South Korean uses standoff to promote extended military service



http://www.nknews.org/2015/08/south-korean...litary-service/

North Korea rattles saber to rally citizens





http://m.koreatimes.co.kr/phone/news/view...._newsidx=185443

Russia Preparing New Electronic Warfare System



Adviser to the deputy head of Russia's Concern Radio-Electronic Technologies (KRET) Vladimir Mikheev said Tuesday a new multilevel system of electronic warfare will be tested in Russia in 2015.

It is reported that the system was designed to counter means of air and space attack.

"KRET plans to begin this year, and end next year, state testing of a fundamentally new system of electronic warfare, aimed at jamming the most modern means and systems for air and space attacks," Mikheev said.

http://peacekeeper.ru/en/?module=news&action=view&id=27256

Oshkosh Wins $6.75 Billion Military Contract to Replace Humvee



Oshkosh was chosen over Lockheed Martin and AM General to build as many as 55,000 Joint Light Tactical Vehicles, or JLTVs, over the next 25 years. Photo: Oshkosh Defense

Oshkosh Corp. on Tuesday won a $6.75 billion contract to build almost 17,000 new light trucks to replace aging Humvees for the U.S. Army and Marine Corps, cementing the future of its defense business.

The Wisconsin-based company was chosen over competitors Lockheed Martin Corp. and AM General LLC to build as many as 55,000 Joint Light Tactical Vehicles, or JLTVs, over the next 25 years to replace part of the Humvee fleet and some larger military trucks.

The JLTV is one of the Army’s highest priorities and follows a series of budget cuts and shifting requirements that prompted the Pentagon to cancel helicopter, artillery and communications programs, after investing billions of dollars.

Oshkosh has a long history of producing military vehicles and offered a brand new design to meet the Army’s requirements for a four-wheeled truck to carry two or four personnel that is resistant to mines and roadside bombs, but also is light enough to be carried by air.

“It’s a historic win for us,” Oshkosh Chief Executive Charles Szews said in an interview, adding that the defense business “supports the whole infrastructure for the company.”

Oshkosh shares soared 11.6% to $43 apiece in after-hours trade, erasing more than half of their 20% decline this year.

The deal gives Oshkosh a stable, long-running contract for assembly work to offset other, volatile business lines, including specialty vehicles such as firetrucks and cement mixers.

The company’s defense unit has struggled in recent years in the face of shrinking Pentagon spending on military trucks. The company laid off hundreds of assembly workers to lower expenses even as the company moved ahead with development work on its JLTV proposal.

“It’s the difference between having a viable defense business for the next five or 10 years and having a big question mark,” said Jefferies analyst Stephen Volkmann.

The new trucks will replace many of the 120,000 Humvee trucks built by AM General that have been worn out by use in Iraq and Afghanistan, and promise greater protection against mines and roadside bombs, as well as more range and durability to move troops and gear. They are also lighter than the Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protected vehicles introduced in Iraq.

The JLTV program was launched in 2007 and the Army, bruised by a series of cost overruns and canceled programs, stuck to its $250,000 price cap for each JLTV. Army officials said all three bids came in below the cap, with the average price of vehicles equipped with communications and other equipment expected to come in under $399,000, taking the total program cost to $30 billion.

The price cap pushed the three companies to use as many commercial, off-the-shelf parts as possible to lower production and maintenance costs. Oshkosh uses engines from General Motors Co. , with Allison Transmission Holdings Inc. supplying the gearboxes.

The Army plans to acquire 49,909 of the vehicles alongside 5,500 for the Marines, and has the option to choose another contractor for future production runs.

The final bidders emerged from a pack that included Navistar International Corp. , General Dynamics Corp. and Ford Motor Co. The trio made their final submissions in January after building a series of prototypes that the Army tested. The companies touted their offerings in a series of radio and print ads in Washington, D.C., and in Michigan, home to the Army’s contracting command.

Lockheed said it would await a debriefing from the Army before deciding whether or not to protest the award to Oshkosh. The potential loss is more of a blow for AM General, which has subsisted on a diet of Humvee exports and a recent deals to assemble vehicles for Mercedes-Benz at its plant in Mishawaka, Ind. The company had no immediate comment Tuesday.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/oshkosh-wins-6...mvee-1440537576

Best military, civilian aircraft on display as MAKS-2015 show takes off in Russia



https://www.rt.com/news/313361-maks-2015-av...on-space-salon/

Malaysia to send troops to observe China’s military parade



http://www.nst.com.my/node/97798

US Navy Commander Confirms 'Great Angst' Among Allies





http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content...es/2931988.html

During his Malaysian trip, French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian will discuss the possibility of delivering to Malaysia the two Mistral-class warships initially built for Russia, the French newspaper Tribune reported.



Earlier, the French media suggested that Egypt and Saudi Arabia were seriously contemplating the purchase of Mistral ships. Other nations believed to be interested in the two Mistrals include Brazil, Canada, China, India and the United States.

In early-August, Russian President Vladimir Putin and his French counterpart Francois Hollande agreed on the cancellation of a contract on the construction of two Mistral-class ships. France has already paid the compensation, but the sum was not made public.

After the Russian equipment is dismantled from the carriers, France will be able to take charge of both ships.

Le Drian will arrive to Malaysia on August 30. On the way back, the minister plans to visit India to sign a contract on the delivery of 36 Rafale jets to New Delhi.

According to Tribune, the Indian military is also interested in the purchase of the Mistrals.

http://sputniknews.com/military/20150825/1...sia-france.html

Pentagon: Modernize military on Guam



The Pentagon's new maritime security strategy in the Asia-Pacific region includes modernizing the military's Guam-based assets as territorial disputes in the South China Sea remain unresolved.

The Guam modernization, according to the military's recently released strategy, includes:

The U.S. military expects to have 10 Joint High Speed Vessels, which cost about $185 million apiece. The high-speed ship bridges the gap between low-speed sea transport and high-speed air transport capabilities for the military.

The Catamaran-style high-speed vessel will have a crew of 22 people, but will have "airline-style" seating for more than 312 troops and fixed berthing for 104, according to the Navy. The Military Sealift Command will operate and sustain the high-speed vessels.

The high-speed ship can navigate shallow waterways, has roll-on, roll-off ramps for offloading cargo and combat-loaded Abrams Main Battle Tanks, among other equipment.

The Air Force also continues a program to modernize hangars and other support structures to augment those and other U.S. military capabilities, according to the strategy.

Guam serves as the regional hub for the Air Force's Global Hawk fleet.

The Navy will operate a new unmanned surveillance aircraft called MQ-4C Triton from Andersen Air Force Base by 2017, according to the report.

Released Aug. 21, the Asia-Pacific Maritime Security Strategy states the United States continues "to express to China our concerns about its behavior in the East and South China Seas."

China's actions included "restricting access to fishing grounds in disputed waters, engaging in provocative energy exploration in other nations' claimed exclusive economic zones and undertaking dramatic land reclamation activities on disputed" areas, including in the Spratly group of islands, according to the report.

http://www.guampdn.com/story/news/2015/08/...-0826/32312819/

Mistral Warships: Russian Military To Dismantle Computers, Radar, Specialist Equipment After Canceled Deal





http://www.ibtimes.com/mistral-warships-ru...uipment-2067127

PressTV-Iran mass-produces Nasr cruise missile



Iran has launched the production line of a cruise missile with its defense minister saying the air-launched missile is aimed at improving the country's deterrence power.

The production line of Nasr cruise missile was launched during a ceremony at Iran’s Aerospace Industries Organization affiliated with Iran’s Ministry of Defense on Tuesday.

Iran's Minister of Defense Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan said Nasr is to be delivered to Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force and the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Air Force to "significantly upgrade the tactical power of these forces."

"Nasr air-launched system can be installed on different types of fighters," he said, adding that the missile is equipped with radar tracking system which would enable it to destroy targets with "high precision."

Dehqan said boosting Iran's missile capabilities is among the main strategies of the country's Ministry of Defense.

The Iranian defense minister also said the Nasr missile functions autonomously, allowing fighter jets to immediately leave the danger zone.

He said Iran plans to fit Nasr missile on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the future.

In recent years, Iran has made major breakthroughs in its defense sector and attained self-sufficiency in producing important military equipment and systems.

The Islamic Republic also regularly conducts military drills to enhance the defense capabilities of its military and to test modern military tactics and equipment.

Iran has repeatedly said that its military might poses no threat to other countries, reiterating that its defense doctrine is based on deterrence.

http://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2015/08/25/42...-Cruise-Dehqan-

Macaques, falcons trained to protect air force from birds ahead of parade



A macaque dismantles a bird nest in a tree. (Photo/Beijing News)

(ECNS) -- The Chinese Air Force is training macaques and falcons to help protect their jets from the threat of flying birds, which could jam and ultimately destroy a flying jet, the Beijing News reported. [Special coverage]

The experiment started in April 2014 when an Air Force base in an unspecified location adopted three macaques, said Ma Junliang, an Air Force trainer. After three months, the macaques could follow Ma's orders to dismantle bird nests in trees.

Two of the macaques, named "Qitian" and "Ziyun," can get rid of a nest in approximately one minute. Ma needs to shout "hurry up" at times to encourage the hesitant monkeys, who receive rewards like corn for a job well-done.

Military official Han Bing is hailing the macaque method as cost-effective, low-risk, efficient and the first of its kind in the world.

In addition, the Air Force troop also keeps 10 falcons that are used to drive birds away from the air base. When trainer Ma Wengang blows a whistle, the falcons take off, and then hover within approximately 100 meters of the trainer. This scares other birds away from the area.

The falcons do not need to prey on other birds; their presence simply drives off. They are usually launched two hours before the jets, with three or four falcons needed each day to do the job.

http://www.ecns.cn/cns-wire/2015/08-26/178776.shtml

Can China make a plane faster than Lockheed's Blackbird?





http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclas...=20150826000178

Unique Grom-2 Missile-Bomb Weapon Created in Russia



ZHUKOVSKY (Sputnik) — A unique Grom-2, possessing the destructive utility of both a missile and a bomb, has been developed in Russia, general director of the Tactical Missile Systems Corporation said Wednesday.

“Grom-2 is in fact a glide bomb, as there is another warhead weighing 130 kilograms [286 pounds] instead of an engine with a total weight of 250 kilograms," Boris Obnosov told journalists.

According to Obnosov, the Grom-2 was constructed on the basis of the Kh-38ME modular aircraft guided missile.

Russia's Tactical Missile Systems Corporation was established in 2002 on the Zvezda-Strela research and production center. The corporation produces guided missiles and weapon systems for air, ground and seaborne applications.

http://sputniknews.com/military/20150826/1026226373.html

Blistered heels don't deter female honor guard training



Female honor guards are trained at a camp in Beijing ahead of a military parade planned for September 3. （Photo/81.cn）

Sixty-two female honor guards who for the first time will participate in the Sept 3 parade are making every effort to perform perfectly that day.[Special coverage]

Two-thirds of the female honor guards are new recruits, who, when training started, showed an obvious gap in performance compared to the male honor guards in the same unit.

The female soldiers trained about 10 hours a day to catch up with the males to achieve a better synchronized movement.

All the members are determined. Wang Yidi, one of the diligent guards, insisted on practicing even when she had many burst blisters on her heels.

When the team leader required her to rest, she strongly asked to go back to the field and said: "I cut off the shoe heel to let the blisters out, so it won't bother me again!"

Honor guards have been training through the hot summer and the intensive training has made them slim and tanned.

A couple of months ago, before they started training, the soldiers were measured for tailored new uniforms.

They tried on the newly-made uniforms in August but were surprised to learn that all the uniforms now are too large.

"At first we thought the measurements were wrong. But soon we realized it's because we all lost too much weight. I lost about five kilograms," said Zhao Ying, one of the female honor guards who will march in the parade.

http://www.ecns.cn/military/2015/08-28/179118.shtml

Aerial refueling to be staged during Beijing V-J Day parade




China will showcase its aerial prowess with a refueling demonstration during the Sept. 3 military parade.

Aerial-refueling maneuvers, an essential skill for any pilot, test the range and loiter time of receiver aircraft, said Zhu Zhijie, head of a tanker aircraft regiment.

This procedure will illustrate the long-range combat ability of the PLA Air Force, as it is a difficult maneuver to pull off during a parade.

"Transferring fuel from a tanker to a receiver requires steady airflow. The parade formation, however, will be flying at a height of 500 meters and will have to deal with severe turbulence," said Zhu.

