European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 25, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 2 the stars and stripes monday. September 25.1989  tests Spur barrel of Confidence by Ken Clauson Jocmer Haven Bureau Jason Winn Anil Frederick Small a couple of Ankers from a. 2n? and div fwd Learned last week not How much the Jar dial Abrams and the West German Leopard 2 hav . During a pm. Soldiers put the Nufi Tinkin barrel of Al Copard 2  on the american mtg Abrams and fired Bolh a Cronin and american 128mm tank rounds through it. In the same test at a Man proving or f a in map pc the american Rel was installed on the Leopard 2 for a similar sue pcs soul  to inc technical experts the test amounted to Quality Assurance Type of exercise on the interoperability of two weapons systems. To Winn and Small the test meant they would have some extra Security during a War."1 have Assurance that my German counterparts can support me said Winn a staff sergeant we commands an mini. If War docs break  i can get pans right Here in germ in a Stead of them having to come from the lbs it assures me that i can continue to Piid n War docs break  Small a ser Graat Fis earned the nickname Bull Scye  firing said now that we be seen it do bet we have Confidence that it will work. The great advantage is we can just pull into a Ger Man maintenance Bay and they can fix it. The same thing with ammo if we run out we can jus take some of  the tests were conducted by the tank Crew from do 3rd in. 66th Armor in Karlstedt Turret mechanics from the 498th support in and West German civilian technicians. During the tests the americans fired 10 Germar grounds and 10 american rounds at stationary gets. The West germans did likewise. The tests verified the tank  in of making the tanks  to Ordo for the us army s tank Auto in  think Chewar Jumore than 100 parts in the gun tube  itself that arc  Korom Waid. We have in other  the guns apart re by d the parts Andre a hybrid gun of German Ano Jeri can  last week s test involved merely my Kiuyung the main gun tubes Between two tanks then Fin Hal " German and american rounds through each refit tank. Although the gun parts and ammunition were manufactured to the same original specifications physical testing is required to ensure that the products of the different country s manufacturers arc compatible. Having soldiers do the test firing pm ii Brant said Mai. Robert Kocher an age officer in the . Embassy s mini   have been Judy tremors Here in usar eur  May have to make modifications Loja inc to ire German ammunition. Now Taejah Rirs know they can fire it Kocher said. The key things of the test is that soldiers it. American soldiers took a Leopard 2 and we Reable to Swap gun tubes from a manual. The mechanics also get some credit because this was the firs time a lot of those soldiers were Ever on a Leopard 2."the barrel swapping is part of a nato attempt to help the armed forces in the 16-Mcmbcr Alliance us similar ammunition. But across the Board compatibility will probably never happen because the Fielding of a new Genera Tion of weapons overlaps the old one said Chri Foss editor of Jane s Armour and artillery. Both the dutch and West German armies arc equipped with Leopard 2 tanks but nearly half the German tank inventory is the first generation Leopa Lank with a 105mm main gun Foss said. Uyi the . Army inventory still include the  m-60 and the rifled 105mm my. The  tanks challengers an chieftains have  barrels and require completely different Ammu news updates Swiss Aid to Libya Bern Switzerland a Swiss companies acted legally in helping Libya build a chemical Plant that the United states claimed could make Poison Gas the Swiss Federal prosecutor s of fice said  Swiss companies provided financing and equipment forthe Plant without violating Laws that bar military exports to areas of conflict or crisis the office said in an announcement that it had dropped its investigation. A Swiss company did ship Thio nyl Chloride a chemical that can be used to make Poison Gas to libyan 1985. The office said. But exports of the chemical have needed Swiss government approval Only since last March. E. German activists Berlin a East Ger Many s growing pro democracy movement turned up the pressure on the country s hard line rulers Friday less than 24 hours after the communist government banned a prominent Reform  a Surprise development the ruling communist party s chief strategist suggested there should be fewer shackles on Freedom of expression a possible sign of Divi Sions within the party  increasing demands for change emerging across the coun try some activists arc warning there could soon be violent upheavals in East Germany unless the government makes a commitment to reforms. Effect of blockade Moscow a Armenia newspapers could t publish be cause a blockade by the neighbor ing Republic of Azerbaijan Cut off their Supply of paper the communist party newspaper pravda re ported  newspapers printed thurs Day in the armenian capital Yere Van would have carried major news the shake up in the communist party s ruling politburo