30 May 2023
by Gareth Jennings
A specialist prepares a rope to inspect the damaged facade of a multistorey apartment building after a ‘drone' attack in Moscow on 30 May. (AFP via Getty Images)
Moscow was struck by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) on 30 May, with city officials reporting that upwards of 10 ‘drones' were shot down by ground-based air defence systems located in the capital.
Footage posted online appeared to show at least one propeller-driven UAV of a previously unknown type flying over the city, as well as impact damage to a residential building.
At the time of publication, the Ukrainian government had denied responsibility, with the Kyiv Post citing Mykhailo Podolyak, adviser to the head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, as saying Kyiv “has no direct relationship with [the] drone attack on Moscow”. No casualties were reported.
While Podolyak denied involvement, the footage indicated that the UAV was of the same type used against the southern Russian city of Krasnodar the previous week, which Ukrainian interest channels have referred to as the ‘Beaver'. Images posted online show this tactical-sized UAV featuring the same fore plane and pusher-propeller configuration as seen in the latest footage from Moscow.
19 March 2024
by Ridzwan Rahmat
A CN-235 MPA of the Indonesian Navy at the Singapore Airshow 2016. (Janes/Ridzwan Rahmat)
The US Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) has awarded a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) contract to upgrade three Indonesian Navy aircraft with enhanced maritime surveillance systems.
Under the contract, Oregon-based Integrated Surveillance and Defense (ISD) will upgrade two Indonesian Navy-operated Dirgantara CN-235-220/CN-235-220 MP maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) and modify one King Air 350i aircraft with “proven maritime surveillance systems”, said the company in a statement provided to Janes on 19 March.
“The ISD solution will consist of the installation and integration of a maritime surveillance radar, [an] electro-optical/infrared sensor, [an] airborne Automatic Identification System (AIS), [a] mission management system (MMS), and datalink communications,” reads the statement.
The contract's period of performance and delivery will be 24 months, the company added, without giving further specifics on the systems that will be provided or the value of the contract.
Indonesia's naval aviation centre operates a fleet of six CN-235-220 MPAs, and all airframes are based with the navy's Air Squadron 800 in Juanda, Surabaya.
19 March 2024
by Jeremiah Cushman
Bombardier has unveiled its Smart Services Defense programme to provide fixed cost-per-flight-hour support for its Challenger and Global families of business jets. Above is a computer-generated image of Bombardier's Global business jet family. (Bombardier)
Bombardier has launched a new maintenance offering for government and military operators of its Challenger- and Global-series business jets. The Smart Services Defense (SSD) programme provides cost-per-flight-hour coverage of airframe system components, landing gear overhaul, and options to meet customer needs, the company said in a 19 February statement.
The programme is intended for Bombardier Defense special mission, medical evacuation (MEDEVAC), head of state, and government operators, offering customisation based on end-user capabilities, personnel, and infrastructure requirements, including the requirements of high-utilisation rates or unique operating profiles, the statement said.
There are around 500 specialised Bombardier Defense aircraft in service around the world, which have more than three million fleet hours with 160 operators in over 50 countries, according to the company.
The SSD programme is the latest in Bombardier's cost-per-flight-hour offerings, which began around 35 years ago with its Smart Parts programme, Guillaume Landrivon, vice-president for Smart Services and Programs at Bombardier Aviation, told Janes
15 March 2024
by Jeremy Binnie
A Bayraktar Akıncı takes off with a Roketsan Çakir cruise missile for the test-firing announced on 1 March. (Baykar)
The Baykar Bayraktar Akıncı unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is carrying out firing trials with versions of the Roketsan MAM-L and MAM-T guided bombs that can be used against targets concealed by cloud cover, the UAV's Turkish manufacturer announced on 15 March.
Both the MAM-L, which is the standard munition for Baykar's UAVs, and the MAM-T, a small glide bomb, usually use semi-active laser guidance, but the company said it was testing a MAM-L with a television (TV) seeker and a MAM-T with an imaging infrared (IIR) seeker.
Baykar released a video showing two MAM-Ls being loaded on the inner and middle hardpoints on the left wing of an Akıncı at Baykar's Çorlu facility, while the aircraft's right wing was shown with two smaller MAM-C guided bombs on its outer hardpoint and a MAM-T on its middle hardpoint. The inner hardpoints on both sides were loaded with general-purpose bombs that appeared to be fitted with glide kits.
Moscow was struck by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) on 30 May, with city officials reporting that u...
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