Abu Dhabi Tawazun, is to partner with Sweden's defence and security company Saab, to create the Middle East region's first facility for the development, manufacture, assembly and integration of radar systems.
Embraer Defense and Security has delivered the first three light attack and advanced training A-29 Super Tucano turboprops to the National Air Force of Angola.
In a sometimes painful confirmation hearing for defense secretary, former Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) waded through questions about his past statements and misstatements as well as legitimate policy differences over nuclear weapons policy.
ARLINGTON, Va. — The U.S. Navy’s proposed cuts in maintenance to accommodate funding shortfalls caused by the continuing resolution, combined with potential further belt-tightening that could be brought on by sequestration, could not come at a worse time, according to service officials.
Northrop Grumman and the U.S. Navy are ready to flight test the final software load for the X-47B unmanned combat air system demonstrator (UCAS-D), with all the features required to enable operation from an aircraft carrier later this year. Based at NAS Patuxent River, Md., the two X-47Bs are being used for carrier-qualification testing ahead of the at-sea demonstration planned for the summer. Tests have included land-based catapult launches at Pax and deck-handling trials at sea on the carrier USS Truman.
The Senate defeated by a vote of 79-19 an amendment that would have blocked the transfer of F-16 fighters and M1 Abrams tanks to Egypt. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) sponsored the amendment, arguing that it is a “grave mistake” to send Lockheed Martin F-16s and General Dynamics tanks to Egypt, now that the government has changed since the political upheaval there generated by the Arab Spring.
LONDON — The U.K. Ministry of Defense (MoD) has unveiled its spending plan for new equipment and support over the next 10 years. The U.K.’s Equipment Plan, published Jan. 31, outlines spending of £160 billion ($250 billion) for new equipment in what is called a “fully funded Defense Equipment Plan.” The plan sets aside £8 billion for what the MoD calls “a number of additional programs that are a high priority for defense.”
Boeing will not be housing its new intelligence gathering system, the medium-sized Maritime Surveillance Aircraft (MSA), on an Embraer platform, according to the Brazilian manufacturer’s defense chief Luiz Carlos Aguiar. He said the two are not in talks on the MSA project despite an agreement on other projects, such as the KC-390.
Tom Burbage, the single, consistent public face of Lockheed Martin’s F-35 program since its inception, is finally retiring, according to program sources. Burbage retires as the executive vice president and general manager of program integration for the F-35. As such, his primary responsibility has been to keep the international coalition of countries outside the U.S. on track and, where possible, chase new international business. Stephen O’Bryan is currently working under Burbage as vice president of program integration.
Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs) contractor Bluefin Robotics is gearing up to produce a variant of its Knifefish UUV for the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), the company says. Knifefish is a specialized Bluefin-21 UUV that is being developed for the Surface Mine Countermeasure Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (SMCM UUV) effort. Bluefin is under subcontract to General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems for that program.
Efforts to clear the hurdles to commercial-scale production of advanced biofuels are focusing on increasing yields from energy crops and reducing the costs of harvesting, transporting and processing the millions of tons of biomass required. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) plans to award $6 million in research contracts to enable delivery of lignocellulosic biomass, such as switchgrass, polar and waste wood, at the volumes and costs required for commercial-scale biofuel production.
LONDON — The Polish armed forces are planning to recapitalize their rotary-wing fleet and buy as many as 200 new helicopters over the next decade. The program, easily the largest helicopter procurement in Europe in more than decade, includes requirements for medium-sized utility, heavy transport, and a fleet of attack helicopters for use by the Polish army, navy and air force.
NEW DELHI — Israel’s Rafael will spotlight its Iron Dome counter-rocket system at the Aero India 2013 exposition. India has been showing interest in the combat-proven active defense system, which can intercept short-range artillery rockets. The Israeli air force deployed the system in 2011 after the country decided to develop a mobile air defense system following the second Lebanon War in 2006.
DEFENSELESS: Seventy percent of countries lack the tools to prevent corruption in the defense sector, leaving them open to waste and security lapses, according to a new study from nonprofit Transparency International U.K.’s Defense and Security Program. “Those with poor controls include two-thirds of the largest arms importers and half of the biggest arms exporters in the world,” the group says. Countries exhibiting “critical risk” include Algeria, Angola, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Eritrea, Libya, Syria and Yemen, according to the study.
After weeks of controversy, former Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) will defend his nomination to become the next defense secretary when his Senate hearing begins on Jan. 31.
LONDON — Italian army officials say they are encouraged by the performance of the NH90 utility helicopter in Afghanistan despite having to overcome significant hurdles to get the type into theater.
