28 Jan 15. New Zealand to spend $332m on upgrade of P-3K Orion aircraft. The New Zealand Ministry of Defence (MoD) is likely to spend $332.3m on the modernisation of the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s (RNZAF) P-3K Orion maritime patrol aircraft. Responding to an official information act request from Radio New Zealand, the MoD’s acquisition division deputy secretary Des Ashton said the original budget for the project was $377m, but was reduced by the fluctuating exchange rates. The P-3K Orion upgrade project was undertaken by a mixture of foreign and local contractors in Texas, US, and Blenheim, New Zealand. It covers modernisation and retrofit of a total of six P-3K Orions of the RNZAF. With completion of upgrade of the equipment such as computers, mission systems, radar systems, wiring, and antennas, the project is expected to finish halfway through this year, leaving only a software upgrade to be performed. Ashton said: “If you go back to the configuration of the aeroplane it was quite modern compared to some P3s in the world, but the computing power that was put in the original upgrade back in the 80s/90s was about the power of a commodore 64.” The P-3 Orion is manufactured by Lockheed Martin. It is a four-engine turboprop anti-submarine and maritime surveillance aircraft and is used search and rescue missions, fishery protection, anti-piracy operations, and surveillance by several navies worldwide. The P-3K Orions are currently used by 5 Squadron based in RNZAF Base Auckland, and are scheduled to be retired from service in 2025. (Source: airforce-technology.com)
27 Jan 15. Airbus Helicopter Looks to Polish Tender. Airbus Helicopters last month submitted its offer in Poland’s tender for 70 military multirole helicopters and expects a short list to be selected in February, Chairman Guillaume Faury said Tuesday. The Polish competition is a “strategic opportunity” and Airbus has “good chances,” Faury told journalists at the New Year’s press conference. Airbus Helicopters has pitched its EC725 Caracal against the Sikorsky S-70 Black Hawk and AgustaWestland AW149. Each of the competitors has signed with a local partner for production. Airbus will open a design office in Poland on Feb.19, and work will go on there, independent of the tender, Faury said. Poland also has a requirement for some 30 combat helicopters, for which Airbus will pitch its Tiger, Executive Vice President Dominique Gaudet said. Airbus Helicopters expects a business “stabilization” in 2015 and some large defense deals in the market. Other major prospects this year include a tender for South Korea’s light civil helicopter and light armed helicopter, and signing a contract for the NH90 transport helicopter for Qatar and the Caracal for Kuwait. Mexico is seen as a potential market for the Caracal, with the Tiger less of a priority. Brazil has had to reschedule production of the Caracal because of budget problems but that has been “stabilized,” Gaudet said. The NH90 order book has been cut by 33 units, as Portugal cancelled an order for 10 NH90s and Spain slimmed its order to 22 from 45 units. Spain has amended the contract to receive spares and logistical support for the helicopters for the three services rather than just the Army. Lebanon has a requirement for seven Super Puma and some light Gazelle helicopters, as part of an arms order agreed with France and funded by Saudi Arabia. (Source: Defense News)
29 Jan 15. Bulgaria Eyes New Fighter Jets. Bulgaria is considering buying new fighter jets for its air force, the defense minister said. Defense Minister Nikolai Nenchev said he aims to visit the US in the first quarter of this year to discuss the potential procurement, as reported by local news weekly Sofia Globe. The defense investment strategy presented by the country’s previous government states Bulgaria aims to acquire new fighter jets to replace its Soviet-built aircraft. When the country joined NATO in March 2004, Sofia vowed to replace six of it