Defence`s Feeds

American Calico M950 Submachine Gun

General Dynamics Electric Boat has selected BWXT Nuclear Operations Group Inc for work on the Columbia-class nuclear submarines.

Elbit Systems has been contracted by the Brazilian Marine Corps (BMC) for the provision of advanced command, control, communications, computers, intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR), electronic warfare (EW), radio and communication sy…

Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri has delivered the new Type U212A Todaro-class submarine Romeo Romei to the Italian Navy's NAVARM naval armament unit at the company's shipyard in Muggiano, La Spezia, Italy.

The US Navy is set to christen its latest expeditionary fast transport (EPF), the future USNS City of Bismarck (T-EPF 9), at the Austal USA shipyard in Mobile, Alabama.

Project 18280-class is a fleet of two intelligence-gathering vessels built to meet specific mission needs of the Russian Navy.

Americas

• Northrop Grumman has received a $332 million modification to an existing contract for work at the Joint National Center Research and Development for the Missile Defense Agency and the Department of Defense. Under the terms of the agreement, work to be carried out includes the integration of Ballistic Missile Defense System (BDMS) and testing programs for the program, as well as the provision of logistical services, wargame and readiness exercises, and the development of doctrine, as well as information technology support for the Chief Information Officer for the BDMS. The additional DoD funding will increase the funding maximum from $3.85 billion to $4.18 billion, and may extend task orders until May 2018.

• The USMC has received its first low rate initial production (LRIP) AN/TPS-80 Ground/Air Task-Oriented Radar (G/ATOR) system. Developed and produced by Northrop Grumman, five additional systems will be delivered under the terms of the October 2014 contract. G/ATOR will replace five legacy systems operated by the Marines, providing significant improvements in performance when compared with the legacy radar families in each of its modes. The systems take advantage of Northrop’s expertise in C4ISR, and includes software loads that optimize the multi-mission capabilities of the radar to perform each mission.

Middle East & North Africa

• The Trump administration has said that it will move ahead with a plan to further arm Kurdish militias fighting the Islamic State in Syria. The move has once again angered Turkey, who see Kurdish groups like the People’s Protection Units (YPG)—who make up part of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces—as an extension of the Kurdish Workers’ Party (PKK), an outlawed terrorist organization in Turkey. However, policymakers in both the Obama and Trump cabinets see the Kurdish forces in Syria as the only reliable partners on the ground capable of defeating IS. It is now likely that YPG elements could receive mortars, heavy machine guns and armored tactical vehicles as part of the administration’s help with an offensive to reclaim the the city of Raqqa, the jihadist’s de facto capital.

• Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) and BAE Systems have announced that they will ink the TFX design and development agreement that was signed by both companies in January at this year’s International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF) 2017. Valued at almost $130 million, the deal will see BAE assisting TAI with the design and development of the TFX next-generation multi-role fighter. It has also been reported that Pakistan may be interested in participating in the project, with Turkish industry and Pakistan’s Ministry of Defence Production speaking on what future collaboration would look like. However, the Pakistan Air Force has yet to comment on whether it would be interested in participating in producing and procuring such an aircraft.

Europe

• The Swedish government has indicated that it would be interested in procuring a jet trainer designed by Boeing and Saab, if the offering is selected by Washington as the winner of the US Air Force’s T-X trainer competition. However, Stockholm would not be interested in procuring any of the other T-X trainer offerings if they were to win, instead opting for a cheaper turboprop training aircraft. Sweden currently has an inventory of 50 Saab 105 trainers, which were introduced in the late 1960s, and plans are underway to retire the ageing fleet by 2026.

• Germany is moving forward with a plan to take 104 used Leopard 2 battle tanks out of storage and have manufacturer Krauss-Maffei Wegmann conduct upgrades from the A4 configuration to the newest A7V standard. The $832.7 million project will see improvements made in the areas of information technology, armaments and armor. Under the agreement, KMW will also provide 32 tank chassis frames that can later be turned into additional vehicles of the Leopard 2 series, such as variants capable of launching bridges across rivers and other chokepoints. Work on the tanks is expected to commence in 2019 and last through to 2023. Berlin’s moves to upgrade its tank fleet comes on the expectation that future conflicts will rely heavily on ground warfare with armored vehicles.

