Ongoing Department of Defense (DoD) defence cuts are impacting on the ability of the Aggressor units to deliver up-to-date training to US Air Force (USAF) and allied squadrons, a senior officer told IHS Jane's in early March.
Speaking at the 'Red Flag 14-2' exercise at Nellis Air Force Base (AFB)
Aggressor squadrons feel the pinch of DoD cuts
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UK offers Typhoons for Baltic Air Policing Mission
The UK has offered to deploy a number of Eurofighter Typhoon combat aircraft to Lithuania to bolster the NATO-led Baltic Air Policing Mission, a senior government minister announced on 17 March.
Speaking in the House of Commons, the Secretary of State for Defence Philip Hammond said that Royal Air
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Russia sends further reinforcements to Ukrainian border
A second wave of Russian military reinforcements has been heading towards Ukraine's eastern border, prior to the formal annexation of the region by Russia on 18 March.
Train loads of Russian tanks, heavy artillery, rocket launchers and armoured troop carriers have been revealed in news media
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PLAN commissions Type 056 corvette into North Sea fleet
The People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) commissioned the Jiangdao (Type 056)-class guided missile corvette Weihai at an undisclosed naval base on 15 March.
The vessel, with pennant number 590, will be inducted into the PLAN's North Sea Fleet, where it will assume anti-submarine and anti-ship
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Pentagon to implement tighter security, may cut clearances
The US Department of Defense (DoD) is to institute a process for continuously re-assessing personnel with DoD building access and security clearances, and will consider reducing the number of secret security clearances by 10%, following an attack at a navy facility last year by a disturbed
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Nigerian Navy considers surplus Sea Knight and Seasprite helos
A delegation from the Nigerian Navy recently visited the United States to discuss the procurement of surplus Boeing-Vertol HH-46 Sea Knight and Kaman H-2 Seasprite helicopters from the US Marine Corps (USMC), the US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) announced on 17 March.
The delegation arrived at
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HRW slams UN for suggesting PKO role for Myanmar
US-based advocacy group Human Rights Watch (HRW) has criticised suggestions that Myanmar's participation in United Nations peace-keeping operations (PKO) might help the country reintegrate into the global community and expose its controversial armed forces to international military norms.
In an
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EU lacks the teeth to halt Russia, senior figures warn
The European Union (EU) is powerless to effect any change in Russia's behaviour toward Crimea because its sanctions against Moscow are weak and could even backfire by damaging the interests of European companies, argues a former top NATO military official as well as certain members of the European
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ASTRAEA partners embark on new phase
The latest phase of the ASTRAEA unmanned aircraft research project is underway, in the form of an 18-month programme to consolidate regulatory work and continue the virtual certification process with the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
ASTRAEA 3A "is an interim work programme that continues
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US Navy sees benefits in SRVL for F-35C carrier recovery
The US Navy (USN) has seen benefits in aspects of the UK's Shipborne Rolling Vertical Landing (SRVL) technique for recovering the Lockheed Martin F-35C Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter on to the deck of its aircraft carriers, it was disclosed on 19 March.
Work being undertaken at BAE Systems'
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Saudi Arabia loans USD1.5 billion to Pakistan in further sign of warming ties
Saudi Arabia gave USD1.5 billion to Pakistan on undisclosed terms in early March, prompting speculation that the two countries are working rapidly to further cement their security ties. IHS Jane's reported earlier in 2014 that Saudi Arabia had sought the deployment of Pakistani troops to the kingdom
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Russia to open electronic warfare base on Finland's border
Russia's two Arctic bases in Alakurtti, currently being re-established, will house a newly created Northern Fleet signals intelligence unit, according to state media.
Quoting sources close to Russian Naval Command on 13 March, the reports said the bases will be staffed with 3,000 electronic warfare
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Japan, Vietnam pave way for further defence collaboration
Japan and Vietnam agreed to enter an "extensive strategic partnership" on 18 March: a move that supports enhanced bilateral defence collaboration and is intended as a counterbalance to China's growing regional power.
The agreement - signed in Tokyo by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
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India considers lifting services suspension for offset discharge
India's Ministry of Defence (MoD) is considering lifting a suspension that has prohibited defence contractors from discharging offset obligations through a range of services such as software development and training.
The suspension - termed as an "abeyance" by the MoD - was introduced in
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Greece to conduct Bulgarian air policing
Greek fighter aircraft will begin policing Bulgarian airspace by the middle of the year, following the signing of a landmark agreement between the two countries on 18 March.
Signed by the Hellenic Air Force (HAF) Chief of Staff Evangelos Tournas and his Bulgarian counterpart, Constantin Popov, the
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France may scrap Russian Mistral-class LHD deal
France's foreign minister has said he "could envisage" scrapping the contract to sell two Mistral-class landing helicopter dock (LHD) ships to Russia if it attempts to annex more territory from Ukraine.
Although Laurent Fabius indicated that cancellation would be dependent on other
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Finland completes Rauma-class upgrade
Patria has completed the upgrade of the Finnish Navy's Ruama-class fast attack boats, it was announced on 17 March.
The company had been modernising the four vessels since 2010 under a EUR70 million (USD97.4 million) upgrade programme. Saab, Western Shipyard, Kongsberg Maritime, Furuno Finland, Ab
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Croatian MiG overhaul unaffected by Crimean crisis
The overhaul and procurement of 12 Croatian Air Force MiG-21 'Fishbed' fighters in Crimea is continuing "without problems", a spokesperson for the Croatian Ministry of Defence (MoD) told IHS Jane's on 13 February.
Seven MiG-21bis 'Fishbed-L' aircraft were sent to Ukrainian state-owned
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Airbus A400M to tour Mexico
An Airbus A400M Atlas strategic transport is scheduled to visit Mexico 23-28 March as part of a tour to promote the aircraft to the Mexican armed forces.
The visit is a follow-up to negotiations with Spanish Minister of Defence Pedro Morenes in November 2013 that included agreements to increase
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Wedged camera caused UK Voyager aircraft to plummet
A digital single-lens reflex (SLR) camera becoming wedged between the pilot's armrest and side-stick control column caused a UK Royal Air Force Airbus A330-200 Voyager tanker-transport aircraft, en route to Afghanistan, to plummet several thousand feet before making an emergency landing in Turkey, a
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