Naval Open Source INTelligence

India Deepens Defense Ties with Israel

2009-11-08T17:29:00.002+01:00

As India and Israel move to deepen their military ties, Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor arrived here on a key visit where he is scheduled to hold talks with top military officials.

General Kapoor will hold discussions with senior defence officials as 'part of regular ongoing exchanges' to tighten bilateral defence ties.

The three-day visit will also allay fears that the CBI enquiry into controversial Barak missile deal may disrupt the robust defence ties between the two countries.

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Russia to remember victims of Nerpa sub tragedy

2009-11-08T16:07:00.004+01:00

Events in memory of 20 people killed in an accident during tests of the Nerpa nuclear attack submarine will be held on Sunday in Russia's Far East.

On November 8, 2008, while the Nerpa was undergoing sea trials, its onboard fire extinguishing system went off, releasing a deadly gas into the sleeping quarters. Three crewmembers and 17 shipyard workers were killed. There were 208 people, 81 of them submariners, aboard the vessel at the time.

A monument to 12 residents of the Far Eastern city of Komsomolsk-on-Amur, who were killed in the deadly accident, will be opened at the city's cemetery.

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USS New York commissioned

2009-11-08T12:29:00.002+01:00

The USS New York joined the navy fleet. After receiving orders to, "Man our ship and bring her to life!" the crew ran aboard the ship that was built with steel from the World Trade Center.
# SOUNDBITES: U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
# Commandant of Marine Corps General James Conway

Gripen NG Demo returns to the skies

2009-11-08T11:26:00.002+01:00

The Gripen NG Demonstrator has been modified with a number of tactical systems: AESA radar, a new satellite communication system, an electro-optical missile warning system as well as activation of the increased internal fuel.

"A lot of new features have been implemented since we flew for the first time last year, but it takes an expert to see any external changes to the aircraft.

Most clearly visible are the sensors for the missile warning system and antenna for the satellite communication system," says Mattias Bergström, project manager for the Gripen NG Demonstrator.

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A living god visits the Chinese border town Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh as Indian supersonic ballistic missile Brahmos point to Chinese military

2009-11-08T11:16:00.001+01:00

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A living god visits the Chinese border town Tawang as Indian supersonic ballistic missile Brahmos point to Chinese military.

''We can''t wait to welcome the Dalai Lama,'' says local residents, ''For us he is our god. We feel peaceful when we see him.'' The living God visits Indo-China border as Indian military is ready protect the living God from Chinese communist militia.

Tibets real leader, Dalai Lama is visiting Indo China border near Tibet. The blessing, the peaceful attire fills the air and space.

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Pak to roll out first indigenous JF-17 from month end

2009-11-08T09:49:00.002+01:00

Pakistan would roll out its first indigenous JF-17 Thunder fighter aircraft from the Kamra Aeronautical Centre by the end of this month, Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Chief Marshal Rao Qamar Suleman, has said.

Air Chief Marshal Suleman, who is currently in Beijing to attend the 60th anniversary of China’s People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF), said the roll out of the state-of-art combat aircraft would help enhance the Pakistan’s relationship with China.

Pakistan has been working on the project in collaboration with China over a long period of time.

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RMAF Seeks China's Logistic Support For Sukhoi Fighters

2009-11-07T12:33:00.001+01:00

Malaysia is strengthening its military air ties with China and has sought the assistance of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) in maintenance and logistics support for Malaysia's fleet of Sukhoi SU-30 fighter jets.

Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) chief Jeneral Datuk Seri Rodzali Daud said Malaysia was also looking into acquiring some Chinese military ware.

"China had risen to become the superpower of the region and is advanced in its technology as well and our relationship with China is getting better and better," Jen Rodzali told Bernama Friday.

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Malaysia says Airbus A400M delivery to be delayed

2009-11-07T11:47:00.001+01:00

Malaysia's order for four Airbus A400M military planes will proceed but delivery will be delayed by at least three years to 2016, a senior official said Friday.

The European aircraft manufacturer suffered a major blow on Thursday as South Africa cancelled a multi-billion dollar contract to buy eight of the aircraft because of delays and a huge cost rise.

South Africa and Malaysia were the only two non-European orders for the A400M. Malaysia placed its order in 2005 for the four planes originally due to be delivered in 2013.

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Ford carrier's keel to be laid Nov. 14

2009-11-07T11:39:00.001+01:00

A week from today, the strongest gantry crane in the Western Hemisphere will lift into place an 81-foot by 96-foot hunk of steel, the first building block of the Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier.

In a keel-laying ceremony at Northrop Grumman Corp.'s Newport News shipyard the morning of Nov. 14, a gang of workers will hoist the 900-ton structure into Dry Dock 12 in front of a gaggle of top Navy officials and dignitaries, including the late President Gerald R. Ford's daughter, Susan Ford Bales, who is also the ship's sponsor.

The event marks the first major construction milestone for the 1,092-foot, nuclear-powered Ford, the lead ship in a new class of Navy carriers that is scheduled to enter the fleet in 2015.

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Thales Wants Larger Share of Naval Systems Company

2009-11-07T11:35:00.002+01:00

Thales is keen to raise its stake in naval systems company DCNS to 35 percent from 25 percent, as systems integration plays an increasingly important part in the design and building of modern warships, said Marc Darmon, head of Thales' naval division.

"Lifting the stake in DCNS would boost synergies for DCNS and Thales, as the main task facing industry is the managing of integration risk, which comes from the complexity of systems," Darmon said.

Thales makes radars, optronics for infrared search and track and electronic warfare, communications and sonar gear, and integrates systems. The Tacticos combat management system, which fuses sensors and weapons, is one of its key products.

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Army warms up to Akash missile

2009-11-07T11:26:00.001+01:00

India’s long-criticised Akash anti-aircraft missile is now blazing towards success.

Its counterparts in the DRDO’s Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme, the Prithvi and Agni ballistic missiles, were on target from the start; the anti-tank Nag missile will also enter service shortly; the Trishul short-range anti-aircraft missile was abandoned unceremoniously.

Now, after years of rejection from the military, the Akash is being accepted as a world-class missile.

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Saab focusing on long-term relationship with India news

2009-11-07T11:20:00.002+01:00

Saab, a global provider of defence and civil security solutions, services and products, has expressed optimism about the Indian market and emphasised it was here to say.

It said its presence in the Indian market would not be affected by the outcome of the Indian Air Force's 126-fighter jet global tender, in which it is a contender along with five others.

Saab officials have stressed that they are looking at a ''long and sustainable relationship with India,'' and other than the IAF's MMRCA tender were also looking at opportunities in maritime patrol and the civil security segment during the Commonwealth Games.

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ran building state-of-the-art battleship

2009-11-07T11:11:00.003+01:00

Iran's Defense Ministry is constructing the most advanced domestic multiple-purpose battleship, the acting commander of Iran's Navy says.

Rear Admiral Gholam-Reza Bigham told Fars News Agency on Thursday that the battleship would shore up the country's "deterrence capabilities."

The high tonnage of this battleship, the commander said would enable it to carry out missions in far-off waters.

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EU military chiefs nervous about Lisbon Treaty implications

2009-11-06T15:47:00.002+01:00

EU military chiefs are nervous that their advice will not carry the same weight once the new Lisbon Treaty is in place and that the planned diplomatic service will not contain enough experienced military personnel.

Europe's chiefs of defence gathered in Brussels on Wednesday (4 November) to review all military operations under the EU flag and to witness the handover of power from outgoing EU military committee chair, Frenchman Henri Bentegeat, to Sweden's Hakan Syren.

But the hotter topic - dealt with in "informal talks" - was the impact of the Lisbon Treaty on the current EU military set up, the two generals told journalists after the meeting.

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Boeing Delivers 3rd Australian F/A-18F Super Hornet Ahead of Schedule

2009-11-06T08:27:00.002+01:00

Boeing today announced that it delivered the Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF) third F/A-18F Block II Super Hornet three months ahead of schedule on Sept. 30, after completing production on the multirole fighter at Boeing Integrated Defense Systems' St. Louis facility.

Boeing publicly debuted the first of the RAAF's 24 Super Hornets in St. Louis on July 8. Each of the three completed aircraft has been delivered three months ahead of schedule.

"We look forward to continuing to deliver Australia's newest combat aircraft on budget and ahead of schedule, as promised," said Carolyn Nichols, Boeing F/A-18F program manager for Australia.

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India Seeks To Bolster Transport With 10 C-17s

2009-11-06T08:18:00.001+01:00

The Indian Defence Ministry is negotiating the purchase of C-17 heavy-lift Globemaster aircraft from the United States through the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) route, say ministry sources.

The U.S. Air Force flew the Globemaster in a joint air exercise between the air forces of the two countries held in India Oct. 19-23 at Agra to let the Indian military familiarize itself with the transport craft, said a senior Indian Air Force official.

India is negotiating the purchase of 10 C-17 aircraft made by U.S.-based Boeing, disregarding the Russian IL-76 transport even though the American aircraft is three times costlier, Defence Ministry sources said.

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Army: 12 Dead, 31 Hurt in Attack at Fort Hood

2009-11-06T08:12:00.000+01:00

New A400M Setback: South Africa Cancels Order

2009-11-06T08:05:00.002+01:00

South Africa said Nov. 5 that it had cancelled a big contract for Airbus military planes in a new setback for the troubled A400M program that prompted Airbus to insist the plane was almost ready for test flights.

The decision also left South Africa with a headache with its aging Herculus military transport fleet.

Both sides face contractual issues over cancellation payments and conditions.

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HMCS Chicoutimi moving costs secret

2009-11-06T07:55:00.002+01:00

Canadians won't find out how much it has cost to move a fire-damaged submarine from Halifax to Victoria for refit.

CBC News has been trying to find out the price tag for moving HMCS Chicoutimi since it was transported last April to British Columbia from Nova Scotia via the Panama Canal.

The submarine, badly damaged by fire in 2004, needs two years worth of repairs. The cost will be covered by $1.5 billion given to a Victoria-based company.

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Limited-capability Wedgetails on their way

2009-11-06T07:48:00.001+01:00

Limited operations of the Boeing Wedgetail AEW&C aircraft are expected to start in Australia late in December with an aircraft equipped for domestic operations, while four fully equipped aircraft are expected to be delivered by the end of 2010.

According to Boeing Integrated Defence Systems, the first two aircraft for delivery to Australia will not have an operational Electronic Counter Measures (ECM) system.

The absence of ECM will prevent their operation in a war zone but they are able to train crews in the operation using their MESA radar.

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NATO discusses ties with Egypt, Jordan

2009-11-06T07:40:00.002+01:00

The chairman of the military committee of NATO wrapped up his visit to Egypt and Jordan to discuss bilateral cooperation for regional security.

Adm. Giampaolo Di Paola met with military leaders in Egypt and Jordan to discuss the Mediterranean Dialogue program.

That program was started in 1994 to facilitate communication between the alliance and its Mediterranean partners and dispel any false impressions about NATO activity, NATO said.

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Israel F-35 modification plans deferred for cost containment

2009-11-05T08:32:00.002+01:00

Israel has decided to defer a requirement to integrate indigenous munitions and an additional fuel tank on the first batch of Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters (JSFs) it plans to procure over fears it could push rising costs still higher.

Each of the first 25 aircraft could cost USD130 million should Israel be granted US government approval – expected in November – to install indigenous electronic warfare (EW) and C4I systems on the future fighter, Israeli defence sources told Jane's.

The price of the aircraft has already spurred internal debate; the Israeli Ministry of Defence (MoD) and commanders of the Israel Defence Force (IDF) land forces have called for the acquisition to be delayed by two years, while the Israel Air Force (IAF) has maintained the need to begin payments in 2010 ahead of first deliveries in 2014.

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Taiwan says China starts building first aircraft carrier

2009-11-05T08:04:00.002+01:00

Taiwan said Wednesday that its giant neighbour China has started building its first aircraft carrier, a move analysts have said could raise military tensions in the region.

The head of Taiwan's National Security Bureau told parliament construction of the carrier had begun, Lin Yu-fang, a legislator of the ruling Kuomintang party, told AFP.

However, the security chief, Tsai Teh-sheng said the carrier's construction "has not been smooth" and that the Chinese navy may struggle to put it into service by 2012 unless it makes a manufacturing breakthrough soon.

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In Latin America, weapons buying spreads mistrust

2009-11-05T07:57:00.001+01:00

Whether it's called an "arms race" or a "coincidental modernization" of existing stocks, a wave of weapons purchases by Latin American nations is causing neighbors to watch each other with growing mistrust and fear.

Brazil says it must protect its newfound oil and gas riches. Venezuela says the U.S. military might attack it. Colombia is worried by Venezuela, Ecuador is watching Colombia, and Paraguay is keeping an eye on Bolivia.

There's no question that weapons sales around the region are soaring. They almost doubled in just five years, from $24 billion in 2003 to $47 billion last year, according to one report by Colombian analyst Javier Loaiza. Others put the 2008 total at $60 billion.

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More Frigates Sought for EU Somalia Mission

2009-11-05T07:53:00.002+01:00

The outgoing chairman of the European Union Military Committee wants more assets to combat piracy in the Somali basin because of the vast area that needs to be covered.

"The EU has committed three or four frigates, in 2010 but we probably need between six and 10 to cover that vast area," Gen. Henri Bentegeat said at a news conference following a meeting of the EU Chairs of Defense Staff (CHODs).

He insisted that there was coordination between the EU and NATO naval assets in the area and "certainly no duplication."

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