US-based company Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation announced on 2 October that the Philippine Air Force (PAF) has established a contract through the United States government to purchase a Gulfstream G280 as well as parts, tooling and contractor logistics support. The aircraft will be configured for command and control missions and is slated for delivery in 2020. It is believed that the G280 will operate for the 250th presidential airlift wing, based in Pasay City,

A US Department of Defence (DOD) contract notice dated 17 September, states that Gulfstream had won an order from the Philippine Air Force for the supply of one aircraft, parts and two-year logistic support. The DOD notice stated that the total contract value is $31,899,999. The current list price for a G280 is $24,500,000. Gulfstream says that the aircraft is scheduled for delivery in 2020, following configuration for command-and-control missions. The DOD notice states that the contract is due to be completed by the end of May 2022.The contract includes two years of logistical support, inferring that the G280 will be delivered before the end of May 2020.

Philippine Air Force orders Gulfstream G280 Command and Control Missions

The Gulfstream G280 is a twin-engine business jet built by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) for Gulfstream Aerospace. It began delivery to users in 2012. In 2005, Gulfstream and IAI began designing a follow-on aircraft to the Gulfstream G200. Gulfstream has produced special mission aircraft for more than 50 years. Aircraft can be configured for head-of-state and VIP transport; command and control; airborne early warning; medical evacuation; high-altitude atmospheric research; and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. More than 205 Gulfstream aircraft support governments and special missions in more than 40 countries around the world.

The TAI T625 Gokbey is a twin-engined light transport/utility helicopter developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) as part of the Original Helicopter Program, coordinated by the Presidency of Defense Industries. Turkish Aerospace Industries launched the preliminary design studies in 2010. The project commenced in 2013 when Undersecretariat for Defence Industries signed a contract with the Turkish Aerospace Industries to develop a 6-ton class multi-role helicopter for land operations. Alp Aviation is responsible for production and assembly of landing gear, gearbox and dynamic components, while Spanish CESA was selected to supply hydraulic systems.

The T625 prototype expected to weigh 5 tonnes and is in the interim powered by two LHTEC (a Rolls-Royce & Honeywell Partnership) CTS800 4-AT turboshaft engines, 1,373 shaft horsepower (shp) each. The LHTEC CTS800 was chosen due to commonality with the TAI/AgustaWestland T129. TUSAS Engine Industries, a Turkish Aero-engine design and production company has begun developing a next generation indigenous powerplant for the T625 named the TS1400. The company is currently working on its first turboshaft helicopter engine TS1400. Gokbey features a four-axis dual redundant automatic flight control system, along with an ASELSAN glass cockpit with two wide touchscreen Integrated Mission Displays (8×20 inches) and two touchscreen data entry Touch Command Control Units (8×10 inches). It is designed for IFR and VFR single pilot operations, night operations and flight in known icing conditions.

TAI T625 Gokbey Multirole Helicopter

United Technologies Corp., Pratt & Whitney Military Engines, East Hartford, Connecticut, is awarded a $2,195,644,813 modification (P00011) to a previously awarded advanced acquisition contract (N00019-18-C-1021). This modification definitizes the production and delivery of 112 F135-PW-100 propulsion systems for the Air Force, 46 F135-PW-600 propulsion systems for the Marine Corps, and 25 F135-PW-100 propulsion systems for the Navy.
In addition, this modification definitizes award of long lead components, parts and materials associated with 129 F135-PW-100 and 19 F135-PW-600 propulsion systems for non-U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) participants and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers.
Work will be performed in East Hartford, Connecticut (67%); Indianapolis, Indiana (26.5%); and Bristol, United Kingdom (6.5%), and is expected to be completed in February 2023.
Fiscal 2018 and 2019 aircraft procurement (Air Force, Marine Corps, and Navy); non-U.S. DoD participant; and FMS funds in the amount of $3,561,262,259 are being obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.
This modification combines purchases for the Air Force ($878,133,063; 40%); the Marine Corps ($619,150,637; 28%); the Navy ($178,828,697; 8%); non-U.S. DoD Participants ($420,087,247; 19%); and FMS customers ($99,445,169; 5%). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

Pratt Wins $2.2Bn Order for F-35 Engines

France Navy (Marine Nationale) is to order three Northrop Grumman E-2D Advanced Hawkeye airborne early-warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft in 2020. The E-2C has been in French Navy service for more than 20 years and the Marine Nationale is looking at the new E-2D as the obvious replacement. The French Navy had been closely following the introduction of the E-2D into US Navy service, with the type to be adopted to replace the three E-2C Hawkeyes serving with Flottille 4F at Lann-Bihoué, near Lorient, in Brittany.The newer variant is fitted with an entirely new AN/APY-9 radar with combined electronic/mechanical-scanning capabilities, more powerful processors, and an improved man-machine interface with larger screens. The airframe and engines remain the same, however, which will help accelerate and facilitate the transition from the E-2C to the E-2D.

The French Navy Naval Aviation (Force maritime de l’aéronautique navale) Flottille 4F currently operates three E-2C Hawkeyes acquired from the United States acquired in 1998, 1999 and 2004. It is the only Hawkeye operator with the United Sates to deploy the AEW aircraft from aircraft carriers. In the meantime, the three French E-2C will be mordernized and upgraded. Its scope is the modernization of weapons system, electronic warfare and IFF, as well as tactical consoles (2 sensors out of 3 are replaced), and obsolescence processing to meet the requirements of interoperability. Modernization work is carried out by the manufacturer Northrop Grumman, in France at AIA Cuers

France Navy operates a single aircraft carrier, the Charles De Gaulle, which relies on similar steam based launch systems to the U.S. Nimitz Class supercarriers. The similarities between the two platforms, despite the French carrier’s relative lack of sophistication and far smaller size, has meant that several carrier based aircraft used are interoperable. Indeed, the carrier Charles De Gaulle’s Dassault Rafale M is the only non U.S. carrier based fighter allowed to operate from U.S. supercarriers. The similarities between their systems also allow the French Navy to operate the E-2 Hawkeye from its own carrier, giving the Charles De Gaulle’s air wing a significant advantage over those of rival carrier platforms.

French Navy E-2C Hawkeye