This week in Midweek Updates
Regulator wants urgent injunction against12-year engine rule scrapped with costs.
AOPA - A new era of sport aviation.
Oryx helicopters are not stranded in the DRC.
Drones are changing the nature of warfare.
Paris Air Show insights to improve AAD 2026.
Piper announces new Seminole DX powered by DeltaHawk.
From New York to Paris in under four hours - quietly.
Nigeria requests $346 million worth of guided and unguided weapons from US.
This Week in History - The first ever television images of earth from space are transmitted from the Explorer 6 satellite.
World Wide Incidents and Accidents
Bonus Video - Test Flight and Development Centre Airshow
Regulator Wants Urgent Injunction Against 12-Year Engine Rule Scrapped with Costs
In an Answering Affidavit received at the eleventh hour on Friday, 8 Aug. 2025, the SACAA has indicated that the Pretoria High Court will be requested to scrap the application for an injunction from the roll with
costs.
The Applicants are currently drafting a Replying Affidavit in answer to the SACAA's contentions, which is required to be delivered on Friday, 22 Aug. 2025.The application by the AIC 18.19 Task Team, representing the organized aviation industry, to set aside the12-year engine overhaul rule, will be heard on 11 and 12 Sept. 2025.
Until then, several obligations by the Applicants and Respondents need to take place in adherence to Court protocols. The Applicants have indicated that during the ensuing case management process, the Deputy Judge President will be respectfully requested to appoint a judge with an in-depth knowledge of aviation.
The Task Team has asked supporters and interested and affected parties who have been contributing financially and in other ways, to maintain unity and cooperate when approached by representatives of the Research Institute of the organization Solidarity. Data collected is to further quantify the impact of the current impasse on the industry due to well over a thousand fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters being constructively required to grounding by the arbitrary ruling.
Due to many having their aircraft grounded, particular attention must be paid to ensure that the engines are either inhibited, alternatively ground run on a regular basis (which in itself has unintended consequences, which the SACAA, by invoking the 12-year engine overhaul rule, is trying to guard against).Pilots must take care, especially if and when, re-commencing their flying by becoming current again that his must be kept in the fore front of the mind for safety reasons.
Affected owners and pilots are subsequently advised to discuss preventative measures with respective aviation training and aircraft maintenance organisations. Meanwhile calls have been streaming in pertaining to the legality of Certificates of Airworthiness and flying their aircraft. The position maintained by the Regulator is that the applicable SA-CATS 43.02.5 have been signed into law on July 19, 2025 by the Director of Civil Aviation (DCA) and that ignorance of the law is no excuse and hence, no-one else has the necessary locus standi to issue the necessary authorisation to fly.
AOPA - A New Era of Sport Aviation
The phased approach to expanding sport aviation rules begins in October, when sport pilot privileges-and a driver's license in lieu of BasicMed or a medical certificate-will become sufficient to fly many more existing aircraft (including Part 23 aircraft) than before.
The final rule strike from the regulations the light sport aircraft definition first enacted in 2004, and establish under Part 22 the newly defined light-sport category of aircraft. The FAA's new regulatory approach separates pilot qualifications and privileges from aircraft regulations. The new light-sport category eliminates the 1,320-pound weight limit for LSA (1,430 for seaplanes) and most other prescriptive measures, replacing them with stall speed requirements that define new-and different-limits for aircraft that are distinct from those that apply to sport pilots.
The changes taking effect in July 2026 will also open the door for helicopters and gyroplanes to be issued special airworthiness certificates, pending the creation of industry consensus standards for such aircraft. For now, helicopters and gyroplanes may be flown by sport pilots with required endorsements, but the aircraft in question are issued experimental airworthiness certificates. The FAA issues special airworthiness certificates to light sport aircraft under the 2004 rule based on ASTM standards, and that will remain the case until 24 July 2026.
Those curious about determining whether an aircraft fits the final rule's requirements should be especially mindful of speeds being listed as knots calibrated airspeed in the rule, not indicated airspeed (IAS). In cases where calibrated airspeed is not published or determined for an aircraft, the final rule says that “FAA-accepted methods for determining and documenting the VS1 CAS” can be found in Advisory Circular 90-89C. The FAA's reasoning in the final issuance for this was that “IAS is not a true measure of the airplane's actual performance. Unlike CAS, IAS is not corrected for instrument and position errors, at times presenting errors up to 5 knots, affecting the aircraft's eligibility for sport pilot operations.”
While a sport pilot is allowed to fly any LSA, and, as of October, will be allowed to fly aircraft with a “clean” (flaps up VS1) stall speed of 59 knots (subject to a few other requirements), sport pilot privileges, including endorsements, will not necessarily qualify the pilot to fly every light-sport category aircraft to come.
Beginning in July 2026, light-sport category airplanes will be allowed a “dirty,” flaps-down stall speed (VS0) of 61 knots calibrated airspeed, with up to four seats (two for helicopters and powered lift). Constant-speed propellers, retractable gear, and any powerplant (including electric or turbine powerplants) will be eligible for a special airworthiness certificate as a light-sport category aircraft. These changes vastly increase the types of aircraft that can be issued special airworthiness certificates under the new light-sport category. Sport pilots will be required to obtain an instructor's endorsement to fly an aircraft with some or all of these features.
The FAA and aviation industry expect it will cost much less to bring a light-sport category aircraft to market, compared to type certification under Part 23 as a normal category aircraft. At the same time, elimination of the weight limit in favor of a stall speed limit gives aircraft designers more flexibility to enhance performance.
Among the designs already being flown as experimental aircraft, or certified in Europe under ultralight rules, this crop of contenders appears likely to be among the first light-sport category aircraft approved after the category is created in 2026. They range from more traditional low-wing aircraft like the Slovenian GoGetAir G750 or Bristell B23M to the Polish ScaleWings SW-51 Mustang lookalikes or the Italian Porto Risen with its signature V-tail design. These manufacturers, among countless others worldwide, will very possibly seek a stake in the new light-sport category aircraft market in the United States.
Without a weight restriction and with “clean” stall speeds (VS1) up to 59 knots KCAS, most flight schools will have airplanes available for sport pilots to rent, such as the Cessna 150/152, 170, 172, and 182 models that all are within the new limits for sport pilots, along with many Piper PA-28 series trainers, and others.
It's important to note the new difference between stall speeds used to define light-sport category airplanes and sport pilot privileges. The FAA intentionally set two different stall speeds for light-sport category airplanes and sport pilots. The 2004 sport pilot “training requirements would not sufficiently prepare sport pilot applicants to operate airplanes that have a stalling speed greater than 59 knots KCAS VS1, which tend to be heavier, faster, and more complex. Furthermore, it was not the intent of the 2004 final rule nor this final rule to expand sport pilot privileges to operate aircraft with those more demanding characteristics,” the agency wrote in the final rule.
The FAA cited NTSB data as part of its rationale for using a clean stall speed instead of a landing configuration stall speed to define the privileges of sport pilots: “VS1 maximum stalling speed limitation is more appropriate for indirectly limiting what aircraft sports pilots can operate because more fatalities occur in the departure phase (VS1 configuration).”
The FAA chose the 61 knots calibrated airspeed VS0 for light-sport category aircraft as “a compromise between the proposed stall speed that would provide lower kinetic energy for survivable emergency landings and one that could achieve safe operations of heavier airplanes allowed by this rule.”
As a result of these changes, some light-sport category aircraft issued special airworthiness certificates after the aircraft category changes become effective in July 2026 may only be available to those exercising the privileges of a private pilot certificate or higher. There will also be light-sport category aircraft that sport pilots can fly, as long as those aircraft meet sport pilot stall speed restrictions-VS1 at or below 59 knots KCAS.
Many legacy aircraft will be available to sport pilots in October, though not all. The VS1 restriction puts aircraft like the Mooney M20 (61 to 63 knots clean stall speed) or Beechcraft Bonanza (62 to 68 knots clean stall speed) out of the reach of sport pilots.
Some aircraft will straddle both sides of that stall speed line and vary based on specific production versions and model years. For example, some Cessna 185s have published clean stall speeds at or below 59 knots KCAS whereas others have clean stall speeds in the 60- to 65-knot range.
Oryx Helicopters are Not Stranded in the DRC
Guy Martin www.defenceweb.co.za
The South African Air Force's (SAAF's) five Oryx transport helicopters in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are not stranded there, and will return home. On the weekend, City Press reported that the five Oryx are likely to remain “permanently stranded” and “rusting away” in the DRC as there is no money to replace the engines on two of them, and there are no spares available for the others.
Four Oryx are in Lubumbashi while a fifth remains at Goma airport under M23 rebel control after it was hit by rebel fire last year. It (1247) was hit over 40 times while carrying out a medical evacuation, resulting in injury to the commander as well as a medic in the cabin. The Oryx was badly damaged, with multiple rounds going through the cabin, cockpit, and main rotor blades, and causing damage to the hydraulic system.
City Press noted that as the M23 still controls Goma airport, no aircraft are allowed to land to retrieve the Oryx there, but a handful of Air Force personnel are guarding the aircraft. The publication quoted Department of Defence spokesperson Siphiwe Dlamini as saying all SAAF helicopters in the DRC are being guarded and protected from the elements as best as possible.
African Defence Review Director Darren Olivier clarified that the Oryx helicopters in the DRC are not stranded, nor will they remain in the DRC permanently. “Three of the four at Lubumbashi are serviceable and ground crews are working on the other. They're just waiting an order to return. The United Nations is meant repatriate the one at Goma,” he clarified. “Admittedly, the situation of the Oryx at Goma is more difficult as the airport remains under control of M23, though UN forces and a team of SAAF technicians are protecting it. It's up to the UN to repatriate it though, which is a process that's taking time given the situation.”
“Two of the Oryxes at Lubumbashi are those withdrawn from the UN mission, and they flew under their own power first from Goma to Beni, then to Entebbe, then to Lubumbashi,” he added.
Olivier noted that the need for the Lubumbashi detachment is over and should be returned to South Africa. “Moreover, it's not great for those deployed even though they're getting decent deployment allowances. They don't have any clarity from their superiors on how long they'll be there, causing strain on them and their families.”
It is reported that around 375 soldiers from the South African National Defence Force's (SANDF's) protective force remain deployed in Lubumbashi. Another 350 soldiers are stationed in Kinshasa to facilitate the withdrawal of equipment contributed under the Southern African Development Community Mission in the DRC (SAMIDRC), which had its mandate terminated in March.
Aviation expert Dean Wingrin pointed out that SAMIDRC has been terminated, but not South Africa's contribution to the UN mission (MONUSCO). Three Oryx were part of the UN mission, due to return to SA, while two others are covering the SADC withdrawal.
The Oryx is the workhorse of the South African Air Force, both domestically and on foreign deployments, but few are airworthy due to a lack of maintenance as budget cuts hurt serviceability across the SANDF.
This shortage of aircraft was highlighted during the June flooding in the Eastern Cape, which killed over 100 people. The SAAF was only able to send a single Oryx, a week after the floods hit, to provide assistance.
Minister of Defence and Military Veterans Angie Motshekga at the time said “technical challenges” prevented the SAAF from deploying a helicopter sooner.
This was strongly condemned by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF). “Not a single Oryx helicopter, nor any SAAF aircraft, was deployed during the critical early stages of the crisis. People died preventable deaths because there was no aerial rescue effort, no evacuation from floodwaters, and no timely delivery of aid,” the EFF's Carl Niehaus said.
Mothsekga claims “technical challenges” were overcome to deploy a single Oryx helicopter on 17 June - five full days after the flood's peak and only after a second request for assistance on 16 June, Niehaus added. “It is outrageous and disingenuous to suggest that this belated, measly effort constitutes meaningful support.”
Niehaus disagreed with Motshekga's assertion that a 'lack of funding for spares and long lead times from Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) like Airbus and Safran were the cause of poor Oryx serviceability, and blamed OEM Denel.
“Furthermore, Motshekga's admission that 'there are currently no measures' to address the slow flow of spares from overseas OEMs is a chilling revelation. It means that if another disaster strikes tomorrow-be it floods, fires, or cyclones-the SAAF will again be grounded, unable to save lives. This is not mere oversight; it is criminal negligence,” Niehaus added.
He said the Minister's refusal to impose penalties on Denel for failing to meet maintenance obligations underscores a complete lack of accountability.
“In the past, the SAAF stood as a pillar of resilience and humanity during natural disasters, saving countless lives and restoring hope to the afflicted. During the devastating 2000 floods in Mozambique, SAAF helicopters conducted daring search-and-rescue operations, evacuating thousands from rooftops and delivering essential supplies to over 180 000 stranded victims. In 1999, the SAAF deployed helicopters and transport planes to aid flood victims in Mozambique, showcasing regional solidarity and operational excellence. More recently, in the aftermath of Cyclone Idai in 2019, which battered Mozambique and affected southern Africa, the SAAF rescued over 500 people in Beira alone, using helicopters to pluck survivors from treetops and flooded zones. Even in domestic crises, such as the 2017 Cape Town wildfires, SAAF assets supported firefighting and evacuation efforts. And in the 1981 Laingsburg floods, one of South Africa's worst natural disasters, the SAAF's rapid aerial interventions were instrumental in saving lives and coordinating relief. These instances highlight the SAAF's legacy as the ultimate lifeline for the vulnerable, a force that embodied the Ubuntu spirit of our nation,” Niehaus said.
He accused “callous mismanagement and sheer incompetence” as well as budget cuts of gutting the defence force, and called for the dismissal of Motshekga and an inquiry into Denel's “mismanagement.”
Drones are Changing the Nature of Warfare www.defenceweb.co.za
Drone warfare has profoundly changed the way in which wars are waged, exacerbated by the ease with which they can be obtained and used, according to Professor Lindy Heinecken, vice dean of Research at Stellenbosch University's Faculty of Arts and Social Science.
Delivering the keynote talk on the first day of the recent African Aerospace and Defence expo, the military sociologist said the drone had become the significant weapon of war in Ukraine.
01“For the first time we see a full-scale drone war, by a country undermanned and under-equipped. It is a commercial drone operated by a youth holding a column of Russian armour at bay.”
Before the war, drones were traditionally the preserve of large militaries and inaccessible to civilian users, she said, citing the US military's use of the Reaper.
Conference programme director, author and war correspondent Hamilton Wende agreed, saying his first sight of drones in warfare had been in Afghanistan 14 years before while embedded with the US Marine Corps. Then, he said, the drones had petrol engines and could be heard approaching from some distance.
Today, said Heinecken, the ubiquity of drones has massive implications for national security; both positive and negative. They could be used to protect the citizens of a country or, if used by a cynical government, to enslave them through surveillance of their personal lives.
Drones, she said, have many uses from collecting information to understand where a country's vulnerabilities are, but are also prone to abuse by individuals and groups with malicious intent, such as the Russians' deliberate use of drones to attack economic infrastructure in Ukraine which had no military significance except to degrade Ukraine's ability to afford to fight and the will of its people to continue the fight.
While enhancing national security, drones could also spark incredible resentment among those who were the subjects of either their surveillance or their terror.
“We are living in a post-panopticon era, which creates a climate of distrust and suspicion,” she said.
Drones are also capable of being hacked by third parties and either rendered inoperable or redirected against the actual people who launched them in the first place.
Their ubiquity was another clear threat as seen at the Beijing Olympics when more than 6 000 took to the sky to provide a show, operating as one swarm.
“We are now literally living in the time of liquid warfare,” she said. The nature of drone warfare is that those on the receiving end of weaponised drone attacks did not know where they were coming from, when they were coming or how many there were.
“This is a phenomenal change in the nature of warfare. It is potentially the weapon of choice because it protects the boots on the ground (soldiers) and reduces the risk for the users.”
There were massive risks for those on the receiving end of drone attacks, however, from collateral damage to the resentment and the radicalisation of communities, leading to an upsurge in recruitment for fundamentalist terror organisations, driven by a need to strike back against those operating the invisible weapon, she continued.
Equally, the ease of access and use paradoxically also makes drones the new weapons of choice for asymmetrical warfare, with drones being used in Cabo Delgado, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and by Al Shabab in Somalia against conventional militaries.
There are huge ethical and legal implications about their use and accountability, but unlike nuclear weapons the world still has a chance to regulate what is becoming the 21st Century arms race, Heinecken said.
“Drones are hugely detrimental to humanity,” she said. The distance between decisions and human costs, especially when informed by AI and algorithms, leads to the abstraction of the act making it easier to justify lethal force without considering the consequences, much as is the argument with autonomous weapons.
“Two things are certain, human beings will always have reason to fight and human beings will always find more efficient ways to kill each other. There has to be a global pushback.”
The problem, she said, was that the four biggest players in the drone space were not ready to sit around a table and regulate the use of drones in war, even if the rest of the world was.
“We are living in the most dangerous time ever.”
Paris Air Show Insights to Improve AAD 2026 www.defenceweb.co.za
As part of planning for next year's Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) exhibition, a senior representative of the lead partner was at this year's Paris Air Show on a fact-finding mission.
Commercial Aviation Association of Southern Africa (CAASA) Chief Executive Kevin Storie has it the French event, held between 16 and 22 June, “offered valuable insights” as well as opportunities to engage with global exhibitors and stakeholders.
Of the South African exhibition, which this year marks it silver anniversary, he notes the Air Force Base (AFB) Waterkloof event has areas where it exceeds the Paris Air Show in “operational execution and practicalities”.
“What stood out most,” he writes in a CAASA newsletter, “was a more profound observation catalysed by the context of ongoing global tensions, including the escalating Israel-Iran conflict”.
“Even amid active conflict, Israel managed to exhibit key defence technologies - underscoring a fundamental truth: our industry is at a pivotal transformation point. Note they did have some of their exhibits closed off by the French from access by the public, the reasons for which were not clear and many of us were very interested to see all that they can offer, considering they are at the forefront of actual use in real-time conflict as we speak.
“Defence and civil aviation leaders are reshaping the industries at unprecedented speed. Traditional military structures, reliant on legacy platforms and conventional forces, are becoming increasingly obsolete. Warfare itself is evolving, shifting from boots-on-the-ground tactics and piloted airstrikes to strategic, system-based engagements driven by artificial intelligence, automation, and integrated networks.
“Future military personnel will need not only technical expertise but also rapid strategic thinking and adaptability. Designers may shift aircraft platforms toward transport, surveillance and humanitarian roles, while engineers embed offensive capabilities in remote or autonomous systems. This is not science fiction - it's already here. The Avatar-like and Terminator concepts are no longer just cinema - they reflect the trajectory of real-world defence technologies.
“As military tech filters into civilian applications, the structure of aviation companies, the nature of jobs, and the skills required across the sector will transform. AI will touch every aspect of our operations. The change will be disruptive - both thrilling and turbulent.
“As we prepare for AAD 2026, these reflections are critical. We must not only showcase innovation but also help guide the continent in preparing for the aviation future that's arriving faster than we think,” is his parting shot on what lies ahead for what is billed as Africa's leading defence exhibition. “Buckle up- severe turbulence lies ahead, but so does extraordinary opportunity.”
Piper Announces New Seminole DX Powered by DeltaHawk
Piper Aircraft, Inc. is excited to announce the new Piper Seminole DX-a diesel-powered PA-44 Seminole featuring DeltaHawk's FAA-certified, DHK4A180 180-horsepower, heavy fuel, compression ignition engine. The Seminole DX was born from a successful collaboration between Piper and DeltaHawk announced in early 2024.
The liquid-cooled, 180HP turbo-charged DeltaHawk engine produces turbine performance at 40% better fuel efficiency versus reciprocating avgas engines, while also achieving a significant reduction in cost of ownership due to fewer moving parts. The engine is approved for JET A and JET A-1 fuels, with Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) approval pending. Piper will use a Piper-owned STC to integrate DeltaHawk's firewall-forward kits into the Seminole production line. The kit includes counter-rotating DeltaHawk engines and three-blade, full-feather propellers. Additionally, the aircraft will have an advanced cabin temperature control system utilizing the engines liquid cooling to ensure a comfortable flight experience in diverse conditions.
“The market has been heard, loud and clear regarding the need for a reliable, cost-effective, heavy fuel, multi-engine training platform,” said John Calcagno, President and CEO of Piper Aircraft, Inc. “The new Seminole DX fills that market void perfectly. Based on interest received since our MOU announcement last year, we anticipate global market demand for the Seminole DX to be between 25 to 40 aircraft per year over the next 10 years. The DeltaHawk team has been a pleasure to work with over the past 16 months as they epitomize quality and customer focus. Future collaborations are in process as well.”
A 20-year Long Term Supply Agreement (LTSA) designates DeltaHawk as the exclusive heavy fuel, piston engine supplier for the Piper Seminole. Certification flight testing begins in November 2025, with FAA certification expected in Q3 2026, followed by certifications from Transport Canada, EASA, and India's DGCA. Deliveries of 2027 model year Seminole DX aircraft are anticipated to begin in late 2026 or early 2027.
“The installation of our certified DHK engine in the legendary Piper Seminole is a perfect match with our industry-unique features to provide the lowest cost of ownership and the simplest and safest multi-engine training platform ever,” said Christopher Ruud, Chief Executive Officer of DeltaHawk Engines. “Just as important, we see this new 20-year agreement not just in terms of engines, but also as a wonderful step by Piper, utilizing DeltaHawk's powerful innovation, while creating environmental sustainability for general aviation worldwide.”
The Seminole DX offers significant performance enhancements* over the current PA-44 Seminole, including a 35% reduction in fuel burn, a 32% increase in single-engine climb rate, and a 70% higher single-engine absolute ceiling.
From New York to Paris in Under Four Hours - Quietly
Spike Aerospace today announced significant progress in the development of its flagship supersonic business jet, the Spike S-512 Diplomat, designed to deliver safe, quiet, and fuel-efficient supersonic travel over both land and water.
Imagine New York to Paris in under four hours - without the disruptive sonic boom. Spike Aerospace's S-512 Diplomat is designed to combine speed, comfort, and privacy for business leaders and discerning travellers. A new design phase is now underway, bringing quiet supersonic travel closer than ever.
Building on a strong technical foundation of research and development along with multiple design iterations, the company is now completing an enhanced study to further refine the S-512 Diplomat's aerodynamics, cabin configuration, and low-boom performance. This work aims to validate the aircraft's ability to meet stringent noise requirements for overland supersonic flight - a capability that would dramatically expand route flexibility and reduce travel times across the globe.
“Our goal is to redefine long-distance travel for business and government leaders, offering the speed of supersonic with the comfort and discretion of a private jet,” said Vik Kachoria, President & CEO of Spike Aerospace. “The S-512 Diplomat is being engineered to connect cities like New York and Paris in under four hours - quietly and sustainably.”
The company is also undertaking a complete brand refresh, including a redesigned website to better showcase its technology, market vision, and development progress.
To prepare for the next phase, Spike Aerospace is engaging with highly experienced professionals from top aerospace companies, as well as key industry partners and academic institutions, to accelerate design, certification planning, and market readiness.
The S-512 Diplomat is uniquely positioned to meet the demand for faster, more efficient travel in the global business aviation market, while addressing community concerns over noise and environmental impact.
Spike Aerospace is an innovative aerospace company dedicated to reintroducing supersonic flight for commercial and private use. Its flagship aircraft, the Spike S-512 Diplomat, is a low-boom supersonic business jet designed to fly quietly overland and overwater, reducing international travel times by up to 50%. The company's mission is to connect the world faster, more efficiently, and with greater comfort.
Nigeria Requests $346 Million Worth of Guided and Unguided Weapons From US
Guy Martin www.defenceweb.co.za
Nigeria is looking to buy $346 million worth of munitions from the United States, including guided bombs and rockets, with the State Department approving the possible sale. The US Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) on 13 August said it had notified Congress of the potential sale on Wednesday.
Nigeria has requested to buy 1 002 Mk 82 general purpose 500 lb (226 kg) bombs; 1 002 MXU-650 Air Foil Groups (AFGs) for 500 lb Paveway II GBU-12 bombs; 515 MXU-1006 AFGs for 250 lb (113 kg) Paveway II GBU-58 bombs; 1 517 MAU-169 or MAU-209 computer control group (CCG) for Paveway II GBU-12/GBU-58 bombs; 1 002 FMU-152 joint programmable fuzes; and 5 000 Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II (APKWS II) all-up-rounds (AURs) (consisting of one each WGU-59/B guidance section; high-explosive warhead; and MK66-4 rocket motor).
Also included in the potential sale are FMU-139 joint programmable fuzes; bomb components, impulse cartridges, and high-explosive and practice rockets; and support.
“The proposed sale will improve Nigeria's capability to meet current and future threats through operations against terrorist organisations and to counter illicit trafficking in Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea. Nigeria will have no difficulty absorbing these munitions into its armed forces,” the DSCA said.
The principal contractors will be RTX Missiles and Defence, Lockheed Martin Corporation, and BAE Systems.
While not specifying which platforms the munitions are being acquired for, it is likely that they will be for the Nigerian Air Force's A-29 Super Tucano light combat/trainer aircraft acquired via US company Sierra Nevada Corporation. They have been heavily used to combat Boko Haram terrorists, bandits, and other security threats in Nigeria.
In August 2024, the Nigerian Super Tucano fleet logged 10 000 flying hours. At the time the Air Force said “since its induction in August 2021, the A-29 Super Tucano fleet has been involved in several decisive missions in the various operational theatres across the country. So far, over 8 500 hours flown on the fleet were dedicated to both day and night operational sorties against terrorists, bandits and other violent non-state actors threatening national peace. No doubt, the aircraft's night and precision munitions delivery capability has undoubtedly enhanced NAF's versatility, flexibility and lethality in all air operations.”
When Nigeria bought its 12 Super Tucanos, it also acquired GBU-12 and GBU-58 Paveway II guided bombs, Laser Guided Rockets including Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) rounds; Mk 81 bombs; and 70 mm Hydra 70 unguided rockets.
The latest request for munitions could also indicate use on the Air Force's dozen new AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters. Bell Textron was in March 2024 awarded a $455 million production contract, with work to be completed in July 2028. The Nigerian Air Force also has 24 M-346 combat/trainer aircraft on order from Leonardo.
Last month, Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, said the Nigerian Air Force would acquire 49 state-of-the-art aircraft by the end of 2026. This figure includes three Airbus C295 transport aircraft; ten Leonardo AW109 Trekker helicopters; 12 AH-1Z attack helicopters; and 24 M-346s.
In the last two years the Air Force has received six Turkish Aerospace Industries T-129 ATAK helicopters; two AW109 Trekker helicopters; three Beechcraft King Air aircraft; and four Diamond 62 reconnaissance aircraft.
Strengthening the Nigerian Air Force comes amid continued pressure from Islamist terror groups and bandits. Abubakar this month said Nigeria's military has killed 592-armed militia members in the northeastern state of Borno in the past eight months, after stepping up air strikes in a region plagued by violence.
