Boeing starts Hummingbird production in Mesa

Boeing has started production of the first A160T Hummingbird being built at its Mesa site near Falcon Field.

In March, Boeing added the A160T to its Mesa products, and on Thursday, Mesa Mayor Scott Smith got a tour of the production site.

“This is fantastic news for our community and the region,” Smith said in a news release. “Boeing is a key player in the thriving aerospace industry in the East Valley. The addition of the Hummingbird project is another indication of the strength of that industry.”

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India's first indigenous warship INS Shivalik commissioned

It's a ship that is designed to escape detection by normal radars and surveillance equipment. Special aerodynamics, equipment and material used in designing and building these ships makes it very difficult to monitor their movements. That's why they are called 'stealth frigates.'

It's called the INS Shivalik, and it's the first ship built by India designed to escape detection by normal radars and surveillance equipment. India on Thursday stormed into an elite club of eight nations that build stealth warships with the commissioning of the first indigenous stealth frigate INS Shivalik, adding new fire power and muscle to its Navy.

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Super Frelon bows out

The last French Navy Super Frelons are being withdrawn from active service tomorrow.

The last four aircraft serving with 32 Flotille at Lanvéoc-Poulmic will bow out on Friday, 30 April.

The aircraft was developed by Aerospatiale in the 1960s designed for the French Navy's anti-submarine warfare (ASW) mission operating from the decks from French warships.

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Navy to allow women to serve on submarines

The first U.S. women allowed to serve aboard submarines will be reporting for duty by 2012, the Navy said Thursday as the military ordered an end to one of its few remaining gender barriers.

The cramped quarters and scant privacy aboard submarines, combined with long tours of up to 90 days at sea, kept them off-limits to female sailors for 16 years after the Navy began allowing women to serve on all its surface ships in 1994.

There were some protests, particularly from wives of sub sailors, after the military began formulating a plan last fall. But it received no objections from Congress after Defense Secretary Robert Gates notified lawmakers in mid-February that the Navy intended to lift the ban. The deadline for Congress to intervene passed at midnight Wednesday.

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Iranian navy plane flies near USS Eisenhower in Gulf of Oman

An Iranian navy plane that approached a U.S. aircraft carrier last week was flying as low as 300 feet as it neared the USS Eisenhower, U.S. military officials said Wednesday.

The incident, first reported by CNN on Tuesday, came as Iran was beginning a series of military exercises last week meant to show off their military prowess.

The Eisenhower was on duty in the Gulf of Oman in the northern Arabian Sea, in support of the Afghanistan war efforts, when the Iranian maritime patrol aircraft flew within 1,000 yards of the vessel, according to military officials.

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Press-release Club-K container missile

Raytheon Partners with NAMMO for Second Source of AMRAAM Motors

Raytheon Company and the Norwegian defense company NAMMO have begun qualifying an alternative rocket motor for the AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile.

The new motor will be interchangeable with the AMRAAM propulsion system and will maintain the same performance as the current rocket engine.

"A second source of rocket motors ensures Raytheon will meet its commitment to the U.S. and international warfighter by providing a continual supply of AMRAAMs," said Harry Schulte, vice president of Raytheon Missile Systems Air Warfare Systems product line.

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Mirage upgrade augments new fighter force

Despite the ongoing acquisition of new F-16s to strengthen its fighter force, Morocco is pressing on with ambitious upgrades to its legacy types, which will remain in service for many years, augmenting the new aircraft.

Upgraded F-5s have already entered service and Morocco ’s MF2000 Mirage F1 upgrade is now flying in prototype form.

The Moroccan Mirage F1 upgrade was designed and is being integrated by the new Association Sagem Thales pour la Rénovation d'Avions de Combat (ASTRAC) consortium.

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Pratt & Whitney's Enhanced F100-PW-229 Engines Power First Flight of Korean F-15K Fleet

Last week, two Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-229 Engine Enhancement Package (EEP) engines powered the first flight of a F-15K aircraft planned for delivery to the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) later this year.

This flight was also the first to be powered by the Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-229 EEP engine, the latest evolution of the F100 engine family.

Pratt & Whitney is a United Technologies Corp. company.

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USS Hartford repairs to cost $92.1 million

It will take several more months and $92.1 million to repair the USS Hartford following its collision last year with a Navy amphibious ship in the Strait of Hormuz.

Navy investigators concluded the collision was preventable and that the crew of the Groton-based Hartford (SSN 768) was completely at fault.

The leadership was called "ineffective and negligent" and sailors were accused of falling asleep on the job, spending too much time away from their stations and chatting informally while working.

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Coalition would buy Global Hawks if elected

Federal opposition leader Tony Abbott has said a Coalition government would buy three Northrop Grumman Global Hawk UAVs to bolster the nation’s border security if it wins government in this year’s federal election.

Speaking on April 23, Abbott made the announcement as part of a broader foreign policy and defence statement.

“I can announce today, though, that one major acquisition, as soon as possible, would be three unmanned Global Hawk surveillance aircraft,” he said.

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GE/RR Claims $20B JSF Savings

Clearly responding to the persistent heat from the Pentagon and to wavering support on Capitol Hill, the General Electric and Rolls Royce F136 consortium today announced a fixed price deal they say will save $1 billion over the next five years and $20 billion over the life of the Joint Strike Fighter program.

“Today, we are announcing a fixed-price offer for F136 engines purchased in 2012, followed by further price reductions for engines procured in each 2013 and 2014,” said David Joyce, president and CEO of GE Aviation.

“We can create a competitive environment that will save the government $1 billion over the next five years, and $20 billion over the life of the JSF program.”

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New York Times blows Russian container-hidden missile threat out of proportion

An article in the New York Times has stirred up a scare reminiscent of “Reds under the bed” with a story on Club-K missile systems, which can allegedly be hidden inside standard shipping containers.

Referring to a promotional CG-video recently presented by the manufacturer of Club-K missiles at an arms expo, the newspaper described it as a deadly Russian ultimate weapon for a small-scale conflict.

Four cruise missiles hidden in a standard shipping container can be covertly delivered anywhere by land or sea and be ready to fire in a matter of minutes.

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Should PN be wary of INS Chakra?

Last year India had launched its indigenously built (with technical assistance from Russia), the Arihant (Destroyer of Enemies), which is undergoing extensive sea trials in the Bay of Bengal before its induction as a nuclear powered sub in 2012.

The irony of the date of its launch - July 26, 2009 - coinciding with Kargil Vijay Diwas, the anniversary celebrating India’s retaking of military posts in Kargil in 1999, was not lost on Pakistan.

Meanwhile, the delivery of another nuclear submarine of the Akula class, which is being leased for 10 years from Russia and is likely to join the Indian Navy (IN), is hitting snags.

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Pirate activity nipped in the bud

For the first time, a navy ship off the coast of Somalia has prevented pirates from taking to the seas.

The operation was carried out last week by landing craft from the Dutch navy ship HNLMS Johan de Witt.

Two pirate mother ships near the ports of Haradheere and Hobyo were intercepted by the navy and confiscated.

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India – C-17 GLOBEMASTER III Aircraft

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress on April 23 of a possible Foreign Military Sale to India of 10 Boeing C-17 GLOBEMASTER III aircraft and associated equipment, parts, and logistical support for an estimated cost of $5.8 billion.

The Government of India (GOI) requests a possible sale of 10 Boeing C-17 GLOBEMASTER III aircraft, 45 F117-PW-100 engines (40 installed and 5 spare engines), 10 AN/ALE-47 Counter- Measures Dispensing Systems, 10 AN/AAR-47Missile Warning Systems, spare and repairs parts, repair and return, warranty, pyrotechnics, flares, other explosives, aircraft ferry and refueling support, crew armor, mission planning system software, communication equipment and support, personnel training and training equipment, publications and technical data, U.S. Government and contractor technical, engineering, and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistics support.

The estimated cost is $5.8 billion.

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US defense agency's hypersonic glider test fails

The U.S. military lost contact with an experimental hypersonic glider after it was launched by a rocket on a test flight over the Pacific Ocean last week, a defense agency said.

The Falcon Hypersonic Technology Vehicle-2 was launched Thursday from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., and was supposed to separate from the booster at an altitude of several hundred thousand feet and then autonomously glide at 13,000 mph to a splashdown in a sea range near Kwajalein Atoll, 2,500 miles southwest of Hawaii.

The separation did occur, according to a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency statement.

