Defence`s Feeds

Key Points If the referendum’s minimum turnout threshold is not reached, the government is likely to proceed with parliamentary ratification of the measure, seeking opposition support in exchange for the promise of early parliamentary elections, probably by mid-2019; this is likely to slow

US Army General Austin S Miller is set to become the new commander of the NATO-led ‘Resolute Support’ mission and US Forces-Afghanistan (USFOR-A), replacing US Army General John W Nicholson, who has led the mission in the Central Asian country since March 2016. Gen Miller is set to take

IN A STATEMENT released via Telegram on 21 August, the Islamic State provided the purported names of the militants involved in a series of attacks in Russia's North Caucasus republic of Chechnya on 20 August, adding further credence to the group's earlier claim of responsibility, BBC Monitoring

The Japanese Ministry of Defense (MoD) has revealed defence contracting statistics for recent years, showing a significant increase on spending on US military equipment and also a continuing high dependency on local contractor Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI). A spokesperson from the MoD’s

MEDIA reports on 21 August, citing local sources, stated that two people, including a soldier, had been killed and two people had been wounded when a landmine, emplaced by unidentified militants, detonated targeting their vehicle near Lafoole University in Afgooye district in Somalia's Shabeellaha

Morocco’s Ministerial Council approved a draft law re-introducing compulsory military service on 20 August. The Ministry of Culture and Communication said Draft Law 44.18 stipulates that citizens aged between 19 and 25 will have to serve for 12 months unless they are exempted for physical or

Russia has unveiled a variant of the T-15 heavy infantry fighting vehicle (HIFV) fitted with a 57 mm auto-cannon set in a remote turret at the Army 2018 exhibition being held in Kubinka, near Moscow, on 21-26 August. The cannon is most likely based on that used by the previous AU-220M combat

Near Samarra, Salah al-Din province, the Iraqi Security Forces killed a would-be suicide bomber and three other militants during a counter-terrorism operation.

Almaz-Antey and Kupol JSC have unveiled a multipurpose air-defence target training system at the Army International Military-Technical Forum being held in Kubinka near Moscow from 21 to 26 August. The 9F6021E Versatile Training Target System (VTTS) consists of four target types: missile air target

A Jordanian and a US pilot were killed when their helicopter crashed during a training mission in Texas on 22 August, the Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF) said in a statement. “A joint US-JAF investigative committee has been established to find the reasons behind the crash,” it said. It

Key Points Raytheon is developing a man-portable land-based JPALS system The system would allow the US Air Force to land aircraft where it does not have bases Raytheon is developing a smaller, expeditionary, land-based version of its Joint Precision Approach and Landing System (JPALS) for a

South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) announced on 22 August reforms to introduce greater levels of transparency in military procurement. The MND said the measures are intended to support the Defense Reform 2.0 initiative, which was announced by the MND recently and is aimed at

A “ground mishap” has just occurred to an F-35A Lightning II at Eglin Air Force Base. Nose gear collapse Just in from 33rd FW: “An F-35A Lightning II, assigned to the 58th Fighter Squadron, experienced a ground mishap at approximately 12:50 p.m. today on the flightline here. The F-35A experienced an in-flight emergency and returned […]

Veteran Helicopter Pilot Killed in Crash Was in Ninth Combat Deployment. Late Tuesday, August 21, 2018, U.S. military officials identified the Army helicopter pilot who died on Monday as a result of wounds received in a crash in Iraq on Sunday, August 19, 2018 during an undisclosed operation. Official news releases report three additional wounded […]

Three Royal Netherlands Air Force helicopters have been involved in an unusual deployment to the Sardinian airbase. In the last years we have documented the deployment of RNlAF helicopters to airbases across Italy. It all started with a MoU (Memorandum Of Understanding) signed in 2003 that foresaw the periodical deployment of Dutch helicopters (AH-64D, CH-47 […]

Americas

One of the Navy’s Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruises is getting an overhaul. BAE Systems Norfolk Ship Repair is being contracted to modernize the USS Gettysburg (CG 64) at a cost of $146.3 million. The company is responsible to provide the Navy with ‘long-term’ availability that combines maintenance, modernisation and repair work on the vessel. The Ticonderoga Class remains critical to American seapower, functioning as the fleet’s most powerful anti-air defense, and contributing substantial anti-ship and anti-submarine combat power to its assigned naval groups. The Cruiser Modernization program aims to improve the CG 47 Ticonderoga class by modernizing the computing and display infrastructure and the Hull, Mechanical and Electrical (HM&E) systems. Weapons and sensor sets will also be improved, in order to upgrade their anti-submarine capabilities, add short range electro-optical systems that can monitor the ship’s surroundings without the use of radar emissions, as well as routine machinery upgrades to improve all areas of ship functionality. The modernized cruisers are expected to become more cost efficient to operate, as their lives are extended to serve in the fleet through the year 2030. Work will be performed at BAE’s shipyard in Norfolk, Virginia and is expected to be completed by March 2020.

General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems is set to develop a new sensor for the Missile Defense Agency’s MQ-9 UAVs. The cost-plus-award fee contract has a total value of $133.9 million and provides for finalising the development, integration and flight testing of an advanced sensor. The sensor will be evaluated in realistic test scenarios, to be held at various locations inside and outside the continental US. The MQ-9 Reaper is an armed, multi-mission, medium-altitude, long-endurance remotely piloted aircraft that is employed primarily against dynamic execution targets and secondarily as an intelligence collection asset. The new sensor technology has been in the works for some time. It is designed to significantly improve the ability to track cold body targets through their time of flight and enhance discrimination. The MDA is also planning to equip the MQ-9 with high-energy laser systems that could destroy intercontinental ballistic missiles in the boost phase at long standoff ranges. The sensor will be manufactured at GA’s facility in San Diego California from August 2018 through October 2021.

Camber Corp is being tapped to support the USMC’s CBRN contingency efforts. The awarded $15.2 million cost-plus-fixed-fee modification allows the company to perform a variety of technical and engineering services in support of the Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and High-Yield Explosive Consequence Management Program. CCMRF is a robust federal entry force that is scalable and task-organized to mitigate further loss of life and relieve suffering in response to a CBRNE disaster. It supports local and state requests for assistance as part of a federal response. The USMC’s Chemical Biological Incident Response Force is capable of deploying as a battalion task force consisting of two subordinate initial response forces (IRFs) with approximately 150 personnel each. In the event of a CBRNE attack, the battalion will deploy Marines who specialize in identification and detection, and they will gather the first wave of intelligence that will be used to define the manner in which the mission will be accomplished. Work will be performed in Washington DC until August 22nd, 2019.

Middle East & Africa

The Qatari Air Force is ordering 28 NH-90 helicopters from Italian defense contractor Leonardo. The deal has a value of $3.4 billion and includes 12 NFH naval helicopters, 16 TTH troop transports, and a number of training services. The NH-90 began life as a leap-ahead competitor that would create a compelling alternative to Sikorsky’s 1980-era H-60 family airframe designs. The NH-90 TTH is the base variant for land and air forces. The platform can carry 12-20 troops and can be configured to perform SOF, MEDEVAC and CSAR missions. The NH-90 NFH an be used as a utility helicopter like the TTH, or as an anti-submarine helicopter. In its ASW configuration the helicopter is equipped with a naval radar, a dipping sonar, sonobuoys, a magnetic anomaly detector, and up to 2 light anti-ship missiles or torpedoes on side pylons. The naval variant will be manufactured at Leonardo’s facility in Venice, while the troop transporters will be assembled at a non-disclosed Airbus location. The helicopters are scheduled for delivery between 2022 and 2025.

Europe

Norway is currently testing its newly acquired F-35 JSFs. Two of Norway’s F-35s recently competed against two US F-22 stealth fighters in a number of simulated dogfights. The F-22s are among 13 jets currently deployed in Europe. Norway is a Tier 3 partner in the JSF program, has ordered a total 52 aircraft and is developing a stealthy Joint Strike Missile with the F-35 as its explicit target. The JSM/NSM is produced by Kongsberg, it can strike land or sea targets and and can be carried inside the F-35A/C weapons bay. The Raptor is considered to be the first 5th generation fighter, even though the aircraft is out of production, the program itself will continue to attract spending on maintenance, spares, and upgrades. The F-22’s deployment is part of US efforts to reassure European allies after Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea.

Asia-Pacific

South Korea’s Navy is funding a research project to explore the possibility of operating F-35Bs aboard its amphibious landing ships. The project aims to devise a feasible and affordable options to remodel the country’s 14,000-ton Dokdo-class vessel. Necessary work is likely to include retrofitting the ship with a ski-jump ramp, similarly to the one seen on the Queen Elizabeth-class carriers, and adapting the flight deck so that used materials can withstand the high-temperatures caused by fighter jet operations. In 2014, South Korea decided to acquire 40 F-35As at a cost of $6.4 billion, some experts speculate that the country will also opt for a few F-35Bs as means to mitigate the dangers of a future shortage of warplanes caused by decommissioning its ageing fleet of F-4s and F-5s.

The Singapore Air Force is adding a new multi-role transport aircraft to its fleet. Recent social media posts indicate that the aircraft recently landed at Changi West Air Base. The Airbus A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) was designed from the outset to be able to function as an aerial tanker and a transport aircraft at the same time. The A330 MRTT has a maximum fuel capacity of 246.000 lbs. and has the capacity to carry 43,000 kg of cargo, including up to 32 463L cargo pallets, or up to 272 passengers, while carrying a full fuel load. The aircraft is powered by two Rolls-Royce Trent 772B-60EP engines, has a hose-and-drogue refuelling pod on both wings and a refuelling boom. Singapore has five additional A330 MRTT’s on order.

Today’s Video

Watch: Russia’s 6th Gen. fighter jet

The Military-Industrial Company (VPK) is displaying the upgraded Tigr 4x4 armoured vehicle at the Army 2018 defence show in Kubinka, near Moscow, on 21-26 August. The upgrade is based on combat experience gained during operations in Syria. Designated the ASN 233115 Tigr-M SpN, the upgraded vehicle

Singaporean STK 50MG Heavy Machine Gun