Stewart Penney / Owego, USA
The US Air Force is set to complete a requirements document for the re-engining of the FairchildOA/A-10A attack aircraft early next year. Meanwhile, Lockheed Martin Systems Integration-Owego (LMSI-Owego) and the USAF are due to reach the first major milestone in the OA/A-10A Precision Engagement upgrade programme in the middle of August.
Bill Paradies, Lockheed Martin OA/A-10 Prime Team programme manager, says the engine is the single biggest item on the attack aircraft causing operator concern and not covered as part of ongoing upgrade programmes.
Paradies says there is no funding nor definitive requirement for A-10 re-engining, but there is a strong safety and operational argument for such a step. New engines would improve single engine climb rates in hot and high conditions and would reduce the time the aircraft is exposed to shoulder launched surface to air missile threats as it climbs away following a typical dive attack. "We can make a big improvement," he says.
A justification based on repair and maintainability is difficult, he says, as of the 713 A-10s delivered only 366 remain in-service, with a large available spares pool.
"Air Combat Command is well down the road to writing an operational requirements document," says Paradies. This document, which "gives requirements to look at", will be finished early next year.
The new engine could be an upgrade of the aircraft's General Electric TF34, a derivative of the TF34, using components from the CF34 regional jet engine, or a Pratt & Whitney or Rolls-Royce powerplant.
Separately there is work under way to add the A-10 on the unfunded priority list to ensure that money can be made available to the aircraft. In addition, "we have talked to the engine suppliers and are working with the USAF on creative funding schemes", says Paradies. The most recent meeting was held in late July.
Precision Engagement is part of LMSI-Owego's nine-year USAF contract to support the A-10. The upgrade will introduce precision munitions and a medium altitude target identification capability. These are intended to match the aircraft with today's operations, which are typically conducted at medium altitude and keep the aircraft in service until 2028, says Paradies.
The 14 August Systems Requirements Review will fine tune the detailed requirements. Low rate initial production for the upgrade is due to start in 2004 with full-scale production set to begin the following year.
Source: Flight International
