News Clips

June 15th, 1999

Israel Aircraft Industries and the Kamov Company have teamed together to offer the two-seaterKa-50-2 Er-dogan attack helicopter with a tandem layout to the Turkish Land Forces. Kamov Company will be responsible for the helicopter airframe of the Ka-50-2 helicopter while IAI's Lahav Division is responsible for the avionics and the weapons system delivery.

The French "Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales" (CNES) recently awarded a prime contract to Alcatel Space for the supply of two telemetry and telecommand stations (TT&C). The first is a Ku band TT&C facility for station-keeping for the Stentor satellite, which will be located in Aussaguel near Toulouse (France), and a Ku band Launch and Early Orbit Phase (LEOP) station for geostationary satellites, which will be installed in Kourou (French Guyana). Within the framework of this contract valued at 30 million French francs, Alcatel Space will be responsible for system engineering, supplying the components for the stations, Remote Monitoring for each station, station integration and validation. Alcatel Space will also provide a 5.5-meter antenna for the Stentor station and a 9-meter antenna with a Ku/DBS source for the Kourou station. Delivery of the two stations is scheduled for the first quarter of the year 2000.

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has selected Northrop Grumman Corporation and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) of India to produce and install four air traffic control (ATC) systems to support en route operations on critical air routes in India. Contract terms were not disclosed. The systems will be installed in Nagpur, Varnasi, Behrampur and Mangalore, India. Hardware deliveries are expected to begin in 1999, with all four systems scheduled to be operational before the end of 2000. The systems include the advanced Mode S monopulse secondary surveillance radar (MSSR), and AMS-1000 display and processing equipment. The team of BEL and Northrop Grumman has already produced and commissioned ATC systems at six Indian airports: Calcutta, Chennai, Trivandrum, Hyderabad, Guwahati and Ahmedabad. These systems include the field-proven ASR-9 primary surveillance radar and MSSR with Mode S in use at more than 140 airports in the United States and at 17 international sites, as well as AMS-1000 display and processing equipment.

Dowty Aerospace Hydraulics (DAH), a member of TI Group, has been selected, by Messier-Dowty, to supply pitch trimmers for both the main and centre line landing gear on the new Airbus A340-500/600 aircraft. The centre line gear (CLG) pitch trimmer positions the CLG bogie for retraction and for landing and it absorbs energy during landing and taxi. This is a new product not required on the original Airbus A330/A340 landing gear and DAH is working in partnership with Messier-Bugatti, which is integrating the CLG control manifold. The two main landing gear (MLG) pitch trimmers position the two MLG bogies for landing and provide damping during landing and taxi. This is a revised design which can also be fitted for use on the original Airbus A330/A340 aircraft. This award follows other recent Dowty Group successes on the Airbus A340-500/600. Dowty will be supplying hydraulic and actuation systems and aircraft structures, together with turbine engine components on each of the engines chosen to power these aircraft - in total worth well in excess of US $ 50 million on orders already announced by Airbus Industrie.

Elbit Systems Ltd. has recently signed a contract with Eurocopter, the major European helicopter manufacturer, to supply digital map systems for their SUPER PUMA MK1 helicopters for the Swiss Air Force. The contract is to supply and integration of digital map systems for 12 helicopters as well as ground support equipment needed for operation and maintenance. The digital map is a highly advanced system that presents the helicopter pilot with all flight data, including navigation, obstacles, topographical maps, aerial and satellite photos. All information is presented to pilots as needed and according to priorities set by specific missions.

Meggitt Avionics' Secondary Flight Display System (SFDS) has been selected by British Aerospace for the Hawk Lead-In-Fighter (LIF) programme for Australia. The SFDS comprises two Secondary Flight Displays and one Air Data Unit for each of the 33 aircraft. The first aircraft is due to be delivered to Australia early in 2000. The contract was awarded to Meggitt Avionics as a result of British Aerospace's desire to improve upon the electro-mechanical standby instrumentation fitted on the Hawk. based on the Secondary Flight Display System, the Hawk LIF uses two Secondary Flight Displays and a single Air Data Unit per aircraft. Meggitt Avionics has supplied over 600 Secondary Flight Display Systems for 20 different types of aircraft, both civil and military, and fixed and rotary wing.

TRW has added Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) to its team as it pursues the US Army's Close-Range Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) contract and expands its UAV business internationally. The announcement was made at the Paris Air Show. Teammate S-TEC Unmanned Technologies, Inc. makes Sentry, a small, lightweight, low-cost, close-range UAV. With the addition of IAI's extensive UAV expertise and strong international presence, the team offers the global market a system aimed at satisfying operational requirements of battlefield commanders. Either TRW or IAI will serve as prime contractor depending on which company can better serve the international customer.