Defence`s Feeds

EVENT In a letter to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) dated 7 April, the Basque separatist group Basque Country and Freedom (Euskadi Ta Askatasuna: ETA) confirmed its intention to unilaterally disarm tomorrow (8 April). In a letter to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) dated 7

Key Points USN's AN/SPY-6(V) AMDR completed its first flight test The test marks the first in a series of planned BMD flight tests for the new AMDR The Raytheon-built AN/SPY-6(V) Air and Missile Defense Radar (AMDR) completed its first ballistic missile defence (BMD) test at the US Navy's (USN's)

Switzerland has agreed to participate in a pan-European defence research project under its 'Framework for Co-operation' with the European Defence Agency (EDA) for the first time, the organisation announced on 6 April. The country will join the EDA's Protection of Autonomous Systems against Enemy

The US military launched what appeared to be punitive strikes against Syrian military targets after President Bashar al Assad's government reportedly used chemical weapons. Officials said late on 6 April in Washington that US Navy Tomahawk land attack missiles (TLAMs) struck Syria's Sharyat

The Islamic State militant group suffered a series of significant military setbacks in March, paving the way for an assault on Al-Raqqah city, Syria: the 'capital' of its self-declared caliphate. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) militia has cut the road that runs down the north or

Boeing has released details of its first quarter aircraft deliveries, showing a slight slowdown in military platform handovers. Several of the company's aircraft were delivered in smaller numbers compared with the same period in 2016, with lower new AH-64 Apache attack helicopter completions and

Key Points The completion of the bases represents an incremental increase of interstate war risks between China and regional states such as the Philippines, Vietnam, and Malaysia, each of which have competing territorial claims over the islands in the South China Sea. The completed construction

Key Points The Indonesian Marine Corps is preparing a formal request to reallocate funds originally set aside for BTR-4 APCs Other platforms being considered include amphibious vehicles from Russia, Turkey, and South Korea The Indonesian Marine Corps (Korps Marinir: KORMAR) is preparing a formal

The new Mali-based jihadist front, Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), on 5 April issued a list of 11 priority target countries, singling out France as the "historic enemy of Muslims". In comments carried by the Mauritanian news agency al-Akhbar, the group's leader, Iyad ag

Key Points Russia may be carefully building and protecting international co-operation and partnerships in the Arctic region Russia may be looking to rely on foreign investments and technological co-operation to protect its Arctic interests During a discussion by global leadership on security in

Australia and Indonesia are preparing to boost their defence science and technology partnership, the Australian Department of Defence (DoD) has confirmed to Jane's . The two countries' defence technology relationship is set to expand following meetings in November 2016 between Dr Alex Zelinsky,

China is set to introduce a new unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for military use to the international market in 2018, the state-owned China Daily newspaper reported on 5 April. Described as a strike-capable reconnaissance UAV, the TYW-1 is expected to make its maiden flight in September this year and

Saab Dynamics has been awarded a SEK3.2 billion (USD358.5 million) contract by the Swedish Defence Material Administration (FMV) for the development and production of a new, next-generation RBS15 anti-ship missile to equip the Royal Swedish Navy's Visby-class corvettes and Swedish Air Force JAS

On 5 April Germany's defence minister, Ursula von der Leyen, inaugurated the Bundeswehr's new cyber and information space command, called CIR (Kommando Cyber- und Informationsraum), in Bonn, calling it a "historic day for the Bundeswehr and a milestone for Germany's security and defence

The United Kingdom has conducted no strikes against the Islamic State using its General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) over the previous month, the latest update from the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has shown. According to the update posted on

According to Naval Sea Systems Command, Huntington Ingalls Industries- (HII-) built future Flight IIA Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Ralph Johnson (DDG 114) is 90% complete with alpha/bravo trials planned for 5 June 2017. HII-built future USS Paul Ignatius (DDG 117) is 66%

Americas

• Raytheon has tested a new electric gun that allows varying rates of fire for the Phalanx Close-In Weapon System. The gun has been designed to replace the Phalanx’s pneumatic motor, compressor and storage tanks, resulting in a 180 pound weight reduction. Testing conducted aimed to validate if the gun could handle the platform’s heavy vibrations. Capable of firing 75 rounds a second, the new gun also possesses a larger magazine, allowing operators to fight for longer.

• Lockheed Martin subsidiary Sikorsky will proceed with low-rate production of the CH-53K King Stallion since the helicopter has received a Milestone C status by a US Defense Acquisition Board review. A total of 200 CH-53Ks are to be acquired by the US Marine Corps. The first six aircraft are under contract and are expected to be delivered starting next year. Long-lead procurement of parts and materials for the first two low-rate initial production helicopters is underway. The King Stallion is capable of lifting three times as much as its predecessor, the CH-53E, and can carry as many as three external loads at the same time.

• Brazil has expressed interest in the purchase of Pantsir S-1 air defense and artillery systems from Russia, according to Russian state media. Earlier attempts at a deal for the platform took place in 2013, but contracts were never signed, while more recent talks in 2016 were suspended due to domestic political troubles in Brazil. Talks were revived, however, during the LAAD 2017 international arms exhibition in Rio de Janeiro. Also in the running is the AV-MMA medium-range air defense system built by MBDA Systems.

Middle East & North Africa

• Critical Solutions International (CSI) has been contracted $132 million by the US DoD to provide Husky second-generation systems with related equipment and services to Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. The US firm has partnered with the South African company DCD Protected Mobility to make the Husky family of mine-detection vehicles a US government program of record. The second-generation Husky 2G can accommodate two operators rather than one, making it more appropriate for long-duration route-clearance missions, and comes with ground-penetrating radar and other sensors in order to detect explosive devices.

Europe

• MBDA has successfully conducted air carriage and jettison trials of the Sea Venom/ANL anti-ship missile on board the Lynx Mk 8 naval helicopter, leading to a de-risking of the integration process of the missile on both the Lynx and Super Lynx helicopters for the export market.Testing took place in March at the Larkhill Range at Boscombe Down and involved two Sea Venom missiles fitted with telemetry kits. Sea Venom/ANL has been developed to deliver an enhanced capability to replace existing and legacy systems such as the UK-developed Sea Skua and the French-developed AS15TT anti-ship missiles.

• Norway is moving ahead with procurement of five P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, according to a press release by Minister of Defense Ine Eriksen Søreide. The $1.16 billion deal will see the aircraft delivered to Oslo between 2022 and 2023. Speaking on the purchase, Søreide stated that it was “underlining Norway’s allied commitment to spending on defense capabilities vital to both NATO and Norway.” The P-8 Poseidon is equipped with sensors and weapons bays for search and rescue, anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface warfare.

• The UK Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) has received the first of their delayed Tide-class tankers in the UK in order to undergo customisation and trials ahead of introduction to service at the end of this year. Built by South Korean firm Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) in partnership with BMT Defence Services, the RFA Tidespring was built as part of a $562 million deal to deliver four 39,000-tonne-displacement Tide-class tankers under the Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability (MARS) Tanker project to replace now-retired Leaf- and Rover-class single-hull tankers. The design of the Tide-class ships has been optimised for the support of carrier operations.

Asia Pacific

• Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) has posted revenues of $2.6 billion for FY year ending March 2017, as well as orders worth $3.25 billion. During the year, HAL produced 12 Sukhoi Su-30 MKI aircraft, 24 Dhruv helicopters, and 178 aerostructures. They also conducted overhaul work on 197 aircraft and helicopters, as well as 473 engines. Orders include 12 Do-228s for the Indian navy, 32 Dhruvs for the navy and coastguard, and AL-31FP engines for the air force’s Su-30 MKIs.

Today’s Video

• The Husky Mk III 2G:

Boeing has received a contract worth $2.2bn to produce and deliver a minimum of 17 P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, including 11 for the US Navy, four for the Royal Australian Air Force, and two for the UK.

iX Cameras of Woburn, Massachusetts, US, and Rochford, UK, a leading developer and manufacturer of high-speed imaging cameras, announces recent sales success in China.

The US Marine Corps' (USMC) CH-53K King Stallion programme has successfully passed its Defense Acquisition Board (DAB) review and attained a Milestone C decision.