indicating nat it may eventually be fitted t0 the helicopter. The laser guided Ingwe weighs 29 kg (64 Tb) and has a range of 5 km (2.7 mile). Engines The Rooivalk is powered by «wo licence bull Turboméea Makila 1K2 turboshafs, mounted on bey are tated at 1,843 shp (1376 kW) each for ake and 1,904 shp (1420. kW) continuous power, ahough in an emergenc 2,109 shp (1573 kWW) for 30 seconds. Both engines have digs) control, infrared heat suppressors on theie exhausts and partcle/sand flters on thee intakes, allowing chem to operate in harsh climates for bad weather. Ful is extric in self-scaing tanks inthe fase lage, as wells on drop tanks under the stab wings. ‘Three 618+re (136-Imp ga) fuselage tanks give ‘total internal fuel capacity of 1854 litres 408 Imp gab, while a 750-lire (165-Imp gal) drop tank ean be cartied on each inboard underwing station. The helicopter can be pressure- of gravity refuelled and defulled, allowing it to be quickly fefuelled from drums on the ground using an “onboard pump system turnaround” with full refuelling and rearming in less than 15 minutes Itis also capable of «hot The engines drive two independent hydraulic with 175. bar systems, each pressure of (2,338 Ib/sq in). Electsieal power is obtained from to 20-KVA alternators providing 200 V of three phase and 115 V singlesphase alternating eurrent 4 400 Hz, Two 24 V'31 Ab batteries provide 28 V of slree jet. Other standard systems inclade a crew fire extinguishers Maintainability ‘One of the most importnt requirements for the Rooivalk was that it had to be reliable and easily maintainable under the most basic circum stances. Ie was designed to endute the inital 72 hours of a high-intensity batdefield and then ‘operate for long periods without sophisticated Support. A medium-sized transport helicopter with a basic supply of spares plus four personnel is all that is needed to keep the helicopter ying er of built-in features This view shows the ditsig fect of te rotor \downwash onto exhaust plume. Th SADF bas devised «camouflage for the Rooivalk thats efectia ‘against widely varying backdrops co facilitate maintenance and to detect west tear on the airframe. Tt has automatic fault de jon and system status monitoring. through HUMS, it has LRUs (Line Replaceable Unit) incorporate built-in test and valuation (Bl snoniiots, and can download maintenance daa ‘umber of features make the Rooivalk maintainable and. supportable ‘which include the ability forall systems to 0p in silent battery mode, obviating the need fo APU) or ground power (GPU), Maintainers can easily access all pai ithout the use of ‘work platen the wings and cxtbon fibte-reinforced pl tengine cowlings double as work platforms there ae integral access ladders in the fuselage fddition, a large avionics bay door allows a LRU ced sight removeable by one man, the batteries are accessible and the Roofvalk: can be dismandel the field with an aireratsmounted portale « auxiliary power unit the airftame Mission The Rooivall prowl threat deterrent for South Africa and its ci 12 peacchecping and act as a force-maltplic tenforeement roles. The Rooivalk can caaly fout a number of missions, which inclode am farmout, ge helborne et ind suppression, close alr sing 1 counterinsurgency and 1 A compeehensve variety of weaponry sla for each mission requirement allows the Ron to carry out a wide range of roles, fom a helicopter to ferry missions, Ie can engage ml targets at short and long range, using the ea fo eockets and missles The Mokopa missle gh it a distinct advantage against competitors allows the Rooivalk to atack targets at Il The Rooiva deployed across vast distances. With the si ferry tanks it can self deploy over singes of Two AH-2As exercise with ground armour in open country hey role envisaged forthe Rovrak is he Suppor and protection of ground forces daring te ‘pescokecping operations tha! have become an Increasingly important ole forthe SADE design allows it 10 be1 km (680 miles ncled. It can also be transported in a (C130 Hercules or larger alterafe with jassenbly fs advanced day and night sensors and Feommenications, the Rooivalk can quickly fpther reconnaissance information that ftoops or other aircraft would find hacd to lity features allow i to get as close feion as required without fear of being fis excellent mission versatility, self pent rng and reconnaissance ability, the kis ideally suited to provide supp ping operations. South Africa is regulaly it peacekeeping, and in the funure ie fo we the Rooivalk in these campaigas. fod example was in 2001 when South medators managed to broker peace tals afer years of untest. Later that yeas, a ment was sworn in under the protee a 7Ustong South \tican peacekeeping incladed an Ait Force element of 10 Sending in Rooivalks wa hing came of it ~ probably beeause the jews not very threatening, there were n oils xvlable 2001 fae dlveredl were sill heing upgraded, g even now the Roowvalk is still at ready for peacekeeping duties. Staff a Denel mean that the Rooivalk ‘cannot be deployed for another year. But soon fee that ic may be sent to give fiepower support to South Afiican peacekeeping troops inthe Democratic Republic of the Congo, which is stil suffering from sporadic fighting and unrest. With the cancelation of the state-of-the-art highly advanced and stealthy Bocing/Sikorsk RAH.66 Comanche in February last year, the Rooivalk has again become advanced helicopters in the tag, heavy weapon load and advanced sensors Denel AH-2 Rooivalk ‘make ir competitive wth other international atack helicopters like the Kamov Ka-50 ‘Hokum’, Mil Mi-28 ‘Havoc’, Boeing AH-G4 Apache Eurocopter Tiger, AgustaWestland 125, Mangesta and Bell AH-1 Cobra, Now that the Rooivalk is a fully operational system, export interest should be forthcoming, But even if itis not, the Rooialk will remain a proud achievement for South Afticss Air Force and local aviation industry. Guy MartinNevada Airpower Adversaries, Aggressors, Airlift and advanced tactical training Photographed by Rick Llinares/Dash 2 Encompassing one of the least densely populated are of the United States, the offers huge ed in. Consequently, Nevada has become a key area for the US military to be used in real combat.Above: The Air Force rules the skies in the southor part ofthe stat, ‘undertaking a wide range of operational evaluation and advanced tactics Irnaing over tho vast Nels ranges. Among the mony factors tht low Nellis ‘AFB o provide such an autheni taining and est environments tho resident ‘adversary unit the 6th Aggressor Squadron. The 6A fies 12 166/05, ‘opresentod bore by a tourshippaintod to simulate the Flanker, Falun ‘and logger: The neey formed 6th Aggressor Squadron wil bgia ‘operating F-SC/D Eagles in the aggressor role in 200. ‘Commands operational tet and evaluation organization, with elements sovoral bases. The 422nd Tost and Evaluation Squadron sat Nels, operating ‘is, F-5s and F163 on various Wal duties. The Shed Wing at Noli was the first service recipient ofthe FA-Z2 Raptr, andi responsible for testing the aircraft and its systoms in an operational envconmon a wall as belping {orge a taining sylabus and tactics manual.‘Aa F-16A and F168 overtly NAS Fallon (above. Th Vipars” are the ates eras {the NSAWC roster, drawn rom «batchSANG priomso sila role tothe USAFE Fighter apr Stoop Inara let pots As tale has E/-18 forthe mining oe. In edition to teaching iva nd air-to-ground tochaiqus, ISAC as asked with providing siiarly Diruce raining forth AEW force, and incorporates Ube Hankey that were formerly assigoed tothe Warming Weapons Schoo! before ton with NEWS and NSW to frm the nly oary-wing type is the Sikorsky franced traning and range suppor. wel xt reining commitment: Fallon provides the Wes wiogs with 2st to work-up in weapons Hao 04 actcatechiques prior deployment thie ei aesgnod cariesUSAF Figter Weapons ‘Schoo! san intgral pat the 5th Wing, and te vanced tactics and fechngues to already fxperianced crows hon ‘poration units. When developments back the frontline squadron. Te schools dred it pe Specitc units, with fe o ‘10 (above) 15. FE (lft) F-16 (below) and ‘WH.60, Exch has om ‘icra assigned. Thr two farther POS dvs Elsworth AFB andTho 57th Wing consist of sever ‘isparate organisations. The FS operates Separately rom the 87th Adversary Tactics Group which oversees the 6th AS and its ‘aggressor F16s above and left and the 457% OG and its bth Rescue Squadron that ‘provides HH-S00s or rescue cover athe ‘anges. The 6th’ busiest tine Is during Fed Fag exercises, but the wait aso ‘provides dissimilar types for air combat {rial and for EWS work, Another P16 ser ‘paronted bythe 5th Wing ithe USAF ‘ora! emonsration Squadron beter known asthe Thunderbird In rocomt times the 57th has picked up responsibility forthe USAFs growing UAV operation, fand has turned the auiliany eld Ian Springs no the contr for UAV operations {nd evaluation work Indian Springs was ‘acently rosamed Creech AFB, and hovses the USAFs Predator leet. including #12 combat sorties Dee Stunt r-roled in the 1890s 3s ing with C1306 Horcules. The 182nd ine ANG ais that provide the 15th Air i cia ait capability. However it patoward fr deactivation under the hs lsure proposal, with is C-150Hs to othe Aikaene Grd anit.UTD ears Nn U ae Royal Jordanian Air Force Silahil Jaw Ilmalaki Lurduni Al Quwwat al Jawwiya al malakiya al Urduniya Established with RAF help in the aftermath of World War Il, the Royal Jordanian Air Force is today one of the most professional and capable air arms in the Middle East region. Re-equipment of the fighter forces with the F-16 is under way, while the RJAF is bolstering its rotary-wing assets, with the accent on increased special forces operations, and revamping its transport fleet. ‘iary aviation in Jordan dates back to M 1917, when Amb Forces requested the Royal Flying Corps to bomb Turkish targets. Two air bases were constructed in Jordan by the Brish, RAF Amman and RAF Mafrag, and some of the buildings constructed in those days are sil in use, In 1921 che country now known as Jordan war tansformed into a self governing fcouniry under a British mandate, The RFAF wat established with major British backing in 1949 as component of the Arab Legion. Designate initially as the Arab Legion Ait Force, the firs pilots were RAF officers The RJAF' first combat jets were de Haviland Vampires, followed by Hawker Hunters that were acquired from the UK ‘bat paid for by the US, In 1964, the Jordanian srcrafe went into action forthe frst time when four Hunters scrambled to fight against Isracl Mirage Ills In what beeame known in Jordan as the Barde of the Dead Sea fone Istaeli Mirage was downed and the ‘were damaged. in 1967, during the opening hours Of the Six Day War, the RJAF was virtually wiped ‘ost by the Israel IDF/AB ‘The RJAF was re- fequipped with US-supplied F-104As, but the RJA played no part in the Yom Kippur war of October 1973, uring the 1970s and 1980s, Jordanian areempts to buy more modern aircraft were blocked by the US: new fighters were needed to replace obsolete material but requests for A-4 Skyhawks and P-16s were blocked. After a meet: lng of Arab leaders in Baghdad io. 1978, ie was decided that Jordan should replace its’ ageing F-104A Starfighter with the financial backing of Sadi Arabia and Iraq “Todays Royal Jordanian Ait B 15 squadrons based at six main operating airbases around Jordan, Transport and support Ammar-Matka, home of the tansport and most of the helicoprer Ace, is located immedi houses almost half of Jordan’ population. The transport fleet - consisting of the Alt Lift Wing, the Royal Squadron and the Aie Police WM operates a selection of fixed-wing and bla “The Air Lift Wing was established in 197 the delivery of four C-47s and a Alouette Ills. Soon after is establishment wing set about « modernisation progeamme the C-47 being replaced by C-130s and a The Faitchld C-119 was soon withdrawn & is limited reliability. During 1975/76, four 212 Avioears were supplied. The ving op the Alouette II until 1987 when i was repli the Super Puma, The wing reactivated Naf No, 14 Squadron following the delivery of 3 US Army UHLIHs in October 1994 The Aidit Wing is commanded by Col Ababneh and consists of No. 3 Squadron operating fou aircraft and two CN-295s, Until ecenty two CN-235Ms were operated on loan Turkish Aie Foree, bridging the gap be and delivery of the CN-295, The C scquadron used to operate are stored at the and, if needed, can be brought to fights short period of time, but there are no plans to rerara them to flving service. The Wing fleet of No. 3 Squadon is also refer ‘Guts Air Line’ and is often involved ini tional missions around the worldddan operates 2 mix of helicopter ype, ofboth fdr erga. Hore Bol UHH lends «|Special Operations and Reconnaissance sit fom the civilan pare of the airport, and ‘equipped with FLIR, The task is also to perk as an sirborne link for data transmission betwi ground forces Later this year their equipment be upgraded to improve the range fem miles (24 to 161 kan) Jordan became the launch customer of BC 635, the military version of the EC lation of an order for The frst of these leap were delivered in the second part of 2003 @ than three months after being ordered) and, thea, a total of nine has been delivered Squadroa, The EC 635 can full all the wo light combat helicopter, Pact of is miss and night observation, border cont, pase transport, ant-terorist/special operations ‘No.3 Squadron ~ ‘Guts At Lino’ isthe fixed-wing transport squadron, based at Ammons man airport. The fescue missions The Jontanian EC 635: bi backbone ofthe let ae four C-130H Hercules (below) two ear C-130Bsbaving been donated tothe new Iragi Air Force. The latest ype in Na. 3 Squadron service isthe EADS-CASA CN.295 above, of which two ae in service special military avionics. system ‘weapons wiring installed could be equipped with weapons, systems are ever carried: only a FLIR system tused on several airraft and some are eq with flotation gear. The RJAF is extreme fied with the altrafe and it mission equipo and is examining options to buy further srcalil Training Command The Training Command of the RJAF iso at the King Hussein Air College neat Ma operating the Slingsby T67 Firefly, CASA Cl MD (Hughes) MISOOD and E models andi Aérospatiale AS 3308-3 Ecuteui No. 4 Squadron operates 16 Fictlis d ered in 2002. The frst step in the career of {nit The sllabus begins with 1 fights to del followed by military and theoretical traning fa year. This theoretical pat is followed by No. 7 Squadron operates the AS 332AM — Hueys, and recently six Bell 212s have been deliv- for the successful candidate on to pr Super Puma, of which the first of 12 was delv- ered from an unspecified country. Following the taining with No. 4 Squadron, cred in 1987. Main task for these powerful heli- peace accords with Ismael, & US MDAP around 70 flight hours. During. prim tis peal coptes is transport and medevae, Because these programme saw 18 surplus UH-IH Helicopters training, roughly in the mid helicopters regully fly international sorties, they delivered in 1994, with another 18 following in test determines the next step: to contime wear both military and civilian registrations. Also, 1996, The UH-1 has long been the backbone of fighter plot or move on to helicopter taining because of their humanitacian zeief operations, a helicopter operations with the RJAF, bur the a No. 11 Squadron operates the CASA Gl ‘number of the Pumas weat the insignia of the red number of Hueys is dwindling Of the 36 hat that has been in service since 1987 Half Moon, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat was once were operational, 16 have been transferred to students selected for fighter os a flown ina Super Puma from his H1Q co Amman (@ the Tnagi Ait Force primary taining With No 11 Sguadro swell covered event) o receive medical treatment in w@ No, 14 Squadron operates nine EC 635 heli-ttudent experiences the jet for the first dime Prance before his death. The Pumas are regularly cnpters and two Schweizer SA 2-37A observation after a total of around 120 fight hours guia deployed around the country on SAR dures platforms. Main task for the squadron ie Special wings During this phase a total of around ‘= 'No. 8 Squadron operates around 15 UH-1 Operations. ‘The Schweizers ate operated as sorties are flown to teach students how to Jordan's oe of CASA 22 no longer in use, but remains i yable condition for No. 3 Squadron's CASA connection was maintained bya pair of N-238 that wee ‘emergencies. Whoa they wore operational with No.3 Squadron, one ofthe aircraft had operated on oan from Turkey pending defivery ofthe stretched CN-285s. With th ‘reconnaissance roe. ‘sical in service in 205, the CN-225e have been returned.she Huey anit operating a mix of ned THs and tvin-ongined Agusta-Bell Ths is ne ofthe lator parked atts Amman he the srcrat tactical fighter por /OCU operating the F-5 per work Squadron tesine furare helicop fon the H500/AS 350. Students receive over Bas of fight training before being assigned Bot Afer 500 hours pilots are allowed 1 el operational After graduation the No. 17 0 be trined in from the Imperial Iranian Hawker Hunter, The Air Force to replace the sadar-equipped F-SEs and 12 F-5Fs This proved ‘became ward in operations, the arerat pperational at 0 “ Mafraq Air Base with Land 6 Sqns, The displaced being able to carry weapons like the AIN9) F5 community Hunters were donated to Oman, An addiional — Sklewinder and Rockey cuser bombs They we zest contingent of F-5s in the Kingdom delivery of 10 F-5As and two F-SBs allowed the operated by 1,6,9 and 17 Sqns the later two units Fosnd at Prince Hastan Air Base. In late formation of 2 Squadron for advanced traning erating from Prince Hassan Air Base, also MBeRIAP obtained 20 F-5As and wo F-5Bs From 1975 on, the US supplied a total of 61 known as H-S, sin mision of the RUA is 0 rion br space and 1 support rou iMiches been tre case sinca tho farraon of san he ask of defending vel ream STwougrout story the Middle Fast has gvth cones. mest every court in fast nos oxcoronces cashes wih ts “rn bang no scepion. These days feu county has tera tes with rast at Tam song supporter of feporal es and the FUAF Is open to ote sous an to shore informaton, ilerequary concucting execcees wth te on bes. Thane take pace bath in aboard, one sxarole bang the aloe fowercce Brg Sor thet beng helen Egypt each vos. Rs forthe RUAF is asngned drecty from the Armed Frees HO. ais hanpered our efforts to upgrade our ay force lucky wo ae ithe pocoes of boostng out abiy to operate with more modem Bluth re acgestion of» sacond sat of F-¥6s that wl be pore, 298, urcsae of new hescaptes. Th wl mean, Roweve that in the Near FRAE wl bo rdcng's numberof fihtore, ve ol the st types 0 from use walbe the Mirage G4 acraft. From tis yea an he fllbe withdrawn, They ae op for sale ard when a cutee wll buy operations wil mosataly cease. The Mage FIG) wll however eens 1 tn forncenadle Toure 08, ss acral wil be operated by the RJAF. The plan i 0 have Jpetanorasquscron let 9 Squacron wl remain as an 5 seussen sion shoul be converting Yo -16s in th comeng yest. Tis Should opstste ho second betcha Fes that was dalvored under the Koni deal Though notin the Immediate future, by 2018 a tra 16, is penned tobe Operations Inthe future, the RAKE wal probaby bs an Blues wit el the benefits of operating ene acre yoo fave independent and to ncresse the ie RUAF cet i's own martonance flea Jorn Aeronauvcs Compeny JAC), flzoun 2s Meshal Ths company wl Malte wading arf of a PLAF ike Bibi sso ams st berg o servic conte Tor if arcaft inthe Misde East In adation fzroanycaled Jordanian iterations! Ar finan cot up Though the arrat that wl esl egtered, toy wil be fovin Eeplois an thoy wil bo 2 Bg boost nthe Pali to uanspert slaers and cargo to Fata. tho plan Isto havo two 176. Mey 2008: row ar I-76 and C-130 have al goes wel in five years a tot of e757 leased by JAG,» evilian argo five aera shouldbe operoted, Fight ssfety an impertant aspect of ou fght ‘peratons. Specialy for ow gtr commarity, he AF acquired a Fight Protie System i 1997, Consisting of 24 pode, in erder to be abe fo perform Better mission dsting ana to boost stuston| ‘auoroness, The GPSIACMI system wth ts Sidewindectke shape i 3 realtime system and can be earsod onal FG and F aeat These Share ie the Sdewindersystam as weapons and ‘ensi sd to cety tas ACMA systern, Ths ester oar shows how the bate ropresced veh ‘erat wes nto ooo, wich hile ware mad e ‘This proved tobe ab soa forward in the mssion ebro ana the RAAF vey sated wth te System. Unforinataly the Nirage Fl cannot be ‘hulp withthe system yet. Because te not ebie fecany the Sidewinder “Specs Forces Operations i 8 very important task ofthe RIAF dese days and hes Noh prot ‘Though our county has long had Yo hve uth ‘orem ine ust yews spec emphasis put on teror conta. We have changed ou procedures ond Be constantly tag to rnprove ur sty to ight terotss Is panred to rears 8 separate Unt ‘seared to nly perorm special operetons. The FAP e ooking at buying eght UM80 Black Hawks Inthe future ta perform these tasks, for dolivery as ‘ely as next yer har plans go aread, These’ Should repioce mare UH THe end should sgricertly boost our Special Ops capabilities. No Session has boen rade yot the arly Block wk ype yt ving inthe Kingdom ae ve SOs