Elta has been selected to supply the electronic support measures/electronic intelligence system for the Royal Australian Air Force's Boeing 737-based Wedgetail airborne early warning and control aircraft. The contract is valued at $64 million. Elta will supply the systems as a subcontractor to BAE Systems Australia. Elta's ESM/ELINT systems have previously been selected for the RAAF's Lockheed Martin AP-3C maritime patrol aircraft fleet. Australia's Department of Defence and Boeing have signed a 10-year deal to support RAAF F-111 strike aircraft at their Amberley base in Queensland. Boeing Australia will be responsible for aircraft and airframe component maintenance and logistic support. Eurofighter and the four-nation government management agency NETMA have signed the contract to develop and procure the Interim Training Device (ITD). The ITD will be delivered in the third quarter of next year. Boeing has begun installing new mission computers and software in the Royal Saudi Air Force's five E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft in a $60 million contract. Two aircraft will be retrofitted in Seattle this year and three next year. BAE Systems is to upgrade the mission planning systems for Italian air force Alenia/Embraer AMXs, Panavia Tornados and Lockheed Martin C-130H/Js under a contract from Datamat potentially worth $5.4 million. The upgrade includes the latest core software, aircraft-specific software modules and 12 portable workstations. Raytheon is to supply 48 AIM-120C-5 advanced medium- range air-to-air missiles to Israel and eight to Thailand in a deal worth almost $22.5 million including spares. Symetrics has won a $16.8 million order to supply its ALE-47 countermeasures dispensing system to the Royal Netherlands Air Force. Delta Air Lines will train maintenance personnel for US Air Force Boeing C-40As (military Next Generation 737s) under a five-year contract worth $5.7 million.
Source: Flight International
