09 Feb 17. South Korea moves forward hovercraft programme to boost industry. South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) plans to fast-forward a programme to construct hovercraft for the Republic of Korea Navy (RoKN) in a bid to support local industry.
DAPA said in a statement on 9 February that the project to build two additional high-speed hovercraft landing ships under the continuing LSF-II – or Kite 631 – programme would be bought forward by one year to support delivery by 2021.
The hovercraft will be constructed by Busan-based Hanjin Heavy Industries under a KRW150bn (USD131m) contract signed in late 2016.
DAPA said that by bringing the project forward by one year it would “help the shipbuilding industry in Busan to revive [its] stagnant economy” and bolster the RoKN’s amphibious capabilities. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
09 Feb 17. Turkey transfers defence procurement funds to a new sovereign wealth fund. The Turkish government has transferred stakes worth billions of dollars in major companies as well as a portion of the national Defence Industry Support Fund (DISF) to a recently established sovereign wealth fund (SWF) that is intended to help finance large infrastructure projects. A total of TRY3bn (USD811m) was transferred from the Defence Industry Support Fund; a fund managed by the Undersecretariat of Defence Industries (SSM) used to supplement armament programmes, and which draws income from sources including military-owned defence ventures.
The transfer – announced in the government’s Official Gazette on 6 February – is for a three-month period. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
08 Feb 17. Turkey Likely to Sell AgustaWestland T129 Atak Helicopters to Pakistan. Turkey will possibly sell its T129 helicopters, which were acquired from AugustaWestland, to Pakistan.
Speaking at an event hosted by İstanbul Düşünce Vakfı (Istanbul Thought Foundation), Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) General Manager Temel Kotil said that TAI is actively working to land a T-129 sale with Pakistan, Milliyet reported this week.
A T-129 was sent to Pakistan for tests in June 2016, in which its hot-and-high and endurance capabilities were examined.
TAI is also capable of exporting the T-129, particularly its CTS800 turboshaft (developed by Honeywell and Rolls-Royce), indicating that the company has the requisite export licenses. Kotil reportedly claimed that TAI “will sell [T-129s] to Pakistan in the coming months.”
TAI acquired the T-129 from AgustaWestland as part of the Turkish Armed Forces’ (TSK) requirement for new attack helicopters in 2008. The platform’s production was entirely transferred to Turkey.
Aselsan and Roketsan are providing the T-129’s onboard electronics and munitions, respectively. The Turkish company Meteksan is testing a millimeter wave radar for the T-129.
TAI and the Turkish Undersecretariat for Defence Industries (SSM) consider Pakistan as a major prospective client, one that can provide the T-129 a strong “reference” for the aircraft, TAI and the Turkish defence industry. However, Pakistan’s ability to fund big-ticket defence hardware is relatively strained, henceforth, it requires prospective suppliers to sell on affordability and term-based financing. SSM cited the lack of financing mechanisms as an obstacle to its big-ticket defence exports. Turkey has offered to pilot financing with Pakistan as Turkey aims to become a defence and aerospace exporter. Turkey has also agreed to extend a USD $400m loan for Pakistan’s purchase of four MILGEM corvettes.
“Pakistan was satisfied with the T-129’s performance and weapons package (offered by Roketsan), and that it was upon Islamabad to call for formal negotiations,” TAI told MSI Turkish Defence Review during the 2016 International Defence Exhibition and Seminar (IDEAS), held in Karachi in November. (Source: defence-aerospace.com/Milliyet)
08 Feb 17. Greece military plans modernization of its F-16 fleet. Greece plans to modernize