Biden seeks legislation to invest in Australia, UK defense industries

On the same subject

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  September 16, 2020 | International, Aerospace

  Achat de Rafale par la Grèce, crise du secteur aérien : entretien avec Eric Trappier, président du GIFAS et PDG de Dassault Aviation

  Eric Trappier, président du GIFAS et PDG de Dassault Aviation, s'exprimait ce matin sur RTL. Le dirigeant a notamment évoqué la commande de 18 Rafale par la Grèce, annoncée samedi 12 septembre. Les Rafale commandés par la Grèce seront livrés «dans l'année à venir, soit en 2021», indique M. Trappier. La commande comprendra 12 avions d' «occasion», actuellement opérationnels au sein de l'armée de l'Air française, une mesure décidée afin de répondre à l'urgence du besoin exprimé par la Grèce. Ces prélèvements d'appareils au sein de l'armée de l'Air française seront « compensés par la fabrication d'avions neufs », insiste M. Trappier. La fabrication de 18 Rafale garantit « un an de travail pour les chaînes de production de Dassault Aviation et de ses sous-traitants », souligne-t-il. M. Trappier rappelle également qu'une discussion avec le gouvernement français est en cours concernant l'achat d'une «cinquième tranche de 30 avions». Le Rafale est «un avion qui n'arrête pas d'évoluer, par standards successifs», souligne le dirigeant : «on est en train de développer le quatrième standard». Interrogé sur la crise que traverse actuellement le secteur de l'aéronautique, M. Trappier souligne que l'Etat est «très mobilisé» ; mais il met en garde contre le «changement d'hypothèse» qui surviendrait si «les frontières restent fermées et si le trafic aérien ne reprend pas». Il rappelle que le secteur de l'aéronautique travaille, depuis plusieurs années, à la mise au point d'un «avion décarboné», dont le développement s'est récemment accéléré avec le soutien du gouvernement. RTL Matin du 16 septembre

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  September 21, 2020 | International, Aerospace

  Germany to form A400M Multinational Air Transport Unit with Hungary

  Gareth Jennings Germany is establishing a new multinational unit to operate the Airbus A400M transport aircraft, with Hungary committed as its first partner. The Bundeswehr announced on 17 September that the Multinational Air Transport Unit (MNAU) was being established at Wunstorf Air Base in northern Germany, home to the Luftwaffe's A400M force. This new international unit will relocate to Lechfeld Air Base in the far south of the country with 10 of the Luftwaffe's 53 contracted A400Ms, as well as additional A400Ms that might be provided by partner nations. Lieutenant General Ingo Gerhartz, inspector of the German Air Force, was quoted as saying, “The establishment of the implementation team of the Multinational Air Transport Unit is another milestone in multinational, military air transport. With the integration of the first technical officer of the Hungarian Air Force [HuAF], the cooperation with our Hungarian partners begins.” As noted by the Bundeswehr, the genesis of the MNAU dates back to 2017, when the Federal Ministry of Defence enabled the Luftwaffe to set up a new air transport association with multinational participation. With the Luftwaffe planning to field 40 A400Ms, this new multinational unit would operate all or some of the remaining 13 contracted to Germany. https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/germany-to-form-a400m-multinational-air-transport-unit-with-hungary

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  July 8, 2020 | International, Aerospace

  Stop buying Turkey’s F-35 parts, lawmakers tell DoD

  By: Joe Gould WASHINGTON ― A bipartisan group of lawmakers is urging the Pentagon to more quickly stop buying F-35 fighter jet components from Turkey. Sens. James Lankford, R-Okla.; Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H.; Thom Tillis, R-N.C.; and Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., complained in a letter to Defense Secretary Mark Esper on July 6 that the Pentagon's plans to buy parts from Turkey into 2022 undercuts U.S. pressure on the country over its purchase of the Russian S-400 Triumf air defense system. The U.S. formally removed Turkey from the multinational program in 2019 over the S-400 deal, and it ended training on the jet for Turkish pilots. Furthermore, the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act barred the transfer of F-35 aircraft to Turkey. The U.S. has warned that Turkey's use of the S-400 could compromise the stealthy F-35. But Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Ellen Lord told reporters in January that it would allow prime contractor Lockheed Martin and engine-maker Pratt & Whitney to honor existing contractual obligations with Turkish manufacturers for F-35 components. That means Lockheed would receive Turkish parts through the end of Lot 14, with those planes set to be delivered to customers in 2022. Turkish manufacturers were involved in building more than 900 parts for the F-35, and Pentagon officials said in November that it had found replacement suppliers for nearly all of them. Moving production from Turkey to the U.S. was projected to cost more than $500 million in nonrecurring engineering costs. The lawmakers pointed to Turkey's authoritarian drift under Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and to human rights violations in Syria and Iraq. Though it wasn't mentioned in the letter, CNN broke news last month that Erdogan had pressed U.S. President Donald Trump in frequent phone calls for policy concessions and other favors, worrying Trump's national security advisers. The lawmakers argued to Esper that continuing to buy parts violates the 2020 NDAA and its “clear diplomatic message to Turkey about the consequences of moving forward with Russian defense systems and technology.” “Based on recent revelations, it is clear that the Pentagon is not following its own timeline or the intent of Congress in this matter,” the letter read. “We encourage you to reexamine the present approach and take action to ensure an expedited removal of Turkey from the manufacturing line as required by law.” Valerie Insinna contributed to this report. https://www.defensenews.com/congress/2020/07/07/stop-buying-turkeys-f-35-parts-already-lawmakers-tell-dod/