C295 AEW&C makes first flight

[Algy]

From Seville, yesterday evening. (http://www.airbusmilitary.com/PressRelease/tabid/133/ArticleId/144/First-Airbus-Military-C295-with-AEW-C-rotodome-completes-maiden-flight.aspx)

[green granite]

All we have to do now is make it flyable from a carrier and it'll be perfect. http://209.85.48.8/html/emoticons/unsure.gif

[Squirrel 41]

Any idea who this is intended for? Seems like an awfully expensive experiment for a private venture. Interesting!

S41

[Seldomfitforpurpose]

Something else that will no doubt be years late coming into service with massive cost over runs :rolleyes:

[airborne_artist]

Any idea who this is intended for?

Domino's have options on some already. Seems pizzas just keep getting bigger, and mopeds are no longer up to the task :E

[Yeller_Gait]

In reality, this is a C295 with a 70's design rotodome on top, it is not an AEW&C. There is nothing in the report about radar or internal mission systems etc.

Airbus may as well have put a large lump of concrete on the top to demonstrate aero-dynamic qualities; at least a lump of concrete could be turned into something that resembles a modern radar and may eventually be of use to a country buying into the C295 AEW&C program, if it ever exists.

Y_G

[Wensleydale]

Concur with yeller gait.

An airborne concept aircraft with non-working radar and mission system smacks of the Nimrod AEW3 project. The type of radar will be crucial.. will the radar have overland and lookdown capability? What range will it have? How many personnel on board? Will it be just AEW or will there be contol facilities (including airborne battle management)? Will it work? is there enough money to make it work? What other sensors will it have? What is the planned comms fit? Is the airframe big enough? Will just 2 engines provide enough electrical power?

Too many questions for me....

[BEagle]

Bolleaux - read on (sorry about the Spanglish):

C-295 AEW&C has a rotodome with a radar that will provide a complete and continuous 360 degree coverage of the selected area.

The purposes of the flight, which lasted 2 hours and 48 minutes, were the necessary tests to verify the aerodynamic and structural impact on the overall structure of the rotodome in the aircraft, the handling qualities and performance.

C-295 AEW&C will be fitted with the tactical system FITS (Fully Integrated Tactical System), developed by Airbus Military, in order to make possible to install huge sets of sensors to operate and control the radar system, mission systems and tactical systems on board.

[Wensleydale]

C-295 AEW&C will be fitted with the tactical system FITS (Fully Integrated Tactical System), developed by Airbus Military, in order to make possible to install huge sets of sensors to operate and control the radar system, mission systems and tactical systems on board


The important words are "will be". Still doesn't say that it will work. I stick by my original comments.

[FoxtrotAlpha18]

It's just an aerodynamic testbed - no hardware of any significance installed yet.

I guess they're looking at it as an option to what SAAB has been offering, especially as SAAB hasn't built a new 340 or 2000 airframe for a decade!

I think FITS is the backbone architecture Airbus is using to upgrade the Brazilian P-3s.

[Algy]

Thanks FA18 (and Beagle/Squirrel 41) for raising the level of the debate. FITS is indeed the basis of the P-3 upgrade, and in fact for all Airbus Military MPA/surveillance models - C212/CN235/C295. From one to six consoles depending on aircraft. Explanation here. (http://www.airbusmilitary.com/Surveillance/FITS.aspx)

[helen-damnation]

Looking forward to the next major display, should be interesting to see if they roll this one as well :E

[GreenKnight121]

EADS Global Website - Press (http://www.eads.com/eads/int/en/news/press.5b7d8ff0-2245-44fe-9ee2-d133917c0424.4eb07896-3e59-4301-a243-e00d762cdb20.html)

Airbus Military and Israel Aerospace Industries join forces on C295 AEW&C Programme


Madrid, 21 June 2011

Airbus Military and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) are combining forces to jointly develop and market a new version of the Airbus Military C295 platform fitted with an Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) system produced by ELTA Systems, a wholly owned IAI subsidiary. The primary sensor of the AEW&C will be the IAI/ELTA 4th Generation Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Radar with integrated IFF.


.....

