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6th Oct 2008, 08:22

#50 (permalink)

Data-Lynx

Join Date: Aug 2005

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Nato Ags

Aviation Week reported in Jun 08 that the industrial consortium behind the NATO Alliance Ground Surveillance system hopes member states still will give the program the formal go-ahead this year. The next revised phase of the programme should lead to the fielding of four Global Hawks starting in 2012, based on the Block 40 Global Hawk.

To cut costs, NATO has repeatedly adjusted the program, reducing the number of UAVs to be bought while discarding a manned aircraft adjunct entirely (Airbus A321 after French double-dealing ). The latest change (Dec 07) switched from a multinational radar (Transatlantic Cooperative AGS Radar - TCAR) to buying off-the-shelf, the Multi-Platform Radar Technology Insertion Program in development in the United States.

That move cut more than cost and attempted to keep the programme to a 2012 (more like 2103) Initial Operational Capability despite delays in moving the programme forward due to prolonged wrangling among members about the AGS structure. The NATO buy would come on top of the 15 Block 40s earmarked for the U.S. Air Force.

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