Acquisitions
Is the UK watering down NMH in favour of more H145s?
The UK MOD intends to award a £140m contract to Airbus Helicopters UK for the supply of six H145 Jupiter HC2 helicopters – complete with three years of technical support services – to replace the ageing Puma HC2 tactical transport helicopters currently used by British Forces Brunei and British Forces Cyprus from 2024
Germany orders more P-8A Poseidons
The Budget Committee of the German Bundestag released €1.1bn of additional funding for the procurement of three more P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) for the German Navy on November 16
NATO joins Wedgetail revolution as it confirms E-3A Sentry fleet successor
NATO revealed on November 15 that Boeing’s E-7A Wedgetail has been selected to succeed the alliance’s ageing E-3A Sentry airborne warning and control system (AWACS) fleet, which entered operational service with the organisation in 1982
Argentina moves to buy Norwegian Orions and Danish ‘Vipers’
The Argentine Air Force and Navy are being prepared for a major recapitalisation with the acquisition of four P-3C/N Orion maritime patrol aircraft from Norway and up to 38 F-16AM/BM (MLU) Fighting Falcon multi-role fighters from Denmark, after the respective deals were green lit by the US government on October 11
Sikorsky receives MH-60R Seahawk order for Spanish Navy
Lockheed Martin announced on October 12 that its Sikorsky business unit had received a Foreign Military Sales contract – worth $379.58m – from the US Navy to produce eight MH-60R Seahawk multi-mission maritime helicopters for the Spanish Navy
Ecuador buys two C295s for Army and Navy use
Ecuador’s President Guillermo Lasso announced that his Minister of Defence, Luis Lara, had signed a contract with Airbus Defence & Space for the purchase of two C295 tactical transport aircraft on October 18
ADEX 2023: KAI expects next LAH production contract by end of year
KAI is awaiting a second production contract for Light Attack Helicopters (LAH) from Seoul, and this follow-on order is now expected to be placed before the end of 2023
South Korea axes F-35B acquisition plan to grow F-35A fleet?
Seoul has requested a government-to-government Foreign Military Sale for the purchase of 25 fifth-generation F-35A Lightning II fighters has been approved by the US State Department
US Navy orders more CH-53Ks for USMC and Israel
The US Navy has awarded Sikorsky a $2.7bn contract to build and deliver 35 additional CH-53K King Stallion heavy-lift transport helicopters – comprising 12 Lot 7 and 15 Lot 8 aircraft for the USMC, along with a further eight examples for Israel (adding to the four announced in 2022)
F-15EX eyed as solution for Poland’s air dominance requirements
In light of the ongoing Ukraine-Russia War and in line with its newly inflated defence budget, Poland is actively evaluating the purchase of a fleet of F-15EX Eagle IIs through the US DOD’s Foreign Military Sales programme to meet its requirement for a new air dominance fighter, according to Boeing