Raytheon gets $313 million pact for missile interceptor

Tucson-based Raytheon Missile Systems has won a $313 million contract for a next-generation missile interceptor that is a key part of a planned missile shield for Europe.

The contract from the U.S. Missile Defense Agency provides funding to complete the development phase for the Standard Missile-3 Block IB program and deliver 24 developmental missile rounds to the agency, said Wes Kremer, SM-3 program director for Raytheon.

The contract is a milestone on the way to the first SM-3 Block IB flight test, expected later this year.

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STSS Demonstration Satellites Track Short-Range Missile During Airborne Laser Test Bed Exercise

The U.S. Missile Defense Agency's (MDA) Space Tracking and Surveillance System (STSS) Demonstration satellites kept an unblinking watch on a boosting missile during an Airborne Laser Test Bed (ALTB) exercise off the Central California coast Sept. 1, 2010. The STSS satellites were built by Northrop Grumman Corporation and Raytheon Company.

The STSS Demonstration satellites faced a different set of challenges than previously seen because of quick timelines associated with the target, according to Gabe Watson, vice president of missile defense and missile warning programs for Northrop Grumman's Aerospace Systems sector.

"STSS generated a track with the acquisition sensor and autonomously passed the track to the multi-band track sensor for the first time against a missile target," Watson said. "The system performed very well, without operator control, and provided high-quality track data to the ground station."

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Lockheed Martin Awarded $789.8 Million THAAD Production Contract

Lockheed Martin has received a production contract totaling $789.8 million to produce the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) Weapon System for the Missile Defense Agency.

The contract includes $694.9 million and for the production of 48 THAAD interceptors, six THAAD launchers, four fire control units and additional support equipment.

An option for additional launchers in the amount of $94.8 million was also award for a total value of $789.8 million.

These components will be employed by THAAD Batteries 3 and 4 for the U.S. Army. Delivery to Batteries 3 and 4 will be completed in 2013.

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Indian navy eyes more Israeli UAVs

India's navy has operational requirements for additional unmanned air vehicles made by Israel Aerospace Industries, sources say, with these to potentially include improved Heron or Heron-TP systems carrying maritime sensor payloads.

Evaluations using some systems have already been carried out, they add.

The Indian navy in January stood up its second UAV squadron, with its current IAI-produced Heron and Searcher II systems facing increased operational demand.

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Willow Grove Naval Air Station holds final flight ceremony

Claps, waves and a few funny stories — accompanied by tear-streaked faces — narrated the final flight at the Willow Grove Naval Air Station Wednesday.

After the seven transportation and fighter aircraft took off outside of Hangar 64, the runway lights were turned off one final time and it was secured.

“This is a ceremony like no other,” Capt. David Opatz said to a crowd of nearly 1,000 during the base’s official disestablishment ceremony. “Today we are honoring 68 years of service and tradition.”

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PM disputes Pentagon price tag for F-35s, says Canada not affected by cost hikes

Stephen Harper says he stands by his cost estimate for the F-35 stealth fighters.

The prime minister made the declaration Wednesday, even though the Pentagon's latest estimate for the version of the fighter jet Canada intends to buy is double what the Conservative government has projected.

And a former senior procurement bureaucrat at National Defence flatly dismissed Harper's numbers.

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Politically neutral Sweden thirsty for war

Sweden, that is not a member of NATO but a country powerful in respect of its military, is ready to join the bombing of Libya. This means increased cooperation of the Swedish with the alliance. This may negatively impact the geopolitical situation in not so much Libya as Russia.

The Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt was the first one to announce the initiative of the participation of Scandinavians in the military operations against Gaddafi. This politician, who at some point was a prime minister, is known for his favorable attitude towards the cooperation of his neutral country with NATO. As it turned out, the initiative of the head of Swedish diplomacy was backed by Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt.

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10 injured in fire aboard carrier off San Diego

A jet fighter's engine exploded and caught fire Wednesday as it prepared to take off from an aircraft carrier off California, injuring 10 sailors, the military said.

The F/A-18C Hornet was starting a training exercise when the accident occurred about 2:50 p.m. on the flight deck of the USS John C. Stennis, according to Cmdr. Pauline Storum.

Four sailors were flown to Naval Medical Center San Diego where they were in stable condition. The six others were treated for burn injuries on board the carrier. None of the injuries was life threatening, Storum said.

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Aircraft Carrier Despatched For Flood Evacuation

An aircraft carrier and two naval ships were today dispatched to Southern Thailand to evacuate thousands of foreign and local tourist stranded at five holiday islands.

Deputy Prime Minister in charge of security Suthep Thaugsuban said the aircraft carrier, HTMS Chakri Naruebet, arrived at Koh Tao Island in the Gulf of Thailand this morning for the evacuation mission.

As at 4pm (Malaysian time: 5pm), tourists were still being ferried by boats and helicopter from the island to the carrier.

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Chinese army speeds up developing high-tech weaponry and equipment

The People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China is promoting the composite development of mechanized and informationized weaponry and equipment, said a white paper on the country's national defense on Thursday.

The PLA is gaining momentum in developing new and high-tech weaponry and equipment, says the white paper, issued by the Information Office of the State Council.

The PLA has formed a system with second-generation equipment as the main body and third generation as the backbone, the white paper says.

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Joint missile shield: to be or not to be?

Russia and NATO are able to overcome all hurdles along their path towards creating a joint missile defense system, US Defense Advisor to NATO Robert Bell said in an exclusive interview with the Voice of Russia.

This optimistic mood of the American military diplomat was echoed by our country’s envoy to the Alliance, Dmitry Rogozin: in early summer this year, defense ministers of the Russia-NATO Council are expected to outline the framework for the joint missile shield.

A rapprochement between Moscow and Brussels on Euro-ABM issues is indeed a complicated matter, but it is not hopeless, the Russian envoy to NATO believes.

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Lockheed Martin Rolls Out First Special Operations MC-130J Combat Shadow II

Lockheed Martin rolled out the first aircraft in a new fleet of MC-130J Combat Shadow IIs for the U.S. Air Force’s Special Operations Command (AFSOC) during a ceremony here today.

Lt. Gen. Donald C. Wurster, commander, Air Force Special Operations Command, was the keynote speaker at the event.

“The MC-130J is one of the most versatile tactical airlifters in the world. Its multi-mission capabilities will increase the combat performance of special operations forces worldwide,” Wurster said. “The MC-130J’s advanced sensors, expanded avionics and universal aerial refueling capability will enable the highly skilled Airmen of AFSOC to operate under difficult conditions with unmatched speed and capability."

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Ignatieff vows to re-examine fighter plane deal

Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff promised Monday to re-examine a deal to buy the next-generation F-35 stealth fighter plane, but military experts say it would be pointless for a Liberal government to hold a “fly-off” competition to replace Canada’s deteriorating CF-18 fighter-bombers given that there is no alternative that would suit the Canadian Forces’ needs.

“We are going to replace the CF-18 — we care about the sovereignty of Canada. But we’ve got time to get this right. [The Conservatives] tried to hustle the country into a purchase without a competitive process,” Mr. Ignatieff said during a campaign stop at a downtown Toronto hotel. “We’ve got to deliver the right plane at the right price.”

The promise, however, puts Mr. Ignatieff at risk of reminding voters of the last time the Liberals played politics with military procurements. In 1994, Jean Chrétien’s Liberal government kept a campaign vow to scrap a deal to replace the ancient Sea King helicopter, leading to a prolonged and expensive wait for a successor.

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US Navy to field full-on robot war-jets as soon as 2018

The US Navy has indicated that it would like to have unmanned, robotic spyplane/bombers operating from its aircraft carriers "in the 2018 timeframe", which suggests that flying kill-robots will soon be in the same league as the most powerful manned combat aircraft.

Present-day robotic warplanes such as the well-known Predator and its variants (for example the even larger and still more powerful Reaper) are heavily armed and highly capable, but in the world of major air forces they're still quite feeble.

Rather than supersonic jet propulsion they typically rely on comparatively slow propellors, and their weaponry options are comparatively restricted.

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Two Indonesian war ships arrive at Port of Colombo

Indonesian Naval ships KRI Yos Sudarso -353 and KRI Abdul Halim Perankusuma - 355, arrived at Port of Colombo today (29th March 2011).The two ships are here for refuelling and a troop transferring prior proceeding to Arabian sea on an anti piracy mission .

KRI Yos Sudarso -353 and KRI Abdul Halim Perankusuma – 355 are two Leander class frigates having on overall Length of 113.4 m.Both Ships will Leave Colombo harbour on 30th March for their assigned Mission.

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Memphis residents lobby for submarine

A group of U.S. Navy veterans are lobbying for the bridge of the submarine the USS Memphis to retire in its namesake city.

The Memphis Council of the U.S. Navy wants the sail, the top part where the bridge is located, to go on public display in Tennessee.

Cage Carruthers, a former Naval officer on the cruiser USS Arkansas who slept overnight at sea on the Memphis in April 2007, has been in discussions with the Navy for what may take years of planning.

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Submarines not worth the money

The Thai military has a history of bad decisions and wasteful spending in making arms acquisitions which have cost the taxpayers huge amounts of money. The Royal Thai Navy's plan to buy old submarines from Germany could well be just another wrong decision.

The Royal Thai Navy’s long-standing dream of having a submarine fleet appears about to be fulfilled now that Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has approved, in principle, its proposal to purchase six 30-plus-year old German submarines at a cost of 7.7 billion baht.

Besides the security and skills training reasons cited to justify the acquisition of the submarines, an informed source said, a major argument behind the move is that the Thai navy will be left way behind the times without submarines.

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Trusty Lynx makes its last appearance at sea

Ordinarily we wouldn’t get too excited by the site of a Lynx and a warship.

But this is no ordinary Lynx. This is last Mk3 to ever touch the deck of one of Her Majesty’s warships – in this instance, HMS Ocean.

After more than 30 years’ service the trusty Mk3 has completed its final operational flight – an uneventful (which is how we like our flights) 35-minute hop from the helicopter carrier in the Channel to the home of the Lynx, RNAS Yeovilton.

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Russian Army to get new multiple rocket launchers

Russia's Ground Forces will start taking delivery of new Tornado-G multiple rocket launching systems (MRLS), replacing the current Grad systems, Army spokesman Lt. Col. Sergei Vlasov said on Monday.

This will further increase the Army's firepower and standoff capability for effective engagement, Vlasov said.

Tornados are superior to Grads in their effectiveness, automated control, aiming and satellite navigation systems, Vlasov said, without disclosing any technical details.

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Libya Has Advanced Russian SAMs

Establishing a no-fly zone over ­Libya may not be a massive challenge for the coalition trying to enforce ­United Nations Security Council Resolution 1793, but the operation has nevertheless exposed serious military and political pitfalls.

One of those surprises is the unexpected and elusive threat from a sophisticated surface-to-air missile (SAM) that Libya fielded virtually unnoticed—the NATO-designated SA-24 “Grinch.”

Its presence on the battlefield underscores the need for coalition partners to draw on the full spectrum of electronic warfare capabilities to prosecute their air campaign.

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Cassidian changes funding plans for Talarion UAS

Frustrated by a continued lack of progress with advancing its Talarion unmanned air system programme, EADS company Cassidian has suggested an alternative funding proposal to planned participants France, Germany and Spain.

Approval to launch an estimated €3 billion ($4.2 billion) effort for development and production of the Talarion has already slipped by around two years.

Cuts in defence spending among European governments mean that getting a green light for a major new programme at this time is unlikely, concedes Cassidian chief executive Stefan Zoller.

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China tests missile air defence system

Chinese military has conducted a drill to test its integrated air defence capability under the scenario of a massive air strike.

The tests which were held last week were aimed at bringing compatibility among various kinds of missile systems built by China, official media reports here said. The tests included surface-to-air missiles, also known as SAM.

Over the years China has built an intact missile defence network consisting of various kinds of missile systems.

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Multipurpose HELLFIRE II 'Romeo' Strikes Target, Completes Proof-of-Principle Flight Tests

The U.S. Army's Joint Attack Munition Systems (JAMS) Project Office and Lockheed Martin successfully fired a multipurpose AGM114R HELLFIRE II "Romeo" missile with a live warhead and penetrated a brick-over-block target in its sixth proof-of-principle (POP) test.

The flight test, at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., demonstrated the Romeo's enhanced software capability and superior performance in a military-operations-in-urban-terrain scenario. The new Romeo's multipurpose warhead design enables the missile, with a designator spot laser, to seek out and defeat hard, soft and enclosed targets with outstanding success. The initial fielding of the HELLFIRE II Romeo is scheduled for late 2012.

"The AGM-114R baseline design is now defined and allows us to go into system qualification," said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Mike Brown, HELLFIRE Systems product manager at JAMS. "The R model remains on cost and on schedule, and meets all performance objectives."

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Joint Strike Fighter can resume flight tests

Faulty maintenance procedures were found to have caused the March 9 in-flight failure of the engine generators aboard an F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft, the program office said last week.

Those procedures have now been revised, and the entire fleet of F-35s has been cleared to resume flight operations.

The problem was revealed when an Air Force F-35A test aircraft, numbered AF-4, suffered a failure of the generators during a test flight from Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. The test pilot was able to use the backup electrical generator to return safely to base.

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HMS Southampton and Ark Royal for sale on auction website

HMS Southhampton is just one of a number of former Royal Navy vessels that have been put up for sale on the Internet.

The Type-42 Destroyer has been put up for auction alongside former flagship HMS Ark Royal as the MoD looks to make as the most from a number of decommissioned vessels.

Just last week, HMS Invincible, sister of Ark Royal, was also sold on the site, to be broken up in Turkey.

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Indian Navy grows stronger

The Indian Navy was originally established and developed according to the British model. During the 1960s, India started purchasing combat vessels and navy armaments from the Soviet Union, gaining access to what was then cutting-edge military technology. Many of the vessels India is building itself have been designed with Russian input and are fitted with Russian-made equipment and armaments.

According to Ruslan Pukhov, the director of prominent Russian think tank AST, it was only thanks to Russia that India has been able to gain access to unique technologies and opportunities such as building nuclear submarines and supersonic anti-ship missiles. Mr Pukhov believes that no other country would have granted India anything similar.

The high point of its cooperation with Moscow was India’s lease in January of 1988 of a Soviet nuclear submarine code-named Project 670 (to be more exact, of its “export” version, Project 06709). The submarine, renamed Chakra, was armed with the powerful Ametist anti-ship missiles.

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Russia arms exports at record level till 2014 -report

Russian arms exports are expected to stay at record levels of about $10 billion a year until at least 2014 as top customer India continues to beef up its armaments, leading military think tank CAST said on Monday.

Peddling missiles, submarines and fighter planes, Russia is feeding a hungry market of Asian countries warily eyeing China's growing military might and African nations preparing for the worst in potential regional conflicts.

As the world's second top arms exporter, Russia ended last year with a record $45 billion contract portfolio. Arms exporters signed $15 billion in contracts during the year, CAST estimated.

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Sub surfaces after oxygen generator fails

The failure of the oxygen generator aboard one of the Navy’s newest submarines is not a major casualty, according to the service.

“U.S. Navy submarines employ redundant systems that provide safe and operationally suitable environments for their crews,” Naval Sea Systems Command said in an emailed statement. “At no time was there any elevated risk for the crew of the submarine.”

The submarine New Hampshire, a Virginia-class attack boat that entered service in 2008, was approaching a floating ice station north of Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, on March 19, when its oxygen generator failed. The submarine switched to its backup system — oxygen-producing sodium chlorate “candles” — and continued operations, according to NAVSEA.

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Composite Work Continues For U.S. Navy Ships

As Northrop Grumman was preparing for the March 24 christening of the amphibious transport dock ship LPD-24 Arlington, the company also was putting together the mast for the LPD-25 using the same fabric of composite materials that not only make the LPD unique but, company officials say, represent the future of U.S. Navy shipbuilding.


And while the San Antonio-class of Navy warship masts represent a major step forward in terms of composite construction, Northrop — soon to become Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) — has continued to make vast strides in building composite topside structures for the DDG 1000 Zumwalt-class destroyers and aircraft carriers, starting with the CVN 77 and further with work on the CVN 78 Ford-class vessels.

“The LPD was futuristic,” says Karrie Trauth, Northrop program manager for the DDG 1000. With the DDG 1000 Zumwalt destroyers, she says, the future has become now.

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BAE Systems Enhances Capability of South Africa Hawk

BAE Systems has completed work to upgrade the navigation and weapons system for the South African Air Force’s fleet of Hawk jet trainers, with work to fit the new system now underway.

The software and hardware upgrade, jointly developed with long term South African partner Advanced Technologies and Engineering, enables the Hawk Mk120 to share simulated radar data across multiple platforms.

For example the South African Hawk Mk120 can see the same data as the South African Air Force Gripen and South African Navy Corvette frigate whilst on a training sortie.

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Rolls-Royce develops LiftSystem for the F35-B Joint Strike Fighter

When, in December, Britain’s Harrier jets landed at RAF Cottesmore for the final time, the sombre mood weighed on all those present. In a ritual known as the ’walk of honour’, the pilots disembarked from their aircraft and walked away without taking a single look back.

The walk marked the end of the Harriers’ 41-year career and closed an illustrious chapter in British aviation history.

The iconic aircraft has become one of the country’s greatest technical achievements, being the only military jet that could hover above the ground and fly in areas other fighter aircraft were unable to reach.

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After five decades, the U-2 is still flying high

The Air Force is breathing new life into an old Cold Warrior — the iconic U-2 spy plane — to meet the need for battlefield surveillance in Afghanistan.

The Air Force had intended this year to ground the U-2, famed for flying over the Soviet Union to hunt for ballistic missiles in the 1950s and '60s.

But there have been delays in the development of the drone aircraft that is to succeed the U-2 and the demand for images on what's happening on the battlefield is a top concern, the military says.

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Pakistan replacing US with China as its principal arms supplier

Pakistan is expanding its nuclear-capable arsenal by embracing China as its new strategic arms partner and backing away from the United States, according to analysts.

Until the mid-1960s, the US was the principal weapons supplier to Pakistan, but it began to back away from the relationship after years of difficult and sometimes unpredictable relations following the 9/11 attacks.

The fact that the US no longer fully supports the military ambitions of Pakistan has led Islamabad to replace America with China as its main source of defence material, at least in terms of arsenals, development and training.

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Lockheed Martin to build upgraded towed-array sonar systems for Navy cruiser and destroyer surface warships

Anti-submarine warfare (ASW) sonar experts at the Lockheed Martin Corp. Mission Systems and Sensors (MS2) segment in Liverpool, N.Y., will build AN/SQR-20 Multi-Function Towed Array (MFTA) sonar systems for U.S. Navy cruiser and destroyer surface warships under terms of a $7.9 million contract modification announced Friday.

The MFTA is long, thin towed-array sonar that is three inches in diameter that can be towed behind Navy surface warships and function as one active and passive sonar component of the AN/SQQ-89A(V)15 ASW combat system.

The MFTA is intended to replace the AN/SQR-19 tactical towed array system (TACTAS) in the SQQ-89. Lockheed Martin first received a production contact for the new MFTA in 2008.

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Submarine bribes reached 100 million euros, report says

An investigation by the Financial Crimes Squad (SDOE) has found evidence that some 100 million euros was paid under the table to Greek politicians and officials in the purchase of four German submarines, sources told Sunday’s Kathimerini.

The leaked findings prompted an angry exchange between the government and New Democracy.

The investigators believe that numerous bribes were paid before the contract was signed.

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Missile cruiser Marshal Ustinov may reinforce Russian Pacific Fleet in 2013

The Russian missile cruiser Marshal Ustinov may reinforce Russia's Pacific Fleet in 2013 after repairs, a high-placed official of the Russian Navy said on Sunday.

"In two years, the cruiser may be transferred from Severomorsk to Vladivostok to reinforce the grouping of the Pacific Fleet's surface ships," the admiral said, adding that the Navy's main headquarters was considering this possibility, although a final decision had not yet been made.

The Marshal Ustinov, a Slava-class missile cruiser, was launched in 1982 and commissioned with the Russian Northern Fleet in 1986.

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2.5 billion euro submarine deal lacks vital details

A planned deal over the purchase of six submarines from a German company is lacking important details, including the price and the technical features of the submarines, the Bugün daily reported yesterday.

All eyes have turned to projects in the defense industry following a recent crisis involving over 100 F-35 fighter jets from the US, which refuses to share source code technology. Turkey has put a hold on the planned purchase of the jets due to this development.

The most defense agreement to garner the most attention is a submarine deal to be signed with a German company for the purchase of six U214 submarines. The daily reported that Turkey’s Undersecretariat of the Treasury had initially objected to the deal over the planned purchase of the submarines from German TyssenKrupp AG’s HDW company due to a high interest rate on payments, but was later persuaded.

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Israel to deploy Iron Dome anti-missile system across southern territories

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) on Friday announced that the Iron Dome missile defense system will be deployed in the coming days to protect Israel's southern territories.

The order was given by Defense Minister Ehud Barak in light of the recent rocket attacks in southern Israel. The missile defense system is currently in an accelerated process of assimilation in the Israeli Air Force in order to becoming fully operational.

IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz said the Iron Dome is undergoing an evaluation stage on an operational level and is expected to protect Israel’s southern communities from rocket threats coming from the Gaza Strip.

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Airbus Military A400M completes low-speed take-off tests

The Airbus Military A400M has completed a challenging series of tests to determine the lowest speed at which it can take-off – known as minimum unstick speed or Vmu.

The Airbus Military A400M has completed a challenging series of tests to determine the lowest speed at which it can take-off – known as minimum unstick speed or Vmu. During the tests, performed at Istres in France, the aircraft’s nose was raised until a special ‘bumper’ fitted to the rear fuselage struck the ground at the maximum pitch-up angle of 13º. In the close-up photo sparks can be seen flying from the bumper as it drags on the runway.

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Scrapping Plymouth warship playing key role in Libyan intervention is 'madness'

Scrapping a Plymouth frigate which is currently playing centre-stage in the Libyan conflict has been described as "utter madness".

Former military top brass and politicians have blasted the Government's intention to persevere with decommissioning HMS Cumberland next month, despite her vital role.

It comes as the Ministry of Defence (MoD) last night gave the Type 22 frigate a temporary reprieve – but only for a "few weeks" before she is replaced.

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India developing 5,000 km-range Agni missile

India is developing a 5,000 km-range Agni ballistic missile, Defence Minister A.K. Antony said on Friday.

“India has reached an appreciable level of competence in missile technologies, with a reach capability of 3,500 kilometres. Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is developing Agni missile with a capacity to reach 5000 kilometres,” he said here.

The Defence Minister was addressing a conference of heads of DRDO laboratories.

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NATO Secretary General's statement on Libya no-fly zone

NATO Allies have now decided to enforce the no-fly zone over Libya.

We are taking action as part of the broad international effort to protect civilians against the attacks by the Gaddafi regime. We will cooperate with our partners in the region and welcome their contributions.

All NATO Allies are committed to fulfill their obligations under the UN resolution. That is why we have decided to assume responsibility for the no-fly zone.

At this moment there will still be a coalition operation and a NATO operation but we are considering whether NATO should take on a broader responsibility in accordance with the UN Security Council resolution. But that decision has not been made yet.

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New helicopters lead way for NZ air force fleet

The air force has taken delivery of its first new operational aircraft in more than four decades.

Crates containing two Italian-made AgustaWestland A109 helicopters have been delivered to the air force base at Ohakea – the first of a new $1 billion fleet of aircraft which will start going into service in the next year.

Work has started on assembling the first one and it is expected to take to the air soon.

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Pentagon stops work on alternate JSF engine

The Defense Department issued a stop-work order Thursday for an alternative engine for the F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter aircraft. The order comes after the Bush and Obama administrations and the Pentagon pushed to end finding for the F136 engine.

It pulls $450 million that would have gone to General Electric and Rolls-Royce, the extra engine’s manufacturers.

“In our view, it is a waste of taxpayer money that can be used to fund higher defense priorities, and should be ended now,” a DoD statement said.

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Canada Requests Sale of 36 MK-48 Mod 7 Advanced Technology Torpedo Conversion Kits

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress March 17 of a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Canada of 36 MK-48 Mod 7 Advanced Technology (AT) Torpedo Conversion Kits and associated equipment, parts, training and logistical support for an estimated cost of $125 million.

The Government of Canada has requested the sale of 36 MK-48 Mod 7 Advanced Technology (AT) Torpedo Conversion Kits, containers, spare and repair parts, weapon system support & integration, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, U.S. Government and contractor engineering and technical, and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistical support These kits will upgrade their existing MK-48 torpedoes from Mod 4 to Mod 7. The estimated cost is $125 million.

The proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by improving the security of a NATO ally that has been, and continues to be a key democratic partner of the United States in ensuring peace and stability.

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U.S. submarines show force amid race for Arctic riches

The United States is staging high-profile submarine exercises in the Arctic Ocean this month as evidence mounts that global warming will lead to more mining, oil production, shipping and fishing in the world's last frontier.

Pentagon Comptroller Robert Hale, Navy Secretary Ray Mabus and a Who's Who of other VIPs braved below-zero temperatures this month to visit a temporary camp on the ice about 150 miles north of Prudhoe Bay, Alaska, where two nuclear-powered U.S. submarines are conducting military training exercises.

"It is important for us to continue to train and operate in the Arctic," said U.S. Navy Captain Rhett Jaehn, the No. 2 official overseeing U.S. submarine forces.

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S Korea launches third Aegis destroyer

South Korea has launched its third destroyer equipped with the high-tech Aegis radar and weapons control system as tension remains high on the Korean peninsula, its navy says.

The 7,600-tonNE KDX-III destroyer, the Seoae Ryu Seong-ryong, will be put into service in March next year following a year of test operations, the navy said.

The 166-metre-long KDX III destroyer can carry about 120 missiles and torpedoes in its vertical launch system, Yonhap news agency said.

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Russia and Kyrgyzstan in dispute over airbase

Kant airbase
Russia and Kyrgyzstan are wrangling over Russia's Kant Airbase in the former Soviet republic.

Kant is Russia's first international military facility established after the Soviet Union collapsed in December 1991.

Kyrgyzstan is the only post-Soviet country to host both a Russian and U.S. airbase. Besides the former, the United States has access to the Manas Transit Center near the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek.

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Fighting G home for the last time

The curtain falls on the magnificent 25-year career of HMS Gloucester tomorrow when she returns from her final deployment.

The veteran destroyer will be greeted by hundreds of families and friends in Portsmouth – plus the lady who has followed the ship from the laying of the keel to this last act: the Duchess of Gloucester.

She’s shown avid interest in the Type 42’s progress through one war (first Gulf), two rededications and 15 captains.

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Air Force to retest X-51 WaveRider hypersonic aircraft near Point Mugu

The U.S. Air Force plans to launch an experimental aircraft Thursday that could potentially reach speeds of 4,000 mph over the Pacific Ocean in a test flight that could give the Pentagon a new way to deliver a military strike anywhere around the globe within minutes.

Built in Southern California, the unmanned X-51 WaveRider is being developed to deliver powerful warheads at tremendously high speeds with pinpoint accuracy almost anywhere on Earth.

Military officials say the need for the technology became clear in 1998 when the U.S. military tried — and failed — to kill Osama bin Laden.

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Russian Air Force to receive strike aircraft from Navy

Russian Navy is planning to relocate some of its naval strike aircraft to the Air Force by the end of 2011, according to a media report.

Russian Air Force will receive Tu-22M3 Backfire long-range bombers, MiG-31 Foxhound interceptors, Su-27 Flanker fighter jets and Su-24 Fencer attack aircraft from the Navy.

According to RIA Novosti, the strike component of naval aviation will be transferred under the control of the Russian Air Force by the end of the year.

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F-22 Raptor flown on synthetic biofuel

An F-22 Raptor successfully flew at supercruise March 18 on a 50/50 fuel blend of conventional petroleum-based JP-8 and biofuel derived from camelina, a weed-like plant not used for food.

The flight was the capstone of a series of ground and flight test events conducted by the 411th Flight Test Squadron at Edwards Air Force Base the week of March 14 for the Raptor using the biofuel blend. The Air Force selected the F-22 weapon system to be the biofuel blend flight test pathfinder for all fighter aircraft.

The overall test objective was to evaluate biofuel fuel blend suitability in the F-22 weapon system. Testing consisted of air starts, operability, and performance at different speeds and altitude throughout the flight envelope. The F-22 Raptor performed several maneuvers including a supercruise at 40,000 ft. reaching speeds of 1.5 Mach. Supercruise is supersonic flight without using the engine's afterburner.

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IAF puts dealings with ''Dassault'' country manager on hold

The Indian Air Force has put on hold its dealings with the country manager of French defence firm Dassault Aviation for his role in the bribery scandal during the Aero India show in Bangalore.

P V Rao, country manager of Dassault Aviation -- one of the leading contenders in the USD 11 billion fighter aircraft tender, had got Wing Commander A K Thakur caught by the Defence Ministry officials for demanding a bribe of Rs 20,000 for providing a favourable place at the air show in Bangalore last month.

Rao's entry or any dealing with the Air Headquarters has been barred till the time his role is established in the scandal, sources said here.

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Swedes join NATO Baltic air exercise

Swedish fighter aircraft took part in a NATO led exercise over the Baltic states on Wednesday, marking a new level in the formally non-aligned country's ties with the military alliance.

JAS Gripen aircraft joined the exercise with other NATO members in the skies above the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

"For the first time ever, Swedish JAS-39 Gripen fighters trained together with NATO aircraft, enhancing the safety of the airspace of the Baltic," Estonian military spokesperson Lieutenant Commander Ingrid Muehling told AFP.

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JSF Cost Predictions Rattle Foreign Customers

Customers for Lockheed-Martin’s stealthy F-35 Joint Strike Fighter—among them Canada, Israel, Britain and Australia—are shifting their mood from anxiety to paranoia over increasingly unpredictable costs.

Foreign analysts now expect JSF prices to significantly exceed even the latest Pentagon estimate, putting government officials in fiscal and political jeopardy as they try to craft a rational purchase plan for the fifth-generation warplane.

Adding new concern was congressional testimony by Lt. Gen. Mark Shackleford, military deputy to the assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisitons, who says that ”we currently expect up to a two-year delay” in fielding the first operational unit, which shifts the date to 2018. The delay is being triggered by the most recent program restructuring.

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DRDO looks beyond HAL for Tejas production

Over the last two decades, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) and the DRDO’s Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) have cooperated closely in developing the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) to replace the ageing MiG-21s of the Indian Air Force.

Now, with 40 fighters on order for the IAF’s first two Tejas squadrons, ADA is pushing HAL to outsource more of the Tejas’ production, including to the private sector, to boost production to the levels needed by the Indian Air Force (IAF).

A high-level HAL team is touring the production facilities of the world’s three biggest fighter manufacturers — Boeing and Lockheed Martin in the US; and Eurofighter in Europe — to examine how Tejas’ production can be raised from the eight fighters per year that HAL’s Tejas production line in Bangalore will start building next year. The IAF will eventually need 120-140 Tejas, while the Navy will require another 20-40 fighters.

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Crowds to say a final goodbye to Invincible

Hundreds of people are expected to turn out to see HMS Invincible make her final journey tomorrow.

The aircraft carrier, which famously served in the Falklands War, will be towed out of Portsmouth Harbour at about 8am.

She is heading to a Turkish scrapyard to be broken up and recycled.

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Spanish navy receives new vessel

Spanish shipbuilder Navantia has launched the fourth P-44 multi-role maritime action ship for the Spanish navy.

Spanish Defense Minister Carmen Chacon, during a launching ceremony, said production of the ship, called Tornado, and earlier produced maritime action ships provides the Spanish navy with expanded capabilities.

The BAMs -- the Spanish acronym for the ships -- can be used in missions to monitor marine pollution, act as a hospital in disaster relief missions or combat piracy.

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Cheonan sinking: Paper criticises S Korea military

The South Korean government has issued a report to mark one year since its warship, the Cheonan, was torpedoed with the loss of 46 sailors' lives.

The 308-page White Paper criticises the South's military for failing to raise its alert status to cope with North Korean submarines, Yonhap reports.

Meanwhile, the South has launched a new missile-firing destroyer.

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RI, China initiate joint-procurement of missiles

Indonesia and China are set to begin a partnership in military arms production, in addition to the joint-production agreement Indonesia has with South Korea on jet fighters.

Indonesian deputy defense minister Lt. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin and China’s director of the State Administration for Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense, Chen Quifa, inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) at the ministry on Tuesday as a legal base for the partnership.

“The MoU stipulates joint military procurement by both countries in a government-to-government plan and a technological transfer when certain types of weapons are produced, as well as joint-development and joint-marketing of certain types of military systems,” Defense Ministry spokesman Brig. Gen. I Wayan Midhio told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

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Libya Retains Scud Missiles

Riki Ellison, Chairman and Founder of the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance (MDAA), www.missiledefenseadvocacy.org, has analyzed the ballistic missile threat in Libya and has offered his analysis in terms of missile defense needs in regards to the current situation in Libya. Ellison is one of the top lay experts in the field of missile defense in the country. His comments are outlined below:

As an international coalition moves forward with the implementation of U.N. Resolution 1973 to restrict air space over Libya, it is of concern that the government of Libya retains over 100 Scud-B missiles with a 300 KM range and rudimentary chemical and biological weapons capability that could be used at Muammar Gaddafi's discretion.

Scud-B missiles are not extremely accurate but are effective against high density population centers and to a lesser extent opposing military operations. Iraq successfully launched Scud missiles against U.S. command centers, military staging areas and major population centers during the Gulf War in 1991.

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Thailand agrees to German submarine procurement

The Thai government has agreed to buy two second-hand Type 206A diesel electric submarines from the German Navy, official sources have confirmed to Jane's .

Payment for the purchase - which is understood to be about USD220 million - has not yet been secured, although funds are expected to be sourced from the defence budget for Fiscal Year 2012 (FY12), which commences in October.

The German Navy decommissioned four Type 206A submarines in mid-2010.

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