Defence`s Feeds

Russian and US diplomats have held unscheduled bilateral talks to discuss ways of averting any potential clashes in eastern Ukraine, where a military buildup has occurred.

Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby

USS Somerset (LPD 25) joins units from the Royal Australian Navy, French Navy, Indian Navy, and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force to participate in the third iteration of La Perouse, April 5, 2021.

In a telephone call with Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, has affirmed his government's "unwavering support" for "Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity" in the face of alleged Russian military movements in the Crimea and on the Russia-Ukrainian border.

The U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Navy began their joint mission in the Western and Central Pacific under the Oceania Maritime Security Initiative (OMSI) to reduce and eliminate illegal, unregulated, unreported (IUU) fishing, combat transnational crimes, and enhance regional security, April 5.

U.S. Navy Divers assigned to Construction Dive Detachment Charlie (CDD/C), a detachment of Underwater Construction Team (UCT) 1, and the Tunisian Navy Specialized Diver Regiment (RPS) conducted the first bilateral dive engagement between the Tunisian and U.S. Navy in nearly a decade.

Security forces in Nigeria have launched a massive manhunt after a series of coordinated attacks by heavily-armed assailants that resulted in the escape of more than 1,800 inmates from a prison in the country's troubled southeast.

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The first flight test of the AGM-183A ARRW failed on Monday, April 5, 2021, over the Point Mugu Sea Range. The U.S. Air Force’s long-awaited first flight test of its hypersonic AGM-183A ARRW (Air-launched Rapid [...]

The post First Flight Test Of Air Force’s Hypersonic AGM-183A Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) Fails appeared first on The Aviationist.

This first payload release from an XQ-58 Valkyrie is part of the ongoing testing of the attritable unmanned aircraft and possibly related to Kratos’ involvement in the Skyborg program. The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory [...]

The post Ever Seen A Drone Dropping Another Drone? Take A Look At The XQ-58 Valkyrie Releasing An Altius 600 UAS appeared first on The Aviationist.

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SEDE organises a public hearing on 'The security situation in the Sahel: the African view and experience' on Wednesday, 14 April 2021 from 10.00 to 12.00hrs in room SPINELLI 3E2 and remotely, with external experts.
Draft programme
Poster
Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

SEDE organises a public hearing on 'The security situation in the Sahel: the African view and experience' on Wednesday, 14 April 2021 from 10.00 to 12.00hrs in room SPINELLI 3E2 and remotely, with external experts.
Draft programme
Poster
Source : © European Union, 2021 - EP

Americas

Raytheon won a $79.4 million deal for Small Diameter Bomb Increment II (SDB II) lot integration and test. This contract effort will deliver all-up round (AUR) test vehicles, perform AUR-level assembly, checkout, testing and systems integration testing; and prepare for production cut-in and fielding for the multiple engineering changes needed, including National Security Agency (NSA) cryptographic modernization, Global Positioning System (GPS) military code, mitigation of part obsolescence, and design changes evolving from production and/or operations. SDB II’s capabilities include the ability for the weapon to be employed in three primary attack modes, each with a subset mode, for a total of six engagement modes. A dual band, two-way weapon data link for in-flight target updates and status reporting allows post-launch control of the weapon by the launching aircraft, a Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC), or a third party. Work will take place in Arizona. Estimated completion is April 1, 2023.

Argent Technologies won a $8 million deal for engineering, technical, administrative and programmatic management support for total life cycle management of the various aircrew escape systems managed under the Joint Program Office for Cartridge Actuated Device/Propellant Actuated Device tri-service charter. Work will take place in Texas and is expected to be finished by September 2025.

Middle East & Africa

The eighth edition of Cybertech Global, an international cyber event that that until now had only been held in Tel Aviv, will take place this week in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The event on April 5-7, which begins this morning and ends on Wednesday, will be held under the sponsorship of the local government, and be attended by senior officials from the highest level. Delegations from more than 50 countries will participate in the event, as will hundreds of Israelis. Thousands of visitors are expected to come to Cybertech Global Dubai, which will include a conference and exhibition of the global cyber industry that will be the largest of its kind ever held in the Gulf region. Among the participants will be the Director of the Israel National Cyber Directorate, Yigal Unna, and his Emirati counterpart, Dr. Mohamad al-Kuwaiti. The Acting Director of the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Brandon Wales, will also participate.

Europe

The UK’s New Medium Helicopter Programme will see four of the medium-sized helicopters currently in service across the armed forces replaced by one new helicopter. It is understood that the helicopters will be operated jointly by the Army and RAF under Joint Helicopter Command. Work on the programme is at an early stage with effort primarily focused on developing and refining key user requirements.

Asia-Pacific

Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) had a press conference last week and the company revealed that it hopes to export two T-50TH advanced jet trainers to Thailand this year. President and CEO Ahn Hyun-ho made the revelation. Thailand had declared last year that it will not buy two more T-50TH jets to increase its fleet to 14 aircraft. He added that an export of three Surion helicopters to Indonesia was scuttled after Jakarta slashed its military budget due to COVID-19.

Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) has concluded an agreement with Mitsui E&S Holdings to take over the latter’s ‘naval and governmental ships business’, which includes the development and construction of autonomous underwater and autonomous surface vehicles (AUVs and ASVs). The deal, which was announced on March 29, is the result of formal negotiations between the two companies that began in June 2020. Both firms said they want to complete the transfer by October after getting approval from regulators.

Today’s Video

Watch: MQ-9 Reaper: The Most Feared U.S. Air Force Drone in Action

The director of the Research Institute for Nutrition Care of Children under the Academy of Medical Science of the DPRK Ministry of Public Health released the following statement on Tuesday:

A U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon of Patrol Squadron 46 drew a “46” over the eastern Mediterranean Sea, clearly visible on flight tracking websites. On Apr. 3, 2021, a P-8A Poseidon aircraft with the Patrol Squadron [...]

The post VP-46 P-8A Poseidon Draws Large “46” Over Eastern Med Sea On Its Way To The Area Of Operations Off Syria appeared first on The Aviationist.

Americas

The US Navy will establish its second CMV-22B unit and the first squadron for the East Coast, at NAS North Island this fall. The squadron will eventually relocate Naval Station Norfolk in 2023. So far, 18 C-2A pilots have completed their transition to the CMV-22B. The goal is to have 115 C-2A pilots eventually.

A new effort at synchronizing US Air Force maintenance and fighter squadrons is paying dividends, according to the branch’s Air Combat Command. The Combat Oriented Maintenance Organization, attempted first at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., in 2020, reduces the maintenance organizational structure, among other benefits, it said in a press release.

Middle East & Africa

The 9th Air Expeditionary Task Force-Levant was formally inactivated in a ceremony at Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait, the US Air Force announced on Friday. The ceremony on Thursday ended the involvement of the task force in the air campaign against Islamic State forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, with NATO and other allied partners.

Europe

The UK-led Typhoon proposal being prepared for Finland’s HX contest pledges to add the nation to the Eurofighter industry consortium, while offering in-country final assembly, engine production and sovereign control over mission data, Jane’s reports. Speaking during a 31 March media briefing outlining the campaign’s key points, UK minister for defence procurement Jeremy Quin said the four-nation Eurofighter group discussed Helsinki’s potential inclusion during a meeting earlier in the month.

Asia-Pacific

Japan has decided to bed down its F-35Bs at Nyutabaru Air Base in Miyazaki Prefecture, Yomiuri reports. The jets will train at a Field Carrier Landing Practice facility that Japan is building for the US military at Mageshima island. Just south of Nyutabaru Air Base.

India’s Economic Times reports that a team from the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) will be visiting Bengaluru within the next two months to evaluate the Tejas fighter. According to inside sourced, the Indian LCA has emerged as a top contender for the Malaysian Air Force since it is being offered at cheaper rates than the Swedish Saab Gripen and is more modern and capable than the China-Pakistan origin JF 17.

Today’s Video

Watch: British Babcock New Frigate Warship for Hellenic Navy

According to the Israeli Air Force, the new G550 “Oron” combines the capabilities of several different ISR (Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance) aircraft in a single platform. On Sunday Apr. 4, 2021, the Israeli Air Force formally [...]

The post The Israeli Air Force Officially Introduces The “Oron”: A Highly-Modified G550 With “Unprecedented ISR Capabilities” appeared first on The Aviationist.

The Italian Air Force Typhoons in QRA (Quick Reaction Alert) were launched to intercept a U.S.-registered aircraft experiencing loss of radio comms with the Air Traffic Control. Two Italian Air Force Eurofighter Typhoons of the [...]

The post Italian Eurofighter Typhoons Scramble To Intercept US-Registered Beech King Air During COMLOSS Incident appeared first on The Aviationist.

97th AMW at Altus Air Force Base carried out an impressive Elephant Walk with 29 aircraft, including KC-135s, KC-46s and C-17s. On Apr. 2, 2021, Altus Air Force Base (AAFB), Oklahoma, conducted an exercise to [...]

The post Behold These Incredible New Photos Of The Altus Air Force Base’s Impressive Elephant Walk appeared first on The Aviationist.