Lockheed Martin Aegis BMD Weapon System Intercepts Ballistic Missile Target, Successfully Tests New Capabilities

Lockheed Martin's Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) System today destroyed a ballistic missile target in an at-sea firing under operationally realistic conditions.

The event also successfully demonstrated two new capabilities on other ships. These tests mark the continued successful engineering development of the next generational upgrade in Aegis BMD capability.

The Aegis BMD system on USS HOPPER (DDG-70) detected and tracked the ballistic missile target, and computed a targeting solution to guide an SM-3 Block IA missile to a successful exo-atmospheric (outside the atmosphere) intercept.

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Russia expects $2.6 bln in military aircraft sales in 2009

Russia's state arms exporter Rosoboronexport has said military aircraft will continue to dominate the company's foreign sales in 2009, and will total about $2.6 billion.

The arms export monopoly is planning to sell about $6.5 billion worth of military hardware in 2009, and earlier said its defense order portfolio was worth $27 billion.

"Aviation has always been a predominant part of Rosoboronexport's foreign sales portfolio, and 2009 will not be an exception.

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Dynamic Tests Validate Design and Structural Integrity of X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System for Carrier Operations

Northrop Grumman Corporation recently completed a series of static and dynamic proof load tests to validate the design and structural integrity of the U.S. Navy's first X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) for aircraft carrier launches, recoveries and at-sea operations under the UCAS Carrier Demonstration (UCAS-D) program.

"Arrested landings, catapult launches, high winds, pitching deck, subsonic speeds, you name it - the operating environment of the carrier air wing is unforgiving," said Scott Winship, vice president and program manager of the Navy UCAS program for Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems sector.

"The X-47B was built for these conditions, and as the results of the rigorous proof test show, the design of the aircraft is structurally sound for all aspects of carrier operations."

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Russian task force arrives in Gulf of Aden on anti-piracy mission

A new task force from Russia's Pacific Fleet has arrived in the Gulf of Aden to fight piracy off the Somali coast, a fleet spokesman said on Thursday.

The task force, comprising the Admiral Tributs destroyer with two helicopters, a salvage tug, a tanker, and a naval infantry unit, will escort commercial ships, conduct aerial reconnaissance, and search for suspected pirate vessels.

"The task force arrived in the Gulf of Aden on Wednesday and will soon start to form a convoy of commercial ships to be escorted to a secure shipping lane," Capt. 1st Rank Roman Martov said.

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Boeing Rolls Out US Navy's P-8A Poseidon

The Boeing Company and the U.S. Navy today formally unveiled the service's newest maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft, the P-8A Poseidon, during a ceremony at the Boeing facility in Renton, Wash.

A derivative of the Next-Generation 737-800, the P-8A is a long-range anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft capable of broad-area, maritime and littoral operations.

"The P-8A Poseidon will equip the U.S. Navy with the most advanced multi-mission maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft in the world," said Jim Albaugh, president and CEO of Boeing Integrated Defense Systems.

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Indian Navy to add 125 more ultra modern Warships and many submarines in the next ten years

The race between Indian and Chinese Naval dominance is spectacular sight. Jointly Indian and Chinese Navy will soon counter US Naval strength.

India has one of the fastest growing navies in the world. Its fleet of about 120 vessels is the fifth largest in the world.Within a decade Indian will only lad America in Naval power.

China is not sitting around. Chinese are catching up fast. But India is zzoming fast past their Chinese Naval counterpart.

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Pakistan Navy receives first Chinese F-22P frigate

The first of four Chinese F-22P frigates constructed for the Pakistan Navy was formally handed over on Thursday at a ceremony at the Hudong Zhonghua Shipyard in Shanghai.

The delivery ceremony was followed by the commissioning of the ship, during which the Pakistani flag was hoisted on the ship with a band playing the Pakistani national anthem, APP news agency reported.

The ceremony was attended by distinguished guests from the Chinese Navy, the Chinese government and senior officers of the Pakistan Navy.

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Boeing-Developed Harpoon Missiles Feature Updated Guidance Control

Boeing delivered the first four Harpoon Block II missiles equipped with a redesigned Guidance Control Unit (GCU), which provides growth capabilities and resolves obsolescence issues.

