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

KC-390 delivery to Brazil delayed a few months

Embraer plans to deliver its first KC-390 transport to the Brazilian air force in the next few months, after a further slight delay from its original plan to hand over the aircraft at the end of 2018.
The twin-turbofan military transport the company plans to deliver to Brazil was at the show on 16 June, conducting a demo flight for journalists and standing on static display.
Embraer's delivery delay is the result of an incident involving one of two KC-390 prototypes that overran its runway during a test in Gaviao Peixoto, Brazil in 2018. To complete its flight testing regime, the airframer decided to reassign its third production aircraft, which was intended to be the initial example delivered to the Brazilian air force. In July 2018, Embraer said it believed the incident would cause a six-month delay, although it is now likely to take a few months longer.
The firm says aircraft number nine is now in production. The company expects to produce military transports at a pace of 12 per year, but says with a third shift and some changes to its supply chain a higher production rate is possible. The Brazilian air force has ordered 28 examples of the aircraft.
flightglobal

Bangladesh to receive additional surplus UK C-130J airlifters

The sale of additional UK-surplus Lockheed Martin C-130J Hercules transport aircraft to Bangladesh has been confirmed by a support contract announced by Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group (ADG) on 20 June.
The Asian nation is to receive an undisclosed number of aircraft to add to the two already confirmed via a previous support contract for Marshall ADG. With the UK Royal Air Force (RAF) looking to divest itself of nine 'short-bodied' C-130Js (designated C5 in UK service), all but four aircraft have already been earmarked for customers.
The acquisition of the C-130Js will enable the Bangladeshi Air Force to retire the four C-130Bs that it has fielded since 2001 (these were acquired secondhand from the United States), at the same time as augmenting its three Antonov An-32 'Cline' and three L-410UVP-200 transport aircraft that date from 1989 and 2015 respectively.
Gareth Jennings - janes

Russian Su-24 buzzing Spanish carrier Juan Carlos I as it was about to launch AV-8Bs during NATO BALTOPS 2019

Flagship of the Spanish Navy Juan Carlos I was buzzed by a Russian Su-24 this week while the amphibious assault ship was preparing to launch its AV-8B fighters during Exercise Baltops.
okdiario

Saudi Arabia interested in A400M

The Royal Saudi Air Force is currently considering the Airbus Military A400M Atlas medium lift transport aircraft.
Chief Executive Officer of Saudi Arabia Military Industries, Dr Andreas Schwer, told Jane's of the country's interest in the platform to fulfil a need for the transportation of armoured vehicles by the country's military.
"The focus of the Saudi Air Force and other local customers has changed from a 10-tonne payload platform to higher capacity platforms. There's a shift in focus on our side to bigger aviation platforms…but we might shift priority to a bigger model [aircraft]," Schwer said.
Saudi Arabia currently operates the Lockheed Martin C-130H Hercules for transport, with approval for the acquisition of 25 C-130J aircraft given in 2012 by the US Congress. Progress on the acquisition of the C-130J platform has, however, been slow to materialise.
"The C-130 payload is 20 tonnes, and the An-132D is a 10-tonne payload, so you need to acquire a bigger platform. The Air Force is looking to go into the 40-tonne size, and that is why we are in intense discussions with Airbus over the A400M."
The development of the An-132D programme had also changed following the acquisition of elements of Taqnia and the King Abdulaziz Centre for Science & Technology (KACST) by SAMI, with SAMI now examining the commercial and export potential of the aircraft before proceeding further with the programme.
Development of the An-132D had been between Taqnia, KACST, and Ukraine's Antonov. The An-132D was based on a legacy An-32 'Cline' transport aircraft that had been modernised to Western standards. Production was planned to take place in Saudi Arabia, with the aircraft to be sold to commercial and military users for operations in austere environments.
janes

Greek navy takes initial reactivated P-3B

Greece has received its first revived Lockheed Martin P-3B Orion as part of a “rebirth” of the country’s maritime patrol capability as it brings stored aircraft back to service.
Following work performed by Hellenic Aerospace Industries (HAI), the initial aircraft, described as an “interim” step, was presented to Greece’s navy on 17 May.
An additional four aircraft are scheduled to be modernised under the effort, which includes a mid-life upgrade to extend the service life of the turboprop type by 15,000h and the installation of new mission equipment.
Athens purchased six ex-US Navy P-3Bs in 1996, parking them in 2009 amid financial cutbacks.
flightglobal

Mauritania receives CN-235 transport aircraft from UAE

The Mauritanian military announced on 13 May that it had received a transport aircraft from the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The aircraft could be identified as one of the CASA/IPTN CN-235M-110 transport aircraft that the UAE acquired from Indonesia in the 1990s.
The Mauritanian military described it as a Spanish-Indonesian aircraft designed for reconnaissance, parachuting, troop and cargo transport, and medical evacuations. It also released a photograph showing a medium transport aircraft with four-blade propellers.
Airbus announced in November 2017 that the UAE Air Force and Air Defence had ordered five of its C295 transport aircraft to replace its existing CN235s.
janes

