The first operational flight of the Thales WK450 Watchkeeper tactical unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) has taken place in Afghanistan only three months before UK forces are due to withdraw from the Southwest Asian country.
Details of the flight were revealed by the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) on 24
UK deploys Watchkeeper UAV to Afghanistan
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Mexico orders additional UH-60M Black Hawk helos
Sikorsky has been awarded a USD93.3 million contract to build eight "uniquely configured" UH-60M Black Hawk utility helicopters for Mexico, the US Department of Defense (DoD) announced on 29 September.
The contract, which was placed on behalf of Mexico's secretary of national defence, is
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Indian company says it will build new Omani airbase
The Indian company Larsen & Toubro (L&T) announced on 18 September that it had been awarded a contract by the Omani Ministry of Defence to build the new airbase, but provided no further details.
"We have been gradually establishing our credentials in the Middle East and, especially in
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Thailand requests additional Lakota helicopters
Thailand has submitted a request to purchase additional Airbus Helicopter UH-72A light utility helicopters from the United States, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced on 29 September.
The Foreign Military Sale - if approved by US Congress - will be the first major US export
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Yemen to acquire ScanEagle UAVs
Yemen is to acquire an Insitu ScanEagle unmanned aircraft system under a USD11 million contract announced by the US Department of Defense (DoD) on 29 September.
The contract covers the procurement of nine electro-optic (EO) and three infrared (IR)-equipped ScanEagle unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs),
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Oman to get Lanza surveillance radar system
Oman has ordered a new air defence surveillance system for its air force based on the Lanza 3D radar.
The Spanish company Indra announced on 30 September that it will "integrate its most advanced air surveillance solutions" in Oman. The company did not identify the system, but said the
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Bulgaria buys more Textron Commando 4x4s
Bulgaria has ordered additional Textron Systems Commando Select 4x4 wheeled armoured vehicles, it has been revealed.
In total the country will receive 10 vehicles under a USD15.2 million contract awarded by the US Army Contracting Command to Textron Systems on 19 September.
The country previously
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US, Afghanistan finally ink security agreement
Afghanistan and the United States on 30 September signed a long-awaited security agreement to codify the status of US and NATO forces remaining in Afghanistan after this year.
Afghanistan's new president, Ashraf Ghani, entered office the previous day and appointed his new national security adviser,
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Spain to increase defence spending
Spain's headline defence budget is set to rise in 2015, for first time in seven years, by 1% to EUR5.71 billion (USD7.2 billion).
According to figures presented to parliament on 30 September, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) will receive some EUR57 million in additional funding, although that compares
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Pentagon begins deployments to counter Ebola in Africa
The US Department of Defense (DoD) has begun deploying headquarters troops and equipment to West Africa to support efforts to treat an Ebola virus outbreak there.
Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel authorised the deployment of 700 soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) to form a
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One carrier in the Gulf sufficient for now, USN's top civilian says
The US Navy (USN) need not surge a second nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to the Middle East region to support ongoing airstrike operations in Iraq and Syria, the service's top civilian official said on 30 September.
"Right now we can do whatever we need to do with one carrier,"
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Russia preparing legal action over French Mistral halt
Russia is preparing legal action against France over the country's halt in the delivery of the Mistral-class landing helicopter dock (LHD) Vladivostok , Russian sources have told IHS Jane's .
"We hope that despite the repeated statements of the French party concerning the possible refusal to
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Iraqi Army shows off new Russian air defence systems
The Iraqi Ministry of Defence (MoD) revealed on 30 September that it has taken delivery of Pantsyr-S1 mobile short-range air defence systems and Igla-1 (SA-24) man-portable air defence systems (MANPADS) from Russia.
Photographs and a video released by the MoD showed at least three Pantsyr-S1
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Iran's 23 mm Gatling gun emerges from the shadows
The Asefeh rotary cannon that Iran says it is developing for use in a close-in weapon system (CIWS) was finally seen in its entirety on 28 September.
Iran announced in November 2013 that it was working on the three-barrelled weapon, but only the front of the barrels and their muzzle shroud were
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Czech Republic launches air defence radar tender
The Czech Ministry of Defence (MoD) launched international tender on 30 September for 3D mobile air defence radar (MADR) systems worth up to CZK1.7 billion (USD70 million).
The MoD would like to procure at least five systems by the end of 2017 to replace Russian-designed P-37 (1RL139) 'Bar Lock' 2D
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Boeing begins delivering new MH-47Gs to SOCOM
Key Points
Boeing has delivered the first of eight new-build MH-47G Chinooks to SOCOM
The G-model has larger fuel tanks, an aerial refuelling system, DAFCS, and unique electronic warfare capabilities
US Army Special Operations Command (SOCOM) received its first new-build Boeing MH-47G Chinook
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USMC stands up Middle East response force
The US Marine Corps (USMC) has established a new special purpose task force for US Central Command (CENTCOM) that includes 2,300 marines and aircraft based throughout the region, Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby announced on 30 September.
Special Marine Air Ground Task Force Central
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China builds another island in South China Sea
IHS Jane's has obtained satellite imagery that further illustrates the extent of China's building of new islands in the Spratly Islands.
The latest image shows a new island on Gaven Reefs, known in the Philippines as the Burgos Reef, in Vietnam as Dá Ga Ven and Dá Lc and in China as
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USN's fifth Joint High Speed Vessel is launched
The fifth Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV) under contract for the US Navy (USN) has entered the water for the first time, shipbuilder Austal USA of Mobile, Alabama, announced on 1 October. Trenton (JHSV 5) was floated on 30 September after being towed from Austal to BAE Systems Southeast Shipyard and
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South Korean developer unveils Asia's first 0.5 m resolution satellite
South Korean satellite developer Satrec Initiative (SI) unveiled the SpaceEye-X, Asia's first electro-optical (EO) small satellite with a resolution of less than 1 m, at the 65th International Astronautical Congress in Toronto.
SI officials told IHS Jane's that development started in March 2014 and
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