The BrahMos is just beginning





http://in.rbth.com/blogs/2015/07/03/the_br...ning_44045.html

Kurdish fighters advance on ISIL-held Raqqa



Syrian Kurdish fighters have advanced on the northern city of Raqqa, putting them just 50km away from the de facto capital of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group, sources told Al Jazeera.

On Friday, the Kurdish People's Protection Units, or YPG, closed the main route ISIL allegedly uses to supply Raqqa from Turkey, as US-led coalition fighter jets attacked ISIL positions in the area, witnesses said.

On Saturday, a suicide bomber detonated himself in a gathering of opposition fighters loyal to the YPG in town of Suluk north of Raqqa. Another suicide attack was reported in the Kurdish town of Kobane, according to social media accounts sympathetic to ISIL said.

Activist Abu Khalil al-Furrat told Al Jazeera that Raqqa's population was enduring extreme hardship under ISIL rule.

"There are mainstream Syrian opposition groups in the area who are ready to fight ISIL in Raqqa but they need air support. And the coalition doesn't seem willing to support them. The coalition only supports the Kurds," al-Furrat said.
Fighting in Tal Abyad

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported ongoing clashes between the YPG and ISIL on Saturday, adding that the US-led coaltion air strikes on ISIL targets killed least nine fighters.

In a separate development, ongoing clashes between the YPG and ISIL left at least ten ISIL fighters killed in the border town of Tal Abyad.

ISIL fighters re-entered Tal Abyad and seized a district from Kurdish forces who pushed them out of the border town two weeks earlier, the observatory said.

Tal Abyad was a crucial ISIL supply hub and stronghold for about a year before Kurdish forces expelled the group.
The YPG, backed by Syrian opposition allies, seized Tal Abyad on June 16, just days after beginning an advance against the town.

The official spokesperson for the YPG, Redor Khalil, told Al Jazeera that at least 200 Western fighters have joined the group in their fight against ISIL.

Idlib mosque attack

In Idlib province, at least 31 al-Nusra Front fighters were killed in a suicide attack claimed by ISIL inside the al-Salem mosque in the city of Ariha, the observatory reported.

A suicide bomber detonated himself inside the mosque after the evening prayer, killing al-Nusra commanders and civilians, while injuring dozens of others, the activist group added.

Ariha was one of the last government strongholds in Idlib until it was captured by a rebel coalition named the Jaish al-Fateh army in May.

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/07/kurd...4053125806.html

US anti-sub drone boat to counter China's maritime expansion



The US Navy's anti-submarine warfare continuous trail unmanned vessel can provide a significant boost to US tracking capabilities against China and Russia at sea. The boat was specifically designed to hunt diesel-electric submarines, reports the Tokyo-based Diplomat.

Diesel-electric submarines are being widely procured by states with objectives opposed to the national interests of the United States, such as China and Russia. The US Navy does not operate diesel-electric submarines, though they are cheaper and quieter than their nuclear big brothers, said Gady.

"While not capable of traveling long distances or at great speed, diesel-electric submarines have the potential to deny the US Navy access to strategic coastal areas and could also interrupt seaborne commerce," Gady wrote. The next-generation diesel-electric submarines will even be harder for the US Navy to track since they will be installed with air-independent propulsion systems and advanced lithium-ion batteries.

In 2010, the DoD-connected Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency began the development of an anti-submarine drone which can be used to track enemy submarines in shallow waters. Known as an anti-submarine warfare continuous trail unmanned vessel, the prototype of this new drone boat is designed to operate autonomously for 60-90 days underwater. It will track down the location of enemy submarines and guide other US naval vessels or aircraft for an attack.

Known as the Sea Hunter, the unmanned vessel is ready for sea trials this fall. Ellison Urban, program manager, said that the robot ship was developed because deploying a nuclear-powered submarine for tracking purposes is too expensive. "It can be deployed for months at a time. It can go out, find a diesel-electric submarine, and just ping on it," said Urban.

http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclas...=20150705000127

Iran Deploys Long-Range Ghadir Radar System



Iran deploys Ghadir radar system in an opening ceremony on Saturday in Southern Iran. The radar system is capable of discovering and tracking planes from a 600-kilometer distance and ballistic missiles from a distance of 1,100 kilometers.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps deployed the country’s long-range Ghadir radar system in Southern Iran on Saturday.

The Ghadir radar system is capable of discovering and tracking planes from a 600-kilometer distance and ballistic missiles from a distance of 1,100 kilometers; it detects objects at an altitude of up to 100 kilometers, reports Iranian media.

It is equipped with over 100 antennas which are capable of 360 degree rotation. The radar system can be used in all types of electronic warfare and in all climatic conditions.

In May 2012, IRGC Aerospace Commander Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh said Iran is mass-producing Ghadir radar systems in large numbers, adding that the radar system covers areas that are over 1,000km in diameter.

"This radar system can cover areas around 1,100 km in range and its designing and production project ended early last year and is now being mass-produced," Hajizadeh told FNA at the time.

The Ghadir radar system has been designed to identify aerial targets, radar-evading aircrafts, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles as well as low-altitude satellites.

Iranian officials have continuously stressed that the country's military and arms programs are used for defensive purposes and should not be perceived as a threat to any other country.

http://sputniknews.com/military/20150705/1024233507.html

Russian weapon can zap satellites and switch off long range weapons





http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/ru...isables-6008370

Iran’s Building a New Flying Boat







https://www.bellingcat.com/news/mena/2015/0...ew-flying-boat/

What Do We Know About Singapore’s New Warship?



Last Friday, the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) launched the first of eight new, locally made littoral warships called Independence.

The launching ceremony of the first Littoral Mission Vessel (LMV) was held at the Singapore Technologies Marine (ST Marine)’s Benoi shipyard. The new LMVs will replace the existing Fearless-class Patrol vessels which have been in service for 20 years.

According to information in a statement released by the Ministry of Defense (MINDEF), the LMVs – which it calls “smarter, faster and sharper” – are a marked improvement from its predecessor in several ways. The first is their versatility and flexibility to deal with a wide spectrum of challenges. LMVs have various customizable mission modules that can be reconfigured to perform a range of roles ranging from counter-piracy to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations. They are also equipped with an array of lethal and non-lethal options to deliver calibrated responses to a diverse set of threats, including advanced radars and sensors and a 360-degree bridge.

Second, in terms of metrics, the new vessels boast greater endurance and speed. They are twice the size of their predecessor and can travel much further and faster. LMVs can hit speeds in excess of 27 knots and travel 3,500 nautical miles for up to 14 days at sea without refueling. That means they will be able to respond quickly to maritime security incidents and will be able to stay out at sea for much longer. Furthermore, Defense Minister Ng Eng Hen stressed in his remarks at the launching ceremony that due to the engineering work done on the vessels, they will require half the maintenance time compared to the patrol vessels.

Third, the sense-making and decision support systems in the LMVs with a high level of automation allow for a much leaner crew. LMVs only require 23 men to crew at the baseline level compared to around 30 for the previous generation of patrol vessels. That is significant because, as I emphasized in an earlier piece, Singapore’s leaders recognize that the military will face a significant manpower challenge.

Fourth, it boasts a much greater level of centralization. For instance, the Integrated Command Center – a centralized operating center comprising the Bridge, Combat Information Center and Machine Control Room – integrates and synergizes the management of the navigation, engineering and combat functions. According to Lieutenant-Colonel Tay Choong Hern, the LMV Independence’s Commanding Officer, the Center will allow for more seamless communication between various teams, thereby boosting overall situational awareness. Such a capability is one which few navies have up to this point.

Aside from these capabilities, the vessels have also been tailored to suit the specific needs of RSN personnel. Every button or switch on the ship’s console, and even the height of the chairs, are tailored to the height of sailors, the length of their arms and other habits that they have while operating the vessels. As DSTA naval systems program director Matthew Yong put it, “we ensure our systems suit the operators rather than the operators to get used to the technology.”

According to MINDEF, Independence will be delivered to the RSN in 2016 and is expected to be fully operational by 2017. All eight LMVs are expected to be fully operational by 2020.

http://thediplomat.com/2015/07/what-do-we-...es-new-warship/

Terminator-vision and the complex questions behind “augmented reality”



[QUOTE]But VR has a twin: augmented reality. If VR means slapping on a head-mounted display and waving VR-gloved hands around like a crazy person, augmented reality ("AR") is maybe more immediately useful; it’s most easily defined as the overlaying of extra information onto your perception of the world. Think of what the Terminator sees—a view of the world with extra data popping up all over, giving additional context to the things that you see.

Augmented reality isn’t anything new—military pilots (and some commercial pilots), for example, use heads-up displays that project information onto a reflective screen directly in front of them, allowing them to see the horizon even when it’s cloaked by clouds or darkness or bad weather. Similar heads-up display technology is even becoming common in higher-end automobiles, too—automotive HUDs can mirror a speedometer and tachometer onto your windscreen or even show navigation information.



Enlarge / A military aircraft HUD (in this case, from an F/A-18F simulator) showing dense symbology.
Lee Hutchinson

But as with so many other technological advances, AR isn’t without its complications and dangers. We humans are highly visual creatures, and the entire mental process by which we perceive the world and make decisions based on visual input is precise and finely tuned. While the idea of "tweaking" the visual field through adding symbology or colors or data sounds like it might be nothing but upside, a very real danger remains. The ultimate sin in perceptive modification is distraction.

http://arstechnica.com/science/2015/07/ter...mented-reality/

US Army explores multinational radio comms





http://www.c4isrnet.com/story/military-tec...comms/29775035/

Saab’s New Super Stealthy Submarine Is ‘Effectively Invisible’





http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2015/07/06...much-invisible/

US Company to Build Humvees for Ukraine Within $372Mln Contract - Pentagon



WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The contract included options for 2,082 of the vehicles, with spare parts, according to the statement.

“AM General, South bend, Indiana was awarded a $372,936,476 firm-fixed-price multi-year foreign military sales contract (Afghanistan, Iraq, Kenya, Lebanon, Ukraine, Tunisia),” the statement read on Monday.

The Humvees would be built in Mishawaka, Indiana, with an estimated completion date of April 29, 2016.

In June 2014, militants from the Islamic State held a military parade in their stronghold in northeastern Syria, displaying US-made Humvees, heavy machine guns, and missiles captured from the Iraqi army for the first time since taking over large parts of the Iraq-Syria border.

The Defense Department noted the deal was approved by the US Army Contracting Command.

The new contract came a week after Defense Secretary Ashton Carter pledged to step up military supplies to the Ukrainian government of President Petro Poroshenko which is still fighting its two breakaway secessionist provinces of Donetsk and Lugansk.

On March 25, 2015, the United States delivered a first batch of ten Humvees to the Ukrainian military. Reports said the vehicles were flown to Kiev’s Borispol airport aboard a US Air Force military tactical freighter.

US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter has pledged to deliver at least 100 Humvees to Ukraine by the end of this month, liveuamap.com reported on June 25.

The Humvees are being delivered to Ukraine within the framework of non-lethal military aid promised to Poroshenko by the administration of President Barack Obama.

Funding for the aid was including in the 2016 National Defense Appropriations Act, which has been approved by both the US Senate and House of Representatives.

http://sputniknews.com/military/20150707/1024302626.html

Liaoning carrier's first battle group to be formed next year



China's first aircraft carrier battle group is expected to be formed next year to make up for the shortcoming of the limited combat radius of the country's existing fleets, according to China's official news agency Xinhua.

Citing the Military-Industrial Courier, a Russia-based weekly, the report said China's first carrier, the Liaoning, embarked on its first blue-water passage in early 2014 escorted by 12 vessels of different classes. The carrier, refitted in Dalian from a Soviet-era hulk purchased from Ukraine in 1998, was commissioned in 2012.

Beijing is considering different approaches for forming its aircraft carrier battle groups, including the one used by the United States Navy, the report said. Two new aircraft carriers built domestically with greater displacement and greater power are also planned, with the long-term goal of having four new carriers, it added.

With a driving power of 200,000 horsepower, the Liaoning has displacement of 67,500 tonnes at maximum load.

China began to build its first new aircraft carrier in 2013, which is expected to have "initial combat ability" in 2020. The PLA Navy also saw the number of its surface vessels more than double. It now has 50 missile frigates and destroyers in service compared with 15 in 2000.

The country has also spared no efforts in overhauling its old vessels by equipping them with its most advanced weapons, the report said. The PLA's latest model of frigate is equipped with Russian-made P-270 supersonic anti-ship missiles with a range of 209 kilometers and the domestically produced YJ62 anti-ship missiles (241 km), YJ83 missiles (152 km)and YJ8A missiles (104 km), while the Luyang-class or Type 052D destroyers, the most advanced surface vessels in China's navy, will be equipped with vertical launch systems and long-range anti-ship missiles.

China is also developing 10,000-tonne cruisers that are expected to be armed with massive anti-air, anti-ship, ship-based cruise missiles, and even magnetic weapons in the future, according to the report.

http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclas...=20150708000029

New Generation Self-Homing Missile Will Bolster Russian Air Defense



“In addition to the S-400 systems, our air defense forces will start receiving the S-350 Vityaz missiles, which are more maneuverable and boast self-homing warheads of a new generation,” Colonel Igor Klimov told RIA Novosti news agency.

The Vityaz-350 systems are scheduled to enter service in 2016.

