Defence`s Feeds

Chinese export companies have been increasing their participation in Latin American Aerospace and Defence (LAAD) exhibitions over the past several years: a development that was also noticeable at this year's event, held on 4-7 April in Brazil. In an effort to create a collective, corporate image,

Key Points Several visits to the Niger Delta by the vice-president and concession of key demands have signalled an end to a federal government policy of confrontation and armed response. Major concessions to promote Niger Delta development and infrastructure and overtures to a pivotal militant

French state-controlled shipbuilder DCNS has signed a new agreement with its workers which is believes will help it to "quickly regain competitiveness". The corporate agreement - the conclusion of which was announced on 12 April - includes changes to working hours but also a commitment to

French shipbuilder DCNS handed over the fourth Aquitaine-class FREMM (Frégate Européenne Multi-Mission) frigate to the French Navy on 11 April. Auvergne is one of six ships in France's planned eight-ship FREMM programme being configured for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) operations. It

Cash-strapped Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) has agreed measures with employees to facilitate the return of wages and a cut in pay as part of a move to achieve ambitious cost savings and avoid bankruptcy. DSME said on 12 April that approximately 98% of its 10,037 employees have

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA ASI) has demonstrated its MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flying with a radar warning receiver (RWR), the company announced on 10 April, The demonstration, which was flown out of GA-ASI's Gray Butte Flight Operations Facility near Palmdale in

ONE Borussia Dortmund player - 26-year-old Spanish national Marc Batra - was wounded when three improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were detonated as the team's bus was leaving their hotel car park in Hoechsten, just outside the city of Dortmund in Germany's North-Rhine Westphalia state on 11 April,

Analysis of commercial satellite imagery suggests that North Korea's Punggye-ri nuclear test facility is "primed and ready" to carry out the country's sixth overall nuclear test, according to a report published by the 38 North website. Taken on 12 April the images show "continued

The Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) has, for the first time, issued a raft of request for proposal (RFP) documents to the country's private sector to support the procurement of ammunition for the Indian armed forces. The move follows the MoD's decision in late 2016 to allow the private sector to

India's Reliance Defence and Engineering Limited (RDEL) has registered an increase in revenues and slightly narrowing losses for fiscal year 2016-17. The company - formerly known as Pipavav Defence and Offshore Engineering - said in a filing to the Bombay Stock Exchange on 12 April that its total

The Indonesian Navy (Tentara Nasional Indonesia Angkatan Laut, or TNI-AL) has inducted five newbuild KAL 28 patrol craft as non-commissioned vessels to bolster the service's constabulary capabilities, a service official told Jane's on 12 April. The vessels, which were manufactured by Indonesian

Key Points Indonesia has added the Type 214 class to a list of submarine platforms it is now considering Talks are in line with the Indonesian Navy's strategy of diversifying the mix of its future submarine fleet The Indonesian Navy (Tentara Nasional Indonesia - Angkatan Laut, or TNI-AL) has

Key Points Isolated armed maritime incidents between Russian and Ukrainian navy forces and coastguards in the northwestern Black Sea are likely to increase, especially during the court hearing. A Russian military invasion of Ukrainian mainland from Crimea is unlikely, as is an open armed

The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) will conduct joint naval exercises with the US Navy Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group (CSG) as the latter heads to waters near the Korean Peninsula, according to media reports. "Japan wants to despatch several destroyers as the Carl Vinson [CSG]

Key Points Recent riots in Parisian suburbs triggered by allegations of police brutality indicated a continued risk of larger uprisings across France. Anarchist and far-left activists have issued calls to support, join, or repeat such riots in city centres. Further instances of banlieue

Three more countries will meet NATO's target for defence spending, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on 12 April. Stoltenberg was speaking at a joint press conference with US president Donald Trump held at the White House. "Last year there were five allies spending 2%," Stoltenberg

North Korea will allocate nearly 16% of its total national expenditure to defence during 2017, the Rodong Sinmun newspaper, a daily of the Workers' Party of Korea, reported on 12 April following the fifth session of the 13th Supreme People's Assembly. "In order to handle the critical situation

In an apparent attempt to position itself centre-stage in future peace talks, the dominant Malay-Muslim separatist faction in southern Thailand, the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN), issued a rare communiqué on 10 April setting out conditions for negotiations with the government in Bangkok. The

Key Points Using commercial satellite imagery and information released in a declassified US intelligence report, Jane's has geolocated two facilities associated with Pakistan's nuclear programme: a suspected centrifuge plant at Sihala in Islamabad Capital Territory and a uranium enrichment site at

Americas

• Lockheed Martin has won a $372 million contract modification in order to address several issues with the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. The US Navy contract did not specify any particular work that needed to be undertaken under the agreement, however it facilitates deficiency corrections for US operators as well as the country’s foreign military customers. Work will be carried out in Texas, California, New Hampshire, Japan and Britain, and is expected to be complete by March 2020.

• Future US Navy frigates may come with added air defense capabilities as a new study group is being commissioned to examine adding such a platform to the requirements. At present, service specifications call for a vessel to have enough surface-to-air missiles to protect itself. The new idea is to double the RIM-162 Evolved SeaSparrow Missile (ESSM) load from 8 to 16 or having a Mark 41 Vertical Launching System loaded with eight Standard Missile-2 (SM-2). Upgunning the frigates will change the Navy designation for the ships from FF, meaning frigate, to FFG — guided missile frigates able to provide area air defense.

• General Dynamics has proven that Raytheon’s ALR-69A Radar Warning Receiver (RWR) can work on an MQ-9 UAV. The demonstration used a company-owned Predator B with the RWR stored within GA-ASI’s standard payload pod against a series of various ground-based radars. A company statement said that the new radar provided enhanced situational awareness by identifying potential radar threats to ground-based crew, and that more test demonstrations are planned that will include the aircraft flying with an integrated Link 16 data link.

• An MQ-8C Fire Scout UAV has been tested onboard a littoral combat ship (LCS) for the first time. 37 recovery evolutions were conducted onboard the USS Montgomery over the course of seven days in order to verify the MQ-8C launch and recovery procedures and test interoperability between the unmanned helicopter and the ship. A larger version of the MQ-8B, the “C” variant was given Milestone C status by the Navy earlier this month and will begin initial operational test and evaluation this fall.

Middle East & North Africa

• United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) President Yuri Slyusar has confirmed that the Egyptian government has bought a number of MiG-29M/M2 aircraft, with the first batch of deliveries expected for this year. As part of the $2 billion sale, Cairo will receive as many as 50 of the fighters by 2020 as well as receiving pilot training and associated equipment. Improvements on the legacy MiG-29 aircraft include design changes to the airframe, improved turbofans in the RD-33MK (which is similar in weight to the RD-33, but benefits from a higher thrust rating and full-authority digital engine control), fly-by-wire flight control system, updated avionics and Zhuk-ME pulse-Doppler radar.

Europe

• The NATO Eurofighter 2000 and Tornado Management Agency (NETMA) has contracted Saab to deliver 29 units of the latest version of its BOZ-101 electronic warfare self-protection and countermeasures system for the German Air Force. The wing-mounted pod has been in use on Tornados for many years and provides pilots with early warning and missile detection capabilities while in flight. Saab’s work will be performed at its facilities in Järfälla, Sweden and Centurion, South Africa. German authorities expect deliveries to take place between 2017 and 2020.

• Leonardo believes its AW139M helicopter will suit all the requirements for the Czech Republic’s new fleet of multi-role helicopters, as Prague prepares for the release of a request for proposal (RFP). The company stated that the AW139M is “fully compliant with the [defence ministry’s] request for information and subsequent request for additional data,” which includes requirements such as being capable of carrying troops and air-to-surface weapons; including anti-tank missiles as well as being capable of flying in all weather conditions and at night. Leonardo will not disclose details of the proposed aircraft configuration ahead of RFP release, but the AW139M is also likely to feature defensive aids system equipment and countermeasures dispensers. The company has released an image of a notional fire-support-roled aircraft carrying air-to-surface missiles, guided/unguided rocket pods, a pod-housed gun and an electro-optical/infrared sensor payload.

Asia Pacific

• India is looking to secure long-term ammunition supply contracts with local private industry worth $3 billion over ten years. The initiative aims to encourage capital investments by private sector companies in ammunition manufacturing facilities as India struggles with critical ammunition shortages — of the total 170 types of ammunition, there is a shortage in 125 types. Various types of ammunition wanted by New Delhi include: 500,000 rounds of 30mm high-explosive grenades (VOG-17) for automatic grenade launchers; 125mm APFSDS-T (Armor-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot — tracer) ammo for T-90 and T-72 tanks; 122mm extended-range multiple rocket launcher ammo for the BM GRAD; 23mm HEI/APIT (high-explosive incendiary/armor-piercing incendiary tracer) ammo for ZU-23 air defense guns; 30mm HEI/T (high-explosive incendiary — tracer) ammo for BMP-2 infantry combat vehicles; 40mm MGL/UBGL (multiple grenade launcher/underbarrel grenade launcher) ammo; and electronic fuzes for artillery guns.

Today’s Video

• Sikorsky-Boeing Future Vertical Lift (FVL) concept: