WORLD NEWS
Falklands France pursues
fighter studies
threatened PARIS
again? Preliminary design work on a
fighter to enter service in 1995i
LONDON is now under way in France,
Reports that Argentina is pre- says Defence Minister Char-1^
paring to mount a series of hit les Hernu. Addressing the*
and run attacks against the French National Assembly,1
Falklands are being treated Hernu says that the ACX
with caution by the United experimental aircraft pro-v
Kingdom. gramme will be launched dur-
ing the first quarter of thisY
US CBS-TV claims that year. ,
Pentagon intelligence sources
indicate deployment of two ACX will have the now-
Argentine Air Force familiar canard-delta layout,
Mirage/Dagger squadrons to twin engines with advanced*
bases in the south of the coun- intakes, and a single fin. The
try. These squadrons are nor- cockpit will feature multi-
mally based at Cordoba, some function displays and voice*
450 n.m. north-west of control. The ACX prototype
Buenos Aires, and moved will be built by Dassault-
south just after Christmas. Breguet, says Hernu. t
Argentine Special Forces are France has renewed efforts,
said to be in intensive training to interest Germany in a bi- 1
for commando raids on the Eleven missiles were fired during British Army Tracked Rapier acceptance
Islands. The Pentagon has no trials in the Hebrides. A 11 firings were successful, two of the missiles scoring national fighter technology
knowledge of such reports, direct hits on the small Rushton towed target demonstration programme.*
says a spokesman. MBB is keen to co-operate
the Falklands. Rapier SAMs with British Aerospace on the'
The UK Ministry of De-
fence says that, as Argentina
are emplaced around RAF Madelung stays Agile Combat Aircraft (now,
known in the UK as the
Stanley, and, it is believed,
has not yet formally declared
an end to hostilities, Britain
around the Harrier strip at with MBB Experimental Aircraft Pro-'
gramme), but the German
Goose Green. Up to 4,000
will continue to be on its troops are garrisoned on the Although Dr Gero Madelung Government is anxious to col-
guard. The MoD declines to Falklands, about 90 per cent has resigned as chief execu- laborate with France on mis»
comment on Argentina's mili- of which are combat troops. tive of the Messerschmitt- siles, helicopters, and aircraft.
tary strength or intentions. Bolkow-Blohm group, he
Four frigates and at least one
Flight's assessment is that submarine comprise the naval retains responsibility for the
Argentine re-equipment is forces. company's military aircraft
proceeding quickly. Known programmes. A respected
deliveries include
Dassault - Breguet
nine
Super
leader in the European com-
bat-aircraft scene—his pre-
Kuwait orders
Etendards, at least 24 IAI New US vious job was chief executive
Mirage F.ls
Daggers, and ten Mirage 5Ps of the Tornado programme—
supplied by Peru during the Secretary of Madelung has been in dis-
agreement with MBB's share-
i
war. These Mirages are PARIS t
capable of firing Exocet. The
Air Force might also have
transportation holders on group policy. He
now becomes one of two dep- Kuwait has decided to order,
received up to 30 ex-Israeli
A-4 Skyhawks.
announced uty chief executives under Dr
Hans Arnt Vogels, a former
12 more Mirage F.lCs, and is
negotiating for the purchase
Argentina now has a stock senior executive with the of Egyptian-assembled Alpha
WASHINGTON D.C. Flick industrial group. Sepp Jets, says Air Force Chief of
of at least 20 air-launched
Exocets for its Super Elizabeth Hanford Dole will Mort is the other deputy. Staff Gen Abdullah Farraj ai
Etendard fleet. As Israel is become the new US Secretary Some shareholders—who Ghanim. The nation already
supplying Argentina, Gabriel of Transportation on Febru- include the Hamburg, Bre- operates 18 air-defence'
III air-launched anti-ship ary 1, succeeding Drew Lewis, men, and Bavarian State Mirage F.ls, 12 Lightning^
missiles could also be in the who resigned from his Cabinet Governments—believe that having been placed in storage.
pipeline for the Air Force's position to go back into the Vogels will be a more active The Helwan-produced"
large Skyhawk force. The private sector last month. political contact in securing Alpha Jets will replace nine,
Navy could also receive Dole, a Duke University federal support for new aero- Strikemasters in training and
Barak, Israel's ship-defence and Harvard Law School space programmes. MBB has ground-attack roles, com-'
missile for use against anti- graduate, is presently Presi- been cutting its commercial- pleting Kuwait's re-,
ship missiles and aircraft.The dent Reagan's special assis- aircraft production workforce equipment programme. Nine
Argentines have most likely tant for public liaison, and she (Flight, November 20, page Hunters are now in storage,''
purchased more Roland is married to Senator Robert 1495) as a result of what having been replaced by Sky- x
SAMs. Dole, chairman of the Senate Madelung has described as hawks. Al Ghanim says that
Facing Argentina, the Finance Committee. "the melting Airbus order- his country "has the means to
Royal Air Force has about Dole was a member of the book", and the Federal Gov- procure" an aircraft in the
eight look-down/shoot-down Federal Trade Commission ernment and industry remain Mirage 2000 class, but "we do \
Phantom FGR.2s and up to before joining the White far apart on new combat- not need it for the time be-
ten Harrier GR.3s based on House. aircraft policy. ing".
238 FLIGHT International, 29 January 1983