MILAVIA - Military Aviation News Archive 2006

On 29 Jun 2006, the U.S. Army’s selection for its next-generation Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) was announced, it will be Eurocopter's UH-145 helicopter. The LUH requirement is for up to 352 aircraft with a potential program life-cycle value of U.S. USD 3 billion.

EADS North America leads the UH-145 team that includes four primary partners: American Eurocopter, a joint subsidiary of EADS North America and Eurocopter, which will handle the helicopter’s production, assembly and delivery; Sikorsky Aircraft, responsible for contractor logistics support (CLS); WestWind Technologies, for systems integration, engineering support and program management expertise; and CAE USA of Tampa, Florida, the supplier of UH-145 cockpit procedures trainers.

The UH-145’s industrial activity will be centered at American Eurocopter’s Columbus, Mississippi facility, which is to undergo a major expansion to accommodate the Light Utility Helicopter program. Production of the UH-145 – a customized version of Eurocopter’s EC145 multi-mission helicopter, currently built in Germany – will be transferred to Columbus in a series of steps that begins with partial assembly, followed by full assembly and the subsequent U.S. manufacture of major subsystems.

The first helicopter is already in assembly for delivery to the Army this November. In addition, components have been allocated for the manufacture of seven more UH-145s.

On June 28th, 2006, Boeing was awarded a U.S. Air Force contract worth up to USD 150 million to support new weapons integration efforts on the B-52H bomber.

The B-52 Smart Weapons Integration Next Generation (SWING) program will include integration of the Extended Range versions of the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile, Wind Corrected Munitions Dispenser and Joint Direct Attack Munitions and possibly the integration of the Small Diameter Bomb and Boost Phase Interceptor.

The contract will also be used to integrate the Universal Armament Interface -- the next generation interface between the mission planning system, aircraft platform, and weapons -- onto the B-52.

Russian Federation will deliver 10 brand-new Mi-171Sh transport helicopters to the Croatian Air Force (Hrvatsko Ratno Zrakoplovstvo - HRZ) as a part of a Russian debt repayment to the Republic of Croatia. The details of this purchase have been finalized during the five-day long negotiations that took place in Russia between May 29th and June 2nd, during this time the official delegation of Croatian Ministry of Defence has met representatives of Rosoboronexport, a Russian state-run company specialized and responsible for arms export, as well as representatives of Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant, a company that is manufacturing the Mi-171Sh helicopter.

Under the agreement reached in Moscow, apart from helicopters, Russia will also deliver to the Croatian Air Force all the necessary special tools, test equipment and spare parts, and will organize the training for pilots and technicians of Croatian Air Force. The contract for delivery of Russian helicopters to Croatian Air Force is worth million and is part of much wider agreement for repayment to Croatia from Russia of the 5.7 million Soviet-era debt. The Russian-Croatian repayment deal is in fact part of Russian Deputy Finance Minister Sergei Storchak strategy to settle by the end of this year Russia's Soviet-era debts with Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia, Malta, Slovenia, Macedonia, and Greece.

When repaying external debts, as a policy of creating reserves, Russia is often offering compensation in form of delivery of civil or military aircraft. That was the case with Macedonia in 2003 when this country was offered Russian transport plane in exchange for part of the Soviet-era debt, offer which was refused by Macedonia, and recently when it was suggested that Russia may have offered Serbia to overhaul and modernize its small fleet of MiG-29 fighters and single An-26 transport plane in a deal that will be paid, in part if not completely, with repayment of part of Russia's Soviet-era debt. In the case of Croatia, the initial discussions were for supply of Croatian Air Force with two Beriev Be-200 amphibious fire-fighting aircraft. This was later changed and in 2005 Croatia asked Russia for 15 brand-new Mi-171Sh helicopters. Russia's answer was positive and Croatia was offered the Mi-171Sh helicopters at a unit price of .2 million.

