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Showing posts with label ARCANGEL. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ARCANGEL. Show all posts

Oct 8, 2014

UAE procures IOMAX Archangel Border Patrol Aircraft

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has signed a contract to procure "an enhanced squadron" of IOMAX Archangel Border Patrol Aircraft (BPA).
The contract, which was awarded at the end of September, calls for the turboprop aircraft to be built to UAE-specifications to replace the IOMAX AT-802 Block 2 BPAs currently in service. The UAE originally received 24 Block 1 and Block 2 BPAs, of which six Block 1 aircraft have since been donated to Jordan. It is understood that this fleet will now be replaced by 24 Archangel aircraft .
janes

Jul 9, 2014

Jordan to arm donated IOMAX Block 1 BPAs, UAE to order Block 3 aircraft

Jordan is to arm the six IOMAX Border Patrol Aircraft (BPA) Block 1 precision strike turboprop aircraft that were gifted to the country by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 2013.
This new capability will allow the BPA aircraft to carry six GBU-58 250 lb precision-guided bombs and/or six AGM-114 Hellfire missiles. Additionally, precision strike weapons training will begin immediately for the Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF). The intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR)/weapons training and weapons integration will be completed with operational employment of the platforms to occur by the end of the third quarter of 2014.
When the Block I IOMAX aircraft were first donated to Jordan by the UAE in the latter half of 2013, they were handed over in an unarmed configuration to be used purely for ISR duties. However, with all six aircraft now operational with the RJAF, the US government has approved IOMAX to proceed with weaponising these platforms.
Once armed, the six BPAs will join the RJAF's two Airbus CN235-100M gunships, and six Cessna C208B Grand Caravan turboprop command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR) platforms. The RJAF recently announced its intention to convert one of its Airbus C295 tactical transport aircraft into a gunship also.
While the Jordanian aircraft will not be equipped with a gun at this time, IOMAX plans to integrate the GAU-19B 12.7 mm (.50 calibre) Gatling gun pod onto the Block III aircraft currently being developed for the UAE and other potential export customers; dubbed Archangel. The gun is being supported in the UAE by a number of former US Air Force Fairchild-Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II pilots who are now advising the UAE government.
janes

Jun 9, 2014

IOMAX Offers Archangel Light Attack Turboprop to the Philippines

IOMAX, an US defence company has submitted a bid to the Philippine government, in which it is pitching the Archangel as a replacement for the PAF's nine remaining OV-10s, which were acquired second-hand in the 1990s. The Philippine requirement was formally launched in mid-May, when the Department of National Defense issued tender documents to acquire six close air support aircraft and an accompanying logistics support package.
In its documents, the DND noted that the selected bidder must have had prior experience of such programmes over the previous decade, and that the selected platform should already be in service with the armed forces of the country of origin or by the military of at least two other countries.
It's thought the Philippines has Embraer EMB-314 Super Tucano in mind.
Other platforms expected to compete include the Beechcraft AT-6 Texan II, and perhaps even the Pilatus PC-21.
defense-studies