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Thursday, April 30, 2015

French Navy Test Launched a MU90 Torpedo from its ATL2 Maritime Patrol Aircraft

ATL2 Maritime Patrol Aircraft Launching a MU90 TorpedoThe French Navy released a picture showing one of its ATL2 (Breguet/Dassault Atlantique 2) Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) launching a MU90 torpedo.

The MPA belongs to the Flotille (naval air squadron) 21F based in Lann-Bihoué (Britanny) and the trial was conducted at the French procurement agency (DGA) maritime test field in the Mediterranean Sea.

The first even MU90 torpedo launch from an ATL2 took place in April 2011.

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Raytheon receives $20 million DARPA contract to continue hypersonic missile development

X-51A WaveriderThe Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has awarded Raytheon Company a $20,489,714 million contract modification for the Tactical Boost Glide program.

Under the TBG program, Raytheon intends to develop and demonstrate the technology to enable air-launched hypersonic boost glide systems. A majority of the work will be performed in Tucson.

"Hypersonics is the new frontier of missile design and development," said Tom Bussing, Raytheon vice president of Advanced Missile Systems.

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Russia to Renew Production of Tu-160 'Blackjack' Strategic Bomber

Tu-160 BlackjackRussia will renew the production of its Tu-160 (Blackjack) supersonic strategic bomber and missile carrier, Russian Defense Minister Gen. Sergei Shoigu said Wednesday.

"Today it is already necessary to solve the task of not only maintaining and modernizing long-range aviation, we must also produce the Tu-160 missile carrier," Shoigu said during a visit at the Kazan Aviation Plant.

Shoigu said that the Tu-160 is "a unique machine, ahead of its time for many years and even until now has not been exploited to its full potential."

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Navy Moving Closer to Acquiring Devastating Ship-Killing Stealth Missiles


Top defense contractors are poised to compete in a major industry battle to develop autonomous missiles for the U.S. Navy that can kill enemy ships at sea and demolish air-defense radar sites inland.

Although the Navy has so far released few details on what it plans to buy, missile manufacturers like Lockheed Martin, Raytheon and Boeing are keeping a close eye on a program the Navy has dubbed “next-generation strike capability.”

The Navy is seeking funds in its 2016-2020 budget to begin the development of next-generation strike weapons, with the goal to start an industry competition in fiscal year 2017. But the Navy has yet to settle on specific requirements.

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France's Dassault poised to ink 36-fighter jet deal with Qatar

Dassault RafaleFrench group Dassault Aviation is poised to sign a multi-billion-euro deal with Qatar for 36 of its Rafale fighter jets, sources close to the negotiations said Thursday, the third foreign order this year.

Having struggled for years to sell any of its Rafale jets abroad, Dassault has recently scored several lucrative, high-profile contracts with Egypt, India, and now -- if the deal is confirmed -- Qatar.

The agreement, which is due to be signed in the coming days, includes a firm order for 24 jets with an option on 12 other planes, said the sources, who wished to remain anonymous.

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China’s advanced J-11D heavy fighter jet takes maiden flight


The upgraded D variant of China’s J-11 fighter jet, a copy of the Russian Sukhoi Su-27, has made its maiden flight, Chinese media reported. The jet reportedly has new radar and an air refueling system.

The J-11D model, which was tested in the air for the first time on Wednesday, incorporates technologies developed for the J-16 fighter jet.

It is reported to have better active phased array radar, use more composite materials in its wings and tail, and be capable of firing more advanced air-to-air missiles like PL-10 and PL-15.

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Israel’s Uvision Unveils Its Smallest Version Of Hero-30 System

HERO-30 UAVUvision, the Israel manufacturer of unmanned expandable unmanned air systems (UAS), has unveiled its Hero-30 system, the smallest version of its family of such systems.

The Hero-30 loitering munition, is a small (3kg) expendable very accurate munitions carried in a canister , that is used also as a pneumatic launcher. After launch, the electric motor is turned on.

The HERO-30 is equipped with a day/night sensor and has an endurance of 30 minutes.

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Making Unmanned Search And Rescue A Reality: Unmanned K-MAX® Helicopter Conducts First Collaborative Casualty Evacuation

K-MAX® UASDangerous frontline operations call for a safe and efficient method to locate and evacuate wounded personnel.

To address this critical need and help save lives, Lockheed Martin, Kaman Aerospace, and Neya Systems demonstrated the first ever collaborative unmanned air and ground casualty evacuation using the unmanned aerial system (UAS) Control Segment (UCS) Architecture and K-MAX® cargo helicopter on March 26.

During the demonstration, a distress call led ground operators to send an unmanned ground vehicle to assess the area and injured party.

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Japan may soon land maritime patrol aircraft in Philippines

Kawasaki P-1 ASW AircraftJapan may soon seek permission from Philippine government to land air assets in Filipino air bases in a bid to join United States in conducting maritime air patrols in South China Sea.

Japanese maritime air patrol in South China Sea is currently being discussed within Japanese military, Reuters reports.

A US military source of Reuters said that if Japan decides to begin flights in South China Sea, Tokyo may ask the Philippines for access to air bases under disaster relief training and other joint training exercises to give Japanese aircraft added range to stay out on patrol longer.

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US may need new fighter to take on China's J-20: expert

F-22 RaptorSome US experts believe that the development of the F/A-XX, the next-generation carrier-based fighter, should be carried out as soon as possible since Lockheed Martin's F-35C may not be able to compete against Russia's T-50 and or China's J-20, according to Beijing's Science and Technology.

Experts close to Lockheed Martin said that both the F-35C Lighting and F/A-18E/F Super Hornet would be unable to prevail in aerial combat against the T-50 and J-20.

One of the experts even said that improvements in the Russian and Chinese missile launching systems indicate that the US is losing its advantage in the development of military aircraft.

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The F-35 Has More Engine Troubles, But It's Been Through Worse


The debate over the reliability of the Lockheed Martin F-35, the fighter jet that is also the most expensive single weapons program in U.S. history, has taken another turn, as two separate government reports have declared its engines to be unreliable.

The Government Accountability Office report, originally released in mid-April, said that the engines, made by Pratt & Whitney, were a problem.

"The F-35 system reliability has been limited by poor engine reliability," the report said, adding that it "will take additional time and resources to achieve reliability goals.”

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Navy considering Newport News Shipbuilding's future

USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78)Is the day coming when Newport News Shipbuilding will no longer have a monopoly on building the Navy's aircraft carriers?

A defense analyst said the Navy's desire to create more competition - to stifle rising costs and address changes in technology and warfare - could lead the Pentagon to encourage a future rival to Virginia's largest private employer.

Others disagree, arguing that Newport News is well-positioned because the cost of developing another carrier builder would far outweigh any potential benefits.

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Italian Navy takes delivery of FREMM frigate

ITS Carlo Bergamini (F 590)The Italian Navy has taken delivery of its fourth FREMM frigate, the Carabiniere, from shipbuilder Orizzonte Sistemi Navali.

The ship is about 472.5 feet long and has a maximum speed of 27 knots. Its weapons systems are in an anti-submarine warfare configuration.

FREMM, or Multi Mission European Frigate, is the product of an Italian-French program which is coordinated by the European Union's Organization for Joint Armament Cooperation.

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This chart shows just how massive the US's Navy is

US Navy april 2015The US Navy is the unquestioned dominant naval force in the world.

In terms of both absolute tonnage and technical superiority, the US Navy is the the world’s largest and most advanced maritime military force. The capabilities of the US Navy are further enhanced and augmented by a its military alliances like NATO, where the US plays a key role.

The graphic from Naval Graphics shows every vessel currently serving in the US Navy as of April 2015:

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Japanese 'megasub' size of a football field mapped off Hawaii coast


A Japanese World War II-era megasubmarine the length of one and a half football fields has been mapped and filmed off the coast of Hawaii, 70 years after being deliberately sunk.

Stretching nearly 130 metres in length, the I-400 Sen-Toku submarine was the largest to see action in World War II, and the largest ever built until the 1960s, but only three were ever completed, the International Business Times reports.

The submarine's hangar was so large it could hold three bombers, launched via catapult, built with the aim of attacking the US mainland.

