Global Defence

Neuron UCAV Demonstrator Unveiled

2012-02-02T12:16:00.000-08:00

Neuron, the European Unmanned Combat Aircraft (UCAV) technology demonstrator, was presented on 19 January 2012 to government officials from the six participating countries (France, Sweden, Italy, Spain, Greece and Switzerland). This ceremony took place on the Istres facility of prime contractor Dassault Aviation, is south-eastern France

DGA, acting as the program’s Executive Agency representing all partners, awarded the Neuron prime contract to Dassault Aviation in February 2006. Thus, this presentation is the culmination of five years of design, development, manufacture, assembly and early static testing of the demonstrator. The engine tests began in December 2011 and will continue until the first flight in mid-2012.

Subsequently, flight tests will be carried out over two years in France, Sweden and Italy.

These tests will initially focus on opening the flight envelope of the platform, then on the aircraft’s low-observability, the firing of air-ground weapons from the internal bay, as well as demonstrating the performance of the imagery transmission process.

This demonstrator program is a triple "first" for European aviation: it is the first “stealthy” combat aircraft; it is the first UCAV developed in international cooperation, and it is the first fighter aircraft designed and developed entirely on a virtual platform.

The goal of the Neuron program is twofold:

-- to develop critical and strategic technologies for the design of future combat aircraft, whether manned or not;

-- to validate a model of innovative and efficient European cooperation, which optimizes the respective competences of industrial participants, and managed by a prime contractor with recognized and accepted know-how.

The presentation ceremony was attended by representatives of the industrial team Neuron: Saab (Sweden), Alenia Aermacchi (Italy), EADS-CASA (Spain), HAI (Greece) and RUAG (Switzerland).

India Picks Rafale As MMRCA Winner

2012-02-02T12:06:00.000-08:00

French firm Dassault Rafale has bagged India's biggest-ever military contract for supplying 126 combat aircraft for the Air Force, edging out European rival EADS in the deal that may be worth about ten billion dollars.

The French firm was declared as the lowest bidder, according to which it will get the contract under India's defence procurement procedure, sources said in New Delhi on Tuesday.

"The French firm Dassault Rafale has emerged as the L-1 (lowest bidder) and cheaper than its European rival EADS (maker of Eurofighter) in the tender and will be offered to supply the aircraft to the IAF," the source said.

They said the representatives of Dassault in New Delhi were informed about the development in the morning and further negotiations on price will be held with them in the next 10-15 days.

The contract will be signed only in the next fiscal. Government has in 2007 earmarked Rs 42,000 crore for the deal.

According to the Request for Proposal (RFP), the winner of the contract will have to supply 18 of the 126 aircraft to the IAF in 36 months from its facilities and the remaining would be produced at HAL facilities in Bangalore.

Six companies, including American F-16 and F-18, Russian MiG 35, Swedish Saab Gripen along with Eurofighter and Dassault Rafale, were in the race in the beginning.

But in April last year, the Defence Ministry shortlisted Dassault and EADS, rejecting the American, Russian and Swedish bids.

The process was started with the issuing of a global tender in 2007, after which all the six contenders were subjected to extensive field evaluation trials by the Indian Air Force at several locations across the globe.

The bids of the two companies were opened by the IAF on 4th November last year and arrived at the lowest bidder after calculating the life cycle cost of the aircraft.

Sarkozy happy with Rafale selection by India

France said President Nicolas Sarkozy expressed happiness at India's selection of the French fighter aircraft Rafale for acquisition by Indian Air Force and said negotiations for the contract would begin very soon.

"The President of the French Republic has learned of India’s selection of the Rafale for the acquisition by the Indian Air Force of 126 fighter aircrafts. France is pleased with Indian government’s decision to select the French aircraft to enter into exclusive negotiations with Dassault," said a statement issued by the French Embassy in New Delhi on Tuesday.

It said the announcement comes at the end of a very high-level, fair and transparent competition involving two European finalists for the bid.

The statement said "negotiations for the contract will begin very soon and has the full support of the French authorities. It will include important technology transfers guaranteed by the French government.

"Rafale has been selected, thanks to the aircrafts competitive life-cycle costs, after the April 2011 pre-selection on the basis of its top-level operational performance", it added.

"The realisation of the Rafale project will illustrate the depth and scale of the strategic partnership between France and India," the statement said.

Russian flat variable-geometry nozzle.

2012-01-10T10:36:00.000-08:00

Russia started practical work on the thrust vector control from late 80's. Su-27s were widely used as flying labs for testing new aircraft and systems, The flying lab derived from the T10-26 was used to test the asymmetric swivelling nozzle. In 1990, the T10U-5 combat trainer left engine was fitted with a flat variable-geometry nozzle. The results of those and other tests have been used in designing new versions of the fighter and prospective combat aircraft.

The team was lead by Mikhail Pogosyan (General Director of Sukhoi Aviation)

Mikhail Pogosyan in the video say's huge technology advancement were made to develop a 5th generation aircraft, Not all the solutions were implemented on the flying laboratory which we flew with a flat nozzle, During the test we monitored the performance and manageability of the system.

Flat nozzle makes it possible to substantially reduce the infrared signature of the exhaust plume of the aircraft which is very critical for the protection of the aircraft against missiles with thermal homing seekers.

We got very good result, which shows how to reduced the level of infrared radiation.

“Sudarshan Shakti” aims to transform armed forces

2011-12-10T11:21:00.000-08:00

President Pratibha Patil, Supreme Commander of the armed forces, on Monday witnessed one of the largest military exercises in recent times — “Sudarshan Shakti” — aimed at starting the transformation of the forces into a modern, lean, and agile fighting combination capable of leveraging new-age technologies.

The exercise, in the deserts near Barmer in Rajasthan, helmed by the Southern Army Command and the South Western Air Command, led by formations under the Bhopal-based 21 Corps, a strike Corps also known by the name Sudarshan Chakra Corps, looks to build synergy between the Army and the Air Force in a network-centric environment to help face challenges of the 21st Century – including having to fight in an environment dominated by the threat from nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons.

Donning military fatigues, Ms. Patil arrived on a T-90 battle tank much to the astonishment of onlookers, accompanied by Defence Minister A.K. Antony and Army Chief General V.K. Singh, hailed the exercises as a “landmark that would enhance our combat preparedness” and help the forces ward off threats to national security in the face of “multi-dimensional” challenges. “We need to accordingly equip ourselves with state-of-the-art weapons, and hone our skills through relentless training to deliver the required response to our adversaries, when the need arises,” she said.

“Sudarshan Shakti” is the outcome of a study undertaken by the Army on how to initiate transformation and maintain continuous offensive capabilities with a networked headquarters supported by intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance acting as the nerve-centre of operations. The improvements in weaponry had also given an added impetus to revising existing military doctrines.

Southern Army Commander Lt. Gen. A.K. Singh said the exercise should not be seen as a response to exercises conducted by “any neighbouring” country. “The transformation of the Army was a study undertaken by us on how to initiate the process of taking it into the 21{+s}{+t} Century. Following the transformation study, we are now in the test-bedding stage, of which “Sudarshan Shakti” is a part. At the end of various test-bed stages, we will submit a report on how the transformation should be taken up,” Lt. Gen. Singh said. However, no timeframe to achieve the “transformation” had been set, Lt. Gen. Singh added.

Among the manoeuvres that the 21 Corps showcased before the President were airdropping of Special Mission teams within “enemy lines” on Dhruv helicopters, artillery fire to “degrade” the enemy before actual physical combat from an array of artillery guns and rocket launchers, an onslaught by the menacing Mi-35 Akbar assault helicopters, with the mechanised assault culminating with two squadrons of T-90 Bheeshma battle tanks running roughshod over the “imaginary” enemy.

Iran airs footage of US drone, protests violation

2011-12-10T03:12:00.000-08:00

Iran made a formal protest on Thursday over a US drone entering "deep" into its eastern airspace last week, and aired footage of what appeared to be the downed aircraft on state television.

Swiss ambassador Livia Leu Agosti was summoned to the foreign ministry and told the incident suggests Washington has upped its "provocative and covert actions" against the Islamic regime, the state television website reported.

The Swiss embassy handles US interests in the absence of Iran-US diplomatic ties.
Iran "strongly protests the violation of an RQ-170 spy aircraft deep into its airspace," the report said, adding that Tehran asked for "an urgent response and compensation from the US government."

It did not elaborate.

Iranian media said late Sunday an RQ-170 unmanned aerial vehicle was shot down after making an incursion slightly into Iranian airspace. But no precise indication has been given by Iranian officials on where it crashed.

US media said the drone crashed in eastern Iran probably due to malfunction.

The RQ-170 Sentinel is a high-altitude stealth reconnaissance drone made by Lockheed Martin, whose existence was exposed in 2009 by specialised reviews and later confirmed by the US Air Force in 2010.

On Thursday, Iran's foreign ministry said in a written complaint passed on to the Swiss ambassador that it holds "the US government fully responsible for this action, which is against all known international laws and regulations."

Iran's state television aired Thursday evening footage of what it said was the captured drone, showing what appeared to be an RQ-170 Sentinel in good shape and with little visible damage.

The footage showed a cream-coloured aircraft being examined by two commanders of the elite Revolutionary Guard, who are in charge of the country's air defences.

One of them, Brigadier General Amir-Ali Hajizadeh who heads the Guards' aerospace unit, claimed the drone had been captured through a cyber attack.

"It fell into the trap of (the Guards) electronic warfare unit who then managed to land it with minimum damage," Hajizadeh said.

The RQ-170, he said, is about 26 metres (85 feet) in wingspan, 4.5 metres (15 feet) in length and 1.84 metres (6 feet) in height.

He also said Iranian experts were "well aware of what priceless technological information" could be gathered from the aircraft, without elaborating.

US media have reported fears in the United States that Iran could access and make use of highly-advanced technology found in the drone.

But a US official, who declined to be named, said on Wednesday that the United States had doubts "the Iranians have the expertise" to exploit the technology found in the wrecked vehicle.

According to US media reports Thursday, revelations about the US stealth drone suggest Washington is stepping up surveillance and pressure on the Islamic republic over its nuclear programme.

The New York Times reported that the drone was part of a surveillance programme that has frequently sent the hard-to-detect aircraft into Iran to map suspected nuclear sites.

The crash came at a time of heightened political tension over Iran's nuclear programme, with speculation rife that Israel is mulling air strikes against Iranian atomic facilities, with or without US backing

DRDO successfully conducts maiden flight of AEW&C

2011-12-08T12:33:00.000-08:00

The DRDO has conducted the maiden flight of Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) system at a special facility in Brazil, taking a major step forward in the development of such system indigenously.

The first maiden flight of indigenously developed AEW&C took place yesterday at Sao Jose dos Campos in Brazil with about 1000 mission system components provided by Bangalore- based DRDO lab, the Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS), a DRDO spokesperson said here.

DRDO chief V K Saraswat, in his message after the successful first test-flight of the AEW&C, said, "The flight is a major milestone towards realising the dream of indigenous Airborne Early Warning and Control system, which will put India into a select club of countries."

The aircraft will now undergo full certification process over next two years, but first two aircraft will be delivered to us by the middle of 2012, the spokesperson said.

"After the aircraft are delivered, the mission systems developed by various DRDO labs will be integrated into them. Currently these systems are undergoing ground integration and evaluation at CABS," he said.

The delivery of these aircraft with fully integrated mission control system is expected to take place by the end of 2013, he said.

The systems developed by DRDO are being integrated on specially designed Embraer aircraft with capability of tracking airborne objects in all directions.

India Launches New Generation Strategic Missile AGNI 4

2011-11-20T17:16:00.000-08:00

India today successfully test-fired the most advanced long-range missile system Agni-4 today. The missile was launched from a Road Mobile System at 9.00 AM from Wheelers’ Island off the coast of Odisha.

The missile followed its trajectory, in a text book fashion, attained a height of about 900 kms and reached the pre-designated target in the international waters of Bay of Bengal.

All mission objectives were fully met. All the systems functioned perfectly till the end encountering the re-entry temperatures of more than 3000⁰C.

This missile is [one-of-a-kind], proving many new technologies for the first time, and represents a quantum leap in terms of missile technology. The missile is lighter in weight and has two stages of solid propulsion and a payload with re-entry heat shield. The composite rocket motor which has been used for the first time has given excellent performance. The missile system is equipped with modern and compact avionics with redundancy to provide high level of reliability.

The indigenous Ring Laser Gyros based high accuracy INS (RINS) and Micro Navigation System (MINGS) complementing each other in redundant mode have been successfully flown in guidance mode for the first time. The high performance onboard computer with distributed Avionics architecture, high speed reliable communication bus and a full Digital Control System have controlled and guided the missile to the target. The missile reached the target with very high level of accuracy. Radars and electro-optical systems along the coast of Odisha have tracked and monitored all the parameters of the missile. Two Indian naval ships located near the target witnessed the final event.

Defence Minister Shri A.K. Antony congratulated the DRDO team on its achievement. Dr Vijay Kumar Saraswat, Scientific Advisor to Raksha Mantri, Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Director General DRDO, who witnessed the launch, congratulated all the Scientists and employees of DRDO and the Armed Forces for the successful launch of AGNI-4. Sri Avinash Chander, Chief Controller (Missiles & Strategic Systems), DRDO and Programme Director, AGNI, while addressing the Scientists after the launch, called it as a new era in the modern Long Range Navigation System in India. He said, “this test has paved the way ahead for the success of AGNI-5 Mission, which will be launched shortly”.

Smt. Tessy Thomas, Project Director AGNI-4 and her team prepared and integrated the Missile System and launched the Missile successfully. In a jubilant tone she said that the DRDO has produced and proven many new state of the art technologies in the Missile System like Composite Rocket Motors, very high accuracy Ring Laser Gyro based Inertial Navigation System, Micro Navigation System, Digital Controller System and very powerful onboard computer system.

The missile, having capability to carry strategic warheads for the Forces, has provided a fantastic deterrence to the country and it will be produced in numbers and delivered to the Armed Forces as early as possible.

Sri S.K. Ray, Director RCI, Sri P. Venugopalan, Director DRDL, Dr V.G. Sekaran Director ASL, Sri S.P. Dash Director ITR were present during the launch and reviewed all the activities.

Israel holds major missile defence drill

2011-11-12T18:35:00.000-08:00

Israel on Thursday completed a major civil defence drill in the Tel Aviv region aimed at simulating a response to conventional and non-conventional missile attacks, the military said.
The four-hour exercise began shortly after 10:00 am (0800 GMT) with the sounding of sirens for a full minute and a half throughout the region around the coastal city of Tel Aviv.

The rescue units of the police, the fire service, the Magen David Adom emergency services and the civil defence units all participated in the exercise, the Israeli military said.

"We are going to test all the possible scenarios, including attacks causing significant damage," civil defence official Colonel Adam Zussman told army radio ahead of the drill.

Rescue teams were being dispatched to "evacuate hundreds of wounded after conventional and non-conventional missile attacks" to hospitals participating in the simulation, he said.

Part of the drill included simulating a rocket attack on the area of Metropolitan Tel Aviv, also known as Gush Dan, the military said.

Evacuation and absorption centres were opened across the region and the process of distributing gas masks was also tested, local media said.

The army said the exercise was "part of its routine training for emergencies" and was "not influenced by the current events," in reference to the flurry of speculation that Israel was mulling a pre-emptive strike against Iran.

On Wednesday, Haaretz newspaper reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Ehud Barak were seeking to win cabinet support for a strike on Iran, which Israel and the West suspect is looking to build an atomic bomb.

On the same day, Israel tested a rocket-propulsion system that press reports said was capable of firing ballistic missiles, although officials declined to comment on the specifics of the system and said it was a routine test.

A poll published by the Haaretz daily on Thursday found Israeli public opinion divided on a strike against Iran's nuclear facilities, with 41 percent in favour, 39 percent opposed and 20 percent undecided.

Russian Guns Bolster Afghan Artillery

2011-11-12T18:24:00.000-08:00

Picatinny Arsenal is helping the Afghan National Army develop their indirect fire capability to bolster self-defense.

Picatinny, in conjunction with the Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan, will support the acquisition of 194 D30, 122mm Howitzers for the Afghan National Army.

In addition to supporting the acquisition of the howitzers, the Program Executive Office Ammunition, or PEO Ammo, has also helped establish a training and mentoring program at the Central Work Shop in Kabul, Afghanistan. At the CWS, mentors/instructors are teaching an Afghan work force how to properly overhaul, repair and maintain the weapons.

To accomplish this mission, PEO Ammo has enlisted the support of the Project Manager for Towed Artillery Systems, known as PM TAS, and subject matter experts in the areas of optical fire control, canon, quality assurance and weapon systems from the Armament Research Development & Engineering Center, or ARDEC. To date, this team has successfully delivered 85 of the required 194 howitzers.

"This program supports our country's strategy of exiting Afghanistan," said Keith Gooding, program manager, Towed Artillery Systems. "Part of that exit strategy is helping the Afghans become self-sufficient so they can support and defend themselves."

"We're training the Afghan army to use the artillery properly and we're giving them the weapons to fulfill their artillery mission," Gooding said. "The idea is to leave them in a position that they're able to sustain themselves when we're gone, so they can stand on their own once American and NATO troops leave the country."

Afghans are familiar with the D30 Howitzer capability, said Ray Espinosa, the ARDEC Project Officer for the D30 Howitzer Program. The D30 was developed by the Soviets in the 1960s and is still the most widely used howitzer in the world today.

The Soviets brought the D30 to Afghanistan when they occupied the country in the 1980s. Even though the Soviet Army eventually left, their howitzers remained behind.

"The Afghans have been using them ever since, but have not had the resources or training to maintain them, so the howitzers have deteriorated through the years," Espinosa said.

India Receives First Batch of Mi-17V-5 Helos

2011-11-12T18:00:00.000-08:00

The first batch of Mi-17V-5 helicopters have been delivered to the Indian side under the contract signed by Rosoboronexport, JSC in December 2008 during the visit to India of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

The helicopters are manufactured by Kazan Helicopters, a subsidiary of the Russian Helicopters holding company.

India is considered Russia’s a strategic partner in development and delivery of rotorcraft for defence purposes as well as state and private operators. Joint Russian-Indian projects to deliver new helicopters, spares, and aviation equipment are under way. As of 2011 the Indian Air Force operates over 200 Mi-8/17 type medium rotorcraft of Russian make.

The Mi-17V-5 is the most up-to-date modification of the Mi-17. The helicopters being delivered are manufactured to the customer’s specification and are unique in their configuration. Each helicopter is equipped with a KNEI-8 avionics suite. It replaced a number of systems indicators, resulting in a very clear and intuitive cockpit with four large multi-functional displays that are easy to read and help reduce pilot fatigue. This avionics suite also helps cut down pre-flight inspection time, displaying all systems data and alerting crew when necessary.

