US to boost military presence in Middle East amid growing tensions

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  7 novembre 2019 | International, Aérospatial

  Leonardo sees market opportunity for M-346 attack variant in Middle East

  By: Agnes Helou Correction: Leonardo has corrected statements made about M-346 customers during a tour of one of its facilities by Defense News, and this story has been updated to reflect that. BEIRUT — After the first order of its fighter attack variant of the M-346, Italian firm Leonardo is marketing the fighter jet in the Middle East, industry officials told Defense News, while noting that the training version was tested in the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Qatar. “M-346 has been tested in Kuwait under hot conditions, passing all the tests successfully, and then it was also tested with the Italian Air Force in November 2018 in Qatar,” a Leonardo official said. Defense News spoke to the official during a tour of the company's facilities in Venegono Superiore, Italy. Leonardo would not identify the M-346FA customer or the contract value, despite inquiries by Defense News during and after the tour. The deal comes in the wake of increased interest for trainer jets — both those solely used for training and those able to perform close-air support missions — from Mideast countries seeking to expand their respective fighter fleets. “There is an increasing need for trainer jets in the MENA [Middle East and North Africa] region as countries there work to expand their fighter fleets. The MENA nations have requirements for trainers also able to perform close‐air support missions," said Marco Buratti, Leonardo's senior vice president of international marketing and strategic campaigns. “Among the most notable examples that have chosen Leonardo's training approach is the UAE's national aerobatic team, Al Fursan — widely recognized as one of the best in the world and considered as a UAE national pride — which uses the Aermacchi MB‐339 aircraft,” he added. “The Emirati pilots were trained in Italy and the UAE under the supervision of the Frecce Tricolori pilots using Italian aircraft and training systems.” Leonardo offers its trainer customers the opportunity to send personnel to its International Flight Training School, where it trains pilots in four phases: primary training/screening; basic-advanced training; lead-in to fighter training; and an operational conversion unit. Leonardo is a member of the Eurofighter consortium, which builds the Typhoon fighter jet. Oman, Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia are among those in the Gulf region who have ordered the aircraft. Meanwhile, in Europe, Italy has joined the United Kingdom's Tempest program for a next-generation fighter. Will the M-346 be the chosen trainer for that effort? “M-346 demonstrated its capability as [a] trainer for Eurofighter and F-35. It is early to speak about Tempest program because we don't know yet how it will be inserted in the combat environment," a Leonardo official told Defense News. "First, we need to understand [the] Tempest combat environment, and then we evaluate the M-346 as a trainer for the Tempest, or if in 10-15 years from now Leonardo will have to evolve the training system towards a new combat environment that require[s] new training skills.” https://www.defensenews.com/digital-show-dailies/dubai-air-show/2019/11/06/mideast-customer-orders-attack-variant-of-leonardos-m-346-trainer-jet/

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  10 octobre 2019 | International, Aérospatial

  Embraer Predicts E175-E2 First Flight By Year-End

  Helen Massy-Beresford Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer expects the E175-E2 to make its first flight later this year, with an entry into service for the latest member of its new-generation E-Jets family expected at the end of 2021. Meanwhile, the E195-E2, Embraer's largest commercial aircraft, which offers up to 146 seats and boasts lower operating costs per seat, better fuel consumption and lower emissions, is partway through a global demonstration tour. The tour has just left Europe and is now in North America before heading to Africa next month. “The first prototype of the E175-E2 is being built, and the engine is being hung. We're looking forward to going into service at the end of 2021 and to the first flight at the end of this year,” Martyn Holmes, Embraer Commercial Aviation's VP for Europe, Russia, Central Asia and Leasing, told a press conference at the European Regions Airline Association general assembly Oct. 9. “I think there are great opportunities for the E175-E2 in western continental Europe, I think it will be a great hub feeder. We're stepping up our activity with airlines–watch this space.” As for the E195-E2, following certification by Brazilian, European and U.S. authorities in April, Embraer delivered its first aircraft Sept. 12 to Brazilian low-cost operator Azul, the type's global launch operator, and to lessor AerCap. The E195-E2 is due to enter service with Binter Canarias and Helvetic Airways in the next few weeks. Embraer Commercial Aviation CEO John Slattery also said the manufacturer is considering the turboprop market. “There's absolutely a place in the world for turboprops but the current technology for turboprops is over three decades old,” he said. “I do believe there is an opportunity to significantly improve the operations and the emissions against what's available in the market today in turboprops. “This is something we have been looking at now in earnest for quite some time. We're continuing to spend meaningful dollars in continuing our review. We're always running the ruler over what's next. We're also running the ruler over what should come after the turboprop: What should we be doing on electric hybrid or autonomous travel, for example. There's a role for turboprops, and I'd like to own a piece of that, but we haven't quite closed the business case yet.” Embraer has spoken to operators and lessors in the turboprop segment around the world who “uniformly” see a market for a new-technology turboprop that would yield reduced operating costs and emissions, Slattery added. https://aviationweek.com/crossover-narrowbody-jets/embraer-predicts-e175-e2-first-flight-year-end

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  14 décembre 2024 | International, C4ISR

  390,000+ WordPress Credentials Stolen via Malicious GitHub Repository Hosting PoC Exploits

  Over 390,000 WordPress credentials exfiltrated via malicious GitHub repository hosting trojanized PoC code.