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Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Russia, France May Sign Transfer Act for Mistral Warship This Fall: Official

Vladivostok LHDRussia and France may sign an act on transferring first French-built Mistral class amphibious assault ship to Russia in late October or early November, Igor Sevastyanov, a deputy director general of Russian state arms exporter Rosoboronexport, said Tuesday.

"If France fulfills its obligations, than the transfer act will be signed in late October or early November," Sevastyanov said.

Earlier on September 25, Russian Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov said that the delivery of the Mistral helicopter carriers was expected as scheduled, with the first one, the Vladivostok, arriving this fall.

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Thales welcomes Watchkeeper operations for British Army in Afghanistan

Watchkeeper UAVThe UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) today announced the first operational flights in Afghanistan of Thales’s unmanned air system, Watchkeeper.
Commenting on the announcement, Victor Chavez, CEO of Thales UK, said: "It is a proud moment for everyone at Thales to receive the great news that Watchkeeper is operational in Afghanistan, supporting and protecting British forces on the ground. It is an important milestone for the MOD, Thales and the wider European aerospace industry, made possible by its ground-breaking safety certification. The system embodies a number of major technological innovations including ultra-high resolution, multi-modal radar and automatic take-off and landing to deliver an outstandingly effective military capability for the British Army.”
The news comes as other countries assess Watchkeeper for their tactical unmanned requirements.

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Northrop Grumman Advances Unmanned Systems Capabilities for Maritime Missions

Tactical Exploited Reconnaissance Node (Tern)Northrop Grumman Corporation is developing new, advanced unmanned systems to support the Department of Defense's capability to deploy global persistent intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR) and strike capabilities in a faster and more cost-effective way.

The next-generation Tactical Exploited Reconnaissance Node (Tern) program is one example of several in progress focused on addressing various customer challenges.

Designed to operate off small-deck U.S. Navy vessels, Tern would enable greater mission capability and flexibility without the need for establishing fixed land bases or deploying aircraft carriers.

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Russia's S-400, Pantsir air defense systems on combat duty in Southern Military District

S-400 TriumfA surface to-air-missile regiment of the 4th Air and Air Defense Forces Command, Southern Military District, equipped with S-400 Triumf and Pantsir-S air defense and air missile gun systems took up combat alert duty of air defense facilities in Russia's southern Krasnodar Territory, the Southern Military District press service told ITAR-TASS on Tuesday.

“In early September the S-400 Triumf systems arrived at permanent bases from the Ashuluk firing range [Astrakhan Region] where the regiment’s crews conducted the exercises firing these systems and hit high speed aerial targets, imitating the ballistic, low-altitude and tactical ones, with high precision,” the press service said.

The key task of the surface to-air-missile regiment is air defense of the country’s southern air boundaries, and cover of industrial and energy facilities, groupings of the Armed Forces and transportation services from space-air attackers, the press service said.

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Russia's MiG hopes to sign contract with Peru on advanced MiG-35 fighter supplies

MiG-35 Fulcrum-FRussia’s aircraft manufacturer RSK-MiG hopes to sign a contract with Peru on supplies of advanced MiG-35 fighter jets, the corporation’s director-general, Sergei Korotkov, said on Monday.

“We hope that Peru will purchase new jets. This is our priority. Now they are working out this issue because they understand that the aircraft manufactured 20-26 years ago end the service due to service life rate," Korotkov said.

He declined to specify when the contract might be signed. Korotkov said the contract would include “more than 10 jets”.

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Canada to funnel money into upgrades to keep CF-18 fighter jets flying

CF-18 HornetThe Canadian government will pay for maintenance and upgrades to extend the life of the country’s aging CF-18 fighters so they last until about 2025, sources say – a strong sign that Ottawa is far from ready to pick a new warplane.

The federal government will also make the next required payment to keep alive its partnership in the Joint Strike Fighter program producing the controversial F-35 fighter-bomber, the sources say.

The contribution, in the $25-million to $30-million range, means Canada will still be able to buy the plane at a slight discount if it chooses and, in the meantime, Canadian companies remain eligible to bid on supply contracts for the project.

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Russia “actively developing an unmanned sixth generation aircraft”, said former Air Force commander

Su PAK-FART news is reporting today that Russia is “actively developing an unmanned sixth generation aircraft”, according to a former Air Force commander.

Unlike NATO allies who will use American F-35 5Gs, “self-sufficiency is an absolute must for Russia”, said the commander, “so 6G evolution is inevitable.”

With a fifth generation PAK-FA heavy attack jet already developed and planned to enter service in 2016, Russian aviation is also “looking ahead to the future of air combat, conducting research and development for aircraft that can dominate airspace by the mid-21st century”, said the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Air Force, Army General Pyotr Deynekin .

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Vietnam acquires unmanned Orbiter 2

Orbiter UASVietnam has acquired the Orbiter 2 unmanned air system (UAS) for use as an aerial forward observation asset for its artillery corps.

The Orbiter 2 is manufactured by Israel's Aeronautics Defense Systems, which says using a UAS instead of a ground-based forward observation officer will provide an improved "first round on target" capability for its customer.

An Orbiter 2 flying at 2,000ft can supply artillery units with the co-ordinates of "a number" of targets, it adds.

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$54 million added to Boeing's P-8 Posedion contract, with some work done in Jacksonville

P-8A PoseidonThe Boeing Co. will be performing an additional $8.7 million worth of work on the P-8A Posedion in Jacksonville as part of two contract modifications announced Monday.

The first modification, which adds $43.3 million to a contract to provide logistics and contractor support, will be done mainly in Seattle, although 12 percent of the job will be done in Jacksonville.

That modification runs through April 2017 and was contracted for by the The Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, Maryland.

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Japan’s Largest Warship Since World War II Takes To Sea


Japan’s largest warship since World War II has left for its first set of sea trials last week ahead of entering the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF)fleet next year.

JS Izumo (DDH-183) departed Tokyo Bay on Sept. 23, as seen as in a video on YouTube, for the first round of what will be about six months of sea trials ahead of the ship’s commissioning next year, a JMSDF official told Jane’s Defence Weekly on Monday.

The 24,000-ton helicopter carrier is the first of two planned ships. Izumo will enter the JMSDF force next year. DDH-184 will enter the fleet in 2017, according to the Naval Institute’s Combat Fleet’s of the World.

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Troubled Russian Aircraft Carrier Kuznetsov Returns to Sea

Kuznetsov CVRussia's only aircraft carrier, the Soviet-era flagship Admiral Kuznetsov, has returned to sea after going into port for maintenance at the Sevmash Shipyards near Arkhangelsk, Interfax reported Monday.

The vessel, Russia's largest, is now heading out into the Barents Sea for post-repair sea trials, ensuring that the ship is in working order before resuming normal combat duties, Western Military District spokesperson Vadim Serga was quoted by Interfax as saying.

In Russian naval parlance, the Kuznetsov is not a proper aircraft carrier but rather a heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser, about half the size of a modern U.S. Nimitz-class aircraft carrier.

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Chinese navy's missile destroyer 'Chongqing' retires

Chongqing DDGThe Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) held a decommissioning ceremony for the guided missile destroyer "Chongqing" (hull number: 133) at a naval port of the East China Sea Fleet on the morning of September 26, 2014.

The "Chongqing", one of the first-generation missile destroyers made by China, was put into service in December 1983.

In the past 31 years, the "Chongqing" warship has covered a voyage of more than 150,000 sea miles with a total endurance of 15,522 hours.

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Two Royal Navy destroyers sold to Turkish scrap merchant

HMS LiverpoolTwo of the Royal Navy’s old class of destroyers have now been sold for scrap, The News can reveal.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has awarded a contract to Turkish company Leyal Ship Recycling to break up two of the five Type 42 destroyers currently awaiting disposal.

The former HMS Manchester and Liverpool will be towed from the naval base in Portsmouth soon.

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Saab to overhaul Navy submarine; supply remotely operated vehicles

Gotland class SSKSwedish company Saab is to overhaul HMS Halland, a Gotland-class submarine commissioned in 1997.

The work was contracted by the Swedish Defense Materiel Administration. It is worth about $17.9 million.

Saab said the overhaul will include all the necessary measures to ensure the submarine's operational availability. The company will also define future needs for the ship's maintenance, which could result in additional work being contracted separately during the period.

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A look inside Iranian submarines


This edition of Iran takes us to the south of the country, to the Persian Gulf to present seven classes of Iranian submarines and the crew’s life under deep water.

Iran has different classes of advanced home-made submarines, including Fateh, Ghadir, Qaem, Nahang, Tareq and Sina.

In the first segment of the show, Gisoo Misha Ahmady travels inside one of them to see what life looks like inside these huge naval machines.

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China's warships perfect fit for Russian navy, says magazine

Type 054A (Jiangkai II) class FFGThe August issue of Russia's National Defense Magazine has advised the country to buy warships from China to compensate for its own weakness in shipbuilding and to strengthen Russia's power in the Asia-Pacific region.

China's Type 054A frigate may be an ideal option for Russia, the report said.

