Avions de transport tactique/lourd

Rappel du premier message :

salut les amis
voilà un nouveau topic sur les avions de transport tactic/lourd, je n'ai pas trop de conaissance dans ce domaine mes c'est à vous de jouer
je vais commencer par le nouveau né brézilien


Equipage : 2

Charge utile : 19.0 tons (41,888 pounds)

Longueur : 33.43 m (109.7 ft)

Envergure: 33.94 m (111.4 ft)

Hauteur : 11.43 m (37.5 ft)

Poids maxi au décollage: 72.0 tons (158,733 lb)
Motorisation: 2× turbosoufflantes, 75–100 kN () chaqu'un

il est prévu de construire quelque 40 avions de ce type pour l'armée de l'air brézilienne

Citation :

Airbus Military readies winglet-equipped C295W for market

Airbus Military has detailed a schedule to bring a winglet-equipped enhancement of its C295 medium transport into operational use from the fourth quarter of 2014.

Dubbed the C295W, the future build standard will incorporate a strengthened wing to allow the installation of the metallic winglets, with the entire modification package to add 90kg (198lb) to the transport's weight, the company says.

Combined with an increase in available power from the aircraft's Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127 engines, the winglets will boost payload, climb, altitude and cruise performance, especially when operating in hot environmental conditions and from high airfields.

Flight testing already performed using winglets as part of risk-reduction work for a proposed airborne early warning and control system variant of the C295 also demonstrated an average 4% reduction in fuel consumption, says Gustavo Garcia Miranda, Airbus Military's head of market development. The proposed surveillance version of the aircraft would have a maximum altitude of 26,000ft (7,930m) and an almost 9h endurance with the winglets installed, he adds.

Commercial activities linked to the C295W will be launched before the end of May 2013, following the completion of an analysis of handling qualities linked to a preliminary design. A design freeze is expected during September, and certification from Spain's INTA airworthiness authority is being targeted for the second quarter of 2014.

Airbus Military displayed a winglet-equipped C295W demonstrator at its San Pablo final assembly site in Seville, Spain on 29 May. The airframe modification will also be available as a retrofit option for existing operators, the company says.

/www.flightglobal.com

Citation :

QinetiQ North America’s LAST Armor to Protect C-130 Aircraft


Reston, Va. – QinetiQ North America (QNA) today announced that Lockheed Martin has selected its enhanced LAST® lightweight composite armor to protect AC-130J aircraft.

Part of QNA’s survivability suite, LAST armor is a unique, field installable system for use on a variety of fixed and rotary wing aircraft. Each unit is designed using an array of armor formulas and configurations, depending on mission priorities and threat mitigation requirements.

“QinetiQ North America has been committed to delivering high quality armor systems to the C-130 aircraft community for over 15 years,” said QNA’s Technology Solutions General Manager Andy Rogers. “Our experts are working at the forefront of material sciences and process enhancements to offer the latest technology for modernization requirements.”

In addition to delivering the proven LAST armor system, QNA has partnered with leading technology innovators to develop the best possible solutions for ballistics modernization. Key team contributors on the LOX program include Incident Control Systems and TenCate Advanced Armor.

Part of QinetiQ’s Global Products division, QNA’s Technology Solutions Group is a world leader in technology solutions that save lives in defense, security and commercial environments. Survivability solutions include comprehensive armor, blast protection, integrated warrior systems and gunfire detection systems that are scalable for use in fixed-site, mobile, vehicle-mounted or wearable applications.

www.qinetiq-na.com/

Citation :

BOURGET 2013 : A400M contre An-70, la bataille des gros bras

Le 14/06/2013 à 09:17 | Par François Julian


L'An-70 fut opposé à l'A400M en Europe à la fin des années 90.

Attention, rangez la vaisselle et faites sortir les enfants, car voilà une bagarre qui va opposer deux solides gaillards : d'un côté l'A400M d'Airbus Military qu'on ne présente plus, et de l'autre l'An-70 d'Antonov. C'est un drôle de coup du destin que de voir ces deux avions de transport militaire réunis face à face au salon du Bourget. Tout le monde ou presque l'a oublié, mais l'An-70 fut proposé à l'Europe à la fin des années 90 dans le cadre du programme FLA (Future Large Aircraft), dont l'A400M sortira finalement victorieux en 1999.
 
L'An-70 avait pourtant des partisans en Europe, y compris en France. Des délégations de la DGA ont régulièrement visité le constructeur ukrainien au début des années 90 pour en savoir plus sur cet imposant quadrimoteur capable d'« avaler » 47 tonnes de charge utile. Très sophistiqué, puisque doté de commandes de vol électriques et de moteurs « open rotor », il a également effrayé bon nombres d'ingénieurs français par sa complexité. C'est d'ailleurs l'impossibilité de le faire certifier aux normes européennes sans d'importantes modifications qui achèvera de le mettre hors-jeu.
 
