US Navy cruiser USS Hue City escorted French Navy's Tonnerre LHD during Persian Gulf transit

In May 2013, French Navy amphibious assault ship Tonnerre received escort from U.S. Navy guided missile cruiser USS Hue City, when crossing the Strait of Hormuz to reach the Gulf of Oman.

Following a French-Emirati amphibious training exercise off the shores of Abu Dhabi that took place in mid-May, the Tonnerre LHD left the Persian Gulf to join the Indian Ocean.

On this occasion, the US Navy vessel provided escort to the French LHD and contributed to its security in this particularly sensitive area of operation.

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Italy's ruling party divided over order for F-35 combat jets

Italian opposition parties and some lawmakers from the ruling Democratic Party called on the government on Thursday to abandon its plans to buy 90 Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jets.

Italy's total planned investment in the new Lightning II Joint Strike fighters (JSF) exceeds 10 billion euros ($12.97 billion) even though it cut its order last year to 90 aircraft from the 131 it had originally penciled in to buy more than a decade ago, a move it said would save 5 billion euros.

The opposition 5-Star Movement, the Left Ecology Liberty (SEL) and 13 members of Prime Minister Enrico Letta's Democratic Party (PD), one of two main components of the right-left coalition, now want to scrap the order completely.

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Raytheon, US Navy complete first phase of RAM Block 2 developmental testing

The U.S. Navy completed the first series of developmental and operational testing (DT/OT) of Raytheon Company's Rolling Airframe Missile Block 2.

In at-sea tests conducted from the U.S. Navy's Self-Defense Test Ship, RAM Block 2 missiles engaged two targets in tactical dual-salvo scenarios designed to demonstrate the advanced missile's defensive capabilities.

The DT/OT tests successfully engaged high-speed, maneuvering and sub-sonic, maneuvering targets with all four RAM Block 2 missiles meeting test objectives.

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Open competition best way to find Canada’s next warplane, defence companies say

Defence companies whose fighter jets are competing against the F-35 stealth fighter have raised concerns about the new way bureaucrats are evaluating options for Canada’s next warplane.

There are worries F-35 manufacturer Lockheed Martin continues to enjoy a distinct advantage despite the Conservative government’s promise to push the reset button, with some saying the best solution is an open competition.

“The best proof that this is a genuine process would be arriving at the end of this year with a decision to really open a competition,” said Dassault senior vice-president Yves Robins, whose company makes the Rafale fighter.

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Rare Video Shows US Spyplane Used To 'Find, Fix, And Finish' Bad Guys

The video shows an MC-12W Liberty of the 9th Reconnaissance Wing during a mission over Afghanistan.

Although scarcely known, the MC-12W is one of the most valuable U.S. ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance) platforms: it is used to support ground forces tracking high-value and time-sensitive targets, including people, as well as provide tactical intelligence and airborne command and control for air-to-ground operations.

Indeed, the MC-12W, that took part to the last Red Flag at Nellis Air Force Base in February 2013, is a spyplane specialized to “find, fix, and finish” bad guys.

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Russia, Norway to Hold Barents Sea Drills in June

Russian and Norwegian naval forces will conduct a joint exercise in the Barents Sea on June 4-7, Northern Fleet spokesman Vadim Serga said on Thursday.

Russia’s Northern Fleet will contribute the tugboat SB-523, an Ilyushin Il-38 maritime patrol aircraft and an Mi-8 Hip helicopter to the Barents-2013 exercise.

The two nations' search and rescue services will test their interoperability in evacuation of crews and aircraft in distress at sea, and cleanup of oil spills.

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Airbus Military launches C295W aircraft with enhanced performance

Airbus Military today announces the launch of a new series of its best-selling C295 medium transport and surveillance aircraft – the C295W.

Featuring winglets and uprated engines as standard, the new model will provide operators with enhanced performance in all flight phases but is particularly aimed at those operating at “hot and high“ airfields where payload increases in excess of 1,000kg are promised.

In intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) roles such as airborne early warning (AEW) the enhancements will increase endurance by 30-60min and permit an operating altitude up to 2,000ft higher than now.

