Archive for February, 2012

The US military spending as a percentage of GDP is expected to decline to an average of 4.0% over the next five years (2012-2016), down from 4.6% during the past five years (2007-2011), due to government efforts reduce its fiscal deficit from the 2010 value

Defense expenditure in Norway is expected to drop in Norway, representing only 2.51% real growth in the next four years (2012-2016). The main growth areas are international peacekeeping mission support, border security and defense and homeland defense.

The US Air Force is moving to cancel the disputed $355 million Light Air Support (LAS) contract awarded in December 2011 to Sierra Nevada Corp., (SNC). This contract awarded SNC to 20 Brazilian AT-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft made by Embraer Defence. The Afghan Air Force slated these aircraft for light strike operation.

The US Air Force Aeronautical Systems Center issued a Military Flight Release (MFR) that will allow the F-35A Lightning II fighter to begin initial operations at Eglin AFB, Fla.

Raytheon Company has tested a new propulsion system for the Tube-Launched, Optically-Tracked, Wireless (TOW) missile. The new system developed by ATK doubles the range of the TOW missile and reduces the missile’s flight time by one-third.

Israel has concluded a major arms deal with Azerbaijan selling the central Asian country advanced missile defense systems, air defense systems and unmanned aerial systems to Azerbaijan, as part of a US$1.6 billion arms package.

the French defence procurement agency (DGA) has awarded Thales a contract to adapt ASTAC tactical electronic reconnaissance pods for the Mirage 2000D. The process is due to complete by 2014, when the Mirage F1CR currently operating with the system is expected to phase out of active service.

The F-35 program accumulated 114 flight tests and achieved 773 test points this year, representing roughly 10 percent of the System Development and Demonstration (SDD) flight test plan for 2012

The ‘HoverMast’ developed by the Israeli start-up company Sky Sapience is scheduled to go on an operational demonstration in the upcoming months, demonstrating the system’s capability to expand the surveillance coverage of unmanned ground vehicles. The payload currently integrated on the HoverMast is the T-Stamp from Controp, a stabilized multi-sensor [...]

The Treaties between the United States, the UK and Australia allows these countries to gain a commercial advantage in the global defense market, streamlining the regulatory process that often poses a significant barrier to all but only the biggest or well financed companies.

Lockheed Martin unveiled the new version of the F-16 at the Singapore Airshow. The F-16V will feature enhancements including an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, an upgraded mission computer, communications capabilities and improved cockpit – all capabilities identified by the U.S. Air Force and several international customers for future improvements.

Four highly specialized security sessions will be held by the DSEi expert team in partnership with Counter Terror Expo 2012, on Wednesday 25th April 2012. Defense-Update readers are invited to take advantage of these complimentary, invitation-only briefings.

Israels Ministry of Defense (IMOD) has reached a preliminary agreement with Italy for the procurement of 30 M346 military training jets, built by the Italian company Alenia Aermacchi. The value of the package is one billion US$. Pending formal government approval, the agreement marks the end of a long competition between Italy and [...]

Facing a growing threat of ballistic missiles and rockets capable of hitting any point in the country from distances of four, up to 2,000km, Israel has grouped its air defense forces into the ‘Air Defense Command’, integrating all active defense elements into an multi-layered defensive system. Israel’s missile defense wing [...]

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has established a training and certification facility preparing UAS operators and technicians to support Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS). The UAS Academy leverages the extensive experience gained by IAI experts through more than 40 years of UAS design, development, operations and training of UAS operators and technicians. [...]

Israel Aerospace Industries’ Bedek Aircraft Division is developing a new version of the 767 Multi Mission Tanker Transport (MMTT), with a Boom refueling system. Moshe Scharf, Senior Director of Marketing & Business Development of Bedek Aviation Group said that Bedek Division has finalized the design and tests of certain new [...]

Israel Military Industries (IMI) is exploring a new air launched application of the 300mm Extra guided ballistic surface launched rocket, enabling air forces to perform autonomous, precision standoff attack, at extended ranges, well outside the effective protected range of even the most advanced air defense systems. The Extra rocket was developed by IMI and [...]

Recent orders for F-15 fighters from Saudi Arabia are securing the future for the Boeing F-15 production line at least until the year 2018. Beside the Saudi mega deal, South Korea has an ongoing tender for the third phase of the FX, while the US Air Force is looking into [...]

Airbus Military has signed today a firm contract with  PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PT DI) to supply nine C295 military transport aircraft for delivery to the Indonesian Ministry of Defense. The contract between  PT DI and the Ministry of Defense of Indonesia was signed simultaneously, witnessed by Minister of Defense, Prof. [...]

Flight display collection singapore Airshow 15/2/2012     Republic of Singapore Air Force F-15SG and F-16C Combined display. Photo: Tamir Eshel, Defense-Update        

Diehl Defense from Germany is back at the Singapore Airshow promoting a number of defense systems which are of high value to customers in Asia. Particularly interesting is the IDAS (Interactive Defence and Attack System for Submarines). This unique submarine launched anti-helicopter weapon is designed to protect attack submarines from anti-submarine helicopters, [...]

ST Kinetics is displaying the Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Target Acquisition (RSTA) variant of the Terrex at the land systems pavilion of the Singapore Airshow 2012. The vehicle is based on the operational Terrex, fitted with a number of new systems supporting intelligence gathering and target acquisition missions. Most notable is [...]

Cubic Defense Applications has received a new contract valued at more than $11 million to provide the P5 Tactical Combat Training System (P5TCTS) to the Royal Australian Air Force for use in training F/A-18F Super Hornet crews. “This new system represents a step forward for the RAAF,” said Michael Rodriguez, Senior Program [...]

ST Kinetics is displaying two versions of the Advanced Combat Man Systems (ACMS) at the Singapore Airshow 2012. The basic ACMS is currently deployed with Singapore Army units’ with the ACMS Lite version being developed for future applications. Key components of the current ACMS system shown in the picture below [...]

Lockheed Martin signed a teaming agreement with Indonesian technology firm PT CMI Teknologi to improve airspace surveillance, safety, and management over the Indonesian Archipelago in support of the government s defense revitalization initiative. During a signing ceremony at the Singapore Air Show, company representatives agreed to jointly pursue the National [...]

Israel’s Elbit Systems is introducing a new hyperspectral sensor payload developed specifically for UAVs designed by the company’s ElOp electro-optics division. Elbit Systems has completed the development of the system and has recently conducted a series of successful test flights. Particularly useful for this application is the Hermes 900, with [...]

Elbit Systems is displaying its largest platform of the Hermes family of UAS – Hermes 900. Hermes 900 was designed as a derivative of the Hermes family of UAS, introducing significant savings and enhanced capabilities over existing platforms. With over 300,000 operational flight hours with Hermes 450 UAS, the new [...]

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI)’sELTA Systems will provide fire control radars for installation on an unspecified fighter aircraft, as part of a major upgrade of one of the Asian air forces. ELTA Systems Ltd., IAI’s group and subsidiary, will deliver the ELM-2032 under a recently signed $150 Million contract, spanning over [...]

“We are investing a great deal in supporting our activities in the Asian market,” Lova Drori,Executive VP Marketing at RAFAEL Advanced Defense Systems Ltd, told Defense Update, “Defense exhibitions offer part of our activities in this region. In addition to Singapore Airshow RAFAEL will also participated this year in defense [...]

IMI is unveiling the Whipshot, a guided weapon developed for light aircraft, offering operators of light aircraft affordable precision firepower. IMI is discussing the new weapon with a number of aircraft manufacturers, including Embraer, which was recently selected to deliver the Super Tucano under the US Air Force Light Attack [...]

Elbit Systems is showing the Hermes with a full range of sensors, including the AMPS, a heavy, high resolution EO payload providing Highly detailed imagery from medium and high altitude. Until now such sensors were commonly employed by manned aircraft, such as the Beechcraft B-200 and similar, as unmanned aerial [...]

ST Electronics Info-Com Systems has unveiled an unmanned duo sensor, dubbed Tactical Throwing Sensor (TTS) and Forward Sensor System (FSS), both are mobile recce robots specially designed to support the Singapore Army Advanced Combat Man System (ACMS). The sensors provide real-time indoor surveillance supporting law enforcement, counter terror, infantry and [...]

Rafael is expanding the Spike missile family with the lightweight, man-portable Spike SR, a ‘fire and forget’ short range guided missile enabling infantrymen to engage a wide range of targets with high precision, from ranges up to 800 meters. Spike SR is positioned between the Spike MR (medium-range) weapon and [...]

Israel Military Industries Ltd. announced today that the Boeing Company [NYSE:BA] has approved IMI’s 500-pound Multi Purpose Rigid (MPR 500) Bomb as compatible with their Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) guidance kit. The combination of IMI’s MPR 500 with Boeing’s JDAM guidance kit substantially enhances operational flexibility while reducing total [...]

The Blade Arrow Precision Attack Munition (PAM) was unveiled today by UVision Air Ltd. five years after being first demonstrated. The PAM concept brings new offensive capabilities for precision strike of high-value and time sensitive targets, in complex terrain and urban background. UVision’s Blade Arrow provides long range, highly flexible [...]

Alenia Aermacchi is back at the Singapore Airshow 2012 with the first two T-346 jet trainers built for the Italian Air Force. These jets are of special interest for Singapore, since the Singapore Air Force is about to receive its own 12 aircraft of this type, ordered in 2010 under [...]

Singapore Airshow 2012, Asia’s largest and one of the three most important aerospace and defence exhibitions in the world, returns from 14 – 19 February 2012 at the Changi Exhibition Centre. In its third edition Singapore Airshow continues to grow hosting more than 900 exhibitors from 50 countries, and 266 [...]

Boeing is displaying its latest mid-size Dreamliner 787 airplane at the Singapore Airshow, emphasizing the new passenger jet’s long distance flying capability. The Dreamliner demonstrated its long-range capabilities a few days ago, flying nonstop from Seattle’s Boeing Field to Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport — a distance of 7679 miles (12,358 [...]

China Express Airlines is buying six Bombardier CRJ900 NextGen aircraft and has options to increase the number to 11, as part of a contract worth up to $491 million Bombardier announced yesterday. China Express, the first private regional airline in China, already operates fleet of five Bombardier CRJ200 aircraft. The expanded [...]

South Korea is seeking to build a pilot training center in Portugal that will be equipped with Korean Aerospace Industries’ T-50 supersonic military jet trainers. a government source in Seoul said Saturday. Portugal was tapped as the primary negotiation partner for the International Military Flight Training Center Consortium (IMFACC) last year. Negotiations about the [...]

The United States Congress gave its blessing for the US Coast Guard to transfer a second ship to the Philippine Navy on February 10.  This approval is in keeping with the increased emphasis the United States is placing on the Asia-Pacific region. Most US-Philippine cooperative efforts have in the recent [...]

On February 11, Reuters News Service and other media outlets announced some specific details contained in the US Department of Defense’s Fiscal Year 2013 budget submission.  Much of what was released was already known.  The official budget proposal is expected to be released on February 13.  The numbers being reported [...]

A world-leading developer of stand-off laser-based trace detection technology, Laser Detect Systems (LDS) commercializes ultra-sophisticated, reliable and advanced laser spectrometry-based trace detection technology for homeland security, law enforcement, and industrial application. Among the products introduced by LDS are explosive scanners, enabling detection of liquid explosives and remote detection of IEDs, [...]

The Israel Missile Defense Organization and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency completed a successful test of the key elements of the joint U.S.-Israel IAI Arrow Weapon System (AWS) today. The test involved the latest generation ATBM radar – known as Super Green pine.

Part of the action at the upcoming Singapore Airshow next week will be the flying display including top performers from several Asian countries. Among the aerobatic teams performing here are the Australian Roulettes, Malaysian Smokey Bandits and Rebel-300 from Australian air stunt Blair Aerosport.

IAI’s new family of networking systems integrates common core capabilities and specific solutions designed for land forces missions, and airborne applications supporting air operations. A special subset of the system is uniquely tailored for the operation of precision-guided weapons.

Russian Helicopters is adding to its global presence, most recently by opening up an office in Vietnam, in anticipation to benefit from the booming growth in Vietnam and gaining access to broader markets in Southeast Asia and as far as Australia

More than 35 governments worldwide are using variants of Bombardier’s business and commercial and amphibious aircraft in such missions as C4ISR, coastal patrol, search and rescue and government officials’ transport.

In the medium tactical transport sector, when the word “tactical” is a true requirement, the only answer is: Alenia Aermacchi C-27J Spartan.

Ruag Aviation is hopeful that Malaysia will order up to five new generation Dornier 228 New Generations for maritime patrol purposes, and is in talks about setting up an MRO partnership in Malaysia. A decision could even be announced at the Singapore Air Show.