Main headlines from this issue

Tawazun’s offset payoff plan under review

The UAE’s maverick Accelerated Project Funding (AFP) plan, introduced recently by the Tawazun Economic Council, is undergoing review and is set for significant change. Speaking to CTO, Chief Officer Matar Al Romaithi declined to elaborate other than to concede that the aim is to address “specific requirements.” The APF permits defence contractors to buy themselves out of a percentage of their obligations.....

Has Lockheed wrestled Korean satellite back from Blenheim?

Delays in the delivery of a satellite to Korea may soon be solved, bringing a conclusion to an unusual agreement. Korea’s Defence Acquisition Programme Administration (DAPA) has estimated damage caused by Lockheed Martin’s delay in delivering the communications satellite under an offset agreement at 30 billion won ($26m).

DAPA tells Washington it will continue to ask for offsets – Washington tells DAPA they are never beneficial to either side

Myoung-jin Chang, Minister for DAPA, told a panel at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Washington that he is holding talks with Washington about acquiring lower technologies for the country’s future KFX fighter jet under the F-35 offset programme.

Commercial offsets could be tied to Pakistan’s defence needs

The Chairman of Pakistan Aeronautical Complex, Air Marshal Arshad Malik, has called for the domestic private sector to participate in key PAC programmes, such as the JF-17 Thunder combat aircraft. He said that in addition to platform development local firms could contribute to manufacturing propulsion and industrial gas turbines.

Netherlands: “We will give domestic industry priority for our procurements or use Article 346”

“We will give domestic industry priority for our procurements, and when that is not possible, we will use Article 346 to ask for industrial participation.”