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Australian- Indonesia coordinated patrol

A closing ceremony was held today at Larrakeyah Barracks to mark the successful completion of the inaugural Coordinated Maritime Security Patrol by the ADF and Indonesian Armed Forces in the waters between Australia and Indonesia during the period 16-27 April 2010.

The combined operation was conducted to improve coordinated maritime security between the ADF and Indonesian Armed Forces along the Australian and Indonesian shared maritime boundaries to the south of West Timor.

“Over the past eleven days, Australia and Indonesia have been operating at sea, on land and in the air together, for the first time, to address shared maritime security threats along our exclusive economic zone boundaries,” said Commodore David Gwyther, the Commander Northern Command and Officer in charge of the ADF Task Group.

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Chinese chopper 'ignored orders' / Insubordination within navy could heighten possibility of accidents

A Chinese Navy helicopter likely was ignoring orders from its own mother ship when it flew within 100 meters of a Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer on April 8, according to Defense Ministry sources.

The pilot's actions suggest that orders may not be rigorously followed within the Chinese Navy, and Defense Ministry officials are concerned that such insubordination could increase the possibility of accidents.

According to the sources, the incident occurred when the Chinese fleet was engaged in training exercises from April 7 to Friday.

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Boeing, Lockheed Wait as India Delays Fighter Deal

India will miss a deadline tomorrow to complete the world’s biggest fighter-jet purchase in 15 years, risking a possible $1 billion price increase as Boeing Co. and five rival manufacturers resubmit bids.

India’s Air Force is still conducting flight trials for competing jets from Boeing, Lockheed Martin Corp. and four European companies, two years after accepting price quotes for 126 warplanes that the government said should cost about $10 billion.

The bids expire April 28 and the Defense Ministry has asked manufacturers to submit offers for an additional year, its spokesman, Sitanshu Kar, said in a phone interview in New Delhi.

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Delay in Scorpene submarines will impact force levels

The delivery of Scorpene submarines to the Indian Navy has been delayed by three years and this will impact on its force levels but corrective measures have already been taken, parliament was informed Monday.

'A programme of construction of six Scorpene submarines is currently underway at Mazagon Docks Limited (MDL) under transfer of technology from a French company.

As per the contract, the first submarine was scheduled to be delivered in December 2012 and thereafter one each every year till December 2017,' Defence Minister A.K. Antony said during question hour in the Lok Sabha.

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USS Missouri is complete, will launch in July

The newest naval vessel to be named for the Show-Me State is proceeding toward commissioning.

The USS Missouri is a $2 billion, nuclear-powered attack submarine. The Virginia Class sub will belong to the Navy's Submarine Group 2.

Gov. Jay Nixon received an update on the Missouri last week from Rear Adm. Michael McLaughlin, who commands all attack submarines in the North Atlantic.

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HAL,BEL beat pvt rivals to win Rustom project

State-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) and Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) have jointly won a bid to design and build Rustom, an unmanned aerial vehicle, or drone, for India’s defence research agency.

HAL and BEL edged out private firms in the race for the project—the first Indian military aircraft programme to invite the private sector to design and build a plane.

Larsen and Toubro Ltd (L&T), Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL) and Godrej and Boyce Manufacturing Co. Ltd were the other contenders.

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A cruise missile in a shipping box on sale to rogue bidders

Defence experts are warning of a new danger of ballistic weapons proliferation after a Russian company started marketing a cruise missile that can be launched from a shipping container.

It is feared that the covert Club-K missile attack system could prove "game-changing" in fighting wars with small countries, which would gain a remote capacity to mount multiple missiles on boats, trucks or railways.

Iran and Venezuela have already shown an interest in the Club-K Container Missile System which could allow them to carry out pre-emptive strikes from behind an enemy's missile defences.

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Chinese version of Russian jet endangers bilateral relations

Despite holding the position as one of the world’s biggest economies, China seems unwilling to shed its reputation for producing cheap replicas.

And one of their more ambitious copycat efforts may put a strain on Russia-China relations.

“This Chinese plane is simply a Russian design stuffed with local electronics,” says Maksim Pyadushkin from the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technology about the Chinese J11B jet’s resemblance to the Russian Su-27. “It's a knock-off.”

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Iran Guards fire five missiles

Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards fired five missiles on Sunday as part of ongoing war games in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, state media reported.

The shore-to-sea and sea-to-sea missiles struck at a single target simultaneously, state television reported.

Fars news agency named two of those tested as the Noor (Light) and Nasr (Victory) missiles. It said a third, having a range of over 300 kilometres was also fired, but did not name it.

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Pak receives second AWAC systems from Sweden

Pakistan has received second of the four Saab-2000 airborne early warning and control system aircraft ordered from Sweden, boosting its capability to monitor Indian airspace.

A statement issued by the Pakistan Air Force said the Saab-2000 aircraft landed at an operational base on Saturday and would shortly be inducted into the fleet.

Two more Saab-2000 aircraft equipped with the Erieye radar system are expected to be delivered to Pakistan by Sweden later this year.

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Hyperfast missile to hit anywhere in an hour

Haunted by the memory of a lost opportunity to kill Osama Bin Laden before he attacked the World Trade Center in New York, US military planners have won President Barack Obama’s support for a new generation of high-speed weapons that are intended to strike anywhere on Earth within an hour.

Obama’s interest in Prompt Global Strike (PGS), a nonnuclear weapons programme, has alarmed China and Russia and complicated nuclear arms reduction negotiations.

White House officials confirmed last week that the president, who won the Nobel peace prize last year, is considering the deployment of a new class of hypersonic guided missiles that can reach their targets at speeds of Mach 5 — about 3,600mph.

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Three killed in helicopter crash

Three people are dead after an Air Force Iroquois helicopter crashed north of Wellington and a fourth is in hospital with serious injuries.

The helicopter came down early this morning at Pukerua Bay, near the Paekakariki Hill Road.

It was travelling from the RNZAF's base at Ohakea to Anzac Day commemorations in Wellington.

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No Scud missiles in Lebanon

There are no Scud missiles in Lebanon, Lebanese army commander Jean Kahwaji said on Saturday, denying allegations voiced last week that Syria had transferred ballistic missiles to Hizbullah.

In comments published by Al-Nahar and communicated by Reuters, Kahwaji, who met earlier in the day with Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit, said Scuds were far less mobile than Katyusha rockets and much less likely to be passed across the border undetected.

"The process of transporting them is not a game, it's a very big operation … The rockets are 30 metres long, are carried on large vehicles, and need 40 minutes to prepare for launch, Kahwaji was quoted as saying. “I'm convinced there are no scuds in Lebanon and talk about the issue is political.”

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Nato grants Bosnia pre-membership status

Nato foreign ministers gathered in Tallinn on Thursday (22 April) agreed to include Bosnia and Herzegovina in the military alliance's official pre-accession programme dubbed the membership action plan (MAP), but linked the process to a series of outstanding reforms in the fragile post-Yugoslav state.

The decision was taken after intense discussions, with some members arguing that Bosnia was not yet ready for the step, while others, notably Turkey, pressed strongly for it.

The programme offers technical assistance and practical support in reforming a country's defence and security structures ahead of accession.

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Northrop Grumman Awarded $114 Million Long Lead Material Contract Modification on U.S. Navy DDG 51 Class Destroyer

The U.S. Navy awarded a $114 million contract modification to Northrop Grumman Corporation to provide long lead materials for the company's 30th DDG 51 class Aegis guided missile destroyer.

The materials purchased will be used in the construction of DDG 114.

n April 2009, the U.S. Navy announced Northrop Grumman would be awarded contracts for the first two destroyers in the DDG 51 program continuation.

The company has delivered 26 of 28 ships, with two more ships currently under construction in Pascagoula.

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China opens missile plant in Iran

China inaugurated a missile plan in Iran last month, even as the United States and its allies were pressing Beijing to support a new round of tough economic sanctions on the Islamic Republic over its nuclear program, Jane's Defense Weekly reports.

It's a military relationship that goes back two decades and, in light of Russia's reluctance to provide the Iranians with advanced air-defense missile system to counter possible U.S. or Israeli airstrikes, is set to expand.

Robert Hewson, editor of Jane's Air-Launched Weapons, reported that the factory for assembling and producing Iran's Nasr-1 -- Victory 1 -- anti-ship missile was opened March 7.

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F35 JSF for Operational Testing – Britain Aquiring 3rd STOVL Model

The Joint Strike Fighter program has got a boost with Britain recently announcing to buy its third F-35B Lightning II fighter aircraft for operational testing.

The combat aircraft is being developed by the US defense major Lockheed Martin in partnership with eight other countries.

Britain will acquire the short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) aircraft for operational test and evaluation.

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Last post for RAAFs fighter-bomber

This year marks the 95th anniversary of Anzac Day and it will also mark the last appearance of the RAAF’s F-111 in Central Queensland.

The F-111 is to be removed from service at the end of the year, to be replaced first by the F/A-18 Super Hornet then by the F-35 Join Strike Fighter.

A lone fighter will perform the official fly past at the Rockhampton Anzac Day ceremony at Riverside Park.

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Boeing-built Orbital Test Vehicle X-37B Begins 1st Flight

Boeing today announced the successful launch of the Boeing-built Orbital Test Vehicle (OTV), also known as the X-37B, for the U.S. Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office.

The OTV was launched on an Atlas V rocket into a low Earth orbit today at 7:52 p.m. Eastern time from Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 41.

"The X-37B has the potential to bring to space the flexibility that unmanned systems provide warfighters and combatant commanders today," said Dennis Muilenburg, president and CEO of Boeing Defense, Space & Security.

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SA-Brazil missile venture in full flight

Succesful tests in Sweden of an air-to-air missile being developed jointly by the Brazilian and South African defence industries have brought closer the opportunity for the South African Air Force (SAAF) to start training its fighter-jet pilots with the new equipment.

The R1bn A-Darter missile programme, geared for both countries’ air forces, has completed a series of ground- launched flight tests that are a necessary part of the preparation for the transition to air-launch flight tests.

Denel Dynamics is the prime contractor for the A-Darter, a fifth- generation imaging infrared air-to-air defence missile, but the project is jointly funded by the governments of Brazil and SA. As a result, the programme involves both countries’ engineers, scientists and technicians.

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Iran Begins War Games in Persian Gulf

Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard began large-scale war games in the Persian Gulf and the strategic Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, state television reported.

Indonesia aims to order eight Super Tucanos

The Indonesian air force has decided to order eight Embraer EMB-314 Super Tucano trainer and light-attack aircraft, but the nation's defence ministry has yet to approve the deal.

Several other types were also considered for the requirement, such as the Korea Aerospace Industries KT-1, 12 of which are already in air force use as trainers.

If approved, the initial order will be for eight aircraft, with the possibility of further orders later on, industry sources say.

It would represent Embraer's first Super Tucano sale into the Asian market.

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RAAF plane damaged by flare on board

The crew of an RAAF Orion patrol plane have landed their aircraft safely after it was seriously damaged over Afghanistan by one of its own flares.

The air force is investigating the incident, which involved a flare designed to lure missiles away from aircraft.

The flare became hung up in the aircraft during a patrol over southern Afghanistan a fortnight ago. Details of the incident were released only yesterday.

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The battle-cruiser Pyotr Veliky

Although the heavy nuclear-powered cruiser Pyotr Veliky (Peter the Great) has been at sea for the past six months, her voyage is just beginning.

She will take part in a large-scale, high-seas exercise involving other Russian warships and Moscow's military partners, and will also call at various foreign ports. Her combat readiness is facilitated by every crew member.

Although there is not a single ship within several dozen kilometers of the Pyotr Veliky, few of her 800-strong crew feel lonely.

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Russian Black Sea fleet to stay in Ukraine

Ukrainian port of Sewastopol
Ukraine has extended the lease allowing Russia's Black Sea Fleet to be stationed in Ukraine by 25 years in exchange for cheaper Russia gas.

The lease, which was to expire in 2017, allows the fleet to access the Ukrainian port of Sewastopol.

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev agreed to the deal, which was signed Wednesday in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, BBC News reports.

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China military paper spells out nuclear arms stance

China must have a limited nuclear "second strike" force to deter foes from threatening it with atomic weapons, the nation's main military newspaper said on Thursday, in a rare account of Beijing's nuclear strategy.

The commentary in the official Liberation Army Daily comes during intensifying atomic diplomacy -- after a nuclear security summit hosted by U.S. President Barack Obama and before an international conference in May about the future of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

China has been gradually modernizing its relatively small nuclear arsenal and some critics of proposals to cut dramatically Western nuclear forces have said uncertainty about Beijing's plans should deter such proposals.

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Patriot Missiles to Arrive in Poland Next Month

A first set of U.S. Patriot missiles are scheduled to be fielded in Poland toward the end of next month, Agence France-Presse reported (see GSN, April 20).

"Following preparations and consultations, the first deployment of a battery of antimissile Patriots will start around May 24 in Morag," Polish Defense Ministry spokesman Janusz Sejmej said.

Eight Patriot launchers and a complement of 100 U.S. troops are ultimately to be located at the site located about 35 miles from the border of the Russian Kaliningrad territory.

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Germany set to sell Israel submarines

New reports say Israel is planning to establish a deep-sea navy and is negotiating with Germany over the purchase warships and submarines.

According to a report published by United Press International, Germany will supply Israel with three more Dolphin class attack submarines, several warships, and possibly two MEKO A-100 corvettes.

The MEKO variant sought by the Tel Aviv regime costs an estimated $300 million.

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Airbus:A330 MRTT Refueling System Completes Certification Flight

European aerospace giant Airbus said Tuesday it has completed all the flight tests required for daylight certification of its new generation hose-and-drogue refueling system on the A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport aircraft.

"This paves the way toward the formal military certification of the system from Spain's INTA certification authority this summer," the company said in a statement.

Airbus is the plane-making arm of European Aeronautic Defense & Space Co. NV (EAD.FR).

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Is the X-37B the start of war in space?

It's one of the most anticipated space launches since the original manned space shuttle Columbia blasted off in 1982.

Hundreds of millions of dollars have been sunk into it over nearly 20 years of research and development.

It's the X-37B.

And unfortunately, that's all we can tell you, because the unmanned spacecraft, which looks like a small shuttle, is one of the US military's most tightly guarded secrets.

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40 Indian fighter jets to be fitted with BrahMos missiles

BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, which is a joint venture of India and Russia, will be fitted on the Indian Air Force's 40 Su-30MKIs fighter aircraft.

CEO and MD of BrahMos Aerospace Dr A S Pillai said: "The inclusion of BrahMos cruise missile will make the aircraft unique in firepower."

Dr Pillai was speaking to a Russian news agency at the Defence Services Asia-2010 exhibition here.

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Pentagon's F-35 Fighter Under Fire in Congress

SUMMARY
The Defense Department is waging a battle over the increasing price of its new stealth aircraft program. Kwame Holman reports on why the Joint Strike Fighter program, which was supposed to save the military money, is taking fire in Washington.

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The Royal Netherlands Navy takes delivery of its first NH90 NFH

AgustaWestland has announced on behalf of NH Industries the delivery of the first NH90 NFH helicopter to the Royal Netherlands Navy during an official ceremony held today at AgustaWestland's Vergiate plant in Italy.

The Royal Netherlands Navy has ordered a total of 20 NH90 NFH aircraft. Today's event marks the first delivery of a naval NH90 NFH variant to a customer.

The Dutch, French, Italian, Norwegian and Belgian navies have ordered a total of 111 NH90 NFH naval helicopters which will give operators a dramatic improvement in operational capability and mission effectiveness, thanks to the outstanding technology incorporated in to the NH90.

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Chilean Navy incorporates largest vessel ever: a 42.000 tons logistics supply unit

The Chilean Navy incorporated this week its largest unit, a 42.000 tons tanker, AO-52 “Almirante Montt” which will play a vital role in supplying the surface fleet.

The tanker was purchased from the US Navy and will replace AO-53 “Araucano” decommissioned after forty years service.

The official ceremony with Defence Minister Jaime Ravinet and Commander of the Navy Admiral Edmundo González Robles and other top officials took place on the same 206 metres long vessel anchored at Valparaiso Bay.

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Report: SKorea warned of NKorean submarine attack

Military intelligence officers had warned earlier this year that North Korea was preparing a suicide submarine attack on a South Korean vessel in retaliation for an earlier defeat in a sea battle, a newspaper said Thursday.

There has been growing speculation that North Korea was behind the March 26 explosion that split the 1,200-ton Cheonan in two and sank it, killing at least 38 people and leaving eight missing.

Seoul has not directly blamed Pyongyang for the blast, and the North has denied involvement, but suspicion remains given the country's history of provocation and attacks on the South.

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India Navy to get 16 stealth frigates in 10 years

The Indian Navy is to get 16 stealth frigates in the next 10 years, with 10 being built indigenously, three imported from Russia and another three on order, an officer said on Wednesday.

The first indigenously-built stealth ship, INS Shivalik, will be commissioned on April 29. The 6,000-tonne ship was built at Mumbai's Mazagaon Docks Limited under Project 17.

Two more such vessels - INS Satpura and Sahyadri - are under construction and are likely to be commissioned in the next one year.

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Official Details Results of Missile Review

Ballistic missiles are an increasing threat to the United States, and the Defense Department must keep up with them, the deputy undersecretary of defense for policy said today.

James N. Miller, speaking about the department’s Nuclear Posture Review before the Senate Armed Services Committee, said several nations are developing nuclear, chemical or biological warheads for their missiles.

The threat to the U.S. homeland is most acute from states such as North Korea and Iran, Miller said. “Neither has yet acquired ICBMs that could reach the United States, but both are working to acquire and/or develop long-range ballistic missile capabilities – including space-launched vehicles – which include many of the necessary technologies,” he said.

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Iran To Test Missiles In Three-Day Drill

Strait of Hormuz
Iran's Revolutionary Guards are set to begin a three-day military drill in the Persian Gulf on April 22.

Brigadier General Hossein Salami, deputy commander of the Revolutionary Guards, told Iran's state Arab-language television channel, Al-Alam, today that guards' ground, air, and naval units of the would take part in the drill, which is aimed at "preserving the security of the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and the Gulf of Oman."

Iranian-made missiles are also due to be tested in the drill.

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Turkey launches first New Type Patrol Boat

The indigenously designed and built NTPB will perform coastal patrol and ASW missions

First-of-class P1200 was launched at the Dearsan Shipyard in Tuzla in April 2010

Turkey's Dearsan Shipyard has launched the first of a class of 16 New Type Patrol Boat (NTPB) vessels destined for the Turkish Naval Forces Command.

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Raw Video: Colombian Army Choppers Collide

A Colombian general and five other members of its military died on Tuesday in a helicopter collision at a base in the nation's southwest. Five people were also injured when the two helicopters crashed into one another.

Premier Putin satisfied with Russian fifth-generation fighter tests

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said he was satisfied with the tests of a Russian fifth-generation fighter jet.

"Flight tests of the fifth-generation fighter are continuing successfully," Putin said.

"Once again I want to thank everyone who worked on this machine, as well as those who are now putting it in the air," the premier continued.

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Raytheon-Boeing Team Fires First Joint Air-to-Ground Missile

Raytheon Company and The Boeing Company fired the first Joint Air-to-Ground Missile during a test funded by the two companies.

The weapon, fired from a ground-based rotary-wing launcher, performed a series of preprogrammed maneuvers and flew to a predesignated location, validating the flight control software and Brimstone airframe. The mission met all primary test objectives.

"The Raytheon-Boeing JAGM is on track to demonstrate our low-risk entry into the engineering manufacturing development (EMD) phase of the program," said Bob Francois, Raytheon vice president of Advanced Missiles and Unmanned Systems.

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EADS North America intends to submit proposal for U.S. Air Force tanker

EADS North America announced today that it intends to submit a proposal on July 9, 2010 for the U.S. Air Force’s tanker modernisation programme and will offer the KC-45 — the most capable, American-built solution that is flown, proven and in production now.

EADS North America is progressing in discussions with potential U.S. partners to build a winning team in order to provide the most capable, best value solution to the Air Force.

The KC-45 is the only aircraft flying today that meets the U.S. Air Force’s tanker requirements as outlined in its KC-X Request for Proposal (RFP).

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Boeing Statement on EADS' Decision to Enter KC-X Tanker Competition

Iran air force 'improved' F-14 aircraft

The Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) says it currently owns a new generation of F-14 fighter aircraft with domestically-built radars and improved engines.

The Iranian fleet of Grumman F-14 Tomcat aircraft was purchased from the United States during the reign of the deposed Shah of Iran.

Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the U.S. has placed an arms embargo on Iran, which includes the sale of new F-14 aircraft to the country.

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Pak to acquire US warship for 65-mln dollars

Pakistan has signed a 65 million dollar deal with the United States for the acquisition of warship USS McInerney.

The naval frigate will be handed over to Pakistan on August 31 following which it would be refurbished according to the Pakistan Navy’s requirements under the US Navy’s supervision, The Daily Times reports.

USS McInerney, which would be called PNS Alamgir after Pakistan’s acquisition, is likely to start its journey to Pakistan in January 2011 to join the Pakistan Navy.

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Data link upgrade for Dutch Navy

The Dutch Ministry of Defence (MoD) has revealed plans to modernise the Royal Netherlands Navy's (RNLN) Tactical Data Link Systems (TDLSs) in order to increase its NATO Network Enabled Capability (NNEC) maturity levels.

According to a Request for Quotations (RfQ), released by the Netherlands Defence Materiel Organisation Procurement Branch (DMOPB) on 20 April, all ‘main’ RNLN platforms will be equipped with Link 11 and 22 TDLSs.

Command and control (C2) and sensor and weapon equipped ships contributing to Anti-Air Warfare (AAW) are also scheduled to carry Link 16 TDLS.

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NATO and Russia edge warily toward a joint missile defense shield

NATO Secretary General Anders Rasmussen has appealed for a joint missile defense shield with Russia to cover Europe and offer protection from a possible terror attack. But analysts are still cautious about its prospects.

At a press conference on Monday, NATO Secretary General Anders Rasmussen spoke about what he believed was the most serious security threat faced by Europe. "There is a growing missile threat, including from Iran," he said. "And the politicians have a responsibility to protect the population." Europe must "take its share in the joint protection from missile attacks."

As far as NATO is concerned, any hope of creating a missile defense system for Europe rests on the cooperation of Russia. Moscow has persistently voiced its opposition to missile installations in eastern Europe that it believes could be used as offensive weapons.

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U.S. Gets More Active in Cheonan Investigation

The South Korean military has asked the U.S. for intelligence about North Korean submarines and espionage operations against the South to establish whether the North was involved in the sinking of the Navy corvette Cheonan on March 26, according to a source on Monday.

The source said, "South Korean and U.S. intelligence agencies are trying to check what the North Korean Army was doing, including what communications they exchanged and what their submarines or submersibles were doing around the time of the disaster."

The South Korean military reportedly asked the U.S. military for intelligence about the North's submarine bases on the west coast like Cape Bipagot in South Hwanghae Province and the activities of North Korean subs in the West Sea.

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Northrop Grumman Redelivers USS Enterprise (CVN 65) to U.S. Navy

Northrop Grumman Corporation successfully redelivered the world's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, USS Enterprise (CVN 65), to the U.S. Navy today.

The redelivery follows the completion of an Extended Drydock Selected Restricted Availability (EDSRA).

The project is the ship's last dry docking before deactivation and was performed by the company's Shipbuilding sector in Newport News, Va.

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Malaysian Cabinet Expected To Decide On Eurocopter Purchase On Friday

The Cabinet is expected to make a final decision on Friday on the purchase of Eurocopter EC725 helicopters to replace the ageing Nuri, Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said.

He said at the moment, the government had no problem in terms of the financial package offered by Eurocopter as well as in its ability to pay the purchase.

"We have finalised our negotiation and are waiting for the Cabinet to approve the schedule of payments. The details are being worked out and the terms and conditions will be finalised probably at the coming meeting on Friday.

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Malaysia shows interest in BRAHMOS at DSA '10

Malaysia's Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi applauded the BRAHMOS supersonic cruise missile during his visit to the BrahMos Aerospace pavilion at the Defence Services Asia 2010 here on Tuesday.

The Minister took a view of all four variants of the weapon system – land, sea, air and underwater, and was briefed about its unique capabilities.

He also congratulated the BrahMos team present at the exhibition for the recent successful launch of BRAHMOS in vertical configuration from a moving warship.

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F-16s found volcanic glass in engines, official says

F-16 fighter aircraft on a test flight in European airspace have found glass building up in their engines from the cloud of volcanic ash which has forced the closure of the continent's airspace, a senior US official said Monday.

European states shut down their airspace on Thursday out of fears that dust from an erupting volcano in Iceland could turn to glass in aero engines and block their air intakes.

Some airlines on Sunday reported that test flights had shown no sign of the phenomenon.

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