BAC/Dassault AFVG

Last updated

AFVG
AFVG.jpg
Artist's concept
Role Interceptor aircraft, tactical strike, reconnaissance aircraft
National originUnited Kingdom/France
Manufacturer British Aircraft Corporation/Dassault Aviation
StatusCancelled
Number builtNone

BAC/Dassault AFVG (standing for Anglo-French Variable Geometry) was a 1960s project for supersonic multi-role combat aircraft with a variable-sweep wing, [N 1] jointly developed by British Aircraft Corporation in the United Kingdom and Dassault Aviation of France.

Contents

The project was borne out of ambitions to produce a viable combat aircraft that made use of the variable-sweep wing, as well as to promote wider cooperative efforts between France and the United Kingdom. However, neither Dassault nor the French Air Force were particularly keen on the AFVG; the project was further impacted by repeated specification changes and indecision for what roles that the AFVG was to be tasked with on the part of Britain. In mid-1967, British requirements settled upon adopting the AFVG for the Royal Air Force (RAF) for the strike role in the place of the cancelled BAC TSR-2 strike bomber.

The project was cancelled in June 1967, when the French Government withdrew from participation. BAC modified the specification to solely satisfy RAF needs, reconfiguring the design as the UKVG and sought out new partners to procure the aircraft. This ultimately emerged as the Anglo-German-Italian consortium-funded "Multi Role Combat Aircraft" (MRCA), (Panavia Tornado), a variable-geometry wing fighter/strike aircraft.

Development

Background

From 1945 onwards, Britain conducted a number of studies into the properties and use of variable geometry wings. [1] The noted British engineer and inventor Sir Barnes Wallis began exploring the concept during the Second World War and became an early pioneer and advocate for the variable geometry wing, conceiving of an aircraft consideration that lacked conventional features such as a vertical stabiliser and rudder, instead using variable geometry wings to provide primary controllability in their place. In 1946, Wallis published a paper upon this research, which was quickly hailed as being a major scientific breakthrough in the aviation industry. [1] Wallis proceeded to advocate for the production of an aircraft, military or civil, that would take advantage of a variable geometry wing. [2] The Ministry of Supply and Ministry of Defence arranged for a series of tests to demonstrate the application of the technology to projectiles, both for research purposes and a potential form of anti-aircraft defence; while Wallis worked upon this research programme, he continued to promote the concept of a manned variable geometry aircraft. [3]

In 1951, the Ministry of Supply issued Specification ER.110T, which sought a piloted variable geometry aircraft that would be suitable for research flights; however, ER.110T would be cancelled without an order due to urgent demands for more conventional transonic combat aircraft. [4] At one point, Wallis examined the prospects of producing a variable geometry submission for Specification OR.330, which sought a supersonic aerial reconnaissance/strategic bomber aircraft. He conceived of a large aircraft equipped with a moveable delta wing configuration, which he dubbed Swallow; however, midway through scale model free-flight testing, the funding for Wallis' studies was terminated by the Ministry in June 1957. [5] In 1958, research efforts were revived in cooperation with the Mutual Weapons Development Programme of NATO, under which all of Wallis' variable geometry research was shared with the Americans. [5]

During the mid 1950s, multiple British aircraft manufacturers had become interested in harnessing variable geometry wings in their proposed designs. Amongst these design studies were a supersonic-capable derivative of the Folland Gnat, and a project by Vickers to design a large variable geometry strike aircraft in response to Specification GOR.339 for a nuclear-armed supersonic bomber. [6] In 1964, the newly formed British Aircraft Corporation (BAC) decided to harness Vicker's earlier variable geometry work on a new design study, designated as the BAC P.45. The conceptual BAC P.45 was designed as a 'light strike' and two-seat trainer aircraft. [7] [9] BAC had strongly advocated for a government order for the type to equip the Royal Air Force (RAF), being one of a number of proposed designs [N 2] that were produced by several rival manufacturers to meet Specification AST.362. [11] According to aviation author Derek Wood, in spite the P.45 design being "the obvious choice", the Secretary of State for Defence Denis Healey dismissed it in favour of a prospective cooperative arrangement with France for a joint-project based on the Br.121 ECAT ("Tactical Combat Support Trainer") proposal from Breguet Aviation instead. [12]

Anglo-French collaboration

Starting in 1964, a series of in-depth discussions took place between the governments of France and UK on prospective collaborative military aviation programs; these involved talks between Handel Davies, the co-chairman of an Anglo-French committee, and his French counterpart, Ingénieur-General Lecamus, negotiating the launch of two new military combat aircraft. According to these negotiations, the French would take the lead role in developing a new light ground-attack/trainer, while the British were to assume the leadership of a multirole fighter project. [13] This multirole aircraft was to be equipped with a variable geometry wing and was intended to perform the strike, reconnaissance, and interceptor roles. [14]

On 17 May 1965, following on from the cancellation of the BAC TSR-2 supersonic tactical and strike bomber, the British and French governments announced the signing of a pair of agreements to cover the two joint projects; one based on the Breguet Aviation Br.121 ECAT ("Tactical Combat Support Trainer") proposal; this would later evolve, after the cancellation of the AFVG, to become the SEPECAT Jaguar. The other was the AFVG, a larger, variable geometry carrier-capable fighter aircraft for the French Navy (Aéronavale) as well as fulfilling interceptor, tactical strike and reconnaissance roles for the RAF. [15] [14] The AFVG was to be jointly developed by BAC and Dassault Aviation, the proposed M45G turbofan engine to power the aircraft was to also be jointly developed by SNECMA and Bristol Siddeley. [14]

Design specifications

Early design of the AFVG. AFVG (1965).jpg
Early design of the AFVG.

On 13 July 1965, the specification for the AFVG feasibility study was issued; according to Wood, the specification greatly resembled that which had been earlier issued for the cancelled TSR-2. [16] The AFVG was to have a maximum speed of 800 knots at sea level and Mach 2.5 at altitude. It was required to possess a minimum combat radius of 500 nautical miles, a ferry range of 3,500 nautical miles, and the nose-mounted aircraft interception radar was to have a minimum range of 60 nautical miles. [17] Armament was to include a pair of 30 mm cannons and a 2,500 lb tactical nuclear bomb. However, the specification would be repeatedly re-drafted, the issuing of a definitive specification by Whitehall was delayed until April 1966. [17]

Wood observed that the requirements of the specification were of a multi-role nature, akin to the Hawker Siddeley P.1154 and variable geometry General Dynamics F-111K. [17] In RAF service, the AFVG had originally been intended to serve as a fighter, replacing the English Electric Lightning in the interceptor mission. [18] However, following the decision to procure the American-built McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II instead, the AFVG's expected role was changed in 1966 to supplementing the F-111K [N 3] strike aircraft in replacing the English Electric Canberra and the V bomber force. [19]

The AFVG was to be powered by a pair of SNECMA/Bristol Siddeley M45G turbofans, which were to be fed by Mirage-style half-shock cone inlets. [20] The engine development programme contract was to be issued by the French government to a SNECMA/Bristol Siddeley joint venture company registered in France. [19]

Cancellation

For Marcel Dassault, the founder of the firm that bore his name, relinquishing leadership on a major project, essentially taking a subordinate position to BAC on the AFVG threatened his company's long-term objective of becoming a premier prime contractor for combat aircraft. [21] After less than a year, Dassault began to actively undermine the AFVG project, working on two competing "in-house" projects: the variable geometry Mirage G and the Mirage F1. [22] According to Wood, both Dassault and the French Air Force had been unenthusiastic for the project from the start, the latter wanting to pursue its own indigenous aircraft equipped with variable geometry wings, while the former had determined that the AFVG did not confirm with any of its future equipment plans. [14] While Britain was keen to procure a capable strike aircraft, France wanted interceptor aircraft; these design requirements of these different roles were relatively exclusive of one another. [17]

Britain's own set of requirements for the AFVG were complicated by the effort of trying to fit the requirements of both the RAF and the Royal Navy onto a single airframe. [17] Accordingly, as a measure to achieve reasonable performance, two different versions of the AFVG were called for, one being a multirole fighter equipped with pulse-Doppler radar and air-to-air missiles while the other was to be a strike aircraft with limited capability as an interceptor. [17]

In June 1967, the French government announced their withdrawal from the AFVG project ostensibly on the grounds of cost. [N 4] [24] The collapse of the AFVG programme was considerably troubling to the British position, having chosen to rely on Anglo-French collaboration and American-designed combat aircraft to meet its needs. [25]

