aviation - the past, present and future of flight

The Macedonian government is offering

four Sukhoi Su-25 Frogfoots ground-attack

aircraft for sale, as it looks to modernise its

air arm. The decision was announced on

July 12 – a day after NATO formally invited

Macedonia to join the alliance. The quartet

being disposed of are three single-seat

Su-25 Frogfoot-As (serials 121 to 123)

and single two-seat Su-25UB Frogfoot-B

(serial 120). All have been grounded at

Petrovec air base since March 1, 2004.

Igor Bozinovski

Enthusiasts were treated to a rare glimpse

of a Pakistan Navy Harbin Z-9 Haitun

helicopter in mid-July. The Chinese-built

utility machine was aboard the PNS Aslat, a

Zul quar-class frigate, when it made a  ve-

day goodwill visit to Portsmouth, Hampshire,

on July 18. The Pakistan Navy has 12

Haituns in service.

Two of the Macedonian Sukhoi Su-25s that

have been offered for sale at Petrovec.

Igor Bozinovski

Harbin Z-9, s/n 24, on PNS Aslat at Portsmouth dockyard during the ship's visit. Peter R Foster

Sukhois for Sale

Pakistan Navy Helicopter in the UK

Poseidons for New Zealand and South Korea

Two major orders have been placed for the

Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime multi-

mission aircraft. The New Zealand defence

ministry announced on July 9 that it had

agreed to buy four from the US government

to replace the air force’s  eet of six

Lockheed P-3K2 Orions which, operated by

No.5 Squadron at RNZAF Base Auckland,

are expected to end their operational lives

in 2025. The Poseidons will be delivered

from 2023 and be operated from RNZAF

Base Ohakea.

An order by South Korea is reportedly

for six Poseidons acquired through the

US government’s Foreign Military Sales

programme. If it goes ahead, the aircraft

would enter service in 2023, replacing

Orions in the maritime patrol role.

First PC-

for QinetiQ

Defence contractor QinetiQ has received

its  rst PC-21 from Pilatus, one of a pair

that will be used for pilot training at the

Empire Test Pilots’ School (ETPS) at MOD

Boscombe Down, Wiltshire. A traditional

Swiss souvenir was presented to Steve

Wadey, CEO of QinetiQ Group on July

17 at the Farnborough International

Airshow by Pilatus CEO Markus Bucher to

commemorate the handover.

The second is due at the end of this

year and will be used in courses starting

early in 2019, replacing QinetiQ’s Alpha

Jets and Hawk T1s. The PC-21s are

equipped with a fully integrated  ight test

instrumentation capability for use by ETPS

in test pilot and engineer instruction.

More Ospreys

on Order

Bell Boeing has taken orders for 58 Osprey

tiltrotors from the US military and Japan. The

award, announced by the US Department

of Defense on June 29, modi es a previous

advance acquisition contract.

It includes manufacture and delivery of

39 CMV-22Bs for the US Navy, 14 MV-22Bs

for the US Marine Corps, one CV-22B for

the USAF and four MV-22Bs for Japan. The

multi-year contract will keep the Osprey in

production until at least 2024.

The US Navy will use its new CMV-22Bs

to transport personnel and cargo from aircraft

carriers to shore, eventually replacing the

Grumman C-2A Greyhound.

Luxembourg

Military Expansion

Two Airbus Helicopters H145Ms have been

ordered by Luxembourg for defence and

security missions, it was announced on July

27. The company will also provide a training
    and support package. The pair will be
    delivered before the end of 2019 and enter
    service in 2020, operated and maintained
    at Findel Airport in Luxembourg. The
    number in service is eventually expected to
    rise to  ve.
    The nation’s parliament has also agreed
    to  nance a single Airbus A400M transport

• to be shared with the Belgian Defence


• Air Component – which is expected to be
  delivered early in 2020.

Greece Orders

Tecnam Trainers

Greece has signed an agreement for 12

Tecnam P2002 JFs, a computer-based

integrated training system and ancillary

support services. The type will serve as

screening/primary trainer, replacing the

Cessna T-41D in service with 360 Sqn.

The  rst four P2002 JFs are due to

arrive in September, with completion

of deliveries expected by the end of

the year. The training of HAF technical

staff started at Tecnam’s facilities in Italy

on July 9 and will be followed by pilot

instruction. Igor Bozinovski

MILITARY NEWS

14 Aviation News incorporating Jets September 2018