NOSInt on a break

Due to personal circumstances this blog will not be updated for about a week.
See you all later.

EU wants stronger military industry

The European Commission on Tuesday (24 June) laid out plans on how to boost the EU’s military and defence industries.

It wants to create a single market on defence, make it more profitable, and intensify and merge research with the civil sector.

Antonio Tajani, the EU industry commissioner, said greater defence collaboration is needed between member states to enable the EU to "adequately face its security challenges".

Read more

Navy to Retire T-39N Training Jets in August

The Navy’s air training command will retire the last of its Rockwell T-39 Sabreliner training aircraft this summer, closing out a four-decade service of training Naval Flight Officers (NFOs) in navigation and radar intercept procedures.

Training Squadron 86 (VT-86) at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla., responsible for training NFOs to operate the weapon and sensor systems in the Navy and Marine Corps’ multiseat tactical jets, such as the F/A-18, EA-18G and EA-6B, will retire the last T-39N versions in August.

The T-39G non-radar versions already have been withdrawn from service.

Read more

U.S. Army places blimp-borne radar in strategic readiness

Should the U.S. or its allies need enhanced protection against cruise missiles, hostile airplanes, sea-borne threats or unmanned aircraft, military commanders will have a new system at their disposal.

Raytheon Company has finished preparing a blimp-borne radar system previously used for testing, for use as a rapidly deployable strategic asset.

JLENS is a powerful airborne radar system that floats at altitudes as high as 10,000 feet, suspended from two 80-yard long, helium-filled blimp-like aerostats which are tethered to ground stations via a rugged cable. It helps defend critical assets, population centers and infrastructures against a variety of threats, such as manned- and unmanned- aircraft and missiles.

Read more

BAE Systems Wins 57mm Naval Gun Contract In Mexico

BAE Systems has been awarded a contract to produce and deliver four 57 Mk3 Naval Guns to the Mexican Navy.

“This contract award further strengthens our strong position in the naval guns market,” said Lena Gillström, managing director of Weapon Systems, Sweden, at BAE Systems. “This competitive win shows that BAE Systems’ world-leading 57mm naval gun and ammunition systems continue to be selected as the best solution for both new and existing customers around the world.”

The 57 Mk3 gun is proving to be a successful product for various customers. In addition to Mexico, the 57 Mk3 is also in service with Navies and Coast Guards in the United States, Canada, Sweden, Finland, and Malaysia.

Read more

U.S. Air Force Awards Lockheed Martin Contract For Next Two SBIRS Missile Defense Early Warning Satellites

The U.S. Air Force awarded Lockheed Martin a $1.86 billion fixed-price contract to complete the production of the fifth and sixth Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) satellites, known as GEO-5 and GEO-6, for the Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS).

SBIRS provides our nation continuous early warning of ballistic missile launches and other tactical intelligence.

The Air Force awarded initial funding for the two satellites in a 2012 contract to complete non-recurring engineering activities and to procure select long lead parts. In 2013, the service awarded the advance procurement contract to secure additional long lead parts.

Read more

Germany ready to keep Patriot missiles in Turkey's southeast

Germany's Defense Ministry Deputy Spokesman Ingo Gerhartz dismissed media reports over claims that Patriot Missile Batteries in Turkey would be withdrawn at the end of 2014, adding that the mission could be extended for two more years.

Germany has announced it is prepared to extend its deployment of Patriot missile batteries in Turkey if Ankara requires it.

The announcement on Monday came one day after the German press reported that NATO allies had begun talks on halting the mission - which Ankara had requested in 2012 amid possible threats from Syria - at the end of 2014, following the removal of chemical weapons from its southern neighbor.

Read more

B-2 Bomber Set to Receive Massive Upgrade

The Air Force’s B-2 Spirit is receiving a technological upgrade to allow the service’s bat-winged, nuclear capable bomber to fly through 2058.

Air Force officials have started planning the modernization overhaul to include digital nuclear weapons and a new receiver that allows the bomber to receive messages in the event of a nuclear detonation, said Eric Single, chief of the Global Strike division for Air Force acquisition.

Northrop Grumman, the lead defense contractor on the B-2, owns a contract with a $9.9 billion ceiling to complete maintenance and modernization on the fleet of 20 stealth bombers.

