Defence`s Feeds

Austal USA delivered the future Independence-class trimaran hull USS Gabrielle Giffords (LCS 10) to the US Navy (USN) on 23 December 2016. Gabrielle Giffords is the ninth littoral combat ship (LCS) and the fifth of the Independence variant to be delivered to the USN. Commissioning of Gabrielle

Key Points China has commissioned its 23rd Type 054A frigate Induction bolsters anti-surface, anti-submarine capabilities of East Sea Fleet The People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has commissioned its 23rd Type 054A Jiangkai II-class guided-missile frigate into the service's East Sea Fleet. The

The newly established Aero Engine Corporation of China (AECC) has launched a research institute that aims to support the country's efforts to build powerplants for its front-line military/commercial aircraft. The Aero Engine Academy of China is located in Beijing and will be responsible for leading

Satellite imagery posted on Chinese online forums show that China is building a second jetty adjacent to that used by the country's first aircraft carrier, Liaoning . It is claimed that the new jetty, located at a naval base some 30 n miles south of Qingdao, is being built for the country's second

The People's Liberation Army Navy's (PLAN's) new Type 901 replenishment ship commenced sea trials on 18 December, according to Chinese media. The 45,000-tonne vessel, which was built at Guangzhou Shipyard International's Longxue shipyard on the Pearl River, is expected to provide logistics support

AT LEAST 10 people were killed and 20 others were wounded when two improvised explosive devices (IEDs), emplaced by unidentified militants, detonated at a boxing match during a fiesta in the town of Hilongos in the Philippines' Leyte province on 28 December, Reuters reported. Reports stated that the

EVENT Criminals killed a man with seven gun shots on 28 December near a major thoroughfare in the Costa Rican city of Cartago, 400 metres from the Paraíso police headquarters, in what authorities believe was a drug-related incident. This murder comes in the context of Costa Rica's

In Phoenix, Arizona, FBI agents arrested a man - identified as 30-year-old Derek Thompson - who had attempted to obtain firearms and had praised lone-wolf jihadi terrorist attacks on the internet. The man was detained following a two-year Joint Terrorism Task Force investigation. Thompson was

Key Points If the political parties fail to reach consensus over government formation - a reasonably likely scenario - an early election is likely in May 2017. Protests, posing moderate risks of collateral damage to vehicles and building fronts, and injury to bystanders, are likely in the capital,

The Indian Air Force (IAF) inaugurated its Tuting advanced landing ground (ALG) on 28 December. Tuting is the seventh of eight proposed IAF ALGs to become operational in 2016 in the north-eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh, which borders China, and Beijing claims is part of 'southern Tibet'.

The Indonesian Army (Tentara Nasional Indonesia - Angkatan Darat: TNI-AD) has taken delivery of another 16 Leopard 2 RI (Republic of Indonesia) main battle tanks (MBTs). The vehicles, which are part of a contract for 61 MBTs of the type with Rheinmetall Defence, were unloaded at the Port of Tanjong

China's Jiangnan Shipyard on Changxing Island launched its 10th Luyang III-class (Type 052D) destroyer for the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) on 26 December. Built under cover, the ship was launched by shiplift, and joins six others that are either being fitted out in the basin or on sea

The US State Department has approved the sale of 1,250 Boeing Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) bomb guidance kits for Kuwait, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced on 23 December. It said the proposed sale is estimated to be worth USD37 million and covers 750 guidance kits for

China's People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) commissioned its 30th Jiangdao-class (Type 056) corvette on 28 December, according to the China Military Online website. Ningde (510) entered service with the East Sea Fleet's 23rd frigate squadron and will be based at Xiamen, opposite Taiwan. A number

TWO unidentified men - reported to be Spanish citizens of Moroccan and Gambian origin -were arrested by police during a counter-terrorism operation in Spain's capital Madrid on 28 December on suspicion of spreading Islamist militant propaganda, Reuters reported. Four magazines for AK-series assault

Raytheon announced on 29 December it has secured a direct commercial sales contract worth more than USD600 million to upgrade an undisclosed country's Patriot Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) system to the Configuration 3+. "Patriot continues to outpace the evolving threat because

Russian state-owned technology conglomerate Rostec has taken over heavy armoured vehicles manufacturer Uralvagonzavod (UVZ) following a decree from President Vladimir Putin on 27 December. The corporation said the move is likely to be the precursor to the formation of an integrated armoured vehicle

Russia's Armed Forces will receive 905 tanks and armoured combat vehicles, and 170 new and upgraded aircraft in 2017, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said on 22 December. The aircraft target represents a significant increase on the 139 modern aircraft that Shoigu said were delivered in 2016. The

Key Points System reconstituted to RBS15 Mk 2 standard First firing trials of a land-based RBS15 Mk 2missile conducted in the Baltic Sea in early 2016. The Swedish Armed Forces has reactivated a land-based mobile RBS15 coastal defence capability on the Baltic coast, some 16 years after it was

EVENT The Somali presidential election, postponed four times since September, will now likely be held in January 2017 after the lower and upper houses of parliament were sworn in on 27 December. Parliament will now elect the president. Insecurity prevented direct countrywide parliamentary polls,