Americas
Bell Boeing won a $23.3 million contract modification, which exercises an option for on-site support, engineering and technical analysis of flight test for V-22 aircraft for the Navy, Air Force and the government of Japan. Bell-Boeing’s primary product, V-22 Osprey, is a family of multi-mission, tiltrotor military aircraft, with both vertical as well as short takeoff and landing capabilities. It is designed to combine the functionality of a conventional helicopter, with long-range, high-speed cruise performance of a turboprop aircraft. This military aircraft can carry 24 combat troops or up to 20,000 pounds of internal cargo or 15,000 pounds of external cargo. Work will take place in Maryland, Texas and Pennsylvania and is expected to be completed in December.
The Argentine Air Force returned to service one of its Fokker F28 medium transport jets, Jane’s reports. The last of the aircraft was grounded in August 2019 due to structural problems with the type, after finding the service had no budget to fund a replacement fleet. The Fokker F28 Fellowship is a twin-engine short range jet airliner designed and built by Dutch aircraft manufacturer Fokker. On December 27, with the F28’s tests flights concluded, FAA chief Brigadier General Enrique Amrein used the aircraft for one of his visits to the main FAA bases across the country and, as a former F28 pilot, was in control of it for part of his journey.
Middle East & Africa
Leidos won $23 million for Foreign Military Sales to Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The deal provides for General Electronic Test Station (GETS-1000) test equipment and test program set hardware and software, test equipment upgrades and repair parts; and services including test equipment installation, training, in-country technical assistance, and engineering services support. Leidos’ GETS-1000 is a depot test equipment supporting the military equipment in missile weapon systems such as Lockheed Martin’s LMT Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missiles and Raytheon’s RTN M3 Hawk surface-to-air missiles. Work will take place in Huntsville, Alabama and estimated completion date is December 31, 2020.
Rapiscan Systems won a $12.3 million Foreign Military Sale to Iraq. The contract is for contractor logistics support services for M60 High Energy Mobile Scanning Vehicle Systems and associated equipment. The US company Rapiscan Systems specializes in walk-through metal detectors ans X-ray machines for screening luggage and cargo. Contracting Activity is the US Army Contracting Command. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will take place in Iraq and expected completion will be on November 30, 2020.
Europe
A UH-60M helicopter carrying Taiwan’s Chief of the General Staff Gen. Shen Yi-ming has crashed this morning. The aircraft went down in Yuanshan Township. Eight Taiwanese military officers including General Shen Yi-ming were killed. Thirteen people were on board the UH-60M Black Hawk, part of the Air Force Rescue Team, which took off from Songshan Air Force Base in Taipei just before 8 a.m. It was headed for a military base in Dongao, in the northeast, as part of an inspection before the Lunar New Year holiday later this month, Taiwan’s Central News Agency reported. The helicopter disappeared from radar screens about 10 minutes after takeoff, crashing in a mountainous area between the capital and the coast. It was not clear what caused the crash of the Black Hawk.
Asia-Pacific
The Indian Air Force has reactivated the 222 Squadron with the Su-30MKI. The unit was number plated back in 2011 after flying the MiG-27. The 222 Squadron ‘The Tigersharks’ of Indian Air Force got resurrected on January 1, with state of the art Su-30 MKI Multirole Fighter aircraft. “#Resurrection: 222 Sqn ‘The Tigersharks’ got resurrected today with state of the art Su-30MKI Multi-role Fighter aircraft. Raised on 15 Sep 69 with Su-7, the Sqn was later equipped with #MiG27 Ground Attack Aircraft prior to getting number plated in 2011.,” IAF said in a tweet.
Today’s Video
Watch: Indian Defence Updates : India’s New ORCA Fighter Jet,MWF Gets Next Gen WAD,New Su-30MKI Squadron
