From: skunk-works-digest-owner@mail.orst.edu To: skunk-works-digest@mail.orst.edu Subject: Skunk Works Digest V5 #433 Reply-To: skunk-works-digest@mail.orst.edu Errors-To: skunk-works-digest-owner@mail.orst.edu Precedence: bulk Skunk Works Digest Saturday, 23 September 1995 Volume 05 : Number 433 In this issue: re: Skunk Works Digest V5 #431 AW&ST Sep. 11, 1995 AW&ST Sep. 18, 1995 Other (recent) magazines E-3C Sentry crash Indigenous Defense Fighter Re: The proof is in the chicken Behind the scenes-RAND Re: Indigenous Defense Fighter Re: E-3C Sentry crash Mirage's pilots See the end of the digest for information on subscribing to the skunk-works or skunk-works-digest mailing lists and on how to retrieve back issues. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Howard German" Date: Fri, 22 Sep 95 10:52:29 EDT Subject: re: Skunk Works Digest V5 #431 There has been a lot written about the British accented F117 pilot lately, I just wanted to add that I believe the pilot you are referring to happens to be the Squadron Leader of the Iron Knights out of Holloman. He is on loan from the RAF. I met him at the open house at Andrews AFB earlier this year. Howard. ------------------------------ From: Kathryn & Andreas Gehrs-Pahl Date: Fri, 22 Sep 1995 14:04:00 -0400 (EDT) Subject: AW&ST Sep. 11, 1995 WASHINGTON OUTLOOK, page 23: ============================ "Diluted Effort: Supporters of the X-33 SSTO technology demonstrator are girding themselves for some tough times. The Clinton Administration is turning a deaf ear to pleas for more overall funding to permit a flyoff or accelerated funding in the program's early years so more technologies for RLVs could be advanced. Now, the NASA Advisory Council is urging the agency to allow some of the X-33 money to be spent on developing concepts for two-stage and less-than-fully-reusable vehicles." '97 BOTTOM-UP REVIEW TO SPOTLIGHT OPERATIONS, pages 24-25: ========================================================== PENTAGON LIKELY TO BOOST ARMY AND NAVY MISSILES, pages 25-26: ============================================================= Both articles talk about the future force structure and acquisition plans, based on political, economical/financial and technological reasons. The first article also includes a photo of Lockheed's JAST demonstrator. NASA PURSUES LOW-COST STATION 'LIFEBOAT', pages 30-31: ====================================================== The article describes the NASA JSC study, dubbed ACRV-X (Assured Crew Return Vehicle-eXperimental), which was previously known as 'X-35'. It is a small space glider (lifting body) rather than the capsule. It may use GPADS (Guided Precision Aerial Delivery System) technology for landing. This includes an automatically steered parafoil. And as part of the Electronic Warfare Special of this issue (besides other interesting articles): ELECTRONIC COMBAT UAVs GAIN SUPPORT, pages 56-58: ================================================= The latest projected use of UAVs -- beyond reconnaissance and surveillance -- are Electronic Support Measures (ESM), which includes various forms of Electronic Intelligence (ELINT), like Communications (COMINT) and other Signals (SIGINT). The ability of UAVs to loiter for a considerable ammount of time unnoticed (hopefully) in short proximity to enemy forces, should make them ideal ELINT platforms. The National Security Agency (NSA) has developed a 40-lb. SIGINT package for endurance UAVs, which the Pentagon and the CIA would like to procure. The Joint Command and Control Warfare Center at Kelly AFB, TX, (which was previously known as the Joint Electronics Warfare Center), is developing two passive ESM system, one for RADINT (Radar Intelligence) and the other for COMINT and two active EW systems, a communications and a radar jammer, both genuine Electronic Counter Measures (ECM) systems. The electronic self-defense system for TRA's Tier 2+, developed by Raytheon/ E-Systems, may be later expanded to include offensive EW systems. Due to its size, range and available payload and power, the Tier 2+ is the most likely platform for a fully automatic active jamming system (including SEAD and spoofing). The stealthy Tier 3- DarkStar will not likely be employed in an active EW role. SEAD = Suppression of Enemy Air-Defense, in other words the role of EA-6B, EF-111A and F-4G Wild Weasles and F-16s with HST. Spoofing describes the task of tricking enemy defenses into believing you are someone else, like a flight of bombers, a difficult task, which is often given to unmanned systems, like the ADM-20A Quail decoy, which could emulate the emissions of one (or more) B-52s, luring the attention away from the real bomber(s). But, as always, money is the most pressing concern, and right now no funding is available (in the 'non-black' world). SIMULATION'S ROLE IN DESIGNING