Celebrating the bicentenary in style: le Bourget 1989.

Celebrating the Bicentenary in Style: le Bourget 1989

The recent Paris Air Show was probably the best event of its type in living memory, due to the combined effects of Russian glasnost and the first showing of many new items of Western military equipment. This biennial "Salon" was the largest aerospace exhibition ever to be held, with close to 1600 exhibitors and tens of thousands of products. This report is thus inevitably restricted to a cross-section of exhibits.

Trainer Aircraft

At the upper end of the turboprop spectrum, Pilatus presented statically the eighth PC-7 for the Royal Netherlands Air Force, and a PC-9 with EFIS (Electronic Flight Instrument System), while another PC-9 was demonstrated in flight. Embraer showed a standard PT6A-engined Tucano, and Shorts flew their more powerful Garrett-engined derivative.

* Promavia. Spirits were high at the Promavia chalet. The Belgian company chose the Paris Air Show to announce an agreement with Portugal on the manufacture of 30 Jet Squalus trainer aircraft, with an option for a further 70 units. The aircraft, of which three prototypes have been built to date, will be manufactured by OGMA (Oficinas Gerais de Material Aeronautico), and the first production aircraft should roll out in December 1990.

The first 30 Jet Squalus will be used for military training, but Portugal intends to set up an air academy for civil applications as well. With the Squalus programme virtually "off the ground", Promavia was able to announce two other twin-engine projects designated ARA-3600 (single seater) and ATTA-3000 (tandem seats). Although the two aircraft bear a strong resemblance to the Jet Squalus, they feature a higher sweep wing and a narrower fuselage.

* Socata. Aerospatiale's Socata division showed the prototype Epsilon TP or Omega, equipped with a 360 shp Turbomeca TP319 Turboprop and Martin-Baker 15-FC ejection seats. It first flew on April 30th, and is being offered to the French Air Force as a low-cost alternative to the Pilatus PC-7 and Embraer Tucano.

* Valmet. The delivery of a first batch of ten L-90 TP Redigos ordered by the Finnish Air Force is expected to start in 1991. Additional orders by the Air Force will depend on a study currently underway to define a new training syllabus. Initially, training on the Redigo will be shoe-horned between the Vinka and the Hawk. Later, additional Redigos might be ordered for ab initio training as the remaining 28 piston-engined Vinkas (two have been lost) are phased out. The Redigo is designed to put a pilot in a jet-engined trainer aircraft seat in 100 hours from scratch.

The Finnish Air Force's Redigos will be powered by an Allison 250-B17D turboprop engine. A -B17F powered version will be flight-tested in a few months for hot-and-high countries and Valmet is also offering the Turbomeca TP319 engine as an option. As regards the price tag, Valmet officials say that it is in the region of $1 million.

Attack and Fighter Aircraft

* BAe and MDD. In the attack aircraft category, the single-seat British Aerospace (BAe) Hawk 200 made its Paris debut, as did the McDonnel Douglas AV-8B, the latter in the form of a BAe-assembled RAF Harrier GR5.

* Dassault. The most advanced fighter technology demonstrator present was the Dassault Rafale-A. The company's indoor stand was dominated by a large-scale model of the Rafale-D armed for the air-ground role. As usual, Dassault's presence was dominant in the static display. New variants included the Mirage 2000-S all-weather strike export aircraft with flight refuelling probe, and the Mirage 2000-5 multirole combat aircraft with Thomson-CSF RDY radar. The latter fighter will be available from 1993 in both single and two-seat versions.

* Eurofighter. The EFA was present in model form, with a FLIR sensor now introduced on the front fuselage. Norway was reported to be seriously interested in the EFA, though the critical radar decision has still not been taken.

* General Dynamics. The F-16C (a Turkish-built example) provided some of the most spectacular flying, and it was joined in the static display by a Norwegian Air Force F-16A armed with four Norsk Forsvarsteknologi Penguin anti-ship missiles.

* MDD. The Hornet was a Canadian CF-18 example, now equipped with strakes over the wing leading edges to modify the flow pattern over the vertical tails.

* Saab. In the lightweight fighter category, the JAS39 accident in February removed this aircraft from the show, but the second prototype is due to fly by the end of the year. Deliveries will now begin in 1993.

* Miscellaneous. The Italo-Brazilian AMX appeared for the first time as an Italian Air Force production aircraft. However, the principal attraction in this class was the Sukhoi Su-25 Frogfoot, present in both single- and two-seat forms (see below).

* East Bloc Aircraft. Turning to combat aircraft from the Communist world, China's CATIC presented statically the fourth prototype of the F-8 II, a twin-engined derivative of the MiG-21, with lateral intakes and a folding ventral fin. However, the star of the show was undoubtedly the Russian Su-27 Flanker, an F-15-size aircraft with fly-by-wire controls and outstanding manoeuvrability. The MiG-29 (again flown by Kvochur) repeated its Farnborough demonstration, but suffered a catastrophic accident. On opening the throttles to maintain a speed of just over 100 knots (185 km/hr) at a height of approximately 150 meters, the right engine surged, as evidenced by a long streak of flame. Kvochur went into afterburner on the left engine, but the large distance of the thrust from the centreline produced an uncontrollable yawing moment, which swung the aircraft to the right and down into the ground. Kvochur ejected in a roughly level direction at a height of around 100 meters, and luckily sustained only minor injuries. Later demonstrations were performed by the reserve pilot in the two-seat MiG-29UB. In spite of this apparently plausible explanation, a Franco-Soviet commission has since reported that the accident was caused by an "alien object".

Transport Aircraft

* Antonov. The largest aircraft present was the six-engined, 600 000 kg An-225, which was presented statically carrying the Buran space-shuttle vehicle. The Buran will be concerned in part with launching military satellites, and the An-225 has obvious wartime uses.

* Casa-Nurtanio. One future maritime patrol project was represented by a model of the CN-235-MPA on Indonesia's IPTN-Nusantara stand. It featured a radar nose and an underwing armament consisting of two Penguin anti-ship missiles and two Sidewinders. The current CN-235-M transport was represented by a Spanish Air Force aircraft. Some Grumman S-2 Trackers are still used for maritime patrol, hence it is relevant to note the Garrett turboprop (TPE331-15) conversion by Marsh Aviation, although the example on show was intended for water-bomber duties.

* Miscellaneous. Dedicated military transports were exemplified by the BAe 146STA with a 3.33-metre wide side-loading door. Interest continues in AEW aircraft, as shown by the presence of the Pilatus Britten-Norman AEW Defender with Thorn-EMI Skymaster radar, the Swedish Air Force Fairchild Metro III with Ericson Eri-Eye dorsal radar, and a model of the Israel Aircraft Industries Phalcon, a converted 707 with conformal antennae in the fuselage. E-Systems presented information on the high-flying, Garrett TPE331-powered Egrett electronic surveillance aircraft, developed in association with Grob of Germany. In the course of flight testing, the Egrett has established several class records, including sustained flight at 53 236 ft (16 230 m).

Tilting Rotors

As if to compensate for the absence of the actual V22 tilt-rotor aircraft, the Bell Boeing team occupied a large cube-shaped Tilt-Rotor Pavilion on the edge of "the static". A generous part of the pavilion was occupied by a large-screen cinema theatre offering a permanent projection (the language changed every time) of a film on the Osprey. Some interesting computer-generated image sequences showed civil uses of the aircraft either as an off-shore oil platform support vehicle or as a town-centre-to-town-centre hopper. Obviously, the Bell Boeing team is doing its utmost to attract civil market interest. Jack Horner, the project manager, explained that the airframe was ten to twelve times more survivable than that of a helicopter and that engine heat was better diluted. Answering questions, he said that the test programme was running on shedule and that "all six (planned prototype) aircraft will be in the air by January 1990". Asked whether a civil demonstrator was planned he answered "Absolutely". But what certainly did not fall on deaf ears was one of his last statements: "I'm going to find a way of keeping this programme alive some way or another. After all, the Wright Brothers too had to come here, in Paris, to develop their technology." Incidentally, the Tilt-Rotor Pavilion was shared by Aeritalia, British Aerospace, C. Itoh, Dornier and Mitsui.

Helicopters

* Aerospatiale. The French manufacturer showed new variants of its current range, including the Super Puma II, the SA.365K Panther, and the Orchidee reconnaissance helicopter.

* International. Other rotary-wing projects were represented by mock-ups of the EH-101 (of which the fifth example flew on June 15th) and the NH-90, a joint project by Aerospatiale, MBB, Agusta and Fokker.

* Mil. The Soviets presented the Mil Mi-28 Havoc attack helicopter, which is at a much earlier stage of development than Western intelligence has claimed.

* Westland. Westland exhibited its WS-70 (Black Hawk) demonstrator, and announced an agreement with McDonnel Douglas Helicopters to licence-build the AH-64 Apache (which was also present) in the event of its being selected by the British Army.

Engines

* General Electric. The Paris Air Show provided the American aircraft engine manufacturer with an occasion to release the first pictures of its F-120 in operation on a test rig. The F-120 features a two-dimensional nozzle which can vector the thrust up or down by 20 [degrees]. The system is expected to reduce take-off distance by 25%. General Electric declined to provide other technical details on a programme which is still highly classified. Static tests are now completed, and the F-120 is scheduled to enter the flight test phase next year. As regards its F110-GE-129 programme, General Electric announced that it was scheduled to make its first flight on board an F-15E "this month" (June). The 29 000 lb (129 kN) -129 will be the first General Electric engine to power the F-15. The T407/GLC38/CFE738 engine family (formerly known as the GE38) was also announced. One product of this series will be the T407-GE-400 turboprop for the Lockheed P-7A.

* Pratt & Whitney. Like General Electric, Pratt & Whitney also provided photographs of its thrust vectoring system mounted on the F100-PW-220. The engine is currently undergoing flight testing on an F-15. The manufacturer's F119 for the ATF engine will fly in the ATF in early 1990. This engine will also deflect thrust 20 [degrees] upwards or downwards.

Drones

Drones/RPVs/UAVs are becoming increasingly important, and this was reflected in the number of such vehicles on show. Those represented included the Contraves Ranger, the twin-engined IAI Impact (proposed with TRW Defense Systems as the JIMPACS system for the US joint-service short-range UAV), the Boeing Brave 200 and 3000, the International Aerospace Technologies Mk. 105 Flash and Mk. 106 HIT attack models and Argentina's Quimar mini-BAT target. Teledyne Ryan showed its Model 324, which is being produced for Egypt, and the air-launched Model 350 derivative, which was selected just prior to the show to meet the US medium-range UAV requirement. Tadiran exhibited a range of stabilized reconnaissance payloads, data-links and video receiving systems for UAVs.

MBB and Matra announced the decision to establish the Eurodrone GIE to manage the Brevel programme. Dornier showed the Geamos VTOL battlefield surveillance platform with contrarotating rotors, and the CL-289 reconnaissance drone, for which Standard Elektrik Lorenz exhibited a GPS receiver.

Aircraft Armament

* Aerospatiale. The Engins Tactiques Division of Aerospatiale provided an update of its various programmes. The Division has manufactured and delivered the last batch of AS 12 missiles. Aerospatiale, however, says that it still has enough parts in stock to manufacture another batch of 300 units. The anti-ship AS 12 has been in production since 1955. Over 11 000 rounds have been ordered by 26 navies. The manufacturer also disclosed that its AS 15 TT originally developed for Saudi Arabia, has found a second customer (anonymous but also Arab) who will also operate it from Agrion radar-equipped Dauphins.

A contract has been received from the French Government for the full-scale development of the Vivianne roof-mounted helicopter sight. The Vivianne is a day and night (thermal camera) gyrostabilized sight designed to provide HOT missile-equipped helicopters with an all-weather capability. The sight is now being tested on a Gazelle: its high resolution allows the gunner to distinguish a 20 cm object at a distance of 4 000 metres. The sight is scheduled to enter service in 1992. Aerospatiale has also been selected as main contractor for the mast-mounted Osiris European visionics for the anti-tank Eurocopter. The Osiris sight will operate with both present-generation HOT missiles and third-generation Trigat LRs. Osiris is expected to enter service in 1997.

* British Aerospace. BAe now incorporates Royal Ordnance, which manufactures rocket motors, warheads, ammunition and the submunitions used in the Hunting Engineering BL755 cluster bomb and the JP233 airfield attack weapon. Hunting exhibited the new Hades minelet dispenser and the SWAARM, which dispenses 16 Honeywell sensor-fuzed munitions.

* DCN. A significant naval development on show was the French Murene lightweight torpedo. This weighs less than 300 kg, has a speed of up to 50 knots (93 km/hr) and can operate below 1000 metres. Thomson Sintra is responsible for its multi-sonar acoustic head. The Murene, which is claimed to be five times as cost-effective as existing ASW torpedoes, will enter service initially on the Lynx and ATL.2. Later applications will include the NH-90.

* EXPAL. The Spanish stand included the new AP anti-runway CBU with eight runway-piercing submunitions and 20 minelets, the short-range Aries anti-tank missile and a model of the SEMIA minelayer. This last items has already been exported, and is expected to enter service with the Spanish Army soon. Mines such as the company's SB81AR are activated electronically as they are laid by the SEMIA.

* GIAT. The French Groupement Industriel des Armements Terrestres had an elegant two-storey stand the first floor of which also acted as a courtesy chalet from which one had a clear view over the Group's outdoor display. This included the 20 MS 621 pod (the stretched version of which has recently been tested on the Sikorsky S-76 and the Super Puma) and the turret developed for France's HAP version of the Franco-German PAH/HAC helicopter. However, GIAT's novelty for this year's Show - the MS 621 system - was to be found in the nearby Aerospatiale outdoor static display mounted on an AS 350 [L.sub.2] AStar, helicopter. The MS 621 is a new door-mount designed to receive a 20 mm 621 gun. The system incorporates a clever pantographic design which allows the gun to be raised and simultaneously moved outwards through the doorframe. In this overhanging position, the gun can be pointed 60 [degrees] downwards without interfering with the floor of the aircraft. The MS 621 was developed for a potential customer's AS 350 but can be installed on other helicopters such as the AS 322 Super Puma. The mount weighs only 37 kg, to which must be added the weight of the gun (58 kg) and that of the ammunition.

Matra. The stand's avantgarde design reflected the company's obsessional desire to look deep into the future. The systems on display were well-known, but the news really came at a press conference in the packed Matra chalet. Matra Group President Jean-Luc Lagardere announced that the company was about to acquire Fairchild's Defence, Electronics and Control Divisions in the United States. With this move, Matra clearly shows that it intends to become a true multinational company, but Lagardere also explained that, with the takeover, "we are Americans in the United States. Our intention is to develop Fairchild and not to turn into a Matra colony in the United States."

An agreement with McDonnel Douglas was also announced. The American company will be responsible for the marketing of the surface-to-air and surface-to-surface version of the Mistral Missile; the second part of the agreement allows McDonnel Douglas to offer Matra weapon systems on its aircraft. Both companies have agreed, as a first step, to offer the Magic 2 dogfight missile as well as the future MICA missile on the F/A-18 Hornet. Finally, to a journalist asking whether Matra really had an ADATS-like short-range air defence system design in its drawers, Matra Defence's Noel Forgeard answered: "Yes, and we have a team working on it right now."

* ML Aerospace & Defence. The British company unveiled the Cyclops self-defence system for helicopters, featuring a trainable carrier (possibly associated with a helmet-mounted sight) equipped with a TV camera, and armament such as the Matra Mistral or Shorts Starstreak missile, automatic weapons and flechette rockets.

* Israel. Two years ago at Le Bourget Israel unveiled three guided bomb systems: the IAI Guillotine LGB, the Rafael Pyramid TV-guided glide bomb and the Elbit Opher IR terminal guidance kit, which is to be produced for the Israeli Air Force. This year all three types were shown again, but IAI added the Griffin LGB, which has already been sold to five countries and represents the largest production programme in the MBT Division's history.

* NORINCO. China is now marketing submunition-dispensing weapons. NORINCO provided details of a 350 kg anti-runway cluster bomb with 12 tandem-warhead bomblets, and a 350 kg bomb that dispenses 16 sensor-fuzed anti-tank submunitions. The corporation also offers a 6X6 armoured vehicle with tracking radar and four PL-9 SAMs for low/medium level air defence.

* SAMP. New products included the 250 kg Excalibur, an enertially-guided bomb that receives precise target coordinates from the parent aircraft just before launch. It first drops ballistically, then reduces its stability by unfolding nose-fins, and navigates to the target by thrust-vectoring.

* SITEA. Weaponry by SITEA, which was also featured on the Pampa trainer, included the FAS 250 "super-braked" bomb, the FAS 300 cluster bomb and the Mamboreta 657 rocket pod, housing six 57 mm Aspid armour-piercing rockets.

* Rockwell. The Missiles Systems Division summarized its recent and future activities at a press conference.

The AGM-130 has completed its development tests and flight evaluation (see ARMADA International No. 3/89, PR Forum page 72) and, at the time of the show, the missile was shortly to start a series of nine initial operational tests and evaluation flights. These are scheduled for completion by the end of this year.

The GBU-15 is currently the object of an improvement programme. A "scene correlation tracker", for example, memorises the image of the target and enables the missile to fly autonomously towards the designated target. The pilot thus has time to take evasive action before getting back to the missile to fine-tune the impact point during the final phase of its flight. A CCD camera will make the missile immune to sunburn, provide "freeze frame" capability and better haze penetration. Rockwell has also received a separate contract from the US Air Force to demonstrate the feasibility of operating the GBU-15 with a fibre-optic data-link. Rockwell emphasized that this was purely a demonstration contract and that there was no long-term USAF commitment.

One of the major announcements made by Rockwell concerned the negotiation of an agreement with Emerson Electric on the development of an integrated Helitow-Hellfire system for helicopters. With such a system, the gunner will be able to select and fire a TOW or a Hellfire, or both, depending on the immediate threat. Initial Helitow-Hellfire tests are expected to start this year.

As regards NATO's Modular Stand-Off Weapon, it was announced at the Show that General Dynamics had pulled out of the competition. Rockwell is part of the Alliance Defence Corporation Team with a 22% stake (like MBB, BAe, CASMU: Casa has a 12% participation only). No formal "down-select" (to use the term now in fashion) has yet been made, but Alliance has been asked to defer its proposals for another 90 days. A contract is expected to be signed around September or October.

* Thomson Brandt and FZ. Current rocket developments by Thomson Brandt Armaments (TBA) and its FZ subsidiary include the 2.75-inch Cargo-70. This is available with a range of motors and warheads, including the FZ-100 with nine dual-role (shaped charge and anti-personnel) submunitions. Also promoted by TBA was the GRCS helicopter fire-control computer, which can deal with automatic weapons in addition to all possible combinations of FZ launcher, rocket motor and warhead.

In a completely different weapon category, TBA announced the start of development on the CASCAD Mk. 2 powered dispenser, as a stepping-stone to the longer-range, winged Matra Apache. The CASCAD (Close Air Support Cargo Dispenser) series began with the unguided, unpowered 390 kg Mk. 1 (formerly BM 400) which delivers three 90 kg anti-armour fragmentation warheads in a toss attack from about 5 km. The Mk. 2 has a boost motor and some form of guidance, and will carry a variety of submunitions up to 10 km. Flight trials will begin in 1990.

Airborne Radars

* Elta. Israel's Elta Electronics showed the EL/M-2032 multi-mode fire-control radar, which is based on that of the Lavi, and is now offered for retrofitting to the F-5, Mirage, F-4, etc.

* FIAR. The Italian company concentrated on the Grifo family of pulse-Doppler radars, notably the P2803 Grifo-X for the Mirage 5 and AMX ground attack aircraft, the P2804 Grifo-F tailored to fit the F-5E and the P2801 Grifo-ASV (formerly Grifetto) for an anti-ship version of AMX with self-defence air-air capability.

* General Electric. The US manufacturer showed an undesignated "F-5 Multi-mode Radar", a derivative of the APG-67 developed for the F-20.

* GIE ACT/ACM RBG. At a press meeting called for a first round-up presentation of the radar developed for the Rafale fighter aircraft, the new consortium set up last December by the French Government and incorporating Thomson-CSF (which also presented the RDY radar for the Mirage 2000-5) and Electronique Serge Dassault distributed a glossy brochure which tactfully contained a glossary of acronyms. It explains that GIE stands for Groupement d'Interet Economique (also known as a Consortium), ACT means Avion de Combat Tactique, ACM equals Avion de Combat Marine, while RBG stands for Radar de Bord du Groupement d'Interet Economique. The multi-role (air defence, air-to-ground deep strike and air support, air-to-sea) RBG radar is described as a "passive 2-D electronically scanned antenna system with a high dynamic range receiver and high performance analog-to-digital converters, high throughout signal processing and very high-speed data-processing". Which one of the two companies will manufacture which particular part remains a big mystery since both have been formally instructed to present the ACT/ACM RBG radar as a GIE product. Gerard Fourbet of the consortium said that the programme was now running on schedule and that the first prototype would be test-flown on a Falcon test-bed aircraft during the second half of 1991; a first flight on the Rafale should take place in the second half of 1993.

Avionics

* El-Op. In the field of cockpit display units, some of the most remarkable HUDs were those of El-Op (Electro-Optics Industries). One example aimed at F-4 retrofits provides a 24-degree field of view and incorporates both a CTVS (Cockpit TV Sensor) for video recording and a collimated radar display with 12-degree field of view.

El-Op also featured the HADAS (Helmet-mounted Airborne Display And Sight), in which flight information, navigation and weapon-aiming data, plus TV/FLIR displays are all presented on the pilot's visor.

* Elbit. Elbit Computers has own DASH (Display And Sight Helmet), and night-vision goggles for combat helicopter use, incorporating a CRT to provide computer-generated symbology. The company's HALO system combines the NVG/CRT with Doppler/ GPS navigation and a stored data-base for obstacles and intelligence.

* Elmer. The Italian firm displayed a variety of electronic systems among which were the new 1490/MD civil and military P-code GPS receiver developed by the Euronav consortium (which includes TRT and SEL) for the EH-101 helicopter. Elmer also showed the HQ module which provides the AN/ARC 150(V)8FM with a 30-Watt frequency-hopping capability. This new synthesizer unit turns it into the AN/ARC 150(V)8FM/HQ. Elmer claims to have the largest EMP test rig ([16 m.sub.2]), with a field of 50 000 volts per metre. This facility is often rented out.

* ISI. By teaming up with FIAT under the new ISI banner - the acronym for Italiana Sistemi Inerziali - France's SAGEM, like many others, signals that it wants to be ready for 1993. The Turin-based ISI company was formed on 1 June (SAGEM 49%, and FIAT 51%) for the production and the marketing of SAGEM-designed inertial navigation and guidance systems in Italy.

* SAGEM. The stand displayed a number of the so-called black boxes including the gyrometric units (painted in glossy white) which will be used on the Rafale-D fighter aircraft. The company also showed a retrofit kit it is proposing for the Belgian Mirage 5s. This would include the total integration of a new nav/attack equipment built around the Uliss 91 system. It is worth pointing out that the Uliss 91 inertial navigation and inertial nav/attack system has been successfully integrated into a People's Republic of China A5 aircraft under a recent upgrading programme headed by Thomson-CSF.

SAGEM also offered a very interesting demonstration of its CIRCE 2000 mission planning system for Mirage 2000 pilots. The system consists of a computer, a bubble memory unit, a colour printer, a screen and a mouse. A menu-mouse driven system, the CIRCE 2000 is as easy to use as playing a computer game. The pilot simply picks up his assigned operational zone and the map appears on his screen complete with waypoints, external fuel tanks jettison point, target as well as enemy air defence radar threats automatically shrink. The pilot can superimpose a satellite picture of the same area and choose the right scale for a perfect match. The system can also provide and print out the forward view of any of the areas overflown. This system is now deployed in all of Prance's Mirage 2000 bases. Linked with a [C.sub.3I] network, it provides the pilot with a constantly updated tactical and meteorological sitrep. SAGEM has signed an agreement with General Dynamics in view of a possible requirement for a derivative of the CIRCE 2000 for the US Air Force.

* Sextant. In a major move to rationalize their efforts in the highly technologically and financially competitive avionics field, four French companies - Crouzet, SFENA, Electronique Aerospatiale (EAS) and Thomson-CSF Avionique Generale - will be merging into a single group known as Sextant. The holding company, shared equally by Aerospatiale and Thomson-CSF, will control 55% of the group. The remaining 45% of the shares are to be traded on the Paris stock exchange. Sextant will span a huge range of activities, from helicopters, small general aviation aircraft, business jet, regional and wide-bodied aircraft, through weapon systems, military combat, refuelling and tactical transport aircraft to space vehicles. In 1988, the four companies represented a total staff of 9 400 and a turnover of FF5 550 million.

Electronic Warfare

* CEIEC. Turning finally to airborne electronic warfare, even China has now entered this field, with CEIEC offering the GT-1 chaff/flare dispensing set.

* Elisra. Israel's Elisra is well-known for its SPS-series of self-protection systems, ranging from the SPS-45 for aircraft with severe space and weight constraints to the SPS-2000, designed to replace the ALR-69 in the F-16. The Elisra stand also featured the LWS-20 laser warning system, and the "crEWtrain" system to train aircrew in the operation of various electronic warfare equipments.

* Elta. This division of IAI showed the EL/L-8202 self-protection pod and the more recent EL/L-8281 internal jammer, designed to protect aircraft against missiles with CW radar guidance.

* Rafael. The stand was mainly concerned with missile products (Python 3, Pyramid, Barak), but included the Rattler, which can jam up to three threats simultaneously using time-sharing power management techniques.

* Tadiran. This company is more concerned with ELINT/ESM systems, such as the Owl family for maritime patrol aircraft and the TACDES airborne SIGINT system. Other products by Tadiran include the Sky Jam communications jammer, and ASARS (Airborne Search And Rescue System), designed to locate downed aircraft and to provide two-way voice communications with the radio transponder.

* ESD. Electronique Serge Dassault has been developing ECM systems for almost 35 years, in which it is one of the world leaders. Exhibits included the Barax supersonic self-protection detector/jammer being produced for the Mirage III, F1 and Jaguar. The integrated Carapace system has been ordered for Belgian F-16s, and uses an ESD-patented sensor to achieve a tenfold improvement in performance. In the case of the system for the Rafale-D, ESD is working with Thomson-CSF and Matra.

* Matra and Lacroix. Current Matra electronic warfare products include the Sycomor retrofit system for aircraft such as the F1, and the Spirale decoy system for the Mirage 2000. Matra is developing the DDM missile launch warning system, designed initially to protect the Mirage 2000 against passive homing missiles such a the SA-7. The company is also working with Thomson-CSF on a modular cartridge launcher for the Orchidee helicopter, and with Thomson-CSF and ESD for the Rafale-D.

Cooperation is also taking place between Matra and Etienne Lacroix on a wide range of radar, IR and EO decoys. Examples of all three categories were to be seen on the Lacroix stand. In the IR decoy field, flares are now being developed to burn at lower temperatures and thus radiate on longer wavelengths so as to defeat increasingly sophisticated missiles. In the radar field, Matra is developing the active electromagnetic Spider decoy.

* Raytheon. Although generally associated with major radar projects and advanced missile systems, Raytheon is also active in the electronic warfare field. Highlighted at Le Bourget were the ALQ-187 airborne internal jammer, and a ground-based mobile system to defend high-value installations by jamming the radars of attacking aircraft.

* In Sweden the division of electronic warfare work to date is broadly that Philips develops the chaff/flare dispensers, Ericsson most of the airborne jammers (aside from the SATT AQ-800 training pod), while SATT is responsible for the threat warning systems. On this occasion SATT was promoting the AR.871 radar warning receiver developed for the Swedish Air Force BO105, although supporting literature referred to the AR.871L, which adds laser warning.

Air Defence

* Bodenseewerk. Steps are being taken to provide active defence for tanks against helicopters. Bodenseewerk showed a sectioned EPHAG technology demonstrator missile with IR homing. In essence, the EPHAG round is fired by the MBT from its main gun, using its existing fire-control system to place the projectile within a few metres of the helicopter at a range of up to 6 km. The IR homing is employed only in the terminal phase to eliminate this small miss distance.

* Contraves. In the field of fire-control systems for anti-aircraft guns, one important new development is the Contraves GunStar. Whereas the well-known Gun-King requires that the guns be servo-driven, the new system is also applicable to manually-operated weapons in the 20-40 mm range. GunStar follows the target by means of automatic TV tracking and laser ranging, and a Contraves digital computer generates lead angles for up to six guns. The individual aiming points are shown on collimated displays by means of high-resolution LED arrays. The GunStar system may be interfaced with a search radar such as the Contraves Shorar.

* Breda. The Italian company exhibited the SCLAR, a combined active/passive naval air defence system developed in conjunction with Elsag. This adds two triple-round SAM launchers equipped with the 6 km Matra Mistral and a TV/IR-based fire-control system to the widely-used Breda 20-round 105 mm SNIA rocket launcher, which delivers flares and chaff at up to 10 km.

* Euromissile. The group presented the well-known Hot/Milan/Roland missile family, and the Polyphem 20, a long-range (20 km) system for anti-tank, anti-helicopter and reconnaisance duties. The missile is equipped with a TV/IR camera, with a fibre-optic link to the firing post. A submarine-launched encapsulated version is under consideration.

* Eurosam. Three days before the Paris Air Show Press Day, Aerospatiale, Selenia and Thomson-CSF announced the formal creation of the Eurosam group. This move follows an agreement signed in October 1988 by the three companies on the development of a new family of anti-aircraft missiles which includes the naval SAAM missile-killer (surface-air anti-missile naval), the medium range ground-based SAMP/T (sol-air moyenne portee terrestre) and the medium range naval SAMP/N (sol-air moyenne portee naval), for the defences of both countries. They will use a common vertically launched-missile - the two-stage Aster -, but the French will use the Thomson Arabel electronically scanned radar while the Italians will use Selenia's Empar counterpart. The systems are currently being examined in the discussions on the FAMS programme (Family of Anti-Missile Systems) in which France, the United Kingdom, Italy and Spain are taking part with West Germany and Holland as observers.

* IAI. At the upper end of the air defence spectrum, IAI unveiled the Arrow antitactical ballistic missile weapon, for which the US is providing 80 per cent of R & D funds.

* Raufoss. Having discussed some major. Oerlikon ammunition developments in the Farnborough report, one must now draw attention to the Raufoss 12.7-40 mm multipurpose (MP) ammunition range. Although clearly less ambitious than the Swiss subcalibre family in ballistic performance terms, these Norwegian MP rounds are noteworthy for their high reliability and long shelf-life, resulting primarily from a pyrotechnic fuze train. Such rounds also produce an effective combination of fragmentation and incendiary effects since they detonate within the target structure.

* Thomson-CSF. One of the most important new air defence exhibits was a mock-up of the Crotale NG, using the LTV-developed VT-1 hypervelocity missile. The VT-1 flies at more than Mach 3.5, reaches 8 km in 10 seconds, and has a manoeuvrability of 35G and a maximum range of 10 km. Its 14 kg focussed-fragmentation warhead has both proximity and contact fuzes. The Crotale NG carries eight VT-1s, and is available on wheeled and tracked vehicles and in a shelter version. It has already been chosen by Finland and the Netherlands. For obvious reasons of space, it has not been possible to provide a detailed account of all the presentations and press conferences that took place at the Salon. However, a description of some air defence equipment shown by Oerlikon for example, can be found in the Mostra Navale report in this issue. Important exhibitors in the simulation field included Sogitec and Thomson-CSF, the latter showing for the first time its wide-field, high-brightness Visa 34 computergenerated image system. Simulation will be discussed in detail in issue 6/89.

PHOTO : Unquestionably the star of the flight display, the Russian Su-27 did a heart-stopping "cobra" figure almost every day.

PHOTO : The Promavia Jet Squalus displayed at the show this year (one of three existing prototypes) had Collins EFIS avionics.

PHOTO : The only technology demonstrator to fly, the Dassault Rafale A shown here displays a full complement of Mica missiles.

PHOTO : ARMADA International aerial view of the Soviet display taken from an Aerospatiale AS 350.

PHOTO : Aerospatiale Helicopteres' flight display included the Puma Orchidee and its retractable battlefield surveillance radar.

PHOTO : A full-scale mock-up of the NH 90 helicopter (though with stub rotor blades) showed its military payload capacity.

PHOTO : Another Soviet crowd puller was the Mi-28 attack helicopter. The 11400 kg (max TOW) Havoc has two 2 200 shp turbines.

PHOTO : Pratt & Whitney's F100-PW-220 equipped with thrust vectoring system is currently being flown on an F-15 test-bed aircraft.

PHOTO : General Electric's effort in the field of thrust-vectored engines, the F-120, will start flight tests next year.

PHOTO : Comprehensive range of IAI drones. The centre one is the twin-engined push-pull Impact.

PHOTO : The Eurodrone consortium has recently been set up by Matra and MBB for the joint development of a reconnaissance drone.

PHOTO : GIAT's new MS 621 gun mount allows the 20 mm gun to protrude out of the door and to be pointed downwards at 60[degrees].

PHOTO : Although displayed under an AS 350, DCN's smart torpedo, the Murene, will first see service with the Lynx and the ATL.

PHOTO : Production of Israel Aircraft Industries' Griffin laser-guided bomb - sold to five countries - is in full swing.

PHOTO : Thomson Brandt Armements' BM400 is now called CASCAD Mk. 1. The Mk. 2 is a powered and guided version.

PHOTO : The ground as seen by the RBG radar in terrain-following

PHOTO : mode. The RBG for the Rafale is to start test flights in 1991.

PHOTO : Print-out of the Sagem Circe 2 000 flight mission planner shows enemy radar coverage as well as view of terrain.

PHOTO : Famous for its comprehensive range of self-protection systems, Elisra presented its SPS-2000 designed for the F-16.

PHOTO : Philips Elektronikindustrier has designed the BOP cartridge dispenser system as a scab fit for combat aircraft.

PHOTO : Fresh from its recent tests, Contraves' unique Gun Star bolt-on fire-control system can be fitted to non-servo-assisted guns.

PHOTO : The new Thomson-CSF Crotale NG fires the LTV Mach 3.5 VT-1 missile. The warhead is a Thomson Brandt design.

PHOTO : Alliance Defence Corporation's NATO MSOW programme contender. Contracts are expected in October.