Japan awards Mitsubishi Heavy $2.8 bln missile contracts

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  10 décembre 2018 | International, Aérospatial

  Air Force wants to house three F-35 squadrons at rebuilt Tyndall, move Raptors permanently

  By: Stephen Losey Nearly two months after Hurricane Michael devastated Tyndall Air Force Base in Northern Florida, the Air Force on Friday said it wants to rebuild the installation — so it can station three squadrons of F-35 fighters there. But the change in plans, if approved, would mean operational F-22 Raptors from the 95th Fighter Squadron would not return to Tyndall. The Air Force is asking Congress for supplemental funding to repair Tyndall's damage, the service said in a release. Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek said the amount of money is still being decided. A preliminary evaluation showed Tyndall could accommodate up to three F-35 squadrons, the Air Force said. If Congress grants the supplemental repair funds and the F-35 basing is approved, F-35s could be based there beginning in 2023. The move would mean operational F-22s that were formerly at Tyndall would be permanently moved to squadrons at other bases that are now temporarily housing them: Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska and Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii. Those F-22 squadrons would grow from 21 to 24 fighters apiece to permanently accommodate the Tyndall aircraft. “We have recommended that the best path forward to increase readiness and use money wisely is to consolidate the operational F-22s formerly at Tyndall in Alaska, Hawaii and Virginia, and make the decision now to put the next three squadrons of F-35s, beyond those for which we have already made decisions, at Tyndall,” Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson said. “We are talking with congressional leaders about this plan and will need their help with the supplemental funding needed to restore the base." This decision will allow the Air Force to tailor the new construction at Tyndall to the best fit for F-35s, the Air Force said. The 325th Fighter Wing, which was comprised of two F-22 squadrons, was located at Tyndall before the Oct. 10 storm. Most Tyndall aircraft evacuated before the storm hit, but 17 Raptors could not be flown and stayed behind, sustaining varying levels of damage that is now being repaired. Nearly a month after the storm, Wilson said that F-22 training with the 43rd Fighter Squadron would be temporarily moved to nearby Eglin Air Force Base. The Air Force said it will conduct a formal process to decide what will be the best location for the 43rd and its training mission. The 95th has 21 F-22s and 36 active-duty airmen, the Air Force said last month, and its associated maintenance units have about 500 airmen. F-35 basing decisions in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Florida, Texas, Utah, Vermont and Wisconsin, which have already been announced, will not be changed. https://www.militarytimes.com/news/your-air-force/2018/12/07/air-force-wants-to-house-three-f-35-squadrons-at-rebuilt-tyndall-move-raptors-permanently

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  19 décembre 2018 | International, Terrestre

  Russia wants back in on India’s gun and missile system competition

  By: Vivek Raghuvanshi NEW DELHI — Russia has lodged a protest over India's decision to disquality its two munitions systems from the $1.6 billion Army program, spurring newfound tensions between the two allies. During a meeting of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military Technical Cooperation in New Delhi Thursday, visiting Russia Defence Minister Gen. Sergei Shoigu made clear his displeasure about the upgraded Tunguska system and a system from Pantsir being kicked out of the pending program, a source from the India Ministry of Defence confirmed. In October, the Indian Army officially declared Hanwha Defense Systems of South Korea as the only qualified company for the gun and missile system program. In the 2013 global tender, Indian Army shortlisted three companies — Hanwha Defense Systems, which offered its Hybrid Biho system, and Russian companies Almaz Ante, which offered its upgraded Tunguska system, and KBP Tula, which offer its Pantsir system. During the IRIGC-MTC, Gen. Shoigu accused the Indian Army trial teams of purposely not completing the full trials last year. A Russian diplomat said on condition of anonymity that the two defense companies and the Russian defense ministry issued separate letters to MoD last month to reevaluate the entire selection process before making a final call. However, a senior Indian Army official said both the upgraded Tunguska system fielded by Almaz Ante and Pantsir by KBP Tula systems were not fully compliant during the trials. The program calls for procurement of five regiments, or 104 systems, of gun missiles systems, including 4,928 missiles and 172,260 rounds of ammunition costing $1.6 billion. The winner will have to provide full maintenance technology transfer for missiles to state-owned Ordnance Factory Board. The proposed gun and missile system should have a day and night camera functionality and a built-in simulator, and the gun should engage a target at 350 rounds per second, while the missile should have a range of five kilometers. The system should be able to operate up to 50 kilometers on a single fuel tank, and should have a minimum operation endurance of eight hours without refueling. The Indian Army is looking for a mix of both gun and missiles mounted on one or separate high mobility vehicles. In addition, the gun as well as the missile should be able to engage aerial targets both with and without the fire control radar, either independently or simultaneously. https://www.defensenews.com/global/asia-pacific/2018/12/18/russia-wants-back-in-on-indias-gun-and-missile-system-competition/

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  2 août 2023 | International, Aérospatial

  US Air Force to issue new refueling tanker request in September

  However, much remains undecided over how to field an advanced refueling aircraft the service now calls the next-generation aerial refueling system.