Taliban blast kills three British soldiers in armoured vehicle they thought was bomb-proof
By David Williams, Ian Drury and Steve Robson | 1 May 2013 Wednesday | 19:13 GMT

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-23...bomb-proof.html

This post has been edited by xtemujin: May 2 2013, 09:35 AM

There will be a 2013 Republic of Singapore Navy Open House, Changi Naval Base, Singapore.

Date: 18 (Sat) -19 (Sun) May 2013 General public

More information.

2013 Republic of Singapore Navy Open House, Changi Naval Base, Singapore



This post has been edited by xtemujin: May 3 2013, 10:42 AM

2013 Defence White Paper: Australian Defence Force Posture
Prime Minister, Minister for Defence | 3 May 2013 Friday

http://www.pm.gov.au/press-office/2013-def...e-force-posture

The Prime Minister, Julia Gillard presents the details of the 2013 Defence White Paper at Fairbairn Defence Establishment Canberra, on May 3, 2013.



Prime Minister of Australia, the Honourable Julia Gillard MP launches the Defence White Paper at No. 34 Squadron, Fairbairn.



Prime Minister of Australia, the Honourable Julia Gillard MP, Minister for Defence Stephen Smith MP and Chief of Defence Force General David Hurley, AC, DSC discuss the Defence White Paper at Fairbairn.



http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliagillard/...ith/8702935121/

Jetfuel burning.

S. Korea to deploy K-11 assault rifles in June
By Kim Eun-jung | 11 April 2013 Thursday | 11:39 KST

SEOUL, April 11 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will issue K-11 assault rifles to frontline troops in June after fixing defects that had caused the rifle to explode in a previous test, military officials said Thursday.

The dual-barrel, air-burst weapons, which were jointly developed by S&T Daewoo and the Agency for Defense Development, were first distributed to South Korean troops in May 2010. But the defense ministry halted their use due to high defection rates.

After the rifle exploded in a field test in October 2011, the Defense Acquisition and Procurement Agency (DAPA) formed a task force team to modify designs of the hybrid assault rifles and improve the shooting control system.

"We conducted additional testing and fixed defections of the K-11," a DAPA official said. "We will provide 2,500 rifles to frontline Army troops and special forces."

The Korean-made hybrid rifles use 5.56 mm rounds and can also fire a 20 mm air-burst projectile to attack targets hidden behind buildings or walls.

http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/news/2013/...1004900315.HTML

Australian MRH90 finally approved for service
By Ian Kemp | 7 May 2013 Tuesday | 12:40

Australia’s new NH Industries MRH90 multirole helicopter (MRH) has received its official type certification and service release from the Australian Defence Force’s Airworthiness Authority, the Chief of Air Force, almost three years later than planned when the project was launched.

Since 28 November 2011 the AIR 9000 MRH acquisition has been managed by the Department of Defence as a ‘Project of Concern’ as the initial aircraft delivered did not meet all of the contractual requirements resulting in a remediation programme and significant delays. Of the 46 MRH90s ordered in 2005 and 2006 19 helicopters have now been accepted for service and four early production aircraft are being retrofitted with software and hardware upgrades to bring them up to the full standard required by the contract. Another five MRH90s are scheduled to be completed in 2013 and the last aircraft in 2014.

Six helicopters will be operated by the Royal Australian Navy in the maritime support helicopter role and the bulk by the Australian Army replacing its S-70 Black Hawks in the airmobile and special operations roles. Having achieve service release MRH90s from the Australian Army’s 5 Aviation Regiment are scheduled to participate in 3 Brigade’s Combined Arms Training Activity and Exercise Talisman Sabre later this year.

Navy MRH90s are expected to achieve initial operational capability in June, 37 months later than originally planned, while the army, which originally expected to reach this milestone in April 2011, will not do so until 2014.

The MRH90 fleet has flown more than 4,000 hours including 60 hours last year with a helicopter embarked on HMAS Tobruk conducting passenger transfers, live hoisting, maritime search, and aeromedical evacuation. Shipboard test and evaluation work has continued this year with an aircraft embarked on HMAS Choules.
This year the ADF will also conduct test and evaluation of door gunnery, electronic warfare countermeasures, and troop insertions and extractions.

A CAE Australia MRH90 simulator at the Army Aviation Training Centre in Oakey, Queensland was recently awarded level D accreditation, the highest available. Lt Col James Allen, MRH Project Manager, told the in house Army newspaper that European NH90 operators ‘haven’t put in place the level of simulator capability that we have’ and added that ‘New Zealand has also expressed interest in coming across and making use of our simulator’.

http://www.shephardmedia.com/news/rotorhub...proved-service/

Over 11,000 troops, 101 military hardware and 68 fighter jets and helicopters have taken part in the parade on Moscow's Red Square - the biggest event among thousands underway in Russia to celebrate WWII victory.
9 May 2013 Thursday

Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjeW74XcAvc

ST Kinetics Compact Personal Weapon and new CIS-40 AGL MK2 .

http://sadefensejournal.com/wp/?p=1876

Just some photos to share of what to expect for this weekend, 2013 Republic of Singapore Navy Open House, Changi Naval Base, Singapore.

http://xtemujin.wordpress.com/2013/05/12/2...base-singapore/

Sagem GFCS fire-control system wins major contract from Singapore Navy

Photo © Dzirhan Mahadzir

Republic of Singapore Navy Littoral Mission Vessels



IMDEX Asia, Singapore, May 14, 2013.

Sagem (Safran) has signed a contract with the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) of Singapore to develop and produce a new Gun Fire-Control System (GFCS) for eight Littoral Mission Vessels ordered by the Republic of Singapore Navy.

Sagem’s new GFCS is a centralized system located at the ship’s operations center that integrates several functions: main and secondary guns, radar, optronics and navigation systems. Capable of operating from several multifunction consoles concurrently, Sagem’s GFCS will also be interfaced with the combat management system. It’s open architecture not only allows for easy integration but also ensures flexibility and scalability for future upgrades and enhancement.

A long-standing partner to the Singapore Navy, Sagem has also supplied the GFCS for the six Formidable class frigates, and four Endurance class LSTs.

The new GFCS will be developed by Sagem at its Massy R&D center near Paris. Through this program Sagem provides further proof of its capabilities as systems integrator for combat systems, sensors and decentralized information on military platforms.

(1) - (1)The upcoming Littoral Mission Vessel class program for Singapore comprises eight 1,200-tonne vessels. This program, being led by ST Marine as prime contractor, will replace the country’s current Fearless-class patrol vessels.

http://www.safran-group.com/site-safran-en...-control-system




This post has been edited by xtemujin: May 14 2013, 10:11 PM

I've some photos of the 2013 IMDEX and the 2013 Republic of Singapore Navy Open House, Changi Naval Base.

2013 MAY IMDEX Asia, Changi Exhibition Centre, Singapore

2013 MAY Republic of Singapore Navy Open House, Changi Naval Base, Singapore

This post has been edited by xtemujin: May 17 2013, 11:41 PM

U.S. Department of Defense
Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs)
Contract
22 May 2013 Wednesday | 5 p.m. ET

Raytheon / Lockheed Martin JAVELIN Joint Venture, Tucson, Ariz., was awarded a firm-fixed-price contract with a maximum value of $53,367,877 for the procurement of Javelin Block I Tactical Missile Rounds for the Army, Marine Corps and in support of foreign military sales (FMS). A portion of this contract will support FMS for Jordan and Indonesia. A combination of fiscal 2010 and fiscal 2013 Procurement funds are being obligated on this award. The Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity (W31P4Q-13-C-0129).

http://www.defense.gov/contracts/contract....contractid=5046

Airbus Military to table A330 tanker bids to France, Singapore
By Craig Hoyle | 29 May 2013 Wednesday

Airbus Military expects to secure a fresh batch of orders for its A330-based multi-role tanker transport (MRTT) before the end of this year, with contracts to potentially be agreed with at least two new operators.

"We have a second wave of new tanker contracts, and a high probability to secure the majority of them in 2013," Rafael Tentor, head of programmes for light and medium aircraft and derivatives, said during a briefing at Airbus Military's San Pablo site in Seville, Spain on 29 May.

The European company will table a best and final offer for a six-aircraft requirement in Singapore on 30 May, Tentor says. Further details of the bid are not being disclosed at this stage of the competition, which also involves the Boeing 767-based KC-46, in development for the US Air Force.

Also on 30 May, Airbus Military will present a "binding offer" to France for a fleet of between 12 and 14 three-point tankers, Tentor says. France would become the first MRTT customer to receive A330s equipped with a cargo door, also enabling the type to carry freight loads on its upper deck, he adds.

