U.S. GOVERNMENT AWARDS LOCKHEED MARTIN CONTRACT TO BEGIN PRODUCTION OF MULTI-MISSION SURFACE COMBATANT FOR KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA

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  October 7, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Security

  Rafale: Vers un nouveau contrat en Inde ?

  Yannick Genty-Boudry L'Indian Air Force étudie la possibilité d'acquérir deux escadrons de Dassault Rafale supplémentaires. Inde: 36 Rafale de plus ? Lors de sa conférence de presse annuelle du lundi 4 octobre, l'Air Chief Marshal Bhadauria a déclaré que l'Indian Air Force étudiait la possibilité de commander 2 escadrons supplémentaires d'avions de combat Dassault Rafale. Même si pour le moment la priorité serait consacrée à l'acquisition des 83 LCA MK1A nationaux, Bhadauria a indiqué que dans un second temps l'Indian Air Force devra se prononcer soit vers la poursuite du programme MRFA (Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft) qui oppose plusieurs compétiteurs pour la livraison de 114 avions de combat, soit vers l'acquisition en gré à gré de 36 Rafale supplémentaires. Choix politique Mais même dans l'hypothèse de la poursuite de MRFA, le Rafale resterait le grand favori. Non seulement pour des raisons opérationnelles, puisqu'en en 2023 les 36 Rafale acquis par Delhi en 2016 seront totalement déployés au sein de l'IAF, mais surtout financières. Les prochains appareils proposés seront en effet moins coûteux que lors de la première acquisition dans la mesure où en 2016 l'IAF avait exigé des modifications lourdes de l'appareil, nécessitant une enveloppe de 1,7 Geur pour mener à bien les travaux de R&D, d'intégration, et de certification associés. Aussi, il est fortement probable que les aviateurs indiens cherchent à capitaliser sur cet investissement. Menace nucléaire En outre, en cas d'urgence opérationnelle le gouvernement indien recourt fréquemment aux acquisitions en gré à gré, et surtout lorsqu'il s'agit d'appareils déjà déployés dans les forces et construits localement. Un scénario qui s'est encore reproduit l'été dernier avec l'acquisition auprès des russes de 12 SU-30 MKI et de 21 Mig-29 d'occasion. Or une nouvelle menace inquiète particulièrement le gouvernement indien depuis quelques semaines. En raison des tensions dans l'Himalaya, Pékin a récemment déployé sur la base de Kachgar située à 625 km de Leh, la capitale du Ladakh indien, 6 bombardiers lourds H-6 de nouvelle génération capables de délivrer à distance de sécurité des missiles de croisière KD-20, mais aussi prochainement des missiles balistiques à charge nucléaire. Cette capacité qui menace déjà une grande partie des centres stratégiques indiens, n'en est pourtant qu'à ses prémisses puisque la Chine est en train de reconstituer, précisément au travers de ces bombardiers, une triade nucléaire. Une triade sans commune mesure avec ce dont elle disposait lors de la guerre froide. Or de tous les avions en compétition sur le marché indien, seul le Rafale a depuis son origine été spécifié pour répondre à un tel défi. Nous reviendrons longuement sur les nouvelles capacités nucléaires de l'armée de l'air chinoise dans le numéro d'Air&Cosmos qui sera publié le 15 octobre prochain. https://www.air-cosmos.com/article/rafale-vers-un-nouveau-contrat-en-inde-23701

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  August 16, 2019 | International, Aerospace

