DSCA clears Patriots for Poland | Leonardo look for additional partners for new attack helicopter | China to establish defense facility in Thailand

Americas

• Raytheon has received a $79 million contract for the installation of telemetry equipment on future US Navy Gulfstream G550 Range Support Aircraft. The solution will be based within the G550 airborne early warning airframe and will offer multi-role capabilities in telemetry data collection, range safety and surveillance, and communications relay. Once operational, the Range Support Aircraft will be able to collect and process telemetry data from missiles, aircraft, UAVsand ships, and the firm states that the platform will be able “to support advanced weapons testing and other missions for the next 25 years.” The latest high-tech jet is expected to replace the Navy’s traditional telemetry test aircraft, which has been in service since the 1970s.

• The Navy awarded Raytheon a $7.7 million firm-fixed-price modification to an existing contract for the procurement of spares for the RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) under 2016-2017 Block I multi-year production requirements. The majority of the work will be performed in Tucson, Ariz., and other locations across the US, Germany, Australia, Canada, Norway, Spain, the Netherlands and Greece, with a scheduled completion time of May 2020. In other missile news, Raytheon said it would not offer an air-to-air variant of the Extended-Range (ER) AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM). Instead, the AMRAAM-ER will be offered as a ground-launched, air defence missile for the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS)—a joint development between Raytheon and Norway’s Kongsberg.

Middle East & Africa

• Turkey has expressed an interest in obtaining the Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD), HMS Ocean, once the vessel is decommissioned by British Royal Navy. The vessel is being offered for the relatively low upfront cost of $105 million, and has also received interest from the cash-conscious Brazilian government. It can carry up to 40 vehicles, 830 troops, and can support 18 helicopters covering a range of sizes from the heavyweight Chinook and Merlin to lightweight anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopters such as the AW159. Ankara is currently producing its own LHD—the TCG Anadolu—with support from Spanish shipbuilder Navantia, and purchasing the HMS Ocean could be used as a a training platform ahead of the Anadolu’s expected delivery to the Turkish Navy in 2021. Outside of the Mediterranean, the vessel could also be used to support operations where Turkey has established a military base—such as in Mogadishu, Somalia, where it is training local forces—without the need of building extensive infrastructure.

• Saudi Arabia and Turkey are in discussions for the former to purchase Turkish Aerospace Industry’s (TAI) Anka medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) UAV. Six drones in addition to two ground control stations are included in the deal, and the Gulf kingdom is also believed to be pursuing a technology transfer as part of any deal. However, Saudi-Turkish discussions have dragged since their inception in 2013, partly due to budgetary and administrative restrictions imposed by low oil prices resulting in Riyadh having to request a lower price on the sale.

Europe

• The US State Department has notified Congress that it is allowing the possible sale of the Patriot air defense system to Poland. Released through the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), the statement calls for the first phase purchase of a two-phase program for an Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) Battle Command System (IBCS)-enabled Patriot Configuration-3+ with Modernized Sensors and Components. Valued at an estimated $10.4 billion, the package consists of 4 AN/MPQ-65 radar sets, 4 engagement control stations, 4 Radar Interface Units (RIU) modification kits, 16 M903 Launching stations adapted, 18 Launcher Integrated Network Kits (LINKs) (includes 2 spares), 208 Patriot Advanced Capabilty-3 (PAC-3) Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) missiles, 11 PAC-3 MSE test missiles, IBCS software, 2 future operations – IBCS Engagement Operations Centers (EOCs), 6 current operations-IBCS EOCs, 6 engagement operations-IBCS EOCs, 15 Integrated Fire Control Network (IFCN relays, 4 Electrical Power Plants (EPP) III, and 5 Multifunctional Information Distribution Systems/Low Volume Terminals (MIDS/LVTs). Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman have all been listed as prime contractors on the deal, and as many as 42 US Government and 55 contractor representatives will travel to Poland for an extended period for equipment de-processing/fielding, system checkout, training, and technical and logistics support. While Warsaw has also requested offsets as part of the purchase, a decision will be announced upon negotiations between contractors and the Polish government. Current NATO allies that already operate the system on the continent include the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, and Greece, while Romania is also obtaining the system.

• Russia is to commence the modernization of the Tu-22M3 supersonic bomber from next year. To be dubbed the Tu-22M3M, the first upgraded aircraft will fly in 2018 after receiving new advanced precision weapons such as the Kh-32 cruise missile, while its radio-electronic devices and engines will be similar to the avionics aboard the latest Tu-160M2 aircraft and includes the SVP-24-22 radio-electronic system and NV-45 radar. Moscow operates approximately 62 Tu-22M3 aircraft and plans to have 30 of these upgraded to the new standard, however, sources close to the program have said that the timeframe of modernization and the number of upgraded aircraft will depend “on the enterprise’s capacities and on how work will proceed on the first planes.”

• Italian firm Leonardo is looking for additional partner nations to take part in its new attack helicopter program and successor to Italy’s AW129 Mangusta fleet. To be known as the AW249, the new helicopter is being financed under a $515 million contract awarded by Rome in January of this year which aims to see its 48 Mangusta’s phased out from 2025. But the firm are claiming that the helicopter “is not just for Italy.” Speaking to Flight Global, chief commercial officer Lorenzo Mariani said “It is a basis for collaboration – we believe that other nations can join this project.”

Asia-Pacific

• Thailand’s Defence Technology Institute (DTI) announced plans to set up a joint defense facility with China that will produce and maintain Chinese military equipment purchased by Bangkok. While specific details are subject to future negotiations, the facility will be located in Thailand’s northeastern province of Khon Kaen in cooperation with China North Industries Corporation (NORINCO)—whose output includes a wide range of firearms, artillery, anti-tank weaponry, and tanks. News of the facility—and discussions on a new Chinese naval centre to serve submarines Thailand ordered this year—point to a growing defense relationship between Beijing and Bangkok, particularly since the United States and Western countries downgraded ties after the army seized power in 2014. Recent big ticket purchased include $320 million procurement of 49 Chinese tanks and 34 armored vehicles in 2015, and a $1 billion procurement of three new submarines.

