Defence`s Feeds

Canada has extended its contract with CAE for the NATO Flying Training in Canada (NFTC) programme to now run through at least 2023, the government announced on 25 January. A previous 21-year contract with CAE - a Canada-headquartered provider of modelling, simulation, and training services for

The Colombian Navy commissioned and took into service its new multipurpose hydrographic vessel, ARC Roncador (153), in a ceremony held at Naval Base Bolivar on 25 January. The vessel was constructed by the Spanish shipyard Armon Vigo with co-operation from Colombia's state-run COTECMAR. Roncador

Raytheon Missile Systems has been selected by the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to execute the next phase of the Multi Azimuth Defense Fast Intercept Round Engagement System (MAD-FIRES) programme. Designed to improve ship survivability in high threat environments, the

The United Kingdom's Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) will award a technology demonstration programme (TDP) contract for its Icarus modular active protection system (APS) development programme next month, IHS Jane's understands. Intended to provide the UK with a modular integrated

The first Chilean Navy Lockheed Martin P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft departed Naval Air Base Concon and arrived in Canada on 22 January to start a structural midlife upgrade (SMU) under a USD37 million contract to IMP Aerospace of Halifax, Nova Scotia. The contract comprises SMUs for two

US land systems specialist and owner of Bath Iron Works General Dynamics Corporation released its 2016 financial results on 27 January, showing a healthy growth of pre-tax profit, despite a slight drop in sales. The company reported sales of USD31.4 billion, a slight fall of 0.4% year on year, and

The Islamic State released a video on 24 January that for the first time displayed the group's use of commercial unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to carry out attacks. The UAV segment of the video began with two militants launching a fixed-wing Skywalker X7/8 UAV carrying an improvised explosive

Key Points Satellite imagery and Islamic State video footage show what appears to be a significant defeat for the Turkish military in Syria Turkey lost around 12 armoured vehicles during a push to capture the Islamic State-held city of Al-Bab in December The Islamic State released a video on 20

The Italian Navy's 5th Helicopter Group received the service's first navalised NH Industries NH90TTH (known as the MH90 in Italian service) on 23 January. The MH90 was specifically modified to support the San Marco amphibious brigade and special forces operations, but retains the basic capabilities

Americas

• The USAF’s T-X Trainer competition has taken a sudden turn, with Raytheon and Leonardo announcing that they will no longer be collaborating on the program. As a result, Leonardo now has to decide whether to go it alone with the T-100 variant of its Aermacchi M-346 advanced trainer without a US partner, find another US collaborator, or pull out of the $16.3 billion competition altogether. Whatever will happen next?

• A US Army Stryker armored vehicle fitted with a 30mm cannon has been tested for the first time. Testing of the cannon, part of a series of upgrades designed to increase the mission capabilities of US Stryker vehicles, was undertaken in order to verify its combat abilities and make future determinations on the vehicle’s armament. The Pentagon’s decision to upgun a number of its Stryker’s – nicknamed the Dragoon – was taken in response to Russia’s 2015 invasion of Ukraine to close a ground vehicle capability gap, according to service leaders. The Army plans to field first of 83 Dragoons by the end of Fiscal 2018.

• Missile giant Raytheon has revealed a 1.4 percent fall in quarterly revenue, sparked by a drop in sales by its units in charge of missile systems and tracking and navigation sensors. Speaking on the slump, CEO Tom Kennedy said that a renewed campaign against militants of the Islamic State by the Trump administration could boost sales of its precision guided munitions. Meanwhile, Northrop Grumman has forecast lower 2017 earnings per share below Wall Street estimates due to lower segment operating margins, which some analysts attributed to costs related to some of its new programs.

Middle East & North Africa

• Textron Systems has been contracted by the USAF to provide maintenance training for the Afghan Air Force. The $9.3 million deal orders the provision of maintenance training to Afghan crew and includes logistics support for 24 aircraft operated by Kabul. Work will be performed in Afghanistan and is expected to be completed by the end of January, 2018.

Europe

• Romania has made an additional order with General Dynamics European Land Systems for its Piranha III wheeled armored vehicles. This is the country’s fifth order with GDEL for the vehicle, which has been in service with its armed forces since 2006. Announcing the order, GDEL did not give any further information on the procurement in relation to unit numbers or cost.

