US Pacific Fleet on 22 August relieved Vice Admiral Joseph Aucoin, commander of the Japan-based Seventh Fleet, from his job following a slew of major accidents.
Admiral Scott Swift, the US Pacific Fleet commander, relieved Vice Adm Aucoin “due to a loss of confidence in his ability to
Series of deadly accidents in Pacific reverberate across the US Navy
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Malaysia names and launches first Littoral Combat Ship
Key Points
Malaysia has named and launched the country’s first Littoral Combat Ship
Platform will provide the Royal Malaysian Navy with all-round offensive capabilities against air, surface, and underwater threats
Malaysia’s Boustead Naval Shipyard (BNS) has launched the first
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Lockheed Martin, Raytheon to complete for USAF’s nuclear-capable cruise missile
The US Air Force (USAF) has awarded Lockheed Martin and Raytheon each USD900 million contracts for the new nuclear-capable Long Range Standoff (LRSO) cruise missile’s technology maturation and risk reduction acquisition phase.
The two companies will work via cost-plus-fixed-fee contracts,
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Indian MoD issues RFI for naval utility, multirole helicopters
Key Points
The Indian MoD has issued an RFI to foreign OEMs for 234 helicopters for the Indian Navy
The RFI aims to procure 111 naval utility helicopters and 123 naval multirole helicopters
India’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) has invited responses by 6 October from overseas original equipment
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Army-2017: VPK showcases BTR-87 APC
Russia's Military Industrial Company (VPK) has unveiled the BTR-87 armoured personnel carrier (APC) at the Army-2017 international military-technical exhibition, outside Moscow.
The vehicle on display features a frontally mounted powerpack, with the troop compartment located in the rear. The APC is
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Army-2017: Tractor Plants modernises BMD-4M
Russia's Tractor Plants Concern has showcased the BMD-4M airborne infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) upgraded with the new Sinitsa (Titmouse) combat compartment at the Army-2017 international military-technical exhibition held outside Moscow from 22–27 August.
The Sinitsa is essentially a
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Israeli Hermes 900 declared operational
Key Points
The IAF has declared the Kochav UAV is now operational
The Kochav is almost certainly capable of carrying out airstrikes
The Israeli Air Force (IAF) announced on 23 August that its Kochav unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) had become operational after successfully completing trials.
Kochav
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China, Russian defence groups expand ties
The China Electronics Technology Group (CETC) and Rostec, Russia’s defence industrial holding company, have expanded their industrial partnership through a teaming arrangement established between subsidiaries of the two groups.
Rostec said in a press release on 23 August that through a new
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NATO receives bids from Spain and Turkey for Portuguese 4x4 vehicle project
A request for proposals (RfP) published by the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) on 24 April for the acquisition of 167 4x4 Viaturas Táticas Ligeiras Blindadas (Light Tactical Armoured Vehicles, VTLB) for the Portuguese Army closed on 16 August. Jane’s has learned that URO
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Royal Marines ramp up rescue role training
The Royal Marines have stepped up their training and preparation to carry out joint personnel recovery (JPR) missions from the Royal Navy’s (RN's) new Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers ahead of a formal endorsement of their commitment to the role by UK defence chiefs. Jane's understands
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Germany, Norway deepen submarine co-operation
Following the announcement of the two nations' evolving submarine co-operation in February, Norwegian Defence Minister Ine Marie Eriksen Søreide and her German counterpart, Ursula von der Leyen, met on 22 August in Eckernförde, Germany's submarine base on the Baltic Sea. The two defence
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Brazil ratifies defence agreement with Sweden
The Brazilian Federal Senate on 22 August ratified a defence agreement signed by the governments of Brazil and Sweden in April 2014 for bilateral co-operation in research and development, logistics support, training, military exercises, and hardware acquisition.
Sweden’s Saab is playing a
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India's CAG criticises IAF over poor serviceability for its Il-76 and Il-78 fleets
Key Points
India's CAG has criticised the low serviceability of the IAF's Il-76 and Il-78 fleets
Lack of spares, maintenance delays, and poor infrastructure have been found to be responsible for the poor availability of the Ilyushins
India’s Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has
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Fabryka Broni prepares for huge military orders
Polish national small arms manufacturer Fabryka Broni Lucznik-Radom (FBLR) is receiving a loan for new machinery to finance an expected order from the Polish armed forces.
The investment is being made as state qualification tests of the PR-15 pistol and MSBS-5.56 rifle near completion in the next
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Syria government forces complete multiple encirclements of IS fighters
Syrian troops have made rapid advances that represent "fundamental changes in the Syrian Arab Republic", according to Colonel General Sergei Rudskoy, chief of the Main Operational Directorate of the General Staff of the Russian armed forces.
In a briefing in Moscow on 21 August, Gen
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PLAN plans: former admiral details potential modernisation efforts of Chinese navy
Details from a recent lecture by a former admiral in the People’s Liberation Army Navy have given an unprecendented glimpse into what kinds of future capabilities the Chinese navy is looking to deploy. Richard D Fisher reports
The potential modernisation plans or ambitions of the
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Lebanese military makes rapid gains against Islamic State
The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) have achieved rapid progress in its long-expected operation to clear Islamic State militants from a pocket of territory close to the Lebanon's northeast border with Syria, with sources close to the LAF telling Jane's on 25 August that they expect the battle to be over
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Contract for first eight Saudi Chinooks awarded
The US Department of Defense awarded a USD223 million contract to Boeing on 23 August to produce eight CH-47F Chinook heavy-lift helicopters for the Royal Saudi Land Forces Aviation Command (RSLFAC). The estimated completion date of the contract is 30 July 2021.
It was announced in December 2016
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Austria’s rift with Airbus hampers helicopter acquisition
Key Points
Austria's MoD has launched the procurement of 12 light multirole helicopters for EUR30–50 million
Due to the legal dispute with Airbus over the 2003–2007 Typhoon acquisition, Vienna is trying to exclude Airbus Helicopters from bidding
On 21 August, the Austrian Ministry of
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Australia reveals design of new shipyard at Osborne
The Australian Department of Defence unveiled its plans for a new shipyard in Osborne, near Adelaide, on 24 August, alongside the naming of key board members of newly formed company Australian Naval Infrastructure Pty Ltd (ANI).
The state-owned company, which will be responsible for the development
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