E-2D Advanced Hawkeye First Flight

E-2D Advanced Hawkeye. First flight of Delta 1 (first SSD aircraft) St. Augustine, Fl August 3rd 2007.

This program currently staffing positions in Flight Test and Product Support.

Four European states host US nuclear bombs, WikiLeaks reveals

The same document reckoned that another 20 are housed at Volkel Air Base near the town of Uden in southeast of the Netherlands.

The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Turkey have US nuclear weapons situated on their soil, the WikiLeaks whistleblower files have revealed.

The four countries, along with Italy, had long been suspected of being home to a collection of American nuclear armaments, but neither the states nor Nato had ever officially confirmed or denied their presence.

For the first time, the confidential files released on Sunday evening (28 November) have acknowledged what was until now only conjecture, upending decades of careful diplomatic ambiguity.

Read more

Indian MMRCA contract by March 2011: IAF Chief

The Indian contract to buy 126 MMRCA fighter aircraft is expected to be signed by March 2011, the Indian Air Force Chief of Staff, P.V. Naik has been quoted as saying.

In an interview to Vayu Aerospace, a media partner of defenseworld.net, the air force chief said that the likely timeframe for completing various activities before the contract is signed is about 6-8 months, “So, we expect the contract to be signed by March 2011.

From thereon, the induction should begin by mid 2014 onwards".

Read more

BAE Systems awarded £20m contract to increase capability of Italian Tornados

BAE Systems has been awarded a £20m contract for the upgrade of Italian Air Force Tornados which will give the aircraft extra capability.

Work will begin next year on the mid life upgrade of the ECR (Electronic Combat/ Reconnaissance) and IDS (Interdictor/Strike) aircraft variants and is expected to be completed in 2015.

BAE Systems involvement in the mid life upgrade includes the design, develop and manufacture kits for twenty-five aircraft and provide support to Alenia to embody the kits onto the aircraft at their Caselle factory in Turin, Italy.

Read more

JSF engine too big for regular transport at sea

The naval variant of the military’s fighter jet of the future arrived at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., on Nov. 6, a development that means the Navy and its industry partners are satisfied that the jet can safely perform basic flight maneuvers and is ready to tackle more demanding tests.

Behind the scenes, however, the Navy is struggling to remedy a significant design oversight that poses a major potential hindrance to its ability to successfully deploy and maintain the F-35C Lightning II, the carrier-based variant of the joint strike fighter: Its powerful single engine, when packed for shipping, is too large to be transported to sea by normal means when replacements are required.

“That is a huge challenge that we currently have right now,” said Capt. Chris Kennedy of the JSF Program Office, answering a flier’s question about JSF engine resupply following a public presentation on the state of the program at the 2010 Tailhook Symposium in September in Reno, Nev. He said the program office is working with the Navy staff and carrier systems planners to solve the problem.

Read more

New frigate's spec to be cut

Specifications for a new type of British warship designed by BAE Systems will be scaled back to shrink costs, which could prompt the country to order more ships, defence sources said yesterday.

The Type 26 frigate, due for delivery in the early 2020s, is being developed under the Future Surface Combatant programme. Its specifications will be lowered partly to save money.

One senior defence ministry source said the cost of a ship will be cut to £250-350 million from about £500m.

Read more

4th-generation strategic nuclear submarine launched in Severodvinsk

Severodvinsk today witnesses the launching of a second strategic nuclear-powered submarine of the fourth generation - "Alexander Nevsky".

The lead ship – “Yuri Dolgoruky” – is currently being tested.

The Ministry of Defense plans to build a minimum of eight Borei- class missile cruisers.

Read more

First Evaluation Firing of an ASMPA by a Mirage 2000N

The first evaluation firing of the new weapon system formed by the Mirage 2000N and the ASMPA enhanced stand-off missile took place on Tuesday, Nov. 23. This test was code-named Topaze.

The aircraft’s crew, comprising a pilot and a navigator from the 3/4 “Limousin” fighter squadron, flew a long mission (about 5 hours) during which it flew at different flight profiles: high altitude, several in-flight refuellings from a C135 tanker belonging to the 2/91 “Bretagne” In-Flight Refuelling Group, low-level penetration, terrain following etc.

At the end of these five hours, the crew fired the ASMPA missile (without its nuclear warhead) which followed its intended flight trajectory. Mission accomplished for this initial trial!

Read more

SAAF invests in Oryx

The South African Air Force has awarded Denel Aviation a R390.7 million contract for product support for its fleet of Denel M1 Oryx medium utility helicopters, now thought to number 42.

The type has been in service since May 1989. The deal takes known expenditure on the type to R1.3 billion (R1 298 458 684.74) since 2007.

The Oryx was assembled from kits smuggled into South Africa via Romania and Portugal in violation of a then-mandatory UN arms embargo.

Read more

EADS Sees 2010 Dividend, Possible Increase Later, Euro Says

European Aeronautic, Defence & Space Co. expects to propose a dividend payment for this year, Euro am Sonntag reported, citing an interview with Chief Financial Officer Hans Peter Ring.

EADS sees “no problem” to increase the dividend at a later stage if the company meets its growth targets, the newspaper cited Ring as saying.

The company sees a potential to sell as many as 500 of its A400M military transport planes, the newspaper said.

Source

Venezuela Buying 10-12 Chinese Medium-Range Transport Aircraft

Venezuela will purchase from China between 10 and 12 medium-range Shaanxi Y-8 transport aircraft, after taking delivery in recent weeks of 18 K-8 training aircraft previously acquired in the Asian country, a senior military official said.

“These Y-8s will provide support for the operations of our C-130 Hercules transport planes...that have a range covering South America and to the north of Spain,” Maj. Gen. Jorge Oropeza said Friday.

He said that negotiations for the purchase of the Y-8s are in the hands of the Defense Ministry and it is hoped that these aircraft will be delivered to Venezuela sometime next year.

Read more

Iran May Have Missiles From North Korea, Cables Posted by WikiLeaks Show

Iran obtained 19 advanced missiles from North Korea, potentially giving the Islamic nation the capability of attacking Moscow and cities in Western Europe, according to embassy cables posted by WikiLeaks.org and provided to the New York Times.

U.S. officials denounced the release, coming on the eve of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s departure for a security conference in the Persian Gulf, as jeopardizing U.S. ties with foreign governments and endangering individuals. WikiLeaks began posting the cables yesterday.

The 19 North Korean BM-25 missiles, based on a Russian design known as the R-27, might give Iran the “building blocks” for producing long-range missiles, according to a Feb. 24 cable posted on WikiLeaks. The cable didn’t provide specific evidence, according to the Times, which agreed not to publish the document at the Obama administration’s request.

Read more

U.S. Army unit flies new unmanned aircraft in Iraq

An Army unit deployed to Camp Taji, Iraq, is shaping the future of the Army’s unmanned aircraft systems program with a handful of its newest aircraft, the MQ-1C Gray Eagle.

The unit, known as Quick Reaction Capability 1-Replacement 1, deployed this June to use the Gray Eagle in combat before the Army fields the aircraft to all of its aviation brigades in the next few years.

It is one of two deployed Army units currently flying the Gray Eagle, and it is the only one using it in Iraq.

Read more

India unhappy as Russia may miss N-sub target

India’s quest to operate a nuclear submarine for its strategic needs has met with yet another hurdle.

The much-awaited Akula-II class, 8,140 tonne Nerpa attack submarine from Russia, will not meet its year-end schedule of delivery to the Indian Navy.

Sources said the Navy, as of now, has refused to accept the submarine from its Russian counterparts citing inadequate training for its teams to operate the vessel.

Read more

Russia to choose submarine for new Bulava missile tests by Dec 10

The Russian government commission for testing Russia's Bulava submarine-launched ballistic missile has completed its analysis of the missile's latest two successful launches and will choose a submarine for further tests by December 10, a source in the commission said on Sunday.

Last time, a Bulava missile was successfully test-fired on October 29 from the Dmitry Donskoi nuclear-powered submarine in the White Sea, hitting a target on the Kura test range in Russia's Far East Kamchatka region some 6,000 kilometers to the east.

It was the second successful firing in a month, coming after a series of embarrassing failures. Now, seven launches of the Bulava missile have been declared successful and their number has equaled the number of the missile's failures.

Read more

Agni-II + launch before December 10

Flush with the successful flight of surface-to-surface missile Agni-1 on Thursday, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is preparing to launch Agni-II +, “a totally new missile,” before December 10.

The launch will take place from the Wheeler Island, off the Orissa coast, and preparations for it will begin in a few days.

The Agni-II + is a surface-to-surface missile that can carry nuclear warheads. It can strike targets 2,500 km to 3,000 km away.

