Rolls-Royce gets USD 900 million Saudi deal

Saudi Arabian airlines roped in Rolls Royce to power jets in an order worth up to USD 900 million. The carrier has selected the Trent 700EP (Enhanced Performance) to power up to 12 (eight firm and four option) Airbus A330s, with deliveries from 2010. Rolls has secured more than 70 per cent of the A330 market over the last three years, and eight of nine Middle East A330 operators have selected the Trent 700. “This combination is particularly suitable for Middle East operations, where outstanding performance in hot-and-high locations enables operators to fly further with more passengers,” Rolls said.

Middle East has highest demand for jets

A latest five-year-forecast from Honeywell Aerospace revealed that the Middle East’s appetite for new business jets is higher than ever despite the global economic recession. Its survey of operators and flight departments in the Middle East and Africa showed 55 per cent plan to buy new aircraft by 2014, up from 45 per cent a year before.

President of business and general aviation at Honeywell aerospace, Rob Wilson noted that demand in the Middle East is mainly due to fleet replacement plans. But only 10 per cent in the region said they planned to buy new aircraft within the next couple of years, leaving 90 per cent with a pent-up demand for 2011-14. The majority of these aircraft will be longer range, large cabin jets, he said.

Wilson estimates the current fleet of business aircraft registered in the Middle East at about 300 jets and 90 turbo-props, not counting government and special mission aircrafts. Demand for business aircraft from outside North America has now exceeded 50 per cent of the market and this trend is likely to continue. Demand is exceptionally strong in Europe, strong in Asia and the Middle East, but remains flat to lower in North America and Latin America, the survey found.

The forecast indicates a potential demand for more than 5,000 aircraft globally from 2010 to 2014, excluding fractional ownership or branded charter start-ups and piston aircraft owner trade-ups into jet aircraft.

LM Launches New Hellfire

The latest version of the Lockheed Martin AGM-114 Hellfire missile made its public debut at the Dubai air show. First test-launched in August, the AGM-114R has a completely new multipurpose warhead to defeat the range of targets currently covered by four different Hellfire types. The ‘Romeo Hellfire’ is also fitted with an inertial system that allows off-axis launches of up to 180 degrees. This capability is tailored for UAV use, which will be one of the main applications for the new missile. The AGM-114R combines the warhead effects of four different Hellfire versions (AGM-114K, K2, M and N) and by 2013 will be the only production version of the missile.

India and Oman complete first air exercises

Exercise Eastern Bridge, the first-ever joint air exercise between the Omani and Indian Air Forces got successfully concluded recently. The eight-day exercise saw IAFs aircraft supported by Il-78MKI tankers deploy to Thumrait, Oman, and operate alongside the Royal Air Force of Oman. Upgraded Jaguar strike aircraft from both air forces flew joint missions — a unique event as India and Oman are the last Jaguar operators. Prior to Exercise Eastern Bridge the two nations conducted personnel and squadron exchanges. India’s links with Oman may provide a stepping-stone to stronger relationships with the other GCC states.

Hongdu L15’s Maiden Foray out of China

The AVIC Hongdu L15 Eagle twin-engined trainer flew outside China for the first time at the Dubai air show. L15 displayed high G turns and pull-ups of up to 6g, slow flight with angles of attack up to 25 degrees, rapid acceleration from low energy situations, and directional changes that illustrate a maximum instant turning angular velocity of 26 degrees per second. It can attain maximum level speed of Mach.95 with supersonic capability in a dive. Its design features include fly-by-wire with flight envelope limiters and auto spin recovery.

The L15 is the basic Advanced Jet Trainer which is the beginning of a family of advanced, fly-by-wire aircraft that will include a supersonic (Mach 1.4) LIFT ground attack aircraft with radar, nine weapons hardpoints instead of the trainer’s seven, weapons management systems, and more powerful, afterburning powerplants (AI-222K-25Fs from Ukraine’s Ivchenko- Progress).

Boeing AH-6i Helo makes first appearance

Boeing’s AH-6i light attack/reconnaissance helicopter made its first appearance at the Dubai air show. The company also showed a full range of advanced commercial and defence products. Boeing aircraft on static display included a US Air Force C-17 Globemaster III airlifter, a US Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet, the Royal Australian Air Force’s Wedgetail 737 Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft, and a US Air Force F-15 Strike Eagle.