CamoFix

The Indian Navy announced the First ship of Project 15B Guided Missile Destroyer christened ‘Visakhapatnam’ was launched on 20 Apr 15 at a magnificent ceremony at Mazagaon Dock Limited (MDL), Mumbai. The ship was launched from Slip Way No. 2 in MDL, Mumbai. The Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral RK Dhowan, was the Chief Guest for the occasion. In keeping with the nautical traditions, the ship was launched by Smt Minu Dhowan, wife of The Chief of the Naval Staff. After an invocation to the Gods was recited, she broke a coconut on ship’s bow, named the ship and wished the shipand “crew to be”, good luck.

Based on Project 15A Kolkata-class, the four ships of Project 15B ships being built at MDL,Mumbai have been designed indigenously by the Directorate of Naval Design,Delhi and bear testimony to the acclaimed legacy of Naval designers. With a displacement of 7300 tons, each ship will be spanning 163 meters in length and17.4 meters at the beam and will be propelled by four gas turbines to achieve speed in excess of 30 knots. 

The P15B destroyers incorporate new designconcepts for improved survivability, sea keeping, stealth and maneuverability. Enhanced stealth features have been achieved through shaping of hull and use of radar transparent deck fittings which make these ships difficult to detect. These ships will be equipped to carry and operate two multiple role helicopters.
These ships are also packed with an array of state of the art weapons and sensors, including vertically launched missile system for long distance engagement of shore and sea-based targets. The ship is one of the few warships of the world to be fitted with a Multi Function Surveillance Threat Alert Radar to provide target data to Long Range Surface to Air Missile system. The MF-STAR and LRSAM system is being supplied by M/s BEL. To protect against incoming airborne and surface threats at medium and close range, the ship has 76mm and 30mm gun mounts.

The first ship of Project 15B is scheduled for delivery in July 2018. The remaining three ships will be delivered at an interval of two years each.

As reported by colleague andrei_bt , Kharkov State Enterprise “Plant named after VA Malyshev,” completed the production of the second batch of five series of tanks BM “MBT-T” under contract with Thailand in 2011. Based on the above link to photos, the second batch of five tanks were ready at the beginning of 2015, although there is no information when the tanks is being sent to the customer.

The tanks were made ​​in pursuance of a contract worth more than $ 240 million signed by GK “Ukrspetsexport” September 1, 2011 for the supply of 49 new Thai Army tanks BM “MBT-T” and two armored recovery vehicles based on them, with the term of the contract is to the end of 2014.

Thailand is actually delivered to launch customer tanks BM “Oplot” developed by SE “Kharkiv Machine Building Design Bureau named after Morozov,” is a further development of the family of T-80U / UD. Performance of the contract “Plant named after Malyshev” began in April 2012 and the company has faced considerable difficulties in resuming tank production after more than ten-year hiatus.

As reported by colleague andrei_bt , Kharkov State Enterprise “Plant named after VA Malyshev,” completed the production of the second batch of five series of tanks BM “MBT-T” under contract with Thailand in 2011. Based on the above link to photos, the second batch of five tanks were ready at the beginning of 2015, although there is no information when the tanks is being sent to the customer.
The tanks were made ​​in pursuance of a contract worth more than $ 240 million signed by GK “Ukrspetsexport” September 1, 2011 for the supply of 49 new Thai Army tanks BM “MBT-T” and two armored recovery vehicles based on them, with the term of the contract is to the end of 2014.

Thailand is actually delivered to launch customer tanks BM “Oplot” developed by SE “Kharkiv Machine Building Design Bureau named after Morozov,” is a further development of the family of T-80U / UD. Performance of the contract “Plant named after Malyshev” began in April 2012 and the company has faced considerable difficulties in resuming tank production after more than ten-year hiatus.

Lithuania is to begin negotiations with Germany over acquisition of an undisclosed number of Panzerhaubitze 2000 self-propelled artillery systems.

Disclosure of the talks, to be held beginning in May, was made by Lithuanian Minister of National Defense Juozas Olekas following a meeting with German Federal Minister of Defense Dr. Ursula von der Leyen.

"The Federal Defense Minister and I discussed the possibility for Lithuania to buy Panzerhaubitze 2000 self-propelled artillery systems from Germany and we have received a positive answer," he said. "That allows us to begin concrete negotiations in May that, let's hope, will lead us to acquisition of the so-needed capabilities in the nearest future."

Olekas also said Lithuania is interested in the possibility of purchasing infantry fighting vehicles from a German manufacturer.

Lithuania is located in the Baltics and was once part of the defunct Soviet Union. Like other Baltic states it is troubled and anxious over Russia's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine and continued Russian threats to the region.
Lithuania does not have an Air Force and depends on NATO countries -- Germany among them -- to provide security in its airspace.

"My German counterpart and I have agreed that the developments in Ukraine have not only changed the settled order in essence but have also given a new drive for our bilateral relations in the area of security, so that we would unify our capabilities and give an appropriate response to the emerging threats in the Baltic Sea region," Olekas said.

UK UAV manufacturer Search Systems Ltd., has developed a UAV-ROV crossover - the Mariner 600 - which is an unmanned multicopter with aquatic landing capability and interchangeable aerial and marine camera views.

Featuring a live video feed with military grade encryption, the Mariner 600 is ideally suited to difficult searches of inland waterways, under trees, riverbanks and quarries.

Designed to the same high specifications as their previous vehicles and aimed at the cost conscious buyer, the Mariner 600 is compatible with existing Search Systems ground stations and mobile command units, making it a low cost upgrade to existing unmanned assets or an excellent entry to the market with dual aerial and aquatic capability.

Utilising a multirotor flight control system with surface thrusters for driving on water, the Mariner 600 is the ideal vehicle for working over water or shallow searches. Working alongside a dive team, the UAV-ROV crossover provides pre-dive information on inaccessible points, potential entanglements and an aerial view of the search area.

Michael Thompson, Sales Director of Search Systems: “As a former diver, the benefit of an instant aerial view is fantastic but the ability to fly into tight spaces, reach the bottom of riverbanks or sheer quarry cliffs takes UAV assistance to a whole new level. Our early underwater footage was excellent and now with the Mariner able to manoeuvre on the surface, any UAV operator can fly and drive the Mariner with ease.”

The Mariner 600 includes an Electro Optical camera as standard with thermal available as an upgrade.

The Turkish Company Aselsan signed an agreement with Croatian shipbuilder Brodosplit to supply a remote-controlled stabilized naval gun system to the Croatian coast guard. The sale is ASELSAN's first export of the gun system to an EU country or a NATO member, the company said in a statement. Brodosplit will buy the 30 millimeter SMASH Remote Controlled Stabilized Naval Gun System, worth 4.2 million euros ($4.56 million).

In December last year, Brodosplit won a contract to supply five coastal patrol boats for the Croatian coast guard. The 41.85-meter boats will be fitted with the 30 mm automatic machine guns, two manually-operated 12.7 mm machine guns and four manually-operated portable anti-aircraft rocket systems.

The ASELSAN Stabilized Gun Platforms, which can be mounted on either stationary or mobile platforms, are designed for purposes of coastal defense, border defense and defense of naval platforms against asymmetric threats. By its stabilized structure, remote operability feature, automated target detection function, and firing accuracy, the system can be recommended for all combat purposes. 7,62mm, 12,7mm machines guns and 40mm grenade launcher can be integrated to Aselsan turret. 

Based on experience and knowledge obtained from existing members of the family, 12.7mm STAMP and 25mm STOP Systems, SMASH System has been developed in less than 2 years. 

SMASH is a Remote Controlled Naval Gun System fitted with a 30 mm gun integrated on a stabilized pedestal with independent Electro-Optic Sight and surveillance mode (without aiming with the gun). The system has excellent tracking and firing ability with a very high hit accuracy. It can be fed via two separate ammunition lines selected by the operator, using the remote operating panel. 

Dual feed 30mm automatic cannon installed on SMASH System is capable of firing 200 rounds per minute. 
The SMASH turret is armed with a 30 mm Mk44 Bushmaster-II which can fire during day and night under various weather.

As opposed to fixed sight systems used on STAMP and STOP Systems, High Accuracy Stabilized Gimbal (HASG) which can rotate in elevation and azimuth axes relative to turret is integrated to SMASH System. 

HASG ensures effective firing at long distances by enabling electro-optic units (Thermal Imager, Day Camera and Laser Range Finder) stay on the target at all times, even during the firing where ballistic correction is applied to the gun. Furthermore, surveillance without aiming gun to the target and video tracking are possible with HASG integration. 

The highly anticipated F-3, Japan’s first domestically-made stealth jet, is aiming to conduct test flights this summer, reports the PLA Daily, a China-based media outlet for the People’s Liberation Army.

If the tests are successful, the F-3 will represent a breakthrough for Japan in terms of stealth capabilities and high-powered engine technology, the report said. The advanced fifth-generation fighter, which originates from Japan’s advanced technology demonstrator-experimental (ATD-X) program, has been designed to deliver superior performance in the four major quality indicators of stealth, supersonic cruise capability, maneuverability and integrated avionics systems.

In terms of stealth technology, the F-3’s exterior is said to contain absorbing materials that can reduce radar reflection. Apart from evading radar detection, the aircraft also aims to eliminate visible light signals, electronic signals, heat and noise in order to minimize detectability.

The cruise capability of the F-3 will rely on its 15-ton-level high-powered engine co-developed by Japan’s IHI Corporation and the Technical Research and Development Institute of the country’s Ministry of Defense. The engine will reportedly feature XF5-1 low-bypass turbofan technology and composite ceramic materials highly resistant to heat.

Ordinarily, fighter jets need to make a compromise between stealth and maneuverability, but the F-3’s design is said to be able to resolve the conflict. The jet has been designed to be light and multi-purpose, with diamond-shaped wings with no empennage. It has also borrowed advantageous designs from other American fighter jets, with an intake ramp similar to that of the X-32 and a Y-shaped tail that resembles the YF-23.

The F-3’s avionics system integrates a high-performance active phased array radar, electronic warfare systems and multi-function RF sensors, with fiber cables to enable high mobility control and improved radar technology to expand the detection area and distance.

Despite its impressive design, the F-3 still faces many practical obstacles before it can become a reality, the PLA Daily said. Researchers are still exploring engine capabilities and need to figure out problems such as compressors and burners for such a high-powered engine. The fact that engines in the older F-2, which are less powerful than those in the F-3, have malfunctioned during flights, with reports of strong vibrations during high speeds, demonstrates that Japan’s engine technology is not sufficiently mature, the PLA Daily added.
The aircraft’s avionics system is also problematic because it is split into software and hardware, and Japan’s lack of experience dealing with complex air flows could make the system vulnerable to poor weather conditions. The hydraulics system is also believed to be a concern for a stealth jet designed to be so agile.

Additionally, Japan’s fighter materials technology has reached a bottleneck. The US F-15, for instance, has a titanium proportion as high as 26.5%, but it is not practical for Japan to simply copy the Americans as the former is completely reliant on imports for such raw materials.

The development of the F-3 carries significant strategic meaning for Japan, the PLA Daily said. On the one hand, the aircraft is viewed upon as a return to form for Japan’s aviation industry and represents a show of strength against China, especially given Tokyo’s efforts to lift its constitutional prohibition against collective self-defense. On the other, a successful F-3 program shows that Japan can stand on its own in developing a superior fighter. Japan has been over-reliant on the US in developing fighter jets in the past, rendering its own technologies lagging. America’s guarded attitude towards Japan has led to the US suspending cooperation on multiple occasions, so the F-3 could end up being a bargaining chip in future negotiations.

Israel’s newest state-of-the-art submarine, the INS Tanin (pronounced ta-NEEN), which arrived in the country towards the end of last year, is nearly ready to begin its service.

In the past few months, since it arrived from Germany where it was built, the INS Tanin has been equipped with Israeli weapons, communications and intelligence systems. It is the largest submarine in Israel’s fleet, measuring 68 meters (223 feet) in length.

This allows the sub to be fitted with special fuel tanks which enable the sub to move noiselessly and remain submerged longer than other submarines.

The INS Tanin is an air-independent propulsion (AIP) class vessel, the first in Israel’s fleet. Like its two sister ships, the Rahav, set to arrive later this year and an as-yet-unnamed vessel coming in 2018 or 2019, the Tanin can submerge for extended periods and carry long-range torpedoes.

Tanin’s commander (whose name is classified, but who was identified as Lt. Col. G) told Israel Hayom, “The number of missions we need to carry out is greater than our capability because of the shortage of submarines. We train the best fighters in the most professional way, because the smallest mistake by a crew member can at best cause a mission to fail and at worst allow the sub to be discovered and become vulnerable.”

Meanwhile, Haifa Naval Base commander Col. David Salma said that “[Israel’s] submarine fleet operates deep in enemy territory — secretly, efficiently, and lethally.”

According to Russian news agency TASS, quoting an industry source, the new generation project 22350 frigate "Admiral Gorshkov" (hull number 417) will continue its sea trials with the Russian Navy Northern Fleet in the Barents Sea. So far, the ship was mostly located in St. Petersburg (where it was assembled by Severnaya Verf shipyard) and conducted initial trials in the Gulf of Finland.

The first phase of the sea trials focused on the navigation performance of the new vessel. Key elements such as the propulsion, steering gear, auxiliary machinery, communication, detection and navigation equipment, anchor gear etc. were thoroughly tested.

"While the ship is in St. Petersburg, at Severnaya Verf, it is being prepared for the second phase of tests at sea to be conducted on the northern ranges," - a spokesman said, without specifying the date when the new Frigate will head to the Barents Sea.

He noted that the ship will be delivered to the Russian Navy Fleet this year as planned initially.

Some Russian media previously reported about problems in the power plant of the frigate. The shipyard dismissed these reports and said there were "no problems" with the power plant. "The ship pefromed well in the initial tests, the sailors and crew are very happy. This is a completely new design and its tests are carried out very carefully," - said the representative of the shipyard.

The first ship of the class "Admiral Gorshkov" was laid in February 2006 and launched in October 2010. There are currently 3 other frigates of the class under construction at the St Petersburg shipyard: "Fleet Admiral Kasatonov" laid down in November 2009, "Admiral Golovko" laid down in February 2012 and "Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Isakov" laid down in November 2013.

General characteristics of Project 22350
Full load Displacement: 4500 tons :
Length: 135 meters
Beam: 16.4 meters 
Draft: 4,5 meters 
Speed (knots): 29
Range: 4500 nm @ 14 knots

The class is fitted with the following weapons:
2x8 VLS 3S14U1 (guided missile complex «Kalibr-NK», anti-ship missile complex 3K55 «Onyx» (anti-ship missile P-160 (3M55)))
4x8 VLS 3S97 SAM system 3K96 «Redut» (32 missiles 9M96) – Fire control system «Poliment»
1x 130 mm A-192M «Armat» – Fire control system 5P-10 «Puma»
2x automatic gun mount 3R99 «Palash» (2x6 30 mm)
2x 14,5 mm MTPU
2x6 330 mm torpedo tubes SM-588 anti-submarine system «Paket-A» 

Ovanes Mikoyan, son of the famous creator of the Soviet MiG jets, aircraft builder and adviser to director of the Structural Engineering Centre of the Mikoyan Design Bureau said in an interview with Moskovsky Komsomolets, that the future of aviation is in drones.

Russia is developing a series of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Active work in this area began in 2008, when the conflict with Georgia showed a need for reconnaissance and combat drones, and the Soviet Pchyola (Bee) and Reys (Flight) no longer met modern battlefield needs.

“This theme (of UAVs) must be developed,” said Ovanes Mikoyan, son of the famous creator of the Soviet MiG aircraft. “A pilot need not be always sent to the front line. It is enough to have an operator on the ground, who can fly a drone to the destination, and perform almost all the same tasks as a pilot, albeit a little worse than now, but with lower losses,” said Mikoyan, also an aircraft designer and adviser to the Structural Engineering Centre of the Mikoyan Design Bureau.

In Russia, according to Mikoyan, “all and sundry” are working on the development of drones, with the Mikoyan Design Bureau having its own projects as well.
“We have lots of ideas at the Design Bureau. The important thing is that the state provides support. Then the future will not be only in the company that bears my father’s name, but in the overall Russian aviation industry,” said Mikoyan.

It is worth noting that the MiG Design Bureau, together with Klimov OJSC, presented the concept of a full-sized model of a stealth jet-powered UAV – the Skat, back in 2007, during the MAKS-2007 Air show. Despite its promising features, (maximum takeoff weight of 10 tons, and practical range of 4000 m), stealth, and consequently ultramodern appearance (vaguely reminiscent of the American carrier-based UAV X-47B, it was first presented to the public in 2008) this program was soon cancelled.

Instead, in July 2012, the “overpowering” Sukhoi was officially declared the developer of a heavy UAV, with a take-off weight of 10 to 20 tons, after a closed tender floated by the Ministry of Defence.

In October 2012, the companies Sukhoi and MiG (both design bureaus being part of the United Aircraft Corporation, led then by Sukhoi’s Mikhail Pogosyan) signed a cooperation agreement for the development of UAVs. Thus, the MiG will be taking part in this project, the tender for which was earlier won by Sukhoi.

