Page 23 - AirForces Monthly - Issue 381 (December 2019)

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Latest Uganda expands and First two
Nigerian modernises L-39 fleet KA-1s for

Air Force Senegal

AW109E take shape
NIGERIAN AIR Force KOREA AEROSPACE
(NAF) AW109E Power Industries (KAI) has nearly
c/n 11847 was noted at completed manufacturing
Venegono in Italy during a the first Armée de l’Air
test flight from Leonardo’s Sénégalaise (Senegalese
factory airfield at Vergiate Air Force) KA-1S Woongbi
on October 17. Wearing light attack aircraft. An
Italian test registration image posted on Twitter on
CSX81963, it’s one of two October 19 showed one of
examples ready to be the aircraft, serial number
delivered to the NAF. 02/6W-CAB, on the KAI
In December last year, production line in Sacheon,
the Nigerian chief of fully painted in Senegalese
air staff, Air Marshal Air Force colours and
Sadique Abubakar, Above: Fresh from overhaul and modernisation, L-39ZA AF 713 lands at Odessa International markings. The serial
announced acquisition Airport, Ukraine, after a test flight on October 28. It’s the second aircraft of the last batch of UPDAF suggests this is the second
of six Powers from L-39s that arrived at the OAZ plant on March 31. The first was L-39ZA AF 721, which was flight tested aircraft, the first most
Leonardo to supplement on September 24. Redelivery of both to Uganda was scheduled for January 2020. Sergey Smolentsev likely being 01/6W-CAA.
the AW109LUHs in KAI announced on July 19,
service since 2010. The THE FOUR ex-Bulgarian The UPDAF received its 2017, but their source and 2016, that it had received
Nigerian government L-39ZAs delivered to the first three ex-Libyan Air original identities have yet an order for four aircraft
initially budgeted for two Uganda People’s Defence Force L-39ZO trainers to be established. Further from Senegal. The contract
AW109s, which arrived in Air Force (UPDAF) in 2009- in 1987; these are still in L-39ZAs followed in 2018- had been signed four days
the country in crates on 10 recently underwent an service today. In the late 19, when three ex-Bulgarian earlier. At the time it was
April 22. These aircraft – overhaul and modernisation 2000s, Uganda acquired and one ex-Romanian stated that the order was
NAF576 (c/n 11844) and at the OAZ plant in Ukraine, four ex-Bulgarian Air Force aircraft were delivered after for the export variant of the
NAF577 (c/n 11845) – were receiving the same package L-39ZAs, which were overhaul and modernisation KT-1 basic trainer, but the
immediately reassembled as four newly acquired overhauled in Ukraine in at OAZ (see The Odessa latest reports suggest that it
and presented during the aircraft. The first batch of jets 2009-10. An ex-East German File, October 2019, p76-81). is the KA-1 armed advanced
NAF’s 55th anniversary (AF 709 and AF 735) returned L-39ZO was bought on These four aircraft received trainer with light attack
celebrations in Abuja from to Uganda in September, the civilian market shortly UPDAF serials in the AF and forward air control
April 27-29. Ahead of the while the second (AF 713 afterwards. At least two 700 range, the 2019 batch capabilities that is being
festivities, Air Commodore and AF 721) is expected to additional L-39ZAs appear becoming AF 718 and AF procured. Dave Allport
Nnamdi Ananaba said return in January 2020. to have been acquired by 729. Vladimir Trendafilovski
the air force would soon

take delivery of further
new equipment, including Grounded Côte d’Ivoire Dauphin flying again
four additional AW109s. In
May, two more AW109Es AN AS365N2 Dauphin II
destined for the NAF – c/n of the Côte d’Ivoire Armée
11846 with test registration de l’Air (Côte d’Ivoire Air
CSX81960 and c/n 11847 Force) that had been out
carrying CSX81963 – of use for at least two
started test flying from years has been returned
Vergiate. Both AW109s to operational service. The
were assumed to have helicopter, TU-VHX (c/n
been shipped to Nigeria 6540), had been in storage,
after completion of their unairworthy and rotorless,
flight test phase. However, in the International Aircraft
the two aircraft were again Services hangar at Abidjan-
seen flying at Venegono in Port-Bouë/Félix-Houphouët-
mid-October. This might Boigny International Airport
signal their imminent since at least 2017, along
delivery or suggest both with a second example,
examples were built prior TU-VHW (c/n 6069). Both
to receipt of payment had been operated by the
from the Nigerian air force’s Groupe Aérien
government. The final de Transport et de Liaison.
two AW109s on order will Above: French commandos based in Senegal join local soldiers in front of Côte d’Ivoire Armée de The current status of sister
now likely be the AW109M l’Air AS365N2 Dauphin II TU-VHX while participating in a joint exercise in Abidjan on September helicopter TU-VHW is
version. Marco Muntz 20. French MoD unknown. Dave Allport
In Brief

More Mi-35Ms examples in 2015. Nigerian The US State Department support. The aircraft will Russia has delivered at least
for Nigeria Ambassador to Russia Steve has approved a possible be used for training pilots one new Mi-17 helicopter
Reports in the Russian Davies Ugbah announced Foreign Military Sale of 12 and supporting Tunisia’s to Mozambique. The
media suggest Nigeria recently that Russia has T-6C Texan IIs to Tunisia counterterrorism and photos show the Hip being
has signed a deal for the already delivered six of the at an estimated cost of border security missions. unloaded from an An-124-
delivery of another 12 Mi-35 Mi-35Ms under this contract. US$234m, including related New Hip for Mozambique 100 at Nacala Airport in
attack helicopters. Nigeria Tunisia lines up spares, ground support Based on photographs northern Mozambique
placed an earlier order for 12 T-6C Texan II equipment and technical released on social media, on September 25.

www.Key.Aero #381 December 2019 // 23

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