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Defence Ministry dismisses US hacking allegations

China’s Defence Ministry dismissed as ridiculous on Thursday a US report that Chinese hackers have gained access to designs of more than two dozen major US weapons systems, saying the country needed no outside help for its military development.

The Washington Post cited a US Defence Science Board report as saying that the compromised US designs included those for combat aircraft and ships, as well as missile defences vital for Europe, Asia and the Gulf.

Chinese Defence Ministry spokesman Geng Yansheng dismissed the report, which the Pentagon and other US defence officials have downplayed as outdated and overstated.

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HMS Edinburgh in final return to Portsmouth

The last of the Royal Navy's Type 42 destroyers is due to return to its Portsmouth for the final time later.

It marks the end of HMS Edinburgh's farewell tour which included visits to its namesake city and Liverpool, where it was built.

The ship is due to be decommissioned next week, having clocked up about 800,000 miles.

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OSI to Supply Newbuild Indonesia Submarine Equipment

OSI Maritime Systems contracted to deliver integrated navigation systems to DSME for Indonesian Navy Type 209 SSK Program submarines.

OSI's contract is with Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME), South Korea who will build three Type 209 diesel submarines (SSK) for the Indonesian Navy.

Under the terms of the agreement, OSI will deliver three Integrating Navigation and Tactical Systems, including ECPINS-W Sub software which the manufacturers say is the most advanced navigation software in the world specifically designed for the unique requirements of subsurface navigation.

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Intl waters free for Chinese submarines

Chinese submarines are free to navigate international waters, including the Northwest Pacific, which is also visited by other nations' maritime forces, the spokesman for China's Ministry of National Defense said Thursday.

Spokesman Geng Yansheng made the remarks at a regular ministry briefing.

He also criticized the so-called "China Military Threat," as described by some Japanese media, as an act of "intentionally creating tension with an ulterior political motive."

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Assad Says Syria Has Received Advanced Missiles From Russia

President Bashar al-Assad of Syria said in a television interview to be broadcast on Thursday that Russia has delivered S-300 air defense missiles to his country, weapons that Israel has said present a threat to its security and against which it is willing to use force.

“Syria has received the first shipment of Russian antiaircraft S-300 rockets,” Mr. Assad said in the interview, to be broadcast on Al Manar, the television channel of the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, which in recent weeks has dramatically increased its military intervention in Syria on the side of Mr. Assad’s government. “The rest of the shipment will arrive later today.”

Russian officials had said earlier this week that the country would deliver the weapons to Syria, a move that Mr. Assad’s opponents said was a sign that neither Russia nor the Syrian government was serious about proposed negotiations to end the Syrian civil war that Russia and the United States are trying to organize for as early as next month.

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Chinese navy seaplane crashes off port of Qingdao

China’s Defense Ministry says a navy seaplane has crashed into waters near the eastern port city of Qingdao.

A notice posted on the ministry’s website said the plane went down Thursday morning while conducting a training mission in Jiaozhou Bay.

It said a search and rescue mission was launched by the navy but gave no word on casualties.

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Russia Ready to Help Rearm Finnish Army – Defense Minister

Russia is ready to expand military contacts with Finland and to help the country modernize its armed forces, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Wednesday.

Shoigu is on a two-day visit to Finland hosted by his Finnish counterpart Carl Haglund.

“This is the first contact at the defense ministerial level. I hope we will expand contacts at the level of chiefs of staff and commanders of military districts,” Shoigu said at a joint news conference with Haglund in Helsinki.

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Selex ES completes deliveries of Tranche 2 Typhoon EW systems

Selex ES, a Finmeccanica company, has completed deliveries of the Praetorian electronic warfare self protection system for Tranche 2 Eurofighter Typhoons.

All 236 Tranche 2 Typhoons operated by the UK, Germany, Italy and Spain will be equipped with electronic support measures, electronic countermeasures and missile approach warning elements.

Together, these combine to inform the pilot on potential hazards and automatically take measures to protect the fighter.

