Boeing Tapped For C-17 Simulator Training | ISPA 6 Completed First Flight | Indonesian Navy Commissions 76mm Naval Gun

Americas

Boeing won a $9.5 million for C-17 simulator training supporting North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) partners. This modification increases the ceiling of the indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract from the previously awarded amount of $9,500,000 to $18,000,000. The C-17 Globemaster III is a premier transport aircraft. The massive, sturdy, long-haul aircraft can carry large combat equipment, troops and humanitarian aid across long distances in all weather conditions. Work will take place in the UK and is expected to be finished by December 31, 2021.

A fire broke out in an unoccupied, hanger, which was used for equipment storage, at Minot Air Force Base on December 28. The fire broke out at 5:15 pm in building 733, an unoccupied hangar used for “overflow snow removal equipment and transient alert equipment.„ No other buildings were affected and no one was injured. The hangar did not have any personnel or aircraft inside and the cause of the blaze is still under investigation.

Middle East & Africa

Governor Henry McMaster joined Lockheed Martin in welcoming Ambassador Shaikh Abdullah bin Rashed Al Khalifa from the Kingdom of Bahrain. Ambassador Al Khalifa toured the F-16 Block 70’s production line. Lockheed Martin is producing 16 fighter jets for the Bahraini Royal Air Force. The first jets are expected to be shipped out in 2021. McMaster said, “This is just one more example in how our state plays a big role in the prosperity of the country, strength of the country and the world. It’s something to be proud of.” Lockheed Martin originally produced these planes in Fort Worth, Texas. But when demand picked back up worldwide for the F-16, they decided to produce new ones here in South Carolina. Officials said this is bringing hundreds of jobs to the state. In addition to Bahrain, the facility in Greenville will be producing F-16s for Bulgaria and Slovakia. According to Lockheed Martin, there are about 3000 F-16s in service right now worldwide.

The first Instrumented Series Production Aircraft (ISPA 6) configured for the Kuwaiti Air Force has successfully completed its first flight. The aircraft is the first to fly the Captor E-Scan Radar with Phase Enhancement P3Eb, and is a key milestone for the entry into service of Eurofighter with the State of Kuwait. ISPA 6 is the first Eurofighter in the planned export configuration for the Kuwait Air Force, with the second iteration of the Phase 3 Enhancement software (P3EB) and fitted with the new Captor E-Scan radar (known as Radar One Plus, or Captor E Mk0), an active electronically scanned array (AESA) derivative of Typhoon’s highly regarded Captor radar. The capability package for Kuwait includes the integration of Storm Shadow and Brimstone and other air-to-surface weapons.

Europe

HMS Tyne escorted Russian ship Perekop through the English Channel on Christmas Day. The Royal Navy confirmed the HMS Tyne’s two-day operation in a statement. The Royal Navy confirmed that the ship had returned to Portsmouth and remains ready for further operations. UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace praised the work of the Royal Navy crews who conducted operations during the Christmas holidays: “I am grateful for the efforts of the crew of HMS Tyne, who has sailed on Christmas Eve, helping to safeguard or seas”, Wallace said. In August, a Royal Navy patrol ship monitored Russian ship Vasily Bykov through UK waters in a similar incident. In October, the HMS Mersey vessel of the UK Royal Navy escorted a group of three ships of Russia’s Baltic Fleet as they headed along the UK coast to the English Channel.

Asia-Pacific

The Indonesian Navy commissioned a shore-based 76 mm naval gun, Jane’s reports. The shore-based 76 mm naval gun has been installed at its newly built weapons range in Paiton, East Java. It is the first of several weapon types that will be featured at the newly constructed range at Paiton. The gun, which was salvaged from the retired Ahmad Yani Class frigate, Slamet Riyadi , was handed over by Indonesia’s state-owned electronic company, PT Len, to the TNI-AL’s Doctrine, Education, and Training Development Command on December 6.

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