BOMBARDIER AEROSPACE is offering to Lebanon a hybrid version of the Canadair CL-415 amphibian, to meet its requirements for forest fire-fighting, search and rescue and surveillance.
The aircraft would combine the fire-fighting capabilities of the existing CL-415 turboprop with the basic configuration of the proposed CL-415M maritime-patrol variant, according to Bombardier Amphibious Aircraft division president Jim Cherry.
Design specifications allow for an additional 900kg of equipment, to be fitted to the aircraft without any reduction in its 6,140litre water tankage. The company has suggested fitting the CL-415 with removable mission-consoles to minimise any weight increase.
Basic maritime-patrol equipment would include a nose-mounted surveillance radar, an under-wing forward-looking infra-red (FLIR) sensor and a searchlight. An optional auxiliary power unit is also offered.
A choice of four radar is proposed for the CL-415M: the Litton APS-504(V)5 Texas Instruments APS-134 (LW), Telephonics APS-1349)3 and Thomson-CSF Ocean Master 100. FLIR systems include the ISTEC 16TI/Westcam THV1000 and Flir Systems AAQ-22 Safire.
Additional avionics systems under consideration include a Honeywell H-423 inertial-navigation system, Collins global-positioning-system receiver, FMS-800 flight-management system, DF-301 V/UHF direction finder and BFGoodrich WX-1000 Stormscope.
A CL-415 in now on a worldwide, 180-day, sales tour and has already been demonstrated in Lebanon and at Dubai.
Australia is another potential military customer on the tour itinerary, with a two-day demonstration of the aircraft's utility-transport capabilities for Australian Defence Force (ADF) officials.
In the concept to be promoted to the Australians, a small fleet of CL-415s proposed for Australian fire-fighting would also be available for shared utilisation under Australia's "commercial support programme," in which civil contractors are used extensively for non-combat logistical support.
Australia's special-operations forces have already said that tactical scenarios in northern Australia must be reviewed, with emphasis not on defending scattered assets in remote areas, but on using small expeditionary groups to win them back from insurgents.
Canadair will demonstrate insertion of a small, water-borne, special operations unit, and is also promoting the type's rough- and short-field capabilities.
The ADF is reviewing its battlefield mobility and strategic transport, including the replacement of several fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, and the upgrade of its Lockheed C-130 fleet.
Source: Flight International
