Defence`s Feeds

The Myanmar Navy commissioned seven new vessels into service on 24 December 2017, the service’s 70th anniversary. The vessels included an offshore patrol vessel (OPV), named UMS Inlay (54), two 56 m landing craft utility (LCU) vessels (1614 and 1615), as well as four 29 m landing craft tank

Key Points South Korea has retired an Ulsan-class frigate, and two Po Hang-class corvettes Retirement paves way for induction of newer warships, including the new FFX-II platform The Republic of Korea Navy (RoKN) has decommissioned a third Ulsan-class frigate, and two more Po Hang-class

Thales has qualified its Brazilian subsidiary Omnisys for the in-country production of sonar transducers, the company has announced. The transducers produced by Omnisys are intended for the Thales Underwater Systems Kingklip medium-frequency hull-mounted sonar which Jane’s understands is

The United States has agreed the sale to Nigeria of 12 Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC)–Embraer A-29 Super Tucano light-attack turboprops, it was reported on 27 December. The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) received from the US ambassador to the country letters of offer and acceptance for the

The US Department of Justice (DoJ) has obliged Transdigm to divest Schroth Safety Products, 10 months after the company was purchased from Takata Corporation; the latest example in a month of US regulators flexing their muscles by unwinding transactions on competition grounds. Transdigm announced

Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman have been awarded separate contracts by the US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to develop and demonstrate a prototype low-cost autonomous cruise missile under the ‘Gray Wolf’ science and technology demonstration programme. The contracts derive

China Avionics Systems, a listed subsidiary of state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), has issued convertible corporate bonds to raise CNY2.4 billion (USD367 million) to support industrial expansion, it was announced on 27 December. The AviChina Industry & Technology Company

The French government is considering some changes to the status of the island of Corsica, according to comments made by President Emmanuel Macron in an interview with Spanish daily El Mundo on 27 December. The remarks come following the victory of a coalition of two Corsican nationalist

Key Points General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems is to develop and build an advanced permanent-magnet propulsion motor for use in the USN’s LDUUV programme Characterisation and testing will be conducted by Penn State University Applied Research Laboratory The US Office of Naval Research

Jordan’s military is being restructured to replace members of the royal family that hold senior positions with professional service personnel. The commander-in-chief of the Jordan Armed Forces (JAF), King Abdullah II, announced on 26 December that three senior ranking princes are to retire as

The Royal Canadian Navy’s (RCN’s) Resolve-class auxiliary oiler replenishment vessel (AOR) MV Asterix arrived at Canadian Forces Base Halifax on 27 December and will begin at-sea training in the new year. The ship was crewed by 36 Canadian merchant seafarers on its maiden voyage from

Indian corporations Reliance and Hinduja are reportedly looking to form an alliance to develop and build armoured vehicles for the Indian armed forces. News reports in India on 27 December said the partnership will be headed by Reliance subsidiary Reliance Naval & Engineering (RNEL) and Hinduja

South Korean shipbuilder Samkang M&T announced on 28 December that it had been awarded a contract to build a 1,500 ton offshore patrol vessel (OPV) for the Korea Coast Guard (KCG). According to disclosure documents released by Samkang, the contract, valued at KRW60.99 billion (USD56.9 million),

Two recent major reviews of USN policies, procedures, and culture recommend wholesale overhauls of the way it operates. While the reports diverge on some aspects, it’s clear the service is heading for significant changes. Michael Fabey reports The US Navy’s (USN’s) Strategic

Key Points Libyan governance is likely to remain split between east and west, even should elections be held, although the central bank and the National Oil Corporation are likely to maintain their political neutrality. East-west fighting is unlikely to resume on a significant scale, although

Liberia's National Election Commission on 28 December announced opposition leader George Weah the winner of the 26 December presidential run-off election with 61.5% of the vote. The poll, pitting Weah of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) party against current vice-president Joseph