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Thursday, October 31, 2013

Russia to Question US-Japan Missile Defense Plans

AN/TPY-2Moscow plans to take issue with the placement of US missile defense elements in Japan during an upcoming ministerial meeting in Tokyo, a Russian deputy foreign minister said Wednesday.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu will visit Japan on November 1-2 to discuss bilateral relations with their Japanese counterparts within a “2+2 ministerial format.”

“We have many questions regarding the deployment of elements of a US missile defense network in Japan,” Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov told RIA Novosti.

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Boeing Delivers 12th Production P-8A Poseidon Aircraft to US Navy

P-8A PoseidonBoeing delivered the 12th production P-8A Poseidon on schedule on Oct. 25, enhancing the long-range maritime patrol capabilities of the U.S. Navy.

The P-8A departed Boeing Field in Seattle for Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Fla., where it joined the other Poseidon aircraft being used to train Navy crews.

The aircraft is the sixth from the second low-rate initial production contract lot awarded in November 2011.

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First F-35 Guided Weapon Test


An F-35 Lightning II employs a Guided Bomb Unit-12 (GBU-12) Paveway II laser-guided weapon from the internal weapons bay against a fixed ground tank test target Oct. 29, at a test range at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.

The F-35's Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS) enabled the pilot to identify, track, designate and deliver the GBU-12 on target.

Source

KAI eyes global market with Korean-made aircraft

T-50 Golden EagleThe Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), South Korea's provider and sole maker of aircraft, is now setting its sights on making inroads into emerging nations with growing defense needs, its senior official said Wednesday.

KAI, which provides trainers and light attackers to the South Korean Air Force, is showcasing a wide range of indigenous aircraft models at the Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition (ADEX), which opened on Tuesday and runs through Sunday.

KAI's models on display include T-50 supersonic trainer, jointly built with Lockheed Martin, KT-1 basic trainer and FA-50 light attack fighter modified from T-50.

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New warship handed over to Royal Navy of Oman

Al RahmaniAl Rahmani is the second of three 99 metre corvettes designed, built and delivered for the Royal Navy of Oman as part of Project Khareef. Her Interim Acceptance, in which the ship’s title is transferred before sailing to Oman, marks an important milestone for the project.

The formal handover ceremony was attended by our employees and VIPs from the Royal Navy of Oman and the Royal Navy who watched her crew board the vessel and raise the National Flag of Oman on the ship’s flight deck for the first time.

Mick Ord, Managing Director of BAE Systems Maritime – Naval Ships, said: “This is a proud occasion for both the Royal Navy of Oman and our employees who have worked together to design, build and deliver this impressive ship.

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Raytheon expands international footprint of electronic warfare capability

F-16 Fighting FalconRaytheon Company has been selected by Lockheed Martin Aeronautics to provide its Advanced Countermeasure Electronic System (ACES) for the second group of Iraq's F-16IQ aircraft ordered this year.

ACES was also selected by Lockheed Martin in 2012 for the first group of F-16IQs and is the integrated electronic warfare system of choice for other international air forces.

"ACES offers the latest in electronic warfare self protection technology designed specifically for the tactical fighter environment and mission," said Mark Kula, vice president of Tactical Airborne Systems for Raytheon's Space and Airborne Systems business.

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Lockheed Martin Brings FireEye, Red Hat and Splunk to its Cyber Security Alliance

Cyber Security AllianceLockheed Martin today announced that FireEye, Red Hat and Splunk Inc. have joined its Cyber Security Alliance and have agreed to collaborate on solutions that can enhance an intelligence driven defense approach to solve customers’ hardest problems.

The Lockheed Martin Cyber Security Alliance combines the strengths of market leading companies’ solutions and integrates their best practices, hardware, software, and tools within a research, development and collaboration center called the NexGen Cyber Innovation and Technology Center.

These new entrants join other alliance partners which include: APC by Schneider Electric, ArcSight, CA, Cisco, Citrix, Dell, EMC Corporation and its RSA security division, HP, Intel, Juniper Networks, McAfee, Microsoft, NetApp, RSA, Symantec, Trustwave, Verizon and VMware.

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Turkey to renew F-35 order by mid-January

F-35 Lightning IITurkey’s government and military planners must decide on the country’s commitment to a U.S.-led, multinational new-generation fighter jet program by mid-January 2014 at the latest, according to Turkey’s top defense procurement official.

Murad Bayar, head of the Undersecretariat for Defense Industries (SSM), has said Ankara will renew an order for an initial batch of two F-35 aircraft soon. The order had been suspended in January.

Bayar said the SSM would submit a request to renew the suspended order to the Defense Industry Executive Committee in December or January 2014.

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AAI wins $126M Department of Defense contract

RQ-7B Shadow 200AAI Corp. in Hunt Valley has been awarded a Department of Defense contract worth up to $126.2 million to provide services to the U.S. Army and Marine Corps for AAI’s unmanned drone aircraft.

AAI will provide logistics and operational support services under the contract.

AAI’s unmanned Shadow drone has been used by the U.S. military in Iraq and Afghanistan to take video used to spot bombing targets and assess damage on the battlefield.

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INS Vikramaditya to set sail for India on November 30

INS VikramadityaAfter a prolonged delay and hard bargaining, aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov, or INS Vikramaditya as it's being renamed, will set sail from Russian waters for India on November 30, fulfilling the Navy's long-standing ambition of adding to its fleet of such vessels and extending the country's maritime security capability.

Defence Minister AK Antony will 'accept' the aircraft carrier on November 16 ahead of the sailing and it's expected to reach India in January-February next year, officials said. The delay had become as a major irritant in ties between the two countries that have traditionally had close defence ties.

Antony will attend the meeting of the Indo-Russian Inter-Governmental Commission on Military Technical Cooperation (IR-IGCMTC) held every year, alternately in the two nations, where future cooperation in defence issues is decided.

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Russia’s counter-nuke, space troops launch missiles in sudden drill

Russian President Vladimir Putin oversaw a snap check of Russia’s nuclear deterrent, aerospace defenses and strategic aviation on Wednesday, according to the RIA-Novosti news agency.

“The exercise involved launches of ballistic missiles, drills by air defense and missile defense units,” the Kremlin press spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, adding that all practice targets had been destroyed.

The alerted forces conducted launches of a RS-12M Topol ballistic missile and a RS-20V Voyevoda ballistic missile in central Russia, as well as ballistic missile launches from submarines Bryansk (Northern Fleet) and Svyatoy Georgy Pobedonosets (Pacific Fleet).

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Defense Officials Detail Nuke Upgrade Program

USS OhioDefense Department officials testified on Capitol Hill yesterday about the program to modernize one of the oldest weapons in the U.S. nuclear arsenal.

Madelyn R. Creedon, the assistant secretary of defense for global strategic affairs, and Air Force Gen. C. Robert Kehler, commander of U.S. Strategic Command, spoke at a hearing of the House Armed Services Committee’s strategic forces subcommittee.

The B61-12 nuclear gravity bomb has the oldest warhead design in the U.S. nuclear stockpile, Creedon said, noting that some of the warhead’s components date back to the 1960s.

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Sunk sub creates parking problem at naval dockyard

INS SindhurakshakTwo-and-a-half months after a series of explosions sank submarine Sindhurakshak at its Mumbai anchorage, the Indian Navy's worst peace-time mishap continues to impact operations at its Western Command headquarters.

With the Kilo class submarine still lying nose-down in eight-metre deep water at the South Breakwater bay, several ships that used to be anchored here have been berthed in the inner anchorage, nearly one nautical mile from the coast.

Since these ships include such important assets like aircraft carrier INS Virat, fleet tanker INS Deepak, some frigates, and at least three submarines, having them berthed deep at sea creates logistical problems.

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Thieves strike on two nuclear subs

HMS AmbushScottish air bases, army barracks and even nuclear sub­marines docked at Faslane and Rosyth have been raided by thieves on more than 100 occasions in the last five years, documents show.

The thefts at the military installations across Scotland are revealed in figures released under Freedom Of Information legislation.

They include aircraft parts from RAF bases, weapons from army barracks and even items from nuclear submarines.

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Wednesday, October 30, 2013

HMAS Success returns to sea

HMAS Success Returns to SeaHMAS Success returned to sea October 25 and has commenced Sea Qualification Trials and a Unit Readiness workup package.

The significant milestone marked the end of a complex refit package, which included an extensive docking, considerable engineering plant overhaul and structural work.

Commanding Officer, Captain Allison Norris said her ship’s company had put in many hours of hard work to return the battle tanker to sea.

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Ka-52 helicopter crashes in Moscow near residential neighborhood


A helicopter crashed just meters away from residential houses in the South East of Moscow. The Russian Emergencies Ministry said the pilots managed to bail out in time, but received trauma injuries.

The Russian Defense Ministry has confirmed it was an experimental military helicopter, Ka-52K.

Both pilots have been taken to hospital and remain in serious condition, the head of Moscow’s Department of Healthcare Georgy Golukhov told Interfax.

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India develops new tactical missile 'Pragati'

Pragati missileIndia has developed a new tactical surface-to-surface missile 'Pragati' with a range between 60-170 km and will offer it to friendly countries.

The new missile, now on display at a defence exhibition in South Korea, is based on the Prahaar missile developed by the DRDO for the Army and can be termed as its export variant with minor differences, a DRDO official said today.

The government has approved that it may be offered to friendly countries if anyone shows interest in it, he said.

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Raytheon, US Air Force complete series of SDB II test flights

SDB IIRaytheon Company and the U.S. Air Force concluded a series of test flights with the Small Diameter Bomb II (SDB II) culminating in direct hits on targets moving at operationally representative speeds.

Earlier supporting tests were performed in a multitude of different environments and scenarios, key to maturing seeker algorithms and validating the weapon's aerodynamic performance.

All test flights helped reinforce the system's capability to satisfy a critical warfighter need.

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Lockheed Martin Receives $113 Million Contract for U.S. Air Force Helicopter Search and Rescue Training Simulators

HH-60G Pave HawkLockheed Martin received a $113 million contract from the U.S. Air Force to design, develop, field and sustain aircrew training devices for HH-60G Pave Hawk search and rescue helicopters.

Under the contract, Lockheed Martin will deliver eight HH-60G training simulators, spares and logistics support to the U.S. Air Force as part of the Pave Hawk Equivalent Distributive Repeatable Operative Simulators (PEDROS) trainer program.

The simulators will be used to prepare aircrews for the full spectrum of personnel recovery, including combat search and rescue missions in multiple environments.

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Cairo bids for brand-new Russian SS-25 ballistic missiles in major arms transaction with Moscow

SS-25 TopolLt. Gen. Vyacheslav Kondrashov, Russian Deputy chief of staff and head of GRU military intelligence, spent the first day of his visit to Cairo, Tuesday, Oct. 29, with Egyptian military chiefs, going through the list of Russian military hardware items they want to buy in their first major arms transaction with Moscow in more than three decades, DEBKAfile’s military sources report.

The Egyptians asked Moscow to supply the sort of advanced weapons withheld by the United States, and topped their shopping list with medium-range intercontinental ballistic missiles that cover Iran and most of the Middle East.

They told the Russian general that Moscow’s good faith in seeking to build a new military relationship between the two governments would be tested by its willingness to meet this Egyptian requirement.

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DARPA developing drone-mounted lasers to shoot down missiles

Excalibur laser defense systemThe research and development arm of the US Department of Defense plans to establish drone-mounted laser weapons, a scheme referred to as ‘Project Endurance’ in the agency’s 2014 budget request.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) seeks to produce “technology for pod-mounted lasers to protect a variety of airborne platforms from emerging and legacy EO/IR [electro-optical and infrared] guided surface-to-air missiles.”

DARPA’s FY2014 budget request explains that Endurance will be the first application of the Excalibur laser defense system, which fosters optical-phased array technologies for lasers much lighter than high-power chemical lasers and capable of use as weapons.

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Navy Preps for Another Super Hornet, Growler Lot

E/A-18G GrowlerThe Navy has taken a step in preparing for procurement of more F/A-18E/F Super Hornet carrier-based strike aircraft and EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft.

In a solicitation notice posted on the Federal Business Opportunity website, Naval Air Systems Command announced that it intends to negotiate a fixed-price, sole-source contract with Boeing for up to 36 Super Hornets and Growlers in the fiscal 2015 budget, which would be the 39th lot of the F/A-18.

No details have been released about the proposed 2015 budget, but the Senate Appropriations Committee recommended in the yet-to-be-passed 2014 defense appropriations bill that $75 million be provided for advance procurement of the Super Hornet out of concern for delays in the F-35C Lightning II joint strike fighter program.

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Defense exhibition opens sales talk for S. Korean fighter deal

Eurofighter TyphoonGlobal aerospace giants have moved beyond a wait-and-see approach to make sales pitches for South Korea's fighter jet program during an ongoing international aerospace fair here, carefully navigating the direction of the new acquisition under review by Seoul officials.

Lockheed Martin, Boeing and European aerospace group EADS kick-started a preliminary competition by showcasing their combat jets and simulators during the Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition (ADEX), which opened Tuesday to run through Sunday at the Korea International Exhibition Center, just north of Seoul.

The three companies, which vied for a 8.3 trillion won (US$7.2 billion) contract for 60 combat jets, are now waiting for the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) to announce a new fighter jet program.

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$500M littoral combat ship's departure delayed again by maintenance issue

USS FreedomFor the second time in three months, the first-in-class littoral combat ship USS Freedom has found itself pier-side because of maintenance issues.

Repairs are under way after the crew of the $500 million ship found seawater contamination in the starboard steerable water-jet hydraulic system Oct. 24 while preparing to head to sea, Navy officials said this week.

The ship’s commanding officer, Cmdr. Patrick Thien, decided the ship could navigate safely with both water-jets functioning properly in the port drive train but that it was better to address the issue ahead of international exercises in a couple of weeks.

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HMS Iron Duke’s new guns pass the test

HMS Iron Duke opens fire in a training exerciseOne of the Royal Navy’s frigates has been pounding the waves with her newly-refurbished weapons.

It marks a significant milestone for the 180-strong crew of HMS Iron Duke, who are due to deploy on operations soon.

The Type 23 frigate sailed to the English Channel to test fire her weapons.

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General Dynamics to Christen the U.S. Navy's Most Advanced Submarine, North Dakota, on Saturday

USS North Dakota (SSN-784)General Dynamics Electric Boat will christen North Dakota (SSN-784), the U.S. Navy's newest and most advanced nuclear-attack submarine, at its shipyard here on Saturday, Nov. 2, at 11 a.m. Electric Boat is a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics.

Katie Fowler, wife of retired Vice Adm. Jeff Fowler, is the ship's sponsor. The event's principal speaker is Vice Adm. Michael J. Connor, commander – Submarine Forces.

The submarine North Dakota is the 11th ship of the Virginia class, the first U.S. Navy combatants designed for the post-Cold War era. Unobtrusive, non-provocative and connected with land, air, sea and space-based assets, North Dakota and the other Virginia-class submarines are equipped to wage multi-dimensional warfare around the globe, providing the Navy with continued dominance in coastal waters or the open ocean.

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Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Russia’s New Nuclear Sub Completes Sea Trials

Aleksandr NevskyRussia’s new nuclear-powered submarine, the Alexander Nevsky, has completed sea trials, a shipbuilder said Monday.

Work on the Borey-class project is “on schedule,” the Sevmash shipyard said, without providing any indication of when the submarine would join the navy.

In early September, Russia put on hold the trials of two Borey-class submarines following an unsuccessful launch of a Bulava submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM).

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North Korea Expanding Long-Range Rocket Site, Institute Says


Musudan-ri
North Korea is expanding its long-range rocket launch site, the latest sign Kim Jong Un’s regime is advancing its weapons program in defiance of United Nations sanctions, a U.S. institute said.

Satellite imagery from Oct. 9 indicates that the launch gantry at the Sohae site on the North Korea’s west coast is being upgraded, while a new mobile launchpad may be under construction, the U.S.-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies said in a posting yesterday on its blog, 38 North.

A road linking the pad with a missile assembly building and a railhead is also being built, the Washington, D.C.-based institute said.

