Sponsored by
https://ieeinc.com/
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
UNITED KINGDOM AND NATO
12 Feb 25. Royal Navy: Shipbuilding for mysterious Type 83 destroyers to secure jobs for years – site being considered. Innovative Type 83 destroyers will secure shipbuilding jobs for years as the project continues to be analysed. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) is considering where to build the new Royal Navy warships, which are due to replace their Type 45 counterparts. Work to build the destroyers is expected to go into the mid-2040s. Mystery still surrounds how the Type 83 ships will be used and what her capabilities will be, with the designs still in the pre-concept phase. Luke Akehurst, Labour MP for North Durham, submitted a parliamentary written question asking UK companies will be involved in the design, manufacture and support of the shipbuilding project.
Maria Eagle, minister for defence procurement, said: “This Government is committed to delivering a thriving shipbuilding sector across the UK, supporting the whole supply chain, from design to repair, systems and integration. The Type 83 destroyer is one element of the Future Air Dominance System (FADS) programme, which has commenced its concept phase. FADS will replace the UK’s present Maritime Air Defence Capability vested in the Type 45 destroyer Programme.
“It is not yet possible to confirm where these ships will be built as it is subject to due commercial process, but the build of the Type 83 will secure work until at least the mid-2040s, depending on the number of platforms built. Analysis of supply chain involvement and social value will be conducted during this phase. Social value and sovereign considerations will inform any subsequent investment.” (Source: News Now/https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/)
11 Feb 25. Royal Navy shipbuilding drives growth in Scotland. Scottish small and medium enterprises (SMEs) contributed to the government’s Defence Industrial Strategy today as the Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry, Maria Eagle MP, visited the home of Royal Navy Type 31 frigate production. Local Scottish SMEs took part in a roundtable discussion at manufacturer Babcock’s site at Rosyth about the upcoming Strategy, emphasising the government’s commitment to fostering growth in the defence sector.
The event, hosted by Minister Eagle, provided a platform for SMEs to explore challenges and opportunities within the shipbuilding industry, reinforcing the Strategy’s goal of ensuring defence investment supports UK-wide prosperity.
With the consultation running until the end of February, the upcoming Defence Industrial Strategy seeks to grow a faster, more integrated, more resilient supply chain. Babcock has invested around £200 m in its Rosyth facilities over the last decade, including the development of a state-of-the-art assembly hall that enables the simultaneous construction of two Type 31 frigates.
The Type 31 programme, managed by Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S), demonstrates the breadth of the UK’s shipbuilding skills, innovation and capability.
Ongoing contracts like Type 31 are a key part of the UK Government’s Plan for Change, safeguarding national security whilst raising living standards across the UK with good, skilled, productive jobs.
Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry, Maria Eagle MP, said: “It was great to visit Rosyth and witness first-hand their world-class shipbuilding programme which will strengthen our national security into the future, whilst boosting jobs and small and medium-sized businesses across Scotland. This Government is working swiftly to develop a new Defence Industrial Strategy, in partnership with industry, innovators and workers, to drive jobs and growth in every nation and region of the UK, supporting our Plan for Change.”
Awarded to Babcock in November 2019, the contract for five Type 31 frigates has secured a legacy of shipbuilding activity at Rosyth, one of the UK’s largest waterside manufacturing and repair facilities. The programme continues to sustain and create 2,500 skilled jobs, reinforcing Scotland’s vital contribution to national defence capabilities.
The T31 class is based on Babcock’s Arrowhead 140 design, the parent design for the Type 31 frigate, which is adaptable to meet the needs of export customers, demonstrated in successes with Poland and Indonesia. International interest in further exports of the AH140 remains strong.
Babcock officially commenced construction on HMS Formidable at the end of last year, marking the third of five Type 31 Inspiration Class frigates being built for the Royal Navy. Flexible and adaptable by design, the Type 31 is a general-purpose frigate that will undertake missions such as interception, disruption, intelligence gathering, defence engagement and providing humanitarian support. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
10 Feb 25. UK-India defence agreements boost ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ ambition. The UK-India strategic partnership has taken another major step forward with the formal launch of Defence Partnership – India (DP-I) and the signing of several defence agreements at Aero India 2025. Announcing DP-I, UK Defence Minister Lord Vernon Coaker opened the UK-India Defence Partnership Pavilion, establishing a dedicated programme office within the UK’s Ministry of Defence that will serve as a one-stop shop for strengthening bilateral defence collaboration between the two countries. The UK and India have today agreed to expand their collaboration on next-generation weapons with Thales and Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL). Thales and BDL have signed a contract that will deliver Laser Beam Riding MANPADs (LBRM), with an initial supply of High Velocity Missiles (STARStreak) and launchers to be delivered this year. This contract represents an important next step for UK-Indian defence co-operation in the critical area of air defence.
Lord Vernon Coaker, UK Defence Minister, said: “It was a pleasure to visit India and continue to grow our already strong defence relationship. Our Defence Partnership and the UK-India Defence Partnership Pavilion will help strengthen our cooperation further, supporting economic growth in both our countries and India’s Atmanirbhar ambition.
This event showcases our collaboration in next generation capability, and the massive potential the UK and India can unlock by working together.
Following the signing of this initial LBRM contract, both Thales and BDL will further collaborate to produce Lightweight Multirole Missiles (LMM). This develops and expands the partnership between Indian and British industry, laying the foundation for BDL and Indian industry to form an integral part of Thales’ global supply chain. It will address mutual security concerns, create jobs in both countries and enable interoperability by both armies.”
Lindy Cameron, British High Commissioner to India, said: “India is taking significant steps in its journey to become Atmanirbhar in its defence capabilities. The UK is really looking forward to working with India as a partner of choice in supporting this ambition: collaborating on defence technologies lies at the heart of this. These are landmark agreements that support our economic growth and joint security.”
In a separate development, MBDA UK and BDL have been working together on the installation of a first of its kind Advanced Short-Range Air to Air Missile (ASRAAM) assembly and test facility in Hyderabad, arming current fleet of India’s fighter jets as well as exporting to the world.
On the maritime front, the UK and India have signed a Statement of Intent to design and develop an Integrated Full Electric Propulsion (IFEP) system for India’s next generation Landing Platform Dock (LPD) fleet. As next steps, GE Vernova and BHEL are working to develop India’s first maritime Land Based Testing Facility to deliver LPD in the water by 2030.
The strengthening of UK-India partnership will directly support India’s ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ ambition and deliver the UK Government’s growth agenda and Plan for Change.
Further information
- Free-to-use high resolution images of the UK delegation at Aero India will be uploaded online: www.flickr.com/photos/ukinindia.
- The British companies at Aero India 2025 are Rolls Royce, BAE Systems, MBDA UK, Thales UK, GE Vernova, Leonardo, Strongfield Technologies, ASL, SEKO Logistics, Jaguar Engineering Centre of Excellence, Aviation Defence Supplies Ltd and Ricardo.
- Following the signing of the LBRM contract both Thales UK and BDL will further collaborate to co-produce Lightweight Multirole Missiles with BDL forming an integral part of the Thales supply chain, increasing manufacturing capacity for global export.
- UK Defence invested £69m to secure Thales UK supply chain for key components used in the manufacture of missiles in 2024.
- The landmark maritime electric propulsion capability transfer will ensure self-reliance in the power and propulsion of the Indian Navy’s next generation fleets. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
USA
11 Feb 25. USMC seeking new modular tactical radio. US Marine Corps (USMC) programme officials are soliciting industry options on development of a new modular, advanced-architecture combat radio to support tactical command-and-control (C2) voice and data networks. Service officials issued a request for information (RFI) for the Modular Advanced Radio Architecture (MARA) Small Form Factor radio, to meet the USMC’s standing requirement for a new small tactical modular radio. System requirements include an eight-hour operating span off a single X90 lithium battery, while in support of “manportable and on-the-move capability”, according to the January RFI. Fielded MARA tactical radio systems will utilise a 3U VPX computing core, or a VNS+ variant, with a total operating load of 10 lb, the RFI stated. Once developed, the new MARA radios will support C2, communications, and fire-support missions carried out by USMC units at the operational and tactical levels. “The MARA will provide tactical edge communications as the radio frequency (RF) transport on tactical voice radio networks and tactical data networks”, service officials noted in the RFI. The MARA radio will be able to support secure, encrypted voice and data communications up to top secret classifications, the officials added. The MARA architecture standards on which the new small form factor radio will operate will mimic army’s Common Modular Open Suite of Standards (CMOSS) for electronic warfare (EW) and command, control, communications, computers, cyber, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C5ISR) operations. (Source: Janes)
REST OF THE WORLD
14 Feb 25. Trump says US to increase military sales to India, eventually provide F-35 jets.
- Summary
- Companies
- US will raise military sales to India by many billions of dollars, Trump says
- Trump’s F-35 offer still a proposal, Indian official says
- F-35 purchase process has not started yet, Indian official says
- Any talks on F-35 sales will be between governments, Lockheed Martin says
The United States will increase military sales to India starting in 2025 and will eventually provide F-35 fighter jets, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday.
“We’ll be increasing military sales to India by many billions of dollars. We’re also paving the way to ultimately provide India with the F-35 stealth fighters,” Trump told reporters.
Trump did not provide a timeline, but foreign military sales, especially for cutting-edge technology like the stealthy F-35 jet, typically take years to work through. Addressing a joint news conference after a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Trump also said the countries had struck an agreement that includes India importing more U.S. oil and gas to shrink the trade deficit between the two countries. Trump also said that Washington and New Delhi will be working together to confront what he called “the threat of radical Islamic terrorism.” Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told reporters later that New Delhi follows an elaborate process for foreign military purchases including seeking proposals from manufacturers and evaluating them. (Source: Google/Reuters)
14 Feb 25. Russia offers Su-57 to India. Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) and Rosoboronexport – the country’s defence export agency – have proposed to offer to India the Sukhoi Su-57 multirole fighter aircraft. UAC and Rosoboronexport announced the plan on 11 February in a press conference at Aero India 2025 in Bangalore. Officials said the plan would be framed by local production in India. Indian officials have not commented on the proposal. However, UAC and Rosoboronexport officials said that if such a deal is approved, India’s state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) could start building the aircraft in 2025. A Rosoboronexport media representative said the agency proposes to support the deal through technology transfers to India that could benefit New Delhi’s developmental Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme. Such technologies, he said, could include aero-engines, active electronically scanned array (AESA) radars, optics, artificial intelligence (AI), software, communications, and weapons development. The representative added that local Su-57 production, supported by transferred technologies, would also support any future Indian requirement to upgrade the Su-57 and would enable India to design and develop new aircraft platforms as well as key systems, including aero-engines. Rosoboronexport has been promoting the Su-57 for exports to support Russia’s defence aviation industry in the wake of international sanctions. Algeria is reportedly the first export customer of the aircraft. (Source: Janes)
13 Feb 25. Leonardo exec floats Eurofighter as stepstone for Saudi GCAP entrance. Saudi Arabia can gain the industrial know-how it needs to participate in the GCAP fighter program by first setting up assembly lines for NH90 helicopters and Eurofighters, a senior Italian industrial official has said. The Gulf kingdom needs to improve its aerospace skills before entering the sixth-generation jet program run by the U.K., Italy and Japan, and working on other platforms could be key, said Lorenzo Mariani, Leonardo’s co-director general.
“For a rapid but not disruptive entry of another partner [to GCAP] you need a path and that must take into account the industrial capacity of the partner,” Mariani told Defense News.
“It is not only about money but about having work,” he added.
Saudi Arabia has said it would like to join the GCAP program which is gathering pace following the creation of a UK-based tri-national government office and a U.K.-based industrial joint venture teaming BAE Systems, Leonardo and Japan’s JAIEC.
Mariani said a first development contract would be handed by the government program office to the industry team at the end of 2025 or the the start of 2026. The fighter is expected to be in service by 2035.
During a visit to Saudi Arabia last month Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said, “We are in favor of the Saudis entering, but clearly this … will not be immediate.”
During the visit, Saudi Arabia signed an memorandum of understanding with Leonardo to tighten industrial cooperation, particularly on fighter aircraft and helicopters.
Riyadh is meanwhile mulling ordering new Eurofighters to add to its fleet of 72 aircraft and could buy NH-90 helicopters.
Mariani said that if Saudi Arabia bought those platforms and actively worked on building them, it would build up know-how before potentially taking a productive role on GCAP.
“Since a process to enter GCAP is needed, and it needs time, let’s use the time to create as much activity as possible. And we propose to work on programs together, which could be the new Eurofighter and the NH90. It’s a very different approach. We used to sell, now we are saying let’s work together,” he said.
“You need to introduce intermediate work and we believe that some programs like Eurofighter can be the right entry path to GCAP,” Mariani added.
The U.K., which is leading the Eurofighter sales effort in Saudi Arabia, is being supported by Italy.
Mariani said that with new radars being added and new orders arriving, the Eurofighter was “in a process of long-term evolution,” adding, “The Eurofighter will come out of this process fundamentally transformed, and Saudia Arabia can have a role in this process.”
Asked specifically what Saudi Arabia could work on, Mariani said, “It could involve an assembly line, a production line for major units, from the radar to radio. It must be evaluated. We propose the same approach for the NH90. Airbus and Leonardo are working on how to set up part of the technical activity there. It could be final assembly, maintenance, work on parts of the structure,” he said.
“The Saudis appreciate this,” he added. Mariani did not commit to timings on deals for Riyadh to enter GCAP, but said “I hope it will be soon.”
He said the idea of involving Saudi Arabia in work on programs reflected Leonardo’s broader wish to forge partnerships in the Gulf instead of just selling products, as well as the ambition held by Gulf governments to build their industrial capabilities.
“Many of the countries have started programs to transform theireconomies. Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 plan is the best known but it is happening in the UAE,” he said.
The most important aspect is to stop focusing too heavily on oil and gas, he said, and focus on technology.
“Defense is always one of the candidates on the table,” he said, adding that the trend made this month’s IDEX show in Abu Dhabi doubly relevant.
Mariani said Leonardo was heading to IDEX with a focus on the naval, space and cyber sectors, as well as aerospace.
“We are increasingly striking partnerships which foresee the possibility of transferring technology to local partners,” he said. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/Defense News)
12 Feb 25. Denel launches new missiles and UAS. South African defence conglomerate Denel has announced significant developments in two of its business areas – uncrewed vehicles and air-to-air missiles. Denel has unveiled a rotary-wing uncrewed air system (RW-UAS) suitable for operating from either land or naval vessels. The helicopter-like craft is designed for the surveillance role, with a variety of sensors. According to local reports, these include a high-definition colour television camera, together with a thermal imaging camera, plus a laser rangefinder and designator, making it suitable for finding and targeting enemy assets. Denel failed to respond to African Aerospace enquiries about the new system, but according to specialist South African defence website DefenceWeb, the RW-UAS is 5.9m long, with a five-bladed rotor diameter of 6m, a choice of turbocharged petrol or diesel engines giving it a maximum speed of 200km/h and a maximum endurance, in standard configuration, of up to 10 hours. For potential buyers seeking a more advanced sensor fit, RW-UAS can carry an optional radar sensor that offers synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) imagery as well as ground moving object indicator imagery. This makes it suitable for aerial mapping of enemy formations. However, Denel seems initially to be aiming the new aircraft at civilian tasks, such as law enforcement, power line inspections and border patrol. Denel has also begun deliveries to the South African Air Force (SAAF) of its long-delayed A-Darter agile short-range air-to-air missile. Initial training rounds should have been delivered by the time African Aerospace appears, with an initial batch of live rounds scheduled for delivery in spring 2025. The missiles are destined to provide a new capability for the SAAF’s Saab Gripen C/D fighter aircraft. Denel began development of the A-Darter as long ago as 2006, but a long list of problems, notably a chronic lack of funding and the subsequent loss of skilled technical personnel, has repeatedly delayed service entry of the fifth-generation infrared guided missile. A-Darter has a notably short range – just 7km – but this is partially offset by its large ‘off-boreshot’ capability; that is, it can be fired at a target anywhere within a 180-degree arc from the launch aircraft’s heading. (Source: Google/https://www.timesaerospace.aero/)
12 Feb 25. Indian warplane maker promises faster delivery after air chief’s rebuke.
- Summary
- Companies
- IAF operates with 31 squadrons, target is 42
- Jet maker HAL facing issue with engine supplies
- HAL says it understands concerns, trying to fix problem
India’s state fighter jet maker Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) said it understood why the military was impatient over delays in delivering warplanes and would start rolling them out once General Electric (GE.N) supplied engines for them. In a press conference on Tuesday, called after the emergence of a video showing the head of the air force rebuking company officials, HAL Chairman D.K. Sunil said: “The concern of the air chief is understandable. Of course, his squadron strengths are going down.”
“We have now promised that we will have all the structures ready,” Sunil said “We are building this. Once the engines are available, this will start rolling out.”
The Indian Air Force’s fleet of mainly ex-Soviet aircraft has been operating with only 31 fighter squadrons compared with a target of 42, frustrating its officials given the country’s tense relations with neighbours China and Pakistan. (Source: Google/Reuters)
11 Feb 25. Russia offers India its most advanced Su-57 stealth fighter jet. Russia has offered to make its fifth-generation stealth fighter jet Sukhoi Su-57 in India for the Indian Air Force, a Russian and an Indian official said on Tuesday, as Moscow looks to boost defence ties with New Delhi. Russia has for decades been the main weapons supplier to India, the world’s biggest arms importer, and its fighter jets are part of India’s military fleet. But Moscow’s ability in recent years to export has been hobbled by the war in Ukraine, making New Delhi look westward. A spokesperson for Russian state arms exporter Rosoboronexport told reporters the fighter jet could go into production as early as this year if the Indian government accepts its offer. India’s defence ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A Russian industry source and an Indian official said an informal offer had been made by Russia in talks with officials of the Indian government and state-owned planemaker Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (Source: Reuters)
12 Feb 25. HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) is enjoying a rosy outlook upon winning orders to build U.S. naval vessels at its shipyards in Korea, as a new bill proposed in the United States is designed to allow the U.S. Navy to procure warships built in allied nations. This is seen as an opportunity for HHI to challenge its domestic rival Hanwha Ocean, which gained the upper hand after acquiring Philly Shipyard in Philadelphia last year to supply naval and commercial vessels. Such an optimistic outlook came as two U.S. Republican senators proposed bills on Feb. 5 to ease the Byrnes-Tollefson Amendment, which prohibits the construction of U.S. naval vessels and the manufacturing of major components on those ships in foreign shipyards. Their proposals are intended to allow the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard to procure vessels built in shipyards of NATO member nations or Indo-Pacific countries that signed mutual defense agreements with the United States if the cost is cheaper in such shipyards and those shipyards are not affiliated with China.
“Both bills are about leveraging our diplomatic relationships and the comparative advantages of our allies to ensure America remains at the forefront of maritime security,” said Sen. Mike Lee, who proposed the bills with Sen. John Curtis.
Curtis said that the Ensuring Naval Readiness Act and the Ensuring Coast Guard Readiness Act take common-sense measures to strengthen the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard while keeping costs down and reinforcing alliances with trusted partners.
Although they did not mention specific names of the allied countries, Korea and Japan are seen as the only two nations that can build U.S. naval vessels at lower costs. Last year, the proportions of new global shipbuilding orders placed with Korea and Japan were 16.7 percent and 4.9 percent, respectively, while China swept over 70 percent of the orders.
Welcoming the proposed bills, HD HHI emphasized the size of its shipyard, which is the largest among U.S. allies.
“We are capable of building Aegis destroyers that can satisfy the U.S. Navy’s demand in terms of performance, cost and period of construction,” an HD HHI official said.
Hanwha Ocean welcomed the bills as well, mentioning its track record of receiving the U.S. Navy’s orders to maintain, repair and overhaul its vessels. However, the new bills also caused doubts about the necessity of its Philly Shipyard, which needs a significant amount of money for normalization and higher wages to satisfy U.S. shipyard workers.
Given U.S. President Donald Trump’s push to overhaul the country’s navy in collaboration with allies, industry officials view the likelihood of the bill’s passage as greater than before.
Investors bet that both shipbuilders will benefit from the newly proposed U.S. bills.
After Korean investors learned about the proposals on Wednesday, the stock prices of both HD HHI and Hanwha Ocean hit the 52-week high during the intraday trading session. HD HHI closed at 353,000 won ($243), up 15.36 percent from the previous session, while Hanwha Ocean closed at 72,900 won, a 15.17 percent rise from a day earlier. (Source News Now/https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/)
12 Feb 25. Boeing hopes to seal $3.5bn deal with Korea for 36 Apache helicopters. U.S. defense giant Boeing hopes to continue its collaboration with Korea on the sale of 36 AH-64E Apache helicopters, amid increasing speculation that the Korean government may be reevaluating its plans.
“We are really excited to support the Republic of Korea’s requirements for defense contracts, specifically to procure an additional 36 E model Apaches, which would ultimately bring the fleet size of the Republic of Korea Army’s Apache aircraft to 72,” Christina Upah, vice president of Boeing’s attack helicopter programs, said at a media briefing in Seoul, Wednesday.
Upah, who oversees Boeing’s Mesa site in Arizona — the manufacturing plant for Apache helicopters — highlighted during her visit to Seoul that the attack reconnaissance helicopter continues to see strong international demand. It is currently in operation across 19 countries.
“We value the distinguished relationship and partnership that we have forged with Korean industries, and we are committed to grow and expand those in the future,” the vice president said.
Apache, a multimission attack helicopter designed as a highly stable aerial weapons-delivery platform, is capable of day and night and all-weather operations. It has a maximum cruising speed of 269 kilometers per hour and can carry up to four air-to-air missiles in addition to Hellfire missiles.
The Republic of Korea Army has been operating 36 Apache helicopters since 2017.
Korea has been seeking to buy 36 more AH-64E Apache attack helicopters, as well as logistics and program support, at an estimated cost of $3.5 bn. The government-to-government Foreign Military Sale was approved by the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency in August. However, in recent months, there has been speculation that the Korean military is reconsidering the purchase amid rising skepticism about attack helicopters in modern warfare. In light of the Russia-Ukraine war, where helicopters have suffered a high number of losses, lighter and more cost-effective unmanned aerial vehicles have gained prominence. Addressing these concerns, Upah highlighted that Boeing’s attack helicopters continue to go through modernization and will remain a critical asset on the battlefield.
“There is no drone or uncrewed platform that can do what the Apache does today. The Apache has a very strong demand and future that is tied to the U.S. Army’s modernization plan,” she said.
TJ Jamison, Boeing’s director of attack business development, who also attended the press briefing, emphasized the importance of integrating manned and unmanned military equipment.
“The professional military analysis has proven over and over again, through not just the U.S. Army’s analysis and project convergence, but also analyses from Israel, Australia, Korea and Poland, all the analyses point to the best solution [being] a mix, a partnership of man and unmanned complementing each other,” Jamison said. (Source: News Now/https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/)
12 Feb 25. Philippine military eyes more upgrades, including ‘dream’ submarines. The Philippines is looking to buy more military hardware to modernise its arsenal, including additional BrahMos missiles from India and at least two submarines, the chief of the armed forces said on Feb 12. The Philippines is on the third phase of its modernisation programme called “Horizons”. It has earmarked US$35bn (S$47.4bn) for the build-up over the next decade as it aims to counter China’s military might in the region.
“It’s a dream for us to get at least two submarines,” General Romeo Brawner Jr said in a speech to leading business figures. “We are an archipelago. So we have to have this type of capability, because it’s really difficult to defend that entire archipelago without submarines.”
In 2022, the Philippines bought a US$375m BrahMos anti-ship missile system from India and has orders for more.
“We are getting more of this (system) in 2025 and in the coming years,” Gen Brawner said.
The Philippines has previously said it was eyeing mid-range missiles and at least 40 fighter jets to boost its defence capabilities. It is expecting deliveries in 2025 of at least two corvette vessels from South Korea, which in 2024 elevated its ties with Manila to a strategic partnership.
Gen Brawner also said Manila is trying to get South Korea to join the Squad, a multilateral grouping composed of Australia, Japan, the Philippines and the US.
The Philippines’ military build-up comes as tensions between Manila and Beijing have escalated in the South China Sea, where the two have clashed in recent years.
Gen Brawner said the military has observed an increase in “illegal, coercive and deceptive” actions by China in the South China Sea.
“We have seen also an increase in the number of vessels in the West Philippine Sea on a daily basis,” he said, using Manila’s term for waters in the South China Sea that fall within its exclusive economic zone.
A pawn of the US? Manila’s plan to buy missile system draws flak from BeijingUS, Philippines ink military intel-sharing pact amid Trump-era alliance concerns. From 190 vessels in 2021, the Philippines is now seeing a daily average of 286 Chinese ships around Manila’s maritime zone, he said China’s Embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Chinese authorities have previously said their actions in the region were lawful.
Gen Brawner added a “joint maritime activity” with the US and Canada in Manila’s maritime zone in the South China Sea was under way.
He said Manila is also eyeing joint activities with France, Italy and the UK.
These activities are meant to ensure an effective presence in the South China Sea, Gen Brawner added. (Source: News Now/https://www.straitstimes.com/Reuters)
04 Feb 25. India’s DRDO announces successful trials of its VSHORADS/C-UAS system. India’s Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) reports it has successfully conducted three successive flight-trials of Very Short-Range Air Defence System (VSHORADS) from Chandipur off the coast of Odisha. These tests were carried out against high-speed targets flying at very low altitude.
“During all the three flight-tests, the missiles intercepted and completely destroyed the targets having reduced thermal signature mimicking low flying drones at different flying conditions. The flight-tests were carried out in final deployment configuration where in two field operators carried out weapon readiness, target acquisition and missile firing,” said a DRDO press release. “The flight data captured by various range instruments like Telemetry, Electro-Optical Tracking System and Radar deployed by Integrated Test Range, Chandipur, confirmed the pin-point accuracy and established the unique capability of VSHORADS missile system in neutralizing drones along with other classes of aerial threats. The flight-tests were witnessed by senior officials of DRDO, Armed Forces and development and production partners.”
VSHORADS is a Man Portable Air Defence system designed and developed indigenously by Research Center Imarat in collaboration with other DRDO laboratories and Development cum Production Partners. The missile system has the capability to meet the needs of all the three branches of the Armed Forces, viz. Indian Army, Navy and Air Force. For more information: https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2098784(Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–
Since 1946, Industrial Electronic Engineers, IEE, has specialized in the design, test, support and fielding of display products for use in demanding military and aerospace applications throughout the world. IEE has developed an extensive product portfolio that today includes enhanced flat panel displays, smart displays and handheld devices.
From rapid prototyping of custom designs to full-scale production runs, IEE, produces displays with advanced features like low-latency video processing, high-bright and NVIS backlighting, and lightweight rugged enclosures. Their SWaP-C products employ the latest lightweight composite materials; low power, high performance integrated ARM processors; standard Ethernet and USB communication, in a low cost, highly producible design.
In-house California facilities include optical bonding, clean rooms for display assembly, a dark room for optical measurements and environmental chambers for pre-compliance and customer acceptance testing. On-site manufacturing includes PCB assembly and flow soldering. IEE has manufactured handheld, in-vehicle, airborne and naval LCD displays for all military branches as well as leading aerospace firms both domestically and internationally.
IEE is ISO 9001:2015 and AS9100D certified.
IEE’s Advantage:
- Direct control of critical process steps that reduce cost, decrease production lead times and improves life-cycle management
- Unique advantage to serve to both smaller quantity, highly custom displays needs as well as high volume production outputs
- Expert in delivering the best value in form and fit replacement by modifying existing COTS products to meet legacy requirements
- Leading the next generation avionics efficiencies by leveraging open architectures and common software standards
- Field-proven, pre-engineered displays minimize lead-time and non-recurring engineering costs.
——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–