Raytheon Finishes PDR for NGJ Program | Russian MoD Denies Deploying S-400 in Syria | Germany Fines Airbus $14M on Delayed A400Ms

Nov 16, 2015 00:20 UTC

Raytheon has announced its completion of the US Navy’s Preliminary Design Review for its Next Generation Jammer program. The NGJ is set to replace the ALQ-99 jamming pods on the EA-18G and it is hoped to have reached operational capabilities by 2021.
Airbus has received a further order for 12 of their UH-72A light helicopters by the US government which will bring the total ordered to 400. The latest batch is said to be used for pilot training.

The Russian Ministry of Defense has denied claims made by Britain’s Daily Mail newspaper that it has deployed its S-400 Air Defense System in Syria. The allegations came after a number of foreign journalists had been invited to the Latakia airbase where Russian warplanes have been based. While the Daily Mail have been known for publishing hysterical articles in the past, the defense system’s sale to China earlier this year has been seen as a cause for concern by western nations.
Qatar have still to make their downpayment for 24 Rafale fighters from France despite contracts being signed by both nations six months ago. The deal, which is worth approximately $7 billion cannot be executed by manufacturer Dassault until such a payment is made and will no doubt be on the agenda for Qatari prime minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani’s visit to Paris this week. The visit is said to go ahead despite last Friday’s terrorist attack in Paris.

Germany has reportedly fined Airbus €13 ($14) million for its failure to deliver on time two A400M military transport planes. This follows reports from earlier this year of the German Ministry of Defense seeking €300 ($280) million compensation from the company over its delays and France cancelling its order in favor of C-130 Hercules from Lockheed.

The first of Japan’s ordered E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft are underway as the US government issued contracts to Northop Grumman for $151 million to build one of the aircraft. Japan hopes to buy four in total which they hope will boost their maritime capabilities in the region.
Japan has announced that it plans to sink its retired JS Shirane destroyer with its new XASM-3 anti-ship missile next year, keeping its planned IOC for 2016 on track. Developed by Mitsubishi, the new missile will replace the ASM-1 and ASM-2 missiles currently in use.
India’s Barak-8 will be test-fired between now and the end of the year after it was announced that preparations are being made on board the INS Kolkata for the test which the Navy hope to have installed on all future warships and retrofitted on its current Kolkata class destroyers.
China is believed to receive the first of its order of the S-400 Air Defense System from Russia within the next 12-18 months it has been announced. The six battalions ordered will greatly increase the range available on the S-300 system currently in place and is set to increase China’s air defense space, particularly in the East China Sea.