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Fifth PAK FA fighter aircraft made its first flight in Komsomolsk-on-Amur

Su T-50 PAK-FAThe fifth prototype of the prospective 5th - generation aviation complex (PAK FA, T-50) made its maiden flight in Komsomolsk-on-Amur at the Y.A.Gagarin KnAAZ aircraft plant of the Sukhoi Company.

The plane was piloted by distinguished test pilot of the 1st class Roman Kondratiev. The fighter aircraft spent 50 minutes in the air and landed safely on the factory airfield runway.

The test flight was a success and in full accordance with the flight plan.

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S. Korea stages major live-fire drill

USS George WashingtonSouth Korea on Monday deployed destroyers, jet fighters, attack helicopters and rocket launchers in a major live-fire drill against the threat of North Korea landing troops, the defence ministry said.

"The joint live-fire drill was aimed at repelling landings by enemy forces along the east coast," a ministry spokesman told AFP.

South Korea has carried out a series of recent military exercises -- both alone and jointly with allied nations -- sparking angry condemnations from the North and threats of counter-attacks that have not materialised.

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Navy stealth destroyer Zumwalt nears final construction phase

Zumwalt class destroyerThe Navy's stealthy Zumwalt destroyer went into the water on Monday, with shipbuilders moving the warship into the Kennebec River before it moves dockside for final construction.

The Zumwalt, the largest destroyer ever built for the Navy, looks like no other U.S. warship, with an angular profile and clean carbon fiber superstructure that hides antennas and radar masts.

"The Zumwalt is really in a league of its own," said defense consultant Eric Wertheim, author of the "The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World."

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Libyan frigate arrives for repairs

Al HaniThe Libyan frigate Al Hani has arrived in Malta for repairs and maintenance at Cassar Ship Repair.

The frigate arrived under tow.

Libya has two vessels of this type, which are former Soviet KONI III class frigates. They carry surface-to-surface missiles and guns fore and aft.

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Frigates to be fitted with new missiles from 2015

HMS RichmondThe navy’s fleet of Type 23 frigates will have a new missile system installed from 2015, the government says.

In the House of Commons, Portsmouth South MP Mike Hancock asked the secretary of state for defence when the fitting of the new Sea Ceptor defence system would be complete.

Philip Dunne, the minister for defence equipment, said the missiles will be installed on the frigates as part of their long-term refit programme.

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US and New Zealand resume military cooperation

USS ConnecticutThe United States and New Zealand will resume bilateral military cooperation after a near-total 30-year interruption, the two countries' defense ministries said Monday.

The improvement in military relations comes as part of the US strategy to pay more attention to the Asia-Pacific region, amid China's growing clout.

"We're also very pleased to see the resumption of mil to mil talks after 30 years," cheered New Zealand defense minister Jonathan Coleman during a press conference at the Pentagon with his US counterpart Chuck Hagel.

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SSTD to head to sea for final assessment

USS George H W BushThe US Navy's (USN's) Surface Ship Torpedo Defense (SSTD) system is expected to head back to sea in three weeks' time for a quick reaction assessment, the USN's lead submarine procurement officer said on 24 October.

SSTD is installed on board Nimitz-class USS aircraft carrier George H W Bush (CVN 77), the navy's first carrier to host the prototype torpedo countermeasures system.

"It's about to give our first CVN a 'hard-kill' capability" against enemy torpedoes, said Rear Admiral David Johnson, programme executive officer for Submarines at Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA).

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Indian Navy holds mega coastal drill

Tu-142 Bear FWith both conventional and unconventional threats on the west coast figuring high on India's radar screen, the Navy is undertaking a major coastal defence exercise on the western seaboard.

Called the 'Defence of Gujarat Exercise', the wargames are being conducted under the aegis of the Mumbai-based Western Naval Command (WNC), with over 20 destroyers, frigates, corvettes, minesweepers and submarines, as also maritime fighters, aircraft and helicopters.

"The aim is to practice combat manoeuvres to defend coastal areas as well as vital offshore assets like oil refineries from any external threat.

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Vietnam to Get Russian 'Black Hole' Sub Next Month

Hanoi (Kilo) class submarineVietnam will next month take delivery of a Russian submarine dubbed “a black hole in the ocean” by the US Navy for its undetectability when submerged, a military industry source told RIA Novosti on Monday.

Vietnam ordered a fleet of six Varshavyanka class diesel-electric submarines in 2009 in what has been seen as an effort to counterbalance China’s expanding maritime influence.

The contract, which also includes training for Vietnamese submarine crews in Russia, is reportedly worth $2 billion.

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Russian Tu-160 Strategic Bombers Land in Venezuela


Two Russian Tupolev Tu-160 Blackjack strategic bombers on Monday flew from an airbase in southwestern Russia and landed in Venezuela, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

The nuclear-capable bombers, which took off from the Engels airbase in the Volga region, “flew over the Caribbean, the eastern Pacific and along the southwestern coast of the North American continent, and landed at Maiquetia airfield in Venezuela,” the ministry said in a statement.

According to the Russian ministry, the bombers covered a distance of more than 10,000 kilometers (over 6,200 miles) during a 13-hour non-stop flight. Two NATO F-16 fighter jets were scrambled from Bodo airbase to monitor their flight near the Norwegian airspace.

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Monday, October 28, 2013

Raytheon's Joint Standoff Weapon C-1 demonstrates networked capability with E-2D aircraft

E-2D Advanced HawkeyeRaytheon Company and the U.S. Navy demonstrated the capability of the newest version of the Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) C-1 by establishing communications among an F/A-18E/F Super Hornet aircraft, an E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft and the JSOW C-1.

The test was part of the Navy's Trident Warrior 2013 demonstration in July. During the demonstration, fighters simulated the launch of a JSOW C-1 while the E-2D directed the weapon toward the positively identified target. The E-2D aircraft also received status updates sent from the JSOW C-1.

"The success of the Trident Warrior 2013 demonstration proves the feasibility of providing the fleet a means of executing the complete kill chain with carrier-based assets utilizing the F/A-18E/F, JSOW C-1 and E-2D to engage maritime targets at range," said Cmdr. Errol Campbell, the U.S. Navy's Precision Strike Weapons program office deputy program manager for the JSOW program.

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Korean Gov’t to Establish Missile Defense System

Patriot PAC-2The Korean government has set out to establish the KAMD system, which stands for Korean Air and Missile Defense.

According to international news sources, the Korean government expressed its desire to purchase a large quantity of Patriot missiles from the US government on October 26.

The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), which is in charge of the US Department of Defense’s overseas sale of military equipment, has confirmed the news.

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US starts building anti-missile shield in Romania


Deveselu military airport
Building of a military base which will be an integral part of US-run anti-missile shield stationed across Europe started in Romania.

The Romanian facility is sited in a southern commune of Deveselu. The launch of construction works was visited today by President Trojan Basesku and US Deputy Secretary of Defense, James Miller.

US defense chief Chuck Hagel said the Deveselu base would be constructed despite of the rift between Washington and Moscow in this regard.

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China issues no-sail order in northern Bohai Sea

Liaoning aircraft carrierLiaoning Provincial Maritime Bureau issued a latest sailing warning on October 22, 2013 to notify that military operations will be implemented from 08:00 on October 23, 2013 to 08:00 on November 14, 2013 at waters within an area delimited by connecting lines of the following four points in northern Bohai Sea and any ships should not enter the sea area within the above mentioned time, according to CCTV news report.
  1. 39°56′N 120°16′E
  2. 39°56′N 120°38′E
  3. 39°29′N 120°31′E
  4. 39°29′N 119°54′E
The "Liaoning" aircraft carrier of the Navy of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLAN) unmoored on October 23 to continue its trip for scientific experiments and trainings.

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Japan To Set Up National Security Center

MQ-8B FirescoutA Lower House panel of the Japanese Parliament on Monday began deliberating bills aimed at establishing a national security command center in the context of the security environment around the country getting increasingly unstable.

The bills call for regular meetings of Foreign and Defense Ministers and the Chief Cabinet Secretary chaired by the Prime Minister. It also seeks to set up a national security office on the model of the U.S. National Security Council, reports the NHK public broadcaster.

At the first meeting of the parliamentary panel on Monday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga urged the members to get the bills enacted as soon as possible as the security environment surrounding Japan was becoming increasingly unstable.

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PLA ballistic submarine can reach US cities with JL-2 missiles

Type 094 Jin class SSBNChina's nuclear-powered ballistic submarine is capable of conducting combat patrol missions around the Second Island Chain, according to military expert Li Li in an interview with the Party-run People's Daily online.

The Second Island Chain extends from Honshu on the Japanese island chain southward to New Guinea.

Only a few nations around the world are able to construct their own ballistic submarines because of the sheer difficulty, said Li. Larger pressurized water reactors are suitable for surface combat vessels, but cannot be used for submarines.

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China nuclear subs ‘gallop to depths of ocean’

Type 092 Xia Class SSBNChina has revealed that its first fleet of nuclear submarines has started sea patrols, in the latest sign of its military’s growing confidence which has raised concerns in the region.

Xinhua, the official news agency, released photographs of what appeared to be Xia-class vessels – China’s first generation of nuclear-armed submarines, which are several decades old – saying they were being “declassified” for the first time.

It said the submarines would “gallop to the depths of the ocean, serving as mysterious forces igniting the sound of thunder in the deep sea”, and be an “assassin’s mace that would make adversaries tremble”.

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Sunday, October 27, 2013

Iraq to press U.S. on drones, F-16s to fight al Qaeda

F-16 Fighting FalconThe Baghdad government wants the immediate delivery of U.S. drones and F-16 fighter jets in order to combat al Qaeda insurgents, who are making swift advances in the west of the Iraq, a senior Iraqi security official said.

Washington agreed in August to supply a $2.6 billion integrated air defence system and F-16 fighter jets, with delivery due in autumn 2014.

Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, who will meets U.S. President Barack Obama in Washington next week, has also requested drones to carry out surveillance of Iraq's desert border with Syria.

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Israel's missile-defense system could crumble at the moment of truth

Iron DomeDr. Nathan Faber, an expert on anti-ballistic-missile defense, questions the efficacy of Israel's tiered-defense concept in an all-out war on several fronts, citing financial and operational reasons.

In a piercing, informative and opinionated article based on data, Dr. Nathan Faber criticized the Israeli missile-defense concept ("tiered defense") this week.

The conclusion of Dr. Faber's article, published on the Magen Laoref ("Homefront Shield") foundation's website, is that if Israel finds itself in an all-out war on several fronts facing enemies that are showering it with hundreds of missiles a day (perhaps over a thousand), this concept could crumble due to financial, operational and technological reasons.

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New naval warship will be out of date

Type-26 Global Combat ShipA new Royal Navy ­frigate that is already more than a decade late will be out of date when it ­finally enters service.

The warship was announced in the 1990s but the first order for the Type 26 has still not been officially made.

Codenamed Global Combat Ships, the frigates will cost £300million each and act as the main escort for the Navy’s new aircraft super carriers.

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Naval bases could become nuclear dumps

Trafalgar class SSNFears that two major naval bases sited near large British cities could become nuclear waste storage facilities "by default" have grown after it was revealed the Ministry of Defence proposes to remove low-level radioactive waste from the UK's nuclear submarine fleet.

According to minutes of a submarine dismantling meeting, the "early removal of low-level waste" has been proposed at two major dockyards: Rosyth, in the Forth estuary, Fife, and Devonport, in Plymouth.

Experts warned that removing radioactive waste would need to be explained "carefully" to ensure dismantling sites on bases near major population centres did not become waste storage areas "by default".

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Saturday, October 26, 2013

Taranis makes maiden flight

Taranis UAVThe BAE Systems Taranis unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) demonstrator has made its maiden flight and is currently conducting initial flight trials, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed to IHS Jane's on 25 October.

"Flight trials [on Taranis] are currently ongoing," an MoD spokesperson told IHS Jane's .

Neither the MoD nor BAE Systems was able to confirm the date of the maiden flight at this stage. However, a full statement by the MoD will be issued when the Taranis flight trial programme has been completed, the spokesperson said.

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KAI Proposes Smaller KF-X Design

KFX-E designKorea Aerospace Industries (KAI) is pushing for South Korea to cut the technical challenges of its proposed KF-X fighter program, offering a single-engine concept that probably has a distant connection with the Lockheed Martin F-16.

KAI's KFX-E design should be cheaper to develop and build than the larger proposals put forward by the Agency for Defense Development (ADD), the chief proponent of the KF-X.

Also much smaller than and more differentiated from the Lockheed Martin F-35, the KFX-E may offer the further advantage of minimizing competition from that U.S. stealth fighter.

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Navy to commission BRP Alcaraz in November

PF-16 BRP Ramon AlcarazThe Navy will commission its newest warship BRP Ramon Alcaraz in the third week of November.

Navy spokesman Lieutenant Commander Gregory Fabic said the frigate is undergoing the final phase of dry docking and repainting procedure.

"The commissioning and blessing (of the ship) may be held within the third week of November,” Fabic said in a text message.

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Austrian Armed Forces Select The Cassidian "Tracker" Mini Unmanned Air System

Tracker mini unmanned air systemThe Austrian Ministry of Defence revealed the order for 6 Tracker mini unmanned air systems (18 aircraft).

After evaluation of the mini-UAS operation in accordance with the Austrian Armed Forces capability development plan, a further procurement of mini-UAS is intended between 2016 and 2017.

The competition for this contract was won by Survey Copter, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cassidian SAS, responsible for the development and manufacturing of miniature aircraft and helicopter UAVs, in cooperation with the Kapsch Group, a Vienna headquartered international road telematics, information technology and telecommunications company.

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Boeing, Lockheed Martin Team for U.S. Air Force Bomber Program

F-22 RaptorThe Boeing Company and Lockheed Martin Corporation are teaming to compete for the United States Air Force’s Long-Range Strike Bomber program, with Boeing acting as the prime contractor and Lockheed Martin as the primary teammate.

To this critical mission, the team brings together nearly two centuries of combined experience designing, developing and testing aircraft for defense customers around the world.

The companies also bring expertise in integrating proven technologies, and their skilled workforces and critical infrastructure and scale, to meet the U.S. Air Force’s cost and schedule requirements.

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Navy F-35 fighter drops first bomb

F-35C Lightning IIThe aircraft-carrier variant of the new F-35 Lightning II fighter jet has dropped its first bomb, program officials said Oct. 25.

During an Oct. 21 flight over an Atlantic test range, the F-35C’s pilot released an inert, 500-pound Paveway II laser-guided bomb from an internal weapons bay. The aircraft became the last of the three F-35 variants to complete such a “weapons separation” test.

The U.S. Navy plans to begin testing the F-35C aboard an aircraft carrier in 2014. Compared to the Air Force F-35A and the Marine Corps F-35B, the F-35C has larger wing surfaces and reinforced landing gear to withstand the demanding launches and landings of an aircraft-carrier environment.

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CNO: Navy Must Look 'Very Hard' at Carrier Cuts


Even as the U.S. prepares to christen its newest aircraft carrier, oncoming budget cuts will compel the Navy to seriously consider reducing the overall size of its carrier fleet, the Navy's top officer said Wednesday.

Any move in that direction could have serious consequences for Hampton Roads, home to the only East Coast carrier port, the only U.S. shipyard that builds carriers and the Navy's master jet base, home to carrier air wings.

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert addressed the matter after an all-hands call aboard the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush, which was pier side at Naval Station Norfolk.

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Taiwan wants to buy submarines: president

Ma Ying-jeouPresident Ma Ying-jeou has reiterated Taiwan's desire to purchase submarines from the United States in an interview with an American paper earlier this week.

"Some weapons are high on the list of items that we hope to procure, but we currently have no way to purchase them. Submarines, for instance, are one of those items," Ma told the Washington Post in Taipei Thursday.

According to the Chinese transcript of the interview released by the Presidential Office on its website Friday, Ma responded to a broad range of questions in the interview, including cross-Taiwan Strait ties, relations with the United States, U.S. arms sales to Taiwan and his achievements since assuming office.

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