Meanwhile, the Indian government is expected to soon clear its planned purchase of an initial six A330 tankers, with Tentor saying that all documentation has now been agreed with the customer. A contract could be received as soon as September, but "within the year-end most likely," he adds, with the Indian air force order also to include options for additional examples.

Longer-term, Tentor also believes the A330 will be a candidate for the USAF's future KC-Y tanker requirement. "We will be there; we will play the match," he says. Other potential sales targets for the MRTT cited by the company include Algeria, Egypt, Indonesia and Oman, along with possible repeat sales to Australia and Saudi Arabia.

Fourteen A330 MRTT aircraft are currently operation with the air forces of Australia, Saudi Arabia, the UK and the United Arab Emirates, says Tentor, with this figure to increase to 17 before the end of 2013. Airbus Military will deliver its fifth Voyager tanker/transport to the UK on 29 May, with its sixth example to follow before the end of June.

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/...ngapore-386429/

Bashar al-Assad says Russian S-300 missiles have arrived in Syria
By Luke Harding, Paul Owen, Phoebe Greenwood | 30 May 2013 Thursday | 17.50 BST

Delivery of long-range weapons – believed to be retaliation for EU decision to lift arms embargo – has begun, claims president


The Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, has said Russian anti-aircraft missiles have arrived in Syria, Lebanese TV has reported – a claim likely to dramatically increase tensions in the region and which could provoke the Israelis to launch a strike against the weapons.

In an interview with the al-Manar channel, to be broadcast on Thursday, Assad reportedly confirmed that Moscow had begun to deliver the long-range S-300 air defence rockets. "Syria has received the first shipment … All our agreements with Russia will be implemented and parts of them have already been implemented," he said.

Assad also claimed that his forces were winning the battle on the ground and had scored "major victories" against the armed opposition. "The balance of power is now with the Syrian army," he told the TV channel, which is owned by the Shia militant group Hezbollah, whose fighters support the Assad regime.

The deal between the Kremlin and the Syrian government has been in train for some time. But the S-300 shipment, if confirmed, appears to be Russian retaliation for the European Union's controversial decision this week to lift an arms embargo on Syria. Britain, France and states in the region such as Turkey are now actively seeking to arm the country's moderate rebels.

There was confusion on Thursday in western capitals as to whether Assad's claim was true. US officials said they had no evidence that the S-300 shipment had arrived. One high-ranking Israeli official said: "We are trying to find out exactly what the situation is but currently we just don't know." Analysts said it was possible some elements of the S-300 system – made up of launchers, radar and a command-and-control vehicle – had turned up but doubted the system was yet operational.

Nonetheless, senior Israeli figures signalled the possibility that Israel could now launch a pre-emptive attack on Syria with a view to destroying the S-300s, which it sees as an existential threat. Earlier this week the defence minister, Moshe Ya'alon, said Israel could not afford to allow the new system to become fully functional

The Israeli official added: "This move will certainly change the whole dynamic [of Israeli involvement in the Syrian conflict]. This is mostly as a result of the EU's reckless decision to lift the arms embargo. I don't know if the shipment of the missiles was a direct result of that decision, but it certainly gave the Russians a pretext to go ahead and do what they wanted to do in the first place. If they had any misgivings, doubts about the timing, the EU decision rid them of these."

Others went further and suggested there was a genuine prospect the Russian delivery could trigger a destructive Israeli-Syrian war. Earlier this month, Israeli warplanes struck targets near the capital, Damascus, reportedly wiping out Iranian missiles destined for Hezbollah. Syria did not respond. "I'm quite convinced that the more times we attack, there will be accumulative pressure on the [Syrian] regime to react," Shlomo Bron, a senior Israeli security figure, said. "It's difficult to know when and where this breaking point will be. But the likelihood of a very real flare-up between Israel and Syria is much higher than it used to be."

Major General Giora Eiland, a former Israeli national security adviser, added: "If we do do something soon after the transfer, we might have business not only with Syria but with the Russians. This is a real hot potato."

The Foreign Office described Russia's move as unhelpful. It said Damascus had proved itself "incapable of using its weapons systems proportionately or discriminately" and had fired lethal Scud missiles against its own cities, such as Aleppo. The focus should now be on the political process, the Foreign Office said.

But attempts to convene an international peace conference next month in Geneva appeared to be on the brink of failure after Syria's opposition announced it was pulling out. The fragmented National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces said it would not participate in "meaningless" talks while the Assad government continued to massacre Syrian civilians. It also decried "Iran's malicious invasion of Syria" – a reference to Iran's active role in the conflict on the side of Assad. Tehran has dispatched Revolutionary Guards to train pro-government militias, and is a key sponsor of Hezbollah, which has vigorously supported the Syrian regime. US, Russian and UN officials had been due to meet in Geneva next Wednesday before the conference.

The developments on Thursday raise fears that the two-year Syrian struggle is morphing inexorably into a high-stakes regional war, as well as a cold-war-style proxy conflict pitting an implacable Russia against the west. Russian officials did not comment on Thursday on whether Assad's claims were true. Previously, however, the Kremlin said it had agreed to deliver the S-300s to Syria before the civil war erupted, and added that the S-300s could help reduce tensions by deterring what it called "foreign interference". The Washington Post on Thursday published a leaked document suggesting Moscow supplied the Assad regime with 20,000 Kalashnikov assault rifles and 20m rounds of ammunition in March alone.

Assad's comments on Thursday suggest the Syrian government has been emboldened by a series of recent victories over the rebels, and is now working on the assumption that it will defeat the insurgency. On Wednesday, Syria's foreign minister, Walid al-Moallem, told Lebanon's al-Mayadeen TV that Damascus would retaliate immediately if Israel struck Syria again. He also said there was no prospect of Assad stepping down before his current term expired in 2014, and signalled the president might run for office once more.

On the ground, Assad's forces are closing in on the strategic town of Qusair after taking control of the area following a bloody two-week battle with opposition forces.

The Syrian army seized the nearby Dabaa airbase on Wednesday – a major blow to the rebels in Qusair, an overwhelmingly Sunni town in the western part of the country that the opposition had controlled since early last year.

The town lies along a land corridor linking Assad's two key strongholds: the capital Damascus and his Alawite heartland along the Mediterranean coast. For the rebels the town has been vital in maintaining a supply line – of fighters, guns, ammunition and other supplies – to Lebanon, just six miles away. On Thursday the opposition National Council said more than 1,000 wounded people were stuck in Qusair, and encircled by regime forces.

"It is not reasonable, it is not logical that people and civilians are getting killed minute by minute while the international community carries on in a standstill," Khalid Saleh, a spokesman for the council, said.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/may/3...-missiles-syria

Airbus Military has just completed a first test refueling pod on side, with a loan from Eurocopter EC725. The test is to validate the ability of the aircraft to refuel at low speeds from 105 to 130 knots.
30 May 2013 Thursday

Exclusive: Brazil closer to Boeing on jets deal after Biden visit
By Brian Winter | 4 June 2013 Wdnesday | 7:04pm EDT

(Reuters) - Brazil is closer to choosing Boeing Co.'s (BA.N) F-18 for one of the developing world's most sought-after defense contracts after U.S. Vice President Joe Biden addressed the government's main misgivings during a visit to Brasilia, officials told Reuters.

Biden met with President Dilma Rousseff on Friday and assured her that the U.S. Congress was likely to respect Boeing's agreement to transfer sensitive technology to Brazil as part of the deal, three officials who were present said on condition of anonymity.

The deal will involve 36 jets worth about $4 billion, with probable follow-up orders that would greatly increase the value of the contract over time. That makes it a critical prize for defense companies at a moment when the United States and many European countries are tightening military budgets.

The other finalists are France's Dassault Aviation SA (AVMD.PA) and Sweden's Saab AB (SAABb.ST).

Rousseff has not made her final decision, and the timing for an announcement remains unclear, the officials stressed.

But they said Rousseff's comments to Biden and other recent developments suggest a preference for Boeing, with a decision possible before she makes a state visit to the White House to see President Barack Obama in October.

"If it's Boeing, Biden will deserve much of the credit," one senior Brazilian official said.

Rousseff's main concern with Boeing's bid has been that the U.S. Congress could block technology transfers because of national security concerns. Brazil has cordial relations with the United States but angered some legislators in recent years through its interactions with Iran, Venezuela and other countries that antagonize Washington.

Rousseff, a pragmatic leftist, has said the technology is even more important than the jets themselves because the deal must boost Brazil's own budding defense industry, including planemaker Embraer SA (EMBR3.SA), to be worth the price.

In Friday's meeting, Rousseff first raised the jets deal and her concern over the transfers, officials said.

Biden did not make absolute promises about what Congress would do. But he did cite his more than three decades of experience in the Senate to address her worries point by point, the officials said.

"SEQUESTRATION" A FACTOR?

According to the officials' account, Biden explained that Senate Democrats have never gone against Obama on strategic defense sales, while most Republicans take the lead from Arizona Senator John McCain, who has expressed support for the Brazil deal.

Biden said U.S. defense budget cuts could reduce opposition in Congress to a deal that could help a U.S. company.

He also cited examples showing Congress has blocked defense sales in strategically difficult parts of the world such as the Middle East, but not peaceful, overwhelmingly democratic areas such as South America.

Before the conversation turned to other matters, Rousseff thanked Biden for giving her "strong" arguments to use in Boeing's favor, two of the officials said.

Asked to confirm the account, a White House official said: "We aren't going to comment on private conversations, but in general the United States strongly supports Boeing's bid."

Handicapping Brazil's decision on the jets deal has been difficult, largely because it has dragged on for so long.

Brazil first began looking into replacing its aging Mirage jets in the 1990s, and Rousseff's predecessor declared publicly in 2009 he was going to choose Dassault.

Yet for a variety of reasons, from budget constraints to election cycles, successive governments have not pulled the trigger. Company executives, some of whom have spent a decade or more pursuing Brazil, have joked in private that the country may have no real intention of buying the jets at all.

LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIP

Nevertheless, there are mounting reasons to believe that Rousseff will announce her decision before the end of this year, and that Boeing will be the winner.

Brazil's military has said maintaining its Mirages will become difficult after this year. Meanwhile, the sensitivities of spending billions of dollars during a rough economic spell could lead Rousseff to announce her decision before 2014, when she faces reelection.

Rousseff has cast the deal as a crucial part of Brazil's strategic alignment for decades to come - a message she repeated to Biden on Friday, the officials said.

While defying Washington's wishes on issues like Syria, Rousseff has sought a closer partnership with the United States. She has received a steady stream of Cabinet secretaries and senators, and accepted Obama's invitation for a state visit, the first by a Brazilian leader in 20 years.

The United States, for its part, chose Embraer in February to provide the Air Force with 20 light attack planes - a deal many Brazilians saw as a necessary condition to buy the F-18.

Boeing has also deepened its partnership with Embraer in recent months.

Meanwhile, the government has been less happy with the other finalists. France's recent agreement to build submarines with Brazil has resulted in fewer technology transfers than expected, one official said.

France and Sweden reportedly opposed Brazil's candidate to lead the World Trade Organization, who won the post last month. The United States also favored a different candidate, but was more restrained in its support, in Brazil's view.

"We notice these things, and they're all factors in the (jets) decision," a Brazilian official said. "This is so much money, and we want to choose the right partner."

(Reporting By Dave Gregorio)

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/04/...E9531AC20130604

He's not a sniper anyway.

First Tiger AD Delivered to French Army
5 June 2013 Wednesday

(Source: French Army; issued June 5, 2013)

(Issued in French only; unofficial translation by defense-aerospace.com)


The first Tiger helicopter of the HAD variant (Hélicoptère d’Appui-Destruction, or Support and Destroy Helicopter) has been delivered to the French army aviation base at Le Cannet des Maures, in the Var district of south-eastern France.

On this occasion Gen. Bertrand Ract Madoux, the chief of staff of the French army, boarded the aircraft and welcomed this important milestone by saying that “The combat helicopter is an inseparable partner of the infantry and the cavalry when they are in contact with the enemy.”

The HAD is the second variant of the Tiger attack helicopter to enter French army service, after the now worldwide well-known Tiger HAP (Hélicoptère d’Appui Protection, or escort and support helicopter) whose armament mostly consists of a 30mm cannon and 68mm unguided rockets.

Intended to replace the Gazelle Viviane helicopters in the day/night attack and anti-tank mission, the Tiger HAD is armed with Mistral air-to-air missiles and AGM-114 Hellfire air-to-ground laser-guided missiles.

Tiger’s HAD variant also features improved ballistic protection against small arms fire, as well as a new electro-optical sensor and sight package.

The first Tiger HADs will be deployed by the 1st Combat Helicopter Regiment, based in Phalsbourg, beginning in 2014.

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/articles-...rench-army.html

Yes, it's part of the uniform.

Yes, TNI got a better deal with Germany, the loser is Netherland.

Now then Netherland wake up their idea.

http://atlanticsentinel.com/2013/06/nether...esia-after-all/