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Japan mulls export to India of SDF search-and-rescue aircraft

Japan and India have agreed to establish a joint working group to explore prospects of exporting to India a costly search-and-rescue aircraft developed by the Defense Ministry.

The agreement was reached in May 29 talks between Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and visiting Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Indian Navy officials began expressing interest in the US-2 short takeoff and landing, search-and-rescue amphibian aircraft a few years ago.

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U.S. Navy Details Amphibious Ship Mods Required For F-35

The U.S. Navy has identified “several specific initiatives on the flight deck” of landing helicopter dock (LHD) amphibious assault ships the service says the vessels will need to accommodate the F-35.

Adm. Jonathan Greenert, chief of naval operations, acknowledged Wasp-class ship modifications have been designed for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) vertical lift-and-takeoff variants.

“We did some mods on the Wasp,” Greenert said at a media briefing during the International Maritime and Defense Exhibition (Imdex) Asia 2013 in Singapore.

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Indian Light Combat Fighter jet Tejas hopes for final clearance next year

The Defence Minister AK Antony today expressed hope that the country’s indigenously developed fighter aircraft- LCA TEJAS- will get Final Operational Clearance of the Indian Air Force by the end of next year.

Speaking at the Annual Awards Functions of DRDO here, Antony said, all stakeholders including the DRDO, IAF and HAL must put their energy together in a focused manner to achieve the objective of getting final operational clearance for this Light Combat Aircraft.

Mr. Antony said countries that depend on imported arsenals cannot become great nation.

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A400M and C295W to be pitched to NZ

The eventual retirement of the RNZAF’s C-130Hs will see Airbus Military pitch the A400M and newly-launched C295W to the New Zealand government.

Announced at its annual briefing to trade media, Airbus Military said while it views New Zealand as a longer-term proposition, it is confident the two aircraft could fill the gap to be left by the ultimate retirement of the RNZAF’s five C-130Hs and indeed enhance the nation’s airlift capabilities.

Airbus Military was upbeat about the potential its new products could offer, and will embark on initial discussions within an undisclosed period, believed to be in the nearer-term to seed the products as potential candidates.

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Chinese army to conduct 'digital' war games for first time

The people's Liberation Army is planning to conduct its first “digital” technology military war games next month, part of its efforts to adjust to “informationalised war”, the Xinhua news agency has reported.

The drill of China's digital army capability comes amid growing concern in Washington and elsewhere about Chinese hacking attacks, especially on military networks.

President Barack Obama will discuss cyber security with China's President Xi Jinping during a meeting in California next week.

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Navy eyes high-tech options for future aircraft carriers

The Indian Navy --- one of just nine navies that operate aircraft carriers --- is thinking high-tech in planning its second indigenous aircraft carrier, INS Vishal.

The admirals are deciding whether INS Vishal, still only a concept, should launch aircraft from its deck using a technology so advanced that it is not yet in service anywhere: the Electro-Magnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS).

Getting a fully loaded combat aircraft airborne off a short, 200-metre-long deck is a key challenge in aircraft carrier operations.

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US Navy Mulls 3D-Printing Future Fleets Of Drones

Three-dimensional (3D) printers are quickly proving to be capable of creating just about anything out of little more than thin air, and that could be the military’s key to keeping an endless arsenal of drones at its disposal.

Just as 3D-printed organs, pizza and even firearms are being made with the post-modern machinery, the United States military is eyeing the up-and-coming technology as to further their upper-hand on the battlefield.

Recently, a decorated member of the US Navy made an argument for adding unmanned aerial vehicles and even munitions to the list of items that can be made with little more than a well-equipped printer and a few clicks of a mouse.

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SM-3 missile marks golden anniversary

Raytheon’s Redstone Missile Integration Facility reached another milestone Thursday, just in time for the company’s 60th anniversary celebration of the Standard Missile defense program.

The facility, located near Gate 3 on Redstone Arsenal, delivered the first Redstone Arsenal-built Standard Missile-3 interceptor with the symbolic presentation of an oversized DD250 delivery form by Randy Stevenson, director of Raytheon’s Weapon Integration Center, and Rawn Pearcey, a quality representative for the Defense Contract Management Agency.

“We worked very hard to pull this in to today’s date,” Stephenson said of the SM-3 delivery, which was originally slated for delivery at the end of June.

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Navy ships form first line of US missile defence against Iran and N. Korea

The United States, in response to advances in missile threats from Iran and North Korea in recent years, has become more invested in Navy cruisers and destroyers that carry a high-tech radar system and dozens of missile interceptors.

As a result, the ballistic missile defence destroyers and cruisers that carry the high-tech Aegis system are a growing capability that is in hot demand by military commanders across the Middle East, Europe and the Pacific.

"They give the capability to the combatant commanders that allows them to position (the ships) where there's a need, and we feel they're a pretty good investment," said Admiral Bill Gortney, commander of US Fleet Forces in Norfolk. Unlike other missile defence systems, he said the ships are "able to sail to where the crisis is."

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Canadian navy announces designs for new ships, says the military has placed its future in industry’s hands

The head of the Royal Canadian Navy delivered a poignant reminder Wednesday that the fate of Canada’s military is in industry’s hands as he announced that a design for new resupply ships has been chosen.

The relationship between National Defence and defence companies has been turbulent recently following problems with a number of high-profile procurement projects, including the F-35 stealth fighter, armoured vehicles for the army and search-and-rescue aircraft.

Some of these issues have originated within National Defence and other federal departments, others have been industry’s fault. The result, however, has been the same: delays, cost overruns, and project cancellations or resets.

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Bangladesh gets its first Hamilton class cutter

Bangladesh received it first decommissioned Hamilton class cutter from the U.S. Coast Guard at a ceremony on Coast Guard Island in Alameda, Calif.

The Coast Guard transferred the 3,300-ton cutter, formerly the USCGC Jarvis, to a 20-member team from the Bangladeshi navy.

The Jarvis -- decommissioned in October and renamed BNS Somudro Joy -- was sold to Bangladesh as an excess defense article through a foreign military sales program, the Bangladeshi news website bdnews24.com reported.

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INS Arihant reactor to be made critical next week

Moving towards completing its nuclear triad, India will activate the atomic reactor on-board the indigenous nuclear submarine INS Arihant next week paving way for its operational deployment by the Navy soon.

"We are gearing up for the sea trials of Arihant," DRDO chief V K Saraswat said today at an award function here.

"The nuclear reactor on-board the INS Arihant would be made critical (activated) in first week of June," sources said on the development of the nuclear submarine.

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Kratos Receives $4.1 Million in Electronic Attack Platform Related Contract Awards

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. , a leading National Security Solutions provider, announced today that its Electronic Products Division has received an award valued at $4.1 million for the production of specialty electronic products for a certain critical U.S. electronic attack platform.

The award, from an existing customer, is related to a continuing long term electronic attack and electronic warfare program. No additional details are being provided due to customer and other sensitivities.

Richard F. Poirier, President of Kratos' Electronic Products Division, commented, "This award is the latest significant award received from this prime contractor for Integrated Microwave Assemblies (IMA). Kratos has participated on this program for many years and continues to be a valued supplier with the expertise capable of providing these sophisticated subsystems for this U.S. Navy aircraft. Production of these specialized products will take place at Kratos' Herley-CTI operation in Whippany, NJ."

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Defense Ministry Grounds Mi-8 Helicopters after Deadly Crash

The Russian Defense Ministry has grounded its Mi-8 helicopters after one of them crashed in the Volga area at noon on Tuesday.

A Mi-8T helicopter, owned by the Syzran branch of the Gagarin Air Force Academy’s training center, crashed while performing a scheduled training flight near the village of Ivanovskoye in the Saratov Region.

The aircraft’s pilot in command and his trainee used parachutes to evacuate before the helicopter crashed. They received minor injuries and are now under medical supervision. Their condition is not life-threatening. The third crew member - a flight engineer - was unable to leave the cockpit and died.

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Friend or Foe: Advanced Aircraft Identification Systems Headed to U.S. and Allied Forces

The nation’s fighting forces need secure and reliable line-of- sight identification to distinguish friend from foe during missions, and BAE Systems is answering the call.