EW FEATURES OF AIRCRAFT GROWS, pages 64-65: ========================================================================== The article gives an insight into Lockheed Martin Aeronautical System Co.'s Warfare Analysis and Research Laboratory, the Warlab, at Marietta, GA. They use new software tools to determine the InfraRed (IR), and Radio Frequency (RF) cross sections, and other vital information of computer generated aircraft designs. The software can use CAD/CAM data to determine the actual vulnerability to and the extent of damage expected from specific threats. It can for example help to locate the best positions for EW jammers, or include the effect of heating into the 3-dimensional IR-cross section. It also can be used to develop tactics to cope with a variety of threats, including such parameters as pulse modulation of enemy radars. It also can be used in the field of information warfare, assessing things like the flow of information and communication and the interaction of weapons, sensors and command and control sites. It can also be used to test the effectiveness of stealthy aircraft, their tactics (and probably) countermeasures against them, even though they didn't print that. Other article headlines of this Special are: PENTAGON PUSHES JOINT PROGRAMS FOR SAVINGS, pages 38-39: ======================================================== HTS UPGRADE PLANNED, page 38: ============================= USAF JOINS NAVY FOR 'SMART' TOWED DECOY, page 40: ================================================= NEW SYSTEMS DIRECT BEAM AT IR-GUIDED MISSILES, pages 41-44: =========================================================== F/A-18F SHOWS PROMISE AS EA-6B REPLACEMENT, pages 46-49: ======================================================== ACQUISITIONS FUEL CONDORS'S GROWTH, page 49: ============================================ TESTS SHOW RWRs CAN LOCATE, IDENTIFY THREATS, pages 52-54: ========================================================== NAVY SHIFTS STRATEGY, page 54: ============================== ALR-67(V)3 FEATURES REAL-TIME CALIBRATION, page 58: =================================================== NAVY EW TRAINING SUFFERS CUTS, pages 60-61: =========================================== ARMY'S NEW EW SUITE GETS EXPANDED SCOPE, page 63: ================================================= MUNITIONS, UAVs MAY NEED EW COUNTERMEASURES, pages 64-65: ========================================================= SWEDES IMPROVE CHAFF, pages 67-68: ================================== FRENCH DEVELOPING UV WARNING SYSTEM, pages 69-70: ================================================= DANES DEVELOP MINI-ALR-69 RW, page 70: ====================================== ISRAEL'S EW FIRMS GO HEAD-TO-HEAD, pages 71-72: =============================================== USAF REALIGNS AVIONICS TO FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY, page 72: ======================================================= - -- Andreas - --- --- Andreas & Kathryn Gehrs-Pahl E-Mail: schnars@ais.org 313 West Court St. #305 or: gpahl@raptor.csc.flint.umich.edu Flint, MI 48502-1239 Tel: (810) 238-8469 WWW URL: http://www.umcc.umich.edu/~schnars/ - --- --- ------------------------------ From: Kathryn & Andreas Gehrs-Pahl Date: Fri, 22 Sep 1995 14:06:27 -0400 (EDT) Subject: AW&ST Sep. 18, 1995 INDUSTRY LOOKOUT, page 13: ========================== "Good Vibrations: Call it a home field advantage. The Boeing/Lockheed Martin/ TRW team competing for the USAF's upcoming airborne laser (ABL) demonstration contract has access to extensive Boeing vibration data for either the 747-200 or 747-400 platform that will be used (AW&ST Aug. 14, p. 25). Active and passive vibration control is expected to be key to accurately focusing laser energy on the fuel tanks of fast-rising ballistic missiles hundreds of miles distant. Also competing for ABL are a team composed of Rockwell, Hughes and E-Systems. The program has a 14-aircraft, $4-5-billion potential." "French Spy Plane: Aerospatiale's space and defense div. and Socata, the company's general aviation subsidiary, are studying an "affordable" reconnaissance aircraft, dubbed Haute Altitude Longue Endurance (High Altitude Long Endurance, or HALE). The 157.5-ft. wingspan, single-engine aircraft is based on Socata's 7-seat TBM700 business and utility airframe. Equipped with a 1,050-shp. Pratt & Whitney PW127 turboprop engine, HALE could spend up to 20 hr. in the air, at 60,000 ft. altitude, carrying 990 lb. of intelligence- gathering equipment. Cruise speed would be about 162 kt. An unmanned derivative also is envisioned." [That sounds like a Grob Egrett copy, including the unmanned version (called EVER by Grob). They couldn't sell it, though.] "Skunked Again...: Some employees at Lockheed's famed advanced development facility, unofficially known as the "Skunk Works," are not happy with