15 Sep 14. PT Pindad and CMI enter weapons systems collaboration. Indonesia’s PT Pindad and Belgium’s CMI Defence signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on 15 September to collaborate on the development of military vehicle weapons systems. Under the terms of the agreement CMI Defence will transfer technology and knowhow to PT Pindad, who will then licence manufacture and integrate the weapons systems onto the company’s military vehicles. The partnership covers CMI-designed systems ranging in calibre from 25 mm to 105 mm. Vehicles produced by PT Pindad include the 4×4 Komodo tactical vehicle and the 6×6 Anoa armoured personnel carrier. The two companies said in a statement that they are aiming to roll out the first integrated military vehicle within 12 months and that initial stages of the partnership will focus on the development and integration of turret systems in the 90-105 mm range. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
14 Sep 14. Russia to demonstrate ICBM-protection measures. Tactical exercises by Russia’s Tactical exercises by Russia’s Strategic Rocket Forces (RVSN) due to start in September will include the use of point defence systems such as the Pantsir-S (SA-22 ‘Greyhound’) missile/gun self-propelled point defence able to defend SRF assets such as mobile intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) from attack by precision guided munitions. This follows the attempts that the RVSN has made recently to publicise its efforts to increase the survivability of these mobile systems against threats such as conventionally armed precision-guided munitions and cruise missiles. Passive countermeasures tested recently involved the use of engineering and support vehicles to form decoy missile launcher convoys, a Ministry of Defence spokesman said on 27 August. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
12 Sep 14. China demonstrates new HongQi-10 naval missile defence system. China has rolled out the new HongQi-10 surface-to-air missile system, which is claimed to be capable of trimming down the threat from low-altitude anti-ship missiles and aircraft. During the demonstration, the missile system successfully intercepted a target and exploded in the sky on impact with its target, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP). Aimed at defending naval ships against rockets, the latest military system will complement an area defence system that covers a larger area, claims the Global Times newspaper. Modern Ships monthly journal deputy chief editor Lan Yun said: “As a naval point defence missile system, HongQi-10 boasts a particularly quick response to low-altitude missiles that area defence systems fail to intercept.” Further, the system can be used to launch missiles at just 1.5m to 10m above sea level, while taking only ten seconds to launch. Integrating infrared and microwave seekers, the latest missile system will be able to secure naval vessels against anti-ship missiles equipped with either infrared or microwave radiation. In addition to offering maritime defence, the low to medium-level air defence system can also defend ground forces from air attacks by jets, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and cruise missiles. China has been focusing on boosting its military force and naval reach in recent years, with President Xi Jinping urging the nation to bolster its ability to ‘win battles’. (Source: naval-technology.com)
18 Sep 14. Kongsberg Contracted by US Navy to Test NSM from LCS. Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace AS was contracted by the US Navy to test fire KONGSBERG`s Naval Strike Missile (NSM) from the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) under the Foreign Comparative Testing program. The firing was requested by the US Navy to demonstrate the capability to engage a surface target at a range of 100 nautical miles from an LCS class ship. The test is planned to be conducted during September this year from the USS Coronado, an Independence-class LCS. This demonstration follows a successful NSM live fire event from the Royal Norwegian Navy´s Fridtjof Nansen-class frigate wi