European Military News, Reports, Data, etc.
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Jura The idiot
General
Jura The idiot
General
Miragedriver
Brigadier
TR-85M1 tank and M1A1 Abrams in exercises Romania. The engine in the TR-85 is the same as the Leopard tank. The tank sounds German not Russian.
Belgian F-16s to fly until 2028
Belgium’s F-16 jets are to keep flying until 2028, when the last will be replaced by a yet to be determined new fighter jet. According to reports in Belgium, the first new fighter jet should enter service in 2023. For five years, the new jet will operate alongside the F-16, after which the curtain will fall for the latter.
The Belgian government in Brussels has put aside 3.5 billion EUR to replace 54 F-16 with a total of 34 new jets. Candidates are the Lockheed Martin F-35, , , Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet and Eurofighter Typhoon. The F-35 is widely regarded as the most likely choice for the Belgians. A final decision is expected in 2018.
Of the original European Participating Air Forces (EPAF) in the seventies, Belgium will use the F-16 the longest. The other participating countries – the Netherlands, Norway and Denmark – all already selected the F-35 as their F-16 replacement. Norway is expected to loose its F-16 by 2021, with the Netherlands following in 2023. Denmark should not be far behind.
Belgium back then was actually also the very first European nation to receive the F-16. The first jet was delivered on 29 January 1979 after being assembled by SABCA
Belgium’s F-16 jets are to keep flying until 2028, when the last will be replaced by a yet to be determined new fighter jet. According to reports in Belgium, the first new fighter jet should enter service in 2023. For five years, the new jet will operate alongside the F-16, after which the curtain will fall for the latter.
The Belgian government in Brussels has put aside 3.5 billion EUR to replace 54 F-16 with a total of 34 new jets. Candidates are the Lockheed Martin F-35, , , Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet and Eurofighter Typhoon. The F-35 is widely regarded as the most likely choice for the Belgians. A final decision is expected in 2018.
Of the original European Participating Air Forces (EPAF) in the seventies, Belgium will use the F-16 the longest. The other participating countries – the Netherlands, Norway and Denmark – all already selected the F-35 as their F-16 replacement. Norway is expected to loose its F-16 by 2021, with the Netherlands following in 2023. Denmark should not be far behind.
Belgium back then was actually also the very first European nation to receive the F-16. The first jet was delivered on 29 January 1979 after being assembled by SABCA
Germany to buy Triton drone to replace canceled Euro Hawk
Germany's defense ministry has decided to buy high-altitude MQ-4C Triton unmanned surveillance planes built by U.S. weapons maker Northrop Grumman Corp for deliveries after 2025, ministry sources said on Tuesday.
The new drones will replace the Euro Hawk program, which Berlin canceled in May 2013 after it became clear that it could cost up to 600 million euros to get the system approved for use in civil airspace.
The sources confirmed a story originally reported by the Sueddeutsche Zeitung.
The plan, which must still be approved by parliament, calls for Germany to buy the new aircraft from the U.S. Navy, which awarded Northrop a contract to design the unmanned aircraft in April 2008. Sensors for the new aircraft are to be built by Airbus, as planned under the previous program, the sources said.
It was not immediately clear how many planes the ministry would buy, or at what cost. Under the canceled program, it had planned to buy five Euro Hawk aircraft for 1.2 billion euros.
Experts do not expect to run into any problems winning aviation approval for the new aircraft, which is launched from land and is programmed to fly autonomously as high as 60,000 feet to gather a wide array of intelligence data.
Then-Defence Minister Thomas de Maiziere came under pressure after he was forced to cancel the previous Euro Hawk program in 2013 after it became clear it would cost hundreds of millions of euros to win aviation approval for the aircraft.
Ursula von der Leyen was moved into the defense minister job later that year, and took office vowing to reform Germany's ineffective procurement system.
Northrop developed the Triton, a marine-based variant of its initial Global Hawk surveillance drone, for the U.S. Navy. Ministry sources said the aviation approval for Triton would be less costly because it was baked in from the start of the program.
Germany's defense ministry has decided to buy high-altitude MQ-4C Triton unmanned surveillance planes built by U.S. weapons maker Northrop Grumman Corp for deliveries after 2025, ministry sources said on Tuesday.
The new drones will replace the Euro Hawk program, which Berlin canceled in May 2013 after it became clear that it could cost up to 600 million euros to get the system approved for use in civil airspace.
The sources confirmed a story originally reported by the Sueddeutsche Zeitung.
The plan, which must still be approved by parliament, calls for Germany to buy the new aircraft from the U.S. Navy, which awarded Northrop a contract to design the unmanned aircraft in April 2008. Sensors for the new aircraft are to be built by Airbus, as planned under the previous program, the sources said.
It was not immediately clear how many planes the ministry would buy, or at what cost. Under the canceled program, it had planned to buy five Euro Hawk aircraft for 1.2 billion euros.
Experts do not expect to run into any problems winning aviation approval for the new aircraft, which is launched from land and is programmed to fly autonomously as high as 60,000 feet to gather a wide array of intelligence data.
Then-Defence Minister Thomas de Maiziere came under pressure after he was forced to cancel the previous Euro Hawk program in 2013 after it became clear it would cost hundreds of millions of euros to win aviation approval for the aircraft.
Ursula von der Leyen was moved into the defense minister job later that year, and took office vowing to reform Germany's ineffective procurement system.
Northrop developed the Triton, a marine-based variant of its initial Global Hawk surveillance drone, for the U.S. Navy. Ministry sources said the aviation approval for Triton would be less costly because it was baked in from the start of the program.
Miragedriver
Brigadier
Serbia: Russia & Serbia carry out 'BARS 2016' military drills near Belgrade
Gripen E on target for debut flight in second quarter
Saab’s Gripen E remains on course to make its flight debut during the second quarter of this year, as the Swedish manufacturer steps up its sales efforts for the new-generation fighter and its earlier C/D-standard variant.
Confirming that lead prototype aircraft 39-8 will get airborne before the end of the second quarter, head of Gripen Jerker Ahlqvist says: “So far, everything is going according to plan, and it looks really promising.” Deliveries of the GE Aviation F414-powered jet will start in 2019 for the Swedish air force, followed by aircraft for export customer Brazil.
Low-speed taxi tests with the Gripen E commenced at Saab’s Linköping production site late last year, and Ahlqvist says the company is currently validating its software in preparation for the first flight. Aircraft 39-8 is currently in ground test, while the second of its eventual three prototypes has entered final assembly.
Ahlqvist notes that Saab’s decision to use an app-type software architecture on the Gripen E is already proving successful. “We see that corrections to the software that we need to do go very quickly,” he says. “We can make a change and then introduce a new software load into the aircraft within days – something that previously could take weeks or even months. That gives us confidence that the programme will meet its schedule and milestones.”
Richard Smith, head of Gripen marketing and sales, says Saab is increasing its efforts to add to the number of customers for the type, in both its C/D and E/F standards. Discussions continue with Botswana and Slovakia over their potential acquisition plans, and the company has just submitted its response to a Bulgarian request for proposals. It has also provided early information to India linked to a potential requirement for 150 single-engined fighters, and is eyeing a navy requirement in the same country for its proposed aircraft carrier-capable Gripen Maritime model.
“The market looks optimistic,” says Smith. “We really need to bring in as many prospects as possible, in order to close our target, which is a contract every year.” The company currently has no orders for the C/D variant, but has previously said it could deliver examples within 18 months of securing a production contract.
Also referring to potential opportunities for the Gripen in Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Finland, Indonesia, Malaysia and Switzerland, Smith says: “We’re in a very good position right now, having both platforms.”
Meanwhile, Saab has begun updating the Czech Republic’s Gripen C/Ds with the type’s latest MS20-standard software, which entered operational use in Sweden last year. Hungary has also contracted the company to make the same modification to its fleet, and Ahlqvist says it is also in early dialogue with South Africa and Thailand about a similar update.
Saab’s Gripen E remains on course to make its flight debut during the second quarter of this year, as the Swedish manufacturer steps up its sales efforts for the new-generation fighter and its earlier C/D-standard variant.
Confirming that lead prototype aircraft 39-8 will get airborne before the end of the second quarter, head of Gripen Jerker Ahlqvist says: “So far, everything is going according to plan, and it looks really promising.” Deliveries of the GE Aviation F414-powered jet will start in 2019 for the Swedish air force, followed by aircraft for export customer Brazil.
Low-speed taxi tests with the Gripen E commenced at Saab’s Linköping production site late last year, and Ahlqvist says the company is currently validating its software in preparation for the first flight. Aircraft 39-8 is currently in ground test, while the second of its eventual three prototypes has entered final assembly.
Ahlqvist notes that Saab’s decision to use an app-type software architecture on the Gripen E is already proving successful. “We see that corrections to the software that we need to do go very quickly,” he says. “We can make a change and then introduce a new software load into the aircraft within days – something that previously could take weeks or even months. That gives us confidence that the programme will meet its schedule and milestones.”
Richard Smith, head of Gripen marketing and sales, says Saab is increasing its efforts to add to the number of customers for the type, in both its C/D and E/F standards. Discussions continue with Botswana and Slovakia over their potential acquisition plans, and the company has just submitted its response to a Bulgarian request for proposals. It has also provided early information to India linked to a potential requirement for 150 single-engined fighters, and is eyeing a navy requirement in the same country for its proposed aircraft carrier-capable Gripen Maritime model.
“The market looks optimistic,” says Smith. “We really need to bring in as many prospects as possible, in order to close our target, which is a contract every year.” The company currently has no orders for the C/D variant, but has previously said it could deliver examples within 18 months of securing a production contract.
Also referring to potential opportunities for the Gripen in Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Finland, Indonesia, Malaysia and Switzerland, Smith says: “We’re in a very good position right now, having both platforms.”
Meanwhile, Saab has begun updating the Czech Republic’s Gripen C/Ds with the type’s latest MS20-standard software, which entered operational use in Sweden last year. Hungary has also contracted the company to make the same modification to its fleet, and Ahlqvist says it is also in early dialogue with South Africa and Thailand about a similar update.
asif iqbal
Lieutenant General
Man the Swedish are totally brilliant when it comes to these things
Small country packs one hell of a punch
Now they are adding more units to hold off Russia
Sweden and Finland can do what no other scared European country's have done that is to send clear message Russia do not mess around with us
After that Russian submarine incident Swedish is doing the number on defence
Small country packs one hell of a punch
Now they are adding more units to hold off Russia
Sweden and Finland can do what no other scared European country's have done that is to send clear message Russia do not mess around with us
After that Russian submarine incident Swedish is doing the number on defence