Military team sent to Afghanistan over stranded sea containers (May 20) Fifteen Canadian soldiers have been sent to Kandahar to assess whether hundreds of containers of low-priority items used by the military are still in good enough shape to be brought home via ship. All the high-value and sensitive equipment is already back in Canada, according to National Defence. more>>
Karzai seeks Indian military aid amid Pakistan row (May 20) Afghanistan's president, Hamid Karzai, will seek increased military aid from India during a three-day visit this week and will discuss recent cross-border clashes with Pakistan, India's arch-rival. Afghanistan's ambassador to India has said the country needs India's help with "equipment and weapons to fight." more>>
Vets say military should support use of service dogs for PTSD (May 19) Active members of Canada's armed services as well as some veterans say the culture in the military needs to change in terms of accepting the usefulness of service dogs for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Retired colonel Pat Stogren told CBC News that it was frustrating that Veteran's Affairs is willing to pay for prescription drugs for PTSD, but not a service dog. "I encountered all sorts of anecdotal evidence where very serious psychological disabilities were overcome because of the companionship that a dog provides a person," Stogren said. more>>
Canada officially declares Taliban and Haqqani network as terrorists OTTAWA -- More than a decade after going to war against the Taliban in Afghanistan, the Canadian government has officially declared them a terrorist group.
The Taliban has been added to the so-called list of entities, along with the Haqqani network, an Islamist group believed to be behind ongoing attacks on international coalition forces in Afghanistan.
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RCN opens its sub, HMCS Victoria, for public tours (May 17) The Royal Canadian Navy will allow the public to tour one of its submarines, HMCS Victoria, docked at the Canadian Coast Guard Station in James Bay on Vancouver Island from May 18 to 20. “It’s an honour to represent this city and open the hatch for Victorians,” said Cdr. Chris Ellis. “Reaching out to Canadians and building and strengthening our relationships, including ties with local leaders and stakeholders in the communities we serve, is critical to the Navy’s ongoing success.” more>>
Canadian soldiers prepare for final deployment to Afghanistan (May 17) Seven hundred Canadian soldiers are training at CFB Edmonton for the country's final deployment to Afghanistan. “The troops today are doing their qualifying shoots on their 9-mm pistols and small arms and that kind of thing," said Colonel Lee Hammond, Deputy Commander, Canadian Contribution Training Mission Afghanistan. "That’s a big part of this mission because that’s the weapons that they carry with them all the time.” more>>
Feds to help build Vimy centre (May 15) (Video) Canada is spending $5 million to help build a permanent visitor centre at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial in France, officials announced Tuesday in Edmonton. more>>
Canada adds Taliban, Haqqani network to terror list (May 16) Canada is the first NATO country to use its domestic laws to outlaw the Taliban as a terrorist group. The Taliban's militant Islamist allies, the Haqqani network, which has carried out some of the most brazen attacks in Afghanistan, have also been put on the Canadian list of 46 terror groups. more>>
Afghan commandos step up their combat role (May 16) The US-led effort to get Afghan special forces ready to take over the fight against the Taliban and its insurgent allies has made progress, reports The New York Times. About 10,000 American Special Operations troops will continue to be deployed alongside Afghan units for the remainder of this year and most, if not all, of 2014. more>>
Cellphone pics & Internet reveal gruesome atrocities of Syrian war The images of the Syrian conflict, the first war in which the prevalence of camera phones and Internet access has allowed hundreds of gruesome war crimes to be broadcast, spreading hatred and fear. They are defining the war that is spilling across Syria’s borders and making reconciliation an ever more distant prospect. more>>
Royal Canadian Air Force Begins TigerEx 2013 Search and Rescue technicians, aircrew, maintainers, and other support personnel from 8 Wing Trenton today began an annual search and rescue exercise in Churchill, Manitoba, which will run from May 13-17. more>>
US Navy launches first attack drone from a carrier (May 15) For the first time, the U.S. Navy launched a pilotless aircraft the size of a fighter jet, the X-47B, from a seaborne warship. The stealthy drone is made by Northrop Grumman and has already demonstrated its ability to land on a carrier deck. more>>
Three US soldiers killed in Afghanistan (May 15) Three American soldiers were recently killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan, a stark reminder of how deadly life still is in the war-torn country, more than 11 years after U.S. forces and the Taliban first fought each other. In excess of a dozen ISAF troops have been killed in attacks this month alone. more>>
Mental health issues for soldiers, police up 47% since 2008 (May 14) The number of soldiers and RCMP officers suffering from mental health injuries such as post-traumatic stress disorder has skyrocketed over the last six years, driven in part by the gruelling decade-long combat mission in Afghanistan. more>>
NATO’s Plan for Afghanistan Post-2014: A ‘Stable Instability’ Despite America’s evident desire to extricate itself from the nation’s longest war, Taliban fighters, criminal gangs, and other insurgents continue to terrorize much of Afghanistan, making travel around the country as difficult as it’s ever been. And the grim bargain that has dogged U.S. efforts in Afghanistan since the beginning of President Obama's “surge” still holds: The United States must find a way to supply and support an Afghan national army and police force that Washington has largely built but which is barely in its adolescence, although it is already 10 times the size of the fierce Taliban insurgency it is fighting. more>>
Canadian air force and army personnel to participate in exercise (May 14) More than 3,000 members of the Canadian Army and Royal Canadian Air Force will participate in Exercise Maple Resolve 1301, a joint training exercise at CFB Wainwright from May 16 to June 4. For the first time, Exercise Maple Resolve 1301 will be part of a larger training event, JointEx 13, an exercise slated to change how Canada's military personnel develop and train a future armed force, and fight with it. more>>
Top US admiral puts cyber security on the Navy’s radar (May 14) U.S. Admiral Jonathan Greenert, the chief of naval operations, says protecting the service's computer networks and developing an effective cyber-warfare capability is as important as maintaining a nuclear deterrent. Cyber security is critical for the U.S. Navy because its ability to coordinate ships, planes and personnel depends heavily on computer networks and satellites. more>>
Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield ready for his return to Earth (May 13) Chris Hadfield concludes his mission on the International Space Station, including a two-month stint as the station’s commander. Canada will still be here when Mr. Hadfield and