Jane's Defense News

UK air-to-air refuelling and defence electronics specialist Cobham has reported poor results for 2016, described by chairman Michael Wareing as "hugely disappointing". The group attributed its problems to "weaknesses in management and financial controls, contractual, and commercial

EVENT On 1 March, police found 11 bodies in Boca del Río, Veracruz state, in a van accompanied by a banner declaring the beginning of a war. Although the target of this war was not specified, the incident followed the beginning of a deployment of the National Gendarmerie in the cities of

A COURT in Turkey on 28 February ordered a journalist for Die Welt newspaper - identified as Deniz Yucel, aged 43 - to be jailed until an upcoming trial for the alleged distribution of terrorist propaganda, Al-Jazeera reported. Reports added that Yucel was arrested by police due to his reports about

Airbus has completed its previously announced deal to sell its Defence Electronics business to private equity firm KKR, the company said on 28 February. The completion of the long-running deal has resulted in the creation of a new European defence venture named Hensoldt. KKR paid EUR1.1 billion

Intracom Defense Electronics (IDE) of Greece has secured a USD5.6 million contract to design the electronics unit for the Block 2 variant of the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) ship self-defence interceptor. IDE added there were prospects for participation in the production and support phases of

Yugoimport's Lazar 3 8x8 MultiRole Armoured Combat Vehicle has entered service with Serbia in the armoured personnel carrier (APC) configuration. The vehicle has a welded steel chassis to which its monocoque steel hull - which features spall liners - is bolted. In its baseline form the vehicle has

Key Points The NATO-led 'Resolute Support' mission in Afghanistan is expecting the Taliban's spring offensive to focus on the south This year, however, there are raised expectations regarding the capabilities of the ANDSF As in past years, coalition forces in Afghanistan expect a substantial

The Swedish Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 2 March that conscription in the country is to be reintroduced. Registration of those born in 1999 and 2000 will begin on 1 July 2017, with liability to undergo basic military training starting from 1 January 2018, continuing through to 2019. Some

Thailand's government has launched a 10-year military development programme through which it intends to address some of its major challenges, including ongoing insurgency in the south. The 'Modernisation Plan: Vision 2026', which was announced by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) on 27 February,

Turkey's Defence Industries Undersecretariat (SSM) has cancelled a contract with local firm Tümosan related to the provision of engines for Altay main battle tanks (MBTs) after the company failed to obtain a technology transfer pledge from a foreign provider. The cancellation on 24 February

ACCORDING to media reports on 28 February, unidentified Turkish hackers claimed responsibility on an earlier unspecified date for hacking several official websites in Austria in 2016 and 2017, BBC Monitoring reported. The group added that one of the attacks targeted the airport server as a way to

Key Points The UK MoD will begin Phase 2 to develop future unmanned rotary-wing/VTOL aircraft and CONOPS Progress will be based on the 2016 Phase 1 Unmanned Warrior demonstrations UK defence secretary Michael Fallon announced a two-year GBP8 million (USD10 million) investment in innovative

A SOLDIER was killed and a pro-government militiaman was wounded when unidentified militants ambushed their motorcycle in the village of St Mary, near Sirawai, in the Philippines' Zamboanga del Norte province on 28 February, the Philippine Star reported. No group immediately claimed responsibility

THREE Taliban militants loyal to Mullah Mohammed Rasool were killed when unidentified rival militants - including two suicide bombers - stormed a Taliban compound in Shindand district in Afghanistan's Herat province on 26 February, Khaama Press reported.

Key Points The USN has included Sri Lanka as a mission stop for the first time for the 2017 iteration of 'Pacific Partnership' Deployment also marks the series of HADR exercises' first outreach into the South Asian region The US Navy's (USN's) expeditionary fast transport ship (EPF) USNS Fall

Airbus has completed its previously announced deal to sell its Defence Electronics business to private equity firm KKR, the company said on 28 February. KKR paid EUR1.1 billion (USD1.2 billion) for the group, although several factors are slowing the transfer of some segments of the unit. Defence

The Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology, and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) has awarded a contract to Airbus Helicopters to retrofit 26 of the Luftwaffe's CH-53GS/GE medium transport helicopters, the company announced on 27 February. Approved by the German parliament's

IOMAX has held high-level talks with the Egyptian Ministry of Defence (MoD) to safeguard an expected sale of armed turboprop aircraft from being poached by its Air Tractor and L3 Technologies competitors, a company official told Jane's. The North Carolina-based IOMAX has for some months been

Sweden has reported a steep increase in the value of military exports for 2016 with a 45% increase over the previous year. The Swedish Inspectorate of Strategic Products (ISP - Inspektionen for Strategiska Produkter) announced on 22 February that sales had reached SEK11 billion (USD1.2 billion).

Vietnam's Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (SBIC) - formerly the Vietnam Shipbuilding Industry Group (Vinashin) - is being pressured by the government to complete its long-running restructure by the end of 2017. The state-owned company, active in naval and commercial shipbuilding and related