For the first time since its establishment in 1987, the Palestinian militant group Hamas is using a firearms simulator rather than live ammunition to train its personnel in marksmanship.
Israeli newspaper Maariv reported on 16 February that Hamas had made this shift because the group is suffering
Hamas turns to firearms simulator to save ammo
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France to send reinforcements to CAR
France is to send 400 more troops to join Operation Sangaris in the Central African Republic (CAR), raising its total deployment to 2,000, most of whom have deployed since December, when the French military responded rapidly to escalating violence.
The reinforcements were detailed by Colonel Gilles
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Former TNI-AD chief of staff calls for ban on Singapore warships entering Indonesian waters
Former Indonesian Army (TNI-AD) chief of staff and Democratic Party presidential hopeful Pramono Edhie Wibowo has called for Indonesia to ban Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) vessels from entering Indonesia's territorial waters.
"As far as I know, Indonesian warships do not enter Singaporean
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Egyptian-Russian arms deal in the pipeline
Egypt and Russia look set to strengthen their defence ties in the wake of a visit by Egyptian leader Field Marshal Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to Moscow, but the details of the arms deals that are reportedly being negotiated remain vague.
The official statement released by the Russian Ministry of Foreign
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Commander replacement splits Syria's moderate insurgents
In a potentially significant setback for the Syrian insurgency, the country's moderate armed opposition has split in two after Salim Idris rejected his dismissal as the chief of staff of the Supreme Military Council (SMC) of the Free Syrian Army (FSA).
Idris' replacement by Abd-al-Ilah al-Bashir
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Colombia Army takes delivery of second batch of ASV
The Colombian Army has begun to take delivery of a follow-up batch of 28 Textron Marine and Land Systems Commando 4x4 armoured security vehicles (ASV) in mid-Feburary.
Originally known as the M1117 Guardian, the ASV is designated as the M1117 Pegaso in Colombian Army service. The Pegaso is equipped
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Brazilian Navy trials ScanEagle on board new OPV
The Brazilian Navy conducted embarked trials of Boeing/Insitu's ScanEagle unmanned aerial system (UAS) on 18 February as part of studies into the selection of a UAS to fulfill the Aeronave Remotamente Pilotada-Embarcada (Remotely Piloted Aircraft-Embarked: ARP-E) project.
The trials took place 12
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Australia signs up for Poseidon
The Australian government has approved the acquisition of eight Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime multimission aircraft, the Department of Defence (DoD) announced on 21 February.
The first aircraft will be delivered in 2017, with all eight aircraft to be fully operational by 2021. The government has
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Voyager resumes flight operations
The UK has resumed flight operations of its Airbus Defence and Space A330-200 Voyager tanker transports after a temporary grounding order was lifted on 21 February.
The seven aircraft delivered to date were cleared to restart flying following an investigation into an "inflight issue" in 9
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USMC Prowlers redeploy to Qatar
A squadron of US Marine Corps (USMC) EA-6B Prowler electronic warfare aircraft have been redeployed from Afghanistan to Qatar, the US Air Force's 379th Air Expeditionary Wing (379 AEW) announced on 21 February.
Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 3 (VMAQ-3) 'Moon Dogs' arrived at Qatar's
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US 'may ease' export restrictions against Myanmar and Vietnam if human rights concerns are addressed
The United States' efforts to expand security relationships across the Asia-Pacific could lead to Washington easing long-standing arms embargoes on Myanmar and Vietnam, Kenneth Handelman, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Defense Trade Controls in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs has
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Update: Australia signs up for Poseidon
The Australian government has approved the acquisition of eight Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime multimission aircraft, the Department of Defence (DoD) announced on 21 February.
The first aircraft will be delivered in 2017, with all eight aircraft to be fully operational by 2021. The government has
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Turkey signs USD3.5 billion helicopter deal with Sikorsky
On 21 February Turkey signed a long awaited USD3.5 billion deal with Sikorsky for the production of 109 T-70 Blackhawk multipurpose helicopters under licence in Turkey.
Turkey first selected the T-70, a Turkish variant of the S-70i Blackhawk in 2007, with the contract taking seven years to
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PLA masters 3-D map printing
China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) has printed its first topographical map using three-dimensional (3-D) printing technology, PLA-sponsored media reported on 20 February 2014.
A PLA mapping and survey centre attached to the Lanzhou Military Area Command (MAC) produced an urban terrain map of
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Pentagon budget 2015: DoD seeking added readiness funding and BRAC
Key Points
The DoD's base budget is capped at USD496 billion in FY 2015, about USD45 billion lower than was requested in last year's proposal
Conventional forces would shrink but Special Operations Forces are set to grow
The Pentagon on 24 February unveiled some key decisions in its upcoming
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Modified J-20 seen being prepared for maiden test flight
Images emerged on 20 February of a modified prototype Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC) J-20 fifth-generation fighter undertaking high-speed taxi runs.
These taxi runs are presumably prior to its maiden flight and suggest it may be a pre-production variant slated for formal testing by the People's
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USAF declares IOC for C-5M
The US Air Force (USAF) has declared initial operating capability (IOC) for its Lockheed Martin C-5M Galaxy strategic airlifter following a successful Qualification Test, Operational Test and Evaluation, and delivery of the 16th aircraft, the service announced on 21 February.
For IOC, initial spare
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Poland seeks new .338 sniper rifle
Polish Armament Inspectorate has launched a technical dialogue for the purchase of 150 sniper rifles chambered in 8.6x70 mm (.338 Lapua Magnum).
The rifles are planned to be equipped with day and night optics offered as a package. The agreement would also cover delivery of 50,000 ball-type 8.6x70
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Pentagon budget 2015: DoD cutting end strength for readiness and modernisation
Key Points
Major acquisitions such as a new Long-Range Strike Bomber, the Joint Strike Fighter, and an aerial refuelling tanker have been protected in the request
The army and marine corps are to see notable end strength cuts
The Pentagon's forthcoming budget request favours a smaller force with
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Pakistani senator urges progress on submarine purchase
A senior Pakistani lawmaker has urged the government to expedite the purchase of new submarines for the Pakistan Navy (PN), in one of the first public statements on the matter.
Speaking in the Senate on 24 February, Senator Mohsin Leghari said: "Our submarines are old. We have to ask ourselves
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