HMS ECHO SPENDS FASCINATING WEEK IN THE GATEWAY OF INDIA

Survey ship HMS Echo became the first Royal Navy vessel in ‘the gateway of India’ in five years when she sailed into the metropolis that is Mumbai.

Echo enjoyed a seven-day break from her protracted east of Suez deployment.

It allowed a change of some crew (the ship regularly rotates around one third of her sailors to sustain her mission away from the UK) and a chance to sample one of the great cities of the world.

As befits Mumbai’s status it is one of the Indian Navy’s principal naval bases and it fell to the crew of the guided missile frigate INS Godavari – similar in size to the UK’s Type 23 frigates – to host Echo throughout her week in Mumbai.

IAF's Mirage-2000 back in action

NEW DELHI (PTI): IAF's frontline Mirage-2000 fighter aircraft, which were temporarily grounded following two crashes in February and March, have begun operational sorties following a detailed investigation of their systems and components.

"The Mirage-2000 aircraft are being progressively checked and cleared for flying one by one," said the IAF spokesperson Wing Commander Gerard Galway.

Sources said the aircraft were cleared for sorties few days ago following a thorough inspection of their systems.

Israel’s Growing Commando Force Eyes V-22s

TEL AVIV — Israeli military leaders plan to greatly expand the nation’s elite commando force to accommodate intensifying demand for stealthy, surgical, strategic missions far from Israel’s borders.

In interviews here, officers and experts said Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) chief of staff, is mulling several options for augmenting the special operations forces under his command, including creation of an airborne insertion and extraction unit built upon a squadron of U.S. V-22 Ospreys.

The prospective new unit or, alternatively, a strengthened Shaldag (Kingfisher) airborne commando unit, would ultimately be integrated into the IDF’s planned Depth Corps, a joint special operations command expected to become operational this year.

India’s Procurement of Artillery Guns and Modernization of Armed Forces

The artillery equipment procured / upgraded in the past two decades includes Pinaka Rocket System; Smerch Rocket System; BrahMos Missile System and Upgradation of 130mm gun to 155mm/45 calibre.

Procurement of new-generation artillery is in consonance with Artillery Profile 2027. This profile has a mix of 155mm/39 calibre, 155mm/45 calibre and 155mm/52 calibre gun system.

Modernization of Armed Forces is an ongoing process. Chief of Army Staff apprises the status to the Government from time to time. The Army follows a philosophy of having a mix of legacy equipment, equipment with matured technology and state-of-art equipment. The guns presently held with Air Defence are not of World War II vintage nor the ammunition levels are low to the levels reported in media. However, some deficiencies do exist in some categories of ammunition. Divulging further details would not be in the interest of national security.

Read more: http://www.defencetalk.com/indias-procurement-of-artillery-guns-and-modernization-of-armed-forces-42011/#ixzz1tPOFCsM4

U.S think tank claimed that the chinese equipment in the Aircraft Carrier Catapult 6 Programs

May 4, the United States Arlington, Virginia, the International Assessment and Strategy Center, Senior Fellow, Richard Fischer, "Aviation Week" contains the text that the Chinese armed forces, the procurement of large amounts of armaments, making it land, sea and air power projection capabilities have been improved. The article said that China's development of power projection capabilities by controlling the main objectives of the Western Pacific, the protection of China's economic interests. However, China's move is also intended to deal with the United States naval forces in the region, and as countries such as Iran and Pakistan alliance.

The article said that the Pentagon submitted to Congress in 2009 "Report on China's military power", the U.S. Department of Defense pointed out that "China's economic development become increasingly dependent on international stability and lead to foreign markets and resources of the channel," and that China's "military started discussions with the civilian strategists in the protection of the armed forces and enhance the broader political and economic interests play a role. " The report on China's navy and the army in the use of sophisticated information technology and access to accurate weapons systems in the field of harvest, but also the expansion of China's conventional weapons systems were analyzed.

