A US Air Force Boeing C-17 transport made an emergency landing at Baghdad airport after an engine exploded before dawn on 9 December. The aircraft is believed to have been hit by a surface-to-air missile shortly after take-off from Baghdad. While part of the USAF C-17 fleet is equipped with the Northrop Grumman LAIRCM laser infrared countermeasures system, the damaged aircraft came from McChord AFB, Washington and is believed to have been unequipped.
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.
