Queen Elizabeth’s all-seeing eye in place as radar is installed

The nation’s future flagship now stands 56 metres (183ft) tall – higher than Nelson’s Column – after the enormous Goliath crane lifted the 8.4-tonne long-range radar into place on top of the carrier’s forward island.

The radar – similar to those fitted on the Type 45 destroyers – safely arrived in Rosyth with its support, the mast cap, from Hengelo in the eastern Netherlands back in September.

Since then feverish work has been going on around Queen Elizabeth to complete her hull (finished earlier this month [NOV] with the addition of her ski ramp).

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New Zealand selects Kongsbergs Penguin anti-ship missile

Kongsberg has signed a contract with the New Zealand Defence Force for the delivery of Penguin Mk 2 Mod 7 anti-ship missiles and associated equipment.

”This contract strongly confirms the Penguin missile’s position as the leading missile within its segment.

The contract is for a limited number of missiles, however it is considered an important upgrade of New Zealand’s navy,” says Pål Bratlie, EVP Kongsberg Defence Systems.

Source

MTU Diesel Engines Entrusted to Power Singapore’s New Naval Fleet

Tognum has been awarded by Singapore Technologies Marine Ltd to power eight Littoral Mission Vessels for the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) with MTU Series 4000 diesel engines.

The Littoral Mission Vessels will be installed with state of the art, high efficiency MTU 20V 4000 M93L diesel engines, known for their low consumption and long service life, with each unit producing 4300kW (5766bhp). M

TU Series 4000 diesel engines offer unrivalled power density in terms of volume-to power ratio and power-to-weight ratio.

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Nigeria interested in buying Super Tucanos

The Nigerian Air Force is considering buying Super Tucano trainer and light attack aircraft from Brazilian manufacturer Embraer.

Nigerian Vice President Namadi Sambo expressed interest in purchasing the Super Tucano during a meeting with his Brazilian counterpart Michel Temer earlier this week.

Sambo and Temer held talks on bilateral relations between Nigeria and Brazil, and announced the creation of working groups on security and defence, amongst other areas, reports Xinhua.

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Moscow, Minsk to Discuss Russian Airbase in Belarus

A senior Russian defense official said Friday that talks will be held next month on the planned deployment of an airbase in Belarus.

Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov told reporters in Moscow that several potential locations have been identified in Belarus, but that further consultations were needed with the neighboring former Soviet nation's authorities.

The airbase would be Russia’s first on Belarusian territory in modern times and would consolidate defense cooperation under the auspices of the Union State of Russia and Belarus, defense officials in Moscow have said.

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Chinese fighters shadow US/Japanese warplanes in disputed ADIZ

In declaring China’s ADIZ, the Xi leadership apparently counted on being able to put pressure on the US-Japan alliance and isolate Japan.
The Chinese air force yesterday scrambled Su-30 and J-11 fighter jets after a dozen American and Japanese military aircraft entered the air defence identification zone (ADIZ) proclaimed by Beijing last weekend in the East China Sea.

The incident is the first direct Chinese reaction to a US or Japanese incursion and heightens the danger of a miscalculation leading to a clash and conflict.

Having declared the ADIZ, which overlaps with Japan’s own ADIZ and provocatively includes the disputed Senkaku/Diaoyu islands, the Chinese government has come under pressure from hawkish sections of the ruling elite not to back away.

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Spain offers India advanced ship building technology

Spain is offering to build ships and submarines for the Indian Navy in India with transfer of technology.

Spanish Ambassador Gustavo de Aristegui told India Strategic (www.indiastrategic.in) here that Spain has had a long tradition of seafaring, leading the way for European countries to the Asia-Pacific and the Americas centuries ago, and that Spain could rightly claim excellence in naval shipbuilding even today.

Hosting a reception on board the visiting Spanish combat supply ship ESPS Cantabria at Goa’s Mormugao Port, he pointed out that Spain’s state-run Navantia had collaborated with the French DCNS to build six Scorpene submarines at Mumbai’s Mazagon Dock Ltd. (MDL).

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Poland gives thumbs down to German subs

On May 27th German Defence Minister Thomas de Maizière and his Polish counterpart Tomasz Siemoniak signed a “Letter of Intention” to increase co-operation between the two countries’ navies in 28 areas including through a “submarine operating authority”.

The agreement pledged to “provide a sound foundation for the further enhancement of the German-Polish naval cooperation in the future,” in several fields including military procurement.

