Northrop Grumman Delivers 1000th Guardian Laser Transmitter Assembly Four Months Ahead of Schedule

Northrop Grumman Corporation today announced the delivery of the 1,000th Guardian Laser Transmitter Assembly (GLTA) to the U.S. government for use as part of the Department of Navy's Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (DoN LAIRCM) system. DoN LAIRCM is currently installed on U.S. Marine Corps CH-53E helicopters operating in Afghanistan and on ship-based CH-46E helicopters.

Northrop Grumman has averaged between 35 and 45 production GLTAs each month since delivering the 500th unit to the U.S. government just over a year ago allowing the 1,000th GLTA to be delivered four months ahead of schedule.

"Your IRCM system continues to provide a high priority protection for our troops on the front line and ensures they return safely," said Dan Johnson, Integrated Product Team lead for the Department of the Navy's DIRCM Systems.

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Dogfight over India

In what is touted to be the world's biggest defence deal yet, the govt has shortlisted Eurofighter and Rafale for 126 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft for the Indian Air Force.

Diagnostic Review of MRH-90 Multi Role Helicopter Program

A full diagnostic review of the MRH-90 Multi Role Helicopter Program has now been completed.

The review was ordered in February by the Minister for Defence Stephen Smith and the Minister for Defence Materiel Jason Clare to address delays to the project.

It was chaired by the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Defence Materiel Organisation Mr Warren King supported by a number of independent specialists.

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Saab Targets Smaller Gripen Orders After Losing Bid for India

Saab AB, the Swedish maker of the Gripen jet fighter, is focusing on winning smaller orders from as many as nine countries after being excluded from India’s military program, Chief Executive Officer Hakan Buskhe said.

Saab sees potential for Gripen orders in Brazil, Romania, Croatia, Denmark, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Hungary and the Czech Republic, Buskhe said in an interview today. Hungary and the Czech Republic are existing customers that may expand their orders, he said.

“We feel good about the Gripen program, it has lots of potential,” Buskhe said, adding that it “remains a profitable business.”

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Russia loses deal of the century to Europe

Russia has lost the largest arms tender of this century - the delivery of the medium multi-role combat aircraft for India.

Russia was taking part in the tender with its MiG-35 fighter jet (a modernized version of MiG-29).

The contract stipulated the delivery of 126 fighter jets in the amount of over $10 billion.

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General Dynamics Awarded $1.2 Billion for Second FY11 Virginia-class Submarine by U.S. Navy

The U.S. Navy has released $1.2 billion for the construction of the 14th Virginia-class submarine, SSN-787, to General Dynamics Electric Boat, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics. This award marks the beginning of production of two submarines per year on the Virginia-class program.

The release of the funding allows procurement of long lead-time components that will support the planned official construction start later this year on the as-yet-unnamed submarine at Electric Boat and its teammate, Huntington Ingalls Industries in Newport News, Va.

"Today represents the culmination of an extraordinary effort by the Virginia-class team," said John D. Holmander, Electric Boat’s vice president for the Virginia Program.

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Russia ready to unfold anti-missile umbrella over eastern Europe

Russia is ready to provide the bordering countries with the anti-missile defense (AMD) system in the frame of the joint Russian-European system, Commander of Russian Space Forces Lt. Gen. Oleg Ostapenko said on Friday.

According to Ostapenko, Russia is ready to deploy a protective anti-missile umbrella over its sector of responsibility which includes Eastern Europe as well as Black, Baltic and Barents seas.

"We are in possession of military, technological and scientific possibilities for that," the commander was quoted by local media as saying.

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Middle East Military Air Market to Showcase Robust Growth Between 2011 and 2020, Says Frost & Sullivan

Due to the increased recognition of advanced air platforms as a force multiplier, Middle Eastern Ministries of Defence (MODs) are acquiring defensive air capability in earnest. The regional military air market is accordingly set to generate revenues of $62.90 billion between 2010 and 2020.

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan (http://www.aerospace.frost.com), The Middle East Military Air Market - Revenue Opportunities and Stakeholder Mapping, finds that the Middle East military air market would earn revenues of $1280 million in 2010 and estimates this to reach $3906 million by 2020.

The solid rise could be attributed to growing recognition of air assets as a force multiplier across all regional defence communities. The following countries are covered in the research: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain.

