Key Points
Unanticipated KC-46A integration difficulties have eaten away the margin for delays built into the programme's schedule
Any additional delays could cause Boeing to miss key milestones
A top US Air Force (USAF) official has warned that any more delays to Boeing's KC-46A Pegasus aerial
Further tanker schedule slips could derail key milestones, says USAF
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Australia decommissions last Balikpapan-class LCHs
The last three of the Royal Australian Navy's (RAN's) 45 m Balikpapan-class heavy landing craft (LCH) were decommissioned in Cairns on 20 November.
The 364-tonne vessels - HMAS Brunei , HMAS Labuan , and HMAS Tarakan - were inducted into RAN service in 1973. Following decommissioning, Labuan was
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Pakistan receives 'a squadron' of surplus Jordanian F-16s
The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has received into service 'a squadron' of Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter aircraft from the Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF), a senior PAF service official disclosed on 19 November.
Speaking under the Chatham House Rule at the IQPC Fighter Conference in London, the officer
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Venezuela signs up for VN1, hints at Chinese amphibious vehicles buy
Images from the official Twitter account of the Venezuelan Navy indicate that the Bolivarian Naval Infantry could soon be equipped with three different Chinese amphibious fighting vehicles: a development that would make Venezuela's marines one of the most potent amphibious forces in Latin America.
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Ukraine outlines reasons for high aircraft loss rate
A lack of experience and training, as well as poor tactics and intelligence not being acted on are the primary reasons for losses being incurred by the Ukrainian Air Force in the restive east of the country, a senior service official noted on 19 November.
Speaking under the Chatham House Rule at
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Spanish government defends extra summer equipment payments
The Spanish government has defended, in parliament, the practice of making substantial extra payments each summer to cover shortfalls on key defence re-equipment programmes, the same day that the hearing of an appeal against the practice was accepted by the country's Constitutional Court.
Secretary
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Russia to develop A-100 AWACS based on upgraded Il-76MD-90A airlifter
Russia is to begin developing a prototype Airborne Warning And Control System (AWACS) aircraft based on the upgraded Ilyushin Il-76MD-90A (Il-476) airframe, it was announced on 21 November.
Although plans to do so were first introduced in 2011, the first Il-76MD-90A airframe to be converted into an
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Pentagon finalises F-35 LRIP 8 contract
Key Points
The Pentagon has finalised a deal with Lockheed Martin for 43 F-35 airframes: 29 for the United States and 14 for international sales
The unit price of each of the three variants has come down steadily
The US Department of Defense (DoD) and Lockheed Martin finalised the eighth F-35
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New Zealand receives first batch of T-6C Texans
The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) has received four Beechcraft T-6C Texan II trainers and three more are en route, officers told IHS Jane's on 20 November.
Wing Commander Chris Andrews, director of operations at 488 Wing, said the final four would arrive by mid-2015 to fulfil a contract
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Moscow warns over situation in eastern Ukraine
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has warned that the "US-supported" economic blockade by Kiev of areas controlled by pro-Moscow militants in east Ukraine, puts the country in the position where it "paves the way for a new invasion". He called for representatives of the self-declared 'Donetsk
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Japan announces Global Hawk, Osprey, Hawkeye purchases
Japan has announced the selection of the Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk for its high-altitude unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) requirement and the Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey for its tilt-rotor requirement.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) also confirmed that it would buy a Northrop Grumman E-2D Advanced
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Italy deploys latest Mangusta attack helo variant to Afghanistan
Italy has deployed the latest version of the AgustaWestland Mangusta attack helicopter, the AW129D, to Afghanistan.
Task Force 'Fenice', the Italian Army Aviation component of Train Advise Assist Command West (TAAC-W) in Afghanistan, started testing the new version of the helicopter in early
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Iraqi forces relieve Baiji refinery
The Iraqi Ministry of Defence (MoD) has announced that its forces have finally secured the town of Baiji and the associated oil refinery after months of fighting against Islamic State militants.
The Iraqi authorities have made this claim before, but this time the MoD released a video on 20 November
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DAPA makes preliminary move to contract Lockheed Martin to upgrade F-16s
South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) is set to establish a review committee that is expected to approve Lockheed Martin as prime contractor in its programme to upgrade 134 Republic of Korea Air Force (RoKAF) F-16 fighter aircraft, DAPA spokesman Kim Si-cheol told IHS
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Auditors: US partner capacity building programme needs improvements
US government auditors recommend the Department of Defense (DoD) and Department of State use clear time frames to manage a nascent partner capacity building programme called the Global Security Contingency Fund (GSCF).
GSCF is meant to help the military and diplomatic departments jointly work with
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Russia flies first radar- and avionics-upgraded Tu-160 bomber
The first upgraded Tupolev Tu-160 'Blackjack' strategic bomber aircraft made its maiden flight on 16 November, Russian state media has announced.
The flight, which took place out of the Kazan Aircraft Plant (KAPO) east of Moscow, lasted two hours and 40 minutes, the TASS news agency reported.
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Militant video shows Egyptian armour being overrun
Key Points
The new Sinai affiliate of the Islamic State has released a video to claim the 24 October attack on the Egyptian Army
The video shows a ruthless and sustained attack that overran a mechanised detachment of at least five armoured vehicles
The severity of the insurgency facing the
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Chinese strategic capabilities expanding, a US government report warns
Key Points
China's nuclear forces are expected to expand considerably and become more lethal and survivable over the next 3-5 years, a US government report has warned
The nuclear arsenal could grow so much that US extended deterrence, particularly with respect to Japan, will be weakened, it states
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China building airstrip-capable island on Fiery Cross Reef
Key Points
China is reclaiming land at Fiery Cross Reef in the Spratly Islands, according to satellite imagery
The reclamation, which started in August, is creating a land mass large enough for a 3,000 m-long airstrip
China is building an island at least 3,000 m long on Fiery Cross Reef that
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US defence secretary stepping down
US defence secretary Chuck Hagel will be leaving his post at the White House, it was announced on November 24. Hagel will remain in the position until a successor is nominated and confirmed by the US Senate.
The move comes as a surprise as Hagel and his aides had discussed plans for running the
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