News Story: S. Korean Navy deploys 4 more Wildcat choppers

An AW159 Wildcat Helicopter (File Photo)

By Lee Chi-dong

SEOUL, July 5 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's Navy said Wednesday four additional AW-159 shipborne anti-submarine helicopters have joined a front-line fleet for combat operations.

The Navy acquired eight AW-159 choppers, also known as Wildcats, last year in two batches in June and December, respectively. The first four were deployed in February.

"The remaining four were deployed at a front-line fleet and put into maritime operations today," the Navy said in a statement. It did not reveal the location, but a defense source said the new assets will operate near the tense western sea border between the two Koreas.

The twin-engine rotorcraft is armed with lightweight torpedoes, 12.7-mm machine guns and advanced anti-ship guided missiles.

Read the full story at YonhapNews

News Story: Indian Black Shark torpedo deal for Navy might be revived

By: Vivek Raghuvanshi

NEW DELHI — Italy's Whitehead Sistemi Subacquei S.p.A., a subsidiary of Leonardo, might be reconsidered to supply Black Shark torpedoes for French Scorpene submarines currently being built in India, according to sources in the Indian Ministry of Defence.  

This follows observations made by India's attorney general on the legality of issuing tenders and its subsidiary defence companies, which are facing probes on charges of alleged corruption. 

In June of last year, MoD announced the cancellation of a $200 million deal for Black Shark torpedoes, but MoD sources said the tender was not formally cancelled and that no intimation of the cancellation was conveyed to the Italian company. 

Whitehead Sistemi Subacquei S.p.A., or WASS, was declared the winner over Atlas Elektronik of Germany in 2014 in a global tender to supply Black Shark torpedoes to be mounted on the six French Scorpene submarines licensed produced by state-owned Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd. 

Although WASS  emerged  as  the  lowest  bidder against Atlas Elektronik, the contract could not be signed because in August 2014, the government put a ban on signing the contracts in the wake of the probe into the VVIP  helicopters scam relating to AgustaWestland, another subsidiary of Leonardo.

Read the full story at DefenseNews

News Report: India Plans to Cancel Defense Deals Worth $1.5 Billion

The Indian government is set to announce the scrapping of defense deals worth more than $3 billion of naval helicopters, armored recovery vehicles and torpedoes. Indian Defense Minister Arun Jaitley has moved a recommendation to scrap long-delayed defense purchases in favor of ‘Make in India’ program.

New Delhi (Sputnik) – The first such recommendation is for armored recovery vehicles which were contracted with India’s state-owned BEML in 2012 for $275 million. The contract was for 204 WZT-3 made by Polish company Bumar and imported by BEML. The deal is supposed to be scrapped over corruption charges, and lack of indigenization efforts by BEML. Indian Army had purchased 352 WZT-3 in three previous contracts from 1999 to 2005. As state-owned DRDO has developed armored recovery vehicle (ARV) and private firms like L&T are interested in supplying them to the Army, the government may opt for the indigenous ARVs.

News Story: Navy’s incoming attack copters will be armed with Israeli missiles

AW159 Wildcat with integrated SPIKE NLOS missiles

The Philippine Navy (PN)’s first two anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopters will be armed with Spike NLOS missiles giving it a capability to engage hostile vessels beyond visual range.

The said weapon manufactured by Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. NLOS is short for “non-line of sight”. It was originally designed to destroy tanks.

PN spokesperson Capt. Lincuna said these helicopters are the AgustaWestland AW-159 “Wildcats” which are scheduled to be delivered by 2018.

AgustaWestland  AW159 Wildcat with Torpedoes

The Department of National Defense signed a contract with AugustaWestland, now Leonardo, to buy two AW-159 ASW helicopters for PHP5.362 billion, last year.

It will be deployed aboard the two frigates the Philippines has ordered from South Korea worth PHP16 billion.

Read the full story at Tankler

News Story: No Torpedoes for India's Second Scorpene Submarine

Black Shark heavyweight torpedo

By: Vivek Raghuvanshi

NEW DELHI — India has launched the second French Scorpene-class submarine, but the Khanderi will not be equipped with torpedoes because the $200 million tender to buy them remains undecided by the Ministry of Defense (MoD) since it was created five years ago. 