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Israel Acquires Additional Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules

Lockheed Martin has received an Undefinitized Contract Action from the U.S. Government for the Foreign Military Sale of an additional C 130J to Israel, with funding for advanced procurement items for a third aircraft.

Israel ordered its first C-130J in April 2010 and will receive that aircraft in spring 2013. The next two aircraft will be delivered in late 2013 and late 2014 respectively. The contract also covers a number of items to meet Israel’s unique operational requirements. The Israeli Air Force’s new Super Hercules are the longer fuselage or "stretched" variant of the C-130J.

“We are providing Israel with the most flexible and capable airlifter in the world as that country continues to expand its advanced airlift fleet. The proven multi-role and multi-mission capability and performance of the C-130J are ideally suited to the unique requirements of the Israeli Air Force,” said Jim Grant, Lockheed Martin vice president of Business Development for Air Mobility.

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Hatf-VIII (Ra’ad) Flight Test conducted

Pakistan, today conducted a successful Flight Test of the indigenously developed Air Launched Cruise Missile, Hatf-VIII (Ra’ad).

The missile test was conducted as part of the continuous process of improving the technical parameters of the weapon system. The Ra’ad Missile, with a range of over 350 km, has been developed exclusively for launch from Aerial Platforms.

This missile system has enabled Pakistan to achieve a greater strategic stand off capability on land and at sea. ‘Cruise Technology’ is extremely complex and has been developed by only a few countries in the world.

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IAI demonstrates Heron UAS to African nations

Angola's defence ministry is negotiating the purchase of a number of Israel Aerospace Industries Heron 1 unmanned air systems, according to African sources.

IAI has within the past few months conducted flight demonstrations with the Heron in Angola and Kenya, which is also looking for a UAS capability, the sources say. A lease deal involving the type is believed to be one option available to the first country, they add.

IAI declines to comment about its marketing efforts with UAS in Africa.

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Dutch tank crews take aim at cutbacks

Hundreds of tank crew members protested at military spending cuts that will leave the Netherlands with no main battle tanks for the first time since the second world war and could restrict the country’s role in future international military interventions.

The protest on Thursday, part of a wave of opposition among the Dutch military, was aimed at cutbacks announced this month that will reduce defence spending from €8.5bn ($12.6bn) this year to €7.5bn in 2015, eliminating 12,000 of the armed forces’ 59,000 personnel. The air force will lose 19 of its 87 F-16 fighter jets and the navy four of its 10 minesweepers.

“It is like a death in the family,” said a protesting tank officer, who asked to remain anonymous. “We are still in mourning.”

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Sparton Awarded $28 Million Q53F, Q62E, and Q36B Sonobuoy Subcontract

Sparton Corporation announced today, the award of a $28.5 million subcontract to manufacture sonobuoys for the United States Navy as part of the Company’s ERAPSCO joint venture. Production will be performed at Sparton’s DeLeon Springs, Fla., facility and is expected to be completed by October 2012.

ERAPSCO is a joint venture between Sparton and USSI, a subsidiary of Ultra Electronics Holdings PLC. Under the ERAPSCO subcontract, Sparton will produce 34,458 sonobuoys. The types of sonobuoys to be produced are AN/SSQ-53F, AN/SSQ-62E, and AN/SSQ-36B which are used to support the United States Naval Antisubmarine Forces. The primary purpose of a sonobuoy is to detect acoustic emissions or reflections from potentially hostile submarines and transmit these signals to US Navy airborne antisubmarine warfare forces.

The AN/SSQ-53F sonobuoy is a passive acoustic sensor that is used for detection, classification, and localization of adversary submarines during peacetime and combat operations. The AN/SSQ-62E DICASS sonobuoy is an active acoustic sensor that is used in the final localization and attack phase of submarine prosecutions. The AN/SSQ-36B sonobuoy measures the temperature profile of a water column providing sonar propagation and acoustic range prediction.

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Terma radar systems for the Danish Navys new frigates

The Danish Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organization has signed a contract with Terma for the delivery of radar systems for the Danish Navys three new frigates of the Iver Huitfeldt class, which are expected to enteroperational service in 2013.

The radar is intended for surveillance and rescue assignments and helicopter guidance. The first system will be installed in May this year, and the two additional systems in December 2011 and February 2012.