Today’s Video

• US Navy pilots grounded after this rather rude display:

Super Stallion to travel to Berlin in 2018, Lockheed push sales | USMC scout for shore-based anti-ship missile | UAE selects C295 for air transport

Americas

• The US Marine Corps (USMC) is in the market for a “readily available shore-based, coastal” anti-ship missile system. In a Request for Information (RFI) posted by the service on the Federal Business Opportunities website last month, the platform must be equipped with its own Over the Horizon (OTH) target acquisition capability and be capable of engaging vessels at ranges greater than 80 miles. Furthermore, it must fit within the USMC expeditionary concept to be employable by highly deployable and mobile forces, and be able to be integrated with US and partner nation weapons, command and control systems and surveillance systems. Interested parties have until November 30 to respond. While options like the Army’s ATACMs, the Norwegian Naval Strike Missile are potential options, interviews with USMC officials report that a preferred option would be a missile that can be fired from their truck-based High-Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) launcher.

Middle East & Africa

• Closing out this year’s Dubai Airshow, hosts UAE placed an order with Airbus for five C295 medium transport aircraft. The firm said that they will deliver the twin-turboprops to the UAE Air Force from the forth quarter of 2018, where they will take over mission duties from the CN235s still in operation with the Emirates. The sale brings Airbus’ C295 order count to 203, 51 of which have been ordered by governments in the Middle East and North Africa.

• BAE Systems announced Wednesday an agreement for the support and maintenance of UAE-operated British-built Hawk jet trainer aircraft. The deal will see UAE-based Advanced Military Maintenance Repair and Overhaul Center (AMMROC) continue its relationship with BAE until 2020, with the agreement covering the supply of spares and repairs along with a bespoke level of access to BAE’s engineering expertise to support the upgrade and repair of Hawk Mk61, Mk102 and Mk63 aircraft. AMMROC is a joint venture company owned by Emirates Defence Industries Company (“EDIC”), Lockheed Martin and its helicopter-producing subsidiary, Sikorsky. The UAE is one of its key customers.

Europe

• The US State Department has notified Congress that is has cleared Norway to purchase AIM-120 C-7 air-to-air missiles, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said Wednesday. Valued at an estimated $170 million, the package includes up to sixty AIM-120 C-7 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) and four AMRAAM guidance section spares, as well as missile containers, weapon system support, support equipment, spare and repair parts, publications and technical documentation, personnel training, training equipment, US Government and contractor engineering, logistics, technical and support services, and other related elements of logistics and program support. The contract is a follow-on buy from an earlier Norwegian AIM-120 order and Raytheon will act as lead contractor. The AIM-120 C7 will be one of several munitions equipped on Norway’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter fleet.

• Lockheed Martin’s CH-53K Super Stallion will make its international debut at the Berlin Airshow next April, sources close to the program told Reuters. Built for the US Marine Corps by Lockheed subsidiary Sikorsky under the Heavy Lift Replacement (HLR) program, the heavy-lift helicopter is being touted as a possible solution to Germany’s CH-53G replacement program, which will see the King Stallion face off against the smaller Boeing CH-47F Chinook in a $4.7 billion competition for about 40 units. However, an official start to the program—along with a formal structure to the competition—is unlikely to be unveiled until Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservatives manages to negotiate a ruling coalition with the pro-business Free Democrats and the Greens—horse-trading that could take until the end of the year. Israel is also reported to be interested in the King Stallion, adding a potential 20 units to Lockheed’s order book.

• Approval for a permanent propeller gearbox (PGB) fix onboard Airbus’ A400M Atlas transport aircraft will slide into next year, according to propulsion system supplier Europrop International (EPI). EPI had hoped to secure European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certification for a “Pack 2” series of modifications to the TP400-D6 engine’s Avio Aero-supplied PGB in the third quarter of this year. These modifications intended to reduce vibration and “reinforce endurance and reliability,” however, as EPI want to supply a fully mature PGB solution, certification will not take place until 2018. In the meantime, an EASA certified “truncated plug solution” has been retrofitted to all in-service A400Ms and installed with new engines since the start of this year. EPI said this solution has given “strong relief to the operators” by removing the need to conduct on-wing inspections of the gearbox after every 20 flying hours.

Asia-Pacific

• Chinas Beihang Unmanned Aircraft System Technology unveiled Monday, November 13, its new TYW-1 strike-capable UAV. With a wingspan of 18m, the TYW-1 drone features the same outward-canted stabiliser design as seen on the BZK-005 multirole medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) UAV (believed to be in use with the People’s Liberation Army), and is approximately 9.85 m-long and 2.5 m-high. Featuring an electro-optical system that can reportedly read a licence plate 50 km away from an altitude of 5,000 m, it also can carry a a 370 kg payload, features four underwing pylons, has a ceiling of 7.5 km, an endurance of 40 hours, and can reach a top speed of 200 km/h. Also displayed was an upgraded BZK-005 complete with a system mounted under the UAV’s nose that could be electronic support measures (ESM), a radar, or a communication relay.

Today’s Video

• Sukhoi’s Su-35 at Dubai Airshow

Leonardo deliver Falco Evo drone to ME | MiG-35 export targets set at $10 billion | Norwegian opposition criticise arms exports to Saudi Arabia

Americas

• Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $44.1 million contract for the provision of Intelligence Test Instrumentations Kits for use on the AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM). The kits—which have been upgraded to eliminate obsolete parts from previous generation test kits and provide a new product that can be used on several different missiles including JASSM baseline and Extended Range missiles, as well as the Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM)—will be used on the missile’s flight tests for telemetry and flight termination purposes. Speaking on the new kits, Lockheed said the “electronic components in this new kit will provide enhanced reliability over the previous generation’s mechanical configuration.”

• Italy’s Fincantieri and France’s Naval Group will jointly bid to sell the FREMM frigate to Canada, a concrete first step in establishing what has been dubbed “the Naval Airbus.” The frigate had been jointly developed by both countries for use in their navies but has since then been marketed separately—Italy is pitching the vessel to Australia while France has sold units to Egypt and Morocco. The Royal Canadian Navy is looking for 15 such frigates.

Middle East & Africa

• Leonardo used the Dubai Airshow to announce the delivery of its Falco EVO tactical unmanned aerial system to unnamed customers in the Middle East. Assembly of the first unit was completed at Leonardo’s facility in Italy in August prior to testing and delivery to customers in September. The drone is used as a surveillance and intelligence-gathering platform that can fly for more than 20 hours while carrying a payload of up to 100 kg. It is Leonardo’s longest-endurance model from its Falco RPAS family.

• Despite testing issues and delivery delays, Boeing has been aggressively marketing its new KC-46A tanker aircraft to Middle East governments at this year’s Dubai Airshow. There is a high demand for aerial tankers in the region as the US Air Force’s (USAF) tanker fleet supports the Saudi Arabian-led aerial campaign in Yemen with air refuelling, and the airshow is being used by Boeing as an opportunity to get governments to augment their tanker capabilities or switch allegiances. But the US airframer will have its work cut out for them—rival Airbus has recently delivered its A330 tanker to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait.

Europe

• Russian export targets for its MiG-35 have been set at over $10 billion, ahead of the fighter’s release for export next year. Speaking to Bloomberg, Director General of RSK MiG, Ilya Tarasenko, said as many as 30 countries that fly the older MiG-29 have approached the firm about upgrading their existing fleets or adding extra planes at this week’s Dubai Airshow. The MiG-35 is based on the older MiG-29, boasting a greater range and weapons load, and reduced radar signature making it ideal for Middle East environments. Egypt has already ordered 24 of the fighters, while the UAE hopes to incorporate Russian fighters with its US-made air platforms (although this has been met with skepticism by some US military officials).

• Boeing’s F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter will be considered by Bulgaria as a potential fighter candidate as part of its MiG-29 replacement program. Other candidates expected to receive a request for proposals this month are Lockheed Martin’s F-16, Saab’s JAS-39 Gripen and the Eurofighter Typhoon. A winner is hoped to be chosen by the end of July 2018, and $890.9 million has been made available for the acquisition. The new competition comes as Sofia scrapped a decision by an earlier interim government to go for the JAS-39 Gripen earlier this year. If the Super Hornet is selected, Bulgaria will be the first operator Boeing hardware in Eastern Europe.

• The Norwegian arms industry is the latest to come under fire for selling arms and equipment to Saudi Arabia, over the Gulf kingdom’s ongoing military conduct in Yemen. Opposition leaders from a number of political parties led by the Socialist Left Party (SV) have been recently scrutinising Norwegian arms export policy and have been pushing for tighter export controls to the industry, which made $442 million in sales in 2016, an increase of 10% on the previous year. SV lawmaker Petter Eide called for “more checks and balances to our exports that prevent the weapons and munitions we export from being used in conflicts, such as the war in Yemen where Saudi Arabia is the key actor. Norway’s foreign ministry is unable to say if Norwegian weapons are being used in such conflicts,” he added. Rocket engines, weapon systems and ammunition are among Norway’s leading export products, with Kongsberg and Nammo its biggest arms exporters.

Asia-Pacific

• A US Department of Defense (DoD)contract has tapped Bell-Boeing for “field representative and logistic support services” in support of Japanese V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft. Valued at just of $10 million, the cost-plus-fixed-fee contract will be mostly carried out at Camp Kisarazu, Japan, with other work taking place in Pennsylvania and Florida. Scheduled completion is set for December 2019. Japan received the first of its 19 ordered Ospreys in August.

Today’s Video

• The JAS-39 Gripen and JF-17 at the Dubai Airshow:

Japan to postpone F-3 program, will buy F-35s, interceptors | First operational MQ-4C delivered to US Navy | UAE announces orders from Dubai Airshow

Americas

• Northrop Grumman announced Friday that it has delivered the first operational MQ-4C Trition UAV to the US Navy at its facility at Point Mugu. It will be joined by a second operational Triton later this year and both aircraft will be prepared by the maintenance detachment of Unmanned Patrol Squadron based at Point Mugu before deployment to Guam in 2018. In addition to Guam, the Navy’s first MQ-4C squadron will be based at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida, with the service planning to deploy Triton squadrons to NAS Mayport, Florida, NAS Sigonella, Italy and the Middle East in the future.

• The first flight of Bell Helicopters V-280 Valor tiltrotor will take place before “the end of the autumn,” according to Vince Tobin, vice-president military business at Bell. In preparation for the sortie, Bell have conducted ground trails of the tiltrotor’s GE Aviation T64 powerplants over the last two months, with recent testing seeing the Valor rotate its engines between 75°-95°. Tobin added that initial flights will involve low hover manoeuvres, moving to transitions into airplane mode, before an eventual expansion of its flight envelope in spring 2018. The Valor is being developed initially as part of the US Army’s joint multirole technology (JMR) demonstrator program, and Bell hopes the aircraft will then be selected for the multi-service future vertical lift (FVL) initiative, initially as a replacement for the army’s fleet of Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawks.

Middle East & Africa

• The United Arab Emirates (UAE) will purchase additional laser-guided missiles from Raytheon in a $684.4 million deal announced by the military Tuesday. Speaking at a news conference during the Dubai Airshow, Major General Staff Pilot Ishaq Saleh al-Balushi said the Emirates was buying GBU-12 and GBU-10 Paveway laser-guided bomb kits, and to date has been the largest deal announced by the UAE during the exhibition. Other UAE orders reported by Reuters include artillery purchased from Germany’s Rheinmetall, a transportation contract with Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways, and plans are in place to tap Dassault and Thales to upgrade its fleet of 75 Mirage 2000-9 aircraft.

Europe

• Oriole Capital Group of the USA will invest $150 million as part of an agreement with Kharkiv State Aircraft Manufacturing Company of Ukraine to resume the production of the An-74 transport aircraft. Signed during the Dubai Airshow, the accord will see the continued “production, modernization, and sales of AN-74 aircraft,” and was hailed by Oriole CEO Hossein Mousavi as a “monumental step towards our common goals.” Oriole Capital Group was founded by executives from Wamar International—a diverse manufacturing and services company engaged in armored vehicle manufacturing, gas turbine manufacturing, and aviation optimization technologies—and Aero-Pioneer Group—an airborne logistics company that owns and operates aircraft in austere environments on behalf of large NGOs and international organizations. Its team includes former members from Boeing, Hawker-Beechcraft, Cessna, Thales, United Airlines, Textron Aviation, Raytheon, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

• The UK Ministry of Defense (MoD) has signed an agreement with Italian firm Leonardo for the supply of equipment that will simulate radar threats onboard its fleet of new A400M transport aircraft. One threat simulation system will be ordered initially, with future orders expected to grow as the RAF’s fleet does. It uses special Radio-Frequency (RF)-emitting ‘hoods’ which will cover the A400M’s sensors while the aircraft is still on the ground, stimulating its RF sensors with real radar energy. The RAF will also purchase Leonardo’s handheld threat simulator, which will allow crews to conduct more thorough pre-flight checks before taking off in a hostile environment. The value of the contracts were undisclosed.

Asia-Pacific

• Japan is likely to delay plans to develop its next advanced stealth jet, the F-3, despite having tested its $350 million ATD-X demonstrator aircraft—a forerunner for the F-3—in 2016. Funding for a F-3 program, which is expected to reach $40 billion over its lifetime, is likely to be diverted instead into to purchasing additional F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft, as well as new ballistic missile interceptors for its Patriot and planned Aegis Ashore systems. Also stalling the F-3 program is bureaucratic indecision on whether to pursue a solely indigenous development or to seek international collaboration. A decision is expected in 2018, meaning that the program is unlikely to feature in 2019’s five-year defense equipment plan.

• AH-64E Apache Guardian helicopters from South Korea participated in their first live-firing of AGM-114 Hellfire air-to-surface missiles during exercises on Monday. Located at a range off the western coastal city of Gunsan, all helicopters completed a 60Km flight before launching their munitions from different distances and in different manners so that pilots can better familiarize themselves with the missile, and all Hellfires made their target. Four additional Apaches also joined the exercise as command and back-up planes. Seoul has been operating 36 E-model Apaches since January of this year, with US Force Korea also operating 48 Apaches on the peninsula.

Today’s Video

• A South Korean AH-64E live-firing from June:

Canada to announce new fighter in 2021 | E-model Apaches deployed to Germany for the first time | M-346FA makes Dubai debut

Americas

• Boeing has announced that the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system now has 44 interceptors deployed at two sites on the continental United States. They added that the loading of the missile fulfils a US Department of Defense (DoD) requirement of increasing the inventory to 44 by the end of 2017, but did not reveal to which site the milestone load took place. An interceptor successfully took down an intercontinental ballistic missile during testing in May.

• Canada will have selected a replacement fighter for its fleet of CF-18s by 2021, Royal Canadian Air Force Lt. Gen. Michael Hood said at this year’s Dubai International Air Chiefs Conference. The official search for the fifth-generation fighter is expected to start in 2019. A new competition for the CF-18’s replacement was called for last summer following a campaign promise from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal party to step away from the controversial procurement of Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. While the F-35 is now back on the table as a possible option, attempts to procure the Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet, even as an interim measure, may be a non-runner due to the US airframer’s commercial dispute with Canadian firm Bombardier. But while new models from Boeing seem unlikely, Ottawa could procure F/A-18A/B Hornets from Australia as Canadian CF-18s run on a similar configuration and began operating within a few years of each other. Canada also owns the intellectual property on the jet and already uses L-3 for F/A-18 sustainment, thus not needing the services of Boeing.

• Embraer’s KC-390 prototype is scheduled to resume flight testing after receiving minor repairs following a stall speed incident in October. The Brazilian firm said the model, 001, “experienced an event beyond the planned limit” during a simulated icing test, which took the tanker beyond its airspeed and load factor operating limitations and required crew to return immediately to base. The aircraft has not flown since. A detailed inspection carried out by Embraer found that the incident caused no damage to the primary aircraft structure, although some external fairings and access hatches will be replaced before the aircraft returns to the sky. It added that deliveries to the Brazilian air force will not be effected.

Middle East & Africa

• An agreement has been reached between Morocco and Russia over the potential sale of the S-400 Triumf air defense missile system. Reports suggest that a deal was reached during the official visit of Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev to the North African kingdom on October 11, and was signed alongside a number of other accords covering agriculture, tourism, education, as well as defense and security cooperation. The platform will go towards improving Morocco’s air defense capabilities and they will join Turkey, Saudi Arabia as recent purchasers of the system. Morocco’s neighbor Algeria, whose adjoining border has been closed since 1994, also uses the S-400. Between 2010-2014, Algeria and Morocco were number one and two respectively on the list of Africa’s biggest military spenders.

• Leonardo’s M-346FA aircraft—the Fighter Attack variant of the Advanced Jet Trainer—has made its first appearance at the Dubai Airshow. Designed to carry out multi-mission tactical strike and reconnaissance missions, the jet comes equipped with a Grifo fire control radar and has seven hardpoints for external fuel tanks and weapons, including a range of precision-guided bombs, as well as AIM-9L air-to-air missiles and an external gun. Several parties have expressed interest in the new variant. The firm is also looking to offer a new trainer version, the T-100, to the USAF’s ongoing trainer competition, and has promised to build a new facility in Alabama to handle production if selected. This week, a delegation from Alabama will visit Leonardo executives for a tour of its M-346 manufacturing facility in Venegono, near Milan, to help advance preparations already under way in Alabama for the development of the manufacturing facility at Moton Field and its 750-strong workforce.

Europe

• The latest version of the Apache, the AH-64E, has been deployed to Europe for the first time. A total of 24 E-model Apaches have made their way to Germany as the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, with the Army’s 1st Cavalry Division out of Fort Hood, Texas, and have relieved the 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, with the Army’s 10th Mountain Division out of Fort Drum, NY, which has been training with about 20 countries for nine months as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve—Washington’s commitment to countering Russian aggression in Eastern and Northern Europe by training allies and holding joint multi-national exercises. The 1st ACB will now spend the next nine months based at at Illesheim Army Airbase, Germany and will be the only US Army unit in Europe with the upgraded helicopter.

• Saab and Raytheon announced a new partnership that aims to develop new weapons for infantry forces. A joint statement released by both firms on Thursday said they will first commence work on improving Saab’s 84mm anti-tank recoilless rifle—the Carl-Gustaf reloadable shoulder-launched weapon—as well as working to enhance Saab’s AT-4 disposable weapon system to meet near-term US and international requirements. At present, the AT-4 can fire 84mm rockets, albeit unguided.

Asia-Pacific

• India is in danger of losing out on purchasing the last available C-17 Globemaster heavy transport aircraft as New Delhi’s agonisingly long procurement process may see manufacturer Boeing offer the aircraft to someone else. In 2015, the Indian Air Force (IAF) approved the purchase of three C-17s to add to its current fleet of ten, but with the Globemaster’s production line already shut down, Boeing only had one remaining to sell. But New Delhi has so far failed to send the formal Letter of Acceptance (LoA) required as part of the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) process and instead are looking to request an extension of the deadline to next year, thus pushing the completion of the procurement process further down the line. As a result, Washington could rescind the offer and instead look at other interested parties.

Today’s Video

• A look at the M-346FA at the Paris Airshow 2017:

Tough times for Tejas after IAF report deficiencies | KAI chase down T-50 sales, LM suggest price slash | F-35A airframe passes durability tests

Americas

• Draken International announced November 9 that they have successfully acquired 22 Mirage F1M and F1B fighters from Spain. The acquisition now brings Draken’s fleet size to over 100 fighter jets and will go towards enhancing its adversary air services provided to the US Air Force (USAF), Navy, USMC, as well as coalition militaries and Department of Defense (DoD) partners. In 1996, the F1s underwent a $96 million upgrade program which included cockpit enhancements, LCD MFDs, Advanced HUD, INS/GPS, Electronic Attack systems and a special performance upgrade for the Cyrano IVM radar. Since their retirement from Spanish service in 2013, the F1s have been stored in Albacete Air Base, Spain until Draken’s purchase this September.

• The US Navy released Thursday a $34.6 million award to Lockheed Martin for integration work with the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and small-diameter bomb (SDB) II. Under the terms of the deal, Lockheed will carry out weapons capabilities technology maturation and risk reduction pre-engineering, manufacturing and development activities for dual-capability F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter aircraft and small-diameter bomb 2 (SDB-II) in support of the Marine Corps and Air Force. Work will take place at Fort Worth, Texas, with a scheduled completion time of July 2018.

Middle East & Africa

• Speaking at the Dubai Airshow, Major General Abdullah Al Sayed Al Hashemi, Chief of the Military Committee and spokesman for the UAE Armed Forces, announced that it will upgrade its 80 F-16 jet fighters as part of a $1.63 billion program agreed with Lockheed Martin. The ministry also announced other deals, including $17.9 million to US-based OTNA INC for Blu-109 ammunition and a $9.5 million agreement with Thales Communications and Security SAS to secure defense communications. Al Hashemi added that the UAE is also interested in procuring the fifth-generation F-35, calling it “an excellent jet,” but did not comment on discussions ongoing with Washington over such a purchase. Fourth generation jets also being looked at by the Emirates include the Sukhoi Su-35, Eurofighter Typhoon, and Dassault Rafale, however, no deals have ever reached completion.

• Turkey has completed the purchase of the S-400 air defense system from Russia. The announcement was made by Defense Minister Nurettin Canikli who added that Ankara was also in discussion with the Franco-Italian Eurosam consortium to help develop a missile defense system of its own. Last Wednesday, Canikli signed a letter of intent with France and Italy in Brussels to strengthen cooperation in defense projects including missile defense. The agreement is likely to start with Eurosam working with Turkish companies to develop an indigenous platform based on the SAMP-T missile system.

Europe

• Airbus Helicopters has completed the first-firing trials of the HForce weapon system integrated onboard a H145M Light Utility Helicopter. Testing of HForce took place at Pápa Airbase in Hungary and the system included guns (FN Herstal HMP400), unguided rockets (Thales FZ231) and cannons (Nexter NC621) as well as an electro-optical targeting system by Wescam (MX15) and a helmet mounted sight display by Thales (Scorpion). Before HForce receives qualification on the H145M, expected for 2018, the system will undergo development testing of laser-guided rockets in Sweden before the end of the year and followed by additional live-firing trials in summer 2018.

• BAE Systems announced the successful conclusion of durability testing of its F-35A airframe. The completion is the culmination of the F-35A’s third life testing at BAE Systems’ testing facility in East Yorkshire in England, which is equivalent to 24,000 hours of “flying,” and easily exceeds the F-35 programme requirement of a service life of 8,000 flight hours. The F-35B and F-35C durability test airframes already have completed 16,000 hour second life testing, with additional tests being conducted to maximize the life of the aircraft. Known officially as AJ-1, the F-35A airframe is designed to operate from conventional runways and is the only F-35 variant to carry an internal cannon.

Asia-Pacific

• Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) announced Friday that it is in talks with as many as nine potential customers for its T-50 advanced trainer aircraft—of which Botswana and Argentina were highlighted as being at “an advanced stage” of negotiations with the two deals hoped to be completed either by the end of 2017 or in early 2019. In an effort to boost sales chances, KAI are also planning to offer loans to interested parties with developing economies through Korea Export-Import Bank of Korea and the Korea Trade Insurance Corporation in order to lessen the burden of such purchases. Meanwhile, Lockheed Martin, who have partnered with KAI to offer a version of the trainer to the USAF’s Advanced Pilot Training (APT) program, have requested a price slash to the trainers so it can outbid the Boeing-Saab team who have developed a clean-sheet design known as the T-X trainer.

• Indian Air Force (IAF) officials have listed a number of deficiencies found with the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) as part of efforts to argue for sourcing foreign-made fighter aircraft rather than increasing orders of the indigenous Tejas. Assessments made by the service and presented to government found that when compared to foreign-made fighter aircraft such as Saab’s JAS-39 Gripen and Lockheed Martin’s F-16, the Tejas posted poorer airborne endurance—59 minutes compared to two hours—and could carry less payload—three tons against nearly six tons and seven tons by the Gripen and F-16 respectively. Maintenance requirements were also greater on the Tejas with 20 hours of serving needed for every hour of flying against six hours for the Gripen and 3.5 hours for the F-16. The Tejas’ service life is also half that of the 40 years found in both the Gripen and F-16. While 123 Tejas fighters have been ordered for the IAF, only four have been delivered, and the IAF desperately needs additional single-engine fighter aircraft to fill a 42 fighter squadron requirement to fight a two-front war. Retirements of ageing MiG-21 aircraft is making the issue worse, with a further 11 of 33 available squadrons due for retirement over the next two years.