Poland is looking to acquire three new submarines by 2030 and reports on Polish news portal Defence 24 in September said “particularly intense talks” were underway between the German makers of the U-212A submarines, TKMS, and the Polish Ministry of Defence to lease two of their submarines.

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Saudi Arabia 'plans to buy German submarines'

The German weekly Bild am Sonntag said on Sunday that Saudi Arabia wanted to purchase five German Type 209 submarines for 12 billion euros ($16.5 billion). The paper said that in the long term, the kingdom was interested in buying altogether 25 of the vessels.

The newspaper said it had information that the German chancellery had in the summer already signaled a willingness to examine such requests from Saudi Arabia "favorably" as soon as a new government was in place.

The submarines would be constructed by the Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) and the Nordseewerke Emden, both shipbuilding companies located in the north of Germany, according to the report.

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Iran to unveil 1st semi-heavy submarine by yearend

A high-ranking Iranian military official says the Islamic Republic will unveil its first domestically designed and built semi-heavy submarine within the next few months.

Head of the Iranian Navy's Industrial Research and Self-Sufficiency Jihad Organization Rear Admiral Ali Gholamzadeh said on Friday that the watercraft will be put on display by the end of the current Iranian calendar year (ending March 20, 2014).

“Under adopted measures, many light submarines are currently being manufactured in the country,” Gholamzadeh stated.

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Russia to deploy S-500 anti-missiles in two years

Russia will deploy its newest S-500anti-missile systems in response to the deployment of Western anti-missile shield in Europe, a senior military officer said Friday.

"We'll be able to organize anti-missile defense ... This is our response to the U.S. anti-missile defense," said Kirill Makarov, deputy commander of Russia's airspace defense forces, in an interview with the state-run Russia-24 TV channel.

The S-500 systems are designed to destroy enemy's aircraft, middle-range and strategic missiles.

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New construction detected at North Korean missile launch site

A US research institute said on Friday that it has detected a new construction at a North Korean missile launch site which the institute says is being upgraded to handle larger rockets.

Commercial satellite imagery shows work has resumed after a months-long hiatus at Tonghae, on the country's north-east coast, on what looks like a rocket assembly building and a launch control centre.

The findings were provided to Associated Press ahead of publication by 38 North, the website of the US-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.

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The Royal Netherlands Navy Takes Delivery of a Mission Planning & Analysis System in Full Operative Configuration for the NH90 NFH Fleet

AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, is pleased to announce that the Royal Netherlands Navy (RNLN) has taken delivery of a Mission Planning & Analysis System (MPAS) in the Final Operative Configuration for its fleet of NH90 NFH medium twin naval helicopters.

This delivery of MPAS follows the one released into service in 2011 and it is aimed at both supporting new aircraft functionalities and implementing enhancements based on operational feedback from more than one year of RNLN in service experience.

The system delivery to the Navy was achieved after successful execution of the Acceptance Tests and Operational Verifications, initially at the AgustaWestland Helicopter Support Systems facility in Sesto Calende and then at the De Kooy Naval Base in the Netherlands.

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Russia to Deploy 3 New S-400 Air Defense Regiments in 2014

Three new regiments equipped with S-400 Triumf air defense missile systems will be put in service with the Russian armed forces next year, President Vladimir Putin said Thursday.

“Two S-400 regiments were presented to the Russian military this year. Another three [regiments] should be put in service in 2014,” Putin said at a meeting on the development of Russia’s aerospace defenses.

Russia currently has a total of five S-400 regiments, with two regiments deployed around Moscow and the remaining units deployed near the port city of Nakhodka in the far eastern Primorye Territory, as well as in the Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad and in the Southern Military District.

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Kongsberg and Boeing complete Joint Strike Missile (JSM) Check on F/A-18 Super Hornet

Kongsberg Defence Systems and Boeing recently completed a successful fit-check of the Joint Strike Missile (JSM) on an F/A-18F Super Hornet at the Boeing St. Louis facility to ensure the weapons fit on the aircraft’s external pylons. The test brings the JSM one step closer to Super Hornet compatibility.

The Joint Strike Missile (JSM) is a 5th generation long-range stealthy precision strike missile for sea- and land targets. Boeings F-18E/F multirole fighter is one of the most capable and successful international fighter platforms.

Kongsberg is proud to work with Boeing to offer JSM capability on F-18. The completion of the fit-check on F/A-18 F further validates the JSM compatibility with existing fleet of aircraft and provides a near term strong capability against advanced threats, says Harald Ånnestad, President Kongsberg Defence Systems.