The company has been awarded a $34 million contract to provide the U.S. Air Force with its Mode 5 Advanced Identification Friend or Foe (AIFF) system, used to identify and track military aircraft.

“The system allows the warfighter to rapidly differentiate between friendly and potentially hostile forces well beyond a pilot’s visual range,” said Sal Costa, product line director for Identification & Processing Solutions at BAE Systems.

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UCAS Misses A Flight Due To GOES Failure

Carrier-based flight trials of the U.S. Navy’s X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System-Demonstrator (UCAS-D) aboard the USS George H.W. Bush were briefly brought to a halt last week due to an unlikely frequency-sharing issue between the air vehicle and officials of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which is trying to fix a problem with a faulty weather satellite.

The U.S. Navy was able to restart flights of the Northrop Grumman X-47B demonstrator quickly after a brief stand down, which was necessitated because priority use of the Wallops Island facility in Virginia, the UCAS-D backup landing site, was given to NOAA as it worked to recover control of its Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES)-13.

Trials are now complete and the X-47B performed nine touch-and-go landings on the carrier deck, according to Capt. Jamie Engdahl, Navy program manager.

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Queen Elizabeth Aircraft Carrier section completed

The final section of the Queen Elizabeth Aircraft Carrier was completed at BAE Systems in Scotstoun in Glasgow yesterday.

The Aft Island section of the carrier will be loaded onto a barge before being transported to Rosyth where the rest of the ship is being constructed.

Six UK shipyards are involved in building various parts of the ship. The vessel will not be finished until 2016 at the earliest, and may not be ready for active service until 2020, when it will be based in Portsmouth.

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Chinese Hackers Have Gained Access To Dozens Of Major US Weapons Systems

Chinese hackers have gained access to designs of more than two dozen major U.S. weapons systems, a U.S. report said on Monday, as Australian media said Chinese hackers had stolen the blueprints for Australia's new spy headquarters.

Citing a report prepared for the Defense Department by the Defense Science Board, the Washington Post said the compromised U.S. designs included those for combat aircraft and ships, as well as missile defenses vital for Europe, Asia and the Gulf.

Among the weapons listed in the report were the advanced Patriot missile system, the Navy's Aegis ballistic missile defense systems, the F/A-18 fighter jet, the V-22 Osprey, the Black Hawk helicopter and the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

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BRP Ramon Alcaraz outfitted with ASW capabilities

The Philippine Navy's (PN) second Hamilton Class cutter, the BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PF-16), will be fitted with anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capability, a military spokesman said.

Alcaraz, now undergoing sea trial off the waters off South Carolina, is expected to leave the US and sail to the Philippines first week June. The ship is scheduled to arrive in the country by August.

Lt. Cmdr. Gregory Fabic, the PN spokesman, said the ASW capability will be installed on the Alcaraz and a helicopter that will be assigned to her. ASW or Anti-submarine warfare capability refers to the capability to detect, track and destroy submarines.

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Thales awarded milestone Royal Navy services contract

Thales UK has today signed a 10-year contract with the Ministry of Defence (MOD), worth up to £600M, for the in-service support of the Royal Navy’s major sensor systems.

The new Sensors Support Optimisation Project (SSOP) builds on the proven success of Thales’s Contractor Logistics Support contract, originally signed in 2003, which has provided support to the Royal Navy’s sonar and electronic warfare systems for the past 10 years.

Under the terms of SSOP, the in-service support contract has now been extended to include all of the Royal Navy’s submarine visual systems, including periscopes for the Vanguard and Trafalgar Class submarines and the non-hull-penetrating optronic masts for the Astute Class submarines, previously supported under separate contract arrangements with Thales UK’s optronics business in Glasgow.

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By arming Syria's rebels, is the UK also arming al-Qaeda?

The UK and France are prepared to supply weapons to those fighting to overthrow Syria's President Assad. But can they arm the Syrian National Council without weapons reaching pro al-Qaeda forces?

Russia responded to the EU decision to lift the embargo on supplying arms to Syria's opposition by confirming it will go ahead with the delivery of C-300 surface-to-air missiles to the Assad regime.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Rybakov called the missiles a "stabilising factor" that could deter "hotheads" from joining the conflict.

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EU countries free to ship arms to Syria

EU countries are free to ship arms to Syria from 1 June onward in an ugly compromise after 14 hours of talks in Brussels.

The deal is to see all other sanctions - including visa bans, asset freezes and a prohibition on buying oil from regime-linked firms - extended for one year.

It comes with a political declaration that nobody will deliver weapons "at this stage."

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First Thales IFF interrogator certified in the United States

After a certification process lasting several months, the TSA 3522 interrogator from Thales has been certified by AIMS*.

The TSA 3522 is a new-generation IFF (Identification Friend or Foe) interrogator from Thales's BlueGate family of products.

For Thales customers, AIMS certification is an assurance of full interoperability with US systems both at box level and for integration on US and other platforms.

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Agni-V to be modified to attack multiple targets

The configuration of Agni-V, India’s long-range nuclear weapons capable ballistic missile, is set to be changed to make the 5,000-km weapon system deadlier and capable of attacking multiple targets.

The modification is to enable fitting Agni-V with Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicles (MIRVs), V.K. Saraswat, Director-General of the Defence Research and Development Organisation and Scientific Advisor to the Defence Minister, told The Hindu.

Another test in the present configuration of the three-stage missile would be conducted later this year.

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Russia developing counter-measures for European anti-missile shield

Moscow is taking countermeasures that would negate a U.S. anti-missile shield's ability to affect its nuclear deterrent, a Russian defense official says.

Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov said in an interview Saturday that should NATO and the United States unilaterally proceed with a European anti-ballistic missile shield without Russia as an equal partner, Moscow is readying "military-technical measures" that would hamper its ability to function.

Russian officials have repeatedly voiced vehement opposition to a unilateral U.S.-NATO missile defense shield as a threat to its own security and a major obstacle to bilateral relations, saying it could easily be re targeted from countering threats from Iran and the Middle East toward Russia's own nuclear deterrent.

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Sukhoi gets first airbase in South India

India's capabilities to protect its vast interests in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and to tackle any threat there received a boost today with the setting up of a Sukhoi fighter aircraft base in Tamil Nadu, the first such station in the southern part of the country.

Inaugurating the air base, Defence Minister A K Antony said, "The establishment of the premier fighter base is important in the view of the current geo-political scenario and threat perception in the peninsular region and in the Indian Ocean...It will help protect our island territories and sea lines of communication in the IOR."

He said, "This airbase is going to be strategically important. By stationing our Sukhois here, the IAF can protect a vast area of interest. In the emerging security scenario, the presence of fighter planes in Thanjavur will not only guard our interests but also give a feeling of safety to our neighbours."

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Northrop and EADS in rescue call for Euro Hawk

The companies behind the Euro Hawk reconnaissance drones said that they hoped the German government would reconsider its decision to scrap its order for the aircraft over costs.

The German armed forces have one prototype Euro Hawk, which are built by Northrop Grumman and EADS, and are considering buying four more.

But the government in Berlin said this month that it would not go ahead with the deal because winning airworthiness certification for the drone would cost more than €500m.

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On finishing first flight, Northrop Grumman eyes software upgrade for Triton surveillance UAV

In the same day that unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) experts at Northrop Grumman Corp. completed the first flight of the new Navy MQ-4C Triton maritime patrol UAV, Navy experts are making plans to upgrade the UAV's software.

Officials of the Naval Air Systems Command at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Md., on 22 May awarded a $15.3 million contract modification to the Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems sector in Bethpage, N.Y., to upgrade the Triton's software from Windows XP to Windows 7.

The contract modification concerns the MQ-4C Triton Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) systems development and demonstration phase.

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HMS Daring leaves Portsmouth for nine-month deployment

Families shed tears as they waved their loved-ones off as HMS Daring left Portsmouth for nine months.

Daring is one of the Royal Navy’s new-generation Type 45 destroyers.

She has now set off on a deployment which takes her to the Far East – and beyond.

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Trident UK’s best option, says review

Britain will have to continue with the submarine-launched Trident weapons system, the long-awaited Whitehall review into the UK’s deterrent has concluded after officials rejected other options.

Other radical proposals – with missiles launched from land, air or multipurpose submarines – are either more expensive or more impractical than the current system, the Alternatives Review, to be published next month, has found.

The finding threatens to provoke a showdown in the cabinet because the Liberal Democrats have long proposed a cheaper alternative to Trident.

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Azerbaijan and Turkish company start producing missiles

Azerbaijan will soon start producing missiles together with Turkey’s ROKETSAN company. ROKETSAN told APA about it exclusively.

Production line has been established at one of the facilities of Azerbaijan with the participation of ROKETSAN.

The sides signed a contract on starting production in Istanbul on May 8.

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Baltic States Prepare for International Saber Strike Exercise

Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are preparing to take part in a large-scale international exercise, Saber Strike, to take place in early June, Estonian TV reported on Sunday.

Saber Strike is a USAREUR (United States Army in Europe)-led theater security cooperation exercise to be conducted in the Baltic States - Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania on June 3-14.

It will involve approximately 2000 personnel from the three Baltic States, the United States, Finland, Norway, Poland and the United Kingdom, as well as forces from the Polish headquarters of NATO’s Multinational Corps Northeast.

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Several countries interested in buying ex-Spanish Navy Aircraft Carrier Principe de Asturias

According to rumors that emerged recently in the Spanish press, the Philippines as well as several Arab countries have expressed interest in purchasing the former Spanish Navy Aircraft Carrier Principe de Asturias.

In case of a sale, the contract would include refit and upgrading of the vessel by Spanish shipyard Navantia.

It is reported that Indonesia already expressed interest in the vessel earlier this year. Following an official visit by TNI AL (Indonesian Navy) delegation to the El Ferrol naval base however, Indonesia decided not to purchase the aircraft carrier.

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Seoul plans to purchase US weapons worth $1b

Seoul has notified Washington of its intention to purchase weapons systems worth US$800 million (S$1 billion) to be mounted on its new fleet of warplanes should a US fighter be picked for its 8.3-trillion-won ($7.4 billion) acquisition project.

The Defence Security Cooperation Agency, which handles Washington's foreign military sales, revealed Seoul's request to buy high-tech arms such as Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles, GBU-12 laser-guided bombs and GBU-39 bunker busters.

Last month, Seoul made a separate request to purchase Lockheed Martin's F-35 stealth fighter or Boeing's F-15 Silent Eagle.

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Israel dismisses report on nixed Russia-Syria arms deal

Sunday Times reports Netanyahu explained to Putin that if S-300 anti-aircraft missiles reached anti-Israel rebel groups, planes taking off from Ben Gurion Airport or landing there would be at risk. Israeli officials dismiss report.

A senior Russian official told The Sunday Times that Russia will not fulfill a deal to sell advanced S-300 anti-aircraft missiles to Syria for fear they could fall into the wrong hands and be used to attack civilian aircraft at Israel's main airport.

In return, he told the British newspaper, the Russians expected Israel to refrain from further airstrikes on Syria.

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PLA Navy's three fleets meet in South China Sea for rare show of force

China's navy has carried out a rare joint exercise, involving its three fleets, in the South China Sea as regional tensions over territorial disputes mount.

The combined drill was carried out in southern waters by warships, submarines and the naval air force from the People's Liberation Army's North Sea, East Sea and South Sea fleets, national broadcaster CCTV reported on Saturday.

Meanwhile, three Chinese marine surveillance ships had monitored and obtained evidence before "expelling" boats manned by Japanese right-wing activists from waters near Diaoyu islands, or Senkakus as they are known in Japan, China's State Oceanic Administration said yesterday.

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US ready to provide Patriot missiles to Jordan for self-protection

Washington is ready to provide Jordan with Patriot missiles, a senior US senator said on Saturday, as one of a series of steps to prevent the Syrian conflict from spilling over into the country.

According to US Senator John McCain, his country is set to fulfil a request by Jordan for Patriot missile batteries to place along its shared border with Syria.

“We are prepared to take every step to protect the Jordanian regime’s stability, its people and its territory; the provision of Patriot missiles comes under this protection,” McCain told The Jordan Times on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum which opened on the shores of the Dead Sea on Saturday.

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Estonia Completes Military Drills with NATO Allies

Estonia completed on Saturday large-scale military drills, which began on May 9 and involved some 5,000 military personnel, including from NATO allies, the General Staff of the Estonian Defense Forces said.

The Spring Storm (Kevadtorm) drills have been held annually in different parts of Estonia since 2003.

This year they were held in northern and central Estonia and involved for the first time units from the UK, Belgium and Poland as well as the Estonian navy.

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Russia Cancels S-300 Deal with Syria

Russia has cancelled the deal to sell S-300 missiles to Syria, a senior Russian official tells the British Sunday Times.

The official explained the cancellation was a result of Russia’s concern that the missiles could fall into the wrong hands and be used to attack civilian aircraft at the Ben Gurion airport.

“We are very much concerned about this; the large Russian community in Israel is a major factor in our attitude to Israel, and we will not let this happen,” the official told The Sunday Times.

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Iran Readying to Fly Own Model of US RQ-170 Drone

A senior Iranian legislator underlined the Iranian Armed Forces' capabilities to hunt down alien Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), and said the Iranian type of the US drone which was tracked and hunted down in Iran late in 2011 will have its first flight in the near future.

Iran announced on December 4, 2011 that its defense forces had downed a US RQ-170 aircraft through a sophisticated cyber attack.

The drone was the first such loss by the US. US officials have described the loss of the aircraft in Iran as a setback and a fatal blow to the stealth drone program.

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Indian Naval manpower to be doubled in 15 years

Expanding its combat assets by inducting several new platforms including nuclear submarines, fighter planes and aircraft carriers, the Navy has decided to almost double the size of its manpower in next 15 years.

The Navy has also decided to give B.Tech degrees to its officers to handle the high end technology being inducted into the force and the first batch of its officers with these degrees will pass out from the Indian Naval Academy (INA) in Kerala tomorrow.

"The present strength of Navy today is over one lakh personnel including 8,700 officers, 50,000 sailors and 43,000 civilians. In next 15 years, we plan to increase the numbers to 1.80 lakh with 10,600 officers, 85,000 sailors and 75,000 civilian work force," Navy's Human Resources in-charge Rear Admiral Sachin Ghormade said.

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S. Korea to buy 20 maritime patrol aircraft

The South Korean military has approved a plan to buy 20 maritime patrol aircraft to improve the Navy's surveillance capabilities of North Korea, a military source said Sunday.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff has recently approved the Navy's request to add 20 maritime patrol aircraft to supplement the aging squadron of 16 Lockheed Martin P-3C Orions.

"The Defense Acquisition Program Administration is currently working on a plan, which is likely to be an overseas purchase program," the source said, asking for anonymity as it is not yet open to the public. The budget for the project is estimated at 1 trillion won (US$889 million).

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Russian Minister Urges Completion of 2 New Radars

Voronezh-DM-class radar station
Construction of Russia’s two new antimissile radars – one in the Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad and the other in Siberia’s Irkutsk region – should be complete by the end of next year, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Friday.

The minister, who was visiting the Voronezh-DM-class radar station near Kaliningrad, said that on May 12 President Vladimir Putin had stressed the importance of building an integrated radar field for the Missile Attack Early Warning System [MAEWS].

“The state arms procurement program envisions the creation of a continuous MAEWS radar field before 2018,” Shoigu said.

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Thai navy takes delivery of 3 patrol boats

The Royal Thai Navy took delivery of three new patrol boats to guard the coastline and provide security for the royal family.

Navy commander Adm. Surasak Runroengrom accepted the vessels from shipbuilder Marsun Co. May 16 at the Sattahip Naval Base’s Laem Thien Pier.

The boats then were handed over to Coast Guard Squadron commander Rear Adm. Surapol Khuptaphan.

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