As of today, Kazan Helicopters and Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant, also a subsidiary of Russian Helicopters, have both delivered over 11 thousand rotorcraft of the Mi-8/17 family to 110 countries worldwide.

Soldiers Survive IED Strike Thanks to Scimitar

2011-11-12T17:21:00.000-08:00

Soldiers from 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards have survived a strike by a large improvised explosive device (IED) in Afghanistan while driving in their upgraded Scimitar Mk2 vehicle.

The three soldiers of the Welsh Cavalry were on a routine patrol in Nahr-e Saraj when their Scimitar Mk2 was engulfed in an explosion. All three soldiers walked away from the incident unharmed.

Vehicle commander Lieutenant Peter Gordon-Finlayson said the explosion stunned the crew for a few moments before their training took over, adding:

"It felt like a car crash, and it took me a few moments to take it all in. But the training soon kicked in for all of us.

"After checking that I and the crew were unharmed it only took about 30 seconds for the jokes and banter to start, which helped to alleviate the stress of what had just happened.

"But I've got to say that all credit must go to the Scimitar. It really is thanks to the vehicle that we all walked away without a scratch.

"The Taliban are afraid of the Scimitar 2, and are too afraid to take us on head-to-head. When we arrive in an area the insurgents tend to leave."

The three soldiers are members of B Squadron of the Queen's Dragoon Guards - the regiment's second deployment to Afghanistan. Lance Corporal James Hatton is the Scimitar's gunner. He said:

"After that experience the regiment's confidence in the new fleet has really grown. I'm looking forward to getting back onto the ground with the rest of the troop.

"I was also very impressed with the speed of the recovery crew in isolating the area and recovering the vehicle. It's a big thank you from our crew to them."

Trooper Robert Griffiths, the Scimitar's driver, said the crew were in high spirits on returning to camp, but appreciated that their survival was due to the vehicle, which has been in service for just over two months. He said:

"I'm massively impressed with the amount of protection the upgraded armour provided. It was obviously a shock, but I've never had such a buzz in my life."

The Scimitar Mark 2 combat vehicle is one of five enhanced Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) ([CVR(T)] types that began service in Helmand recently.

BAE Systems upgraded the armour on all five vehicles - Scimitar, Spartan, Samson, Sultan and Samaritan - through an urgent operational requirement process worth around £30m.

As part of the contract, the vehicles were rehulled to give better mine-blast protection for troops, and improved armour was added for enhanced resistance to blasts and ballistics, as well as new mine-blast protection seating in every position in every variant. Other enhancements include repositioned foot controls and a revamped fuel system.

Rafale Reportedly Has Lower Costs, Indian Media Say

2011-11-12T17:17:00.000-08:00

India on Friday opened the financial bids of the two fighters left in the fray for the world's biggest combat aircraft deal, but promptly declared it would take at least two-three weeks to declare the eventual winner since tons of data had to be computed.

For all its promises of "full transparency" in the medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) contract to acquire 126 fighters, likely to be the single biggest defence deal in the run-up to the 2014 polls with its overall value set to exceed $20 billion, the defence ministry refused to say anything concrete.

Sources, however, said the "unit flyaway cost" or "direct acquisition cost" of each Eurofighter Typhoon was "higher" than the French Rafale fighter, both of which fall in the $80-$110 million bracket, much costlier than the American, Russian and Swedish jets earlier eliminated after exhaustive technical evaluation by IAF pilots.

But the unit flyaway cost will not be the only factor to determine the lowest bidder (L-1). The MoD will also take into account "life-cycle costs" or the cost of operating the fighters over a 40-year period, with 6,000 hours of flying.

Besides, there are costs of the transfer of technology (ToT) since the first 18 jets will be bought from abroad in a flyaway condition, while the rest 108 will be manufactured in India, under licence, by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd.

"The bids were opened today in front of the Indian contract negotiating committee, comprising MoD, IAF, finance, production and quality assurance officials, as well as representatives from French Dassault and EADS (backed by UK, Germany, Spain and Italy). It will take a few weeks to examine and evaluate their commercial proposals to arrive at a verifiable cost model to determine the L-1," said an official.

IAF wants the actual contract to be inked by January-February to ensure the delivery of first 18 jets begins by early-2015 to stem its fast-eroding combat edge, with HAL beginning the manufacturing of the rest 108 from early-2017 onwards. "The first jet built by HAL should roll out in early-2017," said an official.

India is also likely to go in for another 63 fighters after the first 126, if the timelines for the under-development Tejas LCA (light combat aircraft) and the stealth Indo-Russian FGFA (fifth-generation fighter aircraft) projects are not met.

Army rolls out first Apache Block III aircraft

2011-11-07T12:31:00.000-08:00

The first Apache Block III helicopter was delivered to the Army today during a ceremony at the Boeing plant here in which the aircraft was rolled out on stage under bright lights and a wisp of generated smoke.

Hundreds of industry, government and military officials attended the event in which two of the new AH-64 aircraft were actually delivered to the Army ahead of schedule. The first Block III helicopter was finished about a week early and the second about a month ahead of schedule, according to David Koopersmith, Boeing Attack Helicopter Programs vice president.

"It's an amazing game-changer," said Maj. Gen. Tim Crosby about the new Apache. Crosby, the Army's program executive officer for aviation, went on to say during a press conference that no other helicopter in the world could match the Apache Block III.

The new attack helicopter has a stronger engine, improved avionics, better computer-networking capability and increased maneuverability when compared to current Apaches, officials said.
The Block III Apache features a 701D engine, composite rotor blades, a "Rotorcraft Drive System of the 21st Century" known as RDS-21, Face Gear Transmission and High Performance Shock Strut advanced landing gear.
"It's like flying an Appaloosa stud," said Lt. Col. Dan Bailey, Apache Block III program manager, who said he had experience as a youth breaking horses.

"This aircraft is so much faster and stronger than anything we've had in the past," Bailey said.
Bailey said he used to compare the Block III to the older Apache models by saying it was like driving a sports car compared to a sedan. But after flying the newest aircraft configuration, he said it's much more than that.

"Flying the Block III is truly like trying to hold back that Appaloosa stud," Bailey said. "He always wants to go."

The first two Apache Block III aircraft will replace current prototypes and be flown by test pilots from the Redstone Test Center in Alabama. The helicopters will at first be kept at the Boeing complex in Mesa, Ariz., where pilots and engineers from Redstone will work with them. Then one of the two new helicopters may eventually be placed at Redstone Arsenal, officials said.

The next five helicopters are scheduled to be finished in March and will be fielded to the 1st Attack Reconnaissance Bn., 1st Aviation Regiment at Fort Riley, Kan. The unit is part of the 1st Infantry Division and is slated to be at initial operating capability with the Apache Block III helicopters by the first quarter of fiscal year 2013, officials said. They said it's likely the 1/1st will deploy to Afghanistan with the aircraft soon after that.

The 1st Battalion, 229th Aviation Regiment at Fort Hood, Texas, is the next unit tentatively scheduled to be fielded with the Apache Block III. But that could change, Army officials were quick to point out.

Overall, the Army plans to acquire 690 Block III Apaches between now and 2026 at a production rate of roughly two battalions per year, beginning in fiscal year 2013. Some of these will be re-manufactured aircraft and some built completely new. Crosby did add that the "constrained budget environment" over the next few years could affect the acquisition rate.

"We've got to think of this as part of the overall modernization strategy of the Army today," Crosby said of the Apache Block III.

Plans also exist to field the Apache Block III with U.S. allies such as Taiwan. The Taiwan government has a contract for 30 of the new aircraft to be fielded over a 12-month period. Officials added that other coalition nations have requested demonstrations of the new aircraft's capabilities.

S. Korea Unveils Truck-mounted 105mm Gun

2011-11-06T13:50:00.000-08:00

The first truck mounted 105-millimeter howitzer was revealed to the media for the first time on Sept. 22 at the Ministry of National Defense in Yongsan, Seoul.

The new weapon, developed by Samsung Techwin, the Samsung Group’s defense and precision machinery unit, was displayed at a weapon exhibition that was opened inside the ministry compound.

After being assigned as a project under Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration in 2009, Samsung Techwin begin making the new wheeled howitzer from 2010 in an effort to enhance combat capabilities with other widely used artilleries.

“Since the 105-millimeter self-propelled artillery is being loaded on a five-ton truck, the cost of the weapon is relatively cheap and it shows more outstanding performance than existing towed artillery,” said an executive at Samsung Techwin. “Shells have to be loaded manually. But firing control is operated automatically and radiation of heat can be selected either in automatic, manual and half automatic. The number of operating personnel can be reduced by three compared to existing towed artilleries.”

In the meantime, other new weapons were also displayed at the exhibition: Signal Robot that is embedded with bullets developed by Hanwha and a portable Global Positioning System automatic warning device developed by Hyundai

Afghan Air Force Nears 50% of Planned Size

2011-11-06T13:42:00.000-08:00

Afghanistan’s military retains the vestiges of a modern air force, and its skilled and eager airmen have NATO trainers encouraged as they build up the force, the commander of NATO Air Training Command Afghanistan said today.

The Afghanistan air force has about 5,000 of its 8,000-member goal, and 66 of 145 aircraft NATO plans to provide it, U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Timothy Ray said during a meeting with reporters at the State Department’s Foreign Press Center here.

“Back in the 1970s and ’80s, they actually had a very modern air force,” Ray said. The force had mostly Russian-made aircraft, which were new then, but either were lost in later combat or weren’t maintained after the country fell to the Taliban, he said.

“But I can tell you that we are building on that expertise and bringing in a young force behind them,” Ray said.

So far, NATO has trained 12 of at least 70 air crews it plans for the force “well past 2014,” when coalition forces are to turn over security control to the Afghans, the general said. “There will be an enduring relationship between the United States, NATO and Afghanistan,” he said. “We’re not going to just take everything out. We’re going to stay there and help them train.”

While there are years to go in training, Ray said, some of the Afghan airmen are exceptional. “I’ve flown with the Afghans. I’ve been in the cockpit with them,” he said. “I’ve seen them in action. And I can tell you, they are very good.

“Some of ones I’ve flown with have done a brilliant job,” he continued. “I’ve actually seen them correct NATO instructors. I’ve seen them explain things in the cockpit that I would expect of our own forces. There’s growth going on there, and there’s talent to build on.”

About 80 Afghan airmen are in pilot training in the United Arab Emirates, at least 10 are being trained in the United States, and four others are in the Czech Republic, Ray said. Afghanistan will start its own pilot training in December, which will include its first female air force pilot. More are learning English – the international language for aviators -- as part of the pipeline for becoming a pilot, he said.

The coalition is teaching Afghan forces to train their own, and to be stewards of their vehicles, aircraft and equipment, Ray said, and doing it in ways familiar to the Afghans. Most of the aircraft being bought for the Afghans are Russian made, such as Mi-17 helicopters, and Czech Republic forces have taken the lead in maintenance training, he said.

NATO is focused on leader training and literacy, Ray said. One of the biggest hurdles to the Afghan air force is that 85 percent of its recruits are illiterate and innumerate, he said.

“When you have Afghan police who can’t read a passport, or can’t read the paperwork he’s signing; he doesn’t know how much money he’s being paid,” Ray said. “When you tell an Afghan soldier to put four bullets in his gun, and he doesn’t understand that, [it’s a problem]. … It’s an absolute game changer when you teach them to read and write.”

The NATO trainers are getting the recruits to third-grade literacy, “and that’s a fundamental difference in the culture of Afghanistan,” he said.

“The Taliban did absolutely nothing for this country,” he added. Now, we have over 8 million kids in school. So, we’re raising the overall level of the Afghanistan people in a meaningful and lasting way.”

Thirty-seven NATO and partner nations are involved in building Afghan security forces, and more countries send money, Ray said.

The air force buildup is part of the command’s goal to grow Afghan forces – army, air force and national police – from about 200,000 currently to 352,000. The NATO goal would put the army at 187,000, and the police at 157,000 to last well past 2014, when the coalition plans to turn over all of Afghanistan’s security to its own forces, Ray said.

Afghan security forces are in control of security for 25 percent of the country’s population, he said, and Afghan President Hamid Karzai is expected to announce soon the transition of more areas to fall under Afghan security.

NATO trainers also are seeing much improvement in army and police forces, Ray said. The army is doing “a much better job embedding with our coalition partners,” and the national police “have done an amazing turnaround and are far more capable” than two years ago when, he acknowledged, they were “a questionable crowd.”

The command raised police pay, extended training from six to eight weeks, and started human rights training, Ray said. The police are responding more on their own now, including in recent severe flooding in the northeast, and “showing people that the Afghan government is there for them,” he said.

Germany Threatens to Halt Submarine Sale to Israel

2011-11-06T13:33:00.000-08:00

The German government is threatening to halt the delivery of a submarine capable of firing nuclear warheads in protest of the Israeli government's recent decision to build new homes in the Arab part of Jerusalem. Earlier this year, SPIEGEL reported that Germany's subsidized submarine sales program is linked to World War II reparations.

Germany is threatening to stop the delivery of a "Dolphin" submarine to Israel in protest over the country's settlement policies. Government sources confirmed the development when asked by SPIEGEL following speculation last week in the Israeli media that Germany might halt the sale.

The move is in response to the recent decision by the Israeli government to approve the construction of 1,100 homes in Gilo, an Arab part of Jerusalem captured from Jordan in the 1967 Six Day War. The Israeli government considers the area to be a Jewish suburb, but the international community contests that description.

The threat by German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been the subject of considerable concern in Israel.

The nuclear-weapons capable Dolphin submarines are an important part of the Israeli military strategy. The navy already owns three of the submarines and two further vessels are currently being built by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW), the shipbuilding division of German steelmaker Thyssen-Krupp, in Kiel, Germany.

This summer, the German government approved €135 million ($189 million) in funding to assist Israel with the purchase of a sixth Dolphin submarine over the next four years. Now, however, that deal for the sixth submarine is in jeopardy.

In addition to its capability of firing nuclear warheads, the submarine also has a larger cruising range because of its advanced modern fuel-cell propulsion technology.

Germany has been delivering submarines to Israel since the end of the 1990s following the first Gulf War. The first two submarines given to Israel were entirely subsidized by the German government, but those subsidies are being reduced with each additional purchase. Under the current program, the government is subsidizing one-third of the cost of the submarine.

'A Five-Year Plan on Holocaust Reparations'

In January, SPIEGEL reported on a United States diplomatic cable obtained by WikiLeaks dating back to January 2005 indicating that the partial subsidization of some submarine sales could be a backchannel diplomatic response to demands for Holocaust reparations payments made by Israel at the time.

An advisor to then-prime minister Ariel Sharon informed the United States Embassy in Tel Aviv of a "five-year plan on Holocaust-era reparations, pensions and restitution." The document cited the advisor stating that the plan envisioned the Israeli government calling for Germany to take over responsibility for restitution payments that had been ignored by East Germany in the sum of around $500 million, "possibly in the form of new German-made submarines."

It was a portion of a 1953 German-Israeli reparations agreement "that had been attributed to East Germany, but never paid." A member of the working group from the prime minister's office contended "that such a GOI claim would not violate any 'closure' agreements about Holocaust-era claims because it would be based on the unfulfilled portion of a pre-existing agreement."

The timing of the demand was good because in 2005, Germany and Israel celebrated 40 years of diplomatic relations. Redress also played a role in the submarine deals at the time, sources with knowledge of it confirmed to SPIEGEL in January. Then-Chancellor Gerhard Schröder approved the deal for the submarine exports during his last days in office in November 2005.

Pentagon Confirms F-35 Offer to India

2011-11-06T13:21:00.000-08:00

The Pentagon’s Nov. 2 report to Congress of US-India Security Cooperation concludes with a paragraph which sums up the Pentagon’s position regarding the possible sale of F-35 Joint Strike Fighters to India, which has been widely reported but not previously confirmed. The paragraph follows:

Joint Strike Fighter and Potential Co-Development of Military Weapons Systems

The Department of Defense is continually looking for ways to expand defense cooperation with India. We are seeking opportunities for increased science and technology cooperation that may lead to co-development opportunities with India as a partner.

India has demonstrated its interest in upgrading its inventory of fighter aircraft. It intends to purchase 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft and is working with Russia on the development of the Sukhoi/HAL Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA).

The U.S. F-16 and F-18 competed, but were not down-selected, in the Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) competition in April 2011.

Despite this setback, we believe U.S. aircraft, such as the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), to be the best in the world. Should India indicate interest in the JSF, the United States would be prepared to provide information on the JSF and its requirements (infrastructure, security, etc.) to support India’s future planning.

The United States has taken many steps in recent years to facilitate science and technology and research and development cooperation with India. In so doing, we have signaled our unambiguous intent to pursue cooperative opportunities on increasingly sophisticated systems. As our relationship continues to mature, we expect co-development of armaments to become a reality.

Apache Longbow Wins Indian Competition As Mi-28 Ruled Out

2011-11-06T13:02:00.000-08:00

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has selected Boeing’s Apache Longbow advanced attack helicopter for its combat chopper tender.

RIA Novosti news agency reported from Moscow yesterday that the other competitor, Russia’s Mi-28N Night Hunter, had lost the competition. It quoted an unnamed Indian defence ministry source as saying that the US helicopter showed better performance while the Russian machine did not meet the tender requirements.

There was no confirmation here but well placed sources told India Strategic Defence magazine that IAF’s assessment report had been accepted. No details were given. IAF has a tender for 22 combat helicopters with no options. But more would be required and should be ordered once the first few machines are delivered.

According to Lt Gen (retd) BS Pawar, a noted authority on combat helicopters, Apache is far more advanced than other attack helicopter worldwide. It has executed successful missions in Afghanistan.

Notably, the USA is known to have much better Electronic Warfare capability than perhaps any other nation. The Apache has the capability to detect 256 moving targets in speed, distance and direction and engage

India Wants Six Additional C-130Js in $1.2Bn Deal

2011-11-06T12:33:00.000-08:00

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress Oct. 26 of a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of India for six Lockheed Martin C-130Js and associated equipment, parts, training and logistical support for an estimated cost of $1.2 billion.

The Government of India has requested a possible sale of 6 Lockheed Martin C-130J United States Air Force (USAF) baseline aircraft including: USAF baseline equipment, 6 Rolls Royce AE 2100D3 spare engines, 8 AN/AAR-47 Missile Warning Systems (two of them spares), 8 AN/ALR-56M Advanced Radar Warning Receivers (two of them spares), 8 AN/ALE-47 Counter-Measures Dispensing Systems (two of them spares), 8 AAQ-22 Star SAFIRE III Special Operations Suites (two of them spares), 8 ARC-210 Radios (Non-COMSEC), and 3200 Flare Cartridges.

Also included are spare and repair parts, configuration updates, communications security equipment and radios, integration studies, support equipment, publications and technical documentation, technical services, personnel training and training equipment, foreign liaison office support, Field Service Representatives’ services, U.S. Government and contractor engineering and logistics personnel services, and other related elements of logistics support.

The estimated cost is $1.2 billion.

This proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of an important partner and to strengthen the U.S.-India strategic relationship.

The proposed sale will provide the Indian Government with a credible special operations airlift capability that will help deter aggression in the region and provide enhanced humanitarian assistance and disaster relief support.

The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region.

The prime contractors will be Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company in Marietta, Georgia, and Rolls-Royce Corporation in Indianapolis, Indiana. Offset agreements associated with this proposed sale are expected, but at this time the specific offset agreements are undetermined and will be defined in negotiations between the purchaser and the contractors.

Implementation of this proposed sale may require the assignment of ten U.S. Government and contractor representatives in India for a period of up to three years.

There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale.

Russia Eyes Bigger Role On Latin American Weapons Market

2011-11-06T12:28:00.000-08:00

In September 2011 the Peruvian Defense Ministry received the second batch of Mi-171SH helicopters as part of the supply contract signed with the Russian official arms trader Rosoboronexport in 2010.

In addition to Mi-171SH, painted in the colors of the Peruvian Air Force, the supplier shipped all equipment for their maintenance and servicing. All helos of the batch passed acceptance tests and were fielded shortly. Noteworthy, the first delivery took place back in May 2011. It means that the JSC Rosoboronexport has upheld its standing commitments under the contract, which will be deemed closed as soon as the warranty is over for the Mi-17SH and Mi-35P, supplied earlier this spring.

The Peruvian military has known Russian rotary-wing aircraft for quite long, since Peru was one of the first Latin American partners of Russia (then USSR) in the domain of military-technical cooperation. The history of diplomatic relations between the countries dates back to February 1, 1969. The Soviet Union has been shipping T-55 tanks, MiG-29 fighters, Mi-8 helicopters and other hi-tech equipment to Peru ever since 1973, which made the Latin American nation one of Russia’s priority partners: indeed, it ranked second to none on the continent in terms of volumes of Soviet commercial and military aircraft in service. Moreover, Soviet specialists earned invaluable experience of launching versatile economic programs in Peru. For instance, Russian rescue services and medics did a lot to relieve the pain of the Peruvian nation following the disastrous earthquake in 1970. This helped a lot in forging a much closer relationship between the nations.

A sad fact, no defense contacts were registered between the two countries in 1990s, as both were engaged into tremendous reforms, which could not help affecting the cooperation. However, the situation changed for the better in the first decade of the new millennium: the interaction evolved to become a long-term, strategic partnership, meeting the needs and interests of both nations. The first attempt to resume cooperation was made when contracts were signed to upgrade and repair Mi-17 and MiG-29 in service with the Peruvian Armed Forces. Yet another deal that is worth mentioning was the Kornet-E ATGM supply contract.

The Defense Ministry of Peru opted for Mi-171SH and Mi-35P helicopters in 2010 because of their superb reliability and vulnerability, capability to operate in adverse climatic conditions, as well as formidable weapons, outstanding reliability and huge modernization potential. The choppers inherited unique survivability from predecessors that had taken part in almost all conflicts in the second half of the 20th century. The legendary aircraft proved effective in Afghanistan: there are hundreds of happy-end stories, when choppers returned to bases with rotor blades, fuel tanks and pipes shot through, and then went back to combat after field repairs.

There are also quite a few reports from Peru, where Mil helos are used widely against terrorists and drug smugglers in the valleys around the Apurimac and Ene rivers. For example a Peruvian mass media outlet reported, a Russian helicopter got ambushed during a routine patrol in September and sustained severe damage, but managed to RTB. As for other dimensions of the military-technical cooperation between Russia and Peru, the first and foremost item on their agenda is the deployment of a service center for maintenance and overhaul of Mi-8, Mi-17 and Mi-26T aircraft in Peru.

Rosoboronexport offered an extensive program of cooperation in the area of modernization and sales of armored, naval, radar, air defense and guided antitank weapons, small arms and ammunition as well as training aids and technologies.

Special importance is attached to peacetime hardware that can be used in solving humanitarian crises and managing the aftermaths of natural disasters, which are frequent in Latin America and Peru in particular. Russian Ural multifunction, utility vehicles have earned a reputation of invaluable in a series of most difficult rescue operations. They are known widely around Latin America: Mexicans, for instance, used them in managing the aftermaths of Hurricane Katrina, while Uruguay paid tribute to them during UN missions in Congo and Haiti, and Guatemala in combat against drug traffickers. The recently unveiled Tigr armored vehicle is yet another example of an effective solution for SAR and special operations. Notably, Uruguay has purchased a batch for its Interior Ministry.

The trade turnover as part of the military-technical cooperation between Russia and Peru amounted to $130 million over the past few years. Meanwhile, the fruitful and effectively developing ties of the nations in defense technologies have prompted other nations in the region to take a closer look on Russian weapons, which enabled Rosoboronexport to introduce a balanced pricing policy that takes into account their economic capabilities.

The Russian official arms trader carries on its aggressive marketing campaign on the Latin American weapon market, which it considers as one of the most promising and important for Russia, especially following the significant rise of Russian weapon supplies to the region over the past few years.

Unlike many other weapon suppliers Rosoboronexport does not offer only ready-made pieces of military hardware to its Latin American partners, but also a wide range of after sale services, repairs, component supplies, upgrades, armor reinforcement and license production in the form of direct or indirect offset agreements, including with technology transfer. For instance, there is a fully-fledged repair center to maintain Russian-made choppers in Mexico, while a training center and a repair facility are being built in Venezuela to provide training and overhaul of Russian aircraft. Moreover, agreements were signed to deploy similar facilities in Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela, Columbia, Peru and some other Latin American nations.

Ukraine to Launch a Rocket from the Brazilian Space Launch Facility

2011-11-06T12:22:00.000-08:00

Ukraine's objective is to complete all the primary work to launch the Ukrainian rocket Cyclone-4 from the facility in the North Western Brazil by 2013, stated President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych in his interview with Brazilian newspaper O Globo during his official visit to Brazil on October 23-26. Brazil is responsible for the construction of the launch base while Ukrainian constructors are currently working on the carrier rockets.