However, due to the million budget limitation that Croatian Government has imposed to the Croatian Ministry of Defence regarding the helicopter purchase project, a correction in the quantity of helicopters to be delivered to Croatia has been agreed during the recent talks in Moscow, and under the latest agreement, Croatian Air Force shall get only 10 brand-new state-of-the-art equipped NATO-compatible Mi-171Sh utility transport helicopters, one of the latest and most modern developments of the famous Mi-8/17-family. Deliveries of first helicopters to Croatia are expected to start in the beginning of 2007 with the follow-on delivery tempo of two helicopters on every next 45 days.

Artist impression, courtesy AgustaWestland

On 22 June 2006, the UK Mnistry of Defence ordered 70 Future Lynx helicopters from AgustaWestland. The programme valued at just under GBP 1 billion will provide the British Army and Royal Navy with 40 and 30 Future Lynx helicopters respectively. An option has also been placed for a further 10 aircraft split equally between the Army and Royal Navy.

The contract is the first to be awarded under the Strategic Partnering Arrangement between the MoD and AgustaWestland, which was also signed on 22 June 2006. The arrangement will see replacement of existing Army and Royal Navy Lynx helicopters with a much more capable version incorporating advanced technology which will deliver more capability and reduce whole life costs.

The Future Lynx programme will support over 800 high technology jobs across the UK. The first flight of the first Future Lynx will take place in late 2009 with initial deliveries starting in 2011. Future Lynx will enter operational service in 2014 with the British Army and 2015 with the Royal Navy.

The Meteor missile programme completed its second Air Launched Demonstration (ALD) firing on 20 June 2006. This successfully continued the first Meteor firing campaign with a Gripen fighter aircraft at the FMV Vidsel test range in northern Sweden.

On 9th May, Meteor prime contractor MBDA conducted the first firing while the second took place on 20th June, completing the first two of a series of scheduled firings aimed at gathering data on the missile’s performance and its characteristics during launch and free flight. This data will be utilised in the further development of the missile. Both firings were rail-launched from a Saab Gripen combat aircraft flying at an altitude of 23,000 ft.

In 2001, Swedish authorities signed an international agreement to provide the Gripen new generation fighter aircraft as a test platform for testing the high-tech Beyond Visual Range (BVR) Meteor missile.

The Meteor programme is an international cooperation between leading aerospace companies in Europe. The Meteor programme is being led by MBDA, in partnership with Saab Bofors Dynamics, and Spain’s INMIZE.

Australia approved on 19 June 2006 the acquisition plan for 34 additional MRH-90 helicopters. The MRH-90 is the Multi Role Helicopter version of the NH-90 for the Australian armed forces. This is the second order Australia placed for the MRH-90, on 2 June 2005 Australia ordered its first batch of 12 helicopters.

The Australian Minister of Defence said this MRH-90 acquisition was worth A billion and will allow the Australian Armed Forces to replace both ageing Sea King and Black Hawk helicopters.

Together, the two MRH-90 contracts will generate 400 highly skilled jobs in Australia and will inject A.1 billion into the Australian economy. Eurocopter will assembly 42 of the 46 MRH-90s through Australian Aerospace and its Regional Centre of Excellence in Brisbane.

On May 30th, 2006, the Boeing EA-18G program test team first flew a modified F/A-18F equipped with wingtip antenna and high- and low-band jamming pods for the first time. The flight was part of ongoing flying qualities and carrier suitability testing to validate the EA-18G's shipboard effectiveness. The EA-18G Growler is a dedicated electronic warfare derivative of the F/A-18F Super Hornet to replace the EA-6B Prowler currently in service.

The three-month carrier suitability tests, flown by U.S. Navy pilots,
consist of 25 flights to measure the aircraft performance and loads in a variety of takeoff and landing situations. The EA-18G testing will allow for higher landing weights than the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet to provide greater flexibility in the return of high-value jamming pods plus other weapons and stores.

The EA-18G Growler program is lead by Boeing, acting as the weapon system integrator and prime contractor. Northrop Grumman is the principal subcontractor and airborne electronic attack subsystem integrator. The System Design and Development program concludes with an Initial Operational Capability in 2009.

On June 5, 2006, Gulfstream Aerospace announced it had completed the first flight of its Conformal Airborne Early Warning (CAEW) special mission aircraft on May 20. The type's maiden flight took place three weeks after it was rolled out from the production hangar in Savannah, Ga.

The aircraft is a large-cabin, long-range Gulfstream G550 jet aircraft, which will serve as the platform for the Israeli Ministry of Defense's AEW surveillance system.

Gulfstream was awarded a contract in 2003 to supply CAEW aircraft to the Israeli Ministry of Defense. The contract included options that were recently exercised. Following extensive flight-testing, Gulfstream will deliver the first CAEW aircraft to ELTA Systems Ltd. at the end of August. ELTA Systems Ltd., which is a subsidiary of Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI), will provide and install the mission electronic equipment.

Two U.S. Air Force F-16C Fighting Falcons, supporting coalition actions in Operation Iraqi Freedom, dropped precision munitions near Baquba, Iraq, on June 7, killing al Qaida’s leader in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and other terrorists.

The aircraft, assigned to U.S. Central Command Air Forces, dropped two precision-guided 500-pound bombs, a GBU-12 laser-guided bomb and a GBU-38 joint direct attack munition, destroying an isolated terrorist safe house, where al-Zarqawi and other terrorists were meeting.

Al-Zarqawi and al-Qaida in Iraq have conducted terrorist activities against the Iraqi people for years in attempts to undermine the Iraqi national government and coalition efforts to rebuild and stabilize Iraq.

On May 29th, 2006, Rostvertol handed over the first series produced Mi-28N attack helicopter to Russia's Ministry of Defense after it completed all tests by the manufacturer.

The 'Night Hunter' will join the two Mi-28N prototypes, currently being tested by the Ministry of Defense. The type recently completed the first phase of State tests by proving its all-weather and night capability. Further State tests will include more performance tests followed by systems testing and weapons trials.

Rostvertol will supply seven Mi-28N to the Russian Air Force this year. The second production Mi-28N will be ready for factory testing soon, afer which it will also be delivered for State testing. The full requirement is expected to be around 50 helicopters, and full production is expected to turn out between 20 and 25 helicopters a year.

The Mi-28N prototype's maiden flight took place in late 2005 from Rostvertol's airfield. First designed in the early 1990s, the Mi-28N's development had been suspended since 1993. Based on the Mi-28, the Mi-28N is equipped with improved systems and navigation radar, making the aircraft all-weather and night capable.

On Wednesday May 24th, 2006, the South African Air Force (SAAF) took delivery of its first two BAE Hawk Mk.120 lead-in fighter trainers in a ceremony at Denel's aircraft plant in Kempton Park.

The SAAF will receive ten more aircraft in the next few weeks. The aircraft will be operated from Makhado air base by the 85 Combat Flying School, replacing the Impala Mk.I and Mk.II in the advanced training role.

Parts of the aircraft are locally manufactured, others imported and the assembly is done in South Africa by Denel Aerospace under supervision of BAE Systems.

All 24, ordered in 1999, will be delivered by late next year, giving the SAAF a modern lead-in fighter trainer for its future SAAB-BAE Gripen multi-role fighters.

At a roll-out ceremony May 16 at Lockheed Martin’s plant in Marietta, Ga., the Air Force accepted delivery of the first C-5M Galaxy, the first of 111 that will undergo modernization at the facility, extending the fleet’s life by more than 25 years.

The C-5M is fitted with new General Electric CF6-80C2 engines. The new engines offer the C-5 a 22 percent increase in thrust, a 30 percent shorter take-off roll and a 38 percent higher climb to initial altitude, allowing significantly more cargo to be carried over longer distances.

The C-5 avionics modernization program adds a modern cockpit with a digital, all-weather flight control system and autopilot, a new communications suite, flat-panel displays and enhanced navigation and safety equipment to ease crew workload and enhance situational awareness.

On the 4th and 5th of May, 2006, EADS CASA Military Air Systems conducted the first weapon release trials for the Eurofighter.

For the first drop EADS CASA test pilot Alfonso de Castro took off on the 4th of May from Moron AFB. The Eurofighter, accompanied by an F-18 chase aircraft of the Spanish Air Force, made several approaches to the planned impact point in order to check the release procedures and the video cameras for the flight-test documentation. In the hot run, a GBU-16 was jettisoned from the centre pylon of the starboard wing. The following day, company test pilot Carlos Pinilla dropped another GBU-16 from the inboard pylon of the starboard wing.

