Perfect 10X? Pioneer Enevoldson P34 What to Expect from Dassault’S Greatest Falcon P12 705371327 770015 9 £4.99
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FlightGlobal.com June 2021 Airbus nears narrowbody rate rise Freighter conversions deliver the goods p16 Remembering Perlan Perfect 10X? pioneer Enevoldson p34 What to expect from Dassault’s greatest Falcon p12 9 770015 371327 £4.99 Firm ground Power shift Boeing seeks How engine stability before makers see next project the future 06 p50 p69 Comment Plus ca change? Forming up Apparent accord between three European nations on their future fighter project is positive, but a lack of detail on the agreement’s practicalities leaves many unanswered questions Bundeswehr or a while it had seemed NGF’s prime contractor, it has UK-led Tempest future fighter pro- doubtful that an accord seen its share of the project fall gramme continues to go quietly might ever be reached be- from 50% to 33%, while its rival’s about its business. tween France, Germany and has risen to 66%. In contrast with its FCAS rival, FSpain to allow their Future Com- Although the defence ministries the Tempest effort, which also bat Air System (FCAS) to progress of the three nations say that their includes Italy and Sweden, has so to the next stage of development. differences are resolved, it is so far far has been notable for a lack of There had seemed too many unclear how that translates to the public discord. obstacles to progress, notably the industrial level. It is hard to pinpoint the reason thorny issues of workshare and Further hurdles remain, of for that apparent harmony – and it intellectual property. course: the Bundestag still needs may well not last for the duration Dassault Aviation was particularly to give its assent to this next step; of the programme – but perhaps outspoken about the potential di- elections in Germany this year and it is simply that all the parties are lution of its role in the process. France in 2022 have the poten- currently in alignment. When originally conceived, tial to sabotage the process; and To succeed, multinational pro- FCAS and the New Generation possible future discord between curements require a tight forma- Fighter (NGF) at its heart was a the various parties is virtually a tion and common goals, rather marriage of equals; France and given (Berlin’s continued misgiv- than simply common interests. A Germany and their various indus- ings about defence export sales desire for European sovereignty is trial champions would divide the look likely to cause friction, and an admirable ambition, but smacks work on an even basis. a French requirement for a carri- strongly of politics trumping all But the formal inclusion of Spain er-borne NGF may also prove to other concerns. in late 2020 upset the balance be challenging). Principles are fine, but unless of power. While the overall FCAS Success for the FCAS pro- tempered by practical considera- project is now a tri-national effort, gramme is by no means guaran- tions they can threaten the under- on the NGF, airframe activities teed. But the mantra of European lying product. continue to be divided between sovereignty – from two of the EU’s In both cases, the partner nations Dassault and Airbus Defence & staunchest advocates – that under- would do well to remember what Space, with the latter representing pins the whole initiative is likely to they are fighting for: is it to build both Berlin and Madrid. overcome this rocky beginning. the best aircraft, or to satisfy an In other words, although the Meanwhile, over on the other abstract political aim? ◗ French manufacturer remains the side of the English Channel, the See p6, p58 June 2021 Flight International 3 In focus NATO details rotorcraft need 6 ITAR breach costs Honeywell 20 Greener Vista 32 Partners push on with FCAS 7 IAI broadens horizons 22 Soaring ever higher 34 In for the long haul 8 Super Air Jet ready to roar 24 Shock and AW 36 Material benefi ts 10 JAL fl ies fl ag for A350 25 Airbus aims for Vertex 37 Dassault’s big bet 12 Marshall’s star attraction 28 Unclear approach 38 New converts to cargo 16 F-15E to pack more punch 30 Seeking stability 40 62 Keeping pace: Airbus Helicopters’ Racer is set to make its fi rst fl ight next year FlightGlobal.com June 2021 54 Airbus nears narrowbody rate rise Freighter conversions deliver the goods p16 Remembering Perlan Perfect 10X? pioneer Enevoldson p34 What to expect from Dassault’s greatest Falcon p12 9 770015 371327 £4.99 Firm ground Power shift Boeing seeks How engine stability before makers see next project the future 06 p50 p69 Dassault Aviation Dassault Regulars Comment 3 Best of the rest 42 Straight & Level 74 Letters 76 Jobs 81 Women in aviation 82 4 Flight International June 2021 Contents In depth A chance to rebuild 46 Biden time 54 Back in the Racer 62 Airbus believes it will be Will the new president promote Europe’s high-speed ready to respond fast defence exports aggressively? compound