NEWS 2022 March, 7

NATO countries have 'green light' to send fighter jets to Ukraine

NATO members have a "green light" to send fighter jets as part of their military aid to support Ukraine against the Russian invasion.

"That gets a green light," Blinken said in an interview with CBS News' "Face the Nation." 

"In fact, we're talking with our Polish friends right now about what we might be able to do to backfill their needs if in fact they choose to provide these fighter jets to the Ukrainians," Blinken added. 

The U.S. has been reportedly considering a deal with Poland to send U.S. warplanes to Warsaw to replace any Soviet-era fighter jets the NATO country sends to Ukraine. 

Under the proposal, the Ukrainians would receive Russian-made MiGs that Poland inherited after the Cold War ended. 

foxnews

South Korea to replace their aging CH-47D Chinooks

South Korea has invited bids for a new heavy-lift helicopter to replace its aging Boeing CH-47D Chinooks.

South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) recently posted details of the bidding procedure for the Heavy Utility Helicopter II (HUH-II) competition, valuing the deal at $1.1 billion.

Seoul had considered upgrading the army’s CH-47D fleet, which have an average age of over 37 years, but decided it is cheaper to replace them.

Lockheed Martin with the CH-53 and Boeing with the CH-47F are aware of the South Korean competition.

flightglobal

NEWS 2022 March, 6

French Navy 'Charles de Gaulle' aircraft carrier reinforces NATO's activities in Eastern Europe

According to a Marine Nationale (French Navy) statement 'Charles de Gaulle  CSG set sail again yesterday after a few days of port call in Cyprus. Clemenceau22 continues, but the mission evolves to adapt to the current geopolitical situation. (...). The detection capabilities of the E2-C Hawkeye will notably enable the carrier strike group to assess the surface situation at the Europe maritime borders, especially in the Black Sea. Deployed yesterday in CJTFOIR to fight against Daech, engaged today for the benefit of the reassurance of our NATO partners on the eastern flank of Europe, the carrier strike group continues to operate for the protection of France and the European continent.'

The 'Charles de Gaulle' will contribute 3 Combat Air Patrols (CAP) of two Rafale M each, per day. This translates into a nearly permanent (24 hours) presence. In addition, a daily E-2C Hawkeye flight is planned from the carrier, as well as occasion patrols by the two ATL2 Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) currently based in Cyprus. The Rafale M will be refueled by NATO tankers present in the area. The patrol zones are the skies above Romania, Bulgaria and the Black Sea, sailing in the Mediterranean sea.
navalnews

Dassault plans to increase Rafale production to meet export sales success

Production of Rafale fighters will increase to three per month by the middle of the decade on the back of export sales success from a planned two-per-month rate.

In 2021, Dassault booked orders for 49 examples of the Rafale: 31 for Egypt, 12 for France and six for Greece. .However, those figures do not include blockbuster orders from the United Arab Emirates (80) and Indonesia (42), which were respectively signed in December 2021 and February this year. Greece is also likely to commit to another six aircraft, and France is expected to commit to at least another 42 in 2023, under its fifth order tranche for delivery from 2027.

However, the sharp ramp-up will not take place in 2022, when Dassault will ship just 13 Rafales, down from 25 in 2021, all of which will again go to export customers, Egypt and India.

Deliveries of the Rafale to France have been paused for several years due to some budgetary choices and are only likely to resume from 2023 or beyond.

Last year Croatia also joined the Rafale operator community, signing for 12 secondhand examples from France.

flightglobal

Air Force One replacement facing additional delays

While the Air Force and Boeing have yet to finalize a new schedule for the presidential aircraft replacement program, it now appears that the first new Air Force One plane will be delivered to the service even later than previously expected.

Boeing now expects that it will deliver the first VC-25B a total of 17 months later than originally scheduled.

That timeline has not been accepted by the Air Force and could change as the service negotiates with Boeing on a new schedule baseline. But Boeing’s new projection, which has been conveyed to stakeholders outside of the company, represents a growth from the 12-month delay presented by the company last year.

Boeing has pointed to the COVID-19 pandemic and the bankruptcy of its now-defunct subcontractor GDC Technics as the major causes of the delay. GDC Technics was under contract to build the interiors of the VC-25B, but Boeing cancelled the contract and sued GDC,.

Any cost increases associated with the delay would be borne by Boeing, due to the fixed-price nature of its $3.9 billion contract with the Air Force. That contract covers the engineering, manufacturing and development work associated with turning baseline Boeing 747s into a presidential aircraft furnished with highly-classified defensive systems, hardened electronics and secure communications gear.

breakingdefense 

NEWS 2022 March, 6

USS Truman joins NATO effort in air policing patrols over Eastern Europe

Fighter jets from the aircraft carrier Harry S. Truman are conducting airborne patrols with NATO allied air forces in U.S. 6th Fleet.
NATO has nearly doubled the number of military jets on alert across Europe amid concerns that Russia’s reckless flying in international airspace could escalate alongside its war in Ukraine.
Strike Fighter Squadrons 11, 34, 81 and 211, and Electronic Attack Squadron 137, from embarked Carrier Air Wing 1 kicked off a variety of missions, including NATO enhanced air policing, to bolster the security alliance in late February, a 6th Fleet spokesperson told Navy Times. The airborne patrols commenced Feb. 24 and are ongoing.

militarytimes

USAF F-35s conduct air policing operations out of Baltic countries

U.S. Air Force F-35As are conducting flight operations out of Lithuania and Estonia — along with fighter jets from the Royal Danish and Polish air forces — to secure the skies over Baltic allies following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Six  Lightning IIs with the 34th Fighter Squadron out of Hill Air Force Base, Utah, forward deployed from Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, to NATO’s eastern flank Feb. 24 to augment the alliance’s air policing mission, just one day after Russia invaded Ukraine.

NATO released video Tuesday of F-35s conducting flight operations at Šiauliai Air Base in Lithuania. Other Lightning IIs are deployed to Ämari Air Base in Estonia and Feteşti Air Base in Romania.

Operating alongside F-16 Fighting Falcon and F-15 Eagle fighter jets, the F-35s are tasked with ensuring no illegal or threatening air traffic is present in NATO territory, a tall order as Russia continues its assault on Ukraine.

airforcetimes

NEWS 2022 March, 4

First B-21 has been taken out the production facility and moved to Hangar for Loads Calibration

The first B-21 expected to fly is largely assembled and has moved to a calibration facility, one of the last steps before powering systems and making final checks ahead of first flight.

First B-21 has got landing gear, wheels and wings. Six B-21s are now under construction at Northrop Grumman’s Palmdale, Calif.

The loads calibration test ensures the structure and gives an insight about if the design meet the needs

The aircraft has not yet been assigned a tail number or name and there is not date of rollout and first flight

airforcemag

RAF P-8 JOINS NATO TO TRACK RUSSIAN VESSELS IN MEDITERRANEAN

A Royal Air Force Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft has joined other NATO ships and aircraft to locate and track Russian Navy warships in the Mediterranean Sea.Deployed to the region on a training exercise, the aircraft was reassigned to support a coalition of NATO warships tasked with the shadowing of Russian vessels.

raf

US Navy recovers wreckage of F-35C that crashed South China Sea

In order to retrieve the wreckage of the military aircraft from "approximately 12,400 feet" deep, a team of US Navy service members used a "remotely-operated vehicle" called the CURV-21 to attach "specialized rigging and lift lines to the aircraft" at the bottom of the ocean.

The US Navy on Wednesday recovered from the bottom of the South China Sea the wreckage of a F-35C that crashed into the deck of a US aircraft carrier in January, the US Navy's 7th Fleet announced in a news release Thursday.

The F-35C crashed into the ocean after failing to make a successful landing on the USS Carl Vinson, while conducting "routine flight operations" on January 24.

cnn

USS Gerald Ford completes sea trials ahead of 2022 deployment

The aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford concluded a maintenance availability and sea trials Monday in preparation for the its first deployment.

After completing modernization and maintenance work, then sea trials, during a sixth-month Planned Incremental Availability at Huntington Ingalls Industries-Newport News Shipbuilding in Newport News, Virginia, the carrier arrived at Naval Station Norfolk to kick off training and certification.

navytimes

NEWS 2022, March 3rd

Norway receives its first P-8A 'Viking'

On February 24, Norway's first P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) landed at Norway's Evenes airport.
Norway’s new maritime surveillance aircraft, the P-8 Poseidon, will begin patrolling sea areas in 2023. 

The primary mission of P-8 Poseidon is to maintain maritime surveillance and to assist in the development of situational awareness in Norwegian local areas. 
navalnews

TURKEY LHD 'ANADOLU' ENTERS SEA TRIALS PHASE

On February 27, Turkey's Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD), the future TCG Anadolu, based in Spanish LHD Juan Carlos I, which is set to become the flagship of the Turkish Navy (Türk Deniz Kuvvetleri) started sea trials.

The initial plan was to commission LHD Anadolu for the Turkish Navy in 2021, but due to delays for a variety of reasons, the deadline has had to be rescheduled. As a result, LHD Anadolu was expected to enter service in 2022, but SSB’s video and statement on the Turkish Defense Industry’s 2022 Projection do not include the LHD’s commissioning.

navalnews

FOUR RUSSIAN JETS VIOLATED SWEEDEN AIRSPACE

Sweeden said four Russian jet fighters violated its airspace the day after the country’s prime minister said her government will seek to boost the country’s military capabilities in response to the invasion of Ukraine.

Swedish military officials said the four fighters, two Russian SU-24s and two SU-27s, entered into Swedish airspace on Wednesday just east of the island of Gotland over the Baltic Sea.

A Swedish Jas 39 Gripen fighter tracked the incursion and took photographs of the Russian jets, which quickly left the area.

menafn.com

TURKEY SENDS ADDITIONAL TB2 BAYRAKTAR UCAVs to UKRAINE

Turkey has airlifted additional Baykar Bayraktar TB2 unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) to Ukraine. The Ukrainian defence minister said on 2 March that new combat ready TB2s had arrived in the country as part of a package of international military assistance. 

The minister's statement followed rumours of a delivery of new TB2s from Turkey after a Turkish Air Force Airbus A400M transport aircraft was tracked flying from Ankara to Poland on 1 March. Prior to the Russian invasion, Ukraine was known to have received six TB2s from Turkey. The minister did not say how many additional TB2s had been delivered. The TB2 is the only UCAV in Ukrainian service and was first used by the country in October 2021. 

Footage released by the Ukrainian government since the launch of offensive Russian operations on 24 February has shown the TB2s to have been heavily engaged in the fighting, destroying several ground vehicles. The TB2 is a medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that was developed to provide the Turkish Army with a tactical intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance capability. 

janes

RUSSIAN HELICOPTER ENTERS JAPAN AEROSPACE

Japan scrambled a fighter jet on Wednesday in response to what appeared to be a Russian helicopter entering its airspace, amid heightened tensions over the crisis in Ukraine. 

The helicopter crossed into Japanese airspace over waters off of the northern island of Hokkaido, the defense ministry said in a brief statement. 

Japan issued warnings and sent an Air Self-Defense Force fighter to respond to the incursion, the ministry said. Tokyo issued a protest with the Russian government through a diplomatic channel. newsbreak

USAF to upgrade 608 F-16 to "V" version

608 F-16s – comprised of Blocks 40 and 50 – will undergo up to 22 modifications designed to improve lethality and ensure the fourth-generation fighter remains effective in meeting current and future threats.

Updates to the aircraft include installing Active Electronically Scanned Array radar and Link 16 – a battlefield communication system, modernizing the cockpit and main mission computer, and converting the fleet to a high speed data network.

In addition, the fighter will receive next-generation electronic warfare capability as well as a Communication Suite Upgrade, a Center Display Unit, a Programmable Data Generator, and several other key hardware components to modernize the aircraft.  

A number of the modifications have already started and will continue over several years.

af.mil

Go Ahead for the upgrade of Spanish and French Tiger Helicopters to MkIII standard

Airbus Helicopters has been awarded a development and production contract for the Tiger MkIII upgrade programme, initially covering 42 aircraft for France and 18 for Spain. Awarded by the OCCAR procurement agency, the contract, which also includes initial in-service support, will see the first prototype of the modernised attack helicotper fly in 2025, ahead of deliveries to France and Spain beginning in 2029 and 2030, respectively. 

The contract includes an option to add 25 more helicopters to the upgrade programme for Paris, which if exercised would encompass 67 of its 69-strong Tiger fleet. Germany’s Tigers are not covered by the deal, although the contract provides the possibility for Berlin to join the programme at a later date. Development and upgrade work will be conducted at Airbus Helicopters facilities in Albacete, Spain; Marignane, France; and Donauworth, Germany. 

flightglobal

 

Poland seeks rapid Reaper drone buy

Amid increasing concern over Russia’s invasion of neighboring Ukraine, Poland has decided to buy an undisclosed number of MQ-9 Reaper drones from the United States under a special, accelerated procedure. 

With the planned procurement, the Polish Armed Forces would become the first military on NATO’s eastern flank to purchase the medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) UAV. 

The latest development marks another purchase of combat UAVs for the Polish military. Last May, Warsaw bought 24 Bayraktar TB2 drones from Turkey. The contract covers four sets of UAVs equipped with anti-tank missiles. Deliveries are scheduled for the years 2022 to 2024. 

Warsaw is also planning to acquire new mid-range UAVs under the Gryf (Griffin) program, and further MALE drones under the Zefir (Zephyr) program. 

defensenews

 

European Union to provide fighter jets to Ukraine

The European Union will provide Ukraine with combat aircraft and weapons worth EUR 500 million. This was announced by the Center for Strategic Communication and Information Security on Facebook with reference to the High Representative of the European Union, Josep Borrell, according to Ukrinform. "We're going to provide even fighting jets. We're not talking about just ammunition. We are providing more important arms to go to a war," Borrell told a press conference. 

He added that more lethal aid, worth EUR 500 million, is to be delivered to Ukraine. 

ukrinform

 

UAE to buy a dozen Chinese L-15 trainer aircraft

The United Arab Emirates has signed a letter of intention to procure 12 L-15 jet trainers from the China National Aero-Technology Import and Export Corporation. 

UAE Air Force Col. Abdulnaser Al Humeidi revealed the country’s intent to buy the fixed-winged Chinese aircraft, with the possibility of increasing the quantity to 36. 

The L-15 is a training and light-attack aircraft for fourth- and fifth-generation fighter pilot training. 

The decision reflects the UAE’s approach to diversify its sources of weapons.

defensenews

 

Six USAF F-35 Deployed to Baltic and Black Sea Region to Support NATO's Eastern Flank

Six U.S. F-35A Lightning II fighter jets deployed from Germany to multiple countries on NATO’s eastern flank on Thursday for air policing flights in solidarity with the transatlantic alliance. 

They’ll disperse alongside F-16 Fighting Falcon and F-15 Eagle fighter jets across Poland, Estonia, Lithuania and Romania, U.S. Air Forces in Europe said. 

The presence of the Air Force’s most advanced fighter jet signals a swift response if Russia expands its offensive outside Ukraine’s borders and into NATO countries. The F-35A can act as a quarterback to pass targeting information and other data between other U.S. and NATO fighters in the region, should the alliance need to react quickly to Russian aggression. The six F-35As come after the Defense Department promised on Tuesday to send up to eight Lightning IIs that had arrived at Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany from Hill Air Force Base, Utah. Two of the F-35 jets arrived in Estonia, two arrived in Lithuania and two arrived in Romania. The aircraft are in operation from Estonia’s Amari Air Base, Lithuania’s Siauliai Air Base, and Romania’s Fetesti Air Base. 

airforcetimes

UK interested in acquiring an additional A400 batch

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has for the first time revealed its interest in acquiring an additional batch of Airbus Defence & Space A400M Atlas tactical transports, as the Royal Air Force (RAF) draws close to completing its 22-strong fleet of on-order examples. 

London’s expression of interest in a potential follow-on procurement was briefly included within the MoD’s Defence Equipment Plan 2021-2031 publication, released on 21 February. 

No details about the number of transport aircraft to be sought or the possible timing of an order have been disclosed. The UK had 25 A400Ms on order at the time of the programme’s formal launch in 2003, but its offtake was reduced to 22 as part of an emergency contract revision subsequently agreed between Airbus and its European launch customers. 

Twenty Atlas airlifters have so far been delivered to the RAF, with its remaining two examples due to be delivered this year. The service is facing a looming major reduction in its tactical transport capabilities, due to the early retirement of its remaining Lockheed C-130J Hercules, the last of which are due to depart in 2023. 

flightglobal

 

Germany, France, Italy and Spain stamp deal for 60 Euromale RPAS

Airbus and the Organisation for Joint Armament Co-operation (OCCAR) have signed the Eurodrone global contract, which includes the development and manufacturing of 20 systems and 5 years of initial in-service support. Industry prime Airbus Defence and Space GmbH signed in representation of the three Major Sub-Contractors (MSC) Airbus Defence and Space S.A.U in Spain, Dassault Aviation in France and Leonardo S.p.A. in Italy, while OCCAR has signed on behalf of the four launch nations Germany, France, Italy and Spain. Eurodrone is a Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS). 

airbus

 

USAF Retires First E-8C JSTARS

The Georgia Air National Guard’s 116th Air Control Wing, in cooperation with the 461st Air Control Wing, officially retired the first E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System aircraft here Feb. 10.

 “The first retirement of a JSTARS aircraft gives us an opportunity to celebrate the operational accomplishments and the pivotal role the aircraft has played since the first one came to Robins in 1996,” said Col. Amy Holbeck, 116th ACW commander. 

eglin

 

Three USAF C-130 Aircraft Have Been Transferred to Royal Jordanian Air Force.

The Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF), U.S. Air Force (USAF), and the U.S. Embassy in Jordan celebrated the transfer of three C-130 transport aircraft from USAF to RJAF.  

RJAF has received two of the C-130 aircraft since September, with the third scheduled for delivery in January. The C-130 Ramp-to-Ramp (R2R) transfer program is the first USAF program to transfer fully active and functional assets to key security partners.

The three aircraft have received recent equipment updates and upgraded interoperable avionics and are being integrated now into the RJAF fleet. 

RJAF has been flying C-130s for over 50 years. The C-130 fleet supports the Jordanian Armed Forces through airdropping equipment, paratroopers, and cargo, non-military roles including support for disaster relief, humanitarian missions, and medical evacuation missions.  Last year, within days of the tragic explosion in Beirut, Jordanian C-130s were in the air delivering essential supplies to assist the Lebanese people. The RJAF Airlift Wing often deploy C-130s and Jordanian troops in support of UN and coalition operations in Africa and other regions. In follow up to the C-130 transfer, the USAF Mobile Training Team will provide basic and advanced training of Jordanian aircrew and maintenance crews, in line with the U.S. vision to provide a total package approach to capacity building for key security partners. 

usembassy

MOROCCO WILL RECEIVE UP TO 68 ADVANCED MIRAGE 2000-9 FROM UAE AMID TENSIONES WITH SPAIN AND ALGERIA FOR SPANISH WESTERN SAHARA AND SPANISH TERRITORIES IN NORTH AFRICA

The UAE will transfers its fleet of 68 Mirage 2000-9 fighter jets to Morocco, after purchasing 80 Rafale fighter jets from France. The Mirage 2000-9 fleet which currently equips the United Arab Emirates air force will be transferred to Morocco. 

In 2017, the Emirates signed a contract with Dassault Aviation to modernize around sixty Mirage 2000s. The UAE signed an agreement to acquire 80 Rafale, the largest obtained internationally for the fighter to be delivered from 2027. In this way, Morocco, after signing military agreements with the US and with Israel will now benefit from the weaponry that the UAE withdraws from its military. In this way, UAE will transfer up to his fleet of 68 Mirage 2000-9 fighters to Morocco. “The United Arab Emirates will deliver a series of Mirage 2000 Dash 9 fighters to Morocco, in the framework of friendship and military cooperation between the two sister countries” 

Mirage 2000 Dash 9 fighters are the most powerful version of the Mirage aircraft. Also, it is a special version only for the United Arab Emirates. It is still very powerful, and it has very advanced military technology, with a multimodal RDY-2 radar, a digital terrain tracking camera, an IMEWS countermeasures system with a Thomrad secure radio system with advanced cryptography and frequency hopping, LCD display screens and a digital recording system for four simultaneous displays, night vision goggles ( NVG) and an inertial gyroscope of the laser navigation system. This version of Mirage allows the simultaneous use of MICA IR and EM BVR anti-aircraft missiles, which is capable of attacking at distances of 20 nautical miles (37 kilometers). It is equipped with a type II core system architecture, like a next-generation aircraft. A whole tactical electronic warfare system through the adoption of interferometry technology. 

Military cooperation between the two countries is governed by a 2006 agreement with mixed military meetings held alternately in Rabat and Abu Dhabi. In the first quarter of this year, an Emirati military delegation headed by the Major General and the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces Emiratis met with the heads of the Moroccan Armed Forces and the Royal Air Force in Rabat. For its part, a high-level delegation from the General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces and the Moroccan Defense Administration participated in the two Defense exhibitions this year in Emirates, They also allow participating countries to close contracts with large international companies specialized in Defense. Behind this transfer of arms there is a political background of mutual support. It must be taken into account that the United Arab Emirates leans towards Morocco in reference to the conflict it maintains with the Polisario Front, and in its intention to implement an autonomy plan that annexes Western Sahara as the southern provinces. In 2020, the United Arab Emirates was the first Arab country to open a consulate in Laayoune, the capital of Western Sahara. Action thanked King Mohamed VI, which he considered political in nature and not only merely consular, with hardly any Emirati citizens in the non-autonomous territory. Although it always made it a condition that Morocco reestablish relations with Israel, as it finally did a month later, in December 2020. Morocco has been working on rearmament since breaking diplomatic relations with Algeria and tensions with Spain. Tension in North Africa in the wake of the rift between the threeo countries has escalated significantly in the last three months. 

Authority over Western Sahara was the main trigger for ties that were key, especially gas supplies for countries such as Spain. The arms race between Rabat and Algiers is now experiencing a new chapter with the dispatch of a military fleet by the United Arab Emirates to the Alawi kingdom. new.in-24.com militarywatchmagazine moroccolatestnews El Español

Austria signs deal for 18 AW169 helicopters

Italy and Austria have entered into an agreement for the sale and procurement of 18 Leonardo AW169 multirole helicopters for the Austrian Armed Forces (Bundesheer). 

Signed on 2 December at the Italian Ministry of Defence in Rome, the implementation phase of the agreement paves the way for a formal contractual agreement by 20 December and acquisition signature in mid-January 2022. 

Austria has earmarked between EUR300 million (USD340 million) and EUR400 million for the programme. 

 According to ARMAERO, the contract will cover six helicopters in the AW169B configuration, as well as up to 12 potentially armed AW169MA helicopters. Spares, training, support, and other items will be included in the sale. 

janes

UAE SIGNS DEAL FOR 80 RAFALE

The United Arab Emirates and France have signed a $19bn arms deal that will see the Gulf state acquire 80 Rafale fighter jets and 12 military helicopters. The largest-ever overseas sale of Rafale jets was sealed on Friday as French President Emmanuel Macron began a two-day trip to the Gulf, during which he will also visit Qatar and Saudi Arabia. 

The deal will directly support 7,000 jobs in France and guarantee the supply chain of the Dassault Aviation-made aircraft until the end of 2031, a French official told journalists. 

The UAE is taking F4-standard jets, becoming the first user for the variant outside of France. The F4 model Rafales, currently under development, will be delivered from 2027. 

By snapping up the fighter craft, the UAE is following the lead of Gulf rival Qatar, which has bought 36 of the planes. The on-off negotiations for the Rafale fighter jets took more than 10 years with Abu Dhabi publicly rebuffing France’s offer to supply 60 Rafale jets in 2011 as “uncompetitive and unworkable”. Abu Dhabi already has French-built Mirage 2000 warplanes. 

Defence sources said the Rafale would replace the Mirage 2000 fleet but is unlikely to displace the American-built F-35 as the UAE continues to hedge its security with two main suppliers, France and the United States. 

 The deal could nonetheless be seen as a signal of impatience as the US Congress hesitates on approving an F-35 deal amid concerns about the UAE’s relationship with China, including the prevalence of Huawei 5G technology in the country. Abu Dhabi also ordered 12 Caracal helicopters. It is the French code name for the H225M, the multi-role military version of the Super Puma. 

flightglobal

 

SPAIN HAS OFFICIALLY REQUESTED INFORMATION TO BUY 50 F-35 WITH FIRST DELIVERIES IN 2027

Spanish Government has officially filed an RFI for 50 LM F-35s JSF jets, 25 F-35A for Ejército del Aire (Air Force), and 25 F-35B for Armada Española (Navy) to the US State Department. 

In Early August Lt. Gen. Eric Fick, F-35 Joint Program Executive Officer, and Adm. Santiago González Gómez, National Armament Director for Spain, talked during a meeting at the program headquarters in Arlington, Va. to discuss about this subject. 

Spanish Navy wants to replace their aged AV-8B+, scheduled in service until 2028-2030, that operates from 'Juan Carlos I'. The 25 F-35A will replace F-18 Hornet Ejército del Aire's fleet. The Spanish tender covers both the air force and the navy for 25 conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) F-35As to replace the former's Boeing F/A-18 (EF-18 in national service) Hornet, and 25 short take-off and vertical-landing (STOVL) F-35Bs to replace the latter's McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II/II+ (VA.2 in national service). A type selection is planned for 2025, with deliveries to begin from about 2027. As the Spanish Navy currently operates the McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II/II+ (VA.2 in national service) from its amphibious assault ship Juan Carlos I , it has long been known that the service will need to procure the F-35B as the only other STOVL aircraft when it eventually retires the Harrier in the early 2030s. 

janes

BRITISH F-35 CONDUCTED FIRST REFUELLING IN FLIGHT FROM US NAVY'S F-18F SUPER HORNET

British Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning combat aircraft have for the first time undergone “buddy-buddy” refuelling behind a US Navy (USN) Boeing F/A-18E Super Hornet. Conducted in the Asia-Pacific region during the UK Royal Navy’s (RN’s) ongoing Carrier Strike Group deployment, the activity involved jets from the Royal Air Force’s (RAF’s) 617 Sqn, operating from the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth. 

“The refuelling occurred during exercises with the US Navy aircraft carriers USS Ronald Reagan and USS Carl Vinson,” the RAF says. It involved RAF and RN pilots. “A Super Hornet configured with external fuel tanks and AAR [air-to-air refuelling] equipment provided a valuable opportunity to carry out this training and enhance interoperability between UK and US aircraft carriers and their respective carrier-borne aircraft,” the service adds. 

flightglobal

Indian Air Force's Mirage 2000H upgrade programme delayed

The contract for the upgrade of 51 Mirage 2000s was signed in 2011. Sources say only about 50% upgrade has been completed & the programme will take another 2-3 years to finish. The nearly USD 2.5 billion plan to upgrade India’s Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft by the end of 2021 is set to miss the deadline, with only half of them having completed the process till now. 

The mega contract for the upgrade of 51 Mirage 2000s, which were used during the Balakot air strikes, was signed in 2011, and the idea was to bring the aircraft, bought between 1982-1985, up to date and give them better firepower, new sensors, latest electronic warfare systems and a life-extension. As part of the plan, Dassault Aviation, the original French manufacturer of the Mirage, was to upgrade two aircraft in France and then two more in India, at the Bengaluru facility of the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). The rest were to be upgraded by the HAL under transfer of technology. The upgrade includes a new mission computer with higher memory, new radar, advanced navigation and electronic warfare systems, advanced communication and identification systems. 

The upgraded aircraft are also supposed to undergo a massive upgrade of the cockpit, with two lateral displays, glass cockpits, and helmet-mounted displays. As of today, only about 50 per cent of the upgrades have been completed, sources in the defence and security establishment said, adding that the programme will take another 2-3 years to finish. According to the plan, the first 16 aircraft, including the four manufactured by Dassault Aviation with help from Thales, were to be delivered with Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) status. The remaining 35 were to come with Final Operational Clearance (FOC) status. HAL sources said a fatal accident in February 2019 involving an upgraded Mirage during a test flight, and the subsequent Covid-19 pandemic led to the delay. 

The sources added the IAF delayed the delivery of overhauled engines and certain other systems, contributing to the delay. The IAF, meanwhile, says there were issues with the FOC variant, as they were not fully satisfied with certain integration of new systems. Incidentally, the maiden flight of the first upgraded Mirage 2000 was completed successfully by Dassault Aviation on 5 October 2013, following a two-year development phase. This phase included integration of new systems provided by Thales, including the radar, the electronic warfare suite and the mission computer. The IAF had formally accepted the first two upgraded Mirage 2000 I/TI in 2015. 

theprint

ITALY TO BUY 6 P-180 INSTEAD HAMMERHEAD UAV FROM PIAGGIO

Italy announced it will purchase six new Piaggio Aerospace aircraft to help relaunch the Italian firm, and indicated the government is dropping long-held plans to buy drones from the company, ending the ill-fated story of the Hammerhead UAV. 

The Italian Defence Ministry said it would spend €171 million (U.S. $198 million) to buy six P.180 Avanti Evo turboprop plane as well as a flight simulator and engine maintenance work. 

The aircraft, which add to the ministry’s existing fleet of P.180s, will likely be used for transport, reconnaissance and special missions. defensenews

The Iraqi Air Force’s F-16 fleet is on the brink of collapse

A total of 23 Iraqi Air Force Lockheed Martin F-16IQ Viper fighter jets took part in an impressive flyby to mark the centenary of the country’s army. 

This is despite recent reports that Baghdad’s fleet of F-16s, the pride of the country’s air force and arguably its most capable combat assets, is suffering from serious readiness problems. The Iraqi Air Force originally acquired 36 F-16C/D Block 52s. Two of the jets were lost in separate accidents during their initial period of training in the United States. The remaining 34 Vipers are assigned to the 9th Fighter Squadron at Balad Air Base and have previously flown combat operations against ISIS. 

The same story quotes active and retired members of the Iraqi military who describe “poor jet maintenance and mismanagement” leading to the F-16s regularly failing to meet required maintenance standards. Officials confirmed to the Iraq Oil Report last December that only seven jets from the F-16 fleet were able to fly “without serious risk of crashing,” while the operational jets were being kept airworthy using spare parts cannibalized from the other aircraft. This is clearly a short-term solution that will eventually lead to all aircraft becoming non-airworthy in the long-term. The poor state of the jets may well have been the reason behind the decision to remove the F-16s from air tasking orders. logistical issues have affected aircraft availability, a knock-on effect of budget shortages due to the falling price of oil, together with the ongoing security situation in the country, which has led to a reduction in the Lockheed Martin-provided contractor support needed to properly maintain the jets. 

The lack of money to support the F-16s has led to Baghdad taking out a $2.7-billion loan from the United States to cover ammunition and maintenance for the jets. 

thedrive

Third Chinese Aircraft Carrier Nears Completion

The South China Morning Post (SCMP) reports that the Jiangnan shipyard is beginning a three-year expansion that will include a new ship design and research center, additional workshops, fabrication facilities, quays, and other shipbuilding infrastructure. 

Some of the new shipyard will support the yard’s commercial vessel work but much appears to be focused on the aircraft carrier building program of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). China’s first aircraft carrier, the Type 001 Liaoning, was rebuilt on a gutted, unfinished Ukrainian aircraft carrier hull and might be considered a modernized variant of the Soviet Kuznetsov-class carrier. China built an improved version of the Liaoning, designated the Type 001A, which it named the Shandong. PLAN’s third and fourth carriers will be an entirely new design called the Type 002. 

They are expected to be much larger than the Liaoning and Shandong, and unlike those ships, which use ramps to assist planes in take-off, are reported to feature electromagnetic catapults. 

thediplomat

France conducts improved ASMPA nuclear missile test shot from Rafale

France has performed a first test firing of an updated MBDA ASMPA nuclear missile from a Dassault Rafale fighter. Conducted on 9 December 2020, the test activity involved the airframer and weapons provider, plus the flight-test organisation of France’s DGA defence procurement agency. 

Tracking of the unarmed medium-range missile was performed from facilities in Biscarrosse, Hourtin and Quimper. 

The French air force and navy have been equipped with supersonic ASMPA strategic weapons since 2009 and 2010, respectively, currently on F3-standard Rafales. Paris in December 2016 launched a mid-life modernisation activity for the weapon, intended to address obsolescence issues and “improve missile performance”. An MBDA fact sheet describes updates as including “significantly enhanced” range and penetration capabilities, along with the integration of a “new, medium energy thermonuclear charge”. 

flightglobal

India to sign $2.5-billion contract for 56 C-295 transport planes for IAF

Airbus Defence and Space and Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) will jointly execute the project to equip the air force with 56 C-295 transport aircraft under the Make-in-India initiative in the aerospace sector. 

India will sign a $2.5-billion contract his year for the supply of 56 medium transport aircraft to the Indian Air Force to replace its fleet of aging Avro-748 planes, officials familiar with the development said on Tuesday. 

Airbus Defence and Space and Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) will jointly execute the project to equip the air force with 56 C-295 transport aircraft under the Make-in-India initiative in the aerospace sector. Under the contract, Airbus will supply the first 16 aircraft in flyaway condition while the remaining 40 will be assembled in India by TASL. 

hindustantimes

Final design of South Korea’s light aircraft carrier

The carrier is based on the America-class and British Queen Elizabeth-class. It will not have a ski-jump or well deck like USS America. It will have two islands similiar to the British carrier. While one island is for navigating the ship and the other for flight deck control. The South Koreans are adopting two islands so that one island can still operate the ship if the other is damaged during an attack. 

The aircraft elevators are both on the starboard side. This approach was chosen in order to give more space to the flight deck. The carrier will not have an organic airborne early warning capability, the task force will rely on a destroyer with powerful radar to scan the skies while F-35Bs will provide additional air surveillance coverage if necessary. 

Concept mirrors the Italian approach that will be practice on ITS Cavour. For protection against airborne threats, the ship will be armed with a Close-In Weapons System (CIWS) and the Surface-to-Air Anti-Missile (SAAM) from LIG Nex1. 

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