its new, formal name: the Lockheed Martin Skunk Works. The problem -- an official title destroys the carefully nurtured mystique and magic of the name." [I second that -- LMSW -- don't like it!] DEBATES ROIL X-33 EFFORT, pages 20-21: ====================================== [Mild sarcasm mode on] It looks like the X-33 -- the proposed SSTO RLV demonstrator-- has not only funding problems to overcome. Many people seem to think that fancy new things like SSTO RLVs should be left to Science Fiction authors and one should concentrate on TSTO (Two-Stage-To-Orbit) and other familiar concepts. Still, some people believe that progress is feasible, and lobby for increased and accelerated spending for X-33. The article has a (computer) drawing of Lockheeds "Venture" lifting body design (with the Skunk logo) and one of Rockwells "tank with fins". McDonnell Douglas/Boeing's vehicle (similar to their DC-X) is not shown. [Mild sarcasm mode off] TEST SITE CHOICE NEAR, page 62: =============================== NASDA and NAL are planning to soon fly their Alflex (Automatic Landing Flight Experiment), a 1/3-scale model of Japan's HOPE space glider. The model will be dropped from KV-107-2 helicopters, probably over Australia's Woomera test site, to validate landing and approach techniques, similar to the ones employed by the Space Shuttle. A photo of one of the Alflex vehicles is also included. Litton (Itek) commercial, page 48: ================================== The full-page commercial advertises Itek's DB-110: "From the sands of Desert Storm to the snows of the Bering Strait... Itek's DB-110 gets the picture day or night. DB-110 is a new exportable LOROP sensor built on a decade of SYERS experience. SYERS remains America's only operational real-time standoff reconnaissance system. Created for the USAF, SYERS instantly delivers high-resolution, mission-critical intelligence, from safe standoff ranges, to maintain the peace or to counter hostile threats. Low weight and compact size make the DB-110 ideal for a wide variety of applications and aerial platforms. Trust Itek's DB-110 to verify and protect your national interests. * Quality images * Dual-band EO for 24-hour reconnaissance * Compact, lightweight design * 110-inch focal length * 11-inch aperture * Spot and area collection * 275-gallon pod compatible Call your Itek representative for consultation and information. 1-800-494-ITEK (4835) Litton Itek Optical Systems 10 Maguire Road Lexington, MA 02173-3199" Apart from a drawing of an U-2R, the mentioning of SYERS -- which is short for "Senior Year Electro-optical Relay System", a CCD-camera system with data-link capability, flown on U-2Rs -- is very interesting. SYPO, the Senior Year Projects Office at Warner-Robbins AFB, GA. oversees all SENIOR programs, USAF reconnaissance/intelligence gathering systems, including U-2 operations. It seems that the USAF is releasing some former 'black' technology to the world market -- talk about subsidizing your industrial base. [Now if I could afford to put a DB-110 on an Aerostat and base it at Rachel.] There are also several interesting articles as part of the Military Space Operations Special in this issue. The headlines are: MAJOR CULTURAL CHANGE ON TAP IN MILITARY SPACE, pages 36-42: ============================================================ USAF 50th WING 'FLIES' DEFENSE SATELLITES, page 43-46: ====================================================== SATELLITE COMMAND, CONTROL WILL NEED SKILLED OPERATORS, page 46-47: =================================================================== LORAL WINS GPS CONTRACT, page 47: ================================= 'WEATHER' FORECASTERS WORK ON HIGHER PLANE page 49: =================================================== MILSTAR BALANCING COST, MISSION NEEDS, pages 50-51: =================================================== USAF CENTER FIELDS SPACE TOOLS IN RECORD TIME, page53: ====================================================== 21st SPACE WING FOCUSES ON THEATER MISSILE WARNING, page 54: ============================================================ ARMY EXPANDS COMBAT SUPPORT, pages 56-57: ========================================= NAVY FOCUS: MAKING SPACE 'RELEVANT', pages 57-59: ================================================= - -- Andreas - --- --- Andreas & Kathryn Gehrs-Pahl E-Mail: schnars@ais.org 313 West Court St. #305 or: gpahl@raptor.csc.flint.umich.edu Flint, MI 48502-1239 Tel: (810) 238-8469 WWW URL: http://www.umcc.umich.edu/~schnars/ - --- --- ------------------------------ From: Kathryn & Andreas Gehrs-Pahl Date: Fri, 22 Sep 1995 14:07:56 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Other (recent) magazines The following more or less recent magazines had Skunk Works related articles or pictures: * Air Power International, No. 11 (Jul. 1995): - Exercise Report: Long Shot '95 (with F-117 participation and photo of one in the new standard markings); * Air International, Vol. 49, No. 2 (Aug. 1995): - Russian Revelations (with a 3 view drawing and some information about the Tsybin R-020 (or RSR), the Soviet counterpart of the A-12/SR-71, which looked a bit like the Bristol 188); * Air Forces Monthly, No. 90 (Sep. 1995): - 21st Century Skunk Works (JAST demonstrator and DarkStar roll-outs at Palmdale); * Fly Past, No. 170 (Sep. 1995): - RAF Waddington Airshow, July 1/2 (with F-117A participation and photo of one in the new standard markings); * Popular Science, Oct. 1995: - Stealthy Ship (blurb with (model ?) photo about La Fayette frigate); - Into the Tunnel (blurb with photo about LMSW JAST demonstrator model); - Flying the Aerospike (blurb with artists impression about NASA's SR-71); - Send in the Drones (article about Tier 2+ and Tier 3-, with drawings, author is Bill Sweetman); - -- Andreas - --- --- Andreas & Kathryn Gehrs-Pahl E-Mail: schnars@ais.org 313 West Court St. #305 or: gpahl@raptor.csc.flint.umich.edu Flint, MI 48502-1239 Tel: (810) 238-8469 WWW URL: http://www.umcc.umich.edu/~schnars/ - --- --- ------------------------------ From: Pionusman@aol.com Date: Fri, 22 Sep 1995 15:17:12 -0400 Subject: E-3C Sentry crash An E -3C Sentry AWACS crashed shortly after takeoff today, at 7:30 a.m.(11:30 EDT) local time. 24 people, all military, were on board. No information is available on the condition of the servicemen. The plane took off from Elmendorf AFB near Anchorage Alaska. It was on a training flight. There are no signs of why it went down. ------------------------------ From: Pionusman@aol.com Date: Fri, 22 Sep 1995 19:27:35 -0400 Subject: Indigenous Defense Fighter Not very Skunkish, but is about airplanes at least! In the October issue of Scientific American, there is mention of the Indigenous Defense Fighter. It includes a picture, though not very big(approx. 2x3'', 5x7.5 cm[the picture, not the plane]),I think it may be a modified F-16. It looks very similar, the only diference being a drooping nose and air intakes on the side. It has what apears to be a AIM-9M or P on the end of each wing(common with F-16s.) Any information on this plane would be nice. pionusman@aol.com ------------------------------ From: "Terry Colvin" Date: Fri, 22 Sep 95 17:06:07 EST Subject: Re: The proof is in the chicken Amusing though this story is I'm willing to bet that it's just an Urban Legend. I first encountered it at university where our Fault Tolerance lecturer told it in relation to Rolls-Royce aero-engine fan blade testing. Then, when I worked for British Aerospace, the same story was circulating this time applied to fighter windscreen testing. And now it has appeared on Trepan, relating to a locomotive. There must be a grain of truth in it and I would love to get some proof that a frozen chicken was ever accidentally fired at _anything_, but I don't believe it as it stands. Incidentally, it should be obvious that the UK has aircraft manufacturers and regulating bodies just like the USA does so it wouldn't be necessary to import the "chicken gun" from the USA. Piers pjt1@scigen.co.uk > The FAA has a device for testing the strength of windshields > on airplanes. They point this thing at the windshield of the > aircraft and shoot a dead chicken at about the speed the air- > craft normally flies at it. If the windshield doesn't break, > it's likely to survive a real collision with a bird during > flight. > > The British had recently built a new locomotive that could > pull a train faster than any before it. They were not sure > that its windshield was strong enough so they borrowed the > testing device from the FAA, reset it to approximate the > maximum speed of the locomotive, loaded in the dead chicken, > and fired. The bird went through the windshield, broke the > engineer's chair, and made a major dent in the back wall of > the engine cab. > > They were quite surprised with this result, so they asked the > > FAA to check the test to see if everything was done correctly. > The FAA checked everything and suggested that they might want > to repeat the test using a thawed chicken. > > - Jim Melko > ------------------------------ From: chosa@chosa.win.net (Byron Weber) Date: Fri, 22 Sep 1995 17:55:17 Subject: Behind the scenes-RAND Whether your interested in the future of the air defense industry or developing designs to acquire defense contracts, I highly recommend the URL, http://www.rand.org., especially the PAF (Project Air Force) Annual Report for 1994. RAND has made public a "broad view of our research in 1994." Interesting articles include, "Improving Force Capabilities" which discusses C4I, new and critical technology, value of stealth, and that the results of research were the basis of congressional testimony. The recent military budget