Page 9 - AirForces Monthly - Issue 381 (December 2019)

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British Army First Shadow R2 for No 14 Squadron Progress for
Watchkeepers planned RAF
deploy to Chinook buy
Cyprus under PLANS TO purchase
Athena Rebus additional Chinooks for
the RAF appear to be
THE BRITISH Army moving forward. A report
announced on September by Bloomberg News on
30 that personnel from October 22, quoting an
47 Regiment, Royal interview with US Army
Artillery had recently Secretary Ryan McCarthy,
deployed to RAF Akrotiri, said that Boeing is close
Cyprus with the Thales to selling 14 examples to
UK Watchkeeper WK450 the UK. McCarthy said
Equipment Standard 2 Martin Fox he had met with his UK
(ES2) unmanned aerial counterpart a few weeks
vehicle to participate in THE INITIAL upgraded initially remained with acquired by the RAF for earlier and that they are
Exercise Athena Rebus. Shadow R2 intelligence, Raytheon at Broughton, conversion to Shadow ISR now working out pricing
Members of the regiment’s surveillance and North Wales while under aircraft, the other two being details. He anticipates
43 Battery (Lloyd’s reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft conversion to Shadow G-DAYP and G-GMAD, that signature of a letter
Company) deployed to for No 14 Squadron is serial standard. Now equipped to allocated serials ZZ505 of offer and acceptance
Cyprus for training. ZZ507, seen at its RAF the latest R2 configuration, and ZZ506. In addition to could be completed
The army’s 47 Waddington, Lincolnshire, ZZ507 wears a new semi- the three new airframes, next spring, paving the
Regiment is the only base on November 4. The civilian scheme in contrast the five existing Shadow way for a contract.
unit operating the drone. aircraft previously wore the to the Shadow’s typical R1s are being reworked The RAF has 60 Chinooks
Although formally based civilian registration G-LBSB, overall grey colours. to an interim standard, as (eight HC5, 14 HC6 and
at Horne Barracks, and although on strength The aircraft is one of three Shadow R1A aircraft, prior to 38 HC6A), but has been
Larkhill, Wiltshire, the with No 14 Squadron, it additional King Air 350Cs the final R2 configuration. planning for some years to
unit’s Watchkeeper acquire additional examples
ES2s are now flown to eventually replace the
from MOD Boscombe RAF Typhoons work with B-52 oldest airframes, some
Down, Wiltshire. While of which are nearly 40
development has been RAF TYPHOON FGR4 second time this year that Sea; the Stratofortress, years old. The US Defense
somewhat protracted, ZK342 ‘342’ from No 3 the fighters have taken part from the USAF’s 2nd Bomb Security Co-operation
the type finally achieved (Fighter) Squadron at RAF in manoeuvres with visiting Wing, was temporarily Agency announced on
full operational Coningsby, Lincolnshire, Stratofortress bombers. The deployed to RAF Fairford, October 19, 2018, that State
capability (FOC) on during an exercise with RAF Typhoon Force carried Gloucestershire from its Department approval for the
November 30, 2018. visiting B-52H 60-0028 out a practice intercept of home at Barksdale Air sale of 16 H-47 (Extended
A series of crashes ‘LA’ on October 28 – the the B-52 over the North Force Base, Louisiana. Range) helicopters had
meant that it was not been granted (see US
given official Release approves possible Chinook
to Service certification. sale to RAF, December 2018,
FOC, however, meant p9). The latest report reveals
that regular flying could that this number has been
transfer from the test cut to 14. The Chinooks
facility at West Wales for the RAF will be in a
Airport, Aberporth special forces configuration
to Boscombe Down, similar to that of the
closer to 47 Regiment’s US Special Operations
home at Larkhill. Command MH-47G Block
The regiment flew II variant. On June 13 this
its first sortie from year, Boeing was awarded
Boscombe on July 11 a contract by US Special
this year after four years Operations Command
away from the Wiltshire which included US$10m in
airfield. Operating from Foreign Military Spending
there enables the unit to funding for acquisition of
provide ISTAR coverage long-lead components
to troops on the nearby and parts in support of
Salisbury Plain Training planned UK Chinook
Area. Dave Allport UK MOD/Crown Copyright acquisition. Dave Allport
In Brief

Final Typhoon made its maiden flight from Initial RPA flying will take these Lot 12 aircraft in a Freedom of Information
delivery for RAF the facility on August 1. place at Culdrose’s training 2020 when three jets are (FoI) request from the Drone
BAE Systems reported RPA testers at 700X NAS airfield at Predannack. scheduled to be delivered. Wars UK organisation.
handover of the final Royal Navy personnel from UK contracts 17 F-35Bs Lot 13 will provide six aircraft The first, ZZ201, crashed
Typhoon for the RAF on 700X Naval Air Squadron The latest US Lightning in 2021, while eight more will on landing on October 17,
September 27, completing recently returned from II block buy includes follow under Lot 14 in 2022. 2015 after an undercarriage
orders for the service. A training on AeroVironment 17 F-35B aircraft for MOD reveals collapse and was withdrawn
ceremony was held at the Puma and Wasp remotely the UK. The US$34bn Reaper accidents from use. On August
company’s final assembly piloted aircraft (RPA) at contract was finalised by The UK Ministry of Defence 16, 2016, ZZ205 overran
facility at Warton to mark Huntsville, Alabama and the US Department of has disclosed the crashes the runway at a base
the milestone delivery will continue their work Defense and Lockheed of two MQ-9A Reaper in the Middle East and
of the Tranche 3 aircraft, at Royal Naval Air Station Martin on October 29. remotely piloted aircraft was damaged. It’s now
FGR4 ZK437 (BS153), which Culdrose, Cornwall. The UK will begin to receive since 2015, in response to awaiting repair in the US.

www.Key.Aero #381 December 2019 // 9

08-09 UKNews AFM Dec2019.indd 9 11/11/2019 12:43:57