South Korean Ship Sinking Stirs New Interest in Coastal Submarines

According to Forecast International’s “The Market for Submarines” analysis, the torpedoing and sinking of the South Korean corvette Cheonan in March 2010 by a North Korean coastal submarine will prompt a surge of interest in small, low-cost submarines.

The corvette was specifically designed for operations in littoral waters and built with full knowledge of the threat spectrum she would face. Yet, she was blown in half by a torpedo she never saw coming. The force multiplier effect was clearly evident here.

Boeing Begins Flight Testing UK Chinook Mk4

The Boeing UK Rotorcraft Support team began flight testing the first Chinook Mk4 helicopter for the Royal Air Force (RAF). First flight took place on 9 December 2010 in Gosport, Hampshire.

“First flight marks an exciting and important event for Project JULIUS. This is a great testament to the industry and MOD team who have worked so hard to achieve this milestone,” said Chris White-Horne, Future Heavy Lift Project Leader for the Ministry of Defence. “JULIUS delivers important new capabilities which will be quickly used on operations in Afghanistan and beyond.”

US Navy to Begin Initial Production of P-8A

The U.S. Navy announced today the award of a $1.6 billion contract to Boeing for P-8A Poseidon aircraft Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP) of six aircraft.

This first LRIP contract also includes spares, logistics and training devices. Production of the first LRIP aircraft will begin this summer at Boeing’s Renton, Wash. facility.

CHINA WZ-10 Attack Helicopter

The PLA Army Aviation lacks an attack helicopter such as the AH-64 Apache or Mi-28 Havoc. The limited attack helicopter force consists of 30-40 WZ-9s and 8 SA-342L Gazelles, along with 60 Mi-17 Hips with unguided rocket launchers.

The primary mission for the treetop hugging WZ-10 is battlefield interdiction, eliminating the enemy ground fixed and mobile forces, and concurrently certain air combat ability.

Japan concerned over China’s defense build-up

Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan on Thursday voiced fresh concern about China's defence spending and its maritime activities and said Japan should focus on its alliance with the United States.

Kan also pledged to take the lead in setting up rules on regional ocean disputes and boost ties with Tokyo's Asian neighbours to better confront security risks like North Korea's nuclear programme.

"We can't help but have concerns about a certain lack of transparency in (China's) defence build-up and growing maritime activities," Kan said in a foreign policy speech ahead of this year's parliament session, which starts on Monday.