Defence`s Feeds

Alexandru Musteata ended his round of introductions to Moldova's different institutions with a speech on 17 June to young recruits

When Chinese ambassador in France Lu Shaye wants to distribute information about China's ethnical policy or the recent development of

The European External Action Service (EEAS) amended its contract with French private security firm Amarante International on 30 June, according

American M1064 Mortar Carrier

Source : © European Union, 2022 - EP

The aircraft was spotted taxiing to the runway at Sacheon airport, home of Korea Aerospace Industries’ facilities. The first prototype of the KF-21 Boramae (Korean for “Hawk”), the next-generation fighter developed by KAI (Korea Aerospace [...]

The post South Korea’s KF-21 Begins Ground Tests Ahead Of Imminent First Flight appeared first on The Aviationist.

For its arbitration against former partner Silmar Roberto Bertin, the Brazilian construction group Equipav (formerly Empate Engenharia), which has been asking the court of the Southern District of New York to enforce the ruling in its favour since June, had

Of the projects selected for the military cyber operations command centre section of France's Grand Défi de la Cybersécurité, a

The military vehicle manufacturer Otokar, which is part of the Turkish industrial conglomerate Koc Holding, is currently extensively exploring Central

Japan is planning to follow the example of South Korea, which announced on 22 June that it would open a

The space sector, which was already a key area for Ukraine before the Russian invasion, is set to become one

Paris: French foreign office's Middle East head joins ArdianThe head of the French foreign affairs ministry's Middle East division within

After having moved its London head office from its town house in George Street to nearby Portland Place in Marylebone,

According to our sources, the Saudi ministry of foreign affairs has chosen the corporate intelligence firm ESL Network to oversee

The AFET/SEDE delegation visited Kyiv, Zaporyzhya, and Mariupol (Ukraine) from 30 January to 1 February 2022. It was the first AFET mission to Ukraine since December 2019 and took place against the backdrop of a massive Russian military build-up on the border between Ukraine and Russia as well as on the border with Belarus.
The main purpose of the mission was to show solidarity with Ukraine, its population and institutions, and gather important factual elements on the security crisis in and around the country.
Location : Ukraine
Mission report
Source : © European Union, 2022 - EP

FIRE BLADE 2022 (FB22), the 16th Blade exercise performed under the frame of EDA’s Helicopter Exercise Programme (HEP), was hosted at Pápa Airbase, Hungary, from 7-24 June 2022. The exercise, which marked the 10th anniversary of the creation of the Agency’s HEP, achieved all expected national and multinational objectives, including the preparation of aircrews and units for the challenges of modern military operations.  

The main objective of FB22 was to improve European interoperability and prepare participating Member States’ helicopter crews for joint and combined military operations in complex and congested environments. For this purpose, 8 Composite Air Operations (COMAO) missions were carried out in a realistic, harsh, and complex environment that included live firing at shooting ranges and employing all available assets. 

Furthermore, the participants performed other national and multinational training activities, which included Air Assaults, Special Operation Forces (SOF) training (fast rope and abseiling techniques), Special Patrol Insertion/Extraction (SPIE) training, pick-up and drop off procedures, air-to-surface live firing (helicopter door gunnery and sniper training), combat service support, close air support, convoy/helicopter escorts, reconnaissance and surveillance, combat search and rescue, personnel recovery, medical evacuation and casualty evacuation. In addition, the participants had the opportunity to carry out evasion training against air and ground threats. 

Altogether, the exercise accounted for 730 sorties, 425 flight hours and the shooting of 15.700 rounds of ammunition. 

This exercise involved a total of 25 air assets from Austria (3x OH-58, 2x AB-212 and 3x PC-7), Belgium (3x A-109 and 2x NH-90), Slovakia (1x UH-60), Slovenia (1x AS-532) and Hungary with (5x H145M, 2x Mi-24, 1x Mi-17, 2x JAS-39) and around 1,000 military personnel. Hungary, as the host nation, provided ground troops which were involved in the planning process and performed their own training using the support of the air assets. In addition, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, France, Greece, Italy and Switzerland sent observers.  

A multinational Joint Tactical Air Controller (JTAC) team and Electronic Warfare (EW) emulator systems from Austria and Slovenia were also involved. Furthermore, the European Air Group (EAG) successfully delivered a Forward Arming Refuelling Point (FARP) Force Integration Training. 

Additionally, an international Mentor Team involving Helicopter Tactics Instructors (HTI) from Austria, the Netherlands and Sweden, provided expertise, standardisation and mentoring during the planning and execution of all COMAO missions.  

A Distinguished Visitors Day was organized on the 21June, with the participation of military and civilian authorities from the participating countries. It was also an opportunity for media to witness a COMAO mission demonstration, showcasing the capabilities of the assets involved and the outcome of a well-prepared mission. This event was highly appreciated by all the participants, which included several Hungarian and international journalists. 

During the closing ceremony, EDA Project Officer Rotary Wing, José Pablo Romera, highlighted the importance of EDA helicopter training activities, and in particular the “Blade” exercises, to improve the European helicopter capabilities to support building a more capable and stronger Europe. He also thanked the Hungarian Defence Forces, including Pápa Airbase, the Hungarian Exercise Control team, and combat and support elements, for the outstanding organisation and execution of the exercise and to all the participants for their proactive involvement and cooperative mindset which resulted in the achievement of the expected training objectives.  

The next EDA helicopter exercise, the Hot Blade 2023, will take place from 7th to 23rd of June 2023 and will be hosted by Portugal, in Beja Air Base No. 11. 

Background 

Since 2009, 16 Blade exercises have been performed in 8 different European countries (France, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Finland, Hungary, Czech Republic and Portugal). In addition, 12 helicopter tactics symposiums, 74 Helicopter Tactics Courses, 7 Helicopter Tactics Instructors Courses and several other training activities, as Composite Air Operations (COMAO) planning courses and Electronic Warfare (EW) courses have been carried out under EDA management and involved 15 EDA Member States. 

The outcome is a high level of operational interoperability and helicopter cooperation among a large number of EDA MS, and the increase of readiness of European helicopter units to operate together anywhere in the world. Those activities are part of three long lasting, mature and dynamic programmes (HEP, HTC and HTIC) which will be transferred to the future Multinational Helicopter Training Centre (MHTC) starting by end of 2023. 

On 30 May 2022, the European Medical Command, a Germany-led PESCO project launched in March 2018, reached Full Operational Capability (FOC). Supported by 18 countries, it will benefit the EU and NATO with an enduring medical capability to increase medical operational readiness and interoperability for future joint and combined operations.

Read full news on the PESCO website

The video was captured by personnel on the flight deck, but seemingly never released before. On August 5, 2017, a U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey crashed off the coast of Australia while on final approach [...]

The post Terrifying 2017 MV-22 Osprey Crash Video Emerges Online appeared first on The Aviationist.

Intelligence Online can reveal that the legal arm of the French armed forces ministry (DAJ) is working on a new legislative framework for a "government-to-government" (GtoG) arms sales model, based on the US Foreign Military Sales (FMS)'s system.This work is

With the 2024 Paris Olympics approaching fast, the French interior ministry is stepping up its efforts to secure the games.