Saudi Arabia has provisioned its Panavia Tornado IDS strike aircraft with an initial capability to employ the MBDA Brimstone air-to-surface missile, but has yet to formally acquire the system, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) told IHS Jane's on 25 January.
Responding to a freedom of information
Saudi Arabia integrates Brimstone on Tornado, though yet to acquire missile
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Russia grounds MiG-31 fleet following crash
The Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) grounded its fleet of MiG-31 'Foxhound' interceptors on 25 January following the loss of an aircraft in the central region of the country the day before, state media reported.
All of the VKS's approximately 200 MiG-31s are covered by the order, while the service
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Indonesia announces new aerospace design centre
The Indonesian government plans to establish an aerospace design centre to propel the country's capabilities in developing aircraft and related technologies for commercial and military applications.
The proposed facility will be developed within the Bandung Institute of Technology, which has close
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India and France sign accord on Rafales, but commercial contract is yet to materialise
Key Points
India and France have signed an inter-governmental agreement (IGA) for 36 Dassault Rafale fighters
A full commercial contract for the aircraft has yet to be agreed
India signed an inter-governmental agreement (IGA) with France on 25 January for 36 Dassault Rafale fighters in flyaway
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Dutch look to revitalise common EU defence efforts
The Netherlands will use its six-month presidency of the European Union (EU) to revitalise the union's anaemic common security and defence policy (CSDP) and push hard for more coherent defence capability development across the 28 EU nations, according to Dutch officials.
New levels of
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DoD chief tester warns on F-35 cyber, software issues
Key Points
The F-35's digital logistics system could be vulnerable to cyber attacks and its combat software development is in danger of falling behind schedule
The Pentagon said the programme remains on track to deliver its most advanced combat software in 2017
The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning
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Brazil soon to select its 4x4 protected vehicle
The Brazilian Army is scheduled in the next few days to select a winner for its tender to acquire an initial 32 4x4 tactical protected vehicles, Colonel José Henrique de Cássio Ruffo, the manager for Strategic Project Guarani (PEE Guarani) at the service's Projects Procurement Office, told
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New Croatian defence minister takes office
Josip Buljevic took office as Croatia's new defence minister on 23 January during a handover ceremony at the Croatian Ministry of Defence (MoD).
Buljevic replaced Ante Kotromanovic, who had run the MoD since December 2011, as part of the formation of a new government in Croatia following
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Kuwaiti Navy to get eight ADSB vessels
Kuwait's Ministry of Defence has ordered landing craft and high-speed protection vessels from Abu Dhabi Shipbuilding (ADSB) under an AED260 million (USD71 million) contract, the company announced in a statement posted on its website on 26 January.
"A total of eight vessels of varying sizes and
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Czech Republic to donate Vz. 58 assault rifles to Iraq
The Czech government announced on 25 January that it would donate 3,000 new and 3,600 surplus Ceská zbrojovka Model 58 (Vz. 58) assault rifles to Iraq's central and Kurdish governments, along with 7.2 million rounds of ammunition.
"The Czech Republic will supply assistance to Iraq and the
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USN sailors who were detained by Iran return to duty
The US Navy (USN) sailors detained but quickly released by Iran in a recent incident have been cleared to return to duty, officials announced on 26 January.
The 10 sailors, assigned to Coastal Riverine Squadron 3, are to report to their unit in San Diego, California, on 27 January for "normal
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Russia carries out more long-range bombing sorties over Syria
Russian long-range bombers returned to action over Syria after a pause of just over two months in an attempt to drive back Islamic State forces besieging a government-held city in the east of the country.
The Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 25 January that Tupolov Tu-22M3
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NEC opens new cyber office in Singapore
The NEC Corporation has inaugurated a facility in Singapore to strengthen its cyber-security offerings within the country and the region, the Japanese group announced on 27 January.
The so-called Cyber Security Factory is described by NEC as a facility dedicated to countering cyber threats and
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Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works gets further funding for equipment, modernisation
Pakistan's Standing Committee on Defence Production has recommended additional funding for state-owned naval shipbuilder Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works (KSEW).
The committee said extra funding should be made available for the shipyard in the 2016-17 budget to procure a new shiplift and
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Chile starts process to modernise army truck fleet
The Chilean Army has begun an effort to update its ageing military truck fleet under Projecto Alfil (Bishop Project).
The replacement comes as more than 40% of the army's current fleet is 25 years old or more, while the ideal standard is to have an average maximum of 10 years. Army chief General
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Belarus updates military doctrine
Belarus's president, Alexander Lukashenko, has approved an updated version of the country's military doctrine, its first update since 2001.
The new doctrine addresses the key changes in the strategic environment in Europe, including NATO enlargement and the Ukraine conflict. Lukashenko approved the
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Textron revenues down due to weak Bell Helicopter performance
US defence and aviation group Textron published its 2015 financial results on 27 January, disclosing revenues of USD13,423 million and net income of USD697 million. While revenue performance was down 3.3% year on year, the company's income was 16.2% higher than in 2014.
The company, which owns
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Pentagon modernisation could reach troublesome budget levels in 2020s
US defence budget analysts are predicting that too many concurrent defence procurement efforts in the mid-2020s could necessitate a re-prioritised, or larger, budget.
This so-called acquisition 'bow wave' is warned of in a 27 January report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies
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Nigeria re-militarises two Alpha Jets
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) announced on 26 January that it has successfully armed two of the four demilitarised Alpha Jets bought from the United States in 2015.
To help meet the urgent requirement for additional strike aircraft to support counter-insurgency operations in northeast Nigeria the
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Indonesia, Singapore step up co-operation in light of a more co-ordinated Islamic State
Key Points
Singapore and Indonesia have agreed to augment their intelligence sharing to counter the spread of the Islamic State in the region
Financial intelligence is likely to be a focus of enhanced information sharing
In view of the recent small-arms attacks in Jakarta, which demonstrated
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