Americas
Lockheed Martin announced that its Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system successfully intercepted a medium-range ballistic missile target on August 30 in a missile defense test. The test was led by the US Missile Defense Agency with support provided by the US Army. During the test, the THAAD system located at US Army Garrison Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands successfully detected, tracked and intercepted a threat representative target using a THAAD launcher that was positioned at distance from the other THAAD end items, the company said. The THAAD system, made by Lockheed Martin, is designed to intercept threats from inside and outside the Earth’s atmosphere. It has had 16 consecutive successful launches and interceptions, but the test early Friday demonstrated the capability of engaging the system remotely with a government-developed remote launcher kit.
Airbus announced on August 30 that it along with the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defense is withdrawing from Canada’s effort to acquire a new fighter aircraft. Airbus Defense and Space, which was pitching the Eurofighter Typhoon, notified the Liberal government Friday that it was not going to bid. The decision was made after a detailed review of the tender issued by the federal government in mid-July. The move leaves only three companies in the $19 billion contest: Lockheed Martin Canada with its F-35; Boeing with the Super Hornet; and Saab, which is offering an updated version of its Gripen fighter.
Middle East & Africa
Iran unveiled a new high-precision reconnaissance and attack drone dubbed „Kian“. Brigadier General Alireza Sabahifard displayed the unmanned aerial vehicle at a ceremony in the capital, Tehran, saying it can fly more than 1,000km and climb to an altitude of 5,000 meters. The drone comes in two models capable of “surveillance and reconnaissance missions and continuous flight for precision missions,” state news agency IRNA quoted him as saying. The newly launched UAV can reportedly carry different munitions and can climb to an altitude of 5,000 meters.
Europe
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) has added four more Belgian companies to its industry team that will support the planned provision of four MQ-9B SkyGuardian UAVs by Belgium. GA-ASI is the leading manufacturer of Remotely Piloted Aircraft systems, radars, electro-optic and related mission systems. In January it announced that it had teamed with five Belgium-based businesses as part of an industrial collaboration effort with the Belgian aerospace and defense industry. AeroSimulators Group (ASG), AIRobot, ALX Systems and Hexagon will join Team SkyGuardian, which already includes the following five Belgium companies: SABCA, Thales Belgium, Esterline, Newtec and DronePort.
Asia-Pacific
Kyodo News says Moscow is planning to deploy the Bastion coastal anti-ship missiles on Paramushir and Matua in the Kuril Islands northeast from Hokkaido, Japan. The News Platform was shown an internal Russian government document. Missiles have been deployed on Etorofu and Kunashiri since 2016 and a separate document says more missiles are to be deployed in the area in 2020. The installed missile systems were moved from Kamchatka Peninsula to Paramushir and Matua islands in the island chain. The chain includes four Japan-claimed islands. The plan reportedly indicates Russia places strategic importance on the Kuril Islands in defending the Sea of Okhotsk and its nuclear force stronghold against the United States. The Bastion is a land-to-ship missile that has a range of more than 300 kilometers. The Kurils are a chain of small islands that run from the Japanese island of Hokkaido at the southern end and the Russian Kamchatka Peninsula at the northern end. They form an island border that separates the Sea of Okhotsk from the Pacific Ocean.
Eight US made Apache AH-64E attack helicopters joined the Indian Air Force fleet today in Pathankot. This is seen as a very big boost to India’s combat capabilities. A priest performed rituals in front of a helicopter, which was also given a water cannon salute at the Pathankot Air Force Base. India’s Air Force will be receiving 22 Apache AH-64E(I) helicopters in all in a $1.1-billion deal with Boeing. The contract was inked in September 2015. The Apaches are equipped with hellfire missiles and rockets. Each helicopter has the capacity to carry eight such missiles. It also has a canon gun that can fire 1,200 rounds at a time, with which two missile pods carrying 19 missiles each can be fixed.
Today’s Video
Watch: Indian Defence Updates : India’s S5 SSBN Design,MIRV Capable K6 SLBM,New 3rd Layer To BMD Program