Defence`s Feeds

China's People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has commissioned a new training ship for the Dalian Naval Academy. Named Qi Jiguang (pennant number 83), the vessel entered service on 21 February at the Lushun Naval Base, near Dalian, which is expected to be its base port. The ceremony was attended by

Science Applications International Corp (SAIC) has unveiled the first of 16 prototypes for the US Marine Corps' (USMC's) competitive Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV) 1.1 programme during a 21 February ceremony at the company's facility in Charleston, South Carolina. SAIC partnered with Singapore

The US Air Force (USAF), in collaboration with Raytheon Missile Systems, is developing a new signal processor for the Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM). Funded by the USAF, this development falls under the Form Fit Function Refresh(F3R) programme, which is designed to ensure AMRAAM

The National Navy of Uruguay is negotiating the transfer of up to three Cessna O-2s (337 Skymasters) from the Chilean Navy, Uruguayan sources told Jane's . The aircraft, recently decommissioned by the Chilean Navy and replaced by Vulcanair P68 Observer 2 surveillance aircraft, were offered to

Poland issued two separate requests for proposals (RFPs) for a total of 16 new military helicopters on 20 February, industry officials told Jane's . The two RFPs are for eight helicopters each, and cover the procurement of special forces helicopters to replace the armed forces' current Mil Mi-8/17

NIMR Automotive's N35 (6x6) mine-protected multipurpose vehicle and its 4x4 counterpart have been re-designated as the JAIS, with the 6x6 variant offered with increased firepower. At IDEX 2017 in Abu Dhabi the JAIS 6x6 was shown fitted with the EVPU Turra 30 remote-controlled turret (RCT). This

European missiles developer MBDA has secured a new contract to deliver additional Marte MK2 / N anti-ship missiles to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Navy.

Italian company Leonardo has secured a new €11m contract to deliver its new generation identification friend or foe (NGIFF) interrogator for the Italian Navy's NH90 Nato frigate helicopters (NFHs).

The US Naval Research Laboratory's (NRL) Navy Center for Applied Research in Artificial Intelligence (NCARAI) has conducted initial human studies of the tactical battle manager (TBM) technology.

Americas

• Embraer has announced that their KC-390 tanker transport aircraft has completed its first dry refueling contact. The milestone test was conducted by a Brazilian Air Force F-5 Tiger which successfully plugged into both refueling hoses on one of the KC-390 prototypes during a sortie near Santa Cruz airbase, Rio de Janeiro, on Feb. 19. Embraer is currently assembling the first product model of the aircraft and believes the aircraft could be a good fit for air arms in the Middle East because of its multi-role capability. The company plans to bring the aircraft back to the Middle East next summer after it has been displayed at the Paris Airshow.

• Orbital ATK has received international orders worth $600 million in the past three months for their medium-caliber cannons and related munitions, the company has revealed. The orders from multiple customers were primarily for MK44 and M230 link-fed Bushmaster Chain Guns. Speaking on the orders, Dan Olson, vice president and general manager for the company’s Armament Systems Division lauded the cannon’s easy integration for land, air, and sea applications and added that the strong sales “reflects our core mission to work together with our integrator partners as well as our allies to create and deliver superior armaments and services for those who defend their nation’s security.”

• The Amphibious Combat Vehicle 1.1 by Science Applications International Corporation and BAE Systems for the USMC has been unveiled for the first time. Developed to replace an aging fleet of amphibious assault vehicles, the Marines will receive a total of 16 vehicles with deliveries to commence in March. The earlier stages of the ACV 1.1 production effort were stalled by a contract protest by General Dynamics after the company was defeated in the Marine Corps’ bidding process.

Middle East & North Africa

• The UAE is looking to have its Pantsyr-S mobile air defense system upgraded. Speaking at IDEX 2017, Russia’s Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturo said talks will be held “on modernizing this type of combat hardware and I hope that colleagues will increase the volume of orders for new modifications. So far, we’re talking about modernization with an option of deliveries.” Officials from Russia and the UAE signed contracts back in 2000 for the delivery of 50 Pantsyr-S1 systems.

• Its been reported that investors are betting heavily on Israeli defense and cyber-security firms benefitting from US defense spending plans under President Donald Trump. Companies such as Elbit Systems, Magal Security Systems and Check Point Software Technologies have all seen their share prices soar since Trump’s election in November 2016, and could benefit further from having their American subsidiaries incorporated in the US. One contentious project- the border wall along the Mexican border- could see firms like Magal, whose sensors and command and control systems help to secure airports, borders, power plants, seaports and prisons, provide its technology for the wall.

Africa

• Germany’s Stemme AG has reached an agreement with South Africa’s S-Plane Automation to integrate S-Plane subsystems into the Ecarys ES15 aircraft to create an Optionally Piloted Vehicle (OPV). Ecarys, a Stemme subsidiary that specialises in providing platforms for aerial surveillance, reconnaissance and scientific research missions, will be powered by S-Plane avionics and ground control station, and will combine the benefits of a manned aircraft with those of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), allowing for a greater variety of mission requirements.

Europe

• Poland’s Defense Ministry has begun negotiations with three bidders for various helicopter mission requirements. Eight are being sought to fill an urgent need for special forces missions, while eight more are required to fill a 2019 naval requirement for anti-submarine warfare and maritime search and rescue operations. The urgent nature of the acquisitions will allow Warsaw to bypass certain lengthy procurement procedures and they are believed to be talking to Airbus Helicopters, Leonardo Helicopters and Sikorsky. Despite the apparent urgency, however, the government is still insisting on offset requirements, which must be an “integral part of the contract.”

• Often reserved exclusively for border surveillance and protection, conceptual documentary photographer Richard Mosse has used advanced new thermographic weapons and border imaging technology in order to document the ongoing refugee crisis unfolding in the Aegean Sea, off the coast of Libya, in Syria, the Sahara, the Persian Gulf, and other locations. Capable of capturing images beyond 30km, registering a heat signature of relative temperature difference, the camera identified only temperature resulting in bodies being whiter where they’re hotter. The installation is now on show in London’s Barbican Centre until April 23.

Asia Pacific

• Pakistan has contracted Leonardo to provide an undisclosed number of additional AgustaWestland AW139 helicopters. Deliveries of the utility and transport helicopters will begin in the middle of this year. Leonardo said that the purchase will expand Pakistan’s existing AW139 fleet, adding the rotorcraft’s high performance capabilities under extreme weather conditions make it a good fit for the country’s operational environment.

Today’s Video

• The ACV 1.1:

Russian BREM-L Beglianka Armored Recovery Vehicle

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iX Cameras of Woburn, MA and Rochford, UK, a leading developer and manufacturer of high-speed (slow motion) imaging cameras, is proud to announce a sales and distribution partnership with the following:

Pictured (from left to right): Rudolf Maus (NSPA Director of Logistics Operartions), Tim Rowntree (departing OCCAR Director); Arturo Meiriño (new OCCAR Director), Rini Goos (EDA Deputy Chief Executive)

Rini Goos, the EDA’s Deputy Chief Executive, today attended the farewell event organised in Bonn by the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) for its departing Director, Tim Rowntree.

In his speech, Mr Goos thanked Mr Rowntree for the good cooperation with the European Defence Agency and praised him as a person “who served defence cooperation in Europe with excessive commitment”. EDA’s close cooperation with OCCAR started immediately after the creation of the Agency in 2004, leading to the Administrative Arrangement (AA) signed in 2012 and then to the Interface Document concluded in 2013.

Thanks to Mr Rowntree’s efforts and his close and pragmatic cooperation with EDA at different levels, those agreements have been implemented with success and already led to concrete outcomes such as the MMF programme, MALE RPAS, the smooth interaction in other projects of common interest (such as MMCM and MUSIS), cooperation in areas where EDA and OCCAR can benefit from each other’s expertise (for instance Security of Supply or REACH) as well as the revision of the Interface Document of 2015 which led to a more detailed and descriptive guide to ensure mutual cooperation benefits for the EDA and OCCAR, Mr Goos stated. “The key success factor for this remarkable progress was Mr Rowntree’s results oriented approach which fully fits to the Agency’s way of work”, he stressed.

The EDA Chief Executive said he was fully confident that Mr Rowntree’s successor, Arturo Alfonso-Meiriño, will pursue the good cooperation with the EDA and work successfully on the challenges to come. He wished Mr Alfonso-Meiriño good luck and great success. “The EDA looks forward to working with you to achieve our common objectives”, Mr Goos concluded.

 

More information:

• EDA and OCCAR strengthen cooperation (webnews, December 2015)
• OCCAR website

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