Global Ordnance and Sparkz disclose plans for 500,000 US-made UAV batteries a year
The companies have outlined plans for US$25 million manufacturing lines and initial deliveries in 2027 as Washington tightens restrictions on Chinese UAV components.
Lockheed Martin, Pilatus Aircraft team for AIR 5428
A new team is in the running for the Australian Defence Force’s AIR 5428 pilot training system (PTS) programme, with the announcement that Lockheed Martin and Pilatus Aircraft will team to compete for the contract.
The consortium, known as Team 21, will be supported by Hawker Pacific, and will draw on its experience in providing the Pilot Training Basic Wings Course to the Republic of Singapore Air Force. The team is in the seventh year of a 20 year performance-based contract for that programme.
Air 5428 will provide the Australian Air Force, Army and Navy with a new fixed wing PTS. The system will provide platforms for flight screening and cover all facets of undergraduate pilot training from basic flying up to entry into air force Lead-In Fighter and Operational Conversion Units.
Raydon Gates, chief executive, Lockheed Martin Australia, said: ‘Our team builds on an existing and highly successful relationship between Lockheed Martin and Pilatus Aircraft. We have a proven track record of providing a flexible, low-risk solution using the PC-21 aircraft and will leverage this experience to offer a training programme that can evolve with mission requirements.’
Markus Bucher, chief executive officer, Pilatus, added: ‘It became very clear after a thorough review of potential partners that the existing alignment of Lockheed Martin, Pilatus and Hawker Pacific would deliver the best overall customer outcome, not only for the Australian Defence Force, but also for on-going operational budgets and taxpayers, to deliver best value for money.’
In September BAE Systems announced that it will team with industry partners CAE and Beechcraft to develop a potential solution for the programme.
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