The article said that China's official and semi-official statements, military exercises and deployment, development and access to new means of power projection has been revealed this trend. At the end of 2004, President Hu Jintao said the Chinese People's Liberation Army "necessary for national security interests." In 2005, China's first invitation to Russia to the Shandong Peninsula to the name of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, jointly held a "peace mission" exercise. December 2006, China's National Defense White Paper said that the army should pay attention to the development of "cross-regional mobility," the Navy should be a strict "gradually increase the strategic depth coastal defense," the Air Force should seek a "strategic project" Capacity.

The article points out that "peace mission" part of military exercises to explain the meaning of these terms, see the People's Liberation Army is a small scale, but an unprecedented joint deployment capability. At present, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in August this year the joint military exercise held in China.

The article said that Navy Commander Wu Shengli in July 2007 in the core journals in the Chinese Communist Party "realistic" magazine said one of the Navy mission is to maintain "the security of maritime transport routes and energy strategy." Means China will be the majority of the Malacca Strait oil . December 2008, China will ship with a 052B and 052C air defense destroyers deployed in a support ship the waters the Gulf of Aden to protect merchant shipping. In April, one of the ships by a new air defense frigates to replace the 054A.

However, the article says, this is only a small naval deployment, China and the reason why the new port facilities in Burma, Chittagong, Bangladesh, and Pakistan's Gwadar port investment is likely to deploy warships in order to access the channel. In February 2009, by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the Asia-Pacific deputy director of political Ye Hailin said that the Indian Ocean, is China's "sea of destiny", it is proposed through the establishment of Pakistan and Myanmar by land-based energy channels, to reduce dependence on the Malacca Strait. In March, China and Pakistan held a 10-day joint naval exercises.

The article said that Pakistan and Iran is the Shanghai Cooperation Organization "observers", if they become a full member of the organization, then the two countries and China will be able to hold more bilateral or multilateral joint military exercises.

The article maintains that in the next ten years, the Chinese naval activities in the Indian Ocean may be further strengthened, the scope of their activities and may even exceed the Indian Ocean. March 20, Defense Minister Liang Guanglie Hamada of Japan's defense minister said that "China's Navy ... ... also very weak, we need to develop an aircraft carrier." In fact, as early as the eighties in the last century, Liu Huaqing, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission as Commander of the Navy When such a development has already begun, he jokingly said: "If China does not build aircraft carriers, I wasted step."

The article said that, as far as Japan and Hong Kong media reported in January, the PLA and the Chinese shipbuilding officials said by 2020, the Navy may have made as many as four aircraft carriers, two of them for the conventionally-powered, two for the nuclear power . In addition, China in 2002, purchased from Ukraine, "Watt-liang Grid" aircraft carrier will also be refurbished, the Navy will use it to carry out relevant training.

Moreover, the article also pointed out that in April this year when a Chinese television in an interview with an expert program, one of the experts interviewed said that China may be the procurement of the aircraft carrier and "good-watt grid" similar to the construction of aircraft carrier structure. However, the program also shows another construction of a unique program. According to this construction program will be equipped with up to six aircraft carrier catapult aircraft. The article believes that China may be at a shipyard in Shanghai Changxing Island to build its aircraft carrier, and the establishment of its naval base on Hainan Island may become a base for aircraft carriers.

The article points out that China is also set up its air force aircraft. Carrier-based model of its candidates, including: an upgraded version of the Soviet Union the Russian warplanes -33, -11 F China-based aircraft carrier (which is sometimes referred to as F-fighters -13, -33 smaller than the Soviet Union, but there are stealth capability) -10 F, as well as carrier-based warplanes. It is reported from 2005 pointed out that China is developing carrier-based early warning system. Moreover, China's aircraft carrier and equipment may also UCAV. High L-15 trainer aircraft carrier is one of the candidate models. China's aircraft carrier may be other equipment designed for specific aircraft, such as Shenyang, "WarriorEagle" UAV.

