Any missile attack by North Korea on the US territory of Guam in the western Pacific would breach the US deterrence against an attack on Japan, enabling Japan to exercise the right to ‘collective self-defence’, Japanese Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera said on 10 August.
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Japan could invoke right to ‘collective self-defence' if Guam attacked
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Ghana sends military against illegal miners
Ghana officially launched a joint military–police operation to counter illegal mining activity, known locally as 'galamsey', with a ceremony held at Burma Camp in Accra on 31 July.
The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) announced that the task force consists of 400 personnel from the army, air force,
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Finland announces modest 2018 budget increase
Finland has proposed a modest increase to its 2018 defence spending with a rise of EUR48 million (USD56.4 million) to EUR2.877 billion.
The settlement – the proposal of which was announced on 10 August - would keep defence spending at 1.3% of Finland's GDP.
The Finnish Ministry of Defence
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UK 'gaps' Sentinel ops in Middle East
A 'gap' in UK Raytheon Sentinel R1 Airborne Stand-Off Radar (ASTOR) surveillance aircraft operations against the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq has emerged, after more than two years of continuous presence on the region.
The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced in early August that a Sentinel
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Images indicate possible precision-guided version of China's KD-20 LACM
Key Points
China may have developed a new optically guided version of the KD-20 land attack cruise missile
Such a weapon would allow aircraft like the H-6K bomber to conduct attacks from greater stand-off ranges
An image appearing on a People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF)-linked webpage
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Vietnam expands firearms manufacturing capacity
The Vietnam Ministry of National Defence (MND) has announced an expansion in the manufacturing capacity of one of its main firearms manufacturers. The development is the latest highlighted by the MND as evidence of growing industrial capability.
The MND said on 9 August that its Z111 factory, which
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Russian Helicopters announces Iranian testing programme
Key Points
Russian Helicopters to undertake hot-weather testing of Ka-226T in Iran.
Tests come as Russia and Iran are working together on potential helicopter programmes and UAV development.
Russian Helicopters announced on 9 August that it was to begin usability testing of the Kamov Ka-226T
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North Korea threatens IRBM launches as US mulls response
Key Points
North Korea threatened to launch missiles over Japan that would land near Guam as part of an increasingly fierce rhetorical feud with US President Donald Trump.
Other administration officials have been quietly pushing a diplomatic face on the dispute, while considering how to respond if
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Malaysia deploys naval ship at new base near disputed island with Singapore
Key Points
Malaysia has made its first naval deployment to a new installation near an island it believes is part of Putrajaya’s territory
Move may herald more frequent deployments of Malaysian naval assets into the disputed region, but this is unlikely to affect bilateral relations between
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China slams latest FONOP by US Navy near Mischief Reef
A Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson has slammed the latest 'freedom of navigation operation' (FONOP) conducted by the US Navy (USN), claiming that the move infringed upon Beijing's sovereignty and endangered lives.
The remarks came on 11 August, after the USN's Arleigh Burke-class
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UVZ unveils M-392 light howitzer
Russia`s Uralvagonzavod (UVZ) research and manufacturing corporation, a subsidiary of Rostec, has developed the M-392 light howitzer, Jane`s has learnt.
The new gun is intended to replace the aging M-30 mod 1938 howitzer that is still in use by more than 40 countries. "The M-392 can fire the
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Saudi LAV procurement under threat
Saudi Arabia’s multibillion-dollar order for General Dynamics Land Systems Canada (GDLS-C) Light Armoured Vehicles (LAVs) could be jeopardised by the emergence of video footage showing Canadian-made vehicles purportedly being used in a security operation in a Shia area in the east of the
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Israel-Gaza underground wall to be finished in 2019
The underground wall that Israel is building to prevent Palestinian militants tunnelling under the border of the Gaza Strip will be completed within two years, Major General Eyal Zamir, head of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Southern Command, told reporters on 9 August.
“In the coming
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CAE increasingly shifting focus to naval training
Marc Parent, chief executive officer of CAE, confirmed on 10 August that the training-systems integrator's efforts to build alternative revenue streams are increasingly focusing on naval opportunities. "Our capabilities go beyond air," Parent told analysts during the company's
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UK launches externally loaded F-35B from 'ski jump' for first time
The United Kingdom has taken a further step towards re-constituting its fixed-wing carrier strike capability with the first take-off of an externally loaded Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) from a representative ‘ski-jump’.
The test, which took place in early
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Russia to train female combat pilots
Russia is to allow female combat pilots for the first time since the Second World War, state media announced on 12 August.
The first batch of 15 female cadets is to be admitted to Krasnodar pilot training school on 1 October, the TASS news agency quoted Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu as
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Russia reveals Il-22PP special mission aircraft
Russia has shown for the first time its new Ilyushin Il-22PP Porubshchik special mission aircraft. The ‘escort jammer’ aircraft made its public debut on the occasion of the 105th anniversary of the Russian air force over Kubinka on 12 August.
The Il-22P is a signals intelligence
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Private industry help sought to help kickstart ‘Make in India’ projects
Key Points
The Indian Army is to release 11 projects worth USD2.75 billion under the 'Make in India' initiative
Indian private-sector companies are being asked to participate to short-circuit the bureaucracy involved with the public sector Daksh Nakra
The Indian Army (IA) is to release a list of
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Argentina to receive first Texan IIs in October, buy Bell 412s
The Argentine government has officially authorised its previously delayed payments for a contract buying 12 Beechcraft T-6C+ Texan II turboprop trainer and light-attack aircraft. The first four aircraft are expected to arrive in October to serve with the Military Aviation School, Argentine Air Force
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Russia condemns US construction of Ukraine naval command centre near Crimea
On 25 July US Naval Mobile Construction Battalion One (NMCB 1), a Seabee unit, started construction of a naval operations centre at the Ukrainian Black Sea port of Ochakiv, local media and the Ukrainian armed forces have reported.
Ochakiv, now the headquarters of the Ukrainian Navy’s 5th
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