BRUNEI'S long-awaited order for ten British Aerospace Hawk 100/200s is threatened with delay because of hold-ups in finalising its new frigate programme.
The tiny oil-rich kingdom was understood to be close to placing an order for six Hawk 100s and four single-seat -200s, after a visit by the Royal Air Force's Red Arrows aerobatic team this year.
The Royal Brunei Armed Force's (RBAF) limited procurement system has since become embroiled in a purchase of three 95m frigates from GEC-Marconi's Yarrow shipyard in the UK. Intense competition among system suppliers is holding up the finalisation of the ships' configuration.
Some key decisions need to be taken before the deal can proceed, including the warships' weapons fit. BAe is offering the vertical launch Seawolf surface-to-air missile system, but is facing competition from Raytheon, offering its larger RIM-7M VL Sea Sparrow.
A surface-to-surface anti-ship missile is also to be selected, with the McDonnell Douglas RGM-84 Harpoon and Aerospatiale MM.40 Exocet in contention.
Until many of these issues are resolved, key defence planning personnel will not be free to manage a second major procurement programme, delaying completion of the Hawk deal, say sources.
Decisions are also pending on other programmes, such as the RBAF Air Wing's purchase of three CN-235 maritime-patrol aircraft (MPA) from Indonesia's IPTN.
A single CN-235 utility has been ordered for training, and ArgoSystem has been selected as the MPA's integrator, but the radar, forward-looking infra-red imager (FLIR), electronic-support measures and identification-friend-or-foe systems have yet to be selected.
Candidates for the radar contract are the GEC-Marconi Seaspray, Thomson-CSF Ocean Master and Texas Instrument APS-134 (LW). GEC-Marconi is also offering its multi-role turret FLIR against Smiths Industries' FLIR-2000.
Source: Flight International