Page 9 - ADT MARCH 2021 Online Magazine

14 nations including the U.S. have placed

Middle East and APAC. The United Kingdom
(138 F-35s), Italy (60 F-35As, 30 F-35Bs),
the Netherlands (46 F-35As), Australia (100
F-35As), Norway (52 F-35As), Denmark (27
F-35As), Canada (88 F-35As), were the original
consortium members who placed orders for the
F-35, along with Israel (50 F-35As), Japan (105
F-35As, 42 F-35Bs), South Korea (40 F-35As),
Belgium (34 F-35As), Poland (32 F-35As) and
orders for the F-35 including customers in the [ COVER STORY ]
Singapore (4 F-35Bs), who emerged as addi-
tional foreign customers. Lockheed Martin
has delivered more than 760 F-35s till as of
February and the fleet has accumulated more
version - the F-15E Strike Eagle was deployed in 1989. The USAF than 480,000 flight hours.
is estimated to operate approximately 450 F-15s across all variants
and its oldest F-15C/Ds are planned for replacement with F-15EXs.
A total of 144 aircraft are planned for production with a cap at 200 Typhoon in the Desert
aircraft. Qatar and Saudi Arabia are the Eurofighter
Typhoon customers in the region and the latter
F-35 in High Demand is yet to conclude a formal contract for 48 more
Finland’s decision to order the F-35 as a replacement for its aircraft agreed upon in 2018.The first Qatar
F-18s,made it the 14th nation to opt for the F-35. It has ordered 64 Typhoon made its maiden in November 2021
F-35As and will start taking deliveries of the 5th gen fighter type and deliveries are on schedule and slated to
from 2027. Major General (Eng.) Kari Renko, Chief of the Finland commence in 2022. Qatar inked a £6 billion
Defence Forces Logistics Command, signed in the LOA documents contract for 24 Typhoon aircraft in December
on F-35A aircraft and their maintenance services in February. The 2017 and was the ninth country to purchase
procurement contracts include the deliveries of 64 multi-role fight- the aircraft. The order was the biggest export
ers in 2026-30 that represent the F-35A Block 4 configuration, deal for the Typhoon in a decade and also
aircraft engines and maintenance equipment, systems, spare parts, included nine Hawk Mk167 jet trainers along
replacement equipment, training equipment and servicing needed with a bespoke support and training package.
for use and maintenance. The agreements include F-35 type train- As part of the deal, MBDA was contracted to
ing for flying and technical personnel. Finland will also undertake supply Brimstone and Meteor missiles along
large-scale production of the F-35 front fuselage for other users, with Raytheon’s Paveway IV UK-manufactured
produce structural components as well as equipment testing and weapon for the jets.
maintenance capability. Finland was also offered a project of the
final assembly of engines for air force aircraft. The estimated direct Qatar will operate a new Joint Hawk Training
domestic employment effect of industrial participation in Finland is Squadron at RAF Leeming, unveiled in
4,500 person-years while the indirect effect is 1,500 person-years. November 2021 as ‘11 Squadron (Qatar).
The first four Qatari Emiri Air Force student
Despite France pushing for greater unity amongst European pilots began Hawk training at RAF Leeming in
nations, the Rafale has failed to find a stronger foothold in the October last year. The Squadron will aim to
region, losing orders from Switzerland and most recently, Finland. train eight Qatari pilots a year, with RAF stu-
dent pilots due to join the Squadron in 2022 to
train alongside their Qatari counterparts. The
“ONCE AGAIN, WE NOTICE AND REGRET AN new Joint Hawk Training Squadron builds on
AMERICAN PREFERENCE PREVAILING IN EUROPE. the success of the UK-Qatar Joint Typhoon
FOR THEIR PART, DASSAULT AVIATION AND Squadron based at RAF Coningsby, which aims
ITS INDUSTRIAL PARTNERS ARE CONTINUING to train up to 20 Qatari pilots ahead of the deliv-
ery of Qatar’s Typhoons later this year.
TO DEVELOP THE RAFALE’S OPERATIONAL
CAPABILITIES, IN THE SERVICE OF FRANCE AND The two air forces, share a close partnership
OF COUNTRIES THAT WANT TO HAVE A FIRST- and Exercise Fox Defender held in December
RATE AIR FORCE WITH FULL SOVEREIGNTY, AS last year, witnessed personnel from both air
forces training together on RAF Typhoons,
GREECE AND CROATIA HAVE RECENTLY CHOSEN IN with pilots and engineers from both nations
EUROPE, AND OTHERS OUTSIDE EUROPE,” a com- flying and maintain the aircraft throughout the
pany release stated. exercise.

ASIAN DEFENCE TECHNOLOGY March 2022 | 9