First launch of the new Black Shark Advanced heavyweight torpedo

On January 28th the new Black Shark Advanced (BSA), produced by WASS was launched for the first time ever from the submarine SCIRE’.

The torpedo launched in “Push Out” mode (water ram expulsion system, which ejects the torpedo by means high water-pressure), was equipped in a totally innovative way, thanks to the new Lithium-Polymer Battery.

The launch, called “Short-Fire”, took place in the La Spezia gulf and was aimed at testing the WASS progresses in the frame of the project “New Heavyweight Torpedo”, developed in cooperation with the Italian Navy.

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Northrop Grumman Accused of Missile-Defense Contract Fraud

Northrop Grumman Corp. was accused in a whistle-blower lawsuit by a former employee of lying to the U.S. government about steps it took to develop a civilian airliner missile-defense system.

Northrop Grumman lied about its progress and failed to deliver a viable product after being paid more than $62 million for the third phase alone of a project the defense contractor once called the Guardian System, according to the complaint filed in 2009 by Leo Danielides, an Illinois resident.

U.S. District Judge Ruben Castillo in Chicago ordered the lawsuit unsealed yesterday after the government said in a Jan. 22 filing that it couldn’t decided whether to join the case because it hadn’t completed its investigation.

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US Alleges Russian Missile Treaty Violation – Report

The United States notified NATO allies earlier this month of Russian tests of a new missile that could be in violation of a nuclear disarmament treaty, the New York Times reported Thursday.

The weapon, a ground-based cruise missile, has allegedly been tested repeatedly since 2008 and is considered by senior US officials to have clearly violated the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, the paper said citing unnamed government sources.

Russian media have reported since 2005 that the country was considering withdrawing from the treaty, signed by the United States and Soviet Union in 1987.

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Bunker-Buster Bomb Upgrades Effective, Tester Finds

Upgrades that let the U.S. military’s most powerful precision-guided bomb hit more deeply buried targets have been successful, according to the Pentagon’s top weapons tester.

The Air Force in May and July dropped the 30,000-pound Massive Ordnance Penetrator made by Boeing Co. (BA) from B-2 stealth bombers on targets to evaluate an upgrade called the Enhanced Threat Modification.

Based on those exercises, the penetrator, called a bunker-buster, is “capable of effectively” attacking “selected hardened, deeply-buried targets,” Michael Gilmore, director of operational test and evaluation, said in his annual report on major weapons released today.

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U.S. Army and Lockheed Martin Complete Advanced Autonomous Convoy Demonstration

The U.S. Army Tank-Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) and Lockheed Martin have demonstrated the ability of fully autonomous convoys to operate in urban environments with multiple vehicles of different models.

The demonstration earlier this month at Fort Hood, Texas, was part of the Army and Marine Corps’ Autonomous Mobility Appliqué System (AMAS) program, and marked the completion of the program’s Capabilities Advancement Demonstration (CAD).

The test involved driverless tactical vehicles navigating hazards and obstacles such as road intersections, oncoming traffic, stalled and passing vehicles, pedestrians and traffic circles in both urban and rural test areas.

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Taiwan's Apache Guardians set to fly next month

Taiwan's newest Apache helicopters could be flying next month after being grounded because of concerns over the transmission package.

Citing a defense source it did not identify, the Central News Agency reported the 12 AH-64E Apache attack aircraft could be flying again by mid-February if replacement transmissions start arriving soon.

Defense officials grounded the aircraft -- sometimes called the Guardian -- this month following a failure in the same model reported by the U.S. Army, CNA reported.

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Premature Weapons Testing Drains Military Budget

The U.S. Defense Department’s top weapons tester had plenty of bad news this week for some of the military’s most expensive weapons programs — from the F-35 fighter jet to the Littoral Combat Ship.

In his annual report to Congress, J. Michael Gilmore, director of the Pentagon’s Operational Test and Evaluation office, said the fifth-generation fighter has cracked during testing and isn’t ready for combat operations, and that the LCS has had problems with their guns, mine-countermeasures and anti-submarine warfare systems.

But perhaps even more troubling was his assertion that acquisition officials, in some cases, continue to approve programs that aren’t ready for operational testing — a practice that creates costlier problems down the road.

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New Tests Find Significant Cracking In The F-35

The U.S. Defense Department’s newest and most advanced fighter jet has cracked during testing and isn’t yet reliable for combat operations, the Pentagon’s top weapons tester said in new report.

The entire F-35 fleet was grounded last February after a crack was discovered in a turbine blade of an F-35A.

While the order was subsequently lifted, more cracks have been discovered in other areas and variants of the Lockheed Martin Corp.-made plane, according to the latest annual report by J. Michael Gilmore, director of Operational Test and Evaluation.

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Chinese Air Force, Navy See Significant Upgrades, U.S. Says

China’s air force is fielding new precision-guided cruise missiles, long-range bombers and drones as its Navy expands its long-range punch, according to U.S. military intelligence officials.

“While we would not characterize the modernization as accelerated,” it’s “progressing at a steady pace” and is significant, Lee Fuell, a director at the Air Force’s National Air and Space Intelligence Center, said in a presentation released yesterday.

Fuell’s presentation and one prepared by the Office of Naval Intelligence for a hearing of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission in Washington are the most detailed new public assessments of the Chinese air force’s and navy’s growing military capabilities.

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Royal Navy strengthens presence in Gibraltar

The Royal Navy has sent additional personnel to Gibraltar to strengthen its Gibraltar Squadron in response to Spanish maritime incursions into British territorial waters.

The Gibraltar Squadron has increased from two to three crews – around 25 sailors in total – to enable 24-hour coverage, although the number of vessels they operate remains the same.

The decision to increase personnel was revealed in a response to a question in the House of Lords and came as Headquarters British Forces Gibraltar announced that the Royal Navy destroyer HMS Diamond was scheduled to arrive in Gibraltar on Sunday for a week-long visit.

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NATO Chief Holds Talks With Dutch Leaders In The Hague

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen visited The Hague on Thursday and held talks with senior members of the Dutch government and lawmakers, the western military alliance said in a statement.

Rasmussen discussed the importance of this year's Summit in Wales to the Alliance's future and the value of defense during his talks with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, parliamentarians and other senior officials, the alliance said.

Stressing that the summit will focus on Afghanistan, improving capabilities, and broadening partnerships, he noted: "It will show that our bond is strong, and that our Alliance continues to adapt, reform and look outwards to stay fit for the future."

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Comment: West Africa - the new epicentre of piracy

On January 18th, a Greek shipping firm lost radio contact with one of its vessels, a Liberian-flagged, 75,000-ton oil tanker named Kerala, when it was just a few miles off the port of Luanda, Angola. What happened next is still in dispute. But maritime experts think the Kerala's disappearance marks a dangerous new escalation of the oil-driven piracy that has increasingly tormented mariners across the infamous Bight of Benin.

Maritime hijackings off of Somalia and the rest of Africa's eastern coast are in sharp decline. But pirate attacks in West Africa have crept upward, turning the waters around the Gulf of Guinea into one of the centers of global piracy. About one out of every five reported pirate attacks last year took place in the Gulf of Guinea, the International Maritime Bureau reported, but it estimates that only about one-third of West African attacks are actually reported.

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Navy Begins Test of UUV Launch System

A joint effort between the US Navy and General Dynamics Electric Boat is refining a prototype system that would launch and capture underwater drones from submerged submarines.

Using a vacant missile tube on a cruise missile submarine the Universal Launch and Recovery Module (ULRM) is designed to bring UUVs from inside a vessel to a launch point outside its hull.

Once in a ready position a UUV could be launched to conduct underwater missions ranging from counter-mine patrols to surveillance and recon operations.

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US government names new head of NSA and US Cyber Command

The Secretary of Defense has appointed new leadership for the NSA, the Central Security Service, and the US Cyber Command, with Vice Admiral Michael Rogers as the new boss and Richard Ledgett as his civilian deputy.

Vice Admiral Rogers is currently head of the US Navy's 10th Fleet, which in the Second World War handled anti-submarine operations before being shut down. It was reactivated in 2010 to deal with the Navy's cryptography and cyber warfare operations.

Rogers, a Chicago native, joined the Navy in 1981. Five years later he was seconded to cryptographic operations and has worked in communications and online warfare ever since, in some cases carrying out "direct support missions" from ships and submarines in the Persian Gulf and Mediterranean.

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The Type 056 corvette: China's new anti-sub weapon of choice

While most Western military experts have focused their attention on the production of the Shenyang J-15, China's first carrier-based fighter, and the launch of larger surface combat vessels including two Type 054A frigates and one Type 052D destroyer, the official website of the People's Liberation Army Navy said that the Type 056 Jiangdao-class corvette is in fact the class of ship of which the nation produced the most in 2013.

The Beijing-based Sina Military Network said ten Type 056 Jiangdao-class corvettes had been launched this year to replace the older Type 037 submarine chasers. Mounted with two triple torpedo tubes, the Type 056 is designed to conduct anti-submarine operations within China's exclusive economic zone. Combined with SJG-206 low frequency towed array sonar, the Type 056 is capable of directing anti-submarine helicopters against enemy submarines.

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UK could afford to cut Trident submarines, report says

The UK could cut back its Trident submarine force and save billions of pounds "without sacrificing" its nuclear deterrent, a report suggests.

The paper, by military think tank the Royal United Services Institute, said Britain did not always need to have at least one nuclear submarine at sea to be sure of deterring an attack.

The UK currently operates a continuous at-sea nuclear weapons system.

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DCNS delivers multimission frigate Mohammed VI to Royal Moroccan Navy

The handover ceremony was held in Brest in the presence of His Excellency Prince Moulay Rachid El Alaoui, brother of the King of Morocco, Jean-Yves Le Drian, the French Minister of Defence and Patrick Boissier, Chairman & CEO of DCNS.

The Mohammed VI, named in honour of the Moroccan sovereign, is the first vessel from the Group’s FREMM range of multimission frigates to be acquired by an international customer.

DCNS has handed over the multimission frigate Mohammed VI to the Royal Moroccan Navy on time, on budget and with performance as promised.

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N.Korea enlarging site for bigger missiles: institute

North Korea appears to be expanding its main launch site to permit more advanced missiles which may eventually be able to reach the United States, a think tank said Wednesday.

Analyzing satellite images of the Sohae launch site over the past two months, Johns Hopkins University's US-Korea Institute said North Korea apparently tested a rocket engine needed for its road-mobile KN-08 intercontinental ballistic missile.

The evidence indicates that North Korea may be preparing "for a more robust rocket test program in the future," said the institute's blog, 38 North.

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AgustaWestland Awarded UK MoD Merlin Life Sustainment Programme and Apache Integrated Operational Support Contracts Valued at £760 Million

AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, is pleased to announce the award of two contracts by the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD), together valued at £760 million (approximately €910 million), to convert 25 AW101 Merlin helicopters for maritime operations under the Merlin Life Sustainment Programme (MLSP) and to provide the Apache AH Mk.1 Attack Helicopter fleet with comprehensive support and maintenance services for five years.

The contracts were announced today by The Rt Hon Philip Hammond MP, Secretary of State for Defence, during a visit to AgustaWestland’s facility in Yeovil, England.

Daniele Romiti, CEO of AgustaWestland, said “We are delighted to have been awarded these contracts by the UK Ministry of Defence to convert Merlin helicopters for the Royal Navy and to continue delivering the successful Apache Integrated Operational Support service for the UK’s Attack Helicopter force.

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Diehl continues IRIS-T surface-to-air testing at Overberg Test Range

Diehl Defence has successfully tested its IRIS-T SLM Ground Based Air Defence System at the Overberg Test Range, in the presence of military representatives from 16 countries.

Diehl has tested the IRIS-T SL (Surface Launched) missile at Overberg before, but the tests conducted earlier this month used different hardware and a new command and control system.

The configuration tested on January 14 consisted of the IRIS-T SL launcher, new CEAFAR active phased array radar from CEA Technologies in Australia, the BMD-Flex command, control and communication system from Terma in Denmark and the Oerlikon Skymaster battle management system from Rheinmetall Air Defence in Switzerland.

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UK and France set to work together on anti-ship missile

After years of fraught negotiation, France and Britain are for the first time to become mutually dependent in the production of one of the most sensitive weapons in any military arsenal: a missile.

The two countries are expected to sign a memorandum of understanding on Friday for an anti-ship missile for attack helicopters, defence officials and executives said.

It would mark the first time they have agreed to integrate production because they can no longer afford to produce such weapons on their own.

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Spanish Air Force maintains maritime patrol force in Djibouti

The Spanish Air Force maritime patrol aircraft detachment stationed in Djibouti has rotated its aircrew as it continues to support the European Union Naval Force’s anti-piracy operations in the region.

The 32nd and 33rd crew rotations performed their handover in Djibouti on 23 January. The Spanish maritime patrol aircraft detachment comprises 44 people including aircrew and maintenance technicians, who usually join the mission for two months at a time, the European Union Naval Force (EU Navfor) said.

During the last two months with the EU’s counter-piracy Operation Atalanta, the outgoing personnel of the 32nd rotation, usually based in Palma de Mallorca with the Spanish Air Forces Wing 48, flew 25 night and day sorties. With more than 200 flying hours, they flew over 26 000 nautical miles.

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Exclusive: CIA Helped Saudis in Secret Chinese Missile Deal

Saudi Arabia has long been a backroom player in the Middle East's nuclear game of thrones, apparently content to bankroll the ambitions of Pakistan and Iraq (under Saddam Hussein) to counter the rise of its mortal enemy, Iran.

But as the West and Iran have moved closer to a nuclear accommodation, signs are emerging that the monarchy is ready to give the world a peek at a new missile strike force of its own - which has been upgraded with Washington's careful connivance.

According to a well-placed intelligence source, Saudi Arabia bought ballistic missiles from China in 2007 in a hitherto unreported deal that won Washington's quiet approval on the condition that CIA technical experts could verify they were not designed to carry nuclear warheads.

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Navy finalising Rs 250cr contract to salvage INS Sindhurakshak

The Navy is close to finalising a contract expected to cost over Rs 250 crore for salvaging submarine INS Sindhurakshak, which sank in Mumbai harbour six months ago after an explosion in its torpedo section.

The file regarding the contract for salvaging the vessel has been sent to the Defence Ministry and it is expected to be sanctioned by it very soon, Navy officials said today.

Navy's Russian-built INS Sindhurakshak submarine had sunk on August 14 last year in its harbour after an explosion in its torpedo section killing all the 18 personnel on board and its salvaging would help the Navy to complete its inquiry into the reasons behind the incident.

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Scientist: U.S. has too many nuclear weapons

As Laura Grego spoke to a group of Bates College students about the many dangers of nuclear arms, news was coming across the wires.

"North Korea has followed through on its threat to advance its nuclear weapons program," according to The Associated Press, "while a research institute pointed to signs the communist country is preparing to launch bigger rockets."

That will come as no surprise to Grego, a senior scientist in the Union of Concerned Scientists Global Security Program. As an expert on space security issues, she knows how precarious things have become in the world of nuclear defense.

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HAL team’s visit to Dassault facilities in France on hold

The visit by a HAL team to Dassault facilities in France has been put on hold amid efforts by the government to verify the linkages between AgustaWestland's parent firm Finmecannica and other European defence companies.

The defence ministry earlier this month scrapped a deal with AgustaWestland for procuring 12 VVIP choppers after charging it with breaching contractual obligations.

A high-level team of HAL was scheduled to visit France to visit the facilities of the Rafale fighter jet as part of the ongoing negotiations between the two sides for jointly producing the aircraft but it was cancelled at the last moment, said defence ministry sources in New Delhi.

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Indian defence purchases may be on hold till after Lok Sabha elections

Tenders for new artillery systems, light helicopters and conventional submarines will only be floated by the new government. Rosoboronexport is particularly interested in the contract for supplying six submarines, which could be worth $10.7 billion.

With the Indian parliamentary elections looming in the background, fresh defence purchases are likely to be put on hold, even as funds are being diverted to meet the rising operational costs of India’s armed forces.

India’s Ministry of Finance had refused to allocate an additional 80 billion rupees ($1.3 billion) to the armed forces to cover the costs associated with rising fuel prices and paying salaries to servicemen.

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Russia to Float Out Stealth Sub for Black Sea Fleet in May

A St. Petersburg shipyard said Wednesday it will float out in May the second of six Varshavyanka-class diesel-electric submarines to be delivered to Russia’s Black Sea Fleet in the next two years.

The much anticipated delivery of the submarines, dubbed “black holes in the ocean” by the US Navy because they are nearly undetectable when submerged, is a key part of Russia’s naval strategy in the Mediterranean, where Moscow has recently deployed a permanent task force consisting of some 10 surface ships.

Construction of the second submarine – the Rostov-on-Don – began at the Admiralty shipyard in November 2011, followed by the Stary Oskol in August 2012.

