H&K to End Deals with Non-NATO Members | Norway to Spend $1.15B on P-8A’s | Italian Navy Launches First Aster Missiles

Americas

• An undisclosed member of the Patriot Integrated Air and Missile Defense System program has contracted Raytheon to provide additional Patriot missile capabilities. The $225 million deal comes just 45 days after Poland requested the same product from the US government, and when Raytheon received another contract from the Netherlands to upgrade their own systems. Answers on a postcard please.

• US Senator Bernie Sanders has urged President-elect Donald Trump to leverage defense contracts in order to save jobs at an Indiana air conditioner manufacturer. The factory, owned by United Technologies, is slated to move operations to Mexico, at a loss of 1,400 jobs. As firebrand outsiders vying for the working vote, both men had used the announcement earlier this year to challenge Hillary Clinton as an example of how trade deals hurt US workers. With Trump now the insider, Sanders warned “it is not good enough to save some of these jobs” and said Trump should use as leverage United Technologies’ defense contracts, Export-Import Bank financing, and tax breaks. While Trump does not take office until January 20, he may already be feeling the Bern.

Middle East & North Africa

• Just ten days after the US State Department cleared the sale of 40 warplanes to Kuwait, the Gulf monarchy wants more. Major General Lafi al-Azmi, chief of the military’s Armament and Procurement Authority, said that Kuwait plans to purchase 28 more F-18 Super Hornets as well as return a number of outdated F-18s in their inventory as part of the purchase deal. Details of the sale will only be revealed once it is officially signed.

Africa

• The UN Security Council will vote this week on whether to ban arms sales to South Sudan. A US proposed resolution, the move comes after a summer of ethnic violence due to rivalries between President Salva Kiir, an ethnic Dinka, and his former deputy Riek Machar, a Nuer, which has led to claims of genocide. The rivalries had previously led to civil war in 2013 but a tentative peace agreement was signed in 2015.

Europe

• From now on Heckler & Koch wares will be for NATO members and friends only, according to reports. Difficulty in obtaining government approval for exports is being cited as the main reason, and from now on the company will “only sell to countries that are democratic and free from corruption and that are members of NATO or NATO members’ partners.” The new strategy would rule out deals with Saudi Arabia, Russia, Mexico, and India. Not even NATO members are safe, with Turkey – in the middle of a military, political and civil purge since a failed coup during the summer – also in the firing line for being freezed out.

• As part of governmental approval to increase defense spending, Norway plans to drop some $1.15 billion on five P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft. With Norway sharing a long maritime border with Russia, the acquisition comes as Nordic and Baltic states ramp up modernization and capability efforts in order to dissuade Moscow from trying to pull another “Crimea” in the Baltics. Delivery of the planes will take place between 2021 and 2022 and will replace the current fleet of six P-3 Orion and three DA-20 Jet Falcon aircraft.

• Exercises by the Italian Navy have seen the successful first launch of the Aster 30 missile. A requirement for the missile’s qualification program, the test was part of the Italian Surface-To-Air Extended Self Defense system program. Capable of hitting targets over 62 miles away from their launch sites, the new system will greatly enhance defensive capabilities of naval vessels.

Asia Pacific

• With the US looking to replace Russian-made Afghan helicopters and India offering to fix them, it’s quite natural to be confused about what is actually going on with Afghan military procurement. The issue is muddied further with US regime change just around the corner, and presidents who have rather different foreign policy objectives. At present the US DoD has requested additional funding to refurbish and update 53 older-model US military UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters for the Afghans, enough to replace the current fleet of Russian-designed Mi-17 helicopters. But with a Donald Trump presidency and potentially warmer relations with Russia, will the hundreds of millions of dollar price tag for refurb, transfer and retraining ever come about?

Today’s Video

Third flight of Japan’s X-2 stealth demonstrator:

Bell-Boeing Wins $267.2M Support Contract for MV-22 | Antonov’s AN-132 Prototype Assembly Successful | EMP Gen Developed by SK for Use Against NK UAVs

Americas

• The Bell-Boeing Joint Project Office has been awarded a $267.2 million US Navy contract modification for additional logistics support for MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft. Under the deal, both the USMC MV-22 and the USAF Special Operations Command CV-22 variant will be covered. The contract runs until November 2018.

Middle East & North Africa

• 17 more F-35As will be making their way to Israel, bringing the total ordered by the government to 50. Speaking on the new order, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the decision by the cabinet on November 27 was unanimous. The additional fighter order comes just two weeks before the first two F-35As destined for Israel fly from the US.

• The Indonesian state-owned firm PT Dirgantara Indonesia, will help in maintenance work for Saudi Arabian military aircraft. While the type of aircraft has remained classified, the company will work on both helicopters and airplanes. PTDI has previously conducted maintenance work on Colombian and Panamanian aircraft.

Europe

• Antonov has announced the successful assembly of their first An-132 prototype aircraft ahead of testing in December. The Ukrainian light multi-mission transport plane, a successor to the An-32, was built with zero technology and subsystems input from Russia, following the souring in relations over Moscow’s annexation of Crimea in 2014. Saudi Arabia will be the plane’s first export customer, with plans to purchase six An-132s, four of which would be configured for search-and-rescue operations and two for electronic warfare (EW) operations.

• The first flight of the Gripen E will have to wait until 2017 as manufacturer Saab self-imposes a delay of at least six months. It was initially expected that the latest Gripen model would fly before the end of the year, however Saab has chosen to fully qualify its distributed integrated modular avionics (DIMA) design to commercial standards prior to the first flight. Deliveries of orders to the Swedish and Brazilian air forces, slated for 2019, are not expected.

Asia Pacific

• India is positioning itself to supply Afghanistan with long-term spares and support for grounded Russian-made helicopters and aircraft operated by the Afghan Armed Forces. A team from the Indian Air Force, sent to Afghanistan to assess requirements, will now report back what kind of parts can be sourced from India’s inventory and others that need to be procured from Russia. The news comes shortly after it was reported that US DoD officials had asked Congress to cease buying Russian MI117 helicopters for Afghan forces and instead to buy American helicopters.

• Reports that Iran is eyeing a procurement of Su-30 fighters has been denied by Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan. Several agencies had originally quoted the minister saying “the purchase of this fighter is on the agenda of the Defense Ministry” when asked about the Sukhoi aircraft, but some later said the ministry had called the reports “incorrect.” Whether the intentions are real or not, any deal between Tehran and Moscow for such fighters would be subject to UN Security Council approval, potentially further straining relations with Israel, Saudi Arabia and the US.

• A directional, high-powered electromagnetic pulse (EMP) generator has been developed by South Korea’s Agency for Defense Development (ADD), which will allow it to shoot down North Korean UAVs. The ADD presented its progress on the weapon during a conference hosted by the Korea Institute of Military Science and Technology. North Korean UAVs have emerged as new threats over the recent years. Most recently, South Korean forces detected but failed to down wanton North Korean UAVs that crossed the military demarcation line (MDL) five times in August.

Today’s Video

Delayed gratification. With its first flight delayed, a look at the Gripen E’s unveiling this summer:

Pakistan Supplying 52 Super Mushshaks to Turkey in $50M Deal | LM & Boeing Competing to Provide IAF Helis | Japan Considers Deploying THAAD

Americas

• Canada will purchase 18 Super Hornets from Boeing as an interim solution to its CF-18 fleet replacement. Defense Minister Harjit Sajjan made the announcement adding that Ottawa will also launch a brand new competition for a multi-role fighter. On the interim procurement, Sajjan said the Super Hornets would allow Canada to maintain NATO operational standards.

Middle East & North Africa

• The governments of Pakistan and Turkey have signed an agreement to supply 52 Super Mushshak basic trainers for the Turkish military. Signatories on the deal were Air Marshal Arshad Malik, Chairman Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC), and Mustafa Seker, Deputy Undersecretary Turkish Ministry of Defense Industry. Delivery is expected by 2019 and comes with a $50 million price tag.

• Lockheed Martin and Boeing are expected to be the main competitors in an upcoming program to replace Israeli Air Force Sikorsky CH-53 Yasur helicopters. Israeli pilots are expected to test LM’s latest CH-53K and Boeing’s CH-47 before a winner is chosen in 2018. While figures on the deal have yet to be mentioned publicly, the IAF intends to acquire 20-25 helicopters.

• Firing trials have commenced of the Roketsan UMTAS anti-tank missile onboard Turkish T-129 attack helicopters. Both the laser-guided and imaging infrared seeker versions of the indigenous munition have been tested. 16 of the equipped helicopters are currently in service, with Ankara wanting to up this to 35 by the end of 2017.

Europe

• Released documents have revealed that Germany plans to spend as much as 1 billion euros on their participation in the European multinational MRTT fleet. The program will see a pool of A330 MRTT tankers stationed in Holland for sharing between partners. So far, Netherlands and Luxembourg have signed up while Norway and Belgium are considering the offer too. For Germany, membership fees to join the program start at 2.5 million euros.

• Russia’s Barguzin rail-based intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) complex has successfully carried out their first pop-up test. Each complex can carry up to six RS-24 ICBMs. Full flight development tests will now take place ahead of deployment in 2018. The new mobile complexes mark a major upgrade on Soviet-era rail-based strategic missile predecessors.

Asia Pacific

• Following in the footsteps of neighboring South Korea, Japan is considering the potential deployment of the THAAD system as they look to better protect themselves from North Korean nuclear threats. While no concrete plans are yet in place to deploy THAAD, military officials are looking at the option of beefing up defense capabilities and are “considering what can be done.” At present, Japan’s missile defense system involves on ship-based SM-3 interceptors to target missiles in space and land-based PAC-3 batteries to intercept rockets flying closer to the ground. While this had been deemed sufficient measures, Pyongyang’s increased ballistic missile testings have moved the procurement of a more long-range system onto the agenda.

• The Indian Air Force has given an initial operational clearance (IOC) to the latest Jaguar DARIN-III upgrade program. Upgraded by state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), the fighter was fitted with autopilots, next generation avionics and lethal armaments, and will keep the fleet flying until 2030. The Indian Navy has also been given the go ahead by the government to buy 12 upgraded Do-228 maritime patrol aircraft from HAL.

Today’s Video

Swedish Coastal Artillery reactivating its RBS-15 coastal anti-ship missile system.:

Thanksgiving 2016

It’s that time of year again. For those of you celebrating American Thanksgiving: if you’re deep-frying your turkey (otherwise known as “doing it right”), be safe. Hundreds of years ago, boiling oil was a weapon we would have covered. Treat it accordingly. Common tips include making 100% sure that adding the turkey to the oil will not cause an overflow or near-overflow. The turkey has displacement, and on top of that, oil will boil up a bit when the moisture of the turkey skin hits it. So test displacement first to figure out the fill line, then make sure the bird is fully thawed, and pat that bird dry inside and out. Fire Marshals also advise people to set up the fryer away from one’s house, on a flat, non-wooden surface, and have oil-rated fire extinguishers handy as you monitor the frying. Keep your home safe, and don’t forget to take precautions for yourself and your family, too.

Yummly offers some options for your leftovers, although around our house, the favorite use for leftovers is turkey tetrazzini!

DID offers thanks to all of our readers, and to all American and allied soldiers in uniform; we won’t be publishing again until Monday.

F-35: Milestones, Repairs & Comparisons Oh My | BAE to Use Titanium Alloy for Suspension | SK Continues Negotiations with Washington Over KF-X

Americas

• The F-35B has reached another program milestone following the completion of weapons load testing during trials on board the USS America assault ship. During the trials, pilots intentionally conducted flight tests under unfavorable conditions to gauge the fighter’s limitations; international partners also participated. The tests were part of F-35 program lead contractor Lockheed Martin’s third developmental test phase for the fighter, which aimed to assess the aircraft’s combat capabilities in a maritime environment. In comparison to its A counterpart, the F-35B is designed to include a short takeoff and vertical landing capability to allow for operation on naval vessels.

• Repairs on the last of 13 F-35A fighters affected by faulty insulation issues have been completed. In September, 57 aircraft suffered the coolant line glitch, 15 of which were already fielded, while the others were still in production. Both the company and the USAF maintain that the faulty parts were the result of a supply chain issue rather than a design flaw.

Middle East & North Africa

• A deal negotiated between Germany and Israel for the provision of ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) submarines is garnering criticism for its unusual secrecy from Israeli naval and military officials. When compared to the three year procurement negotiations needed for the F-35, the submarines were concluded within one. While the F-35 involved much coordination and contact between US government and industry representatives, the IDF branches and Israeli government, this recent deal has failed to involve the naval branches and is being spearheaded solely by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. A potential conflict of interest raised by some media outlets highlighted that Netanyahu and the Israeli agent for TKMS share the same attorney, and that attorney’s law partner is the same man who Netanyahu entrusts to negotiate the most sensitive affairs of state.

Europe

• Switzerland’s Defense Ministry plans to ask parliament next year for funding to extend the life expectancy of their F/A-18 Super Hornets. $486 million will be requested for the modernization. The Swiss Air Force is also looking to keep a number of their aging F-5 Tiger aircraft, until a new replacement fighter is selected in 2022 and inducted into service in 2025. Saab’s Gripen, the Eurofighter and Dassault’s Rafale are believed to be in the running and follow the 2014 rejection by Swiss voters to acquire 22 JAS-39 Gripen fighters.

• Inspired by the shell of the ironclad beetle, BAE Systems will use a bendable titanium alloy in their future military vehicles. Known as “memory metal alloy,” the flexible material will allow the suspension to “bounce back” into shape after impact, allowing operators to continue their mission with the vehicle. The company claims that their latest project marks the first time it will be used to build an entire suspension system.

• Russian industry is currently developing a new anti-tank missile set to replace the Khrizantema-S and Shturm-SM currently in service. The new tank-killing munition will come with a fire-and-forget targeting capability, capable of destroying moving and stationary air and ground targets, including main battle tanks, small surface ships, low-flying air targets and fortifications.

Asia Pacific

• Officials from South Korea have continued their negotiations in Washington over technologies needed for their KF-X fighter program. A request for AESA radar, infrared search and track, electro-optical target tracking devices, and jammer technology transfers was denied by the Pentagon last year, resulting in Seoul having to pursue the technologies themselves. Speaking on the discussions, Korean Minister for the Defense Acquisition and Procurement Administration (DAPA), Myoung-jin Chang, said “there are additional technologies that we are awaiting approval from the US government and we are pushing for these to be approved and we look forward to your continued support.”

• The final six of new training helicopters ordered by Australia have been cleared by lead-contractor Boeing. In 2014, Canberra selected a joint team involving Boeing, Thales and Airbus to provide them with the airframes, flight simulators and synthetic training devices, as well as instruction for army and navy pilots under their Helicopter Aircrew Training System program. The full compliment of 15 helicopters are Airbus’ H135 model, manufactured to the older T2+ standard.

Today’s Video

Indian fighters land on the newly opened Agra-Lucknow expressway:

Rheinmetall Secures $10.6M for African Combat Training Facility | MBDA to Support French/British Missile Defense Collaboration | SK Cleared for LAIRCM Buy

Americas

• Arms trafficker Viktor Bout will continue serving his 25-year stint in federal prison following the denial of a retrial by the US Circuit Court of Appeals. Convicted of conspiring to kill US soldiers by agreeing to sell arms to DEA informants posing as members of the FARC terrorist group, Bout maintained that he could not have been part of such a conspiracy as his business associate, Andrew Smulian, was already an informant for the US agency. The judge stated that the evidence suggested merely that the agency “saw Smulian as a way to get to Bout.”

• The Dutch Damen Shipyards Group is to provide two modernized Stan Patrol 4207 vessels to the Jamaican Defense Forces as part of the JDF’s renewal of its patrol boat fleet. Three decommissioned Damen-built Count-class offshore patrol vessels previously used by the JDF are being traded in as part of the deal. Delivery of the new boats is expected by the end of the year.

Middle East & North Africa

• Rheinmetall has secured a $10.6 million contract to modernize and expand a live combat training facility for a country in the region. The deal will see the company supply up-to-date hardware and software components for the customer’s Mobile Combat Training Center, which includes new laser engagement simulator to support combat vehicle and weapon systems training. A modernized Legatus combat simulation training system will also be provided to the customer and is already in use by the German military.

• Turkey’s quest for an air-defense system continued with Defence Minister Fikri Isik saying on Friday that they were in talks with Russia over purchasing the S-400. Other countries are also being contacted, but Isik maintained that the Russian stance on the issue has been positive. Ankara is also looking to develop its own indigenous system, but a foreign procurement would be ready for operational use in a much shorter time period.

Europe

• The US State Department has cleared the sale of 26 Predator B UAVs to the UK. Valued at $1 billion, the deal also includes 12 Advanced Ground Control Stations, 12 Multi-spectral Targeting Systems, 25 AN/APY-8 Lynx IIe Block 20A Synthetic Aperture Radars, and other communication and identification devices, as well as equipment spares. Having already operated the MQ-9 Reaper, it is expected that British forces will have no problems making the transition.

• Officials from the French and British governments have come to an agreement on further collaborative missile defense development. Franco-British missile manufacturer MBDA has been selected to support the project, which includes the establishment of new development centers in the company’s UK sites Stevenage and Bolton. The missile cooperation agreement comes shortly after officials announced the launch of the next phase of the $145 million joint Franco-British Maritime Mine Counter Measures program, which aims to improve naval defense technology.

Asia Pacific

• The Afghan military will be flying more American wares following the decision by the Pentagon to swap out Russian-made Mi-17s for the Sikorsky Black Hawk. Citing increased problems in maintaining the Mi-17 fleet due to sanctions caused by “Russian aggression,” a number of US lawmakers have been pushing for the switch. It’s believed that Washington will modernize 53 UH-60As by acquiring them from the Army before transferring to the Afghans.

• South Korea has been cleared to continue with their purchase of Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasure systems (LAIRCM). Developed by Northrop Grumman, the pods are designed to protect large aircraft from man-portable missiles. The $141 million sale will see four LAIRCM systems procured for Korean A-330 multirole tanker aircraft. South Korean F-16s are also slated for upgrade, following the awarding of a $1.2 billion contract by the Pentagon to Lockheed Martin.

Today’s Video

Combat debut of the Tu-95MSM strategic bomber:

US State Dept Finally Clears FMS to Qatar & Kuwait | French Train Eagles to Take Down Rogue Drones | Taiwanese AF to Get F-16 Upgrades in $3.45B Deal

Americas

• Sources close to the Canadian government claim that Ottawa is still hoping to acquire approximately 20 F/A-18 Super Hornets without the need for an open competition. It’s believed that the procurement, intended as an interim solution to replace their soon-to-be retired fleet of CF-18s, could move the need for a new fighter selection process for another decade. It’s been just over a year since Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party took office, and they vigorously campaigned for the cancellation of Ottawa’s participation in the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program during ithe election campaign. Trudeau deemed the jet too expensive and not necessary to Canadian defense requirements.

• The Brazilian government has finally contracted South African firm Denel to integrate the A-Darter missile on the Brazilian Air Force’s new Saab Gripen E/F fighters, alleviating fears that the program was off track. While Brazil has been heavily involved in the fifth-generation munition’s development, fiscal woes along with political turmoil and a change in government resulted in the official nod to finance the procurement being delayed. The missile will also be integrated on South African Gripens as well as their Hawk Mk 120 lead-in trainers.

Middle East & North Africa

• With the Obama administration entering its final weeks, the US State Department has cleared a number of big ticket foreign military sales to Qatar and Kuwait. Destined for Qatar are 72 Boeing F-15QAs in a $21.1 billion deal that includes weapons and related support, equipment, and training. Also included is the building of a Lead-in-Fighter-Training unit to be located in the US. A $10.1 billion sale will see Kuwait receive 32 F/A-18Es and 8 F/A-18F, including systems, training and support.

Europe

• While defense firms are always looking for high-tech solutions to the problem of rogue UAVs, the French Air Force is currently training eagles to engage drones that may be utilized by terrorists. The low tech high-talon method follows that of the Dutch police, who announced earlier this year that the birds of prey were being trialed to tackle nuisance drones. France, having just experienced a year of devastating terrorist attacks at the hands of jihadists, are concerned that mini-UAVs may be used to drop explosives, similar to those used by IS militants, currently on the defensive in Iraq.

• Armata tanks being built by Russia’s Uralvagonzavod will now come with a tethered drone, dubbed Pterodactyl. Equipped with a tether management system, the drone will provide full data protection and improve the tank’s situational awareness and aid in guiding rounds. With a flight range of 100 metres, the drone can be launched from the Armata’s hull and is capable of maintaining the tank’s speed.

• Gulfstream is the latest beneficiary of increased Polish defense spending, with the company to provide two G550 business jets configured for VIP transport duties. Delivery of the jets is scheduled for 2017, at the end of a lease between Warsaw and the national carrier LOT Polish Airline for two Embraer 175s. With their transport fleet mostly consisting of older Russian models, there has been a push to modernize transport aircraft following the 2010 crash of a Tupolev Tu-154 which killed 96 people, including the nation’s then-president, Lech Kaczy?ski.

Asia Pacific

• The site for THAAD‘s deployment on the Korean peninsula has been settled with Seoul agreeing to a deal with the Lotte Group. A well known Korean cheabol, Lotte owns a golf course in Seonju county, identified as a potential deployment for a THAAD battery site during the summer. Under the agreement, a land swap will take place of lands owned by the Ministry of National Defense for the golf club, while valuators will assess whether the government needs to give a bigger parcel of land or make up any disparity with cash.

• F-16s operated by the Taiwanese Air Force will receive upgrades to the V model, with work to be undertaken by Aerospace Industrial Development Corp (AIDC) and overseen by Lockheed Martin. Four fighters will initially take part in the conversion program, dubbed Phoenix Rising, with the government aiming to upgrade 25-28 of the fighters every year. With 144 A/B variant F-16s set to be upgraded, the retrofitting will cost approximately $3.45 billion.

Today’s Video

Su-33 launched from the Admiral Kuznetsov via ski-jump:

Chile & Airbus to Collaborate on Defense & Aerospace | EDA Gets Budget Increase Ending Six Year Freeze | SK Investigating DAPA on Suspicion of Intel Leak

Americas

• An agreement has been signed between Airbus and the Chilean government to pursue collaborative business development in the defense and aerospace industry. Both sides will cooperate on manufacturing and maintenance for future projects while exploring further possibilities. The Airbus deal is one of several agreements Chile has made with defense firms which includes a contract with Lockheed Martin to produce spare parts for C-130 aircraft.

Middle East & North Africa

• The Turkish Defence Minister Fikri Isik stated that the first two of a batch of 24 more Lockheed Martin F-35 aircraft will be delivered in 2018. 24 of the Joint Strike Fighter will be ordered over the next three years, of which six, including the two expected in 2018, had already been ordered. Ankara has committed to procuring a total of 115 F-35s.

Europe

• Greece has taken delivery of three second-hand CH-47SD heavy-lift helicopters. The transfer of the ex-National Guard Chinooks was completed on November 11. Seven more are expected by the end of 2017 as part of a $120 million deal with the US.

• European Defense Ministers agreed to raise the budget of the European Defence Agency (EDA) ending a six-year freeze. While small, the increase will see 2016’s $32.7 million increased to $33.1 for 2017’s activities. All 27 EU members gave their resounding support for the measure and will use the extra funds to develop and procure additional aircraft and other defense materials.

• Spain’s Air Force has received its first A400M transporter from Airbus. Aircraft MSN44 carried out its maiden flight from Airbus’s Seville final assembly site in September, and is the first of 27 examples on order for Spain. The delivery came days after Airbus announced that two A400Ms had successfully demonstrated the in-flight transfer of fuel using a fuselage-housed hose-and-drum unit.

Asia Pacific

• South Korean investigators have raided the offices of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA). An official from DAPA is suspected of leaking confidential information on military equipment to BAE Systems during a mismanaged project to upgrade the KF-16 fighter jet. The 2011 modernization award with the company has since been dissolved.

• Boeing is eager to sell its KC-46A aerial refueling tanker to India. The Indian Air Force has yet to procure a capability to refuel its C-17 and P-8I aircraft, and New Delhi has eyed up the Pegasus to fill such a role. A laborious search has been underway to fill a six multi-role tanker capability soon to be vacated by their aging IL-76 aircraft. Earlier attempts to procure Airbus A 330 MRTT never came to fruition.

• The first flight of India’s Rustom-II UAV has been successfully completed. Conducted by India’s Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO), the drone accomplished all main objectives during the test, including takeoff, bank, level flight, and landing. While this marks a good milestone for the program, officials maintain that a lot more evaluation and testing needs to be done before operational evaluation and eventual entry into service with India’s military branches can take place.

Today’s Video

Live demonstration of South Korea’s K30 Biho twin 30 mm self-propelled anti-aircraft gun:

India’s Rustom MALE UAV: A Step Forward – Or Back?

Rustom-H mockup

India has not been left out of the global UAV push. The country operates Israeli Searcher tactical UAVs, and Heron Medium Altitude, Long Endurance (MALE) UAVs, placing an additional Heron order in 2005. It has also undertaken development programs for a smaller UAV, the “Nishant”. With its “Rustom” program, however, India hopes to offer a UAV in the Heron/ Predator/ Watchkeeper class of MALE UAVs.

It had also hoped to begin to change a culture and tradition of wholly state-owned development of military hardware, which has not always performed well, or served India’s needs. A recent award has selected a winner, and moved the project forward. It may also serve as a reminder that bureaucracies are very difficult to change.

F-22 Weapon Sys Gets a Thrifty Fix | Israel’s Cyber Exports May Top $5B for 2016 | Pakistan Aeronautical Opening Up to Private Sector Participation

Americas

• Issues affecting an F-22 Raptor weapons system have been fixed and the fighter has returned to normal operations with student pilots. While few details have been released, the issues surround the in-flight operations including radar functions and low observability capabilities. The USAF’s thrifty maintenance crews took as little as two days to formulate a solution at a cost of only $250. A replacement system would have set them back $40,000 and $50,000.

• Boeing is to consolidate their defense, space and security operations, resulting in the closure of some plants and relocation of jobs. Plants in El Paso, Texas and Newington, Virginia are earmarked to be shut with the company stating that their manufacturing area will be shrunk by about 4.5 million square feet by the end of 2020. Approximately 500 jobs will be cut over the period. A new global operations group will also be established to include defense units in Australia, Saudi Arabia, and UK which will be headed by the company’s current UK managing director, David Pitchforth.

Middle East & North Africa

• In a bid to push foreign cyber-security sales, Israel is targeting more than 20 countries following an earlier easing of its export control policy. Cyber related exports have been increasing year over year with last year’s figure amounting to $4 billion, $800 million more than in 2014. It’s believed that this year could potentially top $5 billion, more than all other nations combined, barring the US.

Europe

• The Czech Prime Minister has rejected notions of future US missile defense radar deployment in the country. Calling the idea “pure fiction,” Bohuslav Sobotka stressed that the country had more pressing security concerns than a potential missile threat from Iran, a moot fear since last year’s nuclear deal. US missile defense plans for Europe currently include Aegis-equipped ships patrolling from Spain, and rocket equipped silos in Romania and Poland, with Turkey, Germany and other NATO states providing radar capability.

• Russia’s federal national guard will test a new fixed-wing UAV from Zala Aero early next year. The catapult-launched 16E5 is currently in the final stages of factory testing which so far has seen the replacement of the original motor with a combustion engine, increasing the aircraft’s maximum speed and flight duration. With a 5m (16.4ft) wingspan, it has an endurance of 16h at a range of 81nm (150km). Other features include a day/night camera and a thermal imager, and it can return itself to base in the event of loss of communications, all while maintaining a low radar frequency signature.

• F/A-18 Hornet fighters operated by the Spanish Air Force will be replaced by a “system of systems” by 2030. Known as the Future Combat Air System (FCAS), the prgram will see about 50 legacy Tranche 2 and Tranche 3 Eurofighter Typhoons upgraded to network with a fifth-generation aircraft; a new fifth-generation aircraft (type and numbers to be decided); and an unmanned combat aerial vehicle (type and numbers to be decided). While the fifth-generation aircraft will likely be the F-35, Spanish Navy plans to retire their AV-8B Harrier II will result in a joint procurement between the two branches.

Asia Pacific

• RUAG Australia has won an F-35 sustainment contract in support of the Australian Defense Forces. Under the deal, RUAG will repair and install new valves, auxiliary power systems, landing gear components, and additional supporting equipment on the 72 aircraft slated to go down under. The company’s participation in the F-35 program stretches back to its development phase in 2003, manufacturing major hydraulic components for the next-gen fighter.

• Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) has said it will open up to allow the private defense sector to participate in programs such as the JF-17 Thunder fighter and Super Mushshak trainer. As well as looking for new design and development programs for upgrades to the aircraft, PAC is also entertaining the possibility of allowing collaboration on the manufacture of propulsion and industrial gas turbines. Benefits of opening up the domestic industry include using public funds that otherwise would have gone abroad as domestic stimulus and making it easier for foreign vendors to pick private firms in matters involving sensitive technology intellectual property, which could make transfer-of-technology and expertise easier to negotiate.

Today’s Video

Russia’s demonstrates the land attack capability of its K-300P Bastion-P mobile coastal defense missile system in Syria: