Slovakia receives first C-27J Spartan airlifter

Slovakia officially inducted into its inventory the first of two Alenia Aermacchi C-27J Spartan tactical transport aircraft on 31 October.
The twin-engined turboprop, which actually arrived in-country the previous week, was welcomed into service during a ceremony at Malacky-Kuchyna air base near the Austrian border. Malacky-Kuchyna is home to the Slovak Air Force’s (Vzdusné sily Slovenskej Republiky) transport wing which currently fields the Let L-410 Turbolet twin-turboprop cargo aircraft.
Slovakia has acquired the C-27J to replace the already-retired Warsaw Pact-era Antonov An-26 ‘Curl’ airlifters it inherited with the split from the Czech Republic in 1993. Following a protracted procurement process that lasted about six years, a contract was signed in 2014 that was estimated to be worth EUR120 million (USD152 million at the time).
This first aircraft was due to have been delivered in 2016, and the Slovak Ministry of Defence noted that negotiations are ongoing with Alenia Aermacchi’s parent company Leonardo with regard to penalty fees resulting from its late arrival. The second C-27J is now scheduled to arrive at Malacky-Kuchyna at the beginning of 2018.
janes

Antonov begins An-178 flight trials

Antonov has begun flight trials of its new An-178 transport aircraft.
The maiden flight took place out of Kiev-Antonov Airport in Ukraine on 7 May, and lasted for approximately one hour. No specific details relating to the flight were revealed.
The An-178 is intended to replace the An-12, An-26, and An-32 airlifters. The An-178 is, in essence, an An-158 regional jet with a rear loading ramp. The two types share a number of components, including the front fuselage and cockpit, and nosewheel leg.
The aircraft has a maximum payload of 18 tonnes; and a range of 1,000 km fully loaded. Its cruise speed is 445 kt, and requires a 2,500 m runway from which to operate.
janes

Russia's New Military Transport Plane IL-112 Set to Make Its Maiden Flight in 2017

The twin-engine turboprop plane, developed by Ilyushin , will be manufactured by the Voronezh Aircraft Production Association. It will replace the Antonov An-26.
Russia's Ministry of Defense plans to purchase at least 35 Ilyushin Il-112 planes.
The transport plane is designed to carry out missions in any geographic or weather conditions. It has a payload of 6 tons and can travel a maximum distance of 5,000 kilometers.
The project, launched over a decade ago, was canceled in 2011, but the work on the Il-112 resumed in 2013.
sputniknews

Russian Air Force to get 6 more modernized Tupolev Tu-160 bombers in 2015

Russia’s Long Range Aviation will get another 6 modernized strategic bombers Tupolev Tu-160 in 2015 and will bring the number of Tu-95MS bombers to 43, according Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Air Force.
The Russian Long Range Aviation which marks the 100th anniversary of creation on Tuesday is armed with the Tu-160, Tu-95MS and Tu-22M3 bombers. According to reports, the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) launched a program for these planes’ modernization. This year, pilots received after repair 9 strategic Tu-95MS and 9 long-range Tu-22M3, as well as one modernized Tu-160 bomber.
Units of long-range aviation operate the strategic missile carriers Tupolev-160 and Tupolev-95MS, long-range strategic bombers Tupolev-22M3, refueling jets Ilyushin-78, special-task aircraft Antonov-30b, the transport turboprops Antonov-12 and Antonov-26, as well as Mi-8 and Mi-26 helicopters.
Russia’s next-generation strategic bomber — PAK DA (prospective aviation complex for long-range aviation) is to perform its first flight in 2019. The new plane will be delivered to the army in 2023-2025.
itar-tass

Finnish Air Force reports intense Russian activity in Baltic

The Finnish Air Force revealed on Tuesday that unusually intense Russian activity has been detected over the Gulf of Finland and the Baltic Sea in general during a major military exercise by the Russian Armed Forces.
The activity was first detected on 6 December and has continued between Sunday and Tuesday. It remains unknown when the exercise is scheduled to end.
Finnish Minister of Defence, estimated on Tuesday that the activity is clearly a show of force by Russia.
The activity has prompted the Finnish Air Force to step up its air-policing operations by, for example, adjusting the number of Hornet jets on stand-by at several airbases. Nato has similarly bolstered its efforts to monitor the airspace of Sweden and the Baltic countries.
The activity is unusual also in light of the number and types of aircraft detected in the region.
The detected detachments have included bombers, stealth and interceptor jets as well as transport aircraft.
Perhaps the most unusual aircraft is Tupolev Tu-95.
None of the aircraft have violated Finnish airspace.
The aircrafts have been moving between mainland Russia and Kaliningrad, back and forth.
In addition to the Tupolev Tu-95, Finnish jets have identified Tupolev Tu-22M bombers as well as Suhoi Su-27 and MiG-31 jets. Suhoi Su-24 and Suhoi Su-34 jets as well as Ilyushin Il-76 and Antonov An-26 multi-purpose aircraft have also been detected over the Baltic Sea.
helsinkitimes

