Jane's Defense News

Smaller, lighter, and with advanced mission capabilities, the Harris AN/PRC-158 Type 1 Multi-Channel Manpack is said to be today’s solution for tomorrow’s warfighter. The Harris Falcon III radio provides enhanced narrow and wideband waveforms, delivering simultaneous high-speed send and

India is to conduct a safety assessment of its fleet of Sukhoi S030MKI 'Flanker' fighters following the loss of an aircraft on 19 May, national media has reported. A high-level review of the more than 200 Su-30MKI aircraft fielded by the Indian Air Force (IAF) is due to be held in the coming days,

Key Points Russia plans to produce hundreds of UAVs and develop a supporting RDT&E and industrial base by 2025 Most of these UAVs will be for tactical use, and some will be developed for weapons delivery Russia's armed forces and 'power' ministries may procure hundreds of unmanned aerial

The second batch of four Republic of China Army (RoCA) Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawk utility helicopters arrived in at Kaohsiung Harbour in Taiwan on 24 May, the country's Ministry of National Defense (MND) has announced. Taiwan is set to receive 60 UH-60Ms at a cost of USD3.1 billion. The first four

Key Points Sikorsky's S-97 completed its first flight on 22 May Sikorsky now plans to demonstrate more advanced capabilities needed to support armed reconnaissance, light assault, light attack, and special operations United Technologies' Sikorsky Aircraft unit's S-97 Raider coaxial rotor

The US Army began its first rotational deployment to Europe under the newly restructured aviation presence announced earlier in May. Aviation Task Force Brawler comprises Sikorsky UH-60M/HH-60M Black Hawk helicopters from 4-3 Assault Helicopter Battalion (AHB), based at Hunter Army Airfield in

The United States has stepped up its pressure on China over its island building programme in the Spratly Islands by releasing video footage and audio recordings of exchanges with Chinese naval ships. The US Navy (USN) also allowed CNN on a Boeing P-8 Poseidon surveillance flight from Clark Air

LOCAL government officials reported on 18 May that approximately 500 people - including at least 15 soldiers - had been killed across the past several days after Islamic State militants launched a major offensive, involving artillery and multiple suicide attacks, against security forces in the city

The Brazilian Air Force (FAB) announced on 20 May that it would begin to take delivery of eight EMBRAER P-95 Bandeirulha maritime patrol aircraft in 2015 that are currently undergoing a significant upgrade programme. The upgraded P-95 will be designated P-95M and distributed among the FAB's

The Royal Cambodian Army (RCA) took delivery of a range of defence equipment from China on 23 May as part of further efforts to bolster its maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) capabilities. Chinese state media reported that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) handed over to the Royal Cambodian

China published its new military White Paper on 26 May, which includes unprecedented emphasis on a requirement to accelerate civil-military integration (CMI); the process through which China aims to advance military industrial innovation. The White Paper includes a subchapter dedicated to outlining

Key Points Since a failed coup attempt on 13 May, supporters of President Pierre Nkurunziza have been emboldened to crack down on his opponents ahead of a series of national elections between June and August 2015. Nkurunziza's refusal to withdraw from the presidential elections, and the increased

The first of three air warfare destroyers (AWDs) for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) was launched on 23 May amid the disclosure of further delays and cost overruns in a programme that is already well behind schedule and significantly over budget. Defence Minister Kevin Andrews referred to the

France and Russia plan to come to an agreement in late May on terms for severing the contract for supply of Mistral-class helicopter carriers to Russia, a source in the Russian military-technical sphere has said, according to the RIA Novosti news agency. "Paris has not yet replied to the

Key Points Recent proliferation of submarines poses security risks for the Asia-Pacific region, says Singapore The RSN has proposed four areas for navies to collaborate in enhancing regional underwater safety Singapore has warned that the recent proliferation of submarines in the Asia-Pacific

Japan and Malaysia have agreed to co-operate on defence trade and related technologies as a reflection of deepening bilateral ties, a joint statement said on 25 May. Following meetings in Tokyo between Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his visiting counterpart, Najib Razak, a statement said

EVENT A Tunisian soldier opened fire on 25 May in the Bouchoucha military barracks in Tunis, killing seven soldiers and wounding 10 before being shot dead. According to a defence ministry spokesman, the soldier attacked one comrade with a knife and took his weapon before shooting at his fellow

Kazakhstan's Zenit Uralsk Shipyard has launched a new FC-19 interceptor craft for the Kazakh Coast Guard. Mergen (pennant 509) is the 20th vessel to be built for the coastguard by Zenit since the early 1990s, according to Vyacheslav Valiyev, the shipyard's director general. The 27-29-tonne FC-19

EVENT The Kuwaiti interior ministry announced on 25 May that seven members of an alleged militant cell affiliated with the Islamic State had been arrested. The cell reportedly intended to carry out attacks along the lines of the 22 May suicide bombing of a Shia mosque in Saudi Arabia in order to

Key Points Many actors in the Middle East are able to launch cyber attacks outside the region and will continue to enhance their cyber capabilities The bulk of cyber attacks from the Middle East will remain focused on propaganda or espionage Iran has some of the region's most advanced cyber