OSPREY – FIRST OF A NEW GENERATION OF LIGHTWEIGHT PERSISTENT MARITIME SURVEILLANCE SAR ARRAY RADAR

By : Chris Lavers The recent launch of Osprey E-Scan (Leonardo-Finmeccanica), the world’s first commercially available lightweight airborne surveillance phased array radar able to provide a persistent 360 degree field of view without moving parts, is set to revolutionize maritime operations. But what are the benefits of SAR and specifically Osprey to military and civilian… Continue reading OSPREY – FIRST OF A NEW GENERATION OF LIGHTWEIGHT PERSISTENT MARITIME SURVEILLANCE SAR ARRAY RADAR

UKRAINIAN POWER COMPANY “99% CERTAIN” BLACKOUT RESULT OF CYBER ATTACK

Sourced : Defence One By Patrick Tucker As Russia seizes the stage, the lights are going out in Ukraine. On Sunday morning around midnight a major blackout struck the power substation in Novi Petrivtsi, a village near Kiev, disrupting power to between 100,000 and 200,000 people. Vsevolod Kovalchuk, acting director of Ukrenergo power company, said… Continue reading UKRAINIAN POWER COMPANY “99% CERTAIN” BLACKOUT RESULT OF CYBER ATTACK

U.S NAVY WANTS TO GROW FLEET TO 355 SHIPS

Sourced : USNI News By: Sam LaGrone and Megan Eckstein The U.S Navy released a new fleet plan that calls for 355 ships, outlining a massive increase in the size of its high-end large surface combatant and attack submarine fleets but a modest increase in its planned amphibious ship fleet, according to a Dec. 14… Continue reading U.S NAVY WANTS TO GROW FLEET TO 355 SHIPS

2,900 EXPLOSIONS IN A DAY – HEAVY ARTILLERY AND TANK FIRE RETURNS TO THE FRONT LINE IN UKRAINE

Sourced : The Washington Post By Thomas Gibbons-Neff An early morning artillery barrage started the latest bloody scrap in eastern Ukraine Sunday as Russian-backed militants and government troops clashed near the town of Svitlodarsk. A spokesman for the Ukrainian military, Col. Andriy Lysenko, said that five soldiers were killed and 16 wounded during the day-long… Continue reading 2,900 EXPLOSIONS IN A DAY – HEAVY ARTILLERY AND TANK FIRE RETURNS TO THE FRONT LINE IN UKRAINE

UK AND FRANCE MOVE TO NEXT PHASE OF JOINT UCAS DEVELOPMENT

Computer generated image of a concept Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAS) Defence cooperation between the UK and France has been strengthened following agreements signed at the Farnborough Air Show today. Philip Hammond and Jean-Yves Le Drian agreed to bolster cooperation relating to the acquisition and support of military equipment for both the UK and French Armed Forces. The agreement follows on from the communiqué that was signed by Prime Minister David Cameron and French President Francois Hollande at RAF Brize Norton in January, which set out plans for closer ties between the two countries. As part of the deal signed today, the UK and France agreed a £120m Feasibility Phase with six industry partners for the joint development of Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle concepts and technologies. They also signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the SCALP/Stormshadow programme with MBDA that continues our cooperation on this important cruise missile capability.

ByGeorge Allison The joint project will develop two full-scale and operational unmanned combat aircraft demonstrators by 2025. Minister for Defence Procurement Harriett Baldwin and her French counterpart Laurent Collet-Billon signed an agreement to enable the next phase of the UCAS programme to begin.   According to a press release: “This means that the three UK… Continue reading UK AND FRANCE MOVE TO NEXT PHASE OF JOINT UCAS DEVELOPMENT

RUSSIA WILL RESPOND IF NATO ESTABLISHES MILITARY GROUP IN BLACK SEA

SNMG2 had extensive training with Turkish Navy

Sourced : Sputnik Russia will give an adequate response to the strengthening of NATO’s military infrastructure near its borders, the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s European Cooperation Department told Sputnik Thursday. “The bolstering of NATO military infrastructure near Russia’s borders will continue and we will respond to it appropriately,” Andrei Kelin said. He added… Continue reading RUSSIA WILL RESPOND IF NATO ESTABLISHES MILITARY GROUP IN BLACK SEA

ROYAL NAVY’S SUPPORT SHIP COMPLETES MARATHON MEDITERRANEAN MISSION

Home with just seven days to spare before Christmas Day are the sailors and Royal Marines on RFA Mounts Bay which has completed a marathon deployment in the Mediterranean. The amphibious support ship has been away from home for 349 days as one of the first vessels to deploy in 2016… and last to return.… Continue reading ROYAL NAVY’S SUPPORT SHIP COMPLETES MARATHON MEDITERRANEAN MISSION

ROYAL MARINES UNLEASH FULL METAL JACKAL STORMING BEACHES IN BAHRAIN

Jackal armoured cars kicked up the Bahraini sand as they swarmed ashore during the climax of a three-week amphibious exercise in the Gulf. Despite choppy surf, Royal Marines from Lima Company, 42 Commando, stormed the beaches alongside their Bahraini counterparts under the cover of air power as Exercise Pearl Dagger 16 came to an explosive… Continue reading ROYAL MARINES UNLEASH FULL METAL JACKAL STORMING BEACHES IN BAHRAIN

AIRBUS DEFENCE & SPACE C295 WINS CANADIAN FWSAR CONTEST FOR 16 AIRCRAFT

Sourced : Flight Global Concluding a circuitous, 14-year acquisition process, the Canadian government has selected the Airbus Defence & Space C295 turboprop to replace its air force’s fixed-wing search and rescue (FWSAR) fleet. The decision is a coup for Airbus, given its lengthy effort to defeat a rival bid from the Leonardo C-27J Spartan, as… Continue reading AIRBUS DEFENCE & SPACE C295 WINS CANADIAN FWSAR CONTEST FOR 16 AIRCRAFT

EGYPTIAN NAVY RECEIVES THE FIRST TYPE 209/1400MOD CLASS SUBMARINE IN KIEL

Sourced : Defence Blog The Egyptian Navy officially received its first Type 209/1400 submarine from the German submarine specialist ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS). The second HDW 209/1400mod class submarine (Yard No. 448) for the Navy of the Arab Republic of Egypt was named at the shipyard of Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems in Kiel today. “S41”, the… Continue reading EGYPTIAN NAVY RECEIVES THE FIRST TYPE 209/1400MOD CLASS SUBMARINE IN KIEL