L'An-70, c'est également un avion auquel le destin n'a pas souri : le premier prototype est détruit en 1995 suite à une collision en vol, quelques mois seulement après son vol inaugural. Un deuxième exemplaire reprendra le flambeau mais sera très endommagé en 2001, mettant un coup d'arrêt au développement.
 
Ce même exemplaire finira toutefois par revoler en 2010, avant d'être profondément modernisé. Une nouvelle campagne d'essai a démarré en 2012 avec le soutien de Moscou et de Kiev. Si tout va bien, l'avion pourrait être produit en série dès 2015 et proposé sur les marchés export. Avec une charge utile supérieure et une soute plus volumineuse, l'An-70 pourrait alors prendre sa vengeance sur l'A400M européen...
 
En attendant, les deux quadrimoteurs seront présentés chaque jour en vol. Un bon moyen de se faire une petite idée de ce que ces deux « monstres gris » ont réellement dans le ventre...

http://www.air-cosmos.com/defense/bourget-2013-a400m-contre-an-70-la-bataille-des-gros-bras.html

s´il a plus de charge utile et plus grande soute donc il grattera des marchés au A400M,qui sera surement plus cher en €

Citation :

Le C-130J dépasse le million d’heures de vol

Le 17/06/2013 à 17:27 | Par Quentin Michaud



C’est un habitué des salons aéronautiques : le C-130J Super Hercules était cette année encore mis en avant par son constructeur Lockheed Martin, qui a profité du Bourget pour annoncer que son bimoteur de transport avait dépassé le million d’heures de vol réalisées.
 
Au total, a rappelé l’avionneur américain, 2340 exemplaires du C-130 classique ont été vendus dans 72 pays. A l’export, c’est principalement la Royal Air Force qui s’est fournie parmi les neuf variantes de l’appareil, dont le C-130H.
 
Ses capacités couvrent un large panel de missions : ravitaillement en vol, recherche et sauvetage, renseignement et appui feu rapproché dans sa version AC-130.
 
Le C-130J, qui a volé pour la première fois en 1996, dispose encore de beaux jours devant lui. La Corée du Sud et le Koweït ont récemment passé commande pour acquérir cette version améliorée du C-130 d’ici l’année prochaine.
 
Les 290 exemplaires se répartissent pour l’instant entre 15 pays parmi lesquels on retrouve également l’Irak, la Norvège ou encore l’Inde.

http://www.air-cosmos.com/defense/le-c-130j-depasse-le-million-d-heures-de-vol.html

Citation :

Dans l'Il-76MD-90 a

Posté le 23/06/2013 par ptisidiastima



Tour photographique à l'intérieur et hors de l'Il-76MD-90 a par l'excellent photographe Marina Listseba .

Le poste de pilotage

Aire de chargement

Équipement de chargement et le transport en cabine
Équipement d'essai


http://www.microsofttranslator.com/BV.aspx?ref=IE8Activity&a=http%3A%2F%2Fptisidiastima.wordpress.com%2F2013%2F06%2F23%2Fil-76md-90a%2F

Citation :

02/07/2013  

MC-27J, un nouvel avion « multi missions »!    


Le MC-27J a constitué une des nouveautés de la cinquantième édition du salon du Bourget. En effet, l’avion présenté sur le statique du stand Finmeccanica, n’était pas une maquette, mais bien l’avion d’essai.



Mais avant de voir en détail le MC-27J, faisons un point sur le programme lui-même qui a déjà bien avancé. C’est au salon aéronautique de Farnborough en 2012 que le concept du MC-27J et sa maquette avaient été présentés. Le MC-27J est une nouvelle plateforme multi-missions, basée sur l’avion de transport militaire C-27J Spartan développé par Alenia Aermacchi, et doté d’un système de palette montée sur rail développé conjointement avec la firme américaine ATK. L’avion conserve sa fonction primaire de transporteur. Une suite d’équipement (capteurs, systèmes de communication et armement) montés sur palette permet à l’avion de disposer de capacité, de « Command and Control (C2) », de Renseignement, surveillance et reconnaissance (ISR) et d’un système d’arme.

La première phase du programme de développement a débuté été 2012 et s’est achevée fin mars 2013. Cette phase consistait à concevoir, à fabriquer et à tester la palette équipée du canon et de la console. Le système d’arme a été testé avec succès en coopération avec les forces spéciales de l’armée de l’air (AFSOC), au sol et en vol. L’installation de la palette se fait en moins de 4 heures.



La phase 2 devrait débuter au printemps prochain. Celle –ci consistera à tester la ou les consoles des opérateurs systèmes d’arme et capteurs, les différents capteurs radar et électro-optiques et l’asservissement du binôme canon/capteur. La société ATK sur fond propre a prévu l’intégration d’un système de largage de munition guidée de haute précision (PGM) durant la phase 2. La phase 3 devrait quant à elle s’achever en 2015.



L’avion présenté au salon, comprenait le système d’arme monté sur la palette, soit un canon GAU-23 de 30 mm (équivalent à celui installé sur les C-130 « Spectre »), sur support fixe alimenté par deux magasins, avec une capacité de tir de 200 coups/minutes.




