29 May 14. South Korea to Buy Textron Anti-Armor Weapons, U.S. Says. South Korea’s military is buying one of the top anti-armor weapons developed by the Pentagon, a Textron Inc. system designed to destroy tanks and vehicles. The Republic of Korea will receive by 2016 its first 361 war-ready versions of the anti-armor Sensor Fuzed Weapon under a $190m contract, the U.S. Defense Department said today. The armament is made by Textron’s defense systems unit. South Korea previously bought 22 of the weapons for testing. The new deliveries are part of improved capabilities the South Korean government is investing in before a planned December 2015 handover of the nation’s defenses against North Korea from American command. The aircraft-dropped weapons, made by Providence, Rhode Island-based Textron, will enhance South Korea’s capability to “defeat a wide range of enemy defenses including fortifications, armored vehicles, and maritime threats,” according to a Pentagon statement. Korea also is taking delivery in 2016 of the first of 36 AH-64 Apache Longbow helicopters capable of spotting targets while hovering behind ridgelines and hills. U.S. Army forces in South Korea already are armed with the copters made by Chicago-based Boeing Co. South Korea also is expected this year to commit to buying its first Global Hawk reconnaissance drones made by Northrop Grumman Corp. (NOC), according to a person familiar with the matter who asked not to be identified discussing military planning. South Korea’s purchase of as many as four drones, along with contracts for parts, training and logistical support may be valued at as much as $1.2bn, the Pentagon estimates. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/Bloomberg)
26 May 14. Azerbaijan plans to purchase Russian coastal missile systems. Azerbaijan’s Defence Ministry has shown interest in the purchase of Bal-E type coastal missile system. According to the Kommersant newspaper, Baku is currently reviewing the purchase of one division in a hope to consolidate its Caspian coastline area. General Director of the Tactic Rocket Armament Corporation Boris Obnosov spoke about the interest of
Azerbaijan’s Defence Ministry in the production of the corporation. “We offer them factually the whole spectrum of production, including the Bal-E type coastal missile system”, he said adding that the ‘demand for this system is observed in almost all the countries that have an outlet to the sea”. He did not specify the agreements with Azerbaijan but noted that the presentation of the complex took place during the exhibition of military hardware and ammunition KADEX 2014 in Astana.
MPI Comment – Azerbaijan is improving defence ties with Russia as Russian industry can fulfil a number of Baku’s defence requirements. In addition to undertaking talks over coastal missile system procurement, the two countries have also discussed sale of additional T-90s to Azerbaijan. News reports from KADEX 2014 have also hinted that Azerbaijan may order 100 more T-90S main battle tanks from Russia, having just completed delivery of an earlier order for 100 of the MBTs. (Source: MPI – Hawk Information/News.az)
02 Jun 14. Russia starts Verba MANPADS deliveries to Airborne Forces. Russia has started deliveries of the latest Verba man-portable air-defence systems (MANPADS) equipped with an automated fire control system to its airborne forces. Russian military spokesman Yevgeny Meshkov was quoted by RIA Novosti as saying that the Ivankvsky Airborne Forces division’s surface to air-missile (SAM) regiment is the first to take the delivery and start studying the modern air defence battle system.
The system is claimed to be capable of automatically providing information on the air environment, fix the target and command a strike against the airborne target within several seconds. In addition to this, the system is designed to exclude the human factor, while saving ammunition and increasing the effectiveness of air-defence sub-elements. Meanwhil