FLUG REVUE September 2004: Top fighters of the world

SUPERFIGHTERS OF THE WORLD

By Karl Schwarz

First, the good news for the manufacturers: deliveries of fighter aircraft are finally following an upward trend after reaching a low point in 2001. Forecast International, for example, is predicting sales of 4,300 new fighters, fighter bombers and jet trainers, worth $161 billion, between now and 2013. They expect sales to rise especially sharply at the end of the decade. One of their predictions is somewhat surprising: according to the American analysts, if all currently agreed orders go ahead, the Eurofighter consortium will win achieve the highest income, followed by Boeing, Lockheed Martin and the F/A-22 team.

Yet this altogether rosy picture cannot obscure the fact that the market remains complicated, with sales successes dependent on many factors which not infrequently depart from the laws of logic. For some time now it would seem that the performance of an aircraft has ceased to play more than a subordinate role in most procurement decisions.

Political and financial factors are often the foremost considerations, with demands for offsets for the home industry sometimes exceeding the purchase price by as much as 100 percent. The surprising consequences of this are seen, for example, in the case of the F-16 sale to Poland. Here Lockheed Martin called on General Motors to help it out, and, by relocating production of the Opel Zafira to Gliwice, General Motors will in turn be delivering some of the promised offsets.

As the sole remaining world power, the USA can clearly exercise the greatest political influence, which makes access to markets such as South Korea, Japan and some Arab countries virtually impossible for other suppliers.

Again, thanks to huge investment in stealth research, American companies have the technological lead, but this only raises the question of to what extent this highly sensitive technology will really be released for export. At any rate, any sale of the F/A-22 Raptor appears to be out of the question, not least also on account of its exorbitant price tag. Of course, the situation is quite different as regards the F-35, as ten countries have been persuaded to come on board. On the other hand, a certain disenchantment over the failure of the hoped-for orders for supplier companies to materialise was recently in evidence amongst the partners (see FLUG REVUE 8/2004).

But if the Joint Strike Fighter is available sometime early in the next decade and delivers the promised performance, it will have every prospect of dominating the market. It is therefore all the more urgent for the manufacturers of the Eurofighter, Gripen and Rafale to use the intermission to secure as many export sales as possible. An order from Singapore is currently the subject of fierce competition between the F-15T, Eurofighter and Rafale. The numbers involved (initially, only 20 aircraft) is not the prime incentive here, but more important is the need for a reference, as the armed forces of this city state are reputed to be particularly thorough and objective when assessing candidate systems.

While the European and American companies fight over well off customers, the Russian manufacturers continue to concentrate on the traditional customers of the Soviet era. In recent years, Sukhoi has done a lot of business with China and India, which is now purchasing MiG-29K's for its new aircraft carrier as well.

Meanwhile, Sukhoi has begun developing a new fighter aircraft for the Russian Air Force. Otherwise, no new projects for a manned fighter aircraft are in sight, much to the chagrin, especially, of the Europeans. Without significant investment in research programmes, Europe runs the risk of losing its experience base. In the USA, this problem is compensated for by programmes for the development of unmanned combat air vehicles (UCAV), which in the long-term are likely to cover a significant proportion of the mission spectrum. KARL SCHWARZ

ADA Tejas (LCA)

At the beginning of the 1980s, the Indian Air Force was looking for a successor to its big fleet of MiG-21's and decided to place a contract for a new Indian aircraft with the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA). The Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) programme has been plagued from the start by substantial slippages, and was not exactly helped by various American embargoes. The first prototype finally flew on 4 January 2001. There seems little hope of an in-service date before the end of the decade.

The differentiating feature of the Tejas is its large double-delta wings. Initially it will be powered by a General Electric F404 while the Indian Kaveri engine is still under development.

Customers: Indian Air Force (8 firm orders, requirement for around 220)

Boeing F-15K Eagle

Although the design of the Eagle dates back to the 1960s, the F-15 is still one of the best American fighter aircraft. Of late, production has concentrated on the F-15E fighter bomber version for the US Air Force and similar models for Israel and Saudi Arabia. After a break, production resumed in May, this time for South Korea, which announced the purchase of 40 aircraft on 19 April 2002. This will ensure that the production line is kept open until 2008. In addition, the F-15 is one of the aircraft that have been shortlisted in the Singapore competition.

Like the F-15E, the F-15K for South Korea is a two-seater with multi-role capability. It is to be powered by the General Electric F110-GE-129, the first installation of this engine in a production model. The updated electronics include an AN/APG-63(V)1 radar and large colour displays in the cockpit. The armaments spectrum is being extended to include the SLAM-ER and AIM-9X Sidewinder.

Customers: US Air Force (236 x F-15E), Israel (25 x F-15I), Saudi Arabia (72 x F-15S), South Korea (40 x F-15K).

Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet

This derivative of the F-18C/D developed by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) is around 25% larger and is powered by General Electric F414 engines, which deliver about one-third more thrust. The maiden flight took place on 29 November 1995. Flight testing with six prototypes was by no means plain sailing, but in February 2000 the Super Hornet finally got the green light to ramp up production after extensive field tests. The first unit to take delivery of the new Super Hornets, which have proven their worth in service since 2002, was VA-122 in Lemoore, California.

The forthcoming entry into service of the new APG-79 radar from Raytheon, which has an antenna with active electronic beam steering, will impact the F/A-18E/F directly. The aircraft is also to be fitted with the Advanced Targeting Forward-Looking Infrared (ATFLIR) pod, which has a significantly improved thermal imaging system. The order for a further 210 Super Hornets in December 2003 coincided with the letting of a contract for the development of the EA-18G. This is intended as a replacement for the EA-6B Prowler in the suppression of enemy air defences (SEAD) role. The US Navy is still hoping to be able to order about 550 Super Hornets.

Customers: US Navy (494 ordered, including 56 EA-18G).

Chengdu FC-1 (JF-17)

This light combat aircraft was developed by Chengdu in collaboration with Pakistan, with additional help, at least in the initial stages, from Mikoyan. The first prototype took off on 25 August 2003 and the second aircraft has been flying since April 2004. After flight testing in China, production is to be carried out at the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex in Kamra, as Pakistan has a requirement for around 150 aircraft, whereas China has yet to place an order.

Customers: Pakistan (requirement for approx. 150).

Chengdu J-10

This Chinese development is a fighter aircraft with a modern design, delta wings and large canards, plus air intake below the fuselage à la Eurofighter. However, this plane has only one engine, and is powered by a Saturn AL-31FN, as currently installed on the Su-27.

Its similarity to the IAI Lavi suggests that the programme had support from Israel, although this is denied. The maiden flight of the J-10, which continues to be shrouded in secrecy, apparently took place in mid-1996. It is understood that, following the construction of additional prototypes, pre-production started up in 2002. The initial procurement is apparently for 50 J-10's, but this could be extended to up to 300, depending on what priority is given to the license production of Su-27's.

Customers: Chinese Air Force (apparently 50 ordered).

Dassault Mirage 2000-5Mk2/-9

Even though 25 years have passed since its maiden flight on 10 March 1978, the Mirage 2000 remains an important mainstay for Dassault's military arm. For example, at present deliveries are under way of the 2000-9 version bound for the United Arab Emirates, which placed an order for 32 aircraft in November 1998. Like the 2000-5 Mk 2 purchased by Greece, the 2000-9 model has extensive air-to-air and air-to-ground capabilities, with stand-off weapons such as Black Shaheen (Storm Shadow) and Mica air-to-air guided missiles. The radar is a RDY from Thales.

Dassault is currently offering the Mirage 2000BR jointly with Embraer in Brazil. Systems from the Rafale (Front Sector Optronics, OSF) system and Spectra EW equipment) could be installed on this version. Further sales in India also appear possible.

Customers: United Arab Emirates/Abu Dhabi (68), Egypt (20), France (315), Greece (40), Qatar (12), India (59), Peru (12), Taiwan (60).

Dassault Rafale

After France withdrew from a hoped-for European collaborative programme in the mid-1980s, Dassault developed the Rafale as a new multi-role fighter aircraft for the Armée de l´Air and the Marine Nationale. Its engine (Snecma M88-2) and electronics (including the RBE-2 radar with electronic beam steering) also came from indigenous defence companies of the “Grande Nation”.

However, the government in Paris had problems over the financing, so that production has up to now been on the back burner. Nor has there been any breakthrough in terms of export sales.

After the demonstrator Rafale A, the first prototype, Rafale C, flew for the first time on 19 May 1991. Deliveries to the Aéronavale began in 2000, and since then the Rafale M's of Flottille F12 in Landivisiau have already chalked up numerous operational sorties on the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier. The Armée de l´Air will take delivery of its first aircraft this year. All the aircraft are to undergo an upgrade in the future to extend their capabilities. The current requirement is for 60 aircraft for the Navy and 234 for the Air Force.