operead bythe Roya ght "Te RUAF has good rears with fondly nations, Src the nev agi A Foros vias formed, tho AAA has been msfer contr te the new ae fore. Shoo completly elurbshed and repainted Url H Huy ar baig anstered torthe Fag Ar Foce: the at ones were celvered to Tay Ar Bese aq on ty 2008 ad tinal dover ofthis donation shoud be comeletes by February 2006, Aso wo C-1308 Heroes wee tanfored to provide facia lengvange ait capably. The aecrat, formerly storge,racerved an overhaul beter celery snd wil serve with the 25 ral Tanaport Squadron fram Niuthana ir Bose. The rag its tha fy this atcraf ecewed 2 fourmonth raining couse fn orcan, Tedsy the RIAP Is 0 well motvsted and wel tained force of around 12, people. The pits of the FUAF are among the best trased mth Mae East and Koop abreast of tho latest ‘acti devesopments, making Dm tough opponents However, ou a foros has been nampered bya shortage of spare pasar Sporting fade Nanas, sy comb ent ad capa exble‘scquie eight U5 to expand tho Spacal Ops loot Below: Having operated the Sikorsky S-76A for many ors No.7 Squadron i now oguippod with Super Pumas. Thy are wed fr gonoral transport tasks, Including Red Crescent medevac/omergency duties. In 1985 the RJAF ladstres to upgeade its aircraft systems and int gate the AGM-OSD, of which 60 were ordered in 1983. Modifications consisted new HUD/WAC and radar altimeter, along with a BAc LINS 3000 laser INS as pact of the Hunter = No, 17 Squadron/Oper: Conversion Unit (OCU) wings, the new 2nd lieutenant fight fon to the OCU, operating the F-5E/E for fighter ‘conversion. Conversion stars with two months of fcademies, After that ying stars although acade mics remain important throughout the course After nine months the pilot becomes fully pers tional and moves on toa front-line squadton No. 6 Squadron As with the other fighter units at Prinee Hassan AB, 6 Squadron operates P3b/t squadron is air defence, th ated inthe ground attack and recce task s Fighter Weapons school (FWS) Headed wl Ziad AL-Qais, very experienced Mirage Fl and FG paor the FWS is ued at providing advanced training for pilots ind air-to-ground warfare, and they are operate theit aera in dil ighters Though the main task of the alireraft are also oper hee rent ways. All instruc tor pilocs are assigned to fighter squadrons and deploy back to their squadeon in case of threats ot ina wartime situation, All txinees ae Hewtenants ot captains with at least 750 flight hours and section lead starus. During the course, a total of 4 sorties is planned: 30 airtoraie and 16 sito round The FWS, established in 1985, isthe only of is kind in the Middle East. Because of close ties berween the RJAF and air EWS is often visited by fa ayptand AE trains atthe schoo No. 9 Squadron ‘The other F-5 units ba at Al Jafr Air Base/King Faisal Bin Abdul AB, This ir base was built between 1974 and 1 ith Saudi assistance and is a very lange fi over 50 kim /19 sq miles). Only one squadeon at Al Jaf, though many poused there due to its size cuerenty rec ture and its ing a new ranweay and infae ly resident squadcon, Nal Squadron, is detached to Prince Hassan Air Muwaffaq Al-Salti/Al Azraq To honour the fst RJAF pilot bate, the RJAF AI Azrg Muwaffag ALSali, who died » 13 November stern part of Jo wy a dic in a after ‘Lt ‘combat with Israeli forees TThe ai base, situated in the opened in 1981 t0 sera that were donated by sci sal located centrally in the country, around During the 1990s, the ar base often used by US Forces conducting exerci operating combat sireraft. Several large-cal ciees were conducted with names such a F nite Mooaligh induct patrol This quite new airbase ha gd from Amman, Tiger and In Also, the ait was used t wer no-fly zon Iraq. as part Recently, 4 second runway was oF Operation Southern, Wi the aircraft to use their runways. ea wind di ton. Reside units ae No.1 Sqoaton opal the Mirage FIC} and PTE] fight, sol No.2 Squadron, operating the F-16A/Be ‘Commander’ of the ait base_1s Beg General Aref ALDaboubi an expetience a with over 3,60) fight hour, ost th Tart of his experience was achieved ding ings to the IWS. a5 No. 1 Squadron was formed in the Hf yng the de Haviland Vampire. It was di nd it also el ve parca student, instru currently active squadron to ‘Asin many alr arms, the Bell UH the back ‘the transport elicopter ot. although numbers a ‘twindling as oower types ae dlivered. More Ho ‘are planned for withdrawal rm No. Squadra ‘inventory when UH-60 Black Hawks are delivered (possibly i 2008: While some RAAF UHH ore Services standard camoutlge, others oain toi lf ‘Amy olive dra ish,operons ding the 1967 war. After ‘Beton: Basic ining is the princi le oth CASA Be F104 Sarfighter and the Nowtheop 10107 Avijt wich syprsoded the Cosson F378 in fe onder was placed with Dessau © terol ram 1967 No.1 Squadron operates the ings FIC)s 1980, Which ha ergely replaced te earlier Yosnénosed”Avijts providing element oftcica suction the atcval oF the F-16s in 1996, the 17 MBS ep eS Breguet Mirage FICJs and wo Mirage ———_—_— of No 25 Squadron spearheaded the sit Reacts of the RJAF. In 1981 the squadron openional and more Mirages were thee 17 Mirage FIFs bing delivered Son FIC) model is mainly used for the ait Bem, hence its blue/grey colour scheme, the E} move was assigned the sito ground foe and was painted in desert carou?age pa were amalgamated withthe Mirage of Ssundion but sil retain their No. 25 en srale pone taining for the pilots che squadon ovo fight simulators one for each pe inalors are used to train the new pias ag tothe Mirage and to insruct emer cedures and instrument ying, The ea peforms its oxen opersional conver sual takes six months tbe mission be new pilot He wil be a wingman and get more responsiblity an a pars leader ecto eer Partnering the M500 in No.5 Squadron i the Aérospatole AS 2500-3 Eure 2 ‘single-onpined type thats used mainly forth early stages ofthe rtary-wingAir Power Analysis ‘To maintain currency, each Mirage pilot shoul Ay at least one sortie a month, Pilots not being able to fly for a month ean only rerarn to flight status after a check flight. This check flight and the ‘conversion tothe Mirage FI today causes an oper ational problem, since the two FIB] models the ‘Successful graduats irom tho Air College fighter ‘ream proceed fo Prince Hessan AB, where thoy learn the ar of ightr operation nthe FSEs of No. 17 ‘Squadron, Jordan's F5 loot comprises 2 mx of silva iy end eomoutaged airratt RJAF used to operate were both lost in accidents, and today Mirage FI stadents are taught the tricks Of flying the airerafe in France. After a conversion Course of about 50 sorties, the students rerarn 0 Jordan. Because of the probleme in taining the pilots without a dual-scater, che RJAF is currently looking for replacement airraf, which will prob ably be found in Spain The Mirage FI is not able to carry AIM Sidewinders: as a resule the ACMI pods that the RJAF operates for situation awareness and brie: ‘iE are to coniow, however, bu wil probaly be ‘withdrawn ia third FG batch ie ncauired. The FI [eft is sen with ire Magic 2 missile onthe wing ‘all and an ECM pod under to wing Despite boing rial it wore when flown by No. 25 Squad (he ‘one or two Arabic digits of RJAFsorals dnote ing cannot be used on these sireraft, They the Matra 550 Magic 2 heat-secking misses Super 830F radar-homing missles. No. 2 Squadron Today, the sur Mirages of No. 1 Squadcon operate along No. 2 Squadron operating the F-16, The eb jn the Middle East, resuluing from the Wye fand Wye IL peace accords, have granted Jordanians one of their preatest wishes ~ the F After the signing of the peace teary with Is 1994, che Jordanian Goverament resubmited request for up to 42 F-16s to replace its Al F-5 and Mirage FI fighters. On 29 July '$200 milion five-year leasing deal was autho covering the supply of 12 ex-USAF F-164, Block 1SOCU aiteraft and four F-16Bs asp the Peace Faleon | programme. The F-16A8fine ex-USAF aircraft, specially cor thesie defence task, with over tach sir ame. An intensive Faleon UP life extension modification was Mat the Open Ais Logistics Center, and tft were refitted with F100-PW:300E (ne of these F-16s was lost in an acci- ‘These 17 aireraft are USA\ swith the ie Defense Fighter modifica fnere rovided to Jordan under the Peace MI Forcgn Miltary Sales programme; 13 eit F-16As and four two-seat F-16B=. Tn RJA awarded a $87 milion Marin to support upgrades t Part of the upgrade is ch Uplate (MLL) that brings the p the cockpit, avior tho includes the Falcon UP and Falcon seructural implies that 1 fo another 20 years, puance (LOA) was signed in Janey mglead effort began in nts wil be dcivered from the spring through the spring of 2008. All aitraft fie between mid-2006 and mi 2009 ight ese programme willbe conducted in er 2005, Apart from better and neve aibig step forward will be the introd the AMRAAM, in adlition to the AIM-9 upgrades. The easier was awarded on 30 September eovers kits, installation instructions, tain nd spares and support ater the ai ‘2 modified. ‘The kit components will be produced in the United States and Eutope, The tirerae modifications will partly be peeformed at Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) faites in Ankara, Turkey, and partly ata base somewhere in Jordan "No. 2 Squadron also pee for the F-16 and has & 8 the OCU task immulator for ‘raining purposes. At the moment the squ der, Lz Col Ababneh, is looking into the possbil ties of splitting the OCU tasks from the open tasks, Since 1999 the squadron i Filly oper ‘A iow of tho fighting at Prince Hasson shows aicrat ‘oom al tree F5 units Nearest the comers i a Mo. 9 ‘Squadron siete normally based at Al dat but wing Prince Hassan as» boltsole while the A J ranweyFasal bin Abdu 'No. 7 Squadron ‘Armenians SAM Super Puma No. 10 Squadron 3B Pasee hassan A Fst, FF as are: No. @ Squadron (1/5 212 a Amman Mara, Ne. @ Squadron Pa i Mo. 11 Squadron (CASAC SE at Princo Hosean AB) No. 2 Squadron No. 3 Squadron No. 4 Squadron Muna ATSONWA Aaraq —— Muwetiag ASS ena arts King Hussemn a Colege, rage FIC. F Foea, -188, 0H. CN 295 Matrag To eas, SA2318 Lot Thre F 16 taxi towards the runway at ‘Ai Aarag No 8 Squadron ‘is expected to hocome the second RJA Viper” init andthe service ‘would like to convert 2 {hid (possibly No. 1) 0 ‘become an all-F16 ‘igher force. ‘Below: Four F168 tw- ‘seater were supplied ‘wth the fist atch and ‘another fur withthe ‘econd The vo-seaters ‘chip- ‘ice antennas ahead ‘ofthe windscreen ational with the emphasis of its tasks being ia with the motto of the RIAF; aie defence srcraft are equipped, however, to alo pet the ground support role. He is very sisted the F-16 and its capabilites, It has peovea