Read more

India to buy Russian fighter planes: PAKFA

Bharat will be purchasing the PAKFA T-50s, billed as FGFA in Bharat–in the next decade sometime when the plane is ready for production.

Realistically speaking the actual delivery of the planes may begin after 2010.

The T-50s are in the testing phase with at least a few proto-types already developed.

Read more

The Karachi Connection: A scandal too far for Sarkozy?

Murky arms deals, betrayal, kickbacks and a deadly bomb attack: France's latest scandal has all the makings of a high stakes political drama, but will Nicolas Sarkozy be cast as leading man?

The president has furiously denied any implication in a web of deals linking a contract to sell submarines to Pakistan, a former prime minister's failed presidential bid and the eventual murder of 11 French engineers.

French voters are wearily accustomed to their leaders being scrutinised for alleged financial shenanigans, but the "Karachi Scandal" has reignited bitter in-fighting on the French right and could yet inflict real political hurt.

Read more

Officer relieved of command over grounded sub

The officer in charge of the British nuclear submarine that ran aground in October has been removed from command, the Ministry of Defence said Saturday.

Andrew Coles had been commanding officer of HMS Astute, which the United Kingdom calls its most powerful attack submarine.

"Commander Coles will continue to serve in the Royal Navy and he will be reappointed to a post where his talents and experience can be used to best effect," a ministry statement said. "A new commanding officer will be appointed as soon as possible."

Read more

Iran Makes First Mobile Simulator for Home-Made Submarines

"For the first time in the country Iranian experts and scientists have been able to produce a mobile simulator for Tareq class submarine in a project called 'Shabahat' (Similarity)," Commander of the Iranian Navy Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said at the ceremony to unveil the simulator.

"The simulator has a 3 degree freedom of movement and is used for exercising diving and ascending as well as checking damage to the submarine," he noted.

The commander added that 16 scenarios have been designed and programmed for the simulator, which are now used in the subsurface brigade of the first naval zone.

Read more

Portsmouth to host Ark Royal farewell parade

A farewell parade is to be held in Portsmouth - the home city of axed aircraft carrier Ark Royal - to give the ship and its crew a final send off.

Both the ship and the Harrier jump jets that fly from its deck are being scrapped under budget cuts.

A formation of Harriers made its final journey from the Royal Navy's flagship vessel on Wednesday.

The parade for Ark Royal, which is being taken out of service three years early, will take place on 22 January.

Read more

Joint drills will be far from NLL, military reports

Joint South Korea-U.S. drills with the USS George Washington in the West Sea will be held from Sunday to Wednesday. North Korea has promised retaliation if both countries hold the drills in the West Sea.

South Korea and the United States have stated that the drills are routine and defensive in nature, but with the drills being held in the middle of the West Sea for the first time, they strongly take on the character of a show of force against North Korea.

“A U.S. carrier has come to the West Sea area before, but that was in the southern part of the West Sea,” said a military official on Friday. “This is the first time a drill will be held further north, in the waters near the islands of Taean, South Chungcheong Province.”

Read more

Saab has received an additional order from Lockheed Martin for further radar enhancement for Canadian Navy Halifax-Class Frigates

Defence and security company Saab has received an additional order of MSEK 108 from Lockheed Martin Canada for further enhancement of the Sea Giraffe 150 HC 2D radar for the modernization of the Canadian Navy’s Halifax-class frigates. Deliveries are planned for 2011-2016. The original Contract was awarded in May 2009.

Saab has been a radar provider to the Canadian Navy since the early nineties. The received additional order is a further enhancement and modification of the existing Sea Giraffe 150 HC, and will secure a high level of operational availability as well as new and improved functions of the radar for years to come.

”We are very pleased that Lockheed Martin Canada and the Canadian Navy have selected Saab’s radar for this modernization program”, says Micael Johansson, Senior Vice President and Head of Saab’s Business area Electronic Defence Systems.

Read more

Russian Navy to adopt Bulava missile after several successful tests

Military analysts say the Bulava intercontinental ballistic missile will become the mainstay of Russia’s naval strategic nuclear force in the 21st century.

Designers at the Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology, the program’s contractor, said the missile will have a range of up to 8,000 km and will carry six to ten hypersonic maneuvering nuclear warheads capable of changing their flight trajectory.

Read more

Bergen Group Awarded Contract for Frigate Maintenance

Bergen Group Laksevåg has today signed a contract with the Norwegian Defence Logistics Organisation for the main technical overhaul of the frigate F-310 HNoMS Fridtjof Nansen.

The contract has a total estimated value of NOK 65 million, and the work will be carried out during the period December 2010 to August 2011.

The project involves the planning, coordination and execution of scheduled maintenance, corrective maintenance and other additional works.

Read more

Europe’s first ever ballistic missile intercept declared a success

EUROSAM carried out a system firing at the DGA EM test range located in Biscarrosse (south west France) on 18th October 2010. The missile used was MBDA’s Aster.

The target used for the firing was representative of a medium-range ballistic missile.

All the successive phases of the operational engagement of a ballistic missile ran nominally: target designation transmission to the SAMP/T firing control system, target acquisition by the ARABEL radar, engagement sequence and firing decision, ASTER missile flight sequence and guidance through to target interception. The target was intercepted at the intended range.

Read more

N.Korea 'to Test-Fire Medium-Range Ballistic Missile'

North Korea is preparing to test-fire a ballistic missile with a range of 3,000 km in a few months, the Sankei Shimbun claimed Thursday.

The daily quoted a source familiar with Korean affairs as saying the North Korean regime unveiled eight new missiles during a military parade to mark the 65th founding anniversary of the Workers Party on Oct. 10.

If the regime is to install a nuclear warhead on a missile, the missile, dubbed Musudan, will highly likely be the first candidate.

Read more

Powerful Su-25 strike aircraft to stage triumphant comeback?

The Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant (UUAZ) in Eastern Siberia could resume production of Sukhoi Su-25 Frogfoot strike aircraft on orders from the Russian Defense Ministry and the United Aircraft Building Corporation.

How likely is the country's Defense Ministry to purchase them? What are their strengths and where could they be used

A real order or wishful thinking?

Read more

SAAF maintaining IRIS-T arsenal

The South African Air Force has started maintaining its small arsenal of Diehl BGT Defence IRIS-T short-range air-to-air missile (SRAAM) acquired for the SAAB Gripen advanced light fighter aircraft after May 2008.

It last week awarded Diehl BGT Defence a R42 600 order for the “purging of missiles” and the rental of gas filling equipment, taking known expenditure on the interim fifth generation SRAAM to R102 445 683.45.

The infra-red guided IRIS-T was acquired as an interim weapon for Gripen of which the SAAF now have nine two-seat examples and six single-seaters.

Read more

Defence buying needs greater scrutiny, say MPs

Defence contracts must be better scrutinised to prevent "serious blunders" in government purchasing, a cross-party committee of MPs has said.

The Treasury Select Committee urged the coalition to improve "interaction" between departments over procurement.

It added that ministers should learn lessons from Labour's contract for two aircraft carriers, which would have cost more to cancel than implement.

Read more

IDF stronger than ever

Alexander the Great, the man who conquered the ancient world, said that those who develop new combat methods or who possess new arms will be triumphant.

Indeed, at this time Israel is creating strategic military advantage that is unprecedented in the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict.

A series of innovations at sea, in the air and on the ground that the enemy does not possess – and will not possess – is completely changing the balance of power in the Middle East.

Read more

Northrop Grumman-Built Arlington (LPD 24) Launched at the Company's Pascagoula Facility; Ship Named to Honor Victims of 9/11 Attack

Northrop Grumman Corporation's Shipbuilding sector successfully launched the company's newest amphibious transport dock ship Arlington (LPD 24) on Tuesday morning, Nov. 23.

LPD 24 is the eighth ship of the USS San Antonio (LPD 17) class of ships being built at the Gulf Coast facilities.

"This is a top-quality warship and our shipbuilding team has done an outstanding job of meeting their commitments to one of the most important milestones in the life of any ship," said Doug Lounsberry, LPD 17 program manager, Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding.

Read more

Aurora Flight Sciences Rolls Out Orion UAS

Aurora Flight Sciences today unveiled the Orion unmanned aerial system, a flight vehicle demonstrator that will stay aloft for up to five days.

Orion was selected by the US Air Force Research Laboratory in late August to meet the objectives of the Medium Altitude Global ISR and Communications (MAGIC) Joint Capability Technology Demonstration (JCTD).

“Orion was developed under the MAGIC JCTD program to meet CENTCOM’s urgent operational need and deliver this capability rapidly to our nation’s war fighters,” said Aurora CEO John Langford at today’s ceremony.

