NOSInt on a break

I'm off for a short summer vacation. Next update will be on Monday the 4^th of July.

You can still follow the military news through The NOSInt Daily which will be refreshed every day around noon (C.E.T.).

Bulava launch date to be set within 2 days

State commission will set date for new trials of submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) Bulava within the next two days, reported RIA Novosti on June 24 referring to a source in Russian defense industry.

"In the nearest two days the state flight-development commission will set the exact date for new trials of SLBM Bulava", said the source.

He added that the trials' timing framework had been already determined, i.e. "since June 28 till June 30, 2011". "Test launches will be conducted by the missile's standard carrier, SSBN Yury Dolgoruky", specified the source.

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Boeing Projects About $300 Million Overrun on Tanker Contract

Boeing Co. is projected to exceed its cost ceiling by as much as $300 million -- about 6 percent - - on the initial contract to develop and build U.S. Air Force aerial refueling tankers, according to government officials.

Air Force officials this month briefed congressional defense committees and Pentagon officials on the projected increase on what’s now a $4.9 billion engineering, manufacturing and development contract that includes four tanker aircraft. The contract calls for 14 more tankers to be delivered by September 30, 2017.

The $300 million projection was obtained by Bloomberg News from government officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to comment publicly.

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Taiwan upgrades fighter jets

Taiwan will this week receive its first batch of a fleet of Indigenous Defensive Fighters upgraded as part as part of a $587 million dollar project to beef up air defences, officials said Sunday.

An unspecified number of the domestically-manufactured jets are scheduled to be delivered in central Taichung city Thursday, an air force spokesman said.

The defence ministry is spending Tw$17 billion (US$587 million) upgrading 71 IDFs, or nearly half of the fleet based in the southern Tainan air base, as part of a four-year project which began in 2009.

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Tornado clocks up one million flying hours

The RAF's Tornado attack aircraft clocked up a million flying hours this week after more than three decades of service.

The milestone time - equivalent to flying to the sun and back twice - was reached in Afghanistan where it is currently being used. It is also in service in Libya and has been deployed in both Gulf Wars and the Balkans since it was first flown by the RAF in 1979.

It was flown through its millionth flying hour this week by Number 617 Squadron, known as the Dambusters for its role in the Second World War.

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F-35 delivery deadline nears at Eglin AFB

Fingers crossed for F-35 at Eglin, Navy tests new catapult, and columnist puzzles over cause of crash.

It's military notes time.
F-35 deadline looms

Four days remain before Lockheed Martin's promised delivery of Eglin Air Force Base's first F-35 Lightning II aircraft.

Early this month, Lockheed spokesman Mike Rein said the company expected to deliver the jet by the end of June.

With July 1 looming, Lockheed has been mum on delivery details.

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F-35s resume flight ops after software glitch

Flying operations for the Navy’s Lockheed Martin F-35C Joint Strike Fighter test program resumed Thursday after a six-day suspension to fix a software problem.

The aircraft were grounded June 17 when engineers at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Md., discovered a “logic fault” that could have prevented the proper action of aircraft control surfaces — the flaps, rudders and other moveable elements that maneuver the plane through the air.

The Navy stressed that no actual fault took place on any aircraft either in the air or on the ground.

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US aircraft carrier crosses Suez Canal

Egyptian shipping sources said US aircraft carrier USS Enterprise crossed the Suez Canal on Friday coming from the Red Sea en route to the Mediterranean.

They added that the ship, which is the US Navy's oldest and longest aircraft carrier, was accompanied by a guided missile destroyer and a supply ship.

Shipping sources said Egyptian authorities tightened security measures on both sides of the canal to secure the ship.

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US, Philippine navies to train near disputed waters

Eleven days of manoeuvres will start Tuesday, after a pledge by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Thursday that Washington was ready to provide hardware to the Filipino military amid rising tension at sea with China.

The guided missile destroyers USS Chung-Hoon and USS Howard and the diving and salvage ship USNS Safeguard will arrive Tuesday at the western Philippine island of Palawan, a joint statement said.

"The US and Philippine navies have a long history of working together, and exercises like (these) provide a great venue for us to hone our skills and increase our inter-operability," the US commander Captain David Welch said.

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BrahMos maps new frontiers

Ten years ago, the multi-faceted Indian-Russian military cooperation notched its first milestone when the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile system’s maiden launch took place from Chandipur, Orissa on June 12, Russia’s National Day.

The launch marked a renewal of bilateral defence cooperation in a framework of strategic partnership.


The name of the missile -- BrahMos is an acronym of the names of two rivers – the Brahmaputra in India and the Moscow River in Russia -- underlines the signal importance of this project for both countries.

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American firm selling helicopters that 'stand on guard for thee'

A prominent American company denied Thursday it is using one of the most famous lines from Canada's national anthem to help it sell helicopters at the world's most prominent trade fair for the global aerospace industry.

But a Canadian historian said there wouldn't likely be a problem even if Sikorsky Aircraft's use of "We stand on guard for thee" was being used for self-promotion purposes at the Paris Air Show.

"Most democratic countries — I would not want to monkey around with the North Korean national anthem — tolerate this sort of appropriation on national symbolism," Queen's University history professor Duncan McDowall told Postmedia News.

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Poland May Join Mobile Anti-Missile System, Finmeccanica Says

Poland may join a multinational mobile anti-missile program that the U.S. plans to withdraw from, said Pier Francesco Guarguaglini, chairman of Finmeccanica SpA, one of the companies involved in the system’s development.

The U.S. has said it wants to terminate its role in the Medium Extended Air Defense System, or Meads, when the current development phase ends in 2013. The seven-year old, $4.2 billion program is a joint effort of the U.S., Italy and Germany involving a consortium of companies led by Lockheed Martin Corp. including Rome-based Finmeccanica.

“The Italian Ministry of Defense wants to save the program,” Guarguaglini said in an interview at the Paris Air Show yesterday. “Maybe we have Poland” joining the system, Guarguaglini said, adding that talks are underway with the country.

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The Global Submarine Market 2011–2021

The rapidly changing global security scenario has forced submarine navies to become increasingly flexible. At the same time, submarines are becoming an increasingly valuable strategic resource, adding new capabilities such as ELINT and SIGINT payloads to their conventional or nuclear attack roles.

Rising maritime threats such as piracy, transnational terrorism and growing demand to protect sea lanes and communication lines are also important factors behind the desire for a strong submarine capability in the region.

The market will be characterized by increasing collaboration between firms and countries and the increasing modularity of design to meet the varied roles of modern submarines. Varying mission profiles has resulted in the adaptation of a flexible payload to effectively deal with varying threats.

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Combat applications for waterjet powered ships

Waterjet propulsion for combat ships and craft is a growing trend. While waterjets have powered small craft for many years, now they are being employed on combatants, including ships as large as the two variants of the U.S. Navy’s littoral combat ship feature waterjets.

In many cases, the power is derived from both diesels and gas turbines. In one unique case, the power drives both waterjets and a screw.

South Africa’s 3,590-ton Valour class frigates, built by Blohm + Voss to the MEKO A-200SAN (for South African Navy) design, employs a combination of screws and waterjets, known as CODAG WARP (Combined Diesel and Gas - Water Jet and Refined Propeller) propulsion solution.

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Chinese UAV spotted by MSDF Aircraft

Confirmation of China’s UAV: Chinese Navy Training in the Pacific
Passing between Miyakojima and the main island of Okinawa, a Chinese naval fleet was sailing in the eastern Philippine Sea on a recent training operation when a Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force aircraft spotted a unmanned aerial vehicle in the air, it was announced today.

This is the first confirmed sighting of a Chinese UAV.

The Chinese fleet has been on a two-week long voyage in the Pacific Ocean to practice its gunnery and other skills.

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Fridge-sized war raygun for US bombers gets $40m

A long-running US military project aimed at producing a "refrigerator sized" laser raygun capable of being mounted on US combat aircraft has received further funding of just under $40m.

In a federal announcement issued on Tuesday, famous crazytech company General Atomics was awarded a $39,833,499 contract for "High Energy Liquid Laser Area Defense System (HELLADS) Phase 4, Demonstration Laser Weapon System".

The money comes, of course, from DARPA: the US government boffins most likely to mutter things like "They said I was mad – MAAD. Me!"... "Narrow-minded, blinkered fools!" and "You'll all be very sorry".

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Raytheon Delivers Patriot GEM-T Test Missiles for UAE

Raytheon Company has completed the first major delivery of materials under the UAE contract.

Three test missile assets were delivered to the U.S. Government to conduct United Nations testing that supports the final hazard classification for the new production run of GEM-T missiles.

"This is a significant milestone for the UAE Patriot program," said Sanjay Kapoor, vice president for Patriot Programs at Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems (IDS). "Our focus on new-build systems and technology refreshes has led to the modernization of Patriot and reinforced its standing as the premier air and missile defense system of choice."

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Lockheed Martin prepares ISR kit for C-130J

Lockheed Martin is looking at offering a kit which would turn the C-130J into long-endurance ISR platform.

Building on experience gained from nations using the C-130 to meet Open Skies Treaty commitments, the Vigilant Watch system would feature an EO/IR turret system fitted into a modified underwing fuel tank, with system-operators working the systems in the rear cabin of the aircraft.

Jim Grant, VP for business development, air mobility and special operations programmes at Lockheed Martin, said the kit would be in the form of a roll-on roll-off pallet system and that the aircraft could be re-roled for the ISR mission in less than 24 hours.

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Ship-borne MiG-29KUB jet for Indian Navy crashes in Russia

A ship-borne MiG-29KUB fighter/ trainer, which was for the Indian Navy as part of the Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier deal, crashed in south Russian Astrakhan region today, killing its two-member crew, a media report said.

The Russian Defence Ministry has grounded the entire MiG-29 fleet till the probe is over, its official spokesman Colonel Igor Konashenkov told reporters.

The MiG-29KUB fighter/trainer was for the Indian Navy as part of the Gorshkov aircraft carrier deal, Interfax news agency quoted MiG Corporation sources as saying.

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China’s J-15 No Game Changer

Gen. Chen Bingde, Chief of Staff of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), has reportedly said that, for the first time, a Chinese ‘aircraft carrier is under construction.’

China is also already preparing the refitted ski-jump carrier Varyag, purchased from Ukraine in 1998, to go to sea.

Given these developments, it seems a good time to look at the first carrier-based aircraft that China will employ: the new J-15 ‘Flying Shark’ carrier-based heavy fighter-bomber.

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Counter-rocket radar system rolls out

Australia’s Counter-Rocket, Artillery and Mortar (C-RAM) radar has now been rolled out to a number of patrol bases and Forward Operating Bases (FOB) across Uruzgan Province in Afghanistan the Defence ministers announced.

The C-RAM system provides vital warning of impending rocket attacks and mortar attacks against bases, providing precious seconds for our people to take cover, rather than being exposed in the open.

On February 1, Mr Smith and Mr Clare announced that the C-RAM system was in operation at the multi-national base Tarin Kowt, achieving its initial operating capability five months ahead of schedule.

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King Sejong the Great

It’s time for another random glance at the arms race on Saipan’s back yard. I’ve got a cool warship to look at today: South Korea’s King Sejong the Great-class of guided missile destroyers. Three of them have been built, and more might be on the way.

Though South Korea is geographically small, this ship is no mere coastal-patrol rubber-ducky. This is a blue-water ship to be sure, and it just might be a world-class warship.

It's a big destroyer, displacing about 8,500 tons. Yes, that's how ships are measured: tons of displacement. It’s sort of a squishy benchmark, depending on how loaded-down the ship is, and on how the class evolves, so any figures I throw at you are ballpark.

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Boeing taps LaBarge for missile components

Boeing has contracted LaBarge Inc. of Missouri to produce wiring harnesses for the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense Standard Missile-3 System.

LaBarge didn't disclose the monetary value of the contract. Production on the contract has begun at LaBarge's Joplin, Mo., operation.

The SM-3 is part of the sea-based Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System for the Missile Defense Agency and will be deployed on Aegis cruisers and destroyers to provide allied forces and the United States protection against short- to medium-range ballistic missile threats in the midcourse phase of flight.

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6 Chinese warships cross seas between Okinawa and Miyako islands

Six Chinese warships passed through the high seas between Okinawa and Miyako islands Wednesday afternoon into the East China Sea.

A Kyodo News helicopter spotted the warships, including two missile destroyers and three frigates, which are part of the 11 Chinese warships that crossed into the Pacific Ocean from the East China Sea through the same waters in stages on June 8 and 9.

The six appeared headed for China in a convoy after completing military exercises in the West Pacific.

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Missile launches after 3-hour delay

After a three-hour delay from multiple causes, an unarmed Minuteman 3 missile thundered out of its underground silo at Vandenberg Air Force Base on Wednesday morning.

The intercontinental ballistic missile blasted out of Launch Facility 10 on North Base at 6:35 a.m., more than three hours after officials intended. The six-hour window opened at 3:01 a.m.

Base officials blamed the delays on inclement downrange weather and an interruption in communication with the Airborne Launch Control System.

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Alenia Aeronautica signs ten-year contract for the maintenance of NATO’s E-3A AWACS fleet

Alenia Aeronautica (a Finmeccanica company) has recently renewed the contract with the company IAMCO (International Aerospace Management Company), for the supply of a wide range of maintenance and upgrade services for NATO’s AWACS (Airborne Early Warning And Control System) aircraft fleet.

The contract signed by Alenia Aeronautica will generate estimated total sales of about euro 100 MLN.

A remarkable business target has been recently achieved by Alenia Aeronautica that, through the signature of the contract with IAMCO, during the forthcoming decade will perform scheduled Depot Level Maintenance (DLM) and unscheduled Out-Of-Cycle (OOC) inspections, in support of seventeen E-3A (B 707) AWACS aircraft, based in Geilenkirchen (D) and often deployed to survey international crisis situations all over the world.

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Italy receives first naval NH90 helicopter

NH Industries will today hand Italy its first naval NH90 helicopter at the European rotary- wing consortium's display area.

"The Italian navy's first NFH90 is the ninth helicopter to be delivered to navies," said Domenico Vaccari, NHI (static P82) vice-president for the naval version.

The delivery follows the previous transfer of four aircraft each to France and the Netherlands, and also involves an aircraft in a so-called meaningful operational capability (MOC) or "Step A" configuration.

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Ice patrol ship, HMS Protector joins the navy fleet

A ceremony to commission HMS Protector into the Royal Navy's fleet is being held at Portsmouth Naval Base.

The ship will fulfil the Royal Navy's ice patrol role in the Antarctic while the future of HMS Endurance is being considered.

The 10-year-old 5,000-tonne vessel has been leased from a Norwegian company for three years.

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Russia exports aircraft to Vietnam

Rosoboronexport, the Russian state arms export agency, has delivered the first party of four Sukhoi-30MK2 fighter jets to Vietnam.

This was reported by Sergey Kornev, the head of the Rosoboronexport delegation to the Paris Air Show 2011 in Le Bourget. Speaking about the share of aircraft in the general volume of Russian arms export, Kornev pointed out that the largest consumers of Russian combat aircraft are India, Algeria and Vietnam.

Vietnam is to buy 20 Sukhoi-30MK2 in Russia within two contracts.

Source

UAE Scales Back $6.95 Billion Lockheed Missile Defense Package

The United Arab Emirates has scaled back by about one-third its planned acquisition of Lockheed Martin Corp. missile interceptors in what was a potential $6.95 billion package, according to the U.S. Missile Defense Agency.

The UAE last August “adjusted its requirement” to 96 Terminal High Altitude Area Defense interceptors from 144, according to an unreleased “Selected Acquisition Report” submitted to Congress in April. Bloomberg News obtained the document, which disclosed the reduction.

The UAE also reduced its purchase -- from four to two -- of the AN/TPY-2 mobile search and tracking radar made by Raytheon Co. (RTN) The new radar plan supports two missile batteries, rather than three, the MDA said.

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Raytheon Company's active electronically scanned array radar technology recently achieved more than 250,000 operational flight hours.

Used by customers around the world on multiple platforms, more than 300 radar systems have been delivered to domestic and international customers to help ensure their mission success.

"We believe Raytheon's AESA technology is the cornerstone of future fighter aircraft," said Mark Kula, vice president, Tactical Airborne Systems, for Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems.

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Lockheed turns the corner

Lockheed Martin and its U.S. military partners are attempting to counter at the Paris Air Show this week negative publicity over cost overruns and technical delays that have plagued the F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter aircraft project.

Senior project officials told reporters and analysts at a well-attended briefing here they have “turned the corner” in the troubled development of the strike aircraft.

Cost issues became a point of contention during the recent Canadian election campaign because of the federal government’s plan to spend $9 billion to acquire 65 of the aircraft, with delivery expected to start in 2016.

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Twilight of the $UPERfluous Carrier

With smaller and lighter unmanned aircraft coming into the mix, the United States can also deploy smaller and lighter—and less expensive—ships to carry them.

We can’t know for sure in what ways future adversaries will challenge our Fleet, but we can assess with some certainty how technology is affecting their principal capabilities.

Judging from the evidence at hand, future Fleet actions will place a premium on early sensing, precision targeting, and long-range ballistic- and cruise-missile munitions.

Increasingly sophisticated over-the-horizon and space-based sensors, in particular, will focus on signature control and signature deception. Thus, we must ask ourselves how best to win this battle of signatures and long-range strike.

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'The Russian Defence Market was Worth $47.10bn in 2010' Says visiongain Analyst

The Russian defence market is set to expand considerably over the next decade, with the Russian authorities seeking to modernise and improve the capabilities of the Russian armed forces, and to cement Russia's place as a leading military nation.

The visiongain author of The Russian Defence Market 2011-2021 commented "Although traditionally Russia's defensive needs have been near exclusively fulfilled internally, a policy of economic liberalisation pushed forward by Medvedev means that the defence market in Russia is starting to open up.

Joint ventures look to offer firms the greatest opportunities within the market, especially in connection to research and development, as Russia attempts to modernise its armed forces to elite standards over the coming years.

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Raytheon Delivers First Production SeaVue XMC Radar

Raytheon Company has delivered the first of three SeaVue expanded mission capability radars to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Raytheon delivered the first production radar in the record time of just six months.

This radar will be installed on U.S. Customs and Border Protection's second Guardian unmanned aircraft system, a maritime variant of the Predator B. Raytheon will deliver two additional SeaVue radars to U.S. Customs and Border Protection for installation on the P-3 aircraft.

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Raytheon Offers New Ground-Based Evolved SeaSparrow Missile

Raytheon Company and its international partners will introduce a new ground-based Evolved SeaSparrow Missile at the Paris Air Show.

The ground-based ESSM features multi-use capabilities for both naval and land-based applications.

"Raytheon Missile Systems and its global industrial partners are working to expand ESSM into the ground-based air defense (GBAD) mission area," said Royal Netherlands Navy Capt. Paul Rouffaer, deputy project manager of the NATO SeaSparrow project office.

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NASAMS Live-Fire Exercise a Success

The Royal Norwegian Air Force conducted a successful tactical live-fire exercise of its National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS), a surface-launched Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile system, earlier this month at the Andoya Rocket Range in Northern Norway.

This annual live-fire exercise, called Silver Arrow, was attended by both Raytheon and KONGSBERG, along with several potential international customers.

"The conduct of our annual tactical live firing exercise is of greatest importance for the RNoAF GBAD community," said Lt. Col. Bjorn Stai, Royal Norwegian Air Force's (RNoAF) head of the Ground-based Air Defense branch.

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U.S. Navy Selects Lockheed Martin to Provide Submarine Technology Upgrade

Lockheed Martin received a U.S. Navy contract to provide submarine combat and sonar systems designed around commercially available hardware and software.

The indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract has a ceiling value of $758 million.

“Our expertise in taking commercial components and electronics, such as switches, servers and displays, and packaging them to work in the harsh military environment that used to require custom hardware has saved the Navy more than $1.5 billion, and we are using these same processes to maximize continued cost savings to the Navy,” said John Nikolai, Lockheed Martin director for communications and workstations.

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Russia blasts U.S. Navy maneuvers near Georgia

Russia is outraged at the maneuvers of American USS Monterey cruiser carrying the AEGIS air defense system near the Georgian coast on the Black Sea, the Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.

The U.S. warship arrived for joint exercises with Georgia as part of the Phased Adaptive Approach program designed to shape the European segment of the U.S.-led project to build a global missile defense system, the Trend news agency said.

"The Russian Foreign Ministry earlier expressed concern that along with negotiations on cooperation in the global air defense system, [the U.S.] is conducting simultaneous 'reconnaissance' operations near the borders of our country," the ministry said.

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Air Mules FanCrafts Could Be Operational in Four Years

After nine years of development, Rafi Yoeli, founder and CEO of Urban Aeronautics says he is confident the Air Mule can achieve operational level within four years.

The new design is gaining much interest and support within Israel Defense Forces (IDF), bringing Yoeli closer to achieve its goal.

“If funding for the Air Mule is secured, we could have Air Mule ready for fielding by 2015”. Yoeli tells Defense-Update.

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N.Korea could test-launch missile at new launch site this year

Tongchang-ri launch path
North Korea could test-launch a missile this year from its second and more sophisticated launch site, in an apparent move to improve its long-range missile capabilities, a US expert said on Tuesday.

South Korean and US officials have monitored the new Tongchang-ri missile base on the North's west coast for more than two years, and satellite images showed early this year that construction of a launch tower at the base was nearly completed.

'What I can tell you is that the facility is pretty close to being ready to use. ... A trial launch at the Tongchang-ri site? I think that's possible that they could do it this year,' Bruce W. Bennett, a senior defence analyst at Rand Corporation, a US think tank, told Yonhap News Agency in an interview in Seoul.

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Brazilian Navy Signs Agreement To Acquire Additional S-70B™ Aircraft

Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. announced today at the Paris Air Show that the Brazilian Navy has signed an agreement with the U.S. Government to acquire two additional Sikorsky S-70B™ maritime helicopters via the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) process. Sikorsky is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp.

In 2010, the Brazilian Navy contracted for four S-70B aircraft, also through the FMS system, with deliveries starting in December 2011 and continuing through the end of the First Quarter of 2012.

Sikorsky expects contract finalization for the additional two aircraft in 2012. The multi-role S-70B SEAHAWK™ helicopter can perform anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare missions, among others.

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SELEX Galileo: New AESA radar contracts

SELEX Galileo, a Finmeccanica company, has been awarded a contract by Worldwide Aeros Corporation, a US prime contractor for aerostat vehicles, to deliver its Seaspray 7500E Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar.

The Seaspray radar will equip an Aeros ground-surveillance tethered aerostat balloon operated by the Republic of Korea Army, marking SELEX Galileo’s expansion into the rapidly growing aerostat market segment.

Tethered aerostat balloons meet the need for 24 hour persistent surveillance in conflict areas, regions of cross-border tension and for general border security.

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Chinese ‘Carrier Killer’ Based on US Technology

China’s ‘carrier killer,’ the DF-21D anti-ship ballistic missile that can destroy American ships, had a unique origin: its base technology was pilfered from U.S. military trash during the 1990s, according to recent revelations by a Chinese military analyst.

Further, a key part of the rocket system for that missile was obtained from U.S. engineering firm Martin Marietta, also in the 1990s.

Richard Fisher, who has kept close tabs on the transfer of military technology to China, says that a “U.S. source” recently told him what he had suspected all along: that from the tons of military scrap China bought from the U.S. a decade and a half ago, intelligence was gathered to develop the radar guidance system that is now being used in the Dongfeng-21C, which enabled the People’s Liberation Army to develop its DF-21D medium range ballistic missile for destroying American aircraft carriers.

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US and European defence firms keen to sell to India

India's booming economy and growing security concerns are making it one of the top defence markets for the next decade.

European contractors are deepening their ties to the country while US companies, which were barred from selling sophisticated equipment to India until 2005, are strengthening their presence.

It "is buying anything you can think of - fighters, patrol aircraft, missiles, trainers, aircraft carriers", said Stephen Trimble, a journalist who writes and blogs on defence matters.

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NATO says lost drone helicopter in Libya

NATO said it lost radar contact with a drone helicopter conducting a reconnaissance flight over Libya on Tuesday, denying one of its attack helicopters had crashed.

