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  7 juillet 2020 | International, Terrestre

  India accelerates weapons purchases in wake of border clash with China

  By: Vivek Raghuvanshi NEW DELHI — India has accelerated the domestic and foreign purchase of weapons in the wake of a border clash between Indian and Chinese troops. Sino-Indo relations are suffering after a skirmish with Chinese troops on June 15 in Galwan Valley. India said 20 of its soldiers were killed, as were Chinese soldiers. Chinese officials have not confirmed any casualties. The Defence Acquisition Council on Friday approved a collection of arms procurement projects worth $5.55 billion, including domestic efforts worth $.4.44 billion. DAC is an apex-level body that falls under the purview of the Ministry of Defence. “In the current situation and the need to strengthen the armed forces for the defence of our borders, and in line with our Prime Minister's clarion call for ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat' [self-sufficient India], the DAC, in its meeting of July 2 held under the chairmanship of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, accorded approval for capital acquisitions of various platforms and equipment required by the Indian armed forces. Proposals for an approximate cost of $5.55 billion were approved,” the MoD said in a statement. Under the approval, India will upgrade 59 of its MiG-29 aircraft and buy 21 more from Russia for about $1 billion. In addition, India will order 12 Russian-made Su-30MKI fighters from the local state-owned company Hindustan Aeronautics Limited for $1.53 billion. The government has also approved several indigenous development programs, including ammunition for Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launchers; an armaments upgrade of BMP-2 infantry combat vehicles; software-defined radios; Nirbhay land-attack cruise missiles; and Astra beyond-visual-range missiles. The government also approved the emergency purchase of Excalibur artillery rounds for M777 ultralight howitzers from the United States, Igla-S air defense systems from Russia and Spike anti-tank guided missiles from Israel. It's also granted special financial powers that comes with a ceiling of $71.42 million to rapidly buy weapons. But these fast-track purchasing programs will still involve a multi-vendor competition. Twenty-five of these procurement programs are for the Army and the Air Force; 10 are for the Navy. The Army is likely to buy ammunition for its T-90 tanks, BMP-2 vehicles, air defense guns, artillery guns and small arms, as well as rockets, missiles and mortars. The Air Force is likely to buy air-to-air missiles, air to-ground missiles, smart bombs, chaffs, flares and precision-guided munitions. As part of the procurement effort, Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar visited Moscow from June 22-25 and met with Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov and chief of Rosoboronexport Alexander Mikheev. An MoD official said India requested the immediate supply of spare parts for Su-30MKI fighters, Kilo-class submarines and T-90 tanks, as well as the emergency purchase of missiles and specialized ammunition for Russian-origin fighter jets, tanks, warships and submarines. Another MoD official said the Indian government plans to sign defense contracts with Russia worth $800 million to buy weapons and spare parts. DAC-approved projects are expected to be awarded within a year, with technology induction starting after about three years. For fast-track and emergency purchases, induction is to begin within a month and be completed within a year. Ashok Sharma with The Associated Press contributed to this report. https://www.defensenews.com/global/asia-pacific/2020/07/06/india-accelerates-weapons-purchases-in-wake-of-border-clash-with-china/

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  16 septembre 2020 | International, Aérospatial

  Boeing fires up 'loyal wingman' engine ahead of flight trials

  Gareth Jennings Boeing Australia has powered up the engine of the first ‘loyal wingman' unmanned aerial vehicle it is developing in partnership with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) ahead of upcoming flight trials. The milestone, announced on 15 September, follows the completion earlier this year of the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that is serving as the foundation for the global Boeing Airpower Teaming System (ATS). “This engine run gets us closer toward flying the first aircraft later this year,” Dr Shane Arnott, programme director of the Boeing ATS was quoted as saying. “We've been able to select a very light, off-the-shelf jet engine for the unmanned system as a result of the advanced manufacturing technologies applied to the aircraft.” Boeing has not yet disclosed which engine it has chosen for the ATS. When it was unveiled at the Avalon Air Show in 2019, the ATS concept was named Boeing ATS (BATS). The Australian Department of Defense (DoD) said it would invest AUD40 million (USD29 million at the time) in the development. Boeing said the system represents the company's largest investment in a UAV programme outside the United States but did not disclose the amount involved. https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/boeing-fires-up-loyal-wingman-engine-ahead-of-flight-trials

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  3 octobre 2018 | International, Aérospatial

  Mattis says US-France in talks about loosening export limits on cruise missile

  By: Pierre Tran PARIS – U.S. defense officials are in detailed talks with French counterparts on a request for the sale of American components built into French cruise missiles, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said. Asked by a French journalist about Washington blocking the sale of the Scalp long-range weapon to Egypt and Qatar, Mattis said American and French staff were meeting on that very issue even as a press conference was being held. “We discussed this,” he said. “We also have our staffs meeting. We have an invitation out to France to answer two final questions. The meetings are going on as we speak.” Mattis, on his first visit to Paris as defense secretary, was speaking at a joint press conference with his French counterpart, Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly, held at Brienne House. The two issues to be resolved target “certain technologies” that the United States only shares with its closest allies, including France, and whether that technology can be further transferred, and how France can protect that technology, he said. “Right now we don't have a final answer but it is all going in the right direction,” he said. “And it was a very fruitful discussion today. Our staffs are working this forward right now.” The conundrum stems from the French sale to Egypt and Qatar of Scalp cruise missiles to arm Dassault Rafale fighter jets. The weapons include U.S. parts, leading Washington to evoke the International Traffic in Arms Regulations regime. Parly, meanwhile, thanked Mattis, for help in gaining U.S. authorization for arming French Reaper drones, cleared for fitting by the end of the year. U.S. President Donald Trump plans to come to Paris to mark the Nov. 11 Armistice Day, she said. That date is highly significant for France, marking the end of World War I, in which millions of troops died in the trenches. Mattis said he was not concerned about a drive by France and Germany to build a stronger European defense, as there were some issues which were “of interest only to Europeans.” As long as the European drive would not duplicate NATO or compete for alliance forces, “we see this in a positive direction,” he said. Mattis earlier met French President Emmanuel Macron and would go on to Brussels for a NATO ministerial meeting. https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2018/10/02/mattis-offers-easing-of-us-export-limits-on-french-cruise-missile