• The Croatian government has laid out their defense spending plans for 2017, with a focus on coastal patrol vessels, new howitzers, as well as continuing procurement of second-hand OH-58D Kiowa Warrior armed reconnaissance helicopters from the US. An additional $57 million has been added over last year’s figures, representing a 7% increase on funds in 2016. Other defense projects for this year include medium-lift helicopter overhauls, ordnance procurement, and M-84 main battle tank upgrades.

Asia Pacific

• Taiwan’s Minister of National Defense has announced his government’s ambition to pursue an indigenous stealth fighter once Taipei completes work on its advanced jet trainer. Feng Shih-kua, a former Air Force pilot, said that the Rep. China Air Force’s new aerospace research center will play an important role in the development of the fighter. Military officials later added that the jet will rely on its TFE-1042-70 afterburning turbofan as its power plant.

• A state-run Chinese newspaper has reported that Beijing is testing a new long-range air-to-air missile capable of downing early warning aircraft and aerial refueling aircraft. The munition’s development runs alongside what is described as an “ambitious modernization program” led by President Xi Jinping, including stealth fighters, aircraft carriers and the testing of anti-satellite missiles. While the air force has yet to comment on this new missile, pictures posted on the service’s website, showed a J-11B fighter carrying a large, unidentified missile during drills last year.

Today’s Video

What could have been for the USAF: The M-346:

Security Sector Reform in Conflict-Affected Countries: The Evolution of A Model

By Mark Sedra

KITCHENER, CANADA – The Centre for Security Governance (CSG) is pleased to announce the publication by Routledge of a new book written by CSG Executive Director Mark Sedra. The book examines the evolution, impact, and future prospects of the security sector reform model in conflict-affected countries in the context of the wider debate over the liberal peace project. It is part of the series “Routledge Studies in Conflict, Security and Development”.

Learn More at Routledge Store Summary

This book examines the evolution, impact, and future prospects of the Security Sector Reform (SSR) model in conflict-affected countries in the context of the wider debate over the liberal peace project.

Since its emergence as a concept in the late 1990s, SSR has represented a paradigm shift in security assistance, from the realist, regime-centric, train-and-equip approach of the Cold War to a new liberal, holistic and people-centred model. The rapid rise of this model, however, belied its rather meagre impact on the ground. This book critically examines the concept and its record of achievement over the past two decades, putting it into the broader context of peace-building and state-building theory and practice. It focuses attention on the most common, celebrated and complex setting for SSR, conflict-affected environments, and comparatively examines the application and impacts of donor-supported SSR programing in a series of conflict-affected countries over the past two decades, including Afghanistan, Sierra Leone, the Democratic Republic of Congo, East Timor and Bosnia-Herzegovina. The broader aim of the book is to better understand how the contemporary SSR model has coalesced over the past two decades and become mainstreamed in international development and security policy and practice. This provides a solid foundation to investigate the reasons for the poor performance of the model and to assess its prospects for the future.

This book will be of much interest to practitioners, analysts, academics and students of international security, peacebuilding, statebuilding, development studies and IR in general.

Speaking before the Security and Defence (SEDE) subcommittee of the European Parliament on 25 January, Denis Roger, the EDA’s Director for European Synergies and Innovation (ESI), hailed the good and effective cooperation between the European Commission and the European Defence Agency on preparing the upcoming Preparatory Action (PA) on defence research which is close to its official launch. “The EDA now stands ready to sign a new Delegation Agreement with the Commission relating to the PA and building on the positive experience of the Pilot Project”, he said. Philippe Brunet, the Commission’s Director for Space Policy and Defence within DG GROW, who also participated in the SEDE debate, indicated that the delegation agreement should be signed quickly, if possible in March 2017.

Mr Roger recalled the importance of the Pilot Project (PP) on defence research which is currently being implemented through a delegation agreement signed in November 2015 between the Commission and the EDA, has proved a great opportunity to test the interface between the Commission and the EDA in the implementation of a centrally-funded defence research scheme at EU level.

Several ‘lessons learned’ from the PP are being applied in the preparation for the PA, for instance the need to have some more innovative and adapted to defence specificities Intellectual Property Rules (IPR) or to have a wider pool of evaluation experts available. “For the Preparatory Action, the basic rule should be to draw the lessons already learnt from the Pilot Project, to keep the way of working when it demonstrated to be satisfactory and to improve what needs to be improved, while adapting to the increased scale”, Mr Roger said. In particular, he referred to the key ‘upstream role’ the EDA has in consulting all stakeholders (government, industry and RTOs) about key research priorities and consolidating them with Member States. He also mentioned the execution and exploitation (‘downstream’) roles the Agency played in the PP and which it would also have to play in the PA implementation.

Focusing on priority military needs

Mr Roger stressed the need to make sure that collaborative defence research undertaken under the Preparatory Action will be linked to priority military capability needs of Member States: “I must insist on this point, which is a key specificity of Defence Research. Since the market is a monopsony, the only buyer being the Ministries of Defence, it is absolutely essential to make sure that the technical requirements of the projects match the future Capability needs defined by Member States and reflected in the Capability Development Plan endorsed at the level of the Ministers of Defence”. “In accordance with article 45 of the Treaty on the European Union, EDA has a key role to play in guaranteeing this consistency between Capability and Research priorities”, he stated.

EDA prepares for PA implementation role

Implementing the PA means that the EDA will also have to adapt its own structures because compared to managing a relatively small Pilot Project (three projects with a total budget of €1.4 million), the task of managing a substantially bigger Preparatory Action (€90 million budget over three years with probably more than a dozen projects in total) will be much more of a challenge.

That’s why the EDA has already set up a dedicated PA Unit in order to manage EDA’s ‘upstream role’ and its forthcoming implementation role. It already includes four people and additional growth is anticipated once the delegation agreement is signed. The first short term task of that new unit will be the practical implementation of the Preparatory Action Work Programme: launch of the calls, organisation of the evaluation and signing of the grant agreements. “But we also need to have a longer term vision: a key success indicator of the preparatory Action will be the usefulness of the results for Member States’ future Capability Development Programmes”, Mr Roger said.

EDA’s existing structures (CapTechs, Project Teams, Working Groups) will contribute to make sure that the PA results are fully taken into account and to promote follow-on projects and programmes.
The PA unit could also have a key role, in permanent coordination with the European Commission, to draw, in real time, the lessons learnt from the Preparatory Action that can benefit to the setting up of a potential wider future European Defence Research Programme (EDRP) after 2020.

 

More information:

• Full speech of Roger Denis at SEDE committee (25 January 2017)
• Preparatory Action on defence research (EDA factsheet)
• First EU Pilot Project in the field of defence research sees grant agreements signed for €1.4 million

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Disclaimer : The interpretation of debates serves to facilitate communication and does not constitute an authentic record of proceedings. Only the original speech or the revised written translation is authentic.
Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Cobham Aerospace Communications, a world-leading provider of high-performance slip rings for the most demanding applications is announcing the launch of its compact 4 stage rotary joint for military vehicles (AFVs, MBTs) and weapon systems.

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Disclaimer : The interpretation of debates serves to facilitate communication and does not constitute an authentic record of proceedings. Only the original speech or the revised written translation is authentic.
Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

Length of video : 61'
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Disclaimer : The interpretation of debates serves to facilitate communication and does not constitute an authentic record of proceedings. Only the original speech or the revised written translation is authentic.
Source : © European Union, 2017 - EP

A study by EDA has concluded that considering the complexity of defence supply chains and long lifecycles of military equipment, REACH (and associated CLP) regulation, as they stand now, may impact the actual operability of Member States’ Armed Forces.

 EDA outsourced a dedicated study to examine what impact the EU’s regulations on Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) and on the Classification, Labelling and Packaging of chemical substances and mixtures (CLP) have had on the European defence sector (governments and industry) since they entered into force in 2007 and 2009 respectively. Further to assessing the impact of REACH (and associated CLP) regulation on defence, the study aimed to develop recommendations for further improvement of REACH regulation and its current implementation regime.

The basis for the study, which was finalised in December 2016, aimed for a win-win solution achieving two principle goals: a high level of health and environmental protection, as well as ensuring the operational effectiveness of Member States’ Armed Forces and enhancing the competitiveness and innovation of the European Defence Technological and Industrial Base.

The study’s consultation facilitated input from a wide range of European defence stakeholders including, in particular, the EDA Member States’ Ministries of Defence (MoD), European Commission, European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), Member States’ Competent Authorities on REACH and CLP and  the defence industry.

The main conclusions propose several improvements and related actions for stakeholders, broadly grouped into the three main areas:

• More time and resources (for innovative substitution of Substances of Very High Concern);
• Consistency of REACH, other EU laws and policies; 
• EU-level solutions for defence under REACH. 

EDA has informed the competent stakeholders (Member States’ MoDs, European Commission, ECHA and the defence industry) on the outcome of the study and is now in the process to further liaise with them, and to support further examination and implementation of the study proposals. 

The study recommendations addressed to the Commission also serve as EDA input to the upcoming Commission review of the REACH regulation in 2017. 
 

More information:

• EDA REACH and CLP Study Final Report
• REACH - EDA project page

Scientists and engineers from the US Naval Surface Warfare Center, Panama City Division (NSWC PCD) have successfully recreated a defensive biomaterial found in hagfish to aid military personnel.

California-based software developer Nutanix has been chosen by the US Navy's Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command to deliver the next-generation enclave, commercial, off-the-shelf technology for the deployable joint command and control (DJC2) prog…

Americas

• It seems likely that the KC-46A aerial tanker will not meet its aggressive delivery schedule, with manufacturer Boeing stalling deliveries to the USAF until late 2017. Boeing had already moved its delivery schedule from March to August. The revelations were found in an annual report by the DoD’s Director of Operational Test & Evaluation, which stated “execution of the current schedule assumes historically unrealistic test aircraft fly and re-fly rates.”

• Developments on the new Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) have been given the thumbs up from the US Navy and will be installed on board the next USS John F. Kennedy. Designed to stop carrier-borne aircraft, the decision was made following a thorough review by an AAG Resource Requirements Review Board (R3B) last November. The 350th trap of an F/A-18E Super Hornet fighter was completed in December and the AAG team continues multisite test operations with the next type/model/series and the E-2/C-2 platform.

• Raytheon has been selected to provide SM-6 missiles and spares, to be deployed on AEGIS-equipped cruisers and destroyers. Valued at $235 million, the award comes following several testing and milestone events for the weapon that verified the weapon’s capability to intercept incoming medium-range ballistic missile attacks. This contract represents funding for the fourth year of full-rate production for the multi-mission missile and deliveries are expected to begin in 2018.

• Lockheed Martin has announced that it is close to signing a deal with the F-35 Joint Program Office on the next batch of the Joint Strike Fighter. The announcement was made by CEO Marilyn Hewson to investors on Tuesday, where the company also disclosed that it beat revenue estimates for fourth-quarter 2016/17. Hewson added that the defense giant plans to “drive affordability” in 2017, a reference to ongoing discussions between President Trump and the defense industry to get a “better deal” on government contracts.

Middle East & North Africa

• A rift between the Austrian and Turkish governments has resulted in the scrapping of a collaboration deal on the Altay Main Battle Tank. AVL List, an Austrian engine firm, had previously signed a deal with Turkish counterpart TUMOSAN in 2015 to provide technical support for the engine that the Turkish company had been commissioned to develop for the Altay. However, Ankara insisted that it should finally have the intellectual property rights and export licenses for each part of the engine, something Vienna refused. Matters were made worse following criticisms from the Austrian government (and many others in Europe), in regards to Turkey’s democratic values, following the purge of some 100,000 government employees as a result of the government’s dragnet of conspirators and sympathizers behind last summer’s failed coup. The deal was effectively killed last November, when the Austrian Parliament decided to impose an arms embargo on Turkey. It remains unknown if the decision will affect the time schedule for the Altay’s production.

Europe

• Germany is pushing ahead with a plan to procure a new short-range missile defense system, with a decision on the plan due to be made soon. Contenders for the program include the Norwegian Advanced Surface to Air Missile System (NASAMS) and a surface-launch variant of the IRIS-T missile made by German manufacturer Diehl Defense. Berlin’s new program is a result of efforts by NATO members to increase defense spending amid pressure from US President Donald Trump for NATO allies to up their contributions to the alliance. Almost $500 million has been earmarked for the initial stages of the sale, but could see extras, such as lasers and radars, added at a later date.

Asia Pacific

• Pakistani authorities have announced the successful first test of their second nuclear-capable Ababeel ballistic missile in a month. The missile has a maximum range of 1,367 miles, and is capable of carrying multiple warheads using the Multiple Independent Re-entry Vehicle technology. Pakistan’s latest demonstration follows that of their Babur-III launch on January 9, and a number of test-firings conducted by neighboring India, which have contributed to escalating tensions between the historically hostile nations.

• The competition to replace Indonesia’s aging fleet of F-5E Tiger fighters is still open, according to the country’s new Air Force head. Contenders for selection include the Russian Sukhoi Su-35, the US F-16 Block 60 Viper, and Saab’s JAS-39 Gripen, with the eventual winner expected to supply 16 fighters in a deal costing in the region of $1.5 billion. All 16 of Indonesia’s F-5E/F fighter jets have been retired since late 2005, and under reserve for future use.

Today’s Video

Pakistan claims successful Ababeel ballistic missile test: