May 15, 2024 | International, Security
FBI Seizes BreachForums Again, Urges Users to Report Criminal Activity
BreachForums, a notorious online bazaar for stolen data, has been seized by law enforcement agencies for the second time in a year.
November 30, 2018 | International, Aerospace
Japan sets naval-friendly requirement in search to replace AH-1S Cobra fleet
By: Mike Yeo
Correction: Airbus has not confirmed its H145 multipurpose helicopter will be chosen to compete in Japan's search for a new attack helicopter.
TOKYO — Japan is requiring its new attack helicopters be equipped for shipboard operations, as the country looks to replace its legacy Bell/Fuji Heavy Industries AH-1S Cobra attack helos.
Japan's request for information issued earlier this year called for the new helicopters to be marinized and able to operate from “expeditionary airfields or sea bases,”, said retired Lt. Gen. George Trautman, an adviser to Bell.
Speaking to Defense News at the Japan International Aerospace Exhibition in Tokyo, the former U.S. Marine aviator and commander of Marine Corps aviation said the RFI requested pricing and information for “30, 40 and 50” helicopters. He added that a request for proposals is expected in the next three to four months.
Apart from Bell's AH-1Z Viper offer, Japanese firm Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is proposing its UH-60J/JA Black Hawk helicopter fitted with stub wings and weapons stations. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has produced several variants of the Black Hawk and SH-60 Seahawk for the Japan Self-Defense Forces under licence with Sikorsky since the 1990s.
European manufacturer Airbus confirmed to Defense News that it is not offering its Tiger attack helicopter, and has not made a final decision on its offering. The company already has a footprint in Japan, as local emergency medical services operate the civilian H145, manufactured by Airbus. The company has also announced it is adding a maintenance, repair and overhaul complex adjacent to its existing facility in Kobe, Japan.
Other possible contenders for the competition include Boeing with the AH-64E Apache as well as Italy's Leonardo with its AW249 attack helicopter currently in development.
Japan already uses the Apache, with 13 license-produced AH-64Ds currently in service. However, this was a much smaller number than the 62 helicopters it originally planned to manufacture, and like neighboring South Korea, Japan is reportedly unimpressed with the performance of the Apache's Longbow radar.
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December 2, 2020 | International, Aerospace
Boeing starts production of T-7 training jet simulators
By: Valerie Insinna WASHINGTON — Boeing has begun production of the first T-7A ground-based training systems, preparing the way for the company to make its first deliveries in 2023. Workers at Boeing's plant in St. Louis, Missouri, are currently assembling the first two weapon systems trainers and one operational flight trainer, the company said in a news release Tuesday. Those assets will be among the first simulators the company expects to deliver to Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas, in 2023. The high-fidelity simulators include 8K native projectors that supports imagery that is 16 times the clarity of high-definition video, and the crew stations are equipped with motion seats that simulate the sensation of flight, Boeing stated. The ground-based trainers will be able to connect to a physical T-7A, meaning that pilots virtually training can team up with those performing live flights in the T-7 aircraft. Because the simulators were built with an open-architecture backbone, it can be easily modified with new software applications. “The Red Hawk's training system is arguably the most advanced in the world. It's a game changer,” said Chuck Dabundo, Boeing's vice president of the T-7 programs. “This system is 100% integrated with the pilot's real-world experience, offering ‘real-as-it-gets' simulation. We're working closely with the U.S. Air Force and look forward to testing and fielding the devices.” In 2018, Boeing won the $9.2 billion contract for the T-X program after submitting a bid that shaved about $10 billion off the Air Force's initial estimates. The indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract allows the Air Force to buy up to 475 aircraft and 120 simulators, although the current plan is to buy 351 T-7 aircraft, 46 simulators and associated ground equipment. Under the initial $813 million award, Boeing will deliver five T-7 aircraft and seven simulators. Initial operating capability is planned by the end of fiscal 2024 when the first squadron of T-7A aircraft and its associated simulators are all available for training. Full operational capability is projected for 2034. https://www.defensenews.com/training-sim/2020/12/01/boeing-starts-production-of-t-7-training-jet-simulators/
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June 13, 2024 | International, Naval
Are we sure China views sea power the same way the West does?
Opinion: The problem with mirroring is that it catalyzes policies aimed at eliciting certain behaviors on the assumption that two actors think alike.