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18 Nov 14. Australia awards CH-47F facilities construction contract to Lend Lease. Lend Lease has been awarded a contract for the construction of facilities to support the Australian Army’s new CH-47 Chinook multimission helicopters. Awarded by the Australian Department of Defence, the $54.8m agreement will see the company construct CH-47 Chinook facilities at the Royal Australian Air Force Base Townsville, Queensland. Australian Defence Minister Parliamentary Secretary Darren Chester said: “This project will contribute to the modernisation of the Australian Defence Force’s primary medium-lift helicopter capability. “Over the next three years, this investment will provide economic benefits to the region, including [the] potential involvement of the local construction industry and sub-contractors. “Approximately 50 full-time jobs are anticipated to be created over the life of the project.” Construction work under the contract is expected to start before the end of the year and be completed by 2017. In March 2010, the Australian Defence Materiel Organisation signed a $513.5m contract with the US Army Security Assistance Command for the delivery of seven CH-47F Chinooks, as well as two simulators and associated spares. Boeing will supply the helicopters that incorporate some minor Australian-specific mission equipment enhancements, including crash-worthy crew and passenger seating, as well as mini guns and underfloor ballistic protection. The helicopters are scheduled to replace the army’s existing CH-47D Chinook fleet. Powered by Honeywell T55-GA-714A engines, the CH-47F Chinook is an upgraded version of the D model, and is used for military, humanitarian, disaster relief, search and rescue, and fire-fighting operations. It has an upgraded airframe, featuring greater single-piece construction for lower maintenance requirements and can fly at speeds of more than 175mph, with a payload of more than 21,000lb. It is used by the UK and US armies, as well as the Royal Canadian Air Force. (Source: army-technology.com)
17 Nov 14. Russia to Open Arctic Military Drone Base 420 Miles from Alaska. Russia has announced plans to build a drone base for military reconnaissance in a town just 420 miles off mainland Alaska and just over 300 miles off the US state’s St Lawrence Island, Russia’s state news agency reported. “The command of the eastern military district in charge of the military development of the Arctic zone has moved forward with plans to form an unmanned aerial vehicle division,” Alexandr Gordeev, spokesperson for the district said. Gordeev explained the base will be stationed around the Russian town of Anadyr, considered the administrative centre of the country’s eastern-most region of Chukotka and currently recruitment is underway for experienced personnel to be sent there. According to Gordeev besides functioning as an air drone base, the facility will also be equipped with other “mobile units” operated by entirely by professional servicemen as opposed to conscripts, who still make up a large proportion of Russia’s ground forces. The new base’s key objective will be to provide air reconnaissance for the Russian navy in its eastern waters which directly border U.S. waters. Since last year Russia has been in an ongoing territorial dispute with Canada over both countries’ presence in the Arctic. Following an appeal from Canada to the UN for increased control over the Arctic, which the North American nation currently shares with Russia, the US, Denmark and Norway, Russia responded by strengthening military presence in its regions close to the North Pole. The stretch of land known as the continental shelf which remains out of the reach of any of the five countries is speculated to be rich in gas and oil. This latest move is also part of a long-term strategy on Russia’s part of modernising its military with unmanned air vehicles. General major Edward Cherkasov also announced the armed forces’ Chemical Corps