The alliance's command centre in Naples, Italy, lost track of the unmanned autonomous helicopter drone at 0720 GMT, NATO military spokesman Mike Bracken said in a statement.

"This drone helicopter was performing intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance over Libya to monitor pro-Kadhafi forces threatening the civilian population," he said.

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India will get Russian n-sub by December

After a long wait, India is set to get the advanced ‘Nerpa’ nuclear attack submarine on lease from Russia by the end of this year, a senior Russian official said.

While India still does not officially talk about the 10-year lease that has been in the works for years, news about the delivery of the nuclear submarine comes from the head of the Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation.

Meanwhile, reports say that China will begin sea trials of its first aircraft carrier by next week, making its entry into a select club of nations that operate aircraft carriers.

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Second Mesma AIP ready for shipment to Pakistan

DCNS is ready to ship the second of three Mesma air-independent propulsion modules ordered by the Pakistan Navy for its DCNS-designed Agosta 90B submarines.

This module will be installed as part of a scheduled major refit for one of two Agosta 90Bs in active service.

The self-contained hull module will be integrated with the host submarine over the next few months with DCNS technical assistance.

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MBDA announces the first submarine launch of SCALP Naval, France’s future cruise missile

The first submarine launch as part of the SCALP Naval / MdCN (Missile de Croisière Naval) programme was carried out successfully by the French DGA (Direction Générale de l’Armement) at its Ile du Levant missile test centre in the Mediterranean on 8th June 2011.

Using an underwater platform simulating the launch conditions prevailing on the future Barracuda nuclear-powered attack submarine, this firing permitted all the intended test objectives to be demonstrated: the validation of the launch phase with the subsequent change of environment from water to air as well as the missile’s flight.

The positive outcome of this trial helps validate the definition of SCALP Naval / MdCN in its submarine configuration as well as validate the missile’s commonality concept for the two types of launch platform.

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GE LM2500+G4 powered FREMM frigate completes sea trials

Aquitaine, the first frigate Aquitaine in the Italian-French FREMM program recently completed sea trials. Built at DCNS's shipyard in Lorient, France, the ship has a hybrid CODLOG (COmbined Diesel eLectric Or Gas) power package combines a GE LM2500+G4 gas turbine for high-speed mechanical propulsion and electric motors powered by four diesel-alternator sets for low-speed propulsion.

Construction continues on the first Italian Navy FREMM Bergamini, with initial start of that ship's LM2500+G4 gas turbine propulsion system expected within the next few months.

"FREMM is one of the most important marine programs in Europe since World War II, and GE is delighted to be supplying its LM2500+G4 gas turbine propulsion systems for all the FREMM frigates," said Brien Bolsinger, GE Marine general manager.

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22 submarines in accidents during past decade

Nineteen major naval accidents have taken place over the past decade, involving 22 submarines.

The majority have involved American submarines.

The USS Minneapolis-St Paul became dangerously close to grounding on rocks in the River Tamar near Plymouth, Devon, and a new report has blamed human failings.

In total, there have been nine American submarine incidents, five Russian, four British, and one Chinese, Canadian, Australian and French accidents.

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Airbus Military and Israel Aerospace Industries join forces on C295 AEW&C Programme

Airbus Military and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) are combining forces to jointly develop and market a new version of the Airbus Military C295 platform fitted with an Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) system produced by ELTA Systems, a wholly owned IAI subsidiary.

The primary sensor of the AEW&C will be the IAI/ELTA 4th Generation Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Radar with integrated IFF.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to this effect was signed today at the Le Bourget Airshow by IAI Corp. VP and ELTA President, Mr. Nissim Hadas, and Airbus Military CEO Mr. Domingo Ureña. With this agreement, Airbus Military will expand its mission capability to the Airborne Early Warning & Command sector, while ELTA will be expanding its AEW&C fleet to include a turboprop platform.

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Israel Aerospace Industries' Heron UAS Has Reached Full Operational Capability Under the German Armed Forces in Afghanistan

The German Air Force recently announced that the "Heron", Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI)' advanced unmanned aerial system (UAS), has achieved full operational capability (FOC) under its activities in Afghanistan.

