19 January 2023
by Olivia Savage
Xtend’s Griffon C-UAS engaging with a UAV using its net effector. (XTEND)
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has been trialling unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) in counter-UAS (C-UAS) and counter-improvised explosive device (C-IED) roles to improve force protection.
Working alongside Israeli company Xtend, the IDF Yahalom special operations engineering unit (SOEU) has been experimenting with the company’s Griffon C-UAS and Wolverine UAS over a four-year period to demonstrate their utility in a C-UAS and C-IED role, a platoon commander from the SOEU told Janes on 11 January.
For the C-UAS demonstration, the SOEU worked in collaboration with the US military to experiment with Griffon, a manportable quadcopter that kinetically intercepts aerial threats.
It achieves this by allowing the operator to perform “vision-assisted, semi-automated interceptions via expendable, disposable physical effectors that detach upon interception impact”, the company said.
During the C-UAS demonstrations, Griffon proved capable of intercepting both unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and balloons, achieving an 85% success rate. In one instance, the quadcopter successfully intercepted 20 “average-sized balloons”, the platoon commander said.
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20 January 2023
by Gareth Jennings
Aero Vodochody has delivered back to the Czech Air Force the last of 16 overhauled and upgraded L-159 light fighters. (Aero Vodochody)
The Czech Republic Air Force (Vzdušné Sily Armády Ceské Republiky: VzS AČR) has received back into the service the last of 16 L-159A ALCA light attack and air-defence aircraft to be overhauled and upgraded by Aero Vodochody.
The manufacturer announced the milestone on 19 January, saying that the single-engined jets had all completed a two-year refurbishment and modernisation process, with the final aircraft delivered back to the 21st Tactical Air Force Base at Caslav.
“To ensure the operational capability of the L-159 fleet and the defence of the Czech Republic, we delivered the repaired aircraft at regular intervals from September 2020 until the end of 2022, when we completed the repair of the last aircraft,” saidViktor Sotona, president and CEOofAero Vodochody.
Known as Prescribed Periodic (PP) 16, the overhaul included inspection and testing of all parts of the aircraft, including cockpit instruments and avionics. Further to refurbishment work, PP16 includes the addition of a night-vision goggle capability, new electronic backup display, and other enhancements.
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19 January 2023
by Gareth Jennings
With the signing for a second batch of 18 helicopters, Austria is to receive 36 AW169M LUH platforms by the end of 2028. (Bundesheer)
Austria has finalised a contract to acquire an additional 18 Leonardo AW169 medium-twin helicopters from Italy.
The manufacturer announced the milestone on 19 January, saying that the EUR304 million (USD329 million) deal for the AW169M Light Utility Helicopters (LUHs) follows a declaration of intent signed between Austria and Italy in December 2022.
The deal was signed between Leonardo and the Directorate for Air Armaments and Airworthiness of the Italian Secretariat General of Defence/National Armaments Directorate, and brings the number of AW169M LUH helicopters acquired by the Austrian Ministry of Defence (MoD) to 36.
The AW169M LUHs will be able to conduct a wide range of missions supporting Austrian defence and civil support requirements, such as troop transport, combat operations, disaster relief and emergency response, firefighting, mountain rescue, and medical evacuation. Janes was told that some of the helicopters will be equipped with a weapons package that will consist of 12.7 mm heavy machine gun pods, 70 mm unguided and laser-guided rockets, as well as an electro-optic/infrared sensor.
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19 January 2023
by Akhil Kadidal
This third prototype of South Korea’s KAI KF-21 jet fighter conducted its first test flight on 5 January 2023. The prototype will explore a wider range of the aircraft’s flight capabilities. (DAPA/KAI)
Korea Aerospace Industries’ (KAI’s) KF-21 fighter jet prototypes will be undertaking more rigorous flight-testing to reveal greater details about the performance and capabilities of the new jet.
KAI has three flight-worthy prototypes of the 4.5-generation combat aircraft in operation. Flight-testing of the first KF-21 started in July 2022, and by 19 January the three operational prototypes had conducted more than 80 flights, South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said. On 17 January, the KF-21 conducted its first supersonic flight.
A DAPA spokesperson told Janes that this prototype achieved a maximum speed of Mach 1.05 at 1515 h local time. “Supersonic speed was achieved at [nearly] 40,000 ft, some 300 km south of Seoul, over the south coast,“ the spokesperson said.
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The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has been trialling unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) in counter-UAS (C…
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