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Aviation History
2004
2004-09 - 2371.PDF
Directory: world air forces Improved relations with the USA have enabled Pakistan's army to acquire new Bell 412EPs Operational activity During 2002 six Norwegian F-16s flew combat missions over Afghanistan in support of the US-led Operation "Enduring Freedom" from a base in Kyrgyzstan but they have since returned home. Procurement Norway has restarted its fighter competition, which had come to an halt in May 2000 when it shelved a plan to buy up to 30 advanced fighters, either Eurofighter Typhoons or F-16 Block 50s. Now it will re-evaluate the Eurofighter, F/A-18E/F, Gripen, JSF and Rafale. Two batches of 24 aircraft are likely to be ordered for deliver ies, beginning in the 2006-9 timeframe and 2015. Meanwhile, Norway is a participant in the JSF SDD with Denmark and in January 2003 signed an agreement on industrial participation in the Eurofighter project. In September 2001, the Nordic Standard Helicopter Programme competition came to an end with Norway selecting the NH90, ordering 14 in an ASW configura tion and taking 10 options. Norway is now hoping to buy six extra NH90s for its special forces to replace Bell 412s in this role. Lockheed Martin is upgrading the P-3 fleet. Instead of joining the A400M effort Norway is now to launch an extensive upgrade programme to extend operations of its C-130Hs beyond 2006, with the air craft expected to need modifications, including a wing replacement. Such work could extend the type's ser vice life until around 2018. The Norwegian air force is also still interested in leasing one or two tanker/trans port aircraft. Fleet review The F-16s are primarily air-defence assets although Pantera targeting pods were ordered in 2002 to provide a ground-attack capability following the retirement of F- 5s. Two of the earlier P-3s were modified to P-3N stan dards by removing the submarine-hunting equipment and replacing it with sea surveillance and environmen tal patrol sensors. Type Active Stored Order/Req COMBAT AIRCRAFT F-16AM/F-16BM 48 ISTAR/SPECIAL MISSION P-3C/N 4 Falcon 20 3 TRANSPORT C-130H 6 COMBAT HELICOPTER Bell 412SP 18 Lvnx Mk86 6 NH90 ASW TRAINING AIRCRAFT MFI-15/17Safir 14/4 9 2 14/10 AL QUWWAT AL JAWWIYA AL SULTANAT OMAN (ROYAL AIR FORCE OF OMAN) US aircraft made extensive use of Omani bases to sup port its invasion of Iraq during March and April 2003, reinforcing the Sultanate's defence links with Washington. Operational activity The air force has not been involved in major operational activity over the past year and US forces have recently scaled down their presence in the country. Procurement In March 2001, it was announced that the air force would acquire F-16s and Super Lynx 300s. The heli copter deal covers 16 multirole machines with T800 engines, glass cockpit, radar, FLIR and the capability to carry a range of battlefield weapons. Under a $1.1 bil lion deal, Oman will receive 12 F-16C/D Block 50 fight ers with air-to-air, air-to-ground and anti-ship weapons, as well as targeting pods and NVG-compatible cockpits. Deliveries of Super Lynx helicopters began in mid- 2004. Oman had been running a competition for up to 50 transport and SAR helicopters to replace AB205s, AB212s and AB214s, with the first phase being decided in early 2004 with the selection of 20 troop-carrying versions of the NH90, with deliveries due from 2008. Oman is viewed as a good prospect to become a C- 130J customer. Fleet review The Jaguars have been brought up to the UK RAF's Jaguar 97 standard and are expected to stay in service until at least 2005-8, suggesting the F-16s initially will be for air defence only, alongside the Hawk 200s. Three of the Skyvans have been modified for coastal patrol and SAR duties. Type Active Stored Order/Req COMBAT AIRCRAFT Jaguar S/Jaguar Hawk 103/Hawk203 F-16C TRANSPORT Skyvan 3M/3M One-Eleven 475 HHi C-130H 3 COMBAT HELICOPTER Super Lynx 300 HI Beim2^^^^3^ Bell 206B 3 AB205A 18 4/11 7/3 TRAINING AIRCRAFT PC-9M 12 ,shak 8 Super I AS202 Bravo Super Falke ROYAL FLIGHT TRANSPORT Gulfstream IV AS330J Puma AS332C/L1 2 3 POLICE AIR WING TRANSPORT CN-235 HELICOPTERS Bell 205A1 Bell 206B Bell 214 2 ••BMHHMBHB 2 mm AB139 PAKISTAN FIZA'YA (AIR FORCE) Pakistan has been a key US ally in the war on terrorism since the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in October 2001. The arms embargo imposed because of Pakistan's nuclear weapons programme has now been all but lifted and Washington is starting to provide sig nificant quantities of military hardware. Tension with India has eased. Operational activity Pakistani troops have mounted a series of joint opera tions with US forces to try to trap and destroy groups of Al Qaeda fighters and their tribal allies in the mountain ous provinces along the Afghan border. Fixed-wing air craft were used to strafe the tribesmen. F-16 fighters deployed to Konya airbase in Turkey for air combat training in October 2004. Procurement The US government has offered to sell Pakistan 18 new F-16C/D fighters, armed with AMRAAMs and JDAMs, which will dramatically transform the capabili ties of the country's air force if the US Congress approves the deal. In early September 2004, the USA also concluded a deal to sell six ex-Australian C-130Es, plus one for spares, to Pakistan. Two will be delivered by the end of 2004 and all will get wing, engine and avionics upgrades. One avionics kit will be installed in the USA and then Lockheed Martin will send a team to Pakistan to help local industry. The deal also requires Congressional approval. Islamabad is now waiting for Sweden to decide whether it will allow the sale of six EMB-145 Erieye AEW systems. Until the rapprochement with the USA, China was Pakistan's principal arms supplier and the two countries finally agreed to the 50:50 joint development of the JF- 17/FC-1/Super 7 fighter in 1999, with the first prototype flying in August 2003. Pakistan wants up to-150 aircraft. Meanwhile, Pakistan continues to take delivery of F-7s, including 40 F-7PGs, the latest standard and also referred to as F-7MGs. Pakistan has stated an interest in acquiring up to at least another 25 F-7PGs. The two countries have also co-operated in the development of the K-8 Karakorum trainer. Eight from a 75- aircraft requirement have been delivered, but no more look likely to arrive, not least because the Chinese air force will not accept the aircraft with a western engine. Some of Pakistan's indigenous Mushshak trainers will be upgraded to Super Mushshak standard and a further 14 acquired for a total fleet of 30. Four Mi-17s were delivered for use by the Special Services Group for CSAR. Discussions are taking place with Ukraine for the delivery of an An-32 transport and Russia for the purchase of Mi-26 heavy-lift helicopters. The delivery of four CN-235s from Indonesia has been completed. Fleet review Pakistan has made a habit of buying up surplus Mirage Ills and Mirage Vs, acquiring aircraft from Australia, France, Lebanon and most recently Libya. The latter country is in the process of delivering some 50 Mirage 5 airframes in varying states of repair. Many of the recently acquired aircraft are used as spares sources to keep the fleet of 195 Mirages airborne. Surplus T-37s are being transferred to Bangladesh. Type Active Stored Order/Req COMBAT AIRCRAFT F-16A/F-16B JF-17 F-7P/FT-7 F-7PG/FT-7PG A-5 Fantan/FT-6 MiraqelllEL/EP/BE/BL Mirage IIIRP/DP Mirage IIIO/OD Mirage 5F/PA/DPA FT-5 (MiG-17) TRANSPORT 7n7.^?nH^^H 737-300 C-130B/E/L-100-20 22/10 97/13 HIS 46/9 41/19 9/15/6/1 13/5 38/5 14 33/56/2 39 •••1 1 5/4/1 150/ 78 16-22 NOVEMBER 2004 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL www.fliqhtinternational.com
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