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Feb 21, 2008

Keen dogfight to supply training jets to RSAF

Firms from Britain, Italy, S. Korea hope a deal will trigger international sales

By Teh Joo Lin , David Boey

THE dogfight to build training jets for air forces around the world heated up at the Singapore Airshow yesterday, with three aircraft makers setting their sights on this country.

The companies - from Britain, Italy and South Korea - are in a pitched battle to supply the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) with training planes. Rookie pilots hone their skills on these jets, before moving on to more powerful warplanes.

The aircraft makers hope a deal with Singapore, well-known for its high standards for military equipment, will trigger a flood of international sales. At stake are orders for an estimated 1,000 training aircraft over the next decade.

The gloves came off yesterday morning when marketing teams touting Britain's BAE Systems Hawk, the AleniaAermacchi M346 from Italy and South Korea's T50 Golden Eagle - jointly developed with Lockheed Martin - staged press briefings at the Changi airshow site.

AleniaAermacchi chief executive officer Carmelo Cosentino said Singapore 'is one of the most sophisticated and demanding customers worldwide'.

The Straits Times understands that the plane makers expect the Defence Science & Technology Agency to call for a tender for advanced jet trainers sometime this year.

Interest in the tender has had the Italian and South Korean jets strutting their stuff at the air show's daily flying display.

The Hawk was due to be on static display but has yet to arrive in Singapore after it was delayed in the Middle East due to bad weather. A BAE Systems spokesman said the Hawk was due to arrive by the weekend.

The winning company could supply about a dozen jet trainers for use by RSAF trainees.

The strength of the three competing planes makes this race tough to call, said aviation watchers.

The contenders are:

Italy's M346: The only twin-engine jet among the three, it comes from a plane maker that has supplied more than 2,000 trainers to some 40 air forces, including the RSAF.

BAE Systems' Hawk: It is one of the most widely used jet trainers, with over 900 sold in over 20 years. It has a strong safety record in countries from the 'Arctic to the tropics', said programme director Ian Newlove. The latest version has won contracts from India and Britain.

South Korea's T50 Golden Eagle: It is the most powerful and can fly 1.5 times faster than the speed of sound. Its cockpit is also said to mimic the latest generation of warplanes that student pilots will eventually fly.

As the hardsell got underway yesterday, T50 plane makers trotted out statistics to show the trainer has helped pilots get up to speed faster than the older T38.

For BAE Systems, its Hawk now has two new competitors nipping at its near-monopoly for jet trainers.

Asked how the Hawk would fare against its rivals, business development director Mike Rudd said: 'We're pretty comfortable with our product and experience but we do acknowledge that there are some new kids on the block.'

joolin@sph.com.sg

dboey@sph.com.sg

ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY MARIA ALMENOAR