First overseas deployment of RAF F-35Bs to Cyprus for EXERCISE LIGHTNING DAWN

The Royal Air Force’s newest fighter left its home base for RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus to take part in its first overseas exercise following introduction.
Several F-35B Lightning aircraft from 617 Squadron, flew from their base at RAF Marham in Norfolk to spend six weeks at RAF Akrotiri as part of Exercise Lightning Dawn.
Owned and operated by the RAF, the Lightning Force is jointly manned by both the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy.
raf

Croatia in talks with Sweden, U.S. on new fighter jets

Croatia is in talks with Sweden and the United States on buying fighter jets to modernize its air force.
Zagreb was close to striking a deal on buying a squadron of used and refitted F-16 fighter jets from Israel, but eventually Israel informed Croatia it could not sell the planes as it could not secure an approval from the United States.
Israel had been in competition with several countries bidding for Zagreb’s business and its most serious competitor was reported to have been Sweden’s SAAB offering new Gripen planes. .
Croatia joined the NATO alliance in 2009 and the EuropeanUnion in 2013. Its air force has a squadron of Russian-made MiG-21 jets dating from its past within old Yugoslavia, but they are outdated and only a few are operational at the moment.
reuters

Morocco will acquire AH-64 Apache helicopters within the next two years.

Morocco will acquire AH-64 Apache military helicopters from the US within the next two years. How many helicopters Morocco will receive is unknown.
The deal to purchase the Apache helicopters has been underway since April last year, but the timeframe of delivery has only just been revealed
Morocco has a pressing need for new sophisticated attack helicopters.
The Moroccan government considered two helicopter models, the US made AH-64 Apache, and the Turkish made T-129 ATAK helicopter, finally settling for the US model mid last year.
Last week, the U.S. State Department cleared a potential foreign military sale of 24 AH-64 Apache attack helicopters to Qatar, in a deal that could be worth up to $3 billion.
Morocco will be the second African country to own the helicopter, after Egypt, which bought a fleet in 1995.
moroccoworldnews

Angola has taken delivery of all 12 Su-30Ks

Angola has taken delivery of all 12 Su-30Ks, aircraft upgraded to SM standard.
All 12 Su-30K fighters ordered by Angola has been delivered by the 558th Aviation Repair Plant of Belarus. The aircraft were modified to the Su-30SM standard and can fired the RVV-AE (AA-12) air-to-air missile.
tass

Spain recalls 'Mendez Nuñez' frigate from US Navy strike group over Gulf tensions

Spain has recalled a frigate accompanying a U.S. aircraft carrier to the Middle East because of rising tensions between Washington and Tehran, the defense ministry said Tuesday, May 14.
“For the moment the frigate Mendez Nuñez has left the combat group of the USS Abraham Lincoln,” a ministry spokesperson told AFP, confirming a report in the Spanish daily El Pais.
“It’s a temporary withdrawal, decided by Defense Minister Margarita Robles, as long as the American aircraft carrier is in this zone,” the spokesman added.
He said the Spanish frigate had joined the aircraft carrier’s strike group for a military exercise.
“No possible confrontation or warlike action is envisaged [by Spain] and it is for this reason that the participation is suspended for the moment,” he added.
thedefensepost

General Dynamics unveils their guided missile frigate proposal for U.S. Navy, based on Spanish F-100 design

Major United States shipyard General Dynamics Bath Iron Works, has unveiled their guided missile frigate proposal under the FFG(X) program for the U.S. Navy.
The concept of new guided missile frigate was unveiled during annual Sea-Air-Space, the largest maritime exposition in the United States.
In February 2018, the U.S. Navy awarded General Dynamics Bath Iron Works a $14.9 million contract for the concept design of the Navy’s planned Guided Missile Frigate (FFG(X)).
Bath Iron Works’ proposed design is based on a family of AEGIS Guided Missile Frigates designed by the Spanish shipbuilder Navantia.
The Navy’s initial request for proposals in November required that frigate designs be based on an existing hull form that is already in service. The Navy has said the requirement will make the planned production of 20 frigates more affordable and bring the ships to the fleet more quickly. The Detail Design and Construction award is planned to be in 2020.
Bath Iron Works designed the Navy’s prior frigate, the Oliver Hazard Perry class, and built many of the hulls. Bath Iron Works partnered with Navantia in the 1980s to adapt the Oliver Hazard Perry design for construction by the Spanish shipbuilding industry and for use by the Spanish Navy.
defence-blog

Czech Republic to replace their Mi-24 with Bell UH-1Y/AH-1Z or Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters.

