Argentina inks deal to buy 24 F-16 jets from Denmark

On the same subject

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  February 3, 2021 | International, Aerospace

  Turkey launches F-16 life-extension program amid lack of replacement aircraft

  By: Burak Ege Bekdil   ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey's procurement and defense authorities have launched a program designed to increase the structural life of the country's existing fleet of F-16 Block 30 jets from 8,000 flight hours to 12,000, the country's top procurement official announced. Ismail Demir, who leads the Presidency of Defence Industries, wrote in a Feb. 2 tweet that the comprehensive upgrade program would involve revisions, renewals, replacements and body reinforcement. “The upgrades will cover 1,200 to 1,500 parts per aircraft,” Demir said. Caglar Kurc, a Turkish defense analyst, said the upgrade program indicates Turkey's intention to keep the F-16s as its main aerial firepower until the country completes work on its planned indigenous fighter jet. “In addition to the F-16s, [armed and unarmed] drones could be used to support, particularly, anti-terror missions,” Kurc said. Turkey has been seeking options for a new-generation fighter after it was suspended from the American-led, multinational Joint Strike Fighter program that builds the F-35 Lightning II. Turkish Aerospace Industries will perform the structural upgrades for the F-16s as part of an ongoing upgrade program. TAI is currently building 30 new F-16 Block 50+ aircraft for the Turkish Air Force and is running an upgrade program covering more than 160 F-16 Block 30/40/50 aircraft. Turkey's indigenous fighter program, dubbed TF-X (or MMU in its Turkish acronym), has been crawling over the past years due to technological failures and issues with know-how transfers. Turkish engineers must first select an engine for the planned aircraft before finalizing the design phase. TAI has been in talks with British engine-maker Rolls-Royce for engine know-how and co-production, but a final contract has yet to emerge. https://www.defensenews.com/air/2021/02/02/turkey-launches-f-16-life-extension-program-amid-lack-of-replacement-aircraft/

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  August 7, 2020 | International, Land

  OTT Technologies takes over LMT

  by Charles Forrester South African armoured vehicle designer and manufacturer OTT Technologies has acquired LMT, which has been in business rescue since September 2019. The acquisition closed in July, OTT Technologies business development manager Chris Gildenhuys told Janes on 5 August. The value of the acquisition is not being disclosed at this time. According to Gildenhuys, the acquisition of LMT Products “is a strategic move for OTT Technologies to expand on its own range of proven mine-protected armoured vehicles”. LMT designs and manufactures a variety of protected products, ranging from protected cabs for Mercedes Benz to the LM8 and LM13 vehicles. The LMT Products division of OTT Technologies will, for the foreseeable future, continue to operate under the LMT Products brand and the vehicles will retain their respective designations. The merger will obviously bring about branding and structural changes in future. The first priority is to get the LMT division back on track in as far [as] the personnel component, manufacturing, and sound day-to-day management,” Gildenhuys said. When LMT went into business rescue there were still some incomplete contracts, including one with a Middle Eastern customer, Gildenhuys added. That particular contract will now be honoured and completed. Denel had been the majority shareholder of LMT Holdings since it acquired its stake in 2012, with the underlying business with LMT Products. LMT Holdings was 51% owned by Denel, 29% by Pamodzi, and 20% by the founding members, and included LMT Products, LMT Engineering, and LMT Properties. https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/ott-takes-over-lmt

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  July 23, 2024 | International, Security

  Statement from CISA Director Easterly on Leadership Changes at CISA | CISA