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EADS Mako

Type (Muster)
Supersonic jet-trainer and lightweight fighter (überschallschneller Strahltrainer und leichter Jäger/Jagdbomber)

Country (Land)
Germany (Deutschland)

Manufacturer (Hersteller)
EADS Military Aircraft
Postfach 801160
81663 München
Germany

Phone: 0049-89/607-23912
Fax: 0049-89/607-22452

General (Allgemeine Angaben)
Crew (Besatzung): 2 in tandem or 1

Weapons (Bewaffnung): As a light combat aircraft, Mako could have an internally-mounted 27 mm gun. It features seven external stations (wingtips, fuselage, two under each wing) for a wide variety of weapons, like:
   4 x AIM-9, IRIS-T or ASRAAM
   4 x AMRAAM, FMRAAM or Mica
   12 x Mk.82 bombs
   8 x Mk.83 bombs
   4 x GBU 16
   3 x GBU 24
   5 x AGM-65 Maverick
   2 x anti-ship missile
   4 x rocket pods
   1 x recce pod
   2 x standoff missiles (Taurus class)
   3 x 1250 litre external tanks
   2 x 1500 litre external tanks

Power plant (Antrieb): 1 x turbofan engine. The General Electric F414M is currently favoured
Thrust (Schub): 1 x 75 kN (17000 lbs) derated in trainer variant or 90 kN (20200 lbs) in light combat aircraft version

Dimensions (Abmessungen)
Length (Länge): 13,75 m
Heigth (Höhe): 4,5 m
Span (Spannweite): 8,25 m (without wingtip missiles)
Wing area (Flügelfläche): 25 qm

Weights (Massen)
Empty weight (Leermasse): 5800 kg for the trainer and 6200 kg for the light combat variant (earlier figures were around 5400 kg or 5900 kg as light combat aircraft)
Weapons load (Waffenzuladung): 4500 kg
Fuel (Krafstoff): 2500 kg in trainer (was 3000 kg earlier), 3300 kg in LCA
Design take-off weight (Startmasse): 8300 kg in trainer configuration (was 7630 kg earlier), and 9400 to a maximum of 13000 kg as LCA (the latter was earlier said to be 9170 kg)

Performance (Flugleistungen)
Max. speed (max. Fluggeschwindigkeit): Mach 1.5 or Mach 1.3 with engine derated to 75 kN
Approach speed (Anfluggeschwindigkeit): 220 km/h (120 kts)
Ceiling (Dienstgipfelhöhe): 15250 m (50000 ft)
Take-off run (Startrollstrecke): less than 450 m
Landing distance (Landestrecke): 750 m
Ferry range (Überführungsreichweite): over 2000 NM (3700 km)
g-Limits: +8/-3
Maintenance man-hours/flight hour (Wartungs-Mannstunden pro Flugstunde): 3,1
Structural design life (Lebensdauer): 16000 hrs (with +8 g maximum)

Costs (Kosten)
Development and flight test with three prototpyes was estimated at 2 billion DM in mid-1999. Price should be 22 to 25 million US-Dollars.
Earlier, in the autumn of 1997, development costs were estimated at 1,35 billion US-Dollars and a target unit price of 16 to 20 million US-Dollars was mentioned.
In May 2004, EADS said that it has invested 80 million Euros so far in the Mako programme.

Customers (Kunden)
None yet.
Recently, EADS is concentrating its marketing efforts on possible European customers. Twelve nations are studying a new “Eurotraining” scheme.
Since late 1999, EADS had a Memorandum of Understanding with the air force of the United Arab Emirates for joint studies on the Mako. This was extended in February 2001.
Earlier EADS (formerly Dasa) had tried to interest South Africa as well as the German Luftwaffe, which at the moment has no requirement. It was also active in South Korea, together with Hyundai.

Competition (Konkurrenten)
Aermacchi M-346
Korea Aerospace T-50 Golden Eagle (Samsung KTX-2)
Jakovlev Yak-130

Remarks (Bemerkungen)
EADS (formerly Dasa) is currently studying an advanced trainer/light fighter, for which type of aircraft it sees a world market of 2500 aircraft over 25 yeras, starting in 2005.
Main features of the Mako concept (until mid-1998 known as AT-2000) are:

extensive use of composite materials
fly-by-wire controls with carefree handling characteristics
modular avionics, also allowing embedded training
cockpits with state-of-the art colour multifunction displays. Three 6 x 8 inch reconfigureable MFDs are planned. There is a wide-angle head-up display and HOTAS with sidestick

Also, the aircraft would possess a degree of stealth, due to its shaping. Life-cylce costs would be minimised.
A whole family of Makos could be developed, spanning the spectrum from a trainer without radar to one- or two-seat recce versions to a single-seat lightweight fighter.
EADS and the UAE Air Force and Air Defence are actively seeking partners and suppliers for the Mako, which for the time being are not getting exclusive deals. Among the companies signed up by November 2001 are:

APPH Precision Hydraulics: Landing gear and hydraulic system
Autoflug: fuel system
BAE Systems Controls: flight control computers, utility control system, flight control actuation
BGT/Diehl: flight control computers, mission computers, self-defence systems, training aids
Computing Devices: mission computer, displays and controls, stores control system
Eurojet/MTU: EJ200 engine
FHL: flight control system actuation
Flight Visions: display and controls
General Electric: GE414 engine. Volvo Aero is collaborating here since mid 2003. It will get a 30 per cent share including development activities, hardware production, final assembly and testing.
Honeywell: environmental control system, lighting, life-support system, navigation, hydraulics, secondary power system
Rockwell Collins: displays and controls, navigation, communications
Snecma group: M88-2 engine, but this was eliminated in 2002; landing gear; gearbox; APU; brakes; wheels, filters

History (Geschichte)
The original concept for the Mako (previously known as AT-2000) stretches back to 1989 and a joint Dornier/Aermacchi study into future trainer requirements. These contacts later dissolved and Dasa was working on advanced trainer concepts alone. News of the programme first broke at the Seoul Airshow in October 1996. At that time, it was even said that work on a prototype could begin in 1997 for a first flight in 2000.
At the beginning of 1998, Dasa (now EADS) did a fair amount of analytical and wind-tunnel work concerning the new supersonic trainer. Radar cross-section tests were also conducted, with very good results (1 sq m at 45 km).
Dasa did cooperate with Hyundai of South Korea and Denel Aviation of South Africa, two countries in which it saw a requirement for a total of 150 new trainers and perhaps 100 more lead-in fighters. First deliveries were then envisaged for 2005.
Denel built a full-scale mock-up, first shown at the Airshow Africa in April/Mai 1998 to push the AT-2000 for South Africas advanced light fighter competition. This was eventually won in November 1998 by the Saab JAS 39 Gripen.
In South Korea, Dasa had signed a memorandum of understanding with Hyundai in October 1998, but there was always the problem that Samsungs KTX-2, in which Lockheed Martin cooperates, did have firm government backing. Also, the merger of nearly all aerospace companies of the country did go ahead.
Further complications did arise late in 1998 with the planned but cancelled BAe/Dasa merger, with British Aerospace less than eager to have competition for the Gripen and Hawk.
This led Dasa to go to a so called “consolidation phase”, but with studies continuing and new efforts to interest potential customers and win partners both among prime contractors and systems comapanies to supply avionics, engines etc. The full-scale mock-up was shown at Paris in June 1999.
Late in 1999, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed with the air force of the United Arab Emirates concerning a possible co-operation on the programme. This was renewed in February 2001 at the IDEX show. At that time, there were also some MoUs with potential suppliers, like Computing Devices, GE Aircraft Engines, Honeywell and MTU.
At the Paris Air Show in June 2001, EADS did show a fully functioning Mako Cockpit Demonstrator to acquaint interested parties in its modern avionic philosophies. The rear cockpit was a Virtual Reality design with helmet mounted display and data glove to try out alternative layouts. Also at Paris, five more MoUs with potential suppliers were signed (APPH Precision Hydraulics, BAE Systems, BGT/Diehl, FHL, Snecma).
The launch of the prototype development was then envisaged for the Dubai Air Show in November 2001, but this did not occur. Instead, new MoUs were signed with Autoflug, Flight Visions and Rockwell Collins, as well as with the UAE University at Al Ain, the Gulf Aicraft Maintenance Company (GAMCO) and the Higher College of Technology (CERT). It was said that the aim is to fly a first Mako prototype in 2005/2006. Production aircraft could then be available in 2008/2009, over a year later than previously thought.
By July 2002, EADS was talking of a prototype flight in 2009 and first deliveries in 2010. It also said that the M88 had been eliminated from the engine list, as the high-power -3 version will not become available. Marketing activities concentrated on the Eurotrainer plans.
EADS did “pre-select” the General Electric F414M engine for the Mako, signing an “exclusive teaming agreement” on 5 December 2002. Alternatives were not excluded at that time, but the F414M is now the reference for all subsequent design work and selection of further subsystems. The F414 was the most powerful engine considered. At that time it was said that the definition phase was expected to continue through 2004.
In mid-2003, EADS renamed the trainer variant as the Mako HEAT (High Energy Advanced Trainer), emphasizing high thrust and manoeuvrability in the transonic regime.
By May 2004, EADS had conducted more than 1200 wind tunnel test hours in 19 campaigns, fully validating the aerodynamic configuration.
At the ILA in Berlin (May 2004), EADS stated that it is open to enter into the full-scale development phase with partner companies.

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Last updated 8 July 2004

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