The GBU-16 is a 1,000 lbs. Paveway II-class NATO-standard air-to-surface laser-guided precision bomb to be implemented by the four Eurofighter programme nations Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom. The weapon will enter into service with the first Eurofighter Typhoon Block 5 aircraft.

Both jettison tests were completely successful and met all flight test objectives. The most prominent ones were to verify the safe separation of the stores from their pylons and the overall aircraft behaviour during and after the jettison trials. Of extreme importance was also the evaluation of the armament control system, the flight control system and the overall avionics performance during the weapon jettison sequences. To reach the final GBU-16 clearance, the programme foresees four more test sorties, to be performed by EADS CASA within the next two months.

Lockheed Martin announced on May 4th, 2006, that it received a USD 379 million contract from the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command (AMCOM) for the production of 112 Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) Missiles. The contract also includes launcher modification kits, program management and engineering, as well as spares and other necessary equipment.

This is the sixth production contract for the PAC-3 missile. The first production PAC-3 Missiles were delivered to the U.S. Army in September 2001, part of the LRIP contract for 20 missiles. In March 26, 2002 a new Low Rate Initial Production contract followed for 72 PAC-3 missiles. In January 2003, the U.S. Army ordered 88 more. In February 2004, LM received an order for 159 missiles, including 22 to replenish the Patriot missiles expended during Operation Iraqi Freedom. In January 2005, LM was awarded a contract for 156 PAC-3 missiles for the U.S. Army, the Netherlands and Japan.

PAC-3 Missiles significantly increase the Patriot system's firepower, since 16 PAC-3s load-out on a Patriot launcher, compared with four legacy Patriot PAC-2 missiles.

The PAC-3 Missile has been selected as the U.S. primary interceptor for the multi-national Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS). MEADS is a model transatlantic program for the next generation of air and missile defense.

Morocco has awarded France a contract worth around EUR350 million (USD420 million) to overhaul the Moroccan Air Force's fleet of 27 French Mirage F-1CH/EH fighter aircraft.

The contract covers the overhaul of airframes and engines, as well as upgrade of the avionics suite. The aircraft will be fitted with RC400 multi-target radar: a derivative of its RDY radar. The package also includes MICA air-to-air missiles as well as Sagem's new AASM bomb kit.

The prime contractor is Astrac (Association Sagem Thales pour la Rénovation d'Avions de Combat), a joint venture between Thales and Sagem. Subcontractors will include Dassault and Snecma Moteurs.

The aircraft were delivered by Dassault Aviation in the late 1980s. Up to half the fleet have been grounded since. Morocco decided to refurbish the aircraft instead of buying surplus F-16s.

The Swiss procurement agency, Armasuisse, and Eurocopter signed a contract for 20 helicopters on April 25th in Berne, Switzerland. Under the Swiss Light Transport and Training Helicopter (LTSH) program, 18 EC635 for utility and advanced training missions and two EC135 for VIP/parliamentarian transport missions have been ordered. The EC635s/EC135s will replace the Swiss Army’s Alouette III helicopters

Deliveries of the helicopters will take place between the beginning of 2008 and the end of 2009. The first four machines will be delivered from Eurocopter Deutschland’s facility in Donauwörth, while the next 16 aircraft will be assembled and delivered by RUAG in Alpnach, Switzerland.

The first of four Super Lynx 300 helicopters for South Africa took to the air for the first time on 24th April 2006 at AgustaWestland’s Yeovil factory in the UK.

The South African Navy Super Lynx 300 aircraft have a high level of South African sourced avionics and mission equipment. The aircraft are equipped with a range of advanced sensors including a 360 degree scan search radar, a nose mounted FLIR, Electronics Support Measures system, and a data link.

Pilot and ground crew conversion training will be conducted by AgustaWestland at its Customer Training Centre in Yeovil starting in early 2007 and will be completed prior to the delivery of the aircraft to the South African Air Force later in 2007. The aircraft will be based at Air Force Base Ysterplaat where they will be flown by South African Air Force pilots for the Navy and will be deployed on the South African Navy Valour class frigates performing anti-surface warfare, maritime patrol and SAR roles.

