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Tuesday, April 30, 2013

DCNS and local partners deliver sixth Skjold FPB to the Royal Norwegian Navy

HNOMS Storm |On 26 April 2013, DCNS and its local partners delivered the sixth and final Skjold-class fast patrol boat to the Royal Norwegian Navy.

The six-boat Skjold programme is led by a consortium comprising DCNS and two Norwegian contractors with DCNS acting as the combat system design authority and co-supplier.

The Norwegian authorities entrusted the Skjold programme to a consortium of three contractors with DCNS as the combat system design authority and co-supplier.

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Iraq to Receive Final Three C-130Js

C-130J Super Hercules |The Iraqi Air Force (IQAF) is set to receive its final three Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules airlifters.

Aircraft number 5721 was the first of these aircraft to be ferried from Lockheed Martin’s production facility here on April 23, 2013.

All three C-130Js were ferried to U.S. Air Force bases prior to delivery to the IQAF.

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China Sells Helicopter Gunships to UWSA

Zhi-9WA Attack Helicopter |China has allegedly sold helicopter gunships to ethnic Wa rebels who occupy areas of Shan State in eastern Burma, intelligence monitor Jane’s Information Group reported on Monday.

The report claimed China “delivered several Mil Mi-17 ‘Hip’ medium- transport helicopters armed with TY-90 air-to-air missiles to the Wa in late February and early March, according to both Myanmar ethnic minority and Myanmar government sources.”

Bertil Lintner, an expert on Burma and author of Great Game East: India, China and the Struggle for Asia’s Most Volatile Frontier, confirmed the accuracy of the Jane’s report.

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Can Foreign Sales Of The F35 Breathe Life Back Into The Struggling Program?

F-35B Lightning II |Deep-pocketed U.S allies are emerging as the saviors of Lockheed Martin’s most costly military plane, the F35 fighter aircraft, which has struggled to make sales on the home ground.

With many critics of the F-35 Lightning II program unconvinced of its capabilities and the shadow of cancellation looming, the stealth fighter has found redemption in sales abroad.

Most recently, Israel agreed to buy 19 F35s worth $2.75 billion and signed an additional contract worth $2.5 billion to supply wings for the aircraft. The Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) is expected to begin deliveries in 2015.

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7 killed in aircraft crash at base in Afghanistan


A civilian cargo plane crashed Monday north of Kabul, just two days after four airmen were killed in the crash of an MC-12 aircraft near Kandahar Air Field in southern Afghanistan.

The cargo plane crashed about 3:30 p.m. shortly after takeoff at Bagram Air Field, north of the capital, and emergency crews were still on the scene early Monday evening, according to an official with the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force.

The plane - owned by National Airlines, an Orlando, Florida-based subsidiary of National Air Cargo - was carrying vehicles and other cargo, National Air Cargo Vice President Shirley Kaufman told The Associated Press.

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France aims to keep firepower while cutting military

Le Triomphant-class submarine |France, which launched an armed intervention in Mali earlier this year, has declared its determination to sustain its punch as a leading military power, despite making fresh cuts to its defence forces.

Juggling severe budgetary pressures with its longstanding strategic ambitions, President François Hollande’s socialist government on Monday laid out plans to retain the country’s nuclear deterrent as well as preserve its ability to project significant force beyond its borders, both on its own and with its allies.

A white paper, or policy document, on defence, delayed for several months by wrangles over the potential budget consequences, said the armed forces would be reduced by 34,000 between 2014 and 2019, from a total of 218,000 today and on top of a 40,000 reduction over the past five years.

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DND spent $700,000 to undo renovations for delayed helicopter

CH-148 Cyclone Maritime Helicopter |The chronically troubled purchase of new helicopters to replace the decades-old Sea Kings has again saddled the federal government with costly delays in the delivery of the new choppers.

The Department of National Defence was forced to spend $700,000 last year to undo portions of a $4-million renovation project on one of its frigates to deal with the delays in a project Defence Minister Peter MacKay once called the “worst procurement in the history of Canada.”

DND was in the process of converting the flight deck on HMCS Regina to welcome the first of 28 new Sikorsky CH-148 Cyclone helicopters, the long-awaited replacements for the Sea Kings.

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Up to 20 new ships, boats to join Black Sea Fleet in near future

Kilo Class (Project 636) submarine |The Russian Black Sea Fleet will be updated and improved to ensure the country's national security.

