Defence`s Feeds

China's Ministry of National Defense (MND) has confirmed media reports that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) recently conducted trials of a new light battle tank (LBT) in Tibet. "Recently a new type of tank has undertaken trials on the Tibetan Plateau. The trials were aimed at testing the

China's People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) commissioned its 25th Jiangkai II-class (Type 054A) frigate on 29 June, just six days after the previous ship of the class. Named Wuhu and given pennant number 539, the vessel is expected to join two other Type 054A frigates operated by the 10th

The Republic of Korea Army (RoKA) is aiming to enhance the effectiveness of its artillery forces by introducing new and more capable rocket artillery and self-propelled (SP) gun systems as well as improved sensors. Kim Hyun-Wook, Artillery Team Leader at the Defense Acquisition Program

Australia’s New South Wales government announced on 29 June that it had approved funding for an upgrade to a shipyard at the Port of Newcastle, with the goal of restoring the area’s capabilities in naval and commercial shipping maintenance and repair. The work, which will be undertaken

Nearly two years after identifying a requirement to cut its civilian workforce by 30% by 2020, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has still not put in place a firm plan to downsize its staff as part of its drive to free up money to buy new equipment. It had been hoped that the savings from more than

Russia has delivered at least 12 9K123-1 Khrizantema-S vehicle-mounted anti-tank guided weapon (ATGW) systems to Azerbaijan and more than 15 systems will be delivered by the end of 2018, Jane's has learned. The Azerbaijani Ministry of Defence reported the arms acquisition on 24 June in an official

Following its approval of EUR10 billion (USD11.4 billion) worth of defence programmes on 21 June, the German parliament (Bundestag) cleared more projects for funding on 28 June. During the final two sessions before the summer break and the September general elections, the Bundestag budget committee

NATO and allied defence ministers have agreed to increase the size and extend the mandate of their 'Resolute Support' training mission in Afghanistan to 2020, although the exact troop numbers of the increase remain fuzzy. "I can confirm we will increase our presence in Afghanistan," NATO

US defence manufacturer Lockheed Martin announced an investment in nanosatellite specialist Terran Orbital on 29 June. The transaction, made both in cash and in-kind investments, saw Lockheed Martin Ventures, an arm of the company that focuses on strategic investments in disruptive technologies,

The US Navy has awarded a USD9.6 million Foreign Military Sale (FMS) contract to Raytheon for the procurement of five launcher control processors for the Takanami-class destroyers operated by the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF). The US Department of Defense (DoD) announced on 29 June that

The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) will increase its ability to deal with terrorism-related contingencies by expanding the use of its reserve troops in homeland security operations alongside its regular and active conscript forces from July 2017. The new initiative was announced by Defence Minister

The US Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) on 29 June issued a Sources Sought notice for a rapidly-fielded and developed hypersonic, conventional air-launched strike weapon. According to the notice, capabilities statements are being sought from potential sources "that are capable of

The UK "is in a very good place" as it prepares for the start of carrier trials of its Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) towards the end of next year, the chief of the Royal Air Force (RAF) told Jane's on 28 June. Speaking days after the Royal Navy's (RN's)

Argentina's Fábrica Argentina de Aviones SA (FAdeA) on 29 June rolled out the first IA-63 Pampa III destined to the Argentine Air Force. This is the first of an initial small order for three aircraft and is to be followed by a second larger batch that is being negotiated. The aircraft's first

EVENT Assailants armed with assault rifles and machetes attacked a police station on 29 June in the central Kalamu neighbourhood of Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), wounding four police officers including a brigadier-in-chief. One assailant was killed and three

China has continued enhancing its dual-use facilities on three artificial islands in the South China Sea (SCS) by building new shelters and installing additional radar and communications structures there, according to the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) at the Center for Strategic and

Key Points President Sisi considers his position secure and is likely to stand for re-election in 2018 with the backing of the military. The executive and legislative branches are willing to over-rule the judicial branch at the risk of civilian protests. Mass demonstrations are unlikely under

Key Points The Islamic State holds less than 2 sq km of Mosul, Iraq, with the coalition expecting to reclaim the city within days Islamic State leadership has fled Raqqa, Syria, and the group no longer has a central city for running its organisation Three years after the Islamic State declared

Finnish defence minister Jussi Niinistö agreed a Statement of Intent with his NATO counterparts on 29 June, facilitating Finland's membership of a working group on co-operation on ammunition procurement. Invited to participate alongside fellow non-NATO member Sweden, Finland hopes to take

Rostec unveiled an export version of the Russian Instrument Design Bureau (KBP)-designed integrated gun and surface-to-air missile (SAM) naval weapon system Pantsir-M, designated Pantsir-ME, at the International Maritime Defence Show (IMDS) in St Petersburg. Pantsir-ME is a fully automated