Lax security sees SAAF base lose ammunition to thieves.
Draken International sues Denel for R124 million over undelivered Cheetah jets.
90 Years of industry influence: celebrating Bell's 90th Anniversary.
Embraer achieves major milestone with 2,000th business jet delivery.
Ga-Asi marks another aviation first with YFQ-42A CCA flight testing,
US Air Force acquiring autonomous, FAA-certifiable cargo plane.
France deploys upgraded Mirage 2000D jets to Djibouti.
Korean Air commits to record purchase of 103 Boeing Jets to modernize fleet.
This Week in History - 21 August 1923 - The first electric airway beacons start appearing at airfields in the United States to assist in night flying operations.
World Wide Incidents and Accidents
Bonus Video - Goerapan Kalahari Helicopter Safari 2025 Day 4
Lax Security Sees SAAF Base Lose Ammunition to Thieves - Report www.defenceweb.co.za
The SA Air Force (SAAF) base in Bloemfontein - home to its Rooivalk combat support helicopter squadron - is another addition to the list of SA National Defence Force (SANDF) facilities where lax security has seen theft, including that of ammunition, happen.
Air Force Base (AFB) Bloemspruit, which shares runways with Bram Fisher International Airport, was under the security spotlight over a year ago when a SAAF inspection report warned poor security systems and careless guarding would inevitably lead to theft, it was reported in yesterday's (Sunday, 31 August) Afrikaans newspaper Rapport. Broken alarms and perimeter fencing, along with what is termed “defective lighting” and unmonitored CCTV (closed circuit television) are given as contributors to the sorry state of security at the base.
The paper reports the mid-August theft apparently included Rooivalk ammunition, without specifying type, as well as a bus engine and gearbox. All were removed from the base reportedly without any documentation inspected by supposedly on-duty guards. It does not identify the guards as either SAAF personnel or private security.
Chris Hattingh, one of three Democratic Alliance (DA) Members of Parliament (MPs) tasked with defence and military veterans' oversight, was first responder to the lax security at the base. He wants three senior SANDF officers along with Minister Angie Motshekga “in the dock”, as it were, of the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans (PCDMV) to explain within seven (working) days from today (Monday, 1 September). SAAF Chief, Lieutenant General Wiseman Mbambo, as the responsible service senior, along with SANDF Chief, General Rudzani Maphwanya, and Department of Defence (DoD) Logistics Division Chief, Rear Admiral David Mkhonto, are the uniformed personnel Hattingh would like the PCDMV to hear from.
His request includes tabling a dated, costed and funded base security recovery plan with responsible officers, deadlines and deliverables, together with outstanding reports called for in May. Those reports are, according to Hattingh, on the functioning and results of an inter-departmental working group in terms of time-bound work plans with set milestones and funding with another quantifying the total value of equipment and vehicle parts stolen across all SANDF bases.
As regards the Bloemspruit theft, he points out it is not an isolated incident - it's the predictable result of “rotten perimeter security, dead alarms, unmonitored CCTV and broken lighting, risks flagged more than a year ago by the Inspector General [presumably of the SAAF] warning theft was 'a matter of time'”.
At its 28 May meeting, the PCDMV heard evidence of encroachment, theft and infrastructure vandalism at bases and resolved that an inter-departmental ministerial working group be set up. This hasn't happened, Hattingh maintains. Additionally, “no seven-day theft value report has been tabled”.
“Parliament,” a statement has Hattingh saying, “has already been briefed on widespread trespassing on SANDF bases - due to informal settlements against or inside base boundaries, fences cut, illegal electricity and water connections, cable theft and even illegal mining and subsistence farming authorised on defence land. Sites flagged include Marievale, Lenz, Defence HQ precinct, 93 Ammunition Depot (Jan Kempdorp), 43 SA Brigade and the Main Ordnance Sub Deport at Wallmannsthal and Wingfield, with partial or stalled evictions and weak inter departmental follow-through”.
Draken International Sues Denel for R124 Million Over Undelivered Cheetah Jets
State-owned defence conglomerate Denel is facing a $7 million (R124 million) lawsuit from US company Draken International for failing to deliver nine of 12 Cheetah fighter jets ordered in 2017 for adversary air training.
On 19 August, Draken International in the Florida Middle District Court sued Denel Aeronautics for breach of contract over an alleged failure to fulfil a $35.2 million (R624 million) aircraft sale agreement.
The complaint, brought by Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and Stearns Weaver Miller Weissler Alhadeff & Sitterson, alleges that Denel delivered only three of 12 contracted Cheetah aircraft over seven years, owing Draken $7.1 million in advance payments plus damages. Draken apparently paid Denel $12.7 million (R225 million) under the project.
Court records show the case was assigned to a judge on 20 August and a summons issued to Denel on 21 August.
In a statement on 27 August, Denel said it was aware of the legal proceedings in Florida, and will be opposing the matter. The company will shortly file with the court its legal notices.
“While the matter is before the courts, Denel will not provide any comments on the merits and demerits thereof. However, Denel wishes to assure all stakeholders that it remains committed to fulfilling its contractual obligations, strengthening its operational performance and ensure the long-term sustainability of the business. Denel continues to focus on enhancing its capabilities and restoring confidence with all its partners and clients, both locally and internationally,” the statement concluded.
In December 2017, Denel reached an agreement for the sale of 12 ex-South African Air Force (SAAF) Cheetah fighter jets to Draken International. The contract included return to service and flight acceptance tests in South Africa and aircraft delivery to the United States.
Florida-based Draken International was going to use the jets for air support, pilot training, and tactical exercises. The sale included nine single-seat Cheetah C jets and three, dual-seat Cheetah D models (according to Scramble magazine, serials are 344, 345, 353, 361, 363, 369, 370, 375, 376, 845, 858 and 859). These would have been used for adversary training for the US Air Force, US Navy and US Marine Corps. Draken saw the Cheetah as complementary to its 22 modernised radar-equipped Spanish Mirage F1Ms.
Denel is the design authority of the Cheetah fighter that was locally developed as a variant of the Mirage III in the 1980s. The aircraft were retired from active duty in 2008 following South Africa's acquisition of its new fleet of Saab Gripen fighter jets. Denel previously delivered 12 Cheetahs to the Ecuadorian Air Force, in 2011.
Denel Aeronautics delivered the first two refurbished Cheetah fighters (a single-seater and a dual-seater) to Draken International in October 2019 under Project Dragon. The third aircraft is believed to have been delivered in mid-2021.
In addition to the Cheetahs, Draken International acquired a vast supply of spares and equipment from Denel to support the Cheetah fleet, including the Cheetah simulator from Air Force Base Makhado.
defenceWeb understand that deliveries were hampered by delays at Denel in getting the aircraft flyable again (notably replacements for ejection seat components), followed by capacity issues related to state capture, and the Covid-19 pandemic. The US also scaled back outsourced adversary training, resulting in less demand for the Cheetahs.
According to African Defence Review Director Darren Olivier, “it's a sad story of bad luck, worse timing, and missed opportunities, linked to State Capture killing Denel's cash flow, Covid, and Draken losing a key USAF contract for the type.”
He said the Denel team at Aeronautics was doing “fantastic and extremely high quality work” getting the Cheetahs back to full flight ready status for Draken until State Capture began to cripple Denel and its cash flow, with Aeronautics one of the earliest hit. “Denel could no longer pay either suppliers or staff salaries, and couldn't even buy things like ejection seat parts for the Cheetahs. It massively slowed things. Then Covid hit and had its own devastating consequences. The project hit a standstill, but was still salvageable.”
However, in 2021 Draken lost the USAF contract that the Cheetahs were intended for, and any desire by either side to complete the programme ended. “Only three Cheetahs were shipped to the US, but none flew as Denel could not at the time (but could later) support the ejection seats. The rest remain at Denel, though I'm not sure how many were ultimately regenerated. Most, I think,” Olivier stated.
“If the Dept of Public Enterprises and Treasury had been quicker to act & understood the value of keeping contracts like this going, they could've provided bridging finance to allow Denel to finish the deliveries, and Draken might be flying those Cheetahs today. But they dithered,” he added.
“It's yet another example of a combination of corruption, poor management decisions, and a lack of expertise and capacity throughout government departments killing parts of the South African defence industry, especially Denel, and reducing the country's credibility. I'd have loved to have seen the Cheetahs getting a new lease of life in Draken colours rather than languishing in a hangar somewhere or, worse, being scrapped,” Olivier stated. “I hope a fair settlement can be reached.”
90 Years of Industry Influence: Celebrating Bell's 90th Anniversary
“Spanning nine decades, the story of Bell is one of relentless engineering, bold milestones and enduring legacy in aviation and aerospace. We look back on 90 years of the company that helped define modern flight - and explore how it continues to shape the future of vertical lift.” - by Kenneth I. Swartz
In Bell's rich 90-year history, we've accomplished industry firsts, world records and innovative solutions for global industries and lifesaving missions. Our history holds iconic moments where we dared to pursue unprecedented achievements, including the Bell X-1, the world's first supersonic aircraft, and supporting the first lunar landing mission. These paved the way for vertical lift innovations that saved lives on the battlefield and became critical assets to operators across the globe.
Bell has developed a revolutionary fleet, moving people and goods in emergency medical services, utility, offshore, government protection and private operations every day. We've built aircraft that demonstrates grit, strengthens warfighters, and executes critical missions to protect nations.
Thank you to our employees, customers and partners for placing your trust in Bell. We celebrate this milestone with each of you. A special thank you to MHM Publishing and the talented writers with Vertical Magazine for telling our story.
Embraer Achieves Major Milestone with 2,000th Business Jet Delivery
Embraer (NYSE: ERJ; B3: EMBR3) announced it has surpassed 2,000 business jet deliveries, marking a defining moment in the company's history. The milestone aircraft is a Praetor 500, delivered to an undisclosed corporate flight department during a ceremony at Embraer's Executive Jets state-of-the-art Global Customer Centre in Melbourne, Florida.
The Praetor 500 is the most disruptive and technologically advanced business jet in its class, delivering industry-leading range, speed and performance. It is the fastest and furthest-flying midsize jet, capable of true nonstop North America corner-to-corner flights, such as Miami to Seattle or Los Angeles to New York. The aircraft offers an impressive intercontinental range of 3,340 nautical miles (6,186 km) with four passengers and NBAA IFR Reserves.
“Delivering our 2,000th business jet is more than just a milestone number. It is a powerful reflection of the strength of our product portfolio, our unwavering commitment to our customers and the dedication of our employees who take pride in building every aircraft,” said Michael Amalfitano, President & CEO of Embraer Executive Jets. “This milestone cements Embraer's position as a global leader in business aviation and serves as a testament to the popularity of our Praetor family of jets, especially among major corporate flight departments. Both the Praetor 500 and Praetor 600 have become aircraft of choice for their disruptive technology and unmatched performance, demonstrating the confidence these corporations place in Embraer.”
In addition to highlighting company growth, the delivery underscores the Praetor 500 and Praetor 600's rising appeal among corporate flight departments, which value the family's distinct combination of capabilities. The aircraft offer technology typically found in larger jets, such as full fly-by-wire with active turbulence reduction, while delivering short runway performance comparable to smaller aircraft. Complemented by best-in-class range, both aircraft provide passengers with access to more destinations around the world, without compromise.
Embraer's executive aviation business has accumulated an average compound growth rate of 14% since 2002, when the first executive jet model was delivered. In 2024 alone, nearly one in every three small and midsize cabin jets delivered was an Embraer Phenom or Praetor.
Ga-Asi Marks Another Aviation First with YFQ-42A CCA Flight Testing
The YFQ-42A Collaborative Combat Aircraft, designed and developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), is now conducting flight testing in coordination with the U.S. Air Force. This historic achievement continues the company's rapid creation of new, jet-powered uncrewed platforms chartered by the U.S. Air Force (USAF) to achieve air dominance while being designed for rapid production, in large quantities, at an affordable price.
“What a great moment for the U.S. Air Force and for GA-ASI,” said GA-ASI President David R. Alexander. “It's been our collaboration that enabled us to build and fly the YFQ-42A in just over a year. It's an incredible achievement and I salute the Air Force for its vision and I salute our development team for delivering yet another historic first for our company.”
The YFQ-42A is GA-ASI's newest uncrewed jet, focused on air-to-air semi-autonomous operation and based on the genus-species concept pioneered on the XQ-67A Off-Board Sensing Station (OBSS). Using state-of-the-art, model-based digital engineering, GA-ASI was able to accelerate its schedule while optimizing air dominance capabilities. YFQ-42's autonomy core has been trained across more than five years of flight-testing using GA-ASI's jet-powered MQ-20 Avenger®, an aircraft no other company has. The integrated capabilities of a stealthy, air-to-air-focused uncrewed jet, combined with a learned AI autonomy core, provide warfighters with a definitive advantage in the future fight.
The GA-ASI program has focused on creating a high-rate production environment that enables USAF to reach its goal of producing more than 1,000 CCAs on an accelerated timeline. Ground testing for YFQ-42A began in May.
USAF selected GA-ASI in April 2024 to build and fly a fully production-representative Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA). In March, USAF designated the aircraft the YFQ-42A, with the "Y" indicating a production-representative aircraft (“Y” will be dropped upon entering production), "F" signifying a fighter aircraft, and "Q" denoting an uncrewed aircraft.
GA-ASI has developed more than two dozen different types of uncrewed aircraft and delivered more than 1,200 units to customers, building more than 100 aircraft per year at its 5 million-square-foot manufacturing facility in Poway, Calif. GA-ASI aircraft have amassed nearly 9 million total flight hours; more than 50 GA-ASI aircraft are aloft around the world every minute of every day.
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc., is the world's foremost builder of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). Logging nearly 9 million flight hours, the Predator® line of UAS has flown for over 30 years and includes MQ-9A Reaper®, MQ-1C Gray Eagle®, MQ-20 Avenger®, and MQ-9B SkyGuardian®/SeaGuardian®. The company is dedicated to providing long-endurance, multi-mission solutions that deliver persistent situational awareness and rapid strike.
Air Force Acquiring Autonomous, FAA-Certifiable Cargo Plane
California-based aviation technology company Reliable Robotics announced on Aug. 26 a $17.4 million contract with the Air Force to purchase, integrate and test its continuous autopilot platform onto a Cessna 208B Caravan cargo plane.
Reliable Robotics' autopilot platform - called the Reliable Autonomy System - can guide an aircraft through all phases of flight - “from gate to gate” - without a pilot on board, Rose said. The system requires a remote pilot in a control centre who uses the radio and programs the aircraft, but who does not hand-fly the plane from far away, he added.
“The military has been buying autonomous aircraft and using autonomous aircraft for decades,” said co-founder and CEO Robert Rose. "What's different about what we're doing is it's civilian-certifiable technology, and it integrates in with civilian airspaces."
The company is pursuing the Federal Aviation Administration, or FAA, certifications needed to operate in civilian airspaces, with plans to receive the accreditations within the next two years. The certifications will enable the autonomous cargo aircraft to fly safely alongside nonmilitary aviation operations, Rose said.
Uncrewed aerial vehicles that the service currently uses - such as the MQ-9 Reaper built by General Atomics - often “require a very intense coordination with the FAA,” he said.
“It places a huge, huge burden on the Air Force to operate these vehicles,” Rose said. “They'll joke that it requires more pilots to fly an unmanned aircraft than it does a pilot aircraft.”
In addition to simplifying civilian integration, acquiring the FAA qualifications means the aircraft will be permitted to transport cargo, as well as people. The Air Force's interest so far has been centered around carrying items, but Rose said he “wouldn't at all be surprised if the Air Force was interested in troop movement in the future.”
“When you think about the conflicts that the United States is involved with today and what we expect in the future, these are not conflicts that are out in the middle of nowhere," Rose said. "We're talking about conflicts occurring in and around densely populated areas with very sophisticated aviation authorities.”
The Reliable Autonomy System can be installed on “any type of aircraft,” making it possible to retrofit other vehicles already part of the Air Force's fleet, Rose said.
The Cessna 208B Caravan - which Rose described as “the workhorse of the cargo industry” - is an attractive start for its high reliability and ability to travel about 1,000 nautical miles on a single tank of gas while handling a payload of about 1,000 pounds, he said.
This contract is the latest in the Air Force's ongoing partnership with Reliable Robotics that began in 2021 with a series of Small Business Innovation Research awards.
While previous awards were focused on research and development, this announcement “is very exciting, because now the Air Force is committing dollars to purchase and operate the system,” Rose said.
France Deploys Upgraded Mirage 2000D Jets to Djibouti
Guy Martin www.pilotspost.com The French Air Force has for the first time deployed two Mirage 2000D RMV aircraft to Djibouti, joining three Mirage 2000-5F jets already in the Horn of Africa nation.
The French Ministry of Defence (MoD) on 19 August said the aircraft will participate in the defence of Djiboutian territory, its airspace and its territorial waters. This includes air policing and surface closed air protection missions to secure strategic supply routes and to guarantee freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
The Mirage 2000-5F aircraft in Djibouti carry out around ten sorties per week for these missions. The Mirage 2000D RMV will increase the speed and accuracy of responses to threats, particularly against suicide drones such as the Shahed, which were recently intercepted effectively. These drones are regularly used by Houthi forces to attack shipping in the Red Sea.
The Mirage 2000Ds were accompanied by an A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) on their journey from France to Djibouti. The French MoD said the aircraft's arrival in the Horn of Africa “adds a new operational capability” to French forces in Djibouti. “The reinforcement of air assets thus aims to guarantee greater operational efficiency, to increase the speed of interventions in order to respond to threats emerging in this strategic zone. This deployment is part of the Defence Cooperation Treaty (TCMD) renewed in 2024, for a period of 20 years.”
This treaty with Djibouti aims to promote regional stability and to strengthen bilateral ties. It also allows France to guarantee its autonomy and the security of the French in Africa, but also in the Middle East.
Djibouti is now the only major French operational military base in Africa. France no longer has a military footprint in Mali, Burkina Faso or Niger, and only a token presence in Gabon and Côte d'Ivoire.
The Mirage 2000D RMV (mid-life upgrade) entered service in April this year. The modernised aircraft is equipped with a 30 mm cannon (suitable or close air support) in a pod, MICA IR air-to-air missiles (replacing the Magic 2), and laser-guided bombs (GBU-48 and GBU-50). The upgrade also improves the aircraft's navigation and attack system and considerably modernises its cockpit, which features digital screens. Fifty aircraft will be brought up to the new configuration.
Korean Air Commits to Record Purchase of 103 Boeing Jets to Modernize Fleet
Boeing [NYSE:BA] and Korean Air announced today the airline's intent to purchase 103 of Boeing's fuel-efficient family of airplanes to modernize its fleet and support the carrier's growth as it fully integrates operations with Asiana Airlines over the next several years.
Korean Air's commitment will be the airline's largest-ever order and Boeing's largest widebody order from an Asian carrier. When finalized, the deal will mark Korean Air's first order for the 777-8F and will support an estimated 135,000 jobs across the United States. The order will be posted to Boeing's Orders & Deliveries website once it is completed and includes: 20 777-9s, 25 787-10s, 50 737-10s & 8 777-8 Freighters.
"This agreement with our long-standing partners, Boeing and GE, marks a pivotal moment for Korean Air," said Walter Cho, chairman and CEO of Korean Air. "Acquiring these next-generation aircraft is the core of our fleet modernization strategy, delivering significant gains in fuel efficiency and enhancing the passenger experience across our global network. This investment is also a critical enabler for our future as a merged airline with Asiana, to ensure that our combined carrier is one of the most competitive airlines in the industry."
Today's agreement was signed during the Korea-U.S. Business Roundtable "Partnership for a Manufacturing Renaissance," and presided over by Howard Lutnick, U.S. Secretary of Commerce and Kim Jung-kwan, South Korea's Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE).
Korean Air's orders and commitments for Boeing airplanes in 2025 surpasses 150 units, following the airline's incremental order in March for 20 777-9s and 20 787-10s.
"We are honoured to strengthen our partnership with Korean Air through this landmark agreement, which reflects the value and capabilities of Boeing's market-leading airplane family," said Stephanie Pope, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "As Korean Air transitions to a larger unified carrier, we are committed to supporting the airline's growth with one of the world's most efficient fleets."
Korean Air currently operates 108 Boeing airplanes including 737s, 747s, 777s and 787s. With 72 Boeing jets on order; the carrier's order book will grow to 175 airplanes once the deal is finalized.
Korean Air's Aerospace Division supplies components for the 787 Dreamliner, including its unique raked wingtip, and produces parts for Boeing's 737 MAX, 767 and 777 family of airplanes.
21 August 1923
The first electric airway beacons start appearing at airfields in the United States to assist in night flying operations.
The rotating beacon 24 inch (610 mm) parabolic mirror and a 110-volt, 1 kilowatt lamp.[ spinning at 6 rpm, creating a quick one-tenth second flash every ten seconds. In clear weather they could be seen for 40 miles (64 km).[
A large concrete slab, in the shape of an arrow, was located near the base of each beacon. Many of these arrows remain today, some of which are visible from satellite pictures, even in urban settings.
Approximately 1,500 airway beacons were constructed to guide pilots from city to city,[4][5] covering 18,000 miles (29,000 km). Today, most of the beacons have been removed, but the State of Montana continues to maintain several as navigation aids in mountainous terrain.[6] One beacon is preserved for historical purposes in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
Montana was the last state to officially maintain airway beacons, through the state's Aviation Division. In 2017, the decision was made by Aeronautics Division to discontinue their maintenance of the system, due to the system's obsolete nature and budgetary concerns.
USA, Vinland Valley Aerodrome (K64), Baldwin City, KS: A Cessna 152 landed long and overshot runway 16 at Vinland Valley Aerodrome (K64), Baldwin City, Kansas, crossed a road, struck a tree, and came to stop in bushes. Nobody was with the plane when it was found. The pilot was found later and was not injured and the aircraft received substantial damage.
USA, Fort Morgan Municipal Airport (FMM/KFMM), Fort Morgan: A Cessna 172 Skyhawk, N61657, and an Extra EA-300/LC, N330AN, were destroyed when they collided in mid-air while on approach to land on runway 14 at Fort Morgan Municipal Airport (FMM/KFMM), Fort Morgan, Colorado. One of the occupants onboard the Extra sustained fatal injuries. The second occupant and two occupants of the Cessna survived with reported minor injuries. ADS-B data suggests the Skyhawk was on a straight in approach to the runway while the Extra was on a left base-to-final turn to the same runway. KFMM is an uncontrolled (non-towered) airport.
Poland, Radom Airport (RDO/EPRA), Radom: A Polish Air Force Lockheed Martin F-16C Block 52-CF, part of the "Tiger Demo Team", was practicing at Radom Airport (RDO/EPRA) for the upcoming Radom Air Show 2025, showcasing multiple manoeuvres, when the pilot proceeded to start a loop-de-loop at a low altitude, which resulted to exiting the manoeuvre too low, which proceeded the aircraft to crash at runway 07. Polish authorities confirmed the famous pilot Major Maciej "Slab" Krakowian was K.I.A.
Goerapan Kalahari Helicopter Safari 2025 Day Four 17