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Vietnam buys submarine-launched land attack missiles to deter China

Klub-S (SS-N-27B) missileVietnam is arming its expanding submarine fleet with land attack missiles that could be capable of reaching Chinese coastal cities, a choice of weapon likely to be seen as provocative by China in the ongoing South China Sea dispute.

The independent Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) recently updated data on its website to show Vietnam's acquisition of the Russian-made land attack variant of the Klub missile for its state-of-the-art Kilo attack submarines.

SIPRI arms researcher Siemon Wezeman said the entry was based on an earlier but little-noticed filing Vietnam made last year to the United Nations' register of conventional arms.

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Russia Launches Quietest Submarine in the World

RFS Novorossiysk SSKAdmiralty Shipyards - a Russian defense company - held a ceremonial launching for its newest Varshavyanka-class diesel-electric submarines. According to the company’s website, the commander of Russia's Navy, Viktor Chirkov, attended the ceremony.

Dubbed the Krasnodar, the vessel is the fourth of a planned six upgraded Kilo-class subs Russia is constructing under Project 636.

Previously, Russian state media outlets have said that the Varshavyanka-class are the “quietest in the world, and so was dubbed ‘black hole’ by NATO.”

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Sunken Soviet submarines threaten massive radioactive contamination

November class SSN (K-159)Russian scientists have made a worst-case scenario map for possible spreading of radionuclides from the wreck of the K-159 nuclear-powered submarine that sank twelve years ago in one of the best fishing areas of the Barents Sea.

Mikhail Korbinsky with the Nuclear Safety Institute of the Russian Academy of Science says the sunken November-class submarine can’t stay at the seabed. The two reactors contain 800 kilos of spent uranium fuel.

At a recent seminar in Murmansk organized jointly by Russia’s nuclear agency Rosatom and the Norwegian environmental group Bellona, Korbinsky presented the scenario map most fishermen in the Barents Sea would get nightmares by seeing.

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Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Russia, China to Close Joint Helicopter Construction Deal in May

Mi-26 HaloRussia and China plan on signing a final agreement in May after “dotting all the i’s” in the joint construction of a series of helicopters, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said Tuesday.

“Yesterday, we agreed on the final details with this big project…Therefore, we hope that already in May we will dot all the i’s and sign the final document,” Rogozin said after a meeting with Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang in Eastern China.

Rogozin added that the Chinese are “very interested” in the project and are one of the main investors in it. According to Rogozin, the project is seen as a commercial deal.

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US approves $1.5 bln in Boeing fighter jet maintenance for Australia

RAAF F/A-18F Super HornetThe U.S. State Department has approved the sale of $1.5 billion in maintenance services, spare parts and logistics for Australia's fleet of Boeing Co F/A-18E/F and EA-18G fighter jets, the Pentagon said on Tuesday.

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), which executes foreign military sales, notified Congress on Tuesday about the possible deal, which also includes software and hardware updates, testing and training.

Lawmakers have 15 days to block the sale, although such action is rare.

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Secret Air Force Space Plane Gets Darth Vader-Style Engine


The Air Force’s secret robot space plane is going to try out a new engine. The X-37B has so far spent a total of 1367 days tooling around in Earth’s orbit, doing classified things.

Yesterday, the Air Force Research Lab announced that on its fourth flight, the X-37B will come with a new fuel-efficient engine for maneuvering in space.

Hall thrusters were developed first by the Soviet Union during the 1960s, as a way for satellites to correct their course while in orbit.

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Russian Spacecraft Spinning Out of Control in Orbit, with Salvage Bid Underway


The Russian space agency Roscosmos is scrambling to regain control of a robotic Progress 59 cargo ship that appears to have suffered a serious malfunction shortly after launching into orbit early today (April 28).

Video from the Progress 59 spacecraft showed it in a dizzying spin, with the Earth and sun rapidly coming into and then out of frame.

Russian flight controllers abandoned plans to attempt to dock the cargo ship with the International Space Station on Thursday (April 30), NASA spokesman Rob Navias said in a NASA TV update.

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India requests for C-130J follow-on support package from US

IAF C-130J Super HerculesThe US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) has notified Congress of a potential foreign military sale (FMS) of follow-on support of C-130J Super Hercules aircraft and associated equipment to India.

Under the estimated $96m sale, India has requested for the supply of five years of follow-on support for its fleet of C-130J Super Hercules, including eight spare AN/ALE-47 counter-measure dispensing systems, six spare AN/ALR-56M advanced radar warning receivers, and up to 9,000 flare cartridges.

The package also covers spare and repair parts, configuration updates, support and test equipment, publications and technical data, technical services, personnel training and training equipment, as well as other related elements of logistics support.

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Election 2015: Fighting talk on Scottish campaign trail

Successor class SSBNBritain should focus on building strong conventional armed forces rather than "obsessing" over nuclear weapons, SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon has said.

But Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson claimed a post-election deal between the SNP and Labour could jeopardise the country's defence.

Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie will use football analogies to boost the morale of his troops in Edinburgh.

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Here's why a British aircraft carrier will host an American F-35 contingent

RAF F-35 Lightning IIThe “special relationship” with America is central to Britain’s national security and America also counts heavily on British diplomatic and military support.

In an era of budget “austerity” in Britain and sequestration in America, there is great benefit for both countries when it comes to joint military operations and platforms procurement.

The combination of budgetary factors, procurement costs and issues, and the continuing need for air and sea power is why the relationship between the US and UK is so “special” that Britain’s next aircraft carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth, will likely be home to US Marine Corps F-35Bs — American fighters flying from a British warship.

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US destroyer sent after Iran boards commercial ship

USS Farragut (DDG-99)The US military has sent a destroyer in pursuit of a commercial ship that was fired upon, and then boarded by, Iranian forces in the Strait of Hormuz, the Pentagon said on Tuesday.

The Maersk Tigris, a Marshall Islands-flagged commercial craft, was intercepted by patrol ships from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy about 6pm AEST, according to Colonel Steve Warren, a Pentagon spokesman.

After the ship refused to comply with an Iranian order to steam further into Iran's territorial waters, one of the Iranian patrol vessels fired across the Tigris's bridge, Colonel Warren said.

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Global Strike Command is USAF's new weapon against China: expert

B-2 SpiritA pure bomber command is likely to be established for the first time in US military history after the Air Force made the announcement last week to reassign all its heavy bombers to the Global Strike Command last week, James Hasik, a senior researcher from the Washington-based Atlantic Council wrote in a piece for National Interest magazine.

The USAF put the nuclear-capable B-52Hs and B-2As bombers of the 8th Air Force and the Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles of the 20th Air Force under the Global Strike Command in 2009.

However, the de-nuclearized B-1B bombers stayed with the Air Combat Command's 12th Air Force. Such policy reconfigures the newly established Global Strike Command as a Bomber and Missile Command according to the author.

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Russian Su-33 Fighter Jets Hold Drills Over Barents Sea

Su-33 Flanker-DRussian fighter pilots have held tactical training exercises using air-to-air missiles over the Barents Sea, the head of Russian Defense Ministry's Northern Fleet's press service said Tuesday.

"Tactical flight exercises using air-to-air missiles were held by pilots from the Northern Fleet's carrier-based fighter aviation regiment. The training was held in a military range for fighter readiness of Naval aviation over the Barents Sea. Several Su-33 [Flanker-D] fighters made several dozen flights," Capt. 1st Rank Vadim Serga said.

Earlier this month, Russian Su-33 fighter jet pilots from the Northern Fleet carried out exercises on target interception and air combat.


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Brazil, Venezuela evince interest in BrahMos missile

Brahmos firing by INS RajputThe supersonic cruise missile system BrahMos, which is a joint venture between India and Russia, has caught the attention of countries like Argentina, Venezuela, Chile and Brazil in Latin America and also of South Africa, which is part of the BRICS grouping, because it has been developed at a low cost of $300 million.

Sources have told the FE that there have been preliminary discussions with these countries. Venezuela’s willingness to procure the supersonic missile (the air version) jointly produced by India and Russia will be on the agenda of talks when Prime minister Narendra Modi visits that country later this year.

The LatAm countries have been in talks with officials from BrahMos and expressed interest in mobile autonomous launchers for coastal defence batteries, ship-based weapon complex for submarines and frigates.