The missiles were delivered to the U.S. Navy for transfer to two Foreign Military Sales customers.

The new GCU, which controls most of the missiles' functions, incorporates a Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Module (SAASM) Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver to improve GPS security.

In addition, the GCU can accommodate possible future implementation of a data link for network centric operation.

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Sale of F-16s to Iraq raises issues

As U.S. forces move toward for a gradual withdrawal from Iraq, U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates was in Baghdad Tuesday to discuss pressing security issues with government leaders, including the possible purchase of Lockheed Martin F-16 combat aircraft.

That's a highly sensitive issue. The Americans want to build up Iraq's military forces to take over their own security but rearming Iraq is fraught with pitfalls, given the sectarian divisions that plague the country and which has taken such a heavy human toll since the March 2003 invasion.

An effective military that can maintain internal security as well as protect against external threats -- and there are several of these -- is essential to any U.S. exit strategy.

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Test flight of the Lakota UH-72A Armed Scout platform

The proposed Armed Scout 645 (EC645) is a version of the UH-72/EC 145 being offered for the US Army's OH-58D replacement program. EADS and Lockheed Martin announced a teaming agreement on 4 May 2009 to produce the version.

F135 Engine Exceeds 12,000 Engine Test Hours as Pratt & Whitney Prepares to Deliver First Production Engines

The Pratt & Whitney F135 engine has surpassed 12,000 engine test hours as part of the system development and demonstration (SDD) phase of the development program.

This achievement, in addition to the 3,600 test hours accumulated during the F-35 concept demonstration program, puts F135 engine test hours at more than 15,600. Pratt & Whitney is a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX) company.

"Pratt & Whitney is proud of the F135's performance in the successful ground and flight test programs," said Warren Boley, vice president, Pratt & Whitney F135 engine programs.

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Iran to open naval bases in the Sea of Oman

Jask
Iran plans to establish naval bases in the Sea of Oman, Navy Commander Habibollah Sayyari said on Wednesday.

He stressed that the naval forces must be able to patrol the high seas.

He made the remarks in a ceremony to inaugurate some projects in the southern port city of Jask on the rims of the Persian Gulf.

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French Tiger Attack Helicopter Arrives in Afghanistan

The French army has deployed three Eurocopter Tiger reconnaissance and attack helicopters to Afghanistan. Here's a video of their arrival at Kabul, from where they are to support NATO operations in the region.

Army test-fires BrahMos again

The Army on Wednesday successfully test-fired the land attack version of supersonic cruise missile BrahMos from the Pokhran test range in Rajasthan.

The missile took off successfully and hit the "bull's eye," an official said.

The missile, a joint venture of India and Russia, was fired at 9.15 am on Wednesday.

The previous test-firing was on March 29, 2009.

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Sweden's Saab Surveillance Systems

Swedish contractor Saab Surveillance Systems is rounding out its Saab 2000 special mission family with new maritime patrol and signals intelligence (SIGINT) versions of the basic airframe.

Lar Ekström, said the new Saab 2000 maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) is designed for maritime surveillance and reconnaissance together with paramilitary tasks, from maritime border security, search and rescue (SAR) and anti-illegal immigration surveillance to pollution investigation and fisheries inspection and management.

Included in the concept is provision for a 360-degree maritime surveillance radar, an electro-optical (EO) sensor package and anti-pollution sensors.

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Germany sends frigate to fight pirates

Germany has sent an additional naval frigate to the Horn of Africa to fight pirates.

The German Navy's Bremen frigate on Monday left the northern German port of Wilhelmshaven to set course for Djibouti.

The nearly 5,000-mile journey will take the ship and its crew of 220 to the Horn of Africa to join the European Union's Atalanta mission.

Last month EU foreign ministers extended the mission by another year, until the end of 2010.

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SELEX Galileo To Provide the Italian-French FREMM Frigates With Its Sensor Solutions

SELEX Galileo was awarded orders worth 15 million Euro for its sensors solutions for the FREMM frigates of the Italian Navy, the Marina Militare.

The total participation of SELEX Galileo, Finmeccanica group, in the programme is now valued at more than 42 million Euro, with the initial contracts dating back to 2007.

The latest contracts cover the supply of subsystems for SELEX Sistemi Integrati’s RASS surface radar.

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Frigate's £11m refit is under way

An £11m refit of a Royal Navy frigate is being carried out at a Devon dockyard.

Babcock Marine has started work on HMS Westminster at its Devonport yard.

The Type 23 frigate is set to receive an update to her Seawolf self-defence missile system as well as the command system which controls her weapons.

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Russia to lay down one multipurpose submarine a year from 2011

The Russian Navy command has made a decision on building one nuclear-powered multipurpose attack submarine a year from 2011, the Navy chief said on Sunday.

Adm. Vladimir Vysotsky said that construction of a second Project 885 Yasen (Graney) class nuclear-powered multipurpose attack submarine started at the Sevmash shipyard in northern Russia on July 24.

Vysotsky said the state currently had all possibilities, including economic and financial, to implement this project as soon as possible.

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Cash-strapped Indonesia delays purchase of submarines

Indonesia has postponed its plan to buy two submarines for the Navy until at least 2011, citing financial constraints, Antara state news agency reported.

“Despite the 20 percent increase in the defense budget for 2010, we can’t afford to procure major weaponry such as submarines and jet fighters.

The budget increase will be allocated for maintenance,” director general of defense equipment at the Ministry of Defense Rear Marshal Eris Herryanto said in Yogyakarta on Wednesday.

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USS New York Completes Acceptance Trials

The future USS New York (LPD 21) completed acceptance trials July 24, sailing from and returning to the Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding (NGSB) shipyard in New Orleans.

The ship's bow stem includes thousands of pounds of steel salvaged from the World Trade Center.

New York is the fifth ship of the San Antonio class to be presented to the Navy's Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV) for acceptance.

This is the final major milestone prior to the shipyard delivering the amphibious transport dock ship to the Navy.

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Six Dutch surplus F-16's Transferred to Jordan

According to the Dutch Ministry of Defence, this morning six Dutch surplus F-16's took off from Leeuwarden airbase, The Netherlands, towards Jordan.

The F-16s, each in a two-seater configuration, have been sold to Jordan in 2007 as a result of cuts.

During the past weeks, the fighter aircraft have been prepared for the transfer at the Logistics Centre in Woensdrecht.

Technicians from Jordan took part in this work. Subsequently, acceptance flights have been carried out during the past days at Leeuwarden by Dutch pilots and with pilots of the Jordanian Air Force in the back seats.

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DRDO unit to develop low-cost radar system

The Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS) at Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is all geared up to develop a low-cost indigenous radar system, which they claim can be similar or more advanced than the Israeli Phalcon Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS).

This will reduce India’s dependence on Israel and create more business opportunities for the local industry.

They are also in the process of developing an indigenous radar system - the airborne early warning and control system (AEWC&S) - which can be used to develop a radar similar to AWACS.

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Enhancements for the Australian AP-3C ORION aircraft

Greg Combet, Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science, today announced that the Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO), BAE Systems Australia and Australian Aerospace have signed a contract to provide a range of enhancements to the AP-3C Orion aircraft and associated ground support systems.

Mr Combet said the contract will provide a range of enhancements on the AP-3C Orion aircraft including improved Electro-Optic/Infra-red systems, Tactical Common Data Links, and upgrades to ground-based support systems.

"The project will be delivered through the P3 Accord, an alliance between Defence, BAE Systems Australia and Australian Aerospace," Mr Combet said.

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Lockheed Martin Unveils First Stealth Fighter For U.S. Navy

A ceremony today at Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth plant marked the rollout of the U.S. Navy’s first-ever stealth fighter, the F-35C Lightning II.

The aircraft will enable the Navy to possess 5^th generation fighter capabilities at sea, extending America’s reach and reducing the timeline from threat to response.

Top Navy leadership, signal flags and a crowd of employees, including reserve and retired Navy personnel, were on hand to celebrate the strike fighter’s unveiling. Adm. Gary Roughead, the U.S. Navy’s Chief of Naval Operations, welcomed the new aircraft to the fleet.

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China casts a wary eye on India's nuclear sub

China took wary note of India's launch of its first indigenously built nuclear-powered submarine, but with Chinese focus shifting to the upgraded, high-profile Sino-US strategic and economic dialogue in Washington, DC, the official media gave it only passing mention.

The official news agency Xinhua put out a factual report on the launch, without any commentary. Even the rather more stridently nationalist Global Times, which has in recent times kept up a barrage of articles criticising India's "unwise military moves", offered no immediate comment.

Xinhua, however, amplified a Pakistan Navy spokesman's comment that India's launch of a nuclear-powered submarine would "trigger a nuclear arms race" and "destabilise the region".

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Navy Christens New Guided Missile Destroyer Jason Dunham

The Navy will christen the newest Arleigh Burke class guided-missile destroyer, Jason Dunham, Aug. 1, 2009, during a 10 a.m. EDT ceremony at Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine.

Designated DDG 109, the new destroyer honors Cpl. Jason L. Dunham, the first Marine awarded the Medal of Honor for Operation Iraqi Freedom. Dunham was born in Scio, N.Y., Nov. 10, 1981, sharing the same birthday as the U.S. Marine Corps.

On April 14, 2004, Dunham’s squad was conducting a reconnaissance mission in Karabilah, Iraq, when his battalion commander’s convoy was ambushed. When Dunham’s squad approached to provide fire support, an Iraqi insurgent leapt out of a vehicle and attacked Dunham.

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Pakistan will not join maritime arms race

India’s launch of its first indigenously-made nuclear submarine is a “disturbing factor” for Indian Ocean’s security, Admiral Noman Bashir, Pakistan’s chief of naval staff, said in Beijing on Tuesday.

Bashir, who is in China to witness the commissioning of the first China-made frigate for Islamabad, also said Pakistan would not join in the maritime “arms race”.

“We knew about it (India’s nuclear marine plan) a longtime ago,” Bashir said. “A nuclear submarine could be a disturbing factor” as it would “jeopardize the security” of the Indian Ocean.

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Rocket launchers sold to Venezuela went to FARC

Swedish-made anti-tank rocket launchers sold to Venezuela years ago were obtained by Colombia's main rebel group, and Sweden said Monday it was demanding an explanation.

Colombia said its military found the weapons in a captured rebel arms cache and that Sweden had recently confirmed they originally were sold to Venezuela's military.

The confirmation strengthens Colombian allegations that Hugo Chavez's government has aided the leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.

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Northrop Grumman Awarded Navy Contract to Study Air and Missile Defense Radar Concepts

Northrop Grumman Corporation has been awarded a $10 million firm-fixed price U.S. Navy contract to analyze and provide system concept studies for the Air and Missile Defense Radar (AMDR), a next generation radar system planned for the U.S. Navy's CG(X) and Future Surface Combatant platforms.

"Northrop Grumman's unique approach on AMDR results from applying our proven active electronic scanned array technology developed for airborne and surface based platforms, as well as recent advancements demonstrated on a large S-Band aperture and the Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar program," says Steve McCoy, vice president of the Advanced Concepts business unit for the company's Electronic Systems sector.

"As a premier supplier of active radars for the U.S. Department of Defense, our modular, open architecture approach to the AMDR provides the ability to scale to multiple ship classes and protect our fleet for the next forty years."

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12 nations activate groundbreaking Heavy Airlift Wing

Senior diplomatic and defense officials representing 12 nations as well as NATO witnessed July 27 the official activation of a first-of-its-kind multinational strategic airlift unit at Pápa Air Base, Hungary.

"I want to extend my thanks to all of the nations that chose to participate in SAC," said Ambassador Claudio Bisogniero, NATO deputy secretary general, referring to the Strategic Airlift Capability program formalized 2006.

"Because of your commitment, today we are well-positioned to provide aid anywhere, at any time, and on any mission - humanitarian, disaster relief, or peacekeeping."

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EADS Defence & Security tests the largest unmanned aerial system (UAV) ever built in Europe

In a test series comprising four flights, EADS Defence & Security (DS) has successfully tested the unmanned flight system (UAV – Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) ‘Barracuda’ at Goose Bay air force base in Canada.

