Lau nch customer, the German Armed
Forces, has received its rst two H145M
lightweight multi-role helicopters from
Airbus Helicopters. They will be used by the
Kommando Spezialkräfte (KSK), the German
Army’s special forces, in Laupheim and are
equipped with a fast roping system for troops,
cargo hooks, hoists, a pintle-mounted doorgun, ballistic protection and an electronic
countermeasures system. Mission equipment
includes a helmet-mounted sight and display
as well as a self-sealing fuel supply tank. The
H145M, which has a maximum take-off weight
of 3.7 tons, is powered by two Turbomeca
Arriel 2E engines, and is equipped with full
authority digital engine control (FADEC).MILITARY NEWS
The dates for this year’s Joint Warrior
exercises have been announced. The rst will
take place between April 10 and 22 with JW16-
2 running from October 9 to 21.IN BRIEF
The BULGARIAN AIR FORCE marked the
retirement of its nal MiG-21 ghters with
a ceremony at Graf Ignatievo Air Base on
December 18.
Russian news agency TASS is reporting
that EGYPT has signed a deal through arms
exporter Rosoboronexport for 46 Ka-
Alligator helicopters.14 Aviation News incorporating Classic Aircraft February 2016MILITARY AIRCRAFT ORDERS
Air Arm Company Number and Type Contract Date Delivery Date and Notes
French Air Force Airbus Defence and Space8 x A330MRTT December 15
French Army Air Corps Airbus Helicopters 7 x Tigre HAD December 17 Delivery in 2017/
Royal Saudi Navy Lockheed Martin 10 x MH-60R December 17 Estimated completion
date October 31, 2018
Royal Saudi Air Force Antonov 30 x An-178 December 17 MOU
USAF Lockheed Martin 28 x F-35A Lightning II December 21
Royal Norwegian Air Force Lockheed Martin 6 x F-35A Lightning II December 21
Turkish Air Force Lockheed Martin 4 x F-35A Lightning II December 21
Royal Netherlands Air ForceLockheed Martin 8 x F-35A Lightning II December 21
Royal Australian Air Force Lockheed Martin 8 x F-35A Lightning II December 21
Israeli Air Force Lockheed Martin 10 x F-35A Lightning II December 21
Japan Self-Defense Force Lockheed Martin 6 x F-35A Lightning II December 21
Republic of Korea Air Force Lockheed Martin 10 x F-35A Lightning II December 21
US Marine Corps Lockheed Martin 6 x F-35B Lightning II December 21
Royal Air Force Lockheed Martin 1 x F-35B Lightning II December 21
US Navy Lockheed Martin 4 x F-35C Lightning II December 21
Italian Air Force Tecnam 3 x P2006T December 21
Indian Air Force and Army Rostec 200 x Kamov Ka-226T December 24
Royal Australian Air Force L-3 Communications 2 x Gulfstream G550 December 28 Contract completion
anticipated by
November 30, 2017
USAF Lockheed Martin 13 x C-130J-30 December 30
USAF Lockheed Martin 5 x HC-130J December 30
USAF Lockheed Martin 11 x MC-130J December 30
United States Coast Guard Lockheed Martin 1 x HC-130J December 30
US Marine Corps Lockheed Martin 2 x KC-130J December 30
USAF Lockheed Martin 1 x C-130J-30 December 30
USAF Lockheed Martin 3 x HC-130J December 30
USAF Lockheed Martin 2 x MC-130J December 30
US Marine Corps Lockheed Martin 3 x KC-130J December 30
United States Coast Guard Lockheed Martin 2 x HC-130J December 30Italians Receive
Maiden F-
A ceremony was held on December 3 to
mark the formal delivery of the rst Italian
Air Force F-35A Lightning II.
The rst AMI F-35A, MM7332 ‘32-
01’ (c/n 5062/AL-1) was handed over at
the F-35 Final Assembly and Check Out
(FACO) facility in Cameri, making Italy the
sixth nation to receive the type, joining
Australia, the Netherlands, Norway, the
United Kingdom and the US.
A further seven F-35As are currently in
production for Italy at Cameri. These are
AL-2/12-5063, AL-3/12-5064, AL-4/13-5084,
AL-5/13-5085, AL-6/13-5086, AL-7 and AL-- Italy has a requirement for 90 F-35s.
Italy’s rst two pilots have started ight
training at Luke AFB, Arizona, where
Cameri-built F-35As will be delivered later in
2016 to support international pilot training.
German
Armed
Forces
gets
H145Ms
The German Armed Forces has
taken delivery of the rst two of 15
H145M helicopters it has on order.
Airbus HelicoptersDutch Alouettes
Finale
A ceremony at Gilze-Rijen AB on December
15 marked the retirement of the Alouette
III from the Royal Netherlands Air Force
(RNLAF) after 51 years service. Two of
the last four helicopters ying with 300
Squadron performed a nal ypast at the
base before landing and taxiing in to a
traditional water cannon salute. The type
formally ended service on December 31.
The RNLAF rst put the SE3160 Alouette
III into service in 1964, and eventually
operated 72 of the type. Although most
were progressively withdrawn from use,
four were upgraded to SA316Bs in 2004-
by RUAG in Switzerland and remained in
service. The nal four comprised A-247,
A275, A-292 and A-301.Skyhawks Retired
Israel has retired its last A-4 Skyhawks after
48 years of service. A ceremony marked the
occasion on December 13 and a formation
of jets performed a ypast at all the Israeli
Air Force (IAF) bases before landing back at
Hatzerim AB.The IAF had operated A-4N, TA-4H and
TA-4J variants, the last of which were own by
102 ‘Flying Tiger’ Squadron at Hatzerim in the
training role. They have now been replaced by
the new Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Lavi, 30 of
which have been ordered.11-12-14_military.JR.mfJRDC.mf.indd 14 08/01/2016 15: