Alan Dron
A new contender for the US Army's $2-billion Aerial Common Sensor Programme (ACSP) appeared yesterday when Dutch company Forward Aviation threw its hat into the ring.
Forward's managing director Wichard de Waard says he is close to signing a link-up with a US company that would act as systems integrator on the programme.
The aircraft would be manufactured and assembled in the Netherlands, then handed over to the systems integrator for installation of systems.
De Waard's company is proposing the Friendship 60, based on the former Fokker 60 utility aircraft, four of which are in service with the Royal Netherlands Air Force. One is at the show.
The US Army is understood to want 45 aircraft for the ACSP programme, which is intended to provide a new fleet of aerial surveillance and reconnaissance platforms for the service.
It will be used for the target acquisition of enemy forces, using a 'constellation' of aircraft to triangulate hostile troops.
That is where our Friendship 60 turboprop, with its Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127B engines, must score.
Outperform
None of the small jets can outperform the economics of a modern turboprop.
"Our aircraft is based on the Fokker 60 and we are in a unique position to produce aircraft economically and at a price substantially below that of any rival because the development costs have long been absorbed," he says.
Source: Flight Daily News