Read more

Burma to Purchase Chinese-Pakistani JF-17 Fighter Jets

Myanmar will purchase the Sino-Pakistan jointly produced JF-17 Thunder multirole fighter aircraft, according to local news reports.

According to the Burma Times, Myanmar is looking to purchase a license to domestically produce the J-17 aircraft, which is called the FC-1 Xiaolong in China. If the report is accurate, it would make Myanmar the first foreign purchaser of the jet.

Currently, only Pakistan’s Air Force operates the J-17 and, as Ankit has reported, Islamabad is in the process of making a number of upgrades to the fighter jet.

Read more

China and Vietnam Ships Clash in Territorial Bout

China and Vietnam-owned vessels again clashed on Monday near a Chinese oil rig that has been set up in a part of the South China Sea that is being claimed by both countries.

According to Vietnamese Coast Guard, the incident left two Vietnamese sailors injured and their Fisheries Surveillance ship KN-951 severely damaged.

Vietnam TV reports indicate that seven Chinese vessels pursued the Vietnamese vessel 11.5 nautical miles south-southwest before one of them rammed into it. Further reports say that two Chinese tugboats 284 and 285 and a maritime patrol ship No. 11 blocked the Vietnamese vessel steadying it on one side where tugboat named Xinhai 285 rammed into it, rendering serious damage on the ship.

Read more

Imtech Marine selected by BAE Systems to provide key systems for the Type 26 Global Combat Ship Programme

Imtech Marine has been selected by BAE Systems to provide electrical distribution and HVAC systems for the prestigious UK MOD Type 26 Global Combat Ship Programme.

The HVAC system comprises the CBRN system, for protection against chemical, biological, radioactive and nuclear threats, and the air handling units, fans, air distribution system and climate control panels.

Imtech Marine’s HVAC specialised division Schiffbau-/Dockbautechnik will design, manufacture, install and test the system.

Read more

F-35 fighter jets to resume flights after fire led to grounding

A fleet of F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jets is expected to return to regular flight operations at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida after being grounded because of a fire this week.

All F-35 flight operations for the Air Force at the base had been temporarily suspended as the military investigated the incident. A spokesman at the base said flight operations were expected to resume Wednesday.

Early Monday, one of the radar-evading, supersonic fighter jets caught fire before takeoff. The pilot left the aircraft uninjured, officials said.

Read more

These Are The Wild Radar Ships That Make Missile Defense Possible

America's complex and costly ballistic missile defense programs regularly make the news, and although land based interceptor launch sites or AEGIS equipped Navy ships get the spotlight, few know of the small fleet of highly specialized sensor ships that have made this controversial technology possible.

Whether the focus of a test is shorter ranged theater ballistic missiles or long-range intercontinental ballistic missile with multiple reentry vehicles (MRVs), or even one of our own, we cannot properly learn how to counter or improve them without incredibly accurate and detailed telemetry data.

Since ballistic missile tests occur over vast expanses of ocean, fixed-based radars are not ideal for the tracking job. This is where the DoD's pocket fleet of highly customized tracking, test and ballistic missile defense (BMD) support ships comes in to play, some of which have shadowy front-line duties as well.

Read more

Chinese warships tailed after by Japanese ships and planes again

The Asayuki frigate and P-3C anti-submarine warfare aircraft of the the Japan Self Defense Forces (JSDF) confirmed that two missile frigates and one comprehensive ship of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) were located at the sea area about 110 kilometers to the east of Tanegashima Island and sailed from the Pacific Ocean to the East China Sea at about 02:00 on June 22, 2014, Beijing time, according to an announcement on the website of the Joint Staff Office of Japan's Ministry of Defense on June 22, 2014.

The Japanese ships and planes confirmed subsequently that the three Chinese warships sailed through the Osumi Strait on their return voyage to China.

This is the second time for the Chinese ships to navigate in the strait since August last year, according to the report of Kyodo News on June 22, 2014. According to international law, there is no problem for Chinese ships to navigate in the Osumi Strait since it is an international strait.

Read more

GE to Power Next Generation of Royal Ships

Today’s frigates operate in the most challenging of circumstances. Whether they are fending off enemy submarines, thwarting pirates or carrying out disaster relief and humanitarian missions, these ships need to be effective, efficient, safe and sustainable.

The U.K. Ministry of Defense has engaged in a major program to update and upgrade its current fleet of frigates. In the next decade, Type 26 Global Combat Ships will become the backbone of the Royal Navy, replacing its existing Type 23 Frigates.

The Type 26 will incorporate the latest in hybrid propulsion technology: at low speeds, it will run on an innovative electric drive system, while at high speeds, it will take power from the gas turbine. GE’s Power Conversion business has won the design, development and assessment (DDA) contract to provide the electric propulsion system.

Read more

Royal Navy frigate intercepts Russian vessel in the Baltic after warship strays close to Nato-protected waters

A Royal Navy warship intercepted a Russian military vessel that strayed close to Nato-protected waters in the Baltics in an echo of the Cold War.

HMS Montrose, a Type 23 frigate, was taking part in a multinational exercise off the Danish coast when she was dispatched to investigate an unidentified surface ship picked up on radar.

Despite choppy seas and 30 knot winds, the crew identified the unknown ship as the 104-metre-long Steregushchiy-class frigate RFS Soobrazitelny skirting Danish waters as it sailed west in the Baltic Sea.

Read more

‘Rim of Pacific’ Maritime Exercise Kicks Off June 26

Twenty-three nations, 47 ships, six submarines, more than 200 aircraft, and 25,000 personnel will participate in the biennial Rim of the Pacific, or RIMPAC, maritime exercise scheduled June 26 to Aug. 1 in and around the Hawaiian Islands.

The world’s largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity that helps participants foster and sustain the cooperative relationships that are critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world’s oceans. RIMPAC 2014 is the 24th exercise in the series, which began in 1971.

Brunei and China are slated to participate in RIMPAC for the first time in 2014.

Read more

India's new anti-submarine warfare corvette ready to sail out

India's newly-built anti submarine warfare (ASW) corvette Kamorta is now ready to join the Indian Navy's Eastern Fleet.

The warship is slated to be commissioned into the Indian Navy in July at Vishakhapatnam, where a nuclear submarine - Arihant - is also being built indigenously.

Now docked at the fitting-out jetty (FOJ) of Garden Reach Shipbuilders amp; Engineers Ltd. (GRSE) here, Kamorta - a super-sophisticated frontline warship with stealth features - is readying to sail out to play its role as Indian Navy's newest submarine hunter/killer, a defence ministry statement said Tuesday.

Read more

Kongsberg unveils for the first time a Submarine Launched NSM at Balt Military Expo 2014

At the 13th Baltic Military Fair BALT-MILITARY-EXPO 2014 currently held in Gdansk, Poland, Kongsberg shows for the first time a concept of a submarine launched variant of its NSM (Naval Strike Missile).

The missile is based on the JSM (the variant specifically designed to fit inside the F35 JSF jet's weapons bay).

Kongsberg with its partner Nammo will design a specific booster to launch the missile after breaking out of the water.

Read more

Future USS Tripoli Keel Authenticated

The keel laying and authentication ceremony for the amphibious assault ship, the future USS Tripoli (LHA 7) was held at the Huntington Ingalls Industries Pascagoula shipyard June 20.

Ship Sponsor Mrs. Lynne Mabus and retired Lt. Cmdr. Steve Senk, the chief engineer of the previous Tripoli (ex-USS Tripoli, LPH 10) served as the keel authenticators. The laying of the keel traditionally marked the first step in ship construction.

With today's advanced modular shipbuilding, the keel laying ceremony now recognizes the joining together of a ship's components and is a major milestone in the ship's construction. Fabrication of Tripoli started in July 2013.

Read more

Boeing Signs Rotorcraft Maintenance Agreements with Royal Netherlands Air Force, Fokker

Boeing has signed separate agreements with the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) and Fokker Technologies to explore advanced maintenance opportunities for Dutch rotorcraft and expand efforts to make the Netherlands a regional hub for military and civilian aircraft support services.

Boeing and the RNLAF signed a strategic partnership agreement that builds on an existing support contract for Dutch AH-64 Apache and CH-47 Chinook helicopters to identify new areas of long-term cooperation.

Opportunities under consideration include adding components to the existing contract; engaging Dutch suppliers for maintenance, repair and overhaul work; and expanding use of the Logistics Center Woensdrecht, the Ministry of Defence’s center of expertise for military MRO and logistics.

Read more

Russian Defense Ministry plans to buy 32 Ka-52K helicopters for Mistral ships

Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yury Borisov visited the Progress aircraft manufacturing company, based in the city of Arsenyevsk, Primorye Territory, where he discussed potential acquisitions of Kamov Ka-52K ship-based helicopters for Mistral-class helicopter carriers, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a press release, seen by Interfax-AVN on Tuesday.

"The plant is in a stable position and has a long-term contract on the delivery of 146 Ka-52 Alligator helicopters for the period up to 2020. Further plans include [the sale of] 32 ship-based helicopters," Borisov was quoted as saying by the ministry's press service.

When commenting on a contract with Russia's Navy, the deputy minister said that the "Navy is expecting Ka-52 helicopters, which will be placed on board the Mistral-type ships currently under construction."

Read more

Turkey to select foreign engine for local fighter

Turkey has requested bids from global motor companies GE, Rolls-Royce and Pratt & Whitney to present bids to power Turkey’s future fighter jet. The defense authorities, who mull to complete the program by 2023, see the engines as the first step for the ambitious program.

Turkey’s aerospace industry and procurement authorities have decided to first choose a foreign-made engine for the indigenous fighter jet that the country’s local industry will develop, and then finalize its design.

A senior aide of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Turkish scientists had decided that choosing the engine and then proceeding with the program would be the best way.

Read more

Military's pricey F-35 fighter jet catches fire during takeoff in Florida

A fire broke out on a F-35 Joint Strike Fighter after an attempted takeoff at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida.

The radar-evading, supersonic fighter jet, a nearly $400-billion weapons program under development for more than a decade, experienced the emergency on the ground Monday at 7:15 a.m. Pacific time.

The aircraft was preparing to take off on a training mission, but aborted due to flames that appeared in the back end of the aircraft. Emergency responders then moved in and extinguished the fire with foam, according to an Air Force statement.

Read more

Reports on PLA's aircraft carrier ambitions overinflated

In a new article written for the Tokyo-based Diplomat, Harry Kazianis, the managing editor of the National Interest magazine, said that predictions regarding China building its first carrier battle group in three years need to be taken with a "grain of salt."

Currently, the People's Liberation Army Navy only has one refurbished aircraft carrier named the Liaoning. China originally purchased the vessel from Ukraine and it will very likely serve as a training ship for the PLA Navy to learn how to operate future aircraft carriers in the open sea.

There have been a number of reports on China's first carrier battle group, Kazianis said, while citing the Singapore-based Strait Times as saying that China will be able to build an indigenous carrier battle group (CBG) within three years with its first domestic aircraft carrier.

Read more

Helicopters Herald Army's New Focus

The arrival of Army Apache helicopters on Oahu will bring a unique training mission for the attack choppers: landing on Navy ships during Rim of the Pacific war games to gain more familiarity with sea-based operations while also demonstrating the land service's versatility.

Eight of the latest model Apache Guardians were shipped to Hawaii in the past few days, and while they are here on a couple of months' deployment, their arrival signals an Army transition to a more expeditionary force and what will likely be a permanent Apache presence to come at Wheeler Army Airfield.

On Friday the Army flew one of the Apaches to the Pacific Aviation Museum on Ford Island to conduct a blessing and show off the attack helicopter that has been invaluable to ground troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Read more

Iran Navy Eyes Stronger Presence in High Seas

Iran’s Navy commander said his force is capable enough to expand its presence in high seas given its indigenous potential to manufacture heavier destroyers and cruise ships.

“The more we want to advance into high seas, the heavier destroyers and cruise ships we need and we have technical facilities and knowhow to domestically manufacture such vessels if the administration supports us,” said Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari on Sunday.

The commander added that the Navy needs new equipment and educational to train its officers for carrying out missions across the ocean.

Read more

£70 Million contract awarded to service Type 45

The UK's Ministry of Defence has awarded us a £70 million contract to manage the support, maintenance and upgrade of the Type 45 Destroyers at Portsmouth Naval Base and on all their operations in the UK and globally.

