All four competing contenders to meet the Republic of Singapore Air Force’s basic trainer requirement are present at Asian Aerospace, distracting attention from the air arm’s pressing requirement for an advanced training aircraft to replace the 18 ageing A-4SU and TA-4SU Skyhawks of 150 Sqn, stationed at Cazaux, France since June 1998.
With the withdrawal of the Skyhawk from frontline service with 142 Sqn at Tengah in March 2005, the aircraft at Cazaux are becoming increasingly difficult to support, while the A-4 is increasingly unsuitable as a lead-in fighter trainer for aircraft like the Lockheed Martin F-16C/D and Boeing F-15SG, with no ability to simulate modern radar and datalinks. Current plans are for the aircraft to be replaced by 2010.
The most likely contenders to meet Singapore’s advanced trainer requirement are the BAE Hawk, the Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) T-50 Golden Eagle, and the Aermacchi M346. Of these aircraft, only the Hawk is present at Asian Aerospace this year. Flight Daily News understands that a formal request for information will be issued later this year, with invitations to tender being issued to BAE Systems, KAI and Aermacchi in 2007. It has not yet been decided whether the RSAF will look for a private financing initiative/public-private partnership service solution, or a more conventional aircraft procurement.
Model performance
Of the three main contenders for Singapore’s forthcoming advanced trainer requirement, only the BAE Hawk is present at Asian Aerospace. A model of the Aermacchi M346 is displayed on the Finmeccanica stand in Hall 1 (A1029), but the Italian company is determinedly concentrating on its M311, one of the four aircraft competing to meet the current basic trainer requirement.
Aermacchi may take some comfort from the signature of a memorandum of understanding between Aermacchi and Hellenic Aerospace Industry (HAI) last month. Under the deal HAI will be prime contractor on the programme, and Greek industry will take a 10% workshare, although there is no guarantee that the M346 will be selected.
Although based on the Yakovlev Yak-130 airframe, the M346 is very much a new aircraft, with advanced avionics and systems. After losing out to the BAE Hawk Mk128 in the UK’s Advanced Jet Trainer requirement, Aermacchi are increasingly pinning their hopes on winning the competition to supply the aircraft for the Advanced European Jet Pilot Training programme, and on requirements in Asia.
KAI eyes Singapore for T-50 exports
Will Singapore be the market that gives South Korea its first overseas sale for military jets?
The Asian nation has to overcome potential customers’ psychological hurdle of purchasing an aircraft from a country not previously known for exports of such advanced defence materiel.
The South Korean air force accepted the first two Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) T-50 Golden Eagles last month, the first of what is scheduled to be a fleet of 50 T-50 trainers and 44 A-50 light attack aircraft, with options for up to a further 200 fighter variants.
KAI believes the aircraft’s flexibility as both an advanced trainer and a light attack aircraft will help win over potential export clients, but will be looking to tap the marketing experience of partner Lockheed Martin to assist it.
KAI believes that an air force that uses the Lockheed Martin F-16 – such as Singapore – can benefit from using the T-50 as a lead-in trainer. The T-50’s cockpit design concept is based on the F-16, so the pilot-vehicle interface is similar. KAI T-50 test pilot Hui Man Kwon believes that transitioning from the T-50 to an F-16 could be accomplished in “10 or fewer sorties” compared with at least 30 to 40 sorties on other training aircraft.
KAI completed its flight-test programme –1,400 sorties – last month and is now engaged in a cost-reduction exercise with its suppliers to hone the T-50’s price competitiveness in preparation for its export efforts.
Singapore début for ‘Super Hawk’
The new BAE Systems Hawk New Demonstrator Aircraft (broadly representative of the Hawk Mk128 for the UK Royal Air Force and of India’s new Hawk Mk132) is making its Far Eastern debut at Asian Aerospace 2006. The aircraft is in Singapore at the start of a six-week tour to introduce the new version to new, existing and potential Hawk customers in the Far East, Middle East and Europe. Supported by a team of just five groundcrew, the aircraft is being flown at the show by veteran test pilot Gordon McClymont.
A number of Singaporean pilots are flying the aircraft while it is at Changi, as well as pilots from the Royal Brunei Air Force.
The Hawk will then fly to Malaysia, an existing Hawk customer, with a requirement for further trainers. The aircraft will carry on to Thailand, where BAE is consulting with the Royal Thai Air Force, which requires a fleet of around 18 advanced trainers.
The Hawk will return via the United Arab Emirates and Greece where there are ongoing requirements for advanced jet trainers, and where local air force pilots will fly the new variant.
India’s Hawk programme is now progressing rapidly, with Indian student pilots training with the RAF at Valley, with Indian avionics being test flown in a company-owned Hawk demonstrator, and with the first aircraft nearing completion at BAE’s Brough plant. India has ordered 66 Hawks of which 24 are being supplied by BAE as complete aircraft, with six more in kit form. The remainder will be built by Hindustan Aeronautics of Bangalore, from raw materials supplied by BAE.
Source: Flight Daily News
