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.