We have been awarded a £70 million contract by the UK's Ministry of Defence to manage the support, maintenance and upgrade of the Type 45 Destroyers at Portsmouth Naval Base and on all their operations in the UK and globally.

The contract will sustain 100 roles at our site in Portsmouth and is due to commence in July 2014 and run until the end of November 2016.

Read more

Navantia upgrades Algerian amphibious ship

Spanish shipyard Navantia has handed over the amphibious ship LSTH Kalaat Beni Rached to the Algerian Navy after a major 18 month long upgrade.

The 2 130 tonne vessel was handed over in Ferrol, Spain, on June 12 after complete overhauls of engines and systems, life extension repairs and the integration of a new command and control system, new gun and targeting systems and the structural modernisation of the vessels for greater performance and safety.

The handover ceremony was attended by Algerian Navy representatives and Ferrol repairs director Miguel Rodriguez Lorenzo.

Read more

Babcock receives support contract for submarine weapon systems

Weapon handling and launch systems on British submarines are receiving support services from Babcock Defense Systems Technology UK.

The contract, which also covers Submerged Signal Ejector equipment, was issued by the Ministry of Defense for a period of five years, the company said, but its value was not disclosed.

Babcock said that under the award it is responsible for the provision and management of all capital spares and repairs and also provide engineering support within Britain and overseas.

Read more

Centre rushes to buy new submarine batteries as Navy suffers shortage

The government has woken up to the harsh reality of military equipment shortages, and has duly set the ball rolling to replenish the Navy's diminishing submarine battery reserves.

The shortage of submarine batteries hit the nation hard in February, when a fire on board INS Sindhuratna led to the death of two officers.

Though the fire was caused by faulty cables, the accident brought into focus the critical shortage of submarine batteries.

Read more

Russia’s newest nuclear submarine to join Navy before yearend

Russia’s second serial Borei-class strategic submarine Vladimir Monomakh (Project 955), built by the Sevmash shipyard, will join the Navy before the end of the year, the company’s press service said on Monday, June 23, quoting its Director-General Mikhail Budnichenko as saying.

He said the submarine would be handed over to the Navy after the end of the current sea trials. “In strict compliance with the schedule we are building two new craft for the Navy and upgrading the heavy cruiser Admiral Nakhimov,” Budnichenko said.

On June 11, the Vladimir Monomakh began sea trials in the White Sea. The submarine will make one more voyage in July to test all systems before it goes into service later in the year.

Read more

Destroyer to remain tied up due to corrosion

The Royal Canadian Navy has decided to keep one of its few destroyers tied up after assessing a string of rust patches on its hull and concluding it may not be safe to send out to sea.

Capt. Peter Ryan said naval engineers and architects reviewed the corrosion in an area that stretches between a couple of decks on HMCS Iroquois, which was sidelined in April after the rust was detected.

They are now trying to determine if the aging ship should be repaired or retired, leaving the navy fleet further diminished as more than a dozen other vessels undergo regular maintenance, modernization or repairs.

Read more

NATO partners mull ending Patriot mission in Turkey

NATO allies have started preliminary consultations on concluding the Patriot missile mission in Turkey at the end of 2014, German media reported on Sunday.

U.S., Germany and the Netherlands have held exploratory discussions on a possible withdrawal of their Patriot units as the mission is expected to meet its objectives at the end of the year, German weekly Der Spiegel reported.

NATO allies Germany and the Netherlands believe that after the full transportation of Syria’s chemical weapons, material and equipment from the country, the continuation of Patriot deployment would be unnecessary, the weekly argued.

Read more

Lang & Dallaire: Canada has a second chance to make the right choice on missile defence

On Feb. 25, 2005, Canada announced in the House of Commons that it would not participate in the United States’ ballistic missile defence (BMD) program.

Canada’s decision not to participate in BMD reportedly surprised and puzzled the United States.

Up until that point, Canada had indicated an interest in participation and was already a de facto participant through its agreement that warning information collected under the auspices of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) could be used in BMD.

Read more

Blimps, the latest privacy worry

The US Army is planning to launch two blimps over the US state of Maryland this northern autumn to watch the Eastern Seaboard for incoming cruise missiles.

It's what else they might be able to see from up there that worries privacy advocates.

The Army says the aerostats - blimps tethered to the ground in Harford and Baltimore counties - will carry technology capable of detecting, tracking and targeting cruise missiles and rockets up to 550 kilometres away. That means they can cover an area from the US state of North Carolina to the Canadian border.

Read more

Northrop Grumman Directs Target Engagement in Successful Missile Defense Intercept Test

Northrop Grumman Corporation's advanced battle management and launch control capabilities successfully performed in today's intercept test of the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system. Northrop Grumman is a strategic partner of The Boeing Company for the GMD program that provides the nation's only defense against long-range ballistic missiles.

"Our systems serve a pivotal role in effectively delivering weapons on target," said Dan Verwiel, vice president of air and missile defense systems, Northrop Grumman Information Systems. "I'm proud of the GMD team's outstanding execution and continued commitment to help defend this nation against an increasing threat."

During the GMD flight test, known as FTG-06b and conducted by the U.S. Missile Defense Agency and the Boeing/Northrop Grumman team, a ground-based interceptor was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., against a target missile threat fired from a launch complex in the Marshall Islands.

Read more

U.S. Releases $575 Million of Suspended Funds to Egypt

The United States has released about $575 million of the suspended funds to Egypt over the past 10 days, Reuters reported an unnamed State Department official as saying.

The United States froze some of the $1.3 billion in annual military aid to Egypt following the military's ouster of Islamist President Mohamed Mursi last year, which was prompted by mass protests against his rule.

It also withheld deliveries of tanks, fighter aircraft, helicopters and missiles as well as $260 million in cash aid pending Egypt's progress on democracy and human rights.

Read more

Submarines to choppers: A sneak peek into Modi’s defence agenda

Major decisions and policy announcements aimed at beefing up the country’s defence are going to be on the front burner of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the next few weeks.

Multi-billion dollar deals for acquisition of submarines, attack helicopters, heavy-lift helicopters, missiles and fighter aircraft are on Modi’s radar screen.

In fact, the Prime Minister’s foreign policy in near term too will have heavy defence agenda, be it in terms of his forthcoming foreign visits to Japan and the United States or in-bound trips of leaders of major powers like Russia during the rest of the year.

Read more

U.S. looks to Europe amid Ukraine crisis

Only last year, the U.S. European Command was facing some of the deepest cuts of any region in the U.S. military. Now, after Russia’s annexation of the Crimean Peninsula, the Pentagon finds itself focusing on the continent in a way not seen in decades.

Earlier this month, U.S. President Barack Obama said he would ask Congress for an additional $1 billion to increase Washington’s military commitment to the continent.

Two weeks ago, the U.S. Air Force said it had deployed two B-2 stealth bombers to England, joining two B-52s sent earlier this month. The two aircraft are America’s premier nuclear bombers.

Read more

Submarines to join Navy fleet: Ashraf

The government is in a process to add submarines to Bangladesh Navy’s fleet apart from incorporation of maritime patrol aircraft and maritime helicopter in an effort to enhance ‘deterrence’ in the Bay of Bengal.

LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Syed Ashraful Islam, also in-charge of Defence Ministry, said this in Parliament on Sunday while responding to a tabled question from Begum Pinu Khan (Women seat-23).

He said modern guns, missiles, torpedo, mines and SAM batteries would be incorporated in the Bangladesh Navy to enhance its capability, according to a news agency.

Source

Iraqi Military Out of Hellfires in Battle Against ISIS

The Iraqi military ran out of Hellfire missiles six days ago, and though the U.S. is rushing more missiles into the country, Iraq has only two modified Cessna aircraft to launch them in their battle against the radical Islamic militia ISIS.

ISIS has captured 28 tanks and shot down three helicopters, a significant percentage of the government force, and the militia killed an entire Iraqi Security Force brigade in the last couple of days at the border with Syria, which ISIS now controls.

The losses have left the Iraqi military with no offensive capability, and no real air force.

Read more

Five Revolutionary American Weapons of War That Never Happened

Weapons die for all kinds of different reasons. Sometimes they happen at the wrong time, either in the midst of defense austerity, or with the wrong constellation of personnel.

Sometimes they fall victim to the byzantine bureaucracy of the Pentagon, or to turf fights between the services. And sometimes they die because they were a bad idea in the first place.

For the same reasons, bad defense systems can often survive the most inept management if they fill a particular niche well enough.

Read more

India can export fighter planes, missiles: DRDO chief

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi stressing on the need for increasing arms exports, DRDO has said India can sell combat aircraft and missiles whose production cost would be “much lower” than some of the weapons sold by countries such as China.

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) chief Avinash Chander said that the country needs a “policy mechanism” for exporting weapon systems and the defence research agency has suggested a “single window clearance” for sale of arms to friendly foreign countries in a time-bound manner.

“We have a list of equipment that includes the Light Combat Aircraft ‘Tejas’, ‘Akash’ air defence system, ‘Prahar’ class of missiles and ‘BrahMos’ supersonic cruise missiles along with a number of systems that can be exported,” he told PTI.

Read more

Russia to bring first unmanned combat aircraft into service by 2020

The Russian Air Force is to receive its first unmanned combat air vehicles (UCAVs) into service by 2020. It is expected that state trials or field tests of the new UCAVs may start in 2017. According to Deputy Defense Minister Yury Borisov, research and development work for this project is now nearly complete.

Drone fighters are able to tackle strategic tasks because they are difficult to detect and have better combat sustainability than manned aircraft. There are over 600 types of unmanned aerial vehicles produced in the world today, including 25 in Russia.

A mere 20 years ago, Moscow was an undisputed leader in this field: In the 1980s, it manufactured 950 Tu-143 reconnaissance UAVs alone.

Read more

Japanese Defense Ministry to study new missile defense systems

The Defense Ministry will conduct full-fledged studies on new missile defense systems that would better equip Japan to intercept North Korean ballistic missiles, officials said.

The ministry has started consultations with the United States on introducing the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system and a ground-based version of the Standard Missile-3 interceptors mounted on Aegis destroyers, according to the officials.

Currently, the Self-Defense Forces employs a two-stage system to intercept ballistic missiles. In the first phase, Aegis ships launch SM-3 missiles to destroy in outer space a missile or its debris believed to be targeted at Japan. If that fails, the ground-based Patriot Advance Capability-3 surface-to-air missile system is used for interception.

Read more

Indian officials trash U.S. think-tank report

Indian officials have trashed the report published by a military intelligence think tank based in the United States, which, citing satellite imagery alleged that New Delhi was covertly expanding its nuclear weapons programme.

The report is “mischievously timed,” ahead of a meeting on Monday of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) in Buenos Aires, and is intended to divert focus from the real culprits of proliferation, said an official source, who did not wish to be named.

“It is interesting that such reports questioning India’s nuclear credentials are planted at regular intervals,” he observed.

Read more

Russian Navy to be supplied with more than 50 vessels before end of 2014

Russia's Navy is to be supplied with more than 50 new vessels before the year end, Navy Commander-in-Chief Admiral Viktor Chirkov said on Saturday.

One of them is a Project 636 diesel-electric submarine due to be launched next week.

"On June 26, the diesel-electric submarine Rostov-on-Don will be launched at Admiralty Wharves for the Black Sea Fleet," Chirkov told graduates of naval colleges at a ceremony in St. Petersburg, adding that altogether the fleet would be supplied with six Project 636 submarines.

Read more

S-400 Air Defense Systems to Protect Russia's Kamchatka

Anti-aircraft defense in Kamchatka will be reinforced with new S-400 Triumf systems, the Ministry of Defense said Friday.

“They acquired new military hardware there – air defense missile system S-400, which in the near future will be delivered to the anti-aircraft division in northeast Russia,” Pacific Fleet spokesman Roman Martov said.

Several months ago combat units from the Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky air defense missile division underwent successful training at the Air Force Training center in Gatchina, Leningrad Region.

Read more

Yars missile complex facilities to be commissioned in Kaluga region in December

Infrastructure facilities at the Yars missile system complex near the city of Kaluga in central European Russia are to be commissioned in December 2014, in line with the schedule, the press service of Russia’s Federal Agency for Special Construction Projects (Spetsstroi) told ITAR-TASS on Friday.

The Kozelsk missile troops unit has been shifting to RS-24 Yars intercontinental ballistic missiles since 2012 to be the first one in the Russian army to be completely equipped with such weapons.