The US Department of State has given its approval to potential deals that could equip the Czech Republic with Bell UH-1Y/AH-1Z or Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters.
Detailed by the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) on 3 May, a possible Foreign Military Sales purchase by Prague could involve either an initial four AH-1Zs or 12 UH-60Ms.
Armaments proposed for the AH-1Z include the Lockheed Martin AGM-114 Hellfire air-to-surface missile and a nose-mounted 20mm cannon, while the UH-60M would feature BAE Systems Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System guided rockets and machine guns.
Prague had previously expressed an interest in acquiring up to 12 UH-1Ys. Bell completed production of the type for the US Marine Corps last year, with no export orders yet secured for the type.
flightglobal

ISRAEL AIR FORCE OPENS SECOND F-35 SQUADRON

The Israel Air Force opened a second squadron of F-35 stealth fighter jets, The Jerusalem Post has learned. The squadron will be called “Defenders of the South.” According to industry sources, Israel will have 20 F-35I fighter jets by 2020.
The IAF currently has 14 F-35 Adir aircraft and is expected to receive a total of 50 planes to make two full squadrons by 2024.
The IAF is also now considering whether to purchase an additional 25 F-35s to give Israel a total of 75 stealth fighter jets.
jpost

Sweden sends Gulfstream S102B Korpen electronic intelligence (ELINT) surveillance aircraft to RAF Akrotiri

Sweden has dispatched one of its Gulfstream S102B Korpen electronic intelligence (ELINT) aircraft to the Mediterranean to operate from a UK airbase on Cyprus.
The Korpen was tracked by open source monitoring of its ADS-B transponder as it flew down into the central Mediterranean and then landed at Royal Air Force (RAF) Akrotiri on 29 April.
A Swedish Ministry of Defence spokesman confirmed the deployment to Cyprus, saying that “the aircraft is on a signal reconnaissance mission in international airspace over the Mediterranean Sea”.
The spokesman declined to provide further details of the mission or its duration.
An RAF source told on 30 April that the service “often assists allied nations with fuel and stopovers, so this is nothing unusual”.
This is the second deployment of an S102B to the Mediterranean after one of the Swedish Air Force’s (SwAF's) two Korpens, which are normally assigned to 73 Signals Intelligence at Linköping in southern Sweden, operated from Cyprus for just over a week in April–May 2018.
Tim Ripley, janes

Egypt reportedly orders AW149 helicopters instead of NH90

Egypt is believed to have ordered AW149 helicopters to use aboard its naval vessels, choosing the Leonardo Helicopters product over the competing NH90.
According to France’s La Tribune, Egypt informed France last week that it had chosen the AW149, with the order believed to cover around 20 helicopters. Leonardo has neither confirmed nor denied the contract.
France was hoping to sell the NH90 to Egypt after a string of sales that has included 24 Rafale fighter jets, two Mistral class landing helicopter docks (LHDs) and four Gowind class corvettes since 2014.
Egypt was looking at acquiring 20-30 NH90 for use aboard its naval vessels but it will also fly the AW149 on land-based troop transport and search and rescue missions.
defenceweb

F-35 full mission capability rate only 27% due to parts shortages

Only 27% of F-35 fighters worldwide were full mission capable between May and November 2018, according to a study conducted by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). Some 52% of the stealth fighters were mission capable – able to perform at least one mission – over the same period.
The operational F-35 Lightning II fleet should reach an 80% mission capability rate by September 2020, Vice Admiral Mathias Winter, executive officer of the Joint Programme Office (JPO) said in prepared testimony before the US House Armed Services Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee on 4 April. Reaching an 80% mission capability rate was mandated by former Defense Secretary James Mattis for key combat aircraft, including the F-35, Lockheed Martin F-22, Lockheed Martin F-16 and Boeing F/A-18.
flightglobal

Polish defense minister: F-35 acquisition ‘not far away’

Polish Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said April 29 that the Polish government aimed to sign a deal to station U.S. troops in Poland this year, and a contract to purchase F-35 fighter jets was “not far away” from being signed.
Blaszczak’s announcement in an interview with local broadcaster TVP indicates that Warsaw could aim to negotiate on the potential troop deployment in parallel with the aircraft acquisition. Poland has pitched for the United States to build a permanent military base in the country, offering to pay at least $2 billion toward the project, dubbed “Fort Trump.”
On April 25, during her visit to Warsaw, Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson said that a U.S. Air Force team was to be sent to Poland in May to demonstrate the capabilities of the F-35 to Polish defence ministry officials
defensenews

U.S. Air Force F-35As conduct first combat employment

Two U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II aircraft conducted an air strike at Wadi Ashai, Iraq, in support of Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve, April 30.
This strike marked the F-35A’s first combat employment.
The F-35As conducted the airstrike using a Joint Direct Attack Munition to strike an entrenched Daesh tunnel network and weapons cache deep in the Hamrin Mountains, a location able to threaten friendly forces.
The F-35As, recently deployed from Hill Air Force Base, Utah, joined the Combined Forces Air Component team in the U.S. Central Command area of operations on April 15.
af.mil

Turkish first aircraft carrier on fire TCG ANADOLU Sedef Shipyard

A fire broke out aboard the Turkish Navy’s future landing helicopter dock (LHD) Anadolu at a shipyard in Tuzla, Istanbul, on April 30.
Fire aboard the ship, which is being constructed by shipbuilder Sedef for the Turkish Navy, was contained by shipyard workers and firefighters.
No injuries or fatalities were reported in the incident, according to Turkish reports. The cause of the fire is yet to be determined.
TCG Anadolu is currently in dry dock and was expected to be launched in 2019. Depending on the extent of the damage sustained in the fire, the launch could potentially be delayed.
navaltoday