Today’s Video

• H145M completes first test-firing of the HForce weapon system:

F-35 the “preferred choice” for Berlin | KC-390 prototype pushed to limits, needs repair | T-50A test pilot breaks 100 flight hours |

Americas

• Embraer’s first KC-390 prototype has temporarily stopped flying after stall tests conducted last month pushed the military transporter beyond its operational limits. While no work is needed on the “primary aircraft structure,” the firm does need to repair some of the aircraft’s access hatches and aerodynamic fairings before the resumption of flights. It assured that the incident would not effect the KC-390’s certification schedule and is on course to enter service next year. While Embraer did not address the cause of the test-flight incident, Brazilian trade publication Aero Magazine reported that test equipment inside the plane had come loose during a maneuver, throwing off its center of gravity, according to an unnamed engineer involved in the project.

• Lt. Col. Mark “Red” Ward, a retired US Air Force officer and current Lockheed Martin test pilot, has achieved the milestone of being the first pilot to achieve100 flight hours in the firm’s T-50A fifth-generation trainer aircraft. The platform is being considered for the USAF’s Advanced Pilot Training (APT) competition. A Lockheed press release said Ward passed the 100-hour mark shortly after take-off from Greenville on the way to the 2017 Joint Base San Antonio Air Show and Open House at JBSA-Lackland Kelly Field Annex in Texas, which took place Nov. 4-5. “This has been a great opportunity to be involved in a project that is so important to the USAF and the foundation for pilot training,” Ward said. “It’s a great plane to fly and will make an excellent trainer for generations of pilots to come.”

Middle East & Africa

• Nigeria is set to receive its remaining five Super Mushshak trainer aircraft by the end of the year, already returning four interim trainers borrowed from Pakistan. The four trainers had been used by the 401 Flying Training School in Kaduna for ab-initio flying training while the first batch of trainers was being prepared. The first batch were inducted into service on August 8.

Europe

• Switzerland has set aside no more than $8 billion in order to fulfil future fighter jet and air defense requirements. The figure is towards the lower end of the three options being considered by the government—the most on offer being a $18 billion procurement of 70 fighter aircraft, while the least expensive option would have been procuring 20 jets and accompanying ground-based air defense systems for 5 billion francs, or $5 billion. The Swiss DoD will now begin assessing which aircraft will be chosen to replace its fleet of F/A-18C/D Hornets and Northrop F-5 Tigers, with manufacturers Airbus, Boeing, Dassault, Lockheed Martin and Saab all being approached for solutions. The procurement is hoped to have concluded by 2025.

• Lockheed Martin is confident that the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter will be selected as Germany’s Tornado fighter replacement, after Berlin confirmed that the next-generation fighter is the Air Force’s “preferred” choice. Germany is looking to replace its 85 Tornado jets between 2025 and 2030, and requests have been sent for information about the F-35, as well as three other jets: Boeing’s F-15 and F/A-18E/F fighters, as well as the Eurofighter consortium’s Typhoon. The F-35 has already been selected by several of Germany’s regional allies, including Norway, the Netherlands, the UK, Italy, Turkey and Denmark, and some have already started to receive deliveries. Belgium is expected to make a decision next year.

Asia-Pacific

• Following the inclusion of funding for four maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) in the 2018 budget, the Malaysian government will soon appoint a technical team to evaluate possible options. The aircraft will also come with an anti-submarine warfare capability. Among the contenders to fulfill RMAF’s MPA requirement include Airbus Defence and Space’s C295, Indonesia’s PT Dirgantara CN235, Leonardo’s ATR72 and P-8 Poseidon which are used by the United States and Australia’s armed forces. A separate team will also assess an offer for free P-3 MPAs from Japan, although this lies outside of the original procurement and may well be used only as a temporary measure.

• Raytheon Australia and the Australian DoD have signed contracts hailing the first stage of development for the Short Range Ground Based Air Defense program. Valued at $9.3 million, the year-long work order will include Risk Mitigation Activities to see how the platform will operate in the Australian context, and the program as a whole could reach $1.7 billion. In April, Canberra announced plans to develop a ground-based missile capability using the Kongsberg-designed National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS). Raytheon Australia is acting as the prime systems integrator, while Kongsberg, which manufactures NASAMS along with Raytheon, will be a major subcontractor. The system will feature locally made components and will be mounted on Hawkei vehicles.

• South Korea is in the market for twelve new anti-submarine warfare naval helicopters, but will be requesting technology transfers and offsets to the tune of $400 million for their business. The whole project itself is valued at $780 million and will include domestic firms in the production. At present, Seoul is procuring eight AW-159 Wildcats for use onboard their Incheon-class guided missile frigates, but additional orders to Leonardo for more Wildcat could face competition from Sikorsky’s MH-60R and NHIndustries’ NH-90.

Today’s Video

• The AW-159 Wildcat at DSEI 2017:

Dassault named in Paradise Papers | Sweden selects Patriot for air defense | Malaysia eyes new supersonic LCA jets

Americas

• The US Navy has awarded a $22.4 million contract to BAE Systems to exercise options for post-shakedown availabilities (PSA) for the USS Little Rock and USS Sioux City littoral combat ships (LCS). Work will be carried out onboard USS Little Rock LCS-9 and USS Sioux City LCS-11 Freedom-class littoral combat ships at BAE’s facility in Jacksonville, Fla., with completion scheduled for February 2019. PSA activities are usually carried out to correct deficiencies found during the shakedown cruise or to accomplish other authorised improvements.

• General Dynamics received Monday a $8.8 million US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) contract to commence work on the first phase of the Low Power Laser Demonstrator. The award heralds the first step in equipping a high-altitude, long-endurance UAV with a high-energy laser capable of intercepting and shooting down intercontinental ballistic missiles. Work on the contract will be performed in San Diego, Calif., and Poway, Calif., with an estimated completion date of July 31, 2018.

