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Aviation History
2004
2004-09 - 2352.PDF
Directory: world air forces Ghana's air force continues to acquire Mi-17-series helicopters to support peacekeeping duties F-4F Phantom I TANKER A310 COMBAT HELICOPTER KTCTOBBMM A310 Challenaer 601 L-410 53 3 6 30 2 3es Kind Lvnx88/88A NH90 NFH 41 15/7 21 /30 GHANA AIR FORCE Ghana has supported UN and Organisation of African Unity missions with its air force. Operational activity Ghana sent peacekeeping troops to Liberia in September 2003 and a contingent has remained in the country. Procurement Four Mi-17s were purchased from Kazan in September 2003. Further purchases of Kazan helicopters are planned to support Ghana's peacekeeping contingents. Fleet review The Skyvans were withdrawn from service but were subsequently re-introduced following overhaul by Airwork in the UK. Type Active Stored Order/Req COMBAT AIRCRAFT MB326KC/E/F MB339A TRANSPORT BN-2T Islande F27 400M/60C F28-3000 Skyvan 3M Cessna 172 Gulfstream II COMBAT HELICOPTER AB412 K££ COMBAT HELICOPTER UH-1D 86 AS532U2 Couaar 3 NH90 30/24 TRAINING AIRCRAFT/HELICOPTERS MARINEFLIEGER (NAVAL AIR ARM) The German navy's air arm was the major victim of the cutbacks announced in March 2003, which included the merger of the service's Tornado wing into the Luftwaffe. Operational activity Atlantics are deployed regularly to Djibouti to support German naval vessels on anti-terrorist patrols in the Middle East. Procurement When the Netherlands decided to scrap its martime patrol aircraft fleet Germany quickly offered to buy eight surplus P-3 Orions from 2005-6, and the deal was secured in 2004. The navy's 17 Lynx 88s are being brought up to an 88A standard, while seven new machines to the same specification have been acquired. The 88As are equivalent to the Super Lynx with 360° radar, improved navigation equipment, nose- mounted FLIR, composite main rotor blades and a reverse-direction tail rotor. The first two machines were delivered in 2002. NH90s will replace them around 2015, having first replaced the Sea Kings from 2007-8, but as yet a firm order has not been placed. Fleet review Four Atlantics are used for SIGINT and these could be replaced by a version of the Global Hawk UAV Type Active Stored Order/Req COMBAT AIRCRAFT ISTAR/SPECIAL MISSION Atlantic 1 1 HEERESFLIEGER (ARMY AVIATION) The army is a transport and combat air arm equipped with medium and light helicopters in the shape of the CH-53G and the UH-1Ds and variants of the BO105 for anti-tank and observation work. Operational activity Three CH-53Gs are deployed to Kabul to support the German contingent in the NATO peacekeeping force in Afghanistan. Other CH-53Gs and UH-1D support German peacekeeping forces in Bosnia and Kosovo. Procurement German army aviation is poised for a major change as deliveries of the NH90 tactical transport begin in 2004. Given the funding problems it seems unlikely an option for 30 more NH90s will be taken up. A Tiger initial pro duction contract, signed in 1999, covers delivery of 80 combat support variant Tigers to Germany from late 2003. Training at the joint French-German Tiger training base in southern France was due to begin in October 2004. Budget cuts have resulted in a projected pur chase of 212 dropping to 120 at the most. Twenty CH- 53s are receiving upgrades, including external long- range tanks, EW equipment and NVG-compatible cock pits to make the aircraft more suitable for NATO and UN operations. The type is to be replaced by a heavy transport helicopter from 2015-20. During 2004 the first six CH-53Gs received the AAR-60 Missile Launch Detection System. The EC635s - military EC135s - were ordered in 1997 to replace Alouette lis in the training role. Fleet review The CH-53 and UH-1D fleets are plagued by service ability problems and at any one time only about half are operational. Type Active Stored Order/Req COMBAT HELICOPTER UH-1D BO105M(VBH) 48 TRAINING HELICOPTERS Atlantic 1 SIGINT 5 P-3C TRANSPORT Dornier 228LM/LT 2/2 EC135T 15 UNMANNEDAIRVEHICLES CL-289 4/1/6 VOVIC K Islander 0 ^^H 2/1 1 4 3 1 SA319 Mi-17 4 AB212 '••••••••1 TRAINING AIRCRAFT/HELICOPTERS L-29 12 L-390Z 2 ELLINIKI POLEMIKI AEROPORIA (HELLENIC AIR FORCE) The Greek air force has benefitted from ongoing invest ment in new equipment for well over a decade. Procurement was paused to fund the 2004 Olympic Games and the new government is now conducting a review of all major defence projects. Operational activity Most of the Greek air force was placed on high alert to provide security during the Olympics in Athens. Procurement The Greek air force launched a major modernisation and expansion programme in 1996. In 2000, it became the first international customer for the Eurofighter Typhoon, signalling a 60 aircraft order, with an option of 30 more. A deal was not signed, however, due to a 2001 spending freeze and the new government is reviewing the project. During 1999, Greece finalised deals for four Embraer EMB-145s fitted with Ericsson Erieye AEW radars and with Raytheon for 45 T-6 Texan trainers. As an interim AEW capability, the air force operated two Swedish air force Saab 340-based Argus AEW systems to gain experience with the Erieye radar. The first of the EMB-145s was handed over in September 2001 and the last were due to enter service by the end of 2004, with the Saab 340s being returned. In March 2002, Greece selected the C-27J over the CN-235, C-295 and An-32 to meet a medium transport requirement. Greece ordered 12 aircraft and took options on another three: the deal also includes two C-130Hs and four G222s, all ex-Italian air force assets. A competition is under way for an advanced trainer - the Mako, Hawk, MB339, L-159, MiG-AT and AMX-T are in the running for a T-2 replacement. The air force seeks a structural life extension and avionics upgrade for its 15 C-130s - L-3's Spar Aerospace will perform the avionics work. Fleet review The last Mirage F-1CGs were retired in July 2003, as the new Mirage 2000s and late batch F-16s arrived in large numbers. Type Active Stored Order/Req COMBAT AIRCRAFT W03BM: 2000EG/EG/8G 28/15/4 www.flightinternational.com FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 16-22 NOVEMBER 2004 59
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