Dhruv helicopter of Indian Air Force crash-lands

An advanced light helicopter Dhruv of the Indian Air Force crash-landed in Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer district while rehearsing for the ‘Vayu Shakti’ air power show to be held there on Sunday.The helicopter was part of the Sarang helicopter display team of the IAF and was rehearsing for Sunday’s air show, when the incident occurred, IAF officials said here.“Both pilots are safe after they had to make a controlled crash-landing due to loss of power in the chopper,” they added.  ......   ..................hi...

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India, China pilots may train at Ukraine base

In a strange twist of fate, a former province of the then USSR — Ukraine — is emerging as the likely meeting point for naval aviators from India and China as the two countries try to rapidly acquire the capabilities to build and operate aircraft carriers of the future. A small aircraft carrier training base on the Crimean peninsula in Ukraine is the most sought after training facility for both countries that are planning to induct modern aircraft carriers in the next five years.While India, which has been operating aircraft carriers for the past...

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Israel Air Force expands training for rapid refueling

Long-range destinations like Iran would necessitate risky practice.In preparation for long-range missions and possible conflict with Iran, the Israel Air Force has expanded its training programs to include rapid refueling operations on runways.It’s a dangerous practice since the aircraft’s engines are running while the fuel nozzle is still connected to the jets. The training is for both pilots and ground crews and it is being done to enable the aircraft to carry as much fuel as possible for long-range missions.Fuel nozzles are traditionally disconnected...

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IAF to procure 181 basic trainer jets

The Indian Air Force has initiated the process to procure 181 basic trainer jets for training its rookie pilots, the Government said today."Request for Proposals have been floated for procuring 75 basic trainer aircraft on multi-vendor basis and 106 aircraft will be built by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)," Defence Minister A K Antony said in written reply to Rajya Sabha.The IAF is procuring these aircraft for replacing the fleet of HPT-32, which were grounded after a fatal air crash on July 31 last year..........................Full S...

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Australia confirms order for seven CH-47F Chinooks

Australia has approved the purchase of seven Boeing CH-47F Chinook helicopters for A$755 million ($670 million).The first two helicopters will enter service in 2014 and all seven will be operational by 2017, says the Australian Government. The helicopters will replace the Australian army's six older CH-47D helicopters."These new helicopters will give the Australian Defence Force (ADF) a robust, deployable medium-lift helicopter capability out to 2040," says Australia's defence minister John Faulkner...............................Full St...

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Russia to provide Lebanon with choppers

Al-Nahar reports Lebanese president signed military cooperation deal with Russian counterpart Lebanese President Michel Suleiman returned Friday from a two-day visit to Moscow and announced Russia had agreed to provide his country with Mi-24 helicopters, Al-Nahar reported. Russia announced in December of 2008 that it would provide Lebanon with 10 Mig-29 type planes, but Suleiman asked instead to receive the state of the art military choppers and the advanced missiles they carry. The first Lebanese president ever to visit Moscow, Suleiman...

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UAE talks jeopardize Canada's Mideast base

The United Arab Emirates has increased pressure on Ottawa in its efforts to get additional landing rights for its commercial airlines by tying a direct link between a positive outcome to those talks and the continued operation of Canada's forward operating base in the Middle East.A senior government official has confirmed to the National Post that UAE officials have made it clear to their Canadian counterparts that if Emirates and Etihad Airways are not granted additional access to the Canadian market, the renewal of Canada's lease on its "Camp...

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"First-cut Analysis" of Australia's Future Fighter Needs

Titled "A Preliminary Assessment of Inhabited Platforms for AIR6000" and written by the DSTO's Graeme Murray and David Carr, the study is significant because it is one of only a handful of studies that looked at alternatives to the JSF.The government plans to buy 100 JSFs for $16 billion in what will be the largest Australian defence purchase in history.The study favours the JSF over other options and is blunt about the shortcomings of Australia's other fighter options. It describes the US F-16 used by the US Air Force as having a weak airframe...

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IAF to hold first ever day-night fire power demo

For the first time ever, the Indian Air Force will showcase its prowess and capability of precision strikes during day, dusk and night at the fire power demonstration (FPD) at the Pokhran ranges in Rajasthan on February 28. To be witnessed by the President Pratibha Patil, the demonstration codenamed ‘Vayu Shakti – 2010’, will be a collective display of skills and accuracy in weapons delivery by pilots at the end of their training year. It also aids commanders and planners to gain better insight into the potential and development capabilities of...

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Pakistan Army helicopter makes crash landing in Haripur

An Army helicopter made a crash landing due to technical fault during a routine flying near Tarbela last night. According to ISPR, one crewmember embraced Shahadat, while three others got injured. The injured were evacuated to CMH and their condition is stable. GEO...

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Indian Air Force grounds 100 MiG-27s

After a fatal crash near Siliguri last week, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has grounded its fleet of nearly 100 Russian-origin MiG- 27 fighters on suspicions of a major engine snag. All five squadrons of the ground attack fighter, deployed primarily in the western and eastern sectors, have been confined to the ground since the February 16 crash in which a Squadron Leader was killed. Engine trouble is a known problem in the MiG-27 fleet with crashes in the past being attributed to defects in the R 29 engines of the aircraft. More worryingly, the initial...

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Ukraine to start modernization of India's An-32 planes in March

Ukraine will start upgrading military cargo planes for the Indian Air Force in March. The first Indian Antonov An-32 airplane is expected to arrive in Kyiv in early March to undergo modernization at the Antonov Design Bureau, an industry source told Interfax-Ukraine. Then a mass modernization program will be launched at Kyiv-based Civil Aviation Plant No. 410. The modernization program will include efforts to prolong the airplanes' service life to 40 years and to increase their commercial payload from 6.7 tonnes to 7.5 tonnes, the source said....

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South Korean Navy to Receive New P-3CK Maritime Patrol Aircraft

The Navy will acquire the first three of the eight planned P-3CK maritime patrol aircraft from Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) after a delay of nearly one and a half years due to systems integration and redesign problems.The last hurdle for their delivery was cleared earlier this month as the U.S. government approved export restrictions on key electronic warfare equipment for the P-3CK, according to KAI and Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) officials. The P-3CK is one of the new variants of the U.S. P-3 Orion maritime aircraft...

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India, France to finalise upgrade of Mirage jets in Rs 10,000 cr project

India and France are now finally close to inking the around Rs 10,000 crore project to upgrade the Mirage-2000 fighter jets in the IAF combat fleet after protracted negotiations. The first four to six IAF Mirages will be upgraded in France, while the rest 50 will equipped with new avionics, weapon and sensor suites to enhance their combat edge by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd in India under transfer of technology in the project. "It (the project finalisation) should happen shortly,'' IAF chief Air Chief Marshal P V Naik told TOI on Monday. This...

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Chief of Staff of UAE Armed Forces Visits South Korea

Lt. Gen. Hamad Mohammed Thani Al Rumaithi, chief of staff of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) armed forces, arrived in Seoul on Feb. 22 for a four-day visit, the Ministry of National Defense said.The visit by the UAE military leader comes amid high expectations here that the two countries could resume talks on the sale of the T-50 Golden Eagle supersonic trainer jet, jointly built by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) and Lockheed Martin.Last month, it was revealed that the Emirates had reopened talks...

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U.S. says Taiwan Air Force Needs Help

Taiwan's fighter jets would fall short in combat against military rival China, the U.S. government said in a report on Monday that could lead to new weapons sales sure to anger Beijing.Many of Taiwan's roughly 400 combat aircraft would not work in action due to age and maintenance problems, while protection of the island's airfields little more than 160 km (100 miles) from China was a major issue, the U.S. government's Defense Intelligence Agency said in the report, released in Taiwan..........................Reute...

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Malaysian Air Force's MiG-29N jet fighters will not be Grounded as Planned

The MiG-29N jet fighters will not be grounded as initially planned but will be used for at least another five years.Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the earlier plan was to decommission the aircraft and sell them to Third World countries.However, after taking into consideration the current economic situation, the Government decided to shelve that plan, he said.”We have decided to continue using 10 of the 16 MiG-29N jet fighters after sending them for repairs and upgrading,” he said.Six of the aircraft have already been decommissioned,...

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Iran to build two new uranium enrichment plants concealed inside mountains to avert air strikes

Iran said on Monday it is considering plans to build two new uranium enrichment plants concealed inside mountains to avert air strikes, drawing condemnation from the United States.The announcement from Iran's atomic chief Ali Akbar Salehi came soon after top US General David Petraeus warned that Washington would now pursue a "pressure track" against Iran to thwart its galloping nuclear programme."Inshallah (God willing), in the next Iranian year (starting in March) as ordered by the president we may start the construction of two new enrichment...

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US to Purchase Sikorsky S-61T Helicopters for Use in Afghanistan

Sikorsky Aerospace Services announced today at Heli-Expo that the U.S. State Department has entered into an IDIQ (indefinite delivery-indefinite quantity) agreement to purchase up to 110 modernized S-61 aircraft for passenger and cargo transport missions in support of its worldwide operations. Delivery of the first four modernized S-61 aircraft will support missions for the U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan. Sikorsky Aerospace Services (SAS) is the aftermarket division of Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp..........................................Full...

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Poland grounds Hercules fleet after Afghan mishap

Poland has grounded its two Lockheed Martin C-130Es following an accident in Afghanistan on 5 February.Sources say aircraft "1506" suffered structural damage after its crew performed a 4g manoeuvre to avoid a collision with a mountain and struck tree tops. The incident is believed to have followed false indications from flight instruments, they claim.On loan to Poland since last November, the centre fuselage, wing root area and one underwing fuel tank of the US Air Force-owned aircraft were damaged,...

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Two US Army Pilots Killed in Helicopter Crash in Iraq

Two American Army pilots were killed yesterday in a helicopter crash on a base in northern Iraq, the US military said.The military said there were no enemy forces present and no hostile fire reported. It said the accident was under investigation, and the pilots’ names were being withheld pending notification of relatives.The deaths raise to at least 4,378 the number of US military personnel who have died in Iraq since the war began in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count. The United States is preparing to withdraw combat forces from...

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Chinese have proposed a 2010 rebuff to Cobra Gold

In early February, 6,000 U.S. marines and sailors staged the planet’s largest war games in Thailand, which hosted two weeks of beach storming, mock hostage rescues and live-fire drills.This 29-years-running exercise, called “Cobra Gold,” is America’s largest display of military might in Asia. It is also the envy of Chinese generals, who now have their own plans to play war in U.S.-allied Thailand.The Chinese have proposed a 2010 rebuff to Cobra Gold: an all-expenses paid buffet of air, naval and land drills throughout Thailand’s jungles and coasts....

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India-China aerial war games in 2012:Indian Air Force Chief

India-Chinaair forces  will stage their first joint war game in 2012, the Indian Air Force (IAF) chief said Monday.'The planning has commenced. We are expecting political approval soon. In all probability, the exercise will be conducted in 2012,' Air Chief Marshal Pradeep Naik told reporters here.With this, all three wings of the armed forces would have engaged in joint exercises with their Chinese counterparts.The Indian and Chinese navies had initiated the process in November 2003, holding their first joint exercise off Shanghai. Subsequently,...

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Germany to Deploy Heron 1 UAVs to Afghanistan

By THOMAS NEWDICK With the first German Air Force UAV crews trained in Israel, Germany is preparing to send the first of its Israeli-supplied Heron 1 to Afghanistan by March, Luftwaffe officials said.The German Air Force's first eight UAV operators completed training in January as aerial vehicle and payload operators. Luftwaffe personnel and German civilian maintainers have received training on the Heron 1 platform in Israel since late 2009.....................DefenseN...

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South Korea Releases RFP For UCAV

By Bradley Perrett South Korea’s technologically ambitious defense ministry aims to test a scaled demonstrator for a stealthy combat drone by 2013, extending the country’s expertise in unmanned aircraft and hedging against cancellation of the KF-X fighter program.With this project, South Korea will be within 10 years of Britain and Germany in flying substantial development hardware for unmanned combat aircraft. South Korea may be ahead of Japan, which has announced no such development effort.Korea...

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Indian Airforce MiG-21 crashes in West Bengal

Indian Air Force MiG-21 Fighter jet crashed soon after take-off from Bagdora in West Bengal on Friday but the pilot ejected to safety, an IAF spokesman said. "The aircraft crashed around 3pm soon after take-off and the pilot, squadron leader Rahul Tiwari, ejected safely," the spokesman added. "The pilot was picked up by an SAR (search and rescue) helicopter and has been taken to hospital," the spokesman said. This is the second crash of an IAF fighter in three days. A MiG-27 had crashed near the Hashimara air base, also in West Bengal, on Tuesday.  According...

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Saudi Arabia Buys MBDA Storm Shadow Cruise Missile for Tornado Strike Aircraft

By andrew chuter Saudi Arabia has signed a deal to acquire the Storm Shadow cruise missile from European weapons builder MBDA as part of a Tornado strike aircraft update package, said industry sources here.The weapons package also includes the Brimstone anti-armor missile, they said. Saudi aircraft being modified at BAE's Warton aerospace complex in the U.K. was photographed taking off on a test flight carrying a Storm Shadow..........................Defense N...

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AgustaWestland and Tata Form a JV for Final Assembly of AW-119 Helicopters in India

The Italian based AgustaWestland and Tata have signed a Shareholders’ Agreement for the formation of an Indian joint venture (JV) company for the launch of a final assembly line for the AW-119 helicopters. The joint venture (JV) company will be responsible for final assembly, completion and delivery of AW-119 helicopters. The first AW-119 helicopter is scheduled to be delivered by this joint venture in 2011 with estimates to raise the production to 30 AW-119 helicopters per year to meet worldwide...

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Namer ICV Expands Merkava into a Family of Combat Vehicles

The 13th Infantry Battalion of the Golani Brigade was the first Israel Defense Forces (IDF) unit to convert from the T-55 based Achzarit armored infantry carrier to the new Infantry Combat Vehicle – the Namer. With the Merkava tank and new Namer ICV, the IDF is expanding the Merkava platform into a family of combat vehicles, to include a tactical support vehicle, armored MedEvac, an Armored Recovery Vehicle (ARV) and, potentially, future weapons carriers.Namer uses the basic design and components...

