All About Military

PAK FA Update : Second PAK FA Prototype took Test Flight

2011-03-06T14:47:00.002+08:00

On 3 March 2011 the first flight of the 2nd prototype of the fifth generation aviation complex (PAK FA) took place in Komsomolsk-on-Amur. The plane was piloted by distinguished test pilot of the Russian Federation Sergey Bogdan. The aircraft spent in the air 44 minutes and landed on the factory airfield runway. The flight was successful, in full accordance with the flight plan. Stability of the aircraft test was conducted during the flight as well as evaluation of the power plant systems’ performance. The aircraft proved itself well in all phases of the planned flight program.

Tests on the PAK FA program are in accordance with the approved program. Currently, a set of preliminary ground and flight operations has been completed involving all three prototypes, which underwent bench strength tests, ground tests of fuel systems and other work.

The first flight of the PAK FA took place on January 29, 2010 in Komsomolsk-on-Amur. Acceptance tests of the prototype were completed at the end of March 2010. On April 8, 2010 the first flight model of the fighter jet and a comprehensive ground stand for working out the equipment and systems to provide flight test program, were delivered to the flying test center of the Sukhoi Design Bureau in Zhukovsky near Moscow.

Upon completion of the required volume of preliminary tests on the stands of systems and components, including static strength tests of the static prototype, ground tests of the aircraft stand and the flight model, on April 29, 2010 the aircraft had started flight tests in accordance with the preliminary tests program. The first flight model made 36 sorties in accordance with the flight tests program.

Compared to the previous generation fighters, the PAK FA features a number of unique capabilities, including the functions of a strike aircraft and fighter. The 5th generation aircraft is fitted with essentially new avionics integrating the function of “an electronic pilot” and with an advanced phased antenna array radar. This considerably reduces the pilot fatigue, enabling him to concentrate on performance of a tactical mission.

The new aircraft’s onboard equipment makes it possible to exchange information in the real time mode both with on-land control stations and with aviation group aircraft. The use of composite materials and innovative technologies, and the aerodynamic streamlining ensure unprecedented radar, optic and infrared stealthiness. This significantly enhances the operational capability against aerial and ground targets in all weathers, day and night.

China Completes Stealth Fighter Prototype

2011-01-06T22:50:00.000+08:00

China appears to have completed a prototype of its first stealth fighter, highlighting Beijing's military modernisation drive, but experts said Wednesday the jet will not be operational for years to come.

Photographs published online and Chinese military sources cited by the Japanese media indicate a test model of the J-20 fighter has been finished, with taxi tests carried out last week at an airfield in southwestern China.

The news comes just days before a visit to Beijing by US Defence Secretary Robert Gates, who will seek to mend military ties cut off a year ago by China when Washington sold billions of dollars in arms to its rival Taiwan.

Experts say the J-20 will eventually rival the US Air Force's F-22, the world's only fully operational next-generation stealth fighter jet -- but not any time soon.

The J-20 "will become fully competitive with the F-22, in capability and perhaps in numbers, around the end of this decade," Rick Fisher, an expert on the Chinese military at the International Assessment and Strategy Centre, a US think tank, told AFP.

Dennis Blasko, an expert on the People's Liberation Army -- the world's largest military force -- said the timeline for development of the jet was "probably considerably longer than what most outside observers would estimate".

China plans to begin test flights of the J-20 as soon as this month, with plans to deploy the jet as early as 2017, Japan's Asahi Shimbun newspaper said, quoting Chinese military sources.

The fighter will be equipped with large missiles and could reach the island of Guam, a US territory in the western Pacific, with aerial refuelling, although it would take 10 to 15 more years to develop technology on a par with that of the US F-22, it said.

In late 2009, the deputy head of China's air force, General He Weirong, said the country's stealth fighter would be operational sometime between 2017 and 2019, reports said.

Officials at China's defence ministry declined immediate comment when contacted by AFP about the reports.
Western military experts expressed doubts over how far the PLA had progressed with the J-20 programme.

"I have yet to see proof of a test flight. And testing for a prototype can take quite some time before production begins," Blasko said.

Other than the United States and China, only a handful of countries are working on so-called next-generation stealth fighters.

In January 2010, Russia unveiled a new aircraft touted as a rival to the US jet, developed by Sukhoi.

According to Fisher, Japan has a homegrown programme, while India is cooperating with Russia.

The news about the J-20 comes at a key moment in Sino-US relations, with Gates due in Beijing on Sunday and Chinese President Hu Jintao to visit Washington later this month.

US military officials and strategists see Beijing as a potential threat to Washington's once unrivalled dominance of the Pacific. Ahead of the visit by Gates, contacts had only resumed at a technical level.

Fisher indeed predicted that the J-20 could become a "serious threat to US air superiority in Asia before the end of the decade".

China's massive annual military spending also has aroused concern among its neighbours. Japan last month labelled Beijing's military build-up a global "concern", citing its increased assertiveness in the East and South China Seas.

China has repeatedly insisted its military growth does not pose any threat.

Defence Minister Liang Guanglie said last week that China was currently beefing up its navy, air force and strategic missile forces, while decreasing its ground forces.

According to defence industry publication Aviation Week, the J-20 is larger than observers expected -- suggesting a long-range capacity and the ability to carry heavy weapons loads.

North Korea Says War with South would Go Nuclear

2010-12-17T18:14:00.001+08:00

North Korea warned that another war with South Korea would involve nuclear weapons, as diplomatic efforts continued to ease high tensions over its deadly artillery attack and atomic ambitions.

Uriminzokkiri, the official website of the communist state, said in a commentary seen Friday that war on the Korean Peninsula is only a matter of time.

"Because of the South Koreans' reckless war policies, it is not about war or peace on the Korean peninsula but when the war will break out," the website said.

"If war breaks out, it will lead to nuclear warfare and not be limited to the Korean peninsula," it said in a posting dated Thursday.

In a separate commentary, ruling party newspaper Rodong Sinmun Friday described the peninsula as the world's most dangerous place.

It reiterated calls for a formal peace treaty with Washington and the withdrawal of 28,500 US troops from South Korea.

"The Korean peninsula remains a region fraught with the greatest danger of war in the world," the paper said. "This is entirely attributable to the US pursuance of the policy of aggression against the DPRK (North Korea)."

The North frequently claims nuclear war is imminent. But military tensions have risen sharply since it bombarded a South Korean border island on November 23, killing two marines and two civilians.

Pyongyang's disclosure last month of an apparently working uranium enrichment plant -- a potential new source of bomb-making material -- also heightened regional security fears.

Prominent US politician Bill Richardson is paying a private visit to Pyongyang to try to ease tensions.

The US envoy to stalled talks on the North's nuclear disarmament, Sung Kim, was to hold talks in Seoul later Friday with his South Korean counterpart Wi Sung-Lac.

North Korea Readies Missiles as Military Drill Begins

2010-11-28T12:51:00.000+08:00

North Korea has placed surface-to-surface missiles on launch pads in the Yellow Sea, Yonhap news agency reported on Sunday, as the United States and South Korea began joint military exercises that have upset neighbor China.

The agency also said North Korea had moved surface-to-air missiles to frontline areas, days after it shelled a tiny South Korean island killing four people. The North's official KCNA news agency warned of retaliatory action if its territory is violated.

"We will deliver a brutal military blow on any provocation which violates our territorial waters," KCNA said.
Officials from South Korea's Defense Ministry and the joint chiefs said they could not comment on the Yonhap report. "It is impossible to confirm the report as it is classified as military secret," an official said.

The exercises, in waters far south of the disputed maritime boundary, are being held in the face of opposition by China and threats of "consequences" from North Korea.

The chairman of North Korea's Supreme People's Assembly will visit China from Tuesday, the official Xinhua news agency said, while a senior Chinese diplomat was in Seoul for talks.

Washington says the drill is intended as a deterrent after the worst assault on South Korea since the end of the Korean War in 1953.

Officials and journalists on the island, Yeonpyeong, were briefly evacuated to bunkers on Sunday, a Reuters witness said. The order was later withdrawn.

The nuclear-powered carrier USS George Washington, which carries 75 warplanes and has a crew of over 6,000, has joined the exercises and will be accompanied by at least four other U.S. warships, an official from U.S. Forces Korea (USKF) told Reuters.

South Korea has deployed three destroyers, frigates and anti-submarine aircraft, Yonhap news agency reported, adding the exercises were being held far south of the disputed area where the artillery firing took place on Tuesday.

"The drills have started and of course the carrier joined the exercises. But I cannot give any further details," said the USKF official, asking not to be identified.

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak has told ministers and aides to be ready for further "provocation" by North Korea during the military show of force.

South Korea's marine commander on Saturday vowed "thousand-fold" revenge for the North Korean attack that killed two servicemen and two civilians.

North Korea said that if there had been civilian deaths, they were "very regrettable," but that South Korea should be blamed for using a human shield.

It also said the United States should be blamed for "orchestrating" the whole sequence of events to justify sending an aircraft carrier to join the maritime maneuvers.

Regional giant China -- under pressure from other powers to rein in North Korea -- has said it is determined to prevent an escalation of the violence. But it warned against military acts near its coast.

PAK FA Update : Second Prototype Fifth-generation Fighter to Fly Before Year End

2010-11-26T23:10:00.001+08:00

Flight trials of the second prototype of Sukhoi's fifth-generation T-50 fighter aircraft are due before the end of the year, Sukhoi holding CEO Mikhail Pogosyan said on Monday.

The first prototype of the aircraft made its maiden flight in late January and has conducted 40 in total, Pogosyan said.

"The flight trial program is moving ahead faster than we expected," Pogosyan said.

He said talks with India's Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) on the joint development of the fifth-generation fighter aircraft are due to conclude before the end of the year.

Earlier reports said an agreement would be signed in December.

The new warplane is expected to enter service with the Russian Air Force in 2015.

North Korea Warns Region is on Brink of War

2010-11-26T23:06:00.000+08:00

North Korea warned Friday that U.S.-South Korean plans for military maneuvers put the peninsula on the brink of war, and appeared to launch its own artillery drills within sight of an island it showered with a deadly barrage this week.

The fresh artillery blasts were especially defiant because they came as the U.S. commander in South Korea, Gen. Walter Sharp, toured the South Korean island to survey damage from Tuesday's hail of North Korean artillery fire that killed four people.

None of the latest rounds hit the South's territory, and U.S. military officials said Sharp did not even hear the concussions, though residents on other parts of the island panicked and ran back to the air raid shelters where they huddled earlier in the week as white smoke rose from North Korean territory.

Tensions have soared between the Koreas since the North's strike Tuesday destroyed large parts of this island, killing two civilians as well as two marines in a major escalation of their sporadic skirmishes along the sea border.

The attack — eight months after a torpedo sank a South Korean warship further west, killing 46 sailors — has also laid bare weaknesses in South Korea's defense 60 years after the Korean War. The skirmish forced South Korea's beleaguered defense minister to resign Thursday, and President Lee Myung-bak on Friday named a former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to the post.

The heightened animosity between the Koreas is taking place as the North undergoes a delicate transition of power from leader Kim Jong Il to his young, inexperienced son Kim Jong Un, who is in his late 20s and is expected to eventually succeed his ailing father.

Washington and Seoul have pressed China to use its influence on Pyongyang to ease tensions amid worries of all-out war, and a dispatch from Chinese state media on Friday — saying Beijing's foreign minister had met with the North Korean ambassador — appeared to be an effort to trumpet China's role as a responsible actor and placate the U.S. and the South.

The U.S., meanwhile, is preparing to send a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to South Korean waters for joint military drills in the Yellow Sea starting Sunday.

The North, which sees the drills as a major military provocation, unleashed its anger over the planned exercises in a dispatch earlier Friday.

"The situation on the Korean peninsula is inching closer to the brink of war," the report in the North's official Korean Central News Agency said.

A North Korean official boasted that Pyongyang's military "precisely aimed and hit the enemy artillery base" as punishment for South Korean military drills — a reference to Tuesday's attack — and warned of another "shower of dreadful fire," KCNA reported in a separate dispatch.

China also expressed concern over any war games in waters within its exclusive economic zone, though the statement on the Foreign Ministry website didn't mention the drills starting Sunday. That zone includes areas south of Yeonpyeong cited for possible maneuvers, though the exact location of the drills is not known.

China strongly protested an earlier round of drills in the region but has been largely mute over the upcoming exercises. Beijing could be withholding direct criticism to avoid roiling ties with South Korea and the U.S. and to register its displeasure with ally North Korea.

Washington keeps more than 28,000 troops in South Korea to protect its ally from aggression — a legacy of the Korean War that is a sore point for North Korea, which cites the U.S. presence as the main reason behind its need for nuclear weapons.

Russia Conducts Routine Test of Topol Ballistic Missile

2010-11-02T23:41:00.002+08:00

Russia successfully launched a Topol intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on Thursday to test its operational capability, a spokesman for Russia's Space Forces said.

The RS-12M Topol missile was launched from the Plesetsk space center in northern Russia and hit its designated target on the Kura test range in Russia's Far East Kamchatka region, Lt. Col. Alexei Zolotukhin said.

The missile, which was in active service from 1987 until 2007, was deployed with the 54th Strategic Missile Division near the town of Teikovo, about 150 miles (240 km) northeast of Moscow.

Zolotukhin said this test launch had allowed Russia to extend the service life of Topol missiles to 23 years (initially they were only projected to last for 10 years.)

The RS-12M Topol (SS-25 Sickle) is a single-warhead intercontinental ballistic missile, approximately the same size and shape as the U.S. Minuteman ICBM. The first Topol missiles were put into service in 1985.

The missile has a maximum range of 10,000 km (6,125 miles) and can carry a nuclear warhead with a yield of 550 kilotons.

Although the service life of the SS-25 is being periodically extended, the missile will be progressively retired over the next decade and replaced by mobile Topol-M (SS-27 Stalin) missile systems.

Russia Modernizes Fleet of A-50M AWACS Planes

2010-10-29T19:40:00.000+08:00

Russia has started official testing of its modernized A-50M Mainstay AWACS aircraft for the country's Air Force, a Russian electronics company said Wednesday.

The A-50 Mainstay is a Russian airborne warning and control system aircraft based on the Ilyushin Il-76 transport plane. Russia adopted the aircraft in 1984, and the Air Force currently has 16-20 A-50 planes, according to various reports.

"The A-50M is the most complex aircraft and we have successfully modernized it," said Vladimir Verba, general director of the Vega Radio Engineering Corp. "The aircraft is undergoing official tests at present and has shown excellent performance so far."

The modernization of the A-50M focused on the replacement of outdated analogue equipment with digital electronics systems.

"We have greatly improved the processing of the information and significantly decreased the processing time," Verba told RIA Novosti.

In many aspects, the A-50 is compared to the E-3 Sentry of the U.S. Air Force. The A-50 can detect targets up to 400 km (250 miles) away.

The aircraft is fitted with an aerial refueling system and electronic warfare equipment.

Russia's state arms exporter, Rosoboronexport, said Monday that Russian companies would provide after-sale services for three A-50EI AEW aircraft that have been sold to India. The export version is fitted with the Israeli-made Phalcon radar system.

The first aircraft was scheduled to arrive in 2007-08 but delivery has been delayed.

Selex Galileo to Protect Malaysia's Hawk fleet

2010-10-27T19:07:00.000+08:00

Selex Galileo expects to receive a contract to equip the Royal Malaysian Air Force's BAE Systems Hawk advanced jet trainer and light attack aircraft with a new radar warning receiver (RWR) system.

Named Seer, the self-protection equipment has been designed as a drop-in replacement for BAE's Sky Guardian 200 RWR system, previously installed on platforms including the Hawk.

Selex supported recent flight trials of the new equipment with a Malaysian Hawk. "The RWR met all of the jointly agreed objectives, with Seer being able to detect radars at ranges that were an order of magnitude greater than those achieved by older-generation systems," it says.

Malaysia operates 14 single-seat Hawk 208s and six Hawk 108 trainers delivered between 1994 and 1995, as listed in Flightglobal's MiliCAS database.

Comprising four wide band spiral antennas, two digital detectors, a signal processor and a cockpit display, Seer is "capable of identifying and prioritising complex RF signals in a hostile threat environment", Selex says.

There are customers out there who are worried about radar threats," says Steve Roberts, Selex Galileo's vice-president capability for electronic warfare systems. "We are getting a lot of interest from those countries."

Latin America and the Middle East are considered to be other potential markets for the new equipment.

Roberts says the company will soon perform a similar flight trial with Seer using an Aero Vodochody L-159 - a type in use with the Czech air force. The equipment is also suitable as an upgrade for the Northrop F-5 fighter, or for use with new-build aircraft and helicopters, he says. A compact version is also to be offered to equip unmanned air vehicles.

Selex has also developed a new electronic support measures system dubbed Sage to equip platforms ranging in size from tactical UAVs to large transport and surveillance aircraft. The company's first proposed installation would give a Lockheed Martin C-130 tactical transport a signals analysis and geo-location function.

The company is targeting applications such as border surveillance and exclusive economic zone monitoring for Sage, and has already held discussions with its Finmeccanica sister companies about its potential inclusion in future maritime patrol aircraft offerings.

www.flightglobal.com

Indonesia Set to Continue Buying Arms from Russia

2010-10-23T10:22:00.000+08:00

Indonesia will continue its military-technical cooperation with Russia, the country's defense minister said on Wednesday.

Purnomo Yusgiantoro spoke after an official transfer of three Russian-made Mi-35P combat helicopters to Indonesia.

"We will continue our military-technical cooperation with Russia," the minister said, noting the high quality and reliability of Russian-made military equipment.

With the addition of the three Mi-35s, the fleet of Russian-made helicopters in service with the Indonesian Armed Forces now comprises five Mi-35 attack helicopters and six Mi-17V5 multipurpose helicopters.

Under a $300 million contract, signed in 2007, Russia recently completed the delivery of three Su-30MK2 and three Su-27SKM fighters to Jakarta in addition to two Su-27SK and two Su-30MK fighters purchased in 2003.

"Our current priority is to create a full-size squadron of Su fighter jets comprising 16 aircraft," Yusgiantoro said.

There are several other prospective areas of military-technical cooperation both countries were eager to pursue, Yusgiantoro said, without elaborating.

According to media reports, Russia and South Korea are competing in the second round of a tender for the supply of two submarines to Indonesia.

Jakarta became one of Russia's main arms customers in 1999 when the United States tightened an embargo on arms sales to the country over alleged human rights violations.

China Practices Intercepting U.S. Stealth Fighters

2010-10-18T09:56:00.000+08:00

The Chinese People's Liberation Army recently staged an intercept exercise targeting the U.S.' latest stealth fighter jet, the F-22 Raptor, Hong Kong's Apple Daily reported Thursday.

Japanese media on Oct. 3 reported that the Japanese and U.S. militaries will carry out a joint exercise to practice recapturing the disputed Senkaku or Diaoyutai Islands in November, in case the Chinese capture them in a surprise attack. It said the U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier George Washington and F-22 Raptors will take part in the exercise.

On Oct. 8, five days after the report, a Chinese Air Force brigade in the Chengdu military district practiced firing a Hong Qi No. 9 missile, China's newest ground-to-air missile, to hit a target assumed to be an F-22, the Apple Daily said.

The Science and Technology Daily, published in Beijing, wrote a story about the drill. "Right after the radar sent the information on the location of the stealth fighter to the missile launch team, the Hong Qi No. 9 missile flew into the clouds and an explosion was heard only 40 seconds later. There was loud applause for the success of the exercise," it said.

Royal Navy’s Latest Destroyer is Launched

2010-10-17T22:36:00.000+08:00

The sixth and last of the Royal Navy’s powerful new Type 45 Destroyers was launched today on the Clyde.
The 7,500 tonne warship HMS Duncan has been built by BAE Systems using 2,800 tonnes of steel - more than used in Blackpool Tower. This equates to 100,000 square metres and is covered with 40 tonnes of paint.

Marie Ibbotson, wife of the Deputy Commander-in-Chief Fleet Vice Admiral Richard Ibbotson, sent the Type 45 down the slipway on the anniversary of the Royal Navy’s significant victory over the Dutch fleet in 1797 which was led by Admiral Adam Duncan after whom the ship is named.

On his first visit to the Clyde as Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology Minister, Peter Luff, watched the launch and met members of the shipyard workforce. He said :
“The launch of HMS Duncan is the culmination of a huge effort by workers here on the Clyde, across the country throughout the supply chain, and in the MOD, completing this class of potent warfighters of which everyone involved can be very proud.

“Following on from HMS Daring being declared in service and the successful first firing of the Sea Viper missile system, this is another significant milestone in the delivery of a truly world-class air defence capability to the Royal Navy.”

Equipped with the Sea Viper missile system, the Type 45 will be able to engage multiple airborne or sea skimming targets from any direction at supersonic speed, helping her to provide unrivalled protection to the fleet from the most sophisticated aircraft or missiles.

Commander-in-Chief Fleet Admiral Sir Trevor Soar said:
“The Type 45 is world class. These ships are as versatile as they are powerful. Providing flexible global reach they will deliver broad utility, common to maritime forces, and give the UK military, diplomatic and political options, with their ability to exert effect on land from the sea. This ranges from deterrence and conflict prevention right up to high intensity war fighting and all points between.

