Jane's Defense News

European missile house MBDA demonstrated a proof-of-concept mounting for the Missile Moyenne Portée (MMP) anti-tank guided weapon (ATGW) on a Kongsberg M153 Protector remote weapon station at the DVD 2018 exhibition held in Millbrook, Bedfordshire, on 19-20 September. The M153 was shown fitted

The UK Royal Navy (RN) is preparing to retire its last Sea King ASaC.7 (SKASaC) helicopters, bringing to an end the Sea King’s near 50-year career in UK military service. Two of the remaining SKASaC aircraft from 849 Naval Air Squadron (NAS) flew a farewell flypast around southwest England on

As expected, the US Navy (USN) signed deals to buy three more Littoral Combat Ships (LCSs) under fiscal year 2018 (FY 2018) funding. However, the service will not release the price for the ships because it is considering acquiring additional ships through the FY 2019 budget. The three LCSs awarded

The US Navy (USN) Naval Surface Warfare Center – Panama City Division and subsea-capability provider James Fisher and Sons’ JFD have developed an advanced hands-free combat diver navigation module called Shadow Nav. Designed to help divers conduct accurate underwater navigation missions

The Israeli Air Force launched an airstrike in the Gaza Strip on 17 September after it said it identified an armed cell approaching the Israeli border and planting an explosive device. Palestinian medical sources said two Gazans were killed in the attack. The incident is part of a wider escalation

Officials from Chinese state-owned shipbuilder China Shipbuilding and Offshore International Company (CSOC) have revealed technical specifications of a concept for a new 20-tonne armed unmanned surface vessel (USV) it is showcasing at the Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) 2018 exhibition in South

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has expressed his willingness to continue to take measures towards his country's denuclearisation, including the permanent dismantlement of the Yongbyon nuclear facilities, where a 5 MWe plutonium-producing reactor is located. The move was announced on 19

Singapore Technologies Engineering (ST Engineering) and South Africa’s Paramount Group have signed an agreement to collaborate on marketing the Belrex family of 4x4 military vehicles to global defence markets. ST Engineering said on 19 September that the agreement applies to 10 variants of

The US Air Force (USAF) scored the first air-to-air kill for the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) during trials late last year, the service disclosed on 19 September. The disclosure by a senior officer speaking at the Air Force Association

China and Pakistan have expressed their intention to strengthen bilateral military ties. “The two countries' militaries should further deepen exchanges and co-operation in various fields and at all levels, take resolute measures against terrorist forces, make efforts to ensure the

The German government has authorised the sale of counter-battery radars to Saudi Arabia, air defence systems to Egypt, long-range air-to-air missiles to Qatar, and anti-tank weapons to Jordan, the German newspaper Rheinische Post reported on 19 September. Citing a letter sent from the federal

Key Points Hyundai Heavy Industries has begun construction work on a second HDF-3000 frigate on order for the Philippine Navy The service is on track to receive both vessels by 2021 South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) has held a steel-cutting ceremony for the second 107 m

Event On 20 September, Japan’s ruling party, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), voted to elect its president. In Japan’s parliamentary system, the president of the majority party becomes the prime minister of the country. After 15 prime ministers in 22 years, incumbent Shinzo Abe

Iran has built a new launch site for an S-300PMU-2 strategic surface-to-air missile (SAM) system at Mashhad airport in the northeast of the country, satellite imagery has revealed. Constructed between May and July, the site is almost identical to the S-300PMU-2 base at Tehran’s Mehrabad

Event Lesotho’s defence minister, Sentje Lebona, resigned on 14 September, highlighting tensions within the cabinet and mounting opposition to Prime Minister Tom Thabane from within his ruling All Basotho Convention (ABC). Motlohi Maliehe, Thabane’s ABC co-founder, is leading this

Paramount Advanced Technologies (Hangar 4, Stand W14) has unveiled an Integrated Avionics Suite (IAS) upgrade for the Lockheed Martin C-130.

This year’s Africa Aerospace and Defence show is a year for anniversaries. The AAD show itself celebrates 20 years, while the hosting venue, Waterkloof Air Force Base, is 80 years old. Armscor is also commemorating its 50th anniversary in 2018.

The Australian Department of Defence (DoD) has appointed a new head of its procurement division, the Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group (CASG). The DoD said on 11 September that Anthony Fraser will take up the role in November. Fraser, who has previously served in the Australian Army and

FLIR Systems announced on 11 September that it has acquired Colorado-based Acyclica. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Acyclica is a developer of cloud-based software for data analytics covering the aggregation of data generated by visible and thermal cameras, radars, and intersection signals.

Japan and Malaysia have signed an agreement to expand defence co-operation, the Ministry of Defense (MoD) in Tokyo has announced. The memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed in Japan on 11 September during a meeting chaired by the countries’ defence ministers: Japan’s Itsunori