DUTCH ENGINES
Avio/Philips joint venture DutchAero and the Royal Netherlands Air Force's Woensdrecht Logistics Centre will provide maintenance, repair and overhaul services for the Pratt & Whitney F100 engines that power the service's Lockheed Martin F-16 fighters under a public-private partnership deal awarded by the nation's Defence Materiel Organisation. The initiative also supports Dutch ambitions to establish a regional support centre for Lockheed's F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.
HERONS SWOOP
Three Heron medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned air vehicles leased by the Turkish army under a one-year deal with Israel Aerospace Industries have arrived at Batman air base near the nation's border with Iran and Iraq. The Israeli-operated UAVs will provide an interim capability until deliveries of 10 Heron systems begin to Turkey late next year under a more than $180 million deal with IAI and Elbit Systems.
POLISH ARRIVALS
The Polish air force's 10 tactical air squadron fighter/reconnaissance unit will receive its first Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter at Krzesiny air base in late December, prior to relocating to Lask air base in mid-2008. The service expects to have received 33 F-16s by year-end from an eventual total of 48, with 21 pilots to also have completed training on the type.
CROATIA MODERNISES
Croatia is poised to receive its first two of 10 Mil Mi-171Sh transport helicopters from Russia under a $65 million debt repayment, as part of an air force-wide modernisation effort which will also see the arrival during December of a fifth Zlin 242L primary trainer. The nation is also expected during 2009 to select a new fighter to replace its RSK MiG-21s by 2015, with the Lockheed Martin F-16 and Saab Gripen leading contenders for the 12-aircraft deal.
Source: Flight International