“Naturally her war-fighting capability includes the ability to engage hostile forces using the Sea Viper missile system, her gun or other onboard weapon systems, while her Ship’s Company provide anything from boarding parties that deter and disrupt pirates, to landing ashore for the provision of humanitarian disaster relief. HMS Duncan can also deploy up to 60 Royal Marines Commandos and their equipment and operate a range of helicopters from her flight deck. These are fantastic ships and I look forward to HMS Duncan joining the Fleet.”

Duncan is affiliated to Dundee and Belfast. She completes the Class of six Type 45 warships along with Daring, Dauntless, Diamond, Dragon and Defender. She is expected to enter service in 2014.
Background Information

Duncan is named after Viscount Adam Duncan of Camperdown. Her ship’s motto is ‘Secundis dubusque rectus’ (Upright in prosperity and peril). Construction began on the ship early in 2007.

The Type 45s are the largest and most powerful destroyers ever ordered for the Royal Navy. They have a range of around 7,000 nautical miles which equates to travelling to New York and back without refuelling. Each gas turbine on the ship produces about 24 Megawatts of power.

Type 45 Programme Progress

Ship 1 - HMS Daring was declared in service with the Royal Navy in July 2009.
Ship 2 – HMS Dauntless was Commissioned into the Royal Navy in June 2009. Sea Viper was fired from HMS Dauntless on 29 September in the first firing of the missile from a Type 45 platform.
Ship 3 – HMS Diamond was accepted off contract at Portsmouth Naval Base in September.
Ship 4 – Dragon will shortly commence her first set of Sea Trials.
Ship 5 – Defender was launched on the Clyde in October 09 and is currently being fitted out on the Clyde.

Russia Releases Details on Defense Spending through 2013

2010-10-17T22:30:00.000+08:00

Russian has released new defense spending details. The State Duma Defense Committee has announced that the nation's defense spending, including research and development (R&D) spending, will total $16.3 billion (RUB487 billion) in 2010, $19.2 billion (RUB574 billion) in 2011, $24.3 billion (RUB726 billion) in 2012, and $38.8 billion (RUB1.16 trillion) in 2013.

While total defense spending will increase, the amount allocated for R&D will drop from the current 2010 level of 22 percent to 16 percent by 2013. The modernization of weaponry will instead receive a significant portion of total spending, with 13 percent designated for the 2010 fiscal year, 15 percent for 2011 and 2012, and 14 percent for 2013.

The top procurement priorities are the following:

RS-24 intercontinental ballistic missiles,
Bulava submarine-launched ballistic missiles,
Su-24 fighters,
Su-35 long-range fighters, and
Submarines, corvettes, frigates, and battlefield command-and-control systems.

In September, Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov said that the government intends to spend RUB19 trillion ($613 billion) over the next decade to modernize the armed forces.

The current plan for 2010-2013 only represents a small portion (16%) of that amount, just over RUB2.9 trillion ($98.6 billion).

Sukhoi Assembles First Production Su-35s

2010-10-17T22:29:00.000+08:00

Sukhoi Company [has] completed general units’ assembly of the first production Su-35S fighter. The state contract with the Russian Defense Ministry on the delivery of 48 multifunctional super maneuverable Su-35 fighter jets was signed at the 2009 MAKS air show.

The works on the contract started in autumn 2009 at the KnAAPO facility of the Sukhoi holding in Komsomolsk-on-Amur.

At the present time the first production Su-35S is at the final assembly shop of the KnAAPO. The preparations are underway for its flight testing. The first production Su-35S will be delivered to the Russian Ministry of Defense by the end of the year.

Su-35 is also intended for export sales. Sukhoi is holding talks with customers in South-East Asia, the Middle East and South America anxious to re-arm their air forces on Su-35 sales.

The Su-35 is a thoroughly upgraded super-maneuverable fighter of the 4++ generation. It employs technologies of the fifth generation that assure its superiority over similar class fighters. The special features of the aircraft include a new avionics suite based on digital information control system integrating onboard systems, a new radar with a phased antenna array having a long aerial target detection range with an increased number of simultaneously tracked and engaged targets (30 aerial targets tracked and 8 engaged plus the tracking of 4 and engagement of 2 ground targets), and new enhanced vectored thrust engines.

The Su-35 has a diverse suite of long-, medium- and short-range weapons. It can carry guided aerial munitions for anti-radar and anti-ship actions as well as general purpose munitions, and guided and unguided aerial bombs. The radar signature of the fighter has been reduced by several times as compared to that of the fourth-generation aircraft by coating the cockpit with electro-conducting compounds, applying radio absorption coats and reducing the number of protruding sensors.

The service life of the aircraft is 6,000 hours flight hours; the life cycle is 30 years of operation. The assigned service life of vectored thrust engines is 4,000 hours.

Indian Air Force Plans to Induct 200-250 PAK FA Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft

2010-10-05T18:25:00.001+08:00

India today said it was looking to induct around 200-250 fight generation fighter aircraft (FGFA), which are being co-developed with Russia.

"We are looking for around 200-250 aircraft," Air Chief Marshal PV Naik told reporters at a press conference for the 78th anniversary of the IAF to be celebrated on the Air Force Day on October 8.

He said the aircraft weighing over 30 tonnes are expected to start joining the force by 2017.

Commenting on the capabilities of the most advanced fighter aircraft, Naik said, "It would be a swing-role fighter with highly advanced avionics, giving 360 degree situational awareness, stealth to increase survivability and smart weapons."

He added that the aircraft would be capable of covering long ranges without air to air refuelling and will have the super-cruise features along with the highly advanced mission computers.

Replying to a query, Naik said in the near future, the IAF fighter fleet would comprise mainly four types of aircraft including the FGFA, Sukhoi-30MKIs, the yet to be procured M-MRCA and the under-development Light Combat Aircraft.

At present, the IAF has seven different types of aircraft in its fighter fleet including the MiGs 21, 23, 27 and 29, Jaguars, Mirage-2000 and the Su-30 MKI.

Asked if the IAF would want to further reduce the variety of fighters with it, Naik said, "the ideal situation would be that I only have one type of aircraft but the world is not ideal".

To a query on whether the Strategic Forces Command (SFC) was looking to procure more assets, the IAF chief said, "definitely we will need approval for more assets because the present strength is for meeting our present tasks and for additional tasks, we will require more".

Asked if the selection of the American GE-414 engine for the LCA Mk II 'Tejas' fighter would help two of the aircraft flying with the same engine in the multi-role combat aircraft deal, Naik said, "I don't think so, they are not connected at all".

Japan is Looking to Buy Three Global Hawk UAVs

2010-10-04T21:08:00.001+08:00

The Defense Ministry is looking to buy three Global Hawk reconnaissance aircraft from the United States to deal with China's militarization and North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs, Self-Defense Force and ministry sources said Sunday.

The ministry hopes to insert the plan for buying the unmanned high-altitude aircraft into its new Mid-Term Defense Program for fiscal 2011-2015. The program will be based on a new National Defense Program Outline the government is poised to adopt at the end of this year.

Equipped with sophisticated cameras and highly sensitive communications-receiving abilities, the Global Hawk can fly at an altitude of roughly 18,000 meters — about twice as high as commercial aircraft can — for just over 30 hours on autopilot.

The data it gathers can be sent almost simultaneously to command facilities on the ground. Its ability to fly at high altitudes also allows it to peer more deeply into the territory of such prickly adversaries as North Korea and China.

The plan is expected to get a boost from the diplomatic friction triggered last month when a Chinese trawler and Japan Coast Guard cutters bumped each other near disputed islands in the East China Sea, the sources said.

The Global Hawk costs about $50 million (roughly ¥4.15 billion), including equipment, so the sum for three aircraft would come to more than ¥12 billion. The ministry estimates it would cost tens of billions of yen more to build ground facilities to control the drones, the sources said.

The ministry has been researching unmanned surveillance aircraft since fiscal 2003 and was even thinking of producing a Japan-made aircraft. Given the Global Hawk's advantages in performance and costs, however, the ministry is now looking to import them, the sources said.

The U.S. government has been sounding out Japan about acquisition possibilities through multiple channels, they said.

Together with its ability to fly longer than its manned counterparts, the Global Hawk is likely to boost Japan's ability to gather intelligence and monitor its neighbors. The ministry hopes to use the aircraft, which does not have offensive capability, to help defend remote islands and counter suspicious ships in or near Japanese waters. It is also looking at the possibility of using them as part of its missile defense shield, the sources said.

The ministry has yet to decide which section should be put in charge of unmanned reconnaissance aircraft, partly because officials are concerned that money will be cut from existing programs if the new program comes under their authority, they said.

The midterm defense buildup plan says, that from the standpoint of strengthening Japan's intelligence-gathering capabilities, the ministry will take "necessary measures after considering" acquiring unmanned reconnaissance aircraft.

If the ministry has trouble sorting out which section will be in charge, there is a possibility that any plans for unmanned reconnaissance aircraft will remain hazy in the new midterm defense buildup plan, the sources said.

Singapore's Apache AH-64 Helicopter Crash-Lands

2010-10-01T21:38:00.000+08:00

An Apache helicopter from Singapore's air force crash-landed in an open field in a residential district today but no-one was injured, the defense ministry said.

"A Republic of Singapore Air Force Apache AH-64 helicopter has made an emergency landing... There has been no damage to civilian property or injury to personnel reported," the defense ministry said in a statement.

An AFP photographer at the site said the tail of the light attack helicopter had broken off from its main body and was lying about 70 meters (yards) away.

About a dozen air force engineers clad in black uniforms were sifting through the debris and a crane stood by to clear the rubble, he added.

A witness told the Straits Times newspaper the helicopter had circled in the air and descended rapidly before crash-landing on the barren field.

The Apache AH-64, built by U.S. aviation giant Boeing, is a four-blade, twin-engine attack helicopter, and is used by the U.S., Israeli and Japanese militaries, among others.

Singapore has one of Asia's most advanced armed forces, and regularly takes part in military exercises with regional countries as well as the U.S. and China.

Global Hawk UAV Arrives in Guam

2010-09-27T23:22:00.000+08:00

Airmen here celebrated the arrival of the RQ-4 Global Hawk to Guam during a ceremony Sept. 20.

The Global Hawk brings significant capabilities to the Pacific theater, which will benefit the 36th Wing, Pacific Air Forces, U.S. Pacific Command, and regional partners, said Gen. Gary North, the PACAF commander.

"Having an (intelligence, surveillence and reconnaissance) capability within the Pacific greatly enhances Air Force operational intelligence capabilities to meet mission requirements," General North said. "In addition, the Global Hawk will enhance the U.S. and its partners' ability to effectively address regional challenges, such as humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, terrorism and piracy."

The Global Hawk is capable of providing government and military decision makers near real-time, high-altitude, long-range intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance imagery that can support a full spectrum of operations. Flying above ordinary commercial traffic, the aircraft can survey large geographic areas with pinpoint accuracy, without impacting civilian aircraft routes. The imagery provides the most current information available during contingency or crisis situations.

"This is a technology that saves lives," said Lt. Col. Brandon Baker, the Air Combat Command Det. 3 commander. "The RQ-4 has been used in contingency operations and humanitarian missions before. During wildfires in California, the Global Hawk provided firefighters with a near real-time view of the crisis and helped firefighters and rescue personnel direct their efforts."

In January, the Global Hawk also provided imagery to coordinators of the international disaster relief and humanitarian mission in Haiti's earthquake.

"Basing the RQ-4 at Andersen will support ongoing regional partnerships and reaffirm to U.S. friends, allies and partner nations of our commitment to continue modernization efforts and force structure beddown to support maintaining peace and stability in the region," General North said.

So far, one of three planned Global Hawks has arrived here. The remaining two are scheduled to arrive later this year and at the beginning of 2011. Local crews will launch and land the aircraft from here, while crews at Beale AFB, Calif., will control the bulk of the mission, once out of the local area.

"We'll be flying missions in support of U.S. Pacific Command priorities," Colonel Baker said. "We also intend to share with our allies information pertaining to common regional challenges like humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and piracy."

The Global Hawk has flown more than 45,000 hours worldwide since becoming operational in 1995. The remotely piloted aircraft is flown using a variety of communications protocols, complete with built-in safety measures in the event that communication between the mission control and the aircraft is lost.

In the event that all communication with the aircraft is lost or it encounters an in-flight emergency, the Global Hawk is programmed to continue its flight to its original destination or return to its point of origin and land. During this time, the pilot may be able to reestablish a link to the aircraft. If that is impossible, the Global Hawk is capable of landing on its own.

"The aircraft is flown by fully qualified, certified U.S. Air Force pilots -- a fact which contributes to the RQ-4's unparalleled safety record," Colonel Baker said. "The RQ-4 negotiates pre-programmed flight plans and the pilots communicate with air traffic controllers in a similar manner as pilots in manned aircraft."

Su-27 Flanker - One of 20th Century's Best Combat Aircraft

2010-09-26T15:08:00.000+08:00

Russia's Su-27 frontline fighter was declared one of the best combat aircraft of the 20th century according to an online poll by Flight International, a global aerospace weekly published in the UK.

USA to Sell 18 F-16IQ Block 52 Fighters to Iraq

2010-09-26T15:03:00.002+08:00

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress on September 13 of a possible Foreign Military Sale to Iraq of 18 F-16IQ Aircraft as well as associated equipment and services.The total value, if all options are exercised, could be as high as $4.2 billion.

The Government of Iraq has requested a possible sale of:

-- 18 F-16IQ aircraft,

-- 24 F100-PW-229 or F110-GE-129 Increased Performance Engines,

-- 36 LAU-129/A Common Rail Launchers,

- -24 APG-68(V)9 radar sets,

-- 19 M61 20mm Vulcan Cannons,

-- 200 AIM-9L/M-8/9 Sidewinder Missiles,

-- 150 AIM-7M-F1/H SPARROW Missiles,

-- 50 AGM-65D/G/H/K MAVERICK Air to Ground Missiles,

-- 200 GBU-12 PAVEWAY II Laser Guided Bomb Units (500 pound),

-- 50 GBU-10 PAVEWAY II Laser Guided Bomb Units (2000 pound),

-- 50 GBU-24 PAVEWAY III Laser Guided Bomb Units (2000 pound),

-- 22 Advanced Countermeasures Electronic Systems (ACES) (ACES includes the ALQ-187 Electronic Warfare System and AN/ALR-93 Radar Warning Receiver),

-- 20 AN/APX-113 Advanced Identification Friend or Foe (AIFF) Systems

-- 20 Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and Embedded GPS/Inertial Navigation Systems (INS), (Standard Positioning Service (SPS) commercial code only),

-- 20 AN/AAQ-33 SNIPER or AN/AAQ-28 LITENING Targeting Pods,

-- 4 F-9120 Advanced Airborne Reconnaissance Systems (AARS) or DB-110 Reconnaissance Pods (RECCE),

-- 22 AN/ALE-47 Countermeasures Dispensing Systems (CMDS);

-- 20 Conformal Fuel Tanks (pairs).

Also included : site survey, support equipment, tanker support, ferry services, Cartridge Actuated Devices/Propellant Actuated Devices (CAD/PAD), repair and return, modification kits, spares and repair parts, construction, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, U.S. Government and contractor technical, engineering, and logistics support services, ground based flight simulator, and other related elements of logistics support.

The estimated cost is $4.2 billion.

Russia Delivers Three Mi-35M Hind Helicopters to Indonesia

2010-09-26T15:00:00.000+08:00

Russia has delivered three Mi-35M Hind assault helicopters to Indonesia, a military source said on Thursday.

Russia signed an agreement with Indonesia in September 2007 to provide a $1 billion credit line to the Southeast Asian country for Russian weapons purchases. Indonesia planned to buy ten Mi-17 transport helicopters, five Mi-35Ms, six Sukhoi fighters and two Kilo-class submarines financed by the credit.

Jakarta became one of Russia's major arms customers in 1999 when the United States tightened an embargo on arms sales to the country over alleged human rights violations.

Washington has since lifted the ban, but Indonesia, the world's most populous Islamic country, continues to turn to Russia for its military hardware imports.

Moscow has already delivered three Su-27SKM fighters to Indonesia as the final part of an August 2007 $300 million deal for six of the Sukhoi fighters.

The agreement followed a 2003 deal on the purchase of four fighter jets by Indonesia from Russia.

The planes will take part in a military parade dedicated to Indonesian Armed Forces Day on October 5.

The Mi-35M is an export version of the Mi-24 Hind that was used extensively in Afghanistan. The Mi-24/35 can be used for transportation, assault and medical evacuation tasks.

Russia has also delivered Mi-35Ms helicopters to Venezuela and Brazil.

Boeing Completes Production of 1st RAAF F/A-18F Super Hornet with Provisions for Future Electronic Attack Capability

2010-09-26T14:55:00.001+08:00

Boeing announced today that it has completed production of the first Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) F/A-18F Super Hornet that has the capability to be converted into an electronic attack aircraft.

Boeing is pre-wiring the RAAF's second lot of 12 Super Hornets for potential electronic attack capability conversion during production at the company's facilities in St. Louis.

"Incorporating the ability to introduce an electronic attack capability on 12 RAAF Super Hornets as they are produced in St. Louis provides maximum flexibility for our Air Force in the future," said RAAF Group Capt. Steve Roberton, Officer Commanding 82 Wing, which includes Super Hornet and F-111 aircraft. "Ultimately, if a decision to incorporate an electronic attack option is pursued, it will further expand the broad capability of an already formidable Super Hornet weapon system."

The Australian government announced in March 2007 that it would acquire 24 of the advanced Block II versions of the Super Hornet, all of which are equipped with the Raytheon-built APG-79 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar. Eleven Super Hornets are now operating at RAAF Base Amberley in Queensland. All 11 aircraft were delivered ahead of schedule and on budget. Boeing will deliver Australia's 24th Super Hornet in 2011.

"Besides giving the RAAF the potential of introducing electronic attack capability in the future, producing these 12 aircraft with this configuration from the outset also reduces cost when compared with retrofitting at a later date," said Carolyn Nichols, Australian Super Hornet program manager for Boeing.

The Boeing Super Hornet is a multirole aircraft, able to perform virtually every mission in the tactical spectrum, including air superiority, day/night strike with precision-guided weapons, fighter escort, close air support, suppression of enemy air defenses, maritime strike, reconnaissance, forward air control and tanker missions. Boeing has delivered more than 430 F/A-18E/Fs to the U.S. Navy. Every Super Hornet produced has been delivered on or ahead of schedule and on budget.

No Proof Iran Building Nuclear Weapons - Lavrov

2010-09-25T01:30:00.000+08:00

There is no proof that Iran is working toward the creation of nuclear weapons, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday.

However in order for UN sanctions imposed on the Islamic Republic to be lifted, Iran must prove its nuclear program has a 100% peaceful character, Lavrov told the U.S. PBS TV channel.

Any attack on Iran would have “negative” consequences for the region, he warned.

Russia had voted in favor of the UN sanctions against Iran in order to demonstrate that it would not stand for any violation of the nonproliferation regime, he went on. Lavrov also urged Iran to comply fully with the demands of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

International pressure on Iran increased in early February when Tehran announced it had begun enriching uranium to 20 percent in lieu of an agreement on an exchange that would provide it with fuel for a research reactor.

MiG : Between Past and Future

2010-09-24T14:30:00.006+08:00

Israel Reveals Panther Tiltrotor UAV

2010-09-24T14:27:00.001+08:00

Israel’s new Panther vertical takeoff and landing unmanned tiltrotor aircraft is one of the latest products emerging from the classified projects section of Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).

The UAV was developed by IAI’s Malat division, which has been looking at new designs to fill some of the operational gaps between the company’s largest, longest-range Heron TP UAV — now in operation with the Israeli Air Force — and its smallest 0.5-kg. (1.1-lb.) Mosquito UAV with a 30-40 min. flight time.

“In between we have something very new — a [design that] can take off and land on grass, ice or desert,” says Tommy Silberring, general manager of Malat’s military aircraft group. “The idea is to take off and land without a parachute or crash cushion.”

The principal features of the aircraft are tiltrotor engines that allow pinpoint takeoffs and landings or, if desired, conventional landing and takeoff operations. It also has automatic navigation to targets of interest and day/night cameras.

An intriguing option is the Panther’s ability to hover or land quietly in enemy territory, conduct surveillance like a ground sensor and then take off again. It also could be operated from ships that need a tactical UAV.

“It is all-electric and we are looking at higher-technology materials and power generation,” says Israel Shemer, assistant general manager for military projects. “We’re minimizing the noise and you will not hear it at its mission altitude.”

The Panther’s wingspan can vary from 2-8 meters (4.5-17.5 ft.) depending on the required mission endurance and the number of motors used. The current six-meter version has two electric motors and fuel cells that provide a 60-km. range and a top speed of 70 kt. It can carry an 8-kg. payload at an altitude of 10,000 ft. for up to 6 hr. It has a two-man, ground-based flight crew and can be assembled and operated in the field.

“We want to replace manned aircraft so we need to make all the mission and maintenance systems automatic so that it only requires one or two people for the whole mission,” Shemer says. “IAI has today a full capability for integrating intelligence gathering, sensors and the platform.

That includes the fusion of intelligence, sensor use and exploitation of data. We are closing the loop and we are the main intelligence provider for the [Israel Defense Forces].

“We can provide a full sensor suite,” Shemer continues. “Users can ask for the vehicle to identify particular types of target, to get data to specific organizations and to provide analyses of certain data. We can put it all together with this vehicle.”

PAK FA Update : Russia has Conducted a Flight Demonstration of PAK FA Fighter for Indian Defence Ministry

2010-09-16T16:24:00.000+08:00

Russia has conducted a flight demonstration with its prototype PAK FA fighter for a delegation of Indian defence ministry and industry officials.

Held at Ramenskoye aerodrome near Moscow on 31 August, the 10min display was made in support of talks over the bilateral development by Moscow and New Delhi of a new fifth-generation fighter.

Indian officials inspected Sukhoi's lone PAK FA following the demonstration, which included low-speed passes and high angle-of-attack manoeuvres. The aircraft, which will be followed by two more prototypes before the end of the year, is pictured with new-look camouflage markings.

The new fighter programme is a topic of discussion by an Indo-Russian commission for military industrial co-operation, along with another to produce a multi-role transport aircraft with a 20 tonne payload capacity.

New Delhi is insisting on executing both programmes as joint ventures, with equal sharing of investment and workshare.

Russia's air force has a requirement for 250-300 next-generation T-50 fighters to enter use from 2015-16, while India plans to buy between 200 and 250 of the joint design. This should use a common airframe and engines, but have its on-board systems and weapons tailored for their individual needs.

First flown in January, the PAK FA prototype is intended to de-risk features such as the use of low-observable materials and thrust-vectoring engines with supercruise performance, plus internally carried weapons.

Russian sources suggest a pre-production batch of between six and 10 aircraft will be built to support future testing of the type, with the nation's air force expected to launch operational trials in Lipetsk around 2012-13.

Israel Set to Build Wings for 800 F-35s

2010-09-01T18:08:00.001+08:00

Israel is in talks to build the wings for about a quarter of the United States's new F-35 stealth fighter aircraft, an Israeli official said on Monday.

Lockheed Martin currently plans to build some 3,200 F-35s costing about $96 million each.

An Israeli official who declined to be named said state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries would build the wings.

"We are in advanced talks for the IAI to produce around 800 sets of wings," he told Reuters.

Lockheed Martin declined to comment on the details of a possible deal involving the aircraft, also known as the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF).

Earlier this month Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak approved in principle the purchase of 20 of the radar-evading fighters, in a deal worth $2.75 billion.

Israeli and U.S. officials expect final approval of that deal by the end of September. The planes would be delivered in 2015-2017. The cost of the purchase would be covered by an annual U.S. defense grant of $3 billion.

Israel would be the first foreign country to sign an agreement to buy the F-35 outside the eight international partners that have helped to develop the plane.

Israeli and U.S. officials with knowledge of the deal said Israel has an option to buy a further 55 aircraft.

"Israel possibly will end up building a significant portion of the F-35," said one U.S. official familiar with the deal.

An Israeli official said reciprocal purchase deals worth $4 billion had been secured for Israeli companies for their participation in the plane's manufacture and might be increased to $5 billion although it would be conditional on Israel exercising its option to buy the additional 55 planes.

The F-35 is designed to avoid detection by radar and could play a role in any Israeli effort to knock out what it regards as the threat to its existence posed by Iran's nuclear program. Tehran denies Western and Israeli allegations that it is trying to produce atomic weapons.

F-15 Eagles Soar for Last Time at Hickam, Hawaii

2010-08-31T03:20:00.000+08:00

Pilots from the 199th Fighter Squadron, Hawaii Air National Guard, completed their last training mission with the F-15 Eagle from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii Aug 25.

The HIANG is upgrading to the F-22 Raptor, a fifth generation fighter, and received their first two Raptors in July.

The ANG is the lead in a total force concept that already exists at JB Hickam with the C-17 Globemaster III. The 199th FS will fly and help maintain the 20 F-22 Raptors that bring another capability to the HIANG.

Many of the current F-15 pilots of the HIANG are eager to start training and flying the Raptor, but will still sorely miss the Eagle aircraft, which the unit has flown since 1987, said Lt. Col. James Sage, a pilot with the 199th FS.

"It's like saying goodbye to a good friend," said Colonel Sage said. "It was exciting flying it for the last time, and especially against a F-22, but at the same time the F-15 has always brought me home safely and been an outstanding aircraft."

The three remaining F-15s will depart JB Hickam Sept. 1, and with that, two of the fighters will move onto the 56th Aggressors Squadron at Nellis AFB, Nev., while the other will move onto the 120th Fighter Wing of the Montana Air National Guard. The Montana unit has assumed the HIANG's air-defense mission for the next year as the HIANG transitions to the F-22 said 199th pilot Lt. Col. Mark Ladtkow.

"It's somewhat a bittersweet feeling flying the last training mission of the F-15 with our unit," Colonel Ladtkow said. "I'm blessed to have the upcoming opportunity to fly the F-22, but the F-15, which I've flown for 17 years, is a friend of mine and will be missed."

Colonel Ladtkow is a 20-year veteran of the military, with the last six being part of the ANG. He is slated to deliver his jet to the Montana ANG in September.

"The 199th (FS) proves that National Guard forces are capable of maintaining a strategic presence with its active-duty association and providing a great value to our nation and the state of Hawaii," said Gen. Craig R. McKinley the chief of the National Guard Bureau.

The F-22, a single-seat, twin-engine aircraft, which utilizes stealth technology, was originally designed as an air-superiority fighter.

"These F-22 Raptors are the state-of-the-art, air-superiority fighters, and couldn't be located at a better place," said General McKinley.

Singapore Deploys Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Unit to Afghanistan

2010-08-31T03:16:00.000+08:00

The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) has deployed a 52-man Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Task Group to Tarin Kowt, the provincial capital of Uruzgan, and a team of four institutional trainers to Kabul as part of Singapore's overall contribution to the multinational stabilization and reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan.

The UAV Task Group, which commences operations today, will be deployed for three months, from August to November 2010. The four institutional trainers, who started their operations a week earlier, will be deployed till December 2010. They will then hand over to a second rotation of institutional trainers who will be deployed for four months till April 2011.

This is the first time that the SAF is deploying a UAV Task Group and institutional trainers to Afghanistan.

During its deployment, the UAV Task Group will operate out of Multinational Base Tarin Kowt to augment the International Security Assistance Force's (ISAF's) surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities in Uruzgan. The Task Group will be carrying out assigned tasks such as the surveillance of key roads, to enhance the security of Afghan locals and the international forces.

The four SAF institutional trainers are deployed in an artillery school in Kabul to assist in the ISAF's efforts to train the Afghan National Army (ANA). They will advise the ANA on artillery training and doctrine development, assist in the design of Train-the-Trainer programmes for ANA instructors, and advise the school on the effective administration and conduct of artillery courses.

The SAF has been making deployments to Afghanistan since May 2007. The SAF currently has a six-man construction engineering team in Bamiyan province supervising the construction of a comprehensive health clinic, as well as a 21-man Weapon Locating Radar team at the Tarin Kowt base since September 2009 to provide early warning of rocket attacks and enhance force protection measures for ISAF personnel.

Earlier this year, an eight-man SAF surgical team was deployed to a field hospital at the same base to provide surgical and medical support to the ISAF personnel deployed there, as well as emergency medical care for the Afghan locals.

The Future of the Russian Air Force : 10 Years On

2010-08-29T04:57:00.001+08:00

The Russian Defense Ministry plans to overhaul its air force fleet.According to various media reports, the Ministry wants to buy at least 1,500 aircraft, including 350 new warplanes, by 2020. The fleet would include 70% new equipment at that point, said Air Force Commander-in-Chief Colonel General Alexander Zelin.

The state of the warplane fleet which forms the backbone of the Russian Air Force's combat potential remains a major military problem. Russian military aircraft are 25-plus years old, on the average. Consequently, the warplane fleet may shrink considerably in the next 10-15 years. What aircraft will the Air Force wield by 2020, and will the number of planes be enough for national defense needs?

The Defense Ministry has now signed contracts for the purchase of 32 Su-34 Fullback advanced fighter-bombers to be delivered by 2013, 48 Su-35 Flanker-E fighters by 2015, 12 Su-27SM Flanker-B Mod. 1 fighters by 2011, 4 Su-30M2 Flanker-C planes by 2011 and 12 Su-25UBM Frogfoot combat trainers.

This year, the Defense Ministry intends to sign a contract for the delivery of 26 MiG-29K Fulcrum-D fighters by 2015. Additional contracts for the delivery of at least 80 Su-34s and 24-48 Su-35s are expected to be signed. In all, the Russian Air Force is to receive 240-260 new aircraft of these types.

It is hard to say much about the specifications of another 100-110 aircraft, due to be manufactured primarily after 2015. They will probably include 25-30 MiG-35 fighters, another 12-16 Su-30 combat trainers for Su-35 squadrons and 40-60 Sukhoi T-50 PAK FA (Advanced Frontline Aviation Aircraft System) fifth-generation fighters. The T-50's subsequent official designation remains unclear.

Naturally, these 350 fixed-wing aircraft cannot completely meet Air Force demand for new equipment.

Operational warplanes will therefore have to be upgraded in order to maintain air force combat capability and adequate air fleet standards.

Speaking of revamped aircraft, by 2020 the Air Force will have about 100 Su-27SM/SM2 fighters (now about 50 in service), approximately 80 MiG-31BM Foxhound fighters (now about 10 in service) and approximately 100 MiG-29SM2/SMT fighters (now about 30 in service). Moreover, the Air Force will operate almost 150 upgraded Su-25SM ground-attack aircraft and probably 50-60 Su-24M2 Fencer-D tactical attack aircraft.

The range of strategic bombers will remain the same. The Air Force will continue to operate 16-17 Tu-160 Blackjacks, 60-64 Tu-95MS Bear-Hs and 60-70 Tu-22M Backfires. Virtually all of them will be overhauled.

The Russian Air Force now has about 2,800 aircraft, including nearly 1,500 warplanes. The air fleet is expected to decline still further. Virtually all un-modernized aircraft will be scrapped at the end of their service life.

Consequently, the Air Force will have some 1,500-1,700 fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, including only about 800 combat-ready warplanes. The number could increase if additional state defense contracts are awarded. Options are currently being considered.

Is this enough or not? The industrial world, including Russia, the NATO countries and the United States, continues to scale down its air forces. This is an objective process. The number of newly procured aircraft does not equal the number of planes currently being decommissioned, most of which were built in the 1960s, the 1970s and the 1980s.

Such reductions are motivated by some objective factors, including the end of the Cold War and plunging industrial world defense spending (relative to GDP), and subjective factors, including vastly superior modern combat equipment efficiency rendering it unnecessary to replace older aircraft one for one.

A comparison of these statistics with foreign air force modernization data shows that Russia will retain the world's second-largest air force after the United States in the next 10 years. Due to slow air fleet renewal rates and the delayed adoption of fifth-generation fighters, the U.S. Air Force will have to reduce the number of its fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters from 5,000 to 3,000-3,500, including 1,700-2,000 warplanes.

At the same time, we should not forget that unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) will supersede warplanes in some spheres, primarily reconnaissance missions, in the foreseeable future. However, this is an entirely different story.

Iran Starts Production of New Missile Assault Boats

2010-08-23T21:55:00.000+08:00

Iran has launched production of the Zolfaqar and Seraj 1 class missile boats, Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi said on Monday.

"The Seraj 1 boat is a high-speed rocket-launcher designed for tropical areas," the ISNA news agency quoted Vahidi as saying. "It is fitted with advanced indigenous communication capabilities."

The Zolfaqar missile-carrying boat "is a surveillance boat designed for quick attacks on enemy ships, it is outfitted with rocket launchers and machine guns," he said.

The boats will be deployed along Iran's coastline and on the Strait of Hormuz shipping route, the minister said.

Iran Test Fires Surface-to-Surface Missile

2010-08-22T19:12:00.000+08:00

Defence Minister Ahmad Vahidi announced on Friday that Iran has test fired a surface-to-surface missile, Qiam, a day before it is due to launch its Russian-built first nuclear power plant.

State television showed images of the sand coloured Qiam (Rising) blasting into the air from a desert terrain, amid chants of "Allahu Akbar" (God is greatest).

The words "Ya Mahdi" were written on the side of the missile, referring to Imam Mahdi, one of the 12 imams of Shiite Islam, who disappeared as a boy and whom the faithful believe will return one day to bring redemption to mankind.

Vahidi, whose speech during Friday prayers in Tehran was broadcast on television, did not say when the launch took place nor did he reveal the precise range of the missile.

Fars news agency had in a report earlier this week quoted the minister as saying that Qiam was a short-range missile.

"The missile has new technical aspects and has a unique tactical capacity," he said on Friday, adding that the device was of a "new class."

"Since the surface-to-surface missile has no wings, it has lot of tactical power, which also reduces the chances of it being intercepted," he said.

Iran's ISNA news agency cited Vahidi as saying that Qiam was entirely designed and built domestically and was powered by liquid fuel.

"This missile is capable of hitting the target with high precision," Vahidi said.

On Tuesday, Vahidi had said that Qiam was to be test fired during the annual government week, the period when Tehran touts its achievements in various fields. This year government week begins on Monday.

The third generation Fateh 110 (Conqueror) missile was also to be test fired during this period. Iran has previously paraded a version of Fateh 110 which has a travel range of 150 to 200 kilometres (90 to 125 miles).

Also during government week, the production lines of two missile-carrying speedboats, Seraj (Lamp) and Zolfaqar (named after Shiite Imam Ali's sword) are due to be inaugurated, while a long-range drone, Karar, is expected to be unveiled.

Taiwan Renews Plea for US to Sell Fighter Jets

2010-08-21T23:48:00.002+08:00

Taiwan's President Ma Ying-jeou on Thursday renewed calls to Washington to sell the island an upgraded version of the F16 fighter, following a Pentagon report warning of China's growing military might.

"We hope the US will consider selling Taiwan F16 C/D fighter jets to balance the military edge leaning towards China," Ma was quoted by state-funded Central News Agency as saying.

Ma told visiting US Congressman Roland Burris that Taiwan wished to acquire the jets not to prepare itself to start a war but to defend itself and ensure the island's safety, the report said.

His comments came after the Pentagon said in an annual report to Congress on Monday that China's military build-up against Taiwan has "continued unabated" despite improving political relations.

"The balance of... military forces continues to shift in the mainland's favour," the report said.

The report covered developments in 2009, before the United States approved a 6.4 billion-dollar arms package for the island in January.

Taiwan applied to the US government to buy 66 F-16 fighters in early 2007, but observers say Washington has held up the deal for fear of angering Beijing.

China opposes any arms sales to Taiwan, which it considers a part of its territory awaiting reunification, by force if necessary, even though the two sides split in 1949 after a civil war and have been governed separately since.

The Pentagon's Assessment of the China-Taiwan Military Balance

2010-08-21T23:44:00.000+08:00

Based on this assessment, I would say there is no chance Taiwan can win if war breaks out.

Indonesian Air Force is Expecting 3 Su-27 SKM Fighters in September

2010-08-14T16:39:00.000+08:00

The Indonesian Air Force is expecting the arrival of three new Russian fighter jets Sukhoi SU-27SKM on early September.

Air Force chief of staff Vice Marshall Imam Sufaat told Antara news agency that two of the jets would arrive in early September and another in the third week of the month.

Imam said that the jets would arrive in Hasanuddin Air Force Base in Makassar, South Sulawesi to be assembled and tested there.

The jets are among six Sukhoi fighters jets bought in 2007. Three Sukhoi SU-30MK2 fighters already arrived in 2008 and 2009.

The six will bring the total number of Indonesia's Sukhoi fleet to 10.

Russia has provided Indonesia with a US$1 billion-credit scheme to finance this and other military purchases from the European military giant, including 22 helicopters, 20 amphibious tanks and two submarines.

Russian Air Force Completing MiG-31BM Modernization Program

2010-08-14T16:34:00.001+08:00

The Russian air force is completing a modification program for its MiG-31 interceptor aircraft to the MiG-31BM standard, the force's commander Col.Gen. Alexander Zelin said on Friday.

"The air force is currently carrying out the vital task of deep modification of the MiG-31 aircraft to MiG-31BM standard. This task is being successfully carried out," he said.

The MiG-31BM is fitted with upgraded avionics and digital datalinks, a new multimode radar, color multi-function cockpit displays, a new, more powerful computer and ability to carry new air-to-air and possibly air-to-surface missiles such as the AS-17 Krypton anti-radar missile.

Information on display next to a MiG-31BM in 2009 associated the aircraft with air-to-air missiles including the Vympel R-73 (AA-11 Archer), R-77 (AA-12 Adder), and R-33S (upgraded AA-9 Amos) and the K-37M (AA-X-13 Arrow).

The air force is also accepting other new aircraft, including the Su-34 strike aircraft, the forthcoming Su-35, the Yak-130 advanced trainer, and Ka-52 and Mi-28 helicopters, he said.

Manufacturer's tests are also underway on the Sukhoi T-50 fifth generation fighter prototype.

US B2 Bomber Engineer Convicted of Selling Secrets to China

2010-08-12T17:18:00.000+08:00

A federal jury in Hawaii on Monday convicted a former B-2 stealth bomber engineer of selling military secrets to China.

Noshir Gowadia was convicted on 14 counts, including conspiracy, violating the arms export control act and money laundering. He was found not guilty on three counts of communicating national defense information.
Gowadia, who has been in federal custody since October 2005, faces life in prison when he is sentenced in November.

The decision came after six days of deliberations at a federal court in Honolulu.

Prosecutors accused Gowadia of helping China design a stealth cruise missile. They alleged he pocketed $110,000 over two years for his exhaust nozzle design.

"This verdict sends a very clear message," Assistant U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson said. "We need it to be known that we can litigate these cases in an American courtroom even with a great deal of classified information."

Defense attorneys said they plan to appeal.

"Mr. Gowadia is obviously disappointed with the verdict. He felt that he hadn't committed a crime," said his attorney Birney Bervar.

The trial lasted nearly four months. The 67-year-old from Maui has spent almost five years in federal detention since his October 2005 arrest after a judge ruled he was a flight risk.

Gowadia helped design the propulsion system for the B-2 bomber when he worked at Northrop Corp., now known as Northrop Grumman Corp. between 1968 and 1986.

Prosecutors argued that Gowadia helped China design a cruise missile exhaust nozzle that would give off less heat, allowing the cruise missile to evade infrared radar detection and U.S. heat-seeking missiles.

They said Gowadia traveled to China between 2003 and 2005 while designing the cruise missile and used e-mail to arrange payment for his work.

During closing arguments, Sorenson told jurors Gowadia designed the exhaust nozzle to raise money to pay a $15,000-a-month mortgage on the mansion-like home he built on Maui's north shore.

Gowadia's defense attorney, David Klein, told jurors it was true the engineer designed an exhaust nozzle for China. But he said Gowadia's design was "basic stuff" based on unclassified information that was already publicly available.

Prosecutors also charged Gowadia with attempting to sell classified stealth technology to the Swiss government and businesses in Israel and Germany.

Born in India, Gowadia moved to the U.S. for postgraduate work in the 1960s and became a U.S. citizen about a decade later. He retired from Northrop for health reasons in 1986, two years before the B-2 made its public debut.

He moved to Maui in 1999 from the U.S. mainland where he had been doing consulting work after retiring from Northrop.

The case is one of a series of major prosecutions targeting alleged Chinese spying on the U.S.

In March, Chinese-born engineer Dongfan "Greg" Chung was sentenced to more than 15 years in prison after he was convicted of six counts of economic espionage and other federal charges.

Investigators learned about Chung while probing Chi Mak, a defense contractor engineer convicted in 2007 of conspiracy to export U.S. defense technology to China. Mak was sentenced to 24 years in prison in 2008.

F-22 Raptor to Join Naval Drill in Korean Seas

2010-07-25T20:01:00.000+08:00

Four state-of-the-art U.S. stealth fighters will join a massive combined air and naval exercise to be held by South Korea and the United States in the East Sea later this month in a show of the allies’ strong deterrence plans against North Korean provocations, South Korean and U.S. defense officials announced Tuesday.

The plan was made public after consultations between Defense Minister Kim Tae-young and his U.S. counterpart Robert Gates in Seoul. The two defense chiefs discussed a series of combined maritime and air readiness drills in waters around the peninsula in the coming months.

Gates arrived in Seoul late Monday to attend the “2 + 2” meeting that will include Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, South Korean Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan and Defense Minister Kim Tae-young.

The exercise, “Invincible Spirit,” will be the largest in scale with the participation of 8,000 Army, Air, Navy and Marine forces from the South Korean and U.S. militaries. The drill will be held from July 25 to 28.

About 200 fighter jets, and naval aircraft and helicopters will fly training missions in and around Korea. In addition, approximately 20 warships, including the U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George Washington, the South Korean Navy’s 14,000-ton Dokdo large-deck landing ship, and attack submarines will participate in the exercise.

The deployment of the F-22 Raptor, the world’s most advanced aircraft, will be symbolic in heralding the solid and broader alliance of the two governments against emerging regional threats, including a North Korean provocation, said Maj. Gen. John A. Macdonald, director of the ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command’s operations bureau.

“The Raptor is the capability that we brought here to help in the defense of the Republic of Korea. It is part of the ROK-U.S. alliance,” Macdonald said.

“We will have four Raptors to participate in the exercise, and they will be involved in strike operations that will take place on ranges.”

This will be the first time that the “fifth-generation” radar-evading aircraft will participate in exercises with South Korea. The F-22, built by Lockheed Martin, is equipped with an active electronically scanned radar for cruise missile detection and is capable of evading advanced air defenses to bomb ballistic missile launch sites.

The single-seat fighter can fly at a maximum speed of Mach 1.8 and has an operational radius of 2,000 kilometers. Its weapons systems include AIM-9 Sidewinders and Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM).

Macdonald added allied troops will be engaged in “network defense” to ensure they are secure in adverse conditions.

“The exercise will sharpen our military readiness by improving interoperability and the combined operational capability of the ROK-U.S. combined forces, while demonstrating the resolve and strength of the alliance,” Gen. Han Min-koo, chairman of the ROK Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in a statement. “We stand fully prepared to respond militarily to any further North Korean provocation.”

The exercise was originally scheduled to be held in the West Sea, but defense authorities in Seoul and Washington changed the venue apparently after strong protests from China.

The USS George Washington carries nearly 5,000 crew and flight staff, including 400-plus officers and more than 4,000 enlisted sailors.

The 97,000-ton vessel carries more than 65 aircraft, including F/A 18 Hornets, F/A 18 E/F Super Hornets, EA6B Prowlers, E2C Hawkeyes, C-2 Greyhounds and SH-60 Seahawk helicopters.

Joining the East Sea exercise will be the USS McCampbell, USS John S. McCain and USS Lassen.

Earlier this month, the U.N. Security Council issued a statement that expressed “deep concern” over the sinking of the frigate Cheonan in the West Sea in March, but did not identify who was responsible for sinking the ship.

China, North Korea’s most important ally, was reportedly the main force behind the watering down of the Security Council resolution. It is also very uneasy about the ROK-U.S. joint exercise involving a U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.

Boeing F-15 Silent Eagle Fires AMRAAM Missile

2010-07-23T20:36:00.000+08:00

The Boeing Company successfully launched a missile from the F-15 Silent Eagle's newly designed Conformal Weapons Bay (CWB) on July 14. Demonstration aircraft F-15E1 departed from Point Mugu Naval Air Weapon Station, Calif., at 5:59 p.m Pacific time, launched an inert AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air to Air Missile (AMRAAM) from its left-side CWB, and returned to base at 6:52 p.m.

The test demonstrated the CWB's flightworthiness and ability to deploy an AMRAAM in flight with no adverse effect on the performance of the aircraft or the CWB itself.

"I've been flying F-15s for more than 20 years, but this flight was different from all others," said Boeing F-15 Chief Test Pilot Dan Draeger. "This first launch of an AMRAAM from the F-15's internal weapons bay opens a new era for the F-15 and for strike fighter capability in the dominance of the F-15 Eagle.

"The F-15, CWB and missile performed exactly as we predicted," Draeger continued. "The Silent Eagle continues the F-15's role as the most versatile strike fighter aircraft ever built."

F-15E1 made its first flight with a CWB from Lambert St. Louis International Airport on July 8. The CWB, which carried an AIM-120 Instrumented Test Vehicle (ITV), was successfully opened and closed during that 80-minute flight, validating Boeing's design approach.

"The F-15SE's internal carriage CWBs will significantly increase tactical options for international customers while retaining all the cost-certain, battle-proven capability of the Strike Eagle," said Roger Besancenez, F-15 Program vice president for Boeing.

The Silent Eagle is an innovative design solution developed in response to international customer requirements for a cost-effective, high-performance fighter aircraft to defend against future threats. Using a modular design approach, the F-15SE offers unique aerodynamic, avionic and Radar Cross Section (RCS)-reduction features that provide the user with maximum flexibility to dominate the ever-changing advanced threat environment. RCS reductions include treatments to the aircraft (based on U.S. government policy).

The F-15SE CWBs can carry a variety of air-to-air missiles, such as the AIM-9 and AIM-120, and air-to-ground weapons such as the Joint Direct Attack Munition and Small Diameter Bomb. The Silent Eagle's CWBs can be easily removed, and the aircraft can be rapidly reconfigured into the combat-proven external carriage/conformal fuel tank load-out based on mission requirements.

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world's largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world's largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $34 billion business with 68,000 employees worldwide.

Malaysian Defence Ministry Confirms Purchase Of Two Vera-E Radars

2010-07-22T23:41:00.000+08:00

The Defence Ministry today confirmed the purchase of two Czech-made Vera-E passive surveillance radars for RM7.2 million.

Deputy Defence Minister Datuk Dr Abdul Latiff Ahmad said the purchase of the Vera-E, a highly advanced sensor that can detect aircraft, ships and ground vehicles from signals emitted by their radar, communications and other onboard electronic systems, was to protect the country's air space.

"Through the purchase we will also benefit from a transfer of technology in the electronic warfare system," he said when debating the 10th Malaysia Plan for the Defence Ministry in Dewan Negara here Thursday.

Dr Abdul Latiff also said the development of Malaysia's first missile, Taming Sari, has been classified under the official secrets act (OSA) 1972 and cannot be revealed but the Taming Sari was displayed during a Independence Day (Merdeka Day) parade a few years ago.

He added that direct negotiations were also held with Deftech Sdn Bhd, for the purchase of 257 8X8 armoured personnel carriers (APCs), that would be developed and built locally by DRB-Hicom Defence Technologies Sdn Bhd (Deftech) because the company has a proven track record.

Thai Gripens To Be Operational In 2011

2010-07-21T17:24:00.000+08:00

The first of four Royal Thai Air Force Gripen pilots and technicians are undergoing training in Sweden to allow Squadron 701 of the 7th Wing to go operational next year.

Thailand is initially buying six Gripens, with a plan to grow that to 12 aircraft. Further purchases are possible, but will have to await the first operational experiences with the fighter in Thailand, says Wing Cdr. Jackkrit Thammavichai, who will be the first squadron commander. However, he says, “I foresee no problem” in making the case for more aircraft.

Four pilots are now in Sweden to undergo training as instructor pilots, with another six to come to Sweden in January for training as quick reaction alert pilots. The current batch so far has flown the A/B Gripens and will begin work with the C/Ds soon, with their training to end in December.

Thammavichai says the experience to transition former F-5 and F-16 pilots has been good, with the aircraft “easy to fly.” The flight control system is “very smooth,” and the human-machine interface “well designed.”

All six Gripens should be delivered to Thailand by March. The aircraft will initially be armed by AIM-9M Sidewinders and AIM-120 Amraams, although Thailand also is buying the IRIS-T dogfight missile for Gripen use.

As part of the so called Gripen Integrated Air Defense System, the RTAF also will field Erieye early warning aircaft. The entire network is to go operational next year, too, Thammavichai says.

Israel to Deploy New Anti-missile System in November

2010-07-20T19:10:00.000+08:00

Israel will deploy in November its anti-missile system designed to combat threats from the Gaza Strip and Lebanon, the defence ministry said on Monday.

"The Iron Dome interceptor, in conjunction with air force and anti-aircraft systems, successfully downed a large number of threats in fully operational mode," the ministry said in statement.

"The first two batteries will become operational in November 2010," it said adding that "the defence ministry will soon place orders for additional batteries."

The system is designed to intercept short-range rockets and artillery shells, of which Hamas and the Hezbollah have fired thousands at Israel in the past.

The system is expected to be first deployed along the border of Hamas-run Gaza from where a daily barrage of home-made rockets fired at the Jewish state prompted Israel to launch a devastating 22-day offensive on December 27, 2008.

It will then be deployed on Israel's border with Lebanon, where the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah fired some 4,000 rockets into northern Israel during a 2006 war. Israel believes Hezbollah now has an arsenal of some 40,000 rockets.

Defence Minister Ehud Barak praised the developers for the short timeframe in which they had managed to make the system operational.

"We will act to actively deploy the batteries in the field as soon as possible," he said in the statement.
In May, US President Barack Obama asked Congress to approve giving Israel 205 million dollars to develop the system, on top of the billions of dollars in aid it gives Israel each year.

The Iron Dome will join the Arrow long-range ballistic missile defence system in an ambitious multi-layered programme to protect Israeli cities from rockets and missiles fired from Lebanon, the Gaza Strip, Syria and Iran.

A third system specifically aimed at countering medium-range missiles is still in development.

IAF Begins Apache Trials

2010-07-19T17:03:00.001+08:00

The Indian Air Force (IAF) began trials for the AH-64D Apache Longbow attack helicopter last week. IAF sources confirmed that the aircraft, which is competing with the Russian Mi-28 for the IAF’s tender for 22 attack helicopters, has already completed trials in Jaisalmer and is currently undergoing high altitude, flight and maneuverability demonstrations at Leh.

The trials are expected to continue till the end of next week, after which the Mi-28 is expected to be given a similar once-over. The maintenance and weapons trials of the former will be conducted in the United States in the coming weeks.

Dean Millsap of Boeing Rotorcraft Systems, told visiting Indian media in Philadelphia in May that the company had crash-tested the aircraft to a drop-speed of 40 feet per second. The company is pitching its ballistically-tolerant structure, which can withstand an impact up to 23 millimeters, to emphasize the survivablility of the aircraft.

The aircraft also has self sealing, Kevlar armor-protected fuel cells under the pilot’s seat, as well as a system to deploy nitrogen gas to starve any outbreak of fire of oxygen, called nitrogen-inerting crash resistant fuel cells. Both, pilot as well as gunner, have the benefit of the night vision generated by FLIR (Forward Looking Infra Red) sensor. But Boeing expects the Longbow radar on the Apache to end the argument. The radar dome, which has a millimeter wave radar, is located on top of the main rotor allowing optimum detection capability.

The aircraft can also digitally share information on targets with other aircraft and systems.
Interestingly, Boeing has developed a capability in the Apache to control Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV). While so far this ability is restricted to control over a single UAV, the company is building systems to allow airborne control over multiple UAVs. So far this is not a capability that has been offered to or requested by the IAF.

The first of the Apache Block III are expected to be delivered in October next year and deployed with the first US Army units by June 2012.

The trials for the IAF’s requirement for 15 heavy lift helicopters are also expected to begin after the Apache, on July 27, with the Chinook being put through its paces at Chandigarh, where it has already arrived, and Leh. Both the Apache and the Chinook were brought to India by C-17 aircraft, possibly to quietly underline the capabilities of the strategic lifter, ten of which are also being considered for purchase by the IAF, after it underwent trials last month.

Russian State Arms Exporter Sees Contracts Worth $38 billion in 2010

2010-07-19T16:59:00.000+08:00

Russia's state arms exporter Rosoboronexport said on Friday its orders so far this year had exceeded $38 billion.

It said aircraft and airborne weapon systems accounted for over 50% of all export orders." Despite serious competition, demand grows from year to year," the company said in a press release.

"Our cooperation is expanding with leading foreign manufacturers, especially on new joint projects and R&D programs." Rosoboronexport handles over 80% of Russian arms exports.

Russia will showcase an array of warplanes at the Farnborough Air Show (FIA), one of the most preeminent global aviation events, to be held on July 19-25 near London.

Russian products will include Su-35 Flanker and MiG-35 Fulcrum-F multirole fighters, the Su-32 fighter-bomber (an export version of the Su-34 Fullback aircraft) and MiG-29 Fulcrum combat aircraft.

PRC's Preparations to Attack Taiwan Accelerate

2010-07-19T16:56:00.000+08:00

Despite repeated displays of goodwill by the government of President Ma Ying-Jeou since it came to power in 2008, China’s military preparations for an attack on Taiwan continue to accelerate, a report by the Ministry of National Defense’s intelligence research branch says.

The report says China’s military preparedness for an attack on Taiwan has never been relaxed and that if the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) launched a missile attack on Taiwan, it would destroy more than 90 percent of the nation’s political, economic, military and civil infrastructure. It also predicts the number of Chinese missiles aimed at Taiwan could reach 2,000 by the end of the year.

Although the government’s pro-Beijing policies have been strongly criticized domestically, the ministry’s decision to post the internal research report on its official Web site has raised eyebrows.

Lin Cheng-Yi, a researcher at the Institute of European and American Studies at Academia Sinica, said following Ma’s accession to power, China has moved its military exercises from the coastal areas of Fujian Province to other parts of the country and that it no longer uses Hong Kong media to attack Taiwan.

Lin said that while this was intended to create a more relaxed atmosphere, in reality China’s military threat is constantly growing. The ministry sees through the smokescreen, continues to keep track of China’s military posture and therefore is remaining true to its responsibilities, Lin said.

Although China has reduced the number of military exercises simulating an attack on Taiwan, its activities in the South China Sea and in the waters north and east of Taiwan have been increasing, Lin said.

The report said that a June 1993 meeting of China’s Central Military Commission readjusted its strategic goals, unambiguously making Taiwan its main potential adversary.

Despite Ma’s rapprochement policies, top PLA leaders continue to emphasize in internal meetings that the use of military force must remain an option, the report says.

The PLA’s short and mid-term missile production plans have not been affected by detente in the Taiwan Strait, the report says, adding that the PLA’s missile arsenal targeting Taiwan could reach 1,960 before the end of the year.

A large number of recently decommissioned fighter aircraft have been turned into pilotless drone planes to be used together with Harpy anti-radar unmanned aerial vehicles purchased from Israel. These could help China punch holes in Taiwan’s air defense systems and destroy key targets.

China is focusing resources on developing satellite technology, the report says, adding that the number of Chinese satellites would surpass 60 before the end of this year. Of these, 14 would be Jianbing and Leidian military surveillance satellites. The total would also include 15 Shentong and Fenghuo military communication satellites, Xinnuo broadcasting satellites and 16 Beidou navigation satellites. These satellites will help the PLA wage integrated warfare and improve weapon accuracy.

The strength of the PLA Navy is also increasing. Its regular amphibious abilities have also increased, with transport capa city reaching a full division.

New Taranis Combat Aircraft Thunders into View

2010-07-14T18:04:00.000+08:00

A prototype unmanned combat aircraft of the future, Taranis, has been unveiled by the MOD for the first time today.

Named after the Celtic god of thunder, the concept demonstrator will test the possibility of developing the first ever autonomous, stealth Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV) that would ultimately be capable of precisely striking targets at long range, even in another continent.

Should such systems enter into service, they will at all times be under the control of highly trained military crews on the ground.

Speaking at the unveiling ceremony at BAE Systems in Warton, Lancashire, Minister for International Security Strategy Gerald Howarth said : "Taranis is a truly trailblazing project. The first of its kind in the UK, it reflects the best of our nation's advanced design and technology skills and is a leading programme on the global stage."

Representing the pinnacle of UK engineering and aeronautical design, Taranis is an informal partnership of the MOD and industry talents including BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce, QinetiQ and GE Aviation.

Speaking on behalf of the industry team, Nigel Whitehead, Group Managing Director of BAE Systems' Programmes and Support business, said : "Taranis has been three-and-a-half years in the making and is the product of more than a million man-hours.

"It represents a significant step forward in this country's fast-jet capability. This technology is key to sustaining a strong industrial base and to maintain the UK's leading position as a centre for engineering excellence and innovation."

The Taranis prototype will provide the MOD with critical knowledge on the technical and manufacturing challenges and the potential capabilities of Unmanned Combat Air Systems. Flight trials are due in 2011.

F-22 Raptor Rolls Out in Hawaii

2010-07-14T18:01:00.000+08:00

Top military and local community leaders gathered here July 9 for a dedication service for the F-22 Raptor.

Hundreds of onlookers gathered with members of the 199th Fighter Squadron, 154th Wing, Hawaii Air National Guard and people from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam to welcome the F-22, a fifth generation fighter, which replaces the F-15 Eagle that the squadron has flown since 1987. The 199th FS is the first guard unit to receive the F-22.

"The 199th (FS members prove) that National Guard forces are capable of maintaining a strategic presence with its active duty association and providing a great value to our nation and the state of Hawaii," said Gen. Craig R. McKinley, the chief of the National Guard Bureau.

The F-22, a single-seat, twin engine aircraft that utilizes stealth technology, was originally designed primarily as an air superiority fighter.

"These F-22 Raptors are the state of the art air superiority fighter and couldn't be located at a better place," General McKinley said.

Many of the guard members will serve as the lead in a "total force" concept that is already in use at JB Hickam. The 199th FS, 15th Air Wing will fly and help maintain the F-22s that bring a new capability to the HIANG, as well as the Air Force.

"The Air Force is a seamless total force. Along with our Air Force Reserve and civilians, the National Guard and our active duty component form a very severe fighting force that can get the job done," General McKinley said.

PAK FA T-50 16th Test Flight

2010-06-18T18:58:00.002+08:00

Russia’s fifth-generation fighter aircraft Sukhoi T-50 made its 16th test flight at the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute (TSAGI) in Zhukovsky near Moscow, thus completing the first stage of air and ground tests.

The aircraft was designed to replace the MiG-29 Fulcrum and the Su-27 Flanker in the Russian Air Force. The Russian Defense Ministry plans to buy at least 50 of the fifth-generation fighter jets starting in 2016.

The first stage of the government tests of the fifth-generation fighter will be complete in 2012.

The second stage will focus on testing the aircraft’s system for radio countermeasures, its surveillance capabilities in optical and infrared ranges and its weapons.

The Russian Defense Ministry has set higher demands for this new aircraft than those for the U.S. fifth-generation aircraft.

The fifth-generation fighter aircraft is distinguished by its multifunctional performance, including the ability to engage airborne and ground targets in any weather and at any time of day. It is also distinguished by its super maneuverability, which implies an ability to operate at low speeds and wide angles of attack. It also has low visibility in the optical, infrared and radio wavelengths as well as the ability to land on and take off from short runways of 300 to 400 meters.

PAK FA T-50 16th Test Flight Video

Severodvinsk Nuclear Attack Submarine

2010-06-16T12:55:00.000+08:00

Russia Launches New Nuclear-Powered Submarine

2010-06-16T12:40:00.001+08:00

Russia on Tuesday launches a new nuclear-powered multipurpose attack submarine after a short delay caused by technical reasons, the Sevmash shipyard said.

The construction of the Severodvinsk, the first Project 885 Yasen (Graney) class submarine, began in 1993 at the Sevmash shipyard in the northern Russian city of Severodvinsk but has since been dogged by financial setbacks. Russia planned to float out the submarine on May 7 to mark the 65th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in May 1945.

Last year, work started on the second sub in the series, the Kazan, which will feature more advanced equipment and weaponary.

Russian experts believe that the commissioning of Graney class would significantly increase combat capabilities of the Russian Navy.

"It is the newest generation of the Russian submarine fleet, which rightfully meets the demands of the 21st century," said Vladimir Pyalov, chief designer of the Malakhit design bureau.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev arrived in the port of Severodvinsk to attend the official float-out ceremony.

Graney class nuclear submarines are designed to launch a variety of long-range cruise missiles (up to 5,000 km) with nuclear warheads, and effectively engage submarines, surface warships and land-based targets.

The submarine's armament includes 24 cruise missiles, including the 3M51 Alfa SLCM, the SS-NX-26 Oniks SLCM or the SS-N-21 Granat/Sampson SLCM. It is also equipped with eight torpedo launchers, as well as mines and anti-ship missiles such as SS-N-16 Stallion.

The Severodvinsk is expected to enter service with the Russian Navy by late 2010 - early 2011.

Strategic Bombers are Crucial for National Security

2010-06-13T23:00:00.001+08:00

On December 23, Russia marked the Strategic Aviation Day, which was established to commemorate the creation of the world's first squadron of heavy bombers in 1914. Since then strategic aviation has become an element of the strategic nuclear triad ensuring Russia's security.

Currently, only three countries have strategic aviation - Russia, the United States and China. In fact, only Russia and the U.S. have it, because China only has license-made Russian Tu-16s, whose range and armaments do not meet modern requirements.

The bulk of Russian and U.S. strategic bombers were made during the Cold War.

The United States has 90 B-52H bombers, a modification of the B-52 plane designed in the 1950s. Made in the early 1960s, they are armed with cruise missiles and bombs. The Stratofortresses are expected to remain on combat duty until the 2040s and possibly longer.

The U.S. Air Force also has 20 B-2 Spirit (Stealth) bombers made in the 1990s, and 66 B-1B Lancer supersonic bombers used as conventional weapons carriers.

Russia's main strategic bomber is a Cold War veteran, the Tu-95MS Bear, a 1980s modification of the Tu-95 plane made in the 1950s. The Russian Air Force has 64 Tu-95MS Bears armed with long-range cruise missiles.

Russia's latest strategic bomber is the supersonic Tu-160 Blackjack. It has 14 such planes and plans to resume their mass production, which was suspended in the 1990s.

In addition, Russia has over 150 long-range Tu-22M3 Backfire bombers in its Air Force and Navy. They have a shorter range than the Tu-95 and the Tu-160 and are designed primarily for bombing targets in Eurasia and North Africa and the surrounding seas.

Shortly before the Strategic Aviation Day, Air Force Commander Gen. Anatoly Zhikharev reported on the progress in the creation of a new strategic bomber by the Tupolev design bureau.

The possibility of creating a new prospective strategic bomber was first reported in 2008. In August 2009, the Russian government said it signed a relevant contract with the Tupolev bureau, which has designed the bulk of the country's strategic aircraft since the 1930s.

Eventually, the new strategic bomber will replace the Tu-22M3 and Tu-95 aircraft, which are becoming obsolete, and will complement (and subsequently replace) the Tu-160.

The specifications of the prospective plane are kept secret, but sources say it will be a crossover between the Tu-22M3 and the heavier and more expensive Tu-160.

Since it will be cheaper than the Tu-160, the Russian Air Force will be able to buy a sufficient number of the new planes to decommission the Tu-95MS and the Tu-22M3. In all 200 aircraft will be replaced, including those made for the Navy.

It is so far unclear when the new plane will be ready. It was said in the summer of 2009 that it should make its maiden flight in 2015 or 2016, but sources say the deadline could be shifted to 2012-2013. Mass production is expected to start in 2019 or 2020.

The new supersonic bomber will have stealth elements, carry cruise missiles, and have a sufficient range to reach targets in Eurasia, North Africa and possibly (with midair refueling) on other continents and in the outlying regions of the World's Oceans.

The new plane will have a variety of weapons, in particular multirole cruise missiles and guided bombs, ensuring its use for different purposes, from pinpoint strikes in local conflict zones to nuclear strikes.

Strategic aviation is one of the most flexible elements of the military system. Unlike nuclear missile submarines and intercontinental ballistic missiles, strategic bombers can carry conventional weapons for use in local conflicts and fulfill a wide range of tasks in an all-out war.

Such flexibility of the multirole strategic bombers ensures them a prominent place in Russia's defenses even though they cannot fly as fast or carry as large an equivalent yield as intercontinental ballistic missiles.

Saudi Arabia Gives Israel Clear Skies to Attack Iranian Nuclear Sites

2010-06-13T22:38:00.000+08:00

Saudi Arabia has conducted tests to stand down its air defences to enable Israeli jets to make a bombing raid on Iran’s nuclear facilities, The Times can reveal.

In the week that the UN Security Council imposed a new round of sanctions on Tehran, defence sources in the Gulf say that Riyadh has agreed to allow Israel to use a narrow corridor of its airspace in the north of the country to shorten the distance for a bombing run on Iran.

To ensure the Israeli bombers pass unmolested, Riyadh has carried out tests to make certain its own jets are not scrambled and missile defence systems not activated. Once the Israelis are through, the kingdom’s air defences will return to full alert.

“The Saudis have given their permission for the Israelis to pass over and they will look the other way,” said a US defence source in the area. “They have already done tests to make sure their own jets aren’t scrambled and no one gets shot down. This has all been done with the agreement of the [US] State Department.”

Sources in Saudi Arabia say it is common knowledge within defence circles in the kingdom that an arrangement is in place if Israel decides to launch the raid. Despite the tension between the two governments, they share a mutual loathing of the regime in Tehran and a common fear of Iran’s nuclear ambitions. “We all know this. We will let them [the Israelis] through and see nothing,” said one.

The four main targets for any raid on Iran would be the uranium enrichment facilities at Natanz and Qom, the gas storage development at Isfahan and the heavy-water reactor at Arak. Secondary targets include the lightwater reactor at Bushehr, which could produce weapons-grade plutonium when complete.

The targets lie as far as 1,400 miles (2,250km) from Israel; the outer limits of their bombers’ range, even with aerial refuelling. An open corridor across northern Saudi Arabia would significantly shorten the distance. An airstrike would involve multiple waves of bombers, possibly crossing Jordan, northern Saudi Arabia and Iraq. Aircraft attacking Bushehr, on the Gulf coast, could swing beneath Kuwait to strike from the southwest.

Read more

Indonesian Air Force to Buy 4 UAVs

2010-06-08T23:00:00.000+08:00

Indonesian Air Force chief of staff Marshal Imam Sufa'at said the Indonesian Military planned to buy four unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) for border surveillance.

"The four UAVs, among others, will be stationed at Suryadarma Air Force Base in Subang, West Java and Supadio Air Force Base in Pontianak, West Kalimantan," Imam said.

He said the country had never operated any UAVs but that they would be strategic additions to the military's air force fleet.

The aircraft could be used to monitor illegal activities that occur in border areas, such as illegal logging and fishing.Apart from the UAVs, the air force also plans to develop a radar plant in Merauke, Papua, which is expected to be operational in November.

Malaysian Armed Forces will be acquiring three Multi-Role Support Ships

2010-06-08T22:58:00.000+08:00

The Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) will be acquiring three Multi-Role Support Ships (MRSS) worth RM2.2bil to provide faster humanitarian and disaster relief.

Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the MRSS would be a floating support system that would carry food, medical supplies, clothing supplies and utilities to areas affected by disasters.

“The vessel would also have a helicopter pad which would enable flexibility in the deployment of disaster relief supplies to affected areas.

“This way, we will be able to approach disaster stricken areas by berthing the vessel at a port or flying relief supplies to the areas from a nearby anchorage position,” he said.

He was speaking to pressmen after delivering a speech to delegates during the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Asia Security Summit held at the Shangri-La hotel here.

Ahmad Zahid also added that, currently, five ship builders have been accepted from several countries in Europe and Asia for the building of one of the three MRSS.

“The first MRSS will be built in a foreign country while the other two will be built locally,” he said.

He added that several Malaysian experts would also be sent to the chosen country to acquire the knowledge on the construction of the ships.

“These experts will then return to Malaysia and start the building of the remaining two ships there,” he said.

He also commented that the MAF would be conducting humanitarian and disaster relief training focused on civilian protection.

“The training sessions would either be conducted at the MAF peacekeeping training centre or we may set up a dedicated centre specialising in such training,” he said.

Russian PAK FA Stealth Fighter Test Flight

2010-05-28T19:21:00.002+08:00

Boeing Unveils Unmanned Phantom Ray Demonstrator

2010-05-19T17:26:00.000+08:00

St. Louis : The Boeing Company today unveiled the fighter-sized Phantom Ray unmanned airborne system, a test bed for advanced technologies.

“We are on a fast track, and first flight is in sight,” said Darryl Davis, president of Boeing Phantom Works.

“Phantom Ray is on schedule to fly in December, about two years after this project began. This is a tremendous accomplishment for Boeing and the Phantom Ray team.”

Phantom Ray is scheduled to begin taxi tests this summer. The first flight in December will be followed by up to nine additional flights over approximately six months. Phantom Ray is designed to support potential missions that may include intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; suppression of enemy air defenses; electronic attack; strike; and autonomous aerial refueling.

“The initial flights will take Phantom Ray through its paces for the flight test profile. Beyond that, the missions and systems tested will be determined by future warfighter needs,” said Craig Brown, Phantom Ray program manager for Boeing.

Phantom Ray, which evolved from the X-45C program, is one of several programs in the Phantom Works division of Boeing Defense, Space & Security. Phantom Works uses rapid prototyping initiatives to design, develop and build advanced aircraft and then demonstrate their capabilities.

Key Phantom Ray suppliers include General Electric-Aviation (propulsion and power distribution), Honeywell (brake system), Woodward-HRT (flight control actuation system), Crane Hydro-Aire (brake controls) and Heroux-Devtek (landing gear).

For a feature story on today’s Phantom Ray ceremony in St. Louis, visit http://bit.ly/99AvLS.

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world’s largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world’s largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $34 billion business with 68,000 employees worldwide.

Study Says US Missile Defense Weapons Deeply Flawed

2010-05-19T17:21:00.000+08:00

Washington : US missile defense plans are based on "technical myths" and interceptors have mostly failed to knock out incoming warheads in military tests, a new study argues.

Two American scientists reviewed 10 tests of the SM-3 "kill vehicle," designed to take out ballistic missiles, and concluded that the interceptor succeeded in directly hitting mock warheads in only one or two cases.

"This means that, in real combat, the warhead would have not been destroyed but would have continued toward the target and detonated in eight or nine of the 10 SM-3 experimental tests," wrote George Lewis of Cornell University and Theodore Postol of MIT in the latest issue of "Arms Control Today."

The Pentagon had described the tests between 2002 to 2009 as successful.

The US administration's claims about the missile defense system are "nothing more than a fiction" and "the policy strategy that follows from these technical myths could well lead to a foreign policy disaster," wrote the scientists in an article titled "A Flawed and Dangerous US Missile Defense Plan."

The authors also questioned if a network of early-warning satellites and radar could precisely track missiles and distinguish them from debris or decoys.

But the US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) on Tuesday rejected the findings of the study, calling them "flawed, inaccurate and misleading."

Defense Secretary Robert Gates retained confidence in the missile defense program, his press secretary told AFP.

"Secretary Gates tracks our missile defense program closely and he continues to have a high degree of confidence in its capabilities, including those of the SM-3 system," press secretary Geoff Morrell said in an email.

US officials and the authors of the study disagreed over the importance of the interceptors striking the body of a rocket or its dummy warhead.

The SM-3 tests "showed that the interceptor's kill vehicle impacted the target body or warhead within inches of the expected impact point that was calculated to maximize damage against a variety of warhead types," the MDA said in a statement.

MDA spokesman Richard Lehner said some of the earlier tests did not use mock warheads at all because the goal was merely to hit the target missile.

One of the authors of the study, Postol of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is a long-time skeptic of missile defense who previously helped expose the failure of most Patriot anti-missile weaponry in the 1991 Gulf War.

Much is riding on land and sea-based US missile defenses, with President Barack Obama arguing the system will help counter the threat posed by Iran's missiles and will allow for scaling back the American nuclear arsenal.

Russia Plans to Develop 5th-Generation Helicopters

2010-05-19T17:20:00.000+08:00

A Russian helicopter company is planning to develop the world's first fifth-generation combat helicopter, which experts say would be able to attack fighter jets and be invisible for radars, the Gazeta daily said on Thursday.

"We are working on the concept of the fifth-generation combat helicopter," the paper quoted the company's CEO, Andrei Shibitov, as saying at a news conference in Moscow.

Shibitov did not specify the characteristics of the helicopter, but said the company was going to spend some $1 billion on the project, with more investment expected to be allocated from the state budget.

The official said the Mil design bureau had been working on a classical rotor model, which features a large main rotor and a smaller auxiliary rotor, while the Kamov design bureau had been developing a coaxial rotor model.

Military experts believe that the coaxial rotor model is more stable and easy to fly while the classical model is more reliable and has a higher degree of survivability on the battlefield.

First deputy head of the Russian Academy of Geopolitical Issues, Konstantin Sivkov, told the paper that fifth-generation combat helicopters have never been built before, although the United States has recently begun working on a similar project.

He said a fifth-generation combat helicopter must have a low radar signature, a high noise reduction, an extended flying range, be equipped with a computerized arms control system, be able to combat fighter jets (existing helicopters are generally only intended to hit ground-based targets) and reach a speed of up to 500-600 km/h (310-370 mph).

The project cannot proceed, however, unless it is backed by the government.

"If the government does not sign a contract, the idea will die on the vine," head of the Russian Academy of Geopolitical Issues Leonid Ivashov told Gazeta.

Ivashov said that with sufficient investment and good organization the new helicopter could be built within five years. Otherwise, the project may drag on for 20-30 years.

Russia's main combat helicopter, the Mi-24 Hind, is a third-generation helicopter, and Mi-28 Havoc, Ka-50 and Ka-52 Hokum are fourth-generation helicopters.

Indian Air Force to Train Malaysian Sukhoi Su-30MKM Pilots

2010-05-19T17:15:00.000+08:00

Kuala Lumpur, May 17 - Malaysia’s decision to allow Indian Air Force to groom, train and equip its frontline Sukhoi pilots is a proof of the Southeast Asian country’s faith on New Delhi, a senior IAF officer has said. “The fact that a foreign country is permitted to groom, train and equip your frontline pilots is by itself a testament of the confidence and faith they have in us.

This is a strong demonstration of a high-level of friendship and diplomacy which is very commendable,” IAF’s chief flight instructor Gp Capt KVR Raju was quoted as saying by the New Straits Times. Russia and India are committed to bolster Malaysia’s air defence and combat capability, so far as the Sukhoi Su-30MKM Flanker squadron is concerned, Russia’s warranty team leader Vladimir Konnov and the IAF’s team chief Group Captain Raju has asserted.

Meanwhile, defence superpowers like China, Britain and France are reportedly providing supporting roles via various transfer-of-technology and offset deals to enhance Malaysia’s defence prowess, local news reports said.

Raju is leading an Indian contingent of four instructor pilots, one weapons systems officer, two engineers, 22 technicians and two administrative servicemen.

The IAF pilots would be retained until August, while their colleagues would return after the completion of their two-year tour of duty in July. The trilateral Russian-Indian-Malaysian collaboration was something unique as it provided a stepping stone for the country to groom its next generation of airmen, the IAF officer said.

Royal Malaysian Navy Plans to Expand Fleet

2010-05-01T12:05:00.003+08:00

The grounding and training provided for our submariners are of such high quality that Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) crew were invited to serve with the French navy.

RMN chief Admiral Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Jaafar said the exposure given to its submariners was so thorough that the French navy was willing to have them aboard their submarines.

"This shows the level of competency our crew have attained, and the credibility they have achieved during their stint in France."

Abdul Aziz was referring to the 500-odd RMN crew trained in Brest, France initially in the Agosta training vessel before being deployed into the two Scorpene SSK submarines -- all three vessels of which were procured under a total package worth RM3.42 billion in 2006.

Technical training was also provided by the French shipbuilder, DCNS, at Cherbourg, and its Spanish partner, Navantia at Cartagena.

The first Scorpene submarine, KD Tunku Abdul Rahman, arrived here on Sept 3 last year, while the second, KD Tun Razak, is expected to arrive in the middle of this year.

"We are very committed and dedicated to ensure that the submarine programme, a strategic asset for the country, continues with minimal hitches," he said in conjunction with the 76th RMN Day which falls today.

For that reason, he added, the navy was also urgently scouting for a submarine escape-and- rescue vessel.

"Its presence will provide a psychological confidence to submariners."

Abdul Aziz added that despite the financial constraints, the RMN was bent on ensuring that Malaysia's coastline, maritime strategic interests, exclusive economic zone (EEZ), territorial waters and islands were secured.

The RMN, he said, was also prepared to defend the nation against seaborne threats.

"I believe if our men's and women's interests are looked after, morale will be high and they will serve the country to the best of their ability."

It is understood that the RMN's future fleet programme includes a second batch of Lekiu-class frigates, New-Generation Patrol Vessels (NGPV), Multi-Purpose Support Ships (MPSS), maritime patrol aircraft and anti-aircraft/ship/submarine warfare helicopters.

The RMN's ultimate goal is to have six-vessel squadrons of each class by the year 2020.

Abdul Aziz added that the emphasis was for RMN to procure assets on a common platform policy to facilitate affordable maintenance and servicing, improve readiness and optimise available resources.

"Such assets will boost our capability to protect our 3,000km coastline, the 400km separating the peninsula and East Malaysia, and the Straits of Malacca as one of the world's busiest sea lanes."

In 1996, a total of 27 Meko 100 NGPVs were built in Lumut, Perak, to fulfil the RMN's requirements.

An initial contract for six NGPV vessels (which have since been reconfigured as littoral combatant ships), was clinched and five -- KD Kedah, KD Pahang, KD Perak, KD Terengganu and KD Kelantan -- have been commissioned since June 2006.

On the MPSS procurement, Abdul Aziz said the navy was also considering those from South Korea and China which offered competitive and high-quality vessels.

The RMN now has 42 vessels after 17 were handed over to the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency.

On the RMN auxiliary ship Bunga Mas 5, Abdul Aziz said it played a pivotal role in protecting Malaysian commercial vessels plying the Gulf of Aden since being deployed there under Ops Fajar in June last year.

Bunga Mas 5, equipped with combat capability and special forces on board, undertook a six-month stint in the gulf.

"Its deployment has been very effective. There are no more hijackings since the two incidents involving MISC vessels last year," he added.

Russian S-400 Missiles to Go Into Serial Production

2010-05-01T12:03:00.000+08:00

Russian long range ballistic missiles for S-400 Triumph surface-to-air missile systems will go into serial production in the autumn, a leading missile manufacturer said on Friday.

Earlier media reports said the S-400 missile system was incomplete as long range ballistic missiles, among others, had not been adopted for it.

"On December 26, 2009 the preliminary tests were finished and the missile was put forward for state tests," Kommersant daily quoted the general director of Almaz-Antei, Igor Ashurbeili, as saying.

"In the third quarter of 2010 we should finish them, along with combat duty launches, and then put it [the missile] into serial production in the fourth quarter," he added.

According to Ashurbeili, there were no technical failures or difficulties concerning the long range missile tests.
"The tests of S-400 missile lasted for about 3 years...We are bewildered by the bacchanalia of rumors and slander concerning the issue as an ordinary working process is going on," he continued.

Ashurbeili added that the situation regarding the production of missiles after 2012 is unclear as Almaz-Antei does not have "any signed contracts for 2012".

The S-400 Triumph boasts unique characteristics. It can destroy any air target, including stealth aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, and cruise and ballistic missiles within a range of 400 kilometers and an altitude up to 30 kilometers. The system is almost three times more efficient than its Russian and foreign counterparts.

There are no plans so far to export the S-400. It will be produced only for the Russian Armed Forces. An additional two systems will be deployed by the end of 2010.

Laws of Physics and Mathematics Dictate the Optimum Shape of a Stealth Aircraft

2010-04-18T16:36:00.002+08:00

Refer to my post PAK FA T-50 : A Preliminary Analysis regarding to the similarities between F22 and PAK FA design, here is the illustration concerning the optimum shape of a stealth aircraft. To obtain a low observation characteristic, a stealth aircraft must have as much as possible paralleled edge of the airframe to reflect the radar wave away from its source. The coloured line shows the paralleled edge of the airframe on the PAK FA T-50 and F22 Raptor.

Hamas Leader to Visit Moscow

2010-04-08T17:51:00.000+08:00

The leader of the Palestinian party Hamas, Khaled Mashal, will visit Moscow next week to discuss ways of ending the Palestinian split and how to resume the Palestinian-Israeli negotiations.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry informed that “The meeting will take place in the context of the political dialogue that Russia is holding with influential forces of Palestinian society to contribute to the resumption of Palestinian-Israeli talks on a well-known and generally recognized international legal basis,” said Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrey Nesterenko.

In January this year, Palestinian leader and leader of Fatah Party Mahmoud Abbas held talks in Moscow with Russia’s President Dmitry Medvedev. The ministry spokesman pointed out that the negotiations with Mahmoud Abbas “have confirmed the similar approaches with Moscow on peaceful resolving of the Middle East crisis.”

Hamas has controlled the Gaza portion of the Palestinian Territories since 2007 after winning a large majority in the Palestinian Parliament and defeating rival Palestinian party Fatah. So far, talks to reconcile Hamas and Fatah since Egypt began mediations in late 2008 have seen no results.

Hamas, backed by Syria and Iran, doesn’t recognize Israel and is seen by the EU, the US, Canada, Israel and Japan as a terrorist organization. However, Russia has always been open to a dialogue with Hamas and met the party’s leader Khaled Mashal in Moscow after the elections in 2007.

After the last meeting with the leader of Hamas in Syria, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Hamas had adopted a more realistic approach since Operation Cast Lead in December.

Israel has criticized Lavrov’s meeting with Mashal, saying that Hamas is a terrorist organization. However, Russia’s FM said that in every conflict all sides should be involved in dialogue: “This principle applies to Hamas, as well as Hezbollah and Syria.”

Professor Irina Zvyagelskaya, Vice President of the Center for Strategic and Political Studies, thinks that is the exact reason why Moscow is seeing the leader of Hamas this February: “Relations between Fatah and Hamas remain tense, despite Egypt’s mediations. If Hamas will be excluded from negotiations, then any decisions, which will be made by other parties, will not be accepted by Hamas, and the Gaza strip will remain isolated.”

Meanwhile, according to the Israeli media, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is to visit Moscow in the middle of February. Irina Zvyagelskaya, however, doesn’t think that Moscow will anger either Israel or Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas by meeting with Hamas: “Well, officially they may express their dissatisfaction with this. However, both the Israeli and Palestinian leaders understand that we are acting as mediators and we need to understand what the Hamas position is.”

Vyacheslav Matuzov, president of the Russia-Palestine Society of Friendship and Business Cooperation, also thinks that Moscow’s talks with Hamas are essential in solving the Palestinian question and says that, even though officially Mahmoud Abbas may frown upon it, it should be taken well, “The level of trust between Russia and the Palestinian leadership is high; they trust us and know that we will not harm their interests,” Matuzov notes.

Moreover, Matuzov thinks that at the end Israel and the West will recognize Hamas – and Hamas, in his view, will also eventually recognize Israel: “Hamas was created by the Israeli special intelligence services and the elections in Palestine were choreographed by American special services.” He concludes that the aim of this political game is that the Palestinian state will be restricted only to Gaza.

PAK FA Update : PAK FA Pictures

2010-04-07T00:47:00.003+08:00

Comparison between PAK FA T-50 and F-22 Raptor

PAK FA cockpit with two large advance multi display unit

PAK FA being assembled in Komsomolsk-on-Amur

PAK FA third flight camouflage painted scheme

Russia Set to Float out 2nd Stealth Corvette

2010-04-02T11:01:00.001+08:00

St. Petersburg's Severnaya Verf shipyard will float out on Wednesday a new corvette featuring stealth technology, a Russian Navy spokesman said.

The Soobrazitelny is the second Project 20380 corvette designed by the Almaz Central Marine Design Bureau.

"The corvette features innovative solutions regarding hull design, armament, communications and electronics," the spokesman said.

The first Project 20380 corvette, the Steregushchy, was put into service with Russia's Baltic Fleet in October 2008, and two other ships of the same series, the Boyky and the Stoyky, are under construction.

The Project 20380 corvette can be deployed to destroy enemy surface ships, submarines and aircraft, and to provide artillery support for beach landings. It uses stealth technology to reduce the ship's secondary radar field, as well as its acoustic, infrared, magnetic and visual signatures.

Russia plans to have up to 30 vessels of this class to ensure the protection of its coastal waters, as well as its oil and gas transportation routes, especially in the Black and the Baltic seas.

Each corvette has a displacement of 2,000 metric tons, maximum speed of 27 knots, and a crew of 100.

Russia may Unveil New Super-tank in Summer 2010

2010-03-29T18:26:00.000+08:00

Russia's new main battle tank (MBT), the T-95, could be exhibited for the first time at an arms show in the Urals Region this summer, the developer and future manufacturer of the tank has said.

The development of the new tank dubbed "Item 195" began at the Uralvagonzavod design bureau in the early 1990s. Russia will become the first country in the world to have the 5th-generation MBT if the military commissions the vehicle.

"The work on the project has been conducted for many years. If the government gives us a 'green light' we will exhibit the tank at the [Russian Expo Arms 2010] arms show in Nizhny Tagil this summer," general director of the Uralvagonzavod plant Oleg Siyenko told RIA Novosti in an exclusive interview.

"I cannot disclose the characteristics of the tank, but I can assure you that we have met all the requirements put forward by the military," he said.

According to unofficial sources, the T-95 will feature better firepower, maneuverability, electronics and armor protection than Russia's latest T-90 MBT or comparable foreign models.

It will weigh about 55 tons and its speed will increase from 30-50 kph to 50-65 kph (19-31 mph to 31-40 mph).

The new tank may be equipped with a 152-mm smoothbore gun capable of firing guided missiles with a range of 6,000-7,000 meters.

In contrast to existing designs, the gun will be located in a remotely-controlled turret to improve 3-men crew survivability.

Meanwhile, the T-90 MBT, developed in the 1990s on the basis of the T-72B tank, will be the backbone of the armored units until 2025, according to the Russian military.

Russia currently produces up to 100 T-90 MBTs annually and plans to have at least 1,500 vehicles in service with the Ground Forces.

PAK FA Third Flight, Painted in Winter Camouflage

2010-03-22T21:14:00.005+08:00

Fifth-generation fighter T-50, also known as PAK FA, performed the third test flight, Interfax reported with reference to the representatives of the military-industrial complex.

Flight tests of the fighter he told, were held on Friday, February 12, at the aerodrome of Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Production Association (KnAAPO). The stealth fighter spent 57 minutes in the air.

The T-50 was painted in the gray and white splinter camouflage.

The KnAAPO planned to perform a few more flights test on PAK FA, before moves the fighter to Zhukovsky near Moscow, where it will face bulk of flight tests including mock combat with several other existing fighter.

Specifications of the fifth-generation fighter T-50 is still kept secret. It was only reported that the T-50 can take off and landing on runways of length of 300-400 meters and has superb maneuverability.

The T-50 performed its first flight on January 29, 2010. Its second flight was on February 6 and its third on February 12.

Sukhoi director Mikhail Pogosyan has projected a market for 1000 aircraft over the next four decades.

F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Succeeds in First Vertical Landing

2010-03-22T17:16:00.002+08:00

A supersonic Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] F-35B Lightning II stealth fighter rode more than 41,000 pounds of thrust to a vertical landing today for the first time, confirming its required ability to land in confined areas both ashore and afloat.

“Today’s vertical landing onto a 95-foot square pad showed that we have the thrust and the control to maneuver accurately both in free air and in the descent through ground effect,” said F-35 Lead STOVL Pilot Graham Tomlinson.

Tomlinson performed an 80-knot (93 miles per hour) short takeoff from Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., at 1:09 p.m. EDT. About 13 minutes into the flight, he positioned the aircraft 150 feet above the airfield, where he commanded the F-35 to hover for approximately one minute then descend to the runway.

“The low workload in the cockpit contrasted sharply with legacy short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) platforms,” said Tomlinson, a retired Royal Air Force fighter pilot and a BAE Systems employee since 1986. “Together with the work already completed for slow-speed handling and landings, this provides a robust platform to expand the fleet’s STOVL capabilities.”

Robert J. Stevens, Lockheed Martin chairman and chief executive officer, said, “Today’s vertical landing of the F-35 BF-1 aircraft was a vivid demonstration of innovative technology that will serve the global security needs of the U.S. and its allies for decades to come. I am extremely proud of the F-35 team for their dedication, service and performance in achieving this major milestone for the program.”

Doug Pearson, Lockheed Martin vice president of F-35 Test and Verification, said, “The successful first vertical landing today met our test objectives and demonstrates the F-35B’s capacity to operate from a very small area at sea or on shore – a unique capability for a supersonic, stealth fighter. This is the first of many such tests to fully define the short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) characteristics of the world’s most capable 5th generation fighter. We will routinely conduct vertical landings and short takeoffs to further expand the operational flight envelope for the F-35B.”

The aircraft in today’s test, known as BF-1, is one of three F-35B STOVL jets currently undergoing flight trials at the Patuxent River test site. It is powered by a single Pratt & Whitney F135 turbofan engine driving a counter-rotating Rolls-Royce LiftFan®. The shaft-driven LiftFan system, which includes a Rolls-Royce three-bearing swivel duct that vectors engine thrust and under-wing roll ducts that provide lateral stability, produces more than 41,000 pounds of vertical lift. The F135 is the most powerful engine ever flown in a fighter aircraft.

The F-35B will replace U.S. Marine Corps AV-8B STOVL fighters and F/A-18 strike fighters.

The United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force and Royal Navy, and the Italian Air Force and Navy will employ the F-35B as well. With its short takeoff and vertical landing capability, the F-35B will enable allied forces to conduct operations from small ships and unprepared fields, enabling expeditionary operations around the globe.

The F-35 program is using the Lockheed Martin-developed Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS) for maintenance actions, spares tracking and technical data support.ALIS is part of the F-35’s innovative sustainment architecture monitored by the F-35 Autonomic Logistics Global Sustainment (ALGS) Operations Center in Fort Worth. The early deploymentof the F-35 net-enabled logistics system to be used by all nine partner countries helps ensure the F-35'ssmooth transition to operational status, and is a key enabler for lower life cycle costs.

The F-35 Lightning II is a 5th generation fighter, combining advanced stealth with fighter speed and agility, fully fused sensor information, network-enabled operations, advanced sustainment, and lower operational and support costs. Lockheed Martin is developing the F-35 with its principal industrial partners, Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems. Two separate, interchangeable F-35 engines are under development: the Pratt & Whitney F135 and the GE Rolls-Royce Fighter Engine Team F136.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 140,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation reported 2009 sales of $45.2 billion.

Pilots Wear Diapers on Bombing Missions

2010-03-22T17:14:00.001+08:00

Fighter pilots wore diapers and flew non-stop for more than nine hours to carry out the Indian Air Force's farthest and longest bombing exercise recently - symbolising the IAF's extended reach.

They flew Sukhoi-30 MKI fighters to destroy mock targets in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

A senior IAF officer told HT, "The fighters dropped air-to-ground ordnance for the first time on an uninhabited island in the Andamans. We want to exploit the location of these islands to train fighter pilots for extreme missions."

Six fighter planes were launched from air force bases in Bareilly and Pune for the experimental long-haul mission. Russian Ilyushin-78 refuellers flew from Agra to tank up the Sukhois during the flight over the Bay of Bengal.

The officer said long-range missions would be planned regularly from now on to push the limits of technology and human endurance.

Fighter pilots may have to get used to carrying more loads in their diapers. The officer said future missions would be more complex, requiring them to stay airborne for 12 to 15 hours. "We can keep the fighters airborne for as long as we want.

Refuellers are a game-changer," he said. The Air Force has started providing diapers to pilots as 'standard clothing'.

Former IAF chief Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major, said, "The IAF seems to be gearing up for expeditionary missions. Human endurance should not be a limiting factor in the cockpit."

Russia Needs Minimum 50 Nuclear Subs for Fleet

2010-03-22T17:10:00.002+08:00

The Russian Navy ideally needs to have at least 50 nuclear-powered submarines, a high-ranking Navy officer said during a live interview with Ekho Moskvy radio station on Saturday.

The Russian Navy has some 60 strategic, multi-functional and diesel-powered submarines in its fleet that are combat ready.

"The number of nuclear submarines in Russia's Navy should be no less than 40-50," First Deputy of the Naval General Staff Vice Admiral Oleg Burtsev said.

He said that France, Britain and the United States have at least nine combat ready nuclear subs at sea at all times.

"In order to counterbalance them, we need to have two or three nuclear-powered submarines. They need to know that we are prepared to respond to any strike," Burtsev said.

In answering a call-in question of whether Russia is behind in developing its fleet in comparison with China, which builds two or three submarines a year, Burtsev said that Russia was not behind in development.

"Trial runs are taking place with the Yasen class subs, and this year the final trial stages of the Lada class submarine will be held."

4 NATO Jets Trail 2 Russian Bombers over Arctic, Atlantic

2010-03-15T22:16:00.001+08:00

Two Russian Tu-160 Blackjack strategic bombers that carried out a routine patrol mission over the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans were shadowed by four NATO fighters, the Defense Ministry said on Friday.

Spokesman Lt. Col. Vladimir Drik said the bombers spent about 11 hours in the air on Thursday and were "accompanied" by two NATO F-16 Fighting Falcons of the Norwegian Air Force and two RAF Tornados.

This is thought to be the first time Russian strategic bombers have been followed by such a large number of NATO jets.

A similar patrol mission on September 29, 2009, was shadowed by an F-22 Raptor, reportedly the first time the world's only fifth-generation fighter aircraft, which uses stealth technology, was sent out to keep an eye on Russian planes.

Russian strategic bombers resumed patrol flights over the Pacific, Atlantic, and Arctic oceans in August 2007, following an order from then-President Vladimir Putin, and are usually shadowed by less sophisticated NATO aircraft.

All flights by Russian aircraft are performed in strict compliance with international law on the use of airspace over neutral waters, without intruding in the airspace of other states, the ministry said.

Russia has yet to develop a fifth-generation fighter and has just started testing a prototype, known as the T-50, which is not expected to enter service until 2015. A second U.S. fifth-generation fighter, the F-35 Lightning II, is due to enter service with the U.S. Marine Corps in 2012.

Russia to Make 1000 Stealth Jets

2010-03-15T22:10:00.002+08:00

Russia will build more than 1,000 stealth fighter jets within four decades, including at least 200 for its traditional weapons buyer India, the head of plane maker Sukhoi said on Friday.

Sukhoi test-flew its long-delayed fifth-generation fighter at the end of January, and Moscow said it would be able to compete with its U.S. F-22 Raptor rival built more than a decade ago.

Sukhoi said last week it hoped the fighter, codenamed T-50, would be ready for use in 2015.

"If you talk about warplanes of this type, there is definitely a market for it if we produce more than 1,000 jets," Sukhoi director Mikhail Pogosyan told reporters on the sidelines of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's visit to India.

"We have all grounds to believe that there will not be tough competition on the world market," he said.

He said Russia would produce more than 1,000 of the planes within 35 to 40 years.

After the test flight, Putin said Russia had plenty of work to do on the plane.

Analysts say Russia's plans for a joint venture with India to produce the stealth fighters will likely be watched with unease by India's uneasy neighbour Pakistan and regional rival China.

Pogosyan said an agreement on joint output of the jet with India was still in the works and did not say when a deal might be signed.

"I believe that more than 200 planes will be delivered (to India)," Pogosyan said.

"I think (Russia's) defence ministry will buy no less than this amount," he said. About 600 of the planes would be sold elsewhere, he said.

Analysts say several nations, including Libya and Vietnam, have already expressed interest in the fifth-generation fighter.

"Apart from America, the only other fifth-generation project is Russia's, while the Europeans have given up such plans," Pogosyan said.

"Probably the Chinese will try and promote such a product, but I think they face an immense amount of work to make their product competitive," he said.

With New Fighter in Hand, Putin Wants New Modern Bombers

2010-03-02T18:09:00.005+08:00

Once it has completed work on its own fifth-generation fighter, Russia must proceed with designing a brand new nuclear capable strategic bomber, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Monday.

"Certainly, we should not confine ourselves to developing just one new model. After the fifth-generation fighter jet, we must think and get down to work on a next-generation, long-range aviation complex -- our new strategic missile carrier," Putin told a cabinet meeting on Russia's military-industrial complex. After the demise of the Soviet Union, Russia inherited a fleet of the still formidable but fast-aging Tupolev Tu-95MS turbo-prop strategic bombers and missile platforms codenamed "Bears" by NATO.

It also has a much smaller fleet of the more modern, supersonic Tupolev Tu-160 "Blackjack" jet bombers, the world's biggest warplanes built so far.

Russia test-flew its long-awaited stealth fighter at the end of January, presenting it as Moscow's first all-new warplane since the 1991 Soviet collapse and a challenge to the technological supremacy of Cold War foe the United States which rolled out its fifth-generation fighter more than a decade ago.

Putin, then president, ordered in 2007 to resume Soviet-style patrols of Russian bombers around the globe, seeing it as a way of boosting Moscow's stature in the world.

New Russian Fighter to Make 2,000 Flights Before Production Starts

2010-03-02T18:04:00.004+08:00

Russia's fifth-generation jet fighter, the T-50, is to undergo more than 2,000 flight tests before full-scale production starts, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Monday.

"Before the jet goes into production, it should complete over 2,000 test flights," Putin said. He also said now that Russia had a fifth-generation prototype fighter, it should start working on a new-generation long-range strategic bomber that he described as "an airborne missile-carrier."

A source at the Sukhoi aircraft maker said earlier in the day the T-50 would start on a standard flight test program in April, adding it would take "several years" to complete the testing program.

A prototype of the fighter made a 47-minute maiden flight in Russia's Far East on January 29. Russia has been developing its newest fighter since the late 1980s. The current prototype was designed by the Sukhoi design bureau and built at a plant in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, in Russia's Far East.

It will be delivered to the Russian Air Force from 2015 onwards.

Russian officials have already hailed the fighter as "a unique warplane" that combines the capabilities of an air superiority fighter and attack aircraft.

The Tupolev aircraft maker said last year that a new-generation strategic bomber would be developed by 2017, while production should start in 2020 to 2025.

However, Maj. Gen. Anatoly Zhikharev, commander of Russia's strategic aviation said a new strategic bomber, which would use stealth technology, was expected to enter service in 2025-2030.

The new bomber will replace three aircraft currently in service with Russia's strategic aviation, the Tu-95MC Bear and Tu-160 Blackjack strategic bombers, introduced in 1956 and 1980, respectively, and Tu-22M3 Backfire long-range bombers, which first flew in 1972.

Russia Not to Exhibit PAK FA T-50 at Farnborough Air Show

2010-03-02T17:59:00.003+08:00

Russia will not be exhibiting its fifth-generation jet fighter, the T-50, at the Farnborough International Air Show in southern England this summer, the head of the Sukhoi aircraft maker said.

A prototype of the fighter made a 47-minute maiden flight in Russia's Far East on January 29. Mikhail Pogosyan said that by the end of the year, three more fifth-generation jet fighters will begin test flights in Russia.

"By the end of 2010 or in early 2011, we must add to test flights three more jets," he said after his meeting with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

Malaysian Air Force's MiG-29N will not be Grounded as Planned

2010-02-27T18:34:00.001+08:00

The MiG-29N jet fighters will not be grounded as initially planned but will be used for at least another five years.

Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the earlier plan was to decommission the aircraft and sell them to Third World countries.

However, after taking into consideration the current economic situation, the Government decided to shelve that plan, he said.

”We have decided to continue using 10 of the 16 MiG-29N jet fighters after sending them for repairs and upgrading,” he said.

Six of the aircraft have already been decommissioned, Bernama reported.

”We will call in experts from Aerospace Technology System Corp to do the necessary repairs and overhaul of the engines so that it would be safe for them to fly again,” he told reporters during a visit to the Royal Malaysian Air Force base here on Tuesday.

Zahid said the plan to purchase new “multi-role combat aircraft” had to be put on hold because of the unfavourable economic climate presently.

He said the ministry’s decision also took into account the views of former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who in his blog said he felt that the MiG jet fighters should be retained.

”Initially, our plan was to ground the jets and sell them to Third World countries. However, we must also study our financial position.

”Perhaps over the next five years, after the global economy shows signs of recovery, we may be able to proceed with the plan,” he said.

Last June, the ministry had announced a plan to decommission the MiG jets because of costly maintainence and repairs which amounted to some RM260mil annually.

They were supposed to be replaced by 18 newly-acquired Sukhoi jets.

The MiG jet fighters came into service in April 1995 at a cost of RM1.3bil but required regular maintenance amounting RM10mil each, in addition to engine overhauls at a cost of RM7mil every year.

S-400 Catches Up, For Real

2010-02-27T12:13:00.000+08:00

Russia activated its first S-400 (also known as the SA-20, Growler or Triumf) anti-aircraft missile system around Moscow. This new version of the S-300 pays particular attention to electronic countermeasures that the Americans might have, or be developing. Two years ago, Russia announced that the first S-400 had entered service around Moscow. But that didn't actually happen, and development work continued. Recent test firings of the missiles were successful, and a battalion is now deployed around Moscow.

Each S-400 battalion has eight launchers, each with four missiles, plus a control center and radar. The two year delay allowed more system components to be built, so two more battalions will be in place around Moscow by the end of the year.

The S-400 is similar to the U.S. Patriot, and is expensive. Russia is unsure if they want to export S-400 right away, because of the advanced technology. Meanwhile, work is underway on the S-500, which is scheduled for deployment within five years.

The S-400 missiles weigh 1.8 tons each and are 26 feet long and about 20 inches in diameter. The missiles have a range of some 400 kilometers, and can hit targets as high as 100,000 feet. The missile has a 320 pound warhead. The target acquisition radar has a range of 700 kilometers.

The S-400 has over five times the range of the U.S. Patriot, weighs twice as much and claims the ability to detect stealthy aircraft. The S-400 also has an anti-missile capability, which is limited to shorter range (3,500 kilometers) ballistic missiles. That would mean a warhead coming in at about 5,000 meters a second (the longer the range of a ballistic missile, the higher its re-entry speed.)

The S-400 system actually has two missiles, one of them being a smaller, shorter range (120 kilometers) one. The S-400 has no combat experience, but U.S. intelligence believes that the tests these systems have undergone indicate it is a capable air defense weapon. Just how capable won't be known until it actually gets used in combat.

Russia plans to buy up to 200 launchers (each with four missiles) by 2015, and phase out the older S-300 and S-200 systems. This would mean deploying at least 18 battalions in the next six years, and perhaps more than twenty. The S-400 is sometimes described as an improved version of the S-300. Basically, it is. This is how Russia prefers to develop weapons, making incremental improvements on a basic design, and doing so for decades if the system continues to be successful.

B-52 Low Level Fly-past at LIMA 2009

2010-02-12T23:05:00.001+08:00

Malaysia Says First Submarine Unable to Dive

2010-02-12T23:01:00.001+08:00

Malaysia's first submarine, a European-made Scorpene delivered last September, has developed problems that make it unfit for diving, the defence minister said Thursday.

The KD Tunku Abdul Rahman sailed into a grand reception last year as the first of two commissioned from French contractor DCNS and Spain's Navantia for a total of 3.4 billion ringgit (961 million dollars).
Named after the country's first prime minister, it was hailed as an important acquisition despite opposition allegations of corruption in the deal.

"The submarine can still dive but when we detected the defects, we were advised that it should not dive," Defence Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi told reporters.

"The (parts found with) defects are still under warranty so the supplier and contractor are repairing them," he added.

Navy chief Abdul Aziz Jaafar said a problem first emerged in the submarine's cooling system last December. After being fixed, another defect was identified in a different system last month.

"We hope it can dive again after February 18 so we can carry out the tropical water trials," Abdul Aziz told reporters.

The navy chief said the second submarine, the KD Tun Razak which is named after the nation's second premier, is expected to arrive from France on May 31. It was originally scheduled for delivery in late 2009.
The two submarines have attracted controversy since the deal was signed in 2002.

Malaysia's opposition claims that a 540-million-ringgit commission was paid to a close associate of Prime Minister Najib Razak in brokering the contract.

Najib has denied there was any corruption in the deal, which was made when he was defence minister.

Russia Starts Construction 4th Borey-class Nuclear-powered Submarine

2010-02-12T11:40:00.001+08:00

Russia has started the construction of the fourth Borey-class strategic nuclear-powered submarine designed to carry the Bulava missile, a shipyard spokesman said on Monday."The work on the sub construction effectively started last year," he said.It was previously reported that construction of the Project 955 Svyatitel Nikolai (St. Nicholas) submarine at the Sevmash shipyard in the northern Russian city of Severodvinsk was delayed from December 2009 until the first quarter of 2010.

Russia's newest Borey-class strategic nuclear submarine, the Yury Dolgoruky, which is expected to be armed with the new Bulava sea-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM), is currently undergoing sea trials.The vessel is 170 meters (580 feet) long, has a hull diameter of 13 meters (42 feet), a crew of 107, including 55 officers, a maximum depth of 450 meters (about 1,500 feet) and a submerged speed of about 29 knots. It can carry up to 16 ballistic missiles and torpedoes.

Construction costs totaled some $713 mln, including $280 mln for research and development.Two other Borey-class nuclear submarines, the Alexander Nevsky and the Vladimir Monomakh, are in different stages of completion. Russia is planning to build eight of these subs by 2015.

Fourth-generation Borey-class nuclear-powered submarines are expected to constitute the core of Russia's modern strategic submarine fleet.The submarine's entry into service could be delayed however by a series of setbacks in the development of the troubled Bulava missile, which has officially suffered seven failures in 12 tests.Some analysts suggest that in reality the number of failures was considerably larger. For example, according to Russian military expert Pavel Felgenhauer, of the Bulava's 12 test launches, only one was entirely successful.

The future development of the Bulava has been questioned by some lawmakers and defense industry officials, who have suggested that all efforts should be focused on the existing Sineva SLBM.But the Russian military has insisted that there is no alternative to the Bulava and pledged to continue testing the missile until it is ready to be put into service with the Navy.Borey-class submarines have been exclusively designed for the Bulava, and redesigning them for the Sineva would be a major setback for the Navy's plans.
RIA Novosti

Russia and Sri Lanka Signed a $300 Million Loan to Buy Weapons

2010-02-12T11:35:00.001+08:00

Russia and Sri Lanka signed a $300 million loan to buy armaments and dual-purpose technology for Sri Lanka's military, Russia's deputy finance minister said. Dmitry Pankin said it is a 10-year loan with LIBOR plus 3.5% interest.According to some sources, the arms deal will cover not only purchases but also extensive repairs of Russian military equipment previously delivered to Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka remains highly militarized after almost 25 years of constant fighting against the Tamil Tiger militants.In May, the Sri Lankan military finally defeated the Tamil separatists, killing their leader in an operation that brought the civil war to an end. International rights groups accused the military of killing large numbers of civilians who were being used as human shields by shelling rebels in the war zone.

Russia's stance at the United Nations last year amid international criticism over Sri Lanka's military operations against the Tamil Tiger helped to quash a possible motion of censure.The president of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksa, is on a working visit to Russia - the first in the history of bilateral relations.

Bangladesh Wants to Buy Fighters, Helicopters and Maritime Patrol Aircraft

2010-02-12T11:34:00.001+08:00

Bangladesh has vowed to buy a squadron of new fighters and has resumed efforts to purchase two maritime patrol aircraft.

Planning minister A K Khandker, a former chief of air staff at the Bangladesh air force, told the country's parliament that the government plans to buy a squadron of new fighters, plus an air-defence radar system.
Khandker says the nation is also in the process of buying two maritime patrol aircraft, as well as two helicopters for peacekeeping missions. The government aims to make all the purchases during the current fiscal year, he adds.

Industry sources say Bangladesh's navy issued the maritime patrol tender in 2009, and note that this follows a previous failed attempt launched in 2004.

The move to buy new fighters is part of a wider effort to modernise the capabilities of the Bangladesh air force. The service operates relatively old Chinese and Russian-sourced equipment, including 40 Chengdu F-7, Nanchang A-5 and RSK MiG-29 fighters, says Flightglobal's MiliCAS database.

Major Work Ahead On T-50 Stealth Fighter

2010-02-10T17:21:00.001+08:00

Russia has begun flying a stealthy fifth-generation fighter to rival the U.S. F-22, but Western analysts question whether Sukhoi can develop and deliver the aircraft by 2015 as promised.

Sukhoi’s T-50, which made its 47-min. first flight on Jan. 29 from the KnAAPO facility in Komsomolsk-on-Amur, is the prototype of the PAK FA “future front-line aircraft,” the first new-generation fighter for the Russian air force since the Su-27 Flanker entered service in 1984. India plans to co-fund development and co-produce the new aircraft.

The aircraft is clearly shaped for stealth, with the chined forward fuselage, planform edge alignment, internal weapons bays and small vertical tails. The T-50 shows resemblances to the F-22 Raptor, but also reflects its Su-27 heritage in the wide “centroplane” that blends the fuselage and wing.

Sukhoi says “the T-50 will demonstrate unprecedented small cross section in the radar, optical and infrared range owing to composites and innovative technologies applied in the fuselage, aerodynamics of the aircraft and decreased engine signature.”

U.S. analysts are impressed, but not yet panicked by the T-50. “Don’t go overboard and call it the Raptorski,” says a Washington-based official. “It is essentially a Flanker in the shape of a fifth-generation fighter at this point. It still needs supercruise engines, advanced radar and a lot more work before military planners can start saying how it’s going to compete with the F-22 or even the F-35.”

Work on the T-50 began in the early 2000s, and the fighter is somewhere between a technology demonstrator and a development aircraft. How much effort is needed to finalize the production aircraft is not clear. Sukhoi’s Su-27 was substantially redesigned from the T-10 prototype, which first flew in 1977; but despite some rough edges, the T-50 looks closer to a finished product.

The YF-22 prototype first flew in September 1990, and the first development aircraft in September 1997, but the F-22 was not declared operational until December 2005—a longer cycle time than proposed for the PAK FA. And there are only three prototypes: the T-50-0 static-test article; T-50-1, now flying; and T-50-2, which will be used for ground testing. The two YF-22s were followed by nine development F-22s.

U.S. defense analysts see a flying planform that incorporates low-observable attributes in edges and shaping that are notable for a prototype. But, they caution, the work needed to finish a stealth design is great. There is obvious use of composites in the T-50; but many areas are metal, and analysts are unclear whether this is just for the prototype, with plans for more composites in production aircraft.

Seemingly similar in size to the Su-27, which it will replace, the T-50 like the Flanker has widely separated engines. This makes the three-dimensional thrust vectoring effective in roll, as well as yaw and pitch, and provides room in the center fuselage for fore and aft weapons bays. There are side bays for short-range air-to-air missiles (AAMs) under the inboard wing sections. The centroplane also provides plenty of room for internal fuel. There are hardpoints for external stores under the inlets and wing.

Unusual design features include the small all-moving vertical stabilizers, made possible by thrust vectoring, and the movable wing leading-edge extensions. These act like foreplanes and provide the three-surface control afforded by the canard on the Su-30. The delta-wing planform, similar to the F-22’s and likewise coupled with powerful engines, will provide supercruise capability...................Aviation Week

Iran Develops Air Defense System Comparable to Russia’s S-300

2010-02-10T17:11:00.001+08:00

Iran has developed its own air defense system comparable to and even more sophisticated than the Russian S-300 system, the IRNA news agency said Monday, citing an Iranian military official.

Russia signed a contract with Iran on the supply of at least five S-300 air defense systems to Tehran in December 2005. However, there have been no official reports on the start of the contract's implementation. "In the near future, a new domestically-made air defense system will be unveiled by the country's experts and scientists which is as powerful as the S-300 system, or even stronger," IRNA quoted Heshmatollah Kassiri.

He said the delay in the implementation of the S-300 delivery contract was unacceptable, and Iran would do everything possible to protect its "sensitive nuclear centers."

Iranian Ambassador to Russia Seyyed Mahmoud-Reza Sajjadi earlier said the S-300 contract had been stagnated by some technical issues.

However, many experts believe Moscow has refused so far to honor the S-300 contract due to pressure from Washington and Tel Aviv.

Both the United States and Israel have not ruled out military action if diplomacy fails to resolve the dispute over Iran's nuclear program and have expressed concern over S-300 deliveries, which would significantly strengthen Iran's air defenses.

Russian defense industry officials have repeatedly said that Russia is interested in fulfilling the contract, which is worth hundreds of millions of dollars, but the future of the contract would largely depend on the current situation in international affairs and the Kremlin's position.

The advanced version of the S-300 missile system, called S-300PMU1 (SA-20 Gargoyle), has a range of over 150 kilometers (over 100 miles) and can intercept ballistic missiles and aircraft at low and high altitudes, making the system an effective tool for warding off possible air strikes.

Russia Blasts US, NATO Policies as Security Threat

2010-02-10T17:09:00.000+08:00

Russia on Tuesday blasted US security moves in Europe, saying even toned-down missile defence plans were intended to weaken Russia and that the US-led NATO alliance remained a "serious" threat.

"The development and deployment of missile defences is aimed against the Russia Federation," General Nikolai Makarov, chief of staff of the Russian armed forces, was quoted as saying by domestic news agencies.

"The development of these missile defence systems without question weakens our potential nuclear deterrent."
Makarov, Russia's top military officer regarded as a reformer and known for straight talking, derided as disingenuous claims by Washington and its allies that plans to site missile defence elements in Europe were unrelated to Russia.

"This is not the case," he said.

The US State Department, however, attempted to dampen Moscow's concerns, insisting that Russia was not the target of the new scheme.

"The emerging missile defence architecture in Europe is not aimed at Russia, but rather the emerging threat from Iran," said State Department spokesman Philip Crowley.

"We continue to discuss ways in which we can cooperate with Russia on missile defence."

Separately, Nikolai Patrushev, the influential chief of Russia's national security council and former director of the FSB intelligence service, said NATO remains the top foreign military threat for Russia.

"We deeply doubt that we will be safer as a result of NATO enlargement," Patrushev was quoted by Russian news agencies as saying.

"For us, the alliance represents a threat and a fairly serious one."

His comments came after NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen voiced surprise Saturday that Russia, in a key recent strategy document, had named the Atlantic alliance as its "chief external military threat." The sudden burst of vitriol from Moscow came as Russia and the United States pursue efforts to thrash out a new nuclear disarmament treaty to replace the landmark 1991 START accord that expired in December last year.

Moscow has reportedly insisted that any new pact regulates both strategic offensive missiles and the anti-missile systems designed to thwart them, a linkage that the United States has never favored.

Makarav said the START talks, which have dragged long past deadlines, were stuck on that issue.

In September, US President Barack Obama shelved plans -- fiercely opposed by Moscow -- to site elements of a high-tech US missile shield in Poland and the Czech Republic, a plan pursued vigorously by his predecessor, George W Bush.

Moscow initially welcomed that decision amid talk of a wide-ranging reset in strained US-Russian relations but reserved judgement on Obama's simultaneous announcement of plans to pursue a more modest missile defence scheme.

Last Thursday, Romanian President Traian Basescu said his country -- like Poland and the Czech Republic, a former east bloc satellite of Moscow -- had agreed to host ballistic missile interceptors as part of a new US shield.

Basescu said the shield was not aimed at Russia, prompting Russia's foreign ministry to denounce what it called "a serious matter which we will be analysing with care."

Meanwhile, the White House on Tuesday denied that differences with Russia on the US anti-missile shield was holding up an agreement on a new strategic nuclear weapons reduction treaty with Moscow.

"The notion that this is in some way an impediment to what is going on with START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) is not true," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters.

Russia has long voiced worry over NATO's englargement to take in eastern bloc countries that were until a generation ago part of the Warsaw Pact led by Moscow.

Obama's predecessor in the White House pushed strongly for the Atlantic alliance to extend membership to Ukraine and Georgia, both once part of the Soviet Union itself, but the alliance has put those ideas on ice.

Relations between NATO and Russia were frozen over the August 2008 war in Georgia war and have only just begun to thaw, amid efforts to focus on common concerns like the conflict in Afghanistan and the fight against "terrorism".

Iran Says Home-made Stealth Drone Tested

2010-02-10T17:07:00.000+08:00

Iran has successfully tested the prototype of its first domestically-built stealth drone, a senior Air Force commander said Sunday.

"The drone, due to its physical attributes and the material used in its body, cannot be detected by any radar," Air Force Brigadier General Aziz Nasirzadeh, the force's coordination deputy, told reporters.

He said data from the test-flight had been favorable and the Air Force will move forward with its plans for the drone, called Sofreh Mahi, meaning Manta Ray in English, Fars News Agency reported.

Brig. Gen. Nasirzadeh, however, explained that the production process will not be rushed as such complex systems need thorough analysis and exhaustive testing.

USAF Aggressor Squadron

2010-02-07T18:26:00.002+08:00

An aggressor squadron is a squadron that is trained to act as an opposing force in military wargames. Aggressor squadrons use enemy tactics, techniques, and procedures to give a realistic simulation of air combat (as opposed to training against one's own forces). Since it is impractical to use actual enemy aircraft and equipment, surrogate aircraft are used to emulate potential adversaries.

USAF aggressor squadrons fly small and low-wing loaded fighters that are used to represent those of the potential adversaries. Originally Douglas A-4s (US Navy) and Northrop F-5s (US Navy, Marines, and Air Force) were flown. The Navy and Marine Corps briefly operated 2 squadrons of F-21 Kfir Adversaries at NAS Oceana and Marine Corps Air Station Yuma. These were eventually supplemented by early-model F/A-18As (US Navy) and specially built F-16Ns (for the US Navy) and F-16A models for the Air Force).

Starting at the end of 2005, the USAF has started using the larger and faster F-15 Eagle as an aggressor aircraft alongside the F-16 at Nellis Air Force Base. Nellis will soon receive a total of 24 Eagles to be used in adversary training.

US Squadrons

Aggressor squadrons in the US armed forces include the USAF 18th, 64th and 65th Aggressor Squadron, VMFT-401 (US Marine Corps) and the Navy's VFC-12 (NAS Oceana), VFC-13 (NAS Fallon) and VFC-111 (NAS Key West) as well as the famous "TOPGUN" Naval Fighter Weapons School (US Navy) which is not a squadron per se, but operates F-16A and F/A-18A/B/E/F aircraft as part of the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center at NAS Fallon.

The USAF also operated Aggressor squadrons in the UK and Philippines. The 527 AS first operated out of RAF Alconbury near Cambridge in England, then later from RAF Bentwaters near Ipswich. The 527th initially flew F-5s, then later switched to F-16s; and trained over the North Sea and in Germany, Spain and Italy.

Russia Names NATO Expansion as National Threat

2010-02-06T16:34:00.002+08:00

President Dmitry Medvedev approved Friday a new military doctrine identifying NATO expansion as a national threat and reaffirming Russia's right to use nuclear weapons if the country's existence is threatened.

The doctrine identifies the expansion of NATO to Eastern Europe and U.S. plans to create an anti-missile shield in Europe as concerns for national security, although it also states that the likelihood of a nuclear conflict has abated.

As Russia's conventional troops lack modern equipment and undergo a painful reform aimed at creating professional armed forces, Moscow relies on its nuclear arsenal as a last resort, the document, published on the Kremlin website, says.

But the new guidelines do not follow through on the idea floated last year by the chief of Russia's Security Council, Nikolai Patrushev, of allowing the use of nuclear weapons in regional conflicts.

"Some clever people won over those who wanted to scare everybody with Russian nuclear weapons," said military analyst Alexander Golts.

Russia fought a five-day war with Georgia in 2008 and according to the doctrine could still face new security threats from regional conflicts and local wars.

The doctrine says that one of the "main external threats of war" comes from NATO's expansion east to Russia's borders and pinpoints the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, missiles and states with nuclear weapons as a separate danger.

"The creation and deployment of strategic anti-missile systems that undermine global stability," is also named as a threat.

Russia's Foreign Ministry Friday said it was concerned by Romania's approval of the deployment of U.S. interceptor missiles as part of a missile shield to protect Europe and demanded clarification of the plan.

The Romanian deployment is part of a revamped U.S. missile defense approach taken by President Barack Obama after he scrapped a plan for a radar site and interceptor rockets in the Czech Republic and Poland that was opposed by Russia.

The publication of the doctrine comes as Russian and U.S. negotiators continue to try to finalize agreement on a new bilateral pact cutting stocks of strategic nuclear weapons.

They failed to meet a December deadline for a new treaty to replace the landmark Cold War-era START pact but both sides say they hope to sign a new deal in the near future.

First In-flight Refueling of F-35B Joint Strike Fighter

2010-02-06T15:51:00.001+08:00

Wyle air crew personnel have become the first aviators to aerially refuel the F-35B short takeoff/vertical landing variant (STOVL) of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) using a probe-and-drogue refueling system during a recent mission at Lockheed Martin's Ft. Worth, Tex. manufacturing facility.

These first aerial refueling missions were performed by Wyle aircrew flying a Navy KC-130 tanker aircraft assigned to the U.S. Navy's Air Test and Evaluation Squadron Twenty (VX-20) at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md. The refueled aircraft, designated the F-35BF-2, represents one of three variants of this fifth generation strike fighter, developed for the U.S. military and eight allied nations.

Two of the first five F-35B aircraft slated for flight testing arrived at Patuxent River in the last quarter of 2009 and Wyle's KC-130 aircrew team will continue to assist with refueling missions as testing progresses.

Wyle has the largest independent flight test team in the world with more than 70 members, including 53 pilots, flying 20-plus types of aircraft from supersonic manned jets to helicopters to unmanned flight systems. Among the aircraft flown by Wyle pilots are the F/A-18, V-22, E-2D, P-3, KC-130 and AH-64D.

For the refueling mission, Wyle's crew included Steve Angay, Craig Homer, Josh Izenour, Jeff Kosich, Chris Loftis, and Bill Smith who support VX-20.

The probe-and-drogue system is used by the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and many NATO nations to refuel aircraft in flight. The system uses a flexible hose that terminates in a cone shaped basket extending from an aircraft carrying fuel. The cone shaped basket, or drogue, connects to the probe of an aircraft needing fuel. The fuel is then transferred through the hose from the tanker to the receiving aircraft.

An alternate system, called a flying boom, is used by the U.S. Air Force. This system inserts a rigid flying boom into a receptacle on a receiving aircraft. This is the system employed by the F-35A conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) variant of the aircraft, which was the first variant to be aerially refueled.

In preparing to go to Fort Worth, the Wyle KC-130 aircrew worked with the JSF team to develop test plans, determine aircraft configurations representative of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps fleet, and make modifications to the tanker.

"A lot of the initial planning was done by our crew," said Izenour, Wyle's KC-130 mission commander. "These guys did an excellent job of mission planning and interfacing with the JSF team which made the actual mission itself -- the flying part -- go seamlessly. The amount of planning that everyone did on the front side made the execution very, very easy."
The team planned for variables inherent in the initial test evolutions, where fuel was uploaded into the aircraft at 10,000, 15,000 and 20,000 feet, at speeds ranging from 200 to 250 knots.

"Since it was the first refuel, we didn't know exactly how the aircraft [JSF] might behave, so we were limited as to how much pressure we could provide to the fuel lines," said Homer. "From an engineering point of view, we had to keep very close track of the [refueling] panel during the tests."

Wyle is a leading provider of high tech aerospace engineering and information technology services to the federal government on long-term outsourcing contracts. The company also provides biomedical and engineering services for NASA's human space missions; test and evaluation of aircraft, weapon systems, networks, and other government assets; and other engineering services to the aerospace, defense, and nuclear power industries.

Singapore Aborts Flight Show After Safety Breached by T-50 Golden Eagle Jet

2010-02-06T15:46:00.001+08:00

Singapore aborted a flight display at its international airshow on Thursday after a South Korean pilot steered his jet too close to spectators, witnesses and the show organiser said.

An aerial display, which was supposed to last for eight minutes, was shortened to less than half that after the error by the T-50 Golden Eagle jet, owned by the Korean Aerospace Industries.

"The T-50 Golden Eagle's flight this afternoon was observed to have infringed the safety boundaries and the pilot was instructed to terminate his flying display as a precaution," Singapore Airshow's Marilyn Ho said in an email to Reuters.

"The Singapore Airshow has strict safety standards for all aerial displays. Proper safety markers and boundaries are in place to ensure the safety of the audience and the pilots." The week-long biennial Singapore Airshow kicked off on the densely populated island-state on Tuesday and is due to open to public this weekend, when thousands of spectators are expected to visit.

Thursday's flight display was watched by hundreds of trade visitors -- many of whom were wowed by the aircraft's proximity as it approached the show centre's seaside grounds, and then made an acute turn back out to sea, a witness told Reuters. "I was surprised at how low the aircraft was flying. First, I thought it was part of the thrill factor, but found it anti-climaxed when I didn't see the jet return, only to realise that the show had ended," said a Singaporean photographer who didn't want to be identified.

Iran Boasts of New Apache-killer Weapon

2010-02-03T17:58:00.001+08:00

Moscow : Iran has developed a new weapon to shoot down U.S. Apache attack helicopters, the Iranian Fars news agency has reported.

"Our enemies should not imagine that if their Apache choppers have shown a mighty and desirable performance in Iraq and Afghanistan, they can show the same might and power in any possible aggression against Iran. We will certainly put an end to the power of their Apaches through our measures," Fars quoted Col. Nasser Arab-Beigi of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps.

The official did not specify the type of the weapon Iran is manufacturing to shoot down Apache helicopters.
The United States and Israel have refused to rule out military action against Iran if diplomacy fails to resolve the dispute over Tehran's nuclear program.

In a further rise in tensions, Iran hit out on Tuesday at U.S. plans to boost Gulf defenses.
Parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani called the move to deploy ships with missile-targeting abilities off Iran's coast and anti-missile systems in the Gulf states of Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates "a new political trick to pave the way for its presence at others' expense."

Iran launched a domestic arms development program after a U.S. weapons embargo was imposed during its 1980-88 war with Iraq. Since 1992, the Islamic Republic has reportedly produced its own Saeqeh and Azarakhsh jet fighters, stealth-capable Ghadir submarine, missile boats, torpedoes, tanks and armored carrier vehicles.

Iranian officials said last year that Tehran had achieved self-sufficiency in manufacturing combat missiles of various modifications.

Iran frequently holds military drills and shows off modern weaponry in an effort to demonstrate its readiness to thwart any attack on its territory.

Hawker Beechcraft Delivers T-6A Trainer Aircraft to Iraqi Air Force

2010-02-03T17:54:00.001+08:00

Hawker Beechcraft Corporation (HBC) today announced it has delivered the first four Beechcraft T-6A military trainer aircraft to the Iraqi Air Force. HBC was awarded a contract for eight T-6A trainer aircraft in August 2009 and an additional seven in September, bringing the contract total to 15 aircraft.

The contract represents a government-to-government agreement between Iraq and the United States. The remaining aircraft deliveries will occur in the first and fourth quarters of 2010.

“With the T-6A, the Iraqi Air Force now has the most successful primary trainer in the world at its fingertips,” said Jim Maslowski, president, U.S. and International Government Business. “These aircraft will play a vital role in strengthening the Iraqi Air Force and providing training in support of the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.”

In addition to the 15 aircraft, the contract also includes ground based training systems, spares, contract logistics support, maintenance, post production support and technical publications.

The Beechcraft T-6 offers military organizations worldwide the most proven and most cost-effective training system available today. The T-6 is a primary trainer aircraft that accommodates instruction in instrument flight procedures and basic aerial maneuvers. The aircraft delivers an outstanding training capability that is appropriate for the most basic introductory flight training through more challenging and complex advanced training missions. To date, it has been used to train pilots in approximately 20 different countries.

The HBC military training platform also recently achieved significant milestones when the T-6 reached one million flight hours and delivery of the 500th T-6 airplane occurred.

The T-6A is currently in service as the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy’s Joint Primary Aircraft Training System (JPATS) aircraft, as well as the primary, weapons and navigation trainer with the NATO Flying Training in Canada (NFTC) program, the Hellenic Air Force of Greece and the Israeli Air Force. HBC and its predecessor company have delivered more than 500 aircraft and 90 aircrew training devices to various major training installations throughout the U.S. since its first deliveries started in 2000.

Hawker Beechcraft Corporation is a world-leading manufacturer of business, special mission and trainer aircraft – designing, marketing and supporting aviation products and services for businesses, governments and individuals worldwide. The company’s headquarters and major facilities are located in Wichita, Kan., with operations in Salina, Kan.; Little Rock, Ark.; Chester, England, U.K.; and Chihuahua, Mexico. The company leads the industry with a global network of more than 100 factory-owned and authorized service centers.

Pakistan Eyes Acquisition of Chinese L-15 Supersonic Jet Trainer

2010-02-03T17:52:00.001+08:00

Pakistan may acquire the Chinese L-15 supersonic jet trainer aircraft to equip a unit to transition pilots to advanced fighters, eventually reducing the types of trainers in its fleet from four to two.

The need for the aircraft has arisen despite the operation of the Air Force's current basic/advanced jet trainer, the Sino-Pakistani K-8 Karakorum, which is a highly capable aircraft that has won numerous export orders. Experts dispute whether the L-15, manufactured by Hongdu, is a good fit for Pakistan's needs.

Kaiser Tufail, Pakistani defense analyst and former Air Force air commodore, said, "the L-15 makes sense only if K-8 is used solely for basic flying training and L-15 for fighter conversion. In such a case, the [older] T-37 [trainer] would be redundant.

"Considering the extensive [and expensive] structural life enhancement program that theT-37s have undergone, their useful life has been extended by at least 10 more years. The only solution to the dilemma would be to look for a buyer for the T-37s and recover some much-needed foreign exchange."

Tufail added, "Other than this training stream, the L-15 doesn't quite fit if the K-8 is to perform the role of fighter conversion."

However, defense analyst Usman Shabbir of the Pakistan Military Consortium believes the interest in the L-15 is understandable.

The K-8 had been examined by the Air Force as a possible replacement for the current FT-5, a Chinese-made twin-seat MiG-17 Fresco, in the fighter conversion role when it first entered service in the early 1990s, he said. Pakistan also uses a small number of FT-6 trainers, a Chinese-made two-seat Mig-19 Farmer.

However, the Air Force "most likely felt that a dedicated aircraft purpose-built would be a better option," he said. The 1990s were also a time of considerable financial hardship for Pakistan, so the FT-5 therefore continued in service.

Shabbir further stated, "Now that the availability of an affordable and dedicated aircraft from China is assured, it probably led to the decision to go for the type in preparation for the future high-tech jets such as FC-20 andF-16C/D training requirements."

No official word from the Air Force, or the China Aviation Technology Import-Export Corp., was forthcoming. Officials' refusal to confirm the deal may stem from the fact that negotiations have not reached the final stages.

However, the Air Force has conducted detailed examinations of the aircraft, which included a visit of a single L-15 to Pakistan in December as it transited on its way to the Dubai Airshow. Negotiations are now being undertaken on technical aspects and pricing. The time frame for the conclusion of a deal is unknown.

LIMITED COMBAT ROLE

Like the K-8, the L-15 is also useful in the counterinsurgency role as it can carry a light warload of rockets and bombs, plus air-to-air missiles. There is no indication the aircraft is expected to be tasked with this role, but the capability is a point of interest for Pakistan.

The L-15 competed for orders from the People's Liberation Army Air Force and Naval Air Force against the cheaper and less capable JL-9. The JL-9 is heavily based on the F-7 series of fighters and looks set to be the final evolutionary stage of the MiG-21 Fishbed design.

The F-7 also makes up the backbone of Pakistan's Air Force and therefore the JL-9 could bring cost savings due to commonality, but that advantage appears to have been discounted.

This selling point for the JL-9 may have counted against it in the minds of the service's planners, Shabbir said. The L-15 was probably chosen "precisely because it is the more advanced design," and the "JL-9 most likely is not considered a good enough platform due to its F-7 lineage and airframe design, with its associated future growth limitations."

With the Pakistani F-7 variants expected to be retired this decade, the added cost savings associated with selecting the JL-9 would be unlikely to materialize. Also, the L-15 would allow Pakistan to reap economies of scale because of China's extensive modernization program.

Pakistan's interest in the L-15 may therefore have wider implications. Officially, at least, the L-15 has not fully entered service with the Chinese Air Force, but Pakistan's interest may indicate the Chinese are looking at the L-15 in a more favorable light.

India to Buy More BrahMos Missiles

2010-02-03T17:49:00.002+08:00

India has plans to introduce into its armed forces the new BrahMos missile, the head of the BrahMos Aerospace company, Sivathanu Pillai, told RIA Novosti on Tuesday.

Established in 1998, BrahMos Aerospace, a joint Indian-Russian venture, produces and markets BrahMos supersonic missiles. The sea-based and land-based versions have been successfully tested and put into service with the Indian Army and Navy.

Earlier on Tuesday, Russia's security chief, Nikolai Patrushev, visited the BrahMos headquarters in New Delhi. BrahMos is an acronym for the cities of Brahmaputra and Moscow.

The missile, known as BrahMos Block-2, can have a top speed of over Mach 5, which could make it virtually impossible to intercept, and can effectively engage even slightly visible ground targets. It has been designed primarily to meet the needs of the army.

"The army officials said they were pleased with last year's ground trials of the missile, and approved of putting it into service," Pillai said.

The company has also been developing another version of the missile for Air Force, the BrahMos-A missile, with a reduced mass and increased aerodynamic stability. The Indian Air Force chose the Russian-made Su-30 MKI Flanker-H multirole fighter as the trial platform for the missile.

"[This] version of the missile is now ready. Air trials will commence in 2011, and by 2012, we are planning to fit the missiles onto aircraft," Pillai said.

The required modifications of the Su-30 MKI for integration with the BrahMos-A missile system are being carried out by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Russia's Sukhoi Design Bureau.

Analysts estimate that India could purchase up to 1,000 BrahMos missiles for its armed forces in the next decade, and export some 500 to other countries during the same period.

PAK FA T-50 : A Preliminary Analysis

2010-01-31T16:27:00.002+08:00

First of all, for anyone contemplating the use of the word "Raptorski" : don't. While this is an airplane that could have been the answer to the Advanced Tactical Fighter requirement, way back when, it's not an F-22 in many important ways.

Yup, it is similar to F-22 Raptor design but the similarity is due to the general stealth capabilities and laws of physics and mathematics dictate the optimum shape of a stealth aircraft and it is why the surprise they look similar.

Interesting to be noted that, this T-50 has been designed way back in late 1980's which mean this is a not a copy of F-22 program since F-22 also has been developed around that age. The only reason of why this T-50 is much later appeared than F-22 is because the disintegration of Soviet Union at that time causing the Russian economy to be downed thereby, reducing the resources to fund this project.

In a lot of ways, the T-50 reflects the heritage of the T-10 Flanker series - it's much more like them than Sukhoi's last fighter prototype, the forward-swept-wing Su-47 Berkut, ever was. From the Flanker family, the T-50 gets the massive "centroplane" - a wide central body that blends the fuselage and inner wing - three-surface aerodynamic control and true three-dimensional thrust vectoring. The main weapons bay has been seen on a Flanker model, too.

Look at some of these in detail. The centroplane is huge, extending well outside the engines and terminating at the rear in a broad beaver-tail between the exhaust nozzles.

It accommodates a boatload of fuel on the Flanker and will do the same here. After the canard hokey-pokey in the T-10 family (in on the Su-30MK, out on the Su-35) the T-50 has something different : the forward part of the leading edge extension is movable. According to the usually well informed Flateric over at Secret Projects, it is called the Povorotnaya Chast Naplyva (PChN) or movable LEX section.

3-D thrust vectoring is also used on the Su-35. The T-50 and the T-10 family are distinguished by widely separated engines, which is important because that's the only way to use vectored thrust in roll. What's new on the T-50 is that the designers have cashed in on TVC by shrinking the tail surfaces, saving on drag, weight and signature.

With separated engines and a wide body, the T-50 designers have been able to install dual front and rear weapon bays. Added to this are side bays outboard of the engines. Flateric reports that each bay is designed to hold "at least two" missiles and that the outer bays are designed for short-range AAMs. The centerline bays could each hold two large weapons (like R-33s) or three-to-four of the newly announced RVV-MD. The latter has folding wings, as does the RVV-SD development of the R-73 (AA-11 Archer) family - the latter explaining why the underwing bays are small.

The big new feature of the T-50 is stealth. The aircraft that flew today is a prototype - and it does not show visible features like a frameless canopy and panel alignment that you'd expect on a production aircraft. Other not-very-stealthy-looking features include the gaps around the inlet (compare the YF-23) and a spherical infrared search and track housing in front of the windshield. And, of course, the nozzles are round. But it has a chined forebody, edge alignment and (probably) inlet line-of-sight blockage and internal weapons.

Apparently the designers and systems analysts have looked at the thorny question of "how much stealth do we want to pay for?" and have come up with a different answer than the F-22 designers. The fact that the armed forces of potential adversaries don't have S-300 and S-400 missiles may have something to do with that answer.

Supercruise? Definitely. The aircraft has a lot of power, and you would not go with that sharply swept delta wing if that wasn't the goal.

The big question is how long the aircraft will take to enter service, which is a product of three factors - how much money is available, how many resources industry can muster to get the job done, and where the design, technically, stands at this point.

The first question depends largely on the Russian economy, and on the priority which the military gives to the fighter. At the moment, the strategic rocket forces are the priority and are elbowing all others away from the trough; also, the military could decide that the Su-35 is a good upgrade route for now. The X-factor: whether and when India will join the program, and how much cash it will involve.

The second - industry's ability to execute the program - is hard to estimate. On the downside, Russia has not inducted a brand-new aircraft into service since the 1980s. However, there are signs of a new development strategy at work here: the T-50's engines are outgrowths of the Su-35's and are being test-flown on a T-10 airframe, and the flight control system and (very likely) cockpit and avionics may be similar. How far along is the program? Russian practice historically has been to start development with a series of prototypes that successively conform more to the production design. That's followed by an early series of aircraft that are "pre-operational" - flown by service units. Today's T-50 is, in US terms, something between a technology demonstrator and a systems development and demonstration aircraft.

Upshot - I would expect to see quite a few Su-35S regiments operational before we see a combat-ready T-50 - but with the caveat that a lot of Indian money could change things.

Russia Unveils Stealth Fighter to Rival US

2010-01-30T10:45:00.002+08:00

Russia on Friday unveiled a new fighter aircraft touted as a rival of the US F-22 stealth jet and developed amid the highest secrecy as part of a plan to modernize the armed forces.

The fifth generation fighter, manufactured by the Sukhoi company and known as the PAK FA, made a maiden flight of just over 45 minutes at the firm's home base of Komsomolsk-on-Amur in the Far East region.

"The flight lasted 47 minutes during which all the aircraft's systems were tested. It was successful," Sukhoi spokeswoman Olga Kayukova told AFP.

"This is the first time it has been unveiled."

Pictures broadcast on state television showed the fighter jet -- which has been kept closely under wraps for years -- flying at altitude and then landing on a snow-surrounded runway.

"The aircraft performed well in all stages of the flight programme. It is easy and comfortable to pilot," said Sergei Bogdan, who flew the new plane, after returning to a hero's welcome.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin hailed the flight, saying that the aircraft would join the armed forces in 2013, with mass production starting in 2015.

Putin said that much work still remained for the plane's development but added: "The fact that the aircraft is flying is a great step forward for the creation of this system."

The new plane can fly long distances above the speed of sound, simultaneously attack different targets and take off from a short runway, according to the Interfax news agency.

As well as evading enemy radar, it can also collate information from satellites and other planes in line with the demands of modern warfare.

Until now, even Russian state television had only shown artist's impressions of the plane.

China is also working to develop a fifth-generation model.

"The PAK FA project is one of the most complicated technological projects realised in the post-Soviet era," said the daily Vedomosti. "Without PAK FA, Russia will not be able to independently assure its own security."

Russia is currently embarking on a major programme to re-equip its military, not least the air force which is still using largely Soviet-era equipment and suffers from frequent crashes.

The first flight of the PAK FA (Prospective Aviation System of Frontline Aviation) is being seen in Russia as a major boost for the military after the project was hit by repeated delays over the last years.

"There is no doubt that the plane is needed," the ex-commander of the Russian air force, Anatoly Kornukov, told the Interfax news agency.

"Our Su-27 and MiG-29 planes are good but have aged. They are 20 or more years old and it's time to have something as a replacement," he said.

He said the new plane could easily stand comparison with the US F-22. "It's going to be no worse than an F-22. I've been in an F-22 and I know."

Russia's liberal Nezavisimaya Gazeta struck a more circumspect tone, saying the test version was only a prototype that did not yet contain an advanced engine and it was still unclear what weapons it would carry.

Its main defence partner India has also been involved in the PAK FA project and will develop a two-seater version of the aircraft under an intellectual property agreement made with Russia.

Sukhoi Company Launches Flight Tests of PAK FA

2010-01-29T19:51:00.001+08:00

Moscow, January 29, 2010 – Today Komsomolsk-on-Amur witnessed the debut flight of a prototype of advanced fighter of the 5th generation. The aircraft piloted by Sukhoi test-pilot Sergey Bogdan spent 47 minutes in the air and successfully landed on the factory runway.

The flight went successfully meeting all task assigned. “In the course of the flight we’ve conducted initial evaluation of the aircraft controllability, engine performance and primary systems operation, the aircraft had retracted and extended the landing gear. The aircraft performed excellently at all flight-test points scheduled for today. It is easy and comfortable to pilot”, - said Sergey Bogdan.

Compared to the previous generation fighters PAK FA possesses a number of unique features combining the functionality of both attack aircraft and fighter plane.

The 5th generation fighter is equipped with brand-new avionics suite integrating “electronic pilot” functionality, as well as advanced phased-array antenna radar. This significantly decreases pilot load and allows him to focus upon completion of tactical missions. New aircraft on-board equipment allows real-time data exchange not only with ground based control systems, but also within the flight group.

Composites application and innovative technologies, aerodynamics of the aircraft, measures applied to decrease the engine signature provide for the unprecedented small radar cross section in radar, optical and infrared range. This significantly improves combat effectiveness against air and ground targets at any time of the day in both visible and instrument meteorological conditions.

“Today we’ve embarked on an extensive flight test programme of the 5th generation fighter. This is a great success of both Russian science and design school. This achievement rests upon a cooperation team comprised of more than a hundred of our suppliers and strategic partners.

PAK FA programme advances Russian aeronautics together with allied industries to an entirely new technological level. These aircraft, together with upgraded 4th generation fighters will define Russian Air Force potential for the next decades. Sukhoi plans to further elaborate on the PAK FA programme which will involve our Indian partners.

I am strongly convinced that our joint project will excel its Western rivals in cost-effectiveness and will not only allow strengthening the defense power of Russian and Indian Air Forces, but also gain a significant share of the world market”, - said Mikhail Pogosyan, Sukhoi Company Director General commenting on the launch of the flight test programme.

PAK FA Update : PAK FA Fighter Makes Maiden Flight

2010-01-29T18:54:00.005+08:00

Russia's prototype fifth-generation fighter made a 45 minutes maiden flight on Friday in the Far East, Russian television reported.

The flight had been postponed for 24 hours due to poor weather conditions in Komsomolsk-on-Amur where the prototype is being tested.

"The plane showed a superb performance. It has met all our expectations for the maiden flight," said Olga Kayukova, a spokesperson for the Sukhoi aircraft manufacturer.

Russia has been developing its newest fighter since the 1990s. The country's top military officials earlier said the stealth fighter jet, with a range of up to 5,500 km, would enter service with the Air Force in 2015.

Russia's fifth-generation project is Sukhoi's PAK FA and the current prototype is the T-50. It is designed to compete with the U.S. F-22 Raptor, so far the world's only fifth-generation fighter, and the F-35 Lightning II.

The PAK FA is to be equipped with the most advanced technology and armed with next-generation high-precision weaponary.

India, which has a long history of defense relations with Moscow, remains Russia's sole partner in the project. India's Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) was reported to be seeking a 25% share in design and development in the project. It has also sought to modify Sukhoi's single-seat prototype into the twin-seat fighter India's Air Force wants.

There's a short video on the test flight of this PAK FA T-50. You can view it here.

Russia Free to Sell Weapons to Iran : Russia's State Arms Exporter

2010-01-29T18:43:00.001+08:00

There is nothing to stop Russia from selling military equipment to Iran, the head of Russia's state-run arms exporter said on Thursday.'Nothing prevents the continuation of military cooperation in those directions of interest to Russia and Iran," Rosoboronexport's Anatoly Isaikin told a RIA Novosti news conference."Iran has never violated a single commitment it has undertaken with regard to military contracts," he said.

Russia signed a contract with Iran on the supply of S-300 air defense systems to Tehran in December 2005. However, there have been no official reports on the start of the contract's implementation.Western powers are angered by Iran's failure to give a constructive response to proposals made by a group of international mediators on its controversial nuclear program. Washington and Tel Aviv have refused to rule out military action over the issue, and on Wednesday U.S. President Barack Obama warned the Islamic Republic's leaders that they would face "growing consequences" over their refusal to fulfill their "obligations".

Both the U.S. and Israel have expressed concern over the possibility of S-300 deliveries to Iran, which would significantly strengthen the country's air defenses.Although Russia has traditionally had close ties to Iran, including in nuclear energy through the construction of the Bushehr power plant, it is seen as having moved closer to the U.S. position on imposing new sanctions.Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned Iran on Wednesday that "it is impossible to wait forever" and that Russia's partners "are already talking about the need to discuss further steps at the UN Security Council."

PAK FA Update : Russian 5th-Gen Fighter to Make Maiden Flight on Friday

2010-01-29T18:41:00.002+08:00

Russia is set to hold the first test of its futuristic fifth-generation fighter jet on Friday, a source at the country's largest aircraft producer said on Thursday."The [test] flight was initially scheduled for Thursday, but has been postponed," the source at the Gagarin KNAAPO company, a subsidiary of aircraft holding Sukhoi, said.Russia's only known fifth-generation project is Sukhoi's PAK FA and the current prototype is the T-50. It is designed to compete with the U.S. F-22 Raptor, so far the world's only fifth-generation fighter, and the F-35 Lightning II, but has yet to take to the skies.

Speaking at a news conference later on Thursday, the chief of the Russian state-controlled arms exporter Rosoboronexport said India remained Russia's sole partner in the project."We [Russia and India] are working to build the fifth-generation aircraft," Anatoly Isaikin said.Russia has been developing its newest fighter since the 1990s. The country's top military officials earlier said the stealth fighter jet with a range of up to 5,500 km would enter service with the Air Force in 2015.

India, which has a long history of defense relations with Russia, joined the project after signing an agreement in October 2007. But the two nations are still in talks to finalize the contract.India's Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) was reported to be seeking a 25% share in design and development in the project. It has also sought to modify Sukhoi's single-seat prototype into the twin-seat fighter India's Air Force wants.

Russia accounts for around 70% of India's weapons inventory. HAL has license-produced Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighters, cooperated in the development of the Brahmos supersonic cruise missile, and plans to work on a joint multirole transport aircraft.Defense ties have strained, however, over the fifth-generation fighter program and the rising cost of refurbishing the Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov for the Indian navy.

The PAK FA is to be armed with next-generation air-to-air, air-to-surface, and air-to-ship missiles, and has two 30-mm cannons.The first prototype of the jet was already tested on the runway of the aircraft plant in Komsomolsk-on-Amur in Russia's Far East. The test pilot made two runs on the airstrip, during which the brakes were applied several times.