A Mil Mi-8 helicopter was shot down on 21 April about 20km (12 miles) north of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, killing all 11 people on board. US and Bulgarian officials say the aircraft, owned by a Bulgarian company Heli Air and chartered by Canadian company SkyLink, was brought down by a rocket-propelled grenade. On board were six US security contractors, three Bulgarian crew members and two Fijian security guards.
Source: Flight International
Sweden’s Defence Materiel Administration has awarded Saab a SKr466 million ($42 million) contract to support further development of the nation’s Gripen C/D fighter fleet.
Madrid has signed a project Halcon II contract covering the production of a further batch of 25 Eurofighter combat aircraft.
The German air force’s three Airbus A350 VIP transports are to be protected by Elbit Systems-supplied directed infrared countermeasures equipment.
