Defence`s Feeds

Key Points Israel wants to enhance its defence relationships with the Philippines by offering technology transfer arrangements Israeli-designed military platforms might be produced in the Philippines through the initiatives The Israeli government is taking steps to deepen its defence relationship

State-owned aircraft manufacturer PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) has denied media reports that delays to two light utility turboprop transport aircraft on order for the Philippine Air Force (PAF) stem from manufacturer faults. The Philippine government awarded a contract for two NC212i aircraft to

The Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF) is considering a Belarussian offer to upgrade Jordan's 9K33 Osa (SA-8 'Gecko') mobile short-range air defence systems, a Jordanian defence source told IHS Jane's in Amman on 25 September. The JAF has had the Osa in service since 1982 and currently has 52 systems

Egypt has received a second consignment of mine-resistant ambush-protected (MRAP) armoured vehicles from the United States, the Egyptian Ministry of Defence announced on 29 September. The delivery of the first consignment was announced in May. The numbers of vehicles in the two deliveries have not

Key Points The Heckler & Koch HK416F will be the French Army's new service rifle The total contract with Heckler & Koch is worth EUR168 million The French Army's new service rifle will be the Heckler & Koch HK416F, the French defence procurement agency (the DGA) announced on 23

The White House has approved the long-delayed sale of multirole fighters to Bahrain, Kuwait, and Qatar, Reuters cited sources familiar with the decision as saying on 29 September. Congress is now being notified about the proposed sale to Qatar of 36 Boeing F-15 fighters valued at about USD4 billion

The US Department of Defense (DoD) has awarded Boeing a USD81.27 million contract to supply the Indian Navy (IN) with 22 Harpoon submarine launched anti-ship missiles via the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme. The overall package is worth USD200 million and includes 12 UGM-84L Harpoon Block II

India's Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will soon register a formal case over the USD210 million import of three Embraer EMB-145 aircraft in 2008 after its preliminary enquiry (PE) recently revealed wrongdoing, according to official sources. The CBI's PE found that USD5.5 million was

In Adhiyyah, near Ishaqi, Salah ad Din province, the Islamic State claimed that a suicide bomber targeted the deputy-governor's compound with small arms fire and hand grenades before detonating a suicide bomb vest. This claim could not be independently verified.

The Mexican Navy took delivery on 28 September of the first of 10 Airbus AS565 MBe Panther helicopters it purchased in 2014, the company announced. Mexico is the first customer for the latest variant of the multirole military rotorcraft but has flown older versions. "The Mexican Navy's first

Key Points Members of parliament, emboldened by the ousting of Finance Minister Hoshyar Zebari and Defence Minister Khaled al-Obeidi and exploiting ongoing political infighting within and between major political blocs, seek similar votes of no confidence targeting Foreign Affairs Minister Ibrahim

The Russian Air Force has not redeployed any Su-25 ground attack aircraft to its main base in Syria, Airbus Defence and Space satellite imagery shows. Russian had 12 Su-25s deployed at Humaymim Air Base in Syria's Latakia province from September 2015 until March, when they were withdrawn. Russia's

Northrop Grumman is set to build 10 additional MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned helicopters for the US Navy (USN), the company announced on 29 September. US Naval Air Systems Command previously awarded Northrop Grumman a USD108.1 million contract for the work, which is expected to be completed by 2019,

South African defence systems manufacturer Paramount has exhibited its Mbombe 6 at the ADEX defence show in Azerbaijan, as it looks for more orders from the country. The Azeri military currently operates the company's Marauder and Matador armoured personnel carriers, which were first procured under

Russia's airborne radar industry has "almost no possibilities" for developing an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar in the near term, industry specialists from Poland, Ukraine, and other East European nations have told IHS Jane's . Russian military aircraft marketing

Safran has entered into exclusive negotiations with private equity firm Advent International over the sale of Safran Identity & Security (Safran I&S), the French technology firm announced on 29 September. Safran I&S, formerly known as Morpho, is to be merged with Advent

Key Points Over the past 12-18 months, the AMISOM peacekeeping force has been forced to retreat from many areas of southern and central Somalia, largely as a result of failings associated with co-ordination, resources, funding, and tactical approaches. These weaknesses have allowed Islamist

The Minister of Defence reported that approximately four hostages had been being held by Ejercito de Liberacion Nacional (ELN) militants, although other reports claimed there were eight. The government has conditioned beginning formal peace talks with the militants to the release of all hostages.

Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation has been awarded a USD38.3 million follow-on contract to deliver four "uniquely modified" UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters to Tunisia, the US Department of Defense announced on 28 September. This follows an initial USD93.3 million contract announced in March

Americas

• Lockheed Martin has revealed that they successfully launched a Vector Hawk canister-launched small UAV from their Marlin MK2 autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV). The disclosure was made during the Annual Navy Technology Exercise (ANTX) in August. To transmit the launch command to the Marlin, Lockheed engineers relied on the Submaran, an unmanned surface vehicle (USV) developed by Ocean Aero, as a relay.

Middle East & North Africa

• It’s been reported that the US State Department has finally cleared the multi-billion sale of fighters to Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain. Sources told media outlets that US officials have begun to notify lawmakers informally about the sale of 36 Boeing F-15 fighter jets to Qatar valued at around $4 billion, 28 F/A- 18E/F Super Hornets (plus options for 12 more), to Kuwait for around $3 billion, and 17 Lockheed F-16 fighter jets to Bahrain, plus upgrades of up to 20 additional aircraft. The deals will be formally announced once the 40-day informal notification process has ended.

• Eurofighters purchased by Kuwait will come equipped with Lockheed Martin’s Sniper targeting pod, with 14 more already requested for its F/A-18 legacy Hornets. Deliveries will commence in 2017 for integration. Once fitted, the Eurofighter will become the 9th platform to use Sniper, joining variants of the F-15, F-16, F-18, A-10, B-1, B-52, F-2 and Harrier.

Africa

• Building is underway by the US military of a $100 million facility for the use of MQ-9 Reaper operations in the region. The news comes less than a year after the announcement was made that Reaper and Predator bases in Ethiopia and Djibouti would be closed. MQ-9s operated from East African bases are used primarily for missions against Islamic insurgents such as al-Shabaab in Somalia and AQAP in Yemen.

Europe

• Romania has become the latest operator of the F-16 following delivery of the first six from a total of twelve from Portugal. The $203 million deal includes nine F-16AM single-seaters and three F-16BM two-seaters as well as an overhaul of engines; initial logistics support; training of up to nine pilots, 75 technicians, and four mission planers; two years of on-site support; and updating the fleet to operational flight program (OFP) development software M5.2R standard, with support from Lockheed Martin. More F-16s from another NATO member are being sought by Romania who currently operate a fleet of MiG- 21 LanceR aircraft.

Asia Pacific

• Saab is to pursue Gripen figter sales to the Philippine Air Force, with plans to open an office in Manila by the end of the year. Speaking on the opening day of the Asian Defence and Security 2016 (ADAS 2016) exhibition in Manila, Carl-Erik Leek, Saab’s executive vice-president in the Asia Pacific, said the new office would be the centre of the company’s marketing activities in the country. Current efforts in the country have been coordinated from the company’s regional offices in Thailand.

• Delivery of the Malaysian Air Force’s fourth and final A400M transport aircraft will happen early next year. The first aircraft was delivered in March 2015, the second came early this year while the third was received in the middle of this year. Gen Tan Sri Roslan Saad told reporters that the latest A400M will come with a software upgrade.

• Boeing rolled out the first of its 12 P-8A Poseidon aircraft for the Royal Australian Air Force during a ceremony in Seattle. The maritime patrol and surveillance aircraft, based on the design of Boeing’s 737-800 fuselage, will fly to Australia in November. Featuring a weapons bay as well as under-wing and under-fuselage hard points for weapons, the aircraft will be used for anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare and shipping interdiction as Australia looks to assert itself as a regional security player in the region.

Today’s Video

Taiwan’s future air warfare DDG shoots down attacking F-14s: