A recent trip by Moscow’s Mayor Sergey Sobyanin to GosMKB Vympel—a visit that marked the state-owned company’s 70th anniversary—served as a prime opportunity to open the doors of its facility and display a number of interesting missiles, including the R-77 (AA-12 Archer), which it manufactures on site.
Airlines would have to retrofit thousands of in-service Boeing 737NG narrowbodies with redesigned engine cowls if the FAA enforces an NTSB recommendation stemming from an engine failure on Southwest Airlines Flight 1380 in April 2018.
The Japanese government is promoting technological cooperation between local industry and Boeing in aircraft electrification and high-rate composites manufacturing, aiming at expanding the country’s traditionally limited roles in aircraft manufacturing.
Rising demand for the Pratt & Whitney PW1100G-JM is the key reason for Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) setting up an advanced factory at Nagasaki to exclusively build the combustor for the engine, which is used on the Airbus A320neo family.
The Philippines defense department will decide in December on the type of multi-role fighter (MRF) aircraft to be purchased by the air force, its chief says.
The U.S. has approved a possible sale to South Korea of AIM-120D Amraams, foreshadowing introduction into Asia of the latest standard of the Raytheon air-to-air missile.
Lockheed Martin expects South Korea to order another batch of PAC-3 MSE surface-to-air missiles within two years, adding to 64 that the country decided to buy in 2018.
Avic is emphasizing the adaptability of the Z-20 utility military helicopter, as the Chinese army presents the type for close inspection for the first time.
Avic’s project to produce the Advanced Heavy Lifter (AHL) helicopter should soon be ready to present to the state group’s head office for launch approval, an industry source said.
Technology acquisition for a future Taiwanese fighter is at a very preliminary stage. Propulsion and electronic systems are seen as main areas of difficulty.
Taiwan’s air force should be a little less anxious. Needing to replace worn out jet trainers as soon as possible, the service is seeing Aerospace Industrial Development Corp. (AIDC) execute the replacement program approximately on schedule.
France’s Safran Nacelles is planning to increase its nacelle footprint in Asia-Pacific, stationing field representatives in the region and eventually opening a nacelle shop in the region.
The large number of Asia-Pacific prospects, plus others elsewhere, raises the likelihood that one contract or another will come up before Bell finishes making long-lead parts for AH-1Zs under current contracts, probably around 2021.
The Japanese defense ministry has proposed to launch Future Fighter development in the fiscal year beginning in April 2020, and said it should proceed even if a hoped-for international partnership cannot be arranged.
The Indonesian police force reportedly has signed a letter of intent for the purchase of 11 twin-engine, medium-size Leonardo helicopters—nine AW169s and two AW189s. Scheduling delivery of the aircraft batches next year, the deal was initially agreed to in December 2018, Indonesian police air unit director Anang Syarif Hidayat told Airspace Review, an Indonesian industry news service. If the deal goes through, the air unit will be the first Indonesian government agency to operate both the AW169 and AW189.
Planning an enlarged acquisition of Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightnings, the Japanese defense ministry hopes local industry can gain a larger share of manufacturing in the program, though not with government investment.
