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Aviation History
2001
2001 - 3766.PDF
Directory: world air forces MARINE (NAVY) Previously called the Force Navale/Zeemacht in the bilingual Belgian forces, Marine has three Alouette Ills at Coxyde/Koksijde as a flight in the air force's SAR squadron. The Alouettes are also used for liaison. AVIATION LEGERE DE LA FORCE TERRESTRE/LICHT VLEIGWEZEN VAN DE LAND- MACHT (LIGHT AVIATION GROUP) The Belgian army light aviation group's principal front line type is the TOW-equipped Agusta A109 heli copter, which is used in scout and attack roles. Its other types, fixed-wing Islanders and the Alouette II, are both used for liaison and, in the case of the latter, also basic rotary-wing training. From 2004 the Alouette lis will be replaced by 15 to 19 machines that will also take over some of the A109HA's roles. The army is also seeking up to 15 medium-to-heavy lift helicopters - possibly Cougars or Chinooks, to aid interoperability with the neighbouring Netherlands - to meet Belgium's air mobility ambitions. The Islanders will be retired by 2005, their tasks falling to the A109s, which are expected to receive an MLU in 2007. This will include the integration of a new ATM. Type No Role A109HA/HQ 28/18 anti-tank/scout BN-2 Islander 10 liaison/trng BELIZE DEFENCE FORCE, AIR WING The Air Wing was formed in 1983 and is based at Belize International Airport. It operates two Islanders and a T67M-200 Firefly for training. The US Drug Enforcement Agency deploys Ayres S2R defoliant sprayers and UH-1Hs to the country and these nomi nally fall under Belize Defence Force control. l?ET?irfl FORCE ARMEES POPULAIRE BENIN (PEOPLE'S ARMED FORCES OF BENIN) This small air arm is tailored to transport and liaison duties and has no combat capability. Two An-26s and a Twin Otter are operated jointly with the national air line, Benin Inter Regional. The air arm is thought to have serviceability problems. Type No An-26 Curl 2 Dornier 128-2 Skyservant 2 DHC-6 Twin Otter 1 Role trans trans trans BHUTAN ROYAL BHUTAN ARMY Bhutan's forces operate a Dornier 228 and two Mi-8s based at the country's capital, Thimpu. FUERZA AEREA BOLIVIANA (AIR FORCE) The Bolivian air force's single offensive type is an armed version of the T-33 trainer; the first aircraft were acquired from surplus Canadian stock in 1973, with follow-on purchases from various sources - 18 are receiving a $16 million avionics and cockpit upgrade from Kelowna Flightcraft of British Columbia. The first aircraft arrived in Canada in November 1998, but its completion was delayed by a USA/Canada arms sales dispute that has prevented the overhaul of the T-33's elderly engine. The first six returned to Bolivia in 2001. Bolivia has requested 18 TA-4J Skyhawks from the USA, which could receive an upgrade similar to Argentina's A-4ARs; other potential types are the Jaguar, Kfir C2 or more T-33s. Lack of funds has thwarted a number of similar programmes in the past. The US has supplied UH-1Hs and C-130s for anti-drug operations. The PC-7s are also used for this as is the Basler Turbo 67, a turboprop version of the DC-3. Bolivia has requested Huey II upgrades for at least eight of its UH-1Hs. Some transports are flown by two military-operated airlines, Transporte Aereo Militar and Transporte Aereo Boliviano. Type No Role AT-33/T-33 19 attack PC-7 Turbo Trainer UH-1H SA315B Lama/HB315B C-130A/B/H Hercules L-188A Electra F27-400 Friendship D0-8-540F ^H^H C212 Aviocar CVSRO 4HH^H Basler Turbo 67 IAI-201 Arava Sabreliner 60 Learjet 25/35 B55 Baron Cessna 206 Cessna 210 Cessna 402/421C Commander 680E/1000 T-33 Uirapuru Cessna 152 Aerobat King Air E90/B200/C200 PA-32 Cherokee 10/9 21/3 3/6 9 ••• 5 •m 1 5 1 •• 1 2/1 1 ••1 24/7 5/2 2/2 2/1 30 12 1/1/1 4 COIN/trng sp ops/SAR SARJHBB trans trans (stored) trans trans (stored) trans trans trans trans trans photo/trans comms comms comms/survey liaison/SAR photosurvey trng trng trans liaison AVIACION DE LAS FUERZAS NAVALES BOLIVIANAS/AVIACION DEL EJERCITO BOLIVIANO (ARMY/NAVY) Land-locked Bolivia has a small navy, which patrols the country's border of rivers and lakes; it has a sin gle Cessna 402C. Bolivia's army operates a King Air and aC212. BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA SHBHBHHH ARMY OF THE FEDERATION OF BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA (ABIH) Following the signing of the 1995 peace accord by Yugoslavia's three warring factions, Bosnia- Herzegovina is split into two, one part controlled by the Muslim/Croat Federation and the other by the Bosnian Serbs. Peace has been maintained by the presence of the NATO-led SFOR. ABiH has a small air arm, the bulk of which is 15 UH-1H helicopters donated by the USA as part of an estimated $100 million arms and training package which is designed to create a Western-style defence force and act as a deterrent to its neighbour, Serbia. It has between six and 12 Mi-8/17s, but serviceability is low. It also has a Citation II and four UTVA-75 light aircraft used for communications, and a Mi-34 training helicopter. REPUBLIKA SRPSKA AIR FORCE Republika Srpska, the Serbian part of Bosnia- Herzegovina, is limited by the OSCE treaty to 21 fixed-wing combat aircraft and seven attack heli copters. The former are types indigenous to the pre- civil war Yugoslavia including Oraos, Jastrebs, Galebs and Super Galebs. It also operates Mi-8 and Gazelle helicopters and reportedly has access to UTVA 66 and 75 light aircraft. In March 2001, the head of the Republika Srpska army, Col-Gen Novia Simic declared, without giving details, that the air force would be improved over the following five years. • I I I I I I II——— BOTSWANA DEFENCE FORCE AIR ARM In late 1996, Botswana's air arm acquired its first modern combat aircraft when it bought 13 CF-5A/Ds from Bristol Aerospace in a $50 million deal which included training. The aircraft are from a batch of 24 CF-5s upgraded with new avionics by Bristol Aerospace for the Canadian Forces, which was to have used them as lead-in fighters. Two ex-USAF C-130Bs arrived in mid-1997 and a third was acquired in early 2000. Derco Aerospace has upgraded the C-130s with new avionics suitable for civilian air traffic airways. Another three Squirrels were delivered in 2001 and a further example could be acquired for VIP duties although the Bell 412 is also being considered. Type CF-5A/D PC-7 Turbo Trainer BN-2A Defender C-130B Hercules No 10/3 7 10 3 Role int/attack trng/COIN COIN/patrol trans CN235 C212-300 Aviocar Gulfstream IV Cessna 152 Bell 412 AS350 Ecureuil 0-2 Skymaster 2 2 1 2 6 7 9 trans trans V!P trng trans/VIP trng/con anti-poa ims ching FORCA AEREA BRASILEIRA (AIR FORCE) Brazil's biggest acquisition competition is its F-X pro gramme to replace initially Mirage Ills and later F-5s. Up to 100 fighters could be acquired. An RFP was issued in October 2001, with the Mirage 2000BR seen as the lead contender against the F-16C/D and Gripen. The Typhoon is not expected to be a compli ant bid and Boeing withdrew the F/A-18E/F as it could not meet the budget. In June 2000, Brazilian defence minister Geraldo Quintio outlined a $3 billion air force acquisition programme, spurred by more than half the aircraft being grounded because of serviceability issues. An allocation of $700 million was made for an initial 12 to 24 F-Xs. These could yet be second-hand aircraft to ensure that the fighters are in service before the Mirage Ills are retired. Industrial offset with Embraer - now partially owned by a French consor tium - is a major Brazilian Government consideration. In October 1998 Elbit was selected to upgrade sys tems and avionics of 48 F-5s. Embraer will act as pro ject manager and systems integrator. The programme ran into trouble, however, not least because of the devaluation of the Brazilian real and a decision to drop an Elta radar in favour of the Fiar Grifo. Eventually, the first two F-5s arrived at Embraer for prototype installations in February 2001. Embraer is also to upgrade Brazil's AMXs, a programme that will be in conjunction with Alenia and which will include new avionics, weapons system and navigation equip ment, as well as a SCP-01 Scipio radar, and JTIDS/MIDS datalinks. In May 1999, Embraer flew the first of five EMB- 145 regional jets equipped with an Ericsson Erieye radar above the fuselage. Three remote sensing EMB-145RSs with a synthetic aperture radar and FUR are also on order as part of the SIVAM Amazon surveillance programme. The eight SIVAM EMB- 145SA/RSs are due to enter service by May 2002, although the first hand-over in August 2001 was delayed. Linked to the SIVAM programme is the acquisition of 50 single-seat A-29s, armed versions of the Super Tucano trainer with Elbit avionics. Fifty twin- seat AT-29s are also needed to replace Xavantes in the armed trainer role. In August 2001, the Brazilian Government finally signed a $380 million contract for 25 A-29s, 51 AT-29s and for 23 options. Deliveries are due to start in 2003. Embraer is also trying to per suade the Brazilian Government to order VlP-config- ured ERJ-135S, the smaller version of the ERJ-145, to replace BAe 125s. Quinti'o's June 2000 statement reduced from 12 to eight the number of ex-USN P-3A/B Orions to be acquired to replace elderly S-2 Trackers and complement P95s (derived from the Bandeirante). These are to be updated in Brazil to a standard similar to the P-3C-Update II. Other procurement plans include the CLX light transport to replace Buffalos and possibly a fourth batch of AMXs. To bolster the transport fleet Brazil acquired 10 ex-Italian C-130Hs from Lockheed Martin in 2001. Derco is upgrading the cockpits of Brazil's C- 130Es. A requirement for three or four heavylift heli copters is awaiting funding while the RC-X pro gramme for seven airframes for VIP and tanker-trans port use is not expected to be concluded until 2005. Type Mirage IIID/E (F-103D/E) F-5E/F/B AMX/AMX-T(A-1) EMB-111A(P-95) S-2E Tracker (P-16) P-3A/B ALX (A-29/AT-29) AT/RT-26 Xavante C-130E/H/KC-130H No 4/14 56 27/14 21 13 8' M Role int attack/trng attack/trng MR MR MR 25751723^ COIN/trng 58/38/10 trnq/recce 17/2/3 trans/tank/recce 38 27 NOVEMBER - 3 DECEMBER 2001 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL www.flightinternational.com
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