One of the new Z-9WE helicopters at Malabo airbase. (Partido Democrático de Guinea Ecuatorial)

The Armed Forces of Equatorial Guinea (FAGE) is now operating two new Harbin Z-9 helicopters, the country's ruling Democratic Party (Partido Democrático de Guinea Ecuatorial: PDGE) revealed on 9 April when it reported that Vice-President Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue had inspected the aircraft.

The PDGE released photographs showing the vice-president with at least one of the new helicopters at a location that could be identified as the airbase at Malabo International Airport. It was fitted with a gimballed electro-optical system under its nose and pylons for weapons that can include guns, rockets, and anti-tank missiles.

The Z-9 is the Chinese-made version of the Airbus AS365 Dauphin. The PDGE identified the new helicopters as the Z-9WE variant. It added that Equatorial Guinea is considering acquiring additional combat helicopters.

The FAGE was not previously known to have any Chinese aircraft in its fleet, which consists almost entirely of Soviet-era types.

For more information on the Z-9, seeHAIG (Airbus Helicopters) Z-9 Haitun .

The KAI T-50 is a tandem-seat multirole trainer aircraft that is in service with Indonesia, South Korea, and Thailand. (KAI)

Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has proposed a sale of T-50 multirole trainer aircraft to the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF), which seeks to acquire new combat aircraft from fiscal year (FY) 2025.

A KAI spokesperson told Janes on 17 April that the proposal for the T-50TH variant was submitted in November 2023. The T-50TH is being pitched for the possible acquisition programme as the RTAF “has already purchased and operates the same model [of aircraft]”, the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson added that the T-50TH is being proposed as it is a multirole aircraft that “is not only suitable for advanced training but also capable of real combat in urgent situations”.

Janes understands that KAI's proposal is in response to an unofficial request for proposals (RFP) issued by the RTAF in the second half of 2023. In its 2024 White Paper, the RTAF detailed a plan to procure 12–14 fighter aircraft to replace ageing Lockheed Martin F-16A/Bs of its 102 Squadron from FY 2025 to FY 2034.

The MRC weapon system (pictured above from its trials in June 2023) is a containerised version of the Mk 41 VLS that can be integrated and fired from the bed of a M983A4 Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck. (US Army)

The US Army's 1st Multi-Domain Task Force (1MDTF) has deployed its Mid-Range Capability (MRC) weapon system – also known as the Typhon Weapons System – at Northern Luzon in the Philippines as part of Exercise ‘Salaknib 24', the US Army Pacific said in a press release on 15 April.

This deployment aims to enhance the Philippines' maritime defence capabilities, while bolstering interoperability and readiness within the US-Philippine Alliance, the US Army Pacific said.

The MRC – made up of four launchers, a battery operations centre (BOC), a High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle BOC support vehicle, and battery reload capability – reached the Philippines aboard the C-17 Globemaster III airframe, the US Army Pacific added.

According to the US Army Pacific, the 1MDTF's MRC is a land-based, ground-launched system that enhances multidomain fires. The MRC launchers can fire the Standard Missile (SM)-6 and the Tomahawk Land Attack Missile (TLAM).