The C295 AEW&C has been designed to provide high quality 360 Surveillance, creating in real-time an integrated Air and Maritime Situation Picture and Electronic Order of Battle. The AEW&C Situation Picture is shared with friendly forces via Network Centric data links.


A C295 fitted with a rotodome demonstrator is conducting flight trials from Airbus Military's Seville facility since 8th June. The initial tests have shown that the aircraft is aerodynamically an excellent platform for this purpose. ELTA Systems and Airbus Military are now conducting engineering studies to integrate the mission suite, including AESA radar, among other sensors, into the aircraft. The aircraft demonstrator can be seen on the static display at the Le Bourget Airshow.


.....

IAI/ELTA is a front-runner in the development of airborne radar systems and in particular AESA Radar for AEW&C aircraft. IAI/ELTA’s current 3rd Generation AEW&C products, the Gulfstream G550 Conformal AEW&C and the Ilyushin IL-76 AWACS, are the leaders in their respective categories, both in terms of performance and landmark design. The newest member of IAI/ELTA’s family of AESA Radars is a rotating dome radar combining both true 360o AESA radar and IFF in a unique low weight 4th Generation design.
.....

[ZH875]

Any idea who this is intended for?

Someone operating in the Middle East, if the first paragraph is true. (my bold)

The first Airbus Military C295 development aircraft fitted with an Airbone Early Warning sand Command (AEW&C) rotodome has successfully completed its first flight on 7th June 2011 at Airbus Military’s site in Seville (Spain).

[engineer(retard)]

Possibly an attempt to lure those who cannot buy clever toys due to ITAR

[Bubblewindow]

The important words are "will be". Still doesn't say that it will work. I stick by my original comments.

Works fine on the CN-235MP in the Maritime role. Radar on bottom, radar on top, I assume not much different ?
(Other than the obvious, SARO's have to sit on the ceiling!!)
BW

[PPRuNeUser0139]

Bit more info here..
Even allowing for the manufacturer's froth, an interesting step forward..
I like the sector mode.. :D

[anyfacetango]

Hummm...interesting. I fly the Seaking Searchwater in the Spanish Navy and I have no idea if the combat system intended for the C295 is any better than our own, but just the possibility of operating over FL100 is fantastic. As you know, at that altitude you radar horizon is only 128nm, which is OK for certain potential enemy aircraft. But in some circumstances, it would be a great idea to be able to extend that horizon by way of altitude. Especially if your combat system has the ability to detect and classify beyond that range, like in our case!.

In any case, if INDRA is behind this scheme, let me point out that they tried to modify the Searchwater´s radar and after 3 years and 22.5million euros (3 million payed by the Navy with no refund), they realized they didn´t have the technology. Particularly, they weren´t capable of integrating the radars´signals and had to limit the manouverability of the aircraft (only 5degrees in roll!!!!!). They even developed a new signal amplifier for the receptor and.....it blew up during testing.

[anyfacetango]

Actually, there is a difference between radar on top or on the bottom. Having it under the fuselage gives you two disadvantages:
1.- The dimensions of the radar antenna; it would have to consist on one or two arrays (I´m referring to wave guides) and that is not acceptable for air-air search.
2.- The tilt of the antenna, either mechanical or electronic, is limited because of having "the aircraft on top of it". In practical terms, it limits the ability to look up.

The Searchwater on the Seaking is an interesting conception because, regardless of what it look likes on pictures, the radar is on one side and has no blind sectors; it´s not stuck to the fuselage. Furthermore, it´s located in such a position that it can look both up and down with no more limitations that the mechanical tilt itself, but the helicopter is never in the way. You can see this very clearly if you take a look at the aircraft from a few feet away.

[Bubblewindow]

2.- The tilt of the antenna, either mechanical or electronic, is limited because of having "the aircraft on top of it". In practical terms, it limits the ability to look up.

Yes the one disadvantage. I'm on 235MP. We can still pick up fast movers with the radar tilted up but as you say limited in this respect, the FITS still works fine though, so though I was joking , it's still a capable platform.

BW

[TBM-Legend]

US Customs here we come....ideal replacement for old P-3's with AEW systems. Lots cheaper to operate and compatible with HC-144A