The MoD has put on hold the acquisition of 98 Black Shark heavyweight torpedoes, to be mounted on Scorpene submarines from WASS, a subsidiary of Italian firm Leonardo. 

Plans to procure Black Shark torpedoes for the Indian Navy from WASS was canceled in May, an MoD spokesman confirmed with Defense News last year. The decision came in the wake of corruption charges involving another subsidiary of Leonardo, AgustaWestland and the Indian National Congress political party. 

India's 1st Scorpene-class submarine, just before launching

With the Khanderi's launch on Thursday, the sub is set to undergo rigorous trials until the end of the year. When the trials are over, the sub will be commissioned into the Indian Navy as INS Khanderi, an Indian Navy official explained. 

The MoD expects the sub to be delivered to the Navy by mid-2017. 

"The force strength of submarines is very low at this point. The reason for this situation is the closure of Shisumar (German HDW) class project and delay in the Scorpene project. The existing submarines are less than 25 years old. With this background, launch of the second submarine at [state-owned Mazagon Dock Limited] MDL is of great importance," retired Indian Navy Captain Shyam Kumar Singh offered.

Read the full story at DefenseNews

News Story: Final Batch of AW159 Wildcat Maritime Helicopters Delivered to ROK Navy

UK Royal Navy AW159 Wildcat

AgustaWestland (Leonardo Helicopters) delivered the last batch of four AW159 Wildcat maritime helicopters to the Republic of Korean Navy (ROK Navy) in late November. The ROK Navy selected the Wildcat to meet its Maritime Operational Helicopter requirement and signed a contract for eight units in January 2013. A first batch of four helicopters were delivered in July this year.

The AW159 is a new generation multi-role military helicopter that is now replacing Lynx helicopters in service with the Royal Navy and British Army. The AW159 has a semi-rigid rotor head which gives it high agility and the same legendary ship operating capabilities of the Lynx helicopter. It is also fitted with composite rotor blades utilising the same technology that enabled the Lynx to break the world helicopter speed record. The AW159 is powered by a pair of LHTEC CTS800-4N engines, each providing up to 1,361 shp, which gives the aircraft exceptional performance, even in hot and high environments. The engine installation also incorporates exhausts with built in IR suppression to provide increased survivability. The AW159 has the most modern integrated cockpit of any naval helicopter, featuring four large area (10” x 8”) cockpit displays and a fully integrated avionics suite and mission system to provide increased mission capability and increased crew effectiveness.

Read the full story at Navy Recognition

News Story: India's former Air Force chief gets bail in chopper scam case

AgustaWestland EH101/AW-101 Merlin

NEW DELHI, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- An Indian court Monday granted bail to India's former Air Force chief S.P. Tyagi, who was arrested earlier this month by the country's premier probe agency over allegations of corruption in a luxury helicopter deal with an Anglo-Italian company.

The special judge of the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) court, Arvind Kumar, released Tyagi, a decorated war veteran, on a personal bond of 200,000 Indian rupees (3,000 U.S. dollars) and one surety of the same amount.

But the court has imposed certain riders on Tyagi's bail like restraining him from leaving Delhi and asking him not to attempt to influence any witnesses in the case that can hamper the CBI probe. Two other accused in the same case have, however, been denied bail by the court.

Read the full story at Xinhua

News Story: Italy Sends FREMM Frigate on Promotional Tour of Australia

An Italian FREMM Frigate (Image: Wiki Commons)

By: Tom Kington

ROME - An Italian Navy FREMM frigate will visit Australia in January and February and hold exercises with the Australian Navy in the wake of the type’s short listing for acquisition by Australia.

The promotional tour, which is backed by Fincantieri, the ship’s builder, will include stops in Fremantle, Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne, Italian Navy officials said on Dec. 16.

In April, Australia shortlisted proposals from BAE Systems, Fincantieri and Navantia for the country’s program to build nine new frigates.