The unilateral French decision led to a censure debate in the House of Commons. [26] [24] By 1967, when the French decided to withdraw from the AFVG programme, the Air Ministry was faced with a dilemma stemming from the imminent prospect of cancelling the F-111K, a decision that was taken in November 1967, to be formalized on 20 March 1968. [27] Up to this point, Britain had spent £2.5 million on the AFVG for practically no gains. [25] In order to justify the absence of any new strike aircraft following the failure of multiple projects to develop or procure one, Healey decided to entirely dismantle the requirement for one. Thus, in 1968, Prime Minister Harold Wilson, alongside Healey, announced that British troops would be withdrawn in 1971 from major military bases in South East Asia, the Persian Gulf and the Maldives, collectively known as 'East of Suez'. [28] [29] [25]

Redesign

With the prospect of no operational aircraft being available to fulfill the RAF's strike role, BAC decided to revamp the AFVG design, eliminating the carrier capabilities that were no longer necessary, into a larger, more strike-oriented variable geometry aircraft. Holding contracts were issued to BAC to support the project, which had been re-designated as the United Kingdom Variable Geometry (UKVG) aircraft. [27] [25] In November 1967, BAC issued a brochure on the UKVG proposal; various proposals would be issued to cover the use of multiple different engines. The quick production of a demonstrator aircraft, powered by a pair of Rolls-Royce/MAN Turbo RB153 turbofan engines, was also mooted. [25]

While funding for the UKVG in the United Kingdom was seriously restricted, the British government sought to find partners in the form of NATO members, [N 5] promoting the concept of creating and procuring a common NATO strike aircraft. In July 1968, a memorandum of understanding was signed between Britain, West Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Canada. [30] This memorandum eventually led to the launch of the multinational Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA) project, which in turn went on to produce a variable geometry aircraft to perform strike, reconnaissance, and interception missions in the form of the Panavia Tornado. [13] [31]

Specifications

Data fromProject Cancelled: The Disaster of Britain's Abandoned Aircraft Projects [32]

General characteristics

Performance

Armament

Avionics
Ground Mapping Radar + TFR

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Aircraft Corporation</span> British aircraft manufacturer

The British Aircraft Corporation (BAC) was a British aircraft manufacturer formed from the government-pressured merger of English Electric Aviation Ltd., Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft), the Bristol Aeroplane Company and Hunting Aircraft in 1960. Bristol, English Electric and Vickers became "parents" of BAC with shareholdings of 20%, 40% and 40% respectively. BAC in turn acquired the share capital of their aviation interests and 70% of Hunting Aircraft several months later.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SEPECAT Jaguar</span> French/British attack aircraft 1973-present

The SEPECAT Jaguar is an Anglo-French supersonic jet attack aircraft originally used by the British Royal Air Force and the French Air Force in the close air support and nuclear strike role. As of 2024, the Jaguar remains in service with the Indian Air Force.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BAC TSR-2</span> British reconnaissance strike aircraft prototype

The British Aircraft Corporation TSR-2 is a cancelled Cold War strike and reconnaissance aircraft developed by the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC), for the Royal Air Force (RAF) in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The TSR-2 was designed around both conventional and nuclear weapons delivery: it was to penetrate well-defended frontline areas at low altitudes and very high speeds, and then attack high-value targets in rear areas. Another intended combat role was to provide high-altitude, high-speed stand-off, side-looking radar and photographic imagery and signals intelligence, aerial reconnaissance. Only one airframe flew and test flights and weight-rise during design indicated that the aircraft would be unable to meet its original stringent design specifications. The design specifications were reduced as the result of flight testing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Variable-sweep wing</span> Airplane wings capable of changing position to alter their geometry

A variable-sweep wing, colloquially known as a "swing wing", is an airplane wing, or set of wings, that may be modified during flight, swept back and then returned to its previous straight position. Because it allows the aircraft's shape to be changed, it is an example of a variable-geometry aircraft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Folland Gnat</span> Type of airplane

The Folland Gnat is a British compact swept-wing subsonic fighter aircraft that was developed and produced by Folland Aircraft. Envisioned as an affordable light fighter in contrast to the rising cost and size of typical combat aircraft, it was procured as a trainer aircraft for the Royal Air Force (RAF) as well as by export customers, who used the Gnat in both combat and training capacities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rolls-Royce Olympus</span> Supersonic turbojet engine with afterburner

The Rolls-Royce Olympus was the world's second two-spool axial-flow turbojet aircraft engine design, first run in May 1950 and preceded only by the Pratt & Whitney J57, first-run in January 1950. It is best known as the powerplant of the Avro Vulcan and later models in the Concorde SST.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RAF Coningsby</span> Royal Air Force main operating base in Lincolnshire, England

Royal Air Force Coningsby or RAF Coningsby, is a Royal Air Force (RAF) station located 13.7 kilometres (8.5 mi) south-west of Horncastle, and 15.8 kilometres (9.8 mi) north-west of Boston, in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. It is a Main Operating Base of the RAF and home to three front-line Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 units, No. 3 Squadron, No. 11 Squadron and No. 12 Squadron. In support of front-line units, No. 29 Squadron is the Typhoon Operational Conversion Unit and No. 41 Squadron is the Typhoon Test and Evaluation Squadron. Coningsby is also the home of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) which operates a variety of historic RAF aircraft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Panavia Aircraft</span> German military aircraft manufacturer

Panavia Aircraft GmbH is a German company established by the three partner states of the Tornado Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA) project: West Germany, Italy and the UK.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dassault Mirage IV</span> French supersonic strategic bomber

The Dassault Mirage IV is a French supersonic strategic bomber and deep-reconnaissance aircraft. Developed by Dassault Aviation, the aircraft entered service with the French Air Force in October 1964. For many years it was a vital part of the nuclear triad of the Force de Frappe, France's nuclear deterrent striking force. The Mirage IV was retired from the nuclear strike role in 1996, and the type was entirely retired from operational service in 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dassault Mirage G</span> Fighter jet in the French Air Force

The Dassault Mirage G, also known as the Mirage IIIG, was a variant of the French Dassault Mirage series of supersonic warplanes, but with a variable-sweep wing. Three prototypes were flown; one single-engined G and two twin-engined G8 examples. Various roles, equipment fits and other variants were proposed, but none entered production.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fairey Delta 2</span> 1950s British supersonic research aircraft

The Fairey Delta 2 or FD2 is a British supersonic research aircraft that was produced by the Fairey Aviation Company in response to a specification from the Ministry of Supply for a specialised aircraft for conducting investigations into flight and control at transonic and supersonic speeds. Features included a delta wing and a drooped nose. On 6 October 1954, the Delta 2 made its maiden flight, flown by Fairey test pilot Peter Twiss; two aircraft would be produced. The Delta 2 was the final aircraft to be produced by Fairey as an independent manufacturer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dassault Mirage IIIV</span> French vertical take-off and landing prototype fighter aircraft

The Dassault Mirage IIIV, also spelled Mirage III V, was a French vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) prototype fighter aircraft of the mid-1960s developed and produced by Dassault Aviation.

The Hawker Siddeley P.1154 was a planned supersonic vertical/short take-off and landing (V/STOL) fighter aircraft designed by Hawker Siddeley Aviation (HSA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avro 730</span> Type of aircraft

The Avro 730 was a planned Mach 3 reconnaissance aircraft and strategic bomber that was being developed by Avro Aircraft for the Royal Air Force (RAF). It had been originally envisioned as a very high-speed aircraft to perform aerial reconnaissance missions, conforming with the requirements of Air Ministry Specification OR.330. Avro subsequently decided to modify the design of the proposed 730 in order to accommodate its arming with nuclear weapons; this change therefore meant that the type would be able to perform the nuclear weapons delivery mission as well, which had been called for under Air Ministry Specification RB.156T which sought a high speed reconnaissance-bomber aircraft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rolls-Royce/Snecma Olympus 593</span> 1960s British/French turbojet aircraft engine

The Rolls-Royce/Snecma Olympus 593 was an Anglo-French turbojet with reheat, which powered the supersonic airliner Concorde. It was initially a joint project between Bristol Siddeley Engines Limited (BSEL) and Snecma, derived from the Bristol Siddeley Olympus 22R engine. Rolls-Royce Limited acquired BSEL in 1966 during development of the engine, making BSEL the Bristol Engine Division of Rolls-Royce.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dassault Mirage F2</span> French prototype attack/fighter aircraft

The Dassault Mirage F2 was a French prototype two-seat ground attack/fighter aircraft, which was designed to serve as a test bed for the SNECMA TF306 turbofan engine. The F2 also influenced the subsequent Dassault Mirage G, a variable geometry design.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">General Dynamics F-111K</span> Type of aircraft

The General Dynamics F-111K was a planned variant of the General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark medium-range interdictor and tactical strike aircraft by General Dynamics, to meet a Royal Air Force requirement for such an aircraft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NBMR-3</span>

NBMR-3 or NATO Basic Military Requirement 3 was a document produced by a North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) committee in the early 1960s detailing the specification of future combat aircraft designs. The requirement was for aircraft in two performance groups, supersonic fighter aircraft (NBMR-3a) and subsonic fighter-bomber aircraft (NBMR-3b). Both requirements specifically stated the need for V/STOL performance as the contemporary fear was that airfields could be overrun or disabled through Eastern Bloc hostile actions and that dispersed operating bases would be needed. Germany was planning replacements for the Fiat G.91 and Lockheed F-104G Starfighter using the new aircraft types.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SEPECAT</span> Anglo-French aircraft manufacturer

