HCSAF to update COIN aircraft

The HCSAF has received 73 million zarks extra funding for an upgrade of around 500 A-85NT COIN aircraft. The work will be undertaken over the next 2 and a half years and will keep the A-85 factory busy in lieu of new build. The first 500 of 700 NTs will be upgraded with replaced parts being cascaded where possible to older generation A-85s in the air force's 3000 strong fleet.

The upgrade, called NTA, includes a new propeller, improved radio equipment, a new IR sensor system and software updates for the fire control to support some newer ordinance. The first upgrades will begin in the late Summer.

• The DDS have reported that the Pentekonter 44M P213XK Paris, under the command of Quarz, was damaged in the Charlotte system. No crew were killed but there were some injuries. The DDS are not saying what happened.