The US Navy had 90 seconds to defend itself when Iranian-backed militants fired on them off Yemen





Business insider

Turkey 'positive' about puchasing Russian air defense systems — official



ANKARA, October 14. /TASS/. Turkey and Russia are discussing likely guidelines for cooperation in the military-technical sphere, Turkish presidential representative Ibrahim Kalyn told the media on Friday.

He recalled that bilateral cooperation in the military-technical sphere was discussed when Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin met in Istanbul on October 10.

"The negotiations in Istanbul achieved agreement on the development of cooperation with Russia in the defense industry. The agencies concerned are now working on details. Turkey’s defense industry department is holding talks with Russian counterparts over likely cooperation guidelines," he said, when asked if Turkey was going to purchase long-range air defense systems from Russia.

"In principle we are positive about that," Kalyn said.

The spokesman added that when the national security matters were at stake, Turkey would be prepared to come to the negotiating table and sign an agreement with the country that proves capable of meeting its demand for air defense systems.

TASS

The Scale Of Aircraft Carrier Maintenance Is Ridiculous







Foxtrot Alpha

China Launches 3 New Stealth Warships



The People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has reportedly launched three additional Type Type56/056A Jiangdao-class corvettes.

One of the corvettes — designated light missile frigates by the PLAN — was launched at the Wuchang shipyard in Wuhan, whereas the remaining two vessels were launched at the Liaonan shipyard in Lushun, according to information obtained by IHS Jane’s Defense Weekly.

All three ships were launched over the last few weeks.

“The latest of the vessels was launched at the Wuchang shipyard in Wuhan around 3 October and is the 39th of the class to enter the water,” IHS Jane’s Defense Weekly reports.

“On 19 June satellite imagery showed the two other corvettes under construction in a dry dock at the Liaonan shipyard in Lushun. By early October photographs of the fitting-out berths in the yard showed that the ships had been launched and that the installation of sensors, antennas, and missile launchers was continuing with the ships afloat.”

The PLAN currently is operating a total of 27 Type 056A Jiangdao-class corvettes. In June, the 26th Jiangdao-class corvette, christened Qujing (pennant number 508), joined the PLAN’s South Sea Fleet and is expected to be deployed to the disputed Paracel Islands (See: “China Commissions New ‘Submarine Killer’ Warship for South China Sea”). The classification of the ship as a Type 056A corvette suggests that the Qujing is an anti-submarine warfare variant of the ship class.

It is unclear whether any of the ships launched in the last weeks will be Type 056A variants. (Around 14 corvettes have enhanced ASW capabilities.) As I explained elsewhere:

Next to four YJ-83 anti-ship missiles (two launchers with two missiles each) and a 76-millimeter main gun, the ASW variant is also equipped with two 324 millimeter triple torpedo launchers, as well as variable depth and towed sonars. The ship’s flight deck also allows operation of a Harbin Z-9 military helicopter, specifically equipped for ASW missions.

According to IHS Jane’s Defense Weekly, one Type 056 Jiangdao-class corvette is launched ever six weeks indicating the high production rate of PLAN surface warships:

Twelve ships of the class are currently being fitted out or undergoing pre-commissioning trials at the four shipyards involved in their construction: three each at Liaonan, Wuchang, Hudong, and Huangpu.Fitting out and sea trials for these ships takes around 12 months, so four of these are likely to enter service before the end of the year.

The first Type 056 Jiangdao-class corvette was only launched in May 2012. All in all, the PLAN plans to induct 60 new corvettes in the years ahead.

The Diplomat

Russian Special Ops Plane With Unique Electronics Readied for the Skies

“The new-look Il-76MD-90A, which is a modernized version of the Il-76MD, has already been approved by a special commission in Ulyanovsk,” a Defense Ministry representative told Izvestia.



“All onboard systems are now in place on and a series test flights are scheduled to be held shortly. If everything goes well, the new electronics will be installed on all existing and future Il-76MD-90As,” he added.

The official said that the Il-76MD-90A, equipped with advanced optical and electronic stations, collision warning gear and onboard defense systems, is designed to transport a range of military equipment, armed personnel, heavy and long size vehicles and cargoes.

It will also be used in parachuting cargo/troops and other airborne cargo missions.

Unique onboard equipment enables the Il-76MD-90A to land on dirt surfaces with switched off landing lights and flashing navigation lights.

The Il-76MD-90A has a maximum take-off weight of 210 tons and can carry a maximum payload of 52 tons.

Sputniknews

U.S. Army testing M3 recoilless rifle improvements



ABERDEEN PROVING GROUNDS, Md., Oct. 14 (UPI) -- The U.S. Army is testing improvement upgrades to the M3 recoilless rifle, making it more ergonomic, lighter and shorter, the service announced Thursday.

Also known as the multi-role anti-armor and anti-personnel weapon system, or MAAWS, the shoulder-fired weapon is being upgraded as part of a foreign technology program, the Army said in a statement.

The upgraded weapon will be known as the M3E1 when testing and qualifications are completed in the spring, at which time it will be available for procurement by all Defense Department branches.

It fires a high-explosive round to engage light armored vehicles, bunkers and soft structures.

The upgraded weapon can fire the existing suite of MAAWS ammunition.

Army engineers and weapons experts worked with Sweden's Saab Bofors Dynamics to test and qualify the weapon.

UPI

This infographic shows how the effects of economic sanctions are a mixed bag



Despite ongoing debates about their effectiveness, economic sanctions remain widely used in international affairs. They’re viewed as a tool to further national security, antiterrorism, anti-weapons proliferation, and other foreign-policy goals.

