DefenceTalkLeonardo announced today that the Pakistan Ministry of Defence has placed orders for an undisclosed number of additional AgustaWestland AW139 intermediate twin engine helicopters. The aircraft will be used to perform utility and transport operations across the nation. Deliveries are expected to start in mid-2017. This latest purchase further expands the presence and success of […]https://www.defencetalk.com/pakistan-expands-its-aw139-fleet-with-new-orders-69217/

DefenceTalkPoland on Monday formally launched a tender for 16 military helicopters following months of talks with aeronautics rivals Airbus, Lockheed Martin and Leonardo-Finmeccanica. The defence ministry began the talks in October after calling off formal negotiations with France’s Airbus to buy 50 of its Caracal helicopters for several billion euros (dollars) in a move that […]https://www.defencetalk.com/poland-launches-new-tender-for-military-choppers-69211/

DefenceTalkNorthrop Grumman Corporation, in partnership with the U.S. Army Prototype Integration Facility and prime contractor Redstone Defense Systems, has successfully completed the first flight of the UH-60V Black Hawk helicopter. Northrop Grumman provided the Integrated Avionics Suite for the UH-60V, which upgrades the U.S. Army’s UH-60L Black Hawk helicopters with a digital cockpit, under a […]https://www.defencetalk.com/uh-60v-black-hawk-completes-first-flight-69138/

DefenceTalkHindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will reveal the mock-up of India’s first indigenous multi-role helicopter at the Aero India exhibition beginning in Bengaluru next week. The medium-category helicopter is sought after by the services, and such helicopters have so far been imported. “The main attraction of HAL’s indoor pavilion on 1,282 sqm is a mock-up of […]https://www.defencetalk.com/hal-multi-role-helicopter-model-to-be-unveiled-at-aero-india-expo-69101/

DefenceTalkA fleet of 20 AH-64 Apache aircraft from the 1st Battalion, 501st Aviation Regiment, 1st Armored Division in Fort Bliss, Texas landed at the Corpus Christi Army Depot last week to prepare for their February deployment to Europe. The 1-501st, also known as the Iron Dragon Battalion, will deploy this February for a nine-month rotation […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-army-deploying-ah-64-apache-battalion-to-europe-68885/

DefenceTalkRussian Helicopters, part of State Corporation Rostec, will supply the Ministry of Defense of Kazakhstan with four transport-combat Mi-35M helicopters in 2018. The deliveries will be carried out through Rosoboronexport. The contract was signed as part of the Treaty between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Kazakhstan on military-technical cooperation. The supplies of the […]https://www.defencetalk.com/russian-helicopters-to-deliver-combat-helicopters-to-kazakhstan-68854/

DefenceTalkThe Republic of Serbia will acquire nine H145M helicopters from Airbus. The contract for procurement, associated services and related industrial cooperation was signed in Belgrade between Airbus, the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Serbia on 28 December 2016. With this procurement, the Serbian Air Force and Police will […]https://www.defencetalk.com/republic-of-serbia-orders-nine-h145m-helicopters-68848/

DefenceTalkElbit Systems announced today that it was awarded a contract to supply groundbreaking, multi spectral BrightNite system to an air force in a NATO country. The contract, in an amount of approximately $17 million, will be performed over a thirty-month period. Low-flying helicopters are especially vulnerable to threats such as difficult terrain, enemy fire and […]https://www.defencetalk.com/elbit-systems-to-supply-brightnite-systems-to-an-air-force-in-a-nato-country-68829/

DefenceTalkDefence Minister Harriett Baldwin announces £269M deal for Crowsnest system to protect new Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers. The deal with Lockheed Martin will see the start of manufacturing on the new Crowsnest system. It will act as the eyes and ears for the Royal Navy’s ships, providing long range air, maritime and land detection […]https://www.defencetalk.com/thales-wins-royal-navy-crowsnest-surveillance-helicopter-contract-68813/

DefenceTalkChina’s helicopter industry is gearing up to become a global power with a national strategy of civil-military integration, according to state-owned helicopter giant Avicopter. China has a relatively complete helicopter industry with independent development capacity in key technologies, said Wu Ximing, chief designer of Avicopter, a subsidiary of China Aviation Industry Corporation (AVIC). The cutting-edge […]https://www.defencetalk.com/china-focus-civil-military-integration-lifts-chinas-helicopter-industry-68753/