The article said that the next 10 years, the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy's amphibious warfare capability will be enhanced. By the end of 2006, China's first 20,000-ton ships dock landing ship Type 071 into the water: the deck of the vessel can carry a long-range military transport for the hovercraft. Following the 071-based dock landing ship into the water after, and may be the same size with the 081-type level deck amphibious landing ship (LHD). It is reported that the People's Liberation Army will initially build a 081-type 6 from amphibious ships and three 071-based dock landing ship of the fleet composition, this time with the fleet to thousands of soldiers and armored support. Marine Corps amphibious forces and the army are fitted out a new type of fast amphibious armored combat vehicles, these vehicles use spray pumps, to high-speed mobile in water.

The article said that the People's Liberation Army is also developing long-range force projection for a large transport aircraft and mechanized units. Although China has decided to Russia 32-34 procurement of the carrying capacity of 50 tons of aircraft IL -76, but the Beijing government is still in new ways to restructure its aircraft industry, to allow for heavy transport aircraft to modernize the R & D work. During this process, China has received from Russia and Ukraine, a large number of help - the Chinese side would like to An-70 military transport planes to carry out large-scale upgrade. In 2007, China Aviation Industry Corporation I (AVIC-1) that the type of its intention to build a load weight of 60 tons, with the C-17 transport plane similar. However, the success of the project will depend on its ability to develop large-scale, high-bypass ratio turbofan engine (HighBypassTurbofan), which has been in the field of China's weaknesses.

If the budget continues to grow, to 20 years of this century, the Chinese People's Liberation Army will have to deploy an appropriate long-range naval and airborne capacity of the armed forces of mechanization. Although the Chinese People's Liberation Army might not be able large-scale projection, but still comparable with the United States lack the infrastructure, but long-range military forces, China will have access to considerable political influence.

"Facebook is part of the CIA" "Amazing"

Sino-US Security Issues In Asia

As concept of security widened in post cold war politics in different dimensions, its essence of traditional view could not change even in 21st century. Every state of the world shapes conventional notion of security complying with its own regional environment and requirements. In Far East and South Asian regions, emergence of China has determined security issues. Every participant of the region re-securitizes its strategic policies by itself or by being ally of the USA. Sino-oriented securitization paradigm has become a pivotal part of international strategic studies because the USA perceives threats from it to its geopolitical and strategic interests in the region.

The geopolitical-cum-economic strategic significance of region is very momentous; as according to Food Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the UN about 3.1 billion people out of the world’s total 6.4 billion reside over here; presence of important international maritime transport route; nuclear proliferation in the form of de jure Indian, Pakistani, North Korean nuclear programs and having capacity to make nuclear devise within three to six months by Japan, emergence of marvelous economic integration in ASEAN under strong Sino-oriented order, existential presence of world’s 4 major economic hubs (China, India, Japan, ASEAN, and to some extent South Korea) in this area make it more important, hence the volatile security situations of the region.

China International General Aviation Convention 2011

Raytheon Excalibur Ia-2 Ready for Use in Afghanistan

Raytheon Company successfully fired nine rounds in U.S. Army lot acceptance tests, which means the Excalibur Ia-2 precision-guided projectile is ready for U.S. Army and Marine Corps use in Afghanistan.

Building on the proven technology of the Excalibur Ia-1, the Excalibur Ia-2 includes upgrades designed to meet the projected threat environment, while maintaining true precision and accuracy of better than a 6-meter circular error probable. Excalibur Ia-2 also extends the range of Excalibur Ia-1 from 24 to 37.5 kilometers, which is 50 percent farther than conventional artillery. Excalibur's first-round precision enables it to defeat fleeting and persistent targets.

"The precision Excalibur provides is essential to the missions our warfighters are conducting in urban and surrounding environments. It protects structures, the population and our warfighters," said Lt. Col. Mike Milner, U.S. Army Excalibur Product Manager. "The Excalibur Ia-2 rounds going into theater will give the warfighter the ability to accurately defeat targets before the target can run and hide."

The Excalibur precision-guided projectile is available regardless of time of day or environment, giving warfighters life-saving options. Excalibur complements air-delivered precision when close air support is unavailable or not the best option. With more than 500 rounds fired to date, Excalibur has made its mark on the battlefield.

China relying less on Russia for weapons, energy: think tank

China's dependence on Russia for arms and energy imports has declined and Moscow's position when dealing with Beijing has weakened as a result, a Swedish think tank said.

"Decreasing dependence on Russian arms exports and a growing number of alternative energy suppliers mean that China has taken the upper hand in the relationship," the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said in a report released Monday.

A key to the changing dynamic, the report said, is that China "is today mainly interested in acquiring technology to develop its own arms industry," and so its need for Russian-made weaponry has diminished.

Moscow has proved unwilling to sell its most sophisticated systems to Beijing, because it fears China will copy the technology and then export its own product.

"The nature of the arms transfer relationship will increasingly be characterized by competition rather than cooperation," said Paul Holtom, who heads SIPRI's arms transfer program.

China's position has been further strengthened because its need for Russian crude oil has declined over the past five years, according to SIPRI.

"China's largest oil supplier is Saudi Arabia, followed by Angola, Iran and Oman," SIPRI said.

"In the gas sector, Russia's negotiating position has been seriously weakened by China's success in finding other partners, especially in Central Asia."

US-should-tone-down-verbal-assaults-Pakistans-Zardari

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari called for "serious dialogue" with the United States on Sunday, amid a fierce dispute over US claims that his intelligence agency has links to Islamist militants.

"Democracy always favors dialogue over confrontation," Zardari wrote in a Washington Post opinion piece that decried the recent "verbal assaults" of some US officials against Pakistan.

"It is time for the rhetoric to cool and for serious dialogue between allies to resume."

Last week, the top US military officer Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen accused Pakistan of exporting violence to Afghanistan through proxies and charged that the Haqqani network, an Al-Qaeda-linked group, was a "veritable arm" of Pakistani intelligence.

Expressing regret over the growing tensions between the United States and Pakistan, which have struggled to overcome sharp differences to forge an alliance in the years after the September 11, 2001 attacks, Zardari said it was the militants who had gained the most from the spat.

Iran equips marine forces with cruise missile

Iran has equipped its naval forces with a short range "cruise missile," able to hit targets in costal areas and warships within "200 kilometres (125 miles), the country's defence minister was quoted as saying on Wednesday.

"Today we are witnessing the equipping of the Guards navy and army navy with ample numbers of the Qader cruise missile," General Ahmad Vahidi said, quoted by his ministry's website referring to the elite Revolutionary Guards who are tasked with defending Iranian waters in the Gulf.

"It has 200 km range and has ability to be launched quickly against warships and costal targets. It flies in low altitude, has high destructive power, (and is) lightweight with high precision," he added.

He added that it could be fired from the coast or from vessels of different classes, increasing considerable the operational ability of the forces.

Long Range Recon Patrol LRRP, Vietnam War

North Korea upgrades jamming devices:report

North Korea is upgrading jamming devices to disrupt South Korean military communications, Yonhap news agency said, citing a defence ministry report.

The communist state has some 20 types of jamming devices mostly imported from Russia and it has been developing a new device with a range of more than 100 kilometres (60 miles), the South Korean news agency said on Tuesday.

Yonhap cited a defence ministry report to the parliamentary defence committee. The ministry declined to comment, saying the report was confidential.

North Korea is known to have deployed jamming devices to the heavily-fortified border that are capable of disrupting Global Positioning System (GPS) signals within 50 to 100 kilometres, it said.

The North is thought to have been responsible for the intermittent failure of GPS receivers on naval and civilian craft along the west coast in August 2010.

South Korea's then-defence minister Kim Tae-Young said at the time that the devices could disrupt guided weapons and posed "a fresh security threat" to Seoul.

South Korea Developing Anti-Ship Missiles:Report

The South Korean military is developing anti-ship cruise missiles, a news report said Wednesday, after sea trials of China's first aircraft carrier sparked regional security concerns.

Development of the supersonic missiles is expected to be complete in three or four years, Seoul's Chosun Ilbo daily said.

"Fully-fledged research on the development of supersonic anti-ship missiles has been underway at the Agency for Defense Development (ADD) for years," the newspaper quoted an unidentified South Korean government source as saying.

"The supersonic anti-ship cruise missile is aimed at defending the country against naval threats from other countries in the region rather than North Korea."

Both ADD and Seoul's Defense Acquisition Program Administration declined to comment.

Army integrates technologies during NIE exercise

The Army is beginning to harness some initial lessons learned from its recent Network Integration Evaluation this past June/July at White Sands Missile Range, N.M.

Scores of technologies were assessed at Network Integration Evaluation, or NIE, and integrated in realistic combat-like scenarios in order to evaluate their potential military utility as part of a battlefield communications network, service officials said.

Initial indications are that much was learned about the Army's ability to integrate a host of emerging technologies into a single coherent network architecture, said Col. John Wendel, deputy program executive officer, Network Integration.

"The integration is a tremendous accomplishment. There is a lot of value added by integrating 35 SUTs [Systems Under Test] and SUEs [Systems Under Evaluation] in a true systems of systems environment that spanned 285 by 50 kilometers and included rugged, strenuous terrain. When you bring everything together simultaneously, you end up with the best solution for the network and for the Soldier," Wendel said.

Navy Tests LCS Minesweeping System

The Navy announced the successful completion of shore-based and at-sea integrated system tests on the prototype Unmanned Influence Sweep System, July 20, at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Panama City Division, in Panama City, Fla.

Designed for the LCS as part of the mine countermeasures mission package, the system provides unmanned mine sweeping capability that keeps warfighters out of the mine field. The system consists of an unmanned surface craft that carries and tows the minesweeping payload.

The test, known as Phase 1 Sweep Operational Checkout, consisted of confirming that the new sweep system can be deployed and retrieved from a surface craft and that it tows properly. The test was the first use of the prototype Sweep Power Subsystem which includes magnetic and acoustic sweep systems. The first phase of testing was completed on July 1. Phase II is currently ongoing.

New Australian Naval Combat Helicopters

Minister for Defence Stephen Smith and Minister for Defence Materiel Jason Clare today announced that the Australian Government had approved the acquisition of 24 MH-60R Seahawk ‘Romeo’ naval combat helicopters at a cost of over $3 billion.

The 2009 Defence White Paper committed the Government to equipping naval warships with a new combat helicopter capable of conducting a range of maritime misions with advanced anti-submarine warfare capabilities and the ability to fire air-to-surface missiles.

This announcement delivers on that commitment.

The new helicopters will replace the Navy’s current combat helicopter capability provided by 16 Seahawk S-70B-2 helicopters and will also provide the air to surface strike capability which was to have been provided by the cancelled Seasprite program.

This decision follows a 15-month competitive acquisition process involving the Sikorsky-Lockheed Martin built MH-60R and the NATO Helicopter Industries NH90 NFH assembled by Australian Aerospace.

This competitive process has ensured value for money for the tax payer.

The Australian Government has chosen the ‘Romeo’ helicopter because it represents the best value for money for taxpayers and was the lowest risk option.

27 Russian defense companies to take part in Paris Air Show

A total of 59 Russian firms and agencies, including 27 defense companies, will take part in the upcoming international air show outside Paris, the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC) said.

The 49th International Paris Air Show will be held at Le Bourget on June 20-26.

"Twenty-seven defense companies will exhibit military aircraft and related products," a FSMTC spokesman told RIA Novosti on Thursday.

According to the official, Russian Sukhoi Superjet 100 passenger jet and Be-200 amphibious plane will make demonstration flights at the biennial air show, which this year attracted over 2,000 exhibitors and 205 official delegations from 88 countries.

India's New Killer Machine P-8i