Chile & Airbus to Collaborate on Defense & Aerospace | EDA Gets Budget Increase Ending Six Year Freeze | SK Investigating DAPA on Suspicion of Intel Leak

Americas

• An agreement has been signed between Airbus and the Chilean government to pursue collaborative business development in the defense and aerospace industry. Both sides will cooperate on manufacturing and maintenance for future projects while exploring further possibilities. The Airbus deal is one of several agreements Chile has made with defense firms which includes a contract with Lockheed Martin to produce spare parts for C-130 aircraft.

Middle East & North Africa

• The Turkish Defence Minister Fikri Isik stated that the first two of a batch of 24 more Lockheed Martin F-35 aircraft will be delivered in 2018. 24 of the Joint Strike Fighter will be ordered over the next three years, of which six, including the two expected in 2018, had already been ordered. Ankara has committed to procuring a total of 115 F-35s.

Europe

• Greece has taken delivery of three second-hand CH-47SD heavy-lift helicopters. The transfer of the ex-National Guard Chinooks was completed on November 11. Seven more are expected by the end of 2017 as part of a $120 million deal with the US.

• European Defense Ministers agreed to raise the budget of the European Defence Agency (EDA) ending a six-year freeze. While small, the increase will see 2016’s $32.7 million increased to $33.1 for 2017’s activities. All 27 EU members gave their resounding support for the measure and will use the extra funds to develop and procure additional aircraft and other defense materials.

• Spain’s Air Force has received its first A400M transporter from Airbus. Aircraft MSN44 carried out its maiden flight from Airbus’s Seville final assembly site in September, and is the first of 27 examples on order for Spain. The delivery came days after Airbus announced that two A400Ms had successfully demonstrated the in-flight transfer of fuel using a fuselage-housed hose-and-drum unit.

Asia Pacific

• South Korean investigators have raided the offices of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA). An official from DAPA is suspected of leaking confidential information on military equipment to BAE Systems during a mismanaged project to upgrade the KF-16 fighter jet. The 2011 modernization award with the company has since been dissolved.

• Boeing is eager to sell its KC-46A aerial refueling tanker to India. The Indian Air Force has yet to procure a capability to refuel its C-17 and P-8I aircraft, and New Delhi has eyed up the Pegasus to fill such a role. A laborious search has been underway to fill a six multi-role tanker capability soon to be vacated by their aging IL-76 aircraft. Earlier attempts to procure Airbus A 330 MRTT never came to fruition.

• The first flight of India’s Rustom-II UAV has been successfully completed. Conducted by India’s Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO), the drone accomplished all main objectives during the test, including takeoff, bank, level flight, and landing. While this marks a good milestone for the program, officials maintain that a lot more evaluation and testing needs to be done before operational evaluation and eventual entry into service with India’s military branches can take place.

Today’s Video

Live demonstration of South Korea’s K30 Biho twin 30 mm self-propelled anti-aircraft gun:

India’s Rustom MALE UAV: A Step Forward – Or Back?

Rustom-H mockup

India has not been left out of the global UAV push. The country operates Israeli Searcher tactical UAVs, and Heron Medium Altitude, Long Endurance (MALE) UAVs, placing an additional Heron order in 2005. It has also undertaken development programs for a smaller UAV, the “Nishant”. With its “Rustom” program, however, India hopes to offer a UAV in the Heron/ Predator/ Watchkeeper class of MALE UAVs.

It had also hoped to begin to change a culture and tradition of wholly state-owned development of military hardware, which has not always performed well, or served India’s needs. A recent award has selected a winner, and moved the project forward. It may also serve as a reminder that bureaucracies are very difficult to change.