India launches Project 15-A 'INS Kochi'

India's latest addition to the Navy - warship INS Kochi, a Delhi-class destroyer, was inaugurated on Friday. This is the second warship of ‘Project 15-A’, built by Mazgaon Dock Limited. Naval Chief Admiral Nirmal Kumar Verma on Friday said a serious relook at the inefficiencies of Navy is required and an indigenous warship building system needs to be conceptualised. Verma said, "Fluctuating funding in the past has compelled the Navy to resort to (warship) building in abroad, but now there is an...

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Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) to set up 3 joint regional air defense networks

Several members of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) are involved in creating three joint regional air defense structures as part of the CIS integrated air defense network.Members of the Coordinating Committee on Air Defense under the CIS Defense Ministers' Council met in Astrakhan on Wednesday and discussed setting up East European, Caucasus, and Central Asian air defense networks.The CIS integrated air defense network was set up by 10 CIS member countries on February 10, 1995. The main...

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China, Russia to hold anti-piracy naval drills off Somali coast

Chinese and Russian naval task forces currently on an anti-piracy mission in the Gulf of Aden will hold joint exercises on September 18, Xinhua news agency has reported.The exercises, dubbed Blue Peace Shield 2009, will take place in the western part of the Gulf of Aden and include the practice of communications links, simulated missions to identify ships from helicopters, coordinated resupply efforts, and live firing of on-board weaponry.The Chinese task force comprises two missile frigates and...

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Russia to complete overhaul of Indian MiG-29 fighters in 2013

Russia will finish upgrading MiG-29 fighters in service with the Indian air force in 2013, a Russian defense industry source has said.Russia's MiG company signed last year a contract with the Indian Defense Ministry to upgrade over 60 MiG-29 fighters, in service since the 1980s."The implementation of the contract started last year, and it will be fulfilled in 2013," the source told RIA Novosti on Thursday.According to the source, during the upgrade the MiG-29s will be fitted with advanced avionics,...

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Russia to help Cuba modernize weaponry, train military

Modernization of the Soviet-made military equipment and training of Cuban military personnel will be the focus of Russian-Cuban military cooperation in the near future, the chief of the Russian General Staff said on Friday.Gen. Nikolai Makarov arrived on a working visit to Cuba on Monday, met with Cuban President Raul Castro and the country's military leadership, and visited a number of military installations."During the Soviet era we delivered a large number of military equipment to Cuba, and after all these years most of this weaponry has become...

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Zhuk-AE X-band AESA radar offered to India

Russia's Phazotron NIIR corporation said on Thursday it has developed a new-generation airborne radar for MiG-35 fighter jets which participate in the Indian fighter tender.Six major aircraft makers - Lockheed and Boeing from the United States, Russia's MiG, which is part of the UAC, France's Dassault, Sweden's Saab and the EADS consortium of British, German, Spanish and Italian companies - are in contention to win the $10 billion contract for 126 light fighters to be supplied to the Indian Air...

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U.S. Congresswoman to push for F-16 sale to Taiwan

By William Lowther US Congresswoman Shelley Berkley, the Nevada democrat who co-chairs the Taiwan caucus, told a Washington conference on Tuesday that she was preparing to write a letter to US President Barack Obama asking him to sell Taiwan the F-16 fighter aircraft it has requested.A similar letter to former US president George W Bush about a year ago, spurred the White House to announce the last major arms deal with Taipei.Reluctant to anger China — Obama plans to visit Beijing in November —...

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Need to outline Infantry's modernisation: Lt-Gen Singh

Indian Army's Director-General (Infantry) Lieutenant-General Jasbir Singh has stressed on outlining the future modernisation of that Fighting Arm, the other Arm being the Artillery.While addressing a three-day Infantry Commanders' Conference -- which began yesterday at the Infantry School in the nearby Military Headquarters Of War (MHOW) -- the officer said, ''I am confident that the Conference will address lacunae besides honing the Infantry's mobility and striking power.'' An exhibition of weapons and defence equipment is also part of the Conference.The...

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Submarine captain's body recovered off southern Taiwan

The body of a submarine captain who was washed off the conning tower of his vessel by strong waves during a drill two days ago was recovered early Wednesday after an intensive search, military authorities said.The body of Chen Chi-tsung, captain of the submarine Hai Lung, was reclaimed from the sea 3.1 nautical miles southwest of Zuoying naval base near southern Taiwan's Kaohsiung City at 7: 45 a.m., naval sources said.Chen's body was taken to the morgue of a naval hospital where a makeshift funeral hall was set up for his superiors and colleagues...

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Russia welcomes U.S. move to scrap missile plans for Europe

Russia welcomes reports of a U.S. decision to abandon its missile defense plans for Central Europe, and is waiting for official confirmation on the issue, the Foreign Ministry said on Thursday."We are waiting for the reports to be confirmed. Such a development would be in line with the interests of our relations with the United States," a ministry press officer told RIA Novosti.Russia's Vesti news channel cited Czech media earlier on Thursday as saying that President Barack Obama told Czech Premier...

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US Army to Field New Uniforms for Afghanistan

Military.com|by Christian LoweThe Army is set to field new combat uniforms to two battalions in Afghanistan next month in an effort to better equip combat troops fighting in the varied terrain found in that rugged country.For years some Soldiers have complained about the current multi-environment Universal Camouflage Pattern, arguing that the toned down grey and green stood out in desert environments, rocky ridges and forested valleys found throughout eastern Afghanistan, where most Army units now...

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Japan National Police Agency Orders Additional AW139 Helicopter

AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, and Mitsui Bussan Aerospace are pleased to announce that the Japan National Police Agency (JNPA) has ordered another medium lift AW139 helicopter to replace the Chiba prefecture’s AS332L1 helicopter. The selection is endorsement of the popularity of the AW139 and supports the growing views that the multi-role AW139 can perform the mission requirements of older heavier class helicopters. This addition to the JNPA fleet increases the number of AW139 helicopters...

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IAI wins contract to supply aircraft self-protection systems to Israel

ELTA Systems Ltd., a group and wholly owned subsidiary of Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), has been awarded a contract to supply its self-protection systems, Flight Guard, for commercial planes in Israel.Contracts for various customers in Israel and abroad for the self-protection systems are estimated to be valued at tens of millions of dollars, over period of years. This is the only system to be tested and authorized by the Israel Civil Aviation Authority (ICAA).ELTA has been developing, producing,...

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Possible Foreign Military Sale to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

Long-time US Middle East ally Jordan has submitted an impressive wish list of weapons for its armed forces to the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA). The list includes rocket launchers, radios, and Humvees.DSCA said that weapons Jordan wants to buy will provide its armed forces with a long-range precision artillery support capability that will significantly improve US-Jordan interoperability and provide for the defense of vital installations.12 M142 High-Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems...

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Elta's Green Pine Block-B chosen for Missile Defense: South Korea

By Jung Sung-kiThe Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) has selected Israel's Green Pine radar system for the country's independent low-tier missile shield to enter service in the early 2010s.The early warning radar will play a key role in monitoring and tracking incoming cruise and ballistic missiles from North Korea, the agency said Thursday. ``DAPA conducted a final evaluation of both radar systems built by Israel's Elta and the Netherlands subsidiary of France's Thales from Aug....

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India wakes up to Chinese threat

Better late than never! The government has finally woken up to the China threat and its incursions into the Indian territory. Even as National Security Adviser MK Narayanan holds a high-level meeting here tomorrow to take stock of the situation on the Indo-China border, the Indian armed forces claim to be handicapped due to paucity of the latest weaponry needed in the event of any skirmish.Shockingly, as the country’s top most strategic planners finalise India’s response, the forces are saddled with weapons that are of 1970s and 1980s vintage....

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Chinese and Russian 5th-gen fighters could outnumber the F-35

By Greg Grant The U.S. military’s historic dominance of the skies, unchallenged since around spring 1943, is increasingly at risk because of the proliferation of advanced technologies and a buildup of potential adversary arsenals, according to Air Force Lt. Gen. David Deptula, the service’s chief for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. Speaking today at the Air Force’s annual convention in the Washington area today, he provided a wide ranging assessment of what the QDR team is calling...

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Lack of planes to fly brings RAAF top guns down to earth

BY PHILIP DORLINGTheir motto is ''Seek the Heights'', but the latest crop of graduates from the Royal Australian Air Force's elite flying training school are earthbound because the RAAF doesn't have enough planes for them.The Department of Defence yesterday confirmed that 36 RAAF graduates of No2 Flying Training School at Pearce Air Force base in Western Australia would be sitting behind desks because the RAAF lacks aircraft for them to undertake conversion to operational flying.The earthbound pilots constitute nearly one in four of recent graduates...

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Israel Air Force Apache makes emergency landing

The grounded Apache (photo: Avihu Shapira)An Israel Air Force Apache helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing in the Upper Galilee on Tuesday night due to a technical malfunction, the Israel Defense Forces said Wednesday. The chopper landed safely in a field near Kibbutz Gonen. No injuries or damage were reported, and the Air Force has launched an investigation into the incident.The AH-64 Apache is a four-blade, twin-engine attack helicopter for a crew of two.Military sources said that...

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China to unveil new weapons systems in National Day parade

Pictures are courtsy of gordonblade @ CDFFifty-two types of new weapon systems developed with China's own technologies, including airborne early warning and control (AEWC) aircraft, will be showcased at the military parade celebrating the 60th anniversary of the founding of New China.Further cutting-edge weaponry would include sophisticated radar, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and satellite communication devices of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), Lieutenant General Fang Fenghui, general director...

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India to Launch INS Kochi on Friday

India will launch the INS Kochi, a Delhi class destroyer, at Mumbai on Friday by employing for the first time the pontoon-assisted technique.The Destroyer, before its launch at the Mazagon Docks, will be christened by Navy chief Admiral Nirmal Verma's wife Madhulika Verma, a Navy spokesperson said today.The launch technique would help the shipbuilders in overcoming slipway draft constraints which hinder heavier vessel movement into deeper waters for fitting its superstructures such as decks.This technique would permit Mazagon Docks in launching...

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Russia set to finish development of new S-500 air defense system

Russia's advanced S-500 air defense system could be developed in the next few years, the Air Force commander said on Wednesday.The S-500 is currently at the blueprint stage at the Almaz-Antei company and is expected to be rolled out by 2012."This work is in progress...I think this system will appear in the near future," Col. Gen. Alexander Zelin said.The new system is expected to outperform Russia's most advanced S-400 as well as the U.S. Patriot Advanced Capability-3 system.The S-400 Triumf (SA-21...

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Russia to equip four Indian Kilo SSK with Club-S

Russia's Zvezdochka shipyard said on Wednesday it will install Club-S cruise missile systems on four Kilo class diesel submarines in service with the Indian navy in the next five years.Russia has built ten Kilo class submarines for India. Only two of them — the INS Sindhugosh and INS Sindhuvijay — have reportedly been equipped with the Club-S (SS-N-27) cruise missiles to date."The new missile system will be installed on the INS Sindhuratna, INS Sindhuraj, INS Sindhushastra, and INS Sindhuvir. The...

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India to launch Oceansat-2 on Sep 23: ISRO

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) would launch Oceansat-2 satellite, which would help identify potential fishing zones and in coastal zone studies, on September 23 in a mission that would have European flavour. The 970-KG spacecraft would set-off by the home-grown Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) from Sriharikota spaceport on the east coast, where preparations for the launch are in full swing. "Oceansat-2 is tentatively scheduled to be launched at around noon on September 23," S Satish, spokesperson of Bangalore-headquartered ISRO,...

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Saab celebrates first flight of Gripen D for Thailand

Thailand’s first of at least six Saab Gripen C/Ds has made its first flight from the Swedish manufacturer’s Linköping facility.Flown by a Saab test pilot, the two-seat Gripen D completed its 80min debut sortie on 16 September.“The Royal Thai Air Force will start their training on Gripen in Sweden next year, and the fighters will be delivered to Thailand in 2011,” says Saab.Sweden signed a production deal with Thailand in 2008 to supply the nation’s air force with six Gripens, plus two Saab 340s...

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US authorities impounded the Ukrainian IL78 for Pakistan

The US, far from the public perception and official claims of supplying Pakistan with substantive military hardware, is actually impeding Pakistan’s efforts to upgrade its capabilities. According to inside sources, only recently, the PAF, which has an agreement with Ukraine for the purchase of air to air refuellers, asked Ukraine to send a trainee plane so that the PAF personnel could familiarise themselves with the systems that were expected later. The Ukraine agreed to send the required aircraft...

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