  Bell 407GXi earns instrument flight rules certification

  Bell Textron Inc., a Textron Inc. company, announced the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued an instrument flight rules (IFR) supplemental type certificate (STC) for the Bell 407GXi. The certification is a requirement for the Navy Advanced Helicopter Training System competition, enabling the Bell 407GXi to replace the Bell TH-57 Sea Ranger as the U.S. Navy's training helicopter. Bell's replacement bid offers a unique combination of capability, ease of transition, and low sustainment costs, giving the best value to the Navy. Should the Bell 407GXi be selected for the U.S. Navy Advanced Helicopter Trainer program, the company plans to conduct final assembly of the aircraft in Ozark, Ala. “The team did a great job ensuring the Bell 407GXi achieved the FAA's IFR certification necessary to meet all of the Navy's requirements,” said Mitch Snyder, president and CEO. “Bell is an instrumental part of the Navy's training program and has been for more than 50 years, and we look forward to continuing the tradition for the next generation of naval aviators.” A Bell to Bell transition offers low-risk to the Navy by streamlining instructor pilot and maintainer transition training as well as using common support equipment and infrastructure. The 407 airframe has already proven capabilities as the platform for the MQ-8C Fire Scout for the U.S. Navy. Bell's customer service and support has established capability with cost-efficient and effective helicopter training solutions. Bell proves its mature production and sustainment support capability every day by supporting more than 1,600 Bell 407s globally. These aircraft have nearly 6 million flight hours across the fleet and are actively performing flight training as well as military and para-public missions helicopter mission-set. The 407GXi's Garmin G1000H NXi Flight Deck enhances situational awareness and reduces pilot workload by delivering easy-to-read information at a glance. The Bell 407GXi's new IFR capability will allow all-weather operations while continuing to provide multi-mission capability safely, reliably, and effectively. The Bell 407GXi offers the lowest direct operating costs of any IFR-capable helicopter produced today. Combined with its proven performance, reliability, and ease of transition, the Bell 407GXi is the best value aircraft for U.S. Navy helicopter training. https://www.skiesmag.com/press-releases/bell-407gxi-earns-instrument-flight-rules-certification/

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  February 25, 2019 | International, Aerospace

  Lockheed unveils new F-21 fighter jet configured for India

  Sanjeev Miglani NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Lockheed Martin offered India on Wednesday a new combat jet to be made locally, the F-21, in an attempt to win a large military order worth more than $15 billion. The U.S. defense firm had previously offered its F-16 fighter used by countries around the world for the Indian air force's ongoing competition for 114 planes to be made in India. But Lockheed, unveiling the plan at an air show in the southern city of Bengaluru, said it was offering India a new plane configured for its needs. It would carry technologies from its fifth generation planes, the F-22 and the F-35, the firm said. “The F-21 is different, inside and out,” Vivek Lall, vice president of Strategy and Business Development for Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, said in a statement. The company will build the plane in collaboration with India's Tata Advanced Systems, the firm said. Lockheed is competing with Boeing's F/A-18, Saab's Gripen, Dassault Aviation's Rafale, the Eurofighter Typhoon and a Russian aircraft for the air force order. The deal to replace the Indian Air Force's ageing fleet of Soviet-era fighter jets is one of the biggest contracts for such planes in play. India has a lengthy procurement process, and no decision is expected until well after a national election due by May. Lockheed has offered to move its F-16 production plant at Fort Worth, Texas, to India, if it wins the order in a boost for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Make-in-India plan to build a domestic military industrial base and create jobs. It said it expected to export planes from the proposed plant in India on top of the Indian requirements for an overseas market that it estimated at $20 billion. But the Indian military has had concerns over the F-16 as an old plane and in an earlier competition it lost out to the eventual winner, the Rafale built by Dassault. But Lockheed said the F-21 could be India's pathway to the stealth F-35 fighter, which has entered U.S. service in one of the world's most expensive defense programs. “The F-21 has common components and learning from Lockheed Martin's 5th Generation F-22 and F-35 and will share a common supply chain on a variety of components,” the company said. It said production in India would create thousands of jobs for Indian industry as well as support hundreds of U.S.-based Lockheed Martin engineering, program management and customer support positions. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-airshow-india-lockheed/lockheed-unveils-new-f-21-fighter-jet-configured-for-india-idUSKCN1Q90ED