India

The Indian Navy conducted the first firing test of an MRSAM naval air defense missile employed in the full Joint Taskforce Coordination (JTC)  mode. JTC implements the MRSAM 'Cooperative Engagement' operating mode.

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) will supply the “Sky Capture” command and control systems for land-based air defense worth $550 million under a contract recently signed with a customer in Asia. The customer is likely the Indian Army. Developed by IAI's Systems, Missile & Space Group, the system optimizes the performance of air defense artillery against a broad range of...

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) released today the findings of SIPRI Yearbook 2018, which assesses the current state of armaments, disarmament and international security. One of the key findings includes the state of world's nuclear forces as of January 2018. "All the nuclear weapon-possessing states are developing new nuclear weapon systems and modernizing their existing systems" the report stated. The inventories listed in the table above show a small decline in the U.S. and Russian inventories, as Russia modernizes its strategic weapon's arsenal, and the US phases out some of the oldest warheads, under the nuclear disarmament agreements.

The Indian Defense Research & Development Organization (DRDO) completed a first test flight of an advanced propulsion system that promises to enhance the range and agility of air-to-air (AAM) and surface-to-air missiles (SAM). The Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) developed under a joint Indo-Russian R&D project achieved a speed of Mach 3 on its first flight.

Part III of our photo review of DEFEXPO 2018 features news of armored vehicles.

The fourth part of our photo report highlighting UAV topics from the DEFEXPO 2018 exhibition in India.

Part II in our photographic coverage of DEFEXPO 2018 features artillery systems.

Part I of 4 photographic reviews of DEFEXPO 2018 brought to you by Defense-Update.

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) announced today it has been awarded an additional, $630 million- contract for the supply of LRSAM air & missile defense systems for four ships of the Indian navy. The type of ships was not released but are likely to be Project 15B Visakhapatnam-class missile destroyers, scheduled for commissioning from 2018 through 2024.

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and the Indian Ministry of Defense signed a contract worth US$1.6 billion today, for the supply of an unspecified number of Medium Range Surface to Air Missiles (MRSAM) for the Indian Land Forces. IAI signed today a second contract for the delivery of Barak 8 Long Range SAM (LRSAM) for the first locally built aircraft carrier - Vikrant. The new deals have increased the system's total order book by 60 percent, to five billion.

The Aero India 2017 airshow opening today (February 14) at Indian Air Force (IAF) Station Yelahanka, Bengaluru marks the 11th Aero India airshow. Unlike past events dominated by competitors seeking to sell aircraft to India, this time the world's largest aerospace industries are offering to deliver complete production lines that will roll out today's fighter jets in India -...

Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and European weapon system specialist MBDA have announced the formation of an Indian based Joint Venture to pursue opportunities for the development and supply of missiles systems to meet the growing potential requirements of the Indian armed forces. To begin with, the JV will look to develop and supply fifth generation anti-tank guided missiles, anti-ship missiles for coastal defense and high-speed target drones.

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) is introducing an export version of the Heron TP, the largest member of the Heron family of remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS). The new version retains strategic capabilities of the TP - operational ceiling of 45,000 ft, mission endurance of 30 hours, but halves the payload capability of the TP, limiting the maximum payload capacity to 450 kg. - the same as the payload of Heron I.

The Indian Tapas 201 remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) made its first flight on November 16, the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) announced. The aircraft, formerly known as 'Rustom II,' was developed by the DRDO's Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE). The flight took place at the Aeronautical Test Range in Chitradurga, in the south of India.