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RAF Lakenheath 2022 A year to remember

USAF F-35
expansion
African
Drone The story so far
Warfare
And how the
CIA ‘shreds’
top targets

Taiwan’s
F-5 Tigers
For 60 years the
island’s defender Himalayan
RUSSIA-
Predator
India’s Light
UKRAINE WAR Combat
Helicopter
A reputation
in tatters
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#419 February 2023

Russia’s Su-34 Fullback

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Comment
2023 – more war ahead?
I
t is a sign of the times that the main headline
news on December 26 – on the BBC, at least
– centred around the military. While many of
us were relaxing with family and friends, the
top three news reports were dominated by war
or the threat of war.
Ukrainian drones had just attacked Engels
Air Base and 71 Chinese air force/navy
fighters and bombers had crossed Taiwan’s
Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), while
North Korea’s Supreme Leader Kim Jong-
un had sent drones into South Korea, with at
least one pushing its way through to Seoul.
Then just after midnight on New Year’s Day,
the Ukrainians attacked and killed “hundreds”
of Russian conscripts at Makiivka in the
Donetsk region, within range of the Ukraine’s
US-made long-range HIMARS.
For this last incident, it would seem that
operational security had been breached owing
to the use of mobile phones. With members
of the Ukrainian military getting increasingly
skilled with their HIMARS, the Russians will
Above: ‘Hundreds’ of Russian troops were killed when Ukraine attacked using the US HIMARS system after unauthorised mobile phone use gave their location
away Sgt. 1st Class Richard Frost/ DVIDS
Editor – Modern Military Aviation: Simon Lee
Group Editor at Large: Alan Warnes
Deputy Editor: Khalem Chapman
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Assistant Military Editor: Josef Campion
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Suzanne Roberts, Sue Rylance
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SUBSCRIPTIONS
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www.Key.Aero
have to be more tactically astute than that!
Back in November, the Russian MoD said
that explosions at two air bases in Crimea
were caused by troops smoking close to fuel
dumps. Shocking, really, for such a modern
military to lack such basic common sense.
It’s obvious that the Russian leadership
has never bothered too much with OPSEC
or tactics because, as we saw in Georgia in
2008 and more recently in Syria, they have
tended to just bludgeon the enemy into
submission with firepower and numbers.
Should China attack Taiwan – which, sadly,
is looking increasingly likely – it will try to
ensure air superiority quickly, which the
Russians have been unable to do in Ukraine.
However, unlike Ukraine, we are likely to see a
counter-offensive involving a “coalition of the
willing” led by the US and involving several air
forces that attended Exercise Pitch Black in
Australia last year. That could turn very ugly.
When it comes to North Korea, anything is
possible, but South Korea would again be
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AirForces Monthly, ISSN 0955-7091 (USPS 6119), is
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supported by the US should the unthinkable
happen, which is always possible when you
have someone like Kim Jong-un involved.
Sending a drone down to Seoul was more
symbolic than gaining anything militarily,
but I did enjoy the RoKAF’s apology for not
shooting it down.
Given all this and the growing violence in so
many African countries – Chad, Democratic
Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria
and Mali – as well as the continued threat of
Iran, the possibility of another war in Yemen
and the uncertainty that still exists between
Azerbaijan and Armenia, one suspects that
2023 is likely to be even more unpredictable
than 2022.
Alan Warnes, Group Editor at Large
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February 2023 // 3
Contents
Regulars
03 Comment
AFM’s monthly opinion about
the most recent and noteworthy
military aviation topics
06 News
• Headlines (p6) • UK (p8) •
Europe (p10) • North America
(p14) • Latin America (p18) •
Australasia (p19) • Asia-Pacific
(p20) • Airbus Updates (p22)
February 2023 #419
all Eagle unit to welcome the new
fifth-generation capability
60 Unit Report: On
top of the world
The Lama Squadron in Argentina
is one of the few helicopter units
on the continent equipped for
high-altitude rescue missions.
Santiago Rivas explains how they
can operate above 16,500ft

38 Exercise Report: 64 Fleet Report:

France's Red Flag
Nine air powers gathered for
the French-led Volfa-2022
exercise. Babak Taghvaee
reports on the high-intensity
operations carried out
42 Base Tour: Fighting
48th flies high
Bob Archer visits RAF Lakenheath
where the 48th Fighter Wing is
continuing to transition from an
Taiwan’s Tigers
After almost 60 years of service,
the Republic of China Air Force’s
F-5s are due to be phased out.
Peter Ho examines the impact
the jet has had in ensuring the
defence of the island nation
70 Force Report:
Watching the skies
On the frontline of NATO’s Baltic
air policing duties, Estonia is a
72
small country that is keeping
a watchful eye out for further
Russian aggression. Jean-
François Auran details the air
force that was created just
three decades ago and fields
no combat aircraft

Your Aviation
Destination
See page 24 SUBSC
for full details EXCLURIBER
SIVE

30

4 // February 2023 www.Key.Aero


72 Exercise Report:
Striking back
For three weeks in November,
the Netherlands was invaded by
an enemy – one which had to be
repelled by a multinational NATO
force. Ludo Mennes reports on
Exercise Falcon Autumn
84 Retirement Report:
Target achieved
The Swiss air force has withdrawn
its last Pilatus PC-9. Philippe Rey
reflects on the end of its target-
towing operations
86 Aircraft Report:
Himalayan predator
India’s Light Combat Helicopter
entered service in October 2022.
Atul Chandra has followed the
lengthy development since the
prototype’s maiden flight and
provides details of this unique
attack helicopter
www.Key.Aero
92 Just a nice pic...
AFM shows off Croatia’s soon-
to-be outgoing MiG-21bis-D fleet
after it was cleared to return to
flight operations on December
28, following its grounding three
weeks prior following a crash
94 Attrition
Dave Allport details the month’s
most significant military aviation
mishaps from around the world
98 Next Issue
A preview of what’s on the
modern military aviation agenda
in next month’s issue of AFM
Features
30 Russia’s services. In the first of a two-
heavy hitter part feature, Gerard Keijsper
Alexander Mladenov reviews the focuses on the operational units
status of the Su-34 Fullback, the of the USAF F-35 fleet
enhancement plans for the type
and its controversial operations 78 Hunting
in the ongoing war in Ukraine the hunters
Unmanned aerial warfare is now
50 USAF powers a major factor in global conflicts,
to fifth-gen as Al Venter, who has been
The F-35 is the first aircraft to embedded in a NATO Special
serve in three different versions, Forces counter-insurgency unit
planned from the outset in all US in Central Africa, explains
84
Above: A Swiss PC-9 equipped with an RM-24
towing a target up to 900m behind the aircraft. The
Swiss Air Force has now retired its PC-9 fleet Swiss Air Force
Left: A UH-60M Black Hawk and CH-47F Chinook of the US Army’s 12th CAB
arrive at the water lock Ossesluis to drop off troops of the Royal Netherlands
Army’s 13th Infantry Battalion Northern Skies Aviation Below: The Su-34
Fullback remains a core programme for the Russian tactical aviation branch,
providing a significant share of air arm’s strike potential Giovanni Colla
Front Cover: A USAF-operated F-35A Lightning II belonging to the 62nd Fighter
Squadron ‘Spikes’ at Luke AFB, Arizona, pulls up into the vertical during a
sortie. The unit is charged with providing advanced fighter training for F-35A
pilots and crews Jim ‘Hazy’ Haseltine
February 2023 // 5
NEWS Headlines

Dutch F-16s return to Eur

FOUR of the 11 Royal
Netherlands Air Force jets
that for 32 years had trained
F-16 pilots in Arizona, arrived
at Charleroi, Belgium on
Thursday December 15. This
was fewer than originally
expected: six F-16s had
arrived at Lajes (Azores)
ready to make the next leg
to Europe, but two failed to
leave. The other five F-16s
remain at their temporary
Florida home.
Having failed to sell the
surplus former Tucson-
based F-16s to Draken
International, the Royal
Netherlands Air Force flew
the four aircraft (F-16AM
J-004 and J-101 marked
‘148 FS’ plus F-16Bs J-067
and J-210) from Florida
to the SABCA facility in
Belgium to be stored
until their future has been
determined.
The F-16 training unit,
with the 148th Fighter
Squadron, 162nd Fighter
Wing at the Tucson ANGB,
Arizona was shut down
(See Viper’s Last Bite,
Oct p58-63) after the
graduation of the last new
F-16 pilots on July 29. With
the Department of Defense
wanting the aircraft off their
property, it was agreed the
11 F-16AM/BMs would
be flown to Draken’s main
base at Laker-Linder IAP in
Lakeland, Florida in mid-
August. The original ten
aircraft had been joined by
a F-16BM, J-882 last May.
Draken agreed to buy
them from the Netherlands
in June 2021 but when
the time came to sign the
contract, Draken’s Red
Air work had fizzled out.
By March 2022, the firm
had lost its US Adversary
Air contracts, resulting
in a 61% fall in revenue.
It needed to work out a
plan for future growth,
but obviously that did not
include the former Royal

Four former Royal Netherlands

Air Force F-16AM/BMs arrived at
Charleroi on December 15, where
SABCA will store them until a new
role is found for them. Of the 11
that are due to return to Europe,
two are stuck in Lajes (Azores) and
the other five are still in Florida
Marco de Groot

Nearly 400 F-35s to be built under new me THE F-35 Joint Program
Office and Lockheed
Martin rounded off 2022 by
finalising a $30bn contract
for the production and
delivery of up to 398 F-35s
for US and Foreign Military
Sales customers under
Low-Rate Initial Production
(LRIP) Lots 15-17.
Announced on December
30, this newly signed
agreement will see
Lockheed Martin produce
145 F-35s under LRIP
Lot 15 and 127 aircraft
in LRIP Lot 16. The deal
comes with an option to
produce and deliver a
further 126 F-35s under
LRIP Lot 17 and will include
the first examples of the
Lockheed Martin will produce 398 F-35s under LRIP Lots 15-17, which includes the first fifth-generation multi-role
aircraft for Belgium, Finland and Poland. The aircraft will also receive the TR-3 update prior stealth fighter for Belgium,
to being delivered to their respective customers Lockheed Martin/Liz Kaszynski Finland and Poland. On
November 14, 2022, the
Belgian Ministry of Defence
revealed that production of
its first F-35A had started at
Lockheed Martin’s facility in
Fort Worth, Texas.
The aircraft produced
in LRIP Lots 15-17 will
be the first to include the
modernised Technical
Refresh-3 (TR-3) hardware,
which is needed to
power the type’s Block 4
capabilities. Among other
things, the TR-3 update
includes a new integrated
core processor with greater
computing power when
compared with F-35s
already in use, along with
the addition of an enhanced
memory unit and a
panoramic cockpit display.
The awarding of this
$30bn production contract

6 // February 2023 www.Key.Aero


Europe European FCAS industrial
agreement signed
Netherlands Air Force.
Instead, the Netherlands
government and Lockheed
Martin want to create a
F-16 training unit that they
could offer to Romania and
Bulgaria. Romania currently
has 17 ex-Portuguese Air
Force F-16s and is set
to start taking delivery
of the surplus 32 Royal
Norwegian F-16s this
year. The plan was that
the Lockheed Martin/
Dutch government initiative
would train Romanian Air
Force pilots, and even
perhaps Bulgarian pilots
as the BuAF awaits the
Block 70s. Bulgaria is
also looking at an interim
air defence capability –
if, as is likely, the MiG-29
Fulcrums retire next year
– until the delayed F-16
Block 70s arrive in 2025.
The F-16 training initiative
is also looking to include
Draken, Airbus, Aerostar,
Sabca, DERCO, Fokker
and Aeronautical Field
Sustainment, but as we
head to press the exact
make-up of the support
remains unclear.
Alan Warnes
mega-deal
marked a strong end
to 2022 for the F-35
programme. The global
Lightning II fleet grew by
141 last year and now
stands at 894 aircraft.
Lockheed Martin had
initially planned to deliver
148 aircraft in 2022, but
due to the imposing of a
temporary pause in F-35
flight operations (which is
still in effect) the necessary
acceptance flight tests
on the remaining seven
aircraft could not be
completed. Deliveries of
the type to customers
were halted after an F-35B
suffered a landing mishap
at Joint Reserve Base
Fort Worth – the home of
Lockheed Martin’s F-35
production facility – on
December 15.
www.Key.Aero
DASSAULT AVIATION’s
Chairman and CEO Eric
Trappier announced on
December 1 that a major
step forward has been
made on the Future
Combat Aircraft System
(FCAS) after reaching an
industrial agreement with
Airbus on the Next-General
Fighter (NGF) aircraft, a
key component of FCAS.
Trappier said: “The FCAS is
a political project launched
by President Emmanuel
Macron and Chancellor
Angela Merkel in 2017,
and at a standstill since
summer 2021. So, yes,
today it is done. We have
an agreement with Airbus.
“We’ll now be able
to move into the next
phase of studies, known
as 1B, to prepare for
the development of a
demonstrator, which
should fly around 2029…
We have been confirmed
in our role as prime
contractor and architect of
the aircraft, and we have
obtained protection for our
industrial know-how and
technologies… Being the
architect of a new fighter
aircraft is very motivating
for our company, our
teams, those of Airbus,
our main partner, Indra,
and our long-standing
partners, Safran, Thales
and MBDA, not to
mention our ecosystem
of subcontractors, in
all three countries,”
said Eric Trappier.
Just over two weeks
later, on December 16,
France’s Delegation
Générale de l’Armement
(DGA – General Directorate
of Armament) awarded
the €3.2bn contract to
Dassault Aviation, Airbus,
Indra, EUMET and their
industrial partners for the
Demonstrator Phase 1B
of FCAS on behalf of the
governments of France,
Germany and Spain. This
will cover work on the
FCAS demonstrator and
Dassault Aviation CEO, Éric Trappier Dassault
its components for about
three-and-a-half years. The
contract follows intensive
discussions the last three
months to create a solid
basis for co-operation
between industry and
the governments of
the three countries.
It follows related
successful Phase 1A
demonstrators’ R&T
work and development
activities. This
enabled identification
of key technologies
and the launch of
the demonstrators’
developments. Paving the
way for the development
phase of the programme,
demonstration phase 1B
will allow continuation of
flying demonstrators and
required cutting-edge
technologies development
and maturation as well
as project architectures
consolidation, with
in-flight demonstrations
targeted in the next
phases by 2028-2029.
The programme is
made up of a set of
systems: New Generation
Fighters teaming with
Remote Carriers and
connected through a
Combat Cloud. In order
to meet the ambitions
and challenges of such a
programme, what Dassault
describes as “an adapted
and efficient industrial
organisation” has been
set-up and built around
technological pillars.
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Email the news team at editor@airforcesmonthly.com
Each pillar is under the
leadership of an industrial
champion acting as
prime, working in close
co-operation with its main
partners and leveraging
each nation’s aeronautical
industrial ecosystems.
In addition to their prime
role per pillar, Airbus,
Dassault Aviation and
Indra act as national
co-ordinators to ensure
the overall coherence of
the demonstrators
and the overall
programme’s steering
and work consolidation.
The industrial
governance of the Phase
1B is organised per
domain as follows:
NGWS Consistency,
Demonstrations and
Consolidation – with
Airbus, Dassault Aviation
and Indra Sistemas as
co-contracting partners
New Generation
Fighter (NGF) – Dassault
Aviation for France as
prime contractor, and
Airbus as main partner
for Germany and Spain
New Generation Fighter
Engine – 50/50 Joint-
Venture EUMET, between
Safran Aircraft Engines
for France and MTU Aero
Engines for Germany – as
prime contractor and ITP
for Spain as main partner
Unmanned systems,
Remote Carrier (RC) –
Airbus for Germany as
prime contractor (see
A330 to control UAVs,
p22), MBDA for France
and Satnus for Spain
as main partners
Combat Cloud (CC)
– Airbus for Germany
as prime contractor,
Thales for France and
Indra Sistemas for Spain
as main partners
Simulation – Airbus,
Dassault Aviation and
Indra Sistemas as
co-contracting partners
Sensors – Indra Sistemas
as prime for Spain, and
Thales for France and
FCMS for Germany
as main partners
Enhanced Low
Observability (stealth) –
Airbus as prime contractor
for Spain, Dassault
Aviation for France and
Airbus for Germany
as main partners
Common Working
Environment – Airbus,
Dassault Aviation, Indra
Sistemas and EUMET as
co-contracting partners
Although the European
FCAS programme has
an equal share between
the three countries,
France will have overall
responsibility for running it.
Spain’s Defence Ministry
has stated it will spend
€2.5bn on the programme,
of which €525m will be
invested this year. The
new system is planned
to start replacing French
Rafales along with German
and Spanish Eurofighters
from around 2040.
Meanwhile, the UK
continues to follow its
own FCAS path with
its own future fighter,
previously known as
Tempest. On December
9, it announced a new
collaboration agreement
with Italy and Japan on
what is now referred to
as the Global Combat
Aircraft Programme
(GCAP) – see UK, Italy
and Japan join forces for
new fighter programme,
p8. This merges the
Anglo-Italian Tempest
February 2023 // 7
NEWS
UK, France take on simulated air
threat in Exercise Griffin Dawn
RAF-OPERATED Typhoon
FGR4s and F-35B
Lightning IIs recently
joined forces with Rafale
C/D (F3-R) multi-role
fighters from l’Armée de
l'Air et de l'Espace (FASF;
French Air and Space
Force) to respond to a
simulated air threat during
Exercise Griffin Dawn.
As part of the exercise,
the British and French
fighters met over the
North Sea to practice a
co-ordinated response
to a potential threat from
an adversary aircraft
operating in or near
A French Rafale is joined by RAF
F-35Bs and Typhoon FGR4s over
the North Sea as part of Exercise
Griffin Dawn on December 6, 2022
État-Major des Armées
Royal Navy completes life-extending Merlin HC4/4A upgrade
THE MODERNISATION
of the Royal Navy
Commando Helicopter
Force's (CHF's) 25-strong
Merlin HC3/3A helicopter
fleet to HC4/4A standard
has been completed.
Upgrade work was
performed an all 25
helicopters – comprising
19 HC3s and six HC3As –
extending the Commando
Merlin fleet's service life
to 2030 and enhancing
its ability to support
operations carried out by
the Royal Marines and
other UK military forces.
8 // February 2023
United Kingdom
UK, Italy and
Japan join
home airspace. While Anglo-French partnership control (C2) capabilities.
forces for
new fighter
an unspecified number
of British Typhoons and
that commits both
nations to being able
During the exercise, RAF
personnel joined their
programme
F-35Bs were joined by to deploy a significant French counterparts at the IN A significant new
French Rafales to form a number of air-, land- and Centre Air de Planification development, the UK is
Blue Air force – with air- sea-based capabilities et de Conduite des to collaborate with Italy
to-air refuelling support with more than 10,000 Opérations (CAPCO; Air and Japan as part of an
provided by a FASF- personnel for a variety Operations Planning and international coalition to
operated A330-243MRTT of taskings that include Conduct Centre) near develop a next-generation
Phénix multi-role tanker peacekeeping, bilateral Lyon, from which they combat aircraft. The new
transport – the part of the defence or the provision co-ordinated with the agreement, announced on
Red Air threat was played of humanitarian aid. RAF’s No 11 Group Joint December 9 by UK Prime
by RAF Eurofighters. While designed to be a Force Air Component – the Minister Rishi Sunak
Exercise Griffin Dawn challenging exercise for UK’s equivalent to CAPCO and Defence Minister
successfully tested airborne assets and their – at RAF High Wycombe, Ben Wallace, sees the
the effectiveness of respective crews, this Buckinghamshire, formation of a new
the Combined Joint exercise also provided an to provide C2 to the partnership known as the
Expeditionary Force opportunity for the C-JEF air assets involved Global Combat Aircraft
(C-JEF), which is an to train its command and in Griffin Dawn. Programme (GCAP). It
merges the UK-Italian
Tempest programme with
Japan’s F-X fighter.
The aircraft is expected
to fly by 2035, with the
intention of producing a
next-generation fighter
enhanced by a network
of capabilities such
as uncrewed aircraft,
advanced sensors,
cutting-edge weapons
and innovative data
systems. Joining forces
with Italy and Japan
will enable sharing of
costs and expertise,
while ensuring the RAF
remains interoperable
with its closest partners.
PM Rishi Sunak said: “It
is anticipated that more
likeminded countries may
buy into GCAP in due
course, or collaborate
on wider capabilities –
boosting UK exports. The
combat aircraft developed
As part of the upgrade, to the Merlin. "These support operations, this through GCAP is also
a new folding main rotor upgrades mean that upgrade allows the Merlin expected to be compatible
head and folding tail was many consider the Merlin HC4/HC4A to embark and with other NATO partners’
fitted to each helicopter, HC4/HC4A to be the operate from both Queen fighter jets.”
allowing for two Merlins world's most advanced Elizabeth-class aircraft The UK, Italy and Japan
to sit side-by-side in one amphibious battlefield carriers, amphibious will now establish the
of the Queen Elizabeth- helicopter," Defence assault ships, Duke-class core platform concept
class aircraft carriers' Equipment & Support, the (Type 23) frigates and and set up the structures
onboard lifts when the procurement arm of the eventually Daring-class needed to deliver the
type is supporting Carrier UK Ministry of Defence, (Type 45) destroyers. project, ready to launch
Strike Group operations said in a statement. Leonardo Helicopters the development phase
around the globe. As a helicopter that is performed the upgrade in 2025. Ahead of the
An improved defensive charged with carrying out under the Merlin development phase,
aid suite with a system multiple roles, including Life Sustainment the partners will also
that warns against and search and rescue, Programme (MLSP) agree the cost-sharing
locates hostile laser- counter-narcotics, anti- at its facility at Royal arrangements based on a
guided weapons has piracy, maritime security Naval Air Station (RNAS) joint assessment of costs
also been integrated on and hurricane relief Yeovilton in Somerset. and national budgets.
www.Key.Aero
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A CAJ correspondent returns from South Korea
TAIWAN’S
with some impressive shots of military assets. QUANDARY
A lack of air-to-air
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USMC BUFFING
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580 Combat Latest FP.indd 56 20/12/2022 10:28:56
NEWS
Swedish Gripens set to
receive major upgrades
THE SWEDISH Defence
Materiel Administration
(FMV) signed a SEK3.5bn
(£280m) deal with Saab on
December 16 to upgrade
its fleet of JAS 39C/D
Gripen multi-role fighters.
A myriad of upgrades are
included in the contract,
with the relevant work
scheduled to take place
between 2023 and 2029.
The deal also allows
the FMV to put forward
additional upgrade orders
within the first year.
Sweden’s current JAS
39C/D fleet will be fitted
with the more advanced
GE Aviation/Volvo
Flygmotor RM12 (F404-
GE-400) afterburning
turbofan engine, which
will help to enhance
Spain retires last Orion
AFTER ALMOST 50
years of operational
service, the Spanish Air
and Space Force (SASF)
retired its final Lockheed
P-3M Orion maritime
patrol aircraft (MPA) on
December 17.
The aircraft (serial
P.3M-12 ’22-35’) was
the last of three Orions
remaining in Spanish
military service at 22
Gruppo (Group) of Ala 11
(11 Wing). Spain retired
its first P-3M on January
20, 2021, followed by the
second on April 25, 2022.
The third completed
The final Spanish Air and
Space Force P-3M Orion
receives a water salute
upon landing after its
final flight at Morón de
la Frontera Air Base on
December 17, 2022 SASF
10 // February 2023
Europe
the Gripen’s flight
performance envelope.
The fighter aircraft will
also receive a more
effective electronic
warfare system, combined
with a new weapons
payload capability.
In addition, the legacy
Gripens will be integrated
with Saab's PS-05/A Mk
5 active electronically
scanned array (AESA)
radar, which will provide
the JAS 39C/D fleet with
an increased detection
and tracking range.
According to Saab, the
platform will also receive
an “upgraded and future-
proof” avionics system,
which will include faster
software updates for
sensor functions.
the fleet’s final flight at
Morón de la Frontera Air
Base in Seville during
a retirement ceremony
attended by the SASF’s
Chief of Staff, Gen Javier
Salto Martínez-Avial.
There may now be a
lengthy capability gap
in the SASF’s ability
to conduct maritime
patrol and long-range
search and rescue (SAR)
operations. Spain is due
to replace the Orions
with Airbus Defence and
Space’s C295 MPA. This
platform will contain the
latest Fully Integrated
This upgrade means
the Swedish Air Force's
Gripen fleet will be more
compliant with the latest
generation of fighter
aircraft being fielded
in the battlespace.
It will enhance the
interoperability between
the legacy JAS 39C/D
with the more modern JAS
39E/F – the latest variant
of the Gripen family –
which will soon enter
operational service.
Commenting on the
contract award, Jonas
Hjelm – head of Saab’s
Aeronautics division –
said: “This upgrade will
provide the Swedish Air
Force with a significantly
stronger fighter capability.
The contract is a big
Tactical System (FITS)
and mission-specific
systems used for anti-
submarine operations.
It’s also likely these
aircraft will be fitted with
a magnetic anomaly
detector (MAD) system.
The Spanish Ministry
of Defence (MOD) has
yet to sign the order with
Airbus, however. The
company is in the final
stages of defining the
C295 MPA configuration,
with the firm expecting
an aircraft configuration
freeze and contract
signature with the
leap ahead in terms of
radar performance and
functionality, both for the
hardware and software,
and will future-proof the
operational capability of
Gripen C/D.”
On the same day,
Saab announced it will
be maintaining and
supporting the Gripen fleet
until 2025, with an option
for the Swedish Armed
Forces to place further
orders for support and
maintenance until 2027.
This package includes
the provision of spare
parts, aircrew and ground
support equipment, along
with repair and training
services. Maintenance will
be provided at each of
Saab’s six facilities.
Spanish MOD in Q1
2023. The country’s
defence budget has
allocated €580m for
the procurement of four
C295 MPAs between
2023 and 2028.
Meanwhile, the Spanish
MOD is also planning
to replace its fleet of
CN-235M Maritime
Surveillance Aircraft
(MSA) with the C295
MSA, which all parties
believe would be a
natural replacement for
this mission. This will
likely come after the
C295 MPA acquisition.
Italian Army
receives
final UH-90A
LEONARDO
HELICOPTERS delivered
its 60th UH-90A – the
local designation for the
NH90 Tactical Transport
Helicopter (TTH) – to the
Italian Army on November
25, completing deliveries
of the type to the service.
Manufactured at
Leonardo’s Tessera
facility in Venice,
Italy, the final UH-90A
was delivered during
an official handover
ceremony attended
by high-ranking
representatives from the
Italian Army, the Italian
Secretariat of Defence
and the NATO Helicopter
Management Agency, as
well as NHIndustries and
Leonardo Helicopters.
The Italian Army
was one of the initial
operators of the NH90
and remains as one of
the largest employers of
the type. Almost 31,100
flight hours have been
logged on missions in
Italy and abroad since it
entered service in March
2008. The UH-90A is
operated by five Italian
Army squadrons at
three different bases:
251°, 252° and 253°
Squadrone (Squadron)
at Rimini-Miramare; 272°
Squadrone at Casarsa
della Delizia; 526°
Squadrone at Viterbo.
Missions performed by
the UH-90A comprise
tactical troop transport,
logistics support, special
operations, cargo
resupply and hoist
operations. In addition,
the helicopter performs
medical evacuation and
light tactical vehicle
transport missions.
While 60 aircraft were
initially ordered – with
the first being delivered
in December 2007 – the
Italian requirement still
calls for a fleet of 150
UH-90As, although it
seems unlikely that any
additional orders will be
made in the near future.
www.Key.Aero

