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http://www.airforcesmonthly.com #369 DECEMBER 2018 // 23
Indian crews
begin AH-64E and
CH-47F training
INDIAN AIR Force (IAF)
personnel recently began
training on both the AH-64E
and CH-47F in the US in
preparation for the types
being delivered for service.
On October 8, IAF aircrew
started their Chinook training
at Boeing’s facility in Ridley
Park, Delaware. Four pilots
and four flight engineers
are receiving tuition during
the initial conversion phase.
On October 22, the IAF
announced that Apache
training had also begun
at Fort Rucker, Alabama.
The IAF has ordered 22
AH-64Es and 15 CH-47Fs.
Deliveries of both types
are expected to begin
next year. Dave Allport
Final
upgraded
Bangladesh
An-32B
delivered
UKRAINE’S STATE
Enterprise Plant 410
has completed overhaul
and upgrade of the third
and final Bangladesh Air
Force (BAF) An-32B. The
aircraft, 3505/S3-ACD, was
formally returned to the
BAF during a ceremony at
Kiev-Zhuliany on October
- It was then flown back
home to re-join 3 Squadron
at BAF Base Sergeant
Zahurul Haque, Chittagong.
The other two BAF
An-32Bs, 1701/S3-ACA
and 1702/S3-ACB, have
already been upgraded.
It’s unclear when the first
was completed, but the
second, 1702, was handed
back on September 25 last
year. The work undertaken
on all three includes
a total refurbishment,
upgraded equipment, a
ground collision avoidance
system and satellite
navigation. Dave Allport
ROCAF receives last two F-CK-1C/Ds
Above: Upgraded F-CK-1C serial 1504 is the former single-seat prototype serial 10005. Formosa Military Press
THE REPUBLIC of China
Air Force (ROCAF) has
taken delivery of the last
two F- CK-1 fighters to
be updated to the latest
F-CK-1C/D standard.
A total of 127 modernised
Indigenous Defence
Fighters (IDFs) were
completed in two batches.
The first of these – known
as Xiang-Chan No 1 –
upgraded 71 F- CK-1A /
Bs of the Tainan-based
1st Tactical Fighter Wing
(TFW) between 2009
and 2013. The second
batch, or Xiang-Chan No
2, addressed 56 F-CK-
1A /Bs of the Taichung-
based 3rd TFW between
2014 and 2 017. The last
of the second batch was
delivered on December
21 and became fully
operational on March 9
this year. After the ROCAF
received its first batch of
F-CK-1C/Ds in 2013, the
two prototypes, 10005
and 10006, were gradually
withdrawn from test duties.
The ROCAF provided an
F- CK-1C from the 1st TFW
for subsequent tests.
The original two upgraded
prototypes began to
undergo environmental
protection for storage at
the end of 2014. Work
started on modifying the
two prototypes to this
standard after the ROCAF
received its second batch
of F-CK-1C/Ds in 2 017.
Recently, the prototypes
completed their test work
and were transferred to
the air force as ‘new’
F-CK-1C/Ds – 10005 and
10006 have received
the revised serials 1504
and 1629 respectively.
Their arrival increases
the total number of IDFs in
service to 129. Peter Ho
Aaron Murphy via Adrian Balch
JAPAN AIR Self-Defense
Force (JASDF) Kawasaki
C -1 78 -1026 (c/n 8026)
has been painted in this
striking ‘Kabuki’-style
special scheme to mark
the 60th anniversary of 2
Yuso Kokutai (2nd Tactical
Airlift Group, 2nd TAG)
- part of the service’s
Koku Shien Shudan (Air
Support Command).
The airlifter was prepared
for display at the Iruma
Air Show on November
3 and it was rumoured
the livery would be
removed the next day.
The transport was first
noted flying in its new
colours on October 9.
There are now no more
than eight flyable C -1s left
in frontline JASDF service,
all resident at Iruma Air
Base with 402 Hikotai, part
of the 2nd TAG. One or two
others are also present
at the base in various
stages of deconstruction.
Right: IAF personnel in front
of CH-47F Chinook ZL4667
(believed to be the seventh
IAF example, c/n M2407,
test registration N285RN)
at Ridley Park prior to
commencing training on the
type. IAF
‘Kabuki’ scheme for JASDF C-1