Middle East & Africa

• The political crisis caused by the shock resignation of Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri invested hundreds of millions equipping and training the Lebanese military, while imposing sanctions on the financial activities of Hezbollah. In 2011, an arms embargo was imposed on Lebanon after telecoms tycoon Najib Mikati, backed by the Hezbollah-led coalition, was appointed as prime minister-designate in January of that year, when the Shiite group brought down the unity government of Hariri.

Europe

• Sweden’s Defense Materiel Administration (FMV) will commence discussions with Raytheon and the US government after the government in Stockholm okayed the procurement of the Patriot air defense missile system. The system once again won out against the Eurosam consortium’s SAMP/T, and the contract is expected to be worth $1.2 billion. Deliveries will begin in 2020 and the system is expected to be operational by 2025.

• Raimundas Karoblis, Lithuania’s defense minister, expects NATO to reach an agreement on establishing a Baltic air shield by next year. The plan would see the organization deploy anti-aircraft weapons in either the Baltics or Poland in order to plug gaps in the region’s air defenses from potential Russian attack. “Air defense is one of the issues which we need to address. We also need to look at other domains, like NATO command structure reform, we need to move forward on all on these aspects,” he added. Karoblis was speaking after meeting his counterparts from Northern Group countries, including the Nordic and Baltic states, the UK, Germany, Poland and the Netherlands. US Secretary of Defence Jim Mattis was also in attendance.

• Joining Queen Elizabeth II, U2 frontman Bono, and Formula 1 World Champion Lewis Hamiliton, French defense giant Dassault Aviation has been identified in the latest round of leaks concerning alleged tax evasion schemes found in the “Paradise Papers”. The documents found that the firm had set up entities on the Isle of Man, a British crown dependency in the Irish Sea often criticised as being a tax haven. A Dassault statement released Tuesday acknowledged it had set up seven financial leasing entities on the Isle of Man between 2008-2012, adding it had done so “in order to meet the financing needs of clients during the context of the financial crisis.” It also said that it had respected its tax obligations.

Asia Pacific

• The Royal Malaysian Air Force is looking to procure a Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) capable of going supersonic while powered by a single engine. Speaking at the International Fighter Conference in Berlin, a service official said that the RMAF want a ‘low-end’ supersonic fighter that can augment its current fleets of single-seat BAE Systems Hawk and twin-engined Boeing F/A-18D Hornet and Sukhoi Su-30 ‘Flanker’ fighters. The official added that while Kuala Lumpur was considering all available options, Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) T-50 Golden Eagle/FA-50 had been highlighted as a service favorite.

• Following a string of test failures, India’s state-owned Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) successfully test-fired the indigenous Nirbhay sub-sonic cruise missile. Testing took place on November 7 at the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Chandipur, Odisha. Once operational, the Nirbhay will complement India’s supersonic cruising Brahmos with a sub-sonic solution, which is suitable for fixed targets. It comprises a domestically developed and produced Ring Laser Gyroscope (RLG) with a GPS-assisted MEMS-based Inertial Navigation System (INS), and is capable of delivering 24 different types of warheads depending on mission requirements.

Today’s Video

• Royal Danish Air Force F-35 test support:

Attachments area

Trump’s Asia trip: More arms for allies | F-35 aircraft and simulators delivered to Norway, Israel | Japan plans visit to Hawaiian Aegis facility |

Americas

• General Electric will conduct the overhaul and recapitalization of the T700 series of engine in support of US Army Blackhawk and Apache helicopters. Valued at $84 million, the contract follows the $1 billion December 2016 award that called for 2,500 T700 engines to support all four branches of the US military, including the US Coast Guard and foreign military sales, through 2019. The overhaul is expected to be completed by November 2, 2020.

Middle East & Africa

• Israel’s next F-35i delivery is expected later this week with two aircraft scheduled to touch down at Nevatim air base, bringing its current fleet to nine. Tel Aviv will add a dedicated test aircraft in 2019 to support future software and equipment updates, and deliveries of its currently planned 50-strong fleet will be completed in 2027. A cabinet decision to whether to order additional F-35is in order to equip a third squadron will be made next year.

Europe

• Three Royal Norwegian Air Force F-35A Joint Strike Fighters touched down at Ørland Air Base on Friday, November 3, the first of Norway’s ordered units to be permanently based in the country. Seven are currently stationed at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, where pilots are undergoing training, and manufacturer Lockheed Martin has already commenced deliveries of F-35 training simulators to international customers, of which Norway stands alongside Israel, Italy and Japan as recipients. These simulators will allow for more in-house training of F-35 pilots to take place instead of recruits having to travel to the US. Oslo plans to acquire 52 F-35As at a rate of six per year up until 2024 as part of its F-16 Fighting Falcon replacement program.

• The Romanian government will buy H215 and H215m Super Puma helicopters from IAR S.A. Brasov, a domestic partner of the rotorcraft’s manufacturer Airbus who has helped market the helicopters to Romania and prospective third-party export customers. Over the course of the fifteen year agreement, Airbus anticipates that Romania could acquire up to 60 H215/H215m to supplant its legacy Puma and aging Super Puma helicopters. Airbus recently brought the H215/H215m Super Puma production line to offer an affordable competitor to the Russian Helicopters Mi-171. The Brasov facility had until then produced over 360 helicopters, including the IAR 330 Puma, for domestic and overseas markets.

• BAE Systems announced an order received by the Swedish Defense and Material Administration for the delivery of 254 additional Bofors 155mm BONUS artillery rounds for its military. The munition is used on the BAE-built Archer Artillery System, a next-generation self-propelled howitzer developed for the Swedish and Norwegian armies, and capable of successfully detecting and combating heavily armored vehicles within 35 kilometers. When BONUS smart ammunition is fired from the system, its carrier shell separates to deploy two sensor-fuzed munitions that then search for targets within a given footprint, up to 32,000 square meters. Each of the two expelled munitions independently seeks and neutralizes its own target. Production on the contract will take place at BAE Systems’ facility in Karlskoga, Sweden, and delivery is scheduled for sometime in 2019.

