Page 25 - Air Forces Monthly - September 2017

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New Jordanian UH-60M deliveries First Super Mushshaks
for Qatar

Above: Qatari personnel inspect one of the newly delivered
Super Mushshak primary trainers during the ceremony at Al
Above: One of the new UH-60Ms being unloaded from a USAF C-17A. US Embassy in Amman Udeid on July 19. QEAF
TWO ADDITIONAL by July 12, when images part of a subject matter AN INITIAL batch of PAC Air Force, several members
UH-60Ms were received of one of them were information exchange, Super Mushshak primary of the embassy and the
by the Royal Jordanian released by the US Army, several US Army aviators training aircraft has been Pakistani military attaché,
Air Force (RJAF) on July which reported that the from Bravo Company, delivered to the Qatar also attended the event.
23. Their arrival was UH-60M variant had 449th Aviation Support Emiri Air Force (QEAF) from The contract for these
announced on that date by ‘recently’ arrived at an air Battalion, Texas Army Pakistan. A formal event aircraft was signed on
the US Embassy in Amman, base outside Amman. The National Guard, are took place at the Al Zaeem June 23, 2016 (see Qatar
but it is unclear whether report said the RJAF had assisting RJAF personnel Mohammed Bin Abdullah Super Mushshak Order,
this was the arrival date spent the previous week in understanding the Al Atiyyah Air College at Al August 2016, p32). It
or the official handover. undertaking both hands- complexities of the Udeid Air Base on July 19 remains unconfirmed
They were airfreighted on and classroom training UH-60M, with a focus on to welcome the type into how many aircraft are
into the country on board on the new variant. maintenance structure, QEAF service. In addition involved in the deal
US Air Force C-17As. It is The helicopters are from production control and to local officials, a high- and the number in
apparent, however, that a batch of 12 UH-60Ms, quality control, along with level delegation from the first batch to be
some of these helicopters all of which will be problem troubleshooting. Pakistan, which included delivered was also not
had already been delivered delivered by October. As Dave Allport officers from the Pakistan reported. Dave Allport
Saudi Arabian manned-to-unmanned conversion dubbed the Al-Nawras
(gull). These are equipped
with new flight control
systems enabling them
to be operated from
a ground station.
Each of the three is
configured for different
missions, one for jamming
electronic signals, another
for aerial surveillance,
and the third with wing
pylons to carry weapons.
They can also fly joint,
co-ordinated missions.
Above: The three Al-Nawras UAV prototypes, converted from manned Pipistrel Virus light sport aircraft. KACST With an endurance
SAUDI ARABIA’S King of a manned aircraft Mohammed, the KACST and training aircraft as a of 30 hours, the UAVs
Abdulaziz City for into an unmanned President, announced basis for the conversion, can be equipped with
Science and Technology air vehicle (UAV) the achievement on July KACST has completed day and night cameras
(KACST) has successfully configuration. Prince 17. Using the Slovenian three unmanned for reconnaissance
completed modification Dr Turki bin Saud bin Pipistrel Virus light sport prototypes of the UAV, operations. Dave Allport

Latest Saudi Hawk THE LATEST pair of announced in May 2012.
The first aircraft made its
Hawk Mk165s for the
deliveries Royal Saudi Air Force maiden flight at Warton
(RSAF) was delivered
on September 16, 2015.
recently. The aircraft Deliveries began on April
were spotted passing 1, 2016, when the first two
through Heraklion Airport, departed from the Warton
Greece, on their delivery factory, subsequently
flight to the Kingdom. arriving at King Faisal
The two aircraft, 7907 Air Base on April 6. In
(ST016, ZB116) and February last year BAE
2111 (ST020, ZB120), Systems announced that
departed BAE Warton, a further order for 22
Lancashire, on June 14. more aircraft had been
Saudi Arabia ordered 22 signed, bringing the total
RSAF Hawk Mk165 2111 (ST020, ZB120) on approach to Crete’s Heraklion Airport. Babak Taghvaee Hawk Mk165s as part of a of Mk165s on contract
for the RSAF to 44.
£1.6bn contract, officially

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