The contract for the four Super Lynx aircraft was placed in 2003. South Africa is the forth country to select the Super Lynx 300 following Malaysia, Thailand and Oman.

Under a $180 million contract Boeing will upgrade AN/APQ-164 fire control radar on the U.S. Air Force's fleet of 67 B-1B long-range bomber aircraft.

Under a nine-year Reliability and Maintainability Improvement Program (RMIP), Boeing will deliver modification kits to replace the bombers' receiver and processor beginning in 2011. The RMIP kit, built principally by subcontractor Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems, comprises a new radar transmitter/receiver, a radar processor computer and a translated, rehosted software package.

Boeing will support field installation and checkout of the RMIP kits at Dyess AFB, Ellsworth AFB, and Tinker AFB. Installation is scheduled to be completed in 2014.

On April 20th, 2006, the Netherlands and Belgium signed a letter of intent for the sale of a total of 20 F-16 fighters to Jordan. The deal now enters negotiations on the price before the final contract will be signed. Jordan wants the fighters to be delivered in 2008.

The Netherlands have offered eight F-16s (five single-seaters and three two-seaters), while Belgium will provide the other twelve. All aircraft involved have been upgraded under the MLU program.

In November 2005, Jordan bought three F-16BM two-seat trainers from the Netherlands. Combined with the new sale of eight aircraft and recent sale of 18 aircraft to Chile, the Netherlands has now sold its 29 F-16 fighter surplus to requirements.

The first Sentinel R Mk1 aircraft to be completed in the UK recently left Raytheon's Broughton facility in North Wales for Greenville, Texas, where it will join the U.S.-built aircraft to undertake formal flight testing.

The British aircraft will return in late spring to undertake further flight trials in the UK. The Sentinel R Mk1, based on a Bombardier Global Express business jet, will form part of the MOD's Airborne Stand Off Radar (ASTOR) system.

Based at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire, the aircraft will be operated by 5 Squadron, which has been re-formed for the purpose on April 1, 2004. The ASTOR Squadron will be able to operate at long distances, giving battlefield commanders accurate and up-to-date information about forces, infrastructure and vehicle movements.

The first ASTOR aircraft was modified and integrated in the USA while the remaining four Sentinels are being modified by Raytheon Systems Limited, the prime contractor, in the UK .

On April 12, 2006, the Korean Government announced its decision to give the final go-ahead to the Korean Helicopter Program (KHP) during the 2nd Defense Program Promotion Meeting. Under the program Korea will buy 245 utility helicopters to be developed by Korea Aerospace Industries Limited in partnership with Eurocopter, and produced as from 2011 onwards.

The objective of the Korean Helicopter Program is to replace the aging fleet of US transport and liaison helicopters operated by the Korean army. The KHP helicopter will be in the 8 metric ton class and capable of carrying 2 pilots and 11 troops with an endurance of well over two hours.

Sikorsky has received a billion contract to develop the CH-53K shipborne heavylift helicopter for the US Marine Corps. First flight is scheduled for 2011, with service entry planned for 2015. The USMC plans to buy 156 new-build CH-53Ks to replace its CH-53Es. Deliveries of production CH-53Ks are to begin in 2013 and be completed in 2022.

The CH-53K is a derivative of the CH-53E. The CH-53K offers better payload/range and maximum take-off weight. The cabin is 0.35m (12in) wider to accommodate an HMMWV internally. But the new composite fuel-carrying sponsons cut width by 1.83m. Selection of suppliers for the engines, integrated glass cockpit, fly-by-wire flight controls and other systems will be made later this year

The US Government has officially offered the purchase of new F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighter aircraft to the Republic of Bulgaria, this being the first time that Washington has offered this fighter abroad. The US proposal that contains three possible options for supply of Bulgarian armed forces with F/A-18E/F was sent by Washington in early March 2006 and is in fact response to a request for price and availability information received from Sofia in June 2005 for 16 F/A-18E/F Super Hornets fighters.
In addition to the Super Hornets, Bulgarian Ministry of Defence also requested price and availability information for 12 used F-5 jet fighters that were seen as the most suitable solutions for familiarization of Bulgarian Air Force personnel for use of Western-made fighter jet technology.
According to US Navy Commander Andrew Hartigan, the first supply option is tailored to the number and type of aircraft mentioned in the Bulgarian letter of request. The second option envisages the supply of 12 US Navy used F/A-18E/Fs and as many used F-5s. The third option features no F-5s. Although, Commander Hartigan refused to reveal the price at which the fighter jets are being marketed to the Bulgarian side, the unofficial sources quote the price of a brand-new unarmed F/A-18E/F fighter at around USD54 millions.

If Bulgaria accepts the recent offer from Washington, it will become the second country after the US using this type of aircraft. The US offer envisages contract signature in 2007 with the first delivery as soon as 2009. Boeing did not reveal prices for the offer as these are the subject of negotiations between the US and the Bulgarian government. However, it is known that the company is ready to offer an offset programme.

In accordance with the 2004 defence modernization plan, Bulgaria recently signed a USD48 million contract with Russian RSK-MiG for overhaul, service life extension and limited modernization of 16 MiG-29 (14 MiG-29A Product 9.12A and four MiG-29UB) fighters. The same plan, however, features the purchase of 18 new fighters. According to the latest public statements by the Bulgarian Minister of Defence, Veselin Bliznakov, the tender for purchase of new Western-made fighters will be announced in two or three years. Already interested to participate in this tender are Lockheed Martin with F-16C/D Block 52+ Fighting Falcon and Saab with an offer for JAS 39 Gripen. The Bulgarian Ministry of Defence predicted the cost of the project for supply of new fighters to reach around USD1 billion.

In a report published on April 4th, Russian daily Kommersant revealed that the high-level delegation from Myanmar has visited Russia in order to discuss purchase of a wide variety of Russian arms and other military equipment. According Kommersant, listed on Myanmar wish-list among others were MiG-29 fighters as well as short range Tor-M1 and medium-range Buk-1M mobile air defense systems.

The Chinese government has so far been Myanmar's closest ally, biggest trading partner and principal source of military hardware and training since the 1988 coup. Other significant suppliers have, in the past, included Singapore, India, Israel, Germany and Pakistan.

However, Myanmar's first major purchase of Russian weapons was initiated in 2001 after a number of border incidents with Thailand, and included ten MiG-29 fighters. Some sources suggest that all ten airframes have been delivered to Myanmar Air Force (Tamdaw Lay) in 2002 and were in fact a package of eight single-seat MiG-29 (9-12B) and two two-seat MiG-29UB fighters that have been built for but never delivered to the Iraqi Air Force.

According to Kommersant, it is quite real to expect that in exchange for further deliveries of new quantities of modern weapons, Russia will request Myanmar to secure easy access for those Russian companies that are interested in on-shore and off-shore exploring of Myanmar’s oil and gas fields.

On April 4th customs officials at Kwai Chung container terminal in Hong Kong revealed that they have foiled an attempt to smuggle an armament and engines-less MiG-29UB (Fulcrum-B) two-seat fighter through the territory.

According to Government-run radio station RTHK, customs officials confirmed the interception of military plane but declined to officially reveal more details about the type of the aircraft or to reveal where the jet had been shipped from or which country was its intended final destination.

More information on the origin and the final destination of the military plane became available when Ukrainian weapons trading company revealed that the detained MiG-29UB (Blue 64) was sold by Ukraine to the United States in 2005 as a museum exhibit. This information was supplemented by Russian news agency Itar-Tass report that says that the aircraft was detained on April 2nd because the cargo had no transit permission and the purpose of its delivery to the USA was not stated either.

On April 3, 2006, the final contract for the delivery of 12 Bölkow-Blom (MBB) Bo-105 lightweight twin-engine multi-role helicopters to the Republic of Albania was signed in Tirana between the Albanian Ministry of Defense and Eurocopter Deutschland GmbH. The contract was signed in the presence of the Albanian Minister of Defense Fatimir Mediu, German Ambassador in Albania Hans Peter Anen, the Chief of the Albanian Air Force Gen Brig Astrit Jaupi and the Deputy President of the Eurocopter Mathias Obermayer. According to the Albanian Government, six of the Bo-105 helicopters are designated for the Albanian Air Force, four for the Ministry of Interior and the remaining two for the Ministry of Health. Under the 10 million Euro contract that is going to be valid for 3 years, until 2009, Eurocopter has took obligation to provide Albanian operators with all the necessary logistical support in the form of spare parts delivery and any necessary maintenance. Under the same contract, Eurocopter will adopt the helicopters according to specific needs of Albanian operators and will also provide the training for the pilots and technicians.

The recently signed contract is a logical follow-up to a June 30, 2005, contract that was signed between Albanian Deputy Minister of Defense Sadetin Stankaj and German Ambassador in Tirana, Hans Peter Annen, for what was at that time reported as German Army donation of 12 Bo-105 helicopters to the Armed Forces of the Republic of Albania. However, under the latest plans, only six Bo-105 helicopters will join the Helicopter Regiment in Farke that already operates ex-Italian Army AB-205 and AB-206 helicopters. Albanian Ministry of Defence believes that the delivery of German Bo-105s will help Albanian Air Force in its efforts to modernize itself according to NATO standards and will improve its skills in Air Control, in Search and Rescue (SAR) operation and even in other missions on behalf of frontier protection and defense.

Both Germany and The Netherlands are actively looking for friendly countries that would like to accept their surplus Bo-105 helicopters as a donation. During 2000 Macedonia negotiated with Germany for delivery of 16 ex-German Army Bo-105 helicopters. Macedonia and Germany negotiated over donation of four Bo-105CB trainers, eight Bo-105P anti-tank helicopters and four Bo-105M reconnaissance helicopters, plus a batch of UH-1D Huey utility helicopters with complete system for logistical support. However, at the end, this acquisition failed to materialize. Recently, the Netherlands has offered its surplus Air Force Bo-105 helicopters to Macedonia but Macedonia's Ministry of Defence refused this offer claiming that in future it will purchase only brand-new helicopters that are in line with country needs.

Three AgustaWestland A109 Power helicopters have entered service the 1st of April with the Royal Air Force 32 (The Royal) Squadron at RAF Northolt to the west of London. The aircraft will be used for military and government communications flying.

In early March 2006 RAF pilots underwent conversion to type training at AgustaWestland’s Vergiate facility in Italy and at Sloane Helicopters in the UK. In mid-March the aircraft underwent final preparation at Sloane Helicopters in the UK before delivery to 32 (The Royal) Squadron at RAF Northolt, with the first of the three aircraft arriving on 22nd March 2006 and all three ready for service on April 1st.

The A109s are part of a contract signed with AgustaWestland. It provides 32 Sqn with a Civil Owned Military Registered (COMR) helicopter service for 900 flying hours per year during a five year period, which can be extended. Sloane Helicopters has been subcontracted to provide maintenance and spares support services for the aircraft, including first line servicing at RAF Northolt.

On 31 March 2006, the first operational Typhoon squadron, No. 3(Fighter) Squadron, forms at RAF Cottesmore, just a day before the Royal Air Force marks its 88th Anniversary.

An event to mark a range of changes, which are traditionally timed to coincide with the anniversary of the RAF's formation on 1 April 1918, was held at RAF Cottesmore. In addition to the formation of the first operational Typhoon squadron, which will be based at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire, other transformation elements include:

formation of 800 Naval Air Squadron with GR7/9 Harriers at RAF Cottesmore
as part of the Joint Force Harrier;
relocation of No.6 Squadron Jaguars from RAF Coltishall to RAF Coningsby;
formation of deployable Expeditionary Air Wings that will better support the RAF
on deployed operations;
formation of logistics ‘hub' at RAF Wittering; and a communications ‘hub'
at RAF Leeming for deployable expeditionary force elements;
rationalisation of HQ Strike Command by closing No 3. Group;
and closure of RAF Stafford and RAF Sealand.

MILAVIA - MILITARY AVIATION