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‘In association with...’

and reconnaissance (ISR)/strike
aircraft to RIAT. The Kansas-
based company is working
alongside QinetiQ, which will lead
an ASDOT bid, and Thales. As
part of its strategy to gain more
Red Air work, parent company
Textron acquired Airborne
Tactical Advantage Company
(ATAC) last year. ATAC flies 16
former Swiss Air Force Hunters,
six ex-Israeli Air Force Kfirs and
four Aero Vodochody L-39ZAs.
Reports from France also claim
the company has acquired
more than 50 former French
Air Force Mirage F1s, with 36
likely to be made airworthy.
This acquisition is likely to be
aimed at the US market.

Cobham and Draken
A third teaming arrangement
includes Draken International,
which flies at least 14 of 21 Grifo-
radar-equipped L-159s recently
acquired from Aero Vodochody
as well as L-39s, A-4s and MB339s
(see Enter the dragon, May, p60-
67). The company was originally
planning to team with CAE and
Babcock, but Cobham announced
on July 14 that it had signed a
teaming agreement with Draken.
Peter Nottage, CEO and
President of Cobham Aviation
Services said: “Our work to
advance existing in-house,
synthetic threat training
technology development
continues and, when combined
with our unparalleled electronic
warfare training expertise and
Draken, we will deliver an ASDOT
solution that will provide the most
advanced training environment.”
The solutions from each of the
competitors will be different,
depending upon their primary
areas of expertise. Discovery,

ATAC and Draken all offer

legacy platforms but with highly

experienced pilots. However,

others may consider older aircraft

too expensive to run, while pilots

would likely have to cross-train

on several platforms. These

companies might prefer to offer

a single aircraft type to cover all

forms of training. As long as the

bidder can provide the service

and meet the requirements,

which will come down to

affordability, competence

and delivery, the aircraft used

should not be an issue.

Interestingly, none of the ‘Tier 1’

companies such as Airbus, BAE

Systems, Elbit Systems, Leonardo,

Lockheed Martin or Saab have

Fast and low over the Channel – the
domain of 736 Naval Air Squadron’s
Hawks that regularly mimic aircraft
and missile threats for the Royal
Navy. The RN’s aggressor Hawks will
stand down on December 31, 2019,
making way for ASDOT. Derek Bower

Above: RAF Regiment Forward Air Controllers (FACs) guide a Typhoon from No 6 Squadron onto their target at the Cape

Wrath practice range in Scotland. As well as the RAF and RN, the British Army requires ASDOT capabilities, including

training of FACs/JTACs. Crown Copyright Below: A pair of Draken International A-4Ks at work out of Nellis AFB, Nevada.

Draken has teamed up with Cobham in the competition. Frank Crébas

http://www.airforcesmonthly.com #354 SEPTEMBER 2017 // 35