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Saudi F-15SA Fighter Jet Crashes

An investigation into the crash was underway, the spokesperson added…reports Asian Lite News

A Royal Saudi Air Force F-15SA fighter jet reportedly crashed during a routine training mission, killing all crew members on board.

Saudi Defense Ministry spokesperson Turki Al-Maliki confirmed that the incident occurred at 12:50 p.m. on Thursday during a routine training mission from the King Abdulaziz Air Base in the eastern town of Dhahran, Xinhua news agency reported, citing a Saudi Press Agency (SPA) report.

An investigation into the crash was underway, the spokesperson added.

The crash killed two crew members on board, reported the Saudi Gazette website.

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Saudi Arabia pushes to join fighter jet project with UK, Italy and Japan

Iranian fighter jet crashes, no one killed

A senior UK defence source said: “The kingdom of Saudi Arabia is one of the UK’s strategic partnerships and UK defence is keen to deepen work on GCAP…reports Asian Lite News

Saudi Arabia has asked the UK, Japan and Italy to be made a full partner in their joint effort to build the next generation of fighter jets, in a move backed by the British government.

Companies from the UK, Japan and Italy are working together to build a new fighter jet and other systems such as drones under the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), also known as Tempest. The programme aims to deliver the first planes by 2035, a tight turnaround.

The addition of Saudi Arabia to the programme could be attractive for the partners because of the potential for sharing the billions of pounds in costs with one of the world’s biggest defence spenders, but may create tensions between them.

It could also add to already complex negotiations involving three governments and several companies from each country. In the UK the lead manufacturers are the engine maker Rolls-Royce; the tank and plane manufacturer BAE Systems, which has a significant-sized business in Saudi Arabia; and the UK arms of Italy’s Leonardo and the European missile-maker MBDA.

Adding Saudi Arabia would probably prove controversial because of criticisms of its record on human rights, including its involvement in the war in Yemen and the 2018 murder of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The murder led to the country and its crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, briefly being frozen out of international deals, but censure has since faded.

Within the trio of GCAP partners, the UK is understood to be leading the effort to add Saudi Arabia. However, Japanese officials have expressed firm opposition to the Saudis joining, according to the Financial Times, which first reported the request. Japan has been slowly loosening controls on weapons exports that were part of its legacy of pacifism after the second world war.

A senior UK defence source said: “The kingdom of Saudi Arabia is one of the UK’s strategic partnerships and UK defence is keen to deepen work on GCAP. We see Saudi Arabia as a key partner in the fighter programme and we are working to ensure strong progress as soon as possible.”

Saudi Arabia has had its eye on joining Tempest for some time. It signed a memorandum of understanding with the UK in March saying that the countries would carry out a “partnering feasibility study” to look at a future combat air partnership and closer industrial collaboration. Its defence minister, Khalid bin Salman, tweeted that the deal meant the country would join the international jet effort, only for the UK to hurriedly say it was a separate agreement.

It is thought that the talks on Saudi Arabia joining formally are still at a relatively early stage, and are being handled in the UK by the Ministry of Defence. Any formal agreement would require the prime minister’s signoff.

Saudi Arabia has recently tried to make itself less reliant on the US for its weaponry and is trying to build up a domestic weapons industry, said one Middle East analyst.

On Monday the kingdom signed a deal with Turkish defence firm Baykar Tech to manufacture drones – which have played a prominent role in Ukraine’s defence against Russia – in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia spent the equivalent of 6.6% of its GDP on its military in 2021, compared with 2.2% for the UK, 1.5% for Italy and 1.1% for Japan, according to the World Bank.

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Business UAE News

MEBAA Show to reassess dynamics of aviation industry

MEBAA Show (Zawya.com/Press Release)

The MEBAA Show will bring a refreshed focus on in-person networking for the business aviation industry, with the aim of generating return on investment (ROI) for exhibitors…reports Asian Lite News

MEBAA Show 2022 is set to showcase the significant growth being experienced in business aviation, private jet, and the charter flight markets across the Middle East and Africa region. With its new and unique features, the event will reassess the dynamics of the industry, offer a new perspective and will be host to a range of opportunities aimed at bringing the region’s business and private aviation community together again.

2021 was marked as the busiest year for global business jet activity, the Middle East region alone showing some of the strongest growth in business jet demands, notably from the United Arab Emirates, which was up by 73% compared to 2019. The business aviation market in the Middle East maintained its growth momentum in 2022, with flights up by 47% in May, in comparison with same period in 2019.[1]

Mohammed Al Husary, Co-Owner, Founder and Executive President of UAS International Trip Support added: “Industry opportunities lie in delivering increased value to our clients, and this means increased efficiency. This is an operator’s number one priority.  The air charter and cargo markets are looking particularly promising going forward and, as always, pandemic, political unrest, or otherwise, clients continue to demand the efficiency, speed, and safety that business aviation provides.”

A host of new features planned at MEBAA Show include Biz Av Talks which will be an interactive gathering for sharing knowledge and expertise with industry leaders and specialists. The sessions on the show floor are designed to provide practical insights and advice on how the private aviation supply chain can overcome challenges and meet the demands of the future.

Ali Ahmed Alnaqbi, Founding and Executive Chairman of MEBAA, said: “We are placing a major focus on networking, industry trend debates and engagement in the upcoming edition of the MEBAA Show. This is key for building partnerships and exchanging knowledge and expertise. The show will help contribute to the rapid growth of the business aviation industry and we are delighted to see great interest from major business aviation companies in MEBAA Show 2022, who will join hands to take the business aviation sector to the next level.” 

Paras Dhamecha, Managing Director, Empire Aviation Group added: “Business aviation is all about people, so we are looking forward to meeting our customers, partners and friends across the industry, face to face, to drive the industry forward. The future of the sector looks very positive across the Middle East and international markets as the industry evolves and develops quickly. We are well positioned to support business aviation in the region and beyond, from our base in Dubai.”

The MEBAA Show will bring a refreshed focus on in-person networking for the business aviation industry, with the aim of generating return on investment (ROI) for exhibitors. Today’s exhibitors value quality over quantity and the Show will provide a dedicated platform for world-class companies within the business aviation sector to showcase the latest innovation.

Attendees can expect to see the launch of new features and activations across the show floor to ensure interactivity and engagement. Some of the new show features include the Future Focus Zone where the future of business aviation will be on display, and a dedicated VIP Programme will ensure VIP attendees get an experience they are accustomed to including a dedicated registration and exclusive access to the luxurious VIP lounge. Other features include a host of private meeting suites, digital café, White Bar and outdoor entertainment feature areas, which will deliver a festival feel in December. The newly launched AI-powered MEBAA Connect application will facilitate business connections between exhibitors and visitors. In addition, the Operators’ Lounge will be dedicated to supporting networking with select regional and international operators.

The MEBAA Show, the Middle East’s leading business aviation platform, is set to return from 6 – 8 December 2022 at Dubai World Central (DWC) Airport, Dubai Airshow site.

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-Top News Europe

Typhoon jets scrambled

The scrambling of British jets comes at a time of tension between Russia and the West over Ukraine…reports Asian Lite News

Britain deployed Typhoon fighter jets against “unidentified aircraft” approaching its area of interest, the Ministry of Defence said Wednesday in a statement.

The planes, deployed from a Royal Air Force base in Scotland, are supported by an air-to-air refueling tanker, according to the statement. “We will not be offering any additional detail on this ongoing operation until complete,” the ministry said. It did not have an immediate comment on the origin of the aircraft being intercepted.

Britain has frequently deployed its quick-response jets in the past to intercept Russian military aircraft. Such aircraft have never entered sovereign U.K. airspace without authorization, a person familiar with the situation said.

The scrambling of British jets comes at a time of tension between Russia and the West over Ukraine. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is due to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday afternoon.

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-Top News Asia News India News

India may buy Russian jets to counter China

First, the Russian plane would be much cheaper than the more expensive F-35. While the “Checkmate” may cost around US $25-30 each, the F-35 Lightning comes with a much steeper price tag of US $100 million…reports Atul Aneja.

In the race for fifth generation fighter jets, India may opt for Russias latest “checkmate” plane to deter China, instead of the US F-35, which falls in the same category, say Chinese military analysts.

The Hong Kong based South China Morning Post (SCMP) is reporting that India will be keen to purchase Russian plane, whose prototype was unveiled at the MAKS-2021 International Aviation and Space Salon, outside Moscow.

The daily cites three reasons as to why India may opt for the Russian stealth fighter.

First, the Russian plane would be much cheaper than the more expensive F-35. While the “Checkmate” may cost around US $25-30 each, the F-35 Lightning comes with a much steeper price tag of US $100 million.

Sergei Chemezov, chief of Russia’s state aerospace and defence conglomerate Rostec was quoted as saying that the Checkmate was likely to be in heavy demand in the Middle East, the Asia-Pacific and Latin America. Second, there is a long queue for the F-35, which can be manufactured only in limited numbers by Lockheed Martin, its manufacturer. The company can produce on 100-200 planes a year–a number that does not cater to the heavy demand.

Third, the Russian plane would be robust and capable, though it may lag behind in avionics and the fire control systems. Sukhoi, the manufacturer claims that the fifth-generation fighters could travel at twice the speed of sound. It had operational range of 3,000km (1,865 miles) and could carry a 7.4 tonnes load of bombs and missiles. The daily quoted Wei Dongxu, a Beijing-based military analyst, as saying that the aerodynamic design suggested Russian new offering has better stealth features than the Sukhoi Su-57, Russia’s first fifth-generation fighter which entered service in December last year.

The Checkmate is expected to fly in 2023 and deliveries could begin three years later. Russia plans to produce 300 of the planes over a period of 15 years.

India is rapidly upgrading its Air Force, which includes the recent induction of the 4.5 generation Rafale fighter jets from France. China had deployed its J-20–supposedly a fifth-generation plane in Ladakh during the standoff with India.

However, India’s former Air Chief BS Dhanoa, does not classify the Chinese J-20 as a genuine fifth generation fighter, citing some of the plane’s technical features. Dhanoa told Hindustan Times that if the J-20, also called the Mighty Dragon, is indeed a fifth-generation stealth fighter, then there is no reason why it has canards–a feature that is not there in established 5th generation fighters such as the US’ F 22, F 35 and Russia’s Su 57.

Canards are small forward wings that are mounted on the fuselage that help stabilise the plane and also improve its lift. But they have a major drawback. Their angular surface area can be easily picked up by radars, increasing their vulnerability.

(The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com)

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