The US Congress is being asked to approve the release of the Northrop Grumman/Lockheed Martin Longbow millimetre wave radar to Singapore in support of the Boeing AH-64D Apache bid for the Singapore air force's new attack helicopter, to be decided soon.
Singapore is pressing the USA to release the fire control radar as part of any deal to purchase the AH-64D. The system has not yet been cleared for sale to any South-East Asian country, and it is understood the request to release the Longbow to Singapore is meeting some resistance in Washington.
Sources in the USA describe the delay as more "bureaucratic" than political, and that, given Singapore's strategic importance, it is likely to be approved. There is, however, insufficient time for the statutory notification period before Congress recesses this year and clearance of a second letter of offer will slip until early 1999. Singapore has indicated that it wants to make a final selection by March 1999.
Congress has already approved an initial letter of offer in response to Singapore's request for pricing on eight AH-64Ds and 12 options. The USA had originally proposed a "roadmap", leading to an eventual release of the Longbow and, in the meantime, providing Singapore with system training and early supply of the radar in the event of conflict. The Singapore air force already maintains a detachment of Boeing CH-47D Chinook helicopters at Grand Prairie, Texas, and the USA is proposing extending this arrangement to encompass training on the AH-64D.
The Apache has emerged as the leading candidate after a logistics planning conference in August.
Also competing is the multirole HCP version of the Eurocopter Tiger. Eurocopter is at a possible disadvantage in that the French army is not due to take its first Tiger HAP machine until early 2003, six months behind the first proposed delivery date to the Singapore air force.
Source: Flight International
