SINGAPORE Airshow News 2024 Day 1

SINGAPORE

AIRSHOW NEWS DAY 1

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SINGAPORE

AIRSHOW NEWS DAY 1

FEBRUARY 20, 2024

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The Comac C919 is making its international air show debut.

The Chinese narrowbody entered service in May 2023 after some 15 years of development.

SUSTAINABILITY Decarbonization Engine makers explore various paths to netzero carbon emissions by 2050. | 34

DEFENSE Facing China Threats

DAVID McINTOSH

Asia-Pacific air power demand rises along with China’s military and expansionist aims. | 27

SINGAPORE AIRSHOW BOUNCES BACK

By David Donald Singapore Airshow organizers are heralding a strong comeback for the 2024 edition following the smaller, curtailed shows in 2020 and 2022 during the Covid-19 crisis. “It’s been a long six years since we last had a full-scale Singapore Airshow, but we’re back,” said the managing director of event organizer Experia, Leck Chet Lam, who went on to explain that this year’s edition has recovered to the pre-pandemic levels of the 2018 show.

About 90 percent of the world’s top aerospace companies are exhibiting, and the show features 16 country pavilions that for the first time include China, the Czech Republic, and South Korea. More than 1,000 companies from 50 countries are participating, with trade visitors expected to number around 50,000.

There are 48 aircraft scheduled to appear in the static display, the highlights of which are Comac’s ARJ21 and C919 airliners, and the Changhe Z-10ME attack helicopter. Comac

brought five airliners altogether, with two ARJ21s and a C919 in the static display and examples of each flying in the daily aerial displays. Along with the Z-10, the aircraft all are making their international airshow debuts. The Dassault Falcon 6X and Gulfstream G700 long-range business jet are also appearing in Singapore for the first time.

As the leading aerospace exhibition in the Asia-Pacific region (APAC), the Singapore Airshow’s relevance appears stronger than ever. Airbus predicts that, of the 21,000 commercial aircraft to be delivered globally over the next two decades, 46 percent will go to APAC customers. The region’s economic growth and the emergence of middle classes account for much of the increased demand for air travel.

To support and achieve the expansion, a number of key issues need tackling, such as sustainability, supply chain, and workforce. Industry leaders are addressing such topics and more during the airshow through a series of strategic continues on page 37

AEROBATICS Flying Performances Record number of flying teams join the aerial display, including firsttimers from India. | 18

AAM eVTOL Aircraft Asia contends for leading role in the nascent advanced air mobility sector. | 25

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Chinese airliners make air show debuts

By David Donald Comac has come to Singapore with two aircraft types—the C919 and ARJ21—that are making their first airshow appearances outside China. Not only do three examples of the airliners grace the static park, they participate in the show’s flying display.

The newest of the pair—the C919—flew for the first time in May 2017. The type—intended as a counterpart to the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737—entered commercial service with China Eastern last year, the first passenger service taking place on May 28 between Shanghai-Hongqiao and Beijing. On the following day, the airline initiated a Shanghai-Chengdu service. The first revenue-earning aircraft sits on static exhibition here in Singapore, while the fifth of six prototypes participates in the flying display.

China Eastern served as the launch

customer for the C919. The airline received its fourth aircraft in January this year. By the end of 2023, Comac reported orders for about 1,000. The first overseas customer is Gallop Air, a Chinese-backed start-up in Brunei, which has 15 C919s (and 15 ARJ21s) on order and hopes to begin operations later this year.

The CFM International Leap-1C powers early production aircraft, but the Avic Commercial Aircraft Engine Company is developing the CJ-1000A as an indigenous alternative.

Flight trials—on a Xian Y-20 military transport—reportedly began last March. Comac has said it would produce shortened and lengthened versions of the C919.

Comac’s other debutant, the ARJ21 regional jet, bears a passing resemblance to the McDonnell Douglas MD80/90 family once built under license in China. The General Electric CF34-engined aircraft first flew in November 2008, and Comac delivered the first to

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Indonesian air carrier TransNusa is the first international customer for Comac’s ARJ21 regional jet, having ordered 30 in 2022.

Chengdu Airlines in November 2015. The first commercial service, between Chengdu and Shanghai, began in June of the following year.

The company built the initial aircraft in Shanghai and added a second assembly line at Pudong in 2020. Comac has announced firm orders for around 200, although the number might be higher. Deliveries had reached around 125 by the end of January 2024. In 2022 Indonesian carrier TransNusa became the first international customer, ordering 30. One of those aircraft is on static display in Singapore.

So far all deliveries have been of the baseline 70- to 95-passenger ARJ21-700, but Comac has suggested development of a stretched 95- to 105-passenger ARJ21-900 and an ARJ21B business jet version. Another factory version on offer, the ARJ21F freighter, can accommodate seven LD3 containers.

Meanwhile, a handful of ARJ21-700s have undergone a passenger-to-freight (P2F) conversion, offering a 10,150-kg payload. The first ARJ21P2F conversion began at Gameco in Guangzhou in December 2022, and Comac converted two more ex-Chengdu Airlines aircraft. Deliveries to YTO Cargo Airlines and Air Central took place late last year. The latter aircraft is on show in the static display. z

Embraer and CAE celebrate the launch of the E-Jets E2 full flight simulator at the SingaporeCAE Flight Training Center on Monday.

Embraer and CAE launch region’s first E2 sim

By Jennifer Meszaros Embraer and CAE officially unveiled its E-Jets E2 full flight simulator (FFS)—the CAE 7000XR Series—at the Singapore-CAE Flight Training Center Monday. The first of its kind in the Asia-Pacific region, the machine won certification from the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore last December.

The announcement comes after the two sides inked an agreement at the Asia Pacific

Airline Training Symposium last August to include flight crew training for the Embraer E-Jet E2 family of commercial aircraft.

The 7000XR Series FFS includes the CAE Tropos 6000XR visual system. Pilots will also be trained using CAE’s competency-based training assessment (CBTA) courseware and interactive classroom instruction with the company’s Simfinity virtual simulator (VSIM).

The VSIM offers instructors and pilots alike the ability to simulate all aircraft system

functions, Embraer said in a statement. Singapore Airlines’ Scoot subsidiary has already begun training pilots for E190-E2’s entry into service later this year.

“Embraer and CAE’s launch of the E-Jets E2 full flight simulator in Singapore is the first of its kind in Asia-Pacific”, said Elaine Teo, senior vice president of the Global Enterprises Division of the Singapore Economic Development Board. “Not only does it add to the suite of aftermarket services in Singapore, it is a valuable addition to the region’s aerospace and aviation ecosystem. We look forward to collaborating with industry partners to build capabilities that fuel the growth in APAC and enhance the skills of aerospace and aviation talent in the region.”

Speaking with AIN, Carlos Naufel, president and CEO of Embraer Services and Support, said the Brazilian manufacturer has committed to providing high-quality training to operators in Asia-Pacific. Embraer’s customers in the region include Australia, China, Japan, and Myanmar.

“We celebrate the successful operations of the E2 simulator and comprehensive pilot training program and thank all our partners and employees who have been involved in this process,” said Naufel. “This is part of Embraer’s commitment to grow our infrastructure in Asia-Pacific and to contribute to the region’s aviation growth story. Along with CAE, we remain committed to providing high-quality training to our customers and their pilots.” z

DAVID McINTOSH

China highlights Z-10ME attack helicopter

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Making its international air show debut in Singapore is the Changhe (CAIC) Z-10ME attack helicopter from China. The original Z-10 entered service with the People’s Liberation Army in 2012, and Changhe delivered more than 200 with successive improvements. The Z-10ME is the latest version with an active defensive system and millimeter-wave radar.

Unveiled at Airshow China in 2021, the variant can serve shipborne operations and is now being offered for export.

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Asia-Pac air transport shakes Covid hangover

By Gregory Polek Now accounting for about 31 percent of the global fleet of commercial aircraft, the Asia-Pacific region already ranks as the largest market for the world’s airliner manufacturers. Even as parts of the region recover more slowly than the rest of the world from the economic effects of the Covid pandemic, the prospects for future growth appear brighter than ever given the size of its upwardly mobile population, the availability of lower-cost capital, and arguably more liberal regulatory environments.

One country most people wouldn’t associate with liberal regulatory policy—China— saw the effects of Covid result in the steepest declines in traffic, and it was among the slowest to recover from the pandemic. According to statistics compiled by the International Air Transport Association, the country’s international traffic volume remains some 60 percent below pre-2019 levels. Still, according to IATA vice president of Asia-Pacific Philip Goh, China’s trajectory will account for a major piece of the wider region’s recovery.

“Pre-Covid, China was a major source of foreign visitors to many countries in the Asia Pacific,” Goh told AIN. “In some cases, Chinese travelers accounted for as much as 20- to 30 percent of total visitor arrivals. While China

reopened borders early in 2023, the Chinese government only allowed the full resumption of group outbound tours from China during the second half of [the year]. Hence, it will take time before we see the benefits of Chinese visitors traveling in large numbers.”

Highlighting China’s importance to the overall health of the region’s air transport sector, Oliver Wyman consultancy partner Andrei Grskovic noted that the People’s Republic accounts for 43 percent of the region’s fleet and that the country generated 60 percent of incremental fleet growth over the past two decades. Grskovic attributes the comparatively slow recovery of the Asia-Pacific region largely to the late reopening of China and what he calls draconian country-specific border closures in places such as Singapore.

As a result, Asia-Pacific air traffic has recovered to about 90 percent of pre-Covid levels, due largely to strong domestic demand in China and India. Overall, Oliver Wyman sees a long-term return to 6- to 8 percent annual growth thanks to increasing population size, disposable income growth, improved airport infrastructure, and more affordable travel from start-ups and low-cost carriers (LCCs).

While more airliners reside in China than in any other country in the region, Indian carriers have accumulated an order backlog of

1,800 airplanes, the largest in the Asia-Pacific bloc. Recognizing the cultivation of supply chains and partnerships in those countries as almost obligatory, both Airbus and Boeing must build on the establishment of what the Oliver Wyman partner called “commercial offsets.” Boeing for years has benefitted from projects such as the 737 completion and delivery center it operates with Comac in Zhoushan, a composite parts factory in Tianjin, and a service center and training facility in Shanghai. However, geopolitical tensions over Taiwan, for example, have made it more difficult to expand on those relationships in China, where orders have slowed to a trickle for the U.S. company.

Airbus appears to have taken full advantage of the opening left by soured U.S.-China relations, and last April agreed to open a second A320 assembly line in Tianjin, where it has operated a single line under a joint venture with AVIC since 2008. The deal paid immediate dividends, accompanying an order for 150 A320-family jets and 15 A350-900 widebodies.

Now, Airbus has set its sights on further developing its supply chain in India, noted Grskovic.

“What Airbus has been really strategic about over the past 10, even 15 years, is moving their supply chain in terms of commercial offsets into those fast-growing countries,” he explained. “But India is now their number-one supply chain initiative from a low-cost perspective. You’re seeing a significant amount of investment in the supply chain and a lot of work. So, if you think about just wings or spoilers or landing gear, components of those are starting to move into India.”

Boeing delivered the first of eleven Vietnam Airlines 787-9s in August 2015.

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Flying more than 180 Airbus A320neos, India’s IndiGo ranks as the world’s largest operator of the narrowbodies. It also stands as Airbus’s biggest narrowbody customer, having placed an order for 500 A320-family jets at last year’s Paris Air Show.

Perhaps not coincidentally, Airbus has seen runaway sales success with Indian lowfare airlines such as IndiGo, whose A320 order backlog stands at 1,330 after a 500unit deal signed in June. Boeing, too, has accumulated a substantial backlog in India, most notably with Air India, which during last year’s Paris Airshow ordered 190 of the U.S. company’s 737 Max narrowbodies, 20 787 Dreamliners, and 10 777X widebodies with options for an additional 50 Max jets and 20 Dreamliners.

Asia Holds 40 Percent of Global Airliner Backlog Overall, the number of firm orders placed by carriers in the Asia-Pacific region stands at nearly 6,000, which represents about 40 percent of the global backlog. In the decade prior to the onset of Covid, the region accounted for 42 percent of cumulative global production. According to Oliver Wyman, that share is likely to hold steady if not increase.

Apart from Boeing and Airbus, beneficiaries include Brazil’s Embraer and Franco-Italian turboprop maker ATR, both of which have virtually cornered their respective market segments in the region. In Embraer’s case, 194 aircraft operate with 15 airlines, including four carriers from China, two from Mongolia, and nine throughout the rest of the region. Among the carriers that account for another 20 aircraft on backlog, Singapore’s Scoot awaits delivery of nine E-190-E2s, Malaysia’s SKS Airways holds an order for 10 E195-E2s, and Australia’s Pionair accounts for a single E190-E2.

Flying 38 E190s and 20 E195s, China’s Tianjin Airlines ranks as the biggest Embraer operator in the region, followed closely by Japan’s J-Air, which flies 18 E170s and 14 E190s, and Australia’s Alliance Air, which plans to add 28 used E-Jets to its current fleet of 35 E190s.

Embraer preaches the need to avoid “onesize-fits-all” thinking among airlines in the Asia-Pacific region, where it says high-growth emerging markets juxtapose with established

Japan Air Commuter flies 11 ATR turboprops, including a pair of 70-seat ATR 72s.

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mature economies. As a result, airlines either prioritize capacity growth or capacity discipline prevails. Both scenarios favor E-Jets, the company insists, due to their ability to serve new point-to-point routes, promote service to secondary cities, and feed hubs.

In Australia, for example, more than 120 jets older than 15 years serve the operating segment covering up to 150 seats. In fact, the first-generation E190 has experienced a renaissance in the country as operators continue to seek near-term replacements for end-of-life Fokker 70/100s, BAe 146s, and Boeing 717s.

In Japan, Embraer believes the country’s changing demographics and aging fleet of large turboprops, regional jets, and narrowbodies will create the opportunity for airlines to meet the dual objectives of fleet modernization and matching capacity with diminished future demand. Within two years, more than 30 turboprops and regional jets will reach at least 15 years of age in the country, where E-Jets also stand to address downgauging away from Boeing and Airbus narrowbodies.

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China’s Tianjin Airlines flies 20 Embraer E195s and ranks as the Brazilian manufacturer’s largest operator in the Asia-Pacific region.

In high-growth markets such as Vietnam, Indonesia, and India, airline fleet decisions traditionally have favored narrowbody types carrying more than 200 seats. While such an environment appears to cut against the value of E-Jets, Embraer insists the evolving fleet mix in those regions has created an acute capacity gap between the 70-seat turboprops and large narrowbodies ideally filled

by E195-E2s.

Embraer also cites a drop in total traffic in and out of Jakarta, Bangkok, Singapore, Manila, and Kuala Lumpur by 5 percent since 2017 as airlines look to establish new direct routes between secondary and tertiary cities, again favoring smaller narrowbodies.

That trend could also bode well for ATR, which became the only Western manufacturer producing new passenger aircraft in the 30- to 70-seat capacity segment when De Havilland of Canada halted production of the Dash 8-400 in 2022. Now counting more than 500 of the aircraft in service in the region, the European company has dominated the Asia-Pacific market for decades.

According to the company, turboprops flying routes shorter than 500 kilometers account for 41 percent of the region’s flights, leaving ATR in an ideal position to further exploit its near-monopoly in the sector.

During September’s inaugural Gyeongbuk Aerospace, Defence, and Logistics Exhibition (GADLEX) in South Korea’s Gumi city, ATR highlighted the country’s potential for ATR 72

proliferation, targeting deliveries of between 25 and 30 of the turboprops to Korean operators within seven years.

“Korea has many underutilized domestic airports, and scheduled domestic flights are mainly north-south,” explained ATR head of commercial for Asia-Pacific Jean-Pierre Clercin. “ATR sees an opportunity to develop east-west routes, linking communities living along the east coast to places in Korea’s western part, and the ATR is the ideal platform to create these links, in terms of considering the passenger volume, the geography, and the distance.”

Some of those same considerations also apply to India, where turboprops played an important role in gradually redeploying capacity amid the market’s recovery from Covid as airlines placed ATRs on routes previously served with single-aisle jets. Of the roughly 800 passenger aircraft in operation in India, ATRs account for 66, flown by Alliance Air and Indigo.

The fastest-growing air transport market in the world, India has seen its commercial fleet double in size over the past 10 years.

Meanwhile, the ATR fleet increased by 120 percent and the number of domestic routes has nearly tripled.

India—along with China, Japan, and Indonesia—already ranks among the top 15 largest passenger markets in the world, and IATA’s Goh pointed to Thailand and Vietnam as countries in the region that show the most

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potential to join that list. But if any obvious barriers exist to the growth of those and other developing markets, infrastructure stands among the most prominent.

“Although we are seeing expansion plans being proposed at some airports, these are not moving forward as quickly as we would like,” said Goh. “We would like to see governments and airports across the region adopt integrated and inclusive infrastructure planning, based on the best practices established in the IATA Airport Consultative Committee approach.”

Goh also called for more cooperation between bureaucracies responsible for airport development and the airlines. “It is important to engage airlines when it comes to new airport capacity,” he explained. “There is a general lack of transparency, which makes forward planning for airlines difficult. This is compounded when additional capacity is not delivered on time.”

Meanwhile, the development of air traffic management infrastructure has not progressed as quickly or to the extent the air transport industry needs, he added.

“We are concerned about the development of ATM infrastructure in the region, which is failing to keep up with the pace of demand,” said Goh. “Many states consistently fail to consult with airspace users about the industry’s needs and continue to think and plan within their own borders only, rather than adopting a systemwide or regional viewpoint.” z

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Of the two airports in Singapore, Seletar receives 93 percent of business aviation traffic.

Bouyant bizav traffic tests Asia-Pac airports

By Curt Epstein As the global Covid pandemic recedes further into the past, business aviation traffic in Southeast Asia has seen a strong rebound. In Singapore, business aircraft departures from Changi and Seletar airports last year rose to nearly 28 percent above 2019 levels, according to industry data tracker WingX Advance.

“Traveling habits have returned to preCovid levels with demands in business aviation traffic continuing to rise,” explained Faizal Khan, Jet Aviation’s director of FBO operations in Singapore. “This is also aided

by Singapore’s strategic role and location in the Asia-Pacific region.”

Of the two airports in the city-state, Seletar clearly dominates business and private aviation traffic. Based on WingX data, the dedicated general aviation airport received 93 percent of the business aviation traffic heading to Singapore in 2023.

The discrepancy led another major business aviation ground service provider, Signature Aviation, to recently discontinue its flight representation at Changi. While the company did not maintain a physical office there, it would station employees at Changi to accommodate

any of its customers who flew into the island’s main commercial airport.

“It was a man-in-a-van literally because you have to use the airport infrastructure,” explained Signature Aviation CEO Tony Lefebvre, adding that employees would meet the arriving passengers on the ramp and take them through customs and help them with any requests on departure. “I’ve flown into the market so I appreciate why customers choose Seletar over Changi,” he told AIN. “It’s closer to the city as well so it just makes sense.”

Signature maintains a partnership with one of the handlers at Seletar to whom it can refer customers and also retains a stake in Hong Kong Business Aviation Center (HKBAC), the lone FBO at Hong Kong International Airport.

Lefebvre raised the possibility of an FBO at Seletar joining the company’s 200-plus global network.“I’d say it’s an area that we are interested in, and for the right opportunity we would pursue it,” he said.

For Southeast Asia in general, infrastructure challenges persist, largely because airports in the region weren’t originally designed for business aviation, explained Yvonne Chan, Universal Weather and Aviation’s regional director for the region. “This includes limited facilities

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and bigger jets, leading to parking constraints,” she maintained.

Gulfstream and Bombardier See Large Cabin Jet Growth Indeed, large cabin jets dominate the aircraft types used in the area. “The performance capabilities Gulfstream introduced with the G650 have proven to be ideal for customers in the Southeast Asia and APAC region as interest continues to grow,” said Michael Swift, the airframer’s group v-p of sales for EMEA (Europe, the Middle East, and Africa) and APAC. “We are now seeing heightened demand for our flagship G700 and the ultra-long-range G800 as the high speeds and long ranges these aircraft provide are desirable for operators in the region wanting to travel nonstop to Europe and other parts of the world.”

That also holds true for its Canadian rival, Bombardier. “We continue to see strong interest in our aircraft from India, Australia, and Southeast Asia and currently have Global 7500 aircraft based throughout the [APAC] region in Japan, Australia, India, Greater China, Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia,” noted Matthew Nicholls, the Montreal-based manufacturer’s senior advisor of communications and public affairs.

“A lot of the [flight] stage length is related to that as well,” noted Lefebvre. “There is a bit of mid-cabin there but not a lot of small cabins,” he said, adding that most of the GA infrastructure under construction in the region will support more large cabin jets.

Only two counters serve customs, immigration, and quarantine facilities at Seletar, posing a challenge that stands to become more acute with expected further demand increases.

“There’s a buzz with new entrants in the aircraft ownership and charter market, and now there’s talk about new air taxi businesses with medium-range aircraft,” said Chan, “so the competition in the charter business is heating up— great news for customers and industry players.”

With business aviation on the upswing, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) is trying to help owners and operators. Chan noted that the issuance of an operations permit takes time due to the authority’s surveillance program for foreign operators, which follows a risk-based methodology to assess foreign carriers and business jets.

The evaluation considers factors such as the safety oversight capability of the state of the operator, the state of registry, the operational capability of the carrier, and the safety records of the aircraft. “We understand and support the CAAS decision to review the safety records of operators and aircraft,” Chan said.

Most of the traffic heading into Singapore originates from Southeast Asia, notably Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia. Rising traffic from those areas has offset the continuing malaise seen in mainland China, which has not yet experienced the same rebound.

Lefebvre, who sits on HKBAC’s board of directors through Signature’s ownership stake, offered a perspective from the Hong Kong market. “Asia, certainly China, was still in that recovery mode and so we are starting to see the benefits of them coming off the various restrictions that were there,” he told AIN. “It’s been a good 12 months and it’s been trending…directionally the right way.”

Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is available at Seletar through the Jet Aviation FBO, which has maintained supplies since 2022. “We are also partnering to offer custom blends of SAF, enabling customers to choose a percentage blend to meet their specific requirements,” said Khan.

Signature Aviation supplies SAF to the Bombardier company-owned service center at Seletar under a deal struck between the two companies in 2021. Signature also expects to offer SAF credits in Hong Kong through book-and-claim by the end of the year. z a i n o n l i n e . c o m • February 20, 2024 • S i n g a p o re A i rs h ow News 17

The Republic of Singapore Air Force’s integrated aerial team is flying F-15SG fighter jets at the aerial display.

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Aerobatic displays return in full force

By Kerry Lynch The 2024 edition of the Singapore Airshow features the largest number of flying teams in its history with eight aerial displays planned. The demonstrations include flypasts from six air forces and two commercial companies.

For the first time, the Indian Air Force’s Sarang helicopter air display team will perform its aerobatic maneuvers at the show in its HAL Dhruv helicopters. Other aerobatic teams on the slate for the show this week include the Royal Australian Air Force’s Roulettes (Pilatus

PC-21s), Indonesian Air Force’s Jupiter (KAI KT-1s), and the Republic of Korea Air Force’s Black Eagles (KAI T-50s).

In addition, the U.S. Air Force’s B-52 Stratofortress bomber will make a flypast at the show on February 22, and the Republic of Singapore Air Force’s integrated aerial team will showcase the F-15SG fighter jet and the AH-64D Apache attack helicopter.

On the commercial side, Comac’s ARJ21 and C919 join the lineup, also for the first time, and Airbus is displaying its A350-1000.

“Flying performances are always a key

highlight at Singapore Airshow,” said Leck Chet Lam, managing director of show organizer Experia. “As the public was either given limited or no access in the previous two editions due to safety measures during the pandemic, we anticipate strong interest in the upcoming flying performances.”

Flying displays will start at 12:30 p.m. on February 20, and 11:30 a.m. on February 21 and 22. Additionally, performances will be held during Weekend@Airshow, formerly known as public days, at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. on February 24 and 25. z

Bombardier bolsters defense business

By Kerry Lynch Bombardier is expanding its cost-per-flighthour program to defense applications as it grows its special mission, medevac, head-ofstate, and government businesses.

The Montreal-based business jet manufacturer formalized its defense business into a distinct unit in 2022 to turn it into a $1 billion

operation. More than 500 special mission versions of its business aircraft portfolio have entered service worldwide and amassed more than 3 million fleet hours with 160 operators in 50 countries.

While Bombardier established the costper-flight-hour programs for its business jet base, the company believes the Smart Services Defense support offering would be well suited

Bombardier’s defense portfolio includes Global and Challenger jets.

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for its defense clients given their high utilization or unique operating profiles.

“Bombardier’s Smart Services Defense is the perfect solution for our special mission, medevac, head-of-state, and government operators who want an easy option when it comes to all their maintenance needs offering budget predictability and cost protection,” said Paul Sislian, executive v-p of aftermarket services and strategy for Bombardier.

Smart Services Defense covers maintenance for major components, landing gear, and APUs, along with parts shipping and technical publications. Additionally, customers will be able to tailor programs through the selection of a range of optional maintenance and cost protections, including mobile response team support and Bombardier’s Smart Link Plus connected aircraft program. z

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Philippines pavilion debuts in Singapore

The Philippines pavilion highlights the country’s first ever official presence at the Singapore Airshow.

By Charles Alcock The Philippines’ aviation industry has organized its first-ever official presence at the Singapore Airshow, with a new national pavilion at the event. Led by a consortium of organizations with a shared interest in rebuilding the country’s somewhat patchy reputation in the aviation sector, the initiative more specifically promotes opportunities around Clark International Airport, the former U.S. military base located 60 miles north of the capital Manila.

The new Philippine Aviation pavilion in Changi Exhibition Center’s Hall C enjoys the backing of a mix of government and industry groups, including the Philippines Department of Transportation, the country’s Civil Aviation Authority, and the Bases Conversion Development Authority. Berthaphil, a long-standing real estate investor at the airport, is directly involved in the development of the Clark Freeport initiative to draw companies to the underused site.

Also represented in the new Philippines presence at the show is the U.S.-based National Business Aviation Association. The European Chamber of Commerce for the Southeast Asian country will also exhibit as part of its wider efforts to help make the country’s aviation industry more robust. In partnership with the Asian Business Aviation Association (AsBAA), the group is organizing October’s second annual Aviation Summit to address the future of the Philippines aviation industry.

According to AsBAA deputy chair Max Motschmann, the Philippines’ aviation sector needs significant nurturing, having struggled with a poor safety and regulatory record that saw it twice demoted to the FAA’s Category

2 safety rating and finding itself on the European Union blacklist.

Motschmann told AIN that the January 2023 episode in which authorities had to completely close the country’s airspace due to technical failures left no room for complacency to put the industry on a firmer foundation. He added that progress in new legislation, for example, will open avenues for foreigners to take majority ownership of air carriers in a move meant to stimulate much-needed inward investment.

Other issues he and others say require attention include a shortage of skills in areas such as maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO), with many qualified Filipinos opting to emigrate in search of higher incomes.

According to Bertaphil president Peter Herman, Clark International Airport already serves

as a fulcrum for investment in a resurgent Philippines aviation sector. With 10,800-foot runways, the airport has plenty of space to offer for applications, including MRO services and air freight, and now wants to promote its hub location within three or four hours of flight time to major Asian cities. High-profile aviation tenants at Clark already include Philippine Airlines, SIA Engineering, Cebu Pacific, Asiana Airlines, Qatar Airways, FedEx, UPS, and business aviation services group Metrojet.

The Clark Freeport can offer aviation companies incentives to settle such as a seven-year income tax holiday, with the introduction of a tax rate of just five percent after that period and tax-free imports and exports. Bertaphil manages a 10-hectare site at the airfield and has space available for new tenants. z

RAeS Singapore branch names new president The Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) has appointed Paul Ashcroft as the new president of its Singapore branch. Ashcroft recently relocated to Singapore from the UK and now serves as senior v-p of Asia-Pacific for aviation asset group AerFin. Previously, he held senior technical positions with Rolls-Royce, Cathay Pacific, and GE Aerospace. He also has served as chair of the society’s Cardiff branch.

“Singapore has a commanding aviation presence being home to more than a hundred aviation businesses and thousands of aviation professionals,” Ashcroft said. “During my ten-

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ure, I plan to strengthen the Royal Aeronautical Society’s ties to the sector by increasing the breadth and diversity of our membership and enthuse tomorrow’s aviation professionals with a host of stimulating activities and events.”

Ashcroft is attending this week’s Singapore Airshow with the society’s president Kerrisa Khan. She is in charge of innovation for the Future Flight Challenge, run by the UK Research and Innovation agency.

The UK-based professional body was founded in 1866 and now counts more than 25,000 members worldwide.

C.A.

Embraer sees Asia-Pac as major growth driver Embraer’s growth target of 80 percent over the next seven years would result in $10 billion in revenue by 2030, thanks largely to its presence in the flourishing Asia-Pacific region.

Speaking with AIN just ahead of this year’s Singapore Airshow, company president and CEO Francisco Gomes Neto noted the company’s high-profile presence at the Changi Exhibition Center reflects its ambition to meet that goal.

“We’ve completed our [post-Covid] business turnaround since 2022, and from 2023 we’ve been back in a growth period,” Neto told AIN. “Asia-Pacific countries are a very important part of our plan, and we have a young and very competitive portfolio of products to offer [that market].”

Embraer’s show lineup includes an example of its E195-E2 airliner in fresh Tech Eagle livery. The aircraft, which can seat up to 140 passengers, already has found favor in this part of the world with orders logged last year from customers including Singapore-based low-cost carrier Scoot.

According to Neto, the capacity and operating economics of the E2 provide airlines with options at the lower end of the narrowbody market segment. “It fills a gap between regional jets and narrowbodies that has opened up, and airlines have been rethinking [the market] since Covid,” Neto said.

In 2023, Embraer delivered 38 of the E2 jets and took firm orders for another 271, leaving a backlog of 182. It also logged orders for 35 of the smaller E190, with a remaining backlog of 16. The E2s expand Embraer’s airliner family, which also includes the 76-seat E175 E1, which continues to open new routes in markets such as India with carriers including Star Air. In its year-end summary of orders and deliveries issued at the end of January, Embraer said it increased aircraft deliveries across the group by 13 percent to reach a total of 181 units.

With industry-wide supply chain issues easing

somewhat, the company aims to increase its output to between 185 and 200 aircraft this year, with most of this growth coming from the commercial and executive aviation business units.

Embraer is displaying its Praetor 600 business jet in Singapore, having quite recently delivered an example of the super-midsize aircraft to South Korea’s Flight Inspection Center. According to Neto, demand for private and corporate aircraft remains strong to the extent that the manufacturer could have delivered more than the 63 examples of the Phenom 300 light jet it produced in 2023 if only it had access to more parts. He expects the new Praetor to prove no less popular.

Innovative Tech and Defense Versatility on the Menu Another of Embraer’s increasingly diverse business interests includes Eve Air Mobility, in which it remains the majority shareholder since the spin-off achieved a New York Stock Exchange listing in May 2022. At the Singapore show, Asia-Pacific visitors will get their first chance to view a mockup of the four-passenger eVTOL aircraft Eve aims to certify in 2026, following a planned first flight later this year. It has reported letters of intent from 28 prospective customers covering more than 2,800 examples of the battery-electric aircraft.

Embraer is offering visitors the chance to get a virtual reality feel for what they might experience on eVTOL flights in and around urban areas of up to 60 or so miles. The Embraer/Eve

DAVID McINTOSH

By Charles Alcock

team also is actively engaged in developing the infrastructure needed for the aircraft, including air traffic management software.

Also making a Singapore show debut this week, the C-390 Millennium multi-mission tactical transport aircraft represents Embraer’s answer to Asia-Pacific defense procurement contests following its recent selection by South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration for the country’s air force.

On February 9, Embraer signed a memorandum of understanding with India’s Mahindra Group to collaborate over arrangements for supplying the C-390 for the Indian Air Force’s medium transport aircraft program. The companies say they will develop an industrialization plan that could involve local production under the Made in India policy.

According to Neto, the C-390 is drawing attention in the region mainly due to what he sees as its ability to quickly transition between missions, offering reduced operational complexity than some alternatives while still featuring advanced capabilities such as fly-by-wire controls. The aircraft has logged orders for almost 40 aircraft from customers including Brazil, Portugal, Hungary, Austria, and the Czech Republic.

Looking further into the future, Embraer continues its decarbonization efforts through possible new hybrid-electric and hydrogenelectric aircraft under development within its Energia program. It is targeting the availability of the former in 2030, followed by the latter in 2035. It has already prepared an electric technology demonstrator and plans to test a hydrogen flying testbed in 2025.

“Over the past 30 years, Embraer has certified more than 20 new aircraft, and then manufactured and supported these, which makes it simpler for us to introduce new technology to the market,” Neto concluded. z

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Rival bizjets face off in Singapore debut

By Charles Alcock

G700 Has Longer Legs Gulfstream’s G700, appearing alongside its G600 sibling, can fly farther than the 6X, with

DAVID McINTOSH

Two large-cabin, ultra-long-range business jets are making their Singapore Airshow debuts this week. The rival Dassault Falcon 6X and Gulfstream G700 models stand head-tohead on the static display to make their case to Asia-Pacific business and high-net-worth buyers valuing comfortable, convenient intercontinental travel.

Their joint appearance provides a rare opportunity to see the two aircraft together.

On Friday, Gulfstream confirmed it will not exhibit at the annual EBACE business aviation trade show in May, and it has been absent from the NBAA-BACE show in the U.S. in recent years.

Dassault has positioned the 6X alongside its smaller Falcon LXS model. The 6X received simultaneous certification from EASA and the FAA in August, and Dassault delivered the first example to a customer in late November. According to the French

manufacturer, the airplane features the largest cabin cross-section (102 inches) of any purpose-built business jet.

Following its showing in Singapore, the 6X will continue its “worldwide tour” through other stops in Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand, according to Dassault. The twinjet has already done similar tours in America, Europe, and the Middle East. It can carry up to 16 passengers and fly to a maximum range of 5,500 nm.

“Operators who have flown the 6X as it has made its way around the globe praise the unparalleled quietness, comfort, and spaciousness of the cabin,” said Dassault Aviation chairman and CEO Éric Trappier. “The 6X also retains the peerless handling, versatility, and short-field capability typical of all our Falcons.”

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a maximum range of 7,750 nm at Mach 0.90 or 6,650 nm at Mach 0.85. According to the U.S. company, the G700 boasts the fastest speeds in the Gulfstream fleet and can link Singapore to London at Mach 0.87. It seats up to 19 passengers with sleeping accommodation for 13.

Gulfstream continues to work on a delayed type certification process for the new model.

The company had initially planned for 15 deliveries of the G700 in December 2023. It now expects FAA certification and service entry by the end of March, with 50 G700 deliveries planned by year-end.

“The long-range advantage of the Gulfstream G700 and G600 is incredibly important to customers in the Asia-Pacific region,” said Gulfstream senior v-p of worldwide sales Scott Neal. “We look forward to showcasing these record-setting aircraft at the Singapore Airshow so customers can experience firsthand their unmatched performance, innovative design, and exceptional comfort.”

Both the Falcon 6X and the G700 compete with Bombardier’s Global 7500, which also appears on the static display line. Other business aircraft in Singapore this week include Embraer’s Praetor 600, the HondaJet, the Pilatus PC-24, and Textron’s Cessna Citation Latitude, CJ4 Gen 2, King Air 360, and Grand Caravan EX Amphibian. z

The Dassault Falcon 6X and Gulfstream G700, two rival intercontinental business jets, are making their Singapore Airshow debut this week. The large-cabin, ultra-long-range jets appear in close proximity on the static display.

New eVTOL aircraft such as Supernal’s four-passenger S-A2 could transform urban transportation.

Asia contends for leading role in advanced air mobility

By Charles Alcock Multiple projects across Japan, South Korea, China, Singapore, Indonesia, India, Australia, and New Zealand are laying the groundwork for the wider Asia-Pacific region to stand at the forefront of new advanced air mobility (AAM) services. Often benefitting from strong government support, eVTOL aircraft manufacturers, including Embraer spin-off Eve Air Mobility and Supernal, are stepping up work with local partners to establish air taxi and other public service applications to begin in the second half of this decade.

The companies bill the all-electric aircraft as revolutionary not only in alleviating congestion on gridlocked roads in major cities but in terms of aviation’s need to decarbonize. In some cases, the development of hybridelectric vehicles would deliver more range and payload than eVTOLs, which generally carry no more than four passengers up to around 100 miles on a single charge.

Consultants at Singapore-based Alton Aviation closely track prospects in the AAM sector and believe the island state is well placed to become an early adopter of eVTOL aircraft.

Singapore officials have cooperated with several manufacturers including Eve, German eVTOL developer Volocopter, and European aerospace giant Airbus, which is preparing to start flight testing a prototype of its four-passenger CityAirbus NextGen aircraft. Alton director Alan Lim sees neighboring countries such as Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam as holding promise in Southeast Asia’s emerging AAM market.

The more prominent eVTOL frontrunners, most notably Silicon Valley start-ups Joby and Archer, tell investors they remain on schedule to complete type certification of their eVTOL vehicles around the end of this year—in time for commercial flights to launch in 2025. Given that the FAA continues to refine its requirements while pitching new curveballs over factors such as flight diversion energy reserves as recently as last year, some observers believe the timeline could extend beyond today’s expectations.

China Achieves eVTOL World-First but with Strings Attached Last October, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) issued a type certificate to Guangzhou-based, Wall Street-listed EHang for its two-seat EH216-S vehicle. The

approval appeared all the more remarkable given that the aircraft will operate entirely autonomously, a feature that Western regulators appear nowhere close to approving for passenger-carrying operations.

Although remarkable, the CAAC’s approval only cleared the way for limited initial flight operations under close supervision. EHang is still working to secure the production and airworthiness certificates it needs to progress to series production. There can be no doubt that the Chinese government’s emphatic backing of AAM initiatives as part of a national plan to stimulate the so-called low-altitude economy of the People’s Republic factored into EHang’s fast track to certification. But at the same time, the highly focused start-up has taken control of its own destiny, taking advantage of the latitude granted by the CAAC to conduct many hours of flight trials.

Alton director Joshua Ng told AIN that while autonomous flights will ultimately accelerate the development of AAM, he expects to see a gradual approach in China with EHang and other local start-ups including AutoFlight and TCab Tech. “When we think about the crawl-walk-run approach in the context of a

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centralized [state] like China, the crawl phase will mean a limited certification at first, so we don’t expect thousands of vehicles to start, and there could be quite limited operations before the envelope expands,” he explained.

While type certification remains the most immediate goal for eVTOL pioneers, Alton’s experts insist that 2024 needs to be the year that work escalates to build the complex ecosystem required to support AAM flights. This year’s efforts will include ground infrastructure, such as vertiports and electric battery recharging units, as well as new processes for air traffic management. “There is really no standardization at the moment in terms of building this whole ecosystem, and companies need to understand the journey doesn’t end with certification,” said Ng.

Eve and Supernal Take a More Patient Approach A more patient approach could suit eVTOL developers like Supernal, which enjoys the backing of South Korean automotive group Hyundai and has given itself a projected 2028 service entry date for its four-passenger S-A2 model. In October, Supernal announced a key partnership with Korean Air to focus on market requirements, trial operations, and supporting infrastructure.

Like Supernal, Overair is based in California but has Korean backing, in its case from industrial group Hanwha Systems, which is supporting efforts to bring the five-passenger Butterfly eVTOL aircraft to market in 2028.

Last year Overair launched a project with local partners on Jeju island, 50 miles off the

Under a partnership with Blade Air Mobility and Hunch Ventures, Eve Air Mobility aims to bring eVTOL air taxi services to India, starting in Bangalore.

Korean peninsula, to expand and decarbonize its transportation services. Its provisional customer base includes HeliKorea, which has committed to taking 20 of its aircraft.

In November, Eve forged an alliance in India with Hunch Mobility, a joint venture between Blade Air Mobility and Hunch Ventures, to bring eVTOL air services to cities across the vast country, starting in the tech industry hub Bangalore. Eve, which aims to certify its four-passenger eVTOL air taxi in 2026, has AAM partners in South Korea and is working with Singapore-based rideshare booking platform Ascent on plans to offer flights in Singapore, as well as Tokyo, Manila, and Melbourne.

Boeing’s aspirations in the AAM sector focus on its now wholly-owned subsidiary Wisk Aero. Like EHang, Wisk is intent on delivering and operating an entirely autonomous eVTOL aircraft with no pilot on board.

Textron is also investing in the emerging

Ascent aims to offer ridesharing flights with Eve’s eVTOL air taxi..

sector through its eAviation business unit.

Its U.S. helicopter division Bell has taken a leading role in the development of the Nexus eVTOL vehicle while eAviation concentrates on other electric aircraft projects through its Slovenia-based Pipistrel subsidiary.

While largely seeking to plot their own course to market, many eVTOL start-ups have turned to established aerospace groups for key systems. The trend has seen Honeywell’s AAM team involving itself with multiple programs as both an avionics and propulsion partner.

GKN Aerospace also is carving out a role in the sector based on its expertise in composite aerostructures.

Also present in the AAM contingent at the 2024 Singapore Airshow, Swiss start-up Daedalean remains focused on harnessing artificial intelligence and machine learning to advances in flight automation and autonomy. Honeywell is an early investor in the company. z

Skyports intends to operate vertiports in Japan, Korea, and Singapore.

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Taiwan faces almost daily threats to its airspace

by Chinese aircraft from the mainland. An AMRAAM-armed ROCAF F-16A escorts a Xian H-6K.

Asia-Pacific air power demand fueled by threat posed by China

By David Donald In recent years the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region has gained renewed strategic global importance, a trend primarily fueled by the rise of China’s military and its expansionist aims.

Chinese influence is now felt in many parts of the globe, chiefly through its economic reach, but also militarily on a more regional basis.

That includes growing threats against Taiwan and military expansion into the South China Sea, where the People’s Republic of China has constructed several airfields and military facilities on occupied reefs in the disputed Spratly Islands.

China’s navy is also growing at an accelerated rate, with two aircraft carriers—Liaoning and Shandong—now in service and a third undergoing sea trials. The latest, Fujian, is a larger vessel in the 80,000- to 100,000tonne class and is equipped with three electromagnetic catapults for aircraft launch.

Both Russia and particularly North Korea continue to pose real and unpredictable threats, especially in the north of the region.

As a result of China’s military growth, the Asia-Pacific nations have responded with

a greater emphasis on the improvement of their military equipment. The West has also shifted its emphasis to the region, with both the U.S. and UK stating a realignment of global interests to counter what they see as a near-peer threat. While the wars in Ukraine and Palestine have served as reminders that Europe and the Middle East continue to be strategically important regions and that Russia remains a major threat to Europe, those conflicts have not halted the shift in emphasis to the Pacific.

For U.S. air forces, that has seen a bolstering of deployments in the region and the prioritization of deliveries of stealthy Lockheed Martin F-35 fighters to Pacific Fleet units in the case of the Navy and Marine Corps.

Australia Australia is the primary military nation in the southern APAC region, and it dominates the southern oceans. With little in terms of direct threats, Australia has relatively modest forces, but they are equipped with the latest U.S. hardware and can project power over long distances. Australia has played a growing part in international operations, such as over

Iraq and Syria, and in 2021 forged the AUKUS security partnership with the U.S. and UK in response to Chinese growth.

The Royal Australian Air Force is almost exclusively equipped with U.S.-supplied aircraft. The “legacy” Hornet fleet has recently retired, and today airpower is vested in the Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler, and a growing number of Lockheed Martin F-35As. Boeing 737 AEW&C Wedgetail radar platforms and Airbus KC-330 tanker/ transports support those fleets, while the airlift fleet consists of Boeing C-17As, Lockheed Martin C-130Js, and Leonardo C-27Js. The first of up to seven Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton high-altitude, longendurance RPAs will join Boeing P-8A Poseidons on maritime patrol this year. Four Gulfstream MC-55A Peregrine electronic intelligence-gatherers set for delivery soon will bolster ISR capability. The training fleet has been overhauled with the delivery of Pilatus PC-21s to augment the BAE Systems Hawk advanced jet trainer fleet.

In the meantime, the Australian Army has 40 Sikorsky UH-60Ms on order, having divested itself of the NH Industries MRH-90

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Taipan assault transport helicopter following a crash that led to a fleet grounding. It also has ordered 29 Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardians to replace its fleet of Airbus Tiger ARH attack helicopters.

Given the capabilities and age of Australia’s air fleet, further major procurement appears unlikely for some time.

Brunei Despite some attempts to acquire combat jets in the 2000s/2010s, the Royal Brunei Air Force remains a largely rotary-wing force, with the Sikorsky S-70i its primary assault helicopter.

Brunei has ordered Airbus C295MWs—reportedly four—to boost its transport and patrol capability, the first two of which was handed over last month. The RBAF has flown a single CN235 in these roles for some time. Pilatus PC-7 Mk IIs are used for pilot training. The RBAF also operates a few Boeing Insitu RQ-21 Blackjack UAVs for patrolling territorial waters.

Cambodia In recent times the Royal Cambodian Air Force operated some MiG-21 fighters, but they and its Aero L-39 trainers no longer operate.

The air force now flies a small number of aircraft and helicopters acquired from European and Chinese sources. It conducts training on Tecnam P92 light aircraft, while the transport force operates a pair of Xian MA-60s. The main helicopter types are the Mil Mi-8/17 series and the Harbin Z-9 (license-built Dauphin).

models remain in service with both the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) and Naval Air Force (PLANAF), but their numbers are dwindling as more modern equipment gets delivered. The Chengdu J-10 is a fourthgeneration multirole fighter that is supplanting the J-7, while the heavy fighter regiments are increasingly equipped with derivatives of the Sukhoi Su-27 and two-seat Su-30. China has acquired those fighters directly from Russia and from domestic production as the J-11 (Su-27) and J-16 (Su-30). The Chinese industry has advanced locally produced aircraft considerably in terms of capability. Moscow also has supplied the Su-35.

Another warplane of Russian origin, the Xian H-6, traces its design to the Tupolev Tu-16 swept-wing bomber. Despite its original design dating back to the late 1940s, the H-6 remains in production and is China’s primary strategic bomber, with perhaps as many as 200 in service. The H-6, which the PLAAF uses for carrying stand-off missiles, poses a major threat to the U.S. Navy’s aircraft carriers.

The PLANAF largely mirrors the PLAAF in terms of aircraft types, with J-7s, J-8s, H-7s, and J-10s equipping its shore-based fighter units.

Carrier-borne airpower comes in the form of the J-15, a development of the Sukhoi Su-33.

As China’s aviation industry has grown in capability, so has its ambition, manifested in several major programs for stealthy aircraft and UAVs. The first manned stealth aircraft to enter

service—in 2017—was the Chengdu J-20, a twin-engine heavy fighter that first flew in 2011.

Today, intelligence estimates suggest delivery of more than 200. The PLANAF, too, plans to operate a stealthy fighter from its third carrier in the form of the Shenyang J-35, an aircraft in the F-35 class that first flew in 2012.

Of greater strategic importance, however, is the Xian H-20, a stealthy subsonic strategic bomber that was first announced in 2016.

Believed to be in the class of the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider, the H-20 is expected to make a first flight imminently.

China’s aviation industry also has blossomed in many other areas and now provides all of the PLA’s fixed-wing trainers and much of its transport capability. The highlight comes in the form of the C-17-like Xian Y-20, of which its manufacturer has built more than 50. Xian also has developed a tanker version of the Y-20 to augment a handful of Ilyushin Il-78s and converted H-6 bombers. Apart from high-end types such as the J-20, China widely promotes its aircraft in export markets.

Indonesia After several years of indecision and difficulties in securing deals, the Tentara Nasional Indonesia-Angkatan Udara (TNI-AU, Indonesian air force) recently has become one of the APAC region’s biggest spenders.

A long-running saga to replace the service’s

China Over recent decades China has changed its air force focus from quantity to quality. The massed ranks of J-4/5/6/7s (MiG-15/17/19/21s) have given way to smaller numbers of much more capable aircraft, which it has acquired from Russian and domestic sources.

The evolution of China’s aviation industry to meet the demands of the change of emphasis has been impressive and today provides the West with a truly near-peer adversary.

However, China has also continued to procure some hardware from Russia and operates some aircraft types of Western origin, notably in the rotary-wing arena.

Several hundred of the older Chengdu J-7, Hongdu Q-5, Shenyang J-8, and Xian JH-7

Indonesia operates a mixed squadron of Su-27s and Su-30s, examples of both fly during an exercise with Australian F/A-18s. The first-generation Hornets have recently retired from Australian service.

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Northrop F-5 fighters resulted in a competition between the Dassault Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon, Lockheed Martin F-16, Saab Gripen, and Sukhoi Su-35. The Sukhoi was declared the winner in 2015, but by 2020 the deal had been abandoned.

In the meantime, Indonesia announced it would buy F-16 Block 70/72 fighters, and then considered acquiring Austria’s Typhoon fighters. Finally, it signed a new fighter order in February 2022 covering a total of 42 Rafales. The Indonesian air force signed a firm order for the final batch of those aircraft in January this year.

Rafales are due to enter service in 2026. The TNI-AU considered acquiring Mirage 2000-5s from Qatar—itself taking Rafale deliveries— as an interim measure, but it shelved that plan last month on financial grounds. For now, the TNI-AU relies on F-16C/Ds acquired from the U.S. and a small mixed fleet of Sukhoi “Flankers,” consisting of the Su-27SK, 27SKM, 30MK, and 30MK2.

While the Rafale deal represents a significant boost for the TNI-AU’s combat power, the service also has signed a letter of understanding concerning the acquisition of 24 Boeing F-15EX Eagle II fighters. The U.S. State Department approved the potential sale in February 2022.

Further bolstering of the fighter force will result from Indonesia’s involvement in the South Korean KF-21 Boramae multirole fighter program, in which it controls a 20 percent stake. The TNI-AU plans to acquire 50, which will likely carry the designation F-33 in Indonesian service. The nation maintains strong ties with South Korea, having previously acquired the KAI KT-1 turboprop trainer and T-50 advanced jet trainer. Recently purchased Grob G 120TPs provide basic training.

Away from the fighter requirements, Indonesia also has ordered two Airbus A400M airlifters, with another four on option. It also has ordered Lockheed Martin C-130Js, first delivery of which it expects imminently. The air force has received new H225M utility helicopters from Airbus, while Indonesia acquired eight AH-64E Apaches for the army.

Japan Facing threats from China, Russia, and North Korea, Japan has been a stronghold of

The Mitsubishi-built F-15J Eagle remains the backbone of Japan’s air defense force. The youngest of the fleet are undergoing an upgrade to the “Japan Super Interceptor” configuration with e-scan radar.

Western defense since the 1950s and remains an important element in the U.S. force structure, with a Navy carrier and Marine amphibious forces based there. The nation itself has built a formidable self-defense force with its air wing (JASDF) playing a critical role in deterring attack and invasion.

For the long term, Japan has joined the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP), which Italy, Japan, and the UK forged in December 2022. Japanese industry expects to play a major role in producing a fighter that could enter service in the mid-2030s, having already built and flown the X-2 Shinshin advanced fighter technology demonstrator. Japan envisions the GCAP as a replacement in the force structure for its Mitsubishi F-2 development of the F-16, of which around 60 operate on joint air defense and anti-ship duties.

For now the primary JASDF procurement program centers on the Lockheed Martin F-35, of which it has ordered 157 initially to replace the last of the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantoms. Initial operating capability was declared in March 2019, and two squadrons have now been equipped. While the initial order for 42 consisted solely of F-35As, a large follow-on batch included 42 of the F-35B STOVL version, to be based at Nyutabaru in the country’s southwest. From there they can deploy to various remote locations on Japan’s western islands. The JASDF expects service entry of the B model in late 2025.

Japan also plans to send its F-35Bs to sea aboard the two Izumo-class vessels, which

were built as helicopter-carriers but now are undergoing conversion to act as aircraft carriers. JS Izumo first underwent modification with a strengthened deck and other equipment. In October 2021 U.S. Marine Corps F-35Bs operated from its deck for the first time.

Sister ship JS Jaga was subsequently modified to the full configuration with a squared-off bow section. It entered sea trials in September 2023. Izumo will have the full modification applied in late 2024. Plans call for USMC aircraft to perform all of the initial operations prior to the JASDF’s F-35Bs becoming operational.

Another major program is the update of some of Japan’s Mitsubishi-built F-15J/DJ fighters. Japan bought 213 of these Eagle fighters from 1980 to form the backbone of its air defense force and to replace aging Lockheed Martin F-104J Starfighters. In February 2022 the government announced a program to update 68 of them to the Japan Super Interceptor (JSI) configuration with APG-82(V)1 AESA radar and expanded weapons carriage. The centerline weapons pylon will also be capable of carrying large air-toground weapons.

The JASDF is strengthening its support forces through the acquisition of four Boeing KC-46A tanker/transports to add to a similar number of KC-767Js, while it recapitalizes the airborne early warning fleet through the replacement of Northrop Grumman E-2C Hawkeyes with E-2Ds.

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Two procurement programs are under way for the Japan Ground SDF (army) in the shape of 14 Bell Boeing MV-22 Ospreys, and 150 examples of the Subaru-Bell UH-2, a license-built derivative of the Bell 412. The Japan Maritime SDF’s main ongoing purchases concern the Kawasaki P-1 maritime patroller, which is replacing the sizeable Kawasaki-Lockheed P-3 Orion fleet, and the ongoing upgrade of the SH-60 Seahawk fleet to the SH-60K standard.

Laos The small Lao People’s Liberation Army Air Force operates mainly helicopters, the most important type being the Mil Mi-8/17.

Fixed-wing equipment is limited to four Yakovlev Yak-130 advanced trainers delivered from Russia at the end of 2017, and Xian MA60/600 transports from China. It uses a number of light aircraft for training, including the Ilyushin Il-103 and the Chinese Shijiazhuang LE500.

Malaysia Since the retirement of its Northrop F-5 and Mikoyan MiG-29N fighters, the Tentara Udajra Diraja Malaysia (RMAF, Royal Malaysian Air Force) has relied on a small combat force consisting of 18 Sukhoi Su-30MKMs and eight Boeing F/A-18D Hornets, plus some aging BAE Systems Hawk Mk 208s.

The RMAF sought a new fighter to replace the MiGs and F-5s, evaluating the three “euro-canards” (Gripen, Rafale, and Typhoon) and the Super Hornet, but the budget proved insufficient. In February 2023 came an announcement that Malaysia had ordered the Korean Aerospace Industries FA-50 Block 20 to answer a light combat aircraft requirement.

The service expects the first to arrive in 2026.

Another long-standing requirement called for a new maritime patroller, which an order for two ATR 72MP answered. Airbus CN235s modified for maritime surveillance augment the ATRs. Airlift capability centers on four Airbus A400Ms, supported by C-130Hs, of which four are configured as tankers.

force consisting of Hongdu A-5s, Chengdu F-7s, and Mikoyan MiG-29s. A batch of Chengdu/PAC JF-17s is being delivered, while at least two of six Sukhoi Su-30SMEs ordered from Moscow have been delivered. Among the trainer fleet are Guizhou FTC-2000Gs and Yakovlev Yak-130s.

Some Western types are on strength, primarily procured during a period of increased democracy in Myanmar. They include Grob 120 trainers and ATR 72 maritime patrol aircraft.

New Zealand In 2001 the New Zealand government decided to axe the country’s small combat fleet and its jet trainers. Since 2006 the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s main combat operation has involved maritime patrol undertaken by Lockheed P-3 Orions. It retired them last year as Boeing delivered four P-8As. New Zealand has ordered the Lockheed C-130J to replace the aging fleet of C-130Hs, and the Beechcraft T-6C forms the backbone of the training fleet.

Helicopters include the Leonardo AW109 and NH Industries NH90 for army support, and the Kaman SH-2G Seasprite for naval duties.

North Korea The closed country has found difficulty in procuring new combat aircraft in recent times, and its air force is almost universally equipped with

aging Soviet and Chinese hardware. The most modern fighter available to the Korean People’s Army Air Force is the Mikoyan MiG-29, of which about 25 are on strength. A larger number of MiG-21s and MiG-23s augment the MiG-29s, as do Sukhoi Su-25s. Older Chinese-built MiG types (F-5/MiG-17) and the F-6 (MiG-19) remain in use, but the most numerous type is the Chengdu F-7 (MiG-21), with more than 100 in use.

The rotary-wing force is dominated by Mil types, including Mi-24 gunships, and as many as 80 McDonnell Douglas MD 500s acquired via a German intermediary in the 1980s.

Papua Niugini PNG’s modest Defence Force has operated a number of aircraft for patrol and utility transport duties. In 2016 the PNGDF ordered four Pacific Aerospace P-750s for maritime search and patrol duties, along with two CT/4 Airtrainers.

Philippines The Philippines occupy a strategically important position facing China across the South China Sea. After many years of focusing on internal security, with an inventory of counterinsurgency (COIN) types such as the Rockwell OV-10 Bronco to match, the Philippine Air Force more recently has prioritized territorial defense and has procured equipment accordingly, despite limited budgets.

Myanmar The Myanmar Defence Force relies on Russian and Chinese hardware, with a combat aircraft

The arrival of the KAI FA-50PH in Philippine service restored a jet fighter capability lost with the retirement of the last Northrop F-5s in 2004. The air force is considering buying up to 36 more.

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In 2012 the Philippines chose its first combat jet equipment in the form of the KAI FA-50PH, the first of 12 being delivered in 2015. Subsequently, the country began the search for a more capable fighter and favored the Lockheed Martin F-16. In 2021 the U.S. State Department approved a sale of 12 F-16Vs, but their $2.4 billion price tag has presented a problem and the sides haven’t finalized a deal.

The Philippines examined acquiring secondhand F-16s, while Sweden has offered a deal involving Saab Gripen C/Ds. At the same time, internal security remains an important issue in the Philippines. The country ordered six Embraer EMB-314 Super Tucanos in 2017 to form the cutting edge of the light attack/COIN fleet, while it accepts delivery of a large batch of Sikorsky S-70i Black Hawks to modernize the army’s assault capability. It has also taken delivery of six Turkish Aerospace T-129 attack helicopters.

Singapore has acquired much equipment from Israel, including the Gulfstream 550-based Conformal Airborne Early Warning aircraft.

Singapore

addressed obsolescence issues and no official procurement plan is in place. Similarly, it has upgraded the Lockheed C-130B/H fleet, which is not in urgent need of replacement, although Lockheed Martin is pitching its C-130J and Airbus the A400M.

As the best-equipped of the Southeast Asia air arms, the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) has a powerful combat fleet of 40 Boeing F-15SGs and 60 F-16s. The latter is in the process of being upgraded to F-16V standard with APG-83 Scalable Agile Beam Radar and enhanced weapons capability, including the Rafael Python 5 air-to-air missile. Deliveries began in June 2021.

Singapore’s main new aircraft procurement program concerns the Lockheed Martin F-35B, which it nominated as the F-16’s successor. In 2019 it ordered four, the first of which is scheduled for delivery in 2026. The initial aircraft will remain in the U.S. for initial training and combat evaluation at Ebbing ANGB in Arkansas, selected as the U.S. training base. Singapore exercised an option for a further eight aircraft early last year. The choice of the STOVL version of the F-35 would suggest possible operations from dispersed austere locations.

Singapore’s small land mass and squeeze on airspace have required the RSAF to conduct its training overseas. From the end of the decade, plans call for a permanent detachment of F-15SGs to be based at Andersen AFB on Guam.

It is likely that Singapore will look to replace its Fokker 50 Enforcer II maritime patrol aircraft at some point, but a 2017 upgrade

The Republic of Korea (ROK) has enjoyed the full support of the U.S., and its armed forces are well-equipped. The nation’s aerospace and defense industries are highly developed and produce a growing number of indigenous systems for both domestic and export requirements.

Late last year South Korea signed a deal for another 20 Lockheed Martin F-35As to add to the 40 it had already bought. They have all been delivered and are operational— minus one lost in a birdstrike incident—with two squadrons.

While the F-35 is the spearhead of the ROK Air Force, the service also commands a large force of Boeing F-15Ks and Lockheed Martin F-16C/Ds, the latter updated to F-16V standard with AESA radar. The indigenously developed KAI FA-50 also adds a light fighter/ attack capability.

KAI leads the ambitious KF-21 Boramae new-generation fighter program being undertaken by the South Korean government with Indonesia as a minority partner. Both singleand two-seat KF-21s remain in flight testing.

The ROKAF has stated plans to acquire 120 of the aircraft by 2032.

South Korea

The ROKAF already operates four Boeing E-7A Peace Eye airborne early warning aircraft and has launched a requirement for four additional AEW platforms. A follow-on order for the E-7 is one option, but Saab has pitched its Globaleye in a Korea-specific configuration. L3Harris has teamed with Korean Air and IAI Elta to offer a system based—like that of the Saab offer—on the Bombardier Global 6500 airframe. The ROKAF also operates Hawker 800s and a pair of Dassault Falcon 2000s for reconnaissance and electronic warfare tasks.

South Korea’s tanker and transport capabilities have recently gotten a boost with the adoption of the Airbus A330 MRTT, while in December Embraer announced that the ROKAF selected its C-390 Millennium to fulfill its large transport aircraft requirement. The decision would seemingly put an end to KAI’s competing MC-X jet transport project. Training is largely conducted on aircraft of local origin: KAI’s KT-100 light aircraft, KT-1 turboprop trainer, and T/TA-50 advanced/lead-in jet trainer.

Domestic products also are coming to the fore in the army and navy inventories. The ROK Army is buying up to 200 KAI light attack helicopters (based on the Airbus Dauphin) and over 200 KUH-1 Surion utility transports (based on the Super Puma). A marinized Surion development, the MUH-1 Marineon, equips the Marine Corps. The army’s attack helicopter force now includes Boeing AH-64E Apaches, Bell AH-1 Cobras, and MD Helicopters MD500s, with the latter pair due to be replaced by the LAH.

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Boeing P-8s have recently replaced long-serving Lockheed P-3 Orions with the ROK Navy. The rotary-wing force includes various Sikorsky S-70 variants and the Westland (Leonardo) Lynx Mk 99 ASW helicopter.

South Korea approved a plan in December to replace the Lynxes with, most likely, the Sikorsky MH-60R. It also continues to evaluate the NH90, and KAI might also offer an ASW version of the MUH-1.

Sweden supplied Thailand with an air defense package that consisted of 12 Gripen C/D fighters and two Saab 340 AEW&C radar platforms, together with a bespoke datalink system.

Taiwan The country most directly at risk from potential Chinese aggression, Taiwan maintains as well-equipped an air arm as its budget and geopolitical restrictions allow. Its aerospace industry, led by AIDC, has developed a capability for designing and building equipment for the country’s air force, as well as undertaking work on types from overseas.

In December the last of Taiwan’s 141 Lockheed Martin F-16A/Bs modified to the AESA radar-equipped F-16V standard completed flight trials. The aircraft will form the Republic of China Air Force’s main aerial defense against aggression and will be joined next year by 66 similar new-build F-16C/D Block 70s. Along with a wide range of air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons, the F-16s can carry the AGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missile.

Joining the F-16 in the air defense mission is the Dassault Mirage 2000-5Ei, of which more than 40 have entered service. More than 200 of the locally designed AIDC F-CK-1 augment the fighter lineup, most having undergone a recent equipment upgrade.

The last of the AIDC-assembled Northrop F-5Es retired at the end of last year. They were mainly used as fighter lead-in trainers, but the 66 new AIDC AT-5 Brave Eagle trainers n o w undergoing delivery have assumed that role.

The type is based on the F-CK-1 airframe. The last RF-5E Tigergazer reconnaissance aircraft remain in service, although Taiwan is replacing them with F-16s equipped with the MS-110 reconnaissance pod and by General Atomics MQ-9B SkyGuardians.

Taiwan’s army operates a sizeable force of Bell AH-1W gunships that augment around 30 Boeing AH-64E Apaches. The Republic of China Navy had the Sikorsky MH-60R on order to refresh its anti-submarine warfare

capability, but affordability issues postponed the deal, leaving the service to soldier on with earlier S-70s and a few ASW-configured Hughes 500s.

Thailand In October the Royal Thai Air Force issued a request for proposals for a new fighter to replace its older Lockheed Martin F-16s from 2028. Most consider the front-runners to be the latest F-16 Block 70/72 and the Saab Gripen E/F. Both the F-16 and Gripen (in C/ D form) are the mainstay of the RTAF’s current fighter force. South Korea’s FA-50 and new KF-21 also represent potential candidates.

Thai air arms have traditionally operated a disparate fleet of many types, and that practice continues today. The Gripen C/Ds are primarily an air defense asset, working closely with two Saab 340 AEW&C aircraft supplied as part of the same deal. Thailand procured F-16A/Bs in five batches between 1988 and 2005, and the fleet includes some in the Block 15 Air Defense Fighter configuration. A number have undergone updates.

Augmenting the principal combat types are ex-Luftwaffe Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jets, and around 30 Northrop F-5E/Fs recently upgraded to the F-5 TH Super Tigris standard, the last of which was redelivered in February 2023. Thailand has procured new light attack capability in the shape of eight Beechcraft AT-6TH Wolverines, part of a deal that also includes 12 of Textron’s T-6C Texan II trainers.

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Timor-Leste The eastern part of the island of Timor gained independence from Indonesia in 2000 and formed a small defense force the following year. In 2013 a law was passed to allow the creation of the Núcleo Aéreo (air component). A single Cessna 172P became the first equipment, which has since been joined by a Cessna 206.

Vietnam Since the retirement of the last war-era Cessna A-37s and Northrop F-5s, the Vietnam People’s Air Force has acquired its combat aircraft from Russia. Today, the two main types are the Sukhoi Su-27/30 and Su-22M4. A warming of relations has led Vietnam to consider Western fighter types from the U.S. and Europe, and last year the possibility opened of the nation acquiring Lockheed Martin F-16s.

The sizeable trainer fleet includes Yak-130s and Aero L-39s. In 2021 the VPAF placed an order for 12 Aero L-39NGs from the Czech Republic and reached an agreement with the U.S. covering the supply of 12 Beechcraft T-6 Texan II turboprop trainers. Delivery of the first three T-6s is due imminently, with the full fleet to have been handed over by 2027.

The air force also operates Western equipment for transport duties (C295 and NC-212i), as does the navy. The latter also flies six Viking Air Twin Otter/Guardian 400s on transport and patrol duties, as well as two Airbus H225M helicopters alongside its Russian Kamov Ka-28s. z

Boeing flaunts green tech in Singapore

By Kerry Lynch

An immersive display of the Boeing 777X cabin highlights the company’s civil aviation presence at the show.

DAVID McINTOSH

Boeing is bringing a focus on sustainability as it highlights a suite of capabilities across its business units during the 2024 edition of the Singapore Airshow.

For the Arlington, Virginia-based OEM, the Singapore Airshow underscores “how Southeast Asia’s fast-growing economies continue to invest in new aerospace products and services for the future,” said Boeing Global president Brendan Nelson. “Boeing provides our commercial and government customers across the region with capabilities they need while we continue to expand our regional presence and open new opportunities for partners and suppliers.”

Exhibits include an immersive display of the 777X cabin, an F-15EX simulator providing a glimpse of the multirole fighter’s design and cockpit, as well as the F-15, P-8A Poseidon, AH-64E Apache, Ch-47F Chinook, and C-17 Globemaster III on display. Boeing’s

B-52 Stratofortress bomber participates in the flying display.

Sustainability initiatives are at the forefront of Boeing’s presence this year. Its advanced air mobility subsidiary Wisk is on hand to discuss its all-electric, autonomous four-seat air taxi.

Meanwhile, Boeing is demonstrating its Cascade Climate Impact Model, a data modeling tool that shows how different strategies

Pratt & Whitney recently opened its India Digital Capability Center in Bengaluru.

Pratt & Whitney grows its presence in India

By Jennifer Meszaros RTX’s Pratt & Whitney division is scaling up operations in South Asia with the launch of its new India Digital Capability Center (IDCC) in Karnataka’s capital city of Bengaluru.

The multimillion-dollar facility will sit alongside the company’s engineering and supply chain and business transformation on a global scale. IDCC will also work closely with other RTX business units in India, namely Collins Aerospace and RTX Enterprise Services.

can reduce emissions and help the aviation industry decarbonize by 2050. The team is further discussing its work to help foster the production of sustainable aviation fuel.

On the workforce front, Boeing participates in the air show’s AeroCampus to draw in the next generation of aerospace engineers and leaders. But it also will feature companies in which it has invested to help support aerospace innovation. z

The expansion of Pratt & Whitney’s digital technology presence in Bengaluru will allow us to leverage India’s aviation and technology talent and accelerate our digital transformation,» said Pratt & Whitney v-p and chief information officer Rahul Dharni.

Hailed as a tech hub, Bengaluru has served as a research and development site for Pratt & Whitney since 2012 after the aerospace manufacturer opened an office at the Indian Institute of Science. In 2015, the company launched its India Customer Training Center in Hyderabad.

Over the past two years, P&W has invested $40 million in its engineering and supply chain centers and has begun recruiting its first batch of a planned total of 300 employees for IDCC by 2027. The last two decades have seen the company source more than $500 million in engineering services in India, including nearly $55 million in the past 10 years from leading aerospace suppliers in the country. z

a i n o n l i n e . c o m • February 20, 2024 • S i n g a p o re A i rs h ow News 33

OEMs Explore Paths to Decarbonization Charles Alcock With aircraft engine makers at the vanguard of efforts to decarbonize air transport, the next decade may see the biggest breakthroughs in propulsion technology since the dawn of the jet age. The big three turbofan manufacturers— CFM International, Pratt & Whitney (P&W), and Rolls-Royce—strive to standardize the use of sustainable aviation fuel and progress towards electric and hydrogen propulsion.

P&W is pursuing several paths to cleaner, more efficient engines by 2050. According to Frank Preli, the U.S. group’s v-p for advanced

CFM Banks on Rise Engine to Lower Carbon

improvement in energy performance. Last month, P&W announced the development of a mobile charging unit to support the 1,500-volt batteries that H55 has committed for the project.

“We are talking about achieving five percent of the thrust capability using electric motors on each of the engines,” Preli told AIN. “The electric power can be used for taxiing, for instance, and to manage surge margins in the engine as you can separately change the high compressor and low compressor rotational speeds using the two motor generators.”

Preli explained that the 1-megawatt generator developed for the RTX Hybrid Electric

By mid-2025, CFM expects to start flying a demonstrator for its Rise open fan engine.

The joint venture between GE Aviation and Safran targets at least a 20 percent reduction in CO2 emissions compared with today’s Leap engines.

In January, Safran and France’s Onera research agency began wind tunnel tests with the EcoEngine one-fifth scale open fan demonstrator.

Since February 2022, CFM and Airbus have worked on a hydrogen program with the aim of flight testing a propulsion system on an A380 by the middle of this decade. This work contributes to Airbus’s ZeroE program, which aims to introduce a hydrogen-powered airliner able to carry 200 people up to 2,000 nm by 2035.

The demonstrator will involve the modification of a GE Passport business jet engine to run on hydrogen, with the engine mounted on its rear fuselage.

Rolls-Royce Expects UltraFan to Cut Fuel Burn RTX’s Hybrid Electric Flight Demonstrator could begin flight testing next year. propulsion and materials technologies, the objective is not just cutting CO₂, but other emissions as well, such as nitrogen oxides (NOx).

In the near term, the company remains focused on making the GTF Advantage version of its geared turbofan available for the A320neo airliner. The engine would deliver an additional 1 percent in fuel efficiency, increasing its performance margin over earlier engines such as the V2500 to 17 percent.

RTX Pushes for Hybrid-Electric Advances P&W, which is part of the RTX technology group, continues work on a hybrid-electric technology demonstrator it aims to start flight testing early next year. The powertrain combines a 1-megawatt electric motor developed by Collins with a 1-megawatt engine to achieve 30 percent

Flight Demonstrator will deliver four times the power and twice the voltage, with half the heat loss and weight as the 250-kilowatt generator developed a decade ago to power Boeing’s 787.

P&W views hydrogen propulsion as a longer-term play. “We don’t expect hydrogen to be widely available for some time, and there are a lot of basic technologies that need to be developed first,” Preli said.

P&W is exploring two concepts to address emissions from engine combustors, using water reclamation and steam injection in a hydrogen engine that could cut NOx emissions by 80 percent. “You can also get higher efficiency with the water cycle because you can operate the engine at a higher operating pressure ratio without an increase in temperature, which would limit materials durability,” Preli explained.

34 Singapore Airshow News • February 20, 2 0 24 • a i n o n l i n e . c o m

Rolls-Royce continues testing the UltraFan technology it says will deliver a 25 percent reduction in fuel burn when integrated with its Trent family of turbofans. The manufacturer plans to introduce a family of two-shaft, three-shaft, direct-drive, and geared propulsion systems ranging in thrust from 25,000 and 110,000 pounds for narrowbody and widebody airliners that could enter service in the 2030s.

The group’s Bristol facility is working on what it calls micro-hybridization, integrating an electric starter generator with a smaller engine.

In September, Rolls-Royce and partners conducted a ground test in which they ran a Pearl 700 business jet engine on pure hydrogen. The work, supported by the UK’s Loughborough University and German aerospace research agency DLR, forms part of longer-term efforts to develop a hydrogen combustion engine for future narrowbody aircraft.

In late November, Rolls-Royce announced its intention to seek a buyer for the electrical division involved in developing battery-electric propulsion systems for new aircraft such as the Vertical Aerospace eVTOL model. z

Eve makes Asia-Pacific debut in Singapore

Eve Air Mobility is displaying a cabin mockup for its planned eVTOL air taxi. Show attendees have the opportunity to experience a virtual-reality flight simulation inside the mockup. human-centered and external design features, the company has much to share with visitors after launching the production of its first fullscale prototype and its pilot manufacturing facility last year.

DAVID McINTOSH

Embraer spinoff Eve Air Mobility is making its Asia-Pacific debut at the Singapore Airshow with a full-scale eVTOL cabin mockup and a virtual reality simulation of an eVTOL air taxi flight.The display comes as part of a world tour that kicked off in 2022 at the Farnborough Airshow. Since then, Eve’s cabin mockup and virtual reality experience have appeared at the SXSW show in Austin, Texas, last March, and later, at the 2023 Paris Airshow.

While the display highlights Eve’s

DAVID McINTOSH

By Jennifer Meszaros

RSAF shows off A330 multi-role tanker transport

The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) has an A330 multi-role tanker transport (MRTT) on display.

Replacing the KC-135s, RSAF’s fleet of six MRTTs attained full operational capability in April 2021.

36 Singapore Airshow News • February 20, 2 0 24 • a i n o n l i n e . c o m

The eVTOL maker added a slew of suppliers just last month, including Thales, Honeywell, Recaro Aircraft Seating, and FACC. Those new companies will join Garmin, Liebherr Aerospace, Intergalactic, BAE Systems, DUC Hélices Propellers, and Nidec Aerospace—a joint venture between Japan’s Nidec Corporation and Embraer.

“Eve comes to Singapore with tremendous momentum as we continue the development of our eVTOL, including progressing toward key program milestones,” said company CEO Johann Bordais. “The Asia-Pacific region is an important market for Eve Air Mobility, and we are committed to the region as we continue to build diverse relationships and work with our customers and potential customers to bring a new mode of transportation to help ease traffic congestion.”

Eve has embraced a lift-and-cruise configuration for its four-passenger eVTOL air taxi. The aircraft features a high fixed wing with eight vertical lift rotors mounted on two booms, plus a pair of rear-mounted pusher propellers. The lifting rotors switch off for forward flight, which eliminates the need for a tilting mechanism for the wing or propulsion units, ultimately reducing weight and complexity, according to Eve. z

Collins goes all in on renewable energy

DAVID McINTOSH

By Jennifer Meszaros

Embraer shows off fresh “Tech Eagle” livery Embraer’s lineup at the Singapore Airshow static display features an example of its E195-E2 airliner, dubbed the Profit Hunter, in fresh “Tech Eagle” livery.

continued from page 1

Singapore Airshow back to full strength conversations and education initiatives. The air show itself is heightening its sustainability through a voluntary carbon offset program for attendees, the use of electric vehicles for transporting VIPs, and the adoption of recycled furniture and carpets.

Organizers expect about 3,000 young students to attend the show, where a range of focused events and activities aimed at stimulating interest in STEM subjects accompany initiatives for connecting prospective young engineers and technicians with major

employers. Moreover, the return of public days—now billed as Weekend@Airshow— can help spark interest in aerospace among tomorrow’s engineers. Maintaining a healthy talent pipeline is critical for the development of the aerospace industry in Singapore.

The country’s aerospace industry now consists of more than 130 companies, with approximately 70 percent of the workforce being of Singaporean nationality. The MRO sector, in particular, is recovering fast, reaching pre-pandemic levels of business a year ahead of the global industry. Committed short-term investment in Singapore by companies such as Pratt & Whitney, ST Engineering, and Thales amounts to around S$750 million ($556 million), and could create more than 2,500 new jobs over the next three to five years. z

Collins Aerospace’s Philippines facility in Tanauan City has made the move to operate on 100 percent renewable energy, the RTX business unit said during the Singapore Airshow. The site joins more than 20 RTX facilities that acquire 100 percent of their electricity from renewable resources, according to Collins. In all, RTX operates more than 70 renewable energy projects across the globe.

The Philippines counts as one of eight countries in Collins Aerospace’s Asia-Pacific portfolio, followed by Singapore, China, India, Australia, Japan, Korea, and Malaysia. The Tanauan site—a component of the company’s interior business—commenced operations in early 2012 to support the A350 galley program at its UK Leighton Buzzard facility.

Beyond galleys and galley inserts, the facility manufactures lavatories, seating, and oxygen systems for commercial aircraft and leverages the city’s use of geothermal power from a local plant to fulfill its sustainability goals.

“We’re committed to reducing the greenhouse gas emissions of our manufacturing operations,” said Collins chief sustainability officer LeAnn Ridgeway. “By switching to 100 percent renewable electricity, our Tanauan City site will lower Collins’s greenhouse gas emissions by roughly 25,000 metric tons each year. With a yearly consumption of 36,000 megawatt-hours of green electricity—equivalent to the annual electricity usage of nearly 5,000 homes—it is one of RTX’s largest renewable energy projects to date.” z

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Embraer teams with Mahindra for C-390 in India

Airbus demonstrates SAF with A350-1000

By Kerry Lynch Airbus’ A350-1000 takes to the skies at the Singapore Airshow this week as the FrancoGerman manufacturer continues its campaign to promote sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

The OEM conducted a refueling demonstration on Sunday at Changi Airport, pumping 12.8 tonnes of a 35 percent blend of SAF with conventional jet-A fuel into the widebody. The additional fuel brought the total amount in the A350 to 21.8 tonnes of the SAF blend, enough to accommodate the series of demonstrations during the flying displays throughout the week.

Shell Aviation supplied the fuel under the International Sustainability & Carbon Certification EU requirements and provided through the HEFA-SPK pathway, which uses feedstock from cooking oil and tallow.

The demonstration is part of a larger effort to help push the industry toward the adoption of 100 percent SAF. “Airbus is committed to supporting and developing the SAF ecosystem, and this is part of what we are doing,” said Hélène Burger, Airbus’s head of international cooperation and sustainability for the APAC region.

The present availability of SAF represents just a tiny percentage of what the industry eventually will need, Burger explained. He noted the importance of continuing to educate regulators, fuel producers, distributors, and operators about the need for SAF and the safety of its use.

All Airbus aircraft can operate with a blend of up to 50 percent SAF. Testing continues to move toward 100 percent SAF, and Airbus already has accomplished initial trials on the A380 four-engine model. The company plans an array of tests—from hot to cold weather trials—to demonstrate that 100 percent SAF could become a seamless drop-in.

Airbus has set a target for all of its aircraft to be capable of operating with up to 100 percent SAF by 2030—a critical component of the overarching industry goal of reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. On average, SAF can reduce CO2 emissions by 80 percent over an aircraft’s lifecycle (from production to end use) compared with fossil fuels.

In addition to airshow displays, Airbus already has begun to help its customers transition to SAF by delivering its aircraft with a 5 percent SAF blend at no additional charge. z

38 Singapore Airshow News • February 20, 2 0 24 • a i n o n l i n e . c o m

DAVID McINTOSH

Airbus pumped 12.8 tonnes of a 35 percent SAF blend into an A350-1000 during a demonstration at the Singapore Airshow on Sunday.

Embraer Defense and Security has signed a memorandum of understanding with Mahindra Defence Systems to pitch the C-390 Millennium tanker/ transport for the Indian Air Force’s upcoming medium transport aircraft (MTA) program.

The announcement follows a C-390 Millennium Day event held by Embraer in New Delhi last August to engage with local industry. Both companies have committed to the Make in India initiative and will now begin discussions with the air force over the next steps in the procurement and develop a plan for industrialization.

“India has a diverse and strong defense and aerospace industry, and we have chosen Mahindra as our partner to jointly pursue the MTA program,” said João Bosco da Costa Junior, president and CEO of Embraer Defense and Security. “India is a key market for Embraer and we fully support India’s ambitions for Atmanirbhar Bharat [self-reliant India].

We see this partnership as a symbol of strengthening relations between Brazil and India, and a way to foster Global South cooperation.”

D.D.

The C-390 could fulfill the Indian Air Force’s medium transport aircraft needs.

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