DEFENCE
18 | Flight International | 10-16 April 2018 flightglobal.comFor insight and analysis of the latest
developments in the defence sector, visit:
flightglobal.com/defenceT
he Netherlands has unveiled
a new long-term defence
plan, which includes additional
funding to boost its armed forces’
operational readiness.
Presented by recently appoint-
ed defence minister Ank Bijlev-
eld-Schouten, the white paper
proposes annual spending of €1.
billion ($1.84 billion) – or about
1.3% of gross domestic product.
The Hague has already made a
number of major procurement
commitments, including for the
Lockheed Martin F-35; it will
eventually operate a 37-strong
fleet of the conventional take-off
and landing A-model variant. De-
liveries are due to begin next
year, with the final examples to
arrive in 2023.
To support the F-35 fleet, the
defence ministry intends to pro-
cure new tactical and strategic
air-to-surface munitions. Acqui-
sition decisions for these are ex-
pected in 2019, with deliveries to
begin in 2023 and 2024, respec-
tively, the white paper says.
The Netherlands has already
joined a multinational effort to
buy an eight-strong fleet of Airbus
Defence & Space A330 multi-roleSTRATEGY ANNO GRAVEMAKER ARNHEMNetherlands reveals plan for
long-term spending increase
Updates to rotary-wing fleet and C-130H transports also included in funding proposal
B
oeing has established two
new divisions within its
Defense, Space & Security busi-
ness, as part of an ongoing reor-
ganisation effort initiated by chief
executive Leanne Caret.
The Commercial Derivative
Aircraft unit will be based in Se-
attle, Washington, and oversee
activities including the US Air
Force’s 767-derived KC-46A
tanker and 747-8I adaptation for
the Air Force One mission – both
were previously within the now-
eliminated Development divi-
sion – plus the US Navy’s P-8 Po-
seidon variant of the 737.
Tim Peters, who is currently
head of Boeing’s flight test
activities and a former KC-46A
programme manager, will lead
the division.
Based in Huntsville, Alabama,
the Missile and Weapon Systems
division’s projects will include
the ground-based strategic deter-
rent and air-launched weapons
such as the Joint Direct Attack
Munition series, produced near
St Louis, Missouri.
Norm Tew will lead the
operation, moving from the
position of head of engineering at
the previous Space and Missile
Systems unit. nRESTRUCTURING
GARRETT REIM LOS ANGELESNew divisions at
Boeing as Caret
pursues change
T
he UK Ministry of Defence
plans to conduct a future test
campaign using a low-cost un-
manned combat air system
(UCAS) demonstrator, building
on lessons learned from previous
activities including its BAE Sys-
tems-led Taranis programme.
“This UCAS would see a sig-
nificant reduction in its cost and
development time compared to
traditional combat air systems,
and a potential future require-
ment would include the develop-ment and manufacture of the
proposed design, and the con-
duct of a limited flight-test pro-
gramme,” says the MoD.
An industry day was staged for
interested parties on 13 March,
with BAE, Leonardo, MBDA and
Rolls-Royce forming “Team Tem-
pest” to pursue the opportunity.
The UK-only initiative will be
performed in addition to an exist-
ing Anglo-French future combat
air system activity involving BAE
and Dassault. nINITIATIVE CRAIG HOYLE LONDONTeam Tempest eyes UCAS demonstrator contract
Nation’s KDC-10 tankers are to replaced by a pooled fleet of A330sRoyal Norwegian Air ForceBAE Systems
Future activity could build on experience from Taranis programmetanker transports, with access to
the pooled assets – to be flown
from Eindhoven air base – to re-
place its aged pair of McDonnell
Douglas KDC-10 tankers.
Meanwhile, the Royal Nether-
lands Air Force’s current four
Lockheed C-130H tactical trans-
ports will remain in service until
2031, the document says, but will
require a major update running
from 2022-2025. In addition, the
nation’s single Gulfstream GV
VIP transport will soldier on until
2022, with a replacement to be
identified two years earlier.
The Netherlands’ rotary-wing
fleet is also to be updated, the
paper says. In 2020, the first of 14
new Boeing CH-47F Chinookswill be delivered, replacing 11
aged D-model examples. Its six
current CH-47Fs will also be
raised to the newer standard.
Further updates for the na-
tion’s Boeing AH-64D Apache
and NH Industries NH90 helicop-
ters are envisaged in the early
and mid-2020s, respectively.
The paper also revives a
shelved plan to acquire General
Atomics Aeronautical Systems
MQ-9 Reaper unmanned air sys-
tems, with a first delivery in 2021.
Finally, the air force’s fleet of
13 Pilatus PC-7 basic trainers, in
service since 1989, will be re-
placed by 2026, the white paper
says, with the procurement pro-
cess to start in 2020. n