Support is mounting across Europe's national capitals and from senior allied officials for the European Union (EU) and NATO to substantially strengthen their ties to ward off the growing threats to Europe's security. However, ensuring that the EU's evolving defence aspirations do not diverge
EU defence ambitions must not diverge from NATO, officials warm
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Colombia, Honduras sign contract for COTECMAR vessel
Colombia and Honduras on 21 November signed a contract for a logistics vessel to be constructed by the former's state-run Corporación de Ciencia y Tecnología para el Desarrollo de la Industria Naval Marítima y Fluvial (COTECMAR), in a deal worth USD13.5 million.
The platform is a
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Cobham announces chairman transition
Cobham has announced on 22 November that current chairman John Devaney will step down from his role on 31 December.
Cobham's current Senior Independent Director, Michael Wareing, will take over the post while the company looks for a replacement. It is anticipated that a new chairman will be
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China urges Vietnam to stop construction works on Spratly Island
The Chinese government has called on Vietnam to stop construction works on Spratly Island in the South China Sea, and remove its personnel from the area.
"With indisputable sovereignty over the [Spratly Islands] and their adjacent waters, China firmly opposes [a] certain country's illegal
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Canada's X-Ship initiates crewing, helo trials
The modernised Halifax-class frigate HMCS Montreal has begun a five-year stint as the Royal Canadian Navy's experimental ship, trialling novel manning arrangements and serving as a test platform for the new CH-148 Cyclone maritime helicopter.
The X-Ship programme is intended to "advance
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Canada to explore Super Hornet acquisition, launch open competition to replace CF-18s
The Canadian government on 22 November announced plans to replace Canada's fleet of Boeing F/A-18 (CF-18/CF-188) Hornet fighters, including an interim procurement and longer-term competition.
Minister of National Defence Harjit Sajjan confirmed that the government would launch an "open and
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Rebel coalition launches attacks near Myanmar's border with China
In a calculated rebuff to an already flailing government-sponsored peace process, an alliance of four insurgent factions in the north of Myanmar's Shan State has launched a co-ordinated offensive aimed at trade centres and key logistics arteries along the country's border with China.
The wave of
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Japan to purchase island to serve as joint US-JSDF training facility
The Japanese government is planning to buy the uninhabited island of Mageshima in Kagoshima Prefecture to use it as an aviation training facility for both the US military and the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF), a spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense (MoD) in Tokyo told IHS Jane's on 22
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India's MoD releases data on Tejas' imported components
India's Ministry of Defence (MoD) has revealed that about 25% of the components used in the indigenously designed and built Tejas Mk 1 Light Combat Aircraft have been sourced from outside India.
Junior defence minister Subhash Bhamre told parliament on 18 November that 344 of the so-called line
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India publishes new guidelines for procurement misconduct
The Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) published on 21 November long-delayed guidelines on how to deal with suppliers who have been charged with misconduct in defence procurement.
The "guidelines for penalties in business dealings with entities" remove the previous blanket 10-year ban on
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Early intel shake up begins after US election
Key Points
DNI James Clapper delivered his resignation on 16 November, although he will serve through the end of the Obama administration.
Several reports using anonymous sources indicated that President-elect Trump was considering eliminating Clapper's position, and that President Obama had been
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Czech Army receives new Bren 2 assault rifle
The Army of the Czech Republic (ACR) has received its first batch of Ceska Zbrojovka (CZ) Bren 2 assault rifles.
The rifles are the first of 2,600 ordered in May for CZK417 million (USD16.6 million). The first batch was delivered in early November, will the entire order due to be delivered by the
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Saab responds to Finnish fighter RfI, sees wider prospects for Gripen
Saab has responded to Finland's request for information (RfI) on a new fighter as part of a reinvigorated sales drive for its Gripen combat aircraft.
Speaking to IHS Jane's on 23 November, the head of the Gripen programme, Jerker Ahlqvist, said that the response to the Finnish RfI had been sent the
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Morocco takess delivery of M109A5 howitzers
Morocco has taken delivery of a consignment of 155 mm M109A5 self-propelled howitzers, local media reported on 21 November.
The reports were accompanied by photographs showing at least 12 M109s that had been unloaded at Casablanca's port.
The US Excess Defense Articles database shows that Morocco
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Morocco replacing F-16 defensive aids
The Royal Moroccan Air Force (RMAF) has decided to replace at least some of the Raytheon Advanced Countermeasures Electronic System (ACES) installed on its Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 52 multirole fighters with the Harris AN/ALQ-211 Advanced Integrated Defensive Electronic Warfare Suites (AIDEWS).
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More engine issues mar Zumwalt's transit to San Diego
A series of engine problems has hindered USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000) on its maiden transit from the US East Coast to the ship's designated West Coast homeport of San Diego, requiring the ship to be towed through the Panama Canal, US Navy (USN) officials told IHS Jane's .
The ship is now being held in
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Iranian Shafaq jet trainer nears prototype testing
Iran's long-running programmes to develop a military jet trainer/light attack aircraft will achieve significant milestones in the coming months, officials from the Aerospace Industries Organisation (AIO) told IHS Jane's during the Iran Air Show held on Kish Island on 16-19 November.
The two
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Havana welcomes first Canadian warship in over 50 years
Cuba's return to the international diplomatic fold has received a further boost with the first visit to the country by a Canadian warship in more than half a century.
Halifax-class frigate HMCS Fredericton arrived in Havana on 20 November and participated in a number of official events before
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Brazil deactivates a second Inhaúma-class corvette
The Brazilian Navy will decommission from active service its Inhaúma-class corvette Inhaúma (V 30) on 25 November, the service told IHS Jane's .
The ship was commissioned in December 1989 from Arsenal de Marinha do Rio de Janeiro (AMRJ).
Four ships in the class were built in Brazil:
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Thales to upgrade sonar system of RAN's Collins-class submarines
Thales Australia has been awarded an AUD100 million (USD74.3 million) contract to design a major sonar system upgrade for the Royal Australian Navy's (RAN's) six Collins-class submarines, Australia's minister for defence industry, Christopher Pyne, said on 23 November.
Pyne said Thales Australia
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