Could Putin arm Belarusian jets
with nuclear weapons?
FEARS THAT the
Belarusian Air Force
and Air Defence Forces
could become nuclear
capable have been raised
after Russian President
Vladimir Putin announced
that its jets were being
converted to carry
“special warheads”.
On a visit to Minsk on
December 19, Putin said
Russia will continue
training Belarusian pilots
to fly jets refurbished to
carry such weapons.
A Belarusian MiG-29
(Bort No ’18 Red’) returns
to base after a training
mission Belarusian MOD
Italy retires its MQ-1C Predator
A+ fleet after 18 years of service
AFTER 3,800 sorties and
over 31,000 flight hours
logged, the Aeronautica
Militare (AM; Italian Air
Force) retired its fleet
of General Atomics
Aeronautical Systems Inc
(GA-ASI) MQ-1C Predator
A+ remotely piloted
aircraft systems (RPAS) on
December 19, 2022.
The retirement
ceremony was held by
32° Stormo (Wing) at
Amendola Air Base (AB)
after the final RPAS
was transferred from
61° Gruppo (Squadron)
– a detachment of 32°
Stormo at Sigonella AB in
Members of 28° Gruppo pose in front of two of the AM’s now-retired MQ-1C Predator A+ RPAS Italian Air Force
www.Key.Aero
At a meeting with
Belarus’ President
Alexander Lukashenko,
Putin said: “I think it
would be possible to
continue implementing
the proposal made by the
Belarusian President to
train crews for Belarusian
combat planes, which
have already been
retooled to potentially
use air-based munitions
with a special warhead.”
The Belarusian air
arm currently operates
Sicily. The ceremony was
attended by high-ranking
AM officials, including the
General of the Air Force
Alberto Biavati, who
praised the hard work
performed by the men
and women who operated
the RPAS. Interestingly,
he also noted that
70% of all the MQ-1C
flights carried out were
operational and just 30%
were for training purposes
– making the platform
unique compared to the
AM’s other aircraft.
Delivered to the AM
in December 2004,
the MQ-1C first saw
four Sukhoi Su-30SM
Flanker-H and eight
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-
29BM (Belarus Modified)
Fulcrum multi-role
fighters, along with 67
Su-25 Frogfoot-A/B
ground attack/strike
jets and 26 MiG-29
Fulcrum-B/Cs.
Defence experts fear
the move could signal
a build-up to Belarus
joining Russia in a
fresh offensive against
neighbouring Ukraine.
in-theatre combat
operations in January
2005. The Predator A+
served as an intelligence,
surveillance and
reconnaissance (ISR)
platform in locations
such as Afghanistan,
the Horn of Africa, Iraq,
Kosovo, and Kuwait.
It performed missions
in support of close air
support and combat
search and rescue
disciplines, supporting
the security of convoys
in hostile environments
and monitoring areas of
interest, remaining on
station for long periods
Subscribe to www.Key.Aero for breaking news stories.
Email the news team at editor@airforcesmonthly.com
Lukashenko revealed
that Russian-donated
ground-based air
defence systems had
become operational in
his country. Addressing
Putin, he said: “Today
we’ve put the S-400
[air defence] complex
that you transferred to
Belarus into a state of
combat-readiness, as
well as, most importantly,
the Iskander complex,
which you have also
handed over to us...”
of time, which manned
aircraft were not capable
of doing. The RPAS
also served on home
soil with contributions
to controlling national
In Brief
borders, search and
rescue, and public order
operations, as well as
providing international
security during G7, G8
and G20 summits.
The Italian air arm’s
RPAS ISR operations are
now being performed
by the more modern
MQ-9A Predator B. The
AM operates a fleet of
five Predator Bs acquired
between 2008 and 2009.
New aircraft and
helicopter for
Ireland’s Garda
Air Support unit
IRELAND’S MINISTER
for Justice Simon Harris
announced on January
3 that €21.5m will be
invested in the Garda Air
Support Unit (GASU) for
an additional helicopter
and fixed-wing aircraft.
The new, and as yet
undefined fixed-wing
aircraft will be another
high-wing twin-engine
aircraft and will replace
the current Britten-
Norman BN-2T Islander
– serial 254 (c/n 4008). It
will be purchased using
the Brexit Adjustment
Reserve to enhance
the GASU’s ability to
support policing on the
ground, security, and
surveillance operations.
An additional H135
helicopter will increase
the unit’s fleet to
three. Equipped with
integrated police mission
equipment, it is expected
to be operational later
this year. The fixed-wing
aircraft is scheduled to
enter operational service
in 2024.
The aircraft will support
missions in border
patrol, counter-terrorism,
organised crime, and
human/drug trafficking.
THE LUFTWAFFE
announced on December
8 that the last three of
its Transall C-160Ds
were due to depart at
0800hrs the following
morning for a new
home with a civilian
company in Australia. As
previously reported, the
aircraft (50+55/VH-TIT,
50+83/VH-RPR and
50+88/VH-RFW), were
registered in Australia
on September 15 last
year to Wieland Aviation
Group in New South
Wales after being sold
by the Bundeswehr –
see Australian company
acquires three former
German Transalls, AFM
November, p28.
February 2023 // 11
NEWS Europe

Germany commits to F-35A purchase

THE BUNDESWEHR
(German Armed Forces)
announced it will
procure a total of 35
F-35A Lightning II fifth-
generation multi-role
stealth fighters after
its budget committee
approved the close to
€10bn purchase on
December 14.
With deliveries expected
to take place between
2026 and 2029, the
F-35As have been
purchased to replace the Russian invasion of Lt Gen Ingo Gerhartz, the succeed the Tornado IDS
the Luftwaffe’s (German Ukraine last February. Inspector of the Luftwaffe, in all of its current roles,
Air Force) ageing fleet Germany is the ninth said the first German ranging from ground
of Tornado IDS ground foreign military sales pilots should be trained attack/interdiction and
attack/strike aircraft. customer to join the on the F-35A at Luke AFB, strike operations to
This plan was initially F-35 programme. The Arizona, in 2026. maintaining Germany’s
announced on March package agreement He added that nuclear deterrent as
14, 2022, and comes as includes aircraft, engines, Germany's first Lightning part of NATO's Nuclear
part of Germany's newly role-specific mission II is expected to arrive Sharing Arrangements.
injected €100bn defence equipment, spare parts, in-country in 2027 with The F-35As will be
budget to modernise and training, weapons and all the aim of declaring operated by Taktisches
overhaul its armed forces the required technical and operational readiness the Luftwaffengeschwader 33
that was announced by logistical support to make following year. (TaktLwG 33; Tactical Air
German Chancellor Olaf the F-35A an operational In operational Luftwaffe Force Wing 33) at Büchel
Scholz just weeks after weapon system. service, the F-35A will Air Base.

Latvia receives Black Hawk pair In Brief

AIRBUS DEFENCE and
Space delivered its 20th
A400M Atlas to France’s
Directorate General of
Armaments (DGA) on
November 22. The aircraft
(serial 0075/F-RBAT) will
join the rest of the French
Air and Space Force’s
(FASF) A400M fleet at
THE LATVIAN Air Force received its first two UH-60M Black
Orléans-Bricy AB (BA123).
Hawk utility helicopters (serials 105 and 106) on December France has 50 A400Ms on
11, at Lielv rde Air Base in Rembate Parish, Ogre, via a order and is expecting to
USAF-operated C-17A Globemaster III. Latvia purchased receive 25 examples by the
a total of four UH-60Ms through the US foreign military
sales process in 2018. The deal, worth some €175m, was
end of 2025.
approved by the US State Department and Congress. The FRANCE’S DGA
last two are to arrive before the end of 2023 Latvian Air Force accepted delivery of
the tenth modernised
Atlantique 2 (ATL2) on
December 12, after
the maritime patrol
aircraft (serial unknown)
received its Standard 6
upgrade from the FASF’s
Aeronautics Industrial
Service (SIAé).
This aircraft will soon
be delivered to Lorient/
Lann-Bihoué AB, where
it will be operated by the
French Navy’s Flottille
21F/23F. In total, 18 ATL2s
will receive the Standard
6 upgrade.
THE NINETH
A330-243MRTT Phénix
multi-role tanker transport
for the FASF has been
handed over to the DGA.
Delivery of the aircraft
(serial 049/F-UJCO) was
announced on December
15 and comes after
verification flight test
operations were conducted
by the DGA. The FASF
has 15 A330-243MRTTs
on order in total and is
expecting to receive three
more examples by the end
of this year.

Turkey’s first ‘unmanned fighter’ takes flight

While Baykar’s Bayraktar
Kizilelma UCAV briefly took
flight during a ground test
on December 3, the initial
prototype (registration
TC-ÖZB) got airborne at the
Akinci Flight Training and Test
Centre for its official first flight
on December 14, 2022 Baykar
BAYKAR MARKED a
significant milestone
in the development of
its Bayraktar Kizilelma
unmanned combat
air vehicle (UCAV) on
December 14, after
15:17hrs (local time). The
successful completion
of the Kizilelma’s first
flight comes just weeks
after the Turkish defence
firm completed a series
of automatic taxi and
running tests at the facility
– the first of which was
successfully carried out on
November 20.
While this milestone does
mark the official first flight
of the Kizilelma, it is not
the first time the platform
has been airborne.
On December 3, the
prototype briefly got
the initial prototype TC-ÖZB) took off for airborne over the runway
successfully completed the first time at 1459hrs at the Akinci test centre
its maiden flight from the (local time) and remained before it safely returned to
Akinci Flight Training and airborne for 18 minutes the ground.
Test Center in Tekirda , before it landed back at While Baykar maintained
Turkey. The prototype the Akinci Flight Training that the test was a
UCAV (registration and Test Centre at success, it remains
unclear whether the
Kizilelma’s brief few
seconds in the air was
a planned action or
accidental. In any case,
it highlighted that the
platform’s developers
were itching for it to grace
the skies for the first time.
The type is expected to
enter service with both the
Turkish Air Force and the
Turkish Navy.
When operational, the
type will be largely used
to carry out air-to-air
combat missions in a
similar manner to manned
fighter aircraft, with Baykar
stating that the UCAV will
be capable of performing
“aggressive manoeuvres”
– a capability that is
not found on the more
traditional UAVs.

12 // February 2023 www.Key.Aero

 AIR POWER

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529 USAF YB FP RHP.indd 104 28/11/2022 10:17:56

NEWS
USAF ushers in era of the Raider
THE USAF ushered
in a new age of sixth-
generation combat aircraft
with the public unveiling
of the B-21 Raider stealth
bomber at Northrop
Grumman’s production
facilities at Palmdale,
California, on December 2.
The hotly anticipated
public rollout of the
USAF’s new stealth
bomber comes as tensions
across the world – ranging
from Chinese and North
Korean aggression in the
Indo-Pacific region to the
ongoing Ukraine-Russia
War – continues to build.
The first B-21 (referred to
Head on with the world’s first sixth-generation combat aircraft and the initial example of the USAF’s second-generation stealth
bomber: the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider. Unveiled to the public for the first time on December 2, 2022, this aircraft will
ultimately replace the Rockwell B-1B Lancer and Northrop Grumman B-2A Spirit in USAF service Northrop Grumman
US Army opts for Valor to replace Black Hawks
IN A major announcement,
the US Army revealed
on December 5 that it
has awarded the hotly
anticipated Future Long
Range Assault Aircraft
(FLRAA) contract to Bell
Textron and its V-280
Valor tiltrotor – a platform
that will eventually replace
the service’s Black Hawk
helicopters and shape
the future of US Army
Aviation operations.
The market-defining
FLRAA award – worth
an initial US$1.3bn –
marks the US Army’s
largest helicopter
procurement decision
in more than 40 years.
Follow-on production
contracts could see the
programme’s worth grow
to the range of US$70bn.
The decision to select the
V-280 Valor, a second-
generation tiltrotor, is not
just a major win for Bell
Textron domestically,
but also a victory for the
14 // February 2023
North America
as ‘T1’, or ‘Aircraft 001’)
was rolled out in front
of high-ranking military/
government officials
and journalists who had
been invited to Northrop
Grumman’s Palmdale
production facilities to
attend the event in person,
as thousands more
watched the unveiling via
a live stream provided
by the company.
Heralded by Northrop
Grumman and the USAF
as the aircraft that will
form the future backbone
of US airpower, the B-21
will be the face of a
family of systems that will
firm on the world stage,
given that many US allies
and partner nations
are likely to follow the
Army’s lead when seeking
to replace their own
assault/utility helicopter
fleets, many of which
are currently operating
a variant of the UH-60.
A subsequent media
roundtable between
US Army officials and
reporters provided
Bell’s first Valor prototype (registration N280BH, c/n 60105).
The tiltrotor has a compound fuselage with a V-shaped tail
instead of a tail rotor. There are side doors instead of a ramp
and retractable tricycle landing gear. The V-280 will be the US
Army’s first tiltrotor aircraft Bell Flight
deliver new capabilities
and greater flexibility to
the US air arm via the
advanced integration
of data, sensors and
weapons. Referred to as
the world’s first sixth-
generation combat aircraft
(to be unveiled at least),
the USAF will benefit from
the highly low observable
design of the B-21, as
well as the platform’s
information advantage and
digital open architecture
backbone capabilities.
This initial aircraft (‘T1’)
is currently undergoing
an extensive ground test
campaign and is set to
additional details. Maj Gen
Robert Barrie – the US
Army’s Program Executive
Officer for Aviation – said
that an initial contract
obligation, valued at
US$232m, will be given
to Bell Textron over the
next 19 months, allowing
the company to continue
working on the preliminary
design of the aircraft and
deliver virtual prototypes
of a potentially model-
complete the platform’s
maiden flight sometime in
2023. Another five B-21s
are known to be in various
stages of production with
Northrop Grumman in
Palmdale, where the firm
produced the USAF’s
fleet of B-2A Spirit stealth
bombers from 1987-
2000. Along with the
supersonic-capable B-1B
Lancer, the B-2A will
ultimately be phased out
and replaced by a planned
fleet of “at least 100”
B-21s with an average
procurement unit cost
requirement of US$692m,
according to the USAF.
based system by 2025.
Officially launched
in 2019, the FLRAA
programme falls under
the umbrella of the US
Army’s Future Vertical
Lift initiative to modernise
the capabilities and
aviation assets used
by the service, and
pitted the Valor against
Sikorsky-Boeing’s
Defiant X compound
coaxial helicopter.
On December 28,
the Sikorsky-Boeing
team revealed that a
formal protest of the US
Army’s FLRAA contract
decision had been filed
with the US Government
Accountability Office
(GAO). The team claims
that “the data and
discussions lead us to
believe the proposals
were not consistently
evaluated to deliver the
best value in the interest
of the Army, our soldiers
and American taxpayers.”
Changes
for USMC
THE United States Marine
Corps (USMC) deactivated
Marine Light Attack
Helicopter Squadron 469
(HMLA-469) ‘Vengeance’
– a component of the
3rd Marine Aircraft Wing
(MAW) – and reactivated
its replacement unit,
HMLA-367 ‘Scarface’, in a
ceremony at MCAS Camp
Pendleton in California on
December 16.
Activated on June 30,
2009, ‘Vengeance’ was
the youngest HMLA
squadron in the 3rd
MAW and operated
the AH-1Z Viper attack
helicopter and UH-1Y
Venom battlefield
utility helicopter with
approximately 350
personnel. It had
carried out multiple
deployments with Marine
Expeditionary Units and
in support of Operation
Enduring Freedom in
Afghanistan, as well
as key humanitarian
missions, such as
Operation Sahayogi Haat
following earthquakes in
Nepal in April/May 2015.
The decision to disband
HMLA-469 comes as
part of the USMC’s Force
Design 2030 initiative,
which has directed the
divestment of two HMLA
squadrons to reallocate
funding for other areas
of interest. HMLA-367 –
temporarily stood down
at MCAS Kaneohe Bay,
Hawaii, in April 2022 –
has been relocated and
reactivated to replace the
outgoing HMLA-469.
HMLA-367 was initially
established by the USMC
as Marine Observation
Squadron 351 (VMO-3)
during World War Two.
but was subsequently
stood down in 1949. The
unit was first reactivated
in 1966 to support US
military operations during
the Vietnam War, where
it earned its famous
‘Scarface’ nickname and
became the first USMC
unit to employ the AH-1G
Cobra attack helicopter.
www.Key.Aero
 Subscribe to www.Key.Aero for breaking news stories.
Email the news team at editor@airforcesmonthly.com

New E-11A BACN for the ‘Black Wolves’ In Brief

THE US Department
of Defense (DOD)
awarded AgustaWestland
Philadelphia a $110.5m
firm-fixed price contract
modification to the
US Navy’s Advanced
Helicopter Training System
contract on December
23, exercising an option
for the production and
delivery of a further
26 TH-73A Thrasher
training helicopters under
A BRAND-NEW Bombardier E-11A Battlefield Airborne Communication Node (BACN) arrived at Prince Sultan Air Production Lot 4. Work will
Base, Saudi Arabia, on December 16. The aircraft (serial 21-9045) will be operated by the USAF’s 430th Expeditionary
Electronic Communications Squadron ‘Black Wolves’ in support of operations in US Central Command’s area of be carried out at the firm’s
responsibility. It was procured by the USAF to help keep the ‘Black Wolves’ and its already established fleet of forward facility in Philadelphia,
deployed E-11As airborne, providing constant communications support to in-theatre US and allied commanders and Pennsylvania, and is
military assets across a variety of domains in the Middle East USAF/Staff Sgt Shannon Bowman expected to be completed
by December 2024.

US to send Patriot to Ukraine

THE US is sending Patriot
surface-to-air missile
systems to Ukraine to
counter cruise missile and
kamikaze drone strikes.
Ukrainian President
Volodymyr Zelenskyy
visited Washington to
meet President Joe Biden
on December 21 – his
first overseas visit since
the Russian invasion
last February. On the
same day, US Secretary
of State Antony Blinken
announced the 28th
drawdown of US arms and
equipment for Ukraine
since August 2021.
This $1bn drawdown
will provide Ukraine with
expanded air defence
and precision-strike
capabilities, as well as
Youngstown selected as next C-130J base
THE USAF revealed
on December 22 that
Youngstown Air Reserve
Station in Ohio has been
selected by Secretary
of the Air Force, Frank
Kendall, as the preferred
location to base eight new
C-130J Super Hercules
tactical transports.
This move will see the
eight legacy C-130H
Hercules aircraft currently
based at Youngstown as
part of the 910th Airlift
Wing – a component
of Air Force Reserve
additional munitions and
critical equipment. Blinken
said: “The Department
of Defense is also
announcing an additional
$850m of security
The US Army test fires a Patriot missile in 2019. The Patriot
missile system is a ground-based, mobile missile defence
interceptor deployed by the US to detect, track and engage
unmanned aerial vehicles, cruise missiles, and short-range and
tactical ballistic missiles US Army Security Assistance Command
Command – replaced
by the newer and more
modern C-130J aircraft.
The USAF stated that
Youngstown was selected
following a site survey that
“assessed the location
based on factors related
to mission, infrastructure
capacity, community
support, environmental
considerations, and cost.”
Youngstown-based
C-130Hs currently support
Air Force Northern
Command by carrying out
aerial spray operations,
assistance for Ukraine
today under its Ukraine
Security Assistance
Initiative. Today’s
assistance for the first
time includes the Patriot
as well as the type’s
enduring tactical airlift
mission and will continue
to do so after receiving
the Super Hercules.
“The C-130J reduces
manpower requirements,
lowers operating and
support costs, and
provides life-cycle cost
savings over earlier C-130
models. It is also capable
of climbing faster and
higher, flying farther at a
higher cruise speed, and
taking off and landing in
a shorter distance,” the
Air Defence System,
capable of bringing
down cruise missiles,
short range ballistic
missiles, and aircraft at a
significantly higher ceiling
than previously provided
air defence systems.”
US military assistance for
Ukraine in 2022 totalled
$21.9bn. This included
the supply of more than
1,600 Stinger anti-aircraft
systems, 700 Switchblade
Tactical Unmanned
Aerial Systems, missiles
for HAWK air defence
systems, 20 Mi-17 Hip
helicopters, 1,800 Phoenix
Ghost Tactical Unmanned
Aerial Systems; 15
ScanEagle Unmanned
Aerial Systems, and ten
air surveillance radars.
USAF has stated.
Though Youngstown
has been initially selected
for the new C-130Js,
a final decision will
be made following an
environmental impact
analysis this summer. If it
fails this study, the USAF
has identified Peterson
Space Force Base,
Colorado; Dobbins Air
Reserve Base, Georgia
and Minneapolis-St Paul
Air Reserve Station,
Minnesota, as reasonable
alternative locations.
KRATOS DEFENSE was
awarded a $15.5m cost-
plus-fixed-fee contract on
December 30 to deliver
two XQ-58A Valkyrie
unmanned combat air
vehicles with sensor
and weapon payloads
to the US Navy. The
two government-owned,
contractor-operated
XQ-58As will be used
to conduct flight testing
and demonstrations at
government test ranges.
Work on this contract will
be carried out at Kratos’
facility in Sacramento,
California, and is
slated for completion
in September 2023.
AFTER NEARLY
45 years of flying
Sikorsky’s family of
H-53 helicopters in US
Navy service, Helicopter
Mine Countermeasures
Squadron 14 (HM-14)
‘Vanguard’ completed its
final operational MH-53E
Sea Dragon flight at
Naval Station Norfolk in
Virginia on December
8, ahead of the unit’s
planned deactivation
in July 2023. Following
the unit’s disbandment,
some of its remaining
MH-53Es and personnel
will be transferred to
HM-12 ‘Sea Dragons’
(the type’s Fleet
Replacement Squadron)
and HM-15 ‘Blackhawks’
(the last operational
MH-53E unit).

www.Key.Aero February 2023 // 15

NEWS
VMA-542 begins F-35B transition
MCAS CHERRY Point in
North Carolina will soon
be added to the ever-
growing list of operational
F-35B locations after
Marine Attack Squadron
542 (VMA-542) ‘Flying
Tigers’ formally began the
transition process from
the AV-8B Harrier II to the
Lightning II.
The official start of the
transition was celebrated
during a ceremony at
MCAS Cherry Point
on December 1. The
process of re-equipping
the squadron with the
F-35B is expected to
be completed by spring
A USMC-operated AV-8B Harrier II assigned to VMA-542 ‘Flying Tigers’ at MCAS Cherry Point receives a traditional water
cannon salute during the transition and redesignation ceremony on December 1, 2022. Reforming the squadron as VMFA-542
on the F-35B is being carried out in accordance with the USMC’s Force Design 2030 initiative USMC/Lance Cpl Elias E Pimentel III
Milestone test passed for ARRW hypersonic missile
A USAF B-52H
Stratofortress has
successfully released the
first All-Up-Round AGM-
183A Air-launched Rapid
Response Weapon (ARRW)
during an operational test
off the coast of Southern
California on December 9.
While previous test
events focused on
proving the munition’s
booster performance,
this latest ARRW test
marked the first launch
of a full prototype for the
air-launched, hypersonic
boost-glide ballistic missile
that is currently being
developed by the USAF
and Lockheed Martin,
the weapon’s original
equipment manufacturer.
This milestone test was
executed by a B-52H and
personnel assigned to
the 412th Test Wing at
Edwards AFB in California.
According to the USAF,
16 // February 2023
North America
this year and will result
in VMA-542 being
redesignated as Marine
Fighter Attack Squadron
542 (VMFA-542).
Following the transition,
the ‘Flying Tigers’ will
not only become the
first F-35B operator at
Cherry Point, but also
the first unit to employ
the short take-off and
vertical landing (STOVL)-
configured Lightning II on
the US East Coast.
Just two AV-8B units will
be left at Cherry Point:
VMA-223 ‘Bulldogs’ and
VMA-231 ‘Ace of Spades’;
both will continue to
following the ARRW’s
separation from the B-52H,
it reached hypersonic
speeds greater than Mach
5 – more than 3,806mph
(6,126km/h) or five times
the speed of sound –
before completing its
chartered flight path and
detonating in the terminal
area. “Indications show
Above: A USAF-operated B-52H Stratofortress assigned to the
419th Flight Test Squadron at Edwards AFB, California, carries
a prototype AGM-183A ARRW missile during its first captive-
carry test flight on June 12, 2019. The B-52H is being used
as the mothership for this air-launched hypersonic ballistic
missile USAF/Christopher Okula
fly the Harrier II for the
foreseeable future. The
last AV-8B Harrier IIs are
scheduled to be retired
from operational USMC
service in Fiscal Year
2027 (FY27).
The ‘Flying Tigers’
completed the transition
from the legacy AV-8A/C
to the upgraded Harrier II
in May 1986. While
operating the AV-8B,
VMA-542 supported a
variety of US-led military
campaigns. These
included Operations
Desert Shield and Desert
Storm (Southeast Asia);
Noble Anvil (Kosovo); Iraqi
that all objectives were
met,” the USAF said in a
press release.
The USAF is expected to
declare Early Operational
Capability for the AGM-
183A in 2023.
Commenting on the
success of the ARRW
team, Brig Gen Jason
Bartolomei – programme
Freedom (Iraq); Enduring
Freedom (Afghanistan);
Odyssey Dawn and
Odyssey Lightning (Libya);
and Inherent Resolve
(Afghanistan).
More recently, a
detachment of VMA-542
AV-8Bs embarked aboard
the US Navy’s Wasp-
class amphibious assault
ship, USS Kearsarge
(LHD-3), as it deployed
to the Baltic Sea shortly
after the outbreak of the
Ukraine-Russia War in
February, last year. This
deployment ended shortly
before the unit’s transition
ceremony took place.
executive officer for
the USAF’s Armament
Directorate – said: “The
ARRW team successfully
designed and tested an
air-launched hypersonic
missile in five years. I am
immensely proud of the
tenacity and dedication
this team has shown to
provide a vital capability to
our warfighter.”
With Russia and China
already fielding hypersonic-
capable munitions, the
West is racing to rapidly
develop its own such
weapons. The AGM-183A
has been designed to
enhance the US military’s
ability to destroy high-
value and time-sensitive
targets. It will also allow
the US to execute rapid
response strikes against
heavily defended land-
based targets in enemy
territory and highly
contested environments.
Planned
location
for Sky
Wardens
revealed
WILL ROGERS Air
National Guard Base
(ANGB) in Oklahoma
has been selected by
Secretary of the Air
Force Frank Kendall
as the sole candidate
location for the
AT-802U Sky Warden
Total Force Integration
Formal Training Unit
(FTU). The move was
announced by the
USAF on December 9
and will see Will Rogers
ANGB bid farewell to its
MC-12W Liberty fleet as
it is replaced by 28
Sky Wardens.
It will also see the
base’s resident MC-12
FTU convert to the
AT-802U Total Force
Integration FTU. In
addition to the 28
AT-802Us, US Air Force
Special Operations
Command’s (AFSOC)
recently reactivated
310th Special
Operations Squadron
(SOS) will relocate to
the Oklahoma base
from Cannon AFB, New
Mexico, to create an
active association with
the Liberty-equipped
185th SOS, which will
remain at Will Rogers
ANGB. Before a final
basing decision is
made, an initial site
survey of the candidate
location – which will
assess operational
requirements and
the potential impact
to existing missions,
housing, infrastructure
and manpower – is
scheduled to take place
this spring.
Following this, the
US Department of the
Air Force will conduct
environmental impact
analysis at the base,
which is expected to
be completed in the
autumn.
www.Key.Aero
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NEWS
Brazil’s first Gripens enter operational service
THE FORÇA Aérea
Brasileira (FAB; Brazilian
Air Force) inducted its
first two F-39E Gripen
multi-role fighters into
operational service with
the 1° Grupo de Defesa
Aérea (1° GDA; 1st Air
Colombia's plan to replace Kfirs hits wall
AFTER SPENDING almost
a decade searching for
a new multi-role fighter
to replace its ageing Kfir
C10/C12 fleet, Colombian
President Gustavo Petro
announced that the
Fuerza Aérea Colombiana
(FAC; Colombian Air
Force) would receive new
jets in 2023, but recent
developments have led to
the plan being derailed.
While Petro did not
confirm which multi-
role fighter had been
selected to succeed the
Kfirs in service – which
will reach the end of their
viable service life in 2023
– during his speech at
a promotion ceremony
on December 17, the
18 // February 2023
Latin America
Defense Group) ‘Jaguar
Squadron’ during a
ceremony at Anápolis Air
Base on December 19.
The Gripen’s induction
ceremony was presided
over by the commander of
the FAB, Lt Brig Carlos de
replacement is expected
to be the Dassault Rafale.
It was subsequently
reported that Colombia
would order 16 Rafales
from France in total – the
split between single- and
two-seat aircraft was not
revealed – with a contract
expected to be signed in
early 2023, followed by
deliveries later in the year.
During his speech,
Petro highlighted that the
acquisition is necessary as
it is dangerous for pilots
to continue flying the Kfir,
adding that the purchase
of new fighters would not
affect Colombia’s public
finances as there are
‘grace periods’. The Rafale
had not been considered
Almeida Baptista Jr, and
was also attended by the
Swedish Ambassador to
Brazil, Karin Wallensteen,
along with other high-
ranking military, industry
and government
officials and former FAB
commanders.
While the first four
F-39Es (serials 4101,
4102, 4103 and 4104)
were handed over to the
FAB during a ceremony
in Sweden on November
The FAB inducted its first four Saab F-39E Gripens into operational service with the 1st Air
Defense Group ‘Jaguar Squadron’ at a ceremony at Anápolis Air Base on December 19. This
example (serial 4103) is one of the F-39Es currently operating in-country FAB/Sgt Müller Marin
by the FAC until the Petro
administration assumed
power from the outgoing
Iván Duque regime on
August 7. Following
this, Dassault entered
the ring with its Rafale
bid – backed by French
President Emmanuel
Macron – and the platform
quickly became the
favourite to succeed the
Kfir in Colombian service.
Colombia’s quest for
a new multi-role fighter
started in 2012, but
studies carried out by
the FAC advised the
government not to acquire
new aircraft and to
increase investment into
the existing Kfir fleet. As
part of the Colosseum
24, 2021, before the
initial two (4101 and 4102)
were delivered by ship to
Brazil on April 2, 2022,
this ceremony marks the
type’s formal induction
into operational service. A
further two Gripens arrived
in Brazil on September 25.
In October 2014, the
Brazilian Ministry of
Defence announced it had
agreed the purchase of 28
single-seat JAS 39Es and
eight two-seat JAS 39Fs
project, the Kfir fleet
was upgraded to C10/
C12 standard, integrating
it with a new EL/M-
2032 multi-mode fire
control radar, electronic
countermeasures,
beyond-visual-range air-
to-air missiles (BVRAAMs)
and Elbit’s Display and
Sight helmet system. The
platform also received
new weapons from Israel,
including the I-Derby ER
and Python V BVRAAMs,
along with the Spice 1000
precision-guided bomb.
The modernisation project
concluded in 2017.
Following this, a
shortlist of candidate
platforms was drawn up
to evaluate three potential
successors for the Kfir
fleet, comprising the
F-16 Block 70, Gripen
E/F and Typhoon. The
F-16 Block 70 was the
strongest candidate and
was favoured by the
Duque government, but
the COVID-19 pandemic
and the repeated rejection
of this proposal from
opposition political parties
made it impossible to seal
the deal.
As the new government
assumed power, the
resources needed for
A pair of FAC-operated Kfir fly over Rionegro, Colombia,
during Exercise Relampago VI on July 26, 2021. The FAC’s
ageing Kfir C10/C12 fleet is expected to be replaced by the
Rafale from 2023 USAF/Senior Airman Duncan C Bevan
from Saab in a deal worth
$5.4bn, after the type was
selected as the winner of
the FAB’s long-standing
FX-2 fighter programme in
December 2013.
The Gripen will eventually
replace the air arm’s
ageing F-5EM/FM Tiger II
and A-1M/BMs, allowing
Brazil to standardise the
fleet, lowering operating
costs and increasing
its ability to respond to
external threats.
the acquisition were still
approved, but the F-16
was no longer favoured
as the Kfir successor and
that the Rafale (as the
frontrunner) and Gripen
E/F were the candidates
under consideration.
However, on January
2, Colombian Defence
Minister Ivan Velasquez
revealed that the plan had
hit a brick wall, adding
that the $678m spending
approval for the aircraft
had expired.
“Unfortunately in the
pre-negotiations that
took place at the end of
[last] year, we did not
manage to confirm with
the French or with the
Swedish,” Velasquez told
local media. He also noted
that neither Dassault or
Saab were not interested
in an initial purchase of
three-to-five aircraft using
the budget that had been
approved by the previous
government and instead
wanted to negotiate for the
total fleet of 16 fighters.
Velasquez said that efforts
to see if a purchase is
possible will continue
through 2023.
• AFM would like to thank
defensa.com for providing
additional information.
www.Key.Aero
NEWS
New Zealand receives first Poseidon
BOEING DELIVERED
the first of four P-8A
Poseidon maritime patrol
aircraft (MPA) to the Royal
New Zealand Air Force
RNZAF expedites Orion retirement
THE NEW Zealand
Defence Force (NZDF)
announced on December
13 that it will retire its
five remaining Lockheed
P-3K2 Orion maritime
patrol aircraft (MPA)
five months earlier
than planned due to
staff shortages and
maintenance constraints.
Australia now fields almost 60 F-35As
A FURTHER five Royal
Australian Air Force
(RAAF)-operated Lockheed
Martin F-35A Lightning IIs
have arrived at RAAF Base
Williamtown in New South
Wales, bringing the total
www.Key.Aero
Australasia
(RNZAF) in a ceremony at
the Museum of Flight in
Seattle, Washington, on
December 7.
Days later, the MPA
The decision to withdraw
the P-3K2 fleet now
(January 2023) leaves
the Royal New Zealand
Air Force (RNZAF) with a
limited capacity to carry
out search and rescue
(SAR) and maritime
surveillance operations
until July at the earliest.
The move will impact
number in service to 59
aircraft out of 72 on order.
These five new F-35As
(serials A35-055; A35-
056; A35-057; A35-
058 and A35-059) were
accepted by the base’s
arrived at RNZAF Base
Ohakea, northwest of
Palmerston North in the
Manawatu. The remaining
three are currently
on the RNZAF’s ability
to carry out its maritime
patrol and SAR mission
set in the short term until
the Boeing P-8A Poseidon
aircraft formally takes over.
The majority of New
Zealand’s Orion fleet was
delivered to the RNZAF in
1966 and the type is being
replaced in operational
resident No 81 Wing, part
of the RAAF’s Air Combat
Group. The aircraft were
flown to Australia from the
continental US as part of
Exercise Lightning Ferry
22-4, which was carried
Subscribe to www.Key.Aero for breaking news stories.
Email the news team at editor@airforcesmonthly.com
in various stages of
production and will be
delivered before the end
of 2023. They will replace
an ageing fleet of six
Lockheed P-3K2 Orion
MPAs, the majority of
which date back to 1966.
New Zealand’s journey to
acquiring its first Poseidon
began on April 28, 2017,
when it was announced
the US State Department
had approved the possible
Foreign Military Sale of
four P-8As to the nation in
a deal that is worth up
to $1.46bn.
New Zealand’s first Boeing P-8A Poseidon (serial NZ4801) on
the ground at RNZAF Base Ohakea after the aircraft arrived
in-country for the first time on December 12, 2022 RNZAF
service by four Poseidons
– the first of which
(serial NZ4801) arrived at
RNZAF Base Ohakea on
December 12 (see above).
However, the government
has stated that the first
Poseidon will not be
ready to start performing
operational missions until
July 1 this year.
out from December 10-12,
and was the fourth and
final 2022 delivery event.
Prior to leaving the
US, the new RAAF
F-35As participated
in two exercises. The
On February 28,
2019, Boeing was
awarded a $428.8m
advanced acquisition
contract modification to
manufacture 16 P-8As
under production Lot 11
which included six aircraft
for the US Navy, four for
the RNZAF and six for the
Republic of Korea Navy.
In March 2020, Boeing
was awarded a fixed-
price-incentive, cost-plus-
fixed-fee contract worth
$1.55bn – to manufacture
18 P-8As including two
more for the US Navy.
According to a NZDF
spokesperson, the
RNZAF will lean on other
aircraft to cover the
maritime patrol mission
until the P-8A comes
online in the summer.
The spokesperson
added that New Zealand
may also ask regional
partners to help provide
coverage during the
projected five-month
capability gap.
A F-35A Lightning II (serial
A35-058) lands at RAAF Base
Williamtown, completing
its delivery flight from
the continental US on
December 12, 2022 Australian
Department of Defence/Cpl
Craig Barrett
first was Exercise
Lightning Spear 2022,
a live-fire aerial lethality
operational test event
focused on evaluating
the aircraft’s air-to-air
missile capabilities at Eglin
AFB. The second was
the Hawaii Air National
Guard-hosted Exercise
Pacific Edge – a training
event for fourth- and fifth-
generation fighters and
command-and-control
aircraft – at Joint Base
Pearl Harbor-Hickam.
The trans-Pacific flight to
RAAF Base Williamtown
was supported by an
Airbus KC-30A (A330-
203MRTT) from No 33
Squadron at RAAF Base
Amberley in Queensland.
February 2023 // 19
NEWS Asia-Pacific

