Defence`s Feeds

Egypt has agreed a deal to buy 46 MiG-29 multirole fighters in a deal that could be worth around USD2 billion, Russian business daily Vedomosti reported on 25 May. The deal is expected to be signed in "the nearest future", according to two sources in the Russian aviation industry cited by

The US Marine Corps' (USMC's) special purpose unit concept continues to evolve as the corps prepares to send its first force package to US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), largely for disaster response. Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force -SOUTHCOM (SPMAGTF-SC) is to deploy about 280 personnel

The US Navy (USN) has selected a name for its 23rd Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarine, as officials announced on 24 May that SSN 796 is to bear the name USS New Jersey . New Jersey will be the fifth Block IV Virginia submarine, to be built under a teaming agreement with Huntington

General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada (GDLS-Canada) is displaying the newly upgraded variant of its venerable LAV III 8x8 infantry fighting vehicle at CANSEC 2015 – the all- Canadian-designed LAV 6.0. The company was awarded a CAD1.06 billion contract in October 2011 to upgrade 550 Canadian

Toronto-based INKAS Armoured Vehicle Manufacturing (Booth 2201) has unveiled the latest in its family of multipurpose armoured personnel carriers: Sentry, a new 4x4 armoured personnel carrier (APC) designed for service with military and SWAT-type forces, and other law enforcement agencies.

One of the most important programmes for the Canadian Forces is the FWSAR (Fixed- Wing Search And Rescue) requirement to replace the de Havilland Canada CC- 115 Buffalo in the SAR role and to relieve the Lockheed CC-130 Hercules of its SAR commitments. There is also a secondary transport

Propelling warships at high speed requires special engines. General Electric (Booth 1721) produces a range of marine propulsion systems based on aero-derivative gas turbines to suit an array of power requirements. GE’s marine turbines span the power range from 4.5MW to 52MW. General Electric

Lockheed Martin Canada Mission Systems and Training is supporting the development of a unique underwater warfare system by Ottawa-based Maritime Way Scientific (Booth 1529). The Lockheed Martin funding initiative will support the continued advancement of Maritime Way’s Sonar

Boeing has been a major supplier to the Canadian forces for many years, the partnership having been established in 1919. For the air force, in particular, Boeing has been a key supplier, the most recent acquisition being the delivery of a fifth C-17 Globemaster III transport in March. The

Training and simulation specialist CAE has announced that its comprehensive suite of CH-147F Chinook training devices has been accepted for service at CFB Petawawa. Elements of the full suite have already begun operation, but now the full suite is ready to go live. Included in the system are a

Ottawa-based Kongsberg Gallium has developed a safety display technology designed to expand the capabilities of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in ordinary commercial use. Kongsberg Gallium provides the geospatial visualisation technology used in several large military drone programmes, and has

Rockwell Collins is reaffirming its commitment to Canada by bringing a wide spectrum of its best technologies to CANSEC 2015. “Rockwell Collins is an innovative systems provider with deep roots in Canada’s manufacturing base,” said Lee Obst, vice president and managing director of

Recent high-profile airline disasters have raised questions regarding how the international aviation community can improve its ability to quickly locate an aircraft after an accident and, importantly, recover the vital ‘black box’ recorders, especially in crashes over water and in remote

Cubic Global Defense (Booth 1231), a business of Cubic Corporation, will demonstrate the latest innovations in game-based training technologies for improved military readiness and education capabilities here at CANSEC 2015. “Cubic is at the forefront of what’s next in game-based virtual

Data Integrity Institute (Booth 1931) is a leader in research and development of technologies for massive and complex data processing based on its own efficient small footprint nanotechnology sorting algorithm, suitable to embed in the new generation of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs)

Smaller, lighter, and with advanced mission capabilities, the Harris AN/PRC-158 Type 1 Multi-Channel Manpack is said to be today’s solution for tomorrow’s warfighter. The Harris Falcon III radio provides enhanced narrow and wideband waveforms, delivering simultaneous high-speed send and

A new helicopter-borne surveillance system has been chosen to protect the Royal Navy’s future Queen Elizabeth Class carriers. The MOD and Lockheed Martin UK, as the prime contractor for Crowsnest, have selected Thales as the chosen bidder to provide the radar

The rise in global demand for offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) can be partly attributed to increased maritime activity, such as illegal offshore fishing and asset protection, while the market has also being bolstered by recent events, including the disappearance of flight MH370 and the M

Americas

• Aerojet Rocketdyne has begun a series of hot-fire tests with the company’s oxygen rich pre-burner engine for the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Hydrocarbon Boost Technology Demonstrator (HBTD) program. The HBTD program aims to provide reusable space flights through the use of a combination of liquid oxygen and liquid kerosene, hoping to fulfil the requirements laid out in the Integrated High Payoff Rocket Propulsion Technology.

• On Tuesday, Lockheed Martin was handed a $69.7 million contract to upgrade two Japanese Defense Force Atago-class Aegis-equipped ships through a Foreign Military Sale. The JDF is reportedly planning on building an additional pair of Atago-class ships, with Lockheed Martin having previously been awarded a contract in support of the class.

• Rockwell Collins was also awarded a $24.8 million IDIQ contract to supply the Navy and Australia with aircraft direction finders, radio tuner panels and high frequency radio shipsets for the P-8A Poseidon, with the contract slated for completion in 2020.

Europe

• Russian arms manufacturer Almaz-Antey, which manufactures the S-300 and S-400 air defense systems, is appealing EU sanctions imposed on the company as a result of Russia’s support to separatists forces in Ukraine. The firm has been banned from selling defense and dual-use technologies to European countries, as well as seeing its assets frozen in western Europe. The company has been on the EU sanctions list since July 2014, as well as the US Treasury’s Special Designated Nationals list.

• Separately, Russian media is reporting that the Russo-Iranian deal for S-300 air defense systems is yet to be finalized, following the signing a decree in April nominally opening the way for the potential sale. With a history of back-peddling and curtailed deals, the future of this latest deal may not be as final as the Russian Foreign Ministry makes out to be.

• Georgia has unveiled a new unmanned attack helicopter, produced by the government’s State Military Scientific-Technical Center. The armed helicopter has a reported range of 280km and appears to be armed with two M134 mini-guns and eight ground attack missiles.

• Germany’s Rheinmetall has signed an agreement with state-owned Kazakhstan Engineering to form a joint venture. Kazakhstan is pursuing an ambitious defense modernization program, with support from Israel, Russia and China bolstered by oil and gas reserves.

• Italy’s 2015 defense budget was released on Tuesday, with a substantial EUR4.9 billion ($5.3 billion) set aside for procurement expenditure. The F-35 has been allocated $634 million, with Italy a Tier Two nation in the multinational program.

Asia

• With India having begun sea trials of the INS Sindhukirti, a recently refitted and modernized diesel-electric submarine, questions have been raised over the extended time (nine years) taken to refit the sub. This lethargic refit has been blamed by the shipyard responsible – Hindustan Shipyard Ltd – on Russian experts deliberately delaying the boat’s overhaul, including insistence on sourcing components from Russia, delaying several processes significantly. The original program called for the refit to take three years. The Soviet-manufactured Sindhukirti has reportedly been fitted with Klub-S missiles – also recently supplied to Vietnam – and new sonar, as well as other new components.

• India is to review its SU-30MKI fleet following the loss of one aircraft earlier this month. The high-level safety audit is a response to not only this latest crash, but the loss of six SU-30MKIs since the Indian Air Force received the first batch in 2002, a high attrition rate for a fighter which comprises roughly a third of the IAF’s fast jet force.

• The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has declared their fleet of Wedgetail AWACS operational, achieving Full Operational Capability (FOC) in light of operations over Iraq. Following a $2 billion December 2000 procurement contract, the fleet of six Boeing E-7A aircraft achieved Initial Operating Capability in November 2012, following setbacks from 2006 onwards in a much-criticised procurement program.

• Separately, the RAAF has demonstrated a satellite data link-enabled video stream between a C-17A and an IAI Heron UAV 2,000km away. The fleet of C-17As was recently equipped with SATCOM and imagery equipment as part of the Australian Defence Force’s Plan Jericho upgrade program.

Today’s Video

• A RAAF video showing the use of the E-7A Wedgetail over Iraq:

JS Kongou
(click to view full)

Lockheed Martin Maritime Sensors and Systems won a $124 million cost-plus-award-fee contract modification to upgrade Japan’s Kongo-Class AEGIS destroyer JS Kongo [DDG-173] to give it AEGIS Ballistic Missile Defense Block 2004 capability. Japan’s Kongo-Class destroyers are based on the USA’s Flight II DDG 51 Arleigh Burke Class, but feature many modifications both internally and externally. The Kirishima itself was posted to the Indian Ocean as part of Japan’s contribution to the war on terror, acting as flagship for the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force.

DID has covered related Japanese contracts, including cooperation with the USA on missile defense and a related $400 million order for naval ABM components and services. Work on this contract will take place in Moorestown, NJ (78%); Baltimore, MD (15%); Eagan, MN (4%); and Aberdeen, SD (3%); and should be complete by November 2007. The project was not bid out, but was rather awarded by the Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, DC under contracting activity N00024-03-C-6110. See also Lockheed release.

May 27/15: Lockheed Martin was handed a $69.7 million contract to upgrade two Japanese Defense Force Atago-class Aegis-equipped ships through a Foreign Military Sale. The JDF is reportedly planning on building an additional pair of Atago-class ships, with Lockheed Martin having previously been awarded a contract in support of the class.