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RECENT NEWS from the Asia-
Pacific region includes the formal
confirmation that Bangladesh will
acquire former Royal Air Force
C-130J Hercules C5 transports,
reports that India’s fighter
conundrum continues with an
unsolicited proposal for more
Su-30MKIs, and the arrival of the
first new King Air 350 training
aircraft for the Royal New Zealand
Air Force.Marshall Aerospace to
support Bangladesh
C-130Js
The Bangladesh C-130J Hercules
C5 deal, which covers two aircraft,
was first reported in July, 2017, but
a recent contract announcement
by Marshall Aerospace and
Defence Group for the support
of the aircraft has now provided
further details.In a ceremony at Bangladesh Air
Force Headquarters in Dhaka on
May 10, 2018, Marshall Aerospace
confirmed the government to
government sale of the aircraft and
announced the support contract
with the Bangladesh Air Force.
Alistair McPhee, CEO of Marshall
Aerospace and Defence Group
said: “We are delighted to have
secured this important contract with
the Bangladesh Air Force in close
co-operation with the UK MoD’s
defence equipment sales authority.”
He added: “Marshall Aerospace
and Defence Group has experience
in delivering total support
solutions to a wide range of C-130
operators and we wish to thank the
Bangladesh Air Force for the trust
they have shown in our capabilities.”
Under the new multi-year
contract, Marshall Aerospace will
provide maintenance and logistics
support, which also includes the
provision of spare parts and ground
support equipment, as well asengineering services. The company
will also provide in-country
technical support for an initial period
and it will perform modifications
required by the Bangladesh Air Force
for their new role. This latter work
includes the design, development
and installation of an aeromedical
evacuation capability.
During the ceremony in
Dhaka, which was attended by
representatives from both the
Bangladesh and UK governments, a
Bangladesh Air Force representative
said: “The acquisition of C-130J
aircraft from the Royal Air Force
provides a key enhancement to our
current airlift capability. It is important
for the Bangladesh Air Force to be
able to rely on a trusted partner like
Marshall Aerospace and Defence
Group to deliver the necessary levels
of operational support as we prepare
to take the step from the B to J
model of C-130.”
The two aircraft will join the
Bangladesh Air Force’s current fleetof four former United States Air
Force C-130Bs, which are operated
by the 101st Special Flying Unit and
based at Dhaka-Kurmitola Air Base.
In May, 2012, a US Defense Security
Co-operation Agency notification
advised that the State Department
had approved the potential sale of
four former US Air Force C-130E
aircraft to Bangladesh, but there has
been no subsequent announcement
of a firm contract.HAL proposes more Su-30s
In a further twist to the long-
running saga of India’s various
fighter replacement programmes,
in mid-May, 2018, local media
outlets reported that Hindustan
Aeronautics Limited (HAL) had
offered an unsolicited proposal for
an additional 40 Sukhoi Su-30MKI
fighters, all to be manufactured in
Russia but assembled in India.
Quoting HAL chairman, T Suvarna
Raju, the reports suggested that
the 40 additional aircraft could beBangladeshi Herks, Indian Sukhois and Kiwi King Airs
ASIA
By Nigel Pittaway