requests by the House and Senate reflect the effectiveness of RAND's research and testimony, not to mention their powerhouse influence. Other summarized articles: Logististics and Acquisition Readiness and Force Availability Enhancing Modeling, Simulation, and Resource Analysis ... and a list of selected unclassified PAR publications such as: Financial Condition of U.S. Military Aircraft Prime Contractors Statistical Forecasting of Bankruptcy of Defense Contractors Airpower in U.S. Light Combat Operations Modernizing Airpower Projection Capabilities The results of RAND, PAR research, define future procurements and contracts. Byron ------------------------------ From: Wei-Jen Su Date: Sat, 23 Sep 1995 00:04:37 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: Indigenous Defense Fighter On Fri, 22 Sep 1995 Pionusman@aol.com wrote: > Not very Skunkish, but is about airplanes at least! > > > In the October issue of Scientific American, there is mention of the > Indigenous Defense Fighter. It includes a picture, though not very > big(approx. 2x3'', 5x7.5 cm[the picture, not the plane]),I think it may be a > modified F-16. It looks very similar, the only diference being a drooping > nose and air intakes on the side. It has what apears to be a AIM-9M or P on > the end of each wing(common with F-16s.) Any information on this plane would > be nice. > > > pionusman@aol.com > Yes. It is made by Taiwan and it suppose to substitude the F-5 and F-104 from Taiwan's Air Force. Taiwan already built about 40 aircraft since Taiwan have some political pressure with mainland China (about 1 month ago, China Comunist shoot a surface to surface missile to south China Sea at 80-100 miles north to Taipei which is the capital of Taiwan). The building of this airplane that look like a mix of F-18 and F-16 is because Taiwan needs to upgrade their ancient fighter airplanes. But USA didn't want to sell them because is going to create political and economical problems with the relation USA-China Comunist. Therefore, Taiwan has to design and build their own aircraft with some help of USA technology. Just about 2 years ago, France decide to sell Mirage 2000-5 to Taiwan. So, the President of USA in that time (President Bush) open his market allowing to sell F-16A/B. One of the main problem of the IDF is the lack of power in her engine. The airplane can fly barely over Mach 1. It is OK for the first fighter airplane made by a tiny country as Taiwan. I head that General Electric is going to provide engines to the IDF. May the Force be with you Su Wei-Jen wsu02@barney.poly.edu ------------------------------ From: Wei-Jen Su Date: Sat, 23 Sep 1995 00:08:46 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Re: E-3C Sentry crash On Fri, 22 Sep 1995 Pionusman@aol.com wrote: > An E -3C Sentry AWACS crashed shortly after takeoff today, at 7:30 a.m.(11:30 > EDT) local time. > 24 people, all military, were on board. No information is available on the > condition of the servicemen. > The plane took off from Elmendorf AFB near Anchorage Alaska. It was on a > training flight. > There are no signs of why it went down. > Bad news skunkers... All the 24 crew are death... May the Force be with you Su Wei-Jen wsu02@barney.poly.edu ------------------------------ From: Wei-Jen Su Date: Sat, 23 Sep 1995 00:12:50 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Mirage's pilots Hey, I heard from Headline News 9/21/95 that they tried to rescue the two Mirage pilots shoot down over Serbia using helicopters, but they couldn't rescue because of gun fire against the helicopter... Anyone know additional news about the topic? May the Force be with you Su Wei-Jen wsu02@barney.poly.edu ------------------------------ End of Skunk Works Digest V5 #433 ********************************* To subscribe to skunk-works-digest, send the command: subscribe skunk-works-digest in the body of a message to "majordomo@mail.orst.edu". If you want to subscribe something other than the account the mail is coming from, such as a local redistribution list, then append that address to the "subscribe" command; for example, to subscribe "local-skunk-works": subscribe skunk-works-digest local-skunk-works@your.domain.net To unsubscribe, send mail to the same address, with the command: unsubscribe skunk-works-digest in the body. Administrative requests, problems, and other non-list mail can be sent to either "skunk-works-digest-owner@mail.orst.edu" or, if you don't like to type a lot, "prm@mail.orst.edu A non-digest (direct mail) version of this list is also available; to subscribe to that instead, replace all instances of "skunk-works-digest" in the commands above with "skunk-works". Back issues are available for anonymous FTP from mail.orst.edu, in /pub/skunk-works/digest/vNN.nMMM (where "NN" is the volume number, and "MMM" is the issue number).