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Here are all the ships in the German navy

German Navy Ships in 2015Though it has very little coastline, Germany has still managed to construct and maintain a fleet of nearly 100 naval vessels.

Although not the largest or most powerful fleet in Europe, the Germany Navy plays an important role in supporting NATO missions and preserving maritime security and trade. Most recently, Germany contributed 11 ships to the UK-led Exercise Joint Warrior 15-1 off the coast of Scotland.

The graphic from Naval Graphics shows every vessel currently serving in the German Navy as of April 2015:

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Watch Out, Asia: Russia Tests New Anti-Ship Missile System

Bal-E CMSOn Tuesday Russia’s Pacific Fleet tested a new mobile, coastal missile unit, according to local media.

Tass media outlet (formerly ITAR-TASS) reported that Russia’s Pacific fleet— whose area of operations covers the Asia-Pacific—conducted its first test of the Bal-E modern coastal missile system (CMS).

"Deploying the system from the move, the personnel carried out a missile launch on a sea target complying with the specified standards," a Pacific Fleet spokesman, Captain First Rank Roman Martov, is quoted of saying.

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China's nuclear submarines in Gulf of Aden could cause unease: Experts

Type 091 (Han) class SSNChina for the first time has divulged the deployment of a nuclear submarine for anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden, a move defence experts say could cause unease among neighbours, including India.

Chinese official media said that a nuclear submarine of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy accompanied the anti-piracy mission in the Gulf of Aden patrolled the area for more than two months, escorting two ships and a supply vessel.

The submarine stated to be Type 091 has since returned to its base in Qingdao, Shandong province.

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Finland fires warning shots at 'foreign submarine' near Helsinki

Submerged submarineFinland has fired warning shots at a suspected foreign submarine off the coast of Helsinki in the early hours of Tuesday morning, amid growing military tensions with neighbouring Russia.

Carl Haglund, Finland's defence minister, did not say whether Russia was involved, but the incident was reminiscent of a Swedish hunt for a foreign submarine in its waters last October that many thought to be Russian.

Mr Haglund told Finnish media that the target has likely left the area, adding that Finland has rarely used such warning charges.

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Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Unique Yak-130 planes begin service at 116th Guards Attack Air Base


Modern and maneuverable Yak-130 planes begin their service at 116th Guards Attack Air Base. According to experts, the Russian attack aircraft is today the only aircraft in the world with the characteristics of the so-called "subsonic", which is also able to compete with jet fighters.

Moreover, the Yak-130 can carry up to 3 tons of payload being at the same time training aircraft.

Now Belarusian pilots complete their training in Russia on the basis of airline personnel training center in Zhukovsky.

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Saab dismisses prospect of Gripen jet fighters sale to Argentina

Saab Gripen E/FSweden's Saab AB on Monday ruled out facilitating the sale of Gripen fighter aircraft to Argentina as the result of a deal to build and export combat jets from Brazil.

Argentina has expressed interest in buying 24 Gripen fighter jets from its Latin American neighbour once Brazil is able to export them, early next decade.

Such a deal would face an almost certain veto from Britain, which provides some 30 percent of the Gripen's content, including the radar on its next-generation Gripen E/F.

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India's modified Su-30 can strike China with nuclear warhead: report

BrahMos Equiped Su-30MKIIndia will now be able to strike "deep into the heart of China" with a nuclear missile after making modifications to its powerful Su-30MKI multirole fighter jet, according to a report from the Washington-based National Interest magazine.

India's Strategic Forces Command is said to have modified 42 of its Su-30MKI aircraft so that they can carry air-launched BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles.

New Delhi already has around 200 Su-30MKI aircraft in its arsenal and plans to eventually acquire 282 of the fourth-generation combat fighter, which is intended to be the "backbone" of the Indian Air Force through 2020 and beyond.

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House panel moves to block A-10 retirement

A-10 Thunderbolt IIThe House announced moves this week to protect the A-10 Thunderbolt from a proposed retirement.

The aircraft program is fully funded in a version of the annual defense budget unveiled Monday by the House Armed Services Committee.

