Page 37 - Combat Aircraft (January 2020)

out the rst ight of one of its Mirage F1s speci c upgrades that can be used to won a contract to provide the Canadian
at Alliance Airport on August 22, 2019, enhance these ghters. Forces with aggressor training. In 2018
as two-seat F1B registration N601AX The company was swiftly rewarded it renewed that deal for a further 10
(ex-French serial 502) ew on ‘an initial when in 2018 it was awarded a ve- years. The company acquired its A-4N
acceptance ight’. year, $107-million contract from the Skyhawks through the takeover of
Meanwhile, TacAir of Reno, Nevada, navy running through May 2023. Under Advanced Training Systems International
bought a eet of 21 F-5E/Fs from the this deal it was to provide adversary air (ATSI) in December 2013, and these
Royal Jordanian Air Force, building on the services in addition to training for air and ex-Israeli Air Force jets joined a eet
ve ex-Royal Canadian Air Force CF-5D ship crews to counter electronic threats. of former Luftwa e Alpha Jets. It has
Freedom Fighters it already operated. The award was challenged by ATAC, repeatedly said it will acquire F-16s
TacAir has developed a bespoke which proposed a eet of ex-Jordanian despite the expected higher operating
upgrade for its ‘new’ aircraft at its F-16s. The challenge was denied and the costs that these aircraft will incur. In Left top to bottom:
Top Aces operates
maintenance and logistics facility in St contract went forward, the Government a media release related to the USAF seven A-4N
Augustine, Florida. It is adding a new Accountability O ce noting that the contract award, it said, ‘Top Aces will Skyhawks at
Garmin glass cockpit and radar to the advantages of the F-16 were outweighed be the rst provider to o er the F-16 Wittmund to
support Luftwaffe
jets, which are now known as F-5AT by the a ordability of the F-5. platform, con gured with a unique open Eurofi ghter
‘Advanced Tigers’. TacAir has partnered Draken International too has started system architecture designed to meet training.
with Duotech Services to retro t a radar expanding its eet to meet the new USAF the diverse needs of the USAF customer. Rich Cooper
warning receiver (RWR) and its low-cost requirement, receiving former Spanish Top Aces’ eet will initially be based at Mirage F1BM
NEMESIS mechanically scanned array Air Force Mirage F1Ms, and 12 Denel the F-16 Center of Excellence located in N552EM made
(MESA) radar. This is a ‘tailor-made’ system Cheetahs from South Africa. The Cheetahs Mesa, Arizona.’ its fi rst post-
restoration fl ight
that employs modern radar techniques, o er an advanced capability ‘o the shelf’, Now these four contractors have been with Draken on
with an ability to quickly add new thanks to their EL/L-2032 radar and Elisra selected as possible suppliers they will November 12,
modes to meet training requirements. RWR, plus a degree of commonality with each need to bid against operational 2019. Draken
International
According to DuoTech, it also o ers threat the Mirage F1s. The rst of 22 ex-Spanish taskings for the 12 locations that require
replication via unclassi ed and classi ed Mirages — F1M serial C.14-73 — arrived their aggressor services. The nature of Below:
means, allowing the aircraft to y ‘realistic at Draken’s Lakeland, Florida, facility the business dictates that they will need Draken
International
adversary intercept pro les, o ering in July 2018. Upgrade plans include to move their eets of aircraft around showed off one of
mission-critical situational awareness and a helmet-mounted cueing system, to keep them suitably employed, and its Mirage F1EEMs
assessment capabilities’. infra-red missile seekers, datalinks, and to meet the varying phases of training in a stunning new
scheme at its
NEMESIS is integrated with FAAC Inc’s electronic jamming and radar warning at each location. This is expected to Lakeland base
Zone Acquisition Process (ZAP) real- receiver capabilities. Draken marked the start in October 2020. It is reported that in October. The
world threat replication software, which rst ight of its Mirage F1B N552EM on Kingsley Field, Oregon, and Holloman aircraft is former
Spanish Air Force
provides high-speed missile simulations. November 12, 2019. AFB, New Mexico, will be the rst two serial C.14-70,
TacAir says the beauty of the F-5 is that it Top Aces was able to take advantage locations that are serviced, in support of now registered as
has a proven track record in the adversary of a highly pro-active Canadian stance F-15C/D and F-16C/D basic course pilot N574EM. Draken
International/
eld and that there are a number of when it came to training and in 2005 training. José M. Ramos

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