Slovakian C-27J contract imminent

Slovakia's longstanding aim to buy new transport aircraft may soon come to fruition, with the Slovak Ministry of Defence (MoD) announcing it hopes to sign a contract to acquire two Alenia Aermacchi C-27J by 30 September.
Slovakian Defence Ministersaid that he hoped to "finalise [a] contract for the purchase of two Spartan aircraft. Our ambition is to complete the process by 30 September".
Slovakia has long sought to buy new tactical transport aircraft to replace its aging Antonov An-24 'Coke' and An-26 'Curl' transporters. However, despite the fatal crash of an An-24 in 2006 giving the purchase urgency and the downselect of the C-27J for the requirement in December 2008, budgetary issues had stalled the acquisition by 2009. Talks with Alenia were understood to have been resumed by Slovakia in 2012, and a MC-27J was present at SIAF 2014.
According to a Slovak MoD statement, the purchase still needs approval from the Slovak Security Council and the government. The MoD noted however that the deal was an approved part of the Slovak Air Force's long-term development plan.
Slovakia and the Czech Republic had at one point considered the joint-acquisition of tactical transport aircraft. However, while the Czech Republic selected the Airbus C295 in 2008, Slovakia decided that the C295's internal dimensions were too small to suit its needs.
janes

Royal Air Force Typhoons scrambled to Intercept Russian Aircraft during NATO Baltic Air Policing mission

RAF Typhoons were yesterday (Tuesday 17 June) scrambled to intercept multiple Russian aircraft as part of NATO’s ongoing mission to police Baltic airspace.
The Typhoon aircraft, from 3 (Fighter) Squadron, were launched after four separate groups of aircraft were detected by NATO air defences in international airspace near to the Baltic States.
Once airborne, the British jets identified the aircraft as a Russian Tupolev Tu22 ‘Backfire’ bomber, four Sukhoi Su27 ‘Flanker’ fighters, one Beriev A50 ‘Mainstay’ early warning aircraft and an Antonov An26 ‘Curl’ transport aircraft who appeared to be carrying out a variety of routine training. The Russian aircraft were monitored by the RAF Typhoons and escorted on their way.
raf

An-70 passes Ukraine state tests

The Antonov An-70 propfan tactical transport plane has passed state acceptance trials and is finally ready to enter series production.
That might be a cause for celebration in the course of most military equipment programmes, particularly one that has been as tortuous and drawn-out as that of the An-70. The event, however, comes against a background of unprecedented political tension between Moscow and Kiev and uncertainty about the future of their joint military industrial co-operation that could yet see the aircraft consigned to history.
The aircraft is recommended for acceptance into the armed forces and also for serial production.
If the aircraft is ready, however, the intended customers are unlikely to be placing orders any time soon.
Russia has been involved with the programme since its inception in the Soviet-era, and has maintained intermittent involvement since Ukraine became independent. Interest from Moscow has waned in recent years, with the Russian Air Force openly sceptical about the aircraft, particularly in relation to its engine problems. In April 2013, Antonov admitted the Russians had withdrawn from involvement in the test programme in November 2012 because of frustration at its slow progress.
Russia would also be unlikely to want to procure an aircraft partly built in a Ukraine aspiring for NATO or EU membership. Another significant problem for Ukraine would be funding for the aircraft. While Russia has a stated requirement for around 60 aircraft to replace its ageing An-12 fleet, Ukraine has previously said it was ready to buy just a handful (between three and five according to local media - it has a requirement for considerably more).
Some commercial heavy cargo operators such as Volga Dnepr have previously expressed an interest in a civil variant of the type designated An-70T, but series production is all but unthinkable without a major military customer from one of the developer nations.
janes

Russian Military Confirms Plans for IL-112 Light Transport Plane

Russia will sign a contract on the development of the Il-112V light transport plane next year.
The development of the twin turboprop aircraft, designed to carry six tons of cargo to a range of 1,000 kilometers (620 miles), was canceled in 2011, but revival of the Il-112 program was early this year.
The Ilyushin aircraft maker earlier announced plans to build 62 Il-112s to replace the aging fleet of An-26 military transport aircraft in service with the Russian air force.
ria.ru

Defense Ministry Mulls An-26 Cargo Plane Replacement

Russia is considering two possible designs for a replacement for the obsolete Antonov An-26 military transport aircraft
Russia is considering development of a light military transport plane based on the Antonov An-140, or the Ilyushin Il-112V.
The An-26 is a twin-engined turboprop aircraft designed and produced in the USSR from 1969 to 1985.
The An-140-100 was developed by Russia's Antonov design bureau as a replacement for the An-24 and An-26 series aircraft. It can carry up to six metric tons of cargo to a range of over 2,000 kilometers, and can be used for patrol, military transport and special-ops missions.
en.ria.ru