But the effectiveness of a sanctions regime depends on many factors, including how it is imposed, what it covers, and what its goals are.

In the infographic below, Norwich University’s Online Master of Arts in International Relations has laid out the basic principles of economic sanctions and the usual motivations behind them and provide case studies of sanctions efforts that yielded successful outcomes.

Business insider

CIA Prepping for Possible Cyber Strike Against Russia





NBC

To Threaten Ships, the Houthis Improvised a Missile Strike Force





War is boring

Royal Navy races to intercept heavily-armed Russian aircraft carrier heading for English Channel as it practises bombing raids near Scotland ahead of Syrian mission









Daily mail uk

M1A1 Takes Direct Frontal Hit From Daesh Anti-Tank Missile



During an Iraqi Army armored advance, an ISIS anti-tank missile team sets up an ambush. They score a direct frontal hit on an Iraqi M1A1.

While conducting an armored advance against ISIS positions in Iraq, an Iraqi Army armored group is ambushed by a Daesh ATGM team. It is unclear which type of ATGM was used, but judging from the sound, and the flight path of the missile, it was either a Konkurs or Fagot missile.

In the original release of the video, ISIS claimed that this was video confirmation of them destroying an Iraqi M1A1. This would be a huge success for them, as the armor has been decimating their forces throughout Iraq. With that said however, it is convenient that this is a direct frontal hit, and the video cuts before any type of true battle damage assessment can be done by the viewer.

My thoughts on the situation: The attack may have temporarily jarred the crew inside of the tank by rocking them back and fourth a little bit, and it is very possible that the tank commander manning the exposed .50 cal was killed by the blast. Based on the location of the hit, what we know about the M1A1’s frontal armor, and the two possible weapons systems used, this tank is most likely still functioning today.

Funker530

Russian X-555 Cruise Missiles Contributed to Destruction of Terrorists’ Infrastructure in Syria (Photo & Video)







SouthFront

IS 'crushes Mosul coup attempt' as Iraqi forces close in





Middle East Eye

The Missile War In Yemen





CSIS

Japan's defense contractors get to grips with foreign military buyers





Japan Today

Israel Asks Russia to Revise Military Coordination Due to New Russian S-300 Missiles in Syria





Hareetz

Russian influence evident in Palestinian militia in Syria











Long War Journal

Turkish Bayraktar TB2 Flying from Batman



As Turkey pushes toward becoming a major player in the UAV industry, seeing more of their drones on satellite imagery beyond test airfields should come as no surprise. DigitalGlobe space snapshots from October 2015 captured one of the country’s latest drones, the Bayraktar TB2, complete with its ground control station, parked in front of an aircraft shelter at Batman air force base.

The TB2, a medium altitude drone developed by the Kale-Baykar group, is a twin-boom, push-propeller UAV which first took to the skies back in 2009. According to the manufacturer, the platform has a length of 6.5m, wing span of 12m – both confirmed on imagery – and a maximum take-off weight of 630kg. The unmanned aircraft can fly up to 22,500 feet (6,800km), loiter for more than 24 hours on station at a range of 150km from the ground station. It’s equipped with electro-optical and infrared sensors, a laser designator and laser range finder.

Highly capable, Ankara has plans to make it one of the country’s front line UAVs. Domestic press reports say that the platform will conduct orbits along the Iraqi border. Batman, located less than 60 and 90 miles from the Syrian and Iraqi borders, respectively, also hosts the IAI-built Heron. Turkey acquired two Heron systems in 2010 after significant delay integrating Turkish components. Up to four of the Israeli-built platform have been observed at the airbase in previous imagery.

Like the UAE, Turkey turned to the domestic private sector to develop its own platform of surveillance and strike drones after Washington turned down requests to buy armed Predators and Reapers. So far, the country’s done pretty well advancing the tech. In December 2015, Turkey conducted its first armed UAV test flight using locally developed smart micro munitions (SMM) fitted to the TB2. Targets were struck with pinpoint accuracy, according to Turkish press reporting. The initial drop test utilized a variant of the air launched anti-tank missile, the UMTAS (or Mizrak), which is infrared seeker and laser seeker capable.

The UMTAS is made by the Turkish armor and missile manufacturer Roketsan and was designed for Turkey’s homegrown T-129 ATAK combat helicopters, a locally produced version of the Agusta A129 Mangusta. A second test in May 2016 (see video above) saw a live warhead fitted with the SSM completing the trials. Notably, handhelds showed the drone armed with the unpowered variant at two hardpoints underneath the wings, a similar carriage configuration to the U.S. Predator.

However, unlike their U.S. counterparts, each Bayraktar TB2 system is comprised of six aerial vehicles while U.S. systems typically have four drones. Additional equipment for the Turkish platform includes two ground control stations, three ground data terminals, two remote video terminals and other support equipment.

As of 2016, press reporting suggests that two systems are operational with the land forces where they’ve already been used in operations against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) since 2014. Rumors even suggest that the platform may have made a foreign appearance recently during Turkey’s Jarabulus operation. Outside of the military, other operators include Turkey’s Police who received at least two systems this year.

Batman air force base, the location the drone was observed, is the HQ of the 14th Unmanned Aircraft System Command.

Bellingcat

Sorry, China: Why the Japanese Navy is the Best in Asia





National Interest Magazine

BTW, the best navy in Asia is neither Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force nor People's Liberation Army Navy. It's called United States Navy.

Quoted : http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/...ia-18056?page=2

This post has been edited by BorneoAlliance: Oct 17 2016, 12:18 AM