Technologies and procedures to be used in future mission-ready unmanned aerial systems have thus been put to the test in realistic conditions.

During the test campaign in the Goose Bay area of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador, the jet-propelled demonstrator flew completely autonomously along pre-programmed flight profiles.

It was monitored from the ground station with respect to flight safety only.

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Russia Loses India as Second Largest Defense Customer

From now on India will be buying American weapons. The USA and India came to such an agreement during Hillary Clinton’s visit to Delhi on July 20. India has been using Russian and Soviet weapons for 50 years.

The relations between Russia and India, including those in the field of military and technical cooperation, have been worsening recently.

India turned its attention to other partners and entered into transactions with Israel, France and other manufacturers of military hardware.

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Navy kills mini-sub effort, calls repair cost too high

The U.S. Special Operations Command has canceled its mini-submarine program, a project designed to deliver Navy commando s close to their target and protect them on the way.

Northrop Grumman's Advanced SEAL Delivery System (ASDS) hit numerous hurdles since it was conceived in the late 1990s.

The latest, in November, was a fire that burned for six hours while the sub's batteries were charging at a Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, shipyard.

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Pakistan: Indian submarine 'detrimental'

Pakistan hit out at India on Tuesday, branding its first nuclear-powered submarine "detrimental" to regional peace and vowing to take "appropriate steps" to maintain a "strategic balance".

"Continued induction of new lethal weapon systems by India is detrimental to regional peace and stability," the foreign ministry said.

Arch-rival India on Sunday launched the first of five planned submarines by naming the 6,000-tonne INS Arihant (Destroyer of Enemies), powered by an 85-megawatt nuclear reactor that can reach 44 kilometres an hour (24 knots).

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Pentagon rules slow defense sales to Iraq

European and Asian manufacturers could be the beneficiaries in Iraq of rigid Pentagon rules governing the credit rating of governments seeking to buy military equipment.

The Soviet Union -- traditionally the largest arms sellers to the Saddam Hussein regime -- as well as France and Korea have been named as likely suppliers if the U.S. government fails to loosen up regulations governing the financing of armaments contracts.

Defensenews.com says sales of U.S. military equipment to Iraq worth billions of dollars are at stake.

The option of paying for cash, rather than financing purchases through credit, is barred to the Iraqi government largely because down payments it has already made are tied up in an escrow account with the New York Federal Reserve Bank.

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Babcock announces first Phalanx Block 1B installation milestone

The recent deployment at sea of the first Phalanx Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) 1B upgrade on HMS York marks a significant milestone in the contract held by Babcock as prime contractor to upgrade 16 Phalanx systems.

Under the contract, which followed the ten year Phalanx support contract previously awarded to the company, Babcock is upgrading in-service Phalanx system capability to enable Royal Navy ships to meet ever-changing requirements.

Babcock undertakes equipment procurement from the US original equipment manufacturer (OEM) Raytheon, system upgrade and integration, and trials.

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Israel says technical hitch halts US missile test

Israel said on Thursday it has called off tests of its Arrow anti-missile system in the United States after the launch attempt was hit by last-minute technical problems.

A target missile was already in the air when the Israeli operators of the Arrow, which is designed to shoot down ballistic missiles, decided to scrap the test on Wednesday, the defence ministry said in a statement.

"After the target was launched the Arrow system went into action," it said. "Not all launch conditions were met and the interceptor missile was not fired."

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Israeli missile defense system improved

The Israel military announced Sunday it had conducted a successful high-seas test of the Barak missile defense system.

Ynetnews.com reported the experiment involved a simulated enemy missile targeted at a ship, with the Barak system intercepting the missile.

A top-ranking Navy official said the Barak defense system hit and destroyed the enemy missile.

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Seven new stealth frigates to be built in India

Mazagon Dock Ltd (MDL), Mumbai; and Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata — have prevailed over the Indian Navy’s objections.

Business Standard has learned that MDL and GRSE will divide between them the entire order for seven improved stealth frigates, code-named Project 17A.

The navy was insisting that the first two frigates of Project 17A be built abroad, so that MDL and GRSE could learn how to build ships using new modular methods that are preferred by European shipyards.

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Russia marks Navy Day

Although Russia has been a navy power for more than three centuries, it was not until 1939 that it got a special date to celebrate its seafaring might. On Sunday, Russia marks the 70th anniversary of its naval forces.

In Russia, the Navy Day is traditionally celebrated on the last Sunday of July.

The history of the Russian Navy dates back to the 17th century and now Russia maintains five fleets: on the Pacific Ocean in the Far East, on the Arctic Ocean in the north, on the Baltic Sea in the westernmost Kaliningrad region, and in the Black and the Caspian Seas in the south.

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Long range anti ship cruise missile to be designed by Lockheed Martin for DARPA

Cruise missile designers at two divisions of Lockheed Martin Corp. (LMT) are designing the Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) for the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in Arlington, Va.

The LRASM and its missile guidance systems are under development at the Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control segment in Grand Prairie, Texas, as well as at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Orlando, Fla., under terms of two separate $10 million contracts.

The new anti-ship missile and its associated missile electronics will provide Navy warships like the guided missile cruiser with the ability to attack important enemy ships outside the ranges of the enemy's ability to respond with anti-ship missiles of its own.

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Pakistan Navy to get 1st frigate of F-22P on July 30

National Assembly (NA) standing committee on defence production has been told that first frigate F-22 P 22P equipped with high- tech radar system produced by China will be handed over to Pakistan Navy on July, 30 in Shanghai.

Committee met here Saturday under its chairman Sheikh Aftab in parliament house. Director General (DG) directorate of defence purchase and Managing Director (MD) Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works (KSEW) gave detailed briefing to the committee on the matters related to their institutions.

Managing Director KSEW, Vice Admiral (Retd) Iftikhar Ahmad told the committee manufacturing process of F-22P ship had been completed by China and this ship would be handed over to Pakistan Navy in a ceremony taking place on July, 30 in Shanghais. High tech radar system had been installed in this ship, he added.

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India launches its first nuclear-powered submarine

India launched on Sunday its first nuclear-powered submarine capable of firing ballistic missiles, completing a nuclear triad encompassing land, air and sea, officials said.

The submarine, Arihant, the first of two similar submarines to be built indigenously with technical help from Russia, will undergo sea trials before its formal induction in 2015, defence officials said.

The project is part of a $2.9 billion plan to build five submarines, delayed for years due to technical problems, officials said.

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Russia to have balanced nuclear missile navy by 2050

The Russian Navy is developing a concept of building a balanced nuclear missile force by 2050, the Russian Navy commander said on Sunday.

"In our understanding, it is important to know exactly what the Navy should be by the year 2050, proceeding from two things: it must be a balanced nuclear missile force and, secondly, it must comply with the state's national interests and economic possibilities," Adm. Vladimir Vysotsky said on the occasion of Russia's Navy Day being celebrated on Sunday.

Vysotsky said the Russian Navy should develop harmoniously without any preference given to the construction of surface ships or submarines.

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Northrop Grumman Performs Successful SABR Fit-Check Aboard F-16 Fighter At Edwards Air Force Base

Northrop Grumman Corporation's newest active electronically scanned array (AESA) fighter sensor, the Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR), has been successfully installed on a U.S. Air Force F-16 at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.

In November, SABR began a series of flight demonstrations aboard the company's test aircraft, successfully detecting and displaying multiple aerial targets and generating high resolution Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) ground maps.

"The fit-check completed on June 29, is another important milestone leading up to a planned F-16 flight demonstration later this year," said Arlene Camp, director of Advanced F-16 Radar Programs at Northrop Grumman's Aerospace Systems Division.

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Gorshkov 60% more expensive than a new carrier, says CAG

In a scathing report on the 2004 Gorshkov deal, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has said the government is acquiring a second-hand aircraft carrier that has half the life span of a new ship and is turning up to be 60 per cent more expensive.

The CAG has also alleged that the government has given undue favour and concessions to French firms in the Rs 18,000 crore deal for six Scorpene submarines for the Indian Navy that was inked in 2005.

Coming down heavily on the government for choosing to acquire a second-hand carrier, the CAG report says due to the inordinate delays in delivery, the ‘objective of induction’ of the warship ‘to bridge the gap in Indian Navy capabilities has been defeated’.

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Russian foreign minister on Vietnam visit

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov began a two-day visit to Vietnam Saturday with both sides hoping to boost ties that remain only a shadow of Cold War levels.

Lavrov arrived Friday and began a full day of meetings and ceremonies Saturday by holding talks with his Vietnamese counterpart Pham Gia Khiem.

The talks aimed to develop a "strategic partnership", Lavrov later told reporters.

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Russia lays down 2nd Graney class nuclear sub

Construction of a second Project 885 Yasen (Graney) class nuclear-powered multipurpose attack submarine started on Friday at the Sevmash shipyard in northern Russia, the company said.

Graney class nuclear submarines combine the ability to launch a variety of long-range cruise missiles (up to 3,100 miles) with nuclear warheads, and effectively engage hostile submarines, surface warships and land-based targets.

The Kazan submarine will feature more advanced equipment than the first vessel in the series -the Severodvinsk, which was laid down in 1992 and is scheduled to join the Russian navy in 2010 or early 2011 after a long delay for financial reasons.

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Strategic Andaman&Nicobar military command floundering with low force-levels

India's first and only regional `theatre command' in the strategically-located Andaman and Nicobar Islands, created as part of the national security reforms after the 1999 Kargil conflict, is floundering and that too badly.

There is growing disquiet among the top military brass about the unified Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC), where Navy, IAF and Army assets are under the operational control of a single commander, especially with all the three Services pulling in different directions.

"ANC is in a bad shape. It requires many more aircraft, warships and troops but IAF, Navy and Army all remain extremely reluctant to part with any of their `assets','' admitted a senior officer.

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Japan to send SDF on antipiracy mission off Somalia

Japan will send Self-Defense Forces on the anti-piracy mission off Somalia under a new law that entered into force on Friday.

At a cabinet meeting Friday, the government decided that the legal basis for Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) operations willbe switched from the maritime police action provision of the Self-Defense Force (SDF) Law to the new anti-piracy law, which was enacted on June 19.

The government endorsed anti-piracy operations for the one-year period through July 23, 2010.

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Warfare by Remote

Modified U-2 spy plane takes pics over Durham

The same type of plane that once took pictures of Russian missiles in Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 is now being used to assist the studies of ecology students at the University of New Hampshire.

Last week a NASA ER-2 scientific plane flew 70,000 feet above the town and took pictures. The ER-2 plane is a modified U-2 spy plane, according to Scott Ollinger, associate professor at the UNH Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space.

"It's specialization is its capacity of flying at very high altitudes," Ollinger said. "A commercial plane will fly at about 35,000 feet but the ER-2 flies twice as high. It's really on the upper edge of the atmosphere."

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S. Korea to Develop Radar With Israel

South Korea will develop an indigenous mechanically scanned array (MESA) radar for aircraft with the help of Israel, officials at the Defense Acquisition Program (DAPA) said Thursday.

LIG Nex1, a leading defense firm in South Korea, will sign a deal with Israel's Elta Systems on the first phase of development of radars to equip TA-50 light-armed aircraft and FA-50 attack fighters, they said.

Both firms will hold a signing ceremony Sept. 3 in Seoul.

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F-35 Work Falls Behind Two More Years

An internal Pentagon oversight board has reported that the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program is two years behind schedule, according to multiple congressional aides familiar with the findings.

Talk of the program’s problems comes amid intense debate over the future of another fighter plane, the F-22. Defenders of the F-22 argue that continued production is vital to national security.

The White House and some lawmakers who favor halting the production of any new F-22 warplanes say the F-35 will fill the gap and meet the nation’s combat aircraft needs.

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Thirty Year Old SSG Refurbished

China's lone Golf class ballistic missile sub has apparently been refurbished, rather than scrapped.

These diesel electric boats (SSGs) were introduced by Russia in the late 1950s, and 23 were built by the early 1960s, when attention was turned to nuclear ballistic missile boats (SSBN).

Fourteen Golfs were modified in 1966-72 to carry larger R-21 (1600 kilometer range) missiles. These boats remained in commission until 1990.

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Sea trials of Russia's Nerpa submarine on schedule

Final sea trials of Russia's Nerpa nuclear-powered submarine, which was damaged in a fatal accident during previous tests, are continuing on schedule, a shipyard official said on Friday.

The vessel resumed sea trials on July 10 in the Sea of Japan following extensive repairs.

"The resumed sea trials are going according to schedule," the official at the Amur shipyard said, without specifying when the tests would be completed.

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Royal Navy's biggest warship commissioned

The Royal Navy's newest and most advanced warship, the £650 million HMS Daring, has been formally welcomed into the fleet.

Sophie, The Countess of Wessex, attended the commissioning event for the first of the six new Type 45 destroyers held at Portsmouth Naval Base.

Daring, which was built at a cost of £650 million, is the navy's largest and most advanced air defence destroyer and is the seventh ship to bear the name.

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Ch. Ahmed Mukhtar visits China

Minister for Defence Ch. Ahmad Mukhtar visited China from July 13 to 17, 2009 at the invitation of Gen Liang Guanglie, State Councilor and Minister for Defence of China.

He was accompanied by a high powered delegation representing Pakistan Army, Navy and Air Force, a press release of Defence Ministry here on Thursday said.

The Defence Minister’s visit was highly successful. He conveyed to the Chinese leadership, Pakistan Government’s resolve to consolidate democracy, defeat terrorism, strengthen its armed forces and focus on economic and social development.

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DPRK officially confirms missile launches

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) confirmed for the first time that it test-fired missiles recently, the official KCNA news agency said Thursday, citing a Foreign Ministry's spokesman.

The unnamed spokesman said the DPRK test-launched missiles recently as part of the military drills.

"The DPRK has taken necessary measures to protect the nation's sovereignty and right to existence to cope with the U.S. hostile policy and nuclear threat, not to attract anyone's attention," said the spokesman.

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Excalibur, the Unmanned Vertical-Takeoff Aircraft, Makes Its First Flight

A new unmanned combat aircraft could soon wing its way to the battlefield and land with the precision of a helicopter.

The Excalibur recently completed its first flight to demonstrate those abilities using a hybrid turbine-electric propulsion system.

The unmanned aerial system (UAS) could pack a 400-pound payload of four Hellfire missiles, and also deliver weapons or other supplies to warfighters deep in rough territory.

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Arrow Missile Test Failure Leaves Israel Exposed to Iran, Syria

The upgraded Arrow missile defense system failed an important test off the western coast of the United States Thursday, leaving Israel defenseless against long-range Iranian and Syrian missiles.

The missile that was to destroy an oncoming missile was not launched because of “interceptor problems” resulting from failures in the communications system.

The Pentagon, which is working with Israel to develop the program, stated that "not all test conditions to launch the Arrow Interceptor were met and it was not launched.” It added that other undefined objectives were achieved.

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Boeing, Lockheed hail US-India defence deal

Two US defence industry giants, each vying for a huge fighter-jet contract with India, Wednesday hailed a bilateral accord promising to open the door to greater military commerce between the countries.

Lockheed Martin and Boeing are neck-and-neck in the race for the world's richest fighter aircraft deal in 15 years, worth almost 12 billion dollars, to sell 126 jets to the Indian Air Force.

On Monday US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her Indian counterpart S.M. Krishna agreed on an "end-use monitoring" arrangement that would provide safeguards for the sale of sophisticated US weaponry to India.

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Lockheed ready to introduce the F-35C

Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth assembly plant officials announced Wednesday that the company is ready to roll out a test version of the F-35C Lightning II Navy aircraft. This is the latest version of the F-35 joint-strike fighter that is slated to be delivered to the U.S. Navy in 2012.

The first test plane will debut on July 28, 2009, with flight testing scheduled to begin later this year.

The latest F-35C version is designed to accommodate Naval air forces and features catapult take-off abilities as well as an arrested landing mechanism to accommodate the needs of Naval aviators landing on aircraft carriers.

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