Defence`s Feeds

Recently-released footage shows an unauthorized vehicle being pursued by California Highway Patrol inside Naval Air Station Lemoore, California, in 2016. On the night of Mar. 30 – 31, 2016, a Jeep Grand Cherokee was able to intrude into NAS Lemoore where the vehicle, chased by California Highway Patrol vehicles crashed into the tail end of […]

 

I was back on the Blog Talk Radio show Midrats this week, talking about Russian foreign policy, the military, its relations with the United States and China, and the like. The recording is now available on the show’s website. The show description is as follows:

Episode 457:Russia’s Red Banner Year

From its largest exercise since the end of the Cold War, to Syria, to a revival of covert direct action and  intermediate nuclear weapons as an issue – Russia continues to claw back her place on the international stage.

As we approach the last quarter of the 2018 calendar year, what message is Russia trying to give the rest of the world and what should we expect through the end of the decade?

 

Americas

The US Air Force is ordering a large batch of Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles (JASSMs) from Lockheed Martin. The firm-fixed-price, fixed-price-incentive-fee contract is valued at $390.8 million and covers the delivery of 360 JASSMs, three FMS separation text vehicles and one FMS set consisting of a flight test vehicle, tooling and test equipment. The 2,000 lbs. AGM-158 JASSM is a stealthy, inexpensive cruise missile costing about $1 million per unit. The JASSM is currently integrated on a variety of platforms ranging from B-1B Lancer bombers to F-16 Block 50 fighter jets. Work will be performed at Lockheed’s facility in Orlando, Florida and is expected to be completed by October 31, 2021.

General Dynamics is being contracted to upgrade more Strykers for the US Army. The awarded contract modification is priced at $366.9 million and covers the conversion of several Stryker flat-bottom vehicles to the Double V-hull configuration. The V-hull configuration was the Army’s answer to vehicle’s poor performance during IED attacks. The new design channels blast force away from the vehicle and its occupants thus drastically enhancing soldier protection. The Army plans to acquire 742 Stryker DVH vehicles, as retrofits and as new production vehicles. That’s the full extent of the current plan, which was a major step beyond the program’s initial plan of 450 Stryker DVHs. Work will be performed at GD’s factory in Sterling Heights, Michigan, and is scheduled for completion by April 30, 2021.

Boeing is currently in talks with Brazil’s Embraer to set up a KC-390 assembly line in the United States. This round of talks follows a July agreement between the two companies that resulted in Boeing gaining a 80% stake in the Brazilian company’s commercial business. Boeing and Embraer established agreements in 2012 and 2014 that allow the US firm to have a hand in global marketing and logistics support of the KC-390, but a defense related joint venture would allow for a more intensive collaboration. The KC-390 is designed to be a jet-powered rival to compete with Lockheed Martin’s C-130J. The multi-mission aircraft is capable of in-air refueling operations, cargo transport and SOF deployment.

Middle East & Africa

The government of the United Arab Emirates is ordering more attack helicopters for its armed forces. Boeing will provide the Middle-Eastern country with a total of 17 Apache AH-64E aircraft. The $242.1 million contract modification covers the remanufacture of eight, and the production of nine newly build Apaches by Boeing. The AH-64E Guardian Block III is the platform’s next big-leap forward. The upgraded attack helicopter incorporates 26 key new-technology insertions which keep his 1980s airframe at the leading edge of technology. Work will be performed at Boeing’s factory in Mesa, Arizona. Production of the aircraft is estimated to be completed by February 28, 2023.

Iraq is requesting the purchase of five additional Bell 407GX helicopters to support ongoing counter-insurgency operations. The FMS contract has a value of $82.5 million and is currently pending approval by Congress. The possible deal covers the delivery of all helicopters armed with M240 7.62mm Machine Guns. In addition the order also includes options for five M3P .50 caliber machine guns, five M260 rocket launchers in APKWS configuration and five GAU-19 .50 caliber machine guns. The helicopters would be equipped with MX-15Di EO/IR sensors and RF-7850A secure communications radios. Self-Defense measures include the AN/ALE-47 airborne countermeasure dispensing system and AAR-60 MILDS detectors. Installed systems include the Pathfinder MMS, the ARES WMS and MCAS. The DSCA notes that “the addition of five Bell 407GX helicopters will help compensate for the combat loss of seven IA407 helicopters in recent years and increase the Iraqi Security Forces’ combat effectiveness against ISIS and other terrorist elements in Iraq.”

Europe

Jane’s reports that Swedish defense contractor Saab and Raytheon are currently co-developing a new round for the Carl-Gustaf reloadable weapon system. The new round would be the first guided one for the 84 mm recoilless weapon and is designated as Guided Carl-Gustaf Munition (GCGM). The Carl-Gustaf, which the Army calls the M3 Multi-Role Anti-Armor Anti-Personnel Weapon System (MAAWS), entered service in 1991 and has been a staple infantry support weapon in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The MAAWS has similarities to the AT4 shoulder-fired, anti-tank system. But the MAAWS is unique in that the system itself is not disposable, which means it can be used more than once. Jane’s notes that “the GCGM development is effectively an evolutionary progression of the earlier Saab Ultra Light Munition concept, which, under the teaming agreement with Raytheon, has been matured and defined in terms of capability and performance requirements.”

