Israel strikes Islamic Jihad targets in Gaza and Syria

Israeli aircraft struck the Islamic Jihad militant group in both the Gaza Strip and Syria late Sunday.
In the latest tit-for-tat violence ahead of a fresh general election in the Jewish state, the Israeli Air Force targeted “Islamic Jihad terror sites” throughout Gaza and near the Syrian capital Damascus, a February 23 military statement said.
It followed more than 20 rockets and mortars fired from Gaza, themselves a response to the killing of a Jihad militant along the Gaza-Israel border.
thedefensepost

Azerbaijan to buy M-346 Master jet

Azerbaijan is to buy an undisclosed number of Leonardo M-346 Master trainer and light attack aircraft, the country's president announced on 20 February.
Azerbaijani Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov and Leonardo Executive Director Alessandro Profumo exchanged a 'declaration by agreement' between the Ministry of Defence (MoD) of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Leonardo for the acquisition of "an integration system for M-346 aircraft", the website for the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, announced.
No details pertaining to a contract value or delivery timelines were disclosed.
janes

Airbus makes Tranche 3 Eurofighter offer to Colombia

Airbus has formally offered the Eurofighter Typhoon combat aircraft to the Colombian Air Force (Fuerza Aérea Colombiana: FAC) to replace its ageing fleet of Israeli Aerospace Industries (IAI) Kfirs. The company has offered 15 Tranche 3 aircraft (12 single-seat and 3 twin-seat) to Colombia.
Colobia is currently evaluating and examining proposals from several countries and manufacturers for its air superiority fighter replacement programme. According to the air force, the Eurofighter, Lockheed Martin F-16V Block 70/72 and Saab JAS 39 Gripen E/F have been shortlisted as a potential replacement for its Kfirs.
janes

Sikorsky wins contract to build six more VH-92A ‘Marine One’ helicopters

Sikorsky has won a $471 million contract from the US Navy (USN) to build six production VH-92A presidential helicopters.
The helicopters are to be operated by the US Marine Corps (USMC) and are to replace the Sikorsky VH-3D, popularly known by its call sign of “Marine One” when the US president flies aboard.
The USN plans to buy 23 examples of the VH-92A as part of its programme of record.
Sikorsky will deliver the six VH-92A helicopters in 2022 and 2023.
flightglobal

India approved the purchase of 24 MH-60R for its Navy

India’s Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) has approved the purchase of 24 Sikorsky MH-60R helicopters for its navy.
A green light from the CCS is the final step before the inking of a formal contract under India’s procurement process.
Deliveries are expected within five years of contract signature. Media reports suggest the deal could be consummated during a visit to India by US president Donald Trump from 24 to 25 February.
The MH-60R will be acquired via the Foreign Military Sale (FMS) route and provide anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare capabilities, which has also contracted for weapons such as AGM-114 Hellfire, Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System, Mk54 torpedoes, and two types of crew served guns.
flightglobal

US Air Force hopes for major KC-46 fix by March

After more than a year of deliberations, the U.S. Air Force is hoping to have a fix in hand for the KC-46 tanker’s most critical technical problem by the end of March, the service’s top general told Defense News in an exclusive interview.
The hope is for the Air Force and Boeing to sign off next month on a finalized design for the KC-46’s Remote Vision System, or RVS — a series of cameras and sensors that allow its users to steer the aircraft’s boom into a plane for aerial refueling.
For several years, the KC-46 program has grappled with a critical deficiency involving the RVS, which is manufactured by Rockwell Collins. Under certain lighting conditions, the imagery is difficult to see and sometimes distorted, making it difficult for operators to safely move the boom without scraping the aircraft receiving fuel.
defensenews

French-German fighter program FCAS cleared for technology demos, Spain remains a spectator

France and Germany this week advanced their joint combat aircraft program, signing an agreement that allows five technology demonstrations to move ahead.
The second iteration of the so-called Implementing Agreement covers work on the main aircraft of the Future Combat Air System, its propulsion system, accompanying drones, the data architecture and the simulation environment, according to a German Defence Ministry spokeswoman.
Florence Parly and Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, the French and German defense ministers, respectively, signed the document on Feb. 20. The Spanish deputy defense secretary, Angelo Olivares, also attended the signing ceremony to catch up on a program cooperation agreement signed by France and Germany last summer.
Spain joined the FCAS program after France and Germany had already launched it. With this week’s agreement covering work by French and German contractors only, Spain’s industry for now remains a spectator to what all countries involved say is a three-nation affair.
defensenews

Ejército del Aire Spanish F18 Fighter Jets On Exercise Eagle Eye Over South Spain

Through the skies of Spain’s Costa Del Sol this week F18 fighter jets are on exercise burning through the skyline.
Residents on the Costa del Sol were woken today morning as the powerful jets flew over wondering what was taking place as low level simulated dog fight drills were performed.
The planes will be joined by the Spanish Navy in the Med on the exercise with over 900 sailors taking part as well as the air crews ” battling” in the skies.
Frigate ‘Admiral Juan de Borbon’ will also be seen off the Costa del Sol as it joins in the “war games”
euroweeklynews

USS Gerald R. Ford’s EMALS cleared for all aircraft

The US Navy’s (USN) newest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R Ford, has been cleared as operationally safe for launching and recovering all naval aircraft types using its Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) and Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG).
The aircraft carrier, known also as CVN 78, completed at-sea compatibility testing with EMALS and AAG, demonstrating launch and recovery with the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, Northrop Grumman C-2A Greyhound, Boeing EA-18G Growler, and McDonnell Douglas T-45 Goshawk
flightglobal

France, Germany launch FCAS demonstrator phase

A Franco-German future combat air system (FCAS) initiative formally launched at last year’s Paris air show has secured approval to move into its demonstrator phase.
Finalised by Paris and Berlin on 12 February, the initial framework contract “covers a first period of 18 months and initiates work on developing the demonstrators and maturing cutting-edge technologies,” its industry partners say. The intention is for flight tests to begin “as soon as 2026”, they add.
Dassault will lead work on a proposed Next Generation Fighter, supported by Airbus Defence & Space as its main partner. Such an asset would be operated alongside unmanned remote carriers, being pursued by the Airbus unit and European guided weapons specialist MBDA.
Safran and MTU Aero Engines are to develop a new propulsion system to power the new fighter, while a so-called combat cloud developed by Airbus and Thales will underpin networked operations.
Approval for the Phase 1A activity came after the completion of work conducted during a joint concept study initiated in early 2019.
flightglobal

Cyprus signs deal with France to buy Exocet and Mistral missiles

Cyprus has ordered French surface-to-air Mistral missiles as well as Exocet anti-ship missiles in a €240 million arms deal, the Defence Ministry confirmed on Friday.
French newspaper La Tribune reported the missile deal on Thursday and the Defence Ministry confirmed the deal, but said it could not go into any detail due to the sensitive nature of “national security.”
It said the missile purchase was “part of the upgrade of the National Guard’s operational capability” and “contracts were signed related to upgrading specific weapons systems at an estimated cost of €240 million.”
According to La Tribune, Cyprus signed contracts with the European multinational MBDA for the supply of Mistral and Exocet missiles.
greekcitytimes