The strategic project Alcantara Cyclone Space has entered the phase of practical implementation, stated President Yanukovych. "I have no doubt that this project will become a reality soon," said the Ukrainian leader.

The location of the launching platform is extremely beneficial because of its close proximity to the equator (2°17′S 44°23′W) mentioned the Ukrainian Ambassador to Brazil Igor Grushko in his interview to the journalists, according to UNIAN. He noted that the Alcantara Cyclone Space project is set to be commercially successful. The cost of rocket launch from this location is 20% less than average, said Ambassador Grushko. He also noted that the Ukraine has already invested over USD 130 million. The total project cost is estimated at USD 488 million.

Alcantara Cyclone Space is a binational project born out of the long-lasting negotiations between Brazil and Ukraine. In 1999 the governments of Ukraine and Brazil signed an agreement on space cooperation, but it was not until 2006 that the company Alcantara Cyclone Space was established and the project progressed further.

Cyclone-4 is a three stage expendable launch system. Its advantages include increased fuel efficiency and safety of the launch process due to automatized prelaunch operations. The preparation stage is reduced to under 12 hours and its cost is decreased as the number of personnel needed for the lift-off is smaller.

Ukraine is one of the three successors of the Soviet Union's space industry. The country is one of the five in the world owning a complete rocket production cycle. Ukrainian space industry companies utilize most of the known space technologies and participate in 50 international space projects. Over the last 10 years Ukraine deployed 120 launchers.

Ukraine occupies one of the world's leading positions among the rocket launcher producers with the Ukrainian SDO Yuzhnoe having produced over 400 Earth satellites.

New British missile three times as fast as current weapons

2011-10-10T10:44:00.000-07:00

The Perseus missile will be the most sophisticated weapon in its class travelling at Mach 3 or 2,000 miles an hour, three times the speed of existing weapons.

In midflight it can deploy a further two baby missiles that can help it straddle a ship with devastating firepower or seek out extra targets or confuse surface-to-air missile batteries.
One engineer on the project unveiled at the Paris Air Show, said: "This is the stealth bomber of missiles and can penetrate enemy defences like nothing else."

The £800,000 Perseus, designed to replace the existing Exocet and Storm Shadow weapons, will be invisible to radars until the very last few seconds before the two ton weapon impacts.

Lionel Mazenq, spokesman for defence company MBDA who are developing the missile to be ready by 2030, said it was designed to attack the most advanced warships and land targets.

He said: "The Perseus will be the most advanced missile system known to man.

"It is so intelligent it can hit two or three spots at the same time at an incredible level of accuracy.

"It is propelled by a Ramjet motor and can overcome the most advanced enemy missile defences.
"The missile has a radar seeker and laser radar - capable of mapping the ground at such resolution it can recognise one building from another - and will automatically divert if it is heading towards a residential zone where lives could be lost.

"It is also terrain-hugging. It can skim along the sea at just a couple of metres above the waves.”

Perseus, named after the Greek mythological figure, can be launched from warships or fast jets and will be pitched to several armed forces including Britain’s military.

It is being developed by the part-British owned MBDA defence company which supplies two-thirds of missiles dropped by the RAF in Libya and Afghanistan including the dual mode Brimstone anti-tank device

Indian Navy P8I Poseidon completed its initial flight test

2011-10-10T10:16:00.000-07:00

The first P-8I aircraft for the Indian Navy completed its initial flight on September 28, taking off from Renton Field at 12:02 p.m. Pacific time and landing two hours and 31 minutes later at Boeing Field in Seattle.

During the flight, Boeing test pilots performed airborne systems checks including engine accelerations and decelerations and autopilot flight modes, and took the P-8I to a maximum altitude of 41,000 feet prior to landing. In the coming weeks Boeing will begin mission systems installation and checkout work on the aircraft at a company facility near Boeing Field.

"The P-8I program is progressing well and we are looking forward to this potent platform joining the Indian Navy as part of its fleet," said Rear Adm. DM Sudan, assistant chief of Naval Staff (Air), Indian Navy.

"The P-8I will provide India with the necessary speed and reliability to satisfy the Indian Navy's maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare requirements," said Dinesh Keskar, Boeing India president.

Elbit Systems to Supply Israel with Cardom Systems

2011-09-27T12:18:00.000-07:00

Elbit Systems has announced that it was awarded a contract by the Israeli Ministry of Defense (IMOD) in the amount of approximately $40 million to supply Cardom systems to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).

Manufactured by Elbit Systems' subsidiary Soltam Systems Ltd., Cardom systems were initially supplied to the IDF in 2007 and are considered among the most advanced of their kind in the world. The systems are to be supplied over a period of four years.

The Cardom systems integrate a 120mm mortar with innovative fire control, navigation, automatic aiming and propulsion systems.

The Cardom mortars are operational by various IDF infantry units, as well as various armies around the world, including the U.S. Army.

German Navy Receives New Anti-Ship Missile

2011-09-27T12:07:00.001-07:00

The official roll-out of the RBS15 Mk3 heavy anti-ship missile for the German Navy took place at a ceremony of the Federal Office of Defence Technology and Procurement. High-ranking representatives of the Federal Ministry of Defence, the Federal Office of Technology and Procurement, the German Navy as well as the industrial partners Diehl Defence and Saab Dynamics participated in the event at the naval base Kiel on September 22, 2011.

Diehl delivers the RBS15 Mk3 anti-ship missile as the main weapon system of the German Navy´s new K130 corvette. A special feature of this German-Swedish Missile is its additional capability enabling precise engagement of land targets. The launch customers include the German Navy as well as Poland which is equipping its ORKAN class speedboats with RBS15 Mk3 missiles. The delivery of the first missiles began in March 2011.

The long-range, all-weather capable “Fire-and-Forget” missile tracks its target directly above the water surface over distances of more than 200 km. By means of programmed way points, the missile´s trajectory and flight altitude can be altered several times. RBS15 Mk3 is extremely resistant to countermeasures, providing high penetration capability against air defences with guided and tube weapons. The RBS15 Mk3 version is an upgrade of Saab’s RBS15 Mk2 proven in the Swedish Navy and additional naval forces.

Diehl and Saab have been cooperating in production and marketing of the RBS15 Mk3 program since 2000.