Main headlines from this issue

Indonesia’s offset policy disappoints despite host of new projects

Indonesia’s ability to absorb offset programmes is coming under scrutiny. This month, two independent academic papers and an industry webinar gathered insights from the Ministry of Defence, local think tanks, and defence trade associations to lament the country’s technological readiness and “misleading” offset initiatives.

South Korea secures first partner for MC-X aircraft

Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI) stands to secure its first foreign buyer for the MC-X transport aircraft: the United Arab Emirates. “It’s unconvincing that UAE could offer technology on a heavy lift military aircraft,” an anonymous industry expert close to Emirati authorities told CTO. The UAE can, however, “offer petrodollars to support development costs of such an aircraft.”

Saab loses Indian partner for Gripen offer

Swedish aerospace prime Saab has abandoned its partnership with Indian business giant Adani Group to manufacture the Gripen E aircraft for the Indian Air Force (IAF). Mats Palmberg, head of Saab India, says that Saab is still looking for local partners but this time is seeking 74 percent ownership of a joint venture.

Despite setbacks, Egypt and India renew industry ties

India and Egypt are urging their defence industries to team together for defence R&D and export initiatives. “A main area in which an Egypt-India partnership propels both economies is defence production,” says Egyptian expert Mohammed Soliman, Director of the Strategic Technologies and Cyber Security Program at the Middle East Institute in Washington D.C.

Japan and US ramp up industry cooperation – as Japan starts looking elsewhere

As Japan prepares to change its defence procurement policies, Minister of Defence Yasukazu Hamada and his US counterpart, Lloyd Austin, have signed two new joint defence R&D and supply agreements. The deals were finalised on the margins of the US-Japan Security Consultative Committee (“2+2”) in Washington D.C. this month.