Defence`s Feeds

Key Points The USAF has issued an RfP for its LRSO weapon The new missile would replace the Boeing AGM-86B ALCM The US Air Force (USAF) has issued a long-delayed request for proposals (RfP) for its Long-Range Standoff (LRSO) weapon, the planned successor to the Boeing AGM-86B Air Launched Cruise

The Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) has confirmed that one of its Mil Mi-8 helicopters was shot down in Syria on 1 August. The MoD said the helicopter had delivered humanitarian aid to Aleppo and was returning to Humaymim Air Base when it was hit by ground fire as it flew over Idlib province. It

The Portuguese Army is currently working on plans to entirely replace the bulk of its small arms, the Portuguese Ministry of National Defence (MoND) told IHS Jane's on 29 July. The plans will see the acquisition of 10,225 weapons including: assault rifles, light machine guns, sub-machine guns, and

Croatia's first five Bell OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopters were delivered to Zemunik Air base on 30 July. The donated helicopters, the first of 16, and around 30 tonnes of additional equipment were delivered by a US Air Force Reserve Command Lockheed C-5 Galaxy transport aircraft. This is the first

The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) has taken delivery of its 24th and final MH-60R Seahawk Romeo maritime helicopter from Lockheed Martin, the company announced on 28 July. The aircraft was handed over a day prior to the announcement at Lockheed Martin's facility in Owego, New York. The RAN is the

Airbus has agreed to sell AXIO-NET to Trimble, the company announced on 1 August. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. AXIO-NET provides Global Navigation Satellite System services to several European countries, including Germany and the United Kingdom. ANALYSIS AXIO-NET does not work with any

EVENT At least 1,000 demonstrators protested in Awaday, northeastern Oromo region, Ethiopia, on 31 July, after a government soldier beat a shop owner, local media reported. An Agazi paramilitary unit, predominantly ethnic-Tigray, was deployed to disperse the protesters, resulting in the use of

A group of Argentine Army Aviation officers travelled in late July to the United States to examine and select a batch of surplus UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters that the Argentine government is negotiating to buy, an Army Aviation source told IHS Jane's . Quantities and variants were not disclosed, but

An aircraft repair facility, Avionams, that had been moved to private ownership has been reclaimed by the Bulgarian government, the country's prime minister announced according to a report by the Sofia News Agency published on 2 August. The plant provides servicing for Mi-8/17 and Mi-24 rotary-wing

The People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has decommissioned two Haizhui/Shanghai III (Type 062/1)-class coastal patrol vessels. The platforms, with pennant numbers 1271 and 1273, were retired in a ceremony held by the PLAN's East Sea Fleet on 28 July where the vessels were previously based,

AT LEAST 15 people - including four militants, five civilians and a soldier - were killed and 20 others were wounded when Harakat al-Shabaab al-Mujahideen militants detonated two suicide vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices (SVBIEDs) before launching a small-arms assault on the Criminal

In an effort to allay concerns ahead of the withdrawal of regular troops from Thailand's insurgency-plagued southern border provinces, senior Royal Thai Army (RTA) officials have stressed that the drawdown and related changes in the command structure for counter-insurgency operations will have no

Today's very active Russian navy needs a future equipment programme that can deliver the right ships and submarines, at the right cost, at the right time. Alex Pape considers the sustainability of the navy's equipment plan in meeting this requirement There is something going on in Russia, something

Bangalore-based Wipro Infrastructure Engineering has signed an agreement to acquire Israeli aerospace and defence (A&D) firm HR Givon, it was announced on 1 August. The transaction - the value of which was not disclosed - is subject to approval from Indian and Israeli authorities but is

With the publication of its 2016 Defense White Paper, Japan has expressed "deep concern" over China's actions in East Asia. Released by the Ministry of Defense on 2 August, the 484-page document said the activities of Chinese military aircraft and vessels in the region have been

Lockheed Martin has announced plans to set up a research and development (R&D) facility in Melbourne, Australia. The company said on 2 August that it will invest an initial AUD13 million (USD10 million) over three years into the facility, which will be known as the Science Technology

The US Navy's (USN's) Military Sealift Command's hospital ship, USNS Mercy (T-AH-19), arrived in the port city of Kuantan, Pahang on 1 August, marking the first time that Malaysia has featured as a mission stop in the 'Pacific Partnership' series of humanitarian and disaster response-preparation

Meggitt issued its earnings filing for the first half of the company's fiscal year 2016 on 2 August, with revenue up 11% but statutory operating profit down 51% compared with the same period in 2015. The company had revenue of GBP912 million (USD1.2 billion) for the first half of 2016, up from

Americas

• An MV-22B Osprey has successfully flown with critical components fabricated by 3-D printing. The work was undertaken by the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) which involved the creation of a titanium link and fitting assembly for the engine nacelle of the aircraft. This link and fitting assembly is one of four that secure a V-22’s engine nacelle to the primary wing structure. NAVAIR intends to further expand the usage of 3-D printed components, fabricating six additional parts for the V-22, H-1 and CH-53K.

• While it doesn’t seem so at first, an emerging problem for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is that it is almost too stealthy. Pilots flying the aircraft have discovered that they are unable to participate in certain training exercises such as evading surface-to-air threats. The inability on the ground to track the fighters had to be rectified by crews flipping on their transponders in order to be followed.

Middle East North Africa

• Israel has wheeled out its indigenous Eitan armored personnel carrier (APC) demonstrator. Weighing in at 35 tons, the 8×8 APC will cost nearly half that of new Merkava Mk4-based Namer heavy carriers now in production. Field trials will now commence to assess Eitan’s performance in “varied and complex” conditions and the Ministry of Defense hopes to have it in service within the next five years.

Europe

• A missile explosion at a military installation in northern Ukraine has killed three people, including a NATO representative. The incident occurred last Thursday while a missile was being unloaded from a vehicle. According to local media, the NATO representative was there to oversee the disarmament of Soviet-era weapons.

• Delivery of a South Korean made fleet tanker for the British Royal Navy has now been delayed by seven months. Initially due to enter service in September, the vessel is still undergoing trials with manufacturer Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME). A total of four tankers are to be eventually delivered as part of the service’s Royal Fleet Auxiliary’s Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability (MARS) program.

Asia Pacific

• South Korea’s Hanwha Techwin is to buy out the Thales SA stake in their joint venture, Hanwha Thales, for $257 million. While the deal has yet to be approved by the South Korean government, the sale would result in Hanwha owning Hanwha Thales outright and integrated into the company. The integration will add expertise in command, control, communications, computers, intelligence surveillance, and reconnaissance (C4ISR) systems to Hanwha Techwin, who primarily deal with land systems.

• AM General has been awarded a $356 million contract to provide Humvees to Afghanistan. The deal will see 1,259 M1151 armament-carrying Humvees and 414 M1152 troop carriers delivered, and is part of an earlier released foreign military sales contract which includes deliveries to Iraq, Kenya, Lebanon, Ukraine, and Tunisia. Features found in the models include armor protection, including frag kits, all of of which can be installed and removed in the field.

• BAE and Rheinmetall have both been shortlisted by the Australian government to participate in the second phase of their LAND 400 program. The vehicles offered, AMV35 (BAE) and the Boxer 8×8 (RM), will now be assessed on their mounted combat reconnaissance capabilities. Once selected, the winning company will provide replacements for the Australian light armored vehicle and M113 armored personnel carrier fleets.

Today’s Video

Eitan 8×8 APC:

Russian Admiral Grigorovich Class Frigate