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Russia Begins Deployment of Aerospace Defenses in Arctic

Russia has started the deployment of aerospace defense units in the Arctic and construction of an early missile warning radar in the country’s extreme north, the commander of Aerospace Defense Forces said Thursday.

“The expansion of [missile early warning] radar coverage is one of the key areas of our work, especially when it comes to [Russia’s] extreme north – we have already started the deployment of electronic warfare units in the Arctic,” Maj. Gen. Alexander Golovko said.

Golovko also said construction of an advanced early missile warning radar site has started near the town of Vorkuta, situated just north of the Arctic Circle.

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Swedish fighter jets to join Nato response force

Sweden will contribute a squadron of Jas Gripen fighter jets as well as a mine-sweeping ship to join the Nato Rapid Reaction Force (NRF), the government decided on Thursday.

The Swedish fighter squadron, ship, and roughly 120 service personnel will join the Nato force in 2014. By 2015, Sweden will contribute an additional eight Gripen fighters and an amphibious unit.

Last month, Nato agreed to let Sweden to join the Steadfast Jazz training exercise, allowing Swedish soldiers to train with the NRF, a multinational force of up to 25,000 troops that can act as a stand-alone force available for rapid deployment.

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Typhoon flight tests with Storm Shadow missile started

Working with our Eurofighter partners, the first in a series of flight tests to integrate the Storm Shadow missile onto Typhoon is now complete.

Safe to carry

Initial flight trials to demonstrate that the missile can be safely carried have been successfully started. The trials began on 27th November, by the Alenia Aermacchi Flight Test Centre at Decimomannu Air Base, in Sardinia, Italy, with the support of the Eurofighter Partner Companies, ourselves and and Cassidian.

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Russia Speeds Up Development of New Strategic Bomber

Russia will begin the full-scale R&D work on its future strategic bomber in 2014, a senior aircraft-manufacturing industry official said Thursday.

The project, known as PAK-DA (an acronym meaning “future long-range aircraft”), has been in the works for several years but was given the formal go-ahead by the Russian leadership last year.

“A decision was made this year to expedite the development of the PAK-DA aircraft,” Mikhail Pogosyan, head of Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation, said at a meeting on the future of the Russian air force chaired by President Vladimir Putin.

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DRDO Developing High Altitude 'Killer' Missile

After a long wait, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is contemplating to conduct the first test of its newly developed interceptor missile from a defence base off the Odisha coast next month.

The missile, dubbed as Prithvi Defence Vehicle (PDV), has the potential to destroy enemy missile with a strike range of around 2,500 km outside the earth’s atmosphere (at an altitude of over 150 km). Only a few countries in the world have such a capability.

The air defence exercise, a part of India’s Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) system, would involve two missiles- the interceptor and enemy missile. Both the missiles have been developed for the first time and will be programmed at separate locations in Chandipur and Wheeler Island.

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Metronor AS selected to provide additional Advanced Boresight Systems for Korea Aerospace Industries FA-50 Light Attack Aircraft

Metronor AS has been awarded a contract by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) for delivery of additional Harmolign Advanced Boresight Systems for the FA-50 light attack aircraft.

Metronor’s boresight systems are based on the company’s patented electro-optical technology, and have been designed to provide the most flexible, capable and affordable boresighting/ harmonization system technology available in the market.

Providing on-screen type-specific graphical operator guidance - eliminating the need for operator training - and requiring no scheduled maintenance or calibration, the system has very low life-cycle costs.

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Navy buys one Insitu RQ-21A Blackjack UAV in preparation for ramping-up production

Navy Officials are buying one new tactical unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), intended as an organic and dedicated multi-intelligence UAV for U.S. Marine Corps and Navy tactical commanders, in preparation for ramping-up production of the front-line tactical unmanned aircraft.

Officials of the Naval Air Systems Command at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Md.,awarded an $8.8 million contract this week to Boeing Insitu Inc. in Bingen, Wash., for one low-rate-initial-production II RQ-21A Blackjack UAV, to include air vehicles, ground control stations, launch and recovery equipment, and air vehicle support equipment.

The Boeing Insitu RQ-21 is a twin-boom, single-engine, monoplane UAV for surveillance and reconnaissance. It an be launched and recovered on land or at sea without runways, using a pneumatic launcher and net-type recovery system.

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Japan Tests China’s Resolve With Flights in Air Zone

Japan and South Korea flew military aircraft through a new air-defense zone claimed by China, testing the country’s resolve to control a swath of the East China Sea at the heart of a territorial dispute between the nations.

Japan Air Self-Defense Force planes flew through the area without incident as part of patrols that routinely occurred before China established the zone on Nov. 23, said Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga.

“Since China set up its Air Defense Identification Zone, we have been carrying out surveillance activities as usual, including within that zone,” Suga told journalists in Tokyo today.

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Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning anchors for first time at new base in Sanya

China’s aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, has anchored for the first time at the country’s new carrier base in the South China Sea on Friday.

Xinhua said the Liaoning carried out its first docking manoeuvre Friday morning at Sanya City’s naval harbour in the southern island province of Hainan yesterday morning. It said the carrier would conduct relevant experiments and trainings in the new base.

The Sanya naval harbour is qualified for the docking and basic operation of an aircraft carrier, Senior Colonel Yang Yujun, the spokesman for the Ministry of Defence, told a regular news briefing on Thursday.

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Scottish independence: MoD sinks white paper plan

The Scottish Government’s plan for joint defence procurement to save the Clyde shipbuilding industry post-independence has been rejected by the Ministry of Defence.

Officials have said that the MoD has “no intention” of agreeing to a proposal in the Scottish Government’s white paper on independence to build new Type 26 frigates for both Scotland and the rest of the UK on the Clyde.

UK ministers have already indicated that the Scotstoun and Govan yards will win the contracts to build the new Type 26 frigates should Scotland reject independence, but signalled their intention to use English yards if Scotland becomes a foreign country.

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Minister for Defence Contract signed to upgrade Collins Class Submarines

Defence Minister Senator David Johnston today announced the Defence Materiel Organisation has signed a multi-million dollar contract with ASC Pty Ltd to update the control management and monitoring system for the Royal Australian Navy s Collins Class submarines.

Senator Johnston said the Integrated Ship Control Management and Monitoring System is a highly automated computerised system, which enables the crew of a Collins submarine to control, monitor and manage the large number of diverse and complex systems on board the submarines.

Work under the $57 million contract will focus on updating electronic components and porting the software to operate on the new system, Senator Johnston said.

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Russia Floats Out ‘Stealth’ Submarine for Black Sea Fleet

A St. Petersburg-based shipyard on Thursday floated out the first of six Varshavyanka-class diesel-electric submarines to be delivered to the Black Sea Fleet in the next two years.

The much-anticipated delivery of these submarines, dubbed by the US Navy as “black holes in the ocean” because they are nearly undetectable when submerged, is a key part of Russia’s naval strategy in the Mediterranean, where Moscow has recently deployed a permanent task force consisting of some 10 surface ships.

Construction of the Novorossiisk submarine started at Admiralty Shipyards in August 2010, followed by the Rostov-on-Don sub in November 2011 and the Stary Oskol in August 2012.

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French Minister of Defense Confirms Launch of ANL FASGW(H) anti-ship missile program

French Defense Minister Jean Yves Le Drian today announced the launch of several new defense programs at the Assemblée Nationale (French Parliament). One of these programs is the ANL (Anti Navire Léger / Light Anti-ship) anti-ship missile made by MBDA. This program is also known as FASGW(H) (Future Anti-Ship Guided Weapon Heavy) in the UK.

With the French green light, the FASG(H) / ANL joint weapon procurement program will finally move forward. A decision long awaited by the Royal Navy who has an urgent need to replace their existing Sea Skua missiles.

The original aim was to withdraw the old Sea Skua along with the current Lynx helicopters, while rolling into service the new Wildcat helicopter in 2015 with FASGW(H) already available and integrated.

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First Airbus Military A400M makes its final flight

Nearly four years after its maiden flight, the first Airbus Military A400M new generation airlifter has been retired and is to be placed on public display.

Development aircraft MSN1 – affectionately known as Grizzly 1 – made its final flight from Toulouse on 4 November, manned by exactly the same crew that first took it airborne from Seville on 11 December 2009.

In addition, MSN3 has been placed in long-term storage in flyable condition. It is not intended to fly again but could be returned to flight-test duties if required.

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RAF trains on upgraded Puma helicopter

The RAF has begun training on the Puma Mk2 helicopter after a £260 million upgrade programme.

Pictures released today show crews from 33 and 230 Squadrons carrying out training flights of the upgraded aircraft from their base at RAF Benson in Oxford.

Its engines have been upgraded to give them 35 per cent more power and improved fuel efficiency, meaning they can fly faster and twice as far as the Puma Mk1.

