Nigerian Air Force took delivery of two Mi-35M combat helicopters

Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Mi-35M - meetsmedia.com

NAF Takes Delivery of Two Helicopter Gunships from Russia


Paul Obi in Abuja and George Okoh in Makurdi

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Monday took delivery of two Mi-35M combat helicopters from Russia, in a bid to combat the insurgency in the North-east and the rising wave of killings in other parts of the country.

The helicopters were delivered to the air force at the Tactical Air Command, Makurdi in Benue State.

According to NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Vice Marshal Olatokunbo Adesanya, “The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) took delivery of two Mi-35M helicopter gunships that the federal government had since ordered from Russia.

“The Antonov aircraft, which brought the new Mi-35M helicopters, touched down on the runway at the NAF Base, Makurdi, at exactly 12.20pm today (yesterday).”

The Chief of Aircraft Engineering at NAF Headquarters, Air Vice Marshal Abdulganiyu Olabisi, received the new aircraft on behalf of the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar.

While taking custody of the fighter helicopters, Olabisi said that the newly acquired aircraft would in a few days time be assembled and taken to Kaduna where they will be officially inducted as part of the 54th NAF Day celebrations and thereafter be deployed in conflict zones.

According to him, NAF was aware of the prevailing security situation in the country and the effort the federal government was making to ensure that every part of Nigeria is safe and secured.

“It is part of this concerted effort that the NAF is taking delivery of a second batch of two MI35M combat helicopters from Russia.

“The helicopters in a few days from now will be assembled. We are happy that we have a team of Russian engineers who are going to assist in the reassembling of these helicopters.

“Thereafter, they would be taken to Kaduna where they will be officially inducted as part of the 54th NAF Day celebrations. Thereafter, the helicopters will be deployed in conflict zones,” he said.

He expressed optimism that the new addition to the NAF fleet would go a long way in boasting the security situation in the country as well as enhance the NAF’s operational capacity.

He said the helicopters will be deployed in places like Benue and other states were insurgents and criminals are terrorising innocent people.

“What is happening in Benue is regrettable and the situation here is of concern to most of us. I believe that the strategic planners also has Benue State as one of the areas where these helicopters are likely to be deployed,” he stated.

In his remarks, Adesanya noted that the Mi-35M combat helicopters are one of the most sophisticated aircraft in the Mi-35 gunships category, with a unique feature for night fighting.

According o him, “I believe with the coming of these helicopters will go a long way in enhancing the security of the nation and enhance NAF’s operational capacity and it will go a long way to ameliorate the situation in the country.

“They are two of them coming now. We took delivery of two in December 2016. Those two are already deployed for operations and we have seen them recording a lot progress in the counter insurgency fight in the North-east.

“These two that have been received today are also going to be assembled, after which they will be test-flown and once they are test flown, they will be inducted in Kaduna.”

Adesanya also stated that a combined team of NAF personnel and Russian technicians were also on hand to assist in offloading the partially assembled new helicopters, some parts of which came in crates, adding that the personnel of the Nigerian Air Force had already undergone training in Russia as pilots and technicians on the new Mi-35 aircraft as part of the contract.

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Australian Spy Aircraft Deployed to Monitor North Korean Sanctions Violations

© Australian Air Force

Canberra has sent its most advanced P-8 Poseidon early warning aircraft north to monitor potential violations of sanctions meant to put pressure on Pyongyang, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull told reporters on Saturday.

"We do have P-8A surveillance aircraft that is going to be working in the region to monitor compliance with sanctions," the Australian leader said.

A spokesperson for the Australian military confirmed to reporters Monday that the surveillance plane was en route to Japan. There is no time limit for how long the P-8 will remain deployed in the region.

"The deployment will be reviewed as required," the spokesman told Business Insider on Monday, noting that the deployment was "part of our collaboration with our partners in the exercise to enforce those UN sanctions."

North Korea's exports of coal, iron and seafood and imports of crude oil are currently severely restricted by UN sanctions over its nuclear weapons program.

"What has been occurring is that sanctions have been evaded by transferring materials from ship-to-ship and so obviously being able to surveil — to add to the surveillance of the area — enables that to be identified," Turnbull said, adding that after identifying maligned actors, "those who are party to that should be held responsible and brought to account."

According to the US-based Council on Foreign Relations, enforcing the sanctions has been one of the biggest challenges in punishing Pyongyang's pocketbook.

China, which shares a land border with North Korea, reportedly accounts for 90 percent of Pyongyang's international trading activity.

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US Army may resume accepting AH-64E deliveries

AAAA 2018: Army could resume accepting AH-64E deliveries in months


Pat Host, Nashville, TN - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly

The US Army is expecting a solution from Boeing no later than August and perhaps sooner that would allow the service to resume accepting deliveries of the company’s AH-64E 'Echo' Apache attack helicopters, according to a key officer.

The service recently halted accepting AH-64Es because of a flaw in a part called a strat pack that goes around the nut that holds rotor blades onto the aircraft. Major General Frank Tate, director of aviation, DCS G-3/5/7, said on 27 April at the Army Aviation Association of America (AAAA) conference that there are four strat packs on each head and if they generated a crack, it could lead to catastrophic failure that would result in rotor blades departing from the aircraft.

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Pentagon and Lockheed Martin Finalize 2018 F-35 Sustainment Contract to Enhance Readiness and Reduce Costs

FORT WORTH, Texas, April 30, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The F-35 Joint Program Office has awarded the Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] industry team a $1.4 billion sustainment contract to support operations for the F-35 fleet around the globe.

The annual contract funds sustainment support activities for aircraft currently in the fleet, as well as building enterprise capacity to support the future fleet of more than 3,000 F-35 aircraft. Activities include air system maintenance; pilot and maintainer training; depot activation; sustaining engineering; Automatic Logistics Information System (ALIS) support, data analytics and predictive health management; supply chain logistics and more.

"This contract is critical to ensuring the transformational F-35s are mission ready to support our men and women in uniform," said Bridget Lauderdale, Lockheed Martin vice president of F-35 Global Sustainment. "We are taking aggressive actions to improve F-35 aircraft availability and reduce sustainment costs. As the sustainment system matures and the size of the operational fleet grows, we are confident we will deliver more capability at less cost than legacy aircraft."

Cost Reduction

Lockheed Martin is implementing comprehensive actions to improve readiness and reduce industry costs, to include:

• Expanding the networked global supply chain to improve component repair capacity, throughput and velocity.
• Investing in enhanced diagnostics and data analytics to improve flight line readiness and drive down costs.
• Pre-funding spares buys and synchronizing production and sustainment component orders to achieve volume cost reductions and improve parts availability.

More than 280 F-35 aircraft have been delivered and are now operating from 15 bases around the globe. More than 580 pilots and 5,600 maintainers have been trained and the F-35 fleet has surpassed more than 130,000 cumulative flight hours. The F-35 weapons system reliability continues to improve, and newer aircraft are averaging greater than 60 percent availability with some operational squadrons consistently at or above 70 percent availability.

The 2018 Annualized sustainment contract will cover sustainment services through April 30, 2019.

With stealth technology, advanced sensors, weapons capacity and range, the F-35 is the most lethal, survivable and connected fighter aircraft ever built. More than a fighter jet, the F-35's ability to collect, analyze and share data is a powerful force multiplier that enhances all airborne, surface and ground-based assets in the battlespace and enables men and women in uniform to execute their mission and return home safe.

For additional information, visit www.f35.com.

About Lockheed Martin
Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 100,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.

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BAE Systems contracted to provide US Army with an interim missile warning system for helicopters

Defense News 


BAE Systems picked to field interim missile warning system for Army helos


NASHVILLE, Tenn. — BAE Systems has won a contract to provide the Army with an interim missile warning system for helicopters in a deal worth up to $98 million.

The Limited Interim Missile Warning System (LIMWS) is intended to provide more capability than the Army’s current system, the Common Missile Warning System (CMWS), which BAE Systems has supplied since 2005, Cheryl Paradis, product line director for optical electronic warfare systems at BAE Systems, told Defense News in an interview at the Army Aviation Association of America.