• Following on from their selection of the F-16 as their next fighter, the Romanian government has contracted Lockheed Martin to deliver comprehensive simulator systems based on the fighter jet. The SciosTrain simulator system will combine full combat tactics and mission training scenarios, while providing for networking to allow Romanian Air Force pilots to train together virtually. Delivery of the simulators is expected to be completed by 2019.

Asia Pacific

• Almost a year on from the infamous misfiring and sinking of a Taiwanese fishing boat by the Republic of China Navy, Taiwanese military officials have said that they are still looking for the whereabouts of the Hsiung Feng III anti-ship missile that caused the deadly incident. Officials reports on the incident, which killed the fishing vessel’s captain, claimed that the missile’s warhead did not explode on impact and that it instead sunk in the water. However, an anonymous source told the press that the missile could have detonated and therefore exploded into pieces. The search continues.

Today’s Video

• Airbus conducts automatic air-to-air refueling contact:

hhttps://youtu.be/xPmdD3qeUsA

Monitors went black
Sell everything!

C2BMC puts the “system” in the Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) System. At least that’s how the US Missile Defense Agency describes the Command and Control, Battle Management, and Communications (C2BMC) element. Basically, C2BMC synchronizes individual missile defense systems, sensors, and operators, which is essential to the layered missile defense approach the agency is working to develop. Since no one system is foolproof, layered system is designed to destroy enemy ballistic missiles by tracking and engaging them in all phases of flight, from boost, mid-course, and terminal phases of ballistic missiles. Tying all that together is a real challenge, since these systems weren’t all designed from the outset to operate together.

Some elements of the USA’s current missile warning and defense architecture include DSP and SBIRS satellites, Aegis BMD ships, Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD), Patriot anti-air missile defense, and Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) batteries, along with flexible dual-use elements like the Patriot PAC-3, other sensors that might be plugged into the network, and other elements that will be developed in future…

What C2BMC Does

(click to view full)

The C2BMC system receives, processes, and displays tracking and status data from these elements so that commanders at various locations have the same integrated operating picture and can make coordinated decisions about deploying weapons. This allows the central command structure to use the most effective weapons to engage threat ballistic missiles in all flight phases.

The BMDS C2BMC includes 3 parts: C2, battle management, and communications. Its capabilities [PDF] include:

• Planning capability to locate sensors and weapons systems to counter identified threats;
  
• Situational awareness;
  
• Battle management to pair sensors and shooters for BMD asset utilization and engagement;
  
• Sensor netting to detect, identify, track, and discriminate threats; and
  
• Communications networks to manage and distribute data.

More than 70 C2BMC workstations are fielded at US Strategic, Northern, European, Pacific, and Central Commands (USSTRATCOM, USNORTHCOM, USEUCOM, USPACOM, and USCENTCOM); numerous Army Air and Missile Defense Commands; Air and Space Operations Centers; and other supporting warfighter organizations.

Lockheed Martin is the prime contractor for C2BMC, with Northrop Grumman serving as the principal subcontractor.

Contracts and Key Events

May 11/17: Northrop Grumman has received a $332 million modification to an existing contract for work at the Joint National Center Research and Development for the Missile Defense Agency and the Department of Defense. Under the terms of the agreement, work to be carried out includes the integration of Ballistic Missile Defense System (BDMS) and testing programs for the program, as well as the provision of logistical services, wargame and readiness exercises, and the development of doctrine, as well as information technology support for the Chief Information Officer for the BDMS. The additional DoD funding will increase the funding maximum from $3.85 billion to $4.18 billion, and may extend task orders until May 2018.

