Key Points
DARPA has awarded Boeing USD6.6 million to continue work on the XS-1 Experimental Spaceplane
The agency plans to hold a Phase II competition among the three teams working on the project next year for the follow-on production order
The Pentagon's Defense Advanced Research Projects
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Pentagon satellite-launching UAV development enters new phase ahead of 2016 competition
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Northrop Grumman awards Triton component deal to Australian firm
Northrop Grumman has awarded Australian firm Ferra Engineering a contract to produce components for the US corporation's MQ-4C Triton maritime surveillance high altitude long endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), it was announced on 30 July.
The contract, the value of which was not disclosed,
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NATO intercepts record numbers of Russian aircraft over Baltic
NATO fighters intercepted record numbers of Russian combat aircraft over the Baltic region during air policing alerts in late July, the alliance announced.
Fighters from Belgium, Italy, Norway, and the UK assigned to the Baltic Air Policing Mission were scrambled to intercept 22 Russian aircraft as
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Leadership transition announced for the Singapore Armed Forces
Key Points
The Chief of Defence Force of the Singapore Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Ng Chee Meng, will retire on 18 August
Major General Perry Lim, the current Chief of Army, will take on the role of Singapore's top military official
Singapore's top military official, Lieutenant General Ng
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Turkey opens air bases for counter-IS strikes
The Turkish government has formally approved an 'understanding' that allows the US-led coalition against Islamic State to use the country's air bases, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said on 29 July.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Tanju Bilgiç told reporters that the United States could now use
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AFSOC receives first Ghostrider gunship
The US Air Force's Special Operations Command (AFSOC) has received the first of 37 Lockheed Martin AC-130J Ghostrider gunships, it was announced on 30 July.
The aircraft arrived at Hurlburt Field in Florida the day prior to the announcement, ahead of initial developmental test and evaluation
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USMC to retire CH-46 Sea Knight
The US Marine Corps' (USMC's) Boeing CH-46 Sea Knight medium-lift assault helicopter will retire after a final flight by Reserve Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron (HMM) 77CH-46 Sea Knight 4 on 1 August, US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) announced on 30 July.
"The CH-46 has been on the
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USMC declares F-35B operational
Key Points
The USMC has declared the F-35B operational
The B model is the first of the three to reach the milestone
The US Marine Corps' (USMC's) Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II combat aircraft reached initial operational capability (IOC) on 31 July with a squadron of 10 aircraft "ready
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Analysis: FY 2016 Pentagon budget likely to begin with stop-gap funding only
The US Congress is preparing for its annual 'summer break', with the House convening on 30 July and the Senate planning to work one more week, leaving only September to finalise fiscal year 2016 (FY 2016) budget bills and other significant legislation that must be passed in the coming months.
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Russia grounds Mi-28 helo fleet following fatal crash
The Russian defence ministry has grounded its fleet of Mil Mi-28 'Havoc' attack helicopters following a fatal crash on 2 August.
The fleet-wide grounding of the recently introduced Mi-28 (named Night Hunter by the Russian military) comes after one helicopter of the Berkut display unit crashed
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Rheinmetall contracted for Scout SV turrets
Rheinmetall will manufacture the turret structures for the British Army's new Scout SV reconnaissance vehicles under a contract announced by the company on 3 August.
Worth EUR130 million (USD142.5 million), the contract covers the production of the turret structure and weapon mount (TSWM) for the
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Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Kawasaki Heavy Industries post gains on military sales
Japan's biggest defence contractors Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) and Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) posted financial gains in the first quarter of fiscal year 2015, supported by growth in military sales.
The corporations announced, on 31 July, year-on-year increases in net sales and operating
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Indian Air Force seeks highly mobile VSHORADS platform
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has invited responses by 7 August from local manufacturers to its request for information (RfI) for high-mobility vehicles (HMVs), on which to mount very short-range air defence systems (VSHORADS).
Issued on 17 July, the RfI requires Indian companies to form joint
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Elbit announces more DIRCM sales
Israel's Elbit Systems announced on 3 August that it had received two more orders for its MUSIC family of directed infrared countermeasures (DIRCM) systems to protect aircraft against man-portable air-defence systems (MANPADS).
One of the orders came from an unidentified Asian country for
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Egypt takes delivery of F-16s
A previously delayed consignment of F-16 multirole fighters arrived in Egypt just before US secretary of state John Kerry arrived to announce that bilateral relations were returning to a "stronger base".
The eight F-16s were delivered to Cairo West Air Base on 30-31 July. The US embassy
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Crash reveals ELINT role for Colombian CN235M
A Colombian Air Force (FAC) Airbus Defence and Space (DS) CN235M aircraft crashed on 31 July killing all 11 on board. The aircraft reported an engine malfunction before it crashed over Agustin Codazzi, Cesar. The aircraft is understood to have been undertaking an intelligence operation.
In response
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Bharati Shipyard changes name to reflect defence push
India's Bharati Shipyard Limited has agreed to change its name to Bharati Defence and Infrastructure Limited, the company has announced.
In a filing to the Bombay Stock Exchange the company said the name change was approved unanimously by its board of directors in a meeting on 31 July.
The name
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UK retires Lynx AH.7 from service
The British Army retired from service the last of its AgustaWestland Lynx AH.7 utility helicopters during a ceremony on 31 July.
The ceremony at the Army Air Corps' (AAC) operating base at Middle Wallop saw 671 Lynx Conversion Squadron perform a final flypast of the type that has been operational
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Russian An-140 production halted by Ukrainian sanctions
Russia has been forced to suspend manufacture of the Antonov An-140 transport aircraft as a result of sanctions imposed by the Ukrainian government, national media reported on 3 August.
Production of the twin-turboprop aircraft at Samara JSC Aviacor (also known as Aviakor), which is located
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USAF concludes A-10 TSP to Europe
The first US Air Force (USAF) Theatre Security Package (TSP) to be deployed to Europe has returned home after a six-month tour of the continent, the service disclosed on 31 July.
The 14 Fairchild-Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II ground attack aircraft from the 355th Fighter Wing that first arrived at
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