CHINA BUILDS THE WORLD'S FASTEST TANK GUN, THEN TRIES TO HIDE IT





http://www.popsci.com/china-builds-worlds-...n-tries-hide-it

Did Beijing concede to US by calling off S China Sea land reclamation?



An aerial view of Woody Island, the largest of the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea, May 20. (Photo/Xinhua)

China's foreign ministry suddenly announced this week that it is suspending land reclamation efforts on islands and reefs in the disputed South China Sea.

The official media line on the suspension is that it is because the projects are "complete," however other media outlets have framed the decision as a compromise reached between Beijing and Washington, according to Duowei News, a media outlet run by overseas Chinese.

China and the United States have insisted on their respective positions in the disputes over the South China Sea, from the Chinese military asking US jets conducting patrol duties in the area to leave, to China's issuing of a defense white paper to show its concerns over its maritime interests and the 2015 Shangri-La Dialogue, where representatives from the two countries defended their respective positions.

President Xi Jinping of China plans to visit the US in September and China and the US are set to engage in more economic cooperation. This has fueled rumors about Beijing's compromise on the dispute.

China is unlikely to have suspended its land reclamation efforts in the region simply because of protests from other countries, so one possibility is that the country has achieved its projected goal and the timing is a handy way to suggest Beijing is making a major concession.

Another possibility is that the US and China have reached an agreement. The foreign ministry's announcement on June 16 just days after General Fan Changlong, vice chair of China's Central Military Commission, ended his US visit on June 12, suggesting this possibility.

Another possibility is that the move was a good will gesture on China's behalf. The US has repeatedly complained of China's land reclamation activities and the angry responses from Beijing contributed to a souring of bilateral relations, which is not in China's national interests.

Generally speaking, the maritime disputes in the South China Sea involve six parties, namely China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia and Taiwan. Of these, Brunei has abandoned its territorial claim over Louisa Reef in the Spratlys, Malaysia has a relatively minor claim in the Spratlys, Vietnam and the Philippines make claims to major island chains while China and Taiwan maintain a similar claim to virtually the entirety of the South China Sea. The US has become involved to appeal to China on behalf of its ally, the Philippines, and to maintain its influence in the region.

http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclas...=20150620000095

New Russian Military Drone Can Detect Highly Camouflaged Objects



A cutting-edge Russian drone equipped with unique dual-band radar was demonstrated by specialists of the Russian Air Force during the Army-2015 forum, the press office of the Defense Ministry reported.

"The new Russian unmanned aerial vehicle Merlin-21b is equipped with a proprietary compact radio-radar station and was demonstrated at the Army-2015 forum," the ministry said.

The new drone is capable of conducting aerial surveillance in any weather conditions and in any time of the day and transmitting data in real time.

"The decimeter band of the radar allows detection of objects hidden from visual view and camouflaged with leaves. While the centimeter band allows capturing of hi-resolution images," a representative of the Defense Ministry said.

Merlin-21b is capable of conducting flights at an altitude of up to three kilometers and has a flight range of up to 600 kilometers.

http://sputniknews.com/military/20150620/1023619575.html

Army, Air Force Take Bomb Disposal to New Level with Lasers



With lasers, operators can negate the threat of improvised explosive devices, makeshift bombs, mines, and other unexploded explosive ordnance from a safe distance.

The U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Research Development and Engineering Center, or AMRDEC, Prototype Integration Facility, or PIF, U.S. Air Force Air Combat Command and the Redstone Test Center developed the technology.

The AMRDEC PIF will integrate the U.S. Air Force's laser, interrogator arm, console and other features into the Category I Cougar MRAP.

"Building the [Recovery of Airbase Denied by Ordinance, or RADBO] prototype was right in the wheelhouse of what the PIF is set up to do," said Steven Colvin, PIF project manager. "We were able to assemble a strong team of mechanical, electrical and design engineers to solve the problems, fabricators and integrators to build the prototype and technical writers to document the installation, operation and maintenance of the system."

"We may see hundreds to thousands of small unexploded ordnance items on a runaway or airfield but the RADBO will allow us to reduce the time it takes to get an airfield operational," said Marshall "Doc" Dutton, Air Force explosive ordnance disposal modernization program manager of the Air Force Civil Engineer Center on Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. "Currently, if a runway gets hit it can take days to weeks to get cleared. With the RADBO, runways can be cleared and operational at a much quicker pace."


RADBO's laser can detonate bombs up to 300 meters and the Army's integrated interrogator arm and manipulator claw, which can pull 50 pounds of debris up from cracks and underneath rubble. Infrared cameras, driver vehicle enhanced capabilities and two alternators were installed to provide more than 1,100 amps of power.

"The biggest challenge for the PIF was the integration and mechanical maneuvering of adding a second alternator," Colvin said. "The stock alternator was only 570 amps and we needed more to power the laser. After modifying the nose of the Cougar MRAP and shifting the fan and radiator forward we were able to install an additional alternator and double our power."

Another non-combat use of the RADBO is the ability for immediate range clearance allowing fighter pilots to use the range immediately after a live-ordnance drop training exercise. Since ranges can be cleared immediately for repeated use, this capability has the potential to save lives on the battlefield.

"The PIF and the test center support have been superb," Dutton said. "We anticipate producing 14 more RADBO after the developmental testing phase to support the AFCENT command. We look forward to partnering with the PIF in the future."

Current testing on the RADBO includes munitions testing, hot and cold storage and electromagnetic interference. Developmental testing will conclude in July at RTC but additional tests will continue with airmen on Tyndall Air Force Base in September 2015.

The PIF is a subordinate unit of the Engineering Directorate, which plans, develops, manages, and conducts Aviation and Missile Life Cycle Management Command programs in the areas of total lifecycle systems engineering, product assurance, test, and evaluation.

http://www.ameriforce.net/blog/military-ne...h-lasers-061915

Russia’s MiG to Develop Fifth-Generation Jet Fighter



MiG aircraft-making company will develop a fifth-generation light jet fighter, company CEO Sergei Korotkov said during the 2015 Le Bourget Airshow.

"Such a plane has not been ordered yet. But we continue to work on it. We know that there is a broad worldwide market for this type of aircraft," Korotkov said.

He also pointed out that currently many countries across the globe use the MiG-29 aircraft, and they need a plane to replace it.

The MiG-35 4++ generation advanced multirole fighter could be used as a platform for building the fifth-generation aircraft. Mass production of the MiG-35 has repeatedly been delayed, including due to the absence of buyers.

However, in April Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov said the Russian arms procurement program presumes delivering 30 MiG-35 aircraft to the Air Force by 2020.

Another fifth-generation jet fighter for the Russian Air Force – T-50 (PAK FA) – is already in development. It is planned to be an attack aircraft. Currently, three prototypes are undergoing flight tests. Three more planes will be delivered for testing by the end of the year. The first T-50 aircraft are planned to be delivered to the Air Force from between the end of 2016 and the beginning of 2017.

http://sputniknews.com/military/20150620/1023632156.html

Hitting Everything That Flies: New Russian MANPAD Verba Knows No Equals







The brand new Russian man-portable air-defense system (MANPAD) Verba, presented at the ARMY-2015 exhibition in the Moscow Region, has unique characteristics that make it the best in the world, TVZvezda reported.

At first glance, Verba looks like its Russian and American predecessors the Igla and Stinger: a tube and an aiming sight. However, at that point the similarities end.

The new MANPAD goes beyond hitting traditional targets for this type of weapon — helicopters and planes — and is capable of striking cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs, drones).

Its surface-to-air missile (SAM) is equipped with a unique three-spectrum seeker that comprises the ultraviolet, near infrared and middle infrared bands. This variety provides more data about the target, which makes Verba a discriminate weapon. Moreover, Verba's seeker is more sensitive than that of the Igla-S, which extends the range of target engagement. The seeker automatically detects decoy heat targets and ignores them, focusing on targets with greater heat, which makes the new MANPAD extremely precise.

The automatic system detects the flight parameters of a group of targets and assigns them among the shooters, taking advantage of each serviceman's location.

Verba has been tried by Russian airborne troops whose commander reported that shooting sped up more than tenfold. Earlier, it took from three to five minutes between detecting a target and firing at it; with Verba, the process narrowed to several seconds.

The system also includes a ground-based "friend-or-foe" interrogator to prevent friendly fire.

Verba's new solid-fueled engine allows the shooter to hit a target that moves at the speed of 500 m/s at a distance of more than six kilometers. The strike altitude varies from 10 meters to 4.5km. This gives Verba a significant advantage over the Stinger that cannot attack helicopters flying lower than 180 meters.

Verba has a simplified maintenance service and has proven sustainable even in harsh Arctic conditions.

The military considers Verba as a reliable defense against contemporary attack aircraft and cruise missiles.

The Russian Defense Ministry has already signed a contract on delivering the systems to the Armed Forces.

http://tvzvezda.ru/news/forces/content/201506200927-cnrm.htm

http://sputniknews.com/military/20150620/1023633859.html

U.S. Building Russian Cruise Missile Defense System








http://www.valuewalk.com/2015/06/u-s-build...defense-system/

Vietnamese special forces prepares to hit Chinese targets in S China Sea



Two of Vietnamese Navy's four Tarantul-class corvettes. (Internet photo)

To stop China's land reclamation activities in the disputed South China Sea, the Vietnamese military is preparing to attack the Chinese facilities in the region with special forces, according to Moscow-based Kommersant.

As military exercises held by the Vietnamese military since 2004 have shown, the People's Air Force of Vietnam's Su-22 tactical bomber will be used to launch the first strike against maritime targets with AS-10 air-to-surface missiles. At the same time, the Su-30 fighter is likely to provide cover for the Su-22 bombers during the strike. The bomber can attack the People's Liberation Army Navy's vessels from an attitude of 2,500 to 3,000 meters.

Next, the People's Navy of Vietnam will carry out an amphibious landing against the islands and reefs currently under Chinese occupation. The landing vessels are to be covered by aircraft, torpedo boats and corvettes. The Beijing-based Sina Military Network reports that the Vietnamese Navy's four Tarantul-class corvettes are equipped with Russian-built Kh-35 anti-ship missiles which are extremely dangerous for PLA surface combat vessels.

Vietnam is just the second nation in the world to have Kh-35 anti-ship missiles. It has an attacking range of 130 kilometers.

After that, Vietnamese special forces will initiate attacks against targets including merchant ships, supply vessels, radar stations, ports and storage areas on smaller islands or reefs with fewer Chinese troops stationed there. A Vietnamese special operations team has between three and five military personnel per unit, the Kommersant said.

http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclas...=20150622000091

U.S. Military Exploring Defense Methods Against Drones





http://www.govtech.com/products/US-Militar...nst-Drones.html

How Beijing may use South China Sea to create submarine haven





http://www.smh.com.au/world/how-beijing-ma...622-ghuwzm.html

Philippines in US, Japan naval drills amid China sea row



Puerto Princesa (Philippines) (AFP) - The Philippines Monday began separate but simultaneous naval exercises with the United States and Japan, amid shared and growing concern at Chinese island-building in the disputed South China Sea.

Manila has been holding the naval drills with its longtime ally Washington since 1995. But the exercise with Tokyo, a World War II foe, is only its second ever after one earlier this year.

This week's Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) drill with Washington will include a P-3 Orion aircraft, of the type used by the US to monitor the South China Sea.

China claims almost the entire Sea despite competing claims from the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam, and has been taking strong action including reclamation to assert sovereignty.

"CARAT remains a practical way to address shared maritime security priorities, enhance our capabilities, and improve inter-operability between our forces," the US exercise commander, Rear Admiral William Merz, said at the opening ceremony in Puerto Princesa city on the southwestern Philippine island of Palawan.

Rear Admiral Leopoldo Alano, commander of the Philippine Fleet, described the drill as a great opportunity "to gain valuable experience and increase our inter-operability."

The drills will also feature for the first time the littoral combat ship USS Fort Worth, and involve the rescue and salvage ship USNS Safeguard.

While it does not take sides in the dispute, the US has in recent weeks intensified its criticism of China's reclamation work, which has created new islands including airstrips on reefs and shoals also claimed by its neighbours.

The US says the activities could pose a threat to freedom of navigation.

China said last week its land reclamation in the disputed Spratly islands would finish soon but be followed by "facility construction".

The Philippines has asked a United Nations tribunal to reject China's claims to most of the Sea, a move angrily rejected by Beijing which says the world body has no authority in the matter.

This week's naval exercise will be held both on Palawan, the closest land mass to the disputed reefs and waters, and in the Sulu Sea to the east of the island.

