Americas
* The US Navy has disclosed that AIM-9X Block II missiles have a “beyond-visual-range” capability. Announcing the capability was Capt. Jim Stoneman, chief of the US Navy’s Air-to-Air Missiles Program Office at the 2016 Sea-Air-Space Exposition. Plans for a Block III version of the newest member of the Sidewinder family are also in place; the program however, remains unfunded.
Middle East North Africa
* Egypt has been cleared for the purchase of UGM-84L Harpoon Block II Encapsulated Missiles and equipment, training, and support by the US State Department. Major Defense Equipment (MDE) to be sold in the $143 million deal include 20 UGM-84L Harpoon Block II Encapsulated Missiles and two Encapsulated Harpoon Certification Training Vehicles (EHCTV). The missiles will be used on the Egyptian Navy’s Type 209 submarines.
* The first of two Gulfstream G-550 business jets for the Italian Air Force has arrived in Israel to undergo reconfiguration into an airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft. Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) will install an Elta AEW suite on the aircraft, and it is expected to be delivered in 2020. Italy’s procurement of the two aircraft come as part of a deal involving the selection by the Israel Air Force of the Leonardo M-346 for its advanced trainer requirement.
Europe
* Dutch F-35As will fly to Leeuwarden Air Base, Netherlands next week. The three week vacation will involve testing of the aircraft before flying back to Edwards Air Force Base. The next generation fighters will be supported by two RNLAF KDC-10 tankers and will make a refueling stop at NAS Patuxent River before proceeding for their seven-hour flight across the Atlantic. Permanent delivery of the F-35s to the Netherlands will take place in 2019.
* Pricing and availability for the Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion helicopters is being sought by Germany to meet its heavy vertical lift requirement. Other options include Boeing’s CH-47 Chinook, however the US Marine Corps is keen to take advantage of the better pricing that could be achieved by adding a sizable King Stallion order at the front-end of the production ramp. The latest K-model has twice the max gross take-off weight of the legacy CH-53G operated by the Luftwaffe at 40t (88,000lb) with external loads compared to 19t (42,000lb).
Asia Pacific
* Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has embarked on a visit to Russia where talks will involve the purchase of new helicopters. The PM made the comments to reporters yesterday with the models believed to be Mil Mi-17V5 transport helicopters. Six Mi-17V5s are currently in operation by the Royal Thai Army after replacing its older Hueys in 2011.
* Robert Crumplar suggests in USNI News that Washington considers exporting the BGM-109 Tomahawk cruise missile to Japan to act as a “responsive deterrent option.” The suggestion comes as Japan looks to deter potential aggression from North Korea, as well as dealing against a larger Chinese military. If the sale were to go ahead, it would follow a precedent for providing Tomahawk to allies that was established nearly 20 years ago when the United Kingdom acquired 65 missiles.
Today’s Video
* Trailer for Dassault Aviation’s Immersive Dassault Aviation app for Oculus Rift:
