Britain’s Aircraft Industry DEFENCE WHITE PAPER PLANS FOR HIGH LEVEL OF WORK

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31001, 5 March 1966, Page 14

Britain’s Aircraft Industry DEFENCE WHITE PAPER PLANS FOR HIGH LEVEL OF WORK

IBy

MICHAEL DONNE,

air correspondent of the “Financial Times. I

(Reprinted from the “Financial Times” by arrangement.)

One fact emerging clearly from the Defence White Paper is that far from being substantially run down, as many people might have supposed after the Plowden Report and the events of recent months, the British aerospace industry can expect a high level of work tor the immediate future. Even in the long term, which is what has re ahy been worrying the industry, the prospects seem brighter than they did, in spite of the heavy procurement of United States aircraft—the FlllAs, the Phantoms and the Cl3O Hercules transports.

In fact, the White Paper could be described almost as a new charter for the Royal Air Force, which in spite of the loss of TSR-2, P-1154 and HS-681 a year ago, is now going to get between 400 and 500 new aircraft of 10 different types; is assured of a continuing tactical role for its V-bombers when Polaris missile submarines come in: and will also take over the fixed wing element of the Fleet Air Arm. The aerospace industry, too, shares in this: It is building, or will build, most of these new types and will supply some of the engines and much of the equipment for the three aircraft coming from the United States.

The White Paper also makes it clear that for the 1970’5, the Anglo-French aviation projects are going ahead firmly. The variablegeometry aircraft, of which little has been heard to date, is now described as being operationally and industrially “the core of our long-term aircraft programme”—a highly significant remark —and it is made clear that even the F-IHAs will be either supplemented or in some roles replaced by this new aircraft when it becomes available in the 19705. Further, it is stressed that the joint Jaguar jetstrike trainer aircraft is also to go on at maximum pace. Both projects, involving the British Aircraft Corporation seem likely to take many millions of pounds in the years ahead. French Fears To this extent, the White Paper has made it clear that fears of French disgruntlement with the U.K. over the purchase of F-IUAs are unfounded. Britain, in fact, has gone out of its way to show the French that it views future aeronautical co-operation as vital, and some time in March or April Mr Denis Healey will be going to Paris for talks on the whole range of future military aircraft collaboration, including the possibility of another new joint aircraft, the Airborne Early Warning aeroplane.

For the immediate future, the White Paper sets out what funds will be available and what projects will be involved There will be continued production of the British Aircraft Corporation Lightning interceptor, VC-10 transport and Jet Provost trainer, and of thp Hawker Siddeley Buccaneer fighter, Andover trans-

port and Dominie trainer, along with the Beagle Bassett light aircraft and the admittedly small order for the Short Belfast strategic heavy freighter. One of the biggest new contracts will be the production order for the Maritime Reconnaissance version of the Hawker Siddeley Comet. This aircraft will have four RollsRoyce Spey engines, and will be filled with many complex electronic devices for antisubmarine warfare. The cost of a civil Comet is around £1 million so that the cost of the redesigned version for the anti-submarine role can hardly be less than £2 million: For an expected order of 50 aircraft, the cost will thus be around £IOO million at least. Another major procurement decision due soon is that for the Hawker Siddeley P-1127 vertical take-off fighter. This is expected to be for up to 100 aircraft, at a cost of around £IOO million including the Bristol Siddeley Pegasus engines. Recently, a new version of this aircraft was put forward by the manufacturers, using a powerboosting device known as Plenum Chamber Burning (PCB). This is now under study in the Ministry of Defence, which faces three alternatives. It can go ahead and order the P-1127 in the existing version, ignoring the new development. It can order some of the existing type and have the rest in the PCB version, or it can delay a few months and order all the P-1127s in the new version. Whichever decision it takes. Hawker Siddeley and Bristol Siddeley can expect a production order some time this year. Engines Doing Well Among engines, Rolls-Royce is doing extremely well. In addition to Speys for the Comets about 200 Phantoms are to be bought, each with two Spey engines, so that with spares a total order for nearly 1000 Speys, worth at least £l5O million is in prospect for Rolls-Royce on the Phantom and Comet contracts. The British engine, components and electronics companies are getting business for the Phantom totalling up to 45 per cent, of the cost of the aircraft, or around £2OO million of the total estimated outlay of about £4OO million on these United States jets. In addition, there is work on components and equipment for the C-130 Hercules transports and there will also be some work — although perhaps not much—to be derived from the F-11A purchase of 50 aircraft.

Apart from production, there are substantial sums to be spent on research and development. The White Paper makes it clear that total production, research and development spending in the coming year will be well over £926 million of which total R. and D. outlays are set at over £275 million. Research and development associated with military aircraft for 1966-67 is set at £l2l million, including funds earmarked for TSR-2 cancellation charges. Some of the new money will be going on the Phantoms and Maritime Comets, but part of it will also go on the Anglo-French Jaguar and variable-geometry projects. In guided weapons, too, R. and D. is estimated in the coming year to run at £53 million, including money for work on the HawkerSiddeley Sea-Dart surface-to-air weapon, and on the British Aircraft Corporation ET-316 dir-portable surface-to-air weapon for ground forces. Work is also continuing on the Martel (AJ-168) stand-off air-to-ground missile, which is being jointly developed by

the British (Hawker Siddeley) and France, with Britain working on a televisionguided version and tho French on an anti-radar version. In addition there will be further work on the B.A.C. Bloodhound 2 and Thunderbird 2 ground-to-air missiles and same company’s Swingfire long-range anti-tank guided missile system and the Vigilant anti-tank weapon, as well as on the Hawker Red Top and Firestreak air-to-air missiles.

In electronics, the cost of research and development (outside aircraft and missiles) in 1966-67 is set at £29 million including work on a new integrated control and reporting system for air defence and air traffic control, and a new radio system for the Army in the field. Work on minor programmes will include improved communications equipment for aircraft, ships and ground forces; airborne raiders for antisubmarine warfare; nightvision equipment, and surveillance ' and locating radars for ground forces. The Cinderella Space Research, however, is the Cinderella of the White Paper. It is to get only £4 million in military R. and D. including the continuation of basic research already being undertaken at Farnborough, and work on the already announced U.K.-U.S. experimental satellite communications system. Consideration is also being given to setting up a satellite information centre to be manned by the R.A.F. But the biggest and most expensive decisions still awaited in space—the future of the European Launcher Development Organisation and the Black Arrow Programme —are essentially civilian decisions, and were never expected to be dealt with in the White Paper. Nevertheless, the aerospace industry is anxiously awaiting the outcome of talks now going on behind the scenes on Black Arrow, and will watch the Ministerial talks on E.L.D.O. with a great deal of interest. In helicopters, although no major new project is announced, the White Paper makes it clear that in the Navy of the future (which will be of a substantial size and have a major continuing role, in spite of the fact that it will not get a new carrier), there will be plenty of helicopters, probably even more than in the past. While Westland Aircraft is still awaiting the Government’s basic decisions here, it does not look as though it need worry unduly. Finally, the White Paper itself adds the crowning touch. “The Ministry of Defence,” it says, “will also be paying the British aerospace industry about £l3O million a year over the next ten years fcr spares, maintenance and repair work.”