In addition, the formation will only have 15 minutes to completely refuel, added Zhang Qinghai, head of an aviation unit with the PLA Air Force.

It will be China's first military parade to commemorate the end of World War II and the victory of China's resistance against Japanese aggression.

The parade will feature 12,000 troops, 500 pieces of equipment and nearly 200 aircraft.

http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclas...=20150829000127

Chinese military on charm offensive as it announces joint drills with Malaysia, US and Australia





http://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-d...announces-joint

DARPA's Next Generation Drone Will Launch and Land on Moving Airplanes



These "gremlins," as the researchers at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) have dubbed them, would be cheaper than standard drones and have a lifespan of about 20 flights.

DARPA envisions the gremlins as a middle ground between missile-like weapons, which can be used just once, and platforms like piloted aircraft, which are expensive, complex and long-lasting.

"We wouldn't be discarding the entire airframe, engine, avionics and payload with every mission, as is done with missiles, but we also wouldn't have to carry the maintainability and operational cost burdens of today's reusable systems, which are meant to stay in service for decades," the agency said in a statement.



To launch these gremlins, the military wants to turn large C-130 cargo planes into makeshift aircraft carriers.

But first, researchers will have to develop the gremlins. DARPA put out a call last year to the aerospace industry, and on Friday announced it will host a workshop in September for potential "proposers."

http://sputniknews.com/us/20150829/1026323...e-pentagon.html

Born a fighter, Malaysia’s forgotten hero now leads a quiet life



Despite being called ‘Bujang Berani’ or hero in the village, Awang still lives in a humble home in Nanga Skrang. — TRP pic by Dennis Wong

KUCHING, Aug 28, 2015:

He is born a fighter.

Malaysia’s sole George Cross recipient, 85-year-old Awang anak Raweng, is scheduled to meet Queen Elizabeth of England for the biennial reunion in Buckingham Palace next month, but with his current health condition, he may miss the event this year.

On Monday, Awang was hospitalised due to intestinal complications and has since been at the Sarawak General Hospital.

A visit by The Rakyat Post, showed the forgotten hero was out of danger, but other than his health condition, he looked disappointed.

“I don’t know If I can make it to London or not. I still feel very weak now,” said Awang.

Awang is one of the 20 living George Cross recipients among the Commonwealth nations in the world. He was awarded for his gallantry in action in the jungles of Kluang at the height of the Malayan insurgency.

Since receiving the award in 1963, the British government pays him a pension of £100 (RM646). He has been invited to attend the biennial reunion in Buckingham Palace and to meet up with his former comrades from the Worchestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment in London.

Awang’s military records were lost and forgotten with the formation of Malaysia, and it was only in 2004 that he finally received an invite to attend the Merdeka Day Parade after an effort to track down forgotten veterans was carried out.

Awang was 23 years old when he volunteered as an Iban tracker attached with the British Army in Johor.

“I just wanted to join the fight. Being an Iban and hearing stories of our ancestors in warfare made me feel like my service was needed,” said Awang.

But despite his eagerness to do his part for the conflict then, Awang had never heard of Johor nor knew where it was on the map.

On May 27, 1951, Awang, with a 20-man British Army platoon, was ambushed in Kluang, killing three of his comrades and leaving two others injured.

British Army records revealed that despite suffering gunshot wound on his leg and losing massive amount of blood, Awang returned volley after volley in the firefight, where he was outgunned and outnumbered.

As the rest of the platoon members retreated to safety, Awang was left alone to fend off the attackers from advancing towards their position, saving the life of Private Griff Hughes in the incident.

After the war, Awang has led a quiet life in his village in Nanga Skrang, being a farmer.

“I had my share of action. After Malaysia was formed, I just wanted to go back living as a civilian,” he said.

Now, despite being warded at the hospital, the war hero is still upbeat and full of spirit.

“I just can’t wait to be discharged and get back home. Lying in bed bores me,” said the man who never backs down in a fight.

http://www.therakyatpost.com/news/2015/08/...s-a-quiet-life/

How Patriot Missiles Will Stay a Step Ahead of the Enemy





http://www.popularmechanics.com/military/r...allium-nitride/