• Lockheed Martin will undertake the modernization and upgrade of four P-3B aircraft for the government of Greece. The US Department of Defence (DoD) contract is valued at $260 million and supports structural mid-life upgrades, tailored phased depot maintenance, a country-specific designed mission integration and management system, and new avionics that is aimed at providing a service life extension of 15,000 flight hours per aircraft. Work will be carried out primarily in Georgia, USA (38%), and Greece (36%), as well as other locations across the North America and Israel. The overhaul is scheduled to be completed by December 2023.

Asia Pacific

• As US President Donald Trump continues his trip through Asia, three US carrier strike groups will conduct exercises in the Western Pacific. The Commander-in-Chief’s first stop was Japan, where he guaranteed his Japanese counterpart Shizo Abe would “shoot ‘em [North Korean ballistic missiles] out of the sky when he completes the purchase of lots of additional military equipment from the United States.” Japan, under its war-renouncing Constitution, can shoot down a missile only when it is aimed at the country or in case debris are falling onto its territory. In South Korea, Trump’s visit was met by the South’s presidential office announcing the immediate start of discussions with the United States on developing the Asian nation’s military capabilities, including deploying the latest surveillance assets, to help counter Northern aggression. Pyongyang has not committed a missile launch in over 53 days, the longest such lull in testing this year.

• Japan’s Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera is scheduled to visit the US Navy’s Aegis Ashore test facility in Hawaii during a visit to the volcanic archipelago US state next January. Washington conducts missile intercept tests at the complex on Kauai Island, and Onodera will visit to learn more about the operation of the system and issues it should take into account when introducing the system to its self-defense forces. Tokyo is keen to procure the system as part of its land-based air defense network from North Korean ballistic missiles.

Today’s Video

• F-15 aircraft at Nellis AFB honor LV mass shooting victims: in repaint:

Attachments area

Lockheed receive DDP contract for SHiELD laser | Three more F-16s for Iraq | Seoul asks Jakarta to show them the money after missing KF-X payment

Americas

• The US Navy has placed fresh orders with Raytheon for 196 Tomahawk Block IV all-up-round vertical launch system missiles and spares. Worth up to $260.3 million, the contract modification also includes the procurement of spare parts and support for the government of the United Kingdom. Deliveries are scheduled for completion by August 2019 after work taking place in Tucson, Arizona, and nearly two dozen other locations across the continental US.

• Lockheed Martin announced Monday the receipt of a $26.3 million contract from the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) for the design, development and production of a high power fiber laser. The contract falls under the AFRL’s Self-protect High Energy Laser Demonstrator (SHiELD) program, and plans are in place to test the laser on a tactical fighter jet by 2021. This particular contract falls under the Laser Advancements for Next-generation Compact Environments (LANCE) subsystem of the SHiELD program, which covers the development of the high energy laser itself. The other two subsystems include the SHiELD Turret Research in Aero Effects (STRAFE)—the beam control system which will direct the laser onto the target—and the Laser Pod Research & Development (LPRD)—the pod that will be mounted to the fighter and responsible for both powering and cooling the laser.

Middle East & Africa

• The Iraqi Air Force has received delivery of three additional F-16 fighter aircraft, bringing the number of the aircraft currently operated by Baghdad to 17. A total of 36 F-16s were ordered back in 2014 at a cost of $2 billion, although two have subsequently crashed during the training of Iraqi pilots in the US. The most recent arrivals touched down at Balad airbase, north of the capital Baghdad.

• Following the interception of a ballistic missile near its capital Riyadh’s airport, Saudi Arabia and the military coalition it leads in Yemen said Monday that it will close all air, land and sea ports into its southern neighbor. The move is hoped to stem the flow of arms and ammunition from Iran to the Houthi rebels fighting the coalition, but is more likely to worsen the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the war-stricken country, which has left some seven million on the brink of famine and a widespread cholera epidemic effecting over half a million. Riyadh has also topped out the bounty for the Houthi’s leader, Abdel-Malek al-Houthi, at $30 million.

Europe

• In Denmark, a report by Rigsrevisionen, an independent parliamentary audit agency, has raised a number of issues with the country’s procurement of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. Costing Copenhagen over $10 billion, the program will be Denmark’s most expensive state purchase but may not be able to fulfil the tasks the government informed parliament they are capable of, including being too optimistic in its estimates of what the F-35 fighters are capable of in terms of flight hours. The Danish Ministry of Defense said the report would not effect the government’s plans to buy more aircraft.

• Russian media is reporting that negotiations are underway between the Ukrainian state-owned Antonov and Russia’s Aviastar-SP on maintaining the airworthiness of Russian-Ukrainian Antonov An-124 Ruslan heavy cargo aircraft. The jet, which was designed by Antonov and manufactured by Aviastar-SP was used by Volga-Dnepr for its air cargo business, but the decline in relations following the Russian annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 cancelled any cooperation between both firms, and causing Antonov to explore other avenues for production and sales. Antonov hopes an agreement will bring fresh cash into the firm as it has not made any new An-124s since the freeze in relations, while Volga-Dnepr are capable of sustaining their fleet.

• The German Navy will continue to operates its P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft until 2035, after awarding Lockheed Martin a $158 million contact to proceed with a modernization program on the fleet’s eight aircraft. A previous award for the preliminary design-phase was worth $55 million. As part of the refresh, expected to be complete by 2022, the firm will integrate its airborne tactical mission system—which includes new acoustic processors—on the aircraft, as well as giving structural upgrades and updated cockpit systems. Berlin acquired the aircraft second hand from the Netherlands in 2006.

Asia Pacific

• Indonesia has failed to pay the latest round of fees for its involvement in the South Korean KF-X fighter program, prompting lawmakers in Seoul to threaten postponement of the program. Jakarta’s state-owned PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) had been expected to pay the remaining $124.5 million required for this year at the end of October, after agreeing in January 2016 to cover 20% of the program’s overall expenses—or some $1.33 billion. Questioning the government on the matter, Rep. Kim Jong-dae of the Justice Party said “If Indonesia does not pay in time, then Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has to shoulder the burden of 40 percent of the development costs,” adding that the “KF-X project could easily be put in danger,” and accusing the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) of downplaying concerns over the delayed payment. DAPA responded by saying that the matter will be discussed during an upcoming summit between the leaders of both countries later this week.

Today’s Video

• Ten F-35As land in Japan: