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Hungarian military takes delivery of first Airbus H225M

The Hungarian Armed Forces have received the first two of 16 H225M multi-role helicopters on schedule. The helicopter was officially handed over at Szolnok Air Base by Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters. "I am delighted that we have delivered the first H225Ms to Hungary today," said Bruno Even. "The Armed Forces will receive a battle-proven multi-role platform, the latest version of a very successful helicopter family. Together with the light twin-engine H145M already in service, Hungary now has a modern helicopter fleet capable of covering a wide range of military missions and we are proud that our helicopters are the right choice for the country's vitally important missions." The H225Ms selected by Hungary are equipped with state-of-the-art communications capabilities and will be used for transport, search and rescue and special operations. The advanced avionics and four-axis autopilot, exceptional range and payload capacity combined with a large cabin for up to 24 soldiers, as well as powerful air-to-ground and air-to-ground armament and electronic warfare enable the H225M to complete the most demanding missions. The helicopter is all-weather capable and can be equipped with night vision devices. Part of the Hungarian H225M fleet will be equipped with the HForce weapons management system, which provides additional close air support capabilities, thus creating further commonality with the Hungarian H145M fleet, which is also equipped with HForce. Recently, flight tests were carried out in Hungary as part of the integration of a gun pod and rocket launchers into the Hungarian H225M. This military variant of the Super Puma multi-purpose helicopter family is currently in service in France, Brazil, Mexico, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Kuwait and Singapore.

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Airpower22 honored at the Austrian Event Award

From September 2nd to 3rd, 2022, Airpower22 took place for the 10th time at Hinterstoisser Air Base in Zeltweg under the motto "Above the clouds!" Europe's largest airshow, which is organized by the Austrian Armed Forces as organizer together with partners Red Bull and the State of Styria, was attended by a total of 275.000 visitors on both days in the event area and tens of thousands of onlookers in the surrounding area. Now, after the international Paul Bowen Award, Airpower22 has also received a high national award: Airpower22 was named "Nominee" for the Special Sport Events Award, making it one of the best sports events of 2022 by the Austrian Event Awards. In March 2023, Airpower22 was honored by the European Airshow Council as the best international airshow of 2022 with the prestigious "The Paul Bowen Award of Achievement" at the European Airshow Council Convention in Brussels. Tanner: "The enthusiasm was palpable!" "The audience's special enthusiasm was palpable and tangible for all of us during the two days of Airpower22 in September 2022. I am delighted that we as organizers, together with our partners Red Bull and the State of Styria, were honored as a nominee for the Austrian Event Award. Our efforts to organize a festival for the family that also arouses enthusiasm for flying have been confirmed once again. This is of course also an incentive and mandate for the next Airpower in 2024!" explains Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner. Prieler: "I am proud of our team performance!" For over a year

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Austria deployed 1.100 soldiers at the borders

Over 1.100 soldiers monitored Austria's borders in 2022 and made 66.000 arrests. 760 soldiers were involved in 13 missions abroad. 568 soldiers provided assistance in domestic disasters. 72 professional officers graduated from the military academy. As part of the security police assistance mission, an average of over 1.100 soldiers were deployed at the border every day, 310 monitored vulnerable objects in Vienna, and on a total of 52 days, 568 soldiers helped with missions following natural disasters. Around 130 hours of flight time were flown. Supporting the health authorities with regard to the Covid 19 pandemic was also one of the tasks of the Federal Army in 2022. By May 390, around 15 soldiers had supported the health authorities with entry controls, Covid-19 tests, the operation of vaccination centers, and contact tracing. During demining service missions, 31.249 kilograms of war material were recovered and destroyed. A total of 985 reports of war relics were submitted to the demining service. "Our soldiers did an extraordinary job in 2022. Whether at home or abroad, at the border or in disaster relief - each and every one of them can look back with pride on their performance last year. In addition, our soldiers always have the chance to expand their skills and abilities and to apply them successfully in missions through many training and further education opportunities," said Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner. In 2022, 760 soldiers were deployed on 13 different foreign missions by the EU, UN, NATO, and OSCE. The EUFOR ALTHEA missions in Bosnia and Herzegovina

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Next Airpower will take place in September 2024

Next year, a new edition of the Airpower air show will take place in Zeltweg, Austria. The Ministry of Defense will return to the two-year rhythm, according to a statement. "Over 275.000 visitors to the event site and tens of thousands more aviation enthusiasts at the Hinterstoisser air base, around nine million euros in added value for the region, a significant increase in overnight stays and media advertising value in national media alone of over 3,5 million euros - all of these are impressive figures from the last 'Airpower24' in Zeltweg. I am very pleased to announce that we are returning to the original two-year rhythm of the Airpower events and that, together with our partners Red Bull and the State of Styria, we will again provide an important stimulus next year with 'Airpower24' in the region, especially in economically difficult times," said Austria's Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner (ÖVP). The date for Airpower24 has been set for September 6 and 7, 2024.

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Zeltweg: The army trains together with the US Air Force

The Austrian Armed Forces conducted a joint exercise with the Vermont Air National Guard of the US Air Force on June 16, 2023. Guests of honor included the United States Ambassador to Austria Victoria Reggie Kennedy and the Commander of the Vermont Air National Guard Brigadier General Henry Harder. As part of this partnership, joint flight operations will be carried out for the first time between the 158th Fighter Wing of the Vermont Air National Guard and the air force from Zeltweg. Key contents of the "State Partnership Program" enable both partners to exchange skills, experience and know-how. The Vermont Air National Guard, which has already participated in the "Air Defender 23" exercise beforehand, is taking the opportunity to practice and exchange experiences with the Austrian air force for the first time. The aim of the program is to learn from each other and improve our joint capabilities. Be it during exercises or joint missions such as in the context of various foreign missions, said Defense Minister Tanner in her speech. The Vermont Air National Guard has operated the F-16 "Fighting Falcon" as its standard fighter aircraft for decades. The F-35 "Lightning II" is its successor. This aircraft is also being procured by the Swiss Air Force, is already in service in Italy and Germany has also opted for this type. The experience now being gained in joint exercises is therefore a valuable gain in experience and demonstrates the added value and importance of the "State Partnership Program". "Especially in cross-border cooperation and collaboration with our neighbors who are already using the F-35 or are receiving this aircraft, the opportunity to work with this aircraft in advance is

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Army takes over third Leonardo AW169

In December 2022, the first "Leonardo AW169" helicopter was handed over to the air force. Yesterday, the third "Lion" landed in Austria. Three more helicopters are expected by the end of the year. In December of last year, Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner signed the option to purchase a total of 36 helicopters, and these will be delivered by 2028. "The modernization of the air force has gained momentum. The new 'Lion' helicopters will further improve the performance of our air force and thus also the protection and security of the population. It was definitely the right choice to buy a total of 36 helicopters, because the different configurations can cover a wide range of tasks," said Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner. The multi-purpose "Leonardo" helicopter is particularly powerful and therefore ideally suited for operations in the mountains. It can also fly at night or in poor weather conditions. Its uses range from troop transport, disaster relief and emergency measures to firefighting, mountain rescue and medical evacuation flights to air protection in the armed version. In addition to the influx of helicopters, investments are being made in new infrastructure and the training of personnel. While retraining for pilots takes around ten weeks, technical personnel require around six weeks, of which three weeks are theoretical and three weeks are practical training. The "Leonardo AW169" is a 5-ton class helicopter powered by two engines, each with 826 kW of continuous power. This gives it a top speed of 270 km/h and can fly over 800 km. The maximum flight time is up to 4 hours 20 minutes. The helicopter's payload is up to

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Austria: Bundesheer trains supersonic intercept maneuvers

Since May 2, 2023, the Austrian Armed Forces have been conducting two supersonic flights a day. They train interception maneuvers. The exercises are currently limited to May 12, 2023. According to a statement from the armed forces, they are to be carried out between 8:00 a.m. and 16:00 p.m. The flights will be carried out over almost the entire federal territory, with the exception of metropolitan areas and the federal states of Tyrol and Vorarlberg. The flight areas are determined in cooperation with civil air traffic control. In order to keep the noise level as low as possible, the flights will be carried out at high altitudes. "This training is indispensable for our air force. The terrible war in Ukraine has shown us emphatically how important reliable protection from the air is for a sovereign state. This must be practiced continuously, including in the supersonic range," said Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner (ÖVP).

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NATO exercise in German airspace leads to restrictions

Travel enthusiasts looking forward to traveling in June will notice restrictions in German airspace. Due to the NATO exercise "Air Defender 23", which is being held in German airspace, flight operations must be enjoyed with restrictions. In June 2023, more specifically from June 12 to June 23, "Air Defender 23" will take place, a NATO exercise in which numerous pilots will simulate and train for the course of war in German airspace. During this exercise, flight operations will be completely canceled for two hours a day, although the Air Force has promised to keep these inconveniences for air traffic to a manageable extent. During flight operations, airlines must fly around the closed airspace in order to be able to start their flight operations in accordance with standards, as the daily newspaper Frankfurter Rundschau reports.

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Shooting down of PS752: sharp criticism of Iranian military verdict

In Iran, a military court found 737 people responsible for the shooting down of Ukraine International's Boeing 8 on January 2020, 10, and sentenced them to prison terms. However, only low-ranking military personnel were put on trial. This is precisely the fact that has been widely criticized internationally, as the commanders have not yet been prosecuted. Ali Eftekhari, the head of the Iranian military court, said the case was complex and had "numerous technical aspects," which is why it was brought before the military court. According to Eftekhari, there were "a number of people who are not military personnel." The court sentenced 10 people to various prison terms. "As can be seen from the verdict, there are 1 defendants, and the levels in the case range from command to system user," Eftekhari added, noting that the ranks of the defendants ranged from second brigadier to third lieutenant. The head of the court pointed out that the operator of the Tor MXNUMX surface-to-air missile made two mistakes, namely that he failed to adjust the level of the radar connected to the system and that he did not check with another command center whether to shoot down the target. The defendant did state that there was a loss of communication, but "the loss of communication was not confirmed," Eftekhari noted, adding that he "acted and fired at his own discretion." "The diagnosis was wrong, and this error is an individual and human error." A bereaved family organization sharply criticizes the verdict, calling it a "sham verdict." It would be "pointless and unacceptable," because the

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Düsseldorf: Boeing becomes the main sponsor of the Invictus Games 2023

The US aircraft manufacturer Boeing will be the main sponsor of the "Invictus Games 2023", which will take place this year between September 9 and 16, 2023 in Düsseldorf. It is a sporting event for wounded and sick military personnel from all over the world. "We are honored to be the presenting partner of the Invictus Games in Düsseldorf," says Dr. Michael Haidinger, President, Boeing Germany. "We know how important it is to support soldiers and want to make our contribution to their rehabilitation and inclusion in society with this year's games. I have rarely seen a more exciting, emotional and inspiring competition than the Invictus Games. We are very happy to be part of these extremely important games again in 2023." Boeing employs more than 20.000 former military personnel globally and has been committed to the concerns of soldiers for decades. In 2022 alone, Boeing has provided more than $13 million worldwide to support programs for transitioning to the workforce after active duty and for recovery and rehabilitation. In addition, Boeing has supported programs to support active and former soldiers and their families with more than $70 million over the past decade. Boeing also has long-standing partnerships with veterans organizations from partner countries of the Invictus Games 2023. Brigadier General Alfred Marstaller, Project Manager Invictus Games Düsseldorf 2023, is looking forward to the collaboration, which will result in a unique event for everyone involved: “The Invictus Games make a decisive contribution to the rehabilitation of wounded, injured and

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