February 2018 Global Defence & Security Industry - Military News

 
 
 
 

 

The Russian military base in Abkhazia completed a week of combat training which engaged servicemen of various types of units, the Southern Military District said. "The servicemen trained live fire for a hundred hours at three ranges in Gudauta, Tsabal and Nagvalou from the latest BTR-82A APC and T-72B3 tanks, portable antitank grenade launchers RPG-7 and 120mm mortars," it said.

In March 2011, Thailand ordered 49 T-84 Oplot-T main battle tanks (Oplot-M with some Thai specifications) from Ukraine. The contract foresaw their delivery by 2014. However, due to ongoing military conflict in Ukraine, the Royal Thai Army has received only 31 units. An additional 5 were expected in November 2017 but their production has been delayed.

The 2nd Cavalry Regiment, also known as the 2nd Dragoons, active Stryker infantry and cavalry regiment of the US Army, conducts a live ammunition test fire with the 30mm Stryker Infantry Carrier Vehicle – Dragoon (ICV-D) at the Grafenwöhr Training Area, Germany.

Scientific-Research Institute for Applied Chemistry Federal Scientific and Production Centre is ready to launch production of the first Russian device protecting against ATM explosive attacks. The device was developed as a response to the increased ATM explosive attacks using gas and air mixtures.

By a contract signed in 2017, the Indonesian Air Force (Tentara Nasional Indonesia – Angkatan Udara’s: TNI-AU’s) is enriching its arsenal with four Wing Loong I medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicles (MALE UAVs) manufactured by Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC).

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) has been awarded a $95 million contract by the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Office of Biometric Identity Management (OBIM) to develop increments one and two of the Homeland Advanced Recognition Technology (HART) system. Northrop Grumman will serve as systems developer and integrator for this 42-month effort.

TOS-1A Heavy flamethrower units will appear in combined arms armies. One salvo can destroy hardware, troops and adversary fortifications on a space of four square kilometers. Experts believe the successful engagement experience in Syria made the weapons popular in the troops. Earlier it was believed than one battery of such vehicles was sufficient for the Russian armed forces, the Izvestia daily writes.

The Russian Defense Ministry is designing a long-range drone capable of automatic flying at low altitudes at supersonic speed, deputy head of the research department of the Central Research Institute of the Defense Ministry Alexander Naumov said.

Up to now, women have been trained separately to men during the five years the Academy has been operating. But this term, for the first time, the women cadets are training and going on exercises — including practice firefights — alongside the men.

Russia replaces imported components from EU and NATO countries with domestic products in nearly 200 armaments and military hardware. Ukrainian-made products were replaced in a hundred arms, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said in an interview with the Kommersant daily.

Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov has confirmed the signing of new state armament program (GPV) by President Vladimir Putin. "The case is that this is a secret decree issued by President, and I can add nothing. It has been signed," he concluded.

Turkey's prime minister says part of the operation is to establish a 30km 'safe zone' in Syrian enclave of Afrin to bar the establishment of a Kurdish corridor along its border. Turkish news agency Anadolu reported that the Turkish forces were backed by armoured vehicles, special forces and infantry regiments.

Over the next decade, the Indian armed forces intend to procure over 400 drones, including combat and submarine-launched remotely piloted aircraft, as well as directed energy weapons (DEWs) like high-energy lasers and high-powered microwaves capable of destroying enemy targets and even satellites.

The US State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to Sweden of Patriot Configuration-3+ Modernized Fire Units for an estimated cost of $3.2 billion. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale.

Speaking at a meeting at the presidential palace on February 21, president Erdogan declared, making allusion to UAVs: “We will carry it a step further. We should reach the ability to produce unmanned tanks as well. We will do it!”

The US Army Contracting Command has awarded Raytheon/Lockheed Martin Javelin JV, Tucson, Arizona, a $94.9 million modification (PZ0095) to foreign military sales (France, Taiwan, Jordan, Qatar, Turkey, and Lithuania) contract W31P4Q-13-C-0129 for Javelin weapon system deliverables including rounds, command launch units, and battery coolant unit spares. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of August 31, 2020.

Tanzanian President John Magafuli has opened a Chinese-built training centre for the Tanzania People's Defence Forces (TPDF). The Comprehensive Training Centre (CTC) was officially opened during a ceremony on 6 February, 2018 at Mapinga in Bagamoyo District, Coast Region. It was attended by Chinese ambassador Wang Ke.

The British Army is seeking to extend the service life of the Challenger 2 main battle tank through to 2035. The current competition opposes two candidates a competition in the framework of its Life Extension Programme (LEP) that opposes two candidates whose vehicles are currently submitted to a 24-month assessment phase due to end this year. A 227-tank market is at stake, with a decision expected for mid-2019.

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