Phantom IIs return to

South Korean skies

After being grounded for just over three months, the

ROKAF’s F-4E Phantom IIs were noted flying again from
Suwon Air Base on the week commencing November 14, 2022

THE REPUBLIC of Korea caused by an engine fire, flights resumed in the remain in service with the now considered obsolete
Air Force (ROKAF) has with the crew directing the week commencing 153rd Fighter Squadron and is due for retirement
lifted the grounding order Phantom over the Yellow November 14, with at Suwon Air Base, 20 as early as autumn 2023.
on its F-4E Phantom II Sea to avoid built up F-4E Phantom II (serial miles south of Seoul. The The ROKAF plans to
fleet, imposed following areas and potential civilian 78-739) photographed Phantom II entered service replace both its F-4E
a crash on August casualties, before ejecting in the Suwon circuit on in 1977 and the air arm Phantom II and F-5
12, 2022 (see Attrition and leaving the jet to ditch November 24 and 25. previously operated the Tiger II fleets with F-35A
Report, Oct 2022, p96). in the ocean. The ROKAF is one of F-4D and RF-4C models Lightning IIs, FA-50
The loss of the F-4E Local enthusiasts noted the last operators of the alongside the current Golden Eagle and KF-21
(serial unknown) was that ROKAF Phantom Phantom and 20 F-4Es F-4E, but the ageing jet is Boramae fighters.

319th ERS stands up at Kanoya base by a USAF C-17A

THE 319th Expeditionary
Reconnaissance Squadron
(ERS) has been formally
stood up at Kanoya Air
Base in Japan, after its
new commander, Lt Col
Alexander Kelly, officially
assumed command of the
USAF unit on October 23.
The standing up of
this new unit comes as
the USAF’s Pacific Air
Forces (PACAF) command
prepares to deploy
MQ-9A Reaper unmanned
combat air vehicles to
the Japan Maritime Self-
Defense Force base.
While operating from
Kanoya, the MQ-9As
will be used to conduct
airborne reconnaissance
operations in close
co-ordination with the
Japanese Ministry of
Defence, to ensure a free
and open Indo-Pacific
region under the Treaty of
Mutual Cooperation and
Security between the US
and Japan.
While no Reapers were
deployed to Kanoya during
the activation ceremony,
MQ-9A (serial 14-4243)
was airfreighted to the
Globemaster III (serial
98-0057) assigned to the
New York Air National
Guard’s 137th Airlift
Squadron on October
24, before completing a
demonstration flight on
November 5. It’s unclear
if this is to be the first
example to be operated by
the 319th ERS.

Japan orders more KC-46As

BOEING HAS been previous delivery order was subsequently
awarded a Foreign contract. Work on the delivered to Miho Air
Military Sales contract additional two KC-46As Base in Japan in October
to deliver two additional will be performed at 2021, marking the first
KC-46A Pegasus tankers Boeing’s production delivery of the type to
to the Japan Air Self- facility in Everett, an export customer. The
Defense Force (JASDF), Washington, second aircraft (serial
bringing the total now with completion expected 24-3612) was handed
under contract for Japan on June 30, 2025. over to the JASDF four
to six aircraft. The total overall face months later in February
The deal worth value of the contract, 2022. Both are now
$398.24m was awarded including this latest operational with 405
on November 29 by the modification, is $1.3bn. Hikotai at Miho. Boeing is
US Air Force Life Cycle Japan’s first Pegasus currently working on the
Management Center (serial 14-3611) completed remaining two examples The first of the initial four KC-46A Pegasus tankers for
the JASDF took to the skies for the first time from
and is a firm-fixed- its maiden flight on of the initial batch of four
Boeing’s production facility in Everett, Washington,
price modification to a February 8, 2020, and KC-46As ordered. on February 8, 2021 Boeing/Marian Lockhart

20 // February 2023 www.Key.Aero


Philippine Army to receive Japanese Hueys
THE JAPAN Ground Self-
Defense Force (JGSDF)
has committed to
transferring an unspecified
number of Fuji Heavy
Industries-made UH-1J
Huey utility helicopters
to the Philippine Army
in a bid to bolster the
Army Aviation Regiment’s
humanitarian assistance
and disaster response
(HA/DR) capabilities.
Commenting on the
move in a statement
issued on December
19, Philippine Army
spokesperson Col Xerxes
Trinidad highlighted
that the transfer will be
completed through a
government grant, adding
that the donation of an
undeclared number of
UH-1J helicopters is
expected to be received
in the next two to three
US approves CH-47F sale to South Korea
US STATE Department
approval has been
granted for the possible
foreign military sale
(FMS) of 18 Boeing
CH-47F Chinook
helicopters, complete
with related equipment
and support services,
to South Korea for an
estimated cost of $1.5bn.
Confirmation of this FMS
was announced by the
US Defense Security
Cooperation Agency
(DSCA) on December
6, after it had notified
the US Congress on the
same day.
Second C295W handed
over to the Philippines
www.Key.Aero
years. The Japanese
pledge was announced
during a bilateral meeting
between the two armies
at the inaugural Japan-
Philippine-US Trilateral
Key Leaders’ Engagement
at Camp Asaka in Tokyo,
Japan, on December 11.
A JGSDF-operated UH-1J
carries out a medical evacuation
exercise on August 26, 2022
USMC/Lance Cpl Jaylen Davis
As part of the deal for the
Chinooks, South Korea
has requested to buy 42
Honeywell T55-GA-714A
turboshaft engines, 22
common missile warning
systems and 44 RT-1987
secure radios. Also
included in the contract
are an unspecified number
of AN/APR-39 radar
warning systems, AN/
ARC-220 high-frequency
airborne communications
system, AN/APX-123A
identification friend-or-foe
transponders, along with
various other systems,
receivers and sensors.
Subscribe to www.Key.Aero for breaking news stories.
Email the news team at editor@airforcesmonthly.com
The deal will represent UH-1Js will help the
a major boost to the Philippine Army to
capability of the Army significantly bolster its
Aviation Regiment, ability to carry out HA/
which currently operates DR missions, along with
just five/six aircraft in medical evacuation, troop
its inventory. When transport and damage
operational, these soon- assessment operations in
to-be former JGSDF times of national crises.
The deal will also “The proposed sale will
include the provision improve [South Korea’s]
of US government- ability to meet current
and contractor-based and future threats by
engineering, technical strengthening its army
and logistic support. heavy-lift capability.
Associated logistical and The CH-47F will allow
programmatic support and [South Korea] to conduct
repair/return and storage missions in support of
services have also been bilateral operational
requested by the South plans which include,
Korean government. but are not limited to,
Boeing will serve as medical evacuation,
principal contractor for search and rescue,
the sale, with no offset parachute drop, and
agreements in connection disaster relief. It will have
with the purchase. no difficulty absorbing
Commenting on the this equipment into its
deal, the DSCA said: armed forces.”
THE PHILIPPINE Air Force
(PAF) has received the
second of three C295W
tactical transports from
Airbus Defence and Space.
The aircraft (serial 215) was
formally handed over to the
PAF during a ceremony at
Basa Air Base, Pampanga, on
November 9, 2022. The event
was attended by Philippine
President Ferdinand Marcos
Jr and a number of high-
ranking military officials. Prior
to its handover, the C295W
was spotted as it routed from
Airbus’s facility at Seville-San
Pablo Airport, Spain, through
Luqa Airport, Malta, while
on its delivery flight to the
Philippines Ruben Zammit
In Briefs
A NEW Indian Coast
Guard (ICG) Advanced
Light Helicopter (ALH)
Mk III squadron was
established at ICG
Air Station Chennai
on November 30.
The unit – No 840
Squadron – will help
to further strengthen
Coast Guard Region
East and will provide
additional capabilities to
the ICG in maintaining
security in the waters
off Tamil Nadu and
Andhra regions. A total
of 16 ALH Mk IIIs have
been inducted into ICG
service so far.
TWO MORE F-35A
Lightning IIs have been
delivered to the Japan
Air Self-Defense Force.
F-35A (serial 29-8733)
completed its first flight
at Komaki Air Base on
October 11 and arrived
at Misawa on November
28, along with a second
example (serial 29-8734).
THE JAPAN Maritime
Self-Defense Force has
received a further two
V-22 Ospreys. The first
(serial 91714) arrived at
Kisarazu Air Base on
November 11, followed
by the second (serial
91715) on November 14.
AFM CAN confirm
that Japan’s two
new E-2D Advanced
Hawkeyes delivered
to MCAS Iwakuni on
October 18 were serials
21-3475/169991 and
21-3476/169992.
ON DECEMBER 12,
South Korea’s Defense
Acquisition Program
Administration (DAPA)
outlined plans to
develop an air-launched
cruise missile for its
future fleet of KF-21
fighters. It is expected to
be capable of accurately
striking targets up to
a distance of 500km
and is slated to enter
service in 2028. DAPA
has committed $145m
to the project, which
also involves Korea
Aerospace Industries,
LIG Nex1 and Hanwha
Aerospace.
February 2023 // 21
NEWS Airbus TMB

AIRBUS UPDATES
A330 to control UAVs
After a gap of
two years, due
to COVID-19,
Airbus Defense THE A330MRTT’s
and Space (D&S) automatic air-to-air
invited journalists refueling (A3R) system
and reporters from was certified in 2022
and delivered to the first
all over the world customer, the Republic
back to Spain, to of Singapore Air Force.
spend two days Jean Brice Dumont, head
in-country. The first of military air systems,
day of the Trade told reporters: “We are
now working on the night
Media Brief (TMB) qualification (currently
at the Getafe site, only daylight) for the A3R
saw us briefed by system. It is about making
many of the heads refuelling safer and more
of the business resilient for operators.”
Since a contract with the
divisions. The Republic of Singapore Air
second morning Force (RSAF) was signed
was spent at in 2019, Airbus has been
Albacete Air Base developing the system, Above: One of the Airbus DT-25 drones developed under the Auto’Mate programme,
in eastern Spain, using RSAF A330MRTTs developed by Airbus Upnext was seen at the Getafe facility. It sits in front of an A330, which
based in Madrid. Two is currently being converted into a multi role tanker transport Alan Warnes
the home of Ala 14 A330MRTTs – 761 and through the future (Autom’Mate). “What it that we can control the
and its Eurofighters, 762 – have been seen roadmap, outlining the will bring is resilience drones from the aircraft.
while the local at the Airbus Getafe three main pillars in the and is fundamentally, We hope to complete
Airbus D&S facility in recent weeks. evolution. First, the A3R the ability to control and demonstrations within
helicopter facility Initial work in Singapore system, working with refuel a drone in a series a couple of years. Next
involved ‘contacts’ with fighters day and night, of tests,” Dumont said. comes self-protection
was visited in the RSAF F-16s, and now is a quantum leap in The objective of these systems, comparable
afternoon. Alan it’s the turn of the F-15. the MRTT’s capabilities. flights is to demonstrate to the ones on fighters,
Warnes reports on With several air forces Coming up after A3R is control and formate the to enhance situational
some of the many like the UAE and Saudi automation (A4R), that drones, but the initial awareness and aircraft
projects being Arabia operating either will allow the refuelling demonstrations will not survivability. Then comes
type, they would be or controlling of a drone. cover refuelling. Dumont connectivity – expanding
embarked upon by legitimate prospects A demonstrator has said: “We need to ensure the MRTT to new roles
the multinational for future orders. already been developed the safety of close flight/ and functions in the FCAS’
company. Dumont talked reporters by Airbus Upnext formation flying and future battlespace.”

India’s 56 C295s
FOLLOWING the contract
signing with the Indian
government for 56
C295Ws on September
24, 2021, the programme
continues to progress.
Airbus is working in
partnership with its Indian
partner, Tata Advanced
Systems. Of the Indian
order, 16 will be built in
Seville-San Pablo and
40 in India. The first
aircraft is expected to
be delivered from the
Spanish production line
to the Indian Air Force
by the end of 2023.
On October 30, in a
ceremony that included
Prime Minister Narendra
Modi, a foundation
stone was laid at the
site of the Airbus-Tatra
C295W transport aircraft
manufacturing site in
Vadodara in southern
India, where all 40 aircraft
will be built.
There are likely to be
follow-on orders for
more C295s from India,
notably six for the coast
guard, but the army and
navy are also likely to be
interested, while the air
force’s 50+ An 32 Sutlejs Jean Brice
need to be replaced in Dumont, head
of Airbus D&S
the next ten years. military air
The new C295s will systems, is a
replace the Indian Air former French
Force’s ageing HAL/Bae Army helicopter
pilot who has
748s, known locally as been in his new
Avros, that have served role since July
since 1962. 2021 Alan Warnes

22 // February 2023 www.Key.Aero


A400M capabilities
continue to grow
REGARDING THE A400M,
Jean Brice Dumont,
head of military air
systems, spoke of the
continued development
of capabilities of the
aircraft in 2022, through
the development contract:
“It has now been certified
in low-level flight at IMC
(in the clouds), day/
night visual/instrumental
and auto-pilot flying.”
Helicopter air-to-air
refuelling both during the
day and night has also
been qualified, which
Dumont says is great
news for “A400Ms and
Caracals.” He also told of
work that is still ongoing,
such as combat-off load or
very high-altitude air drops
– dropping paratroopers
with oxygen or loads from
a very high altitude. H
also revealed:: ”There are
a bunch of requirements
that are not fully qualified
that we will be working
on over the next year.”
With the RAF looking
to migrate its special
operations techniques
from the C-130J
this year, the UK
MOD is undoubtedly
looking forward to
such clearances.
New capabilities like
aerial firefighting are also
being looked at, which led
to a suitability/feasibility
Helicopter air-to-air refuelling capability is great news
for the French Caracal and A400M fleets Airbus D&S
www.Key.Aero
demonstration in July
2022, with an A400M
dropping 20 tonnes of
water in a single pass.
“This was a key milestone,
but there is more to be
done,” Dumont said.
Another recent in
development is a UAV
mothership. According to
Dumont, there were two
successful launches of
an Airbus DT-25 drone
that led to a separation
from the mothership and
a successful in-flight start
of the UAV engines. The
German Ai Force’s WTD
61 based at Manching
was responsible for
using the A400M as
a UAV launcher.
As of November 2022,
the A400M had flown
more than 140,000 flight
hours and there are 176
orders from ten countries.
“It is becoming the new
European and NATO
reference for heavy
tactical and strategic
airlift,” Dumont claimed.
So far 116 aircraft
have been delivered,
to Germany (41), the
UK (21), France (20),
Spain (13), Turkey (10),
Malaysia (4), Belgium
6 and Luxembourg (1).
Dumont also said that a
deal with Indonesia for
an initial two A400Ms
is being concluded.
A330MRTT prospects
Above: This ex-Iberia Airlines A330 freighter, EC-MJA, is currently being converted to MRTT
configuration on the A330MRTT final assembly line. It will be the first fully converted MRTT for
the Spanish Air Force – the other two in service haven’t been through the FAL yet Alan Warnes
AS OF December 2022,
the A330MRTT had flown
more than 250,000 flight
hours in service, with 66
firm orders from 14 nations:
Australia, the UK, UAE,
Saudi Arabia, Singapore,
France, Republic of Korea
and Spain. Then there
were the multinational
MRTT fleet (MMF)
members: Germany, the
Netherlands, Luxembourg,
Norway, Belgium and the
Czech Republic. To date,
54 aircraft have been
delivered. Airbus believe
there is an accessible
market of around 90
aircraft (excluding the US)
over the next few years.
Canada remains a
prospect, as Jean Brice
Dumont, revealed,
saying the nation had “a
An Airbus DT-25 drone is
launched from the A400M
mothership, all part of the
stepping-stone approach to
prove the French, German
and Spanish FCAS concept
Airbus D&S
Subscribe to www.Key.Aero for breaking news stories.
Email the news team at editor@airforcesmonthly.com
requirement for six tankers
and options – a reflection
of Canada’s strategy plan”.
In August, the Royal
Canadian Air Force (RCAF)
acquired two A330-200s
for conversion into A330-
200 MRTTs under a $102
million deal with the
International Airfinance
Corporation. The company
will procure and prepare
the A330s for RCAF
service and Airbus is
currently in negotiations
over the conversion
work. They will join the
RCAF’s Strategic Tanker
Transport Capability
(STTC), with four more
set to follow, to replace
the RCAF’s five-strong
CC-150 Polaris fleet.
Airbus is also talking to
Brazil about upgrading the
first of their two Airbus
KC-30A MRTTs that have
been recently acquired
(corrects Further and
Stronger, January, p20-21).
Dumont touched briefly
on the Lockheed Martin
LMXT air-to-air refueller
collaboration, which both
sides hope will defeat the
KC-46 in the KC-Y Bridge
Tanker requirement. He
said the green aircraft will
be built in Airbus’s site at
Mobile, Alabama, and be
converted into a tanker
by Lockheed Martin at
Marietta, Georgia. He
claimed the aircraft would
be a better solution for
the USAF. “Generally,
others have to have a
tanker and a transport
aircraft. With A330MRTT,
you have both.”
February 2023 // 23
NEWS
More Eurofighters ahead
THE biggest Eurofighter
news of this year was
the signing of the Halcon
contract for 20 Spanish
Air Force Tranche 4
aircraft. Made up of 16
single-seaters and four
dual-seaters, they are
earmarked to replace the
veteran Ala 46 F/A-18A
Hornets based at Gando,
Canary Islands.
The deal was announced
at the ILA Airshow in
Berlin on June 23 by
Eurofighter CEO Carlo
Mancusi, who sadly
passed away in early
December. Carlo had
only taken on the job in
January after many years
as an engineer and was
a true pioneer of the
Eurofighter programme.
The Halcon contract
is based on Germany’s
Quadriga, which has
a requirement for 38
new aircraft – 30 single-
seaters and eight twin-
seaters. The first centre
fuselage has now been
delivered to Manching
for final assembly and
testing. These Quadriga
jets will eventually replace
the Luftwaffe’s Tranche
1 Eurofighters, with first
deliveries expected in the
mid-2020s.
Andreas Hammer, head
of combat aircraft at
Airbus D&S, is confident
there will be further
Eurofighter orders to
Eurodrone moves on
The Eurodrone will play a major
part within the European FCAS
programme Alan Warnes
24 // February 2023
Airbus TMB
replace the 60+ EF-18M
Hornets on the mainland
serving Ala 12 at Torrejon
and Ala 15 at Zaragosa.
The next weapons
systems enhancement
contract launch, known
as P4E, will fully integrate
E-Scan radars, alongside
additional capabilities,
while the Eurofighter Long
Term Evolution (LTE) study
will underpin the future
aircraft development.
Above: Sadly, Eurofighter CEO Carlo Mancusi passed Hammer outlined the
away in early December 2022 after devoting his career to upgrades:. “We’re currently
enthusiastically supporting the combat aircraft. He became working on a Phase 4
CEO in January and will be missed Eurofighter GmbH
capability enhancement
Below: Some key personalities including Amparo Valcarce,
secretary of Defence of Spain, with Michael Schoellhorn, (P4E) and have signed the
CEO of Airbus Defence and Space, Alberto Gutiérrez, first LTE contracts. LTE is
president of Airbus in Spain, and the late Carlo Mancusi, what I would call midlife
CEO of Eurofighter. They are standing in front of a Spanish
upgrade – remember
Air Force Eurofighter and were all present to celebrate the
signing of the Eurofighter Halcon contract at the ILA Berlin Eurofighter entered service
Air Show 2022 on June 23, 2022 Airbus D&S in early 2000 and will fly, in
THE launch of
Eurodrone, the most
ambitious European
UAS programme, came
in March 2022. With
the requirements and
specifications negotiated
and aligned between
the end-users (Germany,
Spain, France and Italy),
the contracting authority
(OCCAR) and industry
partners (Dassault Aviation,
Leonardo and Airbus
Spain), the industrialisation
Germany at least, into the
2060s. We will constantly
be upgrading this aircraft
with more sensors and
weapons. We have even
discussed the needs of
P5E and P6E.”
Flying for another 38
years means there will be
more upgrades related
to connectivity, satcom,
cyber security and
databuses, to transfer
data in wider bandwidths,
meaning more powerful
processors and
multiprocessors. “We
also need to develop
a new glass cockpit,
including a large display
integrated with the
helmet to increase
situational awareness,”
said Hammer.
of the project is now being
prepared. A big part of
the Spanish workshare
will take place at Airbus’s
Seville-Tablada assembly
line, while the Cadiz plant
will produce the high-
tech parts. Eurodrone is
a ‘lighthouse’ programme
for Airbus and the
basis for future defence
programmes, such as
European FCAS. First flight
is scheduled for 2026, with
first delivery in 2029.
www.Key.Aero