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Confirmed: M/V Cape Ray Deploys for Chemical Weapons Destruction

The Department of Defense announced the deployment of M/V from Portsmouth, Va., on Jan. 27.

M/V Cape Ray is the primary contribution of the Department of Defense toward international efforts to eliminate Syria's chemical weapons material program.

Over the last several months, hundreds of government and contract personnel have worked tirelessly to prepare the vessel to neutralize Syrian chemical materials and precursors using proven hydrolysis technology. This achievement could not have been possible without these remarkable contributions.

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Bangladesh Buys Russian Combat Training Jets Worth $800M

Bangladesh ordered 24 Russian Yak-130 light fighter jets worth $800 million in the final quarter of last year, a Russian newspaper reported Tuesday.

The deal was paid for with a loan extended by Moscow to the country a year ago, the director of Russian state arms exporter Rosoboronexport said in a separate interview published by Kommersant on Monday, without disclosing the deal’s price tag.

The newspaper said Tuesday that the sale was worth $800 million, citing unnamed sources in the defense industry.

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Nakhoda Ragman Corvettes Being Prepared for Indonesian Navy

The end of January saw the 19-tonne Oto Melara 76mm gun turrets being refitted to the Nakhoda Ragam class corvettes which have been stored in Barrow since 2007 as part of the preparations for their transfer to the Indonesian Navy.

The three corvettes KDB 'Nakhoda Ragam', KDB 'Bendhara Sakam' and KDB 'Jerambak' have been acquired by the Indonesian government from Brunei for the Indonesian Navy.

Brunei originally ordered the vessels in 1995, but refused to take delivery of the vessels in 2002, the contractual dispute was settled by arbitration in 2007 in favor of BAE systems and three ships where handed over to Brunei.

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Northrop Grumman Delivers 100th EA-18G Airborne Electronic Attack Kit

Northrop Grumman Corporation has delivered the 100 th airborne electronic attack (AEA) kit for the EA-18G Growler aircraft. The AEA kit is a critical component of the aircraft, which allows warfighters to target and attack the most complex enemy communication and air defense systems.

"This delivery milestone demonstrates the dedication of the Northrop Grumman team to the EA-18G Growler program. Every airborne electronic attack subsystem they have produced is of the highest quality, allowing us to stay ahead of current and evolving threats," said Capt. Frank Morley, U. S. Navy F/A-18 and EA-18G program manager.

The AEA kit features wing tip pods and gun bay pallets, in addition to antennas and receivers. The ALQ-218 Antenna/Tactical Jamming System Receiver allows for selective reactive jamming capability and accurate emitter identification, location and analysis. At the same time, the AN/ALQ-227 Communication Countermeasures Set/Electronic Attack Unit intercepts, processes and jams signals, while determining their direction.

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Lockheed Martin Receives $31 Million U.S. Air Force Contract for Paveway II Plus Laser Guided Bomb Kits

Lockheed Martin received a $31.1 million contract from the U.S. Air Force for follow-on production of paveway II Plus Laser Guided Bomb (LGB) kits.

The contract represents the majority share award of the available fiscal year 2013 funding. Production deliveries under this contract will include computer control groups and air foil groups for GBU-10 and GBU-12 bombs.

The paveway II Plus LGB uses an enhanced laser guidance package, significantly improving precision when compared to existing paveway II LGBs.

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Report: Iran, North Korea Helping Syria Resume Building Missiles

Syria has managed to enhance its missile-production efforts thanks to help from North Korea and Iran, according to a specialized defense magazine.

In its analysis, Jane's Defense Weekly concluded Bashar Assad's regime has been able to resume manufacturing missiles at a pace that existed before the 2011 start of the Syrian civil war, the Times of Israel reported on Tuesday. A major reason for the ramped up missile production is a desire to feed militant group Hezbollah's appetite for weapons, the report says.

The new missiles being manufactured by the Assad regime's Scientific Studies and Research Center are judged to have greater killing power, but possibly less range and lower accuracy.

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Behind The Threatened F-35 Delays

“Could have been worse” is probably a good four-word summary of the latest Joint Strike Fighter report by the director of operational test and evaluation, Michael Gilmore. If you paid attention to Gilmore’s congressional testimony on June 19 (too few people did), or to our coverage, there is little shocking news.

On the other hand, if you were confidently expecting the program to make the scheduled initial operational capability dates announced last May (too many people were), the report is a cold shower, making a strong case that those dates may be missed by a year or more.

Gilmore’s team is most specific on the first planned IOC, for the Marine Corps. The current objective date is July 2015 (objective) and December 2015 (threshold).

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RQ-21A Blackjack begins operational test phase

The Navy and Marine Corps' newest small unmanned aircraft system RQ-21A Blackjack began its initial operational test and evaluation (IOT&E) in early January at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif.

As part of IOT&E, this first low-rate initial production (LRIP) lot of the Blackjack, previously known as RQ-21A Small Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System (STUAS), will demonstrate the system’s effectiveness and suitability in realistic combat conditions.

“Receiving the first production-level Blackjack is a great accomplishment for our government and industry team,” said Col. James Rector, program manager for the Navy and Marine Corps STUAS program office, who oversees the RQ-21A program. “It is a very capable system that will meet the needs of our warfighters deployed on land or at sea with our Marine expeditionary units.”

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Unmanned U.S. aircraft plunges into Pacific

U.S. Customs and Border Protection grounded its fleet of unmanned aircraft Tuesday after losing one worth $12 million in the Pacific Ocean.

The unarmed aircraft had a mechanical failure while on patrol of the southern California coast.

The crew determined that it wouldn't make it back to Sierra Vista, Ariz., "and put the aircraft down in the water," the agency said in a statement.

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MoD confirms gaps in Navy tasking in UK Waters

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has confirmed that there have been recent gaps in the dedicated Royal Navy vessel coverage of UK waters.

A dedicated ‘Fleet Ready Escort’ (FRE) Frigate or Destroyer is supposed to be available at all times to cover circumstances including unexpected visits close to UK shores by navies from other countries.

Over Christmas the Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov and further vessels arrived off the Moray Firth coast. It is the second such example in two years. First reports of the Russian navy presence relied on Scottish fishing vessels because the Royal Navy has no ocean going conventional vessels based in Scotland.

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Pentagon Concerned by China’s New High-Speed Missile

China’s recent test of a new ultra-high speed strike vehicle highlights growing concerns that Chinese military advances will overtake those of the United States in as few as five years, a senior Pentagon official told Congress Tuesday.

Frank Kendall, undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology, and logistics, said during a House Armed Services Committee hearing that he is concerned by large-scale cuts in U.S. defense spending that are undermining efforts to maintain U.S. military superiority.

“On hypersonics, this is a good example of an area of technology that is going to move forward whether we invest in it or not,” Kendall told a hearing on the United States shift toward Asia. “China is doing work in this area.”

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Congress to Hagel: Keep 11 Aircraft Carriers

Eleven members of Congress have signed a letter to Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel asking that he make sure the Navy retains its current fleet-size of 11 aircraft carriers.

The group of lawmakers expressed concern about a fast-changing global threat environment and strongly cautioned against reducing the number of carriers in the Navy.

The letter was written out of concern that ongoing budget deliberations regarding the upcoming 2015 defense budget submission might shrink the carrier fleet to 10.

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India close to buying Japan-made military aircraft

India is set to become the first country since World War Two to buy a military aircraft from Japan, helping Prime Minister Shinzo Abe dismantle a ban on weapons exports that has kept his country's defence contractors out of foreign markets.

The two countries are in broad agreement on a deal for the ShinMaywa Industries amphibious aircraft, which could amount to as much as $1.65 billion, Indian officials said on Tuesday.

However, several details need to be worked out and negotiations will resume in March on joint production of the plane in India and other issues.

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Navy's newest LCS leaves Austral shipyard

The U.S. Navy's fourth littoral combat ship is en route to California for commissioning and home-porting following acceptance trials in Alabama.

The future USS Coronado (LCS 4) is the second LCS Independence variant -- an aluminum trimaran -- and was constructed by Austral USA.

The Navy said it left Austral's shipyard in Mobile, Ala., Monday for San Diego. While en route, the ship's U.S. Navy crew will conduct hull, mechanical and electrical system shakedown events, as well as navigation checks and combat systems test events.

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PLA may have 600 nuclear warheads in 10 years: Russian expert

While claiming that the People's Liberation Army is unable to compete against the United States in a full-scale nuclear war, Vasiliy Kashin from the Moscow-based Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies stated that China has the ability to wipe Japan from the face of the Earth with its projected arsenal of at least 600 nuclear warheads in ten years' time, reports the Voice of Russia.

China does not have enough advanced ballistic missiles, nuclear submarines and strategic bombers to match the United States, Kashin said the only way the country can defend itself from a nuclear attack is to accumulate as many warheads as it can.

If the current trend continues, the PLA will have at least 600 nuclear warheads in the next 10 years, Kashin said — more than Great Britain and France but fewer than the United States and Russia.

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Navy Set to Accept First Virginia-Class Block III Sub

While floating partially submerged in icy waters along a dock at a General Dynamics’ Electric Boat facility here, the Navy’s first Block III Virginia-Class attack submarine is being readied for sea-trials, certifications and delivery.

As a key step prior to formally handing the boat over to the Navy to begin service, Electric Boat engineers and Navy professionals are testing the electronics, wiring, missile tubes and propulsion system on-board the submarine, among other things, said Kurt Hesch, vice president of Virginia-Class submarines, Electric Boat.

The USS North Dakota, the first Block III Virginia-Class submarine slated for delivery, is expected to be handed over to the Navy for service by April of this year.

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Is Burma really buying submarines?

For the past six months, there have been intermittent reports in the news media and on specialist websites stating that Burma (Myanmar) is developing a submarine capability. If this is true, it has important implications not only for Burma and the region, but also for the wider international community.

However, equally dramatic stories about Burma have emerged in the past, only to prove misleading or false.

This is not the first time Burma has been linked to a submarine sale. In 2003, it was claimed that the military government had held discussions with North Korea on the purchase of one or two small submarines. The 110-ton Yugo and 370-ton Sang-O classes were mentioned. Despite the limitations of both designs, Burma's interest in these boats was said to reflect a wish to police its territorial waters and help deter an invasion.

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Russian Arms Exporter Sold $13.2Bln in 2013

Russia’s state arms exporter Rosoboronexport sold $13.2 billion in weapons and military equipment to foreign buyers last year but expects no short-term growth, its director said in an interview published Monday.

“For the next two to three years our main task will be to maintain arms exports at $13 billion, which I do not think we will exceed, since the new types of technology potential buyers are interested in should first be adopted by the Russian army, and only then be exported,” Anatoly Isaikin told Russia’s Kommersant newspaper.

The company signed 1,202 orders last year and fulfilled deliveries to 60 countries. Among the major importers of Russian weapons and military equipment were India, China, Vietnam, Indonesia, Venezuela, Algeria and Malaysia.

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US Navy confirms its selection of Raytheon for Next Generation Jammer Electronic Warfare Program

Following the US Navy's confirmation of its Next Generation Jammer contractor, Raytheon Company announced today it is ready to resume work on this critical electronic attack program for the warfighter.

"We commend the GAO's thorough assessment of this contract award and the US Navy's re-evaluation that has solidified us as the provider of the world's Next Generation Jammer program," said Rick Yuse, president of Raytheon's Space and Airborne Systems business.

"Our offer represents the best of Raytheon's innovative capabilities and leadership in advanced next generation AESA-based electronic attack systems and we look forward to partnering with the Navy to deliver this critical national security capability for the warfighter."

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User Trial of Agni-I in February

Indian Army is preparing to conduct a fresh user trial of Agni-I missile from a defence base off the Odisha coast. The personnel of Strategic Forces Command (SFC) will carry out the test early next month.

Agni-I is the first missile in the country’s most ambitious Agni series. The nuke-capable missile can destroy targets nearly 700 km away.

Sources at the integrated test range (ITR) in Chandipur here said preparation for the test has already begun at Wheeler Island launching complex off the Dhamara coast. Missile equipment, motor and all other accessories have arrived and work is on to keep the launcher ready and integrate the weapon.

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Commander: Iran Mulling Change in Sayyad Missiles to Mount It on Mowj-Class Vessels

“Sayyad is a land-based missile, and when we want to use it on a vessel, it needs some changes, and we have these changes on our agenda in a bid to mount Sayyad missiles on our under-construction Mowj vessels, including Mowj 2, Mowj 3, Mowj 4 and Mowj 5,” Lieutenant Commander of the Iranian Navy for Operations Admiral Siyavash Jarreh told FNA today.

Meantime, he said that various missile defense systems have been deployed on Iranian Navy vessels, and added that certain vessels are now equipped with Ra’d missiles.

Elsewhere, he reiterated Iran's naval power, and said the country can send its warships to any part of the world now. “We can concurrently dispatch two fleets of warships in opposite directions to the East and West of the Indian Ocean and we have done this before and enjoy the technical capability to carry out such missions whenever necessary.”

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U.S. to sell, lease Apache attack helicopters to Iraqi forces

Iraq’s embattled government will be allowed to buy and lease Apache attack helicopters to help fight a renewed insurgency after a U.S. lawmaker lifted his long-running objections to the deal, the Pentagon said Monday.

The agreement allows Iraq to lease as many as six Apaches this year and purchase another two dozen for delivery over the next three years, officials said.

Iraq’s military hopes to use the aircraft against militants from the Al Qaeda-linked group Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, who have overrun parts of Iraq's Anbar province, including the capital, Ramadi, and the city of Fallouja.

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Insurgents in first shoot down Egyptian Apache helicopter

The Egyptian military has been rocked by the first insurgency interception of an attack aircraft in the Sinai Peninsula.

Military sources said insurgents linked to Al Qaida shot down a U.S.-origin AH-64 Apache attack helicopter.

The Apache was destroyed during a flight in northern Sinai on Jan. 25 and all five soldiers aboard were killed.

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S.Korea to sign jet deal in Q3, signals commitment to Lockheed F-35s

South Korea plans to sign a deal to buy 40 fighter jets in the third quarter, its arms procurement agency said on Monday, and its plan to acquire Lockheed Martin Corp F-35s appears on track despite possible development delays.

"With changes made in procurement plans from February to March, followed by committee approval, we will work to sign a contract around the third quarter," Jung Kwang-sun, the head of aircraft programmes at the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), told reporters.

South Korea decided to redraw the terms of its 8.3 trillion won ($7.68 billion) tender to buy 60 fighters last year, reducing the number in December to an initial 40 jets after rebuffing Boeing Co's F-15s.

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Algeria acquires Chinese artillery; evaluating UAVs

The Algerian military appears to have acquired self-propelled artillery from China and is evaluating Chinese unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) as it continues to vastly expand its military forces.

Earlier this month photos appeared online showing what appear to be PLZ 45 self-propelled howitzers on a road outside the capital Algiers.

The convoy of around 50 vehicles may have been headed to the Central Logistic Base in Blida, to which much of the country’s new military equipment often goes, according to IHS Jane’s Defence Weekly.

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New Zealand To Purchase T-6C Trainers Worth $127 Million

The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) has signed a contract worth $127 million to buy 11 Beechcraft T-6Cs to meet its requirement for an advanced pilot training capability, and includes simulators and classroom- and computer-based training packages.

New Zealand requires an intermediate trainer with a glass cockpit that will be able to take students from the Pacific Aerospace CT-4E Airtrainer to the Lockheed Martin P-3K2 Orion maritime patrol aircraft, Boeing 757 and upgraded Lockheed C-130H transports, plus the AgustaWestland AW109, NH Industries NH90 and future Kaman SH-2G(I) Seasprite helicopters, according to Flight Global.

The Pilot Training Capability project was announced in the Defence White Paper 2010.

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Two major projects to replace ageing RAAF jet planes have come under fresh assault from the Pentagon's chief weapons tester

New reports from the United States military's top weapons testing expert have raised fresh doubts about two of Australia's key future air power projects.

According to leaked documents the head of the Pentagon's operational test and evaluation office, Michael Gilmore, has raised major concerns about software flaws in the new F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and the sensors on board the Boeing P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft.

The eight Australian Poseidons to be based at Edinburgh near Adelaide are due in service by 2019 to replace the RAAF's P3C Orion maritime patrol planes.

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Troubled P-8A Poseidon enters full production

The Navy's P-8A Poseidon has entered full-rate production, despite the Pentagon discovering major problems with the aircraft.

Naval Air Systems Command announced that the P-8A had received the go-ahead from the FRP Production Milestone Decision Authority on January 3. The Navy is scheduled to receive 117 Poseidons. This includes 37 low-rate initial production aircraft, of which 13 have already been delivered. The P-8A will replace the venerable P-3C.

The current Increment 1 of the P-8A is equipped with persistent anti-warfare capabilities, an integrated sensor suite and improved situational awareness. The next program milestone is Increment 2, slated for 2016, will include multi-static active coherent acoustics, automated identification system, and high-altitude anti-submarine weapons, according to a NAVAIR news release.

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