Aviation

Greece proceeds with purchase of 20 Lockheed F-35 fighter jets

According to the country’s prime minister, Greece has issued a formal request to the United States to buy 20 F-35 fighter jets built by Lockheed Martin. Greece spends more than 2% of its gross domestic product on defence. As a result, Greece has formally requested that the United States sell it .20 F-35 fighter jets built by Lockheed Martin. As tensions with its neighbour, historic rival and NATO ally Turkey, have reemerged in recent years, it has increased its military expenditure.

Greece Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, a second order for the jets is being considered that “The purchase of an F-35 squadron with a second squadron potentially available is what we intend to do. As a part of this procedure, a Letter of Request (LoR) has been sent recently “After a NATO conference, Mitsotakis spoke the media. The first step in a multi-stage procedure is to submit a request, according to Mitsotakis, who also stated that the government planned the delivery of the jets to start in 2027–2028.

Greece and Turkey have been at conflict for decades over a number of issues, including overflights in the Aegean, the size of their continental shelf and maritime boundaries, energy resources, and the ethnically divided island of Cyprus. During a trip to the United States in May, Mitsotakis first referred to the purchase of F-35 aircraft. Last year, Athens placed orders for three French military frigates with an option for a fourth one, as well as 24 Dassault-built Rafale planes, totaling 2.5 billion euros ($2.60 billion).

State television station ERT reports that the military ministry reportedly intends to upgrade 38 F-16 fighter aircraft.

A day after Turkey dropped its objection to Finland and Sweden joining NATO, the United States endorsed the potential supply of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey on Wednesday, arguing that Turkey’s robust defence capabilities would reinforce NATO’s defences.

Aviation

Airbus Enhances A350 Cabin with 10-Abreast Seating

Airbus has announced a new partnership with Jiatai Aircraft Equipment, a Chinese aircraft seating manufacturer, to supply upgraded economy-class seats for the A350 widebody series.

This collaboration, unveiled at the 2024 Airshow China, focuses on developing a newly designed economy seat tailored for the A350‘s New Production Standard (NPS) cabin.

One of the key features of the NPS cabin is the ability to accommodate 17-inch wide economy seats, compared to the previous 16.5-inch wide seats that airlines were limited to in the A350’s earlier configurations.

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This change is made possible by the expanded space in the NPS cabin, which is 35 inches longer and 4 inches wider than the previous version. This extra space is achieved by slightly moving the cockpit wall forward and shifting the rear pressure bulkhead back by one frame.

The wider cabin allows airlines to add up to 30 extra economy seats without compromising comfort. For airlines opting for a 3-4-3 seating layout, the 17-inch wide seats are an excellent choice for a more comfortable passenger experience. However, some airlines, such as Iberia, may choose to retain a 9-abreast layout with wider seats for added comfort.

The NPS cabin also offers enhanced flexibility for airline operators. One major advantage is the ability to easily switch between a 9-abreast and 10-abreast seating configuration without requiring significant downtime for aircraft reconfiguration. Airlines can use the same seat rails, tracks, and IFE interfaces, making the transition smoother and quicker.

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In addition, the design of the floor attachments and air-conditioning systems has been optimized for 10-abreast seating, meaning airlines can upgrade their cabins without needing to make substantial modifications to the aircraft’s structure.

Though it’s still unclear when Jiatai’s economy-class seats will be officially added to the A350’s Buyer Furnished Equipment (BFE) catalogue, the collaboration marks a significant step toward enhancing the A350’s cabin offerings.

With this partnership, Airbus is providing more seating options for airlines, ensuring that they can meet diverse customer needs while improving overall operational efficiency.