03 Nov 11. Peter Luff, the UK Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Defence Equipment, Support and Technology) has declined to provide information on the missile system designated ‘Exactor’ known to be used by the British Army in Afghanistan. Scottish National Party MP Angus Robertson asked Luff what vehicle was capable of firing the Exactor missile and whether his department has acquired M113 armoured personnel carriers under urgent operational requirements for operations in Afghanistan. (Source: Jane’s, JMR)
28 Oct 11. UK details ordnance fired during Libyan campaign. UK Army Air Corps (AAC) AgustaWestland Apache AH.1 attack helicopters struck more than 100 targets during their participation in the Libyan campaign, according to UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) officials involved in the NATO operation. The five Apache attack helicopters of 4 Regiment AAC fired 99 AGM-114 Hellfire missiles and 16 CRV-7 rockets, destroying 107 targets, including 54 ‘technical’ armed vehicles and two rigid inflatable boats. (Source: Jane’s, JDW)
13 Nov 11. Raytheon Company completed testing and development of a new wireless method of integrating its combat-proven Enhanced Paveway precision-guided bomb on aircraft. The new integration tool, called WiPak®, uses wireless technology similar to what is being used in many consumer wireless devices such as tablet computers. WiPak consists of a small wireless transmitter and pilot interface in the aircraft cockpit, and a small receiver affixed to the Paveway weapon. Raytheon has integrated WiPak on the Embraer Super Tucano counterinsurgency aircraft and is in the process of testing and deploying the system on similar aircraft.
13 Nov 11. Raytheon Company has completed a fit check of the Joint Standoff Weapon in the internal carriage bay of the Joint Strike Fighter aircraft. During the fit check, Raytheon technicians loaded a JSOW shape in the JSF’s internal carriage bay and conducted a series of tests to prove the bay door could close properly without damaging the aircraft or the weapon. “JSOW C-1 is the world’s first net-enabled standoff weapon that can engage a moving maritime target,” said Phyllis McEnroe, JSOW program director for Raytheon Missile Systems. “With its more than 110 kilometer range (68 statute miles) and tunnel defeat capability, JSOW C-1 will give members of the JSF a critical capability no other weapon can provide.”
13 Nov 11. MBDA prepares VL MICA land systems for delivery. While the first VL MICA naval surface-to-air defence systems are being delivered to customers, the production of VL MICA land systems for an export customer is in full swing ready for deliveries starting in 2012. In this respect, the equipment produced and assembled in MBDA’s facilities in France has been deployed at a French Air Force airbase, where the various vehicles will be networked to validate a standard operational configuration. The French Air Force has already taken part in the VL MICA land programme in 2009 which carried out the technical and operational assessment of the VL MICA demonstrator. This activity was an element of the SALVE (Sol-Air à Lancement Vertical – in English: ground-to-air, vertical launch system) technology demonstrator programme notified to MBDA by the DGA (the French armament procurement agency) in 2005.
12 Nov 11. Finland is reviewing a 150m euro weapons deal with Saudi Arabia as some politicians are worried the weapons could eventually be used by authorities against their own citizens, an online newspaper reported on Friday. The Verkkouutiset news website, affiliated with the ruling National Coalition, said the weapons deal by state-controlled arms producer Patria would provide Saudi Arabia with mortars worth 150m euros ($204m), the biggest arms deal for Finland in over a decade. An official at Finland’s defence ministry confirmed the government was reviewing the Patria mortar deal and would soon decide whether to allow it. It would not confirm the value of the s