Americas
Elbit Systems of America has scored a major win with the US Air Force, securing an Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) contract with a ceiling of $89 million for replacing outdated Head-Up Displays (HUDs) in the service’s F-16 Block 40/42 fleet. The contract, announced on November 21, calls for the installation of Elbit’s Wide-Angle Conventional Head-Up Display (WACHUD) in place of the existing Diffractive Optic HUDs currently in use. The first delivery order, worth over $57.5 million, was placed in September 2024, with work scheduled to be carried out at Elbit America’s Talladega, Alabama facility and systems expected to be delivered by September 2027.
CAE and KF Aerospace’s Ontario-based joint venture SkyAlyne has contracted Grob and Pilatus to deliver 32 training aircraft for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). Under the project, the service will receive 23 G 120TP systems from Grob and 19 PC-21s from Pilatus, with deliveries to start in 2025 and 2026, respectively. The incoming fleet will be stationed at the Moose Jaw RCAF Base in Saskatchewan, where they will be operated by SkyAlyne as part of Canada’s 25-year Future Aircrew Training (FAcT) program to bolster its tactical aerial capabilities in response to emerging threats.
Middle East & Africa
According to Israel Defense, the Israeli Air Force officially introduced its new AW119Kx training helicopters, known as the ‘Ofer,’ which will replace the veteran ‘Saifan’ (Bell 206) helicopters in the Flight School’s helicopter program. The induction ceremony was held at Hatzor Airbase, attended by senior Air Force officials, including the Air Force Commander, Major General Tomer Bar, who highlighted the critical role of helicopter operations during the recent “Operation Swords of Iron.”
Europe
The French Air Force is set to receive a major upgrade to their Rafale combat aircraft in 2026 with the introduction of an AI-equipped Talios targeting pod. The new pod, developed by Thales, will mark the first time a French combat aircraft will carry a system that makes “intensive use” of deep learning technology. The Talios pod entered service at the end of 2018, and is a key sensor for the Rafale. It is used for a variety of air-to-ground missions, such as targeting and reconnaissance, and can be used with a range of weapons including laser-guided bombs and missiles. Talios can also be used for air-to-air missions, such as providing visual identification of airborne targets.
Asia-Pacific
The US has approved the proposed sale of spare parts for fighter jets and radar systems as well as communications equipment to Taiwan, in deals valued at $385 million, a US agency said Friday. While Washington does not have official diplomatic relations with Taipei, it remains the island’s most important backer and biggest arms supplier. The proposed sale of the F-16 and radar system parts consists of equipment in existing US military stocks and was worth an estimated $320 million, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said in a statement, with deliveries estimated to start in 2025.
