Thai government, BRN announce Ramadan ceasefire
For the first time in nearly 10 years of violence the Thai government and the main Malay separatist faction in the southern border region have committed to a 40-day ceasefire over the Muslim fasting...
View ArticleSyria silent on alleged Israeli strike
Syria has not responded to claims Israel has carried out an attack on its advanced anti-ship missiles, suggesting it wants to play down the incident after it threatened to retaliate after accusing...
View ArticleSaudi Paveway IV deal gets the green light
A long-awaited sale to Saudi Arabia of Raytheon's Paveway IV precision-guided bomb is close to being signed. The 500-lb dual-mode weapons (using INS/GPS and laser guidance) will equip Eurofighter...
View ArticleNorway downselects SAR helicopter replacement
Norway has downselected AgustaWestland and Eurocopter for the Norwegian All Weather Search and Rescue Helicopter (Nawsarh) programme. The country has a requirement of up to 16 new SAR helicopters, with...
View ArticleNavantia's losses increase 80% in 2012
Spanish shipbuilder Navantia has reported that its annual losses increased by more than 80% in 2012, while also saying that it will not be replacing its former chief executive who resigned in June....
View ArticleNATO cyber umbrella to coalesce in November
NATO's plan to join its communications nodes under a common cyber-defence umbrella should largely be in place by November, although full operational capability is several years off, according to NATO...
View ArticleMyanmar disbands controversial border force
Myanmar's controversial paramilitary border guard force, which was responsible for security along the country's often tense western border with Bangladesh, has been disbanded by presidential decree. An...
View ArticleHagel announces plans to cut major staff elements
The US Department of Defense (DoD) will pursue a 20% cut to some of its top civilian and military staffs, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel announced on 16 July. These planned reductions in overhead...
View ArticleCanada grounds Sea King fleet
The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) has suspended flight operations of its fleet of Sikorsky SH-3A (CH-124A/B in Canadian service) Sea King utility and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopters...
View ArticleBrazil receives four proposals for its 105 mm system RfI
Four companies have answered a request for information (RfI), issued by the Brazilian Army's Science and Technology Department (DCT), for a 105 mm turreted gun system for a future variant of the...
View Article'Hot Blade' exercise returns to Portugal
The Portuguese Air Force is conducting the 'Hot Blade 2013' multinational military helicopter exercise, part of the European Defence Agency's Helicopter Training Programme. While 2012's edition was...
View ArticleSangin sitrep
As the Afghan National Security Forces progress towards operational autonomy, a recent operation in Sangin, Helmland province, may offer a snapshot of the challenges they face The Afghan National...
View ArticleRussia carries out largest snap exercise since Cold War
President Vladimir Putin on 14 July oversaw the major deployment phase of Russia's largest military manoeuvres since the Cold War era. Involving some 160,000 troops, 1,000 armoured vehicles, 130...
View ArticleEU trainers set to move to Somalia
The European Union Training Mission-Somalia (EUTM-Somalia) will move to Mogadishu "in a matter of days or a few weeks", despite concerns about security in the capital, a senior EU official said on 16...
View ArticleDoD mulling more GMD tests as details emerge on its latest failure
Key Points A 5 July trial of the GMD system was unsuccessful because the 'kill vehicle' did not separate from its booster Officials are working to schedule more tests but haven't decided if they'll use...
View ArticleTurkey legally ends justification for military coups
The Turkish parliament has amended the military's internal service law, ending the Turkish Armed Forces' (TSK's) legal ground for staging three military coups since 1960. The vote, on 12 July, came...
View ArticleSouth Korea blames North for cyber attacks
North Korea has been accused of being behind cyber attacks that affected South Korean websites in June. A total of 67 targets, including South Korean public offices, companies, and the president's...
View ArticleRussia looks to UAE for UAVs
Russia has plans to acquire medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), national media reported on 17 July. The Russian military is...
View ArticlePoland and Finland sign Rosomak production agreement
Poland and Finland have signed an agreement on licensed production of the Rosomak (Patria AMV XC-360P) 8x8 wheeled armoured personnel carrier (APC) in Poland, the Polish Ministry of Defence stated on...
View ArticlePeru to order more hovercraft
The Peruvian Navy (MGP) plans to acquire a third batch of hovercraft for patrol and operations in the country's complex river systems, MGP Commander Admiral Carlos Tejada announced on 15 July. He said...
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