The BAE offering is based on the Type 26 frigate, while Navantia is proposing a redesigned version of its Álvaro de Bazán (F100) class vessel.

The FREMM frigate making the trip, the Carabiniere, is an anti-submarine warship FREMM and was  delivered to the Italian Navy in April 2015, the fifth of ten to be commissioned. On the tour it will carry an NH90 helicopter and undertake ASW exercises with the Australians.

Read the full story at DefenseNews

News Story: Former Indian Air Force Chief Arrested in AgustaWestland Copter Deal

AgustaWestland EH101/AW-101 Merlin

By: Vivek Raghuvanshi

NEW DELHI — A former Indian Air Force chief, Air Chief Marshal Shashindra Pal Tyagi, was arrested on Friday by the Central Bureau of Investigation for alleged corruption in the purchase of 12 AW 101 VVIP helicopters from AgustaWestland, a subsidiary of Italy's Leonardo-Finmeccanica.

Along with Tyagi, Delhi based lawyer Gautam Khaitan and his cousin Sanjeev Tyagi also were arrested, "on the allegations accepting illegal gratification for exercising influence through corrupt and/or illegal means," according to the government.

In January 2014, MoD officials canceled the €546 million helicopter contract inked in 2010 with the Anglo-Italian company on charges of corruption, referring the case to the CBI.

India's Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar, during a debate in Parliament in April this year, said the request for proposals for the deal had been diverted to favor AgustaWestland.

Read the full story at DefenseNews

News Report: India’s Selective Nod to Blacklisted Defense Firms

India has partially reversed its policy of not doing business with defence companies suspected of unethical behavior. A banned firm can supply products if there is no available alternative to its weapon system or equipment.

New Delhi (Sputnik) — India has adopted a flexible blacklisting policy that permits business with certain banned firms and their subsidiaries.

Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar said a top official will prepare a list of all firms blacklisted in the past. "That does not mean they will be taken out [removed from the blacklist]. Don't interpret… they will be examined. What is the status, how many years they have been blacklisted for and why they were blacklisted?'' Parrikar said. 

The new policy is a mixture of heavy fines and graded banning. It allows other subsidiaries to do business if one of them has been charged with violating the moral code. This problem arise when all group companies of Finmeccanica were banned after its helicopter subsidiary was implicated in a bribery scandal. As a result of this blanket banning, Indian Navy was deprived of torpedoes contracted with another Finmeccanica company. 

News Story: India Changing Policy on Blacklisting of Foreign Defense Companies

By: Vivek Raghuvanshi

NEW DELHI — India will not implement blanket blacklisting of foreign defense companies charged with corruption under a newly finalized policy that likely will be made public this month, said an Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) official. 

Since 2005, India has blacklisted six overseas companies from operating here in response to allegations of corruption while doing business in the country. Instead of blocking a business from defense deals, India will impose an economic penalty on the company. 

The MoD official would not say if those companies already blacklisted will be allowed to participate in future defense projects after the new policy is enacted. However, the official did say the MoD is in favor of allowing those companies to participate in defense projects so long as they agree to deferred prosecution. The official would not expand on this approach. 

The ruling government believes the blanket blacklisting policy, which was used by the previous United Progressive Alliance government, led to shortages of ammunition and artillery guns and hampered the acquisition process, according to the official.

Read the full story at  DefenseNews

News Story: Air Force to convert another ‘Sokol’ helicopter into SAR platform

In line with its disaster response missions, the Philippine Air Force (PAF) announced that it is converting another of its W-3A “Sokol” combat utility helicopter, this time tail number 922, into a search-and-rescue (SAR) aircraft. It has allocated PHP31,451,000 for the acquisition of spareparts and other materials needed for the SAR reconfiguration project.

Bid submission and opening is on Nov. 8, 9 a.m. at the PAF Procurement Center Conference Room, Villamor Air Base, Pasay City.