Over 30 different aviation platforms are fielded with CMWS to include all of the Army’s fleet of combat helicopters.

The Army competitively awarded the interim system to BAE through a Quick Reaction Capability (QRC) mechanism that provides ways to bypass the traditional lengthy acquisition process.

BAE’s solution includes its 2-Color Advanced Warning System (2C-AWS), which is the most important improvement in LIMWS in terms of the ability to get better detection of the threat and the [infrared] domain,” Paradis said.

The company developed the system with Leonardo DRS, which is providing the 2-color IR sensor.

Initially the system will go on up to 400 Black Hawks, according to the contract, but there’s a possibility the Army could expand the LIMWS to other platforms before it gets to fielding its future system, the Advanced Threat Detection System (ATDS), Paradis said.

The Army has been working closely to understand emerging threats, from proliferation to actual technical aspects. Additionally, technology is improving in the missile warning system world, and so the service decided it was necessary to field an interim solution ahead of ATDS, according to Col. Jong Lee, the Army’s program manager for Aircraft Survivability Equipment (ASE).

Procuring LIMWS is “important because you want to bring the latest technologies to the aircraft as we work the objective program of record, which is ATDS, because the velocity of the program requirements, we need to have these capabilities in the field in certain parts of the world, not everywhere,” he told Defense News at AAAA. “But that’s the main purpose of the LMWS which is the bridge to the ATDS.”

It’s projected an ATDS competition likely won’t happen until the early 2020s.

The Army moved quickly to procure an interim system, going from requirements to a contract award in roughly 200 days.

The request for proposals was released in the summer of 2017 and the Army awarded the contract to BAE in December 2017.

“We are four months into it,” Paradis said, and BAE is on a path to field the first unit equipped in the first quarter of 2020. There is a series of interim milestones to deliver prototypes and the company expects to start testing those prototypes in the third quarter of this year.

The Army has also found a way to convert CMWS to LIMWS in one to two weeks, Lee said, by overlaying the LIMWS fiber on top of the CMWS system, replacing the sensor with a new sensor and replacing the processor with a new processor “essentially minimizing the touch points on the aircraft.”

Typically, a modification like this would take five to nine weeks, he said.

In December 2017, the U.S. Army awarded BAE Systems a contract to develop and deliver its 2C-AWS solution for the LIMWS.  Leonardo DRS had been previously working with BAE Systems to develop a LIMWS QRC offering by providing its Dual Mode Warning Sensor as the basis for the Infra-Red (IR) sensor requirement.

“We are proud to have been entrusted to provide our cutting edge technology sensors to help protect the Army fleet and to enable our Army warfighters to execute their missions and come home safely.” said Shawn Black, Vice President and General Manager of Electro-Optical Infrared Systems at Leonardo DRS.  “We are keenly aware of the increased threats presented to our Army aviators and crews throughout the areas of operation and potential future battlefields.  We understand the advanced detection capabilities required to counter those threats.”

The agreement to provide BAE Systems with the LIMWS QRC IR sensor builds on over two decades of Leonardo DRS technology development and commitment to providing the Army and other U.S. DoD services the most capable solutions to fight and win.

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Embraer sees first KC-390 delivery "closer to end of the year"

KC-390 - YouTube

Reuters

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Brazilian planemaker Embraer SA is likely to deliver the first of its KC-390 military cargo jets to the Brazilian Air Force “closer to the end of the year,” an executive said on Friday, updating a forecast of the first delivery in 2018.

On an earnings call with journalists, executives also said the company is not expecting to see another increase in coming quarters of writedowns on the company’s portfolio of used ERJ-145 aircraft. The impairments boosted “other” operating expenses to $29.7 million in the first quarter, but that line should return to around $20 million to $25 million per quarter during the rest of the year, an executive said. [L1N1S40CE]

Reporting by Brad Haynes

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Emergency landing of Il-38 in Zhukovsky

ФЕДЕРАЛЬНОЕ АГЕНТСТВО НОВОСТЕЙ YouTube

Translated by google


The commander of the Il-38 landing without a chassis turned out to be a 73-year-old


The commander of the IL-38 crew, who sat without a front landing gear, was 73-year-old test pilot Vladimir Irinarkhov. The Indian Navy's IL-38SD board arrived in  Russia for scheduled repairs, KP reports .

When the aircraft was landing for a test flight, the sensors reported the failure of the front chassis. Irinarkhov decided to put the plane "in the nose" on the foamy band.

"In" Kipelovo "in this case, the plane was broken in half, it was simply thrown out of the lane. But Vladimir Mikhailovich restrained ... ", the colleagues of the pilot stated.

Il-38-long anti-submarine aircraft, it is based on the IL-18. The crew, which consisted of experienced test pilots "Ilyushin", managed to masterfully land the aircraft, no one was hurt. The car itself is waiting for a small repair. 

Irinarkhov is known for 18 unique landings and take-offs in Antarctica on the ice patch "Patriot Hills" on an Il-76 plane, flying across the Atlantic to  Venezuela , participating in state trials. According to colleagues, the pilot is worried that they will write him down by age.

"But at the same time he is a very modest person who always clearly performs his work. Who will write such a thing? "They say. 

Russian test pilot Vladimir Irinarkhov

ФЕДЕРАЛЬНОЕ АГЕНТСТВО НОВОСТЕЙ
Published on Apr 28, 2018
Emergency landing of Il-38 in Zhukovsky Аварийная посадка Ил-38 в Жуковском

Ilyushin Il-38N “Novella”: Details

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Sukhoi Su-34 with Kh-35U(Х-35У) anti-ship missile at Hmeymim airbase, Syria

Russian #RuAF Sukhoi Su-34 with Kh-35U(Х-35У) anti-ship missile at #Hmeymim airbase, Syria. Military Advisor

Russian #RuAF Sukhoi Su-34 with Kh-35U(Х-35У) anti-ship missile at #Hmeymim airbase, Syria. Military Advisor

Russians are lock and loaded 24/7 to take actions against US Navy

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Antonov Airlines is willing to provide more cargo planes to NATO

AN-225 - antonov.com

Ukraine offers to provide NATO with cargo aircraft


27th April 2018 - 17:00 GMT | by ​Agence France-Presse

Ukraine's state-run Antonov Airlines has said it is willing to provide more cargo planes to NATO after a Russian company said it would halt its contract with the transatlantic alliance at the end of 2018.

In early April, Russian aircraft provider Volga-Dnepr, a world leader in transporting oversize and heavy air cargo, said it would not extend its contract for the provision of its Soviet-designed Antonov 124s to NATO armies.

The halt of the contract, which Volga-Dnepr had renewed each year since 2006, comes as tensions run high between Russia and NATO.

NATO nations have been forced to charter Antonov 124s from firms in the former Soviet Union due to a lack of their own own cargo aircraft, which has been aggravated by delays in the development and delivery of the Airbus A400M.

Under the Strategic Airlift Interim Solution (SALIS) both Volga-Dnepr and Antonov Airlines had provided NATO with up to six transport aircraft altogether.

‘Antonov is ready to expand its cooperation... and guarantees the provision of as many planes as are needed for the project,’ a spokeswoman told AFP on 27 April.

There was no immediate comment from NATO but earlier this month the bloc said it was working with its members ‘to explore options to meet their future airlift requirement from January 2019 onward.’

The unavailability of Antonov 124s would be a problem for France especially as delays the A400M has left it very dependent on the aircraft for overseas missions.

PlaneWorldBerlin
Published on Apr 25, 2018
ILA 2018: Antonov An-225 close up walkaround at Berlin Airport

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Greece approves F-16 fighter jet upgrade deal with the United States

Greek F-16 - aviationphotodigest.com

Reuters 

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece on Saturday approved a deal with the United States to upgrade dozens of its F-16 fighter jets at a cost of roughly 1.2 billion euros, a measure the bailed-out country said would not harm its future fiscal progress.

The potential deal to overhaul the aircraft came to light during a visit by Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras to the White House in October.

Greece’s top decision-making body on foreign affairs and defense matters, KYSEA, which Tsipras heads, unanimously sealed the agreement for the upgrade on Saturday, the premier’s press office said in a statement.