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Nuclear sub Alexander Nevsky will be transferred to Russian Navy in January

The first strategic nuclear submarine of Project 955 Borei, the Alexander Nevsky, will be transferred to the Russian Navy in January, a Navy Main Staff source said.

"The Alexander Nevsky will be handed over to the Navy no early than in January," the source said.

The submarine's recent final trials in the White Sea exposed a number of "minor problems that, nonetheless, should be fixed," he said.

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Seoul to conclude deal on Taurus missile next month

The nation’s arms procurement agency said Wednesday that it will finalize a deal of importing the Taurus air-to-ground standoff cruise missiles for its F-15K fleet next month.

According to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), it reported to the military decision-making committee, chaired by Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin, that it will conclude the contract including a classified number of the missiles in December.

Taurus Systems, a German-Swedish joint venture, welcomed Korea’s decision.

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Russia to Deploy 22 New Ballistic Missiles in 2014

Twenty-two land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles will next year be added to Russia’s nuclear arsenal, President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday.

“We intend to continue prioritizing the development of the main component of our strategic nuclear deterrent,” Putin said at a meeting on the development of the Russian Strategic Missile Forces.

Putin did not specify the type of new ICBMs to be deployed, but a source in the Defense Ministry told RIA Novosti on condition of anonymity that the missiles will be mobile and silo-based Yars ICBMs.

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Technological progress gave China confidence to declare ADIZ

Improvements in the People's Liberation Army's air surveillance and control systems helped give Beijing the confidence to create its air defence identification zone (ADIZ) over the East China Sea, military experts said.

China is the last major power in the region to set up such an identification zone, as effectively policing the area requires advanced coastal and airborne radar systems and the capability to track, identify and monitor numerous flying objects simultaneously.

For years, the PLA struggled to obtain such technologies and develop its own airborne early-warning systems. Western countries put an embargo on the sale to Beijing of the necessary equipment after the Tiananmen Square crackdown in 1989.

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JI wants Centre to shoot down US drones

Criticising the silence of the rulers over the drone attacks, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) provincial head Prof Muhammad Ibrahim Wednesday urged the federal government to order the Pakistan Air Force to shoot down the US spy plane.

“The drone attacks are a violation of country’s sovereignty and innocent people are getting killed in these strikes. The government must quit if it can’t save the people from foreign aggression,” he told a party meeting here.

JI district chief Younas Khattak and other officer-bearers were also present at the meeting.

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Poseidon's inaugural deployment starts Friday

The inaugural deployment of the P-8A Poseidon will begin Friday when the War Eagles of Patrol Squadron 16 depart Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Fla., for Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan.

VP-16 returned to Jacksonville from its last P-3C Orion deployment in June 2012 and began the transition into the new airframe the next month. The squadron completed the transition in January and has been preparing for the deployment ever since.

The squadron will deploy with six aircraft and 12 aircrews. However, the crews will be smaller than those flying P-3s, as each only has nine people instead of 11. One of those cuts was the enlisted flight engineer, which the Navy decided was expendable due to technology upgrades. The job can now be fulfilled by the two pilots, aided by high-tech avionics.

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China says it monitored U.S. B-52s that flew through its new air zone

Tensions are running high in the skies between China and Japan -- and the United States is refusing to stay on the sidelines.

After Beijing upset the region by declaring a new air defense zone over a large part of the East China Sea, two unarmed U.S. B-52 bombers flew through the area in what the U.S. State Department said was a planned military exercise.

The U.S. aircraft ignored China's new demands that planes that fly through the zone identify themselves and submit flight plans to Chinese authorities -- despite Beijing's warnings that it could take military measures against aircraft that failed to comply.

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Amphibious transport dock New York sails to new home in Mayport next week

The amphibious transport dock New York will leave Naval Station Norfolk, Va., on Dec. 4 for its new homeport at Naval Station Mayport, Fla., and arriveon Dec. 6.

It’s the first move in the transition of the three-ship Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group to the Northern Florida port. The amphibious assault ship Iwo Jima and the dock landing ship Fort McHenry are scheduled to start calling the base home by the end of fiscal year 2014.

What’s not clear yet is exactly when the other two ships will make the move, though Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jon Greenert told Navy Times Nov. 14 that the moves will happen on schedule. The money — which was allocated in the 2013 defense budget — won’t be impacted by sequestration.

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China's Aircraft Carrier Passes through Taiwan Strait

China's first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, passed through the Taiwan Strait on Thursday morning on its way to a training mission in the South China Sea.

It took about 10 hours for the carrier and its four escort ships to get through the strait separating the Chinese mainland and Taiwan.

The Liaoning entered the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday afternoon after it left its home port in Qingdao of east China's Shandong Province on Tuesday for the South China Sea on a scientific and training mission.

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Sub involved in fatal fire back in water

The infamous Vancouver-class submarine that had a fatal voyage is back in the water.

HMCS Chicoutimi was released from dry dock into the water Tuesday after a long refit.

But there is still a way to go before the vessel hits the high seas. With maintenance work complete, the submarine will take on tracking tests and shallow diving tests in a British Columbia harbour.

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French Army's NH90 TTH helicopter conducts initial naval trials

The French Army Aviation's (ALAT) NH90 tactical transport helicopter (TTH) has successfully conducted its initial naval trials onboard the second Mistral Class amphibious warfare ship, BPC Tonnerre.

Carried out at an undisclosed location, the trials enabled the helicopter's maximum take-off weight to be uprated to 10.6t, while additional trials, which are planned for March 2014, will lead to the helicopter's clearance for shipboard missions.

The helicopter's initial operational capability (IOC) is planned for mid-2014, when four NH90s will be available for operations.

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IRGC Commander: Iran Among Rare World States with Ballistic Missile Technology

“Many countries may have access to cruise missiles technology, but when it comes to ballistic missiles, I am confident that only the US and the (former) Soviet Union could master this technology, and now we can announce that we own this technology as well,” General Salami told FNA on Tuesday.

He pointed to Iran’s capabilities in the field of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), and said, “While we did not have any knowledge about drones, we have developed and acquire drones that travel 2,000 kilometers, conduct their operations and then land in our desirable regions.”

Earlier this month, General Salami said the precision targeting of IRGC's ballistic missiles has been improved to have a margin of error near zero.

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SM-6 Achieves Initial Operational Capability

The Standard Missile-6 (SM-6) tactical missile has reached initial operation capability, the Navy announced in a Nov. 26 release, with SM-6s successfully loaded onboard guided-missile destroyer USS Kidd in San Diego.

The SM-6 is designed to provide naval vessels with extended range protection against cruise missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles and fixed and rotary wing aircraft.

“We’re very pleased to achieve [initial operational capability] on schedule,” said Capt. Mike Ladner, the major program manager of Surface Ship Weapons, whose portfolio includes SM-6.

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Russia Denies Plans to Place Strategic Bombers in Kyrgyzstan

Russian defense officials denied Tuesday that they plan to deploy strategic bombers at an air base in Kyrgyzstan, addressing speculation over what military analysts had seen as an effort by Moscow to project its geopolitical influence across the region, APA reports quoting RIA Novosti.

Some media outlets had speculated that a Russian air base in Kant, some 20 kilometers (12 miles) outside the capital Bishkek, could be used as a forward airfield for refueling and emergency maintenance of Russian Tu-95MS strategic bombers.

A pair of Tu-95 bombers flew over the airfield in Kant on October 27 as part of celebrations marking the 10th anniversary of the base.

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Lockheed Martin ready to assist with SAAF airlift acquisition

Lockheed Martin’s point man for Africa has hit South Africa with the declared mission of trying to establish exactly what the SA Air Force’s (SAAF) airlift requirements are.

Dennys Plessas, Vice President Business development Initiatives at the American aerospace company, told defenceWeb his three day visit would also allow him to put forward suggestions on the boosting of airlift capacity for the hard-pressed SAAF.

“I’m here to find out exactly what the SAAF’s needs and requirements are as far as airlift, whether it be tactical or strategic, is concerned. Both myself and Lockheed Martin are concerned a hastily taken decision in this regard can lead to problems down the line with aircraft maintenance and utilisation,” he said, regarding reports of feasibility and or project studies apparently currently underway for possible acquisition of Ilyushin Il-76s.

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Refitted Aircraft Carrier Sails Out From Russia to India

India’s Vikramaditya aircraft carrier left a shipyard in northern Russia on Tuesday, embarking on a long voyage to its permanent base half way across the world, the Sevmash shipbuilder said.

The Vikramaditya, a refurbished Russian carrier known as the Admiral Gorshkov, will make a short stop for refueling in the White Sea then proceed to the port of Murmansk, where the warship will stay for several days stocking up on fuel and other supplies before heading to a naval base in Karwar in southwestern India.

The aircraft carrier, which was handed over to the Indian navy on November 16, will be accompanied by an Indian tanker and a frigate on the first leg of the voyage, which is expected to take about two months.

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Navy completes first CANES installation on USS McCampbell: First ship with operational next generation tactical afloat network

The Navy announced today that it successfully installed the first operational next generation tactical afloat network aboard the Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyer USS McCampbell (DDG 85).

Based in Yokosuka, Japan, USS McCampbell completed its installation of the Consolidated Afloat Network and Enterprise Services (CANES) on Nov. 6. Prior to that, the destroyer conducted sea trials in October to validate how the network would perform in an operational environment and that the network met mission needs.

CANES represents a key aspect of the Navy's modernization planning by upgrading cybersecurity, command and control, communications and intelligence systems afloat.

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Auditor general warns federal shipbuilding budgets ‘insufficient’

The Department of National Defence has made trade-offs in capabilities of the Navy resupply vessels to be built by North Vancouver’s Seaspan Marine Corp. and may have to make more to stay on their $2.3 billion budget, Canada’s Auditor General Michael Ferguson warned Tuesday.

That was among the findings of Ferguson’s analysis of the government’s National Shipbuilding Procurement Program, which had federal ministers, departmental officials and industry skirting questions over whether billions more dollars will be needed to make sure the government’s national shipbuilding plan doesn’t sink.

For the military component, Ferguson characterized the $26 billion the government has set aside to replace the navy’s aging destroyers and frigates is “insufficient.”

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Official: U.S. B-52s flew over China's controversial new air defense zone

Two U.S. military aircraft flew into China's newly claimed and challenged air defense zone over the East China Sea, a U.S. official said, an action that could inflame tensions between the world powers.

The U.S. Air Force B-52 planes -- which were not armed because they were on a training mission -- set off Monday from Guam and returned there without incident. The mission lasted for several hours, and the aircraft were in China's newly declared air zone for about an hour, according to the U.S. official.

The planes' pilots did not identify themselves upon entering the disputed airspace, as China would have wanted, according to the official.

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Australia Collins Class Submarines to be Updated

Defence Minister Senator David Johnston announced the Defence Materiel Organisation has signed a multi-million dollar contract with ASC Pty Ltd to update the control management and monitoring system for the Royal Australian Navy’s Collins Class submarines.

Senator Johnston said the Integrated Ship Control Management and Monitoring System is a highly automated computerised system, which enables the crew of a Collins submarine to control, monitor and manage the large number of diverse and complex systems on board the submarines.

“Work under the $57 million contract will focus on updating electronic components and porting the software to operate on the new system,” Senator Johnston said.

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Navy patrol boat under construction sinks at shipyard

A moored Navy guided missile patrol boat under construction sank at a shipyard due to strong winds, the shipbuilder said Monday.

Sources said the 430-ton Gumdoksuri Class patrol killer guided missile (PKG) boat started sinking at around 3 a.m. as it was pounded by strong winds and waves. The boat, armed with 76 millimeter guns, was one of 24 being built to replace smaller Chamsuri Class patrol boats serving in the Navy.

The name of the shipyard on the southern coast was not revealed, although the builder confirmed that roughly 60 percent of the work, including the engines, were on board at the time of the accident.

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Eastern Military District to Receive 40 Helicopters by 2014

Russia’s Eastern Military District will receive more than 40 combat helicopters by the end of 2013, a spokesman said Monday.

“Over 40 new Mi-8AMTSh and Ka-52 helicopters will be delivered to air bases in the Eastern Military District by the end of this year,” Lt. Col. Alexander Gordeev said.

The new helicopters are expected to replace the existing fleet of aging Mi-24 Hind attack helicopters and significantly boost combat capabilities of army aviation in Russia’s Far East, according to the Defense Ministry.

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Russian Navy Gets New Carrier-Based Fighters

The Russian navy has taken delivery of its first four series-produced MiG-29K/KUB carrier based fighter jets, the Defense Ministry said Monday.

“The MiG aircraft-manufacturing corporation has handed over two MiG-29K single-seat and two MiG-29KUB twin-seat carrier-based fighter aircraft,” a spokesman said.

The Russian Defense Ministry signed a contract with MiG in February 2012 for delivery of 20 MiG-29K and four MiG-29KUB fighters by 2015.

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12 China-made helicopters delivered to Cambodia

Twelve Chinese-built Zhi-9 (Z-9) utility helicopters, which Cambodia had purchased from China, were delivered to the Royal Cambodian Air Force on Monday.

The handover ceremony was held at the capital's Military Airbase between Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Tea Banh and Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Bu Jianguo.

Tea Banh said the helicopter delivery was a new historic achievement in addition to numerous supports the Chinese government has given to Cambodia.

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Peruvian Ministry of Defense selects the Alenia Aermacchi C-27J

Alenia Aermacchi, a Finmeccanica Company, has been selected to supply the Peruvian Ministry of Defense with 2 C-27J Spartan tactical airlifters. The contract, to be signed as soon as the administrative procedures are completed, has a value of around 100 million euro inclusive of a substantial logistic support package for the two aircraft.

The C-27J - known as the only true military transport aircraft of its category available on the market - has been selected by the Fuerza Aerea del Perù due to its proven operational flexibility at competitive costs; the best performances in its class in all operational and environmental conditions and because it is the only aircraft in its class interoperable with heavier airlifters already in service in Peru.

“The choice by the Peruvian MoD – said the Company- is a confirmation that, when an air force has a stringent airlift requirement in terms of performances and capabilities, the Spartan is the only solution able to guarantee an excellent value for money.

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Northrop Grumman to Supply AN/TPS-78 Air Defense Radar Systems to Royal Thai Air Force

Northrop Grumman Corporation has been selected by the Royal Thai Air Force to supply additional AN/TPS-78 air defense and surveillance radar systems.

Under the terms of the contract, Northrop Grumman will begin supplying equipment to the Royal Thai Air Force in 2015. The company will also provide training, spares and logistics support.

"With this award, we continue our 25 years of support of the Royal Thai Air Force and the national security infrastructure of Thailand," said Robert Royer, vice president of Northrop Grumman's International Systems business unit.

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Northrop Grumman Delivers Additional MQ-8C Fire Scout to the U.S. Navy

Northrop Grumman Corporation has delivered the second MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned helicopter to the U.S. Navy after completing final assembly at the company's unmanned systems center in Moss Point, Miss.

The aircraft is joining the first one delivered to Naval Base Ventura County, Point Mugu, Calif., to conduct flight testing before using the system for operational missions in 2014.

"Since 2006 we have conducted final assembly of the earlier MQ-8B Fire Scout aircraft from our Moss Point facility, so we have a lot of manufacturing experience there," said George Vardoulakis, vice president for medium range tactical systems, Northrop Grumman.

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After 30 Years, The USS Dallas Returns Home For Decomissioning

The attack submarine USS Dallas and her crew received a hero's welcome as she glided into port Monday, completing her last scheduled deployment after 30 years prowling the world's oceans.

Crowds cheered and a 1-minute blast was sounded as the black-hulled submarine, with sailors at attention on deck, cruised slowly up the Thames River. A fireboat shot celebratory jets of water high into the air.

A pair of tugboats eased the 360-foot, nuclear-powered vessel up to the submarine base dock, where hundreds of family and friends, many waving signs and holding balloons, waited in the frigid air to greet the 140 returning sailors.

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Tanzanian Air Force takes delivery of 14 new J-7G fighter jets

The Tanzanian People's Defence Force (TPDF) has swapped 12 old Chinese-made J-7 fighter aircraft with 14 new J-7Gs, as the country forges ahead with the modernisation of its aerial defence capabilities.

IHS Janes reports that the new fighter aircraft fleet includes 12 single-seat Chengdu J-7G jets (designated F-7TN in Tanzanian Air Force service) and two dual seat J-7Ns (designated FT-7TN in Tanzania) which were ordered in 2009 and delivered in 2011.

The fighters, which are now deployed at TPDF air bases in Mwanza and the capital Dar es Salaam, are armed with the Type 30-1 30 mm cannon and are equipped with five hardpoints for rockets, missiles and bombs.

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Israel hosts largest-ever aerial maneuver drill

The largest aerial maneuver ever held in Israel began Sunday, with the participation of 60 aircraft from four countries.

Code-named “Blue Flag,” the exercise includes seven combat squadrons from the Israeli Air Force and one squadron each from the air forces of the United States, Greece and Italy.

The Polish air force was also scheduled to take part but withdrew for budgetary reasons.

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Algeria seeks Yabhon UAVs

The Algerian Air Force has reportedly expressed interest in acquiring the Adcom Systems Yabhon United 40 Block 5 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to boost its intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities.

The UAV was exhibited at the recent Dubai Air Show last week.

The North Africa Post quoted Adcom Systems chief executive officer Ali Dhadheri as saying the Algerian delegation to the Dubai Air Show 2013 had expressed interest in acquiring the Yabhon United 40 Block 5 to expand its fleet of UAVs.

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