Iron Dome Deployed In Guam | Turkey To Start UGV Mass Production | Affinity Wins Additional T-6C Jets Operation Deal

Americas

The Israeli-made Iron Dome missile interception system has been deployed in Guam. The equipment first arrived on the island by ship on October 19. The deployment has been dubbed Operation Iron Island.

Atlantic Diving Supply won a $25 million contract modification for temporary aircraft maintenance structures (TAMS). The modification provides for the purchase of Phase II of the TAMS project which was separately priced and competed under the basic deal. Work will take place at Hill Air Force Base in Utah. Estimated completion date is November 24, 2023.

Middle East & Africa

Turkey is preparing to start the mass production of lightweight, medium class and heavy class Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs). On Tuesday, several related agreements were signed at leading local defense company FNSS’s facility in the capital Ankara.

Europe

Elbit Systems Ltd. announced that Affinity Flying Training Services Ltd., its UK joint venture with Kellog, Brown and Root Ltd., won an approximately $88 million contract from the UK Ministry of Defense for the operation of four additional Texan T-6C aircraft for the UK Military Flying Training System (UKMFTS) program.

Asia-Pacific

PZL Mielec has completed the delivery of 16 S-70i Black Hawk helicopters ordered by the Philippines with the last five arriving in the country on November 9.

South Korea is sending a KC-330 aerial refueling tanker to Australia today to bring back 27,000 liters of urea solution. The solution is needed by the country’s diesel vehicles to reduce harmful emissions. The plane is expected to depart at 5p.m. Korean time from Gimhae International Airport.

Today’s Video

Watch: Philippines gets last batch of 5 Sikorsky S-70i Black Hawk combat utility helicopters from Poland

Korean Air Refueling: Airbus Wins

South Korea is moving to buy 4 long-range aerial refueling tankers with secondary transport capabilities, with a budget of WON 2 billion (about $1.8 billion). That capability isn’t a huge priority on the Korean peninsula itself, but it’s very useful for international operations. It’s useful as a way of projecting regional power, as territorial disputes flare with China.

As Asian economies grow and militaries modernize, these factors have made long-range aerial refueling a growing regional priority. China, India, Pakistan and China deploy the Russian IL-78. Japan fields 4 Boeing KC-767As, and may raise that to 8 under recent plans. Similar American KC-46As will join them in the region after 2017. Elsewhere in the region, Australia (5) and Singapore (4) picked Airbus Defense & Space’s larger A330 MRTT instead, and India looks set to buy 6 at some point. What will the ROKAF do?