Read more

India test-fires nuclear-capable Agni-I missile

India on Thursday test-fired an upgraded version of the nuclear-capable surface-to-surface ballistic missile Agni-I from a defence base off the east coast.

The missile with better re-entry technology and manoeuvrability was fired by the armed forces from a mobile launcher at the launching complex - IV of the Integrated Test Range in Wheeler's Island at about 10.10am.

"The result of the test-firing was not immediately known. However, the flight was made for user's trail and it has met all the mission objectives. The test was to reconfirm the technical parameters set for the user associated launch," a defence official said.

Read more

Electronic warfare suite developed for MiG-27

India has successfully tested the electronic warfare (EW) suite for MiG-27 fighter aircraft, to thwart any kind of enemy threats, said a senior official of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Wednesday.

The sophisticated version of MiG-27 fighters will be operational by 2011.

Announcing the latest achievement in the country’s defence warfare capabilities, Dr Prahlada, chief controller, R&D (Ae&SI) of DRDO, speaking on the sidelines of the India National Electronic Warfare Workshop (EWWI-2010) in the city, said the technical know-how would bring India on par with the rest of the world.

Read more

Pakistan to receive first ZDK-03 AEW&C aircraft

Pakistan will receive the first of four Shaanxi ZDK-03 airborne early warning and control system aircraft by the end of January 2011.

The other three aircraft are likely to arrive later in the year, says the Pakistan air force.

"The ZDK-03s have been developed to our specifications," says the air force. "It won't be an E-3C Sentry, but it will have the latest electronics and everything an AEW&C aircraft needs."

Read more

Scrapping of Harrier jump jet is 'short sighted'

Admiral Lord West of Spithead said it was not clear what Britain would be able to do if hostilities between North and South Korea intensified. His comments came after four Harrier GR9 jets took off from the HMS Ark Royal yesterday for the last time.

In a letter to The Times, Lord West said that to fail to support the USA – which yesterday dispatched one of its aircraft carriers to the Korean peninsula – would be a "mistake".

For Britain to do the same would represent "the sort of commitment an ally such as the United States requires", he wrote.

Read more

Netherlands threatened by Dutch weapons?

Four Italian-made frigates set out from the Venezuelan port city of Puerto Cabello in the middle of the night. They lead a fleet including amphibious landing craft and service ships, on their way to invade Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao, three Caribbean islands forming part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. A Dutch 'Falklands war' has begun.

This is a nightmare scenario that Dutch military planners must nonetheless take into account, given Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez's repeated threats over the last two years. Political leaders on the three islands downplay the threat, but Venezuela looms large, literally and figuratively, on the three islands. The closest, Aruba, lies just 27 kilometres off Venezuela's coast.

At the same time, the Dutch branch of a multinational company is equipping the Venezuelan navy with combat management systems and other guidance systems.

Read more

Afghan Defense Ministry wants modern warplanes, tanks, missiles

Afghanistan needs advanced fighter jets, tanks, armored vehicles and missiles to ensure its independence, Defense Ministry spokesman Lt. Gen. Zahir Azimi said on Wednesday.

NATO has pledged to hand over responsibility for security in Afghanistan to Afghans by the end of 2014, but also vowed not to leave the country to face the Taliban threat alone.

"The security situation in Afghanistan, the tense situation in the region necessitates the fight with terrorism, as well as close cooperation with the NATO forces. The Afghan military must have modern technologies in its arsenal," he said.

Read more

BAE Systems Delivers Hornets Ahead Of Schedule

BAE Systems has underlined its commitment to total performance by delivering the two most recent F/A-18 Hornets under the RAAF’s Deeper Maintenance Support Contract ahead of schedule and under budget.

The BAE Systems Australia Fast Jet Support maintenance team and partner L-3 MAS Canada delivered the first Hornet three working days ahead of schedule, followed by the second Hornet being delivered ten working days early at its Williamtown facility.

The Company, in co-operation with the DMO’s Tactical Fighter Systems Program Office, is implementing the Smart Maintenance concept as part of Defence’s Strategic Reform Program (SRP).

Read more

Rheinmetall and Sikorsky present Cyclone naval helicopter

Rheinmetall and Sikorsky recently presented the Cyclone Naval Helicopter at a joint press conference in Bonn.

With a view to the German Navy's planned procurement of thirty multi-role naval helicopters to replace its current Sea King systems, the companies have joined forces with additional partners in a pioneering alliance.

With spare parts for the Sea King increasingly hard to come by and levels of operational readiness for remaining aircraft no longer adequate, the Germany Navy's requirement for new systems is deemed to be urgent.

Read more

Russia returned it's debt to Slovenia with a patrol ship

Russian patrol ship "Svetlyak" was placed under orders of Slovenian navy, paying the debt of the USSR to the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

As a part of the slovenian fleet, the ship named "Triglav", in honor of the highest point of this Balkan state, will protect the 43-kilometer coastline of the country.

"With this ship Slovenia proves it's maritime power", — declared Ljubica Elushich, the defence minister.

Read more

Raytheon's Rolling Airframe Missile Block 2 Completes Key Flight Test

Raytheon Company's Rolling Airframe Missile Block 2 completed the fourth of four controlled test vehicle flights designed to demonstrate the system's upgraded kinematic performance and stable airframe control capability.

The test also focused on RAM's rocket motor, airframe, control section and autopilot software, which will be used to evolve and improve the accuracy and fidelity of future simulations.

Raytheon will build 25 Block 2 missiles during the design and development test period. The company expects a low rate initial production contract to follow.

Read more

US Air Force concerned about F-35 delivery delay

The U.S. Air Force's top general said on Tuesday he was concerned software development and production issues could delay the service's plan to start using new F-35 fighter jets in April 2016.

General Norton Schwartz said the Air Force variant of the Lockheed Martin Corp fighter jet was doing better in testing and development than the Navy and Marine Corps' versions, but it was not clear whether software issues would delay the start of their use in combat.

Vice Admiral David Venlet, the defense official in charge of the F-35 program, briefed Pentagon acquisition chief Ashton Carter and other senior defense officials at a three-hour meeting on Monday about the preliminary findings of his months-long comprehensive review of the program.

Read more

Thailand signs for more Gripen fighters, anti-ship missiles

Thailand has signed a planned follow-on order for Saab-produced fighter and surveillance aircraft and added anti-ship missiles to its air force's future inventory.

A new agreement covering the supply of six more Gripen Cs and a second Saab 340-based airborne early warning and control system aircraft was secured in Stockholm on 23 November.

It was signed by Royal Thai Air Force commander in chief Air Chief Marshal Itthaporn Subhawong and Gunnar Holmgren, director general of Sweden's Defence Materiel Administration (FMV).

Read more

South Korea, U.S. to start joint naval drill in Yellow Sea on Sunday

South Korea and the United States will launch a joint naval drill in the Yellow Sea from Sunday with a nuclear-powered American aircraft carrier participating amid heightened tensions over North Korea's artillery attack on a South Korean island, officials said Wednesday.

"The USS George Washington carrier strike group will join Republic of Korea naval forces in the waters west of the Korean Peninsula from Nov. 28 to Dec. 1 to conduct the next exercise," the U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) said in a statement.

While the four-day exercise had been planned well before the North's "unprovoked artillery attack, it demonstrates the strength of the ROK-U.S. alliance and our commitment to regional stability through deterrence," the USFK said in the statement.

Read more

Cyclone helicopters delayed for third time; Ottawa warns it may issue fines

There has been a third delay in the delivery of a new navy helicopter slated to replace a fleet of decades-old Sea Kings, the federal government said Tuesday.

A spokeswoman for Public Works Minister Rona Ambrose says U.S.-based Sikorsky has informed the federal government it won't meet a Nov. 30 deadline for delivery of early versions of the Cyclone helicopters used for testing and evaluation.

Rebecca Thompson said Sikorsky considers the delay "excusable" under its contract but Public Works will determine if any penalties should be applied. Thompson said if Ottawa rejects Sikorsky's argument, the department could implement a fine of $45,000 a day, up to a maximum of 120 days, the delivery of the choppers is late.

Read more

Arms scandal threatens to undermine Sarkozy re-election bid

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been caught up in fresh allegations surrounding a French arms contract and subsequent bomb attack, a further embarrassment to the centre-right leader just 18 months before presidential elections.

During a recent search of files held by France's tax department, the judge investigating the case appears to have found "extremely interesting" documents detailing a system of kickbacks related to the 1994 sale of French submarines to Pakistan, reports Le Parisian daily newspaper on Tuesday (23 November).

Investigators are seeking to verify whether money surrounding the sale was illegally channelled back to the presidential campaign of Edouard Balladur, the then prime minister.

Read more

North Korea shells southern island, no fatalities yet

North Korea fired roughly 200 artillery shells into Yeonpyeong Island and the South Korean Navy directly returned fire after 2:34 p.m. today.

The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed that multiple buildings on the island were destroyed by North Korean shells.

No fatalities have been confirmed by the military, but four soldiers were wounded on the island as well as two civilians. Soldiers are being taken to hospital.

Read more

Boeing Phantom Ray Completes Low-speed Taxi Tests

The Boeing Phantom Ray unmanned airborne system successfully completed low-speed taxi tests on Nov. 18 at Lambert International Airport in St. Louis.

"Phantom Ray did exactly what it was supposed to do," said Craig Brown, Phantom Ray program manager for Boeing.

"It communicated with the ground control station, received its orders and made its way down the runway multiple times, allowing us to assess its performance and monitor the advanced systems on board."

Read more

Second prototype fifth-generation fighter to fly before yearend

Flight trials of the second prototype of Sukhoi's fifth-generation T-50 fighter aircraft are due before the end of the year, Sukhoi holding CEO Mikhail Pogosyan said on Monday.

The first prototype of the aircraft made its maiden flight in late January and has conducted 40 in total, Pogosyan said.

"The flight trial program is moving ahead faster than we expected," Pogosyan said.

Read more

Telephonics Corporation to Supply Aft Radar for India’s P-8i Maritime Patrol Aircraft

Telephonics Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Griffon Corporation, announced today that its Radar Systems Division has received a contract from The Boeing Company to supply APS-143C(V)3 Multi-Mode Radar (MMR) for India’s P-8i aircraft.

The contract includes systems for (8) P-8i Aft Radar installations integration and support services.

“We are very pleased to have been selected for this important program”, said Kevin McSweeney, President of the Radar Systems Division.

Read more

Succesfull launch of the Netherland's second Patrol Vessel "Zeeland"

Karla Peijs, the Queen's Commissioner for the province of Zeeland, has officially performed the naming ceremony of the "Zeeland", the patrol ship of the Royal Netherlands Navy.

The ceremony took place on November 20 at the Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding in Vlissingen.

This is the third naming ceremony of the Holland Class vessels. The "Holland" and the "Friesland" were launched earlier this year. Next year, the last ship in the series will be named "Groningen".

Read more

HMS Vigilant LOP(R) achieves major milestone with successful completion refuelling

A major milestone has been achieved in the Long Overhaul Period (Refuel) (LOP(R)) being undertaken by Babcock on HMS Vigilant at Devonport Royal Dockyard, with the successful completion of refuelling last week, two years in to the LOP(R) programme.

The refuelling of a nuclear submarine takes around seven months, from removing the reactor head to access the fuel modules to replacing the reactor head when refuelling is complete, and involves nearly 100 highly trained and experienced refuellers.

The extremely complex and demanding procedure is carried out to the most rigorous of safety standards.

Read more

Cassidian supplies innovative high-performance radar for German F125 frigates

Cassidian, the recently renamed defence and security division of EADS, is equipping the German Navy’s new F125 stabilisation frigates with their newly developed TRS-4D/NR radar, which detects movements on the sea and in the air with previously unattainable precision.

Cassidian has received an order for four naval radars and one land-based system from Blohm & Voss Naval GmbH, in Hamburg, Germany.

“Maintaining safety at sea and the protection of our ships requires high-performance sensors which can always guarantee an ideal overview of the situation,” explains Bernd Wenzler, CEO of Cassidian Electronics.

Read more

US crewless, automated ghost-frigate project takes shape

A US military plan to build a crewless, automated robo-frigate which could trail hostile submarines across the oceans for months on end without supervision - the ACTUV project - is moving forward, with several contracts recently announced.

We reported on the ACTUV (Anti-submarine warfare Continuous Trail Unmanned Vessel) scheme back in February when it was announced.

In essence the idea was to nullify the menace of cheap, very silent diesel-electric submarines - considered a serious problem by many in the major Western navies.

Read more

Navy submarine fleet on the prowl off the coast of Western Australia

The Royal Australian Navy has three Collins class submarines at sea, with HMAS Dechaineux and HMAS Collins sailing from their base at Fleet Base West at HMAS Stirling for Anti Submarine Warfare exercises.

ASWEX is an important exercise in the Royal Australian Navy’s annual calendar, bringing together frigates, replenishment ships, Navy aircraft and submarines as well as aircraft from the Royal Australian Air Force.

HMAS Collins had been visiting the east coast of Australia but has returned to her home port to participate in ASWEX. Collins steamed over 10,400 nautical miles around Australia, with port visits in five states and territories. She also qualified 20 new submariners and had 17 sailors complete professional development qualifications.

Read more

First battery live-firing of SAF's HIMARS

The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) has successfully conducted a battery live-firing exercise with its High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, in the United States.

The battery live-firing is the first to involve the SAF's HIMARS since it took delivery of the system in July.

Some 170 personnel from the 23rd Battalion, Singapore Artillery participated in the exercise - codenamed Daring Warrior - held from 10 to 21 Nov.

Read more

AH-1 Cobra retirement program at Fort Drum ends; final four helicopters head to Thailand

A Fort Drum-based operation that brought in tens of millions of dollars for the Army by rebuilding and selling AH-1 Cobra helicopters is about to ship its last four aircraft, bringing a successful and profitable venture to a close.

About 10 years ago, every Cobra in the U.S. fleet began arriving at Fort Drum to be retired through the post's Foreign Military Sales shop near Wheeler-Sack Army Airfield.

Some were gutted for parts and used as military training apparatus; most were refurbished here and sold to military customers overseas.

Read more

New Syrian, Hizballah's guided missiles defy Israel's aerial supremacy

Israeli Military Intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Amos Yadlin took his leave from the Israel cabinet Sunday, Nov. 21, with a stern warning: "Tel Aviv will be a front line in the next conflict," he said.

debkafile's military sources report: Syria and Hizballah now possess thousands of surface missiles from Iran with enhanced ranges of up to 300 kilometers and they are being outfitted by Iranian engineers with guidance systems.

The new guided Fateh-110, M-600 and Scud D missiles hardware can pinpoint any part of Israel within a 10-meter radius in defiance of Israel's aerial and anti-missile capabilities, say Israeli and Western missile experts.

Read more

China’s military prowess on full display at air show

While China’s military planning has usually been kept under wraps, this show contained details on how it could counter an aircraft carrier.

Efforts by the Chinese military to modernize its aerospace capabilities were on full display at the eighth China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition that concluded in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, China, yesterday, with no less than 25 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) on display.

According to a report in Defense News, three Chinese companies — ASN Technology Group, China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp (CASIC) and China Aerospace Science Technology Corp (CASC) — produced the majority of the UAVs unveiled at the show.

Read more

Smith confident of fighter jets delivery

Defence Minister Stephen Smith has expressed confidence in the new Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) ahead of a United States report expected to be highly critical of the project.

Mr Smith said Australia had committed to buying 14 aircraft - all of which are the conventional takeoff and landing variant which had experienced few problems.

In contrast, the other two variants, the aircraft carrier version and the short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) versions have experienced considerable development problems and delays.

Read more

Brazilian navy plans a fleet of 20 subs, six nuclear powered

The Brazilian navy is planning to build and incorporate in the next decades a fleet of six nuclear powered and 20 conventional submersibles (15 new and five refurbished), making it the most dissuasive fleet of South America.

The navy’s three decade procurement plan and its program to develop submarines estimates the cost of building the first nuclear powered submarine in 2 billion Euros which already have been earmarked.

The first is always the dearest because of technology transfer and other capacities costs that must be paid to the French DCNS shipyard. However the costs of the following subs to be built in Brazil are estimated by the Brazilian Navy in 550 million US dollars.

Read more

Iran Tests Anti-Cruise Tor-M1 Air Defense System

Iran's air defense unit has conducted successful tests of different anti-aircraft defense systems, including the anti-cruise Tor-M1 missile system, during the nationwide air drills this week, a senior commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) announced on Saturday.

"During the wargames, other optimized and upgraded weapons for targeting Cruise missiles as well as Tor-M1 and heavy fire power artillery systems have been test-fired and assessed," one of the commanders of IRGC Aerospace Force General Ezatollah Beigi told FNA.

The Tor-M1 is a short range, mobile air defense system intended for engagement of fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, UAVs, and cruise missiles flying between medium and very low altitudes even in severe countermeasures environments.

Read more

Chengdu J-10 Next Variant Developing

Chengdu Aerospace’s most famous product, the J-10 fighter aircraft, made its inaugural appearance at Zhuhai’s Air Show China in 2008, offering one of the most remarkable flight displays of the event.

In the intervening two years, the program has made notable progress.

The J-10’s evolution mirrors that of another famous single-engine fighter aircraft, the Lockheed Martin F-16 in more than one respect.

Read more