rotorcraft when demand returns Flying high 58 Needing support 66 Recovery mode 50 There are lucrative near-term MRO providers await recovery Is Boeing falling behind sales targets for Europe’s The great engine race 69 its European rival? current combat aircraft Aviation seeks zero emissions 12 34 69 June 2021 Flight International 5 Rotorcraft Technology Bell’s V-280 Valor cruises at 280kt NATO outlines attributes for next-generation rotorcraft Alliance details desired characteristics for medium-class helicopter project, but speed may be lower than US options Dominic Perry London While the NGRC is intended to be The NGRC is due to enter service faster than a conventional helicop- in 2035. Its development is being ter, where cruise speeds are around driven by the forecast retirement ATO members driving the 150kt (280km/h), its intended of around 1,000 medium-lift heli- development of a next-gen- cruise speed – “optimally 220kt or copters operated by NATO mem- Neration rotorcraft appear to more but not less than 180kt” – is bers other than the USA in the be prioritising range and less than that of the 250-280kt cur- 2030-2040 period. capability – including use as an op- rently envisaged by the US Army A letter of intent covering co-op- tionally piloted aircraft – over very for its Future Long-Range Assault eration on the NGRC development high speed, according to docu- Aircraft. One contender for that was signed by five nations in Octo- ments released by the Alliance. requirement, the Bell V-280 Valor, ber 2020, but the document notes In addition, two new countries, cruises at 280kt and has been tak- that “Spain and [the] USA are also Spain and the USA, are considering en to speeds above 300kt. considering joining”. joining the five nations that signed Affordability and availability are Separately, the US Air Force up to the Next Generation Rotor- also key metrics: the NGRC should Research Laboratory (AFRL) has craft Capability (NGRC) initiative have a fly-away cost of no more contracted Bell to research a high- last year: France, Germany, Greece, than €35 million ($42 million) and speed vertical take-off and landing Italy and the UK. a cost-per-flight-hour of “opti- (VTOL) aircraft. In an invite to a September in- mally” €5,000 but no more than No details of the specific research dustry day, the Alliance’s NSPA €10,000. Meanwhile, availability were disclosed in the contract no- procurement body details the re- rates for forward deployed fleets tice titled “Bell’s High Speed VTOL”. quired attributes of the NGRC. should hit 75%. However, patents filed by the It should, the document says, manufacturer over the preceding have a range in excess of 900nm Mission equipment years have revealed a number of (1,650km), a maximum take-off Under the heading “desired attrib- concepts that could be of interest weight of 10-17t, capacity for up utes”, the document reveals that as it investigates an aircraft able to to 16 troops in full combat gear or the NGRC should use “novel/hybrid operate at speeds above those of mission equipment, and endurance powerplant[s]” producing at least the V-280. of more than 5h, or up to 8h with 3,000shp (2,240kW), feature “fly- These include the use of jet en- additional fuel tanks. Combined in- by-light/fly-by-wire” controls, be gines, or powerplants that can ternal and external payload should capable of being transported in an double as turbofans and turbos- be greater than 4t, with at least Airbus Defence & Space A400M or hafts, proprotor blades that fold to 2.5t carried internally. Boeing C-17 with minimal disassem- reduce drag or that are optimised Additionally, it should be capa- bly, of undergoing air-to-air refuel- to acted as a wing during cruise. ble of being used in as an “op- ling, and feature an array of mission The research contract came sev- tionally unmanned/remotely pilot- equipment and weapon systems, eral months after the US Air Force ed vehicle”, it says. Maritime and including air-launched effects. Special Operations Command said land variants should use a com- In addition, it should be able to it was looking ahead for a VTOL air- mon airframe and have a footprint conduct manned-unmanned team- craft with “jet speeds” to replace its no larger than the NH Industries ing, including managing a swarm of Bell Boeing CV-22 Osprey tiltrotor. ◗ NH90 or Leonardo Helicopters unmanned air vehicles, launching AW101, including a folding tail and small “expendable” drones, and re- Additional reporting by Garrett main rotors. covering small drones in flight. Reim in Los Angeles Bell 6 Flight International June 2021 Development Combat aircraft Partners push ahead with FCAS Agreement between France, Germany and Spain clears way for Future Combat Air System to move towards demonstrator Craig Hoyle London rance, Germany and Spain have completed negoti- ations covering the next phase of their Future Com- Fbat Air System (FCAS) activity, ad- vancing it towards the first flight of a demonstrator by 2027.