The Filipino forces in the drills, including the US-acquired frigates BRP Ramon Alcaraz and BRP Gregorio del Pilar, also regularly patrol the South China Sea.

The exercise will focus on combined maritime operations, mobile dive and salvage training, coastal riverine operations and maritime patrol and reconnaissance along with seminars ashore, the US Navy said.

Japan, which has its own maritime dispute with China in the East China Sea, has also expressed concern at Beijing's reclamation further south.

On Monday it began three days of drills with the Philippine Navy involving a Japanese P-3C patrol aircraft.

The drills, which will also include a Philippine Navy aircraft, will focus on joint search and rescue operations on the high seas, the Philippine Navy said.

They will take place in international airspace and outside Philippine territorial waters, it said in a statement.

http://news.yahoo.com/philippines-us-japan...-075845814.html

China aims to challenge U.S. dominance in air and space





http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/06/2...a/#.VYk8o3DXerV

BAD GUYS KNOW WHAT WORKS: ASYMMETRIC WARFARE AND THE THIRD OFFSET





http://warontherocks.com/2015/06/bad-guys-...e-third-offset/

China invites Indonesia to participate in military parade - ANTARA News



Beijing (ANTARA News) - China has invited Indonesia to participate in a military parade, to mark the 70th anniversary of the allied victory over Japan and the end of the anti-fascist war, at Tiananmen Square on September 3.

"We will invite a number of countries to attend the commemoration and even participate in it. One of them is Indonesia," Vice Minister of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of Chinas Central Committee Wang Shiming said here on Tuesday.

A source told an Antara correspondent based in Beijing that the Chinese government had extended the invitation two months ago.

"Besides Indonesia, we also invited the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos and India. It is the first time China invited military representatives of friendly countries to participate in the parade," he added.

The organization of the event, which will be the first of its kind, reflects Chinas commitment to always appreciate history, respect fighters and promote peace for a better future.

President Xi Jinping will deliver his address before the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress, the State Council, the Central Committee of the Chinese Military and the National Committee of Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference.

"President Xi Jinping will deliver his address to mark the 70th anniversary of victory over Japanese aggression and the anti-fascist war, followed by a reception and cultural show and conferment of tokens of appreciation on veterans," Wang noted.

In addition, Operations Assistant of Chief of General Staff of Chinas Peoples Liberation Army Qu Rui stated that the military parade will showcase a variety of Chinese military equipment and armaments.

http://m.antaranews.com/en/news/99313/chin...military-parade

China dominates Sniper World Cup



Chinese snipers compete in shooting relay on the opening day of the 14th Police and Military Sniper World Cup in Budapest, Hungary on June 21, 2015. (Photo: Xinhua/Attila Volgyi)

China swept all the five gold medals at the 14th Military and Police Sniper World Cup in Budapest on Tuesday.

In the military individual category, Wang Yongchuan won the title with 952 points.

Wang and Li Wen won the military team event with 1,858 points. As the best overall individual shooter, Wang won the title of the Best of Best. He and Li Wen also got a special prize for the highest team score.

Chen Jun won the police individual event with 880 points. Chen and Li Zhiyu won the police team category with 1,739 points.

Chinese snipers also received three silver and one bronze medals.

Marton P. Vincze, Director of Hungarian Police Training Center, said the Chinese snipers showed great confidence during the entire competition.

"Please allow me to congratulate the Chinese team, they prepared very well, this makes us feel good, because they attached importance to this competition," Vincze said.

The three-day competition attracted 130 participants from 16 countries and regions, including 20 Chinese snipers.

http://www.ecns.cn/2015/06-24/170395.shtml

Y-20 transport aircraft conducts high-altitude test in Yunnan



The Y-20 carries out a demonstration flight at last year's Zhuhai Airshow, Nov. 11, 2014. (Photo/CNS)

China is ready to test its Y-20 military transport aircraft over the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, according to photos uploaded to a Chinese military website, the Sina Military Network based in Beijing reported on June 23. The internet photos showed a Y-20 with serial number 783 at Lijiang airport.

This is the first time Xian Aircraft Industrial Corporation will have tested the Y-20 in a high-altitude region. With the atmospheric pressure lower than at sea level, the aircraft needs more speed to take off and the atmosphere and high local temperature also affects the thrust the aircraft's engine can generate.

As Lijiang airport is only 2,200 meters above sea level, the Sina Military Network said this is unlikely to be the final altitude test for the Y-20.

Photos uploaded to the internet earlier this year revealed the Y-20 undergoing testing in low temperature conditions at an unknown airbase in northern China.

Tang Changhong, the chief designer of the Y-20, said the aircraft will complete all tests in different conditions by the end of the year.

http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclas...=20150624000083

Germany’s Bundeswehr Receives First New Generation Puma Armored Vehicles



The Puma has a baseline weight of 31.45 tons, allowing it to be lifted by an Airbus A400M transport, according to IHS Jane. When fitted with its armor package, the vehicle weighs up to 43 tons. The vehicle is also equipped with a remote-controlled turret (RCT) armed with a 30 mm Mauser MK 30-2 cannon, and a 5.56 mm MG4 co-axial machine gun.

These weapons are operated by a computerized day/night fire control system that enables the vehicle to target both stationary and moving targets.

Having already undergone several changes, the Puma AIFV is set to replace the current Rheinmetall Landsysteme Marder 1 IFV, adopted by the Bundeswehr in 1971 and constantly upgraded since.

The vehicles will be delivered to the Munster Training Center Projekt System & Management (PSM), where they will be fitted with equipment before being transferred to troops for a three-month training period. The troops will then return to their home bases with the vehicles and proceed to train the remaining Puma crew.

PSM was awarded the original Puma contract in 2004, with a total of $4.9 billion, or EUR 4.3 billion, and will continue to manage the vehicles’ logistics and maintenance along with the Bundeswehr. The original plan included the delivery of 405 Pumas, however the number has been reduced to 305, including eight driver training vehicles. The full delivery is expected to be complete by 2020.

http://sputniknews.com/europe/20150624/1023767156.html

Why Russian submarines are making waves in Asia





http://rbth.com/blogs/2015/06/24/why_russi...asia_47179.html

Mitsubishi eyes technological leap, and exports, with armored vehicle





https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/mitsubish...-211002018.html

Russia thinks its monstrous new super-tank can resist just about all of NATO’s anti-tank weapons



Russia’s 3rd-generation battle tank will feature a new version of explosive reactive armor (ERA) capable of resisting widely used Western anti-tank weapons, a source at a leading Russian heavy machinery company told Nikolai Novichkov of IHS Jane’s 360.

The unnamed source at the Russian Tractor Plants, which develops armor for the country’s tanks, told Jane’s that the T-14 Armata battle tank will feature a radically redesigned ERA system that has “no known world equivalents”.

“The new ERA can resist anti-tank gun shells adopted by NATO countries, including the state-of-the-art APFSDS DM53 and DM63 developed by Rheinmetall [and] anti-tank ground missiles with high-explosive anti-tank warheads,” the source told Jane’s.

An ERA uses two plates of armor that sandwich an inner explosive liner on the outside of a vehicle. When a penetrating projectile hits the outer face plate, the explosive liner detonates. This detonation disrupts the enemy projectile by both shifting the plate armor, lowering the incoming projectile’s velocity, and by changing the impact angle of the projectile.

These shifts means the incoming projectile has to penetrate a larger amount of armor, lowering its overall effectiveness.

In addition to the ERA, the Armata will feature an Afganit active protection complex, a system that uses Doppler radar to detect incoming projectiles like rocket-propelled grenades and anti-tank missiles. Once detected, the active defense launches an interceptor rocket that destroys the incoming projectile.

Rossiyskaya Gazeta Online notes that this protection could hypothetically allow the Armata to survive an attack from a US Apache helicopter. But the US Army’s Foreign Military Studies Office takes a more modest view of the tank’s supposed capabilities and concludes that the Afganit system would most likely be capable of defending the tank only from “shaped-charged grenades, antitank missiles, and subcaliber projectiles.”



The Armata is also equipped with counter-mine defenses and a suite of high-resolution video cameras. These cameras would allow the Armata operators to have full 360-degree awareness around the body of the vehicle.

The first deliveries of the T-14 started trials with the Russian military in February and March. According to Interfax, large deliveries of the tank will start in 2017 to 2018.

http://www.businessinsider.my/russias-new-...v5jU8vgjKes3.97