An Arizona congresswoman said she also plans to float an amendment that would bar the Air Force from eliminating the aircraft, also known as the Warthog, when the committee votes on the massive defense bill Wednesday.

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Before Rafale deal, IAF rang alarm

Dassault RafaleJust ahead of the Union government’s decision to purchase 36 Rafale aircraft from France in fly-away condition, the Indian Air Force (IAF) had raised alarm with a Parliamentary panel that the already underway drawdown would bring the IAF to just 25 squadrons in the next seven years by 2022-thereby losing even the “slight edge” the IAF has over “rival neighbouring nation.”

The standing committee on defence chaired by Maj Gen B C Khanduri (retd) on Monday presented a report before the Parliament pulling the government for delays in acquisitions which have affected the modernisation of the forces-mainly IAF and the Army.

“Representatives of IAF deposed before the committee that a drawdown has already begun and, by 2022, the air force will have around just 25 squadrons, thereby losing even the slight edge over rival neighbouring nation,” the standing committee report said.

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F-35 Engines From United Technologies Called Unreliable

F-35 Lightning IIF-35 engines from United Technologies Corp. are proving so unreliable that U.S. plans to increase production of the fighter jet may be slowed, according to congressional auditors.

Data from flight tests evaluated by the Government Accountability Office show the reliability of engines from the company’s Pratt & Whitney unit is “very poor (less than half of what it should be) and has limited” progress for the F-35, the costliest U.S. weapons system, the watchdog agency said in a report sent to lawmakers this month.

The GAO cited the need to make design changes to the engines and then retrofit planes already built, along with continuing flaws in the plane’s software, in a report that warned the Defense Department’s “procurement plan may not be affordable.

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Iran shows off unmanned robot battlefield car that can carry missiles


A new unmanned car for battle has been unveiled in Iran that sports a mechanical arm and missile casings, complete with a camera on top.

Showed off at the Iran's Armed Forces Day, the Nazir robot car includes cylindrical casings that can hold two missiles and has a camera turret mounted on a pivot at the front that provides remote drivers to see what exactly lays ahead the mean machine.

A Popular Science report notes that the robot battlefield car has small clusters of grenade dischargers mounted at both the front and rear to release clouds of smoke to obscure it from enemy fire.

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Air Force denies reports of PLA missile lock-on

F-CK-1 Ching kuoThe The Air Force Command Headquarters rejected Monday as false and unfounded media reports suggesting that one of the Air Force's F-CK-1 (經國號戰機) jet fighters had been locked on by the People's Liberation Army's missile defense system during a routine patrol last year.

According to the media reports, the CK-1 jet fighter flying out of Tainan's 443rd Tactical Fighter Wing was locked on by China's S-300 surface-to-air missile battery in Longtian, Fujian Province, sometime last year, and that in response, the pilot immediately performed a tactical retreat to safety.

The squadron of CK-1 jet fighters was performing a routine patrol on the eastern portion of the median line of the Taiwan Strait, according to reports.

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Navy tests software for automated carrier landing capability

F/A-18 Super HornetThe U.S. Navy has field tested an automated landing software system for carrier-borne F/A-18 and E/A-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft.

The software tested at sea aboard the USS George H.W. Bush is called MAGIC CARPET, an acronym for Maritime Augmented Guidance with Integrated Controls for Carrier Approach and Recovery Precision Enabling Technologies.

"This underway marked the first use of the MAGIC CARPET technology on an aircraft carrier," said Lt. Cmdr. Dan Marzluff, assistant air operations officer aboard the carrier. "This software greatly reduces misses and wave-offs, which translates into more time on-mission and makes us an overall more effective force."

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The US is deploying 2 of its troubled 'ships of the future' to Singapore starting in 2016

USS Independence (LCS 2) and USS Coronado (LCS 4)The US will start deploying two of its once-highly touted "ships-of-the-future" to Singapore starting in 2016, IHS Jane's 360 reports.

By 2016, the US Navy plans to permanently station and operate two Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) out of Singapore's Changi Naval Base.

By 2018, the Navy hopes to deploy four of the vessels in order to upgrade the capability of the Navy's Seventh Fleet.