March 14/14: GAO report. The GAO releases GAO-14-248R, regarding the USA’s EPAA plans for defending Europe from ballistic missiles. The report mentions C2BMC, and the news isn’t so good.

C2BMC S6.4 was fielded in 2011 as part of EPAA Phase 1. The issue is S8.2, which is needed to improve the integration of incoming missile tracks for Phase 2, and provides a Lock-On After Launch firing capability for AEGIS BMD systems. It was supposed to be ready in 2015, but current plans now say it won’t be ready until 2017 – and software projects like this are always at risk for further delays. That delay creates follow-on delays for planned improvements to AN/TPY-2 radars.

C2BMC S8.4 has also been changed from its original deployment in 2018 with Phase 3. It’s supposed to provide the ability for AEGIS BMD systems to intercept incoming missiles without using their own radars, thanks to faster integrated tracks, more precise tracking, and resilience in more “complex” conditions. Instead, a 2013 decision by MDA pushed S8.4 to 2020 or later. Phase 3 will now use S8.2x, with unspecified upgrades. That delay creates follow-on delays for planned improvements to AN/TPY-2 radars and THAAD missiles, and AEGIS BMD.

March 4/14: MDA Budget. The MDA finally releases its FY15 budget request, with information spanning from FY 2014 – 2019. C2BMD is slated to receive $2.281 billion over this period based on current plans, and is very consistent at $405 – 466 million per year. The MDA adds:

“In addition to continuing the enhancement of global BMD survivable communications and support for operations and sustainment of C2BMC at fielded sites, in FY 2015 we will integrate Overhead Persistent Infrared data into C2BMC to support cueing of BMD sensors worldwide. We will also improve sensor data integration and battle management in C2BMC to support Aegis BMD cueing and launch-on and engage-on remote capability.”

Sources: US MDA, PB 2015 Appropriation Summary | US MDA, Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 Budget Estimates.

Jan 28/14: DOT&E Testing Report. The Pentagon releases the FY 2013 Annual Report from its Office of the Director, Operational Test & Evaluation (DOT&E). C2BMC is included, and their report focuses on testing of C2BMC S6.4 Maintenance Release 1 and 2 (MR1 and MR2). MR1-2 are focused on “debris mitigation,” helping defensive systems separate the warheads from the chaff.

C2BMC can control and direct 1 AN/TPY-2 radar, and some lab tests have involved more than 1 simulated radar, but that hasn’t been fully tested yet. DOT&E wants the Missile Defense Agency to perform tests with multiple TPY-2s within in a single Area of Regard or theater. They want that single focus in order to test tracking coordination.

In addition, C2BMC experienced “some minor latency issues during stressing test cases with large numbers of threats,” especially if more friendly forces are in theater to add complications. The GTI-04e Part 1 test also found “interoperability and command and control deficiencies… that affected track processing, situational awareness, and battle management.”

Sept 10/13: FTO-1. A successful joint test of AEGIS BMD and land-based THAAD missiles from the Pacific Kwajalein Atoll/Reagan Test Site destroys 2 medium range target missiles.

The test involved full inter-operation. A land-based TPY-2 radar was positioned forward as the warning radar. It acquired the targets, and passed that onto the joint C2BMC system. C2BMC cued DDG 74 USS Decatur, outfitted with AEGIS BMD 3.6.1 and the SM-3 Block IA missile. Decatur acquired the track, then launched the SM-3 and killed its target. C2BMC also passed the track to a land-based THAAD battery’s own TPY-2 radar, which provided the intercept guidance for a successful pair of THAAD missile shots. The 2nd THAAD missile was actually aimed at the SM-3’s MRBM, in case it had failed to achieve intercept, but that turned out not to be necessary this time.

C2BMC has been used in a number of other tests, but this complex test was included as an excellent illustration of the system’s intended capabilities. Sources: US MDA, Sept 10/13 release | Lockheed Martin, Sept 11/13 release | Raytheon, Sept 10/13 release.

March 20/12: Northrop Grumman announces a $96 million follow-on contract as part of Lockheed Martin’s Missile Defense National Team, which is responsible for the C2BMC program. Under the 38-month contract, Northrop Grumman will support integrated product teams, provide engineering expertise, and provide test and exercise support for C2BMC systems.

Dec 23/11: Lockheed Martin Information Systems & Global Solutions in Gaithersburg, MD receives a sole-source 5-year, $980 million incentive-based, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract to work with the US Missile Defense Agency to develop C2BMC. Lockheed Martin ISGS will develop, model, fabricate, integrate, test, verify, evaluate, validate, document, deliver, field, train, operate, sustain, and support updates and new capabilities.

Work will be performed in Arlington, VA from Jan 1/12 through Dec 31/16, with initial orders funded from FY 2012 research, development, test and evaluation funds. The US Missile Defense Agency in Huntsville, AL manages the contract (HQ0147-12-D-0003). Lockheed Martin.

Aug 18/10: Northrop Grumman announces that it received from MDA a $90 million, 30-month task order to develop techniques for sensor management and data processing and fusion for future sensors that will be used by the C2BMC system. The company said the techniques will provide more accurate tracking information for intercepting a missile earlier in flight using current and future interceptor systems. These new capabilities will be built on an open systems infrastructure so that any sensor and weapon system can be incorporated into the BMD system, the company said.

April 15/10: Lockheed Martin announces a $424 million 2-year contract modification to beef up the C2BMC system’s security, situational awareness capabilities, and integrate sensors and weapons systems. Work will be conducted in Arlington, VA; Huntsville, AL; and Colorado Springs, CO.

Jan 8/08: Lockheed Martin announces that it received $458 million contract modification in 2007 for development, integration, and installation of the C2BMC capability.

December 2007: Lockheed Martin said C2BMC Spiral 6.2 was promoted to operational status. With this spiral, capabilities provided include Link 16 track, parallel staging of networks for support to development/ integration and operations, new communication capabilities for Aegis UHF/EHF and situational awareness and planner capability enhancements.

Additional Readings C2BMC

• Missile Defense Agency – Command and Control, Battle Management, and Communications. See also PDF handout.

• Lockheed Martin – Command, Control, Battle Management & Communications

• Northrop Grumman – Command, Control, Battle Management and Communications [PDF]

• GlobalSecurity.org – Battle Management, Command, Control, Communications and Intelligence

Some Related Systems

• DID – Serious Dollars for AEGIS Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD). The software and hardware will continue to improve.

• DID – SM-3 BMD, in from the Sea: EPAA & Aegis Ashore. European theater defense.

• DID – Missile Defense: Next Steps for the USA’s GMD.

• DID – THAAD: Reach Out and Touch Ballistic Missiles. System includes TPY-2 radar, which can also deploy independently.

• DID – AN/TPY-2: America’s Portable Missile Defense Radar.

Italian Beretta MX4 Storm Submachine Gun

The US Navy has awarded a new cost-plus, fixed-fee maintenance services contract to global infrastructure firm AECOM, which has been valued at roughly $177.5m.

The Canadian standing senate defence committee has released a new report recommending that the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) should purchase 12 new submarines equipped with air-independent propulsion (AIP).

Northrop Grumman has delivered the first low-rate initial production (LRIP) AN / TPS-80 ground / air task-oriented radar (G / ATOR) system to the US Marine Corps (USMC).

Today (10 May 2017) the OHQ EUNAVFOR MED Operation SOPHIA with the sponsorship of the European Defence Agency hosted the Maritime Surveillance Networking (MARSUR) Live Demonstration at the OHQ in Rome. MARSUR Networking was designed to enhance the  Recognized Maritime Picture and to support CSDP Operations. Following its launch in 2006, MARSUR has grown to become EDA’s longest running project, with 17 EU Member States plus Norway now forming the MARSUR Community. Today’s capability demonstration was attended by 30 distinguished guests from 15 EU Member States and Norway plus representatives from the EUMC, EMSA and the EU SATCEN. The forum was also addressed by EDA Deputy Chief Executive Mr. Rini GOOS and the EUNAVFOR MED operation SOPHIA Deputy Commander, Rear Admiral Luc-Marie LEFEBVRE.

