The Czech Ministry of Defence (MoD) is seeking to procure new 81 mm mortar systems for the Army of the Czech Republic (ACR) as part of efforts to bolster the service's artillery capability.
The MoD intends to provide CZK80 million (USD4 million) to procure 19 81 mm mortar systems through the NATO
Czech Republic seeks new 81 mm mortars
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Update: Japanese cabinet approves changes to collective self-defence posture
The Cabinet of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on 1 July approved changes to its interpretation of the war-renouncing constitution to enable the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) to exercise the right to collective self-defence.
The decision marks a major change in Japan's post-war security
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UK's new Reaper UAVs now flying in Afghanistan
The United Kingdom (UK) has deployed its five new General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 3 July.
The arrival of the UAVs at Kandahar Airfield doubles the Reaper force fielded in Afghanistan by
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Taiwan demilitarises two Kinmen islets
Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND) has officially ceded military administration of the frontline islets of Dadan and Erdan in outlying Kinmen County to local government control.
The 30 June handover ceremony was overseen by Kinmen Defense Commander Pan Chia-yu and Kinmen County Magistrate
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Spain joins European Air Transport Command
Spain has become the sixth member country of the European Air Transport Command (EATC), offering 28 aircraft to the pooling system.
Air Force Chief of Staff General Francisco Javier García Arnaiz signed the document at an official ceremony at the Eindhoven Air Base in the Netherlands on 3
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Romania ends Afghan combat mission
Romania's armed forces marked the end of their combat operations in Afghanistan on 29 June in a ceremony at Kandahar Airfield (KAF).
The ceremony at KAF was attended by Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta, Vice Prime Minister Gabriel Oprea, and Defence Minister Mircea Dusa, whose visit after the
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PLA implicated in latest Chinese corruption scandal
The latest scandal involving former and current senior Chinese officials has suggested greater levels of corruption within the People's Liberation Army (PLA) than previously suspected.
According to official statements, PLA officers have been accepting bribes and kickbacks from defence firms and
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More details emerge on China's reclamation activities in Spratlys
Satellite imagery analysis suggests that China is not building an artificial island at Fiery Cross (Yongshu) Reef in the Spratly Islands, in contrast to widespread reports in Southeast Asian media.
The southeastern end of the reef is home to a Chinese "marine observation station" that has
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Japan to relax North Korean sanctions in response to abduction probe
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced on 3 July that his government will lift some of its unilateral sanctions on North Korea in response to Pyongyang's re-investigation into the fate of abductees and other Japanese nationals missing in the North.
After reviewing bilateral talks that were
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Indonesian Navy indigenous support ship faces potential delay as commissioning deadline approaches
An Indonesian Navy (Tentera Nasional Indonesia - Angkatan Laut, or TNI-AL) indigenously produced logistics support ship may miss its planned October 2014 commissioning deadline, after a shipyard visit by Indonesia's defence minister revealed that the vessel remains incomplete.
Minister for Defence
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Indian armed forces chief in Beijing for first visit since 2005
Indian Army Chief of Staff General Bikram Singh is on a three-day visit to China intended to expand military confidence-building measures (CBMs) between the neighbours. The last visit by an Indian Army chief to China was in 2005.
During his trip, which ends on 5 July, Gen Singh, who is also
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IDF inflicts blows on Hamas after teen kidnapping
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has completed a large-scale, three-week offensive against Hamas in the West Bank following the kidnapping of three Israeli teenagers near Hebron on 12 June. Their bodies were found on 30 June.
"The kidnapping has strategically harmed Hamas to the extent that the
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Czech government approves sale of 14 L-159s to Draken
The Czech government passed a resolution on 2 July to sell 14 surplus Army of the Czech Republic Aero Vodochody L-159 ALCA light attack and training aircraft to US defence contractor Draken International, for approximately CZK250 million (USD12.4 million).
"Unless something unforeseeable
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Belarus completes UAS trials
Belarus has completed state testing on a new tactical unmanned aircraft system (UAS), the Belarusian State Military-Industrial Committee (Goskomvoenprom) announced on 2 July.
Testing of the UAS, which has a range of 100 km, was conducted at the 927th Centre of UAS-applications. The UAS is planned
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Australia outlines plans for F-35 MRO centre
Australia has become the second Asia-Pacific country after Japan to outline a plan to establish a maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility to support Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) aircraft operated by regional air forces.
In comments to IHS Jane's on 3 July,
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AMISOM receives Casspir ambulances
Denel Land Systems has supplied three wide-body Casspir armoured and mine-protected ambulances to the United Nations for use with African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).
The vehicles are a derivative of the new Casspir NG2000 developed by Mechem: a specialised division of Denel Land Systems. The
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US announces possible sub-launched Harpoons sale to India
The US Defence Security Cooperation Agency notified the US Congress in late June of its decision to supply 22 Boeing Harpoon submarine-launched anti-ship missiles to the Indian Navy (IN) for USD200 million via the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) route.
The notification followed the IN's 2012 request
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Update: Japan delays C-2 service entry after door issue in testing
Japan is delaying the introduction into service of the Kawasaki C-2 transport aircraft to investigate why a door broke during pressurisation testing in January.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 4 July that it had decided to postpone the introduction of the Kawasaki C-2 transport aircraft
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Update: Germany cuts defence budget by EUR800 million
The German Bundestag has set Germany's defence spending at EUR32.4 billion (USD44.3 billion) for 2014, following a vote on 25 June.
This approved budget is EUR400 million less than the defence budget proposed by Defence Minister Ursula Von der Leyen in April and represents a 2.58% decline over the
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Update: Brazil signs up to Lynx upgrade
AgustaWestland has been awarded a contract worth more than USD160 million to upgrade eight Brazilian Navy Lynx Mk 21A helicopters.
The mid-life upgrade programme includes replacement of the aircraft's current Rolls-Royce Gem engines with the more powerful LHTEC CTS800-4N. The CTS800-4N is already
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