Customers: Armée de l´Air (36), Aéronavale (25).

Eurofighter Typhoon

The Eurofighter is the biggest European collaborative military programme. The four partner nations of Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy and Spain alone will purchase 620 aircraft by the middle of the next decade. On top of this is the first export customer, Austria, which has ordered 18 aircraft. Another potential customer is Greece, although it has not yet signed any contract.

Over the years the Eurofighter has faced numerous crises, not least of which was the “reorientation” ordered after the end of the Cold War by the then German Defence Minister Volker Rühe. Flight testing on prototype DA1 commenced on 27 March 1994 in Manching. The first production aircraft, still fitted with the test instrumentation, followed in April 2002. Type acceptance at the end of June 2003 heralded in the much delayed entry into service in the partner nations, where training programmes and field trials are currently under way. 22 Eurofighters are in service at present.

Customers: Germany (44 ordered, requirement 180), the United Kingdom (55 ordered, requirement 232), Italy (29 ordered, requirement 121), Spain (20 ordered, requirement 87), Austria (18).

Lockheed Martin F-16C/D/E/F

Having achieved 4,400 sales to date, the Lockheed Martin Fighting Falcon is by far the most successful fighter aircraft of recent decades. Two dozen countries fly this versatile aircraft, which was originally designed for the lightweight fighter competition run by the US Air Force. Although externally it has changed little, over the years the F-16 has gained more modern systems, better cockpit displays and more powerful engines. An extensive weapons arsenal has been certificated.

The latest variants of the Fighting Falcon include the F-16C/D Block 50/52 with APG-68(V)9 radar, higher take-off weight, more extensive EW equipment and the option of carrying auxiliary tanks on the upper side of the fuselage. Deliveries to Greece commenced in April 2003.

Even more powerful is the F-16E/F, which was specially developed for the United Arab Emirates and is fitted with a radar with electronic beam steering from Northrop Grumman (the APG-80). The maiden flight took place in December 2003 and deliveries are expected to commence shortly.

Lockheed Martin has another 250 orders in hand, which will sustain production in Fort Worth through to 2008. However, further orders are likely, and the manufacturer is hoping to keep the production line open to 2012.

Customers: Egypt (220), Bahrain (22), Belgium (160), Chile (10), Denmark (70), Greece (140), Indonesia (12), Israel (312), the Netherlands (213), Norway (74), Oman (12), Pakistan (68), Portugal (20), Singapore (70), South Korea (180), Taiwan (150), Thailand (36), Turkey (240), the United Arab Emirates (80), USA (2256), Venezuela (24)

Lockheed Martin F/A-22 Raptor

The F/A-22 Raptor is an “unbeatable” air superiority fighter with stealth characteristics, supercruise capability, thrust vectoring for extreme agility and state-of-the-art avionics (including radar with electronic beam steering). The programme was launched at the beginning of the 1980s, with Lockheed Martin and Boeing fighting off the competition from the Northrop Grumman YF-23.

The F-22 development programme, for which a contract was signed in August 1991, has so far experienced significant delays and cost overruns. Above all, the electronics have been plagued by problems, so that it was only in the spring of 2004 that field trials could finally commence in Nellis AFB. The first operational unit earmarked to be equipped with the Raptor is the 1st Fighter Squadron in Langley AFB, which will receive its first aircraft at the end of the year. The unit numbers of the F/A-22, which was recently promoted to the status of “fast bomber” with two JDAMs or eight small diameter bombs, are unlikely to exceed 270.

Customers: USA (74 ordered, requirement around 300)

Lockheed Martin F-35 (JSF)

The Joint Strike Fighter is destined to be the biggest military programme of the next few decades for, in addition to the USA and the United Kingdom, a number of other countries have signed up to participate in the development programme (Australia, Denmark, Italy, Canada, the Netherlands, Norway and Turkey). One major consideration here was no doubt the hope of lucrative business for their own indigenous industries, but so far this has not proven the case everywhere due to the fact that subcontracts are being put out to global tender. Coupled with the usual problems over the transfer of technology, there is considerable disquiet among the participating nations.

Again, on the technical side, the development programme, which was launched in November 2001, has had to contend with a number of difficulties. Despite this, Dain Hancock, President of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, promised at the Farnborough Air Show that the excessive weight of the short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) version would soon be under control (see also FLUG REVUE 8/2004).

Although no orders have yet been placed, the USA and the United Kingdom alone have announced a requirement for around 3,000 JSF's. On top of this, there is the prospect of 1,000 additional export sales.

