Defence`s Feeds

MBDA announced annual results for 2015 on 17 March, revealing orders worth EUR5.2 billion (USD3.9 billion). This record high was achieved mainly thanks to the Rafale and FREMM contracts signed by Egypt and Qatar. For the fourth year in a row export orders, at EUR3.6 billion in 2015, have far

The first pre-production batch of Mikoyan MiG-35 (Fulcrum-F) multipurpose fighter aircraft will start undergoing flight tests this year, Sergei Korotkov, the CEO of the MiG Aircraft-Manufacturing Corporation (RSK MiG), said on 17 March. The RSK MiG CEO did not specify how many MiG-35 fighter jets

Key Points Closer military and trade co-operation between Turkey and Ukraine aims to balance Russian military presence in the Black Sea and to mitigate the downside economic risks caused by their respective hostilities with Russia. A bilateral FTA is likely by the end of 2016. Increased Turkish

Ukraine's Motor Sich is offering a number of indigenously developed enhancements for the Ukrainian army's Mi-8 MSB-V medium multirole helicopters, which are aimed at addressing threats posed by anti-aircraft weapon systems employed by pro-Russian separatist militants in the contested eastern region

Suspected militants from Islamic State's Wilayat Tarabulus attacked Zliten prison in Libya's Tripolitania region on 17 March, helping an estimated 60 inmates to escape the facility. There were no reports of casualties as a result of the attack, which reportedly involved the firing of a

Officials from China's defence industry are claiming that their latest airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) system, the Kong Jing (KJ)-500, is an "indigenous" Chinese product. Statements to that effect by Xiong Qunli, chairman of one of the country's largest and fastest-growing

IN A STATEMENT released on 14 March, a police spokesman alleged that two Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) militants killed in the Bin Qasim Town area of Karachi in Pakistan's Sindh province on 12 March had been planning to conduct a suicide attack targeting the Drigh Road Railway station

The first Russian combat aircraft began leaving Syria on 15 March a day after President Vladimir Putin announced the withdrawal of some Russian forces in Syria. Videos released by the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) and various media channels showed three Su-34 strike aircraft, eight Su-25s in

President Vladimir Putin confirmed on 17 March that Russian special forces, artillery, and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) units have been operating in Syria. In a ceremony held at the Hall of the Order of St George in the Kremlin, Putin presented medals and decorations to 17 service personnel,

Key Points Envoy translates existing software code and requires no hardware upgrades to the aircraft Raytheon is now developing Envoy to fit on a circuit card thus improving SWaP Raytheon has developed software that will enable legacy aircraft such as the F-18 Hornet to carry and deploy modern

Key Points If international efforts to control the migrant problem in the Aegean Sea are not successful, in excess of 300,000 refugees and migrants could be trapped in Greece by early June 2016, raising the risk of domestic social upheaval. The Greek economy is unable to bear the cost of policing

Swiss firm RUAG reported its results for 2015 on 17 March, with sales down 2% for the year compared to 2014 but earnings climbed 21%. The company said that ongoing embargoes on arms exports to the Middle East hampered sales, and the results were also impacted by improvement in the exchange rate of

Large numbers of personnel continue to flow into east Ukraine from Russia, according to the Chargé d'Affaires of the United States' mission to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). In an address to the OSCE in Vienna on 17 March, the wording of which was obtained by

Russia's defence industry has started testing the 3M22 hypersonic missile of the 3K22 Tsirkon (lit: Zirkon) missile system, a defence industry source told news agency TASS on 18 March. "The hypersonic missile development programme has reached the stage of flight tests; they have begun,"

The US Marine Corps' (USMC) two F-35B Lightning II aircraft have conducted an aerial refuelling mission with a KC-130J Super Hercules, during a training flight over Southern California.

The German Navy's P-3C Orion aircraft has joined forces with Operation Atlanta's maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft (MPRA) in Djibouti.

A US Navy Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine deployed to Submarine Group 10 fired three Trident II D5 missiles marking the conclusion of a follow-on commander's evaluation test (FCET).

Klein Marine Systems, a subsidiary of Mitcham Industries, has partnered with Elbit Systems to conduct structured mine countermeasure (MCM) exercises in the Mediterranean Sea.

MBDA has announced the successful completion of the pre-delivery trials of its SIMBAD-RC firing post.

Americas

• The USMC is to receive upgrades to their Amphibious Assault Vehicles (AAV) as their replacement, the Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV), will not be operational until the 2020s. 392 AAV7A1s are to receive an extensive survivability upgrade in a $194 million contract. The USMC has found that AAVs have been vulnerable to improvised explosive devices (IED) and other weapons when operating in Iraq and elsewhere. Improvements to be made include flat-sided buoyant ceramic armor panels, new shock-mitigation seats, replacing benches in older AAVs, and a new transmission, increasing the vehicle’s top speed.

• Raytheon has been awarded a $573 million contract for the production and supply for Lot 30 of the AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air to Air Missiles (AMRAAM) and other AMRAAM system items to the USAF. Work is expected to be completed by February 28, 2019. The USAF contract follows the $95 million Foreign Military Sale of the missile to Indonesia earlier this month, and marks continued sales of the advanced missile for Raytheon. Since December 2014 the Air Force has placed AMRAAM missile orders with Raytheon worth more than $1.5 billion.

• A new weapons kit system for Black Hawk helicopters are in the works according to officials from Sikorsky. The move comes as the company is looking at adding some versatility to the utility helicopter in order to cater to market needs and increase desirability to foreign markets. The US military may not be interested in such kits, instead preferring separate attack and utility helicopter fleets, but the strategy may appeal to global markets looking to get the best value for their money. The announcement marks a proactive move by Sikorsky to exploit potential markets and new opportunities, likely influenced by new parent company Lockheed Martin.

Middle East & North Africa

• Negotiations between Russia and Egypt over communications equipment for the Egyptian Navy’s two new Mistral-class helicopter carriers is progressing well. The French made vessels initially intended for Russia had several armament, command-and-control, navigation systems, as well as radio and electronic equipment taken out in accordance with the terms of the cancellation of the sale. The Egyptians now seem to be turning to Russia to help provide these systems, after purchasing navalized Ka-52 helicopters from Moscow. It’s believed that Cairo is seeking radio and electronic equipment worth at least $1 billion USD to equip and operationalize the carriers, amounting to a nice chunk of money for Russia.

Europe

• The German Air Force may look to acquire additional transport aircraft alongside its procurement of Airbus A400Ms. Sources within the government and military have denied that the new buys are in relation to ongoing problems with the A400M; however, as many as ten new aircraft may be purchased. Potential models for the Germans could be Lockheed’s C130 Hercules, as the A400M is too wide and heavy to land on some runways.

• Norway’s Kongsberg has bought a 49.9% stake in Finnish company Patria in a deal worth $307 million. The new industry partnership will be seen as a significant strengthening of the Nordic defense industry. Kongsberg will benefit from Patria’s 50% stake in the Norwegian ammunition manufacturer Nammo, and Patria’s extensive experience of the aircraft composite industry, namely for their work on the Airbus A400 and the NH Industries NH90 helicopter.

• As of January 2017, Finmeccanica will be known as Leonardo. The rebrand of the Italian aerospace and defense giant was announced alongside a strong financial performance for 2015, ending half a decade of financial and legal turmoil. 2011 saw a net loss of more than $2.6 billion in heavy losses in power and road and rail in addition to an $848 million write-down against defects in fuselage sections and horizontal stabilizers supplied to the Boeing 787. However, for 2015, revenue was up 1.8% to $15.6 billion, and profit before interest and taxes soared 48% to $1.36 billion; return on sales increased by 1.6%, to 9.3%.

Asia Pacific

• The March 7 test by the India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) of a K-4 submarine launched ballistic missile (SLBM) has been successful. The missile was launched from a submerged pontoon in the Bay of Bengal. The missile was ejected from the launch tube underwater, ignited its engines, and proceeded to hit its target. The 10-metre tall two-stage missile has a launch weight of 20 tonnes can strike a target 3,500 km away. It is capable of carrying more than 2,000 kgs of warhead, both conventional and nuclear.

Today’s Video

• The GaN-based AESA radar technology in Raytheon’s Patriot system: