Mauritania turns DC-3 into surveillance aircraft

The Mauritanian Air Force has increased its ability to monitor the country's vast, sparsely populated territory by upgrading its Basler Turbo BT-67 with an electro-optical (EO) turret and associated mission systems so it can carry out surveillance as well as transport duties.
The BT-67 is a refurbished DC-3 acquired by the FAIM in 1999. The US Department of State Air Wing operates at least one BT-67 that has been similarly upgraded with an under-nose FLIR Systems Star SAFIRE turret.
L-3 Wescam said it had delivered two MX-15 sensor turrets to Mauritania, but these had been fitted to Cessna 208 Caravan aircraft. Although the FAIM was not previously known to operate Caravans, it is possible that one unit could have been moved to the BT-67 in-country.
The FAIM also operates Embraer EMB-314 Super Tucanos that are equipped with Star SAFIRE III turrets, according to FLIR Systems, but the BT-67 has a significantly longer endurance than these light attack aircraft.
janes

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