“The complex is planned to be commissioned in December 2014 in full compliance with the schedule set by the Russian defense ministry,” the press service said.

Read more

Tu-95 bomber fires new cruise missiles at Kamchatka range in training

A Tu-95MS strategic bomber in exercises on Friday fired six new high precision cruise missiles at targets in Kamchatka, the press service of the Russian Defense Ministry told ITAR-TASS.

The ground targets in the Kura firing range in Kamchatka were hit successfully.

"One strategic missile carrier Tu-95MS fired six new air-launched high precision cruise missiles with the use of a multipurpose launcher at ground targets in the air firing range of Kura. The crew carried out its tasks well the training targets in the range were hit," a defense ministry source said.

Read more

Mauritania turns DC-3 into surveillance aircraft

The Mauritanian Islamic Air Force (FAIM) has increased its ability to monitor the country's vast, sparsely populated territory by upgrading its Basler Turbo BT-67 with an electro-optical (EO) turret and associated mission systems so it can carry out surveillance as well as transport duties.

The upgraded aircraft featured in a news package broadcast by the France 24's Arabic channel, which included footage of the aircraft taking off from Nouakchott International Airport and carrying out a surveillance mission over Assaba, more than 500 km to the southeast, on 21 May.

The crew said the images from the sensor turret can be sent directly to mobile telephones carried by special forces so they can respond rapidly.

Read more

Astra Missile Testfired from Fighter Jet

The country’s first indigenously developed Beyond Visual Range air-to-air missile Astra was test-fired successfully from fighter aircraft Su-30MKI by the Air Force from a naval range off Goa on Friday.

Defence sources said the launch conducted at an altitude of six km was a control and guidance flight, which successfully demonstrated interception of an electronically simulated target at long range.

On June 9, a similar trial was conducted from the same defence base. Both the tests conducted to demonstrate the aerodynamic characteristics of the missile, have demonstrated the repeatability, robustness and endurance capability of Astra as a weapon system.

Read more

More Than 400 Military Drones Have Crashed Worldwide

More than 400 military drone aircraft have crashed in “major accidents” both abroad and in the United States since 2001, according to a new Washington Post investigation.

The report Friday, based on more than 50,000 pages of documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, found that hundreds of military drones have crashed in previously unreported incidents due to a host of problems, including mechanical failure, human error, weather and other reasons.

No deaths from drone crashes have been reported yet but the documents detail close calls, including in the United States.

Read more

The Air Force Is Already Planning Its Next-Generation Drone Fleet

Air Force leaders are in the early stages of planning the service’s next-generation drone fleet that could reshape the Air Force’s entire fleet and continue to lower the number of airborne pilots, service officials said.

The Air Force’s drone fleet has taken over a much more prominent role in combat operations over the past ten years, but the technologies incorporated into the Air Force’s drone fleet still lag woefully behind the most advanced manned fighters and bombers.

This could change over the next 25 years if the service can execute its Remotely Pilot Aircraft Vector, which spells out the next 25-years of anticipated drone developments.

Read more

Japan criticizes Navy defense drill

The Navy carried out a gunnery exercise in waters near the Dokdo islets in the East Sea yesterday, rejecting Japan’s request Thursday not to conduct the drill as it overlaps with a maritime zone the island nation claims.

The exercise came after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un paid a visit to a North Korean submarine unit. The South Korean Navy said it released information about the drill, which is conducted annually but not usually publicized, as a measure against heightened threat from Pyongyang.

“The drill is intended to deliver a strong message after Pyongyang made provocative comments recently,” said a Navy officer. “But it is a typical gunnery practice that is carried out every year.”

Read more

Northrop set to receive $4B contract with Navy for Hawkeye aircraft

Falls Church-based Northrop Grumman Corp. is likely to win a $3.86 billion contract from the Navy to build new surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft, according to Bloomberg Businessweek.

Northrop’s E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft would help boost Navy carriers’ ability to detect incoming hostile aircraft and missiles. The five-year contract for 25 Hawkeyes to be flown from aircraft carriers may be awarded by the end of the month.

The future contract was revealed in a notice sent by Pentagon acquisitions chief Frank Kendall to Congress last month.

Read more