Defence`s Feeds

Bell Helicopter Textron Inc has won a year-long contract to procure long-lead items and components for 27 Lot 15 AH-1Z production aircraft for use by the US Marine Corps.

General Dynamics Information Technology has been awarded the Commander Navy Installations Command (CNIC) N6 Information Technology (IT) Support contract by the US Navy.

The US Navy is set to christen its latest Independence-variant littoral combat ship, USS Tulsa (LCS 16) on 11 February in Mobile, Alabama.

Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV) has completed repairs to its Airlander 10 hybrid airship following a crash that caused serious damage to the flight deck during its second test flight in August 2016, the company announced on 10 February. The repairs were carried out at the vehicle's dedicated hangar in

ANALYSIS Satellite imagery obtained by Jane's corroborates reports that Iran carried out ballistic missile tests on 29 January and in July 2016, but provides no evidence that versions of North Korea's Hwasong-10 were launched. Airbus Defence and Space imagery shows a convoy of vehicles on a road

Boeing has announced the establishment of Boeing Defence India (BDI) - a local corporate entity - to support future growth objectives in the country. The US group said in a statement on 8 February that BDI will be led by Pratyush Kumar, president of Boeing India, and will focus on expanding

Brazilian defence minister Raul Jungmann met his Portuguese counterpart, José Alberto Azeredo Lopes, on 9 February as part of the first joint Brazilian-Portuguese Defence Industry Dialogue, a two-day event held in Porto with the aim of increasing industrial co-operation between the two states.

China and Myanmar have agreed to 'maintain peace and stability' in the border areas between the two countries after fighting between Myanmar government forces and an alliance of four insurgent factions escalated in the country's north in late 2016. During the China-Myanmar 2+2 High-level

A lack of available Red Teams and the inability to adequately defend against sophisticated threats are among the shortcomings identified in the Office of the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation's (DOT&E's) 2016 report on aspects of the US Department of Defense's (DoD's) cyber-security

US military training and C4ISR provider Cubic Corporation released financial results for the first quarter of its 2017 financial year on 9 February, showing an improved performance compared to the same period in 2016. First quarter sales rose 6.7% to USD334.7 million and while operating earnings

Netherlands-based Damen Shiprepair & Conversion (Damen) took over management of the Curaçao Drydock Company on 1 February 2017. The new company has been renamed Damen Shiprepair Curaçao (DSCu). The Caribbean shipyard has two dry docks - Antilla and Beatrix - with a length of 280 m and

Fincantieri is undertaking a comprehensive 'procurement supply chain roadshow' across Australia in February in support of its bid to meet the Royal Australian Navy's (RAN's) SEA 5000 project to acquire nine new frigates for an estimated AUD35 billion (USD27 million). Dario Deste - the chairman of

EVENT Philippine secretary of defence Delfin Lorenzana told the media on 7 February that he is seeking assistance from the United States to deal with kidnap-for-ransom attacks on vessels in the Sibutu Passage, a busy channel between the Sulu and Celebes seas for ships travelling from Australia to

South Korea's Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) has posted a fall in annual sales but a return to profit in fiscal year 2016, the company announced on 9 February. HHI said in a filing to the Korean Exchange that sales in the year fell 15% to KRW39.3 trillion (USD1.2 billion). It added that it also

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) announced a new export-version of its long-range Heron TP unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) on 9 February, saying it will be displayed at the Aero India 2017 show taking place from 14-18 February in Bengaluru. The Heron TP XP is identical to the Heron TP except that it

ONE civilian was killed and five others were wounded when an improvised explosive device (IED), emplaced by unidentified militants, detonated near a popular market place at Boub al-Sham region, north of Iraq's capital Baghdad on 1 February, Iraqi News reported. No group immediately claimed

TWO civilians were killed and six others were wounded when three improvised explosive devices (IEDs) detonated in the north, east and west of Iraq's capital Baghdad on 1 February, Iraqi News reported.No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

Americas

• Despite not having a US-based partner and prime contractor, Leonardo is to go it alone in the USAF T-X trainer competition. Raytheon withdrew from the partnership last month. The Italian firm’s US-subsidary, Leonardo DRS, will now act as prime contractor, although it remains unclear where the T-100 advanced jet trainer will be assembled if the company secures the contract.

• Bell Helicopters will provide long-lead items and components for the US Navy’s AH-1Z aircraft. valued at $49 million, the agreement covers 27 Lot 15 AH-1Z Vipers operated by the USMC, and work is expected to be completed by March 2018. According to manufacturer Bell, the AH-1Z is the only helicopter in the world to feature air-to-air missile attack capabilities.

Middle East & North Africa

• Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) will supply signals and communication intelligence capabilities to various unnamed customers in contracts worth $30 million. IAI subsidiary ELTA Systems will deliver advanced communication intelligence system (COMINT) to an unidentified operator in Europe and a signal intelligence (SIGINT) suite to an undisclosed buyer in Asia. The COMINT system is designed to provide real-time intelligence and tactical information for military operators, as well as cooperate with existing defense communication networks, while the SIGINT is comprised of ELK 7071 COMINT and ELL-8385 ELINT systems, and can be integrated on military aircraft.

• An unnamed Asia-Pacific customer has contracted Elbit Systems to upgrade and maintain Mi-17 helicopters. The $110 million award will include work on dozens of helicopters and will take place over a five-year performance period. Some of the region’s operators of the aging Mi-17 include Afghanistan, Iraq, Indonesia, India, and Pakistan.

Europe

• A Greek publication has revealed that the country’s Defense Ministry plans to upgrade their fleets of 155 F-16C and F-16D aircraft to the V-variant. The cost of the modernization is expected to run between $1.7 and $2 billion. It was also revealed that the ministry wishes to lay the foundation with Washington for an eventual procurement of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, that would be paid over a period of time. In addition, Athens is looking to have maintenance work done on their S-300 air defense system, however information on a deal remains unclear.

Asia Pacific

• Indonesia and South Korea have opened a joint program office in Sacheon, South Korea, in order to collaborate on the KF-X/IF-X fighter program. 74 personnel from PT Dirgantara Indonesia have made the move to work on the program, and will work with staff from the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) and Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI). The opening of the office comes just a year after both governments signed a $7.1 billion agreement to jointly develop the KF-X/IF-X 4.5-generation fighter. In exchange for their capital, Jakarta will receive 50 IF-X fighters as well as a certain amount of knowledge and technological transfer.

• Textron Systems has been tapped to provide contractor logistics support for the Cessna C-208B Caravans used by the Afghan air force. Valued at $9.35 million for the first year, the contract has the potential to reach a maximum of $50 million over the next five years, and will include transfer of capabilities in addition to maintenance training. Manufactured by Textron, Afghanistan operates about 26 C-208Bs for use on a wide variety of missions.

• Israel’s Rafael is ramping up efforts to offer their systems to India’s indigenous Tejas fighter. The Indian Air Force is currently evaluating the company’s Python 5 and 54nm (100km)-range I-Derby ER air-to-air missiles for the Tejas, while it is also promoting its Litening 5 targeting pod and BNET secure radio. Yuval Miller, executive vice-president and head of Rafael’s Air and C4I Systems division, stated that the wide cooperation involved on the Tejas’ development could make it easier to bring the Light Combat Aircraft to the 4.5-generation standard.

Today’s Video

• The US Navy’s Spike missile program:

In this issue: New capabilities in air-to-air refuelling, a look at NATO’s new comms system, trends in protected mobility for armoured vehicles, the world’s first explosives sniffer drone, the future of UAVs in maritime ISR, closing capability gaps i…

Length of video : 35'
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Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP