► NIGER: Air Force's two Diamond DA42s' upgrade to be footed by the US Navy.

The US Navy will reportedly foot the bill for an upgrade to the Nigerien Air Forces' fleet of two Diamond Aircraft DA42 surveillance aircraft, (MSN ? | 5U-MRX) & (MSN ? | 5U-MRZ), used for border surveillance missions to inhibit smuggling and to protect critical infrastructures.

► CAMEROON: Russia, Cameroon sign deal for undisclosed number of Mil Mi-17 choppers.

During the recently ended MAKS 2013 International Aviation & Space Salon held at Moscow's Ramenskoye Airport, Russia and Cameroon signed a deal for the delivery of an unspecified number of Mil Mi-17 helicopters for onward placement with the Cameroonian Air Force.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: Denel SOC posts strong $7.3million net profit for 2012/13 Financial Year as revenue grows 10%.

South African state owned aerospace and defence technology conglomerate, Denel SOC Ltd, has posted a net profit of USD7.33million (ZAR71million) for its most recent 2012/13 financial year, buoyed by a 10% increase in revenue - thanks in part to an increase in demand for its products in Africa, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific and South America - a restructuring of its debt and a reduction in its expenditure.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: Eurocopter authorizes Denel Aviation to provide MRO services to Super Pumas.

Eurocopter has expanded its partnership with South Africa’s Denel Aviation on helicopter repair and maintenance. Under the new contract with the European helicopter manufacturer, Denel Aviation has received authorization to offer its repairs and servicing capabilities on Super-Puma helicopters in Southern Africa.

► ETHIOPIA: Russia in talks to sell Ethiopia 18 Sukhoi Su-30K multirole fighters.

Russian state arms exporter, Rosoboronexport, is reportedly in talks with Ethiopia over the sale of eighteen Sukhoi Su-30K Multirole fighter aircraft. The jets, originally sold to India, were intended to go to Vietnam.

► NIGER: Nigerian Air Force Alpha Jet crashes during reconnaisance mission near Niamey; 2 dead.

A Nigerian Air Force Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet on operations in Dargol, 60 km west of Niamey, capital of Niger, crashed at 13h05L yesterday killing both pilots. Chaibou Massalatchi, the head of Niamey’s airport, said the plane had taken off on the morning of Monday, May 6, for a reconnaissance mission into the north-west of Niger when it came down.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: SACAA threatens action against operator of chartered Jet Airways A330 that landed at military airbase.

The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) is considering taking action against "the operator" of a Jet Airways (9W) Airbus A330, recently chartered by South African businessman, Atul Gupta on the occasion of a family wedding, for violation of the country's Civil Aviation Regulations. The furore reportedly comes after the civilian Airbus was spotted at Pretoria's Watekloof Air Force Base, a military installation, but which has subsequently been transferred to OR Tambo International on the orders of the Ministry of Defence.

► SEYCHELLES: Air Force takes delivery of first Do-228 Patrol aircraft from Hindustan Aeronautics.

The Seychelles Air Force has taken delivery of a Dornier 228 patrol aircraft following a donation from the government of India as agreed to under an agreement signed between the two nations in 2011 in which India would provide a once-off grant of USD28.79 million for the supply of the maritime aircraft.  A further aircraft is due in 2014.

■ LIBYA: Ministry of Transport to replace Tripoli's radar system; to increase civilian/military airspace monitoring.

Libya's Ministry of Transport is set to beef up the country's ability to monitor both civilian and military air traffic through the commissioning of new radar infrastructure and control facilities. The facilities will be used in monitoring the trafficking of both people and drugs in Libya as well as the illegal export of arms to neighbouring countries.

■ SOUTH AFRICA: Tough break for Denel AMG employees as just 139 out of 523 are to be retained under new SAAF deal.

South African trade union, Solidarity, has announced that only 139 employees out of 523 will be retained on a new aircraft maintenance contract to be signed between the South African Air Force (SAAF) and defense contractor Denel Aviation/AeroManpower Group. This means that 384 employees will lose their jobs by the end of March. The union had originally pinned its hopes on 150 personnel being retained. 

 

► ETHIOPIA: Military claims to have pioneered country's first home-grown UAV.

Unnamed military sources in Ethiopia state that the country has pioneered its own indigenous Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) or drone. The UAVs have allegedly already performed a geophysical survey of Ethiopia’s Grand Renaissance Dam, a massive hydroelectric installation under construction on the Blue Nile.

► LIBERIA: Guinean CASA CN235 goes down near Monrovia; 11 dead.

A CASA CN-235 transport plane (MSN N020 | 3X-GGG) belonging to the République de Guinée (Republic of Guinea) crashed at 07h30L near Charlesville, Liberia with all 11 occupants on-board killed. Amongst the dead are the head of Guinea's Armed Forces, Gen Souleymane Kelefa Diallo, who was leading Guinea's delegation to mark Liberia's annual Armed Forces Day.

► BRAZIL: Angolan Air Force takes delivery of three Embraer A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft.

Brazil's Embraer Defense and Security today delivered the first three of six light attack and advanced training A-29 Super Tucano turboprops to the Força Aérea Nacional Angolana (National Air Force of Angola), at a ceremony held in Gavião Peixoto, São Paulo, Brazil. 

► CHAD: Congolese government provides Chad with Il76 to aide with deployment of 2'000 troops to Mali.

The Congolese government has made ​​available its Ilyushin Il76 (MSN 1033415504 | TN-AFS) transport to the Chadian government following the latter's decision to deploy 2000 troops to join the growing international operation (Mission Internationale de soutien au Mali - MISMA) against Islamist insurgents in northern Mali.