56 Vol. 10 / No. 5 / May 2018 Global Aviator
Military news
Croatia selects its future fighter
Croatia has selected the offer from Israel to replace its
ageing MiG-21 with a batch of 12 used F-16C/Ds for a
price of $500M. The Israeli offer has been chosen among
3 more proposals: the Swedish Gripens, used Greek F-16
Block 30s and new Lockheed Martin F-16V. The deal
includes weapons and a simulator. Deliveries are set
between 2020 and 2022 - ©A. MocchettiIniochos 18 exercise in Greece
During a 2 weeks period in the second half of March,
Greece hosted a huge exercise that involved air forces
from (of course) Greece, United States, Great Britain,
Italy, United Arab Emirates, Israel and Cyprus. It
foreseen more than 100 flight sorties per day and
covered different aspects, but was mainly centered on
the suppression of an enemy via air to ground attacks.
Participants brought F-16s, F-4s, Mirage 2000s, an EMB-
145H AEW&C, F-15Es, Typhoon FGR4s, Tornado IDSs
and an AW-139 to Andravida Air Base - A. Mocchetti.TAI is close to sign contract for ATAK
Turkish aeronautical firm TAI is close to sign the first
export order for the T-129 ATAK helicopter, derived
from the Leonardo AH-129D attack/scout model in
service with the Italian Army. The order of 30 machines
will be signed with the Pakistani Government within
few months. The same helicopter has been acquired by
Turkey for its Army and it is currently employed in the
war against ISIS - ©D. Daverio.Luxembourg Army
will get its own helicopters
At the end of March 2018, the Grand Duchy of
Luxembourg signed an order with Airbus Helicopters
worth 145M Euros for five helicopters. The types selected
to equip the Grand Duchy Police (probably 2 H145M)
and the Army (rumors reports about NH90TTH) has not
been undisclosed. This mark a milestone in the history of
Luxembourg, as it will be the first helicopter unit to be
part of the Army - ©D. Daverio50 more Eurofighters for Spain?
In a recent meeting of the Chief of the General Staff of
the Spanish Air Force, Air General Javier Salto Martínez-
Avial, with some journalists, some new info emerged
about the selection of a replacement aircraft for ageing
Hornet fleet. Among F-35 and Super Hornet, Air General
expressed his favor about the Eurofighter, 73 of which
has been ordered in the past. The selection can be driven
by political and economical reasons. This move will lead
Spain to grow its frontline fleet more than the initial
needs for 106 aircraft. - ©D. DaverioCompiled by Davide Daverio