Up to 20 new ships, submarines and boats will join the fleet in the near future, the Fleet's Commander Vice-Admiral Alexander Fedotenkov said in connection with the 230th anniversary of the fleet to be marked on May 13.

It is an objective and very important process, given the fact that the naval forces of Black Sea and Mediterranean states continuously increase their combat potential with the qualitative improvement of weaponry without considerable reduction of their number, he noted.

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Israel gets 5th German submarine

Dolphin-class submarine |An official ceremony was held in the German city of Kiel Monday to mark the handover of a fifth submarine to Israel's Navy.

The ceremony was attended by Defense Ministry Director Udi Shani, Navy Commander Gen. Ram Rotenberg and other Israeli officials, along with their German counterparts.

In May 2011, a special ministerial committee decided to accept the recommendations of Defense Minister Ehud Barak , who promoted its purchase. Israel already operates four Dolphin-class submarines.

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PH earmarks P18 billion for two new warships

Gregorio del Pilar (Hamilton-class) |The government has allocated P18 billion for the purchase of two brand new frigates as the Department of the National Defense (DND) has opted to ditch its original plan of purchasing second-hand war ships.

Fernando Manalo, DND Undersecretary for Finance, Munitions, Installations and Materiel, said the original allocation for the second-hand frigate is P6 billion each to maximize what the budget that the government has.

“We realized that it will be expensive in the long run if we are going to buy second hand,” said Manalo.

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North Korea halts missile launch preparations

BM-25 Musudan |North Korea has stopped work on preparing for the launch of a medium-range Musudan ballistic missile, according to government sources in Japan, the United States and South Korea.

Although the U.S. military has also temporarily eased back from being on high alert, the three nations will continue to keep a wary eye on Pyongyang as it is deemed likely that it will continue with its provocative actions in the medium to long term.

The sources said that from about April 20, intelligence units have been unable to intercept radio signals that North Korea had been transmitting on a test basis in preparing for a missile launch.

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Monday, April 29, 2013

Chopper scam: Italy prosecutors aim to hasten Finmeccanica graft trial, say a source

AW101 |Italian prosecutors investigating allegations of corruption by Finmeccanica in the sale of 12 helicopters to India believe their evidence is strong enough to warrant an urgent trial without preliminary proceedings, a legal source with direct knowledge of the situation said.

Prosecutors in the city of Busto Arsizio will ask a judge to order that Finmeccanica's former chairman, Giuseppe Orsi, and other suspects skip preliminary hearings and are sent directly to trial, the source said.

Pre-trial hearings can last for months. A spokesman for Orsi's lawyer, Ennio Amodio, was not immediately reachable for comment on Sunday.

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Iran to unveil indigenous S-300 missiles

S-300 PMU |A senior official of Iran Army says the country will unveil an indigenous Bavar-373 missile defense system, which is similar to the Russian S-300, during the next Iranian calendar year which begins March 21, 2014.

“Although because of US stonewalling efforts, Iran failed to purchase the S-300 system [from Russia], this system is being developed in the country and will be officially unveiled [in the next Persian calendar year],” deputy commander of Iran Army for self-sufficiency and research, Rear Admiral Farhad Amiri said on Sunday.

The official said the manufacturing of the Iranian S-300 system is underway and its subsystems have been already tested, adding that Bavar-373 missile system is projected to be unveiled in 2014.

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National Defence expected to lose some F-35s before all 65 delivered

F-35 Lightning II |National Defence scientists predicted in 2011 that the military would have almost certainly lost several of its brand-new F-35 stealth fighters before all 65 were even delivered, Postmedia News has learned.

In December 2011, the Defence Department’s research arm, Defence Research and Development Canada, published a report in which it said “that the probability of having 63 or more (F-35s) remaining at this time (when the last one is delivered) is approximately 54 per cent.”

Canadian military planners had originally expected to take possession of all 65 of this country’s stealth fighters over a staggered six-year period ending in 2022.

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Portsmouth MP wants answers over plan to build new patrol vessels

Amazonas class OPV |An MP has written to the prime minister demanding a definitive answer to whether two new navy vessels will be built in Portsmouth.

Mike Hancock, the MP for Portsmouth South, has asked David Cameron whether two new offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) will be built for the Royal Navy.

