Defence`s Feeds

A new Australian-built landing craft to be donated to the Kingdom of Tonga is currently undertaking final sea trials and will be delivered to the archipelagic country in early September 2015, the Australian Department of Defence (DoD) announced on 31 August. The donation, first revealed in May 2014

Russian Kornet-D Anti-Tank Missile Carrier

Two Raptors have deployed to Lask, along with four F-16s and one C-130.

Two of the four F-22 Raptor jets belonging to 95th Fighter Squadron from Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida, currently deployed to Spangdahlem airbase, in Germany, have landed at Łask airbase, in Poland, at 08.30 local time (06,30 UTC).

In this post you can find some shots taken by Filip Modrzejewski, chief editor of the Foto Poork portal.

The forward presence of the Raptors in Poland is aimed at reassuring allies in Europe and bolstering regional security proving the 5th Gen. stealth jet’s ability to quickly deploy to the European theater: the F-22s returned to Spangdahlem to continue their deployment later on the same day.

Along with the F-22s, four F-16s from the 480th Fighter Squadron, Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, taking part in bilateral training with the Polish Air Force (during which they will be joined by additional F-16s from the 176th Fighter Squadron, Wisconsin Air National Guard, in early September) deployed to Lask.

Photo Credit: Filip Modrzejewski – Foto Poork

 

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It must have been quite loud.

Pretty cool video showing Blue Angel #7 taking off from Runway 23L at Willow Run Airport for the Thunder Over Michigan airshow.

As usual, the low transition is followed by a high performance climb.

H/T Emiliano Guerra for the heads-up

 

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It looks like the F-22s may move to Poland. Soon.

According to the Polish Media outlet Głos Wielkopolski, the U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor fighters belonging to the 95th Fighter Squadron, from Tyndall Air Force Base, that arrived at Spangdahlem airbase on Aug. 28, will be deployed to Poland next Monday Aug. 31.

The U.S. jets are going to be involved in joint training with the Polish F-16 fighters and information published by Głos Wielkopolski suggests that the Raptors are going to be stationed at the Polish 32 AB in Łask (a news confirmed by the base spokesman according to Scramble).

The arrival of the four F-22s marks the beginning of the inaugural Rapid Raptor package deployment in Europe: the type has often taken part in rotational deployments in the Asia-Pacific region since 2009, to show the presence of Washington’s 5th generation stealth jet around the disputed islands in the South China Sea, while some are also taking parting in the air war against ISIS.

Some analysts speculate the Raptors were not deployed in Europe earlier because of the risk of close encounters with Russian ELINT jets above the Baltics and the resulting disclosure of some sensitive information pertaining the Raptor, a risk the stealth jet face all around the world, actually.

Image credit: U.S. Air Force

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South Korean T-50 Golden Eagle Trainer Aircraft

“Tabor 11” taking off at night for the F-22A inaugural deployment to Europe.

We have already posted some cool pictures of the F-22s arriving in Germany on Aug. 28. Here are some stunning photographs of the 95th Fighter Squadron Raptors taking off from Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida.

Six aircraft departed Tyndall for Spangdahlem: the four Raptors that eventually landed in Germany along with two air spares.

A 95th Fighter Squadron F-22 Raptor accelerates as it takes off of the Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., flightline. Four 95th FS Raptors flew to Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, to train with allied air forces and U.S. services through mid-September. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Sergio A. Gamboa/Released)

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• U.S. is about to deploy F-22 Raptor stealth jets to Europe in a show of force against Russia
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Here are the most interesting images of the four F-22A jets that have arrived in Germany earlier today.

On Aug. 28, four F-22A Raptor jets belonging to 325th Fighter Wing, from Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, have arrived at Spangdahlem airbase, Germany.

Rather than a show of force against Russia, the deployment was a testbed for the new rapid deployment concept (dubbed “Rapid Raptor Package“) to move a package of F-22s (accompanied by a C-17) and supporting logistics to any forward operating base and have the 5th generation multi-role fighter jets ready for combat operations within 24 hours of deploying with a small logistics footprint.

Here are the most interesting images showing the four Raptors arriving in Germany. The F-22 deployment will continue through mid September for training with USAFE.

Four F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft assigned to the 95th Fighter Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., fly over the runway before landing at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Aug. 28, 2015. The U.S. Air Force deployed four F-22s, one C-17 Globemaster III and more than 50 Airmen to Spangdahlem in support of the first F-22 European training deployment. The inaugural F-22 training deployment to Europe is funded by the European Reassurance Initiative, a $1 billion pledge announced by President Obama in March 2014. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Luke Kitterman/Released)

Three F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft assigned to the 95th Fighter Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., fly over the runway before landing at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Aug. 28, 2015. The U.S. Air Force deployed four F-22s, one C-17 Globemaster III and more than 50 Airmen to Spangdahlem in support of the first F-22 European training deployment. The inaugural F-22 training deployment to Europe is funded by the European Reassurance Initiative, a $1 billion pledge announced by President Obama in March 2014. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Luke Kitterman/Released)

Two F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft assigned to the 95th Fighter Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., prepare to land on the runway at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Aug. 28, 2015. The U.S. Air Force deployed four F-22s, one C-17 Globemaster III and more than 50 Airmen to Spangdahlem in support of the first F-22 European training deployment. The inaugural F-22 training deployment to Europe is funded by the European Reassurance Initiative, a $1 billion pledge announced by President Obama in March 2014. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Luke Kitterman/Released)

Two F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft prepare to land at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Aug. 28, 2015, as part of the inaugural F-22 training deployment to Europe. Four F-22s from the 95th Fighter Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., along with a C-17 Globemaster III cargo aircraft and more than 50 support Airmen were part of the deployment. This effort is part of the European Reassurance Initiative and will serve to assure allies of the Air Force’s commitment to European security and stability. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Chad Warren/Released)

An F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft assigned to the 95th Fighter Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., prepares to land on the runway at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Aug. 28, 2015. The U.S. Air Force deployed four F-22s, one C-17 Globemaster III and more than 50 Airmen to Spangdahlem in support of the first F-22 European training deployment. The inaugural F-22 training deployment to Europe is funded by the European Reassurance Initiative, a $1 billion pledge announced by President Obama in March 2014. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Luke Kitterman/Released)

Two Airmen watch as an F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft assigned to the 95th Fighter Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., prepares to land at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Aug. 28, 2015. The U.S. Air Force deployed four F-22s, one C-17 Globemaster III and more than 50 Airmen to Spangdahlem in support of the first F-22 European training deployment. The inaugural F-22 training deployment to Europe is funded by the European Reassurance Initiative, a $1 billion pledge announced by President Obama in March 2014. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Luke Kitterman/Released)

An F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft lands at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Aug. 28, 2015, as part of the inaugural F-22 training deployment to Europe. The F-22s are deployed from the 95th Fighter Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., as part of the European Reassurance Initiative and will conduct air training with other Europe-based aircraft while demonstrating U.S. commitment to NATO allies and the security of Europe. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Chad Warren/Released)

Four F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft taxi after landing at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Aug. 28, 2015, as part of the inaugural F-22 training deployment to Europe. The F-22s are deployed from the 95th Fighter Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., as part of the European Reassurance Initiative and will conduct air training with other Europe-based aircraft while demonstrating U.S. commitment to NATO allies and the security of Europe. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Chad Warren/Released)

Two F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft assigned to the 95th Fighter Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., taxi to hardened aircraft shelters at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Aug. 28, 2015. The U.S. Air Force deployed four F-22s, one C-17 Globemaster III and more than 50 Airmen to Spangdahlem in support of the first F-22 European training deployment. The inaugural F-22 training deployment to Europe is funded by the European Reassurance Initiative, a $1 billion pledge announced by President Obama in March 2014. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Luke Kitterman/Released)

An F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft assigned to the 95th Fighter Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., sits outside a hardened aircraft shelter at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Aug. 28, 2015. The U.S. Air Force deployed four F-22 Raptors, one C-17 Globemaster III and more than 50 Airmen to Spangdahlem in support of the first F-22 European training deployment. The inaugural F-22 training deployment to Europe is funded by the European Reassurance Initiative, a $1 billion pledge announced by President Obama in March 2014. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Luke Kitterman/Released)

An F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft pilot assigned to the 95th Fighter Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., prepares to exit an F-22 at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Aug. 28, 2015. The U.S. Air Force deployed four F-22 Raptors, one C-17 Globemaster III and more than 50 Airmen to Spangdahlem in support of the first F-22 European training deployment. The inaugural F-22 training deployment to Europe is funded by the European Reassurance Initiative, a $1 billion pledge announced by President Barack Obama in March 2014. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Luke Kitterman/Released)

An F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft pilot assigned to the 95th Fighter Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., prepares to exit an F-22 at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Aug. 28, 2015. The U.S. Air Force deployed four F-22 Raptors, one C-17 Globemaster III and more than 50 Airmen to Spangdahlem in support of the first F-22 European training deployment. The inaugural F-22 training deployment to Europe is funded by the European Reassurance Initiative, a $1 billion pledge announced by President Barack Obama in March 2014. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Luke Kitterman/Released)

An F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft pilot assigned to the 95th Fighter Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., exits an F-22 at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Aug. 28, 2015. The U.S. Air Force deployed four F-22 Raptors, one C-17 Globemaster III and more than 50 Airmen to Spangdahlem in support of the first F-22 European training deployment. The inaugural F-22 training deployment to Europe is funded by the European Reassurance Initiative, a $1 billion pledge announced by President Obama in March 2014. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Luke Kitterman/Released)

A member of the 95th Fighter Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., sits in the cockpit of an F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Aug. 28, 2015. The U.S. Air Force deployed four F-22 Raptors, one C-17 Globemaster III and more than 50 Airmen to Spangdahlem in support of the first F-22 European training deployment. The inaugural F-22 training deployment to Europe is funded by the European Reassurance Initiative, a $1 billion pledge announced by President Obama in March 2014. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Luke Kitterman/Released)

A member of the 95th Fighter Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., observes an F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Aug. 28, 2015. The U.S. Air Force deployed four F-22 Raptors, one C-17 Globemaster III and more than 50 Airmen to Spangdahlem in support of the first F-22 European training deployment. The inaugural F-22 training deployment to Europe is funded by the European Reassurance Initiative, a $1 billion pledge announced by President Obama in March 2014. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Luke Kitterman/Released)

A member of the 95th Fighter Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., observes an F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Aug. 28, 2015. The U.S. Air Force deployed four F-22 Raptors, one C-17 Globemaster III and more than 50 Airmen to Spangdahlem in support of the first F-22 European training deployment. The inaugural F-22 training deployment to Europe is funded by the European Reassurance Initiative, a $1 billion pledge announced by President Obama in March 2014. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Luke Kitterman/Released)

Two F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft assigned to the 95th Fighter Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., taxi to hardened aircraft shelters at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Aug. 28, 2015. The U.S. Air Force deployed four F-22s, one C-17 Globemaster III and more than 50 Airmen to Spangdahlem in support of the first F-22 European training deployment. The inaugural F-22 training deployment to Europe is funded by the European Reassurance Initiative, a $1 billion pledge announced by President Obama in March 2014. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Luke Kitterman/Released)

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Tyndall F-22s expected at Spangdahlem airbase, Germany, later today.

Four F-22A Raptor stealth jets will arrive at Spangdahlem airbase later today, to start the deployment in Europe in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve.

The aircraft, belonging to 325th Fighter Wing, from Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, and using radio callsign “Tabor 11” are accompained by two air spares and supported by several tankers along the way according to the information posted by some very well informed users on Scramble forum.

As happened to the first A-10 Theater Security Package in May, Spangdahlem is going to be the first stop for the U.S. Raptors that are expected to visit other eastern Europe airbases.

Newsworthy, the deployment comes just few days after it was announced by Air Force Secretary Deborah James, a sign that a small package of 4 F-22s can be deployed across the world quite quickly: as already explained, in 2013 the U.S. Air Force conceived a new rapid deployment concept (dubbed “Rapid Raptor Package“) to deploy a package of F-22s (accompanied by a C-17) and supporting logistics to any forward operating base and have the stealth fighter jet ready for combat operations within 24 hours of deploying with a small logistics footprint.

Actually, this is not the very first deployment of Raptors in Europe: four Raptors deployed to support the F-22 appearance at Farnborough and RIAT airshows (more or less like the F-35s were expected to do last year before they were grounded and forced to cancel) in July 2010. So it was a sort of airshow deployment that involved four 3rd Wing F-22s at RAF Lakenheath for a couple of weeks.

Image credit: U.S. Air Force

 

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Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP

The nEUROn has conducted 12 highly sensitive sorties to verify the characteristics of radar-cross section and infrared signature in Italy.

The first example of the nEUROn UCAV (Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle) has successfully completed its flight test campaign in the Perdasdefogu range, Sardinia, Italy.

The nEUROn is a full-scale technological demonstrator for a UCAV developed by an industrial team led by Dassault Aviation with the collaboration of Finmeccanica-Alenia Aermacchi, Saab, Airbus Defence and Space, RUAG and HAI representing France, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Switzerland and Greece that rolled out on Jan. 20, 2012, after five years of design, development, and static testing.

The shape of the nEUROn reminds that of the American X-47B (even though, from a certain angle it also shows a certain resemblance to the F-117 Nighthawk...).

During the deployment at Italian Air Force’s Decimomannu airbase, the stealth killer drone demonstrator flew 12 highly sensitive sorties to assess its low radar-cross section and low infrared signature, during missions flown at different altitudes and flight profiles and against both ground-based and air radar “threats”, using in this latter case, a Eurofighter Typhoon.

The next testing phase will see the European UCAV deploy to Vidsel Air Base, in Sweden, for more low observability tests and some live firing activity needed to validate the capability of the nEUROn to use weapons carried in the internal weapons bay.

 

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The U.S. Army’s new Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) will be built by Oshkosh for an initial production contract worth $6.7 billion. The deal is expected to be worth closer to$30 billion in the long-term with the Pentagon looking to procure 49,099 vehicles for the Army and the

The U.S. Army’s new Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) will be built by Oshkosh for an initial production contract worth $6.7 billion. The deal is expected to be worth closer to$30 billion in the long-term with the Pentagon looking to procure 49,099 vehicles for the Army and the

The MoD have very kindly given the public 1500characters with which to insert their thoughts into the review process. That equates to just under 300words. I managed to underspend my contribution by 80 characters…

”

Do not start the report with ‘the world is an increasingly dangerous place’. It isn’t. The threat picture is just more complex and we are adapting too slowly. We face two predominant types of threat, with an overarching and underspecified element: 1) traditional military, 2) asymmetric and ‘glocalised’. The overarching element is ‘hybridity’. To think of defence and security as expressed exclusively by equipment and personnel capacity and capabilities is a mistake. Hybrid conflict requires the UK to understand influence ops, money, health, education as components of our security. It also requires us to better understand who are opponents are and what they are doing: this requires a plethora of approaches. Countering these threats requires upfront investment to meet them before they develop (spend to save). It also requires a far wider range of institutions and actors – inside and outside of government – to pull together in countering hybrid threats (a smarter, holistic approach). This mix is likely to cause some discomfort, but currently we are mismatching assets and approach to the threats we are facing.

Better match the full-spectrum positioning and rhetoric with capabilities. So, resource better to match current rhetoric or better position the UK to match resourcing restraints. Don’t try and meet the 2%GDP figure by including non-defence items. Either scrap the target, or invest the full amount.  ”

 

The brevity does clarify the mind.

If you wish to add your thoughts please find the page at (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/strategic-defence-and-security-review-public-engagement)

Chinese HJ-8 Anti-Tank Guided Missile

On 16 July 2015, the Lower House of Japan’s Diet (the House of Representatives) approved a controversial package significantly reducing barriers to the deployment of Japanese defence forces overseas. This is the most significant change to have been made to Japan’s security and defence policy since World War II. The reforms promoted by Prime Minister Abe represent a fundamental shift in Japan’s foreign and security policy since WWII. Abe’s reforms are the logical consequence of a process of revision started more than twenty years ago with the end of the Cold War and later fuelled by the need to contest and contain the rising of China as a regional and global power. These reforms, including the reinterpretation of Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution, have been undertaken in a context of constantly shifting regional balance in the Asia-Pacific region, where Japan has been increasingly threatened by both China and North Korea. This has prompted a significant upgrade in relations with the US and may pave the way for a new phase of Japanese foreign policy, but also has a negative impact on Japan’s already lukewarm relations with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the Koreas.
Source : © European Union, 2015 - EP