Bulgaria announces F-16V Block 70
The Bulgarian Ministry of Defence (MoD) has announced a plan to procure eight F-16V Block 70 fighter jets aimed at replacing its ageing Soviet-designed MiG-29s.
On Friday, Bulgaria’s defense ministry commission recommended that the government starts talks with the United States to buy new F-16V Block 70 fighter aircraft to improve its compliance with NATO standards.
First flight for Defiant delayed to 2019
WASHINGTON — The Sikorsky-Boeing Defiant design will not have its first flight in 2018, following a technical issue discovered during ground tests.
Rich Koucheravy, Sikorsky director of business development for future vertical lift, and Randy Rotte, Boeing director of global sales and marketing for cargo helicopters and FVL, revealed the delay in a call with reporters Wednesday.
“We are going to slip our first flight into early 2019. While it’s not necessarily, I’m sure, what a lot of folks would have liked — it’s not necessarily what we would have liked — we continue to build confidence in our configuration,” Koucheravy said.
https://www.defensenews.com/land/2018/12/12/first-flight-for-defiant-delayed-to-2019/
Chinese VT4 tank (formerly known as MBT3000)
The Pakistan Army Armoured Corps has selected the Chinese VT4 tank (previously known as the MBT3000) – produced by China North Industries Corporation (Norinco) – to meet requirements for procuring hundreds of new main battle tanks
VIDEO NORICO CHINESE
Sea of Azov: Russia would have deployed anti-ship and anti-aircraft missiles near the Kerch Strait.
After the "aggressive" capture of three Ukrainian ships by Russian coastguards in the Azov Sea, Kiev reported that Russia had "drastically" increased its military presence on its border with Ukraine.
"I don't want anyone to think this is child's play. Ukraine faces the threat of an all-out war with the Russian Federation," Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said in a televised intervention on November 27, on the eve of the enactment of martial law in the affected Ukrainian regions.
And according to Mr. Poroshenko, Russian forces have "drastically" increased the number of their units along the border, as well as their naval presence in the Sea of Azov.
http://www.opex360.com/2018/11/28/mer-dazov-la-russie-aurait-deploye-des-missiles-anti-navires-pres-du-detroit-de-kertch/
U.S. Army to buy 50-caliber long-range sniper rifles
Barrett Firearms Mfg. Inc. has received a contract from the U.S. Army Contracting Command for the delivery of M107.50 caliber long-range sniper rifles.
The contract, announced Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Defense, is worth more than $7.9 million.
https://barrett.net
Qatar to acquire NASAMS ground-based air defense system
The U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) has announced that U.S. State Department approval for the sale of National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System (NASAMS) to Qatar.
According to a statement on 27 November, the U.S. State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to Qatar of defense articles and services in support of a Direct Commercial Sale of the National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System (NASAMS) for an estimated cost of $215 million.
The Government of Qatar has requested to buy defense articles and services from the U.S. Government in support of a Direct Commercial Sale of the National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System (NASAMS)
https://goo.gl/Tj9A4o
China Lake is home to NAVAIR’s Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD).
Among the services NAWCWD provides, there is also Missiles and Free-Fall Weapons Research and Development. This means that China Lake develops explosives and propellants, and conducts basic and applied research in science and technology of weaponry.
Weapon systems regularly developed at China Lake include Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM), High-Speed Antiradiation Missile (HARM), Hellfire, Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM), Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW), Penguin, Phoenix, Sidewinder, SeaSparrow, Standoff Land Attack Missile (SLAM), SLAM-ER, Standard Missile, Tomahawk and Vertical Launch Anti-submarine Rocket (VLA)
http://www.navair.navy.mil/
Chantier du porte-avions Charles de Gaulle : la refonte à mi-vie
Bientôt, découvrez la série sur le chantier de refonte à mi-vie du porte-avions Charles de Gaulle, un véritable défi industriel !
Maître d’œuvre unique d’ensemble de ce chantier exceptionnel, Naval Group a remis le #navire à la disposition de la Marine Nationale.
https://www.naval-group.com/en/news/mid-life-refit-charles-de-gaulle-aircraft-carrier/
It sunk Norwegian frigate built in Ferrol
A disaster for the Nordic Navy and a media spectacle. The Norwegians could follow live through the main media of the country, the sinking of the frigate Helge Ingstad. Hours after the Navy claimed that the military ship, built in the first decade of this century on the stands of Navantia Ferrol, was "stable and well secured", it disappeared almost completely underwater.
Finally, the work carried out to stabilise the ship, with a huge hole in its hull, after its collision in the early hours of 8 November with the oil tanker ST Sola north of Sandvika, at the end of NATO exercises trident juncture 2018 organized in that country, proved to be wasted.
And despite the fact that it was managed to straighten it and prop it to land, in the end, it happened, as the media called it, "the inevitable", with a ship that weighs 5,000 tons. The cables and fastenings gave way during the night, turning over at the end of this episode.
China’s new jet engine
The J-10 variant has manoeuvrability and combat capability that, until now, were the preserve of the United States and Russia.
At Airshow China 2018 in Zhuhai, southern Guangdong province, the J-10B TVC performed a series of flying drills including a J-turn (rapid change of direction), the Cobra (raising the nose to vertical) and falling leaf moves, all of which were made possible by the WS-10 Taihang engine, which is equipped with a thrust-vectoring nozzle control system.
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/2172535/chinas-new-jet-engine-suddenly-takes-air-combat-whole-new
China’s new J-20 stealth fighter engine a no-show at Zhuhai air show
China's new J-20 stealth fighter engine a no-show at Zhuhai air show after it fails reliability tests ... jet has not gone on display as planned at China's biggest air show after it failed reliability tests, according to military insiders
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/2171987/chinas-new-j-20-stealth-fighter-engine-no-show-zhuhai-air-show
Watch a video detailing China's CH series UAV capabilities
Watch a video detailing China's CH series UAV capabilities, including the new generation stealth combat UAV CH-7, which was formally released on Monday.
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/China-Aerospace-Science-and-Technology-Corporation
AeroVironment $3.2 million Puma AE drone contract for US Indo-Pacific ally
MONROVIA, Calif., Nov. 6, 2018 - AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVAV), a global leader in unmanned aircraft systems for both defense and commercial applications, today announced it received a $3,228,856 firm-fixed-price contract on Sept. 14, 2018 from the U.S. Department of Defense to provide RQ-20B Puma AE II small unmanned aircraft systems, training and support to an allied nation in the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) area of responsibility.Delivery is anticipated by March 30, 2019.
“The vast, diverse landscape of the INDOPACOM area of operation demands small unmanned aircraft systems that can support ground, riverine and maritime operations effectively,” said Kirk Flittie, vice president and general manager of AeroVironment’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems business.“The combat-proven Puma has demonstrated its unique effectiveness in a wide range of operating environments, from mountains to deserts, from the Arctic to Antarctica, on land and on the open ocean, delivering actionable intelligence to help customers proceed with certainty.
https://www.avinc.com/resources/press-releases/view/aerovironment-awarded-3.2-million-puma-ae-unmanned-aircraft-systems-contrac
First Missile Firing by Gripen E
Gripen E has successfully completed the first tests to verify the ability to release and launch external payloads. The tests took place in October 2018 at Vidsel Test Range in the north of Sweden.
The tests, conducted by the first Gripen E test aircraft (designated 39-8), comprised jettisoning one external fuel drop tank and one firing of an IRIS-T air-to-air missile.
“As a pilot, flying with external stores such as drop tank and missiles is important to allow for evaluation of how the aircraft behaves with the stores attached. This test was also used to evaluate the effect on the aircraft when releasing and launching the stores. The highlight was of course to pull the trigger and watch the missile fire away. It also brings us closer to making the aircraft ready for its operational use”, says Marcus Wandt, Experimental Gripen Test Pilot at Saab.
https://saabgroup.com/media/news-press/news/2018-10/first-missile-firing-by-gripen-e/
Chinese Air Force J-10 Fighter perform Pugachev Cobra with Shenyang WS-10 Thrust vectoring Engine
Chinese Air Force J-10 Fighter perform Pugachev Cobra in Zhuhai air show with Shenyang WS-10 Thrust vectoring Engine. (TVC) (Powered by Shenyang liMing/606 WS-10B with an all-aspect 3D TVC nozzle)
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCepC11PCNyVNfJRCMiJ6Hjw
Bayraktar TB2 Warhead MAM-L Shot
The efforts of the Turkish Armed Forces to meet the need for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with national and local opportunities have been a new success.
Developed by Baykar, the Bayraktar TB2 tactical UAV reached target 12 from the first warhead missile tests. The Bayraktar UAV system consists of a total of 12 unmanned aircraft stationed at Batman, serving the armed forces for intelligence purposes.
Since September 2015, 2,700 hours of active operating systems have been used. In addition, the first armed test firing took place on 17 December 2015.
Activities for the development of the Bayraktar TB2 tactical UAV are being carried out intensively. A new step was successfully carried out in the tests.
The firing with the ammunition without the previous warhead, this time was done with ammunition equipped with warheads. Successful success of over 18,000 feet. The tactical UAV Bayraktar TB2 was launched in the intelligent ammunition MAM-L production Roketsan.
Undersecretaries of the defense industry, Ismail Demir, and executives from Baykar and Roketsan observed the tests conducted at the 3rd Command of Jet's Main Base in Konya. Demir ordered the UAVs for a while. Iron, then test on Twitter account, "How proud we are, the age of our eyes with everything in the eyes of the national UAV hit the whole blow. Where to share where" he shared.
In the tests, the UAV successfully hit the targets set from a distance of 8 kilometers and more than 18,000 feet. In addition, the targets that were laser-marked by the Bayraktar TB2 tactical UAVs were destroyed by the F16, which started from the 3rd Main Jet Base in Konya.
http://baykarmakina.com/en/
US Missile Defense System Successfully Intercepts ICBM
The U.S. military on Tuesday successfully conducted a missile defense test involving a simulated attack by an intercontinental ballistic missile, in a major milestone for a program meant to defend against a mounting North Korean threat. The test, designated Flight Test Ground-Based Interceptor FTG-15, was the first live-fire test event against an ICBM-class target the U.S. ballistic missile defense system.
The U.S. Missile Defense Agency, in cooperation with the U.S. Air Force 30th Space Wing, the Joint Functional Component Command for Integrated Missile Defense and U.S. Northern Command, successfully intercepted an intercontinental ballistic missile target during a test of the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) element of the nation's ballistic missile defense system. A ground-based interceptor was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, and its exo-atmospheric kill vehicle intercepted and destroyed the target in a direct collision.
For the test, an ICBM-class target was launched from the Reagan Test Site on Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Multiple sensors provided target acquisition and tracking data to the Command, Control, Battle Management and Communication (C2BMC) system. The Sea-Based X-band radar, positioned in the Pacific Ocean, also acquired and tracked the target. The GMD system received the target tracking data and developed a fire control solution to intercept the target.
The GMD element of the ballistic missile defense system provides combatant commanders the capability to engage and destroy intermediate and long-range ballistic missile threats to protect the U.S. The mission of the Missile Defense Agency is to develop and deploy a layered ballistic missile defense system to defend the United States, its deployed forces, allies and friends from limited ballistic missile attacks of all ranges in all phases of flight.
AiirSource Military
THAAD missile defense: How it works
Here’s how U.S. ground-based THAAD midcourse missile defense works
Fox Business
NATO - Ballistic Missile Defence Overview
Overview of Ballistic Missile Defence.
This animation illustrates how NATO's ballistic missile defense capability is designed to work in the hypothetical scenario. NATO conducts thorough planning to make the best use of all weapons systems and censors under its command.
More information can be found here: http://goo.gl/6omgc
Boeing’s MH-139
Boeing is bringing the future of rotorcraft to the U.S. Air Force with its MH-139. A non-developmental, low-risk aircraft, the MH-139 will protect the nation’s intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) bases and transport U.S. government and security forces. Our aircraft is ready to serve and support the U.S. Air Force for decades to come!
https://www.boeing.com/defense/mh-139/index.page
VIDEO: Navy Says Russian Su-27 Intercepts U.S. EP-3 Over Black Sea in ‘Unsafe’ Maneuver
A Russian Su-27 intercepted a U.S. EP-3 Aries II aircraft flying in international airspace over the Black Sea today, the Navy announced.
The Russian fighter conducted a high-speed pass directly in front of the EP-3 and then chased after it a second time, in what the U.S. Navy called an unsafe interaction.
“A U.S. EP-3 Aries aircraft flying in international airspace over the Black Sea was intercepted by a Russian Su-27. This interaction was determined to be unsafe due to the SU-27 conducting a high speed pass directly in front of the mission aircraft, which put our pilots and crew at risk,” according to a Navy news release.
“The intercepting Su-27 made an additional pass, closing with the EP-3 and applying its afterburner while conducting a banking turn away. The crew of the EP-3 reported turbulence following the first interaction, and vibrations from the second. The duration of the intercept was approximately 25 minutes.”
https://news.usni.org/2018/11/05/navy-russian-su-27-intercepts-u-s-ep-3-black-sea-unsafe-manuever
US Army awards Raytheon $191 million contract for multi-mission radar
The U.S. Army awarded Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) a $191 million contract for Ku-band radio frequency radars. KuRFS, an advanced electronically scanned array system, fills an immediate U.S. Army operational need for a counter-unmanned aerial vehicle radar.
Raytheon's KuRFS radar, deployed today, is a multi-mission radar providing detection of rocket, artillery, mortar and UAS threats by providing a critical sense and warn capability.
Already deployed, KuRFS delivers precision fire control as well as "sense and warn" capability for multiple missions including detection of rocket, artillery, mortar and swarming UAS threats.
"Seeing threats – like swarming drones – as soon as possible on the battlefield is essential to protecting critical assets and saving soldiers' lives," said Andrew Hajek, senior director of tactical radars at Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems. "KuRFS makes this possible by delivering a unique combination 360-degree situational awareness, precision and mobility."
KuRFS enables defense against multiple threat types through integration with the Land-Based Phalanx Weapon System, 50-caliber guns and 30 mm cannons. The radar also supports high-energy laser and the Coyote weapon system in both a ground mounted or vehicle mounted configuration
http://raytheon.mediaroom.com/2018-11-01-US-Army-awards-Raytheon-191-million-contract-for-multi-mission-radar
Coyote and Silver Fox Unmanned Aircraft Systems Take Flight
The most capable in its class, the Coyote unmanned aircraft system is small, expendable and tube-launched. It can be deployed from the ground, air or a ship. The Coyote UAS can be flown individually or netted together in swarms, and it is adaptable for a variety of missions including surveillance, electronic warfare and strike. The system will operate up to one hour and is designed for interchangeable payloads.
The Coyote UAS can handle reasonably large accelerations during launch, a critical feature for all tube-launch applications. It’s ideal for improved surveillance imagery, enhanced targeting capability, near real-time damage assessment and reduced threat to manned aircraft.
COUNTER-UAS SOLUTION
The U.S. Army has selected the Coyote drone for a near-term counter-UAS solution. Equipped with an advanced seeker and warhead, the Coyote-enabled system can successfully identify and eliminate threat UAVs
https://www.raytheon.com/capabilities/products/coyote
Glock G43 Glock pistol, the hidden carriage Subcompact 3D Animation
According to Glock's Vice President in the United States, Josh Dorsey, since its launch in 2015 the Glock G43 pistol is the most exciting thing to date, as it addresses a variety of issues that many shooters face with concealed pistols.
According to Glock's Vice President in the United States, Josh Dorsey, the launch of the new Glock G43 pistol is the most exciting thing to date, as it addresses a variety of issues that many shooters face with concealed pistols. "It will be the gun suitable for law enforcement as well as civilians.
The Glock G43 sets a new standard for concealed carrying pistols. It is clear when Josh speaks of concealed carrying for civilians refers to the American market, since in Spain, with the exception of very few with the license B, is something that is not possible.
It is equipped with its typical "Safe Action" Glock firing system. The G43 pistol has an integrated trigger lock, just like the other locks, such as the fall lock, that Glock has on other models. It also uses a similar disassembly method, as we are used to in all other Glock guns.
more info:https://us.glock.com/products/G43
Russian fighters intercepted French Rafales and US KC-10 Extender over Syria
An unofficial Instagram report on a Russian pilot who posted a video showing the interception of a pair of French Rafale fighter planes with a U.S. Air Force KC-10 Extender flying over Syria.
The author of the post says the video shows when a U.S. Air Force KC-10 Extender supplies air fuel to two French Rafaeles in a coordinated campaign alongside U.S. and British forces during combat operations in Syria.