Pentagon: We Can’t Afford to Replace Aging ICBMs, Bombers, Subs

The Defense Department cannot afford to replace its aging nuclear-missile submarines, ICBMs, and long-range strategic bombers unless it gets a funding boost or radical policy changes are made, according to a top Pentagon official.
Even if Congress approves the White House’s 2016 budget for the Pentagon, the Pentagon will find itself $10 billion to $12 short beginning in 2021.
“We don’t have a solution to that problem right now,” Kendall said, asked by a reporter about the plan for funding a replacement for the Navy’s Ohio-class submarines. All more than 30 years old, these “boomers” slip silently around the world’s oceans, waiting for the command to launch their nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles.
The entire U.S. nuclear inventory needs to be upgraded by the 2030s. That includes the submarines, land-based Minuteman intercontinental ballistic missiles and new stealth bomber. Together, the three make up the “nuclear triad,” the cornerstone of America’s deterrent force. The Pentagon also says it needs a new nuclear cruise missile.
defenseone

India's Plans Unclear After Rafale Decision

Following India's sudden decision to buy 36 Rafales from France straight off the production line last week, the next steps in New Delhi's plan to eventually outfit its Air Force with 126 of the Dassault jets remain unclear.
36 jets will be purchased through a government-to-government deal. Since India made Dassault the preferred bidder for the $12 billion program in 2012, the plan had been to purchase 18 jets and build the remaining 108 in India through a license.
Indian Defence Ministry sources said the deal was struck by the Prime Minister's Office and therefore no details are available. MoD spokesman Sitanshu Kar refused to comment on how the rest of the deal will play out.
MoD sources say they learned of the direct purchase of the 36 Rafales when Modi made the announcement at the April 10 press conference.
French Defense will probably go to India in the next few weeks to negotiate the deal.
The French authorities and Dassault are staying silent on the details of the deal, which caught all by surprise.
Pending a formal announcement of the cancellation of the ongoing request for proposals , speculation abounds on what will happen to this big-ticket purchase program, dubbed the "mother of all deals."
Analysts say India will order more Rafales over the proposed 36.
With the future of the project unclear and the increased direct purchases of the Rafale, possibilities have emerged on how the Indian Air Force will buy the remaining 90 fighters. There is no clarity on what happens next.
Analysts say the Russians could receive increased orders for SU-30MKI aircraft.
defensenews

Problems plaguing F-35's maintenance system could lead to more delays in development

The F-35's highly touted, next-generation software system designed to detail maintenance issues on the jet is plagued with problems that could lead to more delays with the jet's development.
The F-35's Autonomic Logistics Information System is a program that a maintainer plugs into the jet, and it is expected to outline what is wrong and what is working, and to streamline the process of identifying replacement parts. It has been a touted as a game-changing technology to simplify the maintenance process for the new jet.
But maintainers said 80 percent of issues identified by ALIS are "false positives."
The problems affect Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy variants of the jet.
The system is not meeting requirements for service members operating the jets.
airforcetimes

USAF General: A-10 retirement will open gap in fighting North Korea tanks

The commander of U.S. forces in South Korea said Wednesday that the retirement of the A-10 aircraft will leave a gap in the ability to take out enemy tanks from the air.
The Air Force is pushing a controversial plan to retire the 1970’s-era close air support stalwart, which can shoot tank-busting depleted uranium rounds, and replace it with the F-35.
The testimony comes a day after the Pentagon told lawmakers that the first version of the F-35 will not be able to outdo the A-10 Warthog and its powerful nose cannon on the battlefield.
stripes

Australia Acquires Two Additional C-17A

Australian Government has decided to acquire two additional Boeing C-17A Globemaster III aircraft to bolster the Royal Australian Air Force’s existing fleet of six strategic lift aircraft.The two additional C-17s will provide vital heavy airlift support to a range of regional and global coalition operations and greatly increase Australia’s capacity to provide rapid and effective disaster rescue and relief and humanitarian aid.
gov.au

Russia receives two MiG-31BM squadrons

Russian Air Force has taken delivery of 24 modernised MiG-31BM 'Foxhound' interceptors.
12-13 MiG-31 airframes will be upgraded each year and more than 130 aircraft are expected in the inventory.
United Aircraft Corporation is modernising 110 interceptors by 2019.
The service life of the modernised aircraft will be 40-45 years, and could be extended to 50. Russia's MiG-31 aircraft have been operational for 20-30 years.
janes

Afghanistan rolls out armed MD 530F helos

The Afghan Air Force (AAF) has rolled out into service its newly delivered armed MD Helicopters Inc (MDHI) MD 530F helicopters.
The roll-out ceremony took place at Kabul International Airport on 9 April, and saw one of the first six helicopters delivered perform a live-fire demonstration of its twin FN Herstal Heavy Machine Gun Pods (HMPs).
The arrival of the armed MD 530Fs into AAF service will provide a timely boost to the government's close air support capabilities ahead of the 2015 'fighting season' in the country. Between 17 and 20 such helicopters are expected to be fully operational by early 2016.
Once in service, they will augment machine gun-equipped Mil Mi-17 'Hip' and machine gun- and rocket-equipped Mi-35 'Hind' helicopters, as well as the Embraer A-29 Super Tucano light attack turboprop aircraft that is due to arrive towards the end of 2015.
The AAF already operates five MD 530F helicopters as trainers (six were delivered in 2011, but one was lost to an improvised explosive device in 2013).
janes

India could Scrap Rafale Deal

India is rethinking its long-delayed 126-aircraft Medium-Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) deal, and may opt to scrap the fighter purchase in favor of government-to-government sales, since negotiations under the existing request for proposals (RFP) had “gone into a loop with no solution in sight,” according to India’s defense minister.
Barely two days after India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his visit to Paris, negotiated with the French government to buy 36 Dassault Rafale fighter jets in flyaway condition under a separate deal, Indian Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar on April 13 categorically stated that “if India goes in for additional Rafale fighters, it will also be through government-to-government deals.”
The final negotiations for the MMRCA project with Dassault have been deadlocked for more than a year due to the company’s refusal to accept liability for the 108 jets to be made in India by state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
India also maintains the French firm raised the price of the fighter. Under the original plan, 18 MMRCAs were to be bought off the shelf, with the remaining 108 manufactured by HAL in India. India has been insisting that it will not accept a hike in the L-1 (lowest bidder) price provided by Dassault since it had led Rafale to defeat the Eurofighter Typhoon in commercial evaluation in January 2012.
However, New Delhi’s insistence that Dassault back the quality of aircraft produced locally under the tender risks increasing the cost of manufacturing the combat jets in India, where a lack of technical know-how could increase the time needed to build a Rafale to the same standard as that of one coming off of Dassault’s Merignac production line.
Parrikar says the 36 Rafale fighter jets will be inducted into the Indian air force (IAF) in a span of two years. He did not specify how many additional Rafales would be acquired.
India is also trying to improve the serviceability of the 272 Su-30MKIs contracted from Russia.
India has not not purchased any new aircraft of the latest technology in the past 15 years and needs fourth-generation aircraft.
aviationweek

South Korea opens bidding for aerial tanker project

South Korea on Tuesday announced the start of the official bidding for a refueling aerial tanker , with three foreign major defense firms among the candidates: Airbus Defense and Space, Boeing Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) of Israel.
After wrapping up the evaluation by next month, the agency is scheduled to choose the winner and make a contact in June.
Two tankers are then to be put into service in 2018 and the remaining two in the following year. The delayed process of selecting a successful bidder for about a year has forced the military to postpone its original target of 2017.
The A300-based Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) tanker by Airbus is known for meeting both air-to-air refueling and air transport demands required by the South Korean Air Force. Some 10 countries have decided to adopt 60 platforms, which have been fully developed and already been in service.
Boeing's KC-46 tanker that features high combat readiness is expected to provide South Korea with interoperability with the U.S. Air Force, according to its officials, adding that the size is suitable for the refueling mission, which reduces infrastructure and operations costs in the long run.
As a renovated version of the B767-300ER plane, the IAI's MRTT is feted for its cost effectiveness, with the company vowing to transfer relevant high technology to South Korea.
yonhapnews

Russia lifts ban on S-300 missile system delivery to Iran

Russia has lifted a ban on supplying Iran with a sophisticated air defence missile system.
Delivery of the S-300s was cancelled in 2010 after the UN imposed sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme.
But the Russian president gave the go-ahead after Tehran struck an interim deal with world powers to curb nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.
The US and Israel have criticised the news.
When it was cancelled, Iran filed a lawsuit seeking billions of dollars in damages.
The S-300 is a surface-to-air missile system that can be used against multiple targets including jets, or to shoot down other missiles.
It is not clear when the system would be delivered. Russia has stopped producing the model specified under the original contract and has instead offered an upgrade.
bbc

India To Get 36 Dassault Rafale Fighters

Three years after India opted to purchase the Dassault Aviation Rafale for its MMRCA program in a deal that was to have all but 18 of 126 aircraft produced in India, the nation is now on the verge of finalizing the purchase of an additional 36 French-built Rafales.
In a statement issued April 10 during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to Paris, the Indian premier said New Delhi would purchase 36 Rafale jets in fly-away condition “as quickly as possible,” though both the Indian and French governments said further negotiations are still underway.
Modi and French President Francois Hollande agreed to conclude an intergovernmental agreement to supply the 36 Rafale aircraft under a deal that is separate from a three-year-old negotiation between Paris and New Delhi over the sale of 126 Rafale fighters under the MMRCA tender, which calls for 108 of the combat jets to be produced by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) in India.
The joint statement said delivery of the 36 Rafale aircraft would occur according to a timeframe compatible with operational requirements of the Indian air force (IAF), and that the aircraft and associated systems and weapons would be supplied in the same configuration as those already tested and approved by the IAF under the MMRCA tender.
If concluded, the deal would be a boon to Dassault Aviation, which is already riding high after recently selling 24 Rafales to Egypt, to be delivered by 2019.
aviationweek

Croatia Unveils Plans to Acquire New Fighter Jets To Replace MiG-21s

The Croatian government has unveiled plans to acquire new fighter jets with the aim of replacing its Soviet-designed Mikoyan MiG-21s.
The two leading contenders for the designed deal are the F-16 JAS-39 Gripen, with Zagreb planning to buy aircraft that are either new or currently used by other NATO member states, local newspaper Jutarnji first reported. Alternatives considered included France's Mirage, Israeli Kfir and a version of South Korea's T-50.
The Croatian government is reportedly aiming to replace its Soviet-designed fighter jets with Western-made aircraft as part of the country's ongoing efforts to modernize its Air Force's fleet and eliminate weapons and military equipment used by Russia and its allies.
Currently, the Croatian Air Force has a total of 12 MiG-21bisD/UMD aircraft in its fleet.
The new fighter jet for the country's armed forces is to be selected by the end of this year.
The amount of the planned procurement, as well as the estimated worth of the acquisition, was not disclosed by the Croatian authorities.
defensenews

Turkey Receives Last Upgraded F-16

The Turkish Air Force received the last of a batch of F-16 fighter jets which underwent a comprehensive upgrade program.
The upgrade program substantially boosts Turkey's air combat power.
In 2011, the Turkish and US governments signed a letter of offer and acceptance (LOA) for the modernization of 117 Turkish Air Force F-16s to a common avionics configuration.
The upgrade created a common avionics configuration for the service's fleet of F-16 Block 40 and 50 aircraft. Systems integrated on Turkey's upgraded F-16s include:

• The AN/APG-69(V)9 radar installed on new F-16 Advanced Block 50/52 aircraft
• Color cockpit displays
• The Modular Mission Computer and new avionics processors
• The Joint Helmet-Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS)
• The Link 16 datalink
• New identification-friend-or-foe (IFF) transponders
• AN/AVS-9 night-vision goggles
• Upgraded navigation systems; and BAE Systems' AN/ALQ-178(V)5+ electronic-warfare (EW) system, mounted internally, with radar-warning and jamming capabilities for aircraft self-protection

The aircraft were also modified to accept new missile systems of unspecified types; some potential candidates include the AIM-9X Sidewinder, AIM-120 AMRAAM, and MBDA Meteor.
The deal was conducted under the US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program, with Lockheed Martin as principle contractor, although the actual modification of the aircraft was performed by TAI.
defensenews

Turkey Confirms KT-1 Trainer Deal with South Korea

Turkey has confirmed that the country will go ahead with a planned purchase of 15 KT-1T basic trainer aircraft from South Korea.
The government decided to buy a follow-on order of 15 KT-1Ts as a stop-gap solution to meet its trainer aircraft needs.
Program for the design, development and production of an indigenous basic trainer aircraft, the Hurkus, is progressing as planned.
The first Hurkus is expected to be delivered to the Turkish military by 2018. Meanwhile, Turkey plans to inaugurate this year a multinational military flight training center. Both trainer aircraft will be used at the planned center after 2018. But KT-1Ts are expected to arrive earlier.
Turkey has signed an agreement with the Tusas Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) for an initial batch of 10 Hurkus aircraft.
In 2007, Turkey and KAI signed a contract for the sale of an initial batch of 40 KT-1s, with an option for 15 more.
The industry widely views the Turkish move to buy new KT-1s as a sign of mistrust in TAI's delivery schedule.
defensenews

Lybian MiG-25s flying again

Satellite imagery of Misrata and Mitiga airbase confirm that Libya Dawn has recently gotten at least one MiG-25 operational, or is in the progress of making it operational. Libya Dawn is working on restoring one of Libya's Foxbats. This news comes just as it has been confirmed that the Libyan Air Force is now working on making at least one Mirage F.1AD fighter-bomber operational.
Libya Dawn, fighting for Libya's unrecognised parliament currently residing in the capital of Tripoli, is in terms of personnel and equipment the second-strongest force currently fighting in Libya. The most powerful force remains the Libyan National Army (LNA), fighting for Libya's internationally recognsed government residing in Tobruk.
Libya Dawn is in control of a vast amount of land in Libya, including Libya's capital Tripoli and large cities like Misrata and parts of Benghazi. It also controls Tripoli International Airport and strategically important airbases such as Mitiga, Misrata and al-Jufra, the last of these housing a large part of Libya's now decommissioned MiG-25 fleet and all of Libya's decommissioned Tu-22 bombers. Thanks to the aircraft and equipment found on these airbases, Libya Dawn succeeded in establishing their very own air force consisting of at least two Soko G-2 Galebs, one J-21 Jastreb, a couple of L-39s and two MiG-23MLDs in addition to several Il-76s, SF-260s and a small number of helicopters. Libya Dawn is currently also working on bringing one MiG-23UB and two Soko G-2 Galebs operational at Mitiga, with more airframes likely to follow.
One of the MiG-23MLDs operating out of Misrata was shot down by an Igla-S fired from a Strelets launcher while bombing the airstrip of al-Zintan on the 23th of March 2015, with its pilot KIA.
spioenkop

Japan to test fly F-3 stealth fighter this summer

Japan's first domestically-made stealth jet, is aiming to conduct test flights this summer.
The advanced fifth-generation fighter, originates from Japan's advanced technology demonstrator-experimental ATD-X program.
The F-3's exterior is said to contain absorbing materials that can reduce radar reflection.
The F-3 still faces many practical obstacles before it can become a reality. Researchers are still exploring engine capabilities and need to figure out problems such as compressors and burners for such a high-powered engine. The fact that engines in the older F-2, which are less powerful than those in the F-3, have malfunctioned during flights, with reports of strong vibrations during high speeds, demonstrates that Japan's engine technology is not sufficiently mature.
wantchinatimes

Four USAF A-10 Land in Czech Republic for Military Exercise

The POP UP A-10 CAS military exercise, which runs through April 17, will take place without live ammunition in the area normally used for the training of air support in the vicinity of Trebic.
The U.S. planes landed in Namest at round 14:00. Training flights should start as of Thursday.
The Czech air force have long been developing cooperation with the United States in this field.
ceskenoviny

US Navy, Marines Prepare Amphibs Ships for F-35B’s First Deployment in 2018

The Navy and Marine Corps are preparing their amphibious assault ships for the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter’s first ever deployment slated for 2018.
The Navy is working to prepare the flight decks, sensors and weapons systems on board several amphibs are ready in 2018.
The Navy is set to provide the modifications to the USS America, the amphib commissioned this past October. It is the lead ship in a series of 11 planned America-class big-deck amphibs.
The USS America will undergo a series of intense modifications to ensure the flight deck can withstand the heat of the F-35B vertical take-offs-and-landings. Navy engineers are installing a new heat-resistant material designed to prevent heat from the aircraft’s engines from burning a hole in the flight deck.
dodbuzz

US Army To Acquire Six DHC-8 For Special Missions

The US Army is procuring six de Havilland Canada DHC-8-315 (Dash 8) special mission aircraft in the 'Saturn Arch' and 'Desert Owl' configurations, the Department of Defense (DoD) disclosed on 7 April.
Six aircraft will be delivered to the army by 17 July. The announcement did not specify how many of the six aircraft would be Saturn Arch and how many Desert Owl.
The DHC-8 is one of several platform types the US Army uses to conduct its Airborne Reconnaissance Low (ARL) mission.
In this ARL-E configuration the aircraft is kitted out with high-resolution electro-optical-infrared (EO/IR) imaging, digital mapping, and full motion video (FMV), as well as signals intelligence (SIGINT), communications intelligence (COMINT), foliage penetrating (FOPEN) radar, ground moving target indication/synthetic aperture radar (GMTI/SAR), dismount moving target indicator (DMTI), and ground penetrating (GPEN) radar equipment. Its six operator work stations will be Distributed Common Ground System - Army (DCGS-A) compliant.
Within this ARL-E mission, the Saturn Arch configuration is geared towards neutralising improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
Also first fielded in 2010, Desert Owl is an ISR capability to simultaneously conduct measurement and signature intelligence (MASINT) and imagery intelligence (IMINT) missions in near all-weather conditions.
While the DoD contract notification does not state where these Saturn Arch and Desert Owl platforms might be operated, likely theatres include Afghanistan , East Africa (Djibouti), and South Korea.
janes

Canada conducts first airstrike in Syria With Two CF-188

Canada conducted its first airstrike in Syria on Wednesday, after its government voted last week to expand its mission against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria and extend it for another year.
The strike was conducted by two Canadian CF-18 Hornets, using precision guided munitions, against an ISIS garrison near Ar Raqqah. A total of 10 coalition aircraft, including six from the U.S., were involved in the strike, according to Canada's Department of National Defence.
Canada began conducting airstrikes in Iraq in October and began training peshmerga fighters in September.
Although the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Denmark and the Netherlands are also conducting airstrikes in Iraq, Canada is the only NATO member other than the U.S. to conduct strikes in Syria.
Canada has conducted three previous surveillance sorties over Syria, but Wednesday's airstrike was its first in the nation.
Canada is also supporting coalition air assets in the region with aerial refueling, as well as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.
Approximately 600 Canadian forces are taking part is its mission against ISIS, including 69 special operations forces inside Iraq.
thehill

US Clears Egypt Hellfire Buy Amidst Yemen Strikes

An Egyptian procurement of 356 AGM-114K/R3 Hellfire II missiles has been cleared by the US State Department, the first new procurement since the White House lifted a freeze on weapon sales to that nation.
The sale also comes as Egypt takes part in anti-militant operations in Yemen, which the US is indirectly aiding with logistical support.
If the sale is given the OK by Congress, it would represent the first sale of the R model of Hellfire to Egypt. Egyptian military forces currently operate the F and K variants.
As soon as the freeze ended, a held-up sale of 12 F-16 aircraft, 20 Harpoon missiles and up to 125 M1A1 Abrams tank kits was cleared.
defensenews

Airbus bidding with Six Indian Companies to manufacture Helicopters for Indian Navy

Airbus has bid for a $2-billion naval utility helicopter deal in association separately with the Tata Group, Punj Lloyd, L&T, Pipavav, Mahindra & Mahindra and Reliance.
Airbus Helicopters made separate presentations with each of its six local vendors to the navy between March 30 and April 1.
However, the desperate move by Airbus has the Indian Navy cautious. This is because some of the demands from the multinational made during the presentations were in deviation of Defence Procurement Procedure, 2013. Key changes requested by Airbus include 100% credits even if 30% Indian content is achieved, full management control with 51% or higher equity stake and complete discretion on technology transfer.
During the recently concluded Aero India, vice-president for sales and customer relations in India told “Airbus Helicopters has initiated the process to get approval for a joint venture with an Indian partner to manufacture helicopters in India, with a majority stake held by the European company. And the company is going to compete for an order for NUH to replace the Chetak, with the AS565 MBe Panther.”
The navy has been facing a severe shortage of helicopters with its continuing induction of new warships. Currently, the navy has 42 vessels on order in addition to warships already in service, most of which will require between 01-02 helicopters on board. The navy uses the Chetak (Alouette III), Ka-28, Sea King, Ka-31 and the Dhruv advanced light helicopter.
The navy has received as many as 10 bids from Indian companies for the NUH programme.
financialexpress