Termas SCANTER 6000 naval surveillance radar is already installed on the U.S. Navys Stiletto vessel and will be installed as part of the French Offshore Patrol Vessel program Hermes later this year.

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Rafael develops 'Silver Sparrow' target missile

Rafael has developed a new advanced target called the "Silver Sparrow" that will be used as part of Israel's Arrow 3 anti-ballistic missile interceptor programme.

The third generation of Rafael's target missiles, the new design follows earlier systems called Black Sparrow and Blue Sparrow.

It is intended to test the performance of Israel Aerospace Industries' new Arrow 3 interceptor, which will perform its first fly-out next year.

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BrahMos missile to be inducted in air force in 2012

The BrahMos supersonic cruise missile will be inducted into the Air Force in 2012, a top Defence Research and Development Organisation official said.

The missile has already been inducted into the army and navy, BrahMos Aerospace Managing Director and Chief Controller, DRDO, A Sivathanu Pillai, told reporters at Chunkankadai, near here.

The BrahMos missile, a joint venture of India and Russia, is the first such in the world, he claimed.

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SECNAV: Women will serve on attack subs

The Navy’s top civilian said that attack submarines are in the future for both enlisted and commissioned women.

As the first wave of female officers moves through training to report to ballistic and guided-missile submarines in November, Navy Secretary Ray Mabus said enlisted women should also have the opportunity to serve on submarines.

Additionally, both enlisted women and female officers should be allowed to serve onboard attack submarines, not just the guided-missile and ballistic boats open to them today.

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US disappointed India rejected its fighters

With its fighters losing out in the bid for India's multi-billion dollar deal, the US today said it was "deeply disappointed" over it but was "respectful" of the procurement process.

In a statement here, Ambassador Timothy Roemer said he had been assured at the highest levels in the Indian government that the procurement process for the fighters "has been and will be transparent and fair" He said the US looked forward to continuing to grow and develop defence partnership with India.

"The US Embassy in New Delhi was informed yesterday that two aircraft offered by the US government through the Foreign Military Sales process were not selected for procurement by the Indian Ministry of Defence," the statement said.

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F-35B prepares for rough seas

The F-35B moved another step forward to shipboard testing on board USS Wasp (LHD-1) this year, as F-35 integrated test force personnel used weights to simulate shipboard padeyes during an evaluation of chain down procedures on F-35B test aircraft BF-1.

The team observed no points of interference and identified ways to optimize aircraft jacking techniques. Padeyes are used on ships to secure equipment to the deck during various sea states.

The F-35B and F-35C Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter variants are undergoing test and evaluation at Naval Air Station Patuxent River prior to eventual delivery to the fleet.

Source

Delays in Russian spares force India to go shopping worldwide

Signalling its impatience over delays in Russian after-sales- support for military equipment, India has for the first time gone shopping worldwide for spares for its vintage fighter jets, transport aircraft, helicopters, missiles and radars.

The government has issued global tenders to international suppliers to urgently replenish its stocks of spares for MiG-23, MiG-27 and MiG-29 combat planes, IL-76 heavy-lift planes, IL-78 midair refuelers, all Mi-series of helicopters, Pechora and OSA-AK air defence missiles and P-18 and P-19 radars.

The shopping list also includes engines for MiG-27 combat planes and AN-32 transport aircraft and spares for ST-68 long-range radars. These tenders are said to be worth several million dollars.

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Lockheed Martin Delivers Second Mid-Life Upgrade P-3 Orion To U.S. Customs & Border Protection

Lockheed Martin has delivered the second P-3 Orion with new Mid-Life Upgrade enhancements to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

This newly re-winged P-3 joins CBP’s first upgraded Orion, which is currently operational. These aircraft support the critical missions of interdicting and preventing acts of terrorism, and the unlawful movement of people, illegal drugs and other contraband toward or across the borders of the United States.

“We are proud of the partnership we have with U.S. Customs and Border Protection and are committed to providing them a cost-effective solution to maintain and sustain their P-3s for decades to come,” said Ray Burick, Lockheed Martin P-3 Programs and Greenville Operations vice president.

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AME Unmanned Air Systems Announces Successful First Flight of Heavy-Fuel Powered Fury® 1500 UAS

AME Unmanned Air Systems announces the successful first flight of the Fury® 1500 Small Tactical Unmanned Aerial System (STUAS) powered by a heavy-fuel engine.

The successful flight occurred April 5 at the Fort Hunter Liggett range on California’s central coast.

This latest upgrade to the Fury®, developed at AME UAS’s facility in San Luis Obispo, CA, significantly increases the capability of the system, decreasing the logistical footprint of the system while increasing its endurance substantially.

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India Shortlists Two Fighter Jets for 126-Plane Contract

India has short-listed Dassault Aviation SA and Eurofighter GmbH for an estimated $10 billion contract to supply 126 fighter jets to its air force, a senior official in the country's defense ministry said Thursday.

Boeing Co., Lockheed Martin Corp., United Aircraft Corp. and Saab AB have been eliminated from the race, the official, who declined to be named, said.

"Only Dassault and Eurofighter are in the shortlist," the official said. He declined to elaborate.

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Aircraft carrier costs to rise by at least £1bn (again)

The cost of Britain's controversial new aircraft carriers is set to rise by at least £1bn, and perhaps almost £2bn, as a result of the government's decision taken last October to make them compatible with different aircraft than those originally envisaged.

I have learned that the working assumption of the contractors on the project, which are BAE Systems, Thales UK and Babcock, is that the carriers will now cost taxpayers some £7bn in total, compared with the £5.2bn cost disclosed by the Ministry of Defence last autumn - and up from the £3.9bn budget announced when the contract was originally signed in July 2008.

One defence industry veteran said the final bill was bound to be nearer £10bn, though a government official insisted that was way over the top.

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Plan to buy old U-boats sparks signs of conflict

Signs of conflict have emerged over the navy's 7.7-billion-baht plan to procure second-hand German submarines as a top aide to the defence minister has insisted the procurement plan has yet to be approved.

"The Defence Council didn't approve the submarine purchase, only acknowledged it," Noppadon Inthapanya, secretary to Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon, said yesterday.

On Monday, navy commander Kamthorn Phumhiran spent almost two hours outlining the plan to buy six second-hand U-206 A submarines worth 7.7 billion baht to the Defence Council.

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Corruption halts Indian N-submarines uptift plans

Indian Navy has failed to sustain its nuclear submarines development plan due to prevalent corruption and grafts that has seeped into Indian Defence Establishment.

According to details the Indian Navy has begun construction of its second and third nuclear submarines. T

he work on the first nuclear submarine continues, albeit belatedly, the delivery of Russian nuclear powered K-152 Nepra's to India by the Russians has also been delayed from March to October this year.

Russia had earlier leased a nuclear submarine to India that latter was inducted in Indian fleet by the names of INS CHAKRA in late 1980s.

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South Korea Navy To Launch New Frigate This Week

South Korea's Navy will launch this week a new frigate armed with guided missiles and a high-tech radar system as tensions remain high following North Korea's deadly attacks last year, Yonhap News Agency reported officials as saying Wednesday.

The 2,300-tonne frigate, the Incheon, is the lead ship of 20 new frigates to be built by 2020 under a naval buildup project code-named "FFX." The new frigate will be put into service in mid-2013, Navy officials said.

With 140 crew members, the 114-meter frigate can carry an anti-submarine helicopter and guided weapons, including homegrown anti-submarine Cheonsangeo (Blue Shark) torpedoes.

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S Korean firm offers anti-aircraft missile to India

A South Korean defence company has put forward a proposal to sell its portable anti-aircraft missile system to India, according to a news report.

The LIG Nex1 Co. has offered its Shingung portable missiles to India, a defence official said.

“LIG Nex1 submitted a request for a proposal early this year to the Indian government to export the Shingung portable missiles,” the unnmaned official was quoted as saying by the Yonhap news agency recently.

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Alliant Techsystems Missile Glitches Corrected, U.S. Navy Says

Alliant Techsystems Inc. has corrected software and manufacturing glitches that halted combat testing and delayed a potential $1.1 billion Pentagon production decision on a new anti-radar missile, according to the U.S. Navy.

“The anomalies experienced in the first operational test period have been corrected and verified,” Navy program manager Captain Brian Corey said in an e-mail. “The weapon is performing very well and the team has been able to meet the affordability goals.”

“We are confident we will successfully complete” combat testing, which may resume in June if a Pentagon review confirms the corrections in flight tests, he said. The missile will miss its scheduled May date to be declared initially ready for combat, however.

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Raytheon Awarded $58 Million for Patriot Tactical Missile Upgrades

Raytheon Company has been awarded a $58.3 million contract for Patriot Guidance Enhanced Missile-Tactical, or GEM-T, missiles.

The U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command (AMCOM), Redstone Arsenal, Ala., issued the contract to upgrade 131 Patriot Advanced Capability-2 missiles to the GEM-T configuration.

This is a follow-on contract as part of AMCOM's Patriot missile continuous technology refreshment program initiated in 2000.

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Boeing Vigilare System Completes Operational Testing in Australia

The Boeing Vigilare network centric command and control system has passed its last formal operational test. Testing took place at Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Base Williamtown's Eastern Region Operations Centre (EROC) from March 28 to April 8.

The testing established that EROC is ready for operations as it demonstrated Vigilare's full range of functionality in preparation for conditional acceptance this month, the last milestone before final system acceptance by the Commonwealth of Australia.

Vigilare's second week of operational testing was incorporated into Exercise Aces South, a key combat exercise for pilots and air defense operators studying to become advanced fighter tactics instructors and controllers.

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Iran to increase Navy missiles' range

Iran's Navy will increase the range of its missiles in a bid to boost the capabilities of the country's Armed Forces, says the deputy commander of the Navy.


“The range of missile systems… and even systems that are used as missiles in vessels will be increased,” Admiral Gholamreza Khadem Bigham told IRNA on Tuesday.

“Based on possible enemy threats, increasing the range of these missiles has been carried out by Iran's committed experts, especially with the cooperation of Iran's Defense Ministry,” he added.

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China to put new fighter aircraft to test soon

China will soon put to test its newest fighter aircraft J15 Flying Shark in an indisputable evidence of its growing mastery of military technology. 'Media in China' splashed the close photograph of the fighter aircraft, indicating liberal attitude of the People's Liberation Army which has so far been very secretive about any military news.

The aircraft has passed the factory test and now awaits fighting test. The new aircraft is equipped with advanced anti-ship radar, self-guiding missiles, in contrast to gravity controlled bombs that largely populate China's existing 3200 aircraft fleet.

When deployed, J15 will signal the dawn of a new ability by China to assert authority over its coastline, the New York Times (NYT) in a report said today.

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Ignatieff seizes on DND report of rising F-35 costs

Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff is renewing his attack on the Conservatives over soaring costs for the high-tech F-35 fighter jets, as newly released Pentagon reports indicate that unforeseen production costs are pushing up the planes' price tag.

The Department of National Defence acknowledged Monday that the new wave of F-35 stealth fighters will cost more than it budgeted for, but the full extent of the cost increase is not yet known.

The department's admission followed a recent report from the Pentagon that indicates the cost of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighters will rise, though National Defence has yet to see details on why.

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Navy frigates to stay at Devonport and Portsmouth bases

The Royal Navy's surface ships, including Type 23 frigates, will continue to be based at both Devonport and Portsmouth naval bases.

Defence minister Gerald Howarth ended speculation that seven vessels currently based in Plymouth could have been transferred to the Hampshire base.

He said frigates would remain at both bases "for the foreseeable future".

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Russia successfully tests Sineva SLBM

Russia has successfully test-fired the Sineva submarine-launched ballistic missile from a Delta-IV class submarine, a defense ministry spokesman said.

The missile, lauched from the Yekaterinburg submarine, hit the designated target on time, the source said.

The RSM-54 Sineva (NATO codename SS-N-23 Skiff) is a third-generation liquid-propellant submarine-launched ballistic missile that entered service with the Russian Navy in July 2007.

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HMS Cornwall returning to Plymouth base for final time

A warship is due back into Plymouth on Tuesday ahead of it being scrapped under multi-million pound cutbacks by the government.

HMS Cornwall is returning after a six-month deployment conducting counter piracy operations near Suez.

The ship is the sixth Royal Navy vessel to bear the name Cornwall. The name was first used in 1692.