Puis deux consoles d’opérateur système, couplées à une boule électro-optique non installée sur le fuselage, mais branchée sur le coté de l’avion. Chaque console comprend deux écrans de 21 pouces, un clavier et un joystick permettant de contrôler le capteur.



Concernant les capteurs et autres équipements, il n’y a pas d’équipement dédié, tout dépendra de ce que souhaite le client, le MC-27J étant compatible avec tous les types de capteurs électro-optiques. Il devrait en outre à terme, être équipé d’un système d’autoprotection complet lui permettant de détecter les menaces infrarouges avec l’AN/AAR-47 et électromagnétiques avec l’AN/APR-39. Ce système comprendra de plus un système de contre-mesures électroniques du type AN/ALE-40. Le schéma fournit par les constructeurs présentent l’avion tel qui devrait être proposé en en 2015.



Il disposera d’une capacité de ravitaillement en vol optionnelle. N’importe quel C-27J pourra disposer des équipements et ainsi se transformer en un mini « gunship », ou en plate-forme de reconnaissance, ou les deux à la fois. L’armée de l’air américaine et l’AFSOC sont très intéressés par ce concept, celle-ci disposant déjà de C-27J Spartan.

En résumé le MC-27J est une solution « bas-coût ». En effet il suffit juste, pour les pays disposant déjà de C-27J, d’acheter les équipements palettisés et les capteurs associés pour bénéficier d’un avion multi-missions doté d’un canon de 30 mm. La différence un C-27J et un MC-27J se fera d’ailleurs que lorsque quand le canon est installé.



Je tiens à remercier l’équipe de communication d’Alenia Aermacchi et aux personnes d’ATK qui ont permis de la réalisation de cet article. Par Laurent Casaert, correspondant avia news en France.

Schéma ©Alenia Aermacchi-ATK

http://psk.blog.24heures.ch/archive/2013/07/02/mc-27j-un-nouvel-avion-multi-missions.html    

Citation :

Boeing approves one more year of C-17 production on anticipated demand

Boeing has started building as many as 12 more C-17 airlifters in anticipation of signing new orders from international customers, possibly extending the Long Beach, California production line by more than a year.

The company's second quarter earnings report filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission notes that as of 30 June $620 million is obligated in inventory and potential termination liabilities for the next batch of aircraft.

The note confirms that Boeing leadership decided in the second quarter to continue building C-17s beyond the aircraft already on contract for delivery through September of next year.

"As in the past, Boeing is investing company funds on long-lead components to protect the continued affordable production of C-17 aircraft in anticipation of additional orders from international customers," the company says in a statement to Flightglobal.

Boeing has confirmed orders to continue building C-17s into the third quarter of 2014. If it builds all 12 C-17 as unsold "white tails", production could continue into the fourth quarter of 2015, based on current output of 10 per year.

Boeing says it is in discussions with a range of new and existing customers, although previous reports have linked the C-17 to additional orders from India and Australia and possible new orders from Saudi Arabia and Singapore.

The C-17's supply chain is already starting to build the unclaimed hulls, as production system requires an 18-month lead time for early parts and materials.

David Kornblatt, chief financial officer and executive vice president of Triumph Group, which owns C-17 supplier Vought, said in a recent teleconference with analysts that production has already begun on the next batch of aircraft.

"Now we've been given authorization to go ahead and build airplanes," Kornblatt says. "What we hear from [Boeing] is that they're confident that the next [block of 10 aircraft] is going to get sold."

Citation :

Boeing to End C-17 Airlifter Production in 2015


Boeing Co. announced Wednesday that it will end production of its C-17 Globemaster III military cargo jet and close the final assembly plant in Long Beach in 2015, putting as many as 3,000 jobs at risk as orders plunged in the fragile world economy.

"Our customers around the world face very tough budget environments. While the desire for the C-17's capabilities is high, budgets cannot support additional purchases in the timing required to keep the production line open," Dennis Muilenburg, president and chief executive officer of Boeing Defense, Space & Security, said in a statement. "What's more, here in the United States the sequestration situation has created significant planning difficulties for our customers and the entire aerospace industry."

Last week, the Long Beach plant delivered the last of 223 C-17s produced for the U.S. Air Force. Nan Bouchard, Boeing vice president and C-17 program manager, said the company will complete 22 final aircraft: seven for the Indian Air Force, two for an international customer that she declined to name, and 13 that have not yet been sold.

"Despite strong international interest, we did not receive sufficient orders" to continue production, she said.

Boeing said it expects the announcement to result in a charge of less than $100 million this quarter, and that will not impact financial guidance for the year.

The company will begin reducing the C-17 workforce in 2014 at plants in Long Beach; Macon, Ga.; Mesa, Ariz.; and St. Louis. However, Boeing will make efforts to provide jobs elsewhere with the company, Bouchard said, and had plans to continue a repair and spare parts program for the planes through 2017 at least, Bouchard said.

With modernizations and upkeep, the big planes are expected to last for decades, she said.

The massive, four-engine C-17 made its first flight in 1991, and military deliveries began about two years later. The plane is used to airlift tanks, supplies and troops as well as performing medical evacuations. It quickly became a war and disaster workhorse, prized for its ability to operate from basic airstrips and cover intercontinental distances with a full load without refueling.

With a payload of 160,000 pounds, it is designed to airdrop 102 paratroopers and their equipment.

Design work on the plane began at the million-plus square-foot Long Beach facility in 1981, when it was a McDonnell Douglas facility. Boeing merged with McDonnell Douglas in the 1990s. Boeing has so far delivered 257 planes worldwide, at a cost of about $311 million each when research, development and construction costs are included.

The Long Beach plant has about 2,000 employees.

"It will be sad that we're closing this last major production facility in Southern California but again, we're all very proud to be part of that heritage," Bouchard said.

Boeing has about 20,000 employees in California, working on a variety of projects. That includes commercial aircraft, new markets such as cyber security and the largest satellite design and manufacturing factory in the world, Boeing said.

http://abcnews.go.com

Citation :

Beechcraft develops more powerful King Air 350ER for military market

Beechcraft has quietly developed and certificated a more powerful version of the King Air 350ER for military and other special missions customers.

The upgrade to a higher-thrust version of the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A turboprop engine is aimed at bolstering sales at a time when the US military is withdrawing troops – and dozens of King Air surveillance aircraft – from Afghanistan.

Commercial customers of the King Air 350ER will continue to be offered the 1,050shp-class PT6A-60 engine, says Roger Hubble, Beechcraft’s senior product marketing manager, special missions, trainer and attack aircraft.

But military operators will be offered an upgrade to the 1,200shp-class PT6A-67, he says.

Though Beechcraft has not yet “productionised” the latest model, Hubble says, the first aircraft modified with the new engines has completed flight testing and the type is certificated by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

“In the military market that lets us take off out of Afghanistan with a full load of fuel,” he says.

The US military plans to withdraw troops from Afghanistan, where the King Air 350ER has been heavily relied upon to provide aerial surveillance. The US Air Force, for example, acquired a fleet of MC-12W Libertys to deploy to Afghanistan and Iraq.

Beechcraft believes, however, that demand from intelligence agencies and private contractors for the King Air 350ER will offset the withdrawal of conventional forces from Afghanistan.

“Yes, the Liberty fleet is going to pull out,” Hubble says. “But there are some other people going in that are mostly private contractor-style, but they are operating similar missions.”

Meanwhile, foreign customers in Colombia, Saudi Arabia and Turkey have expressed interest in buying more King Air 350ER for special missions.

A military customer in Europe has ordered a new King Air 350ER with a higher gross weight of (7,940kg) 17,500lb, Hubble adds.

http://www.flightglobal.com

Un C-130 tire un missile Hellfire !

Citation :

An-124 nears production revival

Ukraine and Russia plan to restart production of the Antonov An-124 heavy transport as part of an economic co-operation agreement signed between Kiev and Moscow on 17 December, the Ukrainian government says.

“Ukraine and Russia are to restore series production of An-124 aircraft with Ukrainian engines. The total number to be built is 80 aircraft,” Ukrainian prime minister Mykola Azarov says. The revenue from the sale of the aircraft will be around $80 billion, he adds.

Azarov did not identify the intended customers for the aircraft, but says the deal “will allow us to take leading position in the international transport of bulky cargo for a few decades”.

Asset Image

Rex Features

Flightglobal's Ascend Online Fleets database records 31 An-124s in current active use with six operators, including Antonov Airlines and Volga-Dnepr Airlines.

The agreement made no mention of the troubled An-70 propfan tactical transport programme. The Russian air force last year complained to Antonov about the slow progress of the aircraft’s trials, and said it was preparing contingency plans for pulling out of the programme.

http://www.flightglobal.com

Citation :

Boeing C-17 : restent les “queues blanches”  

Industrie et matériels  14 février 2014  


L’annonce — faite en septembre dernier par Dennis Muilenburg, PDG de Boeing Defense, Space & Security — de mettre un terme à la production en série du C-17 Globemaster III en 2015 semble désormais inéluctable, faute de commandes significatives pour cet avion cargo emblématique.

Elle se traduira notamment par la fermeture de l’usine de Long Beach à Los Angeles (Californie) et la mise à pied de quelque 3 000 employés sur quatre sites, après l’assemblage de treize avions supplémentaires cette année. Des “queues blanches” que le constructeur de Chicago envisage de commercia­liser à l’export plus tard.

Ce seront donc 276 C-17 qui seront sortis des chaînes durant deux décennies, dont 263 déjà vendus à huit clients : 223 C-17 à l’US Air Force, 7 à la Royal Air Force, 6 à la Royal Australian Air Force, 4 à la Canadian Air Force — tous des alliés proches —, puis 4 au Qatar, 6 aux Emirats Arabes Unis et 10 à l’Indian Air Force, sans oublier les trois C-17, financés par l’Otan (sur fonds européens) pour le Nato Heavy Lift Wing, basé à Pápa, en Hongrie.

Les efforts de Washington pour inciter certains pays alliés à acquérir quelques C-17 ont, jusqu’à présent, buté sur le prix d’achat de cet énorme quadriréacteur (250 millions de dollars pièce) autant que sur le coût de son utilisation et de sa maintenance. Un dernier acheteur potentiel existe : la Corée du Sud.

La RoKAF (Republic of Korea Air Force) a, en effet, lancé un programme d’acquisition pour quatre avions «de la classe du C-17», pour un budget nettement inférieur à un milliard de dollars. Ce qui laisse une chance à l’A400M, sachant que Séoul hésite devant le prix très élevé de l’avion US et que la RoKAF, qui possède vingt Airbus CN239, est très satisfaite de la disponibilité de ces bimoteurs de transport et de leur faible coût d’entretien. Mais, pour la RoKAF, il est clair que l’acquisition de C-17 est opération­nellement plus intéressante : l’avion US est le seul à permettre le transport par air de chars lourds de 50 tonnes et plus tels que les M48, T-80 et K1, voire K2. Or, l’armée de terre sud-coréenne entretient un parc actif de près de 2 500 exemplaires de ces chars et autres automouvants d’artillerie, et Séoul participe à plusieurs missions de stabilisation de l’Onu en dehors de ses frontières pour lesquelles ses C-130 Hercules se sont avérés insuffisants.

Il reste que ces treize C-17 «queues blanches» — qui trouveront inévitable­ment acheteur, au pire à prix cassé — vont constituer une concurrence supplémentaire sur le marché export pour Airbus Defence & Space face à son A400M, dont la visibilité grandissante va heureusement s’affirmer en 2014 avec sa mise en service dans quatre forces aériennes de premier plan (France, Turquie, Royaume-Uni, Allemagne).

http://www.ttu.fr/boeing-c-17-restent-les-queues-blanches/  

Citation :

Flight tests of Xian Y-20 proceeding well

Flight tests of China’s Xian Y-20 transport aircraft are proceeding well, with the designer of the type claiming the aircraft has “set new records” for China.

In an interview with China Military Online published on the web site of China’s defence ministry, Y-20 designer Tang Chonghong says the commissioning date of the aircraft is confidential, but that test pilots for the Y-20 programme are undergoing training.

Tang says that all goals have been achieved, specifically in areas such altitude and speed. One area of particular focus appears to be stability during flight.

Following its well-publicised first flight in January 2013, there has been little official commentary about the Y-20. This contrasts with other high profile Chinese defence programmes, such as the routine flight testing aboard Beijing’s first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning.

“The performance of Y-20 is very high,” says Tang. “It can adapt to relatively hard conditions and can land at small airports in mountain areas. In its design, the adverse weather conditions of frigid zone, high heat area and plateau as well as the runway situation are fully considered.”

One source familiar with large jet transport aircraft, however, questions the Y-20’s ability to land on rough fields. He notes that while its two main landing gear bogies have six wheels each, the wheels are arranged in a two-two-two pattern from front-to back.

Among other large jet transports, the Boeing C-17, which was designed with rough-field capability in mind, has two six-wheel main bogies, but in a three-three configuration. Russia’s Ilyushin Il-76 has two eight-wheel main bogies, in a four-four configuration.

Tang also played down speculation about a larger successor to the Y-20.

“The present main work is still to carry out the test flight on Y-20’s basic stability, the brother series is not yet considered,” he says. “Some plans on China’s large transport aircraft are still under discussion, which cannot be disclosed.”

The “plans” Tang’ alludes to could be the possibility that the Y-20 will be used as the basis of a future airborne early warning & control (AEW&C) aircraft. A Y-20 equipped for AEW&C would complement – and eventually replace - Beijing’s Il-76 based KJ-2000 aircraft. The type could also be modified to serve as a tanker.

AEW&C and air-to-air refuelling are seen as two key areas of weakness for China.

http://www.flightglobal.com

Citation :

Boeing cuts final C-17 output by three jets, ends production early

(Reuters) - Boeing Co (BA.N) will produce three fewer of its famed C-17 cargo-carrying military transport planes than expected as it closes the production line, reflecting further decline in demand for the aircraft, the company said on Monday.

Boeing said that it would shut the production line in Southern California three months earlier than anticipated, in mid-2015 instead of late 2015, a decision that affects about 2,200 workers there. The closure also affects 300 workers in St. Louis, 300 in Macon, Georgia, and fewer than 200 in Mesa, Arizona, spokeswoman Cindy Anderson said.

Boeing first announced plans to close the line last September, and at the time said it would produce 22 more of the four-engine planes, which are capable of carrying heavy machinery, tanks and medical supplies around the globe. It has since delivered five of the planes. It now plans to build 10 in 2014 and seven in 2015.

"Based on current market trends and the timing of expected orders ... we have decided to build three fewer aircraft in 2015," Anderson said.

Boeing cited faltering sales when it announced plans to close the line last September. Of the 262 jets delivered so far, 223 went to the U.S. Air Force. The Air Force, which is under budget pressure, took delivery of its final new C-17 last year.

Citation :

An-70 passes Ukraine state tests

Alexander Zudin, London - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly


The An-70 transport aircraft has passed all state tests and is ready for serial production, Antonov has stated. However, when or if an
order may be placed for the aircraft remains to be seen. Source: IHS/Patrick Allen  

The Ukrainian-designed Antonov An-70 propfan tactical transport plane has passed state acceptance trials and is finally ready to enter series production, Antonov said on 11 April.

That might be a cause for celebration in the course of most military equipment programmes, particularly one that has been as tortuous and drawn-out as that of the An-70. The event, however, comes against a background of unprecedented political tension between Moscow and Kiev and uncertainty about the future of their joint military industrial co-operation that could yet see the aircraft consigned to history.

"The final stage of state flight testing has been completed in a programme consisting of 82 flights, undertaken by a flight crew and engineering team from the Ukrainian Armed Forces scientific test centre together with Antonov specialists," Antonov said, according to Russian news agencies.

"The aircraft is recommended for acceptance into the armed forces and also for serial production," Antonov said.

"In total, after completion of modifications in September 2012, in the period to 31 March 2014, the aircraft carried out 122 flights totalling 220 hours. In the course of ground and flight testing in the final state acceptance trials, the aircraft showed it met the parameters required by the customer."

That included short take-off and landings, accuracy of navigation equipment, systems reliability, and ability to carry various cargo configurations, Antonov said.

If the aircraft is ready, however, the intended customers are unlikely to be placing orders any time soon.

Russia has been involved with the programme since its inception in the Soviet-era, and has maintained intermittent involvement since Ukraine became independent. Interest from Moscow has waned in recent years, with the Russian Air Force openly sceptical about the aircraft, particularly in relation to its engine problems. In April 2013, Antonov's director Dmitro Khiva admitted the Russians had withdrawn from involvement in the test programme in November 2012 because of frustration at its slow progress.

The situation is compounded at present by the unprecedented political tension between the two states following the ousting of President Viktor Yanukovych earlier this year and Russia's annexation of Crimea. Some politicians in Kiev have indicated that further co-operation between the two states on military procurement is unthinkable while Moscow appears to be on the brink of further military intervention there.

Russia would also be unlikely to want to procure an aircraft partly built in a Ukraine aspiring for NATO or EU membership. Another significant problem for Ukraine would be funding for the aircraft. While Russia has a stated requirement for around 60 aircraft to replace its ageing An-12 fleet, Ukraine has previously said it was ready to buy just a handful (between three and five according to local media - it has a requirement for considerably more).

That, however, was before the country's economy collapsed. Kiev is currently on the edge of bankruptcy, and is trying to get a deal from the International Monetary Fund to stave off a default. International lenders are unlikely to approve major defence equipment expenditure in such a climate.

Even "going it alone" on the programme would be problematic for Ukraine. Production of the aircraft was scheduled to take place at a series of Russian and Ukrainian enterprises including Russia's KAPO and VASO factories, which would have built components and assembled complete aircraft (at KAPO) from Antonov-made parts.

Last year, Ukraine's then Prime Minister Mykola Azarov insisted Kiev could go it alone to build the plane, but clearly switching production and sourcing new suppliers at such a late stage would be a considerable burden.

Some commercial heavy cargo operators such as Volga Dnepr have previously expressed an interest in a civil variant of the type designated An-70T, but series production is all but unthinkable without a major military customer from one of the developer nations.

http://www.janes.com/article/36752/an-70-passes-ukraine-state-tests

Citation :

KC-390 Prototype Final Assembly Underway At Embraer
Sub-assemblies come together as Embraer closes on initial airlifter production contract


A version of this article appears in the April 21 edition of Aviation Week & Space Technology.

Embraer will begin final assembly of the first KC-390 multirole tanker transport at the end of April, marking a major milestone in the Brazilian company’s ambitious plans to diversify into the military airlifter market.

The fuselage, empennage and wing sections of the first aircraft are being completed prior to assembly at a specially built production site at Gaviao Peixoto, Embraer’s extensive test facility near Araraquara in south-central Brazil. The final body join, expected to take around three weeks, starts the clock ticking on a fast-paced development-and-test program, which is set to begin with first flight at the end of this year and culminate in entry into service with the Brazilian air force (Forca Aerea Brasileira-FAB) in 2016.

The twin turbofan-powered airlifter was launched in 2009 when the Brazilian government signed a development contract with Embraer. “Negotiations are ongoing” to convert a letter of intent from the FAB for 28 aircraft into a firm production contract, says Fernando Fialho, KC-390 program strategy manager. The company, which is building the initial two KC-390 prototypes under a firm contract, expects negotiations to be completed in coming months. In addition, Embraer holds letters of intent for a further 32 aircraft from Argentina, Chile, Colombia, the Czech Republic and Portugal.

