Military Aviation News and Discussion

[the concerned]

I wasn't sure were to ask this but with PMC's being in just about every hotspot around the globe. At this moment what would stop these companies from expanding and providing air and naval cover. I was thinking could this become a thread all by itself.

 

[Sandhi Yudha]

The Government of Jordan has requested to buy twelve (12) F-16 C Block 70 aircraft; four (4) F-16 D Block 70 aircraft. This acquisition will have a value of around $4,21 billion and they get only 16 F-16s for it. But including the package is a lot of equipment, spareparts, armament, repair and return services, technical and logistics support services; and other related elements of logistical and program support.

Maybe othercountries do not need so many JDAM kits and other ground attack stuff, but if countries like Indonesia desire a squadron of F-16V Block 70, they need to prepare to spend more than the $1,1 billion reserved for the Su-35.

Jordan – F-16 C/D Block 70 Aircraft | Defense Security Cooperation Agency

www.dsca.mil

 

[Sandhi Yudha]

The Tentara Udara Diraja Brunei/Royal Brunei Air Force (TUDB/RBAirF) has retired its entire fleet of MBB Bo 105 helicopters after 41 years of service in a ceremony held at the Air Movement Centre (AMC), Rimba Air Force Base.

MBB Bo 105 is a German-made light twin-engine helicopter and first introduced into No. 2 Squadron, Air Wing in 1981 with an initial total of six units in possession.

https://mindef.gov.bn/airforce/SitePages/News%20Headline.aspx?cid=636

 

[John Fedup]

This article provides some reasons why the LMXT tanker offer might be preferable to the KC-46. Because the author also deals with Boeing, he did not offer another reason for the LMXT, Boeing’s appalling performance wrt KC-46.

His positive reasons for the LMXT suggest Boeing will have to seriously consider offering a larger jet.

Top Five Reasons Lockheed Martin Believes It Can Beat Boeing In The Next Round Of Tanker Competition

Lockheed is convinced it has the best aerial refueler for changing times.

www.forbes.com

@John Fedup You done forgot to post the link.

 

[Ananda]

Bangladesh Sizes Up Typhoons for Fighter Requirement | AIN

Having operated Chinese and Russian equipment for many years, Bangladesh looks to the West for its new fighter equipment.

www.ainonline.com

Bangladesh AF ask USD 3 bio budget for 16 new MRCA. The article shown preference for Euro Typhoon however not closing potential for F-16 or Gripen. This's going to environment change for Bangladesh AF that used to work with Chinese and Russian fighters.

 

[Sandhi Yudha]

South-Africa has a serious problem, and in my opinion this situation shows the incompetence of the government.
Such a disgrace how they let the armed forces deteriorate this way.

Armscor reveals majority of SAAF fleet grounded

A briefing by South Africa's Armscor defence procurement agency to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Defence on 16 February has revealed that the South African...

www.janes.com

 

[Sandhi Yudha]

According to Department of Defense (DoD) the United States is to supply Boeing F-15 Eagle combat aircraft to Egypt.

US to supply F-15s to Egypt

The United States is to supply Boeing F-15 Eagle combat aircraft to Egypt, a senior Department of Defense (DoD) official said on 15 March.

www.janes.com

U.S. General Says F-15s Will Be Provided To Egypt | Aviation Week Network

The U.S. government has approved plans to export Boeing F-15EX fighters to Egypt, the head of U.S.

aviationweek.com

The amount and version of the F-15 is not given, but it will be probably the F-15EX. Anyway, CAATSA is successful in this case, Egypt is now forced to cancel the Su-35 order and buy american products.

 

[Redlands18]

According to Department of Defense (DoD) the United States is to supply Boeing F-15 Eagle combat aircraft to Egypt.

US to supply F-15s to Egypt

The United States is to supply Boeing F-15 Eagle combat aircraft to Egypt, a senior Department of Defense (DoD) official said on 15 March.

www.janes.com

U.S. General Says F-15s Will Be Provided To Egypt | Aviation Week Network

The U.S. government has approved plans to export Boeing F-15EX fighters to Egypt, the head of U.S.

aviationweek.com

The amount and version of the F-15 is not given, but it will be probably the F-15EX. Anyway, CAATSA is successful in this case, Egypt is now forced to cancel the Su-35 order and buy american products.

Nothing from DSCA at this time on a possible F-15 purchase.

 

[Ananda]

Anyway, CAATSA is successful in this case, Egypt is now forced to cancel the Su-35 order and buy american products.

Between enchanting Flankers potential customers with new F-15 as alternative, giving more customers on F-15EX production line, and with combination by flaunting CAATSA.

Still all of the ones that turns are also US customers which using more US fighters then Russian/USSR in last four decades. It will be more interesting to see how US going to turn long term and loyal Russian customers such the like of India, Vietnam or even the North African largest Algeria.

 

[T.C.P]

Bangladesh Sizes Up Typhoons for Fighter Requirement | AIN

Having operated Chinese and Russian equipment for many years, Bangladesh looks to the West for its new fighter equipment.

www.ainonline.com

Bangladesh AF ask USD 3 bio budget for 16 new MRCA. The article shown preference for Euro Typhoon however not closing potential for F-16 or Gripen. This's going to environment change for Bangladesh AF that used to work with Chinese and Russian fighters.

I don't know how this will turn out, there are some high level guys in the govt right now, who have a hard on for western fighters. There are of course advantages to this, as a highly strategically located nation, that has good relationships with all the world powers, it makes sense to keep our weapon platform sources diversified.

Bangladesh's entire military is designed to defend against 2 threats- Myanmar and India. Both extensively use Russian and Chinese gear, so purchasing a platform that neither operates can be a good thing.

But there are major issues to consider, even if the UK sells us the typhoons, without proper muntions, its nothing but an expensive toy. Will they sell us Storm shadows and other advance munitions? How hard will it be to integrate a Western fighter into our over all defensive network, we will have to purchase dedicated software systems to allow the Typhoons, Mig-29s and the F-7s to communicate.

I personally would have preferred the J-10c, but I can understand why that would be hard to pull off, we afterall have to balance our relationship with India and take them into consideration. Our submarine and GBAD system purchases recently have already sparked enough contention with India. Especially the missile maintenance facilities that are we are currently building with the Chinese.

 

[Ananda]

personally would have preferred the J-10c, but I can understand why that would be hard to pull off, we afterall have to balance our relationship with India and take them into consideration. Our submarine and GBAD system purchases recently have already sparked enough contention with India. Especially the missile maintenance facilities that are we are currently building with the Chinese.

Personally I'm not envying Bangladesh position right now. India clearly feeling slowly being chook up by China. With Pakistan and Myanmar that clearly already in Chinese orbit, Srilanka increasing Chinese Influence, they are really hoping Bangladesh will not come to that.

However logistic and system wise I do agree for Bangladesh AF, J-10C is the suitable choices. It will be much easier to maintain and transitioning to J-10C for Bangladesh AF rather then Western MRCA.

Network centric is something that many Armed Forces need to build. Many military analysts ponder what really happen with Russian AF. Are they really have problem coordinating the attack with their ground force ? Building one network environment with assets that based on similar system will be easier and potentialy cheaper to do.

Sometimes it will be back on Political consideration, rather then what's the most effective ways to do it from users consideration.

 

[swerve]

South-Africa has a serious problem, and in my opinion this situation shows the incompetence of the government.
Such a disgrace how they let the armed forces deteriorate this way.

Armscor reveals majority of SAAF fleet grounded

A briefing by South Africa's Armscor defence procurement agency to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Defence on 16 February has revealed that the South African...

www.janes.com

Years of neglect, & corruption under Zuma. I'm not sure putting it right is a priority for Ramaphosa. I think he's more worried about the economy & the rule of law in general, & South Africa doesn't have any serious external threats at the moment.

 

[T.C.P]

Sometimes it will be back on Political consideration, rather then what's the most effective ways to do it from users consideration.

Absolutely. For a small nation like ours, politics is often the most important consideration.

But let me tell you if you looked all over the globe, you would not find a more pathetic military service branch than the Bangladesh AIr Force. Under the Hasina Regime ( the most India friendly regime), Bangladesh's other 2 services have made huge strides. The Navy went from having only 2 missile frigates and 4 misile boats as their only guided platforms to 5 missile frigates, 2 missile corvettes, 6 missile OPVs(LPCs), 2 submarines as of now. The army made massive acquisitions in GBAD, anti tank missiles, MBTs MLRS systems etc. The majority of these acquisitions being Chinese.

But our airforce! The only thing they added were non BVR capable 16 F-7BGIs. China literally had to reopen production lines to get that crap out of the factories. Myanmar with one third of our economy has acquired more Mig-29s, JF-17s and even ordered Su-30s in the same time frame. We quite literally only have 8 air fighters that are BVR capable and have no air defense beyond SHORAD systems.