Abubakar said the Air Force also destroyed more than 200 technical vehicles and 166 logistics hubs in a sweeping offensive against insurgents in the northeast. “This year, our air war is faster, sharper and more surgical,” Abubakar said. “We are taking out high-value targets, crippling logistics networks and dismantling cells that threaten peace in the northeast.”
He said Nigerian Air Force aircraft flew 798 combat sorties and logged over 1 500 operational flight hours under Operation Hadin Kai, Nigeria's military's counterinsurgency operation in the northeast.
According to the Africa Centre for Strategic Studies (ACSS), Nigeria experienced an 18% increase in fatalities tied to militant Islamist groups over the past year. Borno State in Nigeria's North East Zone remains the epicentre of this violence and Nigeria accounts for 74% of all fatalities in the Lake Chad Basin region - a total of 3 982 deaths in the last year for the area.
Estimates are that Boko Haram commands some 1 500-2 000 fighters while Islamic State West Africa (ISWA) has between 4 000 and 7 000. Both Boko Haram and ISWA appear increasingly well organized and equipped, the ACSS said. Over the past year, ISWA overran 15 Nigerian military bases and, in a first, used night vision technology to launch attacks on these bases. It has also gained the operational expertise to deploy armed and surveillance drones, shifting the battlefield in the region.
Bandits operating in northwestern Nigeria are a distinct driver of instability in the region, the ACSS said. Collectively, they are estimated to be responsible for roughly the same number of fatalities as Boko Haram and ISWA in northern Nigeria. Bandits have engaged in kidnapping for ransom, extortion, and the seizure of farms and mines.
7 August 1959
The first ever television images of earth from space are transmitted from the Explorer 6 satellite
On 7 August 1959, the Explorer 6 satellite launched atop a Thor-Able rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida. Its mission was to study Earth's electrical and magnetic fields in the upper atmosphere, but it also carried a device for scanning and photographing cloud cover.
Approximately a week into the mission, it captured and transmitted the first photograph of Earth via satellite while orbiting over Mexico. The image was unpolished, showing the north central Pacific Ocean. It took about 40 minutes to transmit it to a Hawaii ground station.
Explorer 6 was the first scientific satellite under the direction of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Centre in Maryland, which went on to operate tracking and communications networks for the crewed missions of the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs. The satellite was spheroidal, meaning its shape was circular, and it entered a highly elliptical orbit around Earth after launch.
Early missions like Explorer 6 pushed the boundaries of what was defined as possible. Only 10 years later, history was made when humans took the first steps on the Moon. On this journey, we have also learned more about Earth. Explorer 6 gave us one of the first views at the small, blue planet we know as home. During your visit, be sure to walk through the Rocket Garden and stop in to our Heroes and Legends attraction, which honours the early space program and those first steps into the unknown.
South Africa, off Suncoast Beach, Durban, KZN: An Extra EA-300LP was performing its last display at an airshow when it impacted the water off Suncoast Beach, Durban. The deceased pilot was not found until the evening and the search resumed next day. The airshow was organised to conclude the ICAO Next Generation of Aviation Professionals (NGAP) Global Summit that was held in Durban.
Democratic Republic of Congo, 34 km from Kisangani: An Antonov An-2R crashed in a forest about 34 kilometres from Kisangani, D.R. Congo. Local media report one of the seven on board survived with critical injuries, while the accident investigation bpdy BPEA reported all on board had died. The aircraft had been sold by Air Kasaï, with the new operator being in the process of certification. The aircraft had been issued a ferry permit to Kisangani in order to obtain a Certificate of Airworthiness following a technical inspection.
USA, Westfield-Barnes Airport (BAF), MA: A USAF F-15D Eagle sustained minor damages when the back seater accidentally ejected from the jet while taxiing.
Netherlands, near De Hoeve: A Cameron Z-750 made a hard drag landing in a field near De Hoeve. One occupant perished and five were injured, three of them serious. A total of two pilots and thirty-two passengers were on board. Medevac helicopters Lifeliner 1 (PH-TTR) and 4 (PH-DOC) and fourteen ambulances were at the site.
