Sea trails of upgraded aircraft-carrier set for 2012

Indian navy and Sevmash shipyard agree that it will be inappropriate to start testing at sea with “Vikramaditya” this November as earlier scheduled.

Russia and India agreed in 2004 to upgrade and sell the former Soviet aircraft-carrier “Admiral Gorshkov” to the Indian navy under the name “Vikramaditya.”

After years of delays and disagreements between the two countries on the final price tag, a 2010 agreement stipulated delivery of the modernized vessel for December 2012. But, first the Indian crew will take the vessel out in the Barents Sea for testing. That was supposed to happen this November.

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India successfully test fires N-capable Agni II missile

India on Friday successfully test fired the nuclear capable Agni II missile from a defence base in Orissa.

The surface-to-surface missile with a range of over over 2,000 km was test fired in Bhadrak district, said S.P. Dash, director of the Integrated Test Range at Wheeler's Island, about 200 km from here.

"It was a perfect launch," Dash told IANS. He added that the missile was tested at about 9.30 a.m.

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Tiangong-1 blasts off

China's space dream took a step closer to reality as the Tiangong-1 module blasted off into the night sky on Thursday from the Gobi Desert.

The Long March II-F T1 rocket, under the unmanned module, Tiangong-1, lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center at 9:16 pm as planned.

Ten minutes later Tiangong-1 separated from the rocket on its way to orbit, 350 kilometers above Earth. The module deployed its two solar panels, which provide power, at 9:28 pm.

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Giant state weapons order misses another deadline

The Defense Ministry has failed to meet this year's state weapons order, despite having been given three deadline extensions by the president and prime minister.

The order is the most expensive in modern Russian history. The country allocated a whopping 750 billion rubles ($24 billion) to radically upgrade its defense system by 2020.

The immense sum notwithstanding, the ministry was hardly quick in meeting the deadlines. Officials did not manage to timely sign contracts with corporations and institutions that are expected to fulfill the ambitious order for producing new weapons.

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Lockheed Martin showcases new fighter jet

The world’s next super fighter jet was on display, in a way, at BAE Systems in Nashua on Thursday.

Its designers and builders say the plane isn’t just the future of the nation’s air defense system but a huge boon to the national and local economy.

Lockheed Martin showcased the F-35 Lightning II fighter jet using a high-tech cockpit simulator at BAE’s Spit Brook Road facility on Thursday, giving U.S. Rep. Charlie Bass, U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen and reporters the chance to pilot the stealth jet in a variety of scenarios, including air-to-air combat and landing on an aircraft carrier.

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Navy to Commission New Guided Missile Destroyer

The Navy will commission the newest Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, Spruance, Oct. 1, during a ceremony at Naval Air Station Key West, Fla.

Designated DDG 111, the new destroyer honors legendary Adm. Raymond Spruance, whose calm and decisive leadership at the Battle of Midway contributed to a pivotal American victory during World War II.

Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mark E. Ferguson III will deliver the ceremony's principal address. Ellen Spruance Holscher, granddaughter of the ship's namesake will serve as the sponsor. The ceremony will be highlighted by a time-honored Navy tradition when she gives the first order to "man our ship and bring her to life!"

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$60b Indian Naval power expansion

India is continuing its quest to become a world naval power and continues to invest billions of dollars in developing its military powers particularly the air force and navy.

According to a report published on Thursday the modernization of India’s navy will cost as much as US$ 60 billion during next few years.

The report added that the sum will be spent for procurement of surface ships, submarines, deck-based fighters, and coast-based patrol aircraft.

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Russia test-fired new submarine missile

The new Tula intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) has sophisticated characteristics that enable it to pierce any missile defence system, a Defence Ministry spokesman told reporters in Moscow.

The missile hit its target on the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia’s Far East.

The Delta-IV class submarines of the Northern fleet normally carry the upgraded version of the Sineva-missiles. The test of the new missile also took place from the submarine with the same name as the Defence Ministry says the new missile is named; Tula.

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Diagnostic Review of MRH-90

A second diagnostic review of the MRH-90 Multi Role Helicopter Program began last week announced Minister for Defence Materiel Jason Clare.

This follows a review conducted in April which recommended that Defence work with the contractor, Australian Aerospace, to implement a remediation plan.

At that time, Clare said a second review would be undertaken this year to examine the effectiveness of the action taken and whether further action is necessary to remediate the project.

Russia's asymmetrical response to U.S. missile defense

A missile tipped with a newly designed warhead failed during the first test firing near Plesetsk in the north of Russia. Despite this setback in Russia's attempt to develop an asymmetrical response to the U.S. missile defense system in Europe, there is no doubt that Russia will do all it can to put its "Colt on the negotiating table" in the words of Russia's NATO representative Dmitry Rogozin.

First test of a prototype

Col. Alexei Zolotukhin, official spokesman for the Defense Ministry's Space Forces, said "representatives of industrial companies tested a missile prototype at the Plesetsk cosmodrome on September 27 as part of the latest missile R&D."

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Argentina again has the technological and technical capacity to repair submarines

For the first time in twenty years, Argentina once again has the technological and technical capability to repair submarines, announced President Cristina Fernandez during a ceremony at the refurbished Naval Industrial Complex, CINAR, to celebrate the conclusion of repairs on a submarine and the recovery of an oceanographic research vessel.

“Naval activity in the country had been neglected for a long time, but today we are celebrating the major repair of ARA San Juan submarine (launched 1985) and the complete recovery and modernization of the research vessel ‘Bernardo Houssay”, underlined the Argentine president.

“For the first time in twenty years, our neglected naval industry, once again has the technological and technical capability to repair and upgrade submarines”.

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Russia's gigantic Typhoon submarines to be scrapped

The world's largest ballistic missile submarines of Project 941 Akula (Shark), known as Typhoon, will be decommissioned before 2014 and used for scrap metal, a source at Russia's Defense Ministry told the Izvestia newspaper.

All three operating submarines of the project - Arkhangelsk, Severstal and Dmitry Donskoi - will thus be destroyed. The Dmitry Donskoi cruiser was previously used as the base for launching Russia's new Bulava ballistic missile.

The decommissioning of the missiles will cost the Russian budget hundreds of millions of rubles, experts said.

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Boeing P-8I Aircraft Completes 1st Flight

Boeing's first P-8I aircraft for the Indian Navy completed its initial flight today, taking off from Renton Field at 12:02 p.m. Pacific time and landing two hours and 31 minutes later at Boeing Field in Seattle.

During the flight, Boeing test pilots performed airborne systems checks including engine accelerations and decelerations and autopilot flight modes, and took the P-8I to a maximum altitude of 41,000 feet prior to landing.

In the coming weeks Boeing will begin mission systems installation and checkout work on the aircraft at a company facility near Boeing Field.

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Bangladesh Navy to buy 2 patrol planes

Bangladesh Navy is going to add two maritime patrol aircraft to its fleet for better securing the country's vast maritime territory, bigger than the total landmass.

The Tk241-crore jets are expected to equip the naval force for extensive aerial surveillance of deep-sea piracy in Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and illegal fishing by Indian, Thai and Myanmar fishermen, said navy sources.

It takes hours for a naval ship or patrol boat to rush from one location to another in the vast coast and deep sea, allowing miscreants an easy escape.

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Iraq Makes First Payment for 18 F-16 Fighters

The Iraqi government has transferred its first payment for 18 F-16C fighter aircraft, bringing Iraq closer to independently securing its airspace, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said yesterday.

“These aircraft will help provide air sovereignty for Iraq to protect its own territory, and deter or counter regional threats,” Little said.

The fighter aircraft, he added, “are also a symbol of the commitment to a long-term strategic partnership between the United States and Iraq.

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Sukhoi-30MkIs increase night flying to enhance fighting capabilities

Be prepared to hear loud roars of fighter jets every night. The Indian Air Force’s (IAF) Sukhoi-30MkI air dominance fighters have just stepped up their night flying, and will continue to do so in the coming days.

This was disclosed to media persons by Wing Commander B Satish, commanding officer of the 30 Squadron (The Rhinos) at the IAF base at Lohegaon on Tuesday.

The media visit had been organised as part of the Air Force Day celebrations, to be held on October 8 across the country.

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Iran Navy to build aircraft carriers

Iran's Deputy Navy Commander Captain Mansour Maqsoudlou has announced the country's plan to design and manufacture aircraft carriers.

The initial designs for building the carriers have been approved and the process of research, design and manufacture will start soon, Captain Maqsoudlou told IRNA on Wednesday.

The Iranian commander pointed to the Navy's capacities to accomplish the task despite the time-consuming nature of aircraft carrier building.

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BAE Systems Receives Orders for $63 Million to Deliver Seven Mk 45 Gun System Upgrades to the U.S. Navy

BAE Systems recently received four contracts from the U.S. Navy totaling more than $63 million to upgrade seven Mk 45 Gun Systems to the Mod 4 configuration.

The Mod 4 is an upgrade to the Mod 2 design, which significantly enhances overall mission performance. Once produced, the gun systems will join 42 previously delivered Mk 45 Mod 4 systems currently in service with the U.S. Navy.

"Orders for the Mk 45 Mod 4 represent the U.S. Navy's continued commitment to equipping its ships with the most modern, reliable and precise major caliber naval gun systems," said Mark Signorelli, vice president and general manager of Weapon Systems for BAE Systems.

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Oto Melara Introduces a 76mm Version of Vulcano Multi-Mission, Long Range Naval Projectile Technology

Oto Melara unveiled yesterday a family of extended range and guided 76mm projectiles it is developing for the popular 76/62 naval gun system.

The new Vulcano 76 round transforms this classic naval weapon into a multi-mission weapon system, capable of handling surface targets at sea and on land.

The weapon addresses new operational requirements evolving from modern littoral warfare missions; as reflected in the Second lebanon War (2006) and the Libyan campaign in 2011.

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Cold War relic flies again: 25-year-old missile launches new U.S. military satellite

It was designed to deter the red threat from the old Soviet Union, but now a Cold War-era missile has had the cobwebs brushed off to launch a U.S. military satellite.

The Peacekeeper, also known as an MX or intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), became part of America’s nuclear arsenal back in 1986 but was decommissioned in 2004.

Converted into a Minotaur IV rocket, it successfully blasted a Tactical Satellite-4 (TacSat-4) into space from a launchpad in Alaska.

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Russian test launch of experimental ballistic missile ends in failure

Russia’s military says an experimental intercontinental ballistic missile has failed during a test launch.

Russian news agencies quoted the military’s Space Forces spokesman Col. Alexei Zolotukhin as saying that Tuesday’s launch from the northern Plesetsk launch pad was part of testing of a new series of missiles. They said Wednesday that there was no damage or casualties on the ground.

The Defense Ministry didn’t immediately comment.

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Ex-Finance Minister Kudrin says defence spending overextended

The influential Finance Minister announced his resignation on Sunday after Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Saturday made it clear that they intended to swap offices after next year’s presidential election.

Kudrin made it clear that he saw no role for himself in a future government led by Dmitri Medvedev. The day after he announced his resignation, Kurdin was sacked from Putin’s government.

In a statement quoted by Moscow Times Alexei Kudrin explains that he had been increasingly disturbed by the risks posed to Russia’s budget by social and defence spending.

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The last accident of Soviet nuclear fleet

This accident was the latest in the nuclear submarine fleet of the USSR and took place immediately after the coup, exactly 20 years ago.

Nearly all the years since the accident there was not public information about it. Even the almighty Internet has no specific details.

"Pravda.ru" tried to reconstruct the events with a member of the Supreme Council who Ruslan Khasbulatov ordered to investigate the accident.

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Norway May Pull Out of JSF If No Missile Deal

Norway is threatening to delay its buy of F-35 Joint Strike Fighters if DoD decides not to support a new missile system built by one of the country's top defense firms.

Norwegian defense giant Kongsberg is pressuring the Pentagon to integrate its Joint Strike Missile for use on the F-35, indicating that Norway is ready to delay the fighter entirely if the weapon is not brought in.

During the Paris Air Show in June, Rear Adm. Arne Røksund, director of defense policy and planning for the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Defense, made it crystal clear that his country's F-35's would carry the JSM.

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Boeing F-15E Radar Modernization Program to Enter Production

Boeing today announced that the U.S. Air Force has granted the F-15E Radar Modernization Program (RMP) approval to begin low-rate initial production (LRIP) of the APG-82(V)1 radar system.

Boeing and radar supplier Raytheon also performed extensive flight tests to validate the design and development of the system. The RMP leverages prior radar development programs on F-15C and F/A-18E/F aircraft to significantly reduce cost and integration risk for this new radar.

"This is a great day for the F-15E and for the U.S. Air Force," said Maj. Brian Hartt, U.S. Air Force RMP program manager. "The F-15E RMP couples new technology with improved system reliability to position the F-15E for many more years of service to the warfighter."

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German Navy Receives New Anti-Ship Missile

The official roll-out of the RBS15 Mk3 heavy anti-ship missile for the German Navy took place at a ceremony of the Federal Office of Defence Technology and Procurement.

High-ranking representatives of the Federal Ministry of Defence, the Federal Office of Technology and Procurement, the German Navy as well as the industrial partners Diehl Defence and Saab Dynamics participated in the event at the naval base Kiel on September 22, 2011.

Diehl delivers the RBS15 Mk3 anti-ship missile as the main weapon system of the German Navy´s new K130 corvette.

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20,000 Heat-Seeking Missiles Reportedly Feared Missing From Libyan Warehouse

A recent secret White House meeting revealed that an estimated 20,000 portable, heat-seeking missiles appear to have vanished from an Army warehouse in Libya, ABCNews.com reported.

The new revelations stoke ongoing fears that such weapons, which are light, relatively easy to use and have the capacity to take down a commercial airplane, could end up in the wrong hands as the Libyan war that ousted Muammar Qaddafi winds down.

“Matching up a terrorist with a shoulder-fired missile, that's our worst nightmare,” Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., told ABCNews.com.

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DRDO conducts first engine ground run of LCA (Navy) prototype

The country's first indigenous effort to build a carrier borne naval fighter aircraft got a fillip with the crossing of another significant milestone of the first Engine Ground Run of the first LCA (Navy) prototype NP1, DRDO said today.

The team steering LCA (Navy) project comprises members of Indian Navy, Indian Air Force, HAL, DRDO, Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC), Directorate General of Aeronautical Quality Assurance (DGAQA), CSIR Labs, educational institutions, and other public and private sector partners, a Defence Research and Development Organisation statement said.

The first Engine Ground Run of NP1 aircraft, conducted at about 1830 hrs yesterday for its scheduled time, had the primary objective of checking aircraft to engine integration and activation of the various systems like flight control, hydraulics, fuel, electrical and avionics, which was successfully achieved, it said.

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Foreign aircraft builders vie for lucrative Korean project

“The Rafale took the lead (built by French aircraft manufacturer Dassault Aviation) by a narrow margin in the first stage of the assessment, but considering interoperability and the alliance between Korea and the U.S., we have finally chosen the F-15K (built by the American company Boeing).”

When the Korean Defense Ministry announced in 2002 the selection of the F-15K for the first stage of its fighter jet development project called Fighter eXperimental, or FX, opinions were mixed. Some said it was a fully expected result under the Korea-U.S. alliance while others blasted preferential treatment for U.S. fighters.

At the time, Dassault applied for an injunction with a Korean court to nullify Boeing`s selection, citing the unfairness of the project.

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SA unveils new plane

South Africa's aerospace industry unveiled a new multi-purpose aircraft on Tuesday.

The Ahrlac (Advanced High Performance Reconnaissance Light Aircraft) would have numerous applications, from border control to surveillance, said the companies behind the project.

The prototype aircraft was shown to the media in Centurion by Aerosud chairman Paul Potgieter and Paramount Group chairman Ivor Ichikowitz.

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Navy's new electromagnetic catapult 'real smooth'

The Navy’s newest surveillance aircraft made its first takeoff Tuesday from the next-generation aircraft carrier launch system, marking another milestone in the transition to electromagnetic flight decks.

An E-2D Advanced Hawkeye accelerated down a test runway at 125 knots — 144 mph — riding the thrust of the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) in the 96th aircraft test of the new catapult.

“It felt just like a steam catapult to me. Real smooth,” said the pilot, Lt. Cmdr. Brian Tollefson.

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New surface to air missile ready for action: PLA

Official military media for the first time acknowledged Monday that China's new land-based mid-range Surface to Air Missile (SAM) system has reached operational capability.

Military observers say that deployment of this missile system will boost China's air defense capability.

The new SAM system, dubbed by foreign media as the Hongqi-16, or Red Flag-16, has been delivered to an air defense unit in the Shenyang Military Region.

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The Netherlands will participate in NATO defence shield

The Netherlands is to contribute to the NATO anti-missile defence system that will protect Europe from missile attacks from countries such as Iran, says NRC on Tuesday.

The defence ministry has agreed to modernise the radar system for the air defence and commando frigates for the sea-based defence system, says the paper.

This will allow missiles to be spotted and tracked.

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Australia to Lift Curbs on Military Service for Women

Australia's military plans to lift all curbs on women in combat roles within five years, in a historic move that could see female commandos engaged in frontline operations in Afghanistan and intervening in other global conflicts.

The Department of Defence said Tuesday it intends to remove restrictions from the roughly 7% of military positions that remain off limits to women, including the elite Special Air Service Regiment, commandos and some front-line infantry and artillery positions.

Australia will join New Zealand, Canada and Israel among nations with gender equality in all military roles—though in Israel women are also subject to compulsory military service—and its move is in contrast to the U.S., where official data show 70% of positions in the army are open to women.

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Iran to deploy vessels near US waters

The Iranian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari says the Navy plans to deploy vessels in the Atlantic Ocean near the US sea borders.

“Just like the global hegemony that is present near our marine borders, we … also plan to establish a strong presence near US marine borders,” IRNA quoted Sayyari as saying on Tuesday.

The US has deployed several fleets in the Persian Gulf.

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IRGC Navy to get 200-km range Qader missiles

Domestically-manufactured Qader missiles with a range of 200 kilometers will be delivered to the IRGC Navy division on Wednesday.

Qader missiles, which are a type of cruise missiles, will be delivered in a ceremony which will be attended by Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi.

Having a high destruction power, Qader missile can target destroyers and battleships on the sea.

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First development flight of Agni-V in December

The first development flight of the long range Agni-V missile would be conducted in December this year, DRDO chief V.K. Saraswat said in New Delhi on Tuesday.

“The first development flight of Agni-V will be in the month of December this year... Agni-V will take us to a level of 5,000-km plus class of missile systems which meets all our threat requirements,” Mr. Saraswat, who is also Scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister, said.

He was interacting with reporters on the sidelines of the inaugural ceremony of Golden Jubilee celebrations of Defence Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences (DIPAS), a premier DRDO lab working in the area of physiological development of soldiers of the armed forces.

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Purchase of six used submarines approved and retracted

The Cabinet on Tuesday approved the naval proposal to buy six U-206 submarines, worth Bt6.9 billion, from Germany, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said, before retracting her statement hours later.

“The naval procurement project has been approved,” she said.

Yingluck subsequently instructed the deputy government spokesman to apologise for the confusion caused. The Cabinet did not debate the submarines deal but the prime minister misunderstood the reporter’s question as referring to the Army proposal to buy eight helicopters from France.

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Turkey’s first major domestically made warship, the TCG Heybeliada, will be formally delivered to the Turkish Navy on Tuesday.

A second ship of the same “corvette” class – small, maneuverable and lightly armed – will be put to sea at an Istanbul ceremony expected to be attended by President Abdullah Gül.

The Turkish Navy’s moves come amid rising tensions with Israel in the eastern Mediterranean.

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Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor Resumes Test Flights

Lockheed Martin’s F-22 Raptor returned to the skies today here in a series of test and production flights, the first since a four-month fleet stand down was lifted on Sept. 19, 2011 by the U.S. Air Force.

Aircraft flown are preparing for delivery to the U.S. Air Force. Specific delivery schedules and flight activities are being aligned in conjunction with customer specifications and testing parameters.

F-22 final assembly line schedule was not impacted by the stand down and the team continues to roll out Raptors on time, with final aircraft completing in December 2011.

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US-Turkey agree on delivery schedule for Predators

Turkey is expecting the delivery of Predators in June 2012, the Turkish defense minister said a day after the country's prime minister announced that Turkey has agreed with the US on a deal involving the transfer of US-engineered unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that could prove crucial in combating terrorism.

“We have agreed in principle [on the delivery of Predators]. Negotiations will continue,” Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was quoted as saying by the Cihan news agency on Saturday in New York, where the Turkish leader was visiting on the occasion of the 66th session of the UN General Assembly.

Erdoğan also noted that Turkey had offered to either purchase or lease the drones and that the two countries were still settling the details regarding the delivery of the Predators.

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Russia to deploy 2nd Yars ballistic missile regiment by yearend

A second regiment equipped with Yars mobile ballistic missile systems will be put on combat duty in central Russia by the end of 2011, Strategic Missile Forces (SMF) commander Lt. Gen. Sergei Karakayev said on Monday.

The Yars missile system is armed with the RS-24 intercontinental ballistic missile that has considerably better combat and operational capabilities than the Topol-M (SS-27 Stalin).

Russia fully deployed the first Yars regiment consisting of three battalions in August 2011.

"The second regiment equipped with Yars mobile systems will be put on combat duty with the Teikovo missile division [in the Ivanovo region] by the end of 2011," Karakayev said.

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Somalia: German Maritime Patrol Aircraft Arrives in Area of Operations

On 25 September, EU NAVFOR welcomed a German Maritime Patrol Reconnaissance Aircraft (MPRA) which will operate off the Horn of Africa.

Based in Djibouti, the Lockheed Martin P-3C 'ORION', will add to the mission's capabilities until December. In a letter to the detachment, the Force Commander, Rear Admiral Thomas Jugel, welcomed the soldiers: "Let me heartily welcome the German P-3C ORION Detachment and all its men and women in Operation ATALANTA. Let's work together!"

The operational area off the Horn of Africa is as large as Europe. The 'ORION', as a "flying eye", is fitted with modern sensor technology.

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Plan to reinvent IMS Vikrant ready to take off

A much-delayed project to convert former aircraft carrier IMS Vikrant into a permanent museum and entertainment zone is finally poised for take-off.

The bids for the Rs 400-crore project, to be carried out on a private-public partnership (PPP) basis, will be opened on Tuesday.

Joint managing director of the Maharashtra Urban Infrastructure Development Company Ltd (MUINFRA) Ashwini Bhide said that there are two bidders in the fray-Ambi Valley Developers and Akruti Builders.

"We are confident that one of them will satisfy the provisions and get the project," she said.

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Chasing Norway’s New Stealth Cruise Missile

This is the Naval Strike Missile, Kongsberg's latest and greatest cruise missile, as it skims over the Pacific Ocean before tearing into its target on the far side of an island.

The testing for this next-generation anti-ship missile took place off Point Mugu, California in June of this year. According to Konsgberg, the NSM had only 1.5 seconds to acquire and positively ID the ship as its target before striking.

The state-of-the-art missile weighs about 400 kg (880 lb) and has a range of 100 nautical miles, both along the coast and in the open ocean.

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BIW lands two more ship contracts

Bath Iron Works landed two more contracts for Arleigh Burke-class warships Monday which will add to an already robust amount of Navy construction enjoyed by the shipyard.

Members of Maine’s congressional delegation said Navy Secretary Ray Mabus announced the contracts late Monday afternoon. BIW spokesman James DeMartini said the announcement took shipyard officials by surprise at about 5:15 p.m.

“We were expecting an announcement by the end of the month but today we weren’t quite ready,” said DeMartini late Monday evening. “My first priority is always to tell the employees then everyone else comes next.”

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Indonesian Navy to use Chinese missiles

The Indonesian Navy has decided to install C 705 missiles, which will be jointly produced by Indonesia and China, in its fast missile boats, an official says.

“Sastind will provide the technology,” Defense Ministry secretary-general Vice Marshal Eris Haryanto said on Monday as quoted by kompas.com.

Sastind is a China-based defense industry started cooperation with the Directorate General of Defense Capabilities on March 22.

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Boeing, US Navy Deliver Proposal to Equip Japan Air Self Defense Force with Advanced Super Hornets

Boeing and the U.S. Navy have delivered a proposal to the government of Japan offering the advanced F/A-18E Super Hornet Block II to become the Japan Air Self Defense Force's (JASDF) next premier fighter aircraft.

The F/A-18E Block II is the United States' newest operational and combat-proven fighter aircraft.

Japan issued a Request for Proposal for its F-X fighter competition on April 13, with a deadline of Sept. 26.

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Senate Panel Proposes Cutting Next-generation Aegis Missile

U.S. Senate appropriators have proposed canceling development of a missile interceptor that the Pentagon has slotted for a key role in the future defense of Europe.

In its version of the 2012 defense spending bill, unveiled Sept. 15, the Senate Appropriations Committee provides no funding for the Standard Missile (SM)-3 Block 2B interceptor, which is the subject of a three-way competition between Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Raytheon.

The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) requested $123.5 million for the effort next year.

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Egyptian Air Force becomes new Airbus Military C295 operator

The Egyptian Air Force (EAF) today has taken delivery of its first Airbus Military C295.

The aircraft in military transport configuration, was delivered ahead of contract schedule.

This aircraft is part of a three aircraft order placed by the EAF in October 2010.

The other two aircraft are to be delivered during the last quarter of 2011.

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Turkey says NATO radar system on its soil no threat to Iran

Turkish Ambassador to Tehran Umit Yardim said Sunday the establishment of a NATO missile defense shield in Turkey poses no threat to any country, particularly Iran, Iran's Mehr news agency reported.

Yardim said Ankara never believes that Iran poses a threat to Turkey and allegations made in this regard are not acceptable, said the report.

According to earlier reports, a NATO warning radar system is going to be deployed in Turkey by the end of this year and it will be used to track missiles launched from Iran.

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Pakistan-US ties hits new low; who will blink first?

The standoff between the US and Pakistan has hit a new low since it started deteriorating after Osama bin Laden was killed by the US forces on May 2 in Abbottabad.

According media reports, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has been put on red alert in view of possible American action.

FearingUS attack, best fighter aircraft have been deployed at the western border.

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Rs 3L cr plan to boost India's naval might

Jostling for the same strategic space with China in the Indian Ocean and beyond, with the oil exploration stand-off in South China Sea being just the latest indicator, India is slowly but surely building a Navy for the future.

A powerful three-dimensional Navy, which can protect India's geo-strategic interests stretching from Hormuz Strait to Malacca Strait, will not come cheap. Neither will it be built overnight.

Calculations show ongoing warship, submarine and maritime aircraft acquisition programmes as well as some concrete projects in the pipeline will together cost well upwards of Rs 300,000 crore.

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Three of four Albanian submarines for scrap metal

The Albanian submarines will not be seen anymore at the Pashalimani military base. Last Friday, three from the last four Albanian submarines were transported to the melting furnaces of the Elbasan Metallurgy.

These submarines were Albania’s pride during the Cold War. They arrived in the country after signing the Warsaw Treaty and were proposed to turn into a museum.

The Albanian-Russian joint military base of the 50s had 8 submarines, four of which left when Albania abandoned the military alliance of the communist countries.

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Malaysia-France Sign Submarine Ownership Transfer

A signing ceremony was held at the Malaysian embassy in Paris on Friday on the transfer of ownership of an Agosta 70 submarine which is to be converted into a museum in Melaka.

Director of International Development in the French Ministry of Defence, Yves Blanc, and Malaysian Ambassador to France Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Zainal signed the documents on the transfer of ownership of the vessel from the French government to the Malaysian government, according to a statement sent to Bernama today by the embassy.

It said the agreement on the transfer of ownership was signed in Kuala Lumpur on May 16 this year.

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Army to induct fourth BrahMos regiment in the north-east news

The Indian Army will soon induct an advanced variant of the 290-km range BrahMos supersonic cruise missile in the country's north –east as part of its overall drive to upgrade capabilities against the military might of China in that region.

BrahMos Mk-IIThe decision will see the army raising its fourth regiment of the land attack version of the BrahMos. Approval for the raising has been granted by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) – the defence ministry's apex decision making body.

The sanction is for a new regiment of the Block III steep-dive variant of the BrahMos. The steep-dive attack cruise missile can hit enemy targets hidden in the shadows of mountains, defence ministry sources said.

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Qatari Emiri Navy selects Exocet missile

The Qatari Emiri Navy will procure a batch of Exocet MM40 Block 3 missiles to equip its fleet of four Vita class Patrol Boats, US missile developer MBDA has said.

The new Exocet MM40 Block 3 is a latest generation of naval superiority missile. Its turbojet propulsion provides a significantly extended range and due to its GPS navigation it is able to strike a target designated by its geographical coordinates, while remaining compatible with existing MM40 launchers, MBDA said.

The EXOCET family has an OTH (Over The Horizon) firing capability and a range of other operational benefits including, low radar signature, late seeker activation, sea-skimming at very low altitude, enhanced target selection and ECCM (Electronic counter-countermeasures), high penetration capability against modern naval air defences.

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Russian company returns prepayment to Iran for S-300

Rosoboronexport has turned out in a biggest financial loss over the last four years after returning a $167 million in prepayment to Iran for unfulfilled supply of S-300 air defense missile systems, Rosoboronexport Head Anatoliy Isaikin said in an interview with Kommersant Daily.

"The unrealized delivery of S-300 to Iran has been the largest financial loss for our company [since the beginning of his leadership in 2007]," Isaikin said. "We owed Tehran the prepayment of $167 million."

He noted that a commitment to return the prepayment enters in contracts with any country.

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Russian naval task force starts visit to Japan

A Russian Pacific Fleet's task force led by the missile cruiser Varyag will arrive on Sunday to Japan on a five-day friendly visit, the fleet's spokesman said.

The task force, which also includes the Irkut tanker and a salvage tugboat, will arrive at the port of Maizuru during the first leg of its Pacific tour with visits to Japan, the United States and Canada.

"At the end of the visit to Maizuru the Russian task force will take part in a joint search and rescue exercise with Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force," Capt. 1st Rank Roman Martov said.

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India successfully test-fires Shourya missile

Previous test
India's hypersonic missile, Shourya, was successfully test-fired from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur on the Orissa coast on Saturday.

The missile rose on the dot at 2.30 p.m. from a canister strapped on to the ground, climbed to an altitude of 40 km and sped at 7.5 Mach, that is, 7.5 times the speed of sound. It covered its full range of 700 km in 500 seconds.

The surface-to-surface missile performed a manoeuvre in the closing stages of its flight and hit the impact point in the Bay of Bengal with an accuracy of a few metres.

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Navy Conducts DDG 1000 Round Testing

The long range land attack projectile (LRLAP), designed for the DDG 1000 Advanced Gun System, successfully completed two live-fire tests at the White SandsMissile Range in New Mexico, the Navy announced Sept. 22.

The mission, conducted Aug. 30, was the first live-fire test to successfully demonstrate LRLAP effectiveness against targets.

LRLAP is a 155 millimeter rocket-assisted guided projectile designed to support land-attack and naval surface fire support operations in conjunction with the Advanced Gun System on DDG 1000-class destroyers.

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MoD sells three more warships to be broken up for scrap metal

The Ministry of Defence has sold three Type 42 destroyers to be scrapped, The News can reveal.

Falklands veteran HMS Exeter was quietly towed out of Portsmouth Naval Base yesterday afternoon to head to a scrapyard in Turkey.

HMS Nottingham and HMS Southampton are due to follow in the coming weeks after the MoD sold the decommissioned warships to Leyal Ship Recycling – the same firm which is currently breaking up the old aircraft carrier HMS Invincible.

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Iran 'steals surface-to-air missiles from Libya'

Iran's Revolutionary Guards have stolen dozens of sophisticated Russian-made surface-to-air missiles from Libya and smuggled them across the border to neighbouring Sudan, according to Western intelligence reports.

The weapons were seized by units attached to the Guards' elite Quds Force, which travelled to Libya from their base in southern Sudan.

Acting on orders received from Revolutionary Guards commanders in Iran, they took advantage of the chaos that engulfed Libya following the collapse of the regime of former dictator Colonel Muammar Gaddafi to seize "significant quantities" of advanced weaponry, according to military intelligence officers in Libya.

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Will sub ever sail again?

The defence department says HMCS Chicoutimi will be ready for action by 2013 but a former crew member who was on the sub the day it caught fire seven years ago believes it will never sail again.

In an email Tuesday, a department official said Chicoutimi began a refit in July 2010 and work is expected to be finished by late next year.

Vice-Admiral Paul Maddison, the head of Maritime Command, welcomed the news on Wednesday.

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Boeing CHAMP Missile Completes 1st Flight Test

The Boeing Company and the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory Counter-electronics High-powered Microwave Advanced Missile Project (CHAMP) today announced that they successfully completed the missile's first flight test earlier this year at the Utah Test and Training Range at Hill Air Force Base.

CHAMP is a nonlethal alternative to kinetic weapons that neutralizes electronic targets. It would allow the military to focus on these targets while minimizing or eliminating collateral damage.

The CHAMP missile pointed at a set of simulated targets, confirming that the missile could be controlled and timed while using a High-powered Microwave (HPM) system against multiple targets and locations. The software used was identical to the software required for a vehicle with a fully integrated HPM system on board.

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