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Cruiser Lake Erie skipper canned for command climate

USS Lake Erie (CG-70)The commanding officer of the cruiser Lake Erie was fired Monday after an investigation found a poor command climate on board, according to a Navy release.

Capt. John Banigan was relieved of command of the San Diego-based cruiser by Rear Adm. Dee Mewbourne, head of Carrier Strike Group 11, and has been assigned to Naval Surface Force Pacific.

"The decision was based on the findings of an investigation into poor command climate aboard Lake Erie," the release said.

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HASC Mark Adds $120 Million for 3 Destroyer Combat System Upgrades, Money for Missiles

USS William P. Lawrence (DDG 110)The House Armed Services Committee added $120 million to pay for a total of three Aegis combat system upgrades to the Navy’s Arleigh Burke guided missile destroyers (DDG-51) as part of the chairman’s mark for the Fiscal Year 2016 National Defense Authorization Act.

The funds would upgrade three planned mid-life modernizations from a basic hull, mechanical and electrical (HM&E) systems repairs to include a complete refresh of the Aegis combat system from current 1980s era computing technology.

The combat systems upgrades would strip out the older computing architecture from the ships, replace the systems with modern modular servers and add an signal processor to allow the ships to both fight off traditional air threats — like enemy fighters — and perform ballistic missile defense at the same time.

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Trident, the £100bn barrier to an innovative UK defence policy

Vanguard class SSBNThe argument between UK political parties over the renewal of the Trident nuclear missile system has been something special in the election campaign for its seemingly digital, yes-or-no, quality.

Other issues have had a more apparent grey area in which debate might meet in possible compromises, be it on tax sourcing, health spending or immigration controls.

The four nuclear-armed Trident submarines, however, are being either renewed at the cost of £100 billion, or scrapped – as the current submarines are approaching the end of their working life.

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Drones launched from British ships may be sent to scour Mediterranean in bid to search for migrants

ScanEagle UAVSurveillance drones launched from Royal Navy ships could be sent to scour the Mediterranean as part of Britain’s effort to combat the migrant crisis, under plans being drawn up by defence chiefs.

The Navy’s new ScanEagle remote-controlled aircraft would search for dangerously overloaded boats packed with people making the perilous crossing from Libya to Europe.

David Cameron has already offered HMS Bulwark, two Border Force cutters and three Merlin helicopters for search and rescue efforts after international outcry at the loss of life in the Mediterranean this year.

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Guns'n'gadgets: Cutting-edge military & space tech at upcoming Army-2015 expo


The Russian Defense Ministry is preparing to unveil the newest examples of military equipment for every branch of the forces this summer at the Army-2015 expo. It’s set to become the largest event of its kind ever.

With about 5,000 exhibits displayed at an area of 5,500 hectares (almost 13,600 acres), Army-2015 will provide an outlet for some 3,000 contractors to show their latest products to the public.

It will cover every branch of the military, from ground forces to aerospace, and even combat robots and cyber-warfare.

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GX-6 to boost China's anti-submarine capabilities

GX-6 MPAChina's new GX-6 anti-submarine patrol aircraft appears to be ready for action, reports China's nationalist Global Times tabloid.

Citing leaked photos posted on a military forum, Global Times claims that the GX-6, which has been modified from the Y-8 medium-size medium-range transport aircraft produced by Shaanxi Aircraft Corporation, has recently begun supporting troops from the PLA's Naval Air Force.

In modern submarine warfare, anti-submarine platforms like surface vessels and submarines lack a distinct advantage, which is why aerial anti-submarine strategies, with their short response time and high speed and mobility, are most effective, the report said.

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Monday, April 27, 2015

Seoul to Deploy New Guided Missiles Next Year

70 mm (2.75 in) MRS(Multiple Rocket System)South Korea will station newly developed guided missiles on the western coast next year designed to attack North Korean hovercraft during a possible invasion.

The Agency for Defense Development said it took three years and W70 billion (US$1=W1,080) to develop the 70-mm guided missiles.

"The missile successfully hit its target in a fourth test recently," an official at the agency said. "After more tests until August, we plan to deploy the missiles on Baeknyeong and Yeonpyeong islands" in the West Sea.

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