Airbus doubles A400M production rate to claw back delivery delays

Airbus Defence and Space recently doubled the production rate of its A400M Atlas airlifter as it looks to make good on delayed deliveries.
Production at the assembly line in Seville, Spain, has now been raised from 1.25 to 2.5 aircraft per month in an attempt to address the backlog in deliveries that has built up as a result of what the company calls 'supplier problems'.
Airbus DS had planned to accelerate production to 2.5 aircraft per month at the end of 2015, but its decision to bring this forward by eight months follows on the back of failed delivery targets in 2013 and 2014. To date, only 11 of the 174 aircraft currently on order with eight nations have been delivered.
Recovering the A400M' is one of the company's eight core goals for 2015, as well as a reshuffle of the programme's top management.
With those aircraft delivered to date having been configured for a basic transportation role, Airbus DS plans to begin rolling out additional tactical capabilities leading to the release of the Full Common Standard Aircraft in 2018.
janes

US Clear AH-1Z Sale To Pakistan

US State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to Pakistan for 15 AH-1Z Viper Attack Helicopters and AGM-114R Hellfire II Missiles and associated equipment.
This proposed sale will provide Pakistan with a precision strike, enhanced survivability aircraft that it can operate at high-altitudes. By acquiring this capability, Pakistan will enhance its ability to conduct operations in North Waziristan Agency (NWA), the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), and other remote and mountainous areas in all-weather, day-and-night environments. Pakistan will have no difficulty absorbing these helicopters into its armed forces.
The principal contractors will be Bell Helicopter, Textron, General Electric, Boeing and Lockheed Martin in Bethesda. There are no known offset agreements proposed.
dsca

USAF Plans To Fit F-35 With Laser Weapons In The Future

USAF is on track to declare F-35 fighter jet ready for initial combat use by August or September 2016, and officials are already looking at possible future upgrades to its weapons, propulsion and avionics.
USAF plan to reach full operational capability around 2021 or 2022.
Potential upgrades in the future could include new avionics systems, radar, laser weapons and a new more fuel-efficient engine.
reuters

Russian Navy Fighters Conduct Air Interception Exercise

Russian naval pilots have conducted military drills on off-shore target interception and air fight. The flights on Russia’s fighter jets, Su-33 and naval trainer Su-25UTG have been performed during daytime and at night.
Special attention has been paid to exercising the elements of elementary, advanced and stunt aerobatics at all altitudes, speeds, and accelerations. The crews of the carrier-based fighters also completed military exercises in intercepting off-shore high-altitude and high-speed targets, exercised skills in air combat using attack and defense maneuvers at mid- and low-level altitudes,” the Northern Fleet press service said in a statement.
The Su-33 is a single-seat ship-based STOBAR fighter, with upward folding wings and horizontal tail surfaces (for hangar storage); it is equipped with probe-and-drogue flight refuelling capability. The Su-33 is designed for defence of naval ships from aerial threats.
Su-25UTG, is Russia’s naval trainer based on Su-25UT.
sputniknews

China Is Building The World's Largest Seaplane AG600 To Control South China Sea

China is building the world’s largest seaplane, the Jiaolong (Water Dragon) AG600. Capable of landing and taking off on water (and land), the Chinese-built aircraft could make it easier for Beijing to press its claims in the South China Sea, according to experts quoted in a Defense News article.
With a maximum take-off weight of 60 tons, the Jiaolong AG600 will become China’s largest amphibious airplane when it enters Chinese services in either 2016 or 2017. The aircraft is powered by four turboprop WJ-6 engines and has a range of 5,500 kilometers. The alleged top speed of the aircraft is 348 mph (555 km/h).
The AG600 is currently being built by China Aviation Industry General Aircraft Co. (CAIGA), which is also developing two other seaplanes. The company announced that it had completed the front fuselage assembly for the prototype. The civilian version of the plane can be used for a wide range of tasks including emergency rescue operations, forest firefighting, transport missions, and maritime surveillance.
Yet the aircraft will also be able to execute a host of military assignments, including long-range patrols, anti-submarine warfare tasks, and mine-laying missions. Additionally, the AG600 would be capable of quickly shuttling cargo and personnel to the contested Spratly Islands, where China is currently constructing artificial outposts on Hughes Reef, Johnson South Reef and Gaven Reef, all of which are surrounded by shallow waters.
China began developing the AG600 in 2009. Some report note that around 60 planes will be build in the years ahead.
thediplomat

Document Showing Secret Technical Aspects of RAF Mount Pleasant in Falkands Leaked

MoD workers are accused of handing Argentina an “invasion handbook” for the Southern Atlantic archipelago after forgetting to encrypt a secret document, and putting it online.
The document details every technical aspect of the Royal Air Force’s (RAF) main military facility on the islands.
The Ministry of Defense removed the data from the website after being alerted by the Sunday Express.
The Mount Pleasant Aerodrome Manual, which states it is supposed to be password protected, is intended for RAF pilots and security-screened civilian contractors who need to land at the base, just 30 miles from Port Stanley.
However, the Sunday Express discovered it was openly available to anyone who clicked its link on the homepage of the “British forces overseas: Falkland Islands and Ascension Island” website.
Details revealed include the exact make-up of runways and thickness of concrete, enabling attacking bombers to know precisely which bombs to use for maximum effect, as well as full operating procedures of how the runways are used at any given time, making it easy for an airstrikes to cause maximum disruption by targeting specific sections.
It also boasts the exact GPS coordinate of every facility, color maps illustrating the hardtop covers of the RAF’s Typhoon fighters and advice as to the best approach in different weather conditions – not to mention the name and personal phone number of every senior officer at the base.
The gaffe is particularly embarrassing as it comes just 10 days after Defense Secretary confirmed a review of the islands’ defenses with a £280m boost to be invested in ten years, conceding the dispute with Argentina remained “a live threat”.
mercopress

Kenyan Air Force F-5 Bomb Al-Qaeda camps in Somalia

The Kenyan air force has destroyed two al Shabaab camps in Somalia, it said on Monday, in the first major military response since the Islamist group massacred students at a Kenyan university last week.
Al Shabaab denied the camps were hit, saying the air force bombs fell on farmland.
Gunmen from the al Qaeda-aligned group killed 148 people on Thursday when they stormed the Garissa University College campus, some 200 km (120 miles) from the Somali border.
Jets pounded the camps in the Gedo region on the other side of the frontier on Sunday, Kenya Defence Forces spokesman said. The mission was part of efforts to stop fighters from those camps carrying out cross-border raids into Kenya.
Our aerial images show that the camps were completely destroyed, Kenya Defence spokesman said.
reuters

Indonesia Considering Buying Japan’s US-2 Amphibious Aircraft

Indonesian Defense Minister said Monday his government is considering the possibility of buying the US-2 amphibious aircraft from Japan.
The Indonesian defense minister said the US-2 is well suited for the geographical conditions of Indonesia, a country of thousands of islands.
Noting that both Japan and Indonesia are archipelagic countries that frequently have to contend with natural disasters like earthquakes.
Indonesia is seeking to strengthen its maritime forces, sea patrol functions and search and rescue operations in surrounding waters.
The US-2 can land on and take off from the sea. The aircraft is already in use by the Self-Defense Forces.
In March, Japan and Indonesia signed a defense agreement that stipulates cooperation in several sectors, including maritime cooperation and disaster management.
The US-2 is expected to be on the agenda when the two countries launch “two-plus-two” security talks between their defense and foreign ministers, according to diplomatic sources.
India is also considering purchasing the US-2.
Meanwhile, Indonesia is also assessing the possibility of purchasing the Be-200 multipurpose amphibious aircraft from Russia.
defense-studies