As reported in The News, city leaders are calling for the construction of the OPVs to plug a construction gap at the shipyard from next year, when work is due to be completed on the two new aircraft carriers.

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First Project 11356 Frigate to Join Russian Navy Next Year

Project 11356 frigate |Russia's first Project 11356 frigate, the Admiral Grigorovich, will join the Black Sea Fleet in 2014, Vice-Admiral Alexander Fedotenkov said on Monday.

“The newest Project 11356 escort ship, the Admiral Grigorovich, should be launched in 2013 and join the Black Sea Fleet in 2014,” Fedotenkov said.

The Kaliningrad-based Yantar shipyard is to build a total of six Project 11356 frigates for delivery between 2014 and 2016 under a contract with the Defense Ministry.

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Iranian universities constructing eight submarines

Ghadir submarines |Isfahan University of Technology in cooperation with three other universities has designed eight military and civil submarines.

The construction operations of the submarines are underway, Mehr news agency reported. They have a variety of uses, including tourism, exploration, defense, and laying cables.

Iran's Deputy Defense Minister Mohammad Eslami announced earlier this month that the country plans to unveil the first indigenous submarine within the next few months.

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Britain cannot afford to be without submarine-launched nuclear weapons

Vanguard-class |Ministers are considering the way forward as our Trident nuclear deterrent approaches the end of its life.

It is sometimes said that our nuclear deterrent is a waste of money because no British prime minister would ever dare to authorise its use.

But we should not seek to define the circumstances when the prime minister might take such a momentous decision, save with the hallowed words "when our supreme national interest so requires".

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The elite nuclear race

Agni VI |While the United States beats the war drums over North Korea and Iran’s long-ranged nuclear armed missiles –which they don’t even possess – Washington remains curiously silent about the arrival of the world’s newest member of the big nuke club – India.

In January, Delhi revealed a new, 800km-ranged submarine launched missile (SLBM) designated K-15.

Twelve of these strategic, nuclear-armed missiles will be carried by India’s first of a class of domestically built nuclear-powered submarine, “Arihant.”

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Captain and engineer acquitted in Nerpa submarine accident retrial

Akula II Class (RS Nerpa - INS Chakra) |The Russian Pacific Fleet’s Military Court has acquitted Captain Dmitry Lavrentyev and Engineer Dmitry Grobov on trial for causing death of 20 by negligence on the Nerpa nuclear submarine in 2008.

The ruling is based on the jury’s not guilty verdict that was passed last Friday.

On November 8, 2008, the Akula II class nuclear attack submarine Nerpa was running sea trials in the Sea of Japan in the western Pacific when its freon-based fire extinguishing system malfunctioned, killing 20 of the 208 people on board and injuring 21.

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Sunday, April 28, 2013

Advanced weapons systems on the way from Lockheed Martin


Lockheed Martin hopes to win a contract from the Marine Corps that would make superheroes like Aquaman proud.

Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq in recent years have diverted the Marine Corps from its expeditionary roots.

But the Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control unit in Grand Prairie has built an assault vehicle named "Havoc" that would provide a boost to the Corps' reputation for amphibious assaults.

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Unmanned aerial vehicles take lead role in coastal security drill

Searcher II |The efficacy of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) as an early warning mechanism against enemy sneaking in aboard hijacked or rouge vessels was demonstrated during Exercise Gemini-2, the second edition of integrated coastal defence drill for Kerala and Lakshadweep.

The 48-hour-long drill drew to a close at 6 a.m. on Saturday.

The Heron and Searcher UAVs of the Navy’s air squadron No. 342 based at the Southern Naval Command in Kochi took to the skies relentlessly, picking out at least a few suspect vessels on each flight and alerting the defence forces to the threat.

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Congress slows military efforts to save

B-1B Lancer |Parked around the airstrip at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland are more than a dozen massive C-5A Galaxy transport planes.

There is no money to fly them, repair them or put pilots in the cockpits, but Congress rejected the Air Force's bid to retire them.

So, in the weeks and months ahead, crews will tow the planes around the Texas tarmac a bit to make sure the tires don't rot, then send them back into exile until they can finally get permission to commit the aging aircraft to the boneyard.

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Navy tests new weapons in the war on drugs

Sinclair Harris |On the flight deck of the HSV 2 Swift, U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Sinclair Harris received instructions Friday on how to launch the 13-pound drone that looks like a model airplane built by a teenager in the family garage.

“Raise it when we’re ready,” a civilian operator told the commander of the U.S. 4th Fleet. “It’s a piece of cake.”

Harris did as told, launching the Puma AE (all environment) — a waterproof, unmanned aircraft — into the vast blue yonder of the Florida Straits to track and provide real-time video of a go-fast boat in a mock drug smuggling operation.

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Saturday, April 27, 2013

Taiwan to deploy 3 more PAC-3 antimissile batteries

Patriot PAC-3 |Three U.S.-made Patriot antimissile air defense batteries will be deployed in southern Taiwan, in addition to the one already in northern Taiwan, Deputy Defense Minister Andrew Yang said Thursday.

Responding to lawmakers' questions in the Legislative Yuan's Foreign and National Defense Committee, Yang said the three Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missile batteries will be used to boost the country's defense capability.

The PAC-3 missile batteries, part of a US$6.4 billion arms package supplied by the United States in recent years, will be deployed in southern Taiwan, he said.

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Norway To Buy Six F-35s in 2017 And Then Six More Every Year Following Until 2024

F-35 Lightning II |The Norwegian government today submitted a formal request to the Norwegian parliament for authorization to procure six F-35 Lightning II aircraft for delivery in 2017.

In doing so, the Norwegian government follows up on its renewed plans from 2012 to stretch its procurement of the F-35 over additional years, and to accelerate its initial purchase by one year.

- We are very pleased that we have gotten to this point in our procurement process. Today represents a major leap forward in our efforts to procure the F-35.

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Rada Preparing for Commercial Production of Tactical Radar

Rada MHR |The Israeli company Rada is preparing for the start of commercial production of the new tactical radar that it is developing.

In November 2012, the company performed a successful test of its Multi-mission Hemispheric Radar (MHR), which is based on AESA technology and allows for protection and full dome coverage.

The test was carried out at the request of the US Army an IMI facility in the Negev region.

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New development in anti-missile system for airliners


A new hyper-hemispherical sapphire dome for directional and common infrared countermeasures to protect civilian planes from missiles has been made in Israel.

The 240-degree dedicated dome by the Crystals Division of Rotem Industries solve problems in current systems' design such as limited field of view, optical obstacles and excessive drag.

The system is the first series production unit and will help defeat shoulder-fired missile used by militants to destroy commercial aircraft during takeoffs and landings.

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Northrop Grumman Marks 50 Years of Airborne Electronic Attack Expertise

EA-18G Growler |With the first flight of the EA-6A on April 26, 1963, Grumman Aerospace, now Northrop Grumman Corporation, launched its long and successful legacy as a leader in airborne electronic attack technology.

Airborne electronic attack has been a key component of all military contingency operations, as well as combat operations including Vietnam, the Cold War, Grenada, Panama, Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya.

"Northrop Grumman is a leader in airborne electronic attack technology, having designed, manufactured and delivered the first electronic attack systems more than five decades ago," said Doug Shaffer, director of information operations and electronic attack, Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems.

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WIG aircraft – a new joint project between Russia and China

Ivolga WIG aircraft |Recently the Chinese press announced the first test flights of the new Chinese Wing In Ground Effect (WIG) aircraft CYG-11.

In its appearance and technical characteristics it completely replicates the Russian WIG aircraft Ivolga, as Vasily Kashin, an expert at the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, points out.

Thus, one can state that the Russian-Chinese cooperation in the area of WIG aircraft development has begun to bear fruit.

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Canadian sailors opened fire in Jamaican waters, broke international law during war on drugs mission

HMCS Goose Bay |Bad maps are being blamed after Canadian naval reservists participating in the U.S.-led war on drugs last year sparked a diplomatic flap by firing their weapons and intercepting fishing trawlers in Jamaican waters — without Jamaica’s permission.

The embarrassing incident, which has never before been publicly reported, broke international maritime law — not the first time legal questions have been raised about Canada’s increasing involvement in the drug war.

On March 27, 2012, HMCS Goose Bay and Kingston were patrolling south of Jamaica as part of Operation Caribbe, Canada’s contribution to an ongoing, U.S.-led anti-drug trafficking mission in the Caribbean and East Pacific.

