Combat aircraft

C-1s IN FORCE AT IRUMA

THE JAPAN AIR Self-Defense Force

(JASDF)’s C-1 transport made

what was rumored to be its  nal

public display  ights at the annual

Iruma Air Show, which took place

on November 3. Also taking part

in the  ying display was the sole

EC-1 electronic intelligence (ELINT)

version, 78-1021, operated by the

local Electronic Warfare Operations

Group. This type is also expected to

be retired in the near future.

RAAF HERCULES ATTENDS OPERATION

‘CHRISTMAS DROP’

THE ROYAL AUSTRALIAN Air

Force (RAAF) joined the US Air

Force and Japan Air Self-Defense

Force (JASDF) to take part in

Operation ‘Christmas Drop 17’,

from December 6-16. The US

Department of Defense’s longest-

running humanitarian air-drop

mission involved C-130s from

the three countries launching

from Andersen Air Force Base,

Guam, to deliver cargoes to

56 remote Micronesian island

communities across the western

Paci c. Up to 100 loads were

delivered by parachute, including

nearly 25 tons of critical supplies,

non-perishable food, toys,

 shing equipment and clothing.

Operation ‘Christmas Drop’ was

 rst conducted in 1952, and

delivers to islands over an area of

six million square kilometers. It

also allows Hercules crews from

the three countries to jointly plan

and execute airlift missions.

INDIAN ARMY ADDS LCH ATTACK HELOS

HINDUSTAN AERONAUTICS

LIMITED (HAL) has received a

request for proposal (RFP) for

15 limited-series Light Combat

Helicopters (LCH) from the Indian

Air Force (IAF) and the Indian Army.

Four prototype LCHs are undergoing

 ight-testing, and production was

formally launched last August with

an order for an initial batch of 15.

Using many components taken

from the HAL Advanced Light

Helicopter (ALH), the LCH is a

5.5-ton-class attack helicopter, and

is powered by two Shakti engines.

The helicopter participated in the

IAF’s ‘Iron Fist’ exercise in March

2016, during which it demonstrated

its weapons-carrying capability by

 ring rockets.

ANNIVERSARY EAGLE FOR 304 HIKOTAI

F15J 428947 HAS been adorned

with a variety of special markings

to celebrate 40 years of 304

Hikotai. The left-hand side of the

aircraft features a blue badge on

the tail and the fuel tank depicts

the di erent aircraft types  own

by the squadron. Meanwhile, the

right-hand side and top of the Eagle

feature a large image of a Tengu, the

unit’s mascot. Tengu are goblin-like

creatures from Japanese mythology.

Known for their skill with swords

and possession of mystical powers,

they were said to inhabit Mount

Hiko in Fukuoka, located near the

squadron’s original base at Tsuiki.

Arnold ten Pas

NATO SENTRY RETIRED

A NATO E3A Airborne Warning

and Control System (AWACS)

aircraft was retired when serial

LX-N90455 arrived at Davis-

Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona,

on December 13. The Sentry is

the second example to be placed

in storage with the US Air Force’s

309th Aerospace Maintenance and

Regeneration Group (AMARG). The

NATO  eet, which is operated by

the NATO E-3A Component from

Geilenkirchen Air Base, Germany,

now includes just 15 of the original

18 aircraft. NATO is reducing

the AWACS  eet due to budget

constraints, and a third example

will be sent to the ‘boneyard’ when

LX-N90458 arrives in 2018. The

14 Sentries that remain in service

with the alliance are all receiving

upgrades that will allow them to

remain in service until around

2035. Tom Kaminski

CHINA’S AG600 FLYING BOAT TAKES FLIGHT

THE AVIATION INDUSTRY

Corporation of China (AVIC) AG600

amphibious aircraft completed its

maiden  ight on December 24.

The four-turboprop aircraft took to

the air at Zhuhai’s Jinwan Airport

for a  ight lasting around an hour.

The AG600, which was rolled out

in July 2017, is slightly larger than

China’s previous amphibian, the

Harbin SH-5.

Powered by four WJ-6 engines,

the AG600 has a wingspan of

127ft (38.8m) and a length of

121ft (37m). It has a cruising

speed of 311mph (500km/h),

a maximum take-o weight of

53.5 tonnes and an endurance

of 12 hours.

Alongside civilian applications,

the AG600 is expected to be

used for military maritime rescue,

aerial  re ghting, and maritime

surveillance. It has also been

suggested that the AG600 could

be used for logistics support in

the strategically important South

China Sea.

Masahiro Oishi

NATO E-3A LX-N90455 is towed across the arrivals ramp at Davis-

Monthan AFB after being fl own in for storage. USAF/309th AMARG

A RAAF C-130J on the fl ightline at Andersen AFB before an Operation

‘Christmas Drop’ sortie on December 11. USAF/SSgt Joshua Smoot

WORLD [NEWS]

http://www.combataircraft.net // March 2018 21

18-22 World News C.indd 21 19/01/2018 11:11