HMS Illustrious , the last of the UK Royal Navy's Invincible-class aircraft carriers, was decommissioned on 28 August in Portsmouth.
The decommissioning means that the newly refitted helicopter carrier HMS Ocean will be the RN's sole dedicated flat-top until the entry into service of the new Queen
UK's last Invincible-class carrier decommissioned
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Russian test aerodrome proposed as commercial airport
The Gromov Flight Research Institute (LII) in the southeast Moscow suburb of Zhukovsky, a centre of attention for intelligence services and spy satellites during the Cold War, is set to change from being a top-secret flight test facility for military aircraft and will instead be developed into a
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Northrop Grumman CIRCM completes US Army flight testing
Key Points
Northrop Grumman's CIRCM has completed six weeks of army flight demonstrations
The company is competing with BAE Systems to replace legacy army systems, primarily the ATIRCM
Northrop Grumman's Common Infrared Countermeasures (CIRCM) system recently completed US Army flight
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Islamic State seeks to link its conquered territories
The US airstrikes to defend Iraqi Kurdistan from Islamic State (IS) militants have attracted considerable attention in recent weeks, but the main IS focus is on unifying its areas of operation in northern Syria and Iraq.
Following the IS's capture of Mosul on 10 June and its offensive across much
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Indian MoD approves USD2.91 bn worth of acquisitions, cancels LUH tender
Key Points
India's Ministry of Defence has approved USD2.91 billion of acquisitions, including more Arjun MBTs and self-propelled guns
The MoD also cancelled the planned acquisition of 197 light utility helicopters, instead opting to relaunch the tender with a licence-build stipulation
India's
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IAI tests B767-300ER with a FBW boom refuelling system
Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has successfully performed test flights with a B767-300ER aircraft equipped with an advanced fly-by-wire (FBW) boom refuelling system, the company announced on 26 August.
Described as an advanced, fully redundant digital system, the new FBW boom system features
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East African states pledge troops for standby force
Ten East African countries have formally pledged forces for the East African Standby Force following a meeting of the East African Council of Ministers of Defence and Security and the Committee of East African Chiefs of Defence on 22 August, Rwandan General Joseph Nzabamwita has announced.
It is
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DoD: US operations in Iraq so far total more than USD500 million
Pentagon officials estimate that the US assessment and advisory mission on the ground in Iraq, along with an aerial humanitarian assistance and bombing campaign, have cost somewhere more than USD500 million to date.
"It has varied since the beginning in mid-June, but on average it's costing
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Czech Republic restructures special forces command
The General Staff of the Army of the Czech Republic (ACR) will assume command of the 601st Special Forces Group based in Prostejov from 1 January 2015, when the unit will be transferred to the ACR Special Forces Command responsible for planning and deployment.
Command of the 601st Special Forces
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Update: SHAPE confirms Russian forces fighting in Ukraine
Russian forces are operating inside eastern Ukraine's territory, are using advanced weaponry to support the country's rebel groups, and have clashed directly with Ukrainian soldiers, according to Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), NATO's top military command.
"In the past two
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China unveils Type 11 sidearm
China's Type 11 (QSZ-11) 5.8 mm self-loading pistol was given its first public showing at Hong Kong Garrison open days at the end of June and beginning of July.
Accepted into service in 2011, the Type 11 is intended for use as a personal protection sidearm for senior officers and officials. It is
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China expands runway, harbour at Woody Island
China continues to expand Woody Island, the largest of the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea.
Satellite imagery shows that since October 2013 China has undertaken substantial land reclamation, harbour redevelopment and other infrastructure construction on the island, which is known as Yongxing
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US airstrikes against Islamic State criticised
An Iraqi Sunni leader has criticised US policies towards the Islamic State militants who control much of Iraq and Syria, saying they are strengthening the radical jihadist group, not weakening it.
Muhammad Bashar Faidi, the spokesperson of the Association of Muslim Scholars, said the West and Arab
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Taiwan announces 2.6% budget increase
Taiwan has announced a proposed 2.6% rise in defence expenditure for 2015, the first increase in the Ministry of National Defense's (MND) budget since 2012.
The proposed MND budget for 2015 announced on 29 August by Lin Yu-fang, a member of Taiwan's Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee,
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Slovakian C-27J contract imminent
Slovakia's longstanding aim to buy new transport aircraft may soon come to fruition, with the Slovak Ministry of Defence (MoD) announcing it hopes to sign a contract to acquire two Alenia Aermacchi C-27J Spartan tactical transport aircraft by 30 September.
Speaking at the Slovak International Air
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NATO to launch new 'readiness action plan'
A new NATO 'readiness action plan' (RAP) that allied leaders are expected to approve during the 4-5 September summit in Wales includes an enhanced NATO Response Force (NRF) capable of deploying "within a few days" instead of the months it currently takes, according to NATO officials and
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Mideast militaries need to rethink procurement priorities
Middle Eastern countries need to respond to the rapid growth of the Islamic State (IS) and other jihadist groups by shifting their defence procurement priorities, according to Mustafa Alani, a senior advisor and programme director at the Gulf Research Center.
"As the security threat changes,
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Maiden flight for UK's first A400M transport aircraft
The first Airbus Defence and Space (DS) A400M Atlas transport aircraft for the UK Royal Air Force (RAF) has made its maiden flight, the company announced on 1 September.
The aircraft, MSN015, departed the final assembly line (FAL) in Seville, Spain, for a five-hour test flight on 30 August. The
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Lesotho soldiers back in barracks after apparent coup
The Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) appears to have attempted a coup d'état on 30 August, although details remain murky.
Troops surrounded and occupied several police stations, including the police headquarters in the capital, Maseru, took control of the radio station and public buildings, and
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IAI tests B767-300ER with a FBW boom refuelling system
Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has successfully performed test flights with a B767-300ER aircraft equipped with an advanced fly-by-wire (FBW) boom refuelling system, the company announced on 26 August.
Described as an advanced, fully redundant digital system, the new FBW boom system features
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