toh vety stable and reliable platform, Cobra Town = Nos 10 and 12 Squadrons I» adiion advanced combat aircraft, the RJAF madé tank operitions an important issue in is fa plans. ‘The US supplied an inital batch of AH-IS Cobras, equipped with cannon and TO systems, that were ordered in 1982 and del in 1985, The aireait were upgraded to All standard and, in 1995, four additonal Cobras delivered that were mostly used for spate pa King Abdullah I AB, the newest ar base of JAF, was constructed during the late 19% became operational in. 1999, It w construct for its new inhabitants; the 24 A Cobras of Nos 10 and 12 Squadrons that joperated out of Amman-Marka, 1 located ina cental spot in the Kingdom andi riddle of the Jordanian Army exercising sea ‘When rotary-wing pilots leave the Fight they will get an intensive five-month ‘il course during which they become a tactical copter pilot During the next phase they se idvanced training, All Cobras have daal fight controls; both members are ale to operate the aterat. The Consists of a pilot, operating from the back ‘eho wll normally iy the aireraft and soi ‘commander, and the gunner i operate the armament but dur switch to flying the aircraft Sories always e OF at leat two Cobras: single-ship operat never undertaken, The tak of both squadrons is to a ground forces and Special Forces, This notMose No.2 Squadron F-16As carry ACMI pods inp. allowing anayss and debritig of air (ann sates A wll as is aporationl role, ‘Below: The at-srmour role is considered of great significance to Jordan's defence, andthe hwo-squadeon Cobre force is» prized asset Here aro of AN. TFs practises ying asng terrain fr masking antitank warfare, though in peacetim ising with the acm also being performed, The TOW >imary weapon although unguided missles are used agains iphter armoured vehicles ceannion is used for border patrol sorties ate stem is the strafing and against Light armoured trucks. Though an Air Force asset, the 2s are normally tasked by the army. While cach squadron opersts its own airerafy, the main tenance branch assigns aircraft for eich mission (Crews from a squadron can easily find themselves operating an aircraft from the other unit, supplement the fleet nine extra AH-I Cobras: ¥ veted by the US during 2004 the US F ‘mounted s Defense Article Programme Eric Katerberg and Anno Gravemaker ‘Below: Standerd armament for Jordan's Cobras are TOW missiles Ia addition tthe traditional ant-armour ‘ole the Cobras practise operations in suppor of ‘Special Forces andl patos slong Jordans bordersSwing-wing ‘Fitter’ When the Sukhoi Su-17/-22 fighter-bomber and reconnaissance aircraft family appeared in the mid-1960s it was sei another improved Su-7B (NATO code ‘Fitter-A’) derivative. Thanks to a steady improvement effort that lasted into the e: 1980s, the swing-wing fighter-bomber’s operational capabil were carefully maintained over two decades so that it c considered a textbook example of longevity, reliability combat efficiency. The war in Afghanistan was the most important event in the aircraft’s career. lnprovement » Czech SuzaMak Fiore tes ar-hiting weapons, meant th the Sus final derivative ‘alongside on Si-7BKL Fiter- the Su-l7M4 and its export counterpart Su-22M4 1 Swing wings improved.” wnony the most cost-effective Soviet Ait Force and take-off performance Ioad- Pact tactical strike and reconnaissance acraft of the canying ond range 198i and early 1990s. Now the type is still soldering eee ee Sukhoi Su-17/20/2 n be now numbers with aI NATO 2 Polih Air Force and i 5-221 swing-wing prototype Inan effoct the WS (V Forces) requirement f in the Su-7BM® take-off was NG. Ziin, and the deving level strike arerat that was wel ll nd relatively short ai cessive take-o her perations due The rept was judged a for inspeovin Su-7BM thi and landing roll atable sweep dk jppropriate so fighter bombe: The swin,fo save time and drive down development and test The vaable-sweep wing concept adopted for th viewed as a sizeable compromise (by comparison Su-24 and NiG-25 swing-wing, combat aircraft devel the same period) because the wing roots and the inner fof the wings ~ representing approximately half the The span of the movable wing was restricted by the postion a undercarriage units that were retained fr The relatively large fixed centte-wing section Hinown as gloves) contributed ro keeping longitudinal hia iis dhroughout the entie flight envelope, at angle of sweep. The hydraulcally-driven and rolled outer wing sections featured variable Jes berween 30° and 63° (the former used only f fond lining andthe ltter for the rest oF the High, Athnd main wing setting ws introcaced at 45° (mid fon) i proved useful for erase and ground artac, Imiximum sweep angle was used for highspeed find sriooth ride at low level only. Wing sweep was set hse position switch located inthe upper lef corner of ft — were fix of 42 m (13 #9 in tffor to farther improve take-off/landing. perfor he wings were endowed with a plethora of high-ift Jot present on the Su-7B: the outer wing sections were ih three ection slats and slorred triling-edge flaps, panel of the centre section had a two-scction nl aea-ncreasing flap. ‘Above: The §-21 prototype made its public debut tthe July 1957 air show at Domodedove. nthe ‘hands of Yo. Kakushyev the $-Z2 was pat through x denanding display routine tht highlighted the ‘ype’ shor take-off pertammanco wit wings forward, and high-speed manoeuabilty with wings {Swopt Despite this impressive show, Westora analysts believed that the ype would no offer “Suficient performance Increases o warrant boing put into production. ao The $-221 airframe design was frozen in eady 1965 and the prototype aircraft was produced through modification of an Existing Su-7BM airframe, c/n 48.06, Its roll-out took place in the summer of 1966 and it made is maiden fight on 2 August the same year from Aviaprom’s Soviet Ministy of Aviation Industry arfcld at Zhokowskiy near Moscow, in the capable hhands of the Sukhoi Design Bureau’ chief test pilot, the famous Vladimir Sergecvich Hiyushin. ‘The S221 had the listinesion of entering the history books as the fist Soviet built swing-wing airraft to be fight-ested Improved performance By April 1967, the factory test had been completed and the results met all the expectations of the design team: they proved thatthe $-221's swing-wing design provided a reduction in the landing/take-off speed of some 60-100 km/h (42-54 kt), As a result, the take-off run was halved in relation to that of the Su-7BM. Furthermore, the $-221 ie said to have cmonstated longer range, relative to its fixed-wing predecestor, despite the fuel capacity being redced by 330 kg (735 Ib) and the gross weight being inereased by some 400 ig (890 Th) The report that was issued by the joint factory/VVS test team cited that... utlsing the swinging design in combina tion with the Su-7BM' airframe would co the subsonic performance, as wells reduce both the Fuel burs per own distance and the minimum approach speed, which, fn torn, wll result in Farther Flight safety improvements and further teduction of weather minima (an important considera- siderably improve The $221 was based ‘squaray on an $0-7BM ‘atcrame, with ito change {othe basic faselage shape. The wing design was not os ‘aabitions a that adopted forthe Soviet Unions ther variabo-goomey programmes (Mi6-23 and Si-2a but his wos largely ‘governed by the need Feta the 81-7 main tndercariage inthe now design, Rasricing the sweeping wing panels to ‘round 80 per cont ofthe Span reduced the amount ot performance gin, but also Feduced the serodynanie ‘ind structural complonitios faced by the design tom. Farthermore, th wing was ‘inital ited o main Stings of fly frward and tally a wit 90 Intermediate sating added lata Hore the S-22 gots, tibome note he open ‘auxiliary intakes on the ides ofthe nose.1968. ‘The produetion-standard supersonic swing- ing sircraft introduced a deepened spine housing avionics systems, while the number of servicing batches and door doubled for ease of servicing (in comparison with the The Su-17% outer wings moved thanks to the use of GMP-22 hydraulic actuator, consisting of two. hyd motors (ed from different hydraulic circuits) and four ‘ion gearboxes. The wings could travel backward in 16 eco while movement forward took 19 seconds ‘The aireraft retained the AL-7F-1 rather thiesty eurbojl By the tine that production ion using bad weather landings). The only problematic the Su-7B, rated at 94.15 kN (21,164 Ib) thrust with fall Settempeareds | pint sccording to the test pos was the lck of buffeting at burning and 6.7 KN (14960 Ib) at matary power. The ‘considerable amo high angle-of-atack (AoA) to warn the plot thatthe aireraft is system was also similar to that of the Su-7BM but adesign ofthe feselape ——sorroaching departure from controlled flight, a useful protee- reduced capacity due tothe deletion of the wing tanks I ‘had boon accomplished, *PPF0ACINg dep i ” pecera 8 Madbeen accomplished, we feature of the Su-7BM. fuel capacity was 2790 kg (6,138 Ib) and up to four exe acho te lengtial tke The first public appearance of the new aireaft was made tanks (550 oF 1100 kg each) could be eared to incre Spine tn place ofthe wo,” ring the AWwiation Day Airshow held on 9 Joly 1967 at fuel load up to 5620 kg (12,500 Ib). The wings boasted Gordsiu ofthe Se7EM. —-Domodedovo Airport near Moscow. It is noteworthy that addtional hardpoints for weapons or tanks, and the i Fist \Westcen analysts observing the Soviet sir power said immedi- combat load could reach 3000 ky (6614 Ib, The KS484 wing Fawr poned—tcly aftr the adsl tha they ween son wo expect the improved ection seat eoabled sie ejection a amis ander the So 20 desigoatn, yey) Salo: swing-wing aircraft — based on the obsolete speed of 140 km/h (76 kt) at ground level technology Su-7B fusclage and powerplant to form the basis ‘The Su-l7 introduced a considerably improved avid of new generation combat arf the predicted thatthe suit wih she new RSBN- 35 acta ado magnon, reneted ice Most visable peometty wing would provide only modest improve- radio, RV-5 radar alimeter and an al-aspect SPO-3 Siren wwore ited with e ALTE] tmcnts in performance, In the event, the Westerners proved radar warning receiver (RWR). Most important was the al fngine Epptrocetved ts | completely wrong in their analysis as the VVS command SAU-22 ight control system featuring, automatic /s first aircraft atime for them authorities were highly impressed by the performance of the automate fight modes, as well a automatie/ sem auto te pericipate in the Yom new aircraft. In Noverniet 1967 an order to lunch the types landing eapabilay and a plethora of seabilsation modes ippur War of etaber 1873 f scale development and production was issued addition, the SAU-22, working in conjunction with & They were know a5 PBKCORL sight, enabled automatic tx bombing (wef Sxisand preceded tte First-generation swing-wing fighter-bomber {ne sopljexnl st male bono, bate tack gece be iain bch of Ste. Th , crib Se Te The dexign of the new fghterbombr tat was aie the duced the improved SAU-22- fed with alate infona share tm WS earvce dsiganion Set? emer design burees desi decid ffom ve HVS mdar ake io Sennen care nation $32, NATO reporting name ‘iter was fozen in automatic fight as low as 200 m (690 f). The fel procuction batches inoduoed the DUA-3M AoA send tt additonal pair of overving fences on the centre wing bn some say production sical the orignl pa of was incressed in sie, Additional, late production Featured 1 PVD-? back-up pitor probe relocated to a se boom on the port upper nove. ‘The Sur! feained the waroad capil of is peal and its principal weapons were the $5 secs of 57am tts launched from 16. and S2-ound. packs, as wall $24 240-mm rockets and various pes of bombs andi dispensers complemented by the then new SPPU. 2mm cannon pod. Every fh alteraft that rol off production Ine" was cqufped with an AFA39 Installed aft ofthe cockpit and all sirerafeatored the AK ‘Weapont siming in dive atc and Ice! flight wer possible thanks to. the ASP-PFMB-T optal sgh PBKC-2KIL tose bombing sight was used tom the RN Poland was the only export customer forthe Su-20 cub-variant A which was viwaly identical tothe Su-17M in WS service: Delivered tram April 1874, Polish Su-20MKS wore nuclear-capabl, and ‘ugmented Su-7BMs and Su-7BKLs assigned fo tactical nuclear support of Warsaw Pact ground sancti petonts pcan tree et caveen nas eothare West Gorotty opeatigpsictieenard N28 nuclear bombs carried on a BD7-36FNM adapeel forces that would have been cat of by a success! Soviet ‘Channel dah’ advance serss Gemany, Des ‘argeting system for the Kh-23 or Kh-23M ( ‘As well ashe nuclear rol, tho Su-20MKs wore asked with conventional ack primarily against “Ket") radio-command aie-to-sutlace missile wih [NATO's naclearcapabl assets) and pre-stike reconnaissance. range of upto 7 hn (3m) sas installed in the noe Egyptian ‘Fitter: By the late 1970s, only seme 20 $4208 rained operations. After estab Egypt feclved arcund 20 very cary Su20s thelucing a tow Su-17MKs) cupped 00d reletions withthe USA the Egyptians orginally envsaged a comrehers WR ALD TFs engines and gate advarond avons site. They e “parade fr thaw ters. cluding placement of most ofthe avons he With ether No: 257 or No, 228 Sr Brigade, and saw limited action nthe Ot land a better par of the weeopana system No such plans wets reais) how | To73\war incluging the use o ho TOd-kg (22091 Diboar ans runway bomb Sano the flee wos evontuaty retired m tho lato 1960s, when adtiona| F108 developed by the Resb Orgerisaton for edustaksation's Sak actor Na wo: became avalale, Seis of EAF SuT7MKS and Su-20s wera In Sea wr dlr covers tara nas competed on aie Su 7us Ine ene 7007709. 4974, there was a break in relations with Mctcow leaving EAP wth ony poor ‘jocks of spares, Neverthaloes he EAP fast of Su-20s was feforens trough TA aieraft was one ofthe ver erly Su-208 ‘Peradoiot of sore 0 areal acqured! by Algona, Te mext warn sihich the that were delivered in 1972 alongside some EAP Su2Ds pacpsted was fought against Ubya, n Jul 1877, ‘Suri:Bi isial production Su-17s, which retained the SRD-5D fangs oftheir Su-7BM predecessor on of the new fighter bomber was launched in the Komsomolsk-ne-Amur-hasel factory (then knowr Me DMZ. factory and now known as KnAAPC gllena-Amut Aircraft Production Enterprise, ar tion) Tocated in Russia Par fveing all Su-7B derivatives The first mbled there was §-32-1 it made its fighe at Zbukovskiy on | July 1969 and was followed ing alier by $32-2. These two pre-production alrcraf ised in the types State Tests, held beeween July 1969 and HOTI. Based on these results, the new swing. wing fighter fas recommended for service entry; large-scale on commenced at DMZ. in late 1970 and it Finally Bscded the So-7BM on the production line in 1971. So IAL TF-Lengined Su-17s were buile until 1973, and the last brs soldered on with the VVS training units unl the HBB The firse VWS unit to receive che Su-17 was the 4th (Combat Training Centre) in Lipetsk, which took on theintal batch of 10 aera, while the first frontline Hobe eouipped was the 523rd APIB (fighter bomber reg Rassas Far Fatt. The type’ oper fnluation and ficld-testing took place there in BID. According to Sukhoi company official his small number of aircraft in 4 stripped-out export Btinen asthe Su-17K (internal designation 8-32K, als Fagypt to meet an urgent export engine for improved performance Mt fnternal factory designation S-32M, NATO Bfe.C) was an improved version which appeared in the Lyuka AL-2IF*1 turbojet nial production run it was quickly super bythe uprated AT-21F-3, The new engine was purposely Blythe Lyuka Design Bureau (now known 2s NPO forthe Su-24 tactical bomber in the mid-196ts, based (Geneol Flectic J79 that powered the McDonnell F-4 Il (acquired as a war trophy in Vietnam). The BF thrust of 76:5 KN: (17,200 1b) dry and 110.5 KN BB) with cil afferutning’ enabled the designers w the SuBsyle bulges on the Su-I7M rear fuselage, Bb been dictated by the area rule. The eombination of fiehefcient powerplan, improved aerodynamics and ecsed cero fuel capacity (60 3630 kg/8003 I Hina rage increase of around 75 pee cent relative t @Flngined Su-17, while the take-off tun was short Bpsome 15 per cea. The new engine, however, proved Gcbleome during the inital in-service period and a of raft were lost due to engine fre. Later on, the BPS: elabiliey was greatly improved, and dusing the about an impressive fight sfery record its intended thatthe Su-17M be equipped with isin avionics suite similar vo that developed forthe IMiG-238, but in the event the plan was shelved due Belopment problems with the advanced avionis systems 21-1 and the Brst 28 December 197 2, and the new ite The S0-17M introduce such as MBD3-U6-68 malepl sere The Su-17M bo system improvement Sirena.3M RWR missile was added to the Su-17M he Su-17Ms export derw own under the internal been launched in production (however, the NATO reporting was retained) The first So-20 ma Lat Pont et of Su-20 ‘Fit Ce' included ‘numborofSu-20Rs Medicated to Feconnassance using the 1-1 camera pod. They ‘wore the aso the Tst- ‘eneration Polish Firs’ {oe retired ~in 1997 At the same tine Poland's ‘MiG-218recee Fshbods wore also withdrawn. To ‘capability a numberof ‘Se22Mke wore moles {e cary the KR pods The $u-22 FiterF was a0 export version equivalent to the Su-1782 Fitar-D and had the same charactreic tinderose tering forthe Doppler navigation radar Rather thaw Lytha power it had the Tumanshiy h2388- 300A mimber of Third Worl customers bought the area inclading Pera thee of hace aircratt are ‘en hore daring the 1961 order conf with Eouador The FurzaAéres Porvana rcoived 32 Su-225 along with four Sa-22U Titer two-rotersin 197, equipping Grupo de Caza 12 Tho of thse aircraft were later eoditied ‘wth bolton revelling probes. (n dgply ot Manin is his SU-T7M3 with rocket pods ‘nd K-25 missile. The bulged spine iakerited from the S170 hwo -eater owed th instalation of 1 muichimproved avian ite and movatack system. rd grontr ve capaci‘ent So-17MBs and two-seat ‘Se t7Ue. The Fite H ‘amerad WS service ia 1977, Ivinging with important ‘now capabilities, suchas ‘an eflectve SEAD function {sing the Kh-25MP and 158 ant-radiation ‘missiles, employed in conjunction with he Vyuge-17 targeting pod Power was provided bythe ula ALIS Mangary was the only ‘recipient ofthe So-22M3 version, this type being ‘much closer in Tovels tothe WS' Su-17M3 than the Su-22Ms delivered ‘wother export cusioners. This wew highlights the large wing fences ofthe ‘swing-wing Fitor- Also ‘isle ~bohind the fuselage pylons — i the ‘ontralsrak add dering the production ran to ‘enhance longitudinal stabi, i was demonstrated to high-ranking officers from the Fgyptian, lagi and Syria air forces and, not long afte, all of them placed orders. The type’ flight tests were completed in March 1973 and it was immediately released for expor. Most of the Sw-20s were powered by the old AL-TF-1 tathojet and had a downgraded avionics suite, similar to that used in the export Su-7BKL. The Su-20 exported tothe Third World countries (sub-variant B) featured a considerably restricted weapons suite, but it was the first ‘Fitter variant to ure provision for two to four R-3S and R-13M heat seek- ing airto-aie missiles for self-protection and visual intercepts. "The 24 Su-20s sold to Poland (eub-variant A), however, were almost identical to their VVS brethten, reining the’ sume ‘powerplant, avionies and even the Su-I7M's nuclear capability “The Su-20 continued in production at KnAAPO between 1973 and 1975, and it is noteworthy that its deliveries had Ihegun earlier than the Su-I7M, with the inital production aireraft going firstly to the Syrian ait force in April 1973, followed by the delivery to the Egyptian ait force, The spe received limited baptism of fre during the October 1973 war with Teral Improved combat capability The So-17M2 (internal fictory designation $-42, NATO “Titer-D?) was the result of the Su-17s second upgrade stag, which called for the integration of an allenew sophisticated nay attack suite, its most imporant components being the ‘nosecone-mounted Fon-1400 laser rangefinder and the KN-23 nav/attac suite (orginally developed forthe MUG-23B). The KN.23 integrated a V-144 analog computer, DISS-7 Doppler navigation radar (mounted in » prominent fusing unde rose), IKV inertial reference gyro as well asthe new ASP and BBK.3-17s sights, RSBN-6S tactical radio aid to tion and the SAU-22M automate fight controls Working in conjunction with the SAU-22M, the V-144 a computer provided semi-automatic and fully automatic fon a pre-planned route with three waypoints and four aiefelds. All chs equipment underwent tals in an Su cary 19 ‘The new version also introduced a nose stretched 200 mm and a redesigned fuel systern with tanks filed ‘inert gas to prevent explosion of the fuel vapour inthe fof 2 bullet rupturing: the tank. Ip adltion, the B00litre drop tanks were introduced during the produ 3. and they became standard equipment for all fll The Su-17M2 was able to carry the most modern S@ guided weapons, already tested on the Su-l7M, namely Kh-25ML (AS-10) laserguided missile used in’ conjund with the Prozhektor | laser designation pod mounted i the wing, The powerful Kh-291. (AS-14 ‘Kedge) laerg ‘missile followed in 1975, and in 1976 the So-17M2 arma was further entiched with the new R-GO (AA-8 ‘Aphid air missile, highly useful for self-defence. In 1979, the 250-mm modular laser guided missile was icegrated further enhancing the types guided weapons options At same time, the Su-17M2 retained the espubilry of Fring Kh-23 and Kh-23M radio-controlled missles, wth the D NM guidance system housed in a pod instead of being into the fuselage The Su-I7M2¥ fist pre-production example was fos the first time on 20 December 1973, while the (ype e regular VVS service in February 1976. Ie continued tion at KRAAPO between 1974 and 1979. The Su-17M2D was a desvative powered by the R.29B5.300 turbojet (originally developed for MiG-2355 "Tas KN’ (17.248 Ib) dry and 112. (24,794 Ib) with fall afterburning The new engine was cerably cheaper than the AL. 21F-3 and offered a cersind ‘of commonality with the MiG-23BN/MF Fleets, which ‘operated by some of the Su-22% export customers. Hi the R-29BS.300 had a higher specific fuel consumption somewhat lager dimensions than the AL-21F-3, thus ne tating extensive redesign of the rear fuselage and the cnlasgement of the dorsal fin, A single example was b tials atthe end of 1974 and it took to the ait for the Fi ‘on 31 January 1975, Tests demonstrated that the R-298S4 engined airerat lacked any advantages relative to its AL counterpart; moreover, i hal significantly reduced ‘mance duc tothe decreased lift-to-drag ratio ofthe ete redesigned rear fuselage section, Nevertheless, the performance of this version was more than accepuble foreign operators and the Sw-17M2* export det powered by the R-298S-300 turbojet and known und esignation $u.22 (internal factory designation S30 NATO ‘Fiter-F) — wa in production between 1976 and Ficee-Fe' also had restricted equipment and options — for instance, the Fon-1400 was replaced Bf SRD-5 radar rangefinder in the nose cone and the ‘weapons were represented only by the Ki-23M and. RSM missles, A number of ‘Su-20s and So ‘upgraded for carriage of the large KKR-1 photo/E reconnaissance pod, receiving the new designations Si and Su-22R, respectively The first Su-22 was built at KnAAPO wing a Sul prodction-stindard airframe and it flew for the fist February 1976. The type continued in production vat and as sold to Ing, Pero, Libya, Yemen and Angola ‘Two-seat derivative After having already developed a number of sing combat variants for domestic and export use, 8 conceived a dedicated two-seat conversion and contin training version, [tis noteworthy that, prior to che evo. introduction in the mid-1970s, all Su-17/M/M2/20/22aight Su-225 figured prominent i the Libyan ae torc's expansion ithe late 1870s and early 1880s. Su-22 itr! alone by voop-spine’'Su-Z2M Fitor Hs like those aircrat as atack duis, Libyan Su-22s were used fo air deonce Two wore shat dwn by US Noy Tomeats ring 9 ove the Gl of Sidra on 19 August 19 Far the sit al Libyan Fiters’ could be armed with 8 ilatrated or ier Ao' Sidewinder-copies, and inthe late 19805 R80 Aphids: ably different take-off lain he Su-17/ 172s snd to have consi 1 conversion process, This was a proble jt afer they had received th isc esining on he relatively slow and a sk Pilot School (EVVAUL HBL the two-seater was subsequently sedes c BUM (ternal factory designation S-52U, NATO “F Teieraduced a completely edesizned frome fuselage wit n ‘Fitters’ "DAA was renamed the Fores Aéren Nacional (FAN Only bach of some 12 $4226 (to krown as Su:20Ms) entered sorice with single S020M T0510) vo sof 1998 0 Ian Foor Snadron ofthe Forge Adroa Pops de Rngdla ~Detose Ant vi rd SSfAPADAA 11 1264 Fou were lost by 1285, when Pe Tet FS ISK fo 9 S)-228 wore deployed fadin Operation Second Congress ~a/med at captunng UNTTA‘eld ne ran cone ound Miron snd Jamba. Within two mont rasan, n 1997 the BMMGEOM remarned peratonel al tre others were shot down of ost mand. 2001. In he later confit they lew combat sa 12 Su 228 was suppiee netead bt fu Fable against Rwandan troops and various Congole sad to Keep more than fctons The cument status ofthe Sud2 Het fet ofthe in operetion,Paralel wth Su 20M delve, o eet fve aly ance much more capable types ncudn ks wore slored.n 1263, batch ef 18 new Su22NaKs ws tide ard Su27e - ware devered to Angolan from te USSH monde to repace ths few battered suntung Si-20Ms sk ham are krcw to have beer shot down by UNITA the period rua 1983 andre 198 parsons, any on ore roused by subsoquant Su-2 and Su-Z2MAK batches, which rplaced acral shot down by UNITA and South ares. The fst Su-2MK batch used serials the range C50 to C518 (below) while the former Slovak srcraf carry eter codes onthe fin. The riginal wo -seaters were serialed in the 131 to 35 range.Prowl wearing the Guards badge on ts nse, an SiLI7UMS ofthe ed stadia, 20th API, lands sts base of Gross Don (Fompini East Germany, ‘whore the two seaters Supported a rapiment of Sut”, Before converting to Bs in 1987, the 2th had previously flown the Su-17M and than the Su-173. The Su-170M ‘nd its UNG successor ‘wer uly combat capable, atthough they had reduced {aol capacity compared to the single-seatars and only ‘ove cannon wasted (in the starboard wingroot Su-Z2UM2Ks wor exported to several er arm to support Suz exports. Initial. airerat wore powered by the Tamanskiy 2985-200 ‘engine, bolt machines Id the AL2TF-. yaa ‘ast Germany (above) and ‘Bulgaria ight Both have the rear cockpit periscope raised te provide the instructor wath some lonard view: 8 distinctively drooped nose to improve the pilot's visibility Suing landing approach and shallow dive attacks ~ 15° down ‘wards angle of view as opposed to 9 in all preceding variants The two-seaters airframe was similar to that of th Su-17M2 derivative, which was initially designated Su-19 but re-designated as the Su-I7M3 in 1974, Other new features ‘common to the Su-I7UM and Su-I7M3 comprised the distne tively deepened spine housing additional fuel tanks and some avionics /systems, ln an effort to save weight inthe two-seater, the port wingroor gun was deleted. Both ewo- and single eaters leo boasted improved aerodynamics thanks to the DISS-7 Doppler rular being mousted inside the fuselaze contours instead of being placed in an Su-I7M2-yle vane The two-seater introduced the vers advanced Zvezda K-36D jection seat, rated at a minimum safe operating airspeed of 440 ke (75 km) at zero altrade The Su-17UM prototype maiden flight in September 1975 and was in production at KnAAPO between 1976 and 1982. Its export derivative powered by R-298S-300 turbojet seceived the Su-22U (NATO ‘Fitter E) designation and flew for the fitst sme on 22 December 1976, Tnterestingy, the production examples were flight tested at KnAAPO even before the Su-22M prototype had been flown, as the first production aircraft tok to the ait in November 1976, Su-17M3 - the most popular of the ‘Fitters’ ‘The Su-17M3 (internal factory designation $-52, NATO Titer) was the next single-seat version designed for domes: tic use I ulsed the two-seater’ airframe, wit the space org inaly oceupied by the seamed cockpit now provide or instal Iation of new avionics components A vental stake was duced onto both single- and two-seater in 1978 and the fa made taller ia an effort co improve directional stability (si had been eroded by the effects ofthe deeper spine), Two a tional. pylons age of R-GO missle launchers wa mounted onto the non-moving sections of the. wing guided mistile carriage raw more hardpoints were added ond fuselage sides, chus increasing the maximum number of Kh.25 family missiles to four only tw can be carried on S0-17M2) Most importantly, the Su-17M3 boasted an impua KN-23-1 nav/atack suite, which added the Klyon-PS rangefinder/designstor (feplacing the Fon-1400) and improved ASP-I7BTs electro-optical weapons sight. In tion, the sicraft received. mam such as the RSDN-10 (A-720) long-range eadio aid to avg tion, SAU.22M1 flight contol system, RVC-15 radar al Paral IFF, S069" ATC tansponder and the Teste enhanced ‘ight data recorder. Selflefence was impec thanks to the introduction of the SPO-15 Beryora-. RMF and the new ‘Fitter version had the distinction of being First Soviet tactical airratt robe fitted with integral chat dlspensess (two six round KDS.23 in the spine aft of the cog pit fring LOW43 30-mm infrared flares or chaf¥ cartridge) also featured the option of using the SPS-141MVG Gon fctive radae jamming pod, or its SPS-142/143 sub vag covering different frequency ranges The M3 version was endowed with much better capability thanks to the integration of new-genes fadar weapons ~ the Kh-25MP (AS-12) and Kh- ARMs together with the associated L-086 Vyoga-17 confo ranged od, receiving the new d tion Su-17MBP. The ARM integration made possible a aunt Frontal Aviation Su-I7M-equipped squadrons (and So-17M4) to specialise in the dangerous Suppression Enemy Air Defence (SEAD) role "The Su-17M3 made its maiden fight the ype but the fir n 30 June 1976af programme was completed in December 19 production aircraft entered service with the “TBP at Lipersk as cary ax Seprember 1977. The Fest Fem regiment that converted to the Su-17M3 was the 274th A based in Kalinin (Moscow Military Distr), which rook strength the new type in late 1977, The most serous dif ties encountered during the test and evakation programe sid to have been attributed to the low relabilty of & ASP-I7BTs sight. The Su-l7M3 formally entered VVS se in July 1981 and it soon beeame the most popula Su-17 de aircraft were produced at KnAAPO including the Su-22M 50-223 export derivatives) between 197 and 1983. ‘Fitter’ for export The Su-17M3's export derivative was known as the Sud ternal designation §-52K, NATO ‘Fitter |). Powered by R29BS-300 turbojet, it featured — just like its pred $u-22-~ a considerably downgraded avionies suite for & ple, the Fon-1400 laser rangelinde instead of the mote cl Be Kijon-PS) as well as restricted weapons optionsBogpe made its maiden flight in 1976 and the Su-22M cin production until 1981. Irs Boasted the Su-l7M3's fullstandard avionies suite h stipped of nuclear delivery capability and with OID RWE instead oF SPO-ISI) entered production in BP nde the appropriate designation Su-22N13 (S-S2MK any 1s cight export cu y of the among them being Libya, Syria, Iraq, Peru, South y North Yemen, Afghanistan and Vietnam, while the Beis sold to Hungary only in the Warsaw Pact. Mp 1978, an Su-17U cwo-teater was upgraded with the BING avionics suite, receiving the appropriate designation HTUNG Gosernal designation S-52UM3) — it made its fs flight in September 1978 and during the same year othe Su-I7U on the production line. The two export derivative, powered by the R-29BS-300 internal signation §.52UM3K, NATO ‘Fiter-G?) and featur fhe improved avionics suite, was in production in 1982 and BExport permission for the AL-21F-3 was at last granted 985, making tp 1a number of export twin-seaters ed by four Ease European air arms of Thid W sith the aTUNBK conn in ultimate ‘Fitter’ Mi So-17M4 (internal factory designation S-54, NATO cK) was the ase production variant and the most capa foember of the fami, successfully integrating the proven BING airframe and porverplant with the fist generation of gal avionics. Conceived in 1973 ~ intally under the Merve designation Su-21 — it wat to boast a number of eres for improved performance and combat capability, Bhs the AL-31 afterburning turbofan (developed for the ‘new nav/attack suite similar to that deve: MiG-23BK (MiG-27K) with the purpose of ing the weapons options der nial plans, the av/att pi the Orkin lasce/TV targeting system (an improved fof the MiG-23BK's Kaira) and an Orbitaseries dig pute Bp scr- and TV-guaed bombs and missles. The obso- PNR guns were to be replaced by the newer and) much fe powerful TKB.687 (GSh-301) single-barelled gun with pm rite of fire (come sources, however, maiatain that 65-630 six barreled 30-mm gun purposely developed ie MiG-235M was also eyed for integration into the BPs vanced desivatve) I these nove ible cd later for a ld states ~ to receive $0-22UM3 (also known as the taking place the following yeat. This tion until the late 1980s. the better power delves c suite was to be buile The new weapons enabled by the Orlan were ss were shelved due to design ' considerations — for instance, there was und in the nose suitable forthe installation of dh avy and bulky Orlan The work om the integration the new Kh-59 TV.guided long-range air-to-geoand missile 180s, the VVS leadership had no space fi already decided that the Su-17M4's development potencal had been exhausted, and thus cancelled any further costly upyrad works There was also an idea to significandy improve che Su-17M4 low-speed manoeuvrability than to the introduc tion of automatieally actuated slats and flaps but, as might be sueseed, this wa also shelved The Sucl7M4 eventually received the ‘modest’ PENK-54 integrated digital nav/attack system, consisting of the (Orhita-20-22 digital mission computer, an improved Klvon-54 laser rangefinder/designator, the IKV:8 inertial navigatic unit, A-321 shorteange radio aid ro navigation, A-720 Tong. sid to navigation, RV:21 radar altimeter, ARK ADK, R-862 UHE/VHF radio and a further improved SAU-22M2 flight conteol system. In addition, the SPO-15LM improved RWR superseded the older SPO-151 The PrNK-5+ made possible automatic fight on a roure with six waypoints and four tangets. The newly ated bulky hardware requited a redesign of the nose section and a fixed intake cone (0 save space). This in turn, resulted in a red tion in maximum level sped at high aliude from Mach 2.09 to Mach 1.7. Nevertheless, the aircrafts overall combat effe tiveness was not affected as the capability of reaching Mad 20-plus speed at high altitude was considered a luxury for the low-level stike platform (which only rarely fies at supersonic speed). The redesign also reduced the Fuel tank capacity to 3770 kg (8,294 Th, the same as in the Su-ITM2. Some of the new avionies components were installed in a Farther stretched pine, while the increased cooling requirements of the new iomies suite necessitated adding an intake at the base of the fin feeding the heat exchanger. The Su-17Mé also introduced the improved Zvezda K-36DM zero-zero cjction seat. There were no Su-ITM4 prototypes, as three developme aircraft were produced at Kn \APO by the conversion oF san dard Su-17MG airframes. The fist of these took to the ait on 19 June 1980 and the new derivative’ full-scale production 0. The first VVS frontline unit fo take the new ‘Fitter’ derivative on strength was the 4th APIB, Officially, the Su-17Ms is reported took place between 1981 and 1 Poland operates around 15 ‘220M to suport the fet ofSa-22M4K single sears They were italy tistibated around the four operation! squodrons, though 6 elt was ‘ited in 1287 Lato ‘mode! Fiter Gs" were ‘powered by the Soviet Htandard AL2IP- 0s here, though early export ‘iter hed the Tomanskiy (2885-300 The origin! ‘seater -the Set7UMPS0-2U - was the fiat Fiter to have Zvezda 36D ejection seats lasted. The Libyan Arab Air Forco ‘received sizeable number ff Sv-2U7IMS wo-seaters forts tree squadrons of Su-2222M Fit tiga bombers. Thi S1-2UNGK ‘nas seen folowing overhaul atthe 558 RZ faieraf repair facili) at ranovich ia Belarus. The Jong and straight fin Tilt Herts i sone of he aly export ater ited ‘withthe Tamanskiyenpae‘ocus Airc Although there wore several schemes for Continued development of the $0-1722 the Md was the final production version ‘twas widely exported (including to Poland, ‘estate Tho Mé was oxsily \singushabl trom earkor Imadel by tho intako forward ofthe fn Although the $1722, ke these East Gorman arrat wns 8 gonoral improvement onthe 1 there were some tranbocks— notably reduced range ~ and the von suite was below the specification ofthat ‘originally envisaged forthe to have entered VVS serv nk place between 10984 and 1990 and it was exported to at least nin IM3/Ms and the the KKR+L and KKR-? series cameras, night we ELINT systems and other intelligence g The reconnaissance-capable Titer H/Ks" featured to tional pod! control panels Su-17MSR and Su2 IMR in service designations, respective ‘non reconnaissance capable Su-22Ms saw thee we TV-guided air to-surfaee tanch weapon with maximum range of up £0 nciated IT-25M CRT display installed in the cx Su-17MAR frame Cornet of the dasht in the early 1980s a new version, tentatively design Su-17M6 (internal factory designation 8-56), was proposed Sukhoi it was to feature a fixed-geometry wing with a su angle of 45°, endowed with lange leading-edge root exten The M6 version was to be powered by the Su-27s ALM turbofan engine and to boast a new-generation dg fav attack suite, However, as the Su-17'airfame was con ered (00 obsolete for any further upgrades the project abandoned at an early stage total, 2.867 aireraft of the Su-I7 family rolled off production lin at the Komsomol'sk-na-Amut factory, 11 ‘which being sold to export customers in at least 15 count while 1,702 were produced for domestic use according to cial Sukhoi Design Bureau records (prominent Soviet Ris Silty avistion tescarchers Vitor Matkovaey an Prinodchenko provide somewhat different figures, amel and 1,095 respectively, making a total of 1.8 The Su-l7 was used to equip no fewer than 32 strike ml ments, 12 reconnaissance regiments, one independent taissance squadron and four conversion/advanced ci regiments of VVS Frontal Aviation and Naval Aviation. Atal versions was built for export and the unit price is i vatied berween US $2 million for the early Sul red to Fyypt and Syria in the mid-1970s) and $88 million for the late-series Su-22M4s acquired by the Wa Pact member states inthe mid/late 1980 Afghan combat experience VS ‘Titers’ received theie baptism of fire in the wal Alghanistan as Soviet forces effectively occupied the i for nearly a decade. The Su-17M3 and Mé rapily became principal fighter bombers and atack aircraft there unt et sithraval in 1989, Fist to deploy were two sq of the 217th ADIB, home-based at Kzyil Art aif in Soviet Republic of "Turkmenia, equipped with the Sul Staioned in 1980/81 at Shindand airfield in the south of tory held by the Mujahideen (Afghan rebel force). Bom and rocker attacks ut from sae alte al Fuelthirsty AL-7F-1 turbojet 2, the Su-17s were replaced by themSi oa Ss aa MB and, until the end of the war, a number of VVS Erbomber and reconnaissance regiments were deployed outional basis for one year to three sifilds in tan (Bagram, Kandahar and Shindand), while othe: ombat sores from their bases in bordering Sovie such as Kokadyi in Uzbekistan and Mari-2 in jan, on an as-needed basis The Su-17M4 reecived tim of fire in Afghanistan in 1987, The type ~ which Mla very precise navigation system — was often used in stages of the war as leader for mixed groups of Bind MiG-23MLDs undertaking high-altnade bombing tages with kaown coordinates (with no visual contact, for the aiming). In such missions, aiming was thanks to the R-720 long-range aid to navigation eaers sireraft feeding the necessary information into ATMs nav/atack suite, and the other aircraft in the Bopped theie bombs upon voice command issued by fexample of the Su-17M3s Afghan experience was che ent of the Ist squadron of the 15eth APIB, home gat Masi2. It deployed to Kandahar sirfield in an in May 1983 and had commenced fying combs Biwithin a week of deployment, even without any area aon fights. Usual, strike missions were casied 1 Stargets provided in the combat order issued by the 40th y HQ (4th Air Army, headquartered in Kabul, was WS army controling the aviation assets in Afghanistan), hee to four four-ship flights employed on such missions Imorning Strikes against asigned targets were usval Arab Republic Air Force 1250208 were deivered to Syrs on 18 Apr 1973. entenng serve with comoetion oetwean a Bi fates Bamber Squadron based at Sharyet Tha wnt had not become saleps,# situation carted outwith 50 secon spacing between Might, ntl OM adverse nat io undertaken in several passes ftom different directions: As the Mladaip =o Posh svar prew in inten and the Mujahideen si defence became S208 fs with «pir Stronger thanks to foreign support, dhe 156th APIBS srike 9/8qur fom th RAF tactics changed wo one attack pas oni, with a salvo bomb drop és 4l Squadkoe dri or multiple rocket launch, . °P unit exchange. Although the _ ie wacker Imunc ‘RAF and Polish AF bed very lovee ding Word Wor Squadron deployment I. formuch ofthe Cold War During the frst deployment of the squadron — between they eed each ober as, May and'November 1983 ~itsaw much aeton in providing air enomlon Or he ton fia” support to ground forces engaged in four leye-sale offensive i Contal Europe ‘operations, while the second deployment - between January aiars and iter’ had 1d October 1984 — saw the squadron taking part in two mone. etal mace strike Commitments. an both During both deployments each pilot logged round 180 Ammaments and both combat sorties. Ax many as five aireraf losses were reported, Meme tak with ow tow claiming the lives of two pilots Two of the loses were atsib- Rdayhoth or sil ebre luted w0 hits from largecalibre machine-guns (mainly the cent atribates old yet 12:7-mm DShK, a Russian World War I-vintage design manu- stil viable arr that bare facrured in China, and 4.5mm wnits) or small-calibce anti- been updated toe capable aircraft aillery Q0-mm Octikon guns), while the rest are of pracsion attacks wit thought to have been dae 19 man-portable SAMs or haedware CORventional weapons, ae ‘white retaining at plot fom the squon ~ sho 100k par in both deploy- impale aeomaesnee ments — commented that the principal causes for the lose . ‘were not related to poor pilot proficieney or the Surl7NOs ack of combat expabiliy, Moreover, this particular Su-I7M3 liver with Afghanistan experience, quoted by the Russian aviation history magazine (maintained that, in the hands of skilled pilots the Su-17M3 was a real combar mount. SAAR strat hed! dronped to some 40 percent Through enthusiarn and ts the a force was saved Hom 2 complete hat has futher improved snce Bashar essad replaced his rah the type by te time ofthe October 1073 War wit erel. After _fatharas Present. The SyAAF e being reorganised. but the Su 202% apparantly The S/AAF purchases another oaten of Sus, just snough tong tne evo no sade In such plans. As f 2001, deproyment of Su20s and SuZes wih fos svengm of 28 area. Tris unt subsequonty acted as OCU Ter the SYAAF wes ofllows Sy, Disnpointed bya very lor standard of nawgetanal and mission Gs he Syrians vor felutant to follns with orders for Su22ME2Re, Only 18 Ne, G77 FBS (OCU) at Shay with 19 Sut were pucrasod into to paricpate nthe Lebanon Wa of 1982, on Su22UNs, oe wh a smal etch of Su220Me entering service witn the No. 626 FES Ne. 68S FBS ct Shayrat with sx Su-22MaKs and six Su22MAKS. Ix Shoyet AB. One 50-22N/ and possiby an Si:20 wera lost oIDFIAr No. 820 FBS st Day with grt So aks and single Si22UM Despite tho relative svcoess ofthe few combat srt fawn by the type Ne. 827 FBS st TalTves AB with eight Su-22MaKs and two Su 220MS Se ncvaccswistctenh gece, Spink Saat mom tal rede ane Each of Kndss the Syria nove Seated ay Gude issles or hemos Shame as thse for gyn but when andergoing i225 Oniyo med ruonr~porhaps 23'S. 22M¢aKs wore aequred _Ovrhnu in he 1890s the survivors wre resprayed the 10803. adtokton ote USSR, 129, th canton ofthe SyAAF— and, for Seb Sonat sopd Gourtscecud crokahy by aloe 1685, he coenesnyot—Sreear Somers ‘na this Scheme, which i the standard camautogeNicknamed the ‘Stich (swallow) the Su-17M was {eployed with the 18th Air ‘Aimy in Est Germany fom the mid-1870s, equipping the 2h) APIB at Gross Ola {also known as Templia) ‘ad he 730 APIB at Neurppin. There was also ‘ recemalszance raiment (eat ORAP) at Alistedt The birerah above wear the Yellow codes ofthe 20h ‘API. The Su-17ME at top ‘aris th polarbear badoe ‘ofthe regiments second ‘ekadnilye, while the Su-170MS above is adored withthe Guards badge, as ‘worm by ara ofthe third ‘doable-hended Romaror eagle), withthe oumbars 3 ‘nd 20 "or 3X) aperinposed. The fst ‘squadron ase abot design The 20 APB as one of the lst epiments to depart Germany. dopoying to Taganrog on 5 Api 199. ‘The weapons employed the most by the 156th APIB were 250-4g and SiK-kg high explosive/fragmentation bombs, which were ether dr ot in level Flight. Aerial minelavig dispenser (containing as many explosive mines), was another routine task for the Su-I7N13 pilots, caried out a altitudes between 600 and 1000 m (1,900 find 3,280 fi), and at a speed of 900 km/h (485 kt). Rockets on many missions, mainly in the form pensive 57-mm 8.5 fied from 32-ound UB-32-57 launchers the larger and moze lethal 80-mm S-8 and the 240-mm 4 alko saw use during the squadron's wo deployments Initially all siming was made in automatic mode, but in the high-alitude mountain conditions the ASP-I7BTs electro: oprical sight often filed and this forced the pilots to transition to the manual aiming mode. Between deployments, the 156th APIB's ASP-17BTs were modified in an eff cope with automatic sighting in mountainous co ‘According to pilots with Afghanistan experience, che best bomb precision was achieved during 40° dive attacks, but it ‘was not always possible © enter such a dive in the mountains pped in a dive (of berween 20" using the KMGU mine 1.248 anti-personnel high- ‘doe to difficulties related to altitude loss after pall-up in the rarefied ait. This was particultly true for the strikes made against targets at 3000-5000 m (0,840-16,400 f) above sea level In onder to be safe, the 4 dive atack commenced from (6000-7000 m (19,680-22,960 £9, but climbing to suel levels during hot summer days proved impossible without engaging the afterburner (but this caused excessive fuel consumptos that, in tucn, deastcally reduced the range). Hiot-and-high conditions, a common occurrence in Afghanistan, considerably affected the Su-17M3¥ airfield petformance; as a consequence the weapons load was Festrcted to three 500-Kg bombs. However, the three-bor Carriage imposed handling complexity as the aymmetrial load made the take-off difficult, especially in strong exo conditions. Taking off with a load of four 500-kg bombel Kandahar wat ssid to have been an impossible task fet Su-17M3 when the air emperarure exceeded 35 the insufficient runway length; as a consequence, the bombload was most often reduced to two 500-kg bombed “After dropping the bombs in a dive atack, the Su! were required immediarely to perform ant-fagmentation nsive manoeuvring, climbing at a 30° angle and ina hhand sidesip and all the while pumping Fares to fol sccker heads of the Strela-2M and Red Eye hand-held that might be launched against the attackers (he Steed tiginating from Egypt was supplied to the Mujahidcen af as, 1983 and the Stinger/Red Eye debuted in 1986, ‘ideslip is said to have been effective for causing gun fertor ~ asa result che machine-gun and AAA bursts edi ‘on at the Su-17s usually passed by safely ro the left ‘Visual reconnaissance was another routine task, cased by the Kandahar-deployed fighter-bombers, usualy in ‘When suspicious activity was detected in enem-beld et it was immediately broadcast tothe command post usagi ‘messages over the radio, Tyre bursts were commonplace on take-off, a combia ‘of the hot conditions and poor tyre quali: In euch pilots preferred to complete iso led to numerous faluses and the aitcrafe overs veered off the runway. In most eases only minor damage sustained and the aircraft were soon returned to combat status. Pilot comfort was made diffcule during hot ‘operations due to the low efficiency of the enviton control system, which was ineapable of providing su ‘cooling in the cockpit when on the ground. the mission, Brake oveth Reconnaissance operations over Afghani Su-17MRs debuted in Afghanistan in 1954, eplacing MiG-21Rs staioned at Bagram afield with the 2631 O independent reconnaissance squadron). ‘Their primary ch for home and foot convoys “Tani ‘weapons and supplies that regulcly entered from Pi heading for numerous enclaves held by the Mujahideen, important tasks of the 263d ORAE comprise frequeat bases and dugouts, as well as pre-and pos sance and battle-damage assessment missions jual reconnaissance missions in the d alleys inthe northern part of Afghanistan was usually Dangerous ut in aliude of 200-400 m 1312 #9). The wingman, Qing in tall formation behind leader, slightly higher and often with a certain angle of was tasked with looking for air defences and issuing w to the leader in case SAM launches of AAA fie was de ‘Over fat terrain, the recce pairs flew with lateral sepPowerplant: on Sst" tt 96 ery and 108 Weights: omy 1215) ka take-off (with 1000 kg of weapons) 16 Fuel and toad: ‘ue! 3770 kg (6,294 Ib); extemal fuel up to 2402 kg (5,28¢ TB 00 BeOre drop tanks 01 2075 kg © 761) n two PTE GOO ond two PTR 1160 Performance: maxrnum level speed thigh etude 1850 kh {990 kt); man od seo evel 728 Kt, maximum Mach number & hgh attude 17: dat 20a level with fl tores 1250 kruh (678 Lh take-off speed at MTOW 0. tT? fh pastel celing 15200 rn W487i fry renga wth drop tanks 2560 kn (1.378 nmi enge mwrin 1000 tig of weapons at ow level M00 kr SM | Sized so that tite the front windscreen when viewed byte pt the ASP-1787shead-apdispleyweapons sigh was introduced ee '50-17722M3 (seen herein an Su-22M4) although lstfred rm pa ‘ellablty i the early days. Tho sighs ppper con travel hough {912 in azimuth, and fom 6 opt 30° down, KKR reconnaissance pod family Tw Su-17 fomiy wae provided with he capa of eryng the Figo tnScrectnge gud setipne wits s wide rag ard vu Oak sed oly Whe op 0g The pod is 79 m (22 fin! long, 059m (1-7 11.2 nh wide and O.5B.m (1 I can Sek ned cain aca aise se eit ULES Grete LF SASS ot ihe rear par houses the SRS ive 335) 'A9 the most popular Sovatars camara beinstaleg two poaltons in tho KKR pod other vericaly or forwara facing in ‘he nose. tis used for lw: and modiurtlovel operators, between 200 and Bho m (1 £40°16:400 fe ae manu sewed OF 9500 tv IBID Kt The 9 ‘Sulpped with 2 100mm fecaHength fans and uses an BOrmm wie firm, Reson e £4 nes per mimete inthe corte of the frame. The As cx ‘snosa wns 0.7 tmes the aide ofthe cara aerat tod ana 2 im obiiqyemourted The length o them continuous operation is 120 and 180 umes the cetnier hotogranhy camera used fr lowovel op oof up to 1200 m (2,307 Mand ata speed ot betwen 200 a 0k wth BOsmr-ende firm and 80 50ne focaengt lens, avis teslutor of 20 om whan operating from 600 m {640 Fi attude “ihe Unc carvora s used tor nighttime operations im cofynction wth the EREB fare Gopenser and saupped eth oI 16 et anc ih ts oportod between 200 ond 1000 ty (9603 208 1. ats speed of betveen 780 and 1100 kmh (05-684 Mand the BO-mm wide im 's erough fo rating 152 pas of frames The photomodio ofthe pod iso houses fou SBzound KOF-28 hare dapensor, wth» dispersion fete of one fre por 0 ihn fr 40 microseconds ach Lage coy 3 0 t This view shows the open forward conparnon of KXR-ITE72 pd. This soc | 2 Teses he As rant ac alias cama sad he Pt pace caer a Dat ere bodiinel et te eens The SRS-13 Tanah ELIT st san os gneraton ENT syst coal 10 hours depending on the recording speed. Time for processing the gathered ma Pioennies Sok aos oat nts hoe ee Noes toe roe i Sess 2 Tne KI estes the A. ad PA camer cuit 5 vole the a apie sedi cles ooe seh canes aswel © he ho cea recto ond SC a 2 ltr fowring of iw ostred nore la ‘pound sae, The Beaty Sa 2 Beige tata wm cone ee altitude of the carrier aircraft, with langth of . The KKCI-2Sh fs ecupped withthe Siic-2M sie ong de’ rd tho SUK Vases Gti. sen Sac thiiscapte ol sewing s2t Cn CT ih RKP = slipped wi the Sop 2M ow Tro MRRSE ws vison oy fe Mada : B ‘The bulky KKR pod is caried ona special adap bua | Zeteath he contone. Tics RTE St Bs ah Tangach Eliot system inthe rear section, served by site ‘cing antennan Not the shutors which protect be window Tor the frwarTacing oblique camera ine ‘hose o the pod For mast econesissance missicsb Fite earies a pair ofPTB-800 drop tanks under e wing prions.