28 Sep 12. The Australian Army has deployed two newly received Counter Rocket Artillery and Mortar (C-RAM) Giraffe AMB radars to support its soldiers in Afghanistan, the country’s defence materiel minister Jason Clare has revealed. Clare said that the new radars were currently operational with Australian Defence Forces (ADF) at the multinational base Tarin Kot in Uruzgan Province, Afghanistan. Australia had awarded a five-year $86.2m contract to Saab for production and delivery of three Giraffe radars along with field sustainment support services to the army as part of the final stage of the ADF’s LAND 19 phase 7A acquisition project in 2010. Until now, the country has been operating leased radars for successfully detecting and providing early warning against insurgent fire attacks at Tarin Kot since 28 December 2010. The third and final Giraffe radar under contract is scheduled for delivery to the army in January 2013 and is expected to be used as an Australia-based training support system. (Source: armytechnology.com)

28 Sep 12. Sagem (Safran group) has introduced the latest version of the well-known Sigma 30 family of artillery navigation and pointing systems, the Sigma 30-700, to meet the evolving needs of manufacturers of long-range 52 caliber and long range artillery systems. Offering fully autonomous operation on the artillery piece, Sagem’s new Sigma 30-700 is purpose-designed for the high-precision firing of long-range artillery. Like the rest of the Sigma 30 family, it guarantees the same degree of precision without GPS, or with signal jamming or decoys. Based on its performance characteristics, the Sigma 30-700 can also be used in counter-battery or air defense long-range radars. The Sigma 30, in connection with the ballistic computer, gives artillery pieces a significant operational advantage by supporting fast deployments and a wide range of scenarios in both symmetrical and asymmetrical engagements. Sigma 30 systems are based on digital ring laser gyro technology with a long optical path (32 cm), and call on Sagem’s proven industrial and technological expertise in navigation systems. Systems in the Sigma 30 family have already been selected by more than 40 artillery programs worldwide. Coupled to the Caesar guns deployed by the French army, they have demonstrated their capabilities in different theaters of operation.

28 Sep 12. The Russian Army’s 27th Guards Motor Rifle Division is evaluating a future high-tech soldier system at the Alabino Shooting Range in Moscow, Russian Defence Ministry ground forces spokesman lieutenant colonel Nikolai Donyushkin has confirmed. Donyushkin was quoted by RIA Novosti as saying that the system was being tested as part of military trials, and incorporates around 40 different elements for riflemen, scouts and mechanic-drivers. According to the spokesman, the tests results will be thoroughly studied by an army commission, which will then choose the best elements for further evaluations. Russia had first announced negotiations with France to purchase Sagem-built Felin future infantry system for evaluation purposes in December 2011, and also attended presentation of Italy’s Soldato Futuro system in March 2012. However, Russia’s chief of general staff general Nikolai Makarov later revealed that the country would domestically develop the system as part of the soldier military equipment (BES) programme. RIA Novosti news agency, citing Russian Military-Industrial Commission first deputy chair Yury Borisov, reported earlier that the Russian system was expected to have a reasonable weight, compared with the existing 25kg, and feature at least ten modules for adaptability to varied combat environments. (Source: armytechnology.com)

27 Sep 12. F-35B aircraft test flight with AIM-9X Sidewinder. Navy test pilot Lt. Christopher Tabert flies F-35B aircraft BF-3 with inert AIM-9X Sidewinder missiles Sept. 19 over the Atlantic Test Ranges. The test flight evaluated airplane structural l