It is possible that Malaysia will acquire the latest version of the Lockheed Martin AN/AAQ-33 Sniper airborne targeting pod, with the capability improvements as detailed in this 2021 Lockheed Martin infographic. (Lockheed Martin)

The US Department of State has approved a possible sale of Lockheed Martin AN/AAQ-33 Sniper Advanced Targeting Pods (ATPs) for the Royal Malaysian Air Force's (RMAF's) Boeing F/A-18D fleet.

The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced on 7 May that 10 AN/AAQ-33 airborne targeting pods had been approved for sale, following a request from the Malaysian government. The proposed sale package, which includes technical data and publications, personnel training, software and training equipment, and related elements of logistics and programme support, has an estimated value of USD80 million.

“The proposed sale will improve Malaysia's capability to meet current and future threats by modernising its current F/A-18D platform with a common targeting pod,” the DSCA said.

“This proposed sale will also mitigate future obsolescence concerns and allow the [RMAF] to meet future operational requirements. Malaysia will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment into its armed forces,” DSCA added.

According to Janes

The first upgraded Hercules was delivered back to the Portuguese Air Force on 2 May. (Victor Barreira)

After several delays, the Portuguese Air Force (Força Aérea Portuguesa: FAP) took delivery of the first modernised Lockheed Martin C-130H Hercules transport aircraft on 2 May.

A ‘stretched' C-130H-30 Hercules was formally received by the Squadron 501 ‘Bisontes', the FAP said.

OGMA – Indústria Aeronáutica de Portugal was awarded a contract in November 2018 worth EUR15.5 million (USD16.7 million) to modernise two C-130Hs and two C-130H-30s.

The modernised fleet was scheduled for delivery during 2019 and 2020, however, the Covid-19 pandemic, budget restrictions, and other issues have significantly slowed the effort.

Delivery of the remaining three modernised aircraft is scheduled to take place during 2024 and 2025, Janes was told.

The modernisation, co-financed by the European Union through the Single European Sky Air Traffic Management Research (SESAR) mechanism, aims to enable the Hercules fleet to comply with the Communications, Navigation, Surveillance/Global Air Traffic Management (CNS/GATM) requirement.

Having previously signalled its intent to acquire 48 new Eurofighter Typhoons in addition to the 72 already received (pictured), Saudi Arabia is now looking at the Boeing F-15EX Eagle II and the Dassault Rafale for its future requirements also. (Saudi Press Agency)

France, the United Kingdom, and the United States are to bid on Saudi Arabia's pending combat aircraft requirement, with the Middle East country holding a full and open competition for the first time.

A senior industry official with knowledge of the requirement told Janes and other defence media in late April of Riyadh's decision to hold a competition between the Dassault Rafale, the Boeing F-15EX Eagle II, and the Eurofighter Typhoon respectively, when previously, political considerations would be uppermost in its considerations for such high-end military hardware.

The Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) has an outstanding requirement of approximately 50 combat aircraft to add to the 83 Boeing F-15SA Advanced Eagles, 63 F-15S Eagles, 66 F-15C Eagles, 20 F-15D Eagles, 72 Eurofighter Typhoons, and 79 Panavia Tornados it currently fields.