The S-350E Vityaz (Knight) is a short-to-mid range air defense missile system intended to provide point defense against aircraft and precision attacks.

It was developed by Almaz-Antey Company as a replacement for the ageing S-300PS, which was developed back in the early 1980s.

The 9M96E naval version guided missile under development will be called Redut.

Russia’s airspace is currently protected by S-400 Triumf and S-300 Favorit missiles, and Pantsir-S short to medium range surface-to-air missile and anti-aircraft artillery system.

http://sputniknews.com/russia/20150708/1024352201.html

Russia Developing Multipurpose Missile Launchers For New Warships, Air Defense To Get Self-Homing Warheads



Russia is currently working on a multipurpose missile launcher, which will be equipped on new warships for the Russian navy. The latest report comes at a time when Moscow continues to beef up its military strength with new missiles, despite the country’s struggling economy.

According to Technodynamika, a subsidiary of the state-owned corporation Rostec, the new multirole launchers will be able to fire ship-borne missiles of different classes from a single launching tube, Russia’s RIA Novosti reported. NATO warships are also equipped with similar hardware, including the Aegis Combat System.

“We have already completed the preplanning work to create the multi-role missile launchers for different types of missiles,” Maxim Kuzyuk, the head of Technodynamika, told RIA Novosti.

Russia is also reportedly developing a new class of anti-air destroyers, called “Leader,” which will be equipped with more than 200 silo-based missiles of different classes. The Russian navy is expected to get 12 Leader-class warships by 2025, RIA Novosti reported.

Moreover, Russia’s air defense is also expected to receive highly maneuverable missile systems that will be powered by new-generation munitions, according to the Russian defense ministry.

“In addition to the S-400 systems, our air defense forces will start receiving the S-350 Vityaz missiles, which are more maneuverable and boast self-homing warheads of a new generation,” Colonel Igor Klimov, a Russian defense ministry spokesman, told RIA Novosti.

The new S-350 Vityaz missiles, which will enter service in 2016, are short-to-mid range air defense missile system.

Russia continues to boost its military strength with new missile systems, regardless of its crippled economy, mostly affected by Western sanctions over Moscow’s alleged involvement in the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

According to media reports, the Russian navy is developing new “aircraft carrier killer” submarines that can carry cruise missiles. The county will also reportedly deploy the first Bastion silo-based surface-to-ship missile system in the Crimean Peninsula by 2020.

http://www.ibtimes.com/russia-developing-m...et-self-1999189

Taiwan Vows to Defend South China Sea Claims as Philippines Case Begins Against China





http://thediplomat.com/2015/07/taiwan-vows...-against-china/

Use ‘BBL’ and CCT funds to defend our Kalayaan sovereignty





http://www.manilatimes.net/use-bbl-and-cct...reignty/198416/

Security blogger maps out JMSDF's top five craft



The Hayabusa, the first vessel of the Hayabusa-class patrol craft. (Internet photo)

In case of a conflict with China over the East or even the South China Sea, Japan's Maritime Self Defense Force is ready to deploy its five most deadly craft against the People's Liberation Army Navy, said Kyle Mizokami, a defense and security blogger in Washington-based magazine National Interest on July 5.

The JMSDF's Hayabusa-class patrol craft is the most deadly weapon that the PLA Navy would face in a potential naval conflict. It is indeed the Japanese version of the United States' littoral combat ship. Designed smaller for better agility, the Hayabusa-class patrol craft is able to hide among Japan's many island and in the country's rugged coastline. They can carry out hit and run missile attacks on much larger enemy ships. This could be effective should China attack near the waters of the Ryukyus or could also be used in the southern Kurils should Russia pose a threat.

Modeled after the United States Navy's Flight IIA Arleigh Burke destroyer, the Atago-class Aegis Destroyer is the JMSDF's second most powerful craft. While the destroyer is capable to engage surface targets with its one Mark 45 5-inch naval gun and two Phalanx CIWS close-in weapon systems, it can also hunt and destroy enemy submarines with its hull-mounted AN/SQQ-89 undersea warfare combat system which combines an active/passive sonar system with ASROC rocket-propelled torpedoes.

Then, developed for amphibious warfare, the Osumi-class tank landing ship is another powerful piece of the JMSDF's arsenal. Japan currently operates three Osumi-class tank landing ships which ferry tanks and other armored vehicles from one part of Japan to the other. These are extremely important as the nation itself in composed of four major islands. An single Osumi-class can carry 14 Type 90 main battle tanks or a company-sized mechanized landing force to the battlefield.

Officially known as a helicopter destroyer, the Izumo-class comes in at number four. With a full length flight deck and hangar, it bears a strong resemblance to traditional aircraft carriers. An Izumo-class helicopter destroyer can accommodate and service up to 14 helicopters. It can also be operated as a floating base for Japan Ground Defense Force to launch CH-47J Chinook transport and AH-64J attack helicopters.

While some defense experts speculated that Japan may order a small number of vertical takeoff and landing F-35B fighters from the US and fly them off the deck of the Izumo-class, Vice Admiral Yoji Koda, a retired commander of the JMSDF said it is unlikely to happen due to Tokyo's current financial situation.

Rounding out the top five is the JMSDF's Soryu-class disel-electric submarines. Considered to be one of the world's most advanced non-nuclear attack submarines, the Soryu-class is able to remain underwater far longer than other diesel electric designs. Designed with six bow-mounted torpedo tubes, a Soryu-class submarine can carry a total of 20 Type 89 high-speed homing torpedoes and American-made Sub-Harpoon missiles. It could also serve as a carrier vehicle for an indigenous cruise missile system.

It is not a problem for Soryu-class submarines to carry out routine patrol missions over the starits located at Tsugaru , Tsushima, Kanmon, and Soya, which are relatively close to Japan. Mizokami added, however, that an overseas base will be needed for the sub should JMSDF deploy the subs to the disputed South China Sea in the future, as it is far from Japan.

http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclas...000016&cid=1101

New-Generation Electronic Warfare: More Russian Troops Equipped



A mechanized infantry unit of the Russian Land Forces, stationed near Orenburg in the Urals, is due to receive the most advanced electronic warfare complexes, the “Borisoglebsk 2”, by the end of July. One hundred specialists needed to operate the complexes are currently attending courses at an army training center in Tambov.

In Chechnya in the Southern Military District a competition among electronic warfare specialists was held recently. Soldiers competed in the areas of deployment speed, search and detection of unidentified radio signals and electromagnetic blanketing. The involved units were equipped with six new “Borisoglebsk 2” complexes just last month.
In May developers of the “Borisoglebsk 2” were granted a government award for their product. The system was initially introduced to the Russian army in 2014.

One complex comprises nine MT-LB vehicles, on which the equipment is mounted. Its purpose is suppression of mobile satellite communication and radio navigation systems.

Compared to previous generation complexes, the “Borisoglebsk 2” has a wider range of radio surveillance and suppression, hi-speed frequency scanning, a longer operative range and a higher precision of spatial localization of radio wave emission sources.

http://sputniknews.com/russia/20150709/1024427154.html

Dummy nuke dropped in test northwest of Vegas



In order to get a longer-lasting bang out of the nation’s nuclear bomb bucks, government scientists conducted a life-extension test of the aging B61 nuclear bomb using a fighter jet from Nellis Air Force Base to drop a dummy version of it July 1 at the Tonopah Test Range.

The successful drop of the gravity bomb by an F-15E Strike Eagle from the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron was lauded as “a major milestone” in the National Nuclear Security Administration’s effort to keep the modernized, B61-12 version viable for nuclear deterrence, said Don Cook, the agency’s deputy administrator for defense programs.

“Achieving the first complete B61-12 flight test provides clear evidence of the nation’s continued commitment to maintain the B61 and provides assurance to our allies,” Cook said in a news release Wednesday.

A statement from the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., states the B61-12 is designed to replace four variants of the B61 that can be delivered by U.S. aircraft. The B61 is a 12-foot-long thermonuclear bomb that weighs about 700 pounds.

Hardware for the B61-12 was designed by Sandia National and Los Alamos National Laboratories in New Mexico and mated with an Air Force tail-kit assembly.

“This test demonstrated successful performance in realistic flight environments followed by an effective release of a development test unit from a USAF F-15E from Nellis” Air Force Base, according to the news release from the National Nuclear Security Administration, a branch of the Department of Energy.

The test was conducted at the Tonopah Test Range, part of the Nevada Test and Training Range complex, about 130 miles northwest of Las Vegas. That is where engineers from Sandia National Laboratories conducted helicopter drop tests of inert B61 assemblies in August 2013.

In the 2013 tests, a new radar system, which previously had only been tested in a laboratory, was installed in a gravity-bomb configuration to assess how it performed when dropped from a helicopter.

Maj. Gen. Garrett Harencak told a House Armed Services subcommittee in April that the joint effort to extend the life of the B61-12 is on schedule to deliver the first production unit in 2020. The goal is to have a dual capable aircraft bomb with both conventional and nuclear options ready for the F-35 joint strike fighter by 2024.

http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/military...northwest-vegas