that replaced conservatives with key players in the Reform programs of president Mikhail s. Gorbachev. A Pilot pushed wrong Button Cut this title in Jet crash Prober says new York to the co Pilot of the us air Jet that of had into the East River was making is first Takeoff in passenger carrying boci3k37-400 when he mistakenly pushed a of san that Cuttle throttle an investigators Friday night. The Pilot tried to remedy the Etin creasing engine thrust manually it then decided to abort the Takeoff Jan Kohlstadt acting administrator of the National transportation safety Board said at a news conference. Also Friday the Federal aviation administration suspended the Pilot s and co Pilot s flight licenses because they left the scene after the crash and could not be questioned immediately by investigators Faa administrator James b. Busty said. He called their conduct highly  two passengers died when the Char Lotte  plane skidded off the end of a Laguardia Airport runway wednesday night. Though he described the mistake Byco Pilot constant inc Al Cissa 29, and detailed his Lack of experience on that Model of aircraft Kohlstadt did t explicitly blame Pilot error for the crash or say if investigators had pinpointed the cause. The co Pilot was in charge of the highly computerized controls when he mistakenly pushed the Auto throttle disconnect Button As the aircraft was rolling Down the runway Kohlstadt said. The automatic throttles Are Prog rammed by the flight Crew. The butt Al Cissa should have pushed  the plane  a preset Speed for Takeoff he sail As the plane continued do the run Way the Pilot 36-year-old a Chael mar tin jumped in to try to increase the throttle manually Kohlstadt said. The plane started Drifting to the left and the Pilot Felt and heard a vibration which concerned  then the Pilot Cut Power to abort the Takeoff Kohlstadt said. The pilots also failed to Call out the jetliner s Speed As required As it rolled Down the runway Kohlstadt said. It was arly a Lack of proper procedure being " wed in the cockpit he said. If had controlled Takeoff s Inin training Kohlstadt said but had Nvvf taken off in that Model plan with pass ofers aboard. Martin hos in a Captain since and had flow Fwy 138 hours a Dythal capacity on the of woo the  reported sans Aav. Hajbi about 4,000 hours on All mob&ojr37s, mostly As a co Pilot the papal kind quoting unnamed govern Man no Industry sources. Faa records shot Al Cissa Impi cd Jhuge floodgate inaugurated in belgium1 _. Belgium a King Audrin inaugurated the  ate on Friday. I Ith a Width of 74 Yards and length ofb47 Yards it is the biggest floodgate in the would and a key to the expansion of Antwerp s port. The Bercy Dracht will allow bigger ships to enter the seaport near the Mouth of the Scheldt River. It will also increase Antwerp s flood Gate capacity by almost half. His commercial Pilot s License ifljcctobcr1987 and an instructor s Jerense six months later. His Faa re Ford is clean said Faa spokesman Wjk hoppers in Oklahoma City okla investigators Quwin cd Martin Andul Cissa separate Junor five hours Friday. Both men  to urine test for drug and alcohol but the results weren t  available Kohls Idsaid. A tiffs news conference Kohlstadt Crit i Cizo the pair for not volunteering for nol and drug tests earlier. The provision of urine samples and no blood samples almost two Days after this Accident seriously impedes our investigation and unnecessarily creates an environment of suspicion he said. Nevertheless Kohlstadt noted that Martin and Al Cissa helped passengers out of the plane after the crash and that airline regulations did t require them to remain at the scene. He also said both pilots went to a hos Pital for treatment thursday which partly explained their absence. Immediately after the crash Marti took a Rescue boat to the Airport and then a taxi to a nearby hotel where he called is Union representative Kohlstadt said. He air line pilots association  Friday defending the Crew iwas nothing unusual in the Crew a performance no Federal rules were Bro Ken Ana the Crew has cooperated completely Wmk he investigation it said. The co but was quoted after the crash As Sayi Lac Pilot was incoherent before the flight it Kohlstadt said other Crew members Hun t noticed anything unusual in his by Savior. Al Cissa has apologized for his rag res the investigator said. Tis Seo son to order presents fro Mlls. Rheingau just Germany is now is the june to order Christmas presents front the United states by mail and pne them arrive in Europe in time cat org shoppers who plan to place orders especially if they have ibo lion to have them shipped to Europe by parcel Airlift pal or space available mail Sam should be placing their orders now army postal group Europe officials say. Shoppers can save Money by using the lower rates of Sam and pal when offered by a mail order  mailing deadlines from the United states to Europe Are l. -,13 pal nov. 24 and priority and letters dec. 1. Overseas residents should Tell  families and friends about deadlines As Well so they also can take advantage of the less expensive mail rates