The key enabler for maritime operations is having the maritime information needed to operate on dangerous seas. Within this challenging domain, decision-makers need to receive the information they need in a readily usable format, allowing to them incorporate different data and information from civilian and military actors. To respond to this need an innovate capability that allows actors to exchange operational data, which in turn enhances situation awareness, was created by EDA, MARSUR. Speaking before the launch of the live demonstration, EDA Deputy Chief Executive Mr. Rini Goos addressed the forum and highlighting how MARSUR represents a vital aspect of EDA’s strong commitment to supporting the naval aspects of European defence. “The link between Operation SOPHIA and MARSUR is the perfect example of constructive and targeted efforts to implement the EU Maritime Security Strategy, ensuring overarching information exchange among European actors in a cross-sectoral and comprehensive way. This interaction with multiple maritime security stakeholders and the backing it provides to EUMMS’ vision, makes MARSUR and SOPHIA’s endeavor an excellent implementation example of the goals and principles we have set for our Union in the maritime domain.” 

For the first time, the event brought together the input provided by Member States via the respective Maritime Operations Center’s (MOCs) and demonstrated how they can be used to create a comprehensive Maritime Situation Picture. At the live capability demonstration, EUNAVFOR MED Operation SOPHIA Deputy Operation Commander stressed the role and relevance of Operation SOPHIA and its dependance on maritime situational awareness. The success of Operation SOPHIA depends on a large extent on the cooperation of EU Member States which is true for the recognized maritime picture profiting from the input of the MARSUR Networking, as well.

In building the demonstration, a storyboard created for this event outlining the contribution of several MARSUR Participating Member States (PMS) over several months with information gathered in the MOCs by naval assets not assigned to Operation SOPHIA providing valuable input to the Operations situational awareness. The picture quickly filled up with relevant information in a short time. 6 MOCs corresponded to specific requests by relevant core services offered by the MARSUR capability: Live Chat, Email, Voice of IP and Track Streaming were specific services provided, and helped to add, analyse and deal with suspicious or otherwise relevant tracks in Operation SOPHIA. Even PMS without a completely developed MARSUR capability were able to contribute by helping to identify different Vessels of Common Interest (VCI) or providing amplifying information about their movement. 

During today’s live demonstration, a mobile component of the MARSUR capability was presented - a German Auxiliary Vessel assigned to Operation SOPHIA, the FGS RHEIN, demonstrated the use of the MARSUR capability as a maritime situational awareness tool installed on a potential Force Headquarter afloat. 
With some further support and integration into national systems MARSUR could become a most valuable tool for any future CSDP Operation, making best use of naval units already deployed in an area of responsibility not part of the Operation. Pointing to this aspect, Mr. Rini Goos commented, “I am certain that this standard of European concerted effort will be taken further because, as the demonstration will show, the use of the MARSUR capability could become a blueprint for any future CSDP Operation.” 

The significance of the live demonstration at OHQ EUNAVFOR MED SOPHIA has also helped to advance the trust and close cooperation among Navy MOCs in Europe, uniting a common European cause pursued through Operation SOPHIA. 

 

Background 

 

EUNAVFOR MED operation SOPHIA

EUNAVFOR MED operation SOPHIA, launched in June 2015, presents its core task to contribute to wider EU efforts to disrupt the business model of human smuggling and trafficking networks in the Southern Central Mediterranean. To date, we have apprehended 109 suspected smugglers and traffickers and neutralized 426 boats, preventing them from being re-used by smugglers. Additionally, from October 2016, we are fully involved in the training of the Libyan Navy and Libyan Navy Coast Guard and in the implementation of the arms embargo off the coast of Libya according to UNSCR 2292(2016).
 

European Defence Agency

The European Defence Agency was established under a Joint Action of the Council of Ministers on 12 July, 2004, "to support the Member States and the Council in their effort to improve European defence capabilities in the field of crisis management and to sustain the European Security and Defence Policy as it stands now and develops in the future”. It is an Agency of the EU. Visit us: www.eda.europa.eu 

 

More information:

• EDA workshop on MARSUR capabilities held in Rome
• Maritime Surveillance (EDA project page)
• European Defence Agency supports CSDP operations
• European maritime surveillance network reaches operational status

In this issue: The race for satellite servicing robots in the US, Finland’s defence upgrades, replacing the Royal Navy’s Harpoon missiles, why NATO must adapt to survive, and more.

Mike Kofman and I wrote up our joint impressions of the 2017 MCIS conference for The National Interest. Here’s a taste of the key points…

This year the conference attempted to balance a confrontational tone with offerings of cooperation, in particular on counterterrorism, which was the overall theme for the event. But judging from much of the discussion, the real topic should have been information warfare, which not only made its debut at this conference, but permeated many of the talking points. “Fake news,” “post-truth world” and numerous other terms in the modern discourse on information warfare were sprinkled throughout speeches, with a separate panel dedicated to the topic. “Information war” had clearly arrived in a big way, and not just because nobody could stop looking at their smartphone during the conference.

MCIS 2017 proved another interesting foray into the minds of Russia’s national-security aristocracy, with a veritable lineup of who’s who in terms of leadership, including Nikolai Patrushev, Sergei Shoigu, Sergey Lavrov, Alexander Bortnikov, Sergei Naryshkin and, of course, Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov. However, from the very opening it was clear that Russian leadership was somewhat out of practice when it came to speaking about a cooperative agenda, and while their rancor over long-standing problems with the West came through, the willingness to work together was much less apparent. In general, they had trouble holding back sincerely held sentiments on NATO’s activities in Europe, missile defense and the United States’ foreign policy writ large, which got in the way of the desire to extend an olive branch to the West.

Despite the fire and brimstone, the Russian leadership did signal a desire to reengage with the United States, while compartmentalizing other issues in the relationship, but it was presented on a take-it-or-leave-it basis. Moscow did not come off as desperate to cooperate, but if anything as more firm. Fighting ISIS together was the focal point of Russian commentary on prospective cooperation with the United States, but these points came with reproaches on violating countries’ sovereignty, and the recent cruise missile strike in Syria, which was termed a crude violation of international law. It seemed that Russian officials were trying to speak from a position of strength.

Click here to read the full article.

SAES, the only Spanish company that supplies anti-submarine-warfare systems (ASW), has been involved in meetings with important companies of the aerospace sector.

Americas

• Boeing has received a $89.2 million US Navy contract to conduct maintenance on various F/18 series fighter and EA-F18G electronic warfare aircraft. Included in the agreement are a wide variety of inspection and engineering projects, including High Flight Hour programs designed to keep aging airframes flying. Work will be performed in Jacksonville, Florida, and is expected to be completed in December 2017.

• The USS Ronald Reagan, a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, has commenced sea trials after leaving Command Fleet Activities Yokosaka base over the weekend. The ninth to be built in its class, the massive nuclear-powered ship can maintain and launch more than 85 aircraft, displaces nearly 97,000 tons of water, and is one of the only forward deployed aircraft carriers in the Navy at this time. While at sea, crew will undergo a number of qualification and certification exercises, including engineering and medical drills as well as air, flight deck and hangar bay operations to evaluate the performance of Sailors and their departments.