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DCNS insists Scorpene project is on track

Scorpene-class Submarine |Amid reports of India’s Scorpene submarine building programme at defence shipyard Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) suffering another jolt and resultant delay in the wake of the yard’s failure to renew its technology assistance contract with the Spanish Navantia, DCNS-India — subsidiary of the French defence shipbuilding firm DCNS which is the original manufacturer of the Scorpenes — insists that the project is very much on track.

“DCNS is the original manufacturer of the Scorpene submarine and we have all the know-how and design authority to perform TOTs [transfer of technology] for the complete submarine.

We have provided MDL with technical assistance beyond contractual obligations in order to overcome teething problems and we will continue to do so until [the] successful completion of the project, Bernard Buisson, managing director of DCNS-India, told The Hindu over email when asked about the fallout of Navantia pulling out its consultants from the project.

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HMCS Victoria (SSK 876) at Canada Place


HMCS VICTORIA’s displacement is approximately 2,200 tons surfaced and 2,400 tons submerged. Covered in anechoic tiles to reduce her detection by active SONAR, HMCS VICTORIA is 70.3 meters long, 7.6 meters across the beam and has a deep diving depth in excess of 200 meters.

The main hull is constructed of high tensile steel sections stiffened by circular internal frames. Equipment located outside the main hull is covered by the Casing, which also gives the crew a safe walkway when the submarine is surfaced. The Fin, which helps support the masts, serves as a kind of keel and provides a raised conning position.

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Armed RAF Afghan Drones Now Flown From UK

MQ-9 Reaper |Sky News has learnt that for the first time, RAF pilots have operated drone missions over Afghanistan from British soil.

The missions were flown by members of XIII Squadron, based at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire.

Up until this week, all such missions in the Afghan conflict had been conducted at Creech air force base in Nevada.

The UK currently has five Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) - also known as remotely piloted air systems (RPAS).

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Friday, April 26, 2013

US believes Syrian regime used chemical weapons

The White House said Thursday that the U.S. believes "with some degree of varying confidence" the Syrian government has used chemical weapons — specifically the nerve agent sarin — against its own people.

A letter from the White House to members of Congress said the assessment was based on "physiological samples" but called for a United Nations probe to corroborate it and nail down when and how they were used.

"We are continuing to do further work to establish a definitive judgement as to whether or not the red line has been crossed and to inform our decision-making about what we'll do next," a White House official said.

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How Strong Is North Korea's Military? A Look At The Country's Capabilities

Sang-O (Shark) class |North Korea's military, founded 81 years ago Thursday, is older than the country itself. It began as an anti-Japanese militia and is now the heart of the nation's "military first" policy.

Late leader Kim Jong Il elevated the military's role during his 17-year rule; South Korea estimates he boosted troop levels to 1.2 million soldiers. The military's new supreme commander, Kim Jong Un, gave the Korean People's Army a sharpened focus this year by instructing troops to build a "nuclear arms force." Yet the army is believed to be running on outdated equipment and short supplies.

The secretive army divulges few details about its operations, but here is an assessment from foreign experts of its strengths and weaknesses:

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Kazakhstan Grounds MiG Jets After Crash

MiG-31 Foxhound |Kazakhstan's military authorities have grounded all the nation's MiG jet fighter aircraft following a crash earlier this week that killed the pilot and injured the navigator of a MiG-31 interceptor, Kazakhstan’s air force chief said on Thursday.

The Kazakhstan Air Force Mikoyan MiG-31 interceptor crashed during a training flight in central Kazakhstan on Wednesday.

The crew managed to eject from the plane before the crash, but the pilot died. A probe was opened into the accident.

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Defense Deal Does Not Include ‘Bunker-Buster’ Bombs for Israel

Bunker-Buster Bombs |The massive new defense deal signed by the U.S. and Israel will not include the highly sought after “bunker-buster” bombs that Israel could use to hit Iran’s underground nuclear facilities, the New York Times reported.

Officially known as Massive Ordnance Penetrator, the bombs weigh about 30,000 pounds and are designed to penetrate earth and destroy deeply buried sites.

Termed as the “zone of immunity,” Israel is concerned that Iran will soon transfer its nuclear enrichment capabilities to an underground military site at Fordo, putting the facilities out of reach for potential Israeli bombers.

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New T-50 fighter let to enter service in 2016

Sukhoi PAK FA (T-50) |Russia’s fifth-generation T-50 fighter jet will enter service with the country’s armed forces in 2016, and not 2015 as was previously announced, President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday.

“The T-50 fifth generation jet should go into serial production and enter service in 2016,” Putin said at a live Q&A session with the Russian public.

The Defense Ministry had earlier said the jet would be ready in 2015.

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Eurocopter validates its optionally piloted helicopter capabilities with successful unmanned EC145 demonstration flights at Istres, France


Eurocopter’s ability to integrate unmanned flight capabilities into its helicopter family has been validated by an optionally piloted vehicle (OPV) demonstration program, which used an EC145 to fly routes that included deployment of an external sling load and a representative observation mission.

Conducted at the French Air Force base in Istres, France, this program was revealed today with an unmanned demonstration, which followed similar flights performed earlier in April.

With this capability fully validated, Eurocopter is now positioned to pursue OPV flight capabilities for its product line of light, medium and heavy-lift helicopters – enabling these rotorcraft to be flown by pilots or in an unmanned mode.

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Israel shoots down unmanned drone from Lebanon

Lieutenant Colonel Peter Lerner |The Israeli air force on Thursday shot down an unmanned drone from Lebanon off the northern coast of Israel in an incident described by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as "extremely grave."

It was the second such incident in less than seven months, and Israel's deputy defence minister putting the blame squarely on Lebanon's Shiite Hezbollah movement which had said it was behind a previous drone infiltration on October 7.

"An unmanned aircraft (UAV) was identified approaching the coast of Israel and was successfully intercepted by IAF aircraft five nautical miles off the coast of Haifa at approximately 2:00 pm (1100 GMT) today," the military said.

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US drones will continue to fly in Afghanistan after troop withdrawl

MQ-1C Sky Warrior® UAS |One of the major elements of Afghanistan’s air war will remain after most U.S. troops have headed home, the U.S. military command confirmed today.

Armed drones, operated by the U.S., will remain over Afghanistan after 2014. “I come back to the remotely piloted aircraft,” Air Force Maj. Gen. H.D. Polumbo, the commander of the U.S./NATO air war over Afghanistan, told reporters at the Pentagon today.

“They can collect intelligence, but they also are armed. And they’re armed to be able to provide force protection to our coalition forces and then when our coalition ground force commanders, when they deem it appropriate, they can control that air-delivered munition capability from the RPAs to be put in support of the Afghans."

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INS Vikramaditya poised to meet latest deadline

INS Vikramaditya |The INS Vikramaditya has undergone a complex operation at Russia’s Sevmash shipyard ahead of the final stage of trials and delivery to the Indian Navy later this year.

With 10 weeks still left until July 3, 2013, when the final sea trials are due to begin, tug boats carefully manoeuvred the giant ship to a drainable pool.

There the Vikramaditya will once again be put on a frame. Once the water has been drained, engineers will inspect the hull of the ship and all its outboard parts and components.

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Australia to deploy warship to join U.S. fleet in Japan

Adelaide-class frigate |Australia will deploy a guided- missile frigate, HMAS Sydney, to join the U.S. 7th Fleet in Japan at a time of heightened tensions on the Korean peninsula and in the South China Sea, according to The Australian on Friday.

The Australian said the warship will be "embedded" with a U.S. aircraft carrier strike group operating out of Yokosuka, but the Department of Defense didn't confirm the news so far.

HMAS Sydney is an Adelaide-class guided-missile frigate launched in 1980. It was sent to the Persian Gulf five times in support of U.S. operations during the Gulf War, in Afghanistan and Iraq.

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Lockheed's Aegis Missile Defense Expansion Passes $1.4 Billion Mark

Standard Missile 3 |The Department of Defense awarded Lockheed Martin's Mission Systems and Training division a $69.4 million sole-source, cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-award-fee contract modification Wednesday.

The contract, which funds Lockheed Martin's procurement of all of the material, equipment, and supplies that are necessary to conduct the planned development, testing, and integration of the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense 5.0 capability upgrade onto U.S. Navy destroyers, is expected to be complete by May 31, 2014.

The 5.0 upgrade in question is part of a joint Navy and Missile Defense Agency project to migrate Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense capability into the DDG (i.e. guided missile destroyer) Modernization Program's Open Architecture (OA) program.

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USNS Millinocket (JHSV 3) Christened

Austal christened USNS Millinocket (JHSV 3) this morning (20 April) at its state-of-the-art shipyard in Mobile, Alabama.

USNS Millinocket is the third of ten Joint High Speed Vessels (JHSV) Austal has under contract with the U.S. Navy as part of an overall 10-ship contract worth over $1.6 billion.

The 338-foot (103 metre) catamaran vessel was named Millinocket by Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus on May 30, 2012, after the Maine towns of East Millinocket and Millinocket.

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Iran Could Test an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile by 2015

SS-5 Skean |A new Pentagon assessment of Iran’s military power maintains that in two years time, Iran could flight-test an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of striking the United States, given “sufficient foreign assistance”, is provided to Tehran.

The new assessment reiterated a longstanding estimate of the U.S. intelligence community. Iran could test such a missile by 2015 with assistance from nations like North Korea, China or Russia.

Pyongyang is already in the process of developing the KN-08, an extended range ballistic missile that can reach the US West Coast. The missile’s range could be extended to provide the missile an intercontinental strike capability.

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Thursday, April 25, 2013

Missile misses target again

Osa-AK (SA-8B Gecko) |In a joint exercise by Indian Air Force (IAF) and DRDO, a Russian short range surface-to-air missile was test fired from a defence base off the Odisha coast on Wednesday.

The OSA-AK missile reportedly failed to hit a tow body suspended from a pilot less target aircraft (PTA) as it fell down before reaching the target.

Sources said air force personnel conducted the test, a part of target simulation exercise in the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur on sea during noon.

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Russia to Get New Short-Range Air Defense System in 2015

Morfey short-range air defense system |The Russian military will start receiving the new Morfey short-range air defense system in 2015, Deputy Defense Minister Col. Gen. Oleg Ostapenko said on Wednesday.

Morfey, a mobile air defense system with an effective range of five kilometers (three miles), has been in development since 2007.

“I think the first few systems will be put in service sometime in 2015,” Ostapenko, who is a former commander of the Russian Aerospace Forces, told reporters in Moscow.

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Edwards completes tests to extend KC-135

KC-135 Stratotanker |Known as "The Mighty War Wagon" of the Air Force, the KC-135 Stratotanker has proven to be the core aerial refueling capability for the Air Force for more than 50 years.

With the help of the 418th Flight Test Squadron at Edwards, along with a multitude of testers, the KC-135 Block 45 test team recently completed a series of tests in April to help extend the aircraft's service life for decades.

"There are currently 419 KC-135s and 59 KC-10s that enhance the Air Force's capability to accomplish its primary mission of Global Reach while providing aerial refueling support to Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and allied nation aircraft.

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U.K. Airbus A400M Airlifter Costs Exceed Plan by $1.2 Billion

Airbus Military A400M |The Airbus Military A400M airlifter for the U.K. is now running over budget by 770 million pounds ($1.2 billion), according to the British Ministry of Defence.

There is also a cost overrun on a Thales SA Watchkeeper drone program and a Northrop Grumman Corp. electronic system for aircraft, Philip Dunne, a minister for defense, told Parliament in written answers to questions.

The U.K. is acquiring 22 A400M transports to replace Lockheed Martin Corp. C-130s, a program running 73 months behind plan, the National Audit Office said.

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India rejects Israel joint UAV development offer

Heron TP MALE UAV |"Defense News" reports that India has rejected an Israeli proposal to jointly develop a new version of the Heron unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), made by Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. (IAI).

The rejection is an unusual event in Indian-Israeli defense relations. Israeli sources estimate the potential value of the project at several hundred million dollars.

A well-informed Israeli source told "Globes" in response that marketing efforts with foreign countries take time and effort, and that the joint project would probably go ahead, despite the initial rejection.

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Last F111 fighter-bomber on show in Wollongong


Australia's last operational F111 fighter-bomber has been moved from Queensland to Illawarra Regional Airport, but it won't be flying out.

The Royal Australian Air Force decommissioned the aircraft in 2010 and it is now on long-term loan to Wollongong's Historical Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS).

F111 project leader Tony Abela says that the RAAF offered several of the bombers to museums around Australia.

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China Calls Planned U.S.-Japan Drills 'Provocative'


Senkaku / Diaoyu islands
China says Japan's decision to participate in joint military exercises with the United States will not dampen its resolve to defend its claim to a disputed island chain that has been a recurring source of tension between the Asian neighbors.

In reference to the joint drills, planned for June, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said "foreign pressure" cannot sway China from protecting its territorial sovereignty in the East China Sea.

"For any related provocative actions, the Chinese government will maintain a resolute response," Hua was quoted by Reuters as saying during a regular media briefing.

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Navy plan would deploy carriers more frequently

USS John C. Stennis |Tens of thousands of sailors in Hampton Roads would deploy more often - but also, defense officials say, on a more predictable schedule - under a plan the Navy hopes to launch by the end of next year.

The plan would overhaul deployment cycles of aircraft carrier strike groups, which have been stretched thin during more than a decade of war in the Middle East.

Under current operations, aircraft carrier crews spend months training for a single deployment that's billed to last six to seven months.

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Thales’s APAR Multi Function Radar Performs Flawlessly on Danish Frigate

HDMS Iver Huitfeldt |The first Sea Acceptance Test (SAT) of Thales’s APAR multifunction radar on the new Iver Huitfeldt class frigates of the Royal Danish Navy was a success.

Thanks to the excellent cooperation with the Danish Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organization, this test could be completed in one week instead of a more usual three weeks.

The test was performed with the first APAR delivered to the Royal Danish Navy, installed on HDMS Peter Willemoes.

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Defense Ministry to assess Taiping frigate terminal


Itu Aba (Taiping Island)
The Ministry of National Defense will assess whether an offshore terminal for naval frigates should be set up on Itu Aba (Taiping Island, 太平島) in the South China Sea, Deputy Minister of National Defense Andrew Yang (楊念祖) said at a legislative hearing yesterday.

Local media reported earlier this month that the Coast Guard Administration (CGA), which is responsible for the island’s security, is hoping to build an offshore terminal at the island to accommodate frigates of up to 2,000 tonnes.

It also wants to extend the island’s airport runway, the reports said.

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Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Navy undersea warfare researchers to purchase additional REMUS 100 UUV from Hydroid Inc.


Kongsberg Maritime's subsidiary Hydroid has been selected to deliver an additional Remote Environmental Measuring Unit S (REMUS) 100 unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) for the US Navy Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC).

A formal request for quote (RFQ) will be issued by NUWC officials to Hydroid on 1 May.

NUWC researchers will deploy the REMUS 100 platform to support ongoing development and testing, while complementing the existing REMUS systems, which were procured to support a variety of programme efforts, NUWC officials said.

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Northrop Grumman-Developed Multifunction Advanced Data Link Achieves Successful Flight Test Milestone for F-35 Program

F-35B Lightning II |The Multifunction Advanced Data Link (MADL) waveform developed by Northrop Grumman Corporation was successfully demonstrated in a Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter program flight test, validating an eight-year development effort to advance communication among fifth-generation aircraft.

MADL is a high-data-rate, directional communications link. It allows coordinated tactics and engagement to bring significant operational advantages to fifth-generation aircraft operating in high-threat environments.

MADL is a key capability provided by Northrop Grumman's F-35 integrated communications, navigation and identification (CNI) avionics.

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Another trial of nuke-tipped Agni V next month

Agni V |India is readying for the second developmental trial of 5,000-km range nuclear capable ballistic missile Agni-V which put the country in the elite club of six nations including the US, the UK, China, France and Russia, having intercontinental ballistic missile capabilities.

Defence sources on Tuesday said the missile, considered as a “game-changer”, had been planned to be test-fired from the Wheeler Island off the Odisha coast any time in the third week of May.

A successful launch of the missile would be another step forward towards its induction in the armed forces, possibly in 2015, though it has to undergo two more trials in the next couple of years.

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IAI to Produce F-35 Wings

F-35 Lightning II |Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has signed a contract with the US manufacturer Lockheed Martin for the production of wings for the F-35 fighter aircraft. IAI will begin supplying the wings as of 2015.

The contract is for a duration of 10-15 years and has a sales potential of $2.5 billion.

The deal represents a central cornerstone in the cooperation between the Israeli and US companies with regards to the advanced aircraft, which the IDF will receive in approximately three years.

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