China’s Future Bomber Requirements Murky

China’s future bomber aircraft requirements appear murky as Western analysts — stuck with reading tea leaves in an opaque pond — battle over what it all means.

Specifically, there are unconfirmed reports that China and Russia are working on deals that include refurbished Tupolev Tu-22M3 Backfire long-range strategic bombers and Sukhoi Su-34 fighter-bombers.

What analysts do know is that China’s military is upgrading its Xian H-6 medium-range bomber, a licensed variant of the Tu-16. The upgrade, known as the H-6K, includes a re-engineered Russian NPO Saturn D-30KP turbofan engine, larger air intakes, die-electric nose radome and a redesigned flight deck. The engines boost its range to 3,500 kilometers and allow it to carry both land-attack cruise missiles and anti-ship cruise missiles.

With Engine Project, India Aims For Unmanned Strike Aircraft

 India has refocused its homegrown Kaveri engine project, originally intended for its Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), to power developmental unmanned attack aircraft, according to a Defence Ministry source.

One reason the Kaveri was shifted to power an unmanned strike air vehicle (USAV) was that Missile Technology Control Regime restrictions prevent foreign suppliers from selling India engines that could give unmanned aerial systems a range greater than 300 kilometers, the MoD source said.

The engine also would be used in an unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) under development.

The Defence Ministry has not publicly abandoned the Kaveri for the LCA, but the aircraft’s prototype is being powered by the General Electric F404 engine, and a higher-thrust GE-F414 engine has been selected to power the Mark-2 model of LCA.

Defense. Two frigates removed from service in 2013

After Tourville in 2011, the frigate De Grasse and Georges Leygues will also cease their activity in 2013. More than 500 sailors will redeploy in stride.

Two frigates anti-submarine iconic military port of Brest realize their last missions this year. Expected to be replaced by the Aquitaine multimission frigate, frigate De Grasse will be removed from active service during the second half of 2013. After the start, in 2011, Tourville, De Grasse was naturally on the start list for scrap.

Less than 100 sailors on the new frigates

But nothing was currently set around Georges Leygues, preserves well-known Jeanne d'Arc. The decision has been taken at the highest level. The first unit of the F70 series of live, next March, his last great mission training side of Building Projection and Command Thunder. His expected return to Brest in late July, after the mission Jeanne d'Arc2013 mark the end of this career frigate. Total stopping these two frigates will redeploy more than 500 sailors, a proportion not provided will be reassigned to Brest, particularly in the service of "reach back" support staff responsible for future multimission buildings. Note that deal with 250marins frigates "old generation", all the new multimission frigates operate with less 100marins. Finally, at the end of 2013, the port of Brest will have another four frigates anti-submarine: the new Aquitaine, Primauguet, La Motte-Picquet and Latouche-Treville.

Impending reorganization at Thales

A little over a month after being named CEO of Thales, Jean-Bernard Lévy will tighten the Executive Committee. The International is headed by Pascale Sourisse.

A little over a month after being named CEO of Thales, Jean-Bernard Lévy is about to announce, probably Wednesday, a group reorganization of defense and aerospace that will make at least one victim in the Staff present. This is Patrick Fournie, in charge of human resources and operations announced his departure internally, it was learned from sources.

Long planned a Board of Directors held on Friday during which the reorganization should be made once the budgetary aspects. The official announcement should intervene in internal Wednesday during a CEC followed by a large gathering of senior executives at Thales campus at Jouy-en-Josas (west of Paris). Little has filtered down to this if it is the new strong man of Thales seems finally to have settled for an evolution rather than a revolution over the age Vigneron.

Four Malian soldiers killed by rebel landmine Suspected

At least four Malian soldiers Were Killed When Their vehicle struck a landmine planted Suspected to Have Been by fleeing Islamist insurgents in northern Mali, Malian military officer.

"The explosion of the patrol vehicle killed four soldiers and wounded five. Between Gossi It happened on Wednesday and Gao," Said the officer, Requesting not to be named.

Gao, The Largest town in northern Mali, was right to adequate housing by Islamist insurgents Until the weekend, When They Fled a three-week air and ground offensive by French and Malian forces, Reuters reports.

After Being pounded by French air strikes, the Islamist

U.S. nuclear-powered submarine arrives in S. Korea for joint drill

A U.S. nuclear-powered submarine arrived in the southeastern port city of Jinhae for joint naval drills with South Korea, military officials said Friday, in a move seen as a warning to North Korea ahead of what may be an imminent nuclear test.

   USS San Francisco (SSN-711), a 6,800-ton Los Angeles-class submarine, has been anchored at a naval base in Jinhae, 410 kilometers southeast of Seoul, since Thursday to prepare for joint drills slated for next week, the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said.

   A 9,800-ton cruiser equipped with missiles and torpedoes as well as naval combat helicopters also arrived in the southern port city of Busan, on the same day, it said. The port call came as tensions rose on the Korean Peninsula after the North last month warned of a nuclear test in response to the U.N. Security Council's increased sanctions on Pyongyang for its December rocket launch.

   A new nuclear test would mark the North's third since two previous tests in 2006 and 2009.

Europe’s A400M aircraft programme now reaching major milestones

Airbus Military’s troubled A400M air- lifter programme is now progressing well, with the first production aircraft set to be delivered to the launch customer within a few months, Airbus group president and CEO Fabrice Brégier reported at the recent Airbus annual press conference. “We were in deep crisis, [but], since 2009, we have worked very hard.” He added: “The A400M programme was progressing very well until midsummer [2012]. Then we had maturity problems with the engine.”
The aircraft is powered by four Europrop International (EPI) TP400-D6 turboprop engines, the most powerful turboprops ever developed outside Russia. EPI is owned by ITP, MTU Aero Engines, Rolls-Royce and Snecma (part of the Safran group), with MTU, Rolls-Royce and Snecma being the largest shareholders, with 28% each (but Rolls-Royce also owns almost 47% of ITP). Brégier expressed his pleasure with the strength of the response of, in particular, Rolls-Royce and Safran to these problems.
As a result, Airbus Military was able to conclude the 300-hour function and reliability testing of the aircraft, which is a prerequisite for both military and civil aviation certification. “[Airbus Military] completed the reliability flight programme in 26 days,” he revealed. “The first big milestone has been achieved. The second will be entry into service.”

International Orders Boost Boeing Defense

Defense aircraft orders from international customers have grown to 41% of Boeing’s total backlog and account for 24% of Boeing Defense, Space & Security’s current backlog, the company reported in a 2012 earnings call Jan. 30.

Defense revenues were up 2% to $32.6 billion — compared to $49.1 billion for commercial aircraft — largely on the strength of a 10% growth at Boeing Military Aircraft. There, production rates on AH-64D Apache and CH-47 Chinook helicopters have climbed, production started on the KC-46 tanker program and the company made its first delivery of P-8I maritime patrol aircraft to India.

Russian tanks in the cold Arctic

Kourganmachzavod, the leading manufacturer of Russian armored infantry combat (VBCI), embarked on the construction of a new vehicle: Rytsar (which means knight in Russian). It is intended for the polar regions. Early drafts show a vehicle quite unusual and nothing like the armored vehicles that were built in Russia before.

The Rytsar will be equipped, in addition to a conventional diesel engine, a gas turbine engine. These engines start easier and are more reliable in conditions similar to those of polar climate. Russia is the second country in the world, after the United States, to master the development and construction of turbine armored vehicles.

More importantly, the Rytsar be equipped with an electromechanical transmission and will consist of a body divided into two parts. It is obvious that the goal here is to ensure sufficient space for the installation of heavy weaponry, but also for the infantry and a large fuel reserve.

PAF exercise ‘Saffron Bandit’

Like all progressive air forces, PAF (Pakistan Air Force) too conducts various exercises and war games, besides training for conducting night and day offensive and defensive air operations. The enhancement of operational preparedness of PAF’s combat units is an ongoing task, which is incorporated through training in applied tactics, planning and execution of exercises at various levels. “Saffron Bandit” is a triennial command level exercise, which was first conceived in 1994. Since then, five such exercises have been conducted, with each session being reviewed and refined to not only incorporate fresh developments but also take cognizance of the latest threat environment.

Currently PAF is involved in the sixth sequel of “Saffron Bandit”, which commenced on 22nd October 2012. The whole exercise is spread over six to seven months. The exercise is planned to culminate on 27 April 2013. It is aimed at standardizing the tactics and provide near-realistic ‘Role Oriented’ training to PAF combat crew in a controlled environment, with the exposure of integrating combat support elements in synchronization with modern concepts and emerging tactical scenarios.

Airbus C212 transfer assembly in Indonesia

The last C212-400 assembled by Airbus Military in Europe is out of the factory in Seville (Spain) on 24 January 2013. This program, launched in 1971, will now continue in Indonesia Airbus Military has created a joint venture (joint venture) with the Indonesian company PT Dirgantara Indonesia. Turboprop military will be renamed to the opportunity to become NC212.

For its part, in Seville, Airbus Military will now focus on the production of CN235 and C295, as well as the assembly of the A400M, with deliveries to begin in the second quarter of 2013.

Ahead Of Debut Firepower Demo, Tejas At Aero India

A full-scale mock-up of the LCA Tejas twin-seat trainer variant will be on display at Aero India. Two fighter variants will participate in the show -- one on the flightline display and the other flying.

An Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) statement on the Tejas ahead of Aero India 2013. Of course, it has a few exaggerations:

The Tejas development programme which is in the advanced stage has completed Initial Operation Clearance (IOC) requirements [not true -- it has yet to complete IOC-2 requirements] and continuing system performance towards reaching Final Operations Clearance (FOC).

Tejas has completed 1986 flawless flight trials till date: Cold Weather & High Altitude Trials at Leh and Pathankot / Hot Weather & Weapon Trials in the Desert Terrains of Jaisalmer & Uttarlai.

LCA will be participating for the first time in the air power demonstration Iron Fist. There, it will demonstrate the capability of swing role in weapon delivery, performing both air-to-air and air-to-ground operations.

Indian Air Force (IAF) has placed production order on HAL for 40 LCAs and production activity is under progress.