It's a significant milestone for the program, where IAI provided its Heron UAV system, together with its partner Rheinmetall Defence, to the Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces).

The program included full in-theatre logistical and maintenance services performed by Rheinmetall.

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First China aircraft carrier sea trial ‘next week’

China’s first aircraft carrier—a remodelled Soviet-era vessel—will go on sea trials next week, a report said Tuesday, amid escalating tensions in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).

China’s top military official reportedly confirmed earlier this month that Beijing is building a huge aircraft carrier, the first acknowledgement of the ship’s existence from China’s secretive defense program.

On Tuesday, the Hong Kong Commercial Daily, which broke the story of the vessel’s confirmation, quoted unnamed military sources saying the carrier will go on sea trials on July 1 but will not be officially launched until October.

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China's 5G fighter 'a showoff'

China's fifth-generation fighter program is more for effect than substance, Russia's leading aircraft maker said on Monday.

China carried out its first test-flight of a fifth-generation stealth fighter in January.

"It was more a demonstration than a real program," Mikhail Pogosyan, head of United Aircraft Corporation, said.

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Northrop Grumman Completes Successful Joint Strike Fighter Sensor Testing at Northern Edge 2011 Joint Exercise

Northrop Grumman Corporation has successfully participated in the 2011 Northern Edge joint military exercise by demonstrating key F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) sensor capabilities in a demanding operational environment.

The AN/APG-81 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar and AN/AAQ-37 Distributed Aperture System (DAS) were mounted aboard Northrop Grumman's BAC1-11 test aircraft during the exercise.

The radar was tested featuring Block 3 and developmental software, and the DAS was tested with JSF Block 2 delivery software.

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Lockheed Martin Launches New F-35 Website

Lockheed Martin announced a new website for the F-35 Lightning II aircraft at the Paris Air Show today. The site, http://www.f35.com, provides the most up-to-date information on the F-35 program, including history, program updates, news, photos and videos.

The F-35 Lightning II is the most advanced 5th generation multirole fighter in the world, combining Very Low Observable stealth with fighter speed and agility, fully fused sensor information, network-enabled operations and reduced sustainment costs.

The Lightning II’s sensor suite is the most powerful and comprehensive of any fighter in history and will merge with an unprecedented networking capability to give unmatched situational awareness.

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AFP prepares P40-B shopping list

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will come up with a shopping list of military gear worth P40 billion as part of its modernization program being enacted over the next five years.

Philippine Navy chief Alexander Pama said in a radio interview that the AFP is still discussing the proper allocation of funds but confirmed that the Navy is poised to receive a huge budget allocation, according to the Philippine Star.

The same report said that only 26 out of the 53 patrol ships in the Navy’s inventory are operational, and these are an average of 36.4 years old. Only three out of seven Navy transport vessels and four out of ten Navy auxiliary ships are operational.

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Raytheon Completes First Radar Upgrade for Taiwan

Raytheon Company has delivered the first Configuration-3 radar set to Taiwan. The upgrade was completed 11 months ahead of the original program plan requested by the Taiwan Air Force.

"As a trusted partner of the Taiwan Air Force, we continue to deliver on our commitments, providing improved capability that ensures the success of Taiwan's air defense mission," said Sanjay Kapoor, vice president for Patriot Programs at Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems (IDS).

"The investments we made to achieve the program schedule acceleration benefit all Patriot customers – the U.S. and our 11 international partners – who have selected the combat-proven Patriot as the foundation of their air and missile defense strategy."

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Lockheed May Tempt India With Stealth F-35

Lockheed Martin Corp. may offer its latest warplane, the F-35 stealth fighter, to India in a bid to rejoin the Asian country’s $11 billion combat-jet competition after its older F-16 model was eliminated.

Lockheed’s chances of offering the F-35 for the 126-plane order were boosted last week when the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee asked the Defense Department to study the “desirability and feasibility” of a joint strike fighter sale to India, said Patrick Dewar, senior vice president for corporate strategy and business development, in an interview at the Paris Air Show.

The Senate committee report accompanying the Pentagon’s 2012 budget “opens the window to fifth-generation fighter technology release to India, however the Indian services want to deal with it,” Dewar said.

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