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Subject:
RE:Hawkeye on STOBAR carriers - link
perfectgeneral
5/24/2005 11:07:07 PM
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It found that not only was it possible to deck launch, but it could even be done safely - at reduced weights. Trials in the early 1980's from a ski-jump (of just 2-3 degrees) built at built ashore at NAS Patuxent River offered the promise of raising launch weights. However the ski jump presented some maintenance problems, and also indicated the possibility of fully compressing the nose gear at the higher angles that are optimum for a STOVL fighter such as the Harrier. A redesign of the nose gear would thus be required in order to operate the E-2 from a ski-jump on a regular basis, and max TOW issues remain as well. However these problems can almost certainly be resolved, if arrestor wires are added to the current STOVL but adaptable CVF (i.e. changing it to a STOBAR carrier) then the Hawkeye remains an option for MASC, indeed Flight International magazine reported in November 2002 that this approach was being seriously considered. The UK is thus still regarded by Northrop Grumman as a potential future customer for the Hawkeye (or Advanced Hawkeye) that may require deliveries in a 2010-2012 timescale.
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