Airforces Monthly - February 2017
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Final Chilean<br />
Army Cougar<br />
delivered<br />
AIRBUS HELICOPTERS delivered<br />
the tenth example of the<br />
H215M to the Chilean Army<br />
(Ejército de Chile) in early<br />
December. The rotorcraft was<br />
handed over at the Airbus<br />
Helicopters facility in Santiago.<br />
The Chilean Army originally<br />
ordered eight examples of the<br />
H125M (AS532AL) in 2008, with<br />
two more added in 2013 and<br />
2014 respectively. To date,<br />
the Army’s H215M fleet has<br />
completed 10,000 flight hours.<br />
The latest delivery will join the<br />
previous nine in service with the<br />
Brigada de Aviación de Ejército’s<br />
Batallón de Helicópteros. The<br />
Black Hawks for Chilean Air Force<br />
CHILE HAS signed a contract for<br />
six Sikorsky S-70i Black Hawk<br />
helicopters to be delivered<br />
to its air force (Fuerza Aérea<br />
de Chile, FACh) in 2018.<br />
The decision to purchase<br />
the S-70i was announced in<br />
August 2016, the Black Hawk<br />
being selected in favour of<br />
the Airbus Helicopters H215,<br />
Korean Aerospace Industries<br />
(KAI) Surion, Leonardo<br />
Helicopters AW149 and<br />
New helicopters<br />
delivered to<br />
Mexican Navy<br />
ON DECEMBER 1, Airbus<br />
Helicopters delivered two<br />
AS565MBe Panthers and one<br />
H225 Super Puma, purchased in<br />
2014, to the Mexican Navy. The<br />
aircraft are respectively the third<br />
and fourth Panthers and second<br />
Super Puma for the service.<br />
Due to their multi-mission<br />
characteristics, these helicopters<br />
are capable of operating from<br />
the recently commissioned<br />
ARM Chiapas oceanic patrol<br />
vessel. Juan Carlos Cicalesi<br />
Rosoboronexport Mi-17. The<br />
manufacturer announced<br />
the deal, which will take the<br />
form of a direct commercial<br />
sale, on December 7.<br />
The aircraft will constitute<br />
part of the FACh’s mediumlift<br />
helicopter recapitalisation<br />
programme. The Black Hawks<br />
will be used for both military<br />
and humanitarian missions,<br />
including troop transport,<br />
search and rescue, and disaster<br />
Chilean Army H215Ms H-288 and H-286<br />
are among nine of the type previously<br />
delivered for service with the Batallón<br />
de Helicópteros at Rancagua.<br />
Airbus Helicopters/Anthony Pecchi<br />
fleet of H215Ms has been<br />
used for missions including<br />
provision of aid to remote<br />
areas, medical evacuation,<br />
firefighting and disaster relief.<br />
In 2015 the aircraft carried out<br />
56 sorties to provide support<br />
for victims of the floods that<br />
hit the Atacama region.<br />
relief. For rapid and longrange<br />
deployment, FACh<br />
C-130 Hercules aircraft will<br />
transport the S-70s. The FACh<br />
has operated a single S-70A-39<br />
Black Hawk (H-02) since 1998.<br />
The S-70i (international)<br />
helicopters will be built by<br />
Sikorsky’s PZL Mielec subsidiary<br />
in Poland. The value of the<br />
contract is unknown, but it will<br />
include logistical support, pilot<br />
and maintenance training.<br />
ARTICLE SUMARY<br />
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milnews@keypublishing.com<br />
First Zlin 242L<br />
for Bolivia<br />
BOLIVIAN PRESIDENT Evo<br />
Morales attended the delivery<br />
of the initial two Czechmanufactured<br />
Huayna Zlin<br />
242L training aircraft from a<br />
total of nine such machines<br />
acquired for the Bolivian Air<br />
Force. The delivery took place<br />
during commemorations<br />
for the 93rd anniversary of<br />
the creation of the air force.<br />
Juan Carlos Cicalesi<br />
Costa Rica<br />
offered ex-USAF<br />
C-145As<br />
Costa Rica has been offered<br />
surplus US Air Force PZL<br />
Mielec C-145A Combat Coyote<br />
(M28 Skytruck) aircraft by<br />
the US government under<br />
the Excess Defense Articles<br />
(EDA) programme. Details<br />
were revealed when an EDA<br />
report was made public on<br />
October 27. The USAF was<br />
given authorisation to supply<br />
Costa Rica with two C-145As,<br />
valued at $3 million each, on<br />
August 15, 2016. Deliveries<br />
are expected in mid-<strong>2017</strong>.<br />
USAF Special Operations<br />
Command has reduced its<br />
C-145A fleet to five aircraft.<br />
Nine others are in storage<br />
with the 309th Aerospace and<br />
Maintenance Regeneration<br />
Group (AMARG) at Davis-<br />
Monthan AFB, Arizona, in 2015.<br />
A further pair was taken<br />
directly from service for the<br />
Arizona Department of Public<br />
Safety. The seven EDA aircraft<br />
will presumably come from<br />
the nine now at AMARG.<br />
Brazilian Persuader under test<br />
STILL WEARING a coat of primer, this Airbus Defence and Space C295MPA Persuader<br />
for the Brazilian Air Force (Força Aérea Brasileira, FAB) was seen at Spain’s San Pablo<br />
Airport, Seville, during a recent test flight. This aircraft, serial 157 (c/n S-157), is the first<br />
of three Persuader maritime patrollers destined for the FAB. Dietmar Fenners<br />
www.airforcesmonthly.com #347 FEBRUARY <strong>2017</strong> 21
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