• Kratos Defense & Security Solutions has revealed that it has successfully completed a number of demonstration flights for an unnamed customer of a new jet-powered, high-subsonic UAV. While the designation of the UAV has yet to be announced, Kratos said the UAV was developed by the company’s “secret, special programs group,” and that the vehicle has had several successful demonstration flights with the government agency, adding that it is the most capable aircraft ever developed by the firm. The UAV’s publicly disclosable altitude performance ranges between 10ft and 45,000ft and possesses a payload capacity of 136kg (300lb), which is lighter than the 226kg carried by the XQ-222 Valkyrie proposed for the US Air Force’s Low-Cost, Attritable Strike Unmanned Air System Demonstration (LCASD).

Middle East & North Africa

• Turkey will use the 13th International Defense Industry Fair (IDEF) to unveil two new indigenously developed missiles designed for its F-16s. The GÖKDOGAN—a short-range infrared-guided dogfight missile— and the BOZDOGAN— a missile that has an active radar seeker for long-range engagement—were developed by the Scientific and Technological Research Council’s (TÜBITAK) Defense Industry Research and Development Institute (SAGE). Making the announcement, Science, Industry and Technology Minister Faruk Özlü added that projects developed by TUBITAK, and later transferred to companies in the manufacturing defense industry, have made important contributions to Turkey’s defense industry’s localization.

• Israel has contract Elbit Systems to provide military land vehicles with its satellite-on-the-move (SOTM) systems. The two-year agreement will see Elbit provide dozens of its ELSAT 2100 SOTM family of systems, which allow high-data rate broadband capabilities on a wide variety of platforms operated by the IDF. Features of the system include advanced tracking capabilities which can allow for communications anywhere and at any time. The value of the contract was not disclosed.

Europe

• USAF F-35As, sent to Europe to participate in a series of training exercises, have completed their deployment. While based at Royal Air Force Lakenheath, UK, eight aircraft from the 34th Fighter Squadron flew 76 sorties and tallied more than 154 flying hours alongside F-15s from the 48th Fighter Wing. The fighters also experienced forward deployment to Estonia and Bulgaria in order to maximize training opportunities, build partnerships with allied air forces and familiarize Airmen with Europe’s broad and diverse operating conditions. It has also been reported that the F-35A will take part in the Paris Air Show after it was earlier said to have not been invited.

• A report by the German Defense Ministry has raised concerns over the military readiness of the A400M due to contractual wrangling with manufacturer Airbus, as well as ongoing technical issues with the aircraft. First ordered in 2003, the A400M aimed to give European nations an independent transport capability but costs have since spiraled and Airbus has warned of “risks ahead” for the continent’s largest defense project. The report warns that Airbus may request delays ranging between 12 and 18 months in order to fix the issues, which could lead to a German capability gap when Berlin retires its fleet of C-160 Transall aircraft in 2021. In response to this gap, Germany and France have decided on a plan to jointly procure and operate a number of C-130J aircraft from Lockheed Martin in order to augment their A400M fleets.

Asia Pacific

• The Royal Malaysian Air Force has refuted earlier reports that it has received an offer by Japan to transfer refurbished second-hand P-3C maritime patrol aircraft to Malaysia. Speaking to media, RMAF chief Gen. Affendi Buang said that the service “have not received any formal offer or decision so far.” It was reported last week that Japan was looking to donate retired P-3Cs to Malaysia, letting that Southeast Asian country keep closer watch over the South China Sea to rein in China’s maritime expansion. However, due to its pacifist constitution, Japan is unable to transfer defense equipment to other nations at no cost.

Today’s Video

• A tour of the USS Ronald Reagan:

The US Navy's USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) Nimitz-class aircraft carrier has completed its four-year long refuelling and complex overhaul (RCOH) at Huntington Ingalls Industries' (HII) Newport News Shipbuilding facility in Newport News, Virginia.

Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri has laid keel for the Italian Navy's first multipurpose offshore patrol ship (PPA) at its shipyard in Muggiano, La Spezia, Italy.

UK-based Kongsberg Maritime camera systems group has supplied a new large network Internet Protocol (IP) closed-circuit television (CCTV) system to be deployed aboard the Royal Canadian Navy's (RCN) new auxiliary naval replenishment ship.