Read the full story at Update.PH

News Story: PAF wants additional 36 FA-50s, 12 Leonardo AW109 helicopters

Leonardo AW109 Power

As a continuation of Philippine Air Force’ (PAF) medium-term modernization program, PAF is positioned to procure additional 36 FA-50s to meet a requirement specified in Flight Plan 2028 and 12 more AW109 Power light attack helicopters produced by Finmeccanica (Leonardo from January 2017), reports IHS Jane’s.

Securing orders of additional light combat aircraft and attack helicopters are included in the several procurement priorities, a senior PAF officer said before the Asian Defence and Security 2016 (ADAS 2016) exhibition in Manila.

Read the full story at Tankler

News Story: Taiwan Advanced Jet Trainer Nears Bidding Process

M-346 Master (Image: Wiki Commons)

Wendell Minnick and Tom Kington

TAIPEI, Taiwan, and ROME — Leonardo-Finmeccanica has launched a massive public relations effort in Taiwan to save an agreement with a local aviation company to honor a 2014 deal to co-build the M-346 Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) for filling Taiwan’s air force requirement for 66 aircraft to replace aging AT-3 Tzu Chung attack/trainers.

The local aviation company, Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC), signed a teaming agreement for the transfer of technology, co-production and technical assistance for the M-346, but the election of a new president, Tsai Ing-wen, has thrown a wrench into the deal.

Tsai has pledged to develop indigenous weapon systems and wean Taiwan off its dependence on foreign-made arms.

Tsai has put AIDC and the Air Force in a difficult position. The new government wants to build a completely indigenous trainer, dubbed the XAT-5 AJT, according to a senior AIDC official. The Leonardo agreement is still in effect, he said, but the new president wants to change it.

Read the full story at DefenseNews

Industry: Pakistan chooses again the AW139 for its Transport and EMS requirements

Leonardo (AgustaWestland) AW139

Bestselling helicopter with over 960 units sold to more than 240 customers in more than 70 nations and over 830 units in service to date 

Leonardo-Finmeccanica announced today that the Government of Pakistan has signed a contract for an undisclosed number of AW139 intermediate twin engine helicopters to be used for transport and EMS missions.

This event sets a major milestone for Leonardo and further expands the already successful presence of the AW139 and other models in the Country.

Pakistan is one of several nations who have chosen or are already operating the AW139 for a range of government roles including Italy, Ireland, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Thailand to name a few.

The new generation AW139 sets new standards in the market with advanced technology and class leading performance, reliability, safety, versatility and cabin space. The aircraft has outstanding one engine inoperative capabilities, even in hot and high operating conditions, making it ideally suited to operate in harsh high temperature and high altitude environments. The advanced integrated cockpit minimises pilot workload, allowing the crew to concentrate on mission objectives. Almost 240 customers from over 70 countries have ordered over 960 AW139 helicopters making it the best-selling helicopter in its class. The AW139 can perform a wide range of roles including government missions, EMS, SAR, executive/private and government transport, law enforcement, utility and offshore transport. Over 830 AW139s are in service worldwide.

Leonardo

News Story: New Orders Boost AW139 Market Leadership, Says Maker

Leonardo (AgustaWestland) AW139

by Chris Pocock

Leonardo Helicopters said that Pakistan has become the latest government customer for the AW139 medium twin-engine helicopter, ordering an undisclosed number for transport and medical evacuation missions. The Italian Coast Guard ordered two more of the same type, bringing its total fleet to 12. The Italian company, previously named AgustaWestland, claims market leadership for the AW139 in the intermediate weight class, with more than 960 sold to almost 240 customers in over 70 countries.

A significant proportion of those sales have been for defense and parapublic applications, such as trooplift, search and rescue, border patrol and maritime surveillance. Government customers for the AW139 include Algeria, Bangladesh, Cyprus, Estonia, Italy, Ireland, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Panama, Qatar, Spain, Sweden, the UAE and the UK. Repeat orders have boosted the total, such as one from the Thai Army last October for eight, adding to the pair that it originally acquired.

Read the full story at AINonline

News Report: Russia to Make Indian Anti-Submarine Warfare Helicopters More Lethal

Image: Wiki Commons

Augusta Westland's involvement in corruption charges prompted India to swiftly ink a deal with Russian firm Rosoboronexport to carry out upgrades on the Kamov Ka28 PL without having to strike down Selex’s ATOS mission management system from the upgrade process.

India and Russia have inked a deal worth 310 million dollars to upgrade ten Kamov Ka28PL anti-submarine warfare helicopters for the Indian Navy. The signing of the agreement was a smooth affair as evident from its finalization within two months of clearance by India's Cabinet Committee on Security. The Defense Acquisition Council cleared the proposal in March this year. This is the first time a deal of this nature has been signed by India in such a swift manner. 

Upgrades of the Kamov 28 had been pending for the last eight years due to various reasons. However, sensing the Indian Navy's immediate necessity, especially for its frigates, destroyer and aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, Indian Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar intervened and signed the deal last Saturday. 

News Story: Italian Firm Sees Quality of Products Overcoming India Blacklist Threat

Tom Kington

Leonardo-Finmeccanica Head Optimistic About US T-X Trainer Bid

FARNBOROUGH, England — The CEO of Italy’s Leonardo-Finmeccanica has said the quality of his firm’s products may be enough to persuade India to drop plans to blacklist it from future tenders.

“You have to respect the Indian decision, but I think in a patient and clever way we can recreate conditions because we have important systems that India needs, and in every field I hope we can reopen a good relationship with India,” Mauro Moretti told Defense News at the Farnborough International Airshow.

In May, Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar announced Leonardo-Finmeccancia would be blacklisted in India in the wake of allegations it offered bribes to win a €560 million (US $620 million) Indian Air Force helicopter contract in 2010.

At the time, the firm played down the announcement, saying its business was “very marginal” in India, despite fears it would lose a valuable torpedo contract from the country.

Read the full story at DefenseNews

News Story: Singapore delays $1 billion military helicopter buy after Super Puma crash

Singapore Air Force AS332 Super Puma (Image: Wiki Commons)

BY SIVA GOVINDASAMY

Singapore has delayed a decision on a $1 billion helicopter purchase after the crash in April of a civilian Airbus (AIR.PA) Super Puma whose military version was the frontrunner to clinch the order, sources familiar with the matter said.

The city-state, a highly sought-after customer for military contractors, had sought to replace 32 ageing Super Pumas but the move has now been put on ice until there is clarity over the fallout from the April 29 crash which killed 13 oil workers and crew off the coast of Norway, they added.

The delay comes as the helicopters subsidiary of Airbus Group, called Airbus Helicopters, wrestles with the latest in a series of setbacks to the H225 Super Puma, a workhorse of the offshore oil industry and widely used across the world for search and rescue and heavy military airlift operations.

Singapore’s procurement, pitting Airbus Helicopters against Italian firm Leonardo Finmeccanica (LDOF.MI), marks the first major test of confidence in the military version of the aircraft since April’s crash, which led to the worldwide grounding of the civilian version.

Read the full story at Reuters

News Story: India Explores Alternative to Italian Weaponry in Germany

Vivek Raghuvanshi

NEW DELHI — After virtually freezing all defense business with Italy, the Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) has begun exploring alternatives to meet its dire weaponry requirements.

In an unexpected move, MoD has dispatched Defence Secretary G Mohan Kumar to Germany to actively participate in the 10th annual India-German Higher Defense Committee Meeting, according to an MoD source. The event began June 13 and concludes Wednesday.

“We are exploring averting — from torpedoes, network-centric capabilities, naval gun solutions to submarines — with Germany," the source said. "We will only know the outcome when Kumar returns later this week."

The source said India could either buy weaponry from Germany through a government-to-government deal or via a single-vendor  source.

MoD spokesman Nitin Wakankar confirmed to Defense News earlier this month that the ministry had decided to cancel a more than $200 million deal with WASS, a subsidiary of Leonardo-Finmeccanica of Italy, for the purchase of 98 Black Shark torpedoes for Scorpene submarines. The cancellation process is still taking place.

Read the full story at DefenseNews