[continued from previous message] 
  
 will be deployed to a Gulf state next month by RAF Boeing C-17s or leased 
 Antonov An-124s to participate in a two-week "confidence building" exercise 
 that will i nclude the UK's first "hot and high" firings of the Apache's 
 AGM-114 Hellfire air-to-surface missiles, CRV-7 unguided rockets and cannon. 
  
 The exercise will also assess the aircraft's ability to operate over terrain 
 reaching an altitude of around 9,840ft (3,000m) above sea level - similar to 
 that in the northern Helmand region. Noting the Apache's firepower, Felton 
 says: "It's clearly not going to be there to hand out sweets. We can stretch 
 to high intensity warfighting if it comes to it." 
  
 The AAC says modifications to take place before the Apache's operational 
 deployment include the addition of beyond line-of-sight communications, 
 internal auxiliary fuel tanks and the ability to use night-vision goggles. 
  
 The deployment of four Lynx represents more of a headache for the army, 
 which concedes that Afghanistan's summer temperatures of up to 40€C (104€F) 
 will severely restrict the type's ability to provide transport, 
 reconnaissance, command and control and fire-control services for between 
 three and four months each year. The limitations underline the need for the 
 UK Ministry of Defence to advance its planned Future Lynx programme, which 
 will include replacing the AH7's Rolls-Royce Gem engines (Flight 
 International, 24-30 January). 
  
 It is doubtful that the RAF's C-130s will receive a wing fire-inerting 
 system ahead of their deployment, although the MoD has contracted Marshall 
 Aerospace to study the possible modification. This was among the 
 recommendations of a board of inquiry report into the downing of a 47 
 Sqn-operated aircraft that killed 10 personnel in Iraq early last year. The 
 MoD points out, however, that its C-130s already have missile approach and 
 radar warners, countermeasures equipment and flightdeck armour. 
  
 The final element of the aviation force will be provided by a battery of 
 Lockheed Desert Hawk unmanned air vehicles to be operated by 32 Regiment, 
 Royal Artillery. The UK Defence Procurement Agency confirms that Lockheed 
 will receive a contract worth up to €5 million to provide additional 
 hand-launched Desert Hawks and upgrade some of the UK's inventory of the 
 type. 
  
 Current plans do not call for the UK to maintain an offensive fixed-wing 
 presence in Afghanistan, with its detachment of six BAE Systems Harrier GR7s 
 scheduled to leave Kandahar airbase next June. It is also unclear whether 
 ISAF personnel in southern Afghanistan will receive support from RAF 
 fixed-wing reconnaissance aircraft that have previously operated in the 
 region. Such requirements could yet see the UK's planned detachment of 24 
 aircraft grow into an ever more significant force. 
  
                                 * 
 ================================================================ 
  NY Transfer News Collective    *    A Service of Blythe Systems 
            Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us 
  339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012     http://www.blythe.org 
  List Archives:   http://olm.blythe-systems.com/pipermail/nytr/ 
  Subscribe: http://olm.blythe-systems.com/mailman/listinfo/nytr 
 ================================================================ 
  
 -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- 
 Version: GnuPG v1.4.2 (GNU/Linux) 
  
 iD8DBQFEEuI2iz2i76ou9wQRAhCJAJ4hl8R5b4Da7c8Pl7LldykPsnVtIgCbBRIL 
 JI8OQ097HBiV+38eJGLxd8c= 
 =g8xh 
 -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- 
  
 --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05 
  * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)