With debate sparked by the suspension of a French delivery of two Mistral-class amphibious assault ships to Russia, the need to bring in escort ships is all the more pressing. Even if Russia receives the two warships — the Vladivostok and the Sevastopol — and integrates them into the fleet in the following two years, the current deploy of warships is far less from sufficient, said the article.

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Monday, September 29, 2014

US resumes supply of Hellfire missiles to Israel

AGM-143R3 HellfireThe US has now supplied some of the Hellfire missiles that Israel requested in the course of the conflict with Hamas this summer, and more are on the way, The Times of Israel has learned.

Washington had halted a transfer of the missiles in mid-August, with the State Department saying that weapons shipments to Israel would be undergoing additional review due to the war in Gaza.

Supplies of ammunition used by Israeli tanks were also affected by the review procedures, but those and other affected supplies have also now been resumed.

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35 years after their arrival at Kadena Air Base, F-15 fighters remain potent


Capt. Jonathan Mahan is the stereotypical fighter pilot: calm, confident, with a steely gaze and a sharp sense of humor. He has a cool nickname and a mustache so perfectly groomed that it would make “Top Gun” character Goose proud.

However, being an F-15 pilot in the 67th Fighter Squadron’s Fighting Cocks — one of two storied squadrons stationed at Kadena Air Base, Japan — couldn’t be further from a cute cliché.

Its members constantly train to keep their combat skills sharp in case they are called upon by their Japanese allies to defend the island nation or maintain air superiority in the Asia-Pacific.

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Chinese Navy Continues Flight Test Campaign of Future Maritime Patrol Aircraft Y-8FQ Cub/GX-6

Y-8 GX6 MPAA new picture recently surfaced from China showing the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) added a second Y-8FQ aircraft to conduct flight test and eventually qualify the new type of Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA).

The Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) variant of Y-8, the Y-8FQ Cub (also known as GX-6 for High New 6) first surfaced on the Chinese internet in November 2011 as we reported at the time.

The Y-8FQ is based on the Y-8 Transport aircraft by Shaanxi Aircraft Company, equipped with four WJ-6C turbofan engines with 6-bladed propellers.

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Indian Navy has transformed from buyer to builder: Naval chief

Kolkata class DDGWhen the Prime Minister Narendra Modi was kicking off his ambitious “Make in India” campaign in New Delhi last week, for the Indian Navy, the call for strengthening domestic manufacturing was an icing on the cake; it was celebrating the Golden Jubilee of indigenous warship design and construction.

Few are aware that from seaward defence boards and tugs and eight INS Sandahyak survey ships to INS Nilgiri and Leander class ships based on borrowed Yarrow design to bigger broad beam Leander class ships with more speed and power, to Delhi class, Shivalik, Kolkota and Arihant ships and aircraft carrier Vikrant—all have been made in India.

In the last five decades, India’s growing maritime self-reliance has facilitated the greater recognition of the role that India plays in providing stability in the Indian Ocean Region.

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Meet the Zumwalt: The Navy's stealth destroyer will go to sea next spring

DDG1000 (Zumwalt) class DDGThe ship is plainly visible from Front Street, across the Route 1 bridge in downtown Bath. Nothing like this angular, almost hulking giant has ever been seen here, even after well over a century of shipbuilding at Bath Iron Works.

The futuristic shape of the Zumwalt, DDG 1000, has become familiar after more than a decade of graphics presentations and artist drawings, and models of the destroyer have been a staple at naval expositions for years.

But now the whole ship is coming together, all construction blocks assembled and set afloat. People walk her decks and she rises and falls with the tide as all that planning turns into a real thing. She’ll take to the sea for the first time in the spring.

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EXPOSED: How arms dealer Thales bankrolled Zuma

Jacob ZumaPresident Jacob Zuma and the ANC were deep in the pockets of French arms giant Thales. This is according to explosive documents obtained exclusively by the Sunday Times that reveal how Thales fixer Ajay Sooklal allegedly arranged flights, fancy clothes, legal fees and lavish hotel stays in Europe for Zuma when he faced corruption charges linked to the arms deal.

Thales's South African subsidiary Thint won a R2.6-billion contract in 1997 to fit four new navy frigates with combat suites.

The documents are transcripts of testimony given under oath before retired Judge Phillip Levinsohn at confidential arbitration hearings held earlier this year in a fee dispute between Sooklal and Thales.

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China and Pakistan begin joint naval exercise

Type 054A (Jiankai) class DDGAfter their visit to Iran, the Changchun, a Type 052C guided-missile destroyer, and Changzhou, a Type 054A guided-missile frigate of the PLA Navy's 17th Escort Task Force, arrived at Karachi on Sept. 27 to prepare for a joint naval exercise with Pakistan, according to the state-run Xinhua News Agency.

Both vessels from the PLA Navy's East Sea Fleet are on their way to the Gulf of Aden to conduct anti-piracy missions. They stopped by in Iran and Pakistan to conduct a joint naval exercise with the two nations.

The Chinese and Iranian navies carried out drills on anti-access and aerial denial strategies against the United States at Bandar Abbas. At Karachi, China is trying to soldify its relationship with Pakistan through launching a joint exercise as well.

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Despite Signs of Disrepair, Berlin Is Hesitant to Boost Military Spending

Sea Lynx helicopterGermans learned in recent days that no more than seven of their navy's 43 helicopters can fly, only one of their four submarines can operate, and one in three of their army's weapons systems lack necessary equipment.

The revelations last week in a leaked parliamentary report and acknowledged by German defense officials have led to allegations of mismanagement and media criticism of Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen, the first woman to hold the post and a close ally of Chancellor Angela Merkel. But one response has been slow in coming: calls to increase military spending despite mounting evidence that the German military is falling into disrepair.

The disclosures and the ensuing debate show the limits of promises by German leaders this year—from Ms. von der Leyen to German President Joachim Gauck —that Europe's economic champion will take on more responsibility in world affairs.

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Sale of Japan subs to Australia has both sides treading carefully

Soryu class SSKThe possible sale by Japan of its Soryu-class “stealth” submarines to Australia was a delicate issue in both countries and a decision would take some time, according to Japanese ambassador Yoshitaka Akimoto.

Speaking at Canberra University’s National Security Institute, Mr Akimoto said Japan welcomed and supported the growing strat­egic presence of Australia in the region and beyond.

He said that while Japan and Australia were discussing the purchase of Soryu-class submarines or assistance with submarine technology, the issue was very sensitive in both countries and a decision would not be made in the near future.

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Sunday, September 28, 2014

Lockheed to buy European satellite for South Korea in F-35 deal

F-35A Lightning IILockheed Martin Corp said it will buy a European-built military communications satellite for South Korea as part of a $7 billion deal to supply Seoul with 40 F-35 fighter jets, in what industry observers call among the most unusual "offset" agreements ever to accompany a major arms sale.

Lockheed, which builds its own satellites, declined to detail the cost of the new satellite or name its manufacturer, but said the spacecraft would provide a "state-of-the-art" system that met South Korea's military requirements.

"The Lockheed Martin offset commitment ... directly benefits Korean national defense requirements, enables substantial Korean industrial activity and transfers a large amount of high technology to the Republic of Korea," Lockheed said.

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Proton-M returns to flight with Russian military launch


Russia’s Proton-M rocket has successfully conducted a return-to-flight mission Sunday with the deployment of a military satellite for the Russian government. The mission, carrying a payload named Olimp, ends four months of downtime for Russia’s heavy-lift rocket following a launch failure in May.

The Proton-M, which is the largest and most powerful rocket in Russia’s fleet, first flew in 2001 although its design is much older.

A modernised version of the earlier Proton-K, which was used from 1967 to 2012, the Proton-M can trace its lineage back to Vladimir Chelomei’s Universal Rocket concept; a planned series of missiles to provide the Soviet military with a series of similar but increasingly powerful missiles.

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US confident of countering nuclear threat of PLA's Type 094 sub

Type 094 (Jin) class SSBNChina's Global Times says the United States has studied various ways to counter the nuclear threat of China's Type 94 Jin-class submarine. The report comes after a satellite image indicated three of the ballistic missile sumbarines had been deployed to Yalong Bay in Hainan province.

The Type 094 has a displacement of 8,000 tons surfaced and 11,000 tons submerged. With a top speed of over 20 knots, the submarine is powered by a nuclear reactor can remain submerged for 90 days. Designed as a ballistic missile submarine, a Type 094 can carry between 12 and 16 JL-2 second-generation intercontinental submarine-launched ballistic missiles.

Though the Type 094 is noisy compared to its US counterparts, its other specs are on a par with other advanced ballistic missile submarines around the globe.

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Pakistan Navy successfully test-fires torpedoes, anti-ship guided missiles

Anti-ship guided missileChief of Naval Staff (CNS), Admiral Asif Sandila while expressing his satisfaction over war preparations of the Pakistan Navy, has said that the navy is determined to be all time prepared to deal with any challenges posed to the national security, ARY News reported.

Pakistan Navy conducted fire-power exercises in the North of Arabian Sea on Saturday, in order to check the effectiveness of Navy’s state-of-the-art weaponry and the ability of precisely hitting the targets.

During the exercises, Pakistan Navy fired torpedoes from Agosta 90B Class Submarine and anti-ship guided missiles from Navy’s fast attack missile craft.

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Newly-procured 4 Chinese K-8w fighter aircraft arrive in Jessore

K-8 KarakorumThe present government has taken various steps to modernise Bangladesh Air Force (BAF). In this connection, the government has taken steps to induct nine K-8W trainer jet aircraft made by China.

As part of this induction process, in the 1st phase pilots of Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) landed at Bangladesh Air Force Base Bir Sreshtho Matiur Rahman, Jessore with four K-8W aircraft safely Saturday from China, an ISPR press release said.

Rest of the five K-8W aircraft would be brought to the country at a later stage. Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Muhammad Enamul Bari and other senior BAF officers from Air Headquarters and local base were present to receive the aircraft.

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Russia’s Yak-152 trainer to go into production in 2016

Yak-152In 2015 the Irkutsk Aviation Plant will launch two samples of the light Yak-152 trainer. Developed by the expert Yakovlev Design Bureau, which is part of the Irkut Corporation, the new trainer is destined for primary pilot preparation.

The "flying desk" will be tested in 2016, after which it will go into serial production. For initial training, the Yak-152 plans to use flight professionals from the air force academies. "

In the first years of training, students will learn to fly with instructors, they will learn how to execute a simple flight known as the 'pancake' and then land," a Russian Defense Ministry spokesman told RBTH. "The training will show if the student is capable of continuing flying."

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What is the Pentagon’s secret space drone doing?

X-37BFor almost two years, an unmanned space plane bearing a remarkable resemblance to NASA’s space shuttle has circled the Earth, performing a top-secret mission. It’s called the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle — but that’s pretty much all we know for certain.

Officially, the only role the Pentagon acknowledges is that the space plane is used to conduct experiments on new technologies. Theories about its mission have ranged from an orbiting space bomber to an anti-satellite weapon.

The truth, however, is likely much more obvious: According to intelligence experts and satellite watchers who have closely monitored its orbit, the X-37B is being used to carry secret satellites and classified sensors into space — a little-known role once played by NASA’s new retired space shuttle.

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DRDO develops CO filters for submarines

CFKIII room filterLike any automobile, submarines generate a lot of harmful gases like carbon-mono-oxide (CO). India was importing special room filters for submarines which could absorb CO as well as other gases.

To ensure safety of the Naval staff, the Defence Research Development Organization (DRDO) has not only developed its own CO filters called 'CFKIII room filters' but also room filters that can absorb over 40 different gases, at almost one fifth of the imported cost.

The information on CO filter is on display at the three-day AXIS technical festival organized by students of the Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT). In fact, India is the first country to develop a CO filter which can work for indefinite period even in heavy moisture conditions as compared to the Russian filter costing about Rs1 lakh.

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Saturday, September 27, 2014

Denel Reveals Progress With Marlin, Darter, Raptor Missiles

A-Darter missileDuring last week’s African Aerospace and Defence show in South Africa Denel Dynamics revealed that the Marlin active radar-guided missile will undertake its first flight test early next year.

This will be a ground-launched ballistic trial at the Overberg Test Range to examine the missile’s basic flight systems. Successful completion of this phase will lead to programmed tests of the missile’s guidance systems, before closed-loop guidance tests are undertaken, in which the seeker controls the guidance system.

In the meantime, the seeker will undergo ground-based fly-over and captive-carry tests.

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Turkey’s strategic reliability as a NATO ally has become questionable at best


Air base in Incirlik, Turkey
Increasing Turkish divergence from U.S., European Union, and Western strategic objectives has given urgency to Western military planning as to how to compensate for the probable lack of access in the near future to Turkish bases, air space, and surface transit options.

Planning by NATO states and other allies of NATO — from Australia to Israel — must also take into account the possibility that Turkey could move from being an alliance partner to a state which could take an obfuscating or even adversarial position in the region.

Turkey’s increasingly independent actions on regional issues, including potentially worsening relations with Iran, could one day lead to a broader conflict from in the region which could necessitate Western powers seeking a range of alternative options.

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Successful MTG Light Off for USS Zumwalt

Rolls-Royce MT30 Main Turbine Generator SetThe future USS Zumwalt, the first ship of the DDG 1000 multimission destroyer class, performed a successful Generator Light-Off of its first Main Turbine Generator Set (MTG) this week, Rolls-Royce announced. The ship is now power self-sufficient enabling follow-on systems testing and trials.

Neil Pickard, Rolls-Royce, Program Executive said, “On behalf of the entire DDG 1000 program team, I am very pleased to confirm the successful Light-Off of the first Rolls-Royce MT30 Main Turbine Generator Set this week. The accomplishment of this important milestone is significant as it enables us to progress with more comprehensive and self-sufficient testing of the ship’s Integrated Power System (IPS) over the weeks and months ahead.”

The IPS on the DDG 1000 multimission destroyer generates all the power required for main propulsion, combat systems, sensors and weapons systems.

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Operation Shader is ready to go: Britain buys 20 Tomahawk missiles ready to strike IS today as SAS on ground and Tornadoes in air prepare to take country back to war

Tomahawk block IV cruise missileBritain has bought 20 Tomahawk missiles from the US in preparation for its bombing campaign against Islamic State.

Costing £1million each, they are fired from submarines and can be computer-programmed to turn corners.

They have already been fired in the Gulf by the US and are likely to be among the first weapons used by the British military in Operation Shader.

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U.S. To Launch New Generation Submarines To Counter Threats From The Bulging Fleet of Russia and China

Bratsk (left) and Samara (right)A submarine race is in the making. The U.S. has announced its new generation Ohio class submarines to address new threats from Russia and China. In an insightful assessment, the U.S. Navy expresses its concerns about the rapidly expanding submarine fleet of Russia and China while defending the new submarine push of U.S.A.

Vice Adm. Michael Connor, the U.S. Navy's Atlantic Submarine Force commander, notes that the fast-paced development of ballistic missile submarine by Russia and China's will require a matching deployment of U.S. submarine fleet, reported Fox News.

What is worrying the U.S. is Russia's significant nuclear arsenal that it bequeathed from the Soviet days. Thus Russia retains all the nuclear capabilities. They are regrowing those capabilities, and Russia showing aspirations for more territory and influence, reminiscent of the erstwhile Soviet Union.

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Friday, September 26, 2014

How Britain's strike power compares to America's - in 60 seconds


RAF Tornados stationed at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus are poised to begin bombing Islamic State targets in northern Iraq as soon as the weekend.

However, there are concerns that after years of budget cuts an extended air campaign would stretch the RAF to breaking point.

The UK's aging Tornado fleet is now 30 years old, while America has a brand new fleet of F-22s fighter jets. Meanwhile, Britain currently has just seven combat-capable air squadrons, compared to 15 for the French air force.

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Pakistan test-fires short range missile Hatf IX

Hatf IX SRBMPakistan on Friday successfully test-fired short range surface-to-surface missile 'Hatf IX' that has a range of 60 kilometres and can cover parts of India.

The test of the missile also called Nasr was conducted with successive launches of four missiles from a state-of-the-art Multi Tube Launcher with Salvo Mode, the military said.

Hatf with in-flight manoeuvre capability is a quick response system, with shoot and scoot attributes. It contributes to the full spectrum deterrence against the prevailing threat spectrum.

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Sierra Nevada Corporation & Embraer Roll-Out First U.S. Built A-29 Super Tucano for USAF Light Air Support (LAS) Program

A-29 Super TucanoSierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) and Embraer Defense & Security today presented the first United States-built A-29 Super Tucano light air support aircraft in a roll-out ceremony with the U.S. Air Force and government officials, industry and community representatives, and news media.

The aircraft, which also performs as an outstanding advanced trainer, is the first of 20 that are being delivered to the U.S. Air Force for its Light Air Support (LAS) program to support the stability of Afghanistan as it assumes increased responsibility for security with the redeployment of NATO forces.

“The Light Air Support program is critical to the U.S. objectives in Afghanistan and to our national security. SNC, as the prime contractor, is proudly serving our country through its strategic partnership with Embraer by providing a superior aircraft, exceptional training and expert support and maintenance for this U.S. Air Force program,” said SNC’s Chief Executive Officer Fatih Ozmen.

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Pratt Plans F-35 Jet Engine Fix by End-October

F135 enginePratt & Whitney and the Pentagon are expected to select a planned fix to the F-35 fighter jet's engine by the end of October, a senior company executive said Thursday.

Engineers have identified two potential remedies to prevent a repeat of the fire that broke out on a test jet in June, which temporarily grounded the fleet and still threatens to derail plans to have the plane combat ready for the U.S. Marine Corps next July.

Investigators have narrowed the cause of the incident to excessive rubbing between engine parts during a two-second flying maneuver on a test flight two weeks before the incident at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida.

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Arab Woman Led Airstrikes Over Syria

Maj. Mariam Al MansouriWhen fighter jets from the United Arab Emirates took part in airstrikes against the Islamic State in Syria on Monday night, the mission was led by a woman, the country’s ambassador to the United States said Thursday morning.

The pilot, Maj. Mariam Al Mansouri, was among the first women to graduate from the Emirates’ air force academy after it began to admit women, and became the nation’s first female fighter pilot.

“She is a fully qualified, highly trained, combat-ready pilot, and she led the mission,” the ambassador, Yousef Al Otaiba, said on the MSNBC program “Morning Joe.”

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New carrier needs time to be ready

Liaoning CVThe People's Liberation Army navy marked the second anniversary of the commissioning of the aircraft carrier CNS Liaoning on Thursday, but experts said more time is needed to hone its combat readiness.

The CNS Liaoning, a refitted Soviet-era carrier, was commissioned in Dalian, Liaoning province, on Sept 25, 2012.

The ship has engaged in research and training missions, and it continues to sail the oceans, PLA Daily said on its micro blog.

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F-35s deploying to US carrier in November might not be fully operational

F-35C Lightning IIPlans to test a Lockheed Martin F-35C aboard a US aircraft carrier in November are on track, but both aircraft scheduled to deploy to the Pacific may not be capable of taking off and landing from the ship.

The C-model F-35 will be the US Navy’s carrier-based version of the jet and will be the last to enter service in 2018, following the Marine Corps and air force variants.

Lt Gen Christopher Bogdan, speaking at a meeting of the programme’s joint executive steering board in Oslo, Norway, said the deployment to the USS Nimitz in the Pacific Ocean was on track despite lagging software development and flight restrictions resulting from a June engine fire that damaged an F-35A prior to a training flight.

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China's Neighbors Are Going On a Military Shopping Spree — In Japan

Bizan class PBIt's no secret that China's rise as an economic power has been miraculous. Over the past few decades, hundreds of millions of people have been lifted out of poverty, BMWs have replaced many bicycles on the streets of Beijing, and China's is now the second-largest economy in the world.

This economic explosion has in turn boosted the fortunes of China's regional neighbors and trading partners — but they're not entirely happy about China's newfound power. Because in addition to having the world's second-largest economy, China is also the second-largest spender on arms in the world — with a military to match.

Neighboring countries feel they're being pushed around by an aggressive Chinese foreign policy, and as a result, they're continuing to beed up their own militaries. And it's Japan, China's historical rival, that is quietly providing assistance to many countries that — like Japan itself — are feeling the heat from China.

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Modi govt clears long-pending case for Israeli Barak missiles for warships

Barak missileIndia will finally be able to strengthen the eroding defensive shield around its 14 frontline warships, with the Modi government clearing the long-delayed "critical" acquisition of 262 missiles to arm the Israeli Barak-I anti-missile defence (AMD) systems fitted on board them.

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) chaired by PM Narendra Modi on Wednesday evening gave the final nod to the Rs 880 crore acquisition of Barak-I missiles, which has been hanging fire for the last six years despite successive Navy chiefs sounding the red alert over this "critical operational deficiency", said sources.

The Barak AMD systems, installed on aircraft carrier INS Viraat, guided-missile destroyers like INS Mysore and Shivalik-class stealth frigates, are designed to intercept and destroy incoming enemy missiles at a range of 9-km.

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Canada asks for kits to upgrade their MK-48 torpedoes

Mk-48 torpedoCanada is seeking advanced technology kits to upgrade MK-48 torpedoes used on its Victoria-class submarines, the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency says.

The 12 MK-48 Mod 7 Advanced Technology Torpedo Kits, together with associated equipment parts, would be provided under the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program and carry a value of $41 million.

The agency, in its required notification to Congress, said the U.S. State Department had signed off on the deal.

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Babcock completes design definition for submarine weapons handling system

Type-209 (Chang Bogo) class SSKBabcock, the British engineering firm, says it has completed design definition for a weapons handling system for a new class of South Korean Navy submarines.

Manufacturing drawings will now be produced as part of the next production definition phase of development, the company said.

"We are delighted to have completed the design of the handling system, marking an important stage in the WHLS (weapon handling and launch system) design and production process, and successfully meeting a challenging tight schedule to help the customer maintain the main build schedule," said Babcock Defense Systems Technology Managing Director Jeff Lewis.

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Canadian navy gets more money to keep subs at sea

HMCS WindsorThe cost to operate and maintain Canada’s submarine fleet is increasing, forcing the navy to request more funding to keep the vessels at sea.

