Category: Defence Industry

France has transferred advanced technology to Russian shipyards, according to the Russian News Agency, Ria Novosti. The report claims that this transfer took place before the Mistral-class Landing Helicopter Dock programme was stopped due of Western sanctions against Russia. The Mistral-class Franco-Russian deal was signed on 17 June 2011 with the Russian Navy ordering two… Continue reading FRENCH SHIPYARDS TRANSFERRED TECHNOLOGY TO RUSSIA FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF MISTRAL-CLASS VESSELS

Russia and China announced that they will conduct common sea drills off the coast of Russia’s Primorsky territory in late August 2015. The protocol for “Join Sea-2015”, as the exercise is called, was signed in Vladivostok on Friday 17 July. For the first time both countries will test their amphibious assault forces. An aircraft carrier… Continue reading JOINT RUSSIAN-CHINESE AMPHIBIOUS EXERCISE IN THE SEA OF JAPAN THIS AUGUST

According to Bloomberg, Russia has been spending a huge amount of secret funds on accelerating its military buildup since the Cold War. This unprecedented amount of money is hidden in the so-called black part of the federal budget. It is estimated that 60 billion dollars have been allocated to the secret funds of the federal… Continue reading RUSSIA SPENDS VAST SECRET FUNDS TO ACCELERATE BUILDUP OF MILITARY FORCES

Five years after the termination of the Nimrod MRA4 maritime patrol aircraft programme, the Ministry of Defence is considering obtaining maritime patrol aircraft again according to the Minister of State, Earl Howe, during questions in the House of Lords last week. The Minister said that the forthcoming Strategic Defence and Security Review will be, “the… Continue reading UK MINISTRY OF DEFENCE IS CONSIDERING THE ACQUISITION OF NEW MARITIME PATROL AIRCRAFT

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon ‘unleashes the white heat of technology’ as the first steel is cut on the Navy’s second new patrol ship. This is HMS Medway, the ‘middle child’ of three offshore patrol vessels which will begin to join the Fleet from 2017. Mr Fallon started the computer-guided laser to cut the first piece… Continue reading HEADWAY ON HMS MEDWAY AS STEEL IS CUT ON NAVY’S NEW PATROL SHIP

Three Royal Navy ships are enroute to Poland to participate in the largest maritime exercise of the year – BALTOPS 15. In a demonstration of ongoing commitment to NATO operations, Her Majesty’s Ships Iron Duke and Quorn, as well as the fleet flagship HMS Ocean, are all participating in this year’s exercise. Known as BALTOPS… Continue reading THREE ROYAL NAVY SHIPS ENROUTE TO BALTOPS 15

Another major surface unit of the Russian Navy is to be brought back into service after being considered obsolete for many years. The nuclear-powered battle cruiser, Admiral Nakhimov, was withdrawn from service in 1999, after having served in the Soviet Navy for 10 years. Admiral Nakhimov is the third battle cruiser of the nuclear-powered Kirov… Continue reading RUSSIAN NUCLEAR-POWERED BATTLE CRUISER, ADMIRAL NAKHIMOV, RETURNING TO SERVICE IN 2018

Plans for the future of the French Navy (Marine Nationale) were revealed by the Defense Minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, during his visit to a naval base in Brittany. According to the Minister, the French Navy will eventually acquire only eight Aquitaine-class (FREMM) frigates, instead of the eleven vessels that were planned initially. Besides the eight… Continue reading EIGHT AQUITAINE-CLASS FRIGATES AND FIVE NEW MIDSIZE FRIGATES FOR THE FRENCH NAVY

The construction of 50 new Tu-160M Blackjack strategic bombers was decided on by the Russian government last April. According to the Russian news agency Itar-Tass,  “…the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, and the Minister of Defence have taken a decision on reviving production of the Tu-160M Blackjack aircraft”. As the news agency noted, Russian Defense… Continue reading RUSSIA TO ORDER 50 NEW TU-160M BLACKJACK STRATEGIC BOMBERS

A new weapons system for use against enemy submarines is going to be added to the arsenal of the Russian Navy. According to Business Online, the Russian Navy expressed its interest in resurrecting the Mil Mi-14 Haze anti-submarine helicopter. The helicopter was designed to destroy enemy submarines with a 1 kiloton nuclear 1,600kg antisubmarine bomb,… Continue reading RUSSIAN NAVY WANTS TO BRING THE MIL MI-14 ANTI-SUBMARINE HELICOPTER BACK INTO SERVICE