According to reports, the results of the collaboration may be ready by 2018.
Earlier, Pogosyan had announced that the future UAV would be using systems and solutions common to the fifth-generation fighter jet – the T-50.
The Ministry of Defence had allocated 5 billion rubles for the development of Russian UAVs but, by 2010, there were no tangible results.

Then, to assist the domestic defence industry, Russia purchased Israeli UAVs, the IAI Searcher Mk II and IAI Bird Eye 400, made in Russia from assembly kits called Forpost (Outpost) and Zastava (Frontier Post), respectively.

The Transas Company (St. Petersburg) and Sokol Design Bureau (Kazan) have been involved in the creation of long-endurance drones since 2011. Their work is continuing. Earlier this year, it became apparent that a prototype-demonstration UAV – the Altius-M (Altair) - would be test flown before the end of 2015.

The “Russian equivalent of the Predator” – the Dozor-600, which, according to combat performance characteristics, is similar to the American prototype, but since this data was unproven, the unit remains at an experimental stage.

Currently, in addition to the Israeli aircraft, the Russian Defence Ministry uses short-range UAVs – the Orlan-10 and the portable Grusha (Pear). Recent reports suggest that Russian paratroopers have been training with the portable UAV – the Iskatel (Seeker). There has, however, been no confirmation that these have entered service with the armed forces.
[Mir robotov]

Japan's growing need to improve its anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities to counter quieter Chinese submarines in littoral waters could set off a three-way race between an upgraded indigenous platform against longer-term solutions, analysts said.

Last August, the Defense Ministry decided to start replacing its aging fleet of 46 SH-60J and 39 SH-60K Seahawk helicopters, providing an initial ¥7 billion (US $57.6 million) as part of a ¥48.1 billion development project. The procurement will lead to the deployment of about 80 new helicopters after 2022, MoD spokesman Tsuyoshi Hirata said.

The procurement mentions indigenous development, so it would seem to favor an easy upgrade of the SH-60K produced by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) with more advanced electronics, unless the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) is looking for a longer-term, more advanced solution, said Matthew Caris, an associate at Avascent Group, a Washington-based defense and aerospace consulting group.

"It seems like an odd time and a small amount of money to develop something truly new; perhaps it's the development of a new MHI H-60 variant with entirely indigenous electronics, which would make a lot more sense," he said.

A US-based source agreed the SH-60K provided a ready-made upgrade and was a logical move.

"The airframe itself is capable and already integrated into JMSDF operations, so a focus on improvements to mission system sensor and processing capability would likely be sufficient to most economically meet future helicopter ASW requirements," the source said.

The JMSDF is aware that it badly needs to update its capabilities against the emerging threat of more advanced Chinese submarines in shallow waters, local defense analyst Shinichi Kiyotani said, and at least some officers in the JMSDF are looking for something much better than the SH-60 platform, which has several disliked but not openly publicized inadequacies.

"The MSDF internally thinks that the SH-60 series is not so good technically any more. It's seen as slow and it suffers from vibration issues, which is a critical point if the MSDF wants more advanced ASW capabilities, and there are other issues," Kiyotani said.
"The impetus for this," Caris said, "is likely twofold: One, the increased aggressiveness and continued growth in the PLAN [Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy] sub fleet, [which the US Navy just announced is now bigger than the US sub fleet]; and two, the recognition that while the SH-60J/K is still in production, it is no longer state-of-the-art."

Designed for a deep-water Soviet threat, the SH-60J is essentially a licensed-built 1980s-era SH-60B Seahawk. Its HQS-103 dipping sonar is at least a generation behind state-of-the art systems for detection of threats in littoral waters, Caris said. And its electronically scanned radar lacks modern processing capabilities such as found on the MH-60R's automatic radar periscope detection and discrimination system, which is a key part of the US Navy's littoral ASW capability, he said.

While the SH-60K upgrade added a new rotorblade and an integrated avionics system, the advanced helicopter combat direction system, none of the basic ASW sensor systems on board was significantly upgraded, he said.

With this in mind, Kiyotani said that pressure is building in the JMSDF in particular and the MoD in general to look beyond an SH-60K upgrade.

"The MoD is increasingly unwilling to purchase expensive domestic aircraft," he said. "The [Shinzo] Abe administration has asked Japanese defense industry to go global, and the new procurement agency being set up in April is genuinely looking to favor an export drive with local production. From this view, the SH-60K is looked upon by some very important people as a backward step."

Added to this, Kiyotani said that MHI was already considering exiting the domestic helicopter market with its small contracts to concentrate on its global aerospace business focused on the highly advanced Mitsubishi regional jet.

"MHI may push for an SH-X upgrade on one level, but my sources tell me that senior MHI people want to exit these low-volume and limited domestic contracts and focus on technologies that converge with and focus sales in the global market."
If the JMSDF demands a more fundamental upgrade and the competition is thrown open, Caris said the procurement would probably pit the SH-60K against two later-generation frames in the shape of Lockheed Martin's SH-60R Seahawk or the NH-90 backed by the European Airbus group.

Against all this, Kiyotani deemed the NH-90 as the best solution. "It's very advanced, Australia has already adopted it, it has fly-by-wire, has an advanced composite airframe, it's very good and it has a long hovering time. If Japanese industry can produce it domestically, or at least make components, then it can export them," he said.

An all-terrain vehicle that employs tracks on its rear section is to be distributed in the Middle East and Africa by the Streit Group and Sand-X.
The two companies, under a strategic partnership, also plan to manufacture an armored variant of Sand-X's T-ATV 1200.

"We are delighted to collaborate with Sand-X Motors; the vehicle is a truly unique and exciting product, said Guerman Goutorov, chairman of Streit Group, which is headquarted in the United Arab Emirates. "Our vision has always been to be a world leader in the security market by providing our customers with the latest advanced engineering & technology adapted to the security & defense market.

"With our newly extended production and training facilities in UAE we are not only be able to meet production volumes but also will be able to provide a range of specifically designed training courses for the armored and unarmored Sand-X T-ATV together with our extended range of APC's and MRAP courses."

Sand-X is a Swiss company with an operation in the UAE. It says the ATV features a Rotax four-stroke, fuel-injected engine and can reach a speed of 115 mph.

"We are pleased to work in partnership and R&D cooperation with Streit Group," said Urs Eiselin, chief executive officer of Sand–X. "Their extensive experience within the international security and defense market will be the best ambassador and technology partner for Sand-X Motors and allow us to achieve continued success"

Pakistan has received three Chinese Z-10 attack helicopters to replace its American Cobra helicopter.

As per a contract in January this year, China has transferred three Z-10 "Thunderbolt" attack helicopters to Pakistan, which has become China's staunchest ally and largest weapons buyer, Popular Science reported .

The helicopters that have anti-tank and air-to-air mission capabilities, are currently at a Pakistani Army base in Qasim/Dhamial, undergoing testing, maintenance training and modifications for operating in the Khyber mountains.

The Z-10, like other modern attack helicopters, carries a wide variety of missiles and rockets like the HJ-10 anti-tank missile, as well as its 23mm chain gun, which can spit out about 600 8oz shells a minute. It is built by the Changhe Aircraft Industries Corporation, with design input from Russia's Kamov Design Bureau.

With its heavy armament of a 23mm cannon, and over a ton of guided weapons including HJ-10 anti-tank missiles, 57mm rockets and TY-90 air to air missiles, the Z-10 is China's frontline attack helicopter, replacing the Cold War era Z-9.

Suncraft International Shipbuilding Company based in Singapore has teamed up with partners Radimax Group of Malaysia to market a patrol boat to intercept high speed titled Piranha ASD for the Southeast Asian nation.

Piranha ASD is formed on the first idea is a high-speed train attack, but then it continues to be modified to perform other roles such as preventing piracy, border patrol, search and rescue . Earlier Suncarft also offers a similar version of Piranha ASD, length 17m for the Nigerian Navy.

“The cooperation between Suncraft and Radimax was established primarily to provide for ASD Piranha Sea Guard of the Royal Malaysia Police,” said Idris Othman – the project manager’s navy said at the Radimax LIMA 2015 shows past.

However, Mr. Othman also stressed that, based on the positive feedback, and Radimax Suncraft received the invitation demonstration of the ability of Piranha ASD to wider areas, because this is a background basis in accordance with the Southeast Asian waters.

According to the disclosure of Suncraft, Piranha can reach speeds up to 40 knots / hour and has a range of 180 nautical miles when running at a speed of 35 knots / hour. Ship can carry up to 4 to 6 crew.
In the standard configuration, patrol boats equipped Piranha 2 pedestal 7.62mm machine gun mounted on either side of the back. The activists also have the option to equip the ship another weapon station remote control 12.7mm by Suncraft development.

Besides providing Malaysian Coast Guard, vessel’s capabilities have been demonstrated before Legislation Maritime Authority Malaysia. The company says it can reach the Coast Guard Vietnam and the Philippines to demonstrate the ability of the Piranha.

China is developing a new stealth all-weather attack aircraft / fighter-bomber to firm up the PLA bomber force.

The new Chinese front-line bomber is designed to penetrate hostile territory and destroy ground and surface targets in any weather conditions, by day and night.

The new Chinese front-line bomber has a maximum speed of 1,600km/h and a range of over 4,700km. The service ceiling is 17,000m and the maximum rate of climb is 9,000m a minute.

Even though the PLA Air Force has said virtually nothing regarding their plans, the new Chinese stealth front-line bomber completion is rumored to fall somewhere around 2025.

Pakistan close to buying eight Type 041 “Yuan” SSK submarines from China Contract could be worth $4 to $5 billons .

Pakistan is close to agreeing a multi-billion dollar deal to buy eight submarines from China, the Financial Times reported on Thursday, in what would be one of China’s largest overseas weapons sales.

The decision had been agreed “in principle”, the newspaper said, citing a hearing in the Pakistani parliament’s defense committee. Pakistani newspaper the Dawn said negotiations with China were at an advanced stage.

Pakistani defense officials could not immediately be reached for comment. China’s Ministry of Defense declined to comment.

A former senior Pakistan navy officer with knowledge of the negotiations told the Financial Times the contract could be worth $4 billion to $5 billion.

It was unclear what type of submarine Pakistan was looking to buy but China has poured resources into developing diesel- and nuclear-powered submarines in recent years.

China and Pakistan call each other “all-weather friends” and their close ties have been underpinned by long-standing wariness of their common neighbor, India, and a desire to hedge against U.S. influence across the region.

President Xi Jinping will travel to Pakistan this month, the government in Islamabad has said. China has said Xi would visit this year but given no timeframe.

China is Pakistan’s top supplier of weapons, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), which tracks global arms sales, selling 51 percent of the weapons Islamabad imported in 2010-2014.
China has also surpassed Germany to become the world’s third largest arms exporter, SIPRI said in a report last month. Little is known about China’s arms exports because the country does not publish data on such sales.

A senior Pakistani government official, Muhammad Saleem Sethi, would leave for China on Thursday where the submarine deal was expected to be discussed, the Dawn newspaper said.

The Pakistan navy was also in touch with Germany, Britain and France about the possible purchase of used submarines, the Dawn quoted officials as telling the defense committee.

A top U.S. Navy admiral said in February that though they were technologically inferior, China’s submarine fleet now outnumbered that of the U.S. navy.

Ahead of the LAAD Defence and Security show in Brazil in mid-April, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) reported on various initiatives in that country. “IAI sees South America in general—and Brazil in particular—as a growth engine,” explained Joseph Weiss, president and CEO. 

Last year, IAI acquired a minority holding in the Brazilian company Avionics Services. The pair is offering an upgrade of the IAI Heron unmanned aircraft system (UAS) named Cacador, which will be manufactured in São Paulo. It will be equipped with an automatic takeoff and landing system (ATOL) and diverse mission payloads, according to IAI. Rival Israeli company Elbit Systems is the main supplier of UAS to the Brazilian air force. But IAI noted that the Brazilian Federal Police have been flying the Heron UAS since 2010 “in a variety of complex scenarios.”

IAI reported that construction of an over-the-horizon (OTH) radar had begun at a coastal site in the south of Brazil. Subsidiary company Elta Systems teamed with Brazilian electronics company IACIT in 2013 to deliver the OTH to the Brazilian Navy. Operating in the HF band according to the surface-wave principle, the design offers surveillance for hundreds of miles at sea. According to IAI, the OTH radar employs phased-array technology and unique interference-cancellation techniques that provide reliable and persistent coverage, regardless of atmospheric conditions or sea state.
Meanwhile, IACIT is preparing to open a maintenance and support facility for the IAI-Elta airborne radars that are in service with the Brazilian armed forces. The ELM-2022 maritime patrol radar is fitted to the Airbus C-295 and Lockheed P-3 fleets of the Brazilian air force. The ELM-2032 fire control radar was selected for the 12 A-4 Skyhawks that are being upgraded by the Brazilian navy. IAI-Elta said that the facility could be expanded as a support hub for additional Latin American customers. 

The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa) has selected AeroVironment and Northrop Grumman as prime contractors for the second phase of a program to design an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) capable of operating from small naval ships. The agency will choose one of the two contractors for the program’s third phase to build a full-scale demonstrator, initially for ground testing.

Darpa and the Office of Naval Research are sponsoring the Tactically Exploited Reconnaissance Node (TERN) program to develop a medium-altitude long-endurance UAS capable of being launched and recovered by small ships. The TERN vehicle would provide long-range intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and other capabilities over greater distances and time frames than currently possible with manned and unmanned helicopters. The agency has said that a flight demonstration could be conducted in 2017.

Darpa originally awarded contracts to five companies to conduct conceptual design trade studies under the first phase of the TERN program. Last September, the Department of Defense announced that Darpa had awarded $19 million contract modifications to both AeroVironment and Northrop Grumman “adding (the) Phase II base period” within the scope of their cost-plus-fixed fee contracts. The agency expected the second phase of the TERN program to be completed by this September.

In a press release on March 23, Darpa announced that the two companies have been selected as prime contractors for the TERN program’s second phase. “To offer the equivalent of land-based UAS capabilities from small-deck ships, our Phase 2 performers are each designing a new unmanned air system intended to enable two  previously unavailable capabilities: one, the ability for a UAS to take off and land from very confined spaces in elevated sea states and two, the ability for such a UAS to transition to efficient long-duration cruise missions,” stated Dan Patt, Darpa program manager.

For the program’s third phase, one contractor will build a full-scale demonstrator for initial ground testing. That would lead to a “full-scale, at-sea demonstration of a prototype UAS on an at-sea platform with deck size similar to that of a destroyer or other surface combat vessel,” Darpa said.

Russian deputy defense minister General Yuri Borisov told Russian media that production of the Sukhoi PAKFA fifth generation fighter aircraft (manufacturer’s designation T-50) might be slowed, compared with previous plans. Since the PAKFA first flew in January 2010, six prototypes have been built and flown. Another four prototypes are due to be completed this year.

During a visit to Sukhoi’s KnAAPO plant at Irkut, where PAKFA production is being set up, Borisov suggested that the Russian Government’s Armament Program 2020 (GPV2020) might be revised to reflect the difficult economic situation in the country. According to sources in the Russian defense ministry, speaking on condition of anonymity, the current version of GPV2020 calls for 52 PAKFA aircraft to be procured in the 2016-2020 time frame. During 2016, 2017 and 2018, the Russian air force expects eight aircraft annually, after which the rate of production would grow to 14 a year.

KnAAPO is ready to commence serial production of the PAKFA starting in 2016, and Borisov confirmed that an initial production batch will be taken by the air force as planned next year. Today, the defense ministry is considering forming a single squadron of 12 aircraft, and then pausing production until such time as the initial batch of aircraft prove their advertised performance during operational trials. Borisov said that, on the whole, the military pilots are happy with PAKFA design and performance as demonstrated by the prototypes.
The slowdown could make additional funds available for procurement of more Su-30SM and Su-35 fourth generation fighters “so as to squeeze the maximum possible out of them,” Borisov suggested. In 2015, KnAAPO is scheduled to produce five Su-30M2s and fourteen Su-35s.

In 2010, Russian president Vladimir Putin said that 30 billion roubles ($518 million at today’s exchange rate) had been invested into the PAKFA project and a similar amount is needed to complete development of the aircraft. Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) expects the total orders from Russia and India for the PAKFA and the FGFA (the Indian air force version) to exceed 400 aircraft.

The indigenous surface-to-air missile Akash failing to inspire enough confidence for deployment on Indian Navy ships, the government has asked the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to engage with the French firm MBDA missile systems for development of short-range surface-to-air missile system (SRSAM).

"DRDO will engage for development of nine SRSAMs which have 40 missiles each," a Navy source said.
This comes as a result of the decision taken to revive the $5 billion SRSAM programme 'Maitri' at the latest defence acquisition council (DAC) meeting of the ministry of defence (MoD) held on Saturday, March 28.

Meanwhile, the Indian Navy is also preparing to equip its warships with Israeli Barak-8 air-defence missile system which is to happen by the year end. "The DRDO- MBDA engagement, however, is for the next generation surface to air missile systems," said the source.

The DRDO had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with MBDA in 2013, but there has hardly been any progress because the DRDO’s Akash missile system has similar functions. The Army and the Air Force have expressed satisfaction with the capabilities of Akash, but the Navy has made it clear that Akash is not suitable for installation on warships. This is likely to be discussed further during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to France next week.