영국 BAE Systems, 美 공군 고등훈련기 사업에 도전...

 

영국 BAE Systems 社가 美 공군의 차기 고등훈련기 도입사업 (T-X) 에 自社의 Hawk 계열 고등훈련기를 가지고 도전할

계획이라는 AW&ST 기사를 소개합니다.

 

美 공군의 T-X 사업은 운용기간이 무려 40여년이 넘은 T-38 Talon 훈련기를 대체하는 사업으로써, 최소 350대~400대에

이를 것으로 예상되는 고등훈련기 도입사업 이며, 향후 美 해군의 훈련기 도입사업까지 이어진다면 대체 소요량은 최대

1,000여대에 이를 것으로 전망됩니다.

 

아래 기사에 의하면, BAE Systems 社는 美 해군 훈련기로 Hawk 파생형 T-45 Goshawk 를 판매한 경험을 바탕으로,

새로운 기종(기체) 개발없이 Hawk 계열에서 가장 advanced 된 모델인 Hawk T2 를 제안할 것으로 판단됩니다.

 

또한 여러 보도를 통해 알려진 바와 같이, T-X 사업에서는 대한민국 KAI  와 Lockheed Martin 의 T-50 Golden Eagle 과

Alenia Aermacchi 의 T-100 ITS (M-346 Master) 이 Hawk 와 함께 치열한 경합을 펼칠 것으로 예상되며, Boeing 역시

독자 모델로 참여할 가능성이 있어 보입니다.

 

앞서 소개한 미 공군의 T-X 사업관련 소식은 아래 태그에서 [고등훈련기], [Hawk] 등으로 검색하면 상세한 내용들을

파악하실 수 있습니다.

 

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BAE To Bid Hawk For USAF T-X

Aviation Week.com, 09/08/2010

Author : Amy Butler

 

BAE Systems is planning to propose its single-engine Hawk trainer as the U.S. Air Force begins to move slowly toward a competition for a T-38 replacement.

 

The average age of the T-38 last year was 42 years, but financial pressures in the Pentagon are forcing the Air Force to push off its plans for a replacement until 2012 at the earliest.

 

BAE’s announcement came Sept. 8, only days before the annual Air Force Association convention next week in Washington. Likely competitors are the twin-engine Aermacchi M346 and the Lockheed Martin/KAI T-50. Boeing also has left the door open to designing a trainer for the Air Force.

 

BAE announced its plans to be prime contractor for a T-X bid after a “good visit” with the Air Force to discuss its potential requirements, says Sam Cole, the company’s capture lead for the program. Though the program is not likely to kick off for a couple of years, a notional in-service date of 2017 means bidders must start assembling teams in an effort to quickly respond once a request for proposals is issued.

 

BAE is beginning talks with potential U.S. partners. The aircraft would be assembled in the U.S., but a location has not yet been named. Neither have any partners. And it is unclear how much U.S. content would need to be added to the aircraft.

 

Though Air Force requirements have not been finalized, Cole says that thus far company officials feel no modifications will be needed to the Hawk design for the U.S. mission.

 

An “off-the-shelf buy” would keep cost of the procurement down, Cole says. Hawks are now being produced in the U.K. and India. Customers also include Australia.

 

The Air Force is looking for an end-to-end training system, including ground-based simulators. Cole says the BAE offering allows for instructors to inject virtual threats and sensor returns for pilots as they are flying. A health-monitoring system also will be included on the aircraft to provide more efficient logistics management, he says.

 

 

  T-45 Goshawk ⓒ U.S. Navy