SEPECAT was an Anglo-French aircraft manufacturer. Established during 1966, its aim was to handle the development and commercialization of the Jaguar, an attack and training aircraft. Organised as a Société Anonyme, the company was joint venture between British Aircraft Corporation and Breguet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vickers Swallow</span> British supersonic aircraft project

The Vickers Swallow was a supersonic aircraft project headed by Barnes Wallis, working at the British aircraft company Vickers-Armstrongs. It was a wing-controlled aerodyne, controlled in flight by movement of the entire wing, and was the supersonic successor to the Wild Goose project.

References

Notes

  1. ↑ The term in use at the time was variable-geometry.
  2. ↑ The BAC P.45/P.61 joined the Folland Fo.147, Hawker Siddeley P.1173, Hunting H.155 and Vickers 593 as contenders for the AST.362 advanced fighter/trainer requirement. [10]
  3. ↑ Another variable-geometry (VG) design from the US replacing the cancelled TSR-2.
  4. ↑ According to aviation publication Flight International, Dassault had gained valuable data on variable-geometry configurations from the AFVG programme and may have used the excuse of cost issues in order to divert funds and data to their own VG projects. [23]
  5. ↑ Belgium, Canada, Italy, the Netherlands and West Germany were approached. [13]

Citations

  1. 1 2 Wood 1975, p. 182.
  2. ↑ Wood 1975, pp. 182, 184.
  3. ↑ Wood 1975, pp. 184–185.
  4. ↑ Wood 1975, p. 189.
  5. 1 2 Wood 1975, pp. 189, 191.
  6. ↑ Wood 1975, pp. 192, 195, 197–198.
  7. ↑ Wood 1975, pp. 199, 200.
  8. ↑ Willox 2002, p. 35.
  9. ↑ BAC ceased work on the P.45 and its follow-up P.61 project in 1965. [8]
  10. ↑ Hastings, David. "SEPECAT Jaguar: Origins." Archived 19 June 2016 at the Wayback Machine Target Lock, 2010. Retrieved: 13 February 2011.
  11. ↑ Bowman 2007, p. 13.
  12. ↑ Wood 1975, pp. 200, 202.
  13. 1 2 3 "Obituary: Handel Davies." The Guardian, 24 May 2003. Retrieved: 29 January 2011.
  14. 1 2 3 4 Wood 1975, p. 202.
  15. ↑ "Anglo-French projects go ahead... 2. The AFVG and its dual role". Flight International. 26 January 1967. p. 112. Archived from the original on 29 July 2014..
  16. ↑ Wood 1975, pp. 202–203.
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Wood 1975, p. 203.
  18. ↑ Gardner 1981, p. 137.
  19. 1 2 "AFVG Programme Details: Questions and some answers from the Commons debate on defence." Flight via flightglobal.com, 9 March 1967. Retrieved: 29 January 2011.
  20. ↑ Morris 1994, p. 137.
  21. ↑ Gardner 2006. pp. 214–215.
  22. ↑ DeVore, Marc. "Making Collaboration Work: Examining Sub-Optimal Performance and Collaborative Combat Aircraft." allacademic.com. Retrieved: 2 February 2011.
  23. ↑ "Military and Research." Flight via flightglobal.com, 1 June 1967. Retrieved: 29 January 2011.
  24. 1 2 Wood 1975, pp. 203–204.
  25. 1 2 3 4 5 Wood 1975, p. 204.
  26. ↑ "Mr. Healey under Fire: The AFVG Censure debate." Flight via flightglobal.com, 20 July 1967. Retrieved: 29 January 2011.
  27. 1 2 Heron 2002, p. 11.
  28. ↑ "What Now for Britain?” The State Department's Intelligence Assessment of the "Special Relationship", 7 February 1968 by Jonathan Colman
  29. ↑ Pham, P. L. (2010). Ending 'East of Suez': The British Decision to Withdraw from Malaysia and Singapore 1964–1968. OUP Oxford. p. 22. ISBN   978-0-19-161043-1.
  30. ↑ Wood 1975, pp. 204, 206.
  31. ↑ Wood 1975, p. 206.
  32. ↑ Wood 1986, p. 185.

Bibliography

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.