Airforces

India may

purchase

RCAF

CH-124s

INDIA HAS emerged as

a potential customer for

surplus Royal Canadian

Air Force (RCAF) CH-124

Sea King helicopters. A

report by Canada’s CBC

News on October 29,

2017 quoted a Canadian

Defence Ministry official

confirming India had

expressed interest

in the helicopters

during Canadian

Defence Minister

Harjit Saijan’s visit to

India earlier in 2017.

The Indian Navy has

been looking for a

replacement for INAS

330’s long-serving Sea

King Mk42s for many

years, but constant

delays in the acquisition

programme mean

that supplementing

the existing fleet

is considered a

stopgap solution.

However, there is likely

to be competition, as

informal expressions

of interest have

been received from

six countries or

organisations about

possible purchase

of some of the RCAF

CH-124s. The other

five nations have not

been revealed. To date,

entry into service of the

CH-148 Cyclone with

the RCAF has enabled

retirement of 16 of the

28 RCAF Sea Kings,

but none have yet been

released for disposal.

All of the RCAF

CH-124s are due for

retirement by December

2018. Dave Allport

Pakistan in talks for T129

attack helicopters

PAKISTAN’S PRIME

Minister Shahid Khaqan

Abbasi has confirmed to

media that the country is

continuing negotiations

with Turkish Aerospace

Industries (TAI) to finalise

a contract to purchase an

undisclosed number of

T129 ATAK helicopters.

The announcement was

made during the prime

minister’s visit to TAI on

October 22, 2017 when he

also flew a demonstration

flight in a T129.

The aviation wing of

the Pakistan Army (PA)

performed extensive

evaluation of the T129

after an example was

delivered to Pakistan in the

second quarter of 2016.

The trials were carried

out in a range of altitudes

and weather conditions

throughout the country.

Waseem Abbas

Right: T129A prototype

P6 undergoes trials at an

undisclosed Pakistan Army

base.

Japan’s fi rst E-2D prepares to take fl ight at the Northrop Grumman Aircraft Integration

Center of Excellence in St Augustine, Florida. Northrop Grumman

First Philippine Navy King Air inducted

PHILIPPINE NAVY King

Air C90, serial number

390, has been inducted

into service. It was

formally activated during

a ceremony on November

21 at Headquarters Naval

Air Group, Naval Base

Heracleo Alano, Sangley

Point, Cavite City, after

being fitted with new

navigation and maritime

surveillance equipment,

and repainting in an overall

grey colour scheme. The

aircraft is one of two former

Japan Maritime Self-

Defense Force (JMSDF)

TC-90 trainers, 6822 (c/n

LJ-1146) and 6824 (c/n

LJ-1336), which had arrived

at Sangley Point on March

27, still in full JMSDF

markings (see TC-90s

arrive in Philippines, June

2017, p28). The second

aircraft is still being

modified and a date for

its entry into service is

yet to be confirmed.

They are the first of five

initially being taken on

lease from Japan. Japan

wanted to donate them

free-of-charge, but was

initially prevented by

Japanese law. However,

following a change in the

law, a deal to change

the lease was agreed

on October 23, 2017 –

see Japan to donate five

TC-90s to the Philippines,

December, p29. All five

will be formally handed

over to the Philippines

when the last three arrive

at the end of March 2018.

Four Philippine Navy

aircrew have already

completed conversion

to the type in Japan. A

final two are currently

completing their training

with the Kyoiku Kokugun

Tokushima’s (Tokushima

Air Training Group’s)

202 Kyoiku Kokutaia (Air

Training Squadron). It is

part of the JGSDF’s Kyoiku

Koku Shudan (Air Training

Command) at Tokushima,

which previously operated

all five aircraft. The

Philippine Navy will use the

type for training and coastal

surveillance. Dave Allport

Above: The fi rst Philippine Navy King Air C90, serial 390, with its serial still covered, prior to its

offi cial commissioning ceremony at Sangley Point. Philippine Navy

NORTHROP GRUMMAN

completed the first flight

of the initial E-2D for the

Japan Air Self-Defense

Force (JASDF) on November

13, 2017. The Advanced

Hawkeye took to the air

at the company’s Aircraft

Integration Center of

Excellence in St Augustine,

Florida. Japan selected

the E-2D in 2014 to fulfill

its airborne early warning

requirements. Northrop

was awarded a $151.3m

contract for the first JASDF

E-2D in November 2015,

with contract completion

due in March 2018. A

second contract was

placed for a single aircraft

in August 2016. Northrop

Grumman began production

in 2016 on the two aircraft

so far contracted.

First fl ight of Japanese E-2D

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http://www.airforcesmonthly.com #358 JANUARY 2018 // 29