Eurofighter EW plot
Airbus D&S Andreas Hammer
believes that Germany will
order more Eurofighters to
replace Tranche 2/3
Alan Warnes
GERMANY wants to bring
EW capabilities to the
Eurofighter, to replace the
Tornado by the end of the
decade, just as the RAF
did. It will need to replace
the SEAD/DEAD role –
the location of SAMs
and firing the AARGM
(advanced anti-radiation
guided missile) – and the
Eurofighter will take on
this role,. While firing the
AARGM, it will also be
equipped with a jammer
to suppress the enemy’s
weapons systems.
Since the German
Chancellor, Olaf Scholz,
made the Typhoon EK
announcement in March
this year, everything has
been proceeding to plan,
according to Andreas
Hammer, Airbus’s head
of combat aircraft. First,
there will be an impartial
study looking at what is
on the market and what
is capable of jamming.
Airbus will then take the
proposed selection and
undertake an integration
study, which should
be completed by May
next year and will be
implemented into P4E,
with a contract being
signed the following year.
P4E will include the
integration of an emitter
location system (ELS) or
AARGM/HARM missile
www.Key.Aero
on the Eurofighter, and
it’s likely the jammer
will come in P5E,
although Hammer
suggested this might
come earlier: “During
integration studies we
might find that there
could be a jammer
available and would
get into the Eurofighter
before P5E. We require
a stepped approach
to EW. The Luftwaffe
wants the Tornado
capability integrated into
Above: A full scale replica of the Eurofighter EK was displayed at ILA Berlin in June 2022. While the German Chancellor,
Olaf Scholz, announced a requirement for 15 of these electronic warfare specialists in March, Andreas Hammer believes that
will not be enough and that more Eurofighters will have this enhanced capability Alan Warnes
Eurofighter by 2028.”
When Olaf Scholz
said he wanted 15
Typhoon EK aircraft,
he was talking about
new Tranche 5 aircraft,
that will have an initial
operating capability
in 2028. However,
Hammer said: “It will
also be retrofitted into
Tranche 2/3 primarily,
and Quadriga aircraft
if available. The EW
aircraft will not remain
at 15 – it’s not even a
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Email the news team at editor@airforcesmonthly.com
Wing, so we expect an
increase in that number.
I strongly believe that
Tranche 5 Eurofighters
will replace Tranche 2/3
aircraft in the same way
that Quadriga aircraft will
replace Tranche 1.”
Asked if Germany
might now be looking
at the ECRS 2.0 radar,
with its electronic attack
focus and which both
the UK and Italy have
been buying to fulfil
the Eurofighter SEAD/
DEAD role, Hammer
commented: “I know that
there was a discussion
triggered in Germany
that it might reconsider,
but as far as I know
the discussion went
nowhere. First, because
the contracts are in
place. Second, because
the specifications for
electronic warfare
require 360° jamming for
surface-to-air missiles,
which cannot be covered
by the ECRS 2.0, as far
as I know.”
The radar story is a
complicated one – the
four partner nations
decided to part ways
on the new ECRS
(European Common
Radar Solution). Italy/UK
opted for the 2.0 and its
electronic attack bias,
while Spain and Germany
went for the ECRS 1.0.
According to Hammer,
the LTE is expected to be
concluded in 2032, with
Phased 6 Enhancement
(P6E) in 2030 and P-5E
in 2028.
Of course, the
Eurofighter will play a
big part in the FCAS
development. FCAS is
a system of systems,
with just one part being
the next-generation
fighter. Hammer said:
“If we do have a next-
gen fighter, Eurofighter
will play a supporting
role. Eurofighter is the
bridge to FCAS. It will
take over the command
and control of the loyal
wingman and the remote
carrier long before the
next-generation fighter is
operational. That’s why
the mid-life upgrades
with bigger databuses
and more capabilities are
absolutely needed for the
FCAS steps.”
February 2023 // 25
NEWS Airbus TMB

Brimstone selected for

Spanish Eurofighters
THE Spanish Air Force have been signed yet! Raytheon AIM-120B because most of Ala 2024. Until then, six
has selected the MBDA This versatile new or C AMRAAM, plus 14’s experienced pilots senior pilots look after
Brimstone for its fleet weapon will add to the shorter-range Diehl are serving Ala 11 as the administrative
of Eurofighters. RAF Spanish Eurofighters’ Defence IRIS-T air-to-air Eurofighter instructors requirements of the unit
Typhoons already use current armoury of the missiles. Salazar would at Moron. At present, and who attend the Tiger
the Brimstone Dual Mode 2,000Ib (907kg) Mk84 not confirm the variant 141 has 31 Eurofighter Meets when they occur
Seeker (DMS) as their GBU-10 and 1,000lb of the AMRAAM C, Tranche 2/3s configured annually. The unit will
weapon of choice, to (453kg) GBU/Enhanced but it is likely to be C5. with P2Eb software. deploy to Al Dhafra, in
attack moving targets on GBU-16 precision-guided The wing has just one Salazar hopes 142, UAE from February 24
the ground, giving a low munitions, as well as functioning squadron, a tiger squadron, will to March 18 for exercise
level of collateral damage. the MBDA Meteor or 141 Escuadron, be re-established in Desert Flag.
While MBDA would not
comment on the deal, the
Ala 14 Wing Air Group
Commander, Lt Col Jesus
Salazar, told reporters
that the Brimstone would
enter service “by the end
of 2023.” He wouldn’t
give any indication as
to the version, but did
say the CLAEX (Centro
Logistico de Armamento
y Experimentacion) at
Torrejon, which oversees
the enhancement of all
weapons systems serving
the Spanish Air Force,
will integrate the weapon
before being passed to
Ala14. The RAF, with its
integration knowledge,
could undoubtedly help
to speed up the process,
which might be needed An Ala 14 Eurofighter parked in a hardened aircraft shelter at Albacete on December 13, with 2,000kg GBU-10 and 1,000kg
as the contract with GBU-16 PGMs, an MBDA Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile and Raytheon AIM-120B/C advanced medium-range
MBDA is not thought to air-to-air munition on display. An IRIS-T short-range air-to-air munition is on extreme right Alan Warnes

Announcing the new C295 MPA

WITH the Spanish P-3 come fitted with a MAD
fleet now retired, the boom. Airbus is currently
Spanish MOD and in the last stages of the
Spanish Air Force has C295 MPA configuration
selected the C295 MPA definition, expecting an
to replace it. aircraft configuration
The C295 MPA will freeze and contract
come equipped with a signature in the first
more modern mission quarter of 2023. The
system, including the Spanish MOD is planning
latest generation FITS to replace the CN235
tactical system and MSA, known as the D4,
state-of-the-art sensors with the C295 MSA,
and armament system to which all parties believe is
conduct anti-submarine a natural replacement for
warfare ops. Judging this mission, although this
Airbus revealed this photograph showing the new C295 MPA (lead aircraft) for the first time, from an image released will arrive later than the
with a C295 MSA behind. The MPA has been selected as a replacement for the Spanish P-3
Orion, which was retired in December Airbus D&S
by Airbus, it will also C295 MPA.

26 // February 2023 www.Key.Aero


ENGRT – big European support
ACCORDING to Airbus
Helicopters’ EVP Mathieu
Louvet: “We are at a
crucial point for the
ENGRT, a European Next
Generation Rotorcrafts
Concept of Operations to
answer hybrid warfare.”
ENGRT is a research
and development project
aimed at building the
technology blocks for
the next generation of
helicopters beyond NH90
Spain and its NH90s
SPAIN’S military currently
has 45 NHI NH90s
on order. Six already
serve with the air force
(Escuadron 803 at Cuatro
Vientos), 15 with the
army (BELHMA III at
Logrono-Agoncillo) and a
single prototype. Of the
outstanding 23 ordered in
November 2018, six will go
to the air force, seven to
the navy in the utility role to
replace the recently retired
Sea Kings and ten further
examples for the army.
The navy also needs
to replace its fleet of
12 SH-60B LAMPS III
Seahawks which have
been in service since
1998. A successor will be
selected from the Sikorsky
MH-60R or NHI NH90
Sea Tiger. The NH90 is an
evolution of the Sea Lion
ASW and Germany has
ordered both variants (31
ASW Sea Tigers and 18
utility Sea Lions). Airbus
Helicopters is proposing
two solutions. A more
basic one would enter
service in 2026, with a
tactical common data
link, ARC 210 Generation
6 radio, armed with
torpedoes and missiles. A
second solution for 2027
will come with options
for three FLIR systems –
EUROFLIR 410, Leonardo
LEOSS-T or the Wescam
MX-15. Weapons options
include the Rafael Spike or
MBDA Marte missiles, Mk
46 and Mk 54 torpedoes.
www.Key.Aero
and Tiger Mk III that will
enter service in the 2030s.
Basically, this concept
is aimed at replacing
the current helicopters
or their most recent
upgrades through a full
development programme.
In July, the ENGRT
project was selected
within the framework of
the European Defence
Fund 2021 Calls for
Proposals. The EU
Above: Released by Airbus Helicopters, this diagram illustrates what the NH 90 Sea Tiger
could bring the Spanish navy if it opted to continue the Spanish NH 90 programme
Below: Seen on display at the Airbus factory in Albacete is NH90 HT.29-09/10089 of the
Spanish Army (FAMET) Alan Warnes
is directly involved in
the funding, alongside
defence authorities
from Finland, France,
Germany, Greece, Italy,
the Netherlands, Spain
and Sweden. Airbus
is co-ordinator of the
project, working with
Leonardo Helicopters,
and 24 companies and
research centres are
involved. Before the
technical details are
Subscribe to www.Key.Aero for breaking news stories.
Email the news team at editor@airforcesmonthly.com
finalised, a concept
of operations has to
be established and a
decision made about
what will drive the
technology development,
be it speed, autonomy,
stealth, comms, manned/
unmanned teaming
or cloud combat, to
establish where the
focus and emphasis
should be placed and
what is the next step.
First H160M
deliveries
in 2027
THE French government
has ordered 169 H160M
Guepards for the army
(80), navy (49) and air
force (40) with first
deliveries expected
in 2027. The first civil
H160 was delivered
to the French Navy in
September 2022, and
is expected to start
operations in 2023. It is
being modified to a light
military configuration
by Babcock, while the
modular cabin has
also been adapted for
SAR operations and a
Safran EUROFLIR 410
electro optical system
integrated. It is being
used for SAR at sea and
maritime security. The
second of the six on
order is expected to be
delivered soon. Airbus
Helicopters’ EVP Mathieu
Louvet told reporters that
assembly of the first of
ten H160s for the French
Gendarmerie began
during the summer.
Tiger Mk
III so far
FRANCE and Spain
launched the Tiger
MkIII programme in
March 2022 to deliver
42 attack helicopters to
the French Army (with
the possibility of adding
another 25) and 18 to
Spain. The rotorcraft will
go through an upgrade
of all its combat systems:
sensors, weapons,
communications and
avionics. The prototype is
scheduled for a maiden
flight in 2025 and a first
delivery to the French
Armament General
Directorate (DGA) in late
2029, followed by a first
delivery to Spain in 2030.
Germany, which currently
operates the Tiger, has
not committed itself
to another order, while
Australia is planning to
replace its Tigers with the
AH-64E Guardian
February 2023 // 27
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