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US MDA Awards $80.4M for THAAD Support to Alaska Aerospace | Serbia Gets First Mi-17 V5s from Russia | Japanese Consider Partnership with Israeli Industry

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Americas * Bloomberg has reported on a previously unknown flaw found on the MQ-4C Triton UAV. According to the report, a Northrop Grumman subcontractor was producing composite wing spars with quality issues which resulted in the Defense Contract Management Agency issuing Northrop Grumman with a Corrective Action Request in May 2013 for “recurring defects” in […]
Americas

* Bloomberg has reported on a previously unknown flaw found on the MQ-4C Triton UAV. According to the report, a Northrop Grumman subcontractor was producing composite wing spars with quality issues which resulted in the Defense Contract Management Agency issuing Northrop Grumman with a Corrective Action Request in May 2013 for “recurring defects” in the component. The company now claims that the issue has been rectified as the Navy considers whether the UAV is fit for a $4 billion low-rate production phase.

* The US Missile Defense Agency has awarded Alaska Aerospace Corp. an $80.4 million contract to construct a gravel road, a couple gravel pads, and a Life Support Area to support testing of the of two THAAD interceptors at Kodiak Island. Congressman Don Young praised the decision saying “As a long-time advocate who helped bring missile defense to Alaska, this contract award is good news for Kodiak and Alaska Aerospace and even better news for the continued security of our country.”

Middle East North Africa

* An ongoing diplomatic spat between Italy and Egypt has resulted in the former’s parliament blocking the supply of F-16 spare parts to Cairo. The decision was made amid dissatisfaction over the handling of the investigation by Egyptian authorities into the murder of Italian student Giulio Regeni whose body was found in the outskirts of Cairo in January. Regeni, a PhD student, was researching Egyptian labor unions when he was abducted and murdered with some claiming he had been arrested and tortured by the police prior to his murder.

Europe

* Poland has awarded a tender to a consortium comprised of local firm WB Electronics and Ukrainian state-owned company Spets Techno Export to provide 40 R-27 air-to-air missiles. The R-27s will be mounted on MiG-29s operated by the Polish Air Force, and delivery is expected by the end of November. While considered a rather small order, the munition is rarely used on MiG-29 policing missions, with the short-range R-60MK missiles or the modern R-73E rockets preferred. Furthermore, the Warsaw government is eyeing replacing its older Soviet-era weaponry with the MiG-29’s successor expected to be selected by 2022.

* The first two Mi-17 V5 medium military-transport helicopters have been delivered to Serbia from Russia. It’s expected that Belgrade will make more orders for the helicopter with each expected to cost in the region of $12.65 million each. Any purchases would go to replacing the older Mi-8T helicopters currently in use.

* Rostvertol aims to deliver 120 Mi-28NE Night Hunter attack and Mi-35M multi-role helicopters to local and foreign customers between 2016 to 2018. The company’s 2015 report highlights the strong demand from both home and abroad as well as stating the company’s delivery of 140 of those helicopters in the years 2012 to 2014 and 28 of them in 2015. Night Hunter’s have been seen on display recently in Syria and Iraq against Islamic State militants.

Asia Pacific

* India successfully tested the land version of its Barak-8 anti-air missile twice on Friday at India’s Integrated Test Range. Conducted by a team from India’s DRDO and Israel’s IAI, naval versions have already been fitted and tested aboard Indian Navy warships. The long-range rocket can identify and hit an air target within a range of 70 kilometers, or some 43.5 miles.

* Defense officials from Japan are considering a partnership with Israeli industry to research unmanned surveillance aircraft and fighters. The proposal would see Japan’s Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency work with the SIBAT defense cooperation department of Israel’s Defense Ministry on how Japanese sensor technologies can be integrated with Israeli airframes. Until 2014, Japan’s arms export principles banned the country from exporting arms to a state that may potentially become a conflict country. This prevented cooperation with Israel due to its conflict with Palestine.

Today’s Video

* Catch of the Day- A Republic of China Navy patrol boat accidentally firing a Hsiung Feng 3 supersonic anti-ship missile on a Taiwanese fishing boat caught on camera:

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