Saab Receives SEK270 Million Order for RBS 70 Missiles

Defence and security company Saab has received an SEK270 million order for the delivery of RBS 70 missiles and additional equipment and training. Deliveries will occur between 2015 and 2016.

The Saab portfolio of short-range ground-based air defence missile systems includes the RBS 70 and the further enhanced RBS 70 NG. The RBS 70 system has an impressive track-record on the market with more than 1,600 launchers and over 17,000 missiles delivered to 19 countries.

“One of our customers of the RBS 70 system has placed an additional order to achieve added capacity of its forces. This order demonstrates the reliability of the RBS 70 system, as well as the high quality of our manufacturing and support capabilities,” says Görgen Johansson, head of Saab business area Dynamics.

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Indonesian military plane crashes in northern city, killing at least 30

An Indonesian military transport plane crashed into a hotel and residential area in the northern Sumatra city of Medan on Tuesday, killing at least 30 people, a national search and rescue agency official said.

"That's the latest information, the number could go up," Hisar Turnip of the Basarnas agency told Reuters.

Military spokesman Fuad Basya said that 12 personnel, including the pilot, had been aboard the C-130 Hercules. The bodies of five of them had been found.

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Georgia to Buy Advanced Air Defense Missiles From France

On June 15 Georgian Defense Minister Tina Khidasheli signed an agreement with ThalesRaytheonSystems President Gerome Bedel for the purchase of “advanced” air defense systems that will “guarantee the country’s air defense,” Khidasheli said.

Even though many of its details remain shrouded in mystery, Tbilisi hailed the air defense deal as “a breakthrough” because the Western nations had previously refrained from selling even defensive weapons to the Georgian military.

The contract was inked on the sidelines of the Le Bourget 2015 International Air Show outside Paris.

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KAI and South Korean Government sign LAH / LCH development contracts

South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) and the Korea Evaluation Institute of Industrial Technology (KEIT) have signed contracts with Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) to develop light armed helicopter (LAH) and light civil helicopter (LCH).

The company was selected for system development of the LAH project and preferred bidder for the LCH core technology development in July 2014.

With a combined value of KRW1.6trn ($1.4bn), the contracts will see the company design and develop two 5t class LAH and LCH platforms using the Airbus Helicopters' H155 multi-purpose helicopter.

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Dassault's Deal With India Was Important

Amid some controversy, India took to the news with a June announcement of the purchase of 36 Rafale fighter jets from France’s Dassault Aviation. It was an important move for the nation, which counts China and Pakistan as border ‘mates’.

India, which plans to spend about $100 million on modernizing its defense resources in the next 10 years, has suffered a spate of air fatalities in the past months as a result of an ailing air force.

We spoke with KPMG Partner and India Head of Aerospace and Defence Amber Dubey who says India currently lags behind in defense technology, and it is imperative they keep up.

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Test Pilot Admits the F-35 Can’t Dogfight

A test pilot has some very, very bad news about the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. The pricey new stealth jet can’t turn or climb fast enough to hit an enemy plane during a dogfight or to dodge the enemy’s own gunfire, the pilot reported following a day of mock air battles back in January.

“The F-35 was at a distinct energy disadvantage,” the unnamed pilot wrote in a scathing five-page brief that War Is Boring has obtained. The brief is unclassified but is labeled “for official use only.”

The test pilot’s report is the latest evidence of fundamental problems with the design of the F-35 — which, at a total program cost of more than a trillion dollars, is history’s most expensive weapon.

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Coastguards find debris of Bangladesh Air Force’s F-7 fighter jet, pilot still missing

Bangladesh Coast Guard has recovered two pieces of debris from the F-7 fighter jet of Bangladesh Air Force that crashed in the Bravo Anchorage of the Bay of Bengal in Chittagong early Monday.

The fighter’s pilot Flight Lieutenant Rumman Tahmid Chowdhury is still missing since the crash that occurred during a training run around noon.

The joint search and rescue operation, that includes Air Force, Bangladesh Navy and Coast Guard personnel, did not find him until 7:30pm.

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SR-71 spy plane takes to the air at Aviation Museum

The famed SR-71 spy plane at the Virginia Aviation Museum got off the ground for the first time in decades to take a practice roll Monday.

Still looking futuristic even though it was designed more than 50 years ago, the plane is preparing to move indoors this fall to star in a new “Speed” exhibit at the Science Museum of Virginia.

The SR-71 Blackbird reached a record speed of 2,193 mph and flew at altitudes over 85,000 feet, making it the world’s fastest and highest flying production aircraft, according to the science museum.

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Navy chooses digital HD electro-optical sensors from L-3 Wescam for P-8A Poseidon jet

U.S. Navy maritime surveillance experts needed high-altitude surveillance electro-optical sensors for the Navy Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft. They found their solution from L-3 Wescam in Burlington, Ontario.

Officials of the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division in Lakehurst, N.J., announced plans Thursday to purchase the company's MX-20HD digital high-definition electro optical/infrared (EO/IR) systems, technical data, and repair services for integrating the sensors aboard the P-8A aircraft.

The L-3 Wescam MX-20HD electro-optical sensor system is for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capability aboard high-altitude long-range maritime patrol aircraft and persistent surveillance missions.

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Navy Sees Broader Role for Joint High Speed Vessel

The Navy has stepped up deployments of its new Joint High Speed Vessel in exercises around the globe as part of a broader effort to expand the mission set and operational use of the platform, service officials said.

Initially envisioned as a high-speed transport vessel, the JHSV is showing a broader range of applications such as logistical support, counter-trafficking and medical operations in support of larger platforms such as amphibious assault ships.

”It is truly a joint vessel to be delivered to combatant commanders as a fast, sizeable transport. The JHSV can help provide security cooperation support and counterterrorism assistance,” said Johnny Michael, Navy spokesman.

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Chinese military research academy praises India's Arjun tank

India's indigenous main battle tank Arjun was today praised by a top Chinese military official who said it is "very good" for Indian conditions as the PLA for the first time opened its facilities for Indian media to provide an insight into its massive modernisation.

In a sign of improved military relations, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) opened the doors of the key military institute -- Academy of Armoured Forces Engineering -- which trains over 6,000 cadets per year to the a teamof visiting Indian journalists.

Asked for his impressions of the Arjun battle tank developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation, Senior Colonel Liu Degang, deputy commander of the Academy which keeps a close watch on the military hardware of India, said it is "very good" and suits Indian conditions.

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Navy, army helicopters proving difficult to operate in strong winds during sea trials on HMAS Canberra

Australia's new army and navy helicopters have been proving difficult to start and stop in strong winds.

The Defence Department has acknowledged there were problems with the MRH90 Taipans — a multi-role helicopter — during recent flight trials.

"Some issues were encountered starting and stopping rotors under certain environmental conditions," the Department said in a statement emailed to the ABC.

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Ecologists Protest As British Nuclear Submarine Docks In Gibraltar

Feelings are once again running high in the Straits of Gibraltar due to the presence of a Royal Navy nuclear submarine in the port of Gibraltar.

HMS Tireless docked at the Rock in 2000 for emergency technical repairs which eventually lasted for a year, and this time the boat in question is the nuclear-powered HMS Ambush, although the submarine's third visit to Gibraltar in just over a month is a routine scheduled one.

The latest protests against British submarines are being led by Verdemar Ecologistas en Acción, who are concerned that the Ambush is returning so soon after her latest visits, which were from 21st May to 2nd June and between 8th and 15th June. On the first occasion HMS Ambush coincided in Gibraltar with another submarine of the same class, HMS Astute.

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Meet China’s New Submarine Hunter Plane

The four-engined Y-8GX6 (Y-8Q) turboprop anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft has purportedly finally entered service with the Chinese Naval Air Force after several years of testing, according to IHS Jane’s Defence Weekly.

IHS Jane’s bases its report on an article published on a Chinese defense site, which notes that the ASW variant of the Shaanxi Aircraft Corporation (SAC) Y-8/Y-9 medium transport aircraft has been inducted into the North Sea Fleet.

The report neither elaborates on the number of aircraft that have entered service nor the precise induction date. However, it notes that the People’s Liberation Army Navy’s East and South Sea Fleet’s will receive the plane only at a later date.

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Buy Super Hornets, abandon Victoria-class submarines, new report recommends

UBC professor and one-time NDP candidate Michael Byers is recommending the Canadian government cancel any purchase of the F-35, shut down the Victoria-class sub program and instead buy up to 40 Boeing Super Hornets.

Byers also recommends examining the types of operations that Canada could undertake as a smaller nation and thrive at those types of missions. “Over the course of the last 15 years, the Canadian Armed Forces have not engaged in combat with professional militaries,” his report noted.

“As a result, they have no demonstrated need for the capabilities involved in attacks on foreign air defences and control centers, combat involving tanks and other heavily armoured vehicles, or naval battles involving advanced air-and-missile defence systems.”

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French Navy ATL2 MPA Can Now Self Designate GBU-12 Laser-Guided Bombs With MX-20 System

The French Navy (Marine Nationale) announced that on 18 June 2015, two Atlantique 2 (ATL2) maritime patrol crews were qualified to GBU-12 Paveway II laser guided bomb shooting procedures with self-designation.

This flight marked the end of a training course which confronted crews to modern technologies used in air-to-ground support missions thanks to the Wescam MX-20D electro-optical turret fitted on ATL2 Standard V.

The mission took place on the Biscarosse range in south-western France. These qualification firings were made under the French procurement agency (DGA) control for the trajectory of the ammunition and respect of shooting conditions.

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Russia to Complete Construction of Airship ‘Atlant’ for Army by 2018

'Augur RosAeroSystems' is a leading Russian lighter-than-air manufacturer. The company builds big airships and aerostats equipped with high-precision computer equipment and technology. The recent announcement by the company tells of airship 'Atlant' to be ready for the Russian Army by 2018.

The ‘Augur-RosAeroSystems’ Holding is set to build the airship ‘Atlant’ by the end of 2018. It will have the capacity of carrying over 16 tons of weight.

RosAeroSystems is a leading Russian lighter-than-air manufacturer. The company builds big airships and aerostats. It is the only Russian enterprise, and one of the few in the world with own and powerful aerostatic envelope production division, able to produce and test envelopes up to 50 000 cub m volume.

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Carpet bombing: Tejas to demonstrate fire power ahead of FOC

The Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas is all set undertake critical test flights carrying an array of missiles and bombs to complete its scheduled weapon trials.

Top sources with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed to this Correspondent that the integration of Russian-made Close Combat Missile (CCM) R-73 has been completed.

The ground integration of the Israeli-made CMM Python-5 too has been completed ahead of the flight trials. The Beyond Visual Range (BVR) missile Derby has also been integrated on to the aircraft.

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Air Force chooses solid-state data recorders from Calculex for F-15 jet aircraft

U.S. Air Force avionics experts needed airborne data recorders for the Boeing F-15C/D jet fighter and for the F-15E fighter-bomber. They found their solution from Calculex Inc. in Las Cruces, N.M.

Officials of the Air Force Materiel Command at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., announced their intention last week to award a potential $4.8 million five-year contract to Calculex to provide the company's MOdular Non-volatile Solid STate Recorder (MONSSTR) model CSR-2300, as well as upgrades, spare parts, and support.

Calculex provides the CSR-2300 for the F-15C/D and F-15E fleets for recording video and MIL-STD-1553 mission data. Air Force officials say they plan to award a sole-source contract to Calculex later this year for the airborne data recorders.

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Coast Guard lowers hammer on drug-running on high seas

When the cutter Vigilant docked at the Coast Guard base in Miami Beach on June 12, its crew offloaded bales of marijuana and packets of cocaine worth millions on the illegal market.

It was the latest catch in the ongoing Operation Martillo dragnet in which vessels and aircraft from the United States and more than a dozen other countries in Latin America, the Caribbean and Europe seek to disrupt drug-trafficking routes in the Atlantic, the Caribbean and the Pacific.

Launched Jan. 15, 2012, Operation Martillo (Spanish for hammer) has netted at least 515,336 kilos of cocaine and 117,754 pounds of marijuana.

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Trident whistleblower backed by former Royal Navy commander

Rob Green, who flew nuclear -armed planes and helicopters for the navy in the 1960s and 1970s, praised McNeilly for being "courageous" and "patriotic" in helping to expose a "dangerous situation" which will get worse if Trident is replaced.

Green is famous for being the nephew of the anti-nuclear campaigner, Hilda Murrell, who was murdered in Shrewsbury in 1984. He is now a co-director of the Disarmament and Security Centre in Christchurch, New Zealand and campaigns against nuclear weapons.

He served in the Royal Navy from 1962-82, flying Buccaneer nuclear strike aircraft and anti-submarine helicopters equipped with nuclear depth bombs. On promotion to commander in 1978, he worked in the Ministry of Defence and was an intelligence officer during the Falklands War in 1982.

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Russian military transport aircraft suspected of violating Finnish airspace

Air Force F-18 Hornet fighters were scrambled Friday afternoon when it is believed that a Russian IL-76 military transport aircraft violated Finnish airspace south of the coast town of Porvoo.

The suspected violation took place at around 2:15 PM on Friday. The Russian aircraft was identified and photographed by Finnish Air Force fighters sent to investigate.

Finland Border Guard is investigating the incident as a possible violation of the nation's airspace.

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Five crucial but delayed DRDO projects

With 52 labs & over 7,800 scientists, the Defence Research & Development Organisation has delivered more misses than hits over the decades.

The Army has now invited global proposals for designing a 'Future Ready Combat Vehicle (FRCV)' at a time when DRDO has a futuristic main-battle tank on its drawing board.

1. Astra Air-to-Air missile

Sanctioned in 2004, the missile's project completion date has been re-revised to December 2016. Dogged by technical glitches, Astra was finally tested for the first time from a Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter jet last year.

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J-15 fighters being prepped for Beijing's V-J Day parade

Pilots of J-15 carrier-based fighters from the People's Liberation Army Navy are currently been trained at Tongzhou of Hebei province for their participation of the V-J Day military parade held in Beijing on Sep. 3, according to Duowei News, a news outlet operated by overseas Chinese.

Designed as China's first-generation carrier-based fighter, the J-15 can be equipped with air-to-air missiles, anti-ship missiles and precision guided munitions. It shares various similar characteristics with the Russian-built Su-33 fighter and even the American-built F/A-18C.

Referred to as the Flying Shark, the J-15 had already begun its service aboard Liaoning, China's first aircraft carrier which it received from the Ukraine back in 2002.

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RAF Lossiemouth typhoons prepare for warfare

Top guns from RAF Lossiemouth have been sharpening their skills as part of a series of intense training exercises in the skies above the English Channel.

Pilots in the II (army cooperation) squadron are preparing for future military deployments across the globe at the Culdrose airfield in Cornwall.

Wing Commander Roger Elliott, the squadron’s commanding officer, said: “We are part of the quick reaction alert force at Lossiemouth, which means we are always ready for operations across the northern part of the UK and for future global deployments.

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Germany hopeful of bagging submarine project

Hopeful of bagging the Rs 50,000 crore project of the Indian Navy for building six conventional submarines, Germany has said that it has offered some "pretty convincing" business offers to the Indian government for cooperation in the defence sector.

German Ambassador to India Michael Steiner said the P-75(I) project was under discussion and that the matter also came up during German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen's visit here last month.

"They did not talk about how this deal should be done...whether this should be Business-to-Business or Government-to -Government. But as our Minister said, from these talks, it was a clear sign that there is potential for cooperation in this field (defence) and also in the field of submarines," he said while speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event here last night.

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New missiles to be introduced to Chinese submarines

The People's Liberation Army Navy has been developing new missiles for its newly developed submarines, according to Moscow-based Military Parade in a June 25 report.

The PLA Navy currently uses Type 093 Shang-class nuclear-powered attack submarines and Type 039A Yuan-class and Type 039 Song-class diesel-electric submarines.

These vessels are all currently equipped with YJ-82 cruise missiles. The YJ-82 is set to be replaced by the SS-N-13, however, which has an operational range of 222 kilometers, according to the website.

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Chinese submarine in Karachi, raises concern

Chinese submarines have now reportedly begun to make forays to even Karachi after making similar visits to Colombo over the last one year, sparking further concerns in the Indian security establishment.

This is yet another indicator of the fast transformation of the People's Liberation Army-Navy (PLA-N), which operated close to its shores for long, into a "blue-water force with long legs" that is expanding its presence in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

In the latest incident, the PLA-N's conventional Yuan-class 335 submarine entered the Karachi port on May 22 after crossing the Arabian Sea close to the Indian waters. After docking there for replenishment for about a week, it set sail again, much like the visits of Chinese submarines to Colombo since September last year, as was earlier reported by TOI.

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Azerbaijan Inaugurates New Caspian Naval Base

Azerbaijan has inaugurated a new base for its navy on the Caspian Sea, which it calls "the largest and most modern military object in the Caspian basin."

The base was formally opened on June 25, Azerbaijan's Armed Forces Day, in a ceremony with President Ilham Aliyev.

"Today we have gathered for the opening of the naval base. This event shows the strength, the power of our country," Aliyev said at the ceremony. "This base meets the highest world standards and is one of the biggest military objects created in recent years in Azerbaijan."

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Final flight of the iconic Vulcan

The last airworthy Avro Vulcan bomber in the world, Avro-Vulcan XH558, will mark its final flight display season with a flyover at the National Museum of Flight at East Fortune tomorrow (Saturday).

The flight forms part of the aircraft’s V-Force Tour, which will see XH558 fly over the location of every complete Vulcan, Victor and Valiant aircraft in the UK to commemorate the unique role these aeroplanes played as Britain’s nuclear deterrent during the 1950s and 1960s.

Over tomorrow and Sunday, Avro Vulcan XH558 will visit 17 locations across the UK, including the National Museum of Flight, which is home to Avro Vulcan XM597.

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U.S. Air Force mulls plans to replace Russian rocket engines

A U.S. Air Force competition to develop a rocket propulsion system to end dependence on Russian rocket engines drew broad response from companies, the Air Force said on Friday.

“There is interest,” Lt. General Samuel Greaves, who heads the Air Force’s Space and Missiles Systems Center, said during a webcast hearing of the House Strategic Forces Subcommittee.

Russia’s RD-180 engines power the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas 5 rockets that fly most of the military’s satellites. The Air Force hopes for at least two public-private partnerships to end reliance on those engines.

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Russian Program to Build World's Biggest Intercontinental Missile Delayed

Development of Russia's massive new nuclear-armed intercontinental missile is running into snags that will delay completion of the first prototype by several months, an unidentified defense industry source told news agency TASS on Friday.

The Sarmat missile will become the largest intercontinental ballistic missile in the world when it goes into service. The head of Russia's Strategic Rocket Forces, General Sergei Karakayev, said in February its development was being fast tracked and deployments should begin in 2018, Reuters reported.

The accelerated schedule came as Russia pumps cash into a rearmament program amid a confrontation with the West over Ukraine that began last year.

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Indian attack helicopter crosses crucial hurdle

Over the last week the Light Combat Helicopter (LCH), designed and built in India by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), moved a crucial step closer to operational service by successfully completing a set of gruelling trials in the desert areas around Jodhpur.

These were the LCH's "hot weather flight trials", designed to check whether it could meet its performance requirements even in blazing temperatures, with oxygen in short supply.

HAL pilots proved their helicopter's ability to meet its performance specifications, handling qualities and loads, even at low speeds when a helicopter engine is gasping for air.

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Report: Air Force hasn't proven case for cutting A-10 jets

The Air Force has not done enough research to support its main argument for eliminating the A-10 fighter aircraft fleet — that it would save $4.2 billion over five years, a federal watchdog concludes in a new report.

The Government Accountability Office said the Air Force had not "fully assessed" the estimated cost savings it offered with its budget request last year. A similar estimate was included in this year's budget request.

"Our analysis found that the Air Force's estimated savings are incomplete and may overstate or understate the actual figure," concludes the report, which was released late Thursday.

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Body of Iraqi general killed in fighter jet crash found near U​S​​-Mexico border

The body of an Iraqi general killed when his military fighter jet crashed into the Arizona desert during a night training mission has been found near the US-Mexico border, officials said on Friday.

Search crews recovered the body of Brigadier General Rasid Mohammed Sadiq Hasan from the crash site about five miles (eight km) east of Douglas Municipal Airport, US and Iraqi government officials said.

Hasan was alone in the Iraqi military-owned F-16 Fighting Falcon when it went down at about 8pm on Wednesday, sparking a large grass fire.

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D-M Boneyard welcomes first AWACS jet

The Boneyard at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base has a new tenant and it's a first for the facility.

A NATO E-3 AWACS arrived on June 24 and will be stored at the Boneyard, officially known as the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group.

AWACS stands for airborne warning and control system.

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U.S. skips Aegis Ashore missile test after target malfunction

The U.S. Missile Defense Agency on Friday said a target malfunction caused it to abort a key intercept test of the Aegis Ashore missile defense system, built by Lockheed Martin Corp, that is due to be installed in Romania this year.

"Due to a target malfunction, the test wasn't conducted and an interceptor wasn't launched," said Rick Lehner, a spokesman for the U.S. Defense Department agency.

No comment was immediately available from Lockheed. Raytheon Co, which builds the SM-3 missile used by the Aegis Ashore system, the land-based version of the Aegis combat system deployed on U.S. Navy destroyers, as well as its AN/SPY-1 radar, referred questions to the U.S. Missile Defense Agency.

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Russian Strategic Sub Groups to ‘Be Constantly Updated’ – Navy Commander

Russian nuclear strategic submarine groups in the north of the country and on the far-eastern Kamchatka Peninsula will be regularly updated, Russian Navy Commander-in-Chief, Adm. Viktor Chirkov said Friday.

"Groupings of strategic submarines in the North and in Kamchatka will be constantly updated, so we would be able to meet the ambitious criteria required by the rapid development of science and technology," Chirkov said.

Russian submarine building technologies are unique, and will help maintain proper levels of strategic nuclear force development, he added.

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DCI announced to Train the First Indian Navy Scorpene class Submarine Crew

DCI is announcing the signature of a contract with the Indian state shipyard named MDL (Mazagon Docks Limited) to train the first two Indian crew operating Scorpene type submarines. 100 sailors will be trained by DCI (36 per crew, one spare and some Indian would-be instructors who will train the next crew).

This 22 month training will start in India as soon as 1st September 2015.

It will take place on land then aboard the first two submarines, built in Bombay by MDL, on dock and at sea. The trials period will be used for this training according to current French Navy standards.

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Italian Air Force unveils new HH-101A Caesar helicopter

The Italian Air Force has unveiled its new AgustaWestland-built HH-101A special operations helicopter at its Cervia air base, near Venice.

The new helicopter is has been named Caesar. It is the first of 20 AW101s that Italy has ordered together with options for an additional four aircraft intended for personnel recovery and special forces missions.

Caesar is the military variant of AgustaWestland's AW101 helicopter. It is designed to perform a range of missions, including air support to special operations (SAOS), personnel recovery (PR) and search and rescue (SAR).

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T-38 loses canopy just after takeoff from Vance

A T-38 that had just taken off from Vance Air Force Base Wednesday morning lost its front canopy about 10 miles south of the airfield.

The canopy was located at 8:45 a.m. Thursday, June 25, 2015, thanks to an Oklahoma Highway Patrol helicopter pressed into the search, said Linda Frost, public affairs chief at Vance. The four-foot long, clear Plexiglas canopy was located a half-mile north of Bison Road between Cleveland and Oakwood.

The jet was flown by two instructor pilots on an instrument flight bound for Topeka, Kan. When the aircraft lost its canopy at about 10,000 feet, the pilots declared an in-flight emergency and returned immediately to the airfield, where they landed safely, Frost said.

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NATO To Reassess Nuclear Policy Amid Tensions With Russia

According to sources at the organization, NATO is set to reconsider its nuclear weapons strategy.

Concerns over the use of nuclear weapons by Russia mean that NATO chiefs are anxious to reconsider their own strategy, writes Ewan MacAskill for The Guardian.

Tensions with Russia continue to worsen due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, and nuclear weapons have become an increasingly important part of the escalating situation.

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Australia Fires Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles

The Royal Australian Navy has successfully fired two Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles from the HMAS Melbourne Adelaide class frigate on Wednesday.

The missiles were deployed off the coast of New South Wales using Melbourne’s MK-41 Vertical Launch System against two unmanned aerial targets launched from the Beecroft Range at Jervis Bay.

The missiles were controlled in flight and resulted in a successful engagement with the target as part of her operational training program.

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Iraqi Pilot Training in US Was Flying F-16 When It Crashed

An Iraqi pilot was flying the F-16 fighter jet that crashed near Douglas Wednesday night, an Air Force official said Thursday.

The pilot, whom the official described as "an Iraqi student pilot training here," remained unaccounted for. A rescue team was combing the desert, the official said.

"We don't have anything on the status of the pilot at this time," the official said. Asked if there was any sign the pilot had ejected, she said, "Not at this time."

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General Atomics Readies Drone for European Skies

Drone-maker General Atomics is upgrading the bigger version of its Predator-series unmanned aircraft so it can fly across European skies by 2019, an official said.

The San Diego-based company said the enhanced Predator B — known in U.S. Air Force parlance as the MQ-9 Reaper — will be able to soar as high as 50,000 feet for more than 40 hours at a time, thanks to new fuel-economy features such as a 79-foot wingspan and winglets.

What’s more, the unmanned system will include a series of modifications designed to make it compliant with European regulations so governments there can quickly certify it for use in their national airspace, according to Christopher Ames, director of international strategic development for General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc.

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Russia’s New Tank Can Resist All NATO’s Weapons

Russia's 3rd-generation battle tank armor will be impenetrable for all existing and upcoming anti-tank missiles with a caliber of 120 mm, according to the company-developer of the tank, ‘NII Stal’.

The developers note that the T-14 Armata will be even protected from rocket launchers and anti-tank missiles with a caliber of up to 150 mm.

The T-14 Armata will also feature an advanced version of explosive reactive armor (ERA), which is able to withstand all commonly used NATO’s anti-tank missiles, according to a source at a top Russian military equipment company, which produces armor for Russian advanced tanks, as reported by Jane’s.

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Farewell, mighty Prowler!

The EA-6B Prowler isn’t the fastest aircraft or the sexiest.

A refueling probe on its nose and two bulging canopies over the cockpit give the jet the look of an overgrown metallic insect.

But the Prowler’s ability to deliver a potent crotch kick to the enemy’s air defense systems made it an indispensable asset to the military for more than four decades.

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HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier powers up for first time

HMS Queen Elizabeth's huge diesel generators have been powered up for the first time at the home of the UK's aircraft carrier programme in Rosyth.

The move brings the 65,000-tonne future flagship of the Royal Navy closer to becoming an operational warship.

The first of the ship's four generators was officially started by defence procurement minister Philip Dunne.

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China says Manila trying to 'rope in' others to sea dispute

China's military on Thursday accused the Philippines of trying to "rope in" other countries to the dispute over ownership of the South China Sea and stir regional tension after Japan joined a military drill with the Philippines.

According to Japanese and Philippine officials, a Japanese surveillance aircraft, with three Filipino guest crew members, this week flew at 5,000 feet (1,524 m) above the edge of Reed Bank, an energy-rich area that is claimed by both China and the Philippines. It was accompanied by a smaller Philippine patrol aircraft.

Chinese Defence Ministry spokesman Yang Yujun, asked about the exercises, said that bilateral military cooperation between countries should benefit regional peace and security and not harm the interests of third parties.

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Goa Shipyard looks at building OPVs armed with missiles

India's leading defence shipyard, Goa Shipyard Ltd (GSL) has submitted a proposal to the Indian Navy to construct offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) armed with missiles.

"We have submitted a proposal to the Indian Navy that all the future OPVs should be developed with the missile on board.

That will give more combat muscle to the vessel. If fitted with missile, the pricing of the vessel goes up only by ten per cent," GSL's Chairman and Managing Director Rear Admiral (retd) Shekhar Mital told PTI Thursday on the sidelines of ongoing "Make in Goa" programme held jointly by GSL and Confederation of Indian Industries (CII).


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