PieterTanzania
tanzania not much excitement here
Except that China has reported to the UN register on conventional arms that it delivered 2 ‘combat aircraft’ to Tanzania in 2009. Elsewhere it has been suggested that Tanzania was to receive new F-7s. I would be vey interested in a picture of these… Or any other confirmation.
PieterSee
SIPRI factsheet: International transfers of combat aircraft
Combat aircraft top international arms sales: think tank
Combat planes account for one third of all global arms transfers, with the United States topping the list of sellers and India, the United Arab Emirates and Israel the biggest buyers, according to the SIPRI think tank.
In a report published Wednesday, just a week before China opens its massive airshow in Zhuhai, the independent Swedish institute cautioned that increased sales of combat aircraft could have a destabilising effect in many parts of the world.
Full Story
PieterIn may this year Goodrich Corporation reported that it had ‘been selected to upgrade Saudi Arabia’s fleet of 150 F-15 Eagle fighter aircraft with grid-lock flight controls.
The retrofit of the aircraft ailerons, flaps, rudders and wing tips will bring them up to par with US Air Force F-15s.’
The F-15C/Ds are clearly supposed to soldier on for some years. Which makes sense because any deliveries of the new F-15SA’s will take at least a few years. If take the Korean F-15s as a benchmark it should take at least 3 years before the 1st new F-15s can be delivered. And that is from the moment the contract is signed, which still has to happen.
PieterSaudi Erieye?
According to Jane’s Saudi Arabia is the buyer.
PieterErieye
There has been a discussion about a possible order for Erieye from Colombia. As far as I know the Swedish authorities did give a preliminary licence for the deal some 2 years ago.
You guys are all looking at those Middle East countries, but what about Latin Americas. Argentina is known for having contact lately with Sweden about the purchase of second hand SAAB 340B’s for ELINT/AEW role, they could have changed that interest for two SAAB 340’s into one SAAB 2000. Also Colombia could be a customer, in April this year the Colombian AF Chieft visted Stockholm and also was invited to the SAAB JAS-39 Gripen production line….. Ecuador? Time will tell.
Cheers.
PieterSaudi AH-64D
SA had already earlier shown interest in/ordered AH-64Ds, at the same time as the Tiger and Mi-35s also were still mentioned as options.
In July 2006 SA requested the possible sale of the remanufacture and upgrade of 12 AH-64A APACHE attack helicopters to AH-64D configuration
http://www.dsca.mil/PressReleases/36-b/2006/Saudi%20Arabia_06-39.pdf
It was not widely reported but this lead to an actual contract with US DoD announcing: McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Co., Mesa, Ariz., was awarded on May 1, 2007, a $17,736,690 firm-fixed-price contract for remanufactured and new-build parts and safety stock, unique spares, and provisioning conference in support of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Longbow Program. Work will be performed in Mesa, Ariz., and is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2010.
and another FMS deal without explicit reference to the buyer:
McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Co., Mesa, Ariz., was awarded on Feb. 14, 2008, a $133,386,899.00 unpriced contractual action firm fixed price contract for full production of 11 Remanufactured and 1 New Build AH-64D Apache Aircraft. Work will be performed at Mesa, Ariz., with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2011.
This was followed by a Sept. 2008 FMS notification for 12 more new AH-64Ds
http://www.dsca.mil/pressreleases/36-b/2008/Saudi_Arabia_08-75.pdf
The question I have is if the 1st batch of 12 Saudi AH-64D has been delivered or when this is supposed to take place.
Late 2009 there were reports that Saudi had used Apaches against the Houthi rebels in Yemen. http://www1.voanews.com/english/news/a-13-2009-11-15-voa23-70424007.html
Were this the last of the 11 existing Saudi AH-64As which had not yet gone to the USA for rebuild or were this recently delivered D versions?
Anyone has more info?
PieterSaudi F-15 upgrades
Saudi is upgrading its 10 to 15 years old F-15Ss with new engines and other stuff.
http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/the-2006-saudi-shopping-spree-pimp-my-f15s-ride-02800/
I have not seen anything on upgrades of the older F-15C/Ds. Therefore it seems to me these are intended to taken out of service when new Stealthy F-15Es are procured.
PieterSilly season posturing by the Iranians for domestic consumption. They know that America could never do what they are asking but its an easy way to whip up the public.
There might be a little bit more to it. Iran may be able to demand compensation from the USA and the USA may even have to pay acc. to its obligations under international law. Just like the UK:
‘An international arbitration court in The Hague on Sunday ordered the British government to pay Iran $650 million in compensation for a canceled 1970s arms deal.
The compensation money, which is now waiting to be withdrawn, is to cover an outstanding 1971-1976 deal canceled after the Islamist Revolution deposed the Shah’
http://www.haaretz.com/news/u-k-ordered-to-pay-iran-650m-for-canceled-arms-deal-1.284858
PieterCan you fill me inn more on the relationship between Iran and China ? Wonder why they dont buy JF-17 from them instead of this silly F-5 thing. If they can opt for local assembly, it will still be useful for domestic industry.
May it be because China is reluctant to do so ?
China and as it seems to a lesser extent Russia have been willing to sell military equipment to Iran for many years and it remains unclear to me too why Iran has not opted to add to its indigenous efforts some existing models such as F-7MGs or MiG-29s, like basically any other similar country would do.
An explanation might be that Iran simply did not have the money for such acquisitions.
Since some months ago Iran cannot buy any foreign combat aircraft or components and technology for such aircraft anymore as the UN imposed a binding arms embargo on sales of most major conventional weapons to Iran. Even China did not veto this embargo, so don’t count on China being willing to ignore the embargo.
PieterIran’s ‘own’ fighter aircraft designs
Nothing dumb about this question at all. Most observers seem to assume that the ‘new’ Iranian aircraft are old ones with Iranian modifications. If the modifications make the planes any better is yet another question.
For sure Iran is trying to obtain spare parts for its US made aircraft, including bits which don’t seem to be very advanced and one would expect Iran could produce itself, such as cockpit canopies for F-5s. Have a look at e.g. http://www.exportlawblog.com/archives/2051
I got a dumb question – we know that the Iranian’s have been able to develop two “new” fighter aircraft the HESA Azarakhsh and Saeqeh (along with their clone of the Cobra Helicopter), which are derived from their F-5 Tigers but does anyone know if they are new builds (i.e. new airframes, avionics and engines) or just re-conditioned Tigers.
If they are the former can we expect them to extend this programme of building new fighters based on tweaking aircraft they already own and if so can will we see HESA built versions of the Phantom and Tomcat anytime soon? Plus is there any evidence that Iran has gained access via non-conventional routes to more modern technology which would allow them to incorporate more modern radars and EW systems in their aircraft?
PS You got to love Wikepdia as they have a section on the Iranian airforce which states “The Jerusalem Post reported that Iran has signed an arms deal with the Russian Rosoboronexport arms group to buy 250 Su-30 MKM warplanes and 20 Il-78 MKI aerial tankers. It is reported that Israeli defense officials were investigating the potential Iran-Russia deal, in which Iran would pay $1 billion a dozen squadrons’ worth of the jets.”
PieterPieterTanzanian F-7s?
In an earlier post in the small air force’s thread there was discussion about the possible procurement by Tanzania of new F-7s, based mainly on
http://africanbushpilot.blogspot.com…n-display.html
Now the Chinese government has reported the delivery in 2009 of two unidentified combat aircraft to the UN register of conventional arms.
see:http://unhq-appspub-01.un.org/UNODA/UN_REGISTER.nsf
Anyone seen more?
PieterTucano’s
At the same time the UK is also dumping surplus Tucano’s on the market. According to he UK submission to the UN resgister on conventional arms 16 were delivered in 2008 to the USA, presumably to private entities. Has anyone seen more about other buyers of UK Tucano’s?
Regarding the French Tucano’s for Chad, are there more sources confirming this?
There are four former AdlA Tucano’s to be delivered to Mauretania, and at least two more for Chad later this year. Sure more Tucano’s will find a way to countries around the world, as the French MoD earmarked 30 for sale abroad!
Ciao
PieterTetras in Mali
Malian Tetras light observation aircraft. Seems as if 6 were delivered in 2009.
http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/article_imprim.php3?id_article=61956
PieterNigerian F-7NG have arrived
Pictures at:
http://www.nigerianairforce.net/Events/AircraftInduction/AcInduction.aspx
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