Defense News

Iran's foreign minister said on Sunday that if the United States was serious about rejoining Tehran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, President Joe Biden could just issue an "executive order", the state-owned Iran newspaper reported.

The U.S. Air Force said Sunday it flew a B-1B strategic bomber over key maritime chokepoints in the Mideast with allies including Israel amid ongoing tensions with Iran as its nuclear deal with world powers remains in tatters.

Three rockets on Sunday hit a Baghdad neighborhood near the high-security Green Zone where the US embassy is located without causing any casualties, an Iraqi security official said.

President Joe Biden and a trio of European allies strategised Saturday over ways to achieve a diplomatic solution as Iran continues to make troubling advances with its nuclear programme.

The United States has targeted Iranian projects aiming to develop armed drones by slapping sanctions against several companies and their executives linked to them.

As Iran's nuclear program makes troubling advances, President Joe Biden is set to huddle Saturday with European allies to talk through strategy as they press for a diplomatic resolution — and to plan for the possibility Iran declines to return to the negotiating table.

The Moroccan government has announced the ratification of the country’s draft finance law for 2022, marking an increase in defense and military spending of 4.77 percent over last year.

The Chinese military is still in the dark over what damaged the US nuclear submarine when it was on the prowl in the disputed South China Sea early this month, while satellite photos of the moored vessel showed that the sub may have had a head-on collision, rendering it "deaf and blind", according to a media report on Saturday.

KHARTOUM,  - Opponents of a military coup in Sudan have called for nationwide protests on Saturday to demand the restoration of a civilian-led government to put the country back on a path to democracy after decades of authoritarian rule.

WASHINGTON - The Pentagon successfully tested a booster rocket motor on Thursday designed to power a launch vehicle carrying a hypersonic weapon aloft, the Navy said.

The Joint Working Group (JWG) of India and Israel has agreed to form a task force to formulate a comprehensive 10-year roadmap to identify new areas of defence cooperation, the defence ministry said on Friday. The 15th meeting of the JWG took place in Tel Aviv, Israel on Wednesday. It was co-chaired by Indian Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar and Director General of Israel's Defence Ministry Amir Eshel , according to a statement issued by the ministry.

Three Republican U.S. senators said on Friday they filed legislation to exempt India from sanctions for purchasing a Russian S400 missile defense system, citing the importance of working with allies to stand up against China.

General Electric will be the sole provider of engines for the F-15EX Eagle II under a new, $1.58 billion contract with the Air Force.

ROME — Working to patch things up with an old ally, President Joe Biden told French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday that the U.S. had been “clumsy” in its handling of a secret U.S.-British submarine deal with Australia, an arrangement that left France in the lurch and rattled Europe’s faith in American loyalty. Biden and Macron greeted each other with handshakes and shoulder grabs before their first face-to-face meeting since the deal was publicly announced in September, marking the latest American effort to try to smooth hurt French sensibilities. Biden didn’t formally apologize to Macron but conceded the U.S. should not have caught its oldest ally by surprise.

The Indian armed forces are incapable of operating effectively without Russian -supplied weapons and equipment, according to The Economic Times, citing a report from American policy research institute Congressional Research Service (CSR). The report revealed that many defense analysts from India and other nations think that the country’s continuing acquisition of Russian armaments remains “one of the few levers of influence” that India still possesses. Furthermore, the influence of Russia on the armed forces of India allegedly comes through the willingness of Moscow to export high-powered weapon systems and technologies that no other nation would provide to India. The report also noted that some Indian planners have seemingly concluded that the air defense systems being offered by the US as a replacement for Russian-made S-400s have fewer capabilities than the Russian defense system.

WASHINGTON ― A former Australian prime minister said Friday he thinks China could “soon” invade Taiwan or otherwise escalate the situation and that the West should now be planning its military and economic response. “ I think we need to be prepared to think the unthinkable ,” former Prime Minister Tony Abbott said at a Wilson Center event here.

India’s state-run defense firm Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and Indian Air Force (IAF) jointly tested an indigenously developed Long-Range Bomb (LRB) from an aerial platform on October 29, 2021.

MELBOURNE, Australia – Two new variants of China’s stealth fighters have broken cover in the past three days, including China’s next carrier-based fighter, hinted at during a recent air show.

The top U.S. representative in Taiwan, Sandra Oudkirk, said on Friday that the United States is committed to helping Taiwan defend itself amid heightened tensions between Taipei and Beijing.

A new parachute system, Cadet-75 , developed by Rostec-subsidiary Tekhnodinamika Holding will allow the landing of military personnel from the height of at least 150m when the aircraft is flying at a speed of 180kmph. Cadet-75 successfully passed flight design tests at the airfields of the Ivanovo and Belgorod regions, Rostec said in a statement. It is a training parachute system with a round canopy, which provides step-by-step training in the skills of separation from the aircraft and the skills of free fall with the transition to the manual opening of the parachute. It is suitable for landing at an aircraft speed of 80-280kmph from altitudes up to 4000m with a total flight weight of up to 120kg. The parachute has increased stability of the canopy, while it allows you to complete a full turn in no more than 12 seconds. The average value of the vertical rate of descent in a section of 30–35m from the ground is no more than 5m/s. The Cadet-75 parachute system has confirmed the minimu...

The U.S. Navy awarded BAE Systems $26 million to equip its Constellation class frigates with the fully-automatic 57mm Mk 110 naval gun. The contract, awarded earlier this month, includes engineering support and calls for two Mk 110s for the USS Constellation (FFG 62) and USS Congress (FFG 63). The new Constellation class of multi-mission guided-missile frigates is designed to operate in blue water and in the littorals, for an increased forward naval presence.

The U.S. Navy awarded Raytheon $20.6 million for Next Generation Jammer program that aims to develop airborne electronic warfare (EW) system, as a replacement for the AN/ALQ-99 found on the EA-18G military aircraft.

The U.S. Air Force awarded Northrop Grumman $298M to support RQ-4B and MQ-4C drones. The contract provides for repair services for “common items” for both the RQ-4B and MQ-4C Triton. It will support reparable National Stock Numbers (NSNs) which encompass the Air Vehicle, multiple sensor packages, Mission Control Element, and Launch and Recovery Element, a U.S. DoD released today said.

The Control and Reporting Center (CRC) team at the 84th Radar Evaluation Squadron, Hill Air Force Base, recently evaluated the U.S. Air Force's primary ground deployable radar, the TPS-75, at the Oregon Air National Guard's 116th Air Control Squadron, Camp Rilea, Oregon, Sept. 7-24.

South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) has launched a new project to develop Close In Weapon System-II (CIWS-II) to protect warships from hostile aircraft and missiles.

The U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) recently completed exercise New Horizon, the first-at-sea evolution for its new unmanned task force.

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and SixAI will commercialize IAI's military technologies and their adaptation to current civilian market needs.

NEW DELHI — India on Wednesday conducted the first user trial of its fully indigenous nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile , covering a range of about 5,000 kilometers and representing a second-strike capability against China.

Tensions in the South China Sea (SCS) region are worsening following China’s continued military aggression but this has led to a pushback from the USA and other global powers. India , Australia, and besides key European powers are also concerned over the impact of China’s aggressive policies on the use of the South China Sea as a major global gateway for trade.

French Direction générale de l’armement (DGA) has qualified Thales -made Sea Fire digital radar for use on the Navy’s future FDI frigates.

MELBOURNE, Australia — China is likely using an unused civilian airport just across the Strait of Taiwan to conduct its overflights near the island, with satellite imagery on different occasions showing military aircraft parked on the ground that corresponds with Taiwanese military reports.

Thales and Rheinmetall will continue to look after the helicopter simulators used for training crews of the Tiger attack helicopter. In summer 2021, a contract to this effect was awarded through OCCAR, the European procurement organization . This integrated service support contract, which for Rheinmetall represents sales in the low double-digit million-euro range, runs from 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2025.

India commissioned the indigenously built Coast Guard Ship ‘ Sarthak ’ in Goa on Thursday. It was commissioned by the Director General of Indian Coast Guard K Natarajan . ICGS Sarthak will be based at Porbandar in Gujarat and operate on India’s Western Seaboard under the Operational and Administrative Control of the Commander, Coast Guard Region (Northwest). ICGS Sarthak is commanded by Deputy Inspector General MM Syed and has a complement of 11 Officers and 110 men. ICGS Sarthak is 4th in the series of five OPVs being built by Goa Shipyard Limited for the ICG. These OPVs are multi-mission platforms capable of undertaking concurrent operations. The 105-meter-long ship displacing 2,450 tons is propelled by two 9,100 kilowatt diesel engines designed to attain a maximum speed of 26 knots. The ship is fitted with equipment, machinery, sensors and weapons which enables it to function as a command platform and undertake mandated Coast Guard charter of duties including search & rescue, c...

Canadian firm Telemus Systems Inc . has gone bankrupt after it had to stop supplying military equipment components to Turkey following the Ottawa’s embargo on defense exports to Turkey.

American aerospace firm General Dynamics will be collaborating with Epirus to integrate the Leonidas high-power microwave weapon onto Stryker combat vehicles for enhanced anti-drone swarm capabilities.

The Kremlin warned Wednesday that the use of Turkish-made drones could further aggravate the conflict in Ukraine  after Kiev released footage of its military employing the weapons against pro-Russian separatists for the first time.

In his address to the high-level meeting, Shahid had told world leaders that he felt it was important – even in his Presidency of Hope – to open the meeting with blunt realities.

India tested the DRDO-developed Agni-5 nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on Wednesday. “ A successful launch of the Surface-to-Surface Ballistic Missile, Agni-5, was carried out on October 27, 2021 at approximately 1950 hrs from APJ Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha, ” the Indian Ministry of Defence said in a statement. The missile, which uses a three-stage solid-fuelled engine, is capable of striking targets at ranges up to 5,000 km. It is transported by a truck and launched via a canister.

All the activities which were carried out by the Indian Air Force and the Army (on October 27, 1947) resulted in ensuring the freedom of this part of Kashmir. I am sure that someday, the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir will also join this part of Kashmir and we will have the whole of Kashmir in years to come

President Tsai Ing-wen has confirmed a small number of US troops are present in Taiwan to help with training, adding she had "faith" that the American military would defend the island in the event of a Chinese attack. In an interview with CNN, Tsai described Taiwan as a regional "beacon" of democracy that is facing down a giant authoritarian neighbour as she warned that the threat from Beijing is growing "every day".

Soldiers with Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 34th Armored Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, prepare their M1A2 Abrams tanks for a live-fire exercise at Drawsko Pomorskie Training Area, Poland. (Spc. Max Elliott/U.S. Army)

Washington, Oct 27, 2021 -The Pentagon's top general said Wednesday that China's recent test of an earth-circling hypersonic missile was akin to the Soviet Union's stunning launch of the world's first satellite, Sputnik, in 1957, which sparked the superpowers' space race. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, confirmed for the first time the Chinese test of a nuclear-capable missile that would be very difficult to defend against. " What we saw was a very significant event of a test of a hypersonic weapon system. And it is very concerning, " Milley told Bloomberg TV.

A fighter pilot of the Japan Self Defense Force talks to then-Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga (R) in November 2020. Japanese pilots are set to begin training in Italy under an agreement announced in October 2021. (Photo by David Mareuil/AFP via Getty Images)

The company completed the first AH-1Z for the Kingdom of Bahrain on September 30. Bell delivered the aircraft to Naval Air Systems Command as part of the 2019 foreign military sales (FMS) contract. Foreign military sales of the AH-1Z bring the advanced, dedicated capabilities of the aircraft directly to international operators and help increase interoperability and amplify the effectiveness of allied forces.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan delivers a speech following a cabinet meeting, in Ankara, on June 9, 2020. Photo: Adem Altan/AFP/Getty Images

Chinese military gets a new type of all-terrain vehicle for logistics support shortly before winter in 2021. Via WeChat.

The Russian military has taken delivery of new 1B198 automatic artillery fire control systems, state-owned Rostec company announced Tuesday. Rostec-subsidiary High Precision Holding said the systems were developed and manufactured by VNII Signal. The system allows performing fire missions, performing anti-fire maneuvers and, in the shortest possible time, identifying and hitting a target sequentially from two or more firing positions with an accuracy of up to 10m.

F-35s assigned to the 354th Fighter Wing, Eielson AFB, Alaska, taxi in preparation for takeoff at Tyndall AFB on October 15, 2021

 Pentagon chief stresses security cooperation WASHINGTON ― On a single day last week, 40 Russian warships staged a mock landing in Crimea, 20 Russian fighters and bombers repelled a notional enemy from landing on the Crimean coast ― and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin began the first leg of his trip to Black Sea nations.

US Special Representative for North Korea, Sung Kim (R) and South Korea's Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs Noh Kyu-duk arrive to attend a briefing after their meeting at a hotel in Seoul on October 24

A state-of-art military communications satellite Launched by France France has successfully launched a state-of-the-art satellite into orbit, designed to allow all of France's armed forces across the globe to communicate swiftly and securely. Paris created a space force command in July 2019, amongst concerns that rival countries were heavily investing in space technology, seen as a new military frontier. The satellite "is designed to resist military aggression from the ground and in space, as well as interference," French air and space force spokesman Colonel Stephane Spet told AFP.

The visit preceded a 20-day training of some Myanmar police officers, scheduled in Karachi from September 10. While the unexpected scheduling of the visit did raise a few eyebrows in the region, there is a rising concern that the defense relations between the two countries have been initiated not on their own accord, but at the behest of China. It is believed that in the backdrop of Pakistan-China alliance, Islamabad is expecting deeper cooperation with Beijing in terms of sub-warfare equipment development, letting Pakistan do maintenance and overhaul for Chinese origin equipment, and more importantly,  let Pakistani’s Defense industries become an avenue for Chinese defense sales. The defence ties between Pakistan and China has broader implications in context of the aforementioned Myanmar visit. The relations between Pakistan and Myanmar have been lukewarm for around half a decade over the issue of violence against Rohingyas in Myanmar, more so due to allegations that Pakistan is a...