The Royal Canadian Navy needs an additional $19 million for the sub fleet’s operating and maintenance costs for the period up to spring of 2016, the service’s new business plan states. That plan, which covers spending from 2014 to 2017 was obtained by the Citizen.

Ongoing government-ordered cuts “has severely reduced the RCN’s ability to mitigate the steadily increasing costs of the Submarine operating and maintenance,” the plan pointed out.

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Chinese submarine halts in Colombo on way to Somalia

Type-039 (Song) class SSKChina today described as "common practice" one of its submarines using Colombo port in Sri Lanka as a halt on way to join the PLA's naval anti-piracy escort missions in Somalia.

Reacting to reports that the Chinese submarine's visit to Colombo demonstrated China's flexing its muscles in the Indian Ocean, Chinese military spokesman, Col Geng Yansheng told a media briefing here that "on way to the escort area, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) submarine anchored at Colombo".

"What needs to be pointed out that it is common practice for navies of all countries to have their submarines and ships managed at certain intervals at ports," he said.

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Thursday, September 25, 2014

Minuteman III test missile launches from Vandenberg


A team of Air Force Global Strike Command Airmen launched an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile Sept. 23 at 7:45 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.

The ICBM's reentry vehicle, which contained a telemetry package used for operational testing, traveled approximately 4,200 miles to the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands.

Test launches verify the accuracy and reliability of the ICBM weapon system, providing valuable data to ensure a safe, secure and effective nuclear deterrent. The launch team, under the direction of the 576th Flight Test Squadron, Vandenberg AFB, included Airmen from the 91st Missile Wing, Minot AFB, North Dakota.

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Northrop Grumman Scalable Agile Beam Radar Completes Design Reviews, Prepares for Delivery

AN/APG-83 SABRDemonstrating the maturity of its active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar technologies, Northrop Grumman Corporation has successfully concluded all engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) design reviews for the AN/APG-83 Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR) in just 12 months.

Northrop Grumman's AN/APG-83 SABR is a direct replacement for legacy F-16 radars and includes fifth-generation radar capabilities, the largest synthetic aperture radar map available for the F-16 and robust electronic protection.

SABR was competitively selected by Lockheed Martin for the U.S. and Taiwan Air Force F-16 upgrade programs. Northrop Grumman's unique design allows for ease of retrofit, without aircraft structural modifications or changes to the existing power and cooling provisions in the F-16.

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Upgraded P-3 Orion Delivered Ahead Of Schedule

CBP P-3 OrionLockheed Martin delivered a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) P-3 Orion aircraft 34 days ahead of schedule on Sept. 23 from its facilities here.

This is the 10th of 14 aircraft in the program to receive Mid-Life Upgrade (MLU) modifications and phased depot maintenance.

The aircraft received an Avionics Upgrade Modification which included flight station panels and controls, new autopilot system and an update to the Airborne Early Warning (AEW) mission system computer.

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Dutch To Join Anti-ISIS Airstrikes In Iraq, Will Send Fighter Jets And Military Personnel

RNLAF F-16 Fighting FalconThe Netherlands will join the United States in its ongoing air campaign to combat Islamic State group militants in Iraq but will not participate in the U.S.-led airstrikes in Syria.

The Dutch will send military personnel and fighter jets to help Iraqi and Kurdish forces on the ground, Dutch officials announced Wednesday.

"The Netherlands will make six F-16s available for the first phase of the campaign, for one year," Deputy Prime Minister Lodewijk Asscher told reporters on Wednesday after an emergency meeting at the Hague, according to the Agence-France Presse.

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Iran overhauls Su-24 fighter jet

Su-24MK FencerThe Iranian Air Force experts have overhauled several Sukhoi Su-24 fighter jets successfully for the first time.

Each Su-24 jet was overhauled after 35,000 person-hour works at the Shahid Doran Air Base in Shiraz, Iran's Tasnim news agency reported Sept. 24.

The Su-24 is a supersonic, all-weather attack aircraft developed in the former Soviet Union.

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South Korea Formally Announces Intent to Buy 40 Lockheed Fighter Jets

F-35A Lightning IISouth Korea formally announced on Wednesday that it would buy 40 F-35A fighter jets from the American defense contractor Lockheed Martin in a deal that includes transfers of technology for the development of the country’s own advanced fighter jet.

South Korea picked Lockheed Martin’s F-35A as the sole choice for its air force’s new fighter jet in November and has since been negotiating the terms of the deal.

On Wednesday, Defense Minister Han Min-koo called a meeting of top military procurement officials to approve the purchase, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration said in a news release.

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