România Ministry of National Defense Air Force Headquarters 95Th Training Center Bacau Secondary Foreign Language Learning Center
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ROMÂNIA MINISTRY OF NATIONAL DEFENSE AIR FORCE HEADQUARTERS 95TH TRAINING CENTER BACAU SECONDARY FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEARNING CENTER Instructor: Mădălina MANOLACHE Author: LT. Eduard VERBUŢĂ BACAU March, 2003 ROMANIA A.N. 2 The Antonov An-2, sometimes referred to as the world's largest biplane, was designed as a multipurpose utility aircraft. The prototype flew as SKh-1 on 31 August 1947. An-2s were built at Kiev- Svyetoshino and Dolgoprudny until mid-1960s. After that the production was transferred in Poland, to PZL Mielec, from where more than 12,000 were delivered since 1960. Antonov estimates that over 15,500 built in former USSR, Poland and China, of which over 6,000 remain in service with civil operators and with 21 air forces. Also China produced the An-2 using the designation Y-5. An-2 was very commonly used as crop dusting plane spraying chemicals and fertilizer on agricultural lands. A number of An-2 airplanes also served as airliners in remote parts of the USSR. Some Antonov An-2 are also known to feature a VIP interior of 6 to 8 seats. Under the designation An-3, Antonov is currently proposing a program to upgrade existing An-2 with a turboprop engine. Today, An- 2 is still in use in Romanian Air Force as a duty aircraft or for paratroops training. An-24 The Antonov An-24 is a short to medium range passenger aircraft, which led to the development of an entire aircraft family, namely the An-24 base model, the An-26 transport version with loading ramp, the An-30 geological survey version with a modified fuselage and the An-32 "hot-and-high" version with more powerful engines. The aircraft first flew in 1959 and entered service in 1962. An-24 are in a passenger layout - An-24 RV - and a cargo version named An-24T also exists. It is estimated that well above 1000 An-24 have been built. The type was exported to almost all other states of the Warsaw Pact. The basic Antonov An-24 is still widely used and serves as transport aircraft in the Romanian Air Force. An-26 The Antonov An-26 is the transport and cargo version of the An- 24 passenger airplane, and made its maiden flight in 1968. The two most important distinctions between the two aircraft are the rear loading ramp and the fewer cabin windows of the Antonov 26. The An-26 serves as medium sized military transport. In addition to carrying cargo, it is equiped with side benches to accommodate troops or paratroops. Thanks to the rear loading ramp, the An-26 can be operated without much ground support. Avionics include weather/navigation radar, two ADF, radio altimeter, glide path and glide slope receiver, marker beacon receiver, flight director system, and autopilot, directional gyro and flight recorder. An-26 has a large downward-hinged rear ramp/door, hinged to an anchorage mounted on tracks running forward. Ramp/door slides forward under fuselage for direct loading on to cabin floor or for airdropping freight. When doing so, its rear is supported by the pivoted swinging arm on each side which raises and lowers door in alternative fixed-hinge mode. An electrically powered mobile winch, with a capacity of 2000 kg hoists crates through rear entrance and runs on rail in cabin ceiling to position payload. An electrical conveyor facilitates loading and airdropping freight. The aircraft is the workhorse of the Romanian Air Force. An-30 The Antonov An-30 is another member of the An-24 family. It was designed as an aerial survey and photographic airplane, employed e.g. for map-making. The aircraft flew for the first time in 1973. Some An-30 are also known to have been employed on ecological survey missions. Various cameras and sensors are integrated into the fuselage, and the airplane reportedly even features its own darkroom. To make room for the equipment, the An-30 features a raised cockpit on the forward fuselage. As the An-30 is a highly specialized aircraft type, it has only been built in small numbers. The first An-30 reached otopeni air base on december 1976, in the same month it performed the first flight with romanian pilots and thr first photo mission was performed in July 1977. For the time being Romanian Air Force uses the aircraft for geodetic surveys and "Open Skies" missions, performing the first international flight in November 1990 in Hungary. In July 1995, a romanian An-30 was deployed for the first allied military operation in Hungary. C-130 Hercules aircraft Romanian Air Force has a project for the purchasing of another eight C-130 Hercules aircraft. The aircraft will replace the ageing fleet of An-24 and An-26 transport aircraft that will be retired from service beyond 2005-2006. At this moment, the Romanian Air Force intends to make operational another C-130B Hercules plane of the two that it holds in reserve. The Romanian Air Force currently has in inventory four C-130B Hercules planes, of which two are operational and two in reserve. C-130 Hercules In 1951 USAF forwarded a request of proposal to many major aircraft companies, including Boeing, Douglas (future Mc Donnell Douglas) Fairchild and Lockheed, for a tactical transport aircraft. The new aircraft should had been able of short take off and landing, to carry at least 92 fully equipped soldiers or 64 paratroopers at 2100 km or 30000 kg of payload at 1800 km, having two lateral doors and one hatch in the back which could be opened in flight. Short after that, in July 1951, Lockheed with his four engines Model 82 was the winner of the competition, his aircraft being in many respects more capable than it was specified. The production started in October 1958, the first prototype C-130A was used only for static tests and the maiden flight of the second aircraft took place on 23 August 1954. The aircraft was powered by four Allison T-56-A-1 engines, each delivering 3250 hp and driving a three blade propeller. The first production C-130A aircraft, carrying by now the name Hercules and having more powerful Allison T-56-A-1 engines - 3750 hp, was on 7 April 1955 the aircraft being delivered to US Tactical Command in December 1956. The C-130B model first flight took place on 20 October 1958, having 4 blades propellers and a bigger navigation radar in the nose - APN-59. Later versions suffered many improvements, the aircraft becoming more powerful, capable and flexible, different versions including KC-130 tanker aircraft, EC-130 electronic warfare aircraft, AC-130 gunship. More than 2000 aircraft are in operation at this moment in 56 air forces and until 1997 the type accumulated over 24,000,000 flight hours. On October 25, 1996 the first four C-130B Hercules entered the inventory of the Romanian Air Force, thus Romania becoming the first (and at this moment the only one) former Eastern block country to operate this type of aircraft. MIG – 21 L. Most of the world’s Air Forces have reconsidered their programs and concluded that an upgrade is the best economic solution for the aircraft which have proven their qualities, instead of spending lots of money for building or buying new airplanes. Thus, airplanes like F-4, F-5, F-16, F/A-18, T-38, L-39, C-130, Su-25, and F- 15, have been refitted with new engines, avionics, weapons and other equipment. Following this way, Romania has in its final phase an upgrade program for the well known MiG-21 Fishbed fighter, which is the backbone of the Romanian Air Force. The contractors for the upgrade program are the Romanian company AEROSTAR S.A. and ELBIT SYSTEMS Ltd. from Israel, and three versions are being built: Lancer A - Air to Ground version – single-seaters Lancer B - Air to Ground version – two-seaters Lancer C - Air to Air version – single-seaters First flight of the prototype Lancer A - August 21, 1996. The Romanian Air Force planed to upgrade 100 MiG-21 M/MF single seaters - 80 A/G versions, only with a range radar but able to carry a laser designator pod, and 20 A/A version fitted with an advanced multimode radar. Also 10 MiG-21 UM two seaters have been upgraded for the training role (there is an option for other 4 two seaters). The program is approaching successfully to its end with more than 100 aircraft upgraded and already in service. The MiG-21 Lancer fleet has flown more than 15,000 hours till now proving to be an excellent choice. Originally designed as a point defense fighter, development of the upgrade program has afforded the MiG-21 Lancer aircraft air-to-ground capabilities, extended range and more advanced sensors. The MiG-21 Lancer upgrade provides modem combat capabilities and effective service life extensions at an affordable cost. Modifications have been introduced to the cockpit configuration, avionics architecture and weapons systems, enabling the MiG-21 Lancer to compete with much costlier fighters and to make the transition to Western standards. The upgrade program keeps the existing airframe, which was retrofitted with an avionics suite and new weapons integrated around two MIL STD 1553B multiplex data buses. The Lancer's new state-of-the-art avionics suit is combat proven on other modern fighters in the most recent local conflicts, its performance being compared with the systems of the F-16, F-18, Mirage-2000, and MiG-29 SMT fighters. Until the years 2007 - 2010 MiG-21 Lancer will be able to carry out close air support, air interdiction, air defense and reconnaissance missions, with improved capabilities for flight and navigation, target acquisition, "surgical" strike, survival in hostile environment.