UK will send Apache helicopters armed with Hellfire missiles to Ukraine, UK media

Britain will send attack helicopters armed with deadly Hellfire missiles to Ukraine in a move hailed as a “game-changer”.

The Apache choppers will bolster the country’s desperate fight against Russian invaders, now entering its 11th month.

The new package of support, to include tanks, was confirmed yesterday by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

A senior defence source told the Sunday People that up to four Apaches will be sent – and they will follow 10 Challenger 2 main battle tanks.

UK will send the AH64 E – the most modern version of the Apache.

mirror 

The Netherlands is preparing deployment of Eight F-35 to Poland

The Royal Netherlands Air Force is preparing a deployment of their F-35 fighter jets in support of NATO’s enhanced Air Policing mission in the northeast.  Eight F-35s are going to deploy to Malbork, Poland, to join NATO’s mission bolstering the defensive posture along the eastern flank in February and March 2023. While four of the fifth-generation fighters will be employed in support of policing the skies in the region, the other four aircraft will conduct training and exercise drills with Allies, ready to augment the defensive mission when required. 

In May 2022, the Netherlands completed a two-month F-35 deployment to Bulgaria in May. 

While deployed to Marlbork, the Netherlands form part of the current rotation of three other Allies who operate fighters out of the Baltic region: Poland and France fly F-16 and Rafale fighters out of Siauliai, Lithuania, and Germany launches their Eurofighters out of Ämari, Estonia.

nato

Ukraine Russia War Day 324

United Kingdom confirms plans to give Challenger 2 Tanks to Ukraine

During a recent call, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and President Volodymyr Zelensky discussed the United Kingdom’s commitment to providing increased support to Ukraine.

This includes the provision of advanced military equipment, such as the Challenger 2 main battle tank and additional artillery systems.
The Prime Minister also acknowledged the recent successes of the Ukrainian military in pushing back Russian troops and highlighted the importance of accelerating global military and diplomatic support at this crucial juncture.
The conversation was confirmed by Downing Street.

ukdefencejournal 

Ukraine Russia War List of key events, day 324

• Russia said its forces were edging closer to capturing Soledar,.

• A Russian-installed official in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region said “pockets of resistance” remain in Soledar.

• Russia appointed Valery Gerasimov as its overall commander of forces for the war in Ukraine. Gerasimov played key roles in Russia’s seizure of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014.

• Russia could raise the upper age limit for citizens to be conscripted into the armed forces as part of Moscow’s plans to boost the number of Russian troops by 30 percent.

• More than a dozen senior European Union officials will visit Kyiv on February 2 to meet members of the Ukrainian government.

• A delegation headed by the commander of Russia’s ground forces, Oleg Salyukov, visited Belarus to inspect the combat readiness of a joint force stationed there.

• Ukraine expressed its disappointment in signals that the new Israeli government may establish closer ties with Russia.

• A spokesperson for Russia’s foreign ministry questioned whether Sweden has “something to hide” over blasts along the Nord Stream gas pipelines last September.

• Russian Human Rights Commissioner Tatiana Moskalkova said Moscow and Kyiv were interested in future contacts between their rights commissioners.

aljazeera

Ukraine Russia War Day 323

Battle rages in Ukraine town; Russian military sees shakeup

The fate of a devastated salt-mining town in eastern Ukraine hung in the balance Wednesday in one of the bloodiest ground battles of Russia’s invasion, while Ukraine’s unflagging resistance and other challenges prompted Moscow to shake up its military leadership again.

Russian forces using jets, mortars and rockets bombarded Soledar in what a Ukrainian military officer said was an unrelenting assault.

Donetsk and neighboring Luhansk province, which together make up the Donbas region bordering Russia, were Moscow’s main stated territorial targets in invading Ukraine, but the fighting has stood mostly at a stalemate.

In an apparent recognition of battlefield setbacks, Russia’s Defense Ministry announced the demotion of the head of Russian forces in Ukraine after only three months on the job. The chief of the military’s General Staff, Gen. Valery Gerasimov, was named to replace Gen. Sergei Surovikin, who was demoted to deputy, along with two other generals.

militarytimes 

Putin changes Ukraine action leader, calls for quicker aircraft deals

Russia’s top military officer was put in charge of troops fighting in Ukraine on Wednesday, a move that appears to reflect the Kremlin’s dissatisfaction with the current leadership.

Russia’s Defence Ministry said that Gen. Valery Gerasimov, the chief of the General Staff of the Russian armed forces, was named the new commander of the unified group of forces in Ukraine.

The previous commander, Gen. Sergei Surovikin, was demoted to become Gerasimov’s deputy along with two other generals.

The reshuffle, which was formally ordered by Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, clearly came on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s approval, signaling that he still has trust in his top military leaders who have faced broad criticism for the troops’ performance in the conflict.

It also suggests a recognition of flaws in carrying out what Putin called “the special military operation” in Ukraine.

While announcing Gerasimov’s appointment, the Defence Ministry said it was aimed at improving coordination between various forces fighting in Ukraine.

Surovikin was credited with strengthening coordination and reinforcing control over Russian forces in Ukraine after his appointment in October. His demotion to the No. 2 role signaled that while Putin wasn’t quite happy with his performance, he still trusts the general’s expertise.

Soon after Surovikin was appointed in October, Russian troops pulled back from the southern city of Kherson under the brunt of a Ukrainian counteroffensive. The retreat from the only regional center captured by Russia since it sent troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24 came weeks after its annexation by Moscow and dealt a painful blow to the Kremlin.

In his turn, Gerasimov, who was seen as the top architect of the Russian action in Ukraine as the country’s top military officer in charge of strategic military planning, was also widely blamed for Moscow’s military setbacks.

His critics included Yevgeny Prigozhin, a millionaire businessman with close ties to Putin. Prigozhin, whose Wagner Group military contractor has played an increasingly prominent role in the fighting, has accused Gerasimov of incompetence and blamed him for a string of Russian military setbacks.

Putin on Wednesday also gave a televised dressing down to Denis Manturov, a deputy prime minister in charge of aviation and other high-tech industries.

Putin demanded that Manturov act more quickly in contracting new aircraft and cut him short during a televised video call with Cabinet members when he tried to defend his performance.

When Manturov said he would try to make sure it’s done during the first quarter, Putin angrily snapped that it should be done within a month. “You don’t try to do all you can, you do it within a month, no later than that,” Putin said.

defensenews

Additional C-295 Transport Aircraft for Ireland

The original contract was for two replacement Casa C-235 maritime patrol planes for the Air Corps, which are set to arrive soon and will be used for patrolling the Irish Exclusive Economic Zone and monitoring fishing and other ship movements. The Irish Air Corps had also been evaluating the purchase of additional C-295 planes for general transport duties as of June 2022.

the decision to fast-track the tendering process with an amendment followed discussions about the need to make progress on one of the key recommendations from the Commission on the Defence Forces.

A source stated that the decision to go with the C295 cargo variant means that Air Corps pilots will not need extensive training to “convert” their qualifications for flying the aircraft.

The final decision was reportedly made under the new Irish Minister for Defence, and the government is said to have been eager to finalise the procurement before the end of 2022, with an amendment made to an existing tender with Airbus. The issue of Ireland’s lack of large military transport planes was brought to light following the mission to rescue Irish citizens in Kabul in 2021.

ukdefencejournal 

Ukraine Russia War Day 322

Ukrainian troops heading to Oklahoma for Patriot missile training

A hundred Ukrainian soldiers are set to begin training on the Patriot missile system at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, next week, Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder confirmed Tuesday during a press briefing.

The Army selected Fort Sill over training ranges in Europe because the Patriot’s school house, which is normally a two-year training pipeline, is located at the Oklahoma post.

militarytimes 

Poland in talks with allies over Leopard 2 transfers to Ukraine

Polish Prime Ministerhas announced his country is considering to supply an undisclosed number of Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine to support its neighbor’s combat against the Russian invasion. However, the transfer must be part of a larger effort by a group of allies, he said.
“Together with [Polish] president [Andrzej Duda], we are holding talks which would lead towards building a broader coalition of states that could supply such heavy, modern gear” to Ukraine, Morawiecki said on Jan. 7, as reported by local daily Rzeczpospolita. “The talks are ongoing. I spoke about this with [German] chancellor [Olaf] Scholz a few weeks ago in Brussels, and I believe that, in the coming few days, we could know more about this topic.

defensenews

Ukraine denies Russian claim it killed hundreds of soldiers

Key events Ukraine Russia War, day 322

• Russia has claimed its military carried out a deadly “retaliatory strike” on barracks used by Ukrainian soldiers in the Donbas region as Ukraine denied there were any casualties in the attack.
• The Russian defence ministry said missiles hit two temporary bases housing 1,300 Ukrainian troops in Kramatorsk, in the eastern Donetsk region. It said “more than 600 Ukrainian servicemen were killed” as a result of what they called a “retaliatory strike” on Ukrainian soldiers.
• The head of Russia’s mercenary group, Wagner says his fighters have taken control of the town of Soledar in eastern Ukraine.
• The British defence ministry has said Russian troops and Wagner fighters are probably in control of most of Soledar after four days of advances.
• Earlier, some prominent Russian military bloggers urged caution about the situation in Soledar and said intense combat in the town’s centre and its outskirts continued during the night.

Weapons:

• Poland’s President Andrzej Duda has met with some of his ministers, including the prime minister, to discuss security issues amid the war in neighbouring Ukraine, including Kyiv’s request for Western-made heavy battle tanks.
• President Vladimir Putin’s defence minister has pledged to build a deeper arsenal, bolster aviation technology to better evade air defences and improve drone production after a series of battlefield humiliations in Ukraine.
• Ukraine’s foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba says Berlin needs to supply his military with Leopard tanks, during a visit from his German counterpart, Annalena Baerbock, to the war-battered eastern city of Kharkiv.
• The United States will train Ukrainian personnel at a base in the state of Oklahoma on how to use and maintain the advanced Patriot air defence system Washington is giving Kyiv, the Pentagon has confirmed.

Diplomacy:

• German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock visited the northeastern city of Kharkiv and pledged further support for Kyiv, but Ukraine’s top diplomat Dmytro Kuleba said Berlin’s refusal to send his country battle tanks was costing lives.
• Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said his government would purchase a US air defence system to donate to Ukraine.
• President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has invited Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar to visit Ukraine “at a future opportunity”.
• The Ukrainian president has said he had revoked the citizenship of Viktor Medvedchuk, once seen as Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s top ally in Kyiv and accused of high treason. Three other people were also stripped of their citizenship.

aljazeera

Russian Missiles Used Against Ukraine ‘Absolutely Filled’ With US Tech

For months now, Ukraine has faced a barrage of Russian missile and drone attacks, straining its Soviet-era air defenses. But as the U.S. and its allies work to provide Ukraine with upgraded technology to defend against those strikes, an open-source intelligence analysis has found the Russian missiles have plenty of U.S. technology of their own.

In a Jan. 10 briefing, analysts from the Royal Institute of Strategic Studies, detailed how many of Russia’s missiles have American and other Western components, despite export controls in place.

“All of these pieces of equipment were absolutely filled with Western components,” James Byrne, the Director of the Open Source Intelligence and Analysis Research Group at RUSI, said. “For us, it’s very interesting, very surprising. Nearly everything that we found in those systems was manufactured, designed by American companies.”

airandspaceforces

French Armeé de L' Air receives first new Rafale after four years

France has received its first new Rafale fighter jet in four years, Dassault Aviation has announced.

The company delivered the F3-R standard aircraft to the Direction Générale de l’Armement (DGA) on Dec. 29,  The aircraft is included in the “Tranche 4″ order of 60 aircraft awarded in 2009, but which was then paused due to budgetary reasons.

For the past several years, Dassault has dedicated its Rafale production line to exports, as nations as Greece, Indonesia, and the United Arab Emirates have placed orders for the fighter jet.

France’s 2023 defense budget, included plans to order 42 new Rafale aircraft, including 30 aircraft that will be delivered under “Tranche 5″ order, as well as 12 additional aircraft to replace existing Rafales that France withdrew from its air force to sell to Croatia, in a 2021 deal.

Croatia is expected to receive the first six fighter jets in 2024, with the remaining six aircraft arriving in 2025, that will replace the Croatian Air Force’s Soviet-designed MiG-21s.

defensenews 

Ukraine Russia War Day 321

UK considering supplying Ukraine with Challenger 2 tanks to fight Russian forces

The UK is considering supplying Ukraine with British tanks for the first time to fight Russia's invading forces.

Discussions have been taking place "for a few weeks" about delivering a number of the British Army's Challenger 2 main battle tank to the Ukrainian armed forces, a Western source with knowledge of the conversations said.

sky

USA weighs sending Stryker combat vehicles to Ukraine

The U.S. is considering sending Stryker armored combat vehicles to Ukraine in an upcoming aid package to help Kyiv fend off an expected Russian spring offensive, according to two people familiar with the discussion.

The news follows the Biden administration’s announcement last week that it will send 50 Bradley Fighting Vehicles, a powerful tracked armored vehicle that carries an autocannon, a machine gun and TOW missiles.

politico

Pentagon awards $40M ‘Vampire’ contract for Ukraine’s drone defenses

The Pentagon has awarded L3Harris Technologies a $40 million order to send Ukraine “Vampire” counter-drone systems by mid-year, the company announced Monday.

L3Harris said it will install 14 kits onto vehicles the U.S. government provides Ukraine. Vampire, which stands for Vehicle Agnostic Modular Palletized ISR Rocket Equipment, consists of a laser-guided-missile launcher that can quickly be installed in a civilian truck bed.

defensenews

 

Russian Air Force starts trials of upgraded Tu-160M Bomber

Russia’s new prototype Tu-160M bomber has completed its second test flight and will now undergo trials with the Defence Ministry. The aircraft was delivered to Russian Ministry of Defence on Dec. 30 for a second stage of tests that are expected to last up to three years.

The Tu-160M is expected to enter service between 2024-2025.

During the testing process, the bomber will fly in various directions over Russia and international waters, with some events simulating an approach to North America.

Modernized systems and equipment make up 80% of the Tu-160M. The aircraft is using the new NK-32-02 engine.

defensenews 

New Engines for B-52s will keep them flying until the 2050s

The U.S. Air Force’s rollout of its new B-21 Raider stealth bomber was one piece of the puzzle in creating a future two-bomber fleet, B-21s + B-52s.

Rolls-Royce and Boeing are working on a major upgrade to the service’s fleet of 76 Cold War-era B-52s that will give them a new slate of F130 engines and keep them flying into the 2050s, alongside at least 100 B-21s.

At some point in the 2030s, when the combined Raider-Stratofortress bomber fleet is ready, the Air Force will finish retiring the remaining B-1 Lancer and B-2 Spirits.

The B-52 will obtain its new engines under the $2.6 billion Commercial Engine Replacement Program.

The Commercial Engine Replacement Program recently finished its preliminary design review.

The B-52 fleet will fly until they’re nearly a century old .Their current TF33 engines dates from the early 1960s, and is expected to reach the end of their life spans by the close of the 2020s.

defensenews 

India near to sign deal for 26 French Rafale M for Indian Navy

Following the Indian Air Force (IAF), the Indian Navy will receive Rafale fighter aircraft from France. The Rafale was previously chosen by the Indian Air Force (IAF) for its new squadron, and now the Indian Navy is set to acquire the Rafale M to deploy on INS Vikrant.

The Indian Navy rejected the American F/A-18 Super Hornet in favour of the Rafale deal. The Navy tested both fighter jets earlier this year at the Indian Naval Station Hansa in Goa.

The Indian Navy intends to retire 43 obsolete Russian fighter jets, the MiG-29K and MiG-29KUB, from its fleet operating out form INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya carriers.

INS Vikramaditya is a Kyiv-class aircraft carrier of the Soviet Union which has been modernized in India. Both these warships are STOBAR aircraft carriers.

businessworld

New missile capabilities for F-15EX added

The F-15EX took another step toward being able to carry more missiles than any other U.S. Air Force fighter.
Eglin Air Force Base said Wednesday that two of the newest versions of the Boeing-made, fourth-generation fighter fired air-to-air missiles from two new weapon stations in a Nov. 29 test flight over the Gulf of Mexico.
The tests demonstrated that the F-15EX can carry its planned capacity of 12 air-to-air missiles.
This would make the F-15EX able to carry more missiles than any other F-15.
F-16 Fighting Falcons can also carry up to six air-to-air missiles, according to an Air Force fact sheet.
Another fact sheet said the F-22, when configured for air-to-air combat, can carry eight missiles total: six AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles and two AIM-9 Sidewinders.
The F-35A can now carry four missiles in its internal weapons bays, plus another two externally, for a total of six missiles. F-35 manufacturer Lockheed Martin said that total will increase to eight starting with lot 15 fighters.

defensenews 

CASA C-101 Aviojet retired from Chilean Air Force service

The Chilean Air Force (FACh) held on Tuesday at Los Cóndores Air Force Base in Iquique, the ceremony that marked the deactivation of the A-36 Toqui training jets (local designation for the CASA C-101 Aviojet), after 39 years acting in the training of Chilean combat pilots. In all, FACh operated 35 advanced trainer aircraft.

According to the FACh, the A-36s totaled more than 40,000 flight hours in the country and trained more than 260 F-5 and F-16 fighter pilots.

An A-36 will be transferred to the Museo Nacional Aeronáutico y del Espacio, in the capital Santiago, and another example will become a monument at the base of Grupo de Aviación Nº1, in Iquique.

Over nearly four decades, FACh operated 35 aircraft, including units that were assembled in the country by the local manufacturer ENAER in partnership with CASA (current member of the Airbus group), from Spain.

With the retirement of the A-36, the role in Chile will be performed by the Embraer A-29B Super Tucano turboprops, a plane that has been in service in the country since 2009.

Designed by CASA in the 1970s, the C-101 Aviojet was for many years the main advanced trainer aircraft of the Spanish Air Force, which operated more than 80 single-engine jets between 1980 and 2020 – currently, only half of them would be active.

Other customers for the aircraft, of which 166 units were built, were the armed forces of Honduras and Jordan, as well as the FACh.

In 2020, Airbus presented the first details of the AFJT (Airbus Future Jet Trainer) program, which is conducted by the CASA division in order to precisely design a replacement for the Aviojet.

airdatanews