Egyptian Order Rises to 20 C-295M Air Transports

EAF C-295M concept

In addition to its larger AN-74 and C-130 military transports, Egypt also operates a small fleet of very old DHC-5 Buffalo aircraft, which need replacing. Canada’s Viking Air has a notional design for an modern DHC-5NG re-launch, but it has no customers and no prototype yet. The EAF wanted a more standard product, which left it with 4 plausible options: Airbus Military’s C295, Alenia’s C-27J Spartan, Antonov’s AN-32, or Xian’s Y-7H.

Egypt chose to become a new Airbus Military customer, and they’ve been adding to their fleet ever since.

Meltem-III: Turkey’s New ATR-72 Maritime Patrol Planes

ATR-72 ASW

In July 2005, Turkey’s SSM defence procurement authority signed a contract to meet its Meltem III requirement for 10 maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft. It ordered a dedicated version of the ATR 72-500 regional transport turboprop, called the ATR 72 ASW. Almost 8 years later, Turkey hasn’t taken delivery of any planes. They’ve has had more luck with the Meltem I/II program, which has begun fielding smaller CN-235 MPAs.

In 2013, Turkey finally dealt with its Meltem III contract, and signed a revised agreement. They’ll buy fewer ATR-72s, split that buy between utility and maritime patrol versions, and change the base airframe.

US Expands Sanctions Against Russia / MH17 Update

• SPECIAL UPDATE: Malaysian Airlines needs to lift the hoodoo on its Boeing 777s. Flight MH17 disappeared from radar while flying at 10,000 meters over the contested Donestsk region of the Ukraine, during a flight to Amsterdam. All 295 people are dead. The Ukrainian General Staff is claiming that it was shot down by an SA-11/17 Buk medium-range anti-aircraft missile given to (or captured by) Russian separatist forces, and says they will present evidence. The separatists say that they only have VSHORAD/ MANPAD shoulder-fired missiles, which can’t reach that high.

• Fighting in Ukraine has escalated since the battle of Slaviansk. 11 Ukrainian troops were killed on Tuesday, amidst accusations of materiel and fighters moving across the Russian border, and a video claiming that rockets where fired from Russia into Ukraine.

• An SU-25 jet from the Ukrainian air force was reportedly damaged by a MANPAD, and in a separate incident, the Ukrainian government accused Russia of having launched a missile from one of its military aircraft against a Ukrainian SU-25. Russia’s defense ministry rejects the allegation as “absurd.”

• The Pentagon says Russia has at least 10,000 troops at the border, and the White House announced more sanctions against Russian banks and energy firms.

• Russian Helicopters say they have completed delivery of 52 Mi-171E ordered by China just 2 years ago. The initial announcement mentioned an order for 55 units, but this is still a really tight delivery schedule.