Three of the 85 jets earmarked for modernization will be upgraded in the United States while the rest will be refurbished in Greece, a Greek defense ministry source said, adding that the cost would be about 1.2 billion euros ($1.45 billion).

The government said last year the overhaul would be paid in annual instalments of about 110 million euros over a decade.

Athens said on Saturday that Washington had accepted a revised Greek proposal that takes into consideration the country’s fiscal obligations in the coming years. It did not give details on the revised proposal.

Greece, which will exit its third international bailout in August but will still have to attain primary budget surpluses in the medium term, has said the deal should not worry its EU lenders.

Defence spending has been reduced during Greece’s seven-year debt crisis, which shrank the size of its economy by more than a quarter and drove its jobless rate to nearly 28 percent.

However, the country still spends about 2 percent of its gross domestic product — roughly 3.5 billion euros — on defense, more than the EU’s average. That is largely due to long-standing tensions with its neighbor and fellow NATO member Turkey, which have risen in recent months.

Reporting by Angeliki Koutantou; Editing by Helen Popper

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Turkey, Ukraine to start joint manufacturing of An-188 aircraft

AN-188 - Antonov

Turkey and Ukraine will start joint manufacturing of An-188 military and transport aircraft, Turkish media reported April 28.

It is reported that the first prototype of the aircraft, which is planned to be produced in a joint venture, was presented at the EurAsia Airshow 2018 exhibition, held in Antalya (Turkey) from 25 to 28 April this year.

The exact date of the beginning of joint production of aircraft hasn't been disclosed.

The production of mobile outposts that have proven their worth in the fight against militants of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), as well as the production of the Canik TP9 pistols, ANKA drones and other military equipment was launched in Turkey since 2011, in the framework of strengthening the national defense industry.

Previously, domestic long-range missiles of the "earth-earth” class were tested in Turkey.

The new missile entitled as KAAN, was launched from a test site in the province of Sinop in Northern Turkey and, flying 280 kilometers in a given direction, fell in the Black Sea. These tests are the latest ones, after which the missile will be passed into service in the Turkish army.

The KAAN missile system produced by Roketsan Company was presented at the international defense industry exhibition IDEF-2017 in Istanbul.

In recent years, Turkey has invested about $35 billion in the defense industry.

Original post: en.trend.az

An-188

by RodgerSaintJohn

In 16 JUNE, 2015 Flight Global reported that chief designer Dymitry Kiva identified the new type as the An-188, a turbofan-engined variant of the An-70 propfan.

In size terms it will sit between the Lockheed Martin C-130J and Boeing C-17 strategic transport, he says, possessing a maximum take-off weight of 140t and payload of 40t. It would also be able to operate from unpaved airstrips, he says. 

The An-188 will be powered by four turbofan engines and although Kiva mentioned possibly using a western engine on the An-188, current plans are to use a Ukrainian engine from Motor Sich. Kiva said, "As far as the An-188 [is concerned], we are at the negotiation stage and in particular we are considering the possibility to equip it with Ukrainian engines made in Zaporizhia", that is, Motor Sich. He added that "there are two possible variants of engine, the D-436-FM, the new one, or I-28". It is unclear what engine he referred to as the I-28, but the D-436-FM is a new version of the Ivchenko-Progress D-436 turbofan that powers the An-158 civil airliner. According to Kiva this new version "will be ready next year".

D-436-FM

Source: motorsich.com

Russia and Ukraine began joint efforts on the Antonov-70 project in 2010, with Moscow including the propfan in its state programme for armaments but media reports said the project ran into serious complications in the wake of developments in Ukraine.

Antonov decided to create a new aircraft on the basis of Antonov-70. The modified version will hopefully occupy a niche between the Hercules and the Globemaster III models. The corporation says the new planes will have a capability to take off from grass fields, to transport all types of defense and civilian technologies, including helicopters, and to take up to 300 passengers aboard.

Ukraine’s Antonov aircraft manufacturing company does not have the right to position the Antonov-188 propfan plane as a fully Ukrainian one, since it is an extension of the Antonov-70 propfan project designed in close cooperation with Russia, Sergey Kornev, a senior official Russia's state arms exporter Rosoboronexport said on 18 June 2015. "From the legal standpoint, Russia invested quite some money (in the Antonov-70 project) and it aspires to rights to about 50% of intellectual property in it," Kornev said. "That’s a serious contradiction. If truth be told, they don’t have the right to do it." 

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The State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Bahrain of 12 AH-1Z attack helicopters for $911.4 million

AH-1Z attack helicopter - YouTube

WASHINGTON, APR. 27, 2018 - The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to Bahrain of AH-1Z attack helicopters for an estimated cost of $911.4 million.  The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today.

The Government of Bahrain has requested twelve (12) AH-1Z attack helicopters, twenty-six (26) T-700 GE 401C engines (twenty-four (24) installed and two (2) spares), fourteen (14) AGM-114 Hellfire Missiles, and fifty-six (56) Advance Precision Kill Weapon System II (APKWS-II) WGU-59Bs.  This request also includes fifteen (15) Honeywell Embedded Global Positioning System (GPS) Inertial Navigation System (INS) (EGI) w/Standard Positioning Service (SPS) (including three (3) spares), twelve (12) Joint Mission Planning Systems, twelve (12) M197 20mm gun systems, thirty (30) Tech Refresh Mission Computers, fourteen (14) AN/AAQ-30 Target Sight Systems, twenty six (26) Helmet Mounted Display/Optimized Top Owl, communication equipment, electronic warfare systems, fifteen (15) APX-117 Identification Friend or Foe (IFF), fifteen (15) AN/AAR-47 Missile Warning Systems, fifteen (15) AN/ALE-47 Countermeasure Dispenser Sets, fifteen (15) APR-39C(V)2 Radar Warning Receivers, support equipment, spare engine containers, spare and repair parts, tools and test equipment, technical data and publications, personnel training and training equipment, U.S. government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistics and program support.  The total estimated cost is $911.4 million.

This proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a major Non-NATO ally which is an important security partner in the region.  Our mutual defense interests anchor our relationship and the Royal Bahraini Air Force plays a significant role in Bahrain's defense.

The proposed sale improves Bahrain's capability to meet current and future threats.  Bahrain will use this capability as a deterrent to regional threats and to strengthen its homeland defense.  This sale will improve interoperability with U.S. forces.  Bahrain will have no difficulty absorbing these helicopters into its armed forces.

This proposed sale of equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region.

The principal contractors will be Bell Helicopter, Textron, Fort Worth, Texas; and General Electric Company, Lynn, Massachusetts.  There are no known offset agreements proposed in conjunction with this potential sale.

Implementation of this proposed sale will require multiple trips by U.S. Government and contractor representatives to participate in program and technical reviews plus training and maintenance support in country, on a temporary basis, for a period of sixty (60) months.  It will also require three (3) contractor representatives to reside in country for a period of two (2) years to support this program.

There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale.

This notice of a potential sale is required by law and does not mean the sale has been concluded.

All questions regarding this proposed Foreign Military Sale should be directed to the State Department's Bureau of Political Military Affairs, Office of Congressional and Public Affairs, pm-cpa@state.gov.

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Aero Vodochody and Israel Aerospace Industries strengthening ties by cooperating on light jets

The biggest Czech aircraft manufacturer with an unparalled background of supplying proven military light jets around the world, AERO Vodochody AEROSPACE a.s., and world leader in defense systems technologies, Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd., signed a partnership agreement relating to technical and marketing cooperation for the light combat L-159 aircraft.

The cooperation draws on the tradition and experience of Aero Vodochody in the field of military light jet aircraft, the L-159 proven robust platform which has been successfully operated and tested in NATO joint operations, Red Air exercises and real combat missions, and IAI's innovative and cutting-edge technologies.

The partners have agreed to integrate new combat proven state-of-the-art avionics and other solutions, on the L-159 platform , and to jointly market the aircraft. This approach is focused on further strengthening the already proven L-159 and enhance its position in the light attack market.

Giuseppe Giordo, Aero Vodochody President & CEO said: "Together with IAI, Aero will be ready to offer aircraft with the best available technology. The agreement brings us together with a strong international partner with access to new potential customers.

Joseph Weiss, Israel Aerospace Industries President & CEO said: "The cooperation with Aero Vodochody opens up new and exciting oppertunities by combininng  the impressive proven performance of the L-159, with new innovative IAI systems, to provide customers with aircraft that meet their future requirements".

AERO and IAI have agreed also to collaborate on enhancing pilot training by integrating IAI's virtual training solutions as part of the overall L-39NG training system. The L-39NG is now the only platform on the market capable of meeting most of the pilot training syllabus including advanced portion. This will be of benefit to customers that decide to use only one platform for pilot training and also for customers that retain the two platforms approach, by reducing the number of advanced trainer aircraft resulting in significant cost reduction. 

L-159

The L-159 aircraft brings together Aero’s long and proven experience in development and production of military jet aircraft, in which field Aero is historically the largest producer in the world, together with the latest advances in avionics, engine and aircraft systems technology. The L-159 is a light multi-role combat aircraft designed for a variety of air-to-air, air-to-ground and reconnaissance missions.

 The aircraft is equipped with a state-of-the-art multi-mode IAI (Elta) radar for all-weather, day and night operations, can be equipped with IAI Real Time Tactical combat proven Data Link supporting a high capability of Situational Awareness presentation  and can carry a wide range of NATO standards stores including air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles and laser guided bombs. The two-seat L-159 is a derivate of the single-seat L-159, primarily designed for Advanced and Operational/Lead-In Fighter Training. The L-159 configuration can also be tailored to customer specific requirements and adapted to needs of basic training as well as combat missions including air-to-ground, patrol and reconnaissance missions – all supported by advanced planning and debriefing station.

L-39NG

The L-39NG aircraft is a modern and effective trainer designed to meet the comprehensive pilot training requirements of modern air forces. The L-39NG is based on the aerodynamic concept of the current L-39, but utilizes the latest technologies and equipment. The aircraft is powered  by the modern FJ44-4M engine supplied with the TAP Blue engine support service, to ensure highly reliable performance and predictable maintenance costs. The aircraft's avionics are designed to support the training of future pilots of 4th and 5th generation aircraft and can be tailored to the customer's specific requirements. The L-39NG is equipped with five hard-points for weapons. The aircraft also features a broad range of simulation technologies, including integration with high-tech tactical simulation centers to increase training efficiency. The L-39NG project strategic partner is the Czech company Omnipol. For more information, visit www.l-39ng.aero

AERO Vodochody AEROSPACE

AERO Vodochody AEROSPACE a.s. focuses on the design and manufacture of military and civil aircraft and is the largest aircraft manufacturer in the Czech Republic and one of the oldest aerospace companies in the world. In the field of military aircraft, Aero has been a reliable long-term partner to many of the world's air forces and it has a strong position in the market of military training and light combat aircraft. With a huge existing fleet of L-39 and with the brand new L-39NG aircraft, Aero is positioning itself as a leader in the jet training market. In the field of civil aviation, Aero partners with many of the world's largest manufacturers in a diverse range of projects.  More recently, Aero is a full partner in several risk-sharing programs, taking responsibility not only for the production of structures but also for their development.

Israel Aerospace Industries

IAI is a world leader in both the defense and commercial markets, delivering state-of-the-art technologies and systems in all domains: air, space, land, sea, cyber, homeland security and ISR. Drawing on over 60 years of experience developing and supplying innovative, cutting-edge systems for customers around the world, IAI tailors optimized solutions that respond to the unique challenges facing each customer.  IAI employs its advanced and proven engineering, manufacturing and testing capabilities to develop, produce and support complete systems - from components, sensors and subsystems all the way to large-scale, fully-integrated systems of systems. 

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Indian Air Force (IAF) denied reports that it is interested in F-35 fighter jets

spencerhughes2255 YouTube

We Are 'Not Interested' in US F-35 Fighters - Indian Air Force Chief


The Indian Air Force chief’s statement came in response to queries regarding reports in some local newspapers that the Indian Air Force had asked for a classified briefing on the F-35 after the defense ministry scrapped the proposal for local production of foreign-origin fighter jets in India.

New Delhi (Sputnik) — The Indian Air Force (IAF) has once again denied reports that it is interested in procuring Lockheed Martin's F-35 fighter jets. IAF chief B. S. Dhanoa has categorically rubbished such reports in a section of the Indian media.

"There is not talk on F-35. The Indian Air Force has not evinced interest and not talked to anyone. It is incorrect to report that we are interested in F-35," Air Chief Marshal B. S. Dhanoa said at a program organized by a think tank in New Delhi on Thursday evening.

When asked about the prospects of the Indo-Russia Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) project, which is pending since over a decade, the air force chief said that the decision is with the Indian government.

"FGFA decision is with the government and that is classified," Air Chief Marchal Dhanoa said.

Last week, the Indian Daily Business Standard reported that India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Defense Secretary Sanjay Mitra in February this year had asked the Russians to proceed alone with developing the FGFA.

"India might possibly join the project later, or buy the fully developed fighter outright, after it entered service with the Russian Air Force," the Business Standard report read.

The IAF recently redrafted its list of priorities, wherein the acquisition of fighter aircraft is followed by the procurement of the long-range SAM S-400 system. From September 2019, the induction process of 36 Rafale fighter jets will begin, while the acquisition of additional fighter jets will be decided in the next two to three years, for which request for information has been put out last month.

Meanwhile, the Indian Air Force chief has categorically denied any threat to India-Russia defense deals due to the implementation of the Countering America's Enemy's Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) by the Trump administration. Air Chief Marshal B. S. Dhanoa informed that the IAF has been continuing procurement of spare parts from Russian firms for its fighter jets despite CAATSA, which seeks to impose sanctions on individuals and countries that deal with Russia's intelligence and defense sectors. 

Air Chief Marshal Dhanoa also pitched for the country's own fifth-generation fighter jet program, named AMCA, in the long-term perspective. The Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), Bengaluru, issued a detailed document along with the Request for Expression of Interest to private industries earlier this month for the manufacture of two technology demonstrators, as well as the prototypes. The flight tests of these technology demonstrators are likely to be completed by 2024, followed by the development of prototypes of AMCA.

Currently, there are 31 squadrons of fighter jets (18-20 aircraft per squadron) with the Indian Air Force (IAF), compared to the required strength of 42 squadrons.

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Lockheed offers F-35 radar tech to India in fighter jet bid

F-16 - spencerhughes2255 YouTube

F-16 production might be moved to India

By ASIA TIMES STAFF APRIL 27, 2018 4:36 AM (UTC+8)

American defense contractor Lockheed Martin is sweetening a potential deal with India, offering to fork over the latest fighter jet technologies in a bid for the world’s largest aircraft order. India is seeking proposals for a total 110 aircraft, totaling a reported minimum of US$15 billion.

Advanced radar fitted on their fifth-generation F-35 combat jets will be offered on the F-16 jets, Lockheed vice-president Vivek Lall said in an interview reported by Bloomberg.

“There are a lot of technologies that come into the F-16 from F-35 and F-22, including the latest radar on these platforms,” Lall said. “It is a contemporary, state-of-the-art platform.”

The bid also reportedly comes with an offer to move the F-16s only production line, currently based in Fort Worth, Texas, to India.

Lockheed sees huge potential for the company’s business in India, plans for which dovetail with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Made in India” campaign.

“Potentially, India could emerge as a manufacturing hub for F-16. Just as the aviation industry has grown in Turkey over the years for F-16 and fighter planes, there is potential for India to become a major hub for F-16s,” according to John Losinger of Lockheed’s Integrated Fighter Group Communications. “The beauty of F-16 is it could potentially put India in the large global supplies chain. But the outcome depends on the Government procurement decision,” he was quoted as saying in The Hindu Business Line.

“Defence procurement world over is a long process and India is no exception,” Chief Executive of Lockheed’s India unit, Phil Shaw, said. “However, the quicker the orders come the better […] These defence deals have potential to strengthen business back home while also creating new jobs in the US and India,” Shaw said.

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