Lockheed Martin successfully delivered Sweden’s first Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) interceptors in April, providing the country with the world’s most advanced air defense missile that uses Hit-to-Kill technology to defend against incoming threats.
U.S. and Swedish officials formalized an agreement for Sweden to purchase PAC-3 MSE interceptors and related support equipment in August 2018.
The PAC-3 MSE’s revolutionary two-pulse solid rocket motor provides increased performance in both altitude and range while employing the same proven Hit-to-Kill technology that the PAC-3 CRI missile uniquely brings to the Patriot system.
Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, the newest national airline of the United Arab Emirates, today confirmed that Athens will be its inaugural destination, with flights from Abu Dhabi International Airport starting on 15 January 2021. Fares start as low as AED 129*, with tickets already on sale on wizzair.com (which also has an Arabic booking website) and the airline’s mobile app.
The airline is also to start flights from Abu Dhabi to Thessaloniki, starting on 4 February 2021 with fares starting at AED 149*.
Kees Van Schaick, Managing Director of Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, said: “The waiting is almost over for Abu Dhabi fans of our ultra-low fare airline. From 15 January 2021, a new model of air travel comes to Abu Dhabi, offering new choices and new competition, demonstrating that things are looking up for next year.
Our network from Abu Dhabi will expand rapidly as destinations on our planned network are added to the ‘green countries’ list. Thanks to the support of the government and our local business partners in Abu Dhabi, we are fully prepared. We have the aircraft, we have the crew, we have the partners, and we are ready to fly.
We look forward to building a new travel segment in this important market.”
Wizz Air Abu Dhabi is a joint venture established between ADQ and Wizz Air Holdings plc.
It initially announced a route network that also includes Alexandria, Kutaisi, Larnaca, Odesa and Yerevan. Flights to these cities will launch as each destination joins the ‘green countries’ list. Further destinations will be launched as the airline adds to its Abu Dhabi-based fleet over the coming months.
With a fleet composed of brand new Airbus A321neo aircraft, the airline will have the lowest environmental footprint among its competitors in the region.
Wizz Air introduced a new era of sanitized travel across its network this year, with enhanced hygiene measures to ensure the health and safety of passengers and crew. Throughout flights, both cabin crew and passengers are required to wear facemasks, with cabin crew also required to wear gloves. Wizz Air’s aircraft are regularly put through an industry-leading disinfection process with an antiviral solution and, following WIZZ’s stringent daily cleaning schedule, all of the airline’s aircraft are further disinfected overnight with the same antiviral solution. Sanitizing wipes are handed to each passenger upon entering the aircraft, onboard magazines have been removed from the aircraft, and any onboard purchases are encouraged to be made by contactless payment. Passengers are also requested to follow physical distancing measures introduced by the local health authorities and are encouraged to make all purchases prior to the flight online (e.g. checked in luggage, WIZZ Priority, fast security track), to minimize any possible physical contact at the airport. Click here to view Wizz Air’s new health and safety video, for more information.
Confirmed routes
Days
Start date
Fares from*
Abu Dhabi – Athens
Monday, Friday
15 January 2021
AED 129
Abu Dhabi – Thessaloniki
Thursday, Sunday
4 February 2021
AED 149
*One way price, including administration fee. One carry-on bag (max: 40x30x20cm) is included. Trolley bag and each piece of checked-in baggage is subject to additional fees. The price applies only to bookings made on wizzair.com and the WIZZ mobile app.
WASHINGTON/PARIS/SINGAPORE (Reuters) – A pilots union filed a lawsuit on Thursday seeking to immediately halt American Airlines U.S.-China service, as cabin crews worldwide voiced unease about exposure to the rapidly-spreading coronavirus which has killed more than 170 people in China.
Sri Lankan Airlines staff wear masks at Bandaranaike International Airport after Sri Lanka confirmed the first case of coronavirus in the country, in Katunayake
The Allied Pilots Association, which represents American Airlines pilots, cited “serious, and in many ways still unknown, health threats posed by the coronavirus.”
American, the largest U.S. carrier, did not immediately comment on the suit, filed in a Texas court. The Fort Worth, Texas-based airline announced on Wednesday it would next month suspend flights from Los Angeles to Beijing and Shanghai, but continue flights from Dallas.
The World Health Organization on Thursday declared the coronavirus outbreak in China a global emergency as cases spread to 18 countries.
The lawsuit came as an increasing number of airlines stopped their flights to China. Air France-KLM, for example, suspended its Beijing and Shanghai flights after cabin crews demanded an immediate halt.
Others that have dropped mainland Chinese destinations besides Wuhan, the outbreak’s center, include British Airways and Germany’s Lufthansa. Wuhan is closed to commercial air traffic.
Virgin Atlantic also said on Thursday it would suspend its daily operations to Shanghai from Sunday for two weeks because of the safety of customers and staff and a declining demand for tickets, but would continue flights to Hong Kong.
Other major carriers have kept flying to China, but protective masks and shorter layovers designed to reduce exposure have done little to reassure crews.
Thai Airways is hosing its cabins with disinfectant spray between China flights and allowing crew to wear masks and gloves.
“I don’t think it’s safe at all even with gloves and masks, because you catch it so many ways, like your eyes,” said one flight attendant, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
“My friends also feel unsafe and don’t want to fly,” she said. “When we fly, we don’t sleep a lot.”
Delta Air Lines and United Airlines are operating fewer China flights, with Delta offering food deliveries so crew can stay in their hotels.
Korean Air Lines Co Ltd and Singapore Airlines are sending additional crew to fly each plane straight back, avoiding overnight stays.
The South Korean carrier also said it was loading hazmat suits for flight attendants who might need to take care of suspected coronavirus cases in the air.
The outbreak poses the biggest epidemic threat to the airline industry since the 2003 SARS crisis, which led to a 45% plunge in passenger demand in Asia at its peak in April of that year, analysts said.
(Reporting by Laurence Frost, Aradhana Aravindan, Chayut Setboonsarng, David Shepardson and Tracy Rucinski Additional reporting by Caroline Pailliez in Paris, Josephine Mason in London, John Geddie in Singapore, Panu Wongcha-um in Bangkok, Jamie Freed in Sydney and Joyce Lee in Seoul; Writing by Jamie Freed and Tracy Rucinski; Editing by Marguerita Choy)
FILE PHOTO: An American Airlines Airbus A321 plane takes off from Los Angeles International airport
MD Helicopters, Inc. announces a strategic teaming agreement with Elbit Systems Ltd (ESL) to deliver next-generation weapons and mission management capabilities to its MD 530G Block II (BII) Scout Attack Helicopter. The proven, pilot-centric Integrated Weapons System (IWS) is comprised of a Helmet Display and Tracking System (HDTS), Weapons Management System (WMS) and Mission Management System (MMS).
“Design and disruption are the cornerstone of all product development efforts,” said Lynn Tilton, Chief Executive Officer for MD Helicopters, Inc. “This partnership with Elbit Systems, Ltd. will allow us to rapidly expand the capabilities of the MD 530G, resulting in a next-generation, advanced light scout attack helicopter solution that will set a new standard in this highly competitive class.”
In line with MD Helicopters’ commitment to delivering excellence and innovation in design, the integrated, advanced avionics suite utilizes an intuitive Human Machine Interface (HMI), multi-functional smart displays and next-generation applications to deliver a fully compatible multi-mission cockpit that reduces pilot workload, increases efficiency of crew operations, and delivers increased lethality for a range of operational parameters.
Helmet Display & Tracking System (HDTS)
The HDTS configuration supports both daytime and nighttime operation, allowing the pilot to intuitively maneuver the aircraft into attack positions and engage targets heads-up and eyes out.
Weapons Management System (WMS)
The advanced digital WMS will allow the MD 530G BII Scout Attack Helicopter to support a comprehensive array of suppressive firepower options as well as unguided and guided munitions, including Hellfire Missile and, with authorized customer demand, APKWS. Standard configuration includes support for M260 Rocket Pods, HMP 400 Digital Gun Pods, RMP Digital Gun/Rocket Pods, and the M134D-H Mini-Guns. Critical weapons management functions, such as weapon activation and HDTS operation, will be integrated into the cyclic grip and collective for both pilots.
Mission Management System (MMS)
The main component in the MD 530G BII Scout Attack Helicopter MMS is the Digital Mapping application (DMAP) managed by a touch screen graphical user interface (GUI). This moving map display will give pilots greater situational awareness with aircraft positions, known threats, and friendly locations plotted. The aircraft’s EO/IR solution will integrate directly with the new MMS to enable detect and store intelligence. Detect and store intelligence ensures that once a target has been acquired, the crew can choose to attack with guided weapons from a distance, or unguided munitions using the ballistics Continuously Calculated Impact Point (CCIP) displayed over the HDTS.
The enhanced Integrated Weapons System, certified and in use on fixed and rotary wing medium and heavy attack platforms already in service with U.S. and Allied forces around the world, will deliver greater mission flexibility and improved operational performance, making the already multi-mission-capable MD 530G perfectly suited for Close Support operations including attack, forward air control, armed reconnaissance, counter-insurgency, and observation.
“These are exciting times at MDHI,” said Stephen Suttles, Vice President of Commercial and Military Sales and Marketing for MD Helicopters, Inc. “Competition is a good thing in our business. We believe that the limited market penetration by others in this space is an incredible advantage for us, and we are confident in our ability to deliver equitable precision capabilities backed by an unmatched history of safety and survivability sooner than our competitors, and at a much better price point.”
“A proven and iconic light scout attack helicopter platform, the addition of this elegant, technically superior solution elevates the MD 530G BII to best-in-class status,” Tilton concludes. “My team has delivered industry-leading rotorcraft solutions for decades. Now partnered with the Elbit Systems team, we are poised to bring a new level of customizable, operator-focused solutions to U.S. and Partner Nation aviation forces.”
MD Helicopters anticipates live fire events with a production-quality test asset in 2020.
