Jane's Defence Weekly - Your first line of defence

Your first line of defence

Cover Story

Japan's new dawn: Japan Country Briefing

Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama's new administration is undertaking a thorough review of Japan's alliance with the United States, which is bound to raise further...

12-Nov-2009

Israel targets increased Arrow production
Israel is to accelerate its production of Arrow-2 anti-ballistic missile interceptors in case of a potential conflict with Iran, Defence Minister Ehud Barak said ...
20-Nov-2009

Armscor CEO suspended in wake of South African A400M cancellation
The chief executive officer (CEO) of South Africa's defence acquisition agency, Armscor, was suspended with immediate effect on 18 November, the board of directors ...
20-Nov-2009

Spain promises training support for Somali forces
Spain has volunteered to lead a proposed EU operation to train up to 2,000 Somali soldiers, police officers and coastguard personnel as part of a...
20-Nov-2009

Lockheed Martin to triple business in Australia
Lockheed Martin is planning to expand its business in Australia over the next few years to triple both the number of people it employs ...
20-Nov-2009

Elbit completes BVR purchase
Israel's Elbit Systems has completed its acquisition of BVR Systems Ltd for GBP34 million (USD57 million), it was announced on 19 November. Located in ...
20-Nov-2009

Upgraded Type 209 returns to Venezuelan Navy
The Venezuelan shipyard Diques y Astilleros Nacionales CA (DIANCA) re-delivered the S-31 Sabalo , a Type 209/1300 submarine, back to the Venezuelan Navy on...
20-Nov-2009

European Afghan troop boost waits on Obama
The UK government's growing campaign to persuade its European allies to boost their commitment in Afghanistan by 5,000 troops hinges on increased US deployments, NATO...
20-Nov-2009

*Dubai Air Show 2009: Saudi Arabia steps up efforts to gain offset work
Saudi Arabia is looking to reclaim momentum in defence research and development as one of the world's leading arms buyers by incorporating joint ventures in...
20-Nov-2009

Hellenic Navy to accept Greek-built submarines
The Hellenic Navy is to accept three Greek-built Papanikolis-class Type 214 submarines from ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) in an effort to resolve the dispute ...
20-Nov-2009

Belgium accepts new Airbus A330-300
The Belgian Air Component (BAC) officially accepted into service its new Airbus A330-300 personnel and freight transport aircraft on 19 November, the Ministry of ...
20-Nov-2009

*ANAAC takes delivery of four new Mi-17s
The Afghan National Army Air Corps (ANAAC) has taken delivery of another four Mil Mi-17 'Hip' transport/assault helicopters, the US Naval Air Systems Command ...
20-Nov-2009

*A400M runs its engines for the first time
The Airbus Military A400M transport aircraft ran its fitted engines for the first time on 18 November, the company has announced. The four Europrop ...
20-Nov-2009

Metal Storm holds out hope of investment lifeline
Australian company Metal Storm expects to receive a critical lifeline payment from foreign investor Assure Fast Holdings Limited (AFHL) no later than 23 November, although...
20-Nov-2009

VT Group keen to buy UK Defence Support Group
UK support services company VT Group is keen to acquire the UK Ministry of Defence's (MoD) Defence Support Group (DSG) should it be put ...
20-Nov-2009

Indonesia compiles inventory to aid defence industry revitalisation
The Indonesian government has commenced a programme to draw up a comprehensive list of armed forces requirements over the next decade and beyond in ...
20-Nov-2009

Oil costs fuel Australian energy-saving initiative
The Australian Department of Defence (DoD) has implemented a series of initiatives over the past year in a bid to reduce energy operating costs ...
20-Nov-2009

*US Army to conduct Hellfire live-fire test from Sky Warrior
The US Army's General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-1C Sky Warrior unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is expected to conduct a live-fire test of a Hellfire air-to-ground...
20-Nov-2009

UK plans LPPV downselection 'before year-end'
Four contenders for the next phase of the competition to replace the British Army's much criticised Snatch Land Rovers are to be announced "before ...
20-Nov-2009

*Pakistan unveils first domestically assembled JF-17
The first fully Pakistan-assembled JF-17 aircraft, built in collaboration in China, is scheduled to be formally unveiled on 23 November - almost two decades after...
20-Nov-2009

US takes tougher line over Iran's nuclear recalcitrance
The United States has resumed discussions about new sanctions on Iran in light of the unwillingness of the Islamic Republic to accept international proposals ...
20-Nov-2009

Local industry needs more time to benefit from Indian procurement revamp
The impact of India's updated defence procurement procedures (DPPs) on indigenous defence production will be limited unless the Ministry of Defence (MoD) allows local industry...
20-Nov-2009

India delays EADS/L&T decision again
A proposal by EADS Deutschland and Indian firm Larsen & Toubro (L&T) to form a defence joint venture (JV) in India has been deferred ...
20-Nov-2009

*Mexico opts for C-295M transport aircraft
The Airbus Military C-295M has been selected as the Mexican Air Force's new medium transport aircraft, it was announced on 15 November. According to...
20-Nov-2009

Arrow buys AE Petsche
Electronic components supplier Arrow Electronics has agreed to buy AE Petsche: a US-based supplier of speciality wires, cables and relays for the aerospace and ...
20-Nov-2009

TKMS holds Hellenic Shipyards talks
ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) has confirmed that it has held talks with companies interested in acquiring its troubled Greek subsidiary, Hellenic Shipyards SA. The ...
20-Nov-2009

India puts EADS/L&T venture on hold once more
A proposal by EADS Deutschland and Indian firm Larsen & Toubro (L&T) to form a defence joint venture (JV) in India has been deferred for...
20-Nov-2009

*UK helo revamp could see major Chinook buy
Government ministers are set to announce later this month a radical recasting of the UK's helicopter procurement, organisation and basing plans in a new rotary-wing...
20-Nov-2009

German cabinet extends Bundeswehr mission mandates
The German government has extended the mandates of the Bundeswehr (German armed forces) in deployments abroad including Afghanistan and Lebanon, but not its participation ...
20-Nov-2009

*Aselsan completes Volkan production for Turkish Leopards
Turkish company Aselsan has completed the production of 171 Volkan fire-control systems for the country's Leopard tanks. During a 12 November ceremony to mark ...
20-Nov-2009

JF Lehman sells Atlantic for $235m profit
US private equity firm JF Lehman & Company has agreed to sell guidance and navigation systems specialist Atlantic Inertial Systems to Goodrich Corporation for ...
20-Nov-2009

Rift between insurgents goes unexploited in Somalia
The failure to cultivate alliances with moderate militias and to capitalise on growing ruptures in the alliance-of-convenience between extremist Islamist insurgent groups has prevented...
19-Nov-2009

Dubai Air Show: UAE buys two Saab 340 AEW aircraft
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) will purchase two Saab 340 airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft for a total of SEK1.5 billion (USD21 million), the ...
19-Nov-2009

*Brand new heavies: Strategic airlift capability
With the arrival in mid-October of its third and final large-body aircraft, NATO's new Heavy Airlift Wing (HAW) is now up and running, even ...
19-Nov-2009

Kenya 'still safe haven for war crimes suspects'
Kenya's failure to hand over a top suspect in Rwanda's 1994 genocide, who is believed to have been harboured by the government for more than...
19-Nov-2009

EDA nations finally agree to pool airlift capabilities
A majority of the European Defence Agency's (EDA's) 26 member nations have agreed to pool their military air transport assets to boost Europe's airlift ...
19-Nov-2009

defence weekly

Japan's new dawn: Japan Country Briefing