Military Aircraft Directory: Boeing/British Aerospace

BOEING/BRITISH AEROSPACE

Abbreviations: PWR-Power, Max TD-Thrust dry, Max TR-Thrust re-heat, WS-Wingspan, FL-Fuselage length, Max RF-Max range (km), H-Hardpoints, Max OC-Max Operating Ceiling, Max Pay.-Max Payload, C-Crew, P-Pax, Max WLE-Max Load External (warload) (kg), E-Endurance, CR Max PNR-Combat Radius Max Payload No-Refuel.

British Aerospace (Military Aircraft and Aerostructures), Military Aircraft & Aerostructures, Lancaster House, Farnborough Aerospace Centre, Farnborough, GU14 6YU Hants, UK;

T-45 GOSHAWK

Delivery of the T-45C carrier-capable jet trainer, with upgraded digital cockpit, began in December 1997, with the 85th of a planned 187 aircraft for the US Navy. Earlier T-45As will be retrofitted with the Cockpit-21 upgrade. Boeing is proposing a multi-year procurement to boost production to 230 aircraft.

Derived from the British Aerospace Hawk, the T-45 was first flown in April 1988. The AlliedSignal F124 turbofan was flight-tested in September 1997 as a potential alternative to the present Rolls-Royce Turboméca Adour.

AV-8B HARRIER II

Boeing is remanufacturing 73 USMC AV-8B STOVL attack aircraft to radar-equipped Harrier II Plus standard, having delivered 27 new-build aircraft. The Italian navy's order for 16 Harrier II Plus aircraft has been completed, as has the Spanish navy's order for eight. The first three Italian aircraft were assembled in the USA, while the remainder were built by Alenia. The Spanish aircraft were assembled by CASA, to replace eight AV-8A Matadors which were sold to Thailand and delivered to that country in late 1997.

BAe manufactures some 40% of the AV-8B airframe. The company delivered 94 Harrier IIs to the RAF, starting in July 1987 with an initial batch of GR5s, followed by 21 interim-standard GR5As for later conversion to night-attack GR7s. Two GR5 development aircraft were also built and, in 1989, were reconfigured as GR7 development vehicles. The GR7, which is generally similar to the USMC's night-attack AV-8B, entered service with the RAF during 1993.The RAF has also taken delivery of 13 Harrier T10 two-seat trainers, based on the TAV-8B airframe.

Customers (Harrier II/Harrier II plus): Italy 2/16, Spain 12/8, UK 96, USA 227/35.

Source: Flight International