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L&T, Raytheon join hands to upgrade T-72 tanks

Larsen & Toubro Limited (L&T) of India has teamed with Raytheon to upgrade Indian Army’s T-72M1 tanks. Raytheon will provide infrared imaging sights and electronics to improve target accuracy and increase overall system lethality of T-72 tank battalions. The Indian company will perform the final integration of fire control system and sensors on the T-72 tanks." Larsen & Toubro Limited (L&T) is the only Indian company in the private sector that is leading a team for the T-72 upgrade program." said M. V. Kotwal, senior executive...

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Iran's navy launches first domestically made light frigate

Iran's navy launched its first domestically made destroyer in the presence of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Friday, Iran's English-language satellite channel Press TV reported.The Jamaran guided missile destroyer, a Mowdge Class vessel, has a displacement of around 1,420 tons and is equipped with modern radars and electronic warfare capabilities, Press TV said.The multi-mission destroyer, which has a top speed of 30 knots, can carry 120-140 personnel on board and is armed with a variety of anti-ship and surface-to-air missiles.The destroyer...

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Advances in PLA C4ISR Capabilities

By: Carlo Kopp C4ISR (Command Control Communication Computer and Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance) systems are a key measure of military capability, and an area in which the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is steadily advancing. Determining how strong PLA capabilities in this area are presents some analytical challenges, as unlike other areas of PLA military growth, C4ISR has received little public exposure. The Chinese military's ISR systems are more easily surveyed due to the wealth of published imagery, but technical detail on most is...

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New Australian Submarine Program Office will be established in March

A new Australian Submarine Program Office will be established in Adelaide in March, Greg Combet, Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science, has announced."The establishment of the joint Australian Submarine Program Office is a vital step towards achieving the submarine output Government expects," Combet said."The idea for a new project office follows discussions between the Navy, the Defence Material Organisation and ASC Pty Ltd on how better results can be achieved. "The Government has made clear to all parties involved in the...

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Sky’s the limit

Beijing’s dismissal of the DRDO’s claims that its missile technology is superior to that of China might provoke knee-jerk patriotism in Delhi. But no one in the world disputes that China is way ahead of India in missilery and military uses of space. By transferring missiles and their production technology, China has also put Pakistan ahead of India. Instead of acknowledging the reality and redoubling the effort to catch up, the DRDO is making extravagant claims. Take, for example, its head V.K. Saraswat’s claim that the Agni-III, with its 3000...

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Akula-II class nuclear submarine to be delivered to India by May

Indian Navy will regain its underwater warfare nuclear capability in the next 60-days with the Russians assuring that the Akula-II class attack submarine the Nerpa would be delivered by mid-May.The assurance that the nuclear submarine would be delivered "strictly on schedule" was given by top Russian shipbuilding officials to the Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, who is to visit New Delhi on a state visit next month. Nerpa has been handed over to the Russian Navy for its sea trials."The 518th project, the Nerpa submarine is currently completing trials...

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China’s Arms Sales to Latin America

By: Cynthia Watson Strengthening China’s military presence in Latin America is one of the many manifestations of Beijing’s increased activity on the international stage. Arms sales is a subset of the Chinese military's growing involvement in Latin America. Yet, Chinese arms sales represent a small portion of its military sales and Latin America's arms purchases from around the globe. In an arms buyer-seller relationship, the benefits of increased sales do not reside exclusively with the seller, which in this case is China. Latin American governments...

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India unveils 5-year military buildup plan against China

Taking the concept of a two front war with Pakistan and China a step further, India has launched an ambitious military buildup plan along the disputed Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China in the state of Arunachal Pradesh, reports Indian media. Indian response, spread over next five years, shall see raising of mountain infantry formations, building up IAF assets, deployment of anti-aircraft Akash missile batteries, besides deploying ballistic missiles capable of striking deep inside the Chinese hinterland. Arunachal Pradesh, claimed by China...

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Sikorsky is eyeing defence deals worth $8-12 billion in India by 2018

Sikorsky Aircraft Corp, an arm of United Technologies, is eyeing defence deals worth $8-12 billion in India by 2018 and plans to manufacture its Black Hawk helicopters locally, a top official said on Wednesday."We are committed to approach the Indian market with the same viewpoint as we approach the U.S. market," the firm's global vice president Steve Estill told Reuters."We are going to bring the Black Hawk here and also manufacture it in India.".............................Reut...

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South Korea Willing to Discuss Participation in U.S.-led Regional Ballistic Missile Defense System

South Korea is willing to discuss its participation in the U.S.-led regional ballistic missile defense system to deter a growing threat from North Korea, a senior defense official was quoted as saying.The U.S. Department of Defense said this month that South Korea is an important U.S. BMD partner and the two sides are discussing the missile defense cooperation in a bilateral framework.Yonhap News yesterday cited a Defense Ministry official as saying, "We are wiling to discuss our participation in a regional MD system in response to the North's...

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RAAF's A330 MRTT on Government hit list

A PROJECT worth $2 billion to provide the RAAF with five Airbus multi-role tanker planes has been quietly added to the Government's feared "defence projects of concern" list. Despite fanfare that a $2.5 billion Collins Class submarine maintenance contract topped the list and a troubled $1.4 billion frigate upgrade was erased, junior Defence Minister Greg Combet refused to confirm European contractor Airbus Military was on the list of shame.Insiders told The Daily Telegraph the project was definitely the latest entrant but for commercial reasons...

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JF-17 Thunder will be formally inducted in of Pakistan Air Force

JF-17 Thunder multirole fighter jet jointly developed by Pakistan and China will be formally inducted in the Pakistan Air Force Today. Fourteen JF-17 Thunder jets will be inducted in the 26th squadron replacing old A-5 ground aircrafts. PAF has used some of these JF-17 Thunders in anti-terrorist missions in Waziristan in the testing and weapons qualification phases.Initially 26th Squadron will be stationed in Kamra before moving to its operational base in Peshawar.  A-5s of 26th Squadron have...

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ISPR confirms Mullah Baradar’s arrest

Tanvir Siddiqi Pakistan on Wednesday confirmed for the first time that it has the Afghan Taliban’s No. 2 leader in custody, and officials said he was providing useful intelligence that was being shared with the United States.Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar was arrested around 10 days ago in a joint operation by CIA and Pakistani security forces in Karachi, US and Pakistani officials said on condition of anonymity Tuesday. The army on Wednesday gave the first public confirmation of the arrest.‘’At the conclusion of detailed identification procedures,...

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Rafael Plans to Start a Joint Venture with Bharat Electronics Ltd

Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd plans to start a joint venture in India with state-owned Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) to develop advanced missile systems. Since the Kargil conflict in 1999, Israel has emerged as the second largest defence supplier to India, with annual sales estimated at $1 billion (Rs4,600 crore).The state-owned firm plans to use its India joint venture facility to source some locally made materials, mandatory for all overseas defence supplies and known as offsets.“This is will be our first joint venture. Part of...

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U.S. arms sales to Taiwan improve relations with China: President Ma Ying-jeou

United States arms sales to Taiwan help to improve the island’s relations with China, President Ma Ying-jeou told a visiting Congressman Wednesday.He told Republican Jim Sensenbrenner that Washington’s recent approval of a US$6.4 billion arms package for Taiwan not only safeguarded the country’s security, but also promoted a peaceful dialogue with China because stable Taiwan-U.S. relations were closely linked to the harmony of the environment between Taiwan and China.Ma said his efforts to improve relations with China had also improved mutual trust...

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UAE want Rafales to be armed with SLAM ER instead of AM-39 missile

France's Dassault Aviation, desperate to find the first foreign customer for its multi-role Rafale fighter, is concentrating on a potential sale of 60 of the jets to the United Arab Emirates.But Abu Dhabi has thrown a wrench in the works by demanding that the Rafales be armed with Boeing's SLAM ER/2 missile instead of the European-made MBDA AM-39 they are fitted to carry.................... United Press Internation...

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US could attack Iran – Russia’s General Staff

The US could deliver a strike on Iran, Russia’s military command said on Wednesday, adding that it will be devastating for the whole world.“The aftermath of a strike against Iran will be terrible not only for Asia but for us and the whole global community also,” said Chief of Russia’s General Staff General Nikolay Makarov at a news conference.He said the US made its stance clear as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Michael Mullen recently spoke about plans to attack Iran.Makarov doubted that Washington could carry out the plan until...

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US ready to supply UAV ScanEagle to Pakistan

  By Sajjad Malik ISLAMABAD: The US is ready to provide the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) ScanEagle to Pakistan to improve its reconnaissance capacity, US Under Secretary of Defence Michele Flournoy said on Tuesday.Flournoy was talking to reporters at the end of her two-day visit to Pakistan.The under secretary’s comments came ahead of an offer by US Defence Secretary Robert Gates, who earlier announced to provide the UAV Shadow, drawing criticism from local media who said the technology...

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ISI and CIA Captures Taliban’s 2nd in Command, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar in a Joint operation

The Taliban’s 2nd in command, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, was captured several days ago in Karachi, Pakistan, in a joint operation conducted by the Pakistani and US intelligence forces, according to US government officials. Only few details of the operation are released so far, but officials said that it had been carried out by Pakistan’s military spy agency, the Directorate for Inter-Services Intelligence, or ISI, and that CIA operative had accompanied the Pakistanis. Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, is described as the most significant Taliban figure...

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Pilot killed in Indian Airforce MiG-27 crash

In yet another crash in IAF, a MiG-27 fighter went down near Siliguri in West Bengal on Tuesday afternoon, killing the pilot, a squadron leader. IAF's MiG-27 combat fleet had hardly flown in 2005-2006 after it was found that their R-29 engines were causing a large number of accidents. From 1971-72 to 2003-04, IAF's consolidated average rate stood at 1.09 accidents per 10,000 hours of flying, roughly translating into the loss of 23 aircraft and the death of 10-14 pilots every year. The crash rate did come down dramatically to around 0.27 accidents...

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MBDA India chief says plans to upgrade India's fighters

European defence group MBDA on Tuesday said it plans to upgrade India's Jaguar and Mirage 2000 fighters and also develop missiles with an India research unit."India is the biggest market for us globally," Loic Piedevache, India country head, MBDA, told Reuters. "We are looking to consolidate our position."...................................Reut...

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USA Concerned about Consequences of Attack on Iran's Nuclear Facilities

The chairman of the US military's Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, said on Sunday he was concerned about the consequences of any attack on Iran's nuclear facilities."The outbreak of a conflict will be a big, big, big problem for all of us, and I worry a great deal about the unintended consequences of a strike," Admiral Mullen said.Apart from saying that "it's pretty hard to be specific about" the issue, the top-ranking US military official did not expand on his comments. Mullen, who was speaking to journalists during a visit to Israel,...

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Bangladesh Navy Orders Two AW109 Power Maritime Helicopters

AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, is pleased to announce the award of a contract by the Bangladesh Navy for two AW109 Power maritime helicopters. The helicopters will be used for a wide range of naval missions including search and rescue, economic zone protection, surface surveillance and maritime security. The aircraft will be delivered in 2011 and will be capable of being operated from the frigate BNS Bangabandhu.The contract also includes a comprehensive training package including VFR/IFR...

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Indian Defence Spending to Hit $50bn

India’s defence spending is set to hit $50 billion over the coming five years as it retires its Soviet products in favour of new military technologies, it emerged on February 14th – the day before the opening of DefExpo-India 2010. The Indian Air Force’s well-documented combat jet requirement for 126 new fighters is set to figure prominently within this spending, but the military is set to revitalize its helicopter and transport forces, too.The Indian Army, meanwhile, has requirements for new armored vehicles, rocket launchers and guns, while the...

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India to Deploy Akash Surface to Air Missiles to Deter China

India plans to progressively base six surface-to-air Akash missile squadrons in the North-East to Chinese fighters, helicopters and drones in the region. Sources say IAF will get eight Akash tactical air defence squadrons by 2015, with the first one becoming operational by 2011 itself, at a cost of over Rs 6,100 crore.  Moreover, the Army is now poised to order two Akash regiments, with six firing batteries each, for around Rs 4,000 crore. India is now raising two new specialised infantry mountain divisions and an artillery brigade for Arunachal...

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Russian PAK FA T-50 jet makes 2nd flight

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No Reason to Stall S-300 Air defence system deal with Iran: Moscow

 Russia sees no reason to stall on the sale of its S-300 anti-aircraft systems to Iran, the Kremlin's powerful Security Council said Sunday, hours before the premier of Iran's adversary Israel was due to visit Moscow."There is a signed contract (to supply S-300 missiles) which we must implement, but deliveries have not started yet," Vladimir Nazarov, deputy secretary of Russia's Security Council secretary, told Interfax news agency in an interview."This deal is not restricted by any international sanctions, because the talk is about deliveries...

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Israeli Heron UAV for Turkey Pass Critical Tests

A batch of Heron unmanned aerial vehicles produced for Turkey by Israel Aerospace Industries and Elbit Systems have passed critical performance tests in Israel.According to Turkey’s top procurement official, Ankara is ready to accept delivery of the drones.IAI and Elbit won the $183 million Turkish UAV contract – of which about $50 million would go to Turkish companies Turkish Aerospace Industries and Aselsan – in 2005 over U.S. rivals. The manufacturing team will pay compensation of nearly $18 million to Turkey for the delays and failure...

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Indian Navy's New Fleet Tanker Launched in Italy

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Reputation of Collins class subs takes a further dive

TWO of Australia's six trouble-wracked Collins class submarines will not return to sea until they have been of action for a total of at least nine years.The revelation is another blow to the reputation of Australia's multi-billion dollar submarine fleet, which has been dogged by problems since HMAS Collins was launched in 1996.It was also revealed yesterday that the federal government is demanding $5 million in compensation from the Australian Submarine Corporation over defects that have kept HMAS Collins incapacitated.Under the contract with the...

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Defect found on Royal Malaysian Navy Scorpene Submarine

The country's sole submarine, KD Tunku Abdul Rahman, suffered a technical defect that prevented it from diving for three months. The problem was fixed last week.The defect forced the RM1 billion plus French-built Scorpene submarine to delay tropical water trials that were scheduled to be completed by the end of January.As a result, builder DCNS SA extended the warranty for the submarine, which was supposed to expire on Jan 25, until May so the KD Tunku Abdul Rahman could complete its trials — the first step to obtaining its Initial Operational...

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Details about Russian Arms Sale to Libya

Russia will supply combat planes, modernize tanks and launch a plant producing Kalashnikov rifles to Libya, a source told Interfax-AVN on Thursday.“The package of contracts signed in Moscow during the visit to Russia by Libyan Defense Minister Yunis Jaber envisages the supply of 12 multi-purpose Su-35 fighters, six Yak-130 combat and training planes, the modernization of 145 T-72 tanks, and also the launch of a plant producing firearms, primarily Kalashnikov rifles of the Ak-100 series,” the source said.The total value of the signed contracts is...

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Netsol bids for Pakistan C2, army digitization project

NetSol Technologies, Inc. "NetSol" (NASDAQ: NTWK) (NASDAQ DUBAI: NTWK), today announced that NetSol Defense Division (NDD), a business unit of NetSol Technologies, Inc., is teaming with a top 5 U.S. defense contractor to jointly respond to Pakistan Ministry of Defense request for proposals. In line with this teaming agreement, NetSol has jointly submitted a bid for the digitization of the Pakistan military forces as well as an automated command and control system.The contract bid, which has been jointly developed and submitted, is estimated to...

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Indian VVIP helicopter deal finally cleared

After several objections from the Finance Ministry on the price issue, the government on Wednesday cleared the purchase of 12 VVIP helicopters that would be used by the Prime Minister, President and other senior government functionaries. The Rs 3,726 crore deal for the Agusta Westland AW 101 helicopters — at Rs 310 crore apiece — was cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) after it was given a final push by the Defence Ministry last month........... Indian Express&nb...

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Indian Armed Forces’ Modernization program to have ‘make Indian, buy Indian’ Policy

The Defence Minister Shri AK Antony today said the private sector will be allowed to play an increasingly greater role in the modernisation of the Armed Forces. Speaking at a meeting of the Consultative Committee attached to his Ministry on the subject ‘Ordnance Factories’, Shri Antony said Defence Public Sector Undertakings alone will not be able to meet all the requirements of the Armed Forces at the pace and time – frame envisaged by the Government. He however, ruled out corporatisation of the Defence arms industry saying “minus corporatisation,...

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DRDO Divided on Failures of Agni-II

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USA Delivers Last Batch of M109A5 Howitzers to Pakistan Army

The United States delivered 48 self-propelled Howitzer to the Pakistan Army on Saturday at the Malir Cantonment in the southern port city of Karachi, the U.S embassy said. The delivery marks the completion of a total purchase of 115 field artillery cannons by Pakistan through the U.S. foreign military sales/foreign military finance program, the embassy spokesman said.The FMS/FMF case was initiated by Pakistan in 2006 and enabled the government of Pakistan to obtain the cannons from the United States at a greatly discounted rate."These field artillery...

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Pakistan Needs Its Own Nuclear Deal For Greater Pakistani Cooperation: WSJ

By C. CHRISTINE FAIR Pakistan terrifies the United States because it is a unique nexus of nuclear proliferation and Islamist militancy. But with success in Afghanistan elusive, Washington needs Islamabad more than ever, and vice versa. The two countries have never been able to achieve a durable relationship based on mutual trust. That could be fixed, however, if the U.S. were willing to consider a radical new approach: a policy centered on a conditions-based civilian nuclear deal. Nuclear cooperation could deliver results where billions of dollars...

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Lockheed Martin In Talks To Sell 6 More Super Hercules C-130J To India

Lockheed Martin  is in talks with the Indian Air Force to sell an additional six Super Hercules C-130J military transport planes, a senior executive at the company's India unit said Saturday."There was an option in the original request for additional six Super Hercules C-130J and we are in dialogue with the Indian Air Force for the addition of those six," Orville Prins, Lockheed's vice president, business development, in charge of India, told Dow Jones Newswires.The company will deliver the first Hercules plane to the Indian Air Force by...

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US, Israel Start Development of New Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle for Arrow-3

By David Eshel  The U.S. and Israel have started development of an upper-stage component to Israel’s Arrow-3 missile defense architecture. Arieh Herzog, director of Israel’s missile defense program, says the main element will be a highly maneuverable exoatmospheric interceptor that zeros in on an incoming missile.The decision to add the component, which will be jointly developed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Boeing, stems from a study conducted in 2006‑07 that identified a need for...

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US Donates Patrol Boats to Pakistan’s Maritime Security Agency

The United States government donated five maritime interdiction patrol boats to Pakistan’s Maritime Security Agency (MSA) at the Karachi shipyard on Saturday, significantly enhancing the agency’s coastal interdiction and patrol capabilities. U.S. Anny Brig. Gen. Michael Nagata, US. Office of the Defense Representative-plIcistan deputy commander, officially donated the 13-meter (42-foot) Fast Patrol Boats to Rekr Admiral Tahseen Ullah Khan, MSA Director General, during a hand-over ceremony in Karac);1i. The event was attended by Mr. Steve Fakan,...

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US May Give Israel C-RAM which will be left in Iraq

Ahead of the United States’s planned withdrawal from Iraq, American military teams have visited Israel to consider the possibility of storing some of the equipment and ammunition that is pulled out in special storage centers at various locations here, according to senior defense officials.According to the officials, the Americans plan to leave a significant amount of equipment in Iraq to assist local security forces. Additional equipment, though, would be transferred to Afghanistan as well as possibly to Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. A security...

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India has Completed Propulsion Design of Cruise Missile 'Nirbhay

India has completed the propulsion system design of its new cruise missile 'Nirbhay' which will have a strike range of 800 kms, DRDO chief V K Saraswat has said."The development of the system is on. We have completed the propulsion system's design. But we have not integrated it.Once we reach the integration stage, we will show it you," he told reporters here last night.Saraswat said the missile is a technology demonstrator.India already has in its arsenal 'BrahMos', a 300-km range cruise missile developed in collaboration with Russia..................

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Russia and Sri Lanka Signed a $300 million Loan to buy Weapons

Russia and Sri Lanka signed a $300 million loan to buy armaments and dual-purpose technology for Sri Lanka's military, Russia's deputy finance minister said. Dmitry Pankin said it is a 10-year loan with LIBOR plus 3.5% interest.According to some sources, the arms deal will cover not only purchases but also extensive repairs of Russian military equipment previously delivered to Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka remains highly militarized after almost 25 years of constant fighting against the Tamil Tiger militants.In May, the Sri Lankan military finally...

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Russia Starts construction 4th Borey-class Nuclear-powered Submarine

Russia has started the construction of the fourth Borey-class strategic nuclear-powered submarine designed to carry the Bulava missile, a shipyard spokesman said on Monday."The work on the sub construction effectively started last year," he said.It was previously reported that construction of the Project 955 Svyatitel Nikolai (St. Nicholas) submarine at the Sevmash shipyard in the northern Russian city of Severodvinsk was delayed from December 2009 until the first quarter of 2010. Russia's newest...

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French-Russian Warship Deal Making Waves Among NATO Allies

By Ahto Lobjakas The French daily "Le Monde" broke the news on February 9: Paris had "agreed in principle" to negotiate the sale of one or more Mistral-class ships to Russia.If the sale goes through, it will be the first deal of its kind between a member of NATO and Russia.Prime Minister Vladimir Putin first voiced Russian interest in buying a Mistral-class ship during a trip to Paris in late November. As he spoke, a Mistral was docked in St Petersburg -- part of a carefully choreographed move...

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Iraq to Recover 895 million $ from France Paid for Mirage F1

Iraq is trying to recover a 651 million euro (895 million dollar) payment to France for a consignment of Mirage F1 fighter planes that were never delivered, the cabinet has said."(A ministerial) committee was recently formed to negotiate with the relevant French parties the recovery of 651 million euros paid in advance under the contract to buy Mirage F1 aircraft that the manufacturers never delivered," the cabinet said in a statement after meeting on Tuesday evening. Iraq used to own 90 Mirage F1s, and signed a contract with France in September...

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Bangladesh wants to buy fighters, helicopters and maritime patrol aircraft

By Leithen Francis Bangladesh has vowed to buy a squadron of new fighters and has resumed efforts to purchase two maritime patrol aircraft.Planning minister A K Khandker, a former chief of air staff at the Bangladesh air force, told the country's parliament that the government plans to buy a squadron of new fighters, plus an air-defence radar system..................................Flightglo...

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Indian Agni-III Ballistic Missile Launch Video

India Test fires Nuclear Capable Agni-III Ballistic Miss...

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Tira Battle Rages as Ambush kill Pakistan Army's Brigadier, 20 others

Three Pakistan Army officials, including a brigadier and a major, were killed and two others sustained serious injuries in a military gunship chopper (Cobra) crash and an ambush on a rescue team that was proceeding towards the Tirah Valley in the troubled Khyber Agency to recover bodies and wreckage of the helicopter. Also, 18 people including Rangers and Khassadar officials were killed in a suicide attack at Wazir Dhand in Jamrud tehsil of the same tribal agency. Pakistan Army spokesman Major General Athar Abbas told The News by telephone that...

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