Looking Back At 2019: Defense

After a delay of more than two years, the first two Boeing KC-46A Pegasus aerial refueling tankers were formally handed over to the U.S. Air Force on Jan. 25 at McConnell AFB, Kansas. The Air Force planned to accept 36 KC-46s in 2019, despite issues with the remote vision system for the air refueling operator.

In February, Spain agreed to join France and Germany in the development of the Future Combat Air System (FCAS). A memorandum of understanding followed in June and defense electronics company Indra was named in September to lead Spain’s industrial involvement, working with Airbus and Dassault.

Russia’s Ilyushin Il-112V light transport aircraft made its first flight April 1 at Voronezh-based manufacturer VASO, a subsidiary of United Aircraft Corp. The airlifter is powered by two TV7-117ST turboprops, the same engines powering the Il-114-300. The Il-122V is planned to enter service in 2021.

Sweden in July signed a memorandum of understanding to join with the UK’s Team Tempest in developing technology for a future fighter, paving the way for a potential acquisition program. In September, Italy and the UK signed a declaration of intent to collaborate on a future fighter.

The first of 16 modified Airbus C295 airlifters ordered in 2016 for Canada’s Fixed-Wing Search-and-Rescue (FWSAR) program made its first flight on July 4 in Spain. The aircraft has aerodynamic improvements to increase time of station and is fitted with a search radar and electro-optical sensor.

Gripen

Taiwan’s Aerospace Industrial Development Corp. rolled out the prototype Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) on Sept. 24. First flight is planned for June 2020. The subsonic AJT is derived from AIDC’s F-CK-1 supersonic fighter, but 80% of the parts are different. The Honeywell F124 engines are nonafterburning derivatives of the F-CK-1’s TFE-1042-7s.

Embraer delivered the first of 28 KC-390 tanker/transports to the Brazilian Air Force on Sept. 4 at Anapolis Air Base. The air force and Embraer jointly launched development of the KC-390 in 2009. At the Dubai Airshow in November, Embraer and marketing partner Boeing rebranded the aircraft the C-390 Millennium.

T-7A

Dassault handed over the first of 36 Rafale fighters to India on Oct. 8. The aircraft were ordered from France under a 2016 intergovernmental agreement. After pilot training is completed, the first Indian Air Force Rafales will be delivered in-country in May of 2020.

The UK’s Royal Air Force (RAF) took delivery of the first of nine Boeing Poseidon MRA1 maritime patrol aircraft in October. The UK is the fourth P-8 customer to take delivery of the aircraft after Australia, India and the U.S. The type has also been ordered by New Zealand, Norway and South Korea.

Airbus in November revealed a very-low-observable technology research program funded by the German government. The Low-Observable UAV Testbed (LOUT) is an 8,800-lb. scale model of a 44,000-lb.-class twin-engine, diamond-shaped, subsonic unmanned combat air vehicle. Testing began in 2014.