Articles by: Tamir Eshel

Strategic weapon systems such as the Russian S-300 and Yakhont missiles, would put coalition ships and aircraft operating off Syrian coast at risk, this move would limit the possibility of an international intervention in support the rebels.

What are the implications of Moscow delivering S-300 air-defense systems to Syria, could one weapon system decide the outcome of the Syrian power struggle, is the Russian missile system as invincible as it is described? Alexey Eremenko from the Russian news agency Novosti provides some answers. Defense-Update reports. “The missile [...]

Israel Shipyards is expanding the SAAR class of missile boats, extending the range from missile boats into ‘Mini Corvette’ class vessels. The new class is addressing the growing requirements of Israel and other nations in extending maritime control and sovereignty far from their territorial waters. Defense-Update reports from IMDEX 2013. [...]

RAFAEL is unveiling at IMDEX 2013 a new missile-carrying variants of the Typhoon marine stabilized weapon system. Defense-Update reports from IMDEX Asia 2013. Two systems – MLS-ER and MLS-NLOS represent two modular evolutions of the combat proven Typhoon, enhancing the operational capabilities of small and medium naval crafts, responding to [...]

RAFAEL is unveiling new missile-carrying variants of the Typhoon marine stabilized weapon system at IMDEX 2013. Two systems – MLS-ER and MLS-NLOS represent two modular evolutions of the combat proven Typhoon, enhancing the operational capabilities of small and medium naval crafts, responding to evolving requirements of navies facing new asymmetric [...]

As domestic economies change into a global market, dependent on the ocean for energy, food and transportation, the open seas becoming contested areas, and pirates, outlaws and terrorists using isolated littorals as safe haven, prowling waterways and the open sea along international merchant routes, no wonder that governments are looking [...]

Fighting modern warfare doesn’t mean you face the most sophisticated weapons or strongest enemies. In fact, combat in asymmetric warfare means facing an illusive enemy that, sometime can be equipped with superior weapons, challenging even the strongest armor and most sophisticated platforms. This article addresses countermeasures to a different type [...]

Few months ago Texas based Defense Distributed had an idea – to produce weapon accessories using new 3D printing technology. It started with ‘printed magazines’ for AK47 made of from ABS, a thermoplastic material processed into net-shape form by 3D printers. Each magazine sells for $47. A more complex system [...]

The U.S. Navy’s X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) demonstrator performed its first arrested landing at Patuxent River, Naval Air Station in Maryland, on May 4. The landing using arresting gear was a key step in maturing the system for its upcoming carrier-based tests later this month. The X-47B is [...]

The recent escalation of tension in Syria comes at a time when the Assad regime, actively supported by the Iranians through their Lebanese proxy Hezbollah and backed by quiet nod from Moscow, is succeeding to turn the tide of repeated wins by the rebels. Until this turn, Sunni rebels were [...]

As domestic economies change into a global market, dependent on the ocean for energy, food and transportation, the open seas becoming contested areas, and pirates, outlaws and terrorists using isolated littorals as safe haven, prowling waterways and the open sea along international merchant routes, no wonder that governments are looking [...]

The Iron Curtain active protection system (APS) for protected vehicles has recently passed a successful test series on board an armored vehicle provided by BAE Systems for U.S. government testing. According to the company CEO Keith Brendley, the system is ready for integration on combat vehicles.

Warfighters pay a high price for lack of auditory protection, but often they consider such price justified, for it keeps them sharp to react quickly and effectively, thus staying alive in combat. Sharpening the warfighter’s hearing while while protecting them from short and long terms risks, next generation of hearing protection are expected soon at a battlefield near you…

Lt. General Christopher C. Bogdan, the Program Executive Officer outlined the achievements and hurdles of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) in his testimony in front of the Senate Armed Services committee. While the program is now in a better shape, obstacles still remain, in software integration, affordability and future operating & support.

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) has successfully demonstrated the command of the Predator C Avenger stealth drone from a new, Advanced Cockpit Ground Control Station’s (GCS’).

The US Army is finally integrating a blue-force tracking system common to manoeuvre and logistics elements. For the first time on the battlefield, maneuver and logistics forces will share situational awareness and messaging, forming a complete and seamless operational picture.

A multi-billion arms deal offered by the US to key Middle-East allies bundles advanced fighter planes, strike weapons, radars and special mission aircraft, sold separately to Israel, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Convinces the UAE to increase the number of their Desert Falcons, instead of buying Rafale or Typhoons could derail European sales efforts in the region. Likewise, offerring radars and surplus USAF tankers to Israel would hurt Israeli efforts to soffer its own tankers, converted from commercial aircraft.

The German company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) announced it has signed a contract with the Emirate of Qatar to modernize the Emirate’s single armored brigade, at an investment of over $2 billion. The acquisition is part of a comprehensive modernization program the Emirate’s military forces is undergoing in recent years.

Last month we published a review of a preliminary report prepared by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) about the F-35 program. Software integration, helmet displays, logistics support, arresting hook and airframe durability were the areas of concern raised by the report

Four different branches of the U.S. military are spending millions of dollars to equip troops with combat uniforms in seven different but similar camouflage patterns, wasting money and potentially exposing some troops to increased risk on the battlefield – the U.S. Government Accountability Office said.

Lockheed Martin performed a successful flight demonstration of a company funded lightweight, precision guided weapon called Nemesis. In the first two tests, Nemesis demonstrated vertical launch, GPS navigation to targets located at distances of eight and 12 kilometers. The third GPS guided test aimed at short range target only 100 meters away from the launcher

Lockheed Martin unveiled today the concept design of the company’s Unmanned Carrier Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) air vehicle, that integrates technologies from F-35C, RQ-170 and other systems to provide persistent ISR and light strike capabilities.

The Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) intends to issue four firm-fixed-price contracts for Preliminary Design Reviews (PDR) for the Unmanned Carrier Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) Air Vehicle.

Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel announced yesterday the increase in the number of Ground Based Interceptors to be positioned in Alaska, and the planned deployment of a second TPY-2 radar to Japan, two immediate steps to better protect the United States of America from potential missile attacks from North Korea and Iran. The US is also scaling down the European Missile Defense program, by limiting the system’s interceptors against intercontinental ballistic missiles, a step that could pave the way for further agreements between Washington and Moscow.

Taipei is determined to develop its own advanced, new generation stealth-capable fighters capable to meet the modern Chinese fighter planes in battle. Long-range flight and aerial refueling abilities, as well as the capability to launch ground and anti-ship weapons are also among the requirements outlined in a recently published quadrennial defense review (QDR)

The Indian Ministry of Defense is about to introduce a major change in its defense procurement policy, giving a priority to local companies through rating ‘Buy and Make’ (Indian production of goods) as the top category for procurement. This ‘India First’ policy will provide first opportunity in all contracts to Indian companies, from the public and private sector, while placing procurement from foreign suppliers as the last option. Another move to exclude software and consulting services from offset list, is a fallout of the recent VVIP scandal.

A team from Carnegie Mellon University’s National Robotics Engineering Center (NREC) is developing a human-size robot that is built with four limbs, like a Chimpanzee but moves on tracks, like a tank. The new robot is one of seven finalists to compete the DARPA Robotic Challenge.

India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is preparing for the first flight test of an Indian cruise missile tomorrow, March 12, 2013 at the missile test range at Chandipur, Odisha. Under the planned test, Nirbhay (Fearless) will be required to complete a flight of 1,000 km, representing the weapon’s operational range.

Panavia, the European consortium responsible for the multinational Tornado program has been awarded a contract introducing the AGM-88E (AARGM) and GBU-39 (small Diameter Bomb) weapons to the Tornado Strike Fighter platform, addressing the Italian Air Force long term upgrading plan.

Integration of Thales SMART-L radar with AEGIS/SM-3 based missile defense systems was recently demonstrated as part of evaluation of integration of European based sensors into the US European Phased Adaptive Approach (EPAA) missile defense initiative.

Beechcraft Corporation today announced that it will formally protest to the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) the U.S. Air Force’s (USAF) recent award of the Light Air Support contract to its Brazilian competitor, Embraer. “We simply don’t understand how the Air Force can justify spending over 40 percent more – over $125 million more – for what we consider to be less capable aircraft,” Bill Boisture, CEO, Beechcraft said.

Sharing of Ground Moving Target (GMTI) data between a Global Hawk Block 40 unmanned aircraft E-8C Joint STARS aircraft is paving the way for increased precision in target acquisition, improved target tracking and the ability to extend the surveillance coverage area without dependence on ground segments.

DARPA has added a third flight test of an air-launched Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) to be conducted from a B-1B in 2013. There are already two air-launched flight tests scheduled for this year as part of the Phase 2 LRASM contract awarded in 2010.

Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., and Boeing have signed a teaming agreement on Jan. 13, to submit a joint proposal in response to the U.S. Army Aviation Applied Technology Directorate solicitation for the Army’s Joint Multi-Role (JMR) Technology Demonstrator (TD) Phase 1 program.

DARPA wants to introduce a new class of MALE UAS that will be able to deploy from destroyer and frigate size vessels, such as the Independence Class Littoral Combat Ship (LCS-2),extending the Naval ISR and strike capabilities to deploy faster and farther, anywhere in the world

By morning of March 1, 2013 as mandatory budget cuts will take effect, the US DOD will enter a ruthless, potentially devastating cycle of budget cutting that will be further exacerbated with the planned cutbacks mandated by the sequester. Testifying before the House Armed Services Committee Pentagon leaders said today [...]

US based Sierra Nevada Corp. and Brazilian Embraer will deliver 20 A-29 Super Tucano turboprop powered light air support aircraft to the Afghan Afghan Air Force, under a contract worth US$427 million awarded yesterday by the USAF.

Israel’s Ministry of Defense announced it carried out a successful flight test of the Arrow 3 missile interceptor. The missile flew for more than six minutes, testing Arrow 3′s fly-out capabilities. The test plan did not include an actual intercept therefore, no target was used.

The US Missile Defense Agency will deploy a second X-Band missile defense radar at a coastal base near Kyoto, in Central Japan to bolster defences against the North Korean missile threat. The location was picked as it was likely that a North Korean missile targeting Guam or Hawaii would fly over the western or central parts of Japan.

Second-generation Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) system achieved its first intercept using tracking information from the Space Tracking and Surveillance System Demonstration (STSS-D) satellites during a Missile Defense Agency (MDA) test. The use of this new space-based assets to provide mid-course fire control quality data to an Aegis BMD ship provides the [...]

The Boeing Company and Elbit Systems have entered a cooperation agreement to jointly develop self-defense solutions for Boeing military aircraft in international markets.

The 1L121E mobile active phased array radar developed by the Russian company NNIIRT is positioned to provide short-range air defense weapons the cueing necessary to engage the most illusive targets – mini-UAVs and Precision Guided Weapons (PGW) – the primary threats for air defense systems

RAFAEL Advanced Defence Systems faces an uphill battle convincing foreign customers as successful and capable as Iron Dome, simply because very few face the situation Israel has to cope with, targeted by tens of thousands of rockets constantly aimed at its population centers. When pitching Iron Dome abroad, RAFAEL is likely to focus on the system’s air defense capabilities, promising to be as impressive as its C-RAM combat record

Once simulations are validated through testing, David’s Sling – an advanced air defense system developed jointly by Israel and the US could introduce unprecedented defensive capabilities, in terms of economy, coverage and airspace integration, posing an adversary with unacceptable attrition if they opt to attack. To a certain extent, the Iron Dome system has demonstrated this concept in a smaller scale during the recent conflict with the Palestinians in Gaza.

The development of a weaponizaed version for the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) was far from a simple upgrade; the integration of multiple weapon systems simultaneously was a complicated task involving four major groups of systems and weapons, from eight countries – Israel, France, Belgium, South Africa, Germany, Italy, USA and India.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is planning to deploy an advanced communications network, the MOD has invited several international companies to participate in an international tender to offer software defined radio based communications for the networks’ airborne and ground based segments. Initial testing are expected to commence in February 2013. [...]

Elbit Systems is launching a maritime configuration of its Hermes 900 medium altitude long endurance drone, aiming at the growing demand for UAS in maritime missions worldwide, and particularly in Asia. The company is unveiling the new configuration at the Aero India 2013 event in Bangalore this week. Maritime surveillance [...]

As the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) has been in the making for much too long, but despite the delays, the aircraft that slowly moves toward the finish line is ‘born old’. If and when it is announced ‘fully mission capable’ by next year, Tejas will represent a mid-1990s generation platform, but will be ready to deploy with combat systems of the 21st century.

India has floated a tender for the delivery of more than 100 advanced targeting pods for its strike fighters, Two systems are under consideration – the French Damocles pod and the Israeli Litening.

India and Israel are negotiating a follow-on delivery of four aerostat systems, augmenting the first delivery of aerostats that has already been deployed along India’s north-eastern border. Since 2009 both India and Pakistan are deploying aerostat-borne radars along their border to tighten control over this sensitive area.