24 November 2022
by Gareth Jennings
Screenshot from Turkish Aerospace video showing the TF-X/MMU future fighter prototype on the assembly line. (Turkish Aerospace )
Turkish Aerospace (TA) is progressing assembly of its Turkish Fighter Experimental (TF-X)/National Combat Aircraft (MMU), ahead of its planned roll-out on 18 March 2023.
Footage of the production line featuring the TF-X/MMU prototype was released by the company on 23 November, showing the advanced ‘fifth-generation' combat aircraft in an advanced state of assembly.
The emergence of the footage came four months after TA President and CEO Temel Kotil briefed Janes and other defence media on the timeline for the planned roll-out and first flight, with both scheduled for Turkey's Gallipoli Victory Day of 18 March. With the roll-out planned for 2023, the first flight will follow in 2025.
While the TF-X/MMU has been, and continues to be, developed with UK assistance – 100 engineers from BAE Systems are assigned to the project, Kotil said, adding that it is very much a national project with complete domestic production being the goal. He added that TA has largely had to stand up a Turkish design, development, and manufacturing capability from scratch.
28 March 2024
by Akhil Kadidal
This concept image of China's new attack helicopter, tentatively designated as Z-21, is based on photographs of the prototype aircraft in flight. (Janes)
China is developing a new attack helicopter that appears to be in the same weight class as the US Boeing AH-64 Apache and the Russian Mil Mi-28 Havoc.
Images of the new helicopter, which emerged on Chinese social media in March 2024, show an aircraft that is larger than the People's Liberation Army's (PLA's) in-service AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) Changhe Aircraft Industries Group (CHAIG) Z-10 attack helicopter, and with a wider central fuselage that is comparable with the Apache. The fuselage includes cheek fairings similar to the AH-64 Apache and a nose configuration similar to the Mi-28. The AH-64E and the Mi-28N have a maximum operating weight of 10–12 tons.
The new helicopter (tentatively designated as Z-21 by Chinese military observers) also appears to incorporate some of the PLA's latest combat helicopter features such as upward-facing engine exhausts to reduce its infrared signature.
27 March 2024
by Gareth Jennings
The Bird AeroSystems defensive aids installation fitted to an A319 airliner (pictured here) of an undisclosed European operator. (Bird AeroSystems)
Bird AeroSystems has fitted its aircraft defensive aids system (DAS) for an undisclosed European A319 operator, likely the Hungarian Air Force (HuAF).
The Israeli company said on 27 March that its Self Protection Radar Electro-Optic System (SPREOS) directed infrared countermeasure (DIRCM) and Aeroshield Missile Protection System (AMPS) had been fitted to multiple A319 aircraft for an undisclosed customer to protect against surface-to-air missile threats.
“At the core of this project is the SPREOS, a patented DIRCM system for missile approach verification, tracking, and laser jamming,” the company said. “The installation also included Bird's versatile AMPS solution, designed for both military and civilian markets, providing complete protection against ground-to-air threats, including [manportable air-defence system] MANPADS attacks, for helicopters and VVIP aircraft for heads of states. Additionally, the installation of the AeroShield pod solution on the Airbus A319 aircraft was expanded to be installed also for Dassault Falcon 7X aircraft,” it added.
27 March 2024
by Igor Bozinovski
Seen here in Italian service, the AW169M will soon be fielded by North Macedonia alongside the AW149 under a deal finalised on 26 March. (Bundesheer Fotos)
North Macedonia finalised its agreement to acquire eight new battlefield lift helicopters from Leonardo on 26 March, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on the same day.
The deal to buy four AW149 and four AW169M helicopters was signed between the North Macedonian Minister of Defence, Slavjanka Petrovska, and the vice-president of Leonardo, Cesare Cacha, in Skopje.
The milestone came weeks after the Army of the Republic of North Macedonia (ARNM) selected the Italian-built helicopters in January to replace Soviet-built airframes operated by the Aviation Brigade of the ARNM.
Deliveries will take place from August 2026 through to the end of 2028. Petrovska initially said the deal was valued at an estimated EUR230 million (USD250.5 million), but this has since risen to EUR249.9 million.
For more information on the Aviation Brigade of the ARNM, please seeNorth Macedonia - Air Force .
Turkish Aerospace (TA) is progressing assembly of its Turkish Fighter Experimental (TF-X)/National C...
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