Northrop Grumman confirms that the Italian Air Force successfully completed operational testing of the company’s Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AARGM). The missiles are integrated on Italy’s Tornado fighter jets. A series of flight tests ended with two direct hits on critical air defense targets, this milestone allows for the transition of the AARGMs into operational squadrons. Italy and the US signed a MoU in 2005 to cooperatively develop the AGM-88E AARGM missile. The AARGM is a medium range, supersonic, air-launched tactical missile whose primary job is to attack and kill enemy radars. Italy currently plans to buy a total of 250 AARGMs.

Asia-Pacific

Japan’s ATD-X (X-2) program is taking a new turn. The Japanese Ministry of Defense is determined to develop a new fighter jet, that will eventually replace its fleet of F-2s. Proposals from three American and British companies failed to meet Japan’s costs and capability requirements, hence the decision to indigenously develop a new fighter jet. The companies made offers to upgrade their existing models, Lockheed for the F-22, Boeing for the F-15 and BAE for the Typhoon. Development of the new aircraft could cost trillions of yen and could be a major financial burden on Japan’s defense budget. To mitigate the overall cost the ministry has an eye on a joint development with foreign companies. The government is looking towards British or German-French partners as they are also looking into developing next-generation jets. Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force currently operates 92 F-2s which will begin to reach the end of their service life in the 2030s.

Today’s Video

Watch: S-97 hits 200 knots

Minnesota-based conglomerate 3M has launched a new lightweight, mid-level protection helmet designed with a night-vision goggle mount and mandible visor at the Association of the United States Army’s annual conference, held from 8 to 10 October in Washington, DC. Named the F70, the helmet

The US Army and the Department of Energy (DoE) are teaming up to develop cell and hydrogen infrastructure-related technologies. On 8 October the Army’s Tank Automotive Research Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) and the DoE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable

The US Army has identified USD25 billion from lower priority programmes to funnel towards its six key modernisation priorities. Service leaders, however, are holding off on disclosing the losers until they send their fiscal year 2020 (FY 2020) budget request to Congress in February 2019. Speaking

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has revealed a new autonomous improvised explosive device (IED) detection system based on its SAHAR family of unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs). The system is “a robotic engineering scout” that “integrates a combination of multiple sensors”

Having introduced its Prepar3D simulation software packages associated with company aircraft for the US Air Force, US Navy, and US Marine Corps (USMC), Lockheed Martin is looking to broaden the technology use for ground systems as well, said Adam Breed, company engineering programme manager.

Oshkosh used this year's US Army annual conference to display a new variant of its Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV) A2, a programme under development for the service. Showing off a FMTV A2 6×6 cargo vehicle, vice-president and general manager for Army and Marine Corps programmes Pat

The proliferation of advanced Russian submarines combined with Kalibr missiles poses a greater threat to major European cities than its other naval platforms and weapons, the most senior US naval officer in Europe has warned. Addressing the Atlantic Council in Washington on 5 October, Admiral James

General Micro Systems (GMS) has partnered with a major cloud services provider to develop a product allowing military users to greatly improve the transmission of full-motion video (FMV) over a constrained network. The unnamed US company’s S1202-HS device would be used in combination with

South Korea’s Jain Technology, a Seoul-based company specialising in ultrasonic liquid and gas flowmeters for commercial and scientific applications, has leveraged its research and development (R&D) experience in high-precision acoustic measurement devices to produce an indigenous acoustic

Bretagne and Normandie, the last two of the French Navy’s six Aquitaine-class FREMM (frégate européenne multi-mission) anti-submarine warfare (ASW) frigates, have been equipped with extended-length vertical launchers to enable them to fire the MBDA Aster 30 area-defence missile, it

Negotiations resumed in Canberra on 8 October between the Australian Department of Defence (DoD) and French shipbuilder Naval Group with hopes of an early break in the impasse over a strategic partnering agreement (SPA) for Australia’s AUD50 billion (USD36 billion) Future Submarine programme.

Australia could only achieve its intended fleet of 12 next-generation submarines before about 2054 by compressing the proposed two-year delivery drumbeat, according to a report by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) think tank released on 9 October. Examining issues involved in the

The US government released a report on 5 October outlining the current state of its defence industrial base, and plans to improve the sector’s resilience. The report, named Assessing and Strengthening the Manufacturing and Defense Industrial Base and Supply Chain Resiliency of the United

Endeavor Robotics has revealed its Centuar robot, the chosen design for the US Army’s widely anticipated Man Transportable Robotic System Increment II (MTRS Inc II) effort. The unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) will be larger than the company’s PackBot offering – it weighs less than

Meggitt has booked its first orders with law enforcement clients for the company’s new FATS 300 multi-screen trainer, and is marketing it as an upgrade or new system for military users, Jay Ayala, a representative for Meggitt’s virtual training systems, told Jane’s ahead of the

Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) has launched the first Soryu-class diesel-electric attack submarine (SSK) for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) to be equipped with lithium-ion batteries. The 84 m-long boat, which has been named Oryu (with pennant number SS 511), entered

Japanese Defence Minister Takeshi Iwaya announced on 5 October that Tokyo has decided not to participate in an international fleet review hosted by South Korea after rejecting Seoul’s request that the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s (JMSDF’s) official flag is not flown at the