GE Tapped For Super Hornet Engine And Modules Production | Malian Super Tucano Crashes | Azerbaijan Evaluates MiG-35s and Su-35s

Americas

General Electric won a $51.5 million contract modification to procure eight General Electric F414-400 spare engines, 11 afterburner modules and 12 low pressure turbine modules for the Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter aircraft. The Super Hornet is a twin-engine multirole fighter used by the United States and Australia. The first operational Super Hornet squadron was formed in June 2001. The deal modifies an earlier contract awarded in 2018 and funds the procurement of eight GE F414-400 spare engines, 11 afterburner modules and 12 low pressure turbine modules for the Super Hornet, which is made by Boeing. Work will take place in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and Kentucky. Expected completion date will be by October 2022.

USS Gerald R. Ford recently completed its first full test of the integrated combat system against fighter aircraft with help from Kfir and Hunter fighters provided by Airborne Tactical Advantage Company. The ship’s Dual Band Radar successfully tracked the tactical aircraft. The ship’s Combat Direction Center simulated engaging the hostile fighters. Ron McCallister, Ford’s combat systems officer, noted the testing was a collaborative effort between Naval Sea Systems Command along with the greater technical community and the ship’s force. “The tests exercise the combat systems suite as a complete unit and ensure maximum availability to meet combat and self-defense mission requirements,” said McCallister. “In the end, the combat systems suite achieves maximum readiness and the Sailors develop more operational and technical competence.”

Middle East & Africa

One of the Malian Armed Forces’ four Embraer EMB 314/A-29 Super Tucano light attack turboprops crashed on April 7. The FAMa announced details of the crash later that day, saying it happened near Sévaré Camp in central Mali. The Malian Air Force’s Base Aérienne 102 is located at Sévaré Airport. Chief of Staff of the Air Force Brigadier General Souleymane Doucouré held a press conference during which he identified the aircraft (TZ-04) and the two Malian pilots who were killed.

Europe

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems won an $8.4 million contract modification for the United Kingdom (UK) MQ-9 contractor logistics support launch and recovery element (LRE). The UK-1 LRE aircrew, readiness spares package-out, and UK-2 logistics readiness support will be performed at multiple stateside and international locations and is expected to be completed September 30, 2021. GA-ASI claims that its Automatic Takeoff and Landing Capability (ATLC) eliminates the need for a ground control station located near the aircraft’s base, which will “drastically reduce airlift requirements when the Remotely Piloted Aircraft is forward deployed.” The first flight of the production-representative MQ-9B SkyGuardian Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) meant for the UK Royal Air Force (RAF) was completed on March 30.

Asia-Pacific

The Mirage 2000 fleet of the Republic of China Air Force (RoCAF) in Taiwan has been deployed to Ching Chuan Kang Air Base. New reports say the main runway at their home base in Hsinchu is being renovated. Only a small number of Mirages are there for quick reaction alert duties. Mirage 2000 is a multirole combat fighter from French aircraft manufacturer Dassault Aviation. It has been operational with the French Air Force since 1984, and has been selected by Abu Dhabi, Egypt, Greece, India, Peru, Qatar, Taiwan and the United Arab Emirates.

Azerbaijan has sent a delegation to Russia to evaluate the MiG-35 and Su-35, the country’s Ministry of Defense has announced. A group of specialists of the Azerbaijani Air Force visited Russian military-industrial enterprises. During meetings with representatives of one of the leaders of the global arms market in Russia, the Rosoboronexport company and the management of military factories, Azerbaijan expressed interest in purchasing the most advanced Russian-made combat aircraft. The Russian side, in turn, expressed its readiness to supply combat aircraft in an amount that meets the requirements of the Azerbaijani Air Force.

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