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In St. Petersburg launched a new Navy patrol Vietnam

St. Petersburg shipbuilding company Almaz was launched on the third patrol boat project 10412, under construction for the Navy in Viet Nam, according to a company press release.

Currently, the ship moored at the quay wall of the plant, which will be its completion.

When the new patrol will be delivered to the customer, not specified.

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Air Force officials announce helicopter acquisition strategy

Air Force officials announced their strategy here April 25 to recapitalize the Air Force's helicopter fleet, which is critical to nuclear weapon security response, continuity of government, and combat search and rescue.

The Air Force secretary and chief of staff have directed that the service proceed with full and open competition for both the Common Vertical Lift Support Platform program and the HH-60 recapitalization program.

These two programs will hold separate competitions using their respective capability development documents approved by the joint requirements oversight council to meet the warfighter requirements.

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Raytheon Delivers First Standard Missile-6 to U.S. Navy

Raytheon Company delivered the first Standard Missile-6 production round to the U.S. Navy.

"Five years ago, Raytheon promised the U.S. Navy that SM-6 would be delivered in March 2011, and we delivered on that promise," said Frank Wyatt, vice president of Raytheon's Air and Missile Defense Systems product line.

"Raytheon delivered the SM-6 to our customer and met cost expectations for system development and demonstration.

Now the U.S. Navy has a missile that provides an umbrella of protection against the full spectrum of air threats."

SM-6 leverages the legacy Standard Missile airframe and propulsion elements while incorporating the advanced signal processing and guidance control capabilities of Raytheon's Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile.

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Iran has test fired laser missiles from upgraded Su-24

Iran's air force has enhanced the capabilities of its Sukhoi 24 strategic aircraft which has successfully test fired laser missiles recently, a senoir air force official has said.

"Our experts have revived important capabilities of Sukhoi-24, including its laser missiles, radar-guided air-to-ground missiles and long-range missiles," Lieutenant Commander of the Iranian Air Force for Operations, General Seyed Mohammad Alavi, was quoted as saying by the Fars news agency.

The air force test-fired laser missiles from the aircraft recently, which hit the target "with zero-zero error," the Commander said.

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After 27 years, frigate Jarrett decommissioned

The veteran Navy frigate Jarrett ended its 27-year career at sea Thursday with a decommissioning ceremony at San Diego Naval Base.

The San Diego-based ship completed 15 deployments, six in the past six years, and took part in every major sanction-enforcement blockade over the past three decades, the Navy said.

Most recently, Jarrett returned from a six-month anti-drug patrol off South America.

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Thai navy wins big battle for U-boats

The Defence Council yesterday approved a navy plan to buy six second-hand submarines from Germany for almost 8 billion baht.

Council spokesman Col Thanatip Sawangsaeng said council members, who include the defence permanent secretary and supreme commander, were satisfied with the submarine procurement plan that navy commander Kamthorn Phumhiran outlined during a one hour and 40 minute presentation.

They were also satisfied with the navy's choice, the U-206 A German-made submarines, he said.

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Russia to test 90 new types of weapon in 2011

Kapustin Yar testing range
Nearly 90 types of new weaponry will be tested in 2011, Russian Defense Ministry said on Monday.

The weapons include Iskander-M, S-300, S-400, Tor-M2 and Buk missile systems, Panzir-S anti-aircraft missile-and-cannon complex, Smerch missile volley-fire system, as well as intercontinental ballistic missiles, Interfax news agency reported.

According to the ministry, the tests will be held in the Kapustin Yar testing range in Astrakhan region.

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S Korea deploys missiles near border

Yeonpyeong-myeon, Ongjin-gun, Incheon
South Korea has deployed rockets on two islands near its tense maritime border with the communist North.

The move is designed to guard against attacks like the one last year which left four South Koreans dead.

South Korea's Chosun Ilbo newspaper says the military has installed 10 multiple rocket launchers on two islands near the Yellow Sea border.

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IAF scouting for long-range missiles

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is scouting the global arms market for stand-off missiles for its modern fighter jets to shore up their capability to shoot down enemy aircraft beyond visual range, an officer said Monday.

The IAF has issued a request for information (RFI) to global manufacturers of stand-off missiles fitted with light warheads that are capable of hitting enemy planes without engaging them in close dogfights, the officer said here.

"Such missiles become very potent when linked with airborne early warning and control systems (AWACS) that provide inputs on enemy missiles and aircraft beyond visual range. We do possess AWACS and we can make best use of these missiles," the officer added.

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New shipborne navy jet fighter makes waves among analysts

Photos of a domestic-made shipborne J-15 heavy fighter were released on Sunday afternoon on Internet defense forums, prompting many military observers to coo about China's aircraft carrier capacity.

"Heavy shipborne fighters will boost the aircraft carrier fleet's air defense capability and enhance the fleet's strike ability," said Lan Yun, editor of the Modern Ships, a Beijing-based magazine following the latest developments in warships and defense equipment.

"They can carry many air-to-air missiles or air-to-surface missiles and other kinds of airborne munitions," Lan told the Global Times. "And they have the benefit of long combat radius."

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MoD accused of misleading MPs over safety of submarine reactors

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has been accused of misleading MPs about the risks of the reactors that power Britain’s nuclear submarines suffering Fukushima-style accidents.

In a parliamentary answer earlier this month, the defence minister, Peter Luff, failed to respond directly to a question from the SNP’s defence spokesman, Angus Robertson, about the emergency cooling systems used on the submarines.

Instead Luff is accused of making a reassuring statement disguising the fact that the reactors have cooling systems that, according to a senior MoD safety expert, renders them vulnerable to a major loss-of-coolant accident.

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Iran mounts missiles on hovercrafts

A senior Iranian naval commander says the country's Army has for the first time equipped the Navy's hovercrafts with long-range missiles.

“Iran is the only country in the world that has fitted its navy's hovercrafts with surface-to-surface missiles,” IRNA quoted Rear Admiral Seyyed Mahmoud Moussavi, a top Navy commander, as saying on Saturday.

Rear Admiral Moussavi attached special importance to the installation of such missile systems on the amphibious craft and pointed out, “Regarding the hovercraft's special qualities, including high velocity and versatility..., they can operate in various coastal and naval areas.”

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A New C-130 Shadow in the Sky

The first Combat Shadow II for the United States Air Force Special Operations Command has completed its first flight at the Lockheed Martin facility in Marietta.

Less than one month after a rollout ceremony for the aircraft’s AFSOC customer the MC-130J has begun a series of flight tests prior to delivery to Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., in September.

The new aircraft is based on a KC-130J tanker baseline and will have the Enhanced Service Life Wing, Enhanced Cargo Handling System, a Universal Aerial Refueling Receptacle Slipway Installation (boom refueling receptacle), more powerful electrical generators, an electro-optical/infrared sensor and a combat systems operator station on the flight deck.

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'Non-slip paint' is a clue to possible reprieve for threatened Harrier jets

Refitted aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious is being prepared to accommodate combat aircraft, prompting further speculation that the government is preparing to perform a U-turn on the mothballing of the Harrier fleet.

The Scotsman has learned that the ship's deck, which has been earmarked as a helicopter carrier, has been painted with special paint which would allow for Harriers to fly from it.

While the Ministry of Defence has claimed that this would be normal, even if Illustrious does not have Harriers, Dunfermline and West Fife MP Thomas Docherty told The Scotsman that he was informed on a visit to Rosyth that a grade of paint is being used specifically to allow the fighter jets to be launched.

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U.S. departs Pakistan base

Shamsi Air Base
A senior Pakistani intelligence official told CNN Friday that U.S. military personnel have left a southern base said to be a key hub for American drone operations in the country's northwestern tribal areas.

It is the Shamsi Air Base in Pakistan's Balochistan Province, from which drones are said to take off and where they are refueled for operations against Islamic militants.

The development comes amid a public furor over American drone attacks, which have killed civilians.

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Russian Navy will stay in Sevastopol forever

Sevastopol
Russia will never give up its naval base in Ukraine's port of Sevastopol on the Crimean peninsula, ex-commander of the Russian Black Sea Fleet Adm. Igor Kasatonov said.

Russia's Black Sea Fleet is stationed in Crimea under a lease agreement with Ukraine. On April 21, 2010, Moscow and Kiev signed a deal extending the lease on the fleet's base in Sevastopol for 25 years after the current lease expires in 2017.

"The year 2042 is not the final date of the Black Sea Fleet's presence in Crimea. The Russian Navy will stay in Sevastopol forever," Kasatonov said in a recent interview with the Kiev-based Expert magazine.

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HMS Edinburgh passes her missile test

Type-42 destroyer HMS Edinburgh and her ship's company have proved she is ready to fight and take down fast-moving air targets, after successfully firing three Sea Darts.

The Portsmouth-based warship fired her principle armaments off the coast of the Outer Hebrides in almost 3,750 sq nautical miles of ocean cleared for the occasion.

In addition to their air defence role, the Type 42 destroyers operate independently carrying out patrol and boarding operations, recently carrying out anti-narcotics and anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf, Caribbean, and the South Atlantic as well as providing humanitarian assistance when required.

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Thai navy still wants 6 German submarines

The navy still wants to buy six used Type U206A submarines from Germany, because they are most suitable for its needs, navy chief Admiral Kamthorn Poomhiran said on Friday.

Adm Kamthorn said the Type U206A submarine is most suitable for the Thai navy because it is small and agile, with a displacement of only 450 tonnes.

Moreover, the six submarines would cost the navy only 7.7 billion baht.

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F-35 effort stabilizes, but may still be late

Overall, the F-35 Lightning II program is making progress, but much more needs to be done before the tri-service effort can be considered truly back on track, Vice Adm. David Venlet, the program’s manager, told reporters Thursday. dwe

Venlet said that flight testing has begun to pick up as of the beginning of the year. As well, the program’s ability to manufacture aircraft is beginning to stabilize.

Still, the admiral reiterated other senior Pentagon officials’ warning this year that the initial operational capability might slip past the planned 2016 date for the Air Force and Navy versions of the stealthy fifth-generation fighter jet.

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U.S. Army Awards Raytheon $173 Million Contract for Excalibur

Raytheon Company received a $173 million U.S. Army fiscal year 2010 contract for the production of Excalibur precision-guided projectile rounds for in-theater use.

This contract marks the beginning of full rate production for Excalibur Ia-2.

Successfully fielded in 2007, Excalibur is a 155 mm precision-guided artillery round with extended range that is currently in use with the U.S. Army and Marine Corps.

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Boeing, US Navy Mark Delivery of 500th Super Hornet/Growler

Boeing and the U.S. Navy celebrated a milestone delivery on April 20 in St. Louis: 500 F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and derivative EA-18G Growlers have joined the Navy's tactical aircraft fleet.

The Super Hornet Block II is the Navy's frontline strike fighter, deploying leading-edge technology and multirole strike capability around the globe.

The EA-18G is now the premier airborne electronic attack platform in the Navy's arsenal and the United States' newest tactical aircraft, providing the ability to block enemy radar and electronic systems.

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The Netherlands to buy second test Joint Strike Fighter jet

The Netherlands is to buy a second test JSF fighter jet, following a narrow vote in favour by MPs on Wednesday night.

The fundamentalist SGP and Geert Wilders’ PVV sided with the ruling VVD and CDA to give the proposal a majority.

The PVV had opposed the purchase during the election campaign but agreed to make the concession as part of its alliance agreement with the minority government.

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Fire Scout prepares for CENTCOM deployment

The U.S. Navy’s Fire Scout Unmanned Air Vehicle system is about to begin its first land-based deployment to U.S. Central Command this month.

The Fire Scout effort is led by the Navy and Marine Corps Multi-Mission Tactical Unmanned Air System program office, PMA-266, at Patuxent River, Md. In response to an urgent needs requirement from DoD’s Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance task force, the team rapidly modified, tested and verified the Fire Scout system to adjust to land-based operations and the demanding environmental conditions in CENTCOM.

“This is an exciting time for the Fire Scout program,” said Capt. Tim Dunigan, PMA-266 program manager. “The system has proven its capability on its two ship-based deployments, and I am confident it will perform well in CENTCOM.”

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US arms UAVs for Libya missions

The US military has decided to arm unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) already flying two constant surveillance patrols over Libya.

President Barack Obama on 20 April authorized the US Air Force to weaponise two combat air patrols of “Predator” UAVs, says Gen James Cartwright, vice chairman of the joint chiefs of staff.

It was not immediately clear if Cartwright was referring to the MQ-1 Predator or the MQ-9 Reaper – both manufactured by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI).

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