Bradley Perrett covered China, Japan, South Korea and Australia. He is a Mandarin-speaking Australian.
Before joining Aviation Week in 2006 he was a macroeconomics, politics and aerospace journalist with Reuters. Perrett holds a bachelor’s degree in law from Macquarie University, Sydney. He left Aviation Week in 2020.
South Korea is reportedly looking at acquiring 20-60 used Lockheed Martin F-16s from the U.S. to use as gap fillers while it awaits the delivery of fighters to replace worn-out F-4s and F-5s.
BEIJING — Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Block 30 Global Hawks will enter South Korean service beginning in 2018, following the acquisition agency’s approval of the purchase. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) says it will sign a letter of acceptance with the U.S. government this month and then begin formal negotiations for four of the unmanned surveillance aircraft.
China Eastern will build up air services in the Chinese northwestern province Gansu on behalf of the local government, according to a framework agreement signed by the airline and the province. The move extends two current trends in Chinese aviation: airlines’ strengthening of operations in the west of the country, and the setting up or enlargement of services thanks to subsidies from local governments that see commercial air services as an aid to economic growth.