Customers: USAF (requirement 1,763), US Navy/USMC (requirement 680), Royal Navy (requirement 60), Royal Air Force (requirement 90).

Mitsubishi F-2

In 1987, Japan selected the F-16 as the basis for its FS-X fighter bomber, which was then developed by Mitsubishi as the F-2. Compared with the Fighting Falcon, the fuselage has been stretched and the nose has been enlarged to accommodate a radar with electronic beam steering. Constructed entirely out of carbon fibre, the wings are about one-quarter bigger.

The F-2 took off on its maiden flight in October 1995 and has been in service since September 2000. Around 50 aircraft have been delivered to date.

Customers: Japan Air Self Defence Force (71 ordered, total requirement approx. 130).

RSK MiG MiG-29K

The MiG-29 was one of the standard fighters of the Soviet Union and was sold to allies all over the world. However, production ceased in the mid-1990s, and today RSK MiG is concentrating on enhanced variants, such as the MiG-29M2 and the MiG-29MRCA. However, twelve MiG-29K's were recently ordered by India, which has purchased the Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier. This version has folding wings.

Customers: India (12)

Saab/BAE JAS 39C/D Gripen

In best tradition, Sweden independently commenced development of a successor to its Saab Viggen at the beginning of the 1980s. The light, compact Gripen follows the trend towards delta wings with canards, has modern electronics and, in the C/D version, a cockpit with large colour displays.

With a maiden flight in December 1988 and operational readiness of the first squadron achieved in September 1997, the Gripen was way ahead of the other European fighters of the new generation. But despite the support of BAE Systems, exports have proved hard to come by. However, because the Swedish Air Force is downsizing, used aircraft are available for less affluent customers. The first twin-seater JAS 39D flew on 2 June, and the same month the 39C tested out the retractable refuelling probe.

Customers: Sweden (209 incl. prototypes), South Africa (9 plus 19 options), the Czech Republic (14 leased), Hungary (14 aircraft in a lease purchase contract).

Sukhoi Su-27

Today Sukhoi's Flanker, which dates back to the 1970s, is one of the most important sources of foreign currency revenue for the Russian aerospace industry. Thanks to its outstanding flying performance, the Su-27 is a match for any adversary. The electronics, which were originally not very sophisticated, are currently the subject of upgrade programmes, and it is now possible for export customers to request the installation of Western systems. Over the last decade Sukhoi produced a huge number of demonstrators, in the course of which the installation of AL-31 engines with thrust vectoring produced particularly spectacular results.

Since the collapse of Russia as a customer, production has concentrated more recently on the Su-27SK/UBK for China and a few Su-27's for Vietnam. On the other hand, the Russian Air Force is committed to upgrading its stock of Su-27's. Thus, the Su-27SM is to be fitted with colour LCDs and systems for the deployment of air-to-ground weapons.

Customers: Soviet Union (approx. 800), China (78, plus 200 to be built under licence), Indonesia (2), Vietnam (18)

Sukhoi Su-30MK

The Su-30MK is a two-seat version of the Flanker. Thanks to its more modern electronics, it has a better multi-role capability. The equipment configuration varies according to the customer. India has the most advanced version, with small canards and thrust-vector control (Su-30MKI) plus avionics from Thales. Development of the Su-30 commenced in 1991. A variant with canards and thrust vectoring flew for the first time in July 1997.

Customers: China (92, Su-30MKK), India (32 plus licence agreement for 120 by 2013), Indonesia (2), Malaysia (18, Su-30MKM).

Sukhoi Su-32 (Su-27IB)

The Su-27IB is a bomber derivative of the Flanker, on which Sukhoi has completely changed the forward fuselage and arranged the seats next to each other. Since the maiden flight in April 1990, flight testing has advanced only slowly. So far only eight aircraft have been built.

Customers: Russian Air Force (requirement not known)

Sukhoi PAKFA

In May 2002, following a competition against RSK MiG, Sukhoi won a contract to develop the next Russian fighter aircraft. This “Prospektivnij Aviatsionnij Komplex Frontovoi Aviatsij” is to be a multi-role fighter aircraft in the 25 tonne weight class, with stealth characteristics and high agility. The electronics will also be a lot better than in previous Russian fighters.

Little is known about the PAKFA at present, but the maiden flight could be in 2007/2008. Naturally, everything will depend on adequate financing of the programme.

Customers: Russian Air Force

From page 44 of FLUG REVUE 9/2004

Last updated 16 August 2004

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