Based on FAB requirements for a replacement for its fleet of 22 C-130Hs, the 115.5-ft.-long KC-390 has emerged as a key competitor to Lockheed Martin’s C-130J. Embraer believes its fly-by-wire, turbofan-powered KC-390 could take a 15-20% portion of the C-130 replacement market, which it estimates as 728 aircraft in 77 countries. Designed with faster transit speeds in mind, the International Aero Engines (IAE) V2500-E5-powered aircraft will be able to make short-field takeoffs and landings from austere strips and yet have an airliner-like cruise speed of 465 kt. (Mach 0. at an operational ceiling of 36,000 ft. The maximum payload will be 57,320 lb. (26 tons), although design range with a distributed load of 50,700 lb. is 1,200 nm.

Source Credit: Embraer Concept

After a series of design evolutions the final configuration was confirmed following a critical design review in 2013. The KC-390’s cargo compartment is 41.6 ft. long, 11.3 ft. wide and varies in height from 10.5 ft. in the aft ramp area to 9.7 ft. in the forward fuselage. An integrated cargo-handling system is designed for loading vehicles or, alternately, up to seven 88-in.-wide 463L-standard military air cargo pallets or, in a mixed configuration, 36 troops or 30 paratroopers and six 463L pallets loaded lengthwise. Up to 80 regular troops can be transported in airlift operations. The ramp is 19 ft. long, 11.3 ft. wide, and total useful volume of the cargo compartment is 5,968 cu ft.

Unlike the traditional assembly of previous Embraer aircraft, which begins with integration of the wing box and center fuselage, the KC-390 fuselage will be put together before the high-mounted wing is added. Czech manufacturer Aero Vodochody delivered the last major component, the rear fuselage, directly to Embraer in March, along with other elements including doors, hatches, the cargo ramp and fixed leading edge. The aft fuselage section, at 21.3 X 14.7 X 10.8 ft., was the largest single aerostructure ever made in the Czech Republic, according to Aero.

Other key structural partners include Argentina’s Fabrica Argentina de Aviones, which is responsible for the cargo ramp door, tail cone and spoilers; Portugal Engineering Manufacturing (OGMA), which provides fuselage panels, fairings and doors; St. Louis-based LMI Aerospace, supplier of leading-edge slats. Spain’s Aernnova, a longtime Embraer supplier with a plant in Sao Jose, is responsible for the composite flaps, ailerons and rudder.

An iron bird test rig for the KC-390 is also under assembly at Embraer’s Eugenio de Melo engineering facility in Sao Jose dos Campos. The rig will be used to validate avionics and flight controls, as well as electric and hydraulic systems. Close by in the same facility an engineering mockup of the cockpit and forward fuselage section has been assembled to help define the layout of the Rockwell Collins Pro Line Fusion flight-deck and mission-systems avionics, twin Elbit head-up displays and active side-stick controllers developed by BAE Systems.

http://aviationweek.com

Citation :

  Le KC390 prend forme au Brésil

Le 21/05/2014 à 19h17, par François Julian


L'assemblage de ce premier KC-390 a lieu dans l'usine d'Embraer à Gavião Peixoto © Embraer  

Hier, à l'occasion d'une visite de la présidente du Brésil, Dilma Rousseff, Embraer a dévoilé le fuselage du tout premier KC-390 dans son usine de Gavião Peixoto. Ce premier exemplaire du biréacteur de transport militaire devrait entrer en phase d'assemblage final en juin prochain.

Cette visite présidentielle a été l'occasion de formaliser le contrat de fabrication en série des exemplaires destinés au Brésil. Conformément à ce qui était prévu lors du lancement du programme en 2009, la FAB (Force Aérienne du Brésil) s'est fermement engagée sur la livraison de 28 avions, sur une durée de 10 ans. La livraison du premier exemplaire est prévue pour la fin 2016. La valeur totale de ce contrat est estimée à 7,2 milliards de réals (2,4 Md€).

Ce premier exemplaire devrait normalement réaliser son vol inaugural à la fin de cette année. Un deuxième prototype sera également utilisé pour les essais de certification civile (brésilienne et américaine).

Le KC-390 est un programme d'avion de transport militaire d'Embraer, mené en coopération avec la FAB. Il fait également l'objet de 32 intentions d'achat de la part de cinq pays (Chili, Colombie, Argentine, Portugal et République tchèque).



http://www.air-cosmos.com/2014/05/21/22569-le-kc390-prend-forme-au-bresil

Citation :

Embraer passes on finalising KC-390 deal at Farnborough


Embraer plans to finalise a contract in the third quarter with the Brazilian air force for 28 KC-390s, passing up an opportunity to stage the event at the Farnborough airshow.

The air force signed a R$7.2 billion ($3.26 billion) contract for series production and logistics support of 28 KC-390s on 20 May, but the order is not yet finalised. Both sides are still working to complete “complementary documentation” to clinch the deal and allow Embraer to add the aircraft to company’s order backlog.

“I don’t want to use the word bureaucracy, but it’s formal approvals, formal procedures, steps that have to be taken to become effective,” says chief executive Frederico Curado. It’s a “question of letting the paperwork flow, [but] it will be done. Unlikely it will happen in the next few weeks.”

In 2010, Embraer used the global stage at Farnborough to sign a letter of intent with the Brazilian air force for 28 KC-390s.

The aircraft development programme was launched in 2009 with a goal to declare the aircraft operational in 2016.

First flight of the KC-390 is scheduled for later this year. Embraer released pictures last month showing the fuselage structure of the KC-390 inside the factory in Gaviao Peixoto, revealing the aircraft had not jet reached the final body join stage.

The Brazilian air force is expected the first of several international militaries to acquire the aircraft. Embraer has signed letters of intent with five countries – Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Czech Republic and Portugal – to acquire up to 32 more aircraft and participate in the development programme.

Converting those letters of intent into firm contracts could take up to two more years.

“I don’t expect quick campaigns. Military campaigns are typically long,” Curado says. “So two years maybe.”

Additional reporting by Ghim-Lay Yeo.

http://www.flightglobal.com

Citation :

MC-27J ITAF Test Results


ATK and Alenia Aermacchi Successfully Complete Testing on Italian Air Force C-27J with Roll-On/Roll-Off Palletized Gun Systems



ATK (NYSE: ATK), announced that the ATK and Finmeccanica-Alenia Aermacchi have successfully completed the first phase of ground and flight testing of the fully configured multi-mission MC-27J tactical transport aircraft with the support of the Italian Air Force (ITAF). The series of tests exceeded all test objectives and demonstrated the accuracy of ATK’s side-mounted GAU-23 30mm cannon.

The ITAF MC-27J aircraft was modified with an L-3 Wescam MX-15Di Electro-Optical and Infrared Turret mounted under the nose of the aircraft to support multi-mission applications such as a Gunship, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance(ISR) and Search and Rescue (SAR) missions; various radio and data links and ATK’s Roll-On/Roll-Off (RORO) palletized gun and mission control systems.

ATK and Alenia Aermacchi believe that: “The completion of successful testing with the Italian Air Force further validates the capabilities of the RORO gun and mission systems and demonstrates that the program is ready for fielding. This testing builds on previous gun accuracy flight tests done with the MC-27J at Eglin AFB in 2013 and will provide the aircraft with a vital capability and a greater mission flexibility at an affordable cost.”

The MC-27J is an advanced multi mission system jointly developed by ATK and Alenia Aermacchi, based on the C-27J, the most state-of-the-art twin-engine turboprop tactical transport aircraft currently available on the market that provides unequalled performance.
ATK and Alenia Aermacchi announced their intent to jointly develop and market the MC-27J multi-mission aircraft at the 2012 Farnborough Air Show. The internally funded test and development program successfully completed its first phase in the spring of 2013.

ATK is an aerospace, defense and commercial products company with operations in 22 states, Puerto Rico and internationally. News and information can be found on the Internet at www.atk.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/atk or on Twitter @ATK.

Alenia Aermacchi, a Finmeccanica company, has a role of primary importance in the world’s civil and defence aeronautical industry, counts a total workforce of ca. 11,000 people and operates in the design, development, production and integrated support of commercial and military aircraft, trainers, unmanned aerial vehicles and aerostructures. In 2013 it reported revenues of € 3.34 billion, orders of € 3.98 billion and a backlog of € 9.0 billion.

http://www.aleniaaermacchi.it

Citation :

First KC-390 gets wings on assembly line

Embraer has moved the wing and sponsons of the first KC-390 into place on the assembly line, the Brazilian manufacturer has revealed.

The company's third photo update of the tanker-transport posted online shows the programme continues to make progress, but it still has much work to do before a scheduled first flight by year-end.



Embraer

The latest picture, released on 23 September, is framed in such a way that it obscures any view of the aft fuselage, so it is not clear whether the aircraft's vertical and horizontal stabilisers have been integrated.

Although International Aero Engines delivered the V2500-E5 turbofans for the aircraft in August, the picture shows that they have not yet been installed under the wings. Embraer also has yet to install the radome, the windows for the flightdeck and panel coverings over the forward avionics component.

The release of the photo on 23 September follows an emerging pattern. Embraer released its first picture of an unpainted, wingless fuselage on the assembly line on 22 May. This was followed two months later with a new photo showing a painted fuselage with landing gear attached, but still wingless and tailless.

Embraer has revealed a 25 October target to conduct the roll-out of the KC-390, which is scheduled to achieve first flight by year-end and certification in the first half of 2016.

The Brazilian air force has ordered 28 of the type, and the project has also attracted commitments from five more countries to potentially order another 32.

http://www.flightglobal.com