DCNS will build Australia's subs

http://www.lowyinterpreter.org/post/2016/0...alias-subs.aspx

The U.S. Army’s Quest For a Lethal New .50 Machine Gun

http://www.nationalinterest.org/blog/the-b...chine-gun-15948

Published on 27 Apr 2016
The H225M can be refueled in-flight - both by day and at night
Since 2006 with the arrival of the first H225M Caracal aircraft, the French Air Force set itself an ambitious objective - to master in-flight refueling with its new helicopters. Ten years later, the investment has paid off, and this in-flight refueling capability has been fully mastered by the EH 1/67 Pyrénées helicopter squadron based in Cazaux.

With the support of the Italian and US Air Forces - which both provided tanker aircraft - the squadron has patiently assimilated the procedures and trained its crews. Two thirds of the squadron's pilots are now certified to perform in-flight refueling by day, with this certification even becoming standard within the unit. France is thus one the very few countries in the world to master the procedure.
This capability is now taken into account in operations. The French forces are fully aware of the added operational value a helicopter that can be refueled in flight provides in terms of extended range, stealth and speed of action. Several operational missions have already been performed in the Sahel using this capability, in particular with a non-stop 7-hour flight.

Even better, at the start of the year, the 1/67 Pyrénées squadron took a further step with the certification of its first instructors and pilots for night refueling. The procedure is performed in complete blackout conditions with the only view of the outside world being the greenish image seen in the night vision goggles and that of the FLIR installed in the nose section of the helicopter. This means that even greater concentration and precise piloting are required. To fly a helicopter only a few meters away from a transport aircraft, attached to a boom and with the strong turbulence generated by the propellers is already a complex operation. To do this at night may almost be qualified as audacious...

Impressive video footage taken by the SAA’s paramilitary faction of “Liwaa Der’ Al-Watan” shows the moment their troops take down a rebel sniper. The missile attack was conducted with a modified homemade Al-Fil rocket (the elephant) with the incident taking place at an unknown location in the countryside of Damascus.

https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/watch-...-missile-video/ | Al-Masdar News

Singapore downselects helicopter contenders
Gareth Jennings, London - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
05 May 2016

Singapore has downselected Airbus and Leonardo-Finmeccanica to replace its ageing Aerospatiale AS332M Super Puma platforms, it was reported on 3 May.

Sources familiar with the details of the procurement said that both European manufacturers will compete for the requirement to provide a dozen new helicopters to replace the 18 Eurocopter Super Pumas that have been fielded by the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) since 1985, the Reuters news agency said, adding that defence minister Ng Eng Hen noted a decision would be made "soon".

Neither company would comment to Reuters on the disclosure, but Airbus Helicopters could offer its recently relaunched H215/H215M (Super Puma), H225/H225M (already in service with the RSAF as the AS532 Cougar), or NH90 (Airbus Helicopters is the major stakeholder in the multinational programme); while Leonardo-Finmeccanica's chief medium-twin offering is the AgustaWestland AW149. While the company's AW159 Lynx Wildcat is available in both land- and sea-based configurations, it is probably too light to be considered for this particular requirement.

As noted by Reuters, the new helicopter would be required for both land- and sea-based applications, with the tender being worth some USD1 billion. No details about timelines were released.

2017 LIMA Langkawi, Malaysia.

21 - 25 March 2017.

Finland GBAD firing of Stinger MANPADS from Leguan 160 boom lifts.

Launch of IRAM rockets in slow mo.

2016 EX HARINGGAROO, Malaysia.

http://video.defence.gov.au/play/4687#