The govt has made money available to the AIrforce for their acquisition for close to a decade now and all they have managed is to twiddle their thumbs. The top air force officials have wasted millions of dollars of tax payer money going abroad "evaluating" fighter planes, essentially nothing more than tax funded vacations.

This Western fighter craze is just going to be used to send corrupt bastards on expensive tax funded luxury trips to France, Sweden and the USA. I apologize to the moderators if my rant breaks any forum rules, but our air force treating their duty to protect our airspace like a joke is quite disheartening.

 

[the concerned]

It keeps being reported that numerous countries are interested in ex Qatari and Uae mirages. Kinetic wise these are still impressive machines I never understood why someone couldn't offer a system/weapons upgrade on these jets.

 

[Ananda]

Greece signs for additional Rafales

Greece has signed for additional Dassault Rafale combat aircraft from France, with both countries' defence ministers sealing the earlier announced order on 24 March.

www.janes.com

Seems Greece taking the option to increase their Rafale order from 18 to 24. I believe from previous deal, they do have option to increase to 24.

 

[John Fedup]

This article suggests there might not be a competition for the additional tankers the USAF wants thus eliminating a bid from LM/Airbus. The KC-46, a stellar success, both in performance, cost and delivery…as if we needed further proof the pollies in Washington are morons!

Boeing Poised to Score Billions in Biden’s Pentagon Budget Request

Meanwhile, Lockheed stands to lose. But don’t count Congress out.

www.defenseone.com

 

[cdxbow]

This article suggests there might not be a competition for the additional tankers the USAF wants thus eliminating a bid from LM/Airbus. The KC-46, a stellar success, both in performance, cost and delivery…as if we needed further proof the pollies in Washington are morons!

Boeing Poised to Score Billions in Biden’s Pentagon Budget Request

Meanwhile, Lockheed stands to lose. But don’t count Congress out.

www.defenseone.com

I agree, it's very hard to understand, Boeing stuff up a relatively simple platform, which still isn't fully sorted out and they get rewarded with even more orders. Rewarding incompetence, isn't really a way to get the best platform or value.

 

[MickB]

Just watched a Dark Skies utube on Convair Model 49.
It made me wonder if past designs that were a step too far, could be looked at again in light of new tech and materials.
Some of these, if made to work seem to offer great advantages to those that can produce them.
Are there industry restrictions like copyright or is it just reinventing the wheel every few years?

 

[John Fedup]

This article discusses AAM development currently underway in the US. Little is known about the modular missile concept and whether or not it is part of other AAMs under development. The key take away is the US wants to drastically improve its AA missile capability to counter recent Chinese and Russian long range air to air missiles.

The Air Force Plans To Test-Launch A Mysterious New Air-To-Air Missile

The previously unknown Modular Advanced Missile is the latest addition to a growing collection of in-development air dominance missiles.

www.thedrive.com

 

[Sandhi Yudha]

Some aerospace industry news from South-America about two new projects.

Chile's ENAER revealed this month its new Pillán II project for a basic trainer to replace the T-35 Pillán type in the Chilean Air Force and for export.

While the aircraft bears some resemblance to its predecessor, the T-35 Pillán, it is a different aircraft, with a redesigned wing, more length, and a new cabin. The company finalised the conceptual phase of the project, which lasted all of 2021. The objective is to fly a prototype for the first time in 2025, and certify the model by 2026.

The T-35 Pillán had its first flight in 1981 and is in use with 8 countries, so this can be the right moment to develop a replacement.

ENAER showcases new Pillán II trainer project for Chilean Air Force

Chile's ENAER in April revealed its new Pillán II project for a basic trainer to replace the T-35 Pillán type in the Chilean Air Force and for export.

www.janes.com

Argentina's FAdeA presented its new IA-100 Malvina elementary and primary trainer project also in April, which is to serve the Argentine Air Force and will be probably also available for international sale. Looking to the planned specifications, i expect this aircraft will be equipped with a piston engine.

Argentina and Chile should order each other's products, because they are neighbours and they are using the same language, it is more practical, easier and cheaper in operations and maintenance, and they support the aerospace industry from each other.

FAdeA reveals new IA-100 Malvina trainer for Argentine Air Force

Argentina's FAdeA presented its new IA-100 Malvina elementary and primary trainer project in April, which is to serve the Argentine Air Force and is expected to be...

www.janes.com