Andrzej Jeziorski/MUNICH
ROMANIA HAS issued a technical specification for the AH-1F Cobras it requires, as Bell Helicopter Textron pushes for clearance to extend the country's industrial participation in the programme.
Bell says that it is campaigning for approval from the US State Department to allow more of the manufacture to be carried out by Romanian industry.
The current licence, cleared by the US Government in June, allows for production of the fuselage only, at IAR in Brasov. Romania wants the entire airframe to be manufactured by IAR, with power plants to be produced by Bucharest-based Turbomeccanica.
Bell's role would be to assist with technology transfer, production tooling and training.
Sources close to the programme say that the choice of power plant remains open (General Electric is one of the manufacturers under consideration), as does the question of whether to go for a single- or twin-engine configuration - although the single-engine configuration of the US AH-1F HueyCobra seems more likely.
The selection of avionics suites and weapons also remains to be decided, although it is known that Litton is among the companies interested in supplying avionics for the programme.
Romania wants to buy 96 AH-1F attack helicopters for its armed forces, with the first to be delivered in 1999. Completion of the production run is expected in 2005. The programme's potential worth has been estimated to be $1 billion.
The acquisition of the Cobra by Romania's forces is seen as a first step towards equipment commonality with NATO countries, with a view to possible future integration of Romania into the organisation. A group of Romanian pilots is expected to travel to the USA soon to fly the helicopter.
Bell president Webb Joiner says that the company is prepared to "...enter into a mutually beneficial counter-trade programme", with Romania, with the US company helping to market and sell Romanian products internationally.
IAR has been producing the Turbomeccanica-powered IAR-330L Puma under licence from Aerospatiale at a rate of about ten a year since 1977 alongside Romanian-designed light aircraft.
A successful co-operative programme with Bell would be a major boost for Romania's severely underused industrial capacity.
Source: Flight International
