Defence`s Feeds

The United States on Thursday announced new sanctions against Myanmar, also known as Burma, more than a week after the country's military overthrew the democratically elected government.

As Myanmar is left reeling after a military coup rocked the Southeast Asian country at the beginning of February, one activist leader is determined to make sure that his nation's future will lie in the hands of the people.

Nabeel Sasoli spent months searching for a job after graduating three years ago in Pakistan's restive southern province of Balochistan.

Pakistan Army on Thursday successfully test-fired a short range surface-to-surface ballistic missile capable of hitting land and sea targets with 'high precision' up to 450 kilometers away, a press release by the Inter-Services Public Relations said.

A five-year extension of the arms reduction treaty came into force earlier this month, as Moscow and Washington managed to find common ground before the deal expired to preserve global peace and security.

It was with "pain in my heart," rector Konstantin Markelov said on January 29, that he announced the expulsion of three Astrakhan State University students for attending opposition protests.

A storied Russian liberal politician has sparked an outbreak of infighting among the country's opposition groups after mounting a scathing attack on Kremlin critic Alexey Navalny, arguing the path he would take the country down wouldn't lead to a life free of repression.

Russian security agents -- including one allegedly linked to the poisoning of opposition politician Aleksei Navalny -- tailed another Kremlin critic in the days and weeks before his two near-fatal poisoning illnesses, the investigative group Bellingcat said in a new report. including one allegedly linked to the poisoning of opposition politician Aleksei Navalny -- tailed another Kremlin critic in the days and weeks before

Although a ceasefire in Eastern Ukraine has led to a significant decrease in civilian casualties, the overall situation remains fragile unless progress is made on the security and political fronts, the UN's political affairs chief told the Security Council on Thursday.

The Cassation Administrative Court of the Ukrainian Supreme Court next month will hear an appeal against President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's decree to block three TV channels linked to Russia.

Previously, the Democrat's team revealed that he is not planning to overturn the policy of punishing Turkey over the acquisition of Russian air defence systems initiated under Republican Donald Trump. Biden's administration accused Turkey of not acting like a NATO ally by buying weapons from Moscow.

The United States has renewed its call on Turkey to renounce an advanced Russian air-defense system, rejecting a proposal by Ankara to resolve the dispute.

Taiwan's government expressed its thanks to U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday after Biden, in his first phone call with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) since taking office, raised concerns about Beijing's increasing pressure against Taiwan.

A meeting between Taiwan's top envoy to the United States and a senior State Department official on Wednesday and its public announcement may indicate continuing contacts with Taiwan at a high level under President Joe Biden's administration.

China's Tianwen-1 probe successfully entered the orbit around Mars on Wednesday after a nearly seven-month voyage from Earth.

The Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) implemented a series of restrictions on exports of sensitive items to Burma's Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Home Affairs, armed forces, and security services in response to the Burmese military's actions to overthrow the democratically elected civilian government of Burma.

Americas

Northrop Grumman has revealed its concept for the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) LongShot program to develop an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capable of employing multiple air-to-air weapons. The company released a conceptual rendering of its proposed design on 10 February, two days after it was awarded a contract alongside General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) and Lockheed Martin for the first phase of its LongShot program. “The LongShot program enables us to combine our digital engineering skillset with our extensive knowledge in advanced technology weapons, autonomous systems, and strike platforms to increase weapon range and effectiveness,” Jaime Engdahl, program director, kinetic weapons and emerging capabilities at Northrop Grumman was quoted as saying.

The 104th Fighter Wing has painted an American flag on the nose of its flagship F-15C and the graphic is composed of the names of members in the wing as well as those who had lost their lives while serving the 104th Fighter Wing. The roughly six-foot by four-foot nose art graphic is painted on both sides of the aircraft and the names of those who had fallen are painted in gold color. This F-15C #85-125 scored a kill against a Iraqi MiG-29 on January 17, 1991 using a AIM-7 missile.

Middle East & Africa

A US-Turkey joint Navy exercise on the Black Sea successfully integrated surface, air and subsurface warfare capabilities this week, the two countries announced. The US Sixth Fleet’s Arleigh Burke Class guided-missile destroyers USS Donald Cook and USS Porter, joined by a P-8A reconnaissance plane, joined Turkish frigates TCG Orucreis and TCG Turgutreis and two Turkish F-16 fighter planes for the one-day exercise on Tuesday, the US Navy said. “The training conducted for the fundamental types of naval warfare has further strengthened cooperation between the Naval Forces of the two countries and has contributed to their interoperability,” the Turkish defense ministry said Wednesday in a statement.

Europe

Germany has flown the first Panavia Tornado combat aircraft to have its service life extended with the goal of seeing the wider fleet out to its 2030 retirement date. The Luftwaffe announced that the first Tornado, serial 43+42 from Tactical Air Force Wing 33, had flown following the process that had seen its airframe life extended to 8,000 flight hours from the type’s current 6,000 flight hours. “A decision by the Federal Ministry of Defence was decisive for the laborious step of dismantling the fuselage,” the Luftwaffe said. “According to this, all 85 Tornados should remain in service until the end of 2030. This can only be achieved if such extensive work is done.”

There’s a new layer of defense around the British HMS Lancaster and her 200 crew to keep enemies at bay. According to the Royal Navy, the Portsmouth-based warship has been fitted with heavy machine-guns to fend off small, fast-attack craft – guns tested for the first time off the South Coast this week as the ‘Queen’s Frigate’ shakes off winter cobwebs.

Asia-Pacific

Greece will buy frigates from France to strengthen its navy, the National Herald reported on Wednesday. The plans to buy the Belharra class ships follow the signing of a $2.79 billion deal with France to buy 12 used and six new Rafale fighter jets, the New York-based Greek American newspaper said. Greece has close political and defense ties with France, which has backed Athens in a dispute with Turkey over territory in the eastern Mediterranean. The acquisition of the French frigates will constitute the largest weapons program ever undertaken by the Greek armed forces, the National Herald said. Total spending would amount to $6.05 billion, it said.

Today’s Video

Watch: HMS Lancaster tests newly installed heavy machine guns

With the new aircraft the USAF will triple the E-11A fleet, one year after a fatal crash in Afghanistan left the service with only three airframes. The U.S. Air Force announced that on January 21, [...]

The post The U.S. Air Force Is Planning To Get Six New E-11A With The Battlefield Airborne Communication Node Payload appeared first on The Aviationist.

Americas

General Electric Aviation won a $21.1 million contract modification, which procures 4 T408-GE-400 turboshaft spare engines and various spare engine parts in support of CH-53K Lot 5 low rate initial production aircraft. The CH-53K is the United States Marine Corps’ (USMC) heavy lift replacement for the CH-53E. The most powerful helicopter in the Department of Defense, the CH-53K is a new-build helicopter that will expand the fleet’s ability to move more material, more rapidly throughout the area of responsibility using proven and mature technologies. The T-408 engines are more powerful and more fuel efficient than the T-64 engines currently outfitted on the CH-53E. GE Aviation says the T408 turboshaft engine offers cutting edge technology and the latest design innovations for maximum power at minimum cost. Work will take place in Massachusetts. Estimated completion will be in December 2024.

According to Oshkosh Defense, the company just recently recently produced its 10,000th Joint Light Tactical Vehicle -more than half it’s orders for the vehicle. Oshkosh officials pointed to the JLTV becoming a central piece of the US military’s ground force, as both the Army and Military Corps plan to adopt the vehicle, as making the milestone significant. Oshkosh Defense has received orders for 18,126 JLTVs for a total contract value of more than $6 billion. “Producing the 10,000th JLTV in under five years is further evidence of our ability to meet the demands of our domestic and international customers,” George Mansfield, vice president and general manager of joint programs for Oshkosh Defense, said in a press release.

Middle East & Africa

Vectrus Systems won an $18.3 million contract modification to provide all personnel, equipment, supplies, transportation, tools, materials, supervision and other items and non-personal services necessary for food services at the Area Support Group-Kuwait dining facility. Area Support Group – Kuwait implements the Defense Cooperation Agreement on behalf of US Army Central with the Kuwait Ministry of Defense, operates as the Base Operations Support Integrator and Security Coordinator for Kuwait, Command and Controls US Army Camps and Security Forces, and provides support for Reception, Staging, Onward Movement, and Integration of forces to facilitate theater operations. Work will take place in Kuwait City, Kuwait. Estimated completion date is February 10, 2022.

Europe

BAE Systems has been selected to supply 12 Bofors 40 Mk4 naval guns to the Belgian and Dutch navies as part of the Mine Counter Measures Vessels (rMCM) program, the company announced in a press release. The Bofors 40 Mk4 is a flexible, highly versatile gun system designed to react quickly in coastal environments. Lightweight and compact, the naval gun system combines long range and a high rate of fire, giving the mine hunting vessels a greater level of defense against surface, air, and shore-based threats.

Asia-Pacific

South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) has given an update to the press on the status of the joint development of the KF-X fighter with Indonesia. Kang Eun-ho, chief of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, told the reporters that both parties are “sounding out each other’s position” and South Korea “will elaborate in detail when the time is right.” Indonesia has failed to pay $584 million in development fees for the KF-X project.

The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) will reactivate the No. 100 Squadron as the Air Force Heritage Squadron to mark its 100th anniversary. The squadron will fly warbirds such as Spitfire, Mustang and Sabre from Point Cook, Victoria, and Temora, New South Wales. The minister for Defense Personnel Darren Chester said 100 Squadron had a proud history and after a 75-year absence it was fitting that RAAF reactivates it in the same year as it commemorates its first 100 years.

Today’s Video

Watch: JLTV (Joint Light Tactical Vehicle) 8th Comm Marines conduct advanced drivers course during MEFEX

The 2021 air show schedule for the Air Force’s F-35A Lightning II Demonstration Team was cut by about one-third because of engine issue. The F-35 Demo Team will not display the capabilities of the F-35A [...]

The post F-35 Demo Team Forced To Cut Airshow Appearances Due To Fleet-Wide Engine Issues appeared first on The Aviationist.