AUSTRALIA'S airborne-early-warning (AEW) competition is intensifying, with Boeing proposing development of a new 737-based AEW aircraft and Northrop Grumman teaming with Lockheed Martin to offer the AEW&C variant of the C-130J.

Boeing is considering developing an AEW derivative of the new 737-700 twinjet, as a low-cost solution to the Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF) requirement. The aircraft would be capable of meeting an in-service deadline of 2002, says Boeing business development vice-president, Robert Roe .

The aircraft would be equipped with a 6m-long dorsal-mounted version of Northrop Grumman's Electronically Steerable Array (ESA). The anvil-shaped antenna would be mounted on a 1.8m-high centre-line pedestal, positioned above the aft fuselage.

Northrop Grumman's new ESA radar system is being designed to provide all-round coverage, with a forward and rear-looking capability. The RAAF has effectively ruled out existing side-looking electronically scanned radars by stipulating a full 360¡ requirement.

The 737 AEW development being proposed for Australia would be equipped with six operator consoles, but has the capability of taking more if required, says Roe. Its software would draw on a $40 million upgrade being developed for the Boeing E-3 AWACS.

According to Boeing, the 737 is intended to fill the gap between the more-expensive 767 AWACS being developed for Japan and smaller turboprop-mounted AEW systems. It hopes to be able to offer the aircraft for $115 million a copy, with non-recurring development costs being absorbed by Boeing

The 737-700 would have an endurance of up to 8h. The RAAF has identified a requirement for between four and seven aircraft, depending on the capability and price of the system selected. Its AEW fleet is planned to supplement Australia's home-grown Jindalee over-the-horizon radar network.

Boeing is teaming with Rockwell Australia to compete for the RAAF deal and also has a "handshake agreement" with British Aerospace Australia, says Roe. The RAAF is expected to announce a shortlist by November 1997 and award a contract in mid-1999.

Lockheed Martin, in the meantime, has announced that it is to team with Northrop Grumman to offer its planned C-130J AEW&C to Australia. The tie-up is not exclusive, and does not prevent Northrop Grumman from providing systems for other aircraft, such as the ESA for the 737, says group vice-president John Harrison.

The deal calls for Northrop Grumman to act as mission-system integrator for the Lockheed Martin APS-145 radar-equipped C-130J. The two companies have already begun to market the aircraft jointly in Australia, but they have still to finalise the structure of their joint venture.

Source: Flight International