FARNBOROUGH: Airbus Military pulls A400M out of flying display
By: Dominic Perry London

Engine issues have again curtailed the participation of the Airbus Military A400M in the flying display of a major air show after the manufacturer announced the type would only be shown on the static park at the Farnborough air show, which starts on 9 July.

"The decision to have the aircraft on static display only is based on engine issues that happened last week which need further investigation," says Airbus Military.

Instead, it will show the first production representative example, MSN6.

Last year the airframer was forced to pull out of the flying display at the Paris air show after a flight-test problem in one of its Europrop International TP400-D6 turboprop engines halted all non-essential flights.

Flight testing continues at an "aggressive pace", it adds. "It is beginning to show the level of technical maturity required at first delivery, and we are pleased with the overall performance of the aircraft.

"Despite some engine maturity challenges, we are confident that we will find the right solutions and provide our customers with an aircraft that fully meets or exceeds the expectations."

At the end of June, the A400M had completed 1,180 flights, accumulating 3,535h since its first flight in December 2009.

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/...display-373767/

Sales: Battle-readiness clinched biggest deal
By Carola Hoyos, Defence Correspondent
July 7, 2012, Saturday 4:21 am

There is no better advertisement than war in the multibillion-dollar battle to persuade countries from India to Brazil to buy a certain model of fighter jet.

For Dassault’s Rafale and Eurofighter’s Typhoon, the conflict to unseat Libyan dictator Colonel Muammer Gaddafi helped to decide the biggest jet fighter tender ever.

But beyond modern conflict, the issues of politics, military history, technology and price all play a role in deciding export deals. These are becoming increasingly important to western defence contractors, as the traditional customers, such as the US and European nations, tighten their purse strings.

In fact the Typhoon and Rafale both performed well over Tripoli, bolstering confidence on both sides that they are the better aircraft.

So convinced was David Cameron, UK prime minister, that Typhoon was the superior fighter he said so even after India had chosen Rafale as its preferred bidder. Eurofighter executives cringed at his bravado, fearing it would insult Delhi. Behind the scenes, even those rooting for Typhoon cautioned it was rarely clear that one fighter was better than another when all factors, including price, were considered.

In fact unpicking why India had chosen Rafale over Typhoon is like trying to remove bubble­gum from hair. Among the deciding factors were: the price and accompanying decades of support; politics; technology, and the companies’ willingness to share their knowhow.

Among technology capabilities, the radar and weapons the aircraft carried were particularly important, people close to the sale said. In terms of radar, the most advanced systems are found in US jet fighters such as the F35, but politics had kept US companies from the final rounds of the tender.

Among Eurofighter’s partners – the UK’s BAE Systems, pan-European EADS and Italy’s Finmeccanica – developing the active electronically scanned array, which improves on old systems by being far harder to detect, was the job of the Italians. Finmeccanica was at the mercy of the UK government and its decision over how quickly to integrate the critical technology into Typhoon.

In the end, the French were quicker and that, say analysts, helped nudge India’s decision towards Dassault’s Rafale.

The number of weapons for which the competing fighters had been approved was another key element of the deal.

Typhoon may have done well in Libya by hitting its targets accurately, but its remit was limited to big bombs that could only be fired at large, stationary targets in unpopulated areas because it has yet to be approved for a wider array of weapons.

In contrast, Rafale carried a varied arsenal of air-to-ground weapons that could strike moving targets and fight incoming fire, adding to its attractiveness.

India’s $20bn tender was not the only fighter jet competition of the past 12 months.

Japan chose – as expected – the US-led F-35, the most modern of the group and, crucially, the one being developed by Japan’s closest military ally.

Lockheed Martin, the US’s biggest defence company and lead contractor developing the aircraft, says the F-35 is the only fifth generation aircraft on offer and therefore in a league of its own.

“There are fourth generation air forces and there are F-35 air forces. All the world’s great air forces are moving to F35,” says Lockheed Martin’s Steve O’Bryan, who is in charge of selling F-35 internationally, listing, among others, the US, Japan, and the UK.

The F-35 aims to roll into one the capability of whole fleets of international jet fighters, from the UK’s Tornados to the US’s F-4s. This, Lockheed says, will allow countries to save money by scrapping their old fighters, some of which were devised as far back as the 1950s and are becoming increasingly costly to maintain.

But others are far less positive about the F-35’s value proposition. US lawmakers and the Pentagon have criticised the delays and cost overruns at the 50-year, $1tn programme – the most expensive ever. And, outside the US, many of the world’s top air forces have less money to spend and are not only delaying their purchases of F35s but also reducing the number they buy.

Not all countries want to hitch their wagon to the US star, while others are never offered the chance to buy such sophisticated weaponry because the US Congress restricts defence exports to close allies.

Thus South Korea and Singapore are possible next markets for F35, while others, such as Oman, are looking at Typhoon and Rafale.

But the most exciting imminent decision is that of Brazil, which pits Rafale against Boeing’s F/A-18 Super Hornet and Saab’s Gripen – “an aircraft that has the unusual habit of coming in on time and on budget,” as one analyst put it.

Analysts generally praise the Gripen for doing a solid job at an attractive price.

While one Eurofighter executive quipped disapprovingly after Switzerland chose Gripen over Typhoon: “They test drove a Ferrari and a Fiat Punto and chose the Punto”, for Switzerland, it may well make good sense to buy a city car that is cheaper and easier to park.

Ironically, Finmeccanica is in the process of delivering the Gripen’s radar, which is still missing from Typhoon.

Europeans are far from the only game in town when it comes to cheap and cheerful jet fighters, at least when compared with other launchers of deadly missiles that cost tens of millions of dollars.

What makes the upgraded variants of Lockheed Martin’s F-16 and Boeing’s F-18 too old for some adds to the attraction for others, because the fighters have longer records in an arena where faults cause delays, cost huge amounts to fix, kill pilots and lose wars.

And then there are Russian and Chinese competitors, which – in an era when the biggest growth in military spending is coming from countries not necessarily wedded to the west – just adds to the competition.

China's aircraft carrier sets off on longest sea trials
Shanghai Daily, July 12, 2012 (Thu)

China's aircraft carrier has set out from Dalian in the northeastern province of Liaoning on sea trials that will last 25 days, the longest yet, and experts say domestic J-15 fighters may be involved in landing and takeoff exercises.

An area on the north Bohai Sea region is out of bounds to civilian boats until the end of the month.

"The longest sea trials indicate the aircraft carrier has finished the first step of tests on the ship itself and is beginning tests of aircraft landing and takeoff," military analyst Yin Zhuo, a retired major general, said yesterday.

The nation's first carrier, refitted from former Ukraine vessel Varyag, left port on August 10 last year for its first sea trials and returned four days later for further refurbishment.

The vessel's longest sea trials to date have lasted 16 days.

Military experts believe the carrier will be commissioned next month on China's Army Day, August 1, but say there still seems much to be done.

It will take a long time for Chinese fighter pilots to train to land on the aircraft carrier, which is the most difficult step during training, said Hu Siyuan, a professor with the National Defense University PLA China.

"The pilots have to use the best direction, height and speed to land on the 60-meter-wide aircraft carrier and also need to prepare to abort the landing and ascend again for any emergency, which are great challenges mentally and physically," Hu said.

Fixed-wing aircraft on the carrier will use a ski-jump to take off while three lines of cables will help to slow down aircraft when they land.

Landing training has to be done while the carrier is at sea and the lengthy sea trials this time might provide the first training opportunity for fighter pilots, according to Hu.

The carrier is capable of carrying around 30 fixed wing fighters and helicopters and a crew of around 2,000.

Hu said that China's J-15 fighters would probably be the major aircraft used on the carrier.

Some photographs taken by Dalian residents living near the port showed several J-15s with wings folded on the carrier's deck.

The J-15, also known as the Flying Shark, is the country's first-generation, aircraft carrier-borne fighter. It was developed based on Russia's Su-33 fighter, a second candidate for China's first aircraft carrier.

The twin-engined Chinese fighter made its maiden flight in 2009 in Shenyang, capital of Liaoning.

The current weak point of the J-15 is its Russia-made Al-31 engines which are less powerful than that of the American F-35 fighter, said Hu.

"However, the J-15 will be more competitive to the F-35 in future when the Chinese jet is equipped with made-in-China engines because the US jet has only a single engine," he said.

http://www.china.org.cn/china/2012-07/12/c...nt_25886805.htm

This post has been edited by xtemujin: Jul 12 2012, 11:48 AM

Airbus Military begins final assembly of the first A400M for Turkey
Posted 12 July 2012 (Thu)

The Airbus Military A400M final assembly line in Seville (Spain) has begun working on the first A400M for the Turkish Air Force.

The integration of the wings and central wing-box for this aircraft, known as MSN9, began in mid-May while the integration of the nose and the fuselage started by the end of June. With the arrival of the vertical tailplane (VTP) and the horizontal tailplane (HTP) yesterday all the components for this third serial production A400M are already being integrated in the final assembly line.

Turkey will take delivery of its first A400M military airlifter in 2013.

http://www.arabianaerospace.aero/airbus-mi...for-turkey.html

Embarrassment as Chinese frigate runs aground
July 13, 2012 (Fri) - 3:22PM

A Chinese warship has run aground while patrolling contested waters adjacent to the Philippines in the South China Sea.

The frigate pinned itself to a reef last night at Half Moon Shoal, on the south-eastern edge of the Spratly Islands, and remains "thoroughly stuck", according to Western diplomatic sources shortly after midday local time, or 2pm AEST.

Salvage operations could be diplomatically challenging, given the vessel appears to have run aground within 200 kilometres of the Philippines coast, which is squarely within what Manila claims to be its Exclusive Economic Zone.

The stricken People's Liberation Army Navy vessel, believed to be No. 560, a Jianghu-class frigate, has in the past been involved in aggressively discouraging Filipino fishing boats from the area.

The accident could not have come at a more embarrassing moment for the Chinese leadership, who have been pressing territorial claims and flexing the country's muscle ahead of a leadership transition later this year.

Today's meeting of the Association of South-East Asian Nations in Cambodia ended in disarray, without a code of conduct for resolving conflicts in the South China Sea, following robust intervention from China.

Also this week, China yesterday dispatched one of its largest-ever fishing expeditions from Hainan Island to another disputed archipelago in the South China Sea.

Earlier in the week, PLA generals and top foreign policy advisers urged China to do more to press its claims.

Cui Liru, president of the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, a leading think tank that reports to the main intelligence department, said Beijing had previously focused too much on seeking common ground with its neighbours and putting disputes on the shelf.

"In the foreseeable future, say at least in five years, the Asia-Pacific region will still be showing every feature of a transitional period, which is characterised by a certain level of chaos," he said.

China's ministry of foreign affairs was not immediately available for comment.

http://www.smh.com.au/world/embarrassment-...l#ixzz20UTPMQHM

This post has been edited by xtemujin: Jul 13 2012, 04:46 PM

The biggest threat is China, they are claiming the whole South China sea.

Yeah, but Malaysian politicians prefer to use Singapore as a threat.

Maybe they should start treating China and Indonesia as more of a threat.

Indonesia sending top-secret aircraft for role in war games
July 18, 2012 (Wed)
Lindsay Murdoch, Michael Bachelard

INDONESIA is sending its front-line Sukhoi jet fighters to take part in Australia's largest air combat exercise later this month, signalling a new era of enhanced defence co-operation.

The Indonesian air force has never given the Australian Defence Force access to the Russian-made aircraft, which were built to compete with the United States' fourth generation jet fighters.

But four of the Sukhoi SU-30s will be flown to the Northern Territory to take part in Exercise Pitch Black 2012, which will include mock combat battles with Australian FA-18s in Australian and Indonesian airspace.

US jet fighters will take part in the exercise, which will run from July 27 to August 17 and will be commanded from Darwin and Tindal air bases

John Farrell, a military analyst, said the decision to send the Sukhoi fighters to Australia would bring defence co-operation between the ADF and Indonesian military to an unprecedented level.

''Indonesia has never before been prepared to send its primary air defence asset to a foreign nation,'' Mr Farrell, who publishes the Australian & NZ Defender Magazine, said.

''The fact they are sending them to Australia indicates that Canberra and Jakarta have looked up and seen much greater threats around them,'' he said, referring to China and India.

''The Sukhoi [SU-30s] are Indonesia's most secret air defence asset … this shows a lot of trust towards Australia a decade after relations between the two defence forces were in deep freeze over East Timor.''

The decision is also a vote of confidence in the defence relationship after Indonesia expressed concern over US marines operating from a joint facility in Darwin.

The Indonesian Air Force spokesman, Colonel Agung Sasongko Jati, confirmed to the Herald the plan to send jets to Australia for Pitch Black.

He said the air force had needed to train its pilots in flying the new aircraft before they could deploy them in the joint exercise.

Indonesia's air force has been on a buying spree recently with the next-generation Russian-built Sukhoi jets. It already operates 10 Sukhoi-27s and four Sukhoi-30MK2 jets, and recently announced a new order for six Sukhoi-30MK2 fighters.

A joint communique issued after the July 3 meeting between Indonesia's President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, said that ''co-operation between Australian and Indonesian defence forces goes from strength to strength'' and encouraged senior defence officials in both countries to ''review existing security co-operation''.

Australia and Indonesia are negotiating to establish a Defence Co-operation Arrangement.

http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/political...0717-228h6.html

This post has been edited by xtemujin: Jul 18 2012, 03:34 PM

RMAF to Receive Two New Helicopters by January Next Year
18 July 2012 (Wed)

BUTTERWORTH (Bernama) -- The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) is set to take delivery of two Eurocopter EC725 helicopters from the 12 it ordered, to replace the S61-A4 Sikorsky, by year end or January, next year.

RMAF chief General Tan Sri Rodzali Daud said RMAF pilots had also been sent to France several days ago to undergo training, using the new aircraft, before they are flown back to Malaysia.

"The last aircraft is expected to be delivered in January 2014. Two of the 12 aircraft will be placed at our base in Kuantan while the simulator for the new aircraft will be placed in Subang," he told reporters after handing flight wings to 41 officers who completed their training at the RMAF Base, here, today.

From the total, 25 of them, including two from the Royal Malaysian Navy, underwent advanced flight training for the Pilatus PC-7, and 16 in basic course for helicopter.

Three officers also received excellence awards during training, namely, Lt Muhammad Osman Mohd Sidek who received the Commander''s Cup for Education and Air Training (Best Academic), Lt Ezraini Azrin Khoo Mohamad Erwan Khoo (Air Force Commander''s Cup for Best Fixed Wing Flight) and Lt M Khairul Azwan Ismail received the (Nuri Cup for Best Helicopter Flight).

In addition, Rodzali said RMAF was expected to receive four new A400M aircraft to replace the Charlie aircraft in January 2015.

He said all the new aircraft would be delivered in stages and the last aircraft was currently still being put together in France.

In another development, Rodzali said RMAF was planning to replace its training aircraft with new ones that are equipped with the latest technology.

"Indeed, we have such a plan and are waiting for an allocation. The existing ones are old and need to be replaced," he added.

http://bernama.com.my/bernama/v6/newsgeneral.php?id=681687

This post has been edited by xtemujin: Jul 19 2012, 10:17 AM

The AW109 LOH is under the Army wing.

During the 2011 LIMA, the RMAF EC725 was shown in grey colour with the RMAF decal.

http://www.eurocopter.com/site/en/press/Th...arters_846.html

The EC725 was at 2007 LIMA.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/achem74/52759...57625286414552/

This post has been edited by xtemujin: Jul 19 2012, 06:24 PM

The next slot to showcase the MAF PARS AV8 to the general public is at 2013 LIMA, the real machine and not the model.

That is why Eurofighter Typhoon was willing to showcase the Typhoon Full Scale replica at the recent RMAF open day.

This post has been edited by xtemujin: Jul 19 2012, 09:47 PM

LIMA is not purely a naval and airforce exhibition, there are land equipment showcased at the event.

2009 LIMA

http://www.flickr.com/photos/xtemujin/sets...57621268702438/

2011 LIMA

http://www.flickr.com/photos/xtemujin/sets...57628342814359/

UK Takes Delivery of First F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter
July 19, 2012 (Thu) 16:00

The first of the UK’s next generation stealth combat aircraft has today been handed over to the Ministry of Defence (MoD) at a ceremony in Fort Worth, Texas. British Defence Secretary

formally accepted the first jet which will be known as Lightning II. The aircraft are Short Take Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, manufactured by Lockheed Martin.

“The delivery of the United Kingdom’s first Lightning II marks the beginning of a new era in our ability to project Air Power from the land or sea.” said Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton,The Chief of the Air Staff. The UK is the first country outside the US to receive these aircraft and Mr Hammond today announced that the MoD intends to order a fourth Lightning II aircraft next year to add to the three already on contract. The total number of Lightning II to be procured by the MoD will be confirmed in the 2015 Strategic Defence & Security Review. The Royal Air Force (RAF) and Royal Navy will conduct flight trials of the jets, which will operate from land bases and from sea.

Lightning II will be operational from land based airfields from 2018, when it will also commence flight trials off the HMS Queen Elizabeth carrier. Mr Hammond announced that the jets are likely to be based at RAF Marham, Norfolk, but that no decision has yet been made. “Jets at sea offer unmatched persistence and can guarantee the delivery of airpower around the globe. With the advent of Lightning II, UK Defence has its opportunity to maximise the utility of our carriers and this extraordinarily capable aircraft through a range of sea and land basing options. The result will be a strategic capability which will deliver for many decades to come.” Royal Navy Fleet Commander, Admiral Sir George Zambellas, added. The UK will benefit from interoperability with the US Marine Corps which operates STOVL aircraft similar to the Lightning II.

The multi-role jet features the latest stealth and Intelligence, Surveillance Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) technology and represents the cutting edge of combat aircraft design. Fifteen per cent of Joint Strike Fighter work is carried out in the UK and over 130 British companies contribute to the supply chain. It is worth over £1Bn to UK industry each year and will support around 25,000 British jobs over the next 25 years.

http://defense-update.com/20120719_uk-take...fense+Update%29

EXERCISE PITCH BLACK OPEN DAY – 11 AUGUST 2012 – RAAF BASE DARWIN

Exercise Pitch Black, the Air Force’s largest exercise in 2012, is being conducted in the Top End from 27 July to 17 August 2012. The exercise will involve 94 military aircraft from Australia, the United States, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, and Indonesia.

As many Northern Territorians will see fast jets in the air for the three weeks of the exercise, we want to show Darwin residents some of these aircraft up close and allow them to talk to the aircrew and the people who maintain and support them on the ground. To this end, the Air Force is pleased to announce that an Open Day will be held on Saturday 11 August between 9am and 4pm at RAAF Base Darwin.

We will have 21 aircraft on static display and ground displays from Darwin based units. No flying will be conducted at the Open Day but a single aircraft display will be held off the coast on the late afternoon of Thursday, 9 August at the Mindil Beach markets. More information regarding this display will be released closer to the event.

Amenities

While some shade will be available, Air Force recommends the public bring sun protection and practical footwear.

Members of the public can bring their own food and drinks, or purchase them on site. Glass bottles are not to be brought on site.

Alcohol and smoke are not permitted on site, and there are no ATM facilities for the public.

No animals are allowed on the Base (unless registered guide dogs)

Photography will be permitted in the public areas.

Public Toilets will be available.

Getting There

A special event bus service will allow the public to park at Darwin Showgrounds on the Stuart Highway, and be transported to RAAF Base Darwin through the Bombing Road Gate.

Please note that this will be the only means of accessing the Open Day for the general public. Members of the public who arrive at RAAF Base Darwin will not be allowed access unless they board a bus at the Showground.

Parking, bus transit and entry to RAAF Base Darwin is all provided free of charge. Buses will depart from Darwin Showground.

Buses will depart for the RAAF Base from 8.55am until 3pm. This will allow the Open Day to finish by 4pm. Scheduled round trips will be conducted throughout the day.

Note that there could be minor traffic disruptions between the Showgrounds and the RAAF Base. Defence highly recommends members of the public carpool to this event.

Showground Parking

The Showground car park access will only be via Shean Road off Stuart Highway. The Showground car park exit will only be via Tate Place onto Stuart Highway (to turn left or right), and to the west onto Hook Road (to join Stuart Hwy at the traffic lights). This information can be found on this map.

Disabled parking

Disabled members of the public will be permitted through the Bombing Road Gate at RAAF Base Darwin if their vehicle displays an official ACROD-issued Disabled windscreen sticker. Patrons will then be directed to turn left once inside the gate, and directed to the Disabled car park, near the static display area.

Updates

Traffic and crowd information will be passed to local radio and updated throughout the Open Day. Information will also be posted to our Facebook event page (http://ra.af/PitchBlack12) and via Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/airforcehq), with the hashtag #PitchBlack12.

Displays
The following aircraft types will be on Static Display:

•F/A-18A Hornet (RAAF Australia)
•F/A-18F Super Hornet (RAAF Australia)
•C-130H Hercules (RAAF Australia)
•AP-3C Orion (RAAF Australia)
•B300 Super King Air (RAAF Australia)
•F-16C/D Fighting Falcon (RSAF Singapore)
•F-15SG Eagle (RSAF Singapore)
•KC-135 Stratotanker (RSAF Singapore)
•Gulfstream G550 CAEW (RSAF Singapore)
•F-16A/B Fighting Falcon (RTAF Thailand)
•Sukhoi SU-30MK2 (TNI- AU Indonesia)

The following ground displays are planned:

•Air Movements Pallett Build and Loading Demonstration
•Airfield Defence Guard Display
•Military Working Dogs Display
•Puppy Development Program
•Explosive Detection Dogs
•Darwin Medical Section Display
•Bomb Disposal Unit Display
•Piecart & Arrester Vehicle
•Australian Aviation Heritage Centre Merchandise
•Heritage Aircraft – Harvard, Tiger Moth and Auster
•Defence Bank Display
It will be a great time; just remember to bring your hat and sunscreen.

For further information on Exercise Pitch Black 12 or the RAAF Base Darwin Open Day please phone 1800 424 775.

http://www.defence.gov.au/opEx/exercises/p...k12/openday.htm

This post has been edited by xtemujin: Jul 20 2012, 11:39 AM

10 Die In Tragic Chopper Crash
SATURDAY, 21 JULY 2012 06:54 BORNEO BULLETIN

Bandar Seri Begawan - Bandar Seri Begawan - His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam last night consented to send a message of condolence to the family members of the victims of yesterday afternoon's tragic accident involving a Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF) Bell 212 helicopter in Ulu Belait that involved the loss of lives, injuries and the missing personnel of Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF).

The tragic accident involving 14 members of the RBAF resulted in 10 deaths, two injuries and two unaccounted for.

In the message, His Majesty expressed great sadness upon knowing of the tragic accident, and extended his condolences to the family members of the victims involved. His Majesty hoped that they would be patient, and also prayed that the souls of the victims would be blessed and placed with the pious.

For those who were injured, His Majesty prayed for their swift recovery.

With regards to those who are still missing, His Majesty commanded the RBAF and relevant agencies to carry on urgent and continuous action to find and account for the missing personnel.

Following the accident, His Majesty consented to go to the RBAirF Base to personally observe the victims who were flown back from the crash site.

Also present at the RBAirF Base was HRH Second Lieutenant Prince Abdul Mateen.

His Majesty then consented to go to the Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha (RIPAS) Hospital to observe the condition of the victims who were receiving treatment. While at the RBAirF Base and at RIPAS Hospital, His Majesty consented to meet the families of the victims.

According to a press release from the Ministry of Defence, the military aircraft was carrying 14 passengers - three crew members and 11 officer cadets who were returning back to Bandar Seri Begawan after undergoing their training.

--Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

http://www.brudirect.com/index.php/Local-N...pper-crash.html

This post has been edited by xtemujin: Jul 21 2012, 08:08 AM

Italy signs G550 AEW deal with Israel
By: Arie Egozi Tel Aviv
20 July 2012, Friday

Israel Aerospace Industries will supply the Italian air force with two Gulfstream G550-based conformal airborne early warning (CAEW) and control system aircraft, under a deal worth $750 million.

Also including ground support equipment and a package of logistics services, the contract is part of a counter-deal to Israel's $1 billion order for 30 Alenia Aermacchi M-346 advanced jet trainers, signed in Rome on 19 July. IAI will also develop, manufacture and supply an observation satellite to Italy's Telespazio under an additional agreement worth $182 million.

"Beyond the financial and occupational aspects, this deal represents a significant collaboration with the European industry," says IAI president Joseph Weiss.

Italy's commitment to the G550 CAEW product represents IAI's third sale of the system, which uses radar equipment from its Elta Systems subsidiary. The company has previously delivered four of the aircraft each to the Israeli air force and the Republic of Singapore Air Force, as recorded by Flightglobal's MiliCAS database.

The modified G550s will provide a new fixed-wing AEW capability for Italy, which is a member of the NATO component that flies the Boeing 707-based E-3A Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft.

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/...-israel-374579/

Burial Ceremony For Chopper Crash Victims.
22 July 2012, Sunday 07:21 Syafiq Affendy

Bandar Seri Begawan - The bodies of the two victims initially listed as missing following Friday's helicopter crash in Ulu Belait were retrieved yesterday by members of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces.

Family members and friends of one of the deceased, 21700 PKDT Dk Nurazimah Pg Hassanan, gathered at the Bolkiah Garrison Surau yesterday to pay their final respects to the officer cadet, with was among the 14 on their way back from training aboard the Bell 212 helicopter.

Among those present was the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Pehin Orang Kaya Pekerma Laila Diraja Dato Seri Setia Awg Hj Hazair bin Hj Abdullah.

The burial ceremony for the departed took place at Kg Pulaie Cemetery after the mass Jenazah prayers.

Fourteen members of the RBAF were involved in accident, from which only two survived.

--Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

Brunei Stands United In Face Of Tragedy.

Bandar Seri Begawan - The nation stood united yesterday as they mourned the tragic loss of 12 Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) personnel who lost their lives after the Bell 212 helicopter they were in crashed in a remote area of the Belait District Friday afternoon.

"In the early morning hours of yesterday, the Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF) continued its search and rescue operation for the missing personnel involved in the Bell 212 crash.

"As of noon yesterday, all personnel involved in the crash had been accounted for, bringing the tally of fatalities to 12 with two survivors," the Ministry of Defence said in a press statement yesterday.

The ministry added that between Friday night and Saturday morning, all the victims had been transported to the Surau of the Bolkiah Garrison, in preparation for their burial, under the supervision of personnel from the RBAF Religious Department. Family, relatives, friends, as well as officers and personnel of the Ministry of Defence and the Royal Brunei Armed Forces, were also present to pray for the victims.

Meanwhile, the two survivors of the crash are currently being treated at the RIPAS Hospital and were currently in stable condition.

Yesterday, thousands gathered at Muslim cemeteries in several locations, including the Jame' 'Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Muslim Cemetery and Rangas Muslim Cemetery near the RIPAS Hospital, to pay their final respects.

The mood and atmosphere were sombre as tahlils for the departed and verses of al-Quran were read at the cemeteries, where grieving family members broke down in tears.

Rezona binti Hj Tajuddin, the wife of the late Lt (U) Pg Arif Iskandar bin Pg Hj Shabuddin, the pilot of the helicopter, told the Bulletin that she could not believe at first what she was hearing when news first broke out around 7pm on Friday night.

"I was informed about the ill-fated mishap by the army personnel. But I wanted to see it for myself with my own eyes to get the truth," she said, as she held her only child - an 18-month-old girl - at the cemetery.

The father-in-law of the late Lt (U) Pg Arif Iskandar - Hj Tajuddin bin Amit - said they were informed about the incident around 7pm on Friday and were told to go directly to the Rimba Air Base. The body of the deceased was then escorted to the Bokiah Garrison Surau to undergo prayer rituals.

Meanwhile, another burial ceremony was held yesterday morning at Rangas Muslim Cemetery for the late S/Sgt (U) Mohd Amin bin Awg Mahmud.

Siti Salmah binti Hj Murni, the adoptive mother of the late S/Sgt (U) Mohd Amin bin Awg Mahmud told the Bulletin that she last saw the deceased on Sunday.

"I received a call from my in-laws after prayer on Friday informing me about the helicopter crash. I pray to Allah the Almighty for the deceased to be placed amongst the pious. The late S/Sgt (U) Mohd Amin left behind a wife and six children.

The Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces, Major General Dato Paduka Seri Hj Aminuddin Ihsan bin Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Hj Abidin was also present at the burials at the Jame' 'Asr Hassanil Bolkiah and Rangas Muslim cemeteries.

--Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

http://www.brudirect.com/

This post has been edited by xtemujin: Jul 22 2012, 12:41 PM

Malaysia to receive all 12 Eurocopter EC725s by 2014
By: Greg Waldron Singapore
23 July 2012, Monday

The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) will receive its first two Eurocopter EC725 helicopters in December, with deliveries of all 12 to be completed by January 2014.

Eurocopter disclosed the delivery plans for the type in an email to Flightglobal.

Four Malaysian pilots have started training for the EC725 in a EC225 simulator located in Aberdeen, Scotland. They will then move to France where they will undertake ground courses in addition to simulator and in-flight training.

The EC725 is the military variant of the civilian EC225.

Eurocopter added that its EC225 full flight simulator will commence commercial operations in early 2013 at Subang airport, which is located near Kuala Lumpur. It will be used to instruct both air force and civilian pilots.

Malaysia announced its decision to buy the EC725 in 2010.

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/...by-2014-374609/

This post has been edited by xtemujin: Jul 23 2012, 05:36 PM

The news of RMAF getting an AEWC platform has been going on for many years.

Until the platform really reach Malaysia, it is just coffeeshop talk.

High possibility that for the 2013 LIMA, SAAB will bring in the RTAF SAAB 340-AEW.