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Rapid Fire: 2010-02-10

Related Stories: Americas - USA, Asia - India, Budgets, Chemical Weapons, Chemicals & HAZMAT, Europe - Other, Fighters & Attack, IT - General, Issues - International, Issues - Political, Launch Facilities, Mergers & Acquisitions, Missiles - Ballistic, Other Corporation, Textron

Rapid Fire: 2010-02-09

Related Stories: Americas - USA, BAE, Contracts - Awards, EADS, Electronics - General, Europe - France, Europe - Other, Issues - International, Launch Vehicles, Missiles - Surface-Air, Other Corporation, Soldier's Gear, Surface Ships - Combat, Transport & Utility

  • Russia’s PAK-FA stealth fighter: more than 1 development aircraft flying?
  • US defense appropriations subcommittee chair John Murtha [D-PA] dies.

Russia to Order French Mistral LHDs?

Related Stories: Contracts - Intent, EADS, Europe - France, Issues - International, Other Corporation, Rumours, Russia, Thales

FNS Mistral
FS Mistral
(click to view full)

France mulls approval of 3 more Mistral LHDs for Russia, amidst political pressure from Russia over Georgia, and concern by French allies. (Feb 8/10)

In August 2009, Russian media reported that their country was planning to take a radical step, and buy a French Mistral class amphibious assault ship (LHD) by the end of 2009. The outlet quoted the Chief of the Russian General Staff, Gen. Nikolai Makarov, who said that: “We are negotiating the purchase of one ship at present, and later planning to acquire 3-4 ships [of the same class] to be jointly built in Russia.” A Russian order would represent a sea change on several fronts – and also the extension of some trends.

France currently operates 2 Mistral class LHDs, and recently ordered a 3rd using economic stimulus funds. Unlike some other LHD designs, the Mistral class cannot operate fixed wing aircraft. Even so, it’s an important tool of power projection. Mistral class ships can carry and deploy up to 16 helicopters, including attack helicopters like France’s Tiger or Russia’s Ka-50/52. Its main punch revolves around its 4 landing barges or 2 medium hovercraft, however, which deliver armored vehicles, tanks, and soldiers to shore. The vessel is equipped with a 69-bed hospital, and could be used as an amphibious command ship.

Rapid Fire: 2010-02-08

Related Stories: ABM, Alliances, Americas - USA, Asia - Central, Asia - China, Asia - Other, Australia & S. Pacific, Boeing, Budgets, Contracts - Awards, Corporate Financials, DARPA, Europe - E.U., Europe - France, Europe - Other, Fighters & Attack, General Dynamics, Helicopters & Rotary, Industry & Trends, Issues - International, Logistics, Middle East - Other, Mines & Countermine-IED, New Systems Tech, Northrop-Grumman, Official Reports, Other Corporation, Policy - Doctrine, Pre-RFP, Specialty Aircraft, Submarines, Support Functions - Other, Surface Ships - Combat, Tanks & Mechanized, Transport & Utility, UAVs

Taiwan’s (Un?)Stalled Force Modernization

Related Stories: Alliances, Americas - USA, Asia - Other, Avionics, Budgets, C4ISR, Coastal & Littoral, Contracts - Intent, Force Structure, Issues - International, Issues - Political, L3 Communications, Lockheed Martin, Other Corporation, Policy - Procurement, Radars, Raytheon, Rumours, Signals Radio & Wireless, Specialty Aircraft, Support & Maintenance

GEO_Taiwan_Map.gif

Taiwan orders up to 20 medium helicopters, and may be headed for a modernized FFG-7 program. (Feb 3/10)

Despite China’s military buildup across the strait, key weapons sales of P-3 maritime patrol aircraft, Patriot PAC-3 missiles, and diesel-electric submarines to Taiwan have been sabotaged by Taiwanese politics for years – in some cases, since 1997. The KMT party’s flip-flops and determined stalling tactics eventually created a crisis in US-Taiwan relations, which finally soured to the point that the USA refused a Taiwanese request for F-16C/D aircraft.

That seems to have brought things to a head. Most of the budget and political issues were eventually sorted out, and after a long delay, some major elements of Taiwan’s requested modernization program appear to be moving forward: P-3 maritime patrol aircraft, Patriot missile upgrades; and requests for AH-64D attack helicopters, UH-60M Black Hawks helicopters, E-2 AWACS planes, minehunting ships, and missiles for defense against aircraft, ships, and tanks. These are must-have capabilities when facing a Chinese government that has vowed to take the country by force, and which is building an extensive submarine fleet, a large array of ballistic missiles, an upgraded fighter fleet, and a number of amphibious-capable divisions.

Chinese pressure continues to stall some of Taiwan’s important upgrades, including diesel-electric submarines and American fighter jets. Meanwhile, other purchases continue…

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India’s IGMP Missile Programs: Export contenders?

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BrahMos
PJ-10 BrahMos
(click to view full)
DII

Major Akash order by India, additional background. (Feb 2/10)

Back in November 2005, The Hindu newspaper reported that India’s government has given the go-ahead for exporting missiles, and that India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is looking to market several of its products internationally. The DRDO will participate in international expos as part of its marketing strategy, and government officials have claimed interest from African, Gulf and South-East Asian countries. They have also noted, however, that India’s government would be required to approve any foreign sales to specific countries. The missile systems in question included:

  • The canceled Trishul (“trident”) short-range surface-air missile (SAM)
  • Akash (“sky”) medium-range SAM
  • Nag (“cobra”) vehicle-mounted anti-armor missile; and the
  • Indo-Russian PJ-10 BrahMos medium-range supersonic cruise missile, which is primarily designed as an anti-ship weapon but can also perform land attack.

Rapid Fire: 2010-02-04

Related Stories: Alliances, Americas - USA, Asia - China, Asia - Other, Britain/U.K., Budgets, C4ISR, Contracts - Awards, Europe - France, Events, Fighters & Attack, Financial & Accounting, Helicopters & Rotary, IT - General, IT - Software & Integration, Industry & Trends, Issues - International, Issues - Political, Laser & EM Weapons, Lobbying, Logistics, Middle East - Other, Missiles - Precision Attack, Missiles - Surface-Air, Other Corporation, Raytheon, Specialty Aircraft, Thales, UAVs

  • US DISA awards Unisys a $187 million contract to provide mainframe computer capacity for USAF logistics.

F-35 Joint Strike Fighter: 2009-2010

Related Stories: Alliances, Americas - USA, BAE, Britain/U.K., Contracts - Awards, Contracts - Modifications, Design Innovations, ECM, Electronics - General, Engines - Aircraft, Europe - Other, FOCUS Articles, Fighters & Attack, Finmeccanica, GE, Issues - International, Issues - Political, Lobbying, Lockheed Martin, Middle East - Israel, Northrop-Grumman, Official Reports, Other Corporation, Partnerships & Consortia, Policy - Procurement, R&D - Contracted, Radars, Rumours, Security & Secrecy, Sensors & Guidance, Testing & Evaluation, Transformation

F-35A
F-35A: incoming…
(click to view full)
DII

FY 2011 budget proposals, withheld performance fees, a change in program leadership, Australian reaction. (Feb 2/10)

The $300+ billion F-35 Joint Strike fighter may well be the largest single global defense program in history. This major multinational program is intended to produce an “affordably stealthy” multi-role fighter that will have 3 variants: the F-35A conventional version for the US Air Force et. al.; the F-35B Short Take-Off, Vertical Landing for the US Marines, British Royal Navy, et. al.; and the F-35C conventional carrier-launched version for the US Navy. The aircraft is named after Lockheed’s famous WW2 P-38 Lightning, and the Mach 2, stacked-engine English Electric (now BAE) Lightning jet. Lightning II system development partners included The USA & Britain (Tier 1), Italy and the Netherlands (Tier 2), and Australia, Canada, Denmark, Norway and Turkey (Tier 3), with Singapore and Israel as “Security Cooperation Partners.” Now the challenge is agreeing on production phase membership and arrangements, to be followed by initial purchase commitments in 2009-2010.

This updated article has expanded to feature more detail regarding the F-35 program, including contracts, sub-contracts, and notable events and reports. New material is highlighted by putting it in green type.

Egypt to Spend up to $3.2B Adding to F-16C/D Fleet

Related Stories: Alliances, Americas - USA, Avionics, BAE, Boeing, Contracts - Intent, ECM, Electronics - General, Engines - Aircraft, Equipment - Other, Fighters & Attack, GE, GPS Infrastructure, Guns - 20-59 mm direct, Issues - International, L3 Communications, Lockheed Martin, Middle East - Other, Northrop-Grumman, Protective Systems - Aircraft, Radars, Raytheon, Sensors & Guidance, Support Functions - Other, United Technologies

F-16D_Egypt_Over_March_AFB
Egyptian Air Force F-16D
(click to view full)

Egypt chooses its engines. (Feb 1/10)

The Egyptian government wants to buy 24 F-16C/D Block 50/52 aircraft, associated parts, weapons, and equipment to modernize its air force. The October 2009 request, made through the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) to Congress, could be worth as much as $3.2 billion to Lockheed Martin and the other contractors involved.

The Egyptian Air Force is the 4th largest F-16 operator in the world, mustering about 195 aircraft of 220 ordered. Their overall fighter fleet is a mix of high-end F-16s and Mirage 2000s, low-end Chinese F-7s (MiG-21 copy) bought from the Chinese, a few F-4 Phantom II jets, and upgraded but very aged Soviet MiG-21s and French Mirage 5s. The formal request comes a few months after the Obama administration conveyed to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak its support for Egypt’s long-standing request to buy the Block 50/52 aircraft…

Continue Reading… »

Rapid Fire: 2010-02-02

Related Stories: ABM, Americas - USA, Asia - Other, Australia & S. Pacific, Boeing, C4ISR, Contracts - Awards, Contracts - Intent, DARPA, Design Innovations, Engines - Aircraft, Fighters & Attack, General Dynamics, Helicopters & Rotary, IAI, IT - Cyber-Security, IT - Software & Integration, Issues - International, Lockheed Martin, Logistics, Missiles - Ballistic, New Systems Tech, Oshkosh, Other Corporation, Rolls Royce, Surface Ships - Combat, Transport & Utility, Trucks & Transport, UAVs

  • Raytheon/Boeing’s JAGM missile contender finishes captive test flights.

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