Australia Aviation News
- January 2023: Australia is expected to purchase 40 Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawks, designed and manufactured by Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company. The agreement between the Australian and US governments for the sale of 40 UH-60Ms to foreign militaries to the Australian military is worth approximately USD 1.95 billion.
- December 2022: The US Army was awarded a contract to supply next-generation helicopters to Textron Inc.'s Bell unit. The Army`s "Future Vertical Lift" competition aimed at finding a replacement as the Army looks to retire more than 2,000 medium-class UH-60 Black Hawk utility helicopters.
- November 2022: Bell Textron Inc., a company of Textron Inc., forged an agreement to sell 10 Bell 505 helicopters to the Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF) at the Forces Exhibition and Conference. Combat Air Force (SOFEX) in Aqaba, Jordan.
Get full market coverage in this industry
Related Aviation Industry News
- September 2024: The Australian Special Operations Forces (SOF) revealed plans to expand their fleet to 12 Lockheed Martin UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters, with an additional four set to be delivered by the end of 2024.
- September 2024: The Indonesian Air Force ordered four Airbus H145 helicopters, aligning with its training modernization initiative.
- April 2024: Scoot, a low-cost carrier in Singapore, launched its operations with the latest addition to its fleet, the Embraer E190-E2. Scoot has set its sights on acquiring nine of these aircraft, belonging to Embraer's latest regional jet series, by the end of 2025.
- March 2024: PT Smart Aviation (PT Smart) awarded Textron Aviation a contract to deliver its inaugural Cessna SkyCourier in Indonesia. The agreement encompasses a passenger variant of the SkyCourier and four Cessna Grand Caravan EXs, slated for delivery starting in 2026.
March 2024: Aurora, a subsidiary of Boeing, clinched an impressive USD 8.3 million contract modification from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). This move by DARPA highlighted its confidence in Aurora's evolving design capabilities, especially in the experimental mobility seaplane segment. The contract's modifications were geared toward bolstering the design of the US military's Liberty Lifter aircraft program, showcasing Aurora's aero-engineering and design expertise. By awarding Aurora this contract, the US military signaled a strategic pivot toward developing adaptable and cost-effective heavy cargo seaplanes for military use, cementing Aurora's role as a key player in meeting the Department of Defense's transportation and logistics demands.
March 2023: Hawking Defence Services, headquartered in Chennai, debuted in the aerospace arena. It forged a strategic alliance with Australia's Amphibian Aerospace Industries, primarily focusing on amphibious aircraft development. As part of this collaboration, Hawking agreed to exclusively manufacture the 'Albatross,' a 28-seater variant of AAI's aircraft, tailored for versatile operations spanning land, water, and snow. By combining their engineering and manufacturing strengths, the two companies aim to set new benchmarks in the amphibious aircraft market. This partnership not only marked a significant technological leap and cross-industry collaboration but also addressed the global demand for adaptable amphibious transport solutions. It underscored the shifting aerospace landscape, emphasizing the trend toward customizing aircraft to meet specific environmental and operational requirements.
April 2024: Air Arabia, an airline in the Middle East and North Africa, launched a 'super seat sale,' offering discounts on 150,000 seats across its flight network. The promotion covered direct flights from multiple Indian cities to three UAE airports, including Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, and Ras Al Khaimah.
January 2023: Indigo bolstered its fleet to 300 aircraft, positioning itself to cater to rising travel needs, both domestically and internationally.
May 2024: Qatar Executive (QE), the business aircraft division of Qatar Airways Group, added two new Gulfstream G700 planes to its fleet. Qatar Executive became the sole global user of the state-of-the-art G700.
December 2022: Private jet service provider Alpha Star Aviation in Saudi Arabia signed a Honeywell maintenance service plan (MSP) for auxiliary power units, avionics, and mechanical components on its Gulfstream G450 fleet. Honeywell will maintain Alpha Star’s five G450s over the next five years. The company utilizes Honeywell Forge to provide a continuous flow of cabin network, satcom equipment, and ground network data.
July 2023: Cicare USA announced that its Cicare 8 helicopter was certificated under the LTF-ULH regulations for ultralight helicopters. The certification is for helicopters with a maximum take-off weight of under 600 kg or 1320 lbs.
March 2023: Airbus Helicopters, in partnership with Genesys Aerosystems, introduced instrument flight rules (IFR) capability for its H125 single-engine aircraft.
July 2023: Geno Haggan, an air ambulance service provider, completed the acquisition of Air Charters Incorporated (ACI). ACI is a full-service private air charter operator renowned for its expertise in organ transport. The acquisition would further develop Geno Haggan's organ procurement and doctor transport business, which helps provide faster and more efficient medical transportation services.
April 2023: RED. Health (formerly known as StanPlus) launched its air ambulance services in over 550 Indian cities using more than 25 aircraft. Each of these air ambulances comes equipped with advanced medical technology, clinical pathways, and a team of skilled critical care professionals.
In April 2023, Airbus Helicopters introduced the first US-built H125 military helicopter, called AH-125 and MH-125 Ares. These combat-capable aircraft will feature militarized options that meet the needs of military and para-public allies and partners worldwide.
In March 2023, The Boeing Company initiated production on the first 13 MH-139A Grey Wolf helicopters, following the award of a USD 285 million US Air Force contract for aircraft, sustainment, and support services. The MH-139A’s enhanced capabilities allow it to accomplish missions more quickly, quietly, and efficiently.
In March 2024, Textron Aviation, a part of Textron Inc., was awarded a contract by the US Army Contracting Command for two Cessna Grand Caravan EX turboprop aircraft that will be owned and operated by the Djiboutian Air Force (DAF). These aircraft are part of a USD 100 million indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract for acquiring such aircraft from Textron until 2029.
In July 2022, Northrop Grumman Corporation and Boom Supersonic collaborated on Supersonic aircraft for quick-reaction missions. As per the plan, the aircraft will be fitted with specialized capabilities, the aircraft will have the capability to be used to deliver medical supplies, provide for emergency medical evacuation, or surveil vast areas faster than conventional aircraft. The special mission overture variant will be used to coordinate other aircraft and ground assets in a variety of scenarios.
In July 2022, ELTA Systems Ltd., a part of Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. (IAI) signed a contract of over USD 200 million to supply special mission aircraft to a NATO country in Europe. IAI-ELTA offers four lines of Special-Mission Aircraft; AEW&C (Airborne Early Warning & Control) Aircraft, AGS (Air to Ground Surveillance) aircraft, MPA (Maritime Patrol Aircraft), and SIGINT (Signal Intelligence) aircraft.
- In December 2022, AURA AERO, a pioneer in decarbonized aviation signed an agreement with the French Gliding Federation to buy one INTEGRAL E, in its tricycle version. The main aim of the federation is to use this aircraft daily as a glider tow plane within a gliding club.
- In May 2022, Serco the international provider of services to governments has been awarded a new three-year contract to continue to deliver Glider Maintenance Services for RAF Air Cadets.
