Time To Vote On Name For A Canadian Nexter's VBCI

Take Your Pick Between Muskox, Grenadier, Polar Bear, Wolverine Scorpio Gold

Nexter and Esprit de Corps military magazine are running a contest to select a name for Canadian Close Combat Vehicle Nexter's contender, the VBCI. Here are the details from the magazine and Nexter:

Nexter and Esprit de Corps wish to thank all Those Who Submitted more than 40 names as possible for the VBCI. The Suggested names Were Provided to a jury of consistant LGen (ret'd) Andrew Leslie, MGen (ret'd) Clive Addy and Queen's University Professor Doug Bland. The jury selected the top five names are listed below Which. Please vote for your favorite choice (one vote per person) by sending us an email at vbci@espritdecorps.ca or visiting the website at Nexter www.Nexter.ca and going to "Contact Information" where you will find a web submission form. The deadline for voting is Friday, February 15 at 5 pm. The winning name will be announced in late February and the person who will name the winning Submitted Have a $ 5,000 donation made on Their Behalf to the Military Families Fund by Nexter. Let the voting begin ....

Brazil Wants to Buy Russian Anti-Aircraft Weaponry

Brazil’s Defense Ministry intends to discuss purchasing air defense systems from Russia during talks with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev later this month, the ministry said on Sunday.

"We are interested in acquiring three batteries of Pantsir-S1 missiles and two batteries of Igla missiles," General Jose Carlos De Nardi, head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Brazilian Armed Forces, said in a statement.
The possible purchase of Russian anti-aircraft weaponry will be discussed during Medvedev’s visit to Brazil scheduled for the end of February, De Nardi said.
An agreement, if signed, would envisage the construction of a factory in Brazil and the transfer of technologies, he said.
The Pantsir-S, produced by Russia's KBP, is a gun-missile system combining a wheeled vehicle mounting a fire-control radar and electro-optical sensor, two 30-mm cannons and up to 12 57E6 radio-command guided short-range missiles, and is designed to take on a variety of targets flying at low altitudes.
The Pantsir can engage targets up to 20 km (12 miles) by missiles and 4 km (2.5 miles) using cannons, KBP claims.

The alternatives to Trident carry an enormous risk

Britain's nuclear deterrent is effective and affordable says the Defence Secretary, Philip Hammond 

 For almost 45 years, Royal Navy submariners have provided round-the-clock at-sea deterrence, delivering the ultimate guarantee of our national security. Carrying first Polaris and now Trident ballistic missiles, the undetected patrolling of our nuclear-armed submarines provides an essential protection against nuclear blackmail or attack.

Although no state currently has both the intent and the capability to threaten the integrity of the UK, there are countries in unstable regions that possess, or are on the verge of possessing, nuclear weapons. North Korea has tested nuclear devices and ballistic missiles. Iran appears bent on the production of highly enriched uranium and continues to develop a ballistic missile capability. And no one can predict the nature of the threats we will face in the future. In the face of this uncertainty, it would be deeply irresponsible for any British government to dismiss the possibility of a nuclear threat to our country.

Iran is smuggling 'manpad' anti-aircraft missiles for lone militants, warns US

Iran's Revolutionary Guards are exporting anti-aircraft weapons that can be used by a single person to Islamic militants in an intensified campaign to destabilise Middle East, according to Pentagon chief Leon Panetta. 

Iran is intensifying a campaign to destabilise the Middle East by smuggling anti-aircraft weapons to militant allies through its international paramilitary force, according Leon Panetta, the outgoing US defence secretary.

The Pentagon chief told The Wall Street Journal that Tehran's export of so-called "manpads" -- anti-aircraft missiles that can be carried by a single person - represents a dangerous escalation.

Yemen intercepted a boat carrying the weapons on Jan 23 with unspecified assistance from the US, which had evidence that the missiles were supplied by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. They were believed to be en route to Yemeni separatists fighting the US-backed central government.

American intelligence reports had previously indicated an increase in efforts by Iran to smuggle the devices to radical Islamic factions in the region.

At least 30 dead in attack on north Iraq police HQ: general

A car bomb detonated by a suicide attacker followed by gunmen storming a police headquarters in the north Iraqi city of Kirkuk killed 30 people and wounded 70 others on Sunday, a police general said.
Militants had apparently sought to take control of the compound, but were unsuccessful, Brigadier General Natah Mohammed Sabr, the head of the city’s emergency services department, told AFP.
The deadly attack shattered a relative calm in recent days in Iraq, which has been grappling with a political crisis that has pitted Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki against his erstwhile government partners amid weeks of protests calling for him to resign.

Northrop Grumman Focuses on Global ISR Capabilities at Aero India 2013

Northrop Grumman Corporation will highlight its industry-leading range of capabilities in intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) including airborne early warning and control systems for maritime reconnaissance and unmanned aerial vehicles, at the Aero India 2013 exhibition and air show.
Aero India, organised by the Defence Exhibition Organisation, takes place at Air Force Station Yelahanka, Bengaluru, India, Feb. 6-10. The Northrop Grumman exhibit is at stand number E1.14 in exhibition hall E.
"ISR capability is critical to effective homeland security and our leadership in multiple-domain ISR strongly positions Northrop Grumman to help create solutions for India's defence modernisation," said Mary Petryszyn, vice president, International, Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems. "We are excited to offer our core capabilities to advancing Indian naval, military and homeland security priorities."
The Northrop Grumman exhibit will showcase the company's world-leading capabilities in airborne early warning and control including the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye.

Taiwan deploys US-made advanced early warning radar

Taiwan has put into service a US-made billion-dollar early warning radar system capable of giving more than six minutes’ warning of a mainland missile attack, a senior officer said on Sunday.
The radar, on top of a mountain in the northern county of Hsinchu, started providing surveillance information after a ceremony presided over by the chief of the general staff, air force General Yen Ming, on Friday.
“The radar is able to provide us with more than six minutes’ warning in preparation for any surprise attacks,” air force Lieutenant General Wu Wan-chiao said.
The Liberty Times newspaper said the phased array warning system, which cost NT$40.9 billion (HK$10.7 billion), is capable of detecting flying objects up to 5,000 kilometres away.
“The system enabled Taiwan to have comprehensive surveillance controls when North Korea launched a rocket in December and the mainland tested its anti-missile system lately,” it quoted an unnamed military officer as saying, speaking of the radar’s trial runs since late last year.
Critics say the radar is too costly given that it will provide only an additional few minutes of warning, and would itself be vulnerable to any mainland missile attacks.

U.S. Air Force Prepares For Significant Upgrades To B-1 Bomber

USAF Public Affairs Airman 1st Class Charles V. Rivezzo has written this article:

Members of the 337th Test and Evaluation Squadron are gearing up for the largest B-1 Lancer modification in program history, as part of the Integrated Battle Station and Sustainment-Block 16 upgrade.

Because of the magnitude of this upgrade, additional work is being done to make sure members of the 337th TES are ready to test and develop tactics needed to take full advantage of the new equipment and software.

Sustainment-Block 16, or SB-16, includes significant upgrades to the B-1, including the Fully Integrated Data Link and Central Integrated Test System in the aft station and the Vertical Situation Display Upgrade in the front station. Included under the umbrella of SB-16, the B-1 will also receive navigation, radar and diagnostic upgrades.

The VSDU upgrades the B-1′s forward cockpit by replacing two unsupportable, monochrome pilot and co-pilot displays with four multifunctional color displays, giving the pilots more situational awareness data in a user-friendly format.

Georgia will cooperate with NATO and with Russia

The new Government of Georgia considers it necessary to expand cooperation with NATO and the EU, said the Georgian Minister of Foreign Affairs Maia Panjikidze Saturday at the security conference in Munich, noting that improving relations with Russia is of particular importance for the new Georgian government, which came to power in October 2012.

IAF Receives First Lot Of Pilatus PC-7 Trainers

The  Indian Air Force has received the first lot of the new basic trainer aircraft 'PC-7 Mk-II' produced by the Pilatus aircraft company of Switzerland, which arrived today at the Air Force Academy, Dundigal near Hyderabad.  The first lot of aircraft were flown in by the Swiss pilots and received at Air Force Academy by Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Training Command, Air Marshal Rajinder Singh PVSM AVSM VM and Commandant AFA, Air Marshal RG Burli VM.  The aircraft 'PC-7 Mk-II' is a modern trainer aircraft, equipped with the latest navigation system and training aids, and is being used by many Air Forces around the world.  The IAF is to get 75 such aircrafts in the coming months.  With the induction of the 'PC-7 Mk-II' aircraft, the IAF will be able to meet the long standing need of having a basic trainer aircraft post grounding of

Problems in INS Vikramaditya fixed, sea trial to start in June

Engine problems which caused a delay in the delivery of the refitted aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya to the Indian navy have been fixed and the ship will sail for additional sea trials in the White Sea in June.

"All the problems with the boiler insulation have been fixed by Russian specialists with the use of Russian-made components," an official from Russia's Sevmash shipyard said.

The Vikramaditya was originally built as the Soviet Project 1143.4 class aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov.

The Vikramaditya, which is already years past its original 2008 delivery date, was supposed to have been handed over on December 4, 2012, but sea trials in September revealed the ship's boilers were not fully functional.

The source of the problem, which reduced the ship's maximum speed, was due to use of low-grade Chinese-made firebricks in the boiler insulation instead of asbestos, according to Russian shipbuilders.

Iran president unveils Qaher-313 indigenous fighter jet

Iran has unveiled a new indigenous fighter jet, which is said to be similar to a US-made warplane.

Qaher-313 (Conqueror-313) advanced military aircraft was put on display during a ceremony on Saturday in the presence of Commander of Iran’s Army Major General Ataollah Salehi, Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi and Commander of the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) Brigadier General Hassan Shah-Safi on the occasion of the Ten-Day Dawn celebrations commemorating the victory of 1979 Islamic Revolution.