HMS Portland has visited the Faroe Islands and become the first Royal Navy warship to visit the small island nation in 25 years. The frigate visited the Faroes – half way between Norway and the Iceland – for 48 hours while taking part in an anti-submarine warfare (ASW) exercise in the North Atlantic. The short… Continue reading ROYAL NAVY IN FAROES AFTER 25 YEAR ABSENCE
NORTH KOREAN DEFECTOR: “PYONGYANG HAS AN ARMY OF 6,000 HACKERS”
A North Korean defector has warned the West that Pyongyang has an army of 6,000 hackers, capable of penetrating any computer system in the world. According to the North Korean Professor, Kim Heung-Kwang, who defected to the West in 2004, Pyongyang spends 20% of its defence budget on obtaining and maintaining significant cyber warfare capabilities.… Continue reading NORTH KOREAN DEFECTOR: “PYONGYANG HAS AN ARMY OF 6,000 HACKERS”
EIGHT AQUITAINE-CLASS FRIGATES AND FIVE NEW MIDSIZE FRIGATES FOR THE FRENCH NAVY
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
RUSSIA TO ORDER 50 NEW TU-160M BLACKJACK STRATEGIC BOMBERS
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
HMS BULWARK SAVES MORE THAN 350 LIVES IN RESCUE MISSION IN THE MEDITERRANEAN
Nearly 370 people – 50 of them children – were saved last week by HMS Bulwark in her third rescue of migrants in the Mediterranean. Jostling for space in their dangerously-overcrowded wooden craft, 369 refugees were rescued by HMS Bulwark – the lifesaving incident was one of five being played out at the same time… Continue reading HMS BULWARK SAVES MORE THAN 350 LIVES IN RESCUE MISSION IN THE MEDITERRANEAN
AMERICAN DEFENCE ANALYST: “CHINA WILL HAVE 415 WARSHIPS AND SUBMARINES BY 2030”
The rapidly developing capabilities of the People’s Liberation Army Navy of China were presented during a conference by James Fanell, former director of the US Pacific Fleet’s intelligence and information department. According to Fanell, the People’s Liberation Army Navy will eventually have an estimated 415 warships by 2030, including 99 submarines, four aircraft carriers, 102… Continue reading AMERICAN DEFENCE ANALYST: “CHINA WILL HAVE 415 WARSHIPS AND SUBMARINES BY 2030”
SWEDEN RESPONDS TO RUSSIAN AGGRESSION IN THE BALTIC SEA WITH TWO MULTINATIONAL EXERCISES
Recent violations of Swedish territorial waters by unknown submarines, as well as aggressive flights by Russian bombers and fighter jets in the airspace of the Baltic Sea sent warring signals to the Swedish government for the first time since the end of the Cold War. The immediate response of Stockholm to these developments was an… Continue reading SWEDEN RESPONDS TO RUSSIAN AGGRESSION IN THE BALTIC SEA WITH TWO MULTINATIONAL EXERCISES
NATO COMPLETES COMPUTER ASSISTED EXERCISE, TRIDENT JAGUAR 2015, WITH THE SUPPORT OF MILTECH HELLAS
NATO has successfully completed the Computer Assisted Exercise, Trident Jaguar 2015, in Stavanger, Norway. It was supported by the Computer Assistant Exercise team of the Greek defence company, Miltech Hellas SA. Since 2011 the Greek company has been successfully supporting NATO’s Computer Assisted Exercises. Trident Jaguar 2015 is an Allied Command Transformation-sponsored, NATO Command Post… Continue reading NATO COMPLETES COMPUTER ASSISTED EXERCISE, TRIDENT JAGUAR 2015, WITH THE SUPPORT OF MILTECH HELLAS
RUSSIAN NAVY WANTS TO BRING THE MIL MI-14 ANTI-SUBMARINE HELICOPTER BACK INTO SERVICE
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
ASELSAN NEARS COMPLETION OF ÇAFRAD – A NEW MULTIFUNCTION PHASED ARRAY RADAR SYSTEM
The development of one of the most important programmes of the Turkish Navy is nearing completion according to the Turkish defence industry forerunner, Aselsan. The new Multifunction, Phased Array Radar System, ÇAFRAD, is nearly complete following the official commencement of the programme in September 2013 when the Under Secretariat for the Defence Industries of Turkey… Continue reading ASELSAN NEARS COMPLETION OF ÇAFRAD – A NEW MULTIFUNCTION PHASED ARRAY RADAR SYSTEM