Airbus Defence and Space imagery captured during the first seven months of 2016 indicates that China's guided-missile destroyer (DDG) production is still underway at Jiangnan Shipyard, located on Changxing Island near Shanghai. However, no Type 055 DDG hull components could be identified during that
Work continues on Type 052D destroyers at China's Jiangnan Shipyard
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US bomber-triad in Pacific theatre for first time
The United States has its three strategic bomber types flying in the Pacific theatre for the first time as it looks to reassure allies and deter potential adversaries.
The event, which was announced on 10 August, sees the US Air Force's (USAF's) Boeing B-52H Stratofortress, Rockwell B-1B Lancer,
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KC-46A production decision imminent
The Boeing KC-46A Pegasus aerial refuelling tanker development programme is expected to be reviewed for low-rate initial production (LRIP) later this month, the service's top civilian official said on 10 August.
"The key meeting for that is going to happen later on this month," United
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Indonesia recommissions replenishment tanker after completion works
The Indonesian Navy (Tentara Nasional Indonesia - Angkatan Laut, or TNI-AL) has held another commissioning ceremony for KRI Tarakan (905), a 122 m replenishment tanker built by local shipbuilder PT Dok Kodja Bahari (PT DKB).
The ceremony, which was attended by TNI-AL Chief Admiral Ade Supandi, was
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Imagery suggests China has built reinforced hangars on disputed islands, says research group
Commercial satellite imagery taken in late July suggests that China has built reinforced hangars on three islands in the disputed South China Sea (SCS), according to the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).
Each of the three islets
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Final bids in for Challenger 2 LEP
Final bids for the British Army's Challenger 2 main battle tank (MBT) upgrade programme were submitted by industry on 11 August.
The life extension programme (LEP) for the Challenger 2 aims to keep 227 of the MBTs in service until 2035 and will see the replacement of most of the tanks electronics,
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Denel integrates new iNkunzi Strike with SDROW weapon station
The Mechatronics division of Denel Vehicle Systems has integrated its new iNkunzi Strike with its Self Defence Remotely Operated Weapon station (SDROW), a company source has told IHS Jane's .
The iNkunzi Strike is a belt-fed, fully automatic support weapon that uses the same 20x42 mm ammunition as
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Czechoslovak Group sells upgraded RM-70 multiple rocket launcher system to Indonesia
Czechoslovak Group, the largest conglomerate of defence manufacturers in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, announced on 10 August that it had exported two batteries of the RM-70 Vampir multiple rocket launcher to Indonesia valued at over CZK100 million (USD4.1 million).
"We have exported a
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Congressional report highly critical of CENTCOM intelligence directorate, leadership
US Central Command (CENTCOM) suffered "persistent problems in 2014 and 2015" with providing overly optimistic analysis of US efforts to train the Iraqi Security Forces and combat Islamic State fighters in Iraq and Syria, a congressional 'joint task force' said in its 11 August initial
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China's Type 96B MBT expected to replace PLA's older tanks
China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) is likely to use the Type 96B main battle tank (MBT) as the pillar of its tank fleet, replacing most of its older models, the China Daily newspaper quoted military analysts as saying on 10 August.
Gao Zhuo, a Shanghai-based military observer who is in close
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Bomber development among programmes vulnerable to budget impasse
Up to 60 US Air Force (USAF) acquisition efforts, including the new Northrop Grumman B-21 bomber, could be damaged if a federal budget deal is not passed at the end of fiscal year 2016 (FY 2016), the service's senior civilian official said on 10 August.
"Overall, a long term CR [Continuing
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Airline hiring boom drives USAF pilot shortage
Lucrative job offers from commercial airlines are causing the US Air Force (USAF) to lose experienced pilots from its ranks, likely leading to a shortage of at least 700 personnel in the coming years, top service officials said on 10 August.
"The airlines are forecast to be hiring a lot
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UK MoD establishes GBP800 million weapons innovation fund
The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has launched a GBP800 million (USD1 billion) investment programme to encourage the development of innovative defence technologies, it was announced on 12 August.
The funding, which will be administered by a new MoD Innovation and Research Insights Unit (IRIS), will
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TRANSCOM awards special operations aviation support contract for CENTCOM
The US Transportation Command (TRANSCOM) has awarded Berry Aviation a USD29 million contract to provide special operation aviation support in the Middle East and southwest Asia.
The contract, announced on 12 August, will see the Texas-based company provide passenger, cargo, combined passenger and
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Taiwan's AIDC and Leonardo consider trainer aircraft collaboration
Taiwan's Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) has held discussions with Italian group Leonardo-Finmeccanica about potential joint development of a trainer aircraft to meet a requirement in the Republic of China Air Force (RoCAF).
An AIDC official told IHS Jane's on 12 August that the
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Singapore, France could receive first Airbus MRTT in 2017
Airbus Defence and Space (DS) expects that the next new Airbus A330-200 Multirole Tanker Transport (MRTT) will be delivered to either the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) or the French Air Force.
"The next [MRTT] is either [for] Singapore or France," Fernando Alonso, Head of
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Rebels take key base in southern Aleppo
Rebel forces in Syria achieved an important victory on 6 August, when they overran the Artillery College in southern Aleppo, breaking the encirclement of the eastern parts of the city and cutting an important supply line to pro-government forces in the west.
Numerous rebel groups were involved in
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Rafael says Trophy and Spike are on target for Australian requirement
Israel's Rafael Advanced Defense Systems is a leading contender to supply active protection systems (APS) and missiles for the Australia Department of Defence's (DoD's) Land 400 programme, a company representative told IHS Jane's on 10 August.
Land 400 covers the replacement of Australia's Light
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Leonardo resumes AW609 tiltrotor flight trials
Leonardo has resumed flight trails of its AW609 tiltrotor prototypes following a fatal crash in October 2015 that led to Italian authorities seizing one of the remaining aircraft in May of this year as part of their investigation.
One of the prototypes flew from Arlington, Texas, to Philadelphia,
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Kazakh military receives first Arlan armoured vehicles
The first batch of Arlan multi-purpose armoured vehicles has entered service with the Kazakh armed forces, the ministry of defence in Astana said on 11 August.
Produced by Kazakhstan Paramount Engineering (KPE) - a joint venture between South Africa's Paramount Group and state-owned Kazakhstan
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