22 Jul 14. Paraguay seeking radars and light fighters. The Paraguayan Air Force (FAP) requires four new radars and a fleet of 12 combat aircraft, FAP Commander General Luis Noceda Riveros said during a 21 July radio interview. Gen Noceda explained that the FAP currently operates two radars, which combined provide a 100 km coverage, but a further four long-range 3-D radars are required to provide national coverage. He said the FAP has requested USD360m for its force-wide modernisation since 2011. The service also requires 12 aircraft in the turbo-prop light-fighter class, in order to provide training, interception, reconnaissance, and close air support capabilities, the general added. While six EMB-314 Super Tucanos have been requested by the FAP since 2009, Paraguay’s Congress has not authorised procurement yet. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
20 Jul 14. The Indian government has ended the monopoly of the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in domestic aircraft manufacturing by excluding it from the stalled INR120bn (USD2bn) Medium Transport Aircraft (MTA) programme. Signing off on the MTA procurement, which will involve the purchase of 16 aircraft and licensed production of 40, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) headed by Defence Minister Arun Jaitley declared on 19 July that only domestic private-sector companies would participate in the project. The 56 MTA will eventually replace the Indian Air Force’s (IAF’s) ageing fleet of licence-built BAE Systems Avro 748s. India’s outgoing defence minister, A K Antony, had deferred the long-postponed MTA programme in October 2013 following objections from the Heavy Industries Ministry and HAL at their exclusion. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
16 Jul 14. Greece looks to major upgrade programmes. Greece is expected to push ahead with over USD1bn worth of defence upgrade programmes, with the Parliamentary Committee on Defence Procurement and Contracts scheduled to meet on 30 July to discuss and approve the projects. Given the tight budgetary constraints in Greece the projects concern mid-life upgrades, systems maintenance and a co-production deal and not new purchases. Following approval by the Committee, the Ministry of Defence is expected to issue requests for quotations, in order to sign contracts by the end of 2014. For the Hellenic Army three programmes are expected to be included: the upgrade of 36 Lockheed Martin M270 Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MRLS) with new launchers and a fire control system; a EUR150m (USD202m) contract for the local production by Hellenic Defence Systems of 30,000 120 mm rounds for the army’s 350 Leopard 2 main battle tanks; and the acceptance of Oshkosh Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Trucks (HEMTTs), to be transferred free from US Army stocks. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
20 Jul 14. Turkey to Formalize Fast Missile Boat Race. Turkey’s procurement authorities are preparing to issue a request for proposals (RFP) for up to 10 fast missile boats, formalizing the planned competition. One procurement official familiar with the program said the work to finalize the RFP was almost finished. “We hope to officially launch this competition before the end of the year,” the official said.
The program calls for construction of 10 ‘Turkish-type’ missile boats, meaning the planned boats will be designed and constructed at local shipyards. But officials said contracts will be awarded to foreign players for critical systems, sub-systems, propulsion and steering.
Industry sources said the contract price will be between US $700m and $800m, which the procurement official “could neither deny nor confirm.”
Industry sources expect competition among local builders RMK Marine, Yonca-Onuk, Dearsan, Ares and Istanbul Shipyards. The program will be managed by STM, a government-owned defense industry engineering and consulting company. STM, under authorization from the procurement agency, the Undersecretariat for Defense Industries (SSM), carried out feasibility studies for the f