THE MUCH-DELAYED GEC-Marconi Phoenix reconnaissance and targeting unmanned air vehicle has been given a one-year stay of execution by the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD).
The MoD was forced to review the GEC-led £227 million programme because it was six years late, with several technical problems still to be resolved.
The scope of the review (Flight International, 25 January-3 February) included the option of canceling the Phoenix programme immediately and procuring an alternative system.
Roger Freeman, the minister for defence procurement, revealed in a Parliamentary written answer on 5 April that GEC is being given a year to overcome the outstanding problems with the system.
"We have decided that an additional programme of work on Phoenix should be undertaken to resolve the remaining technical difficulties. This programme of work, which will last about one year, will be undertaken at the contractor's expense," said Freeman.
He made it clear, however, that the MoD maintains the sanction of canceling the programme should GEC fail "...to demonstrate satisfactory progress".
The latest in a litany of problems, which have bedeviled the development of the Phoenix is, that of recovery damage. The novel method of recovery for the UAV relies on it being parachute-landed upside down on its frangible hump.
Trials, however, revealed that considerably more than the frangible hump was being damaged, with an unacceptably high cost penalty being involved. GEC is now proposing to incorporate a car-style air bag to absorb the impact of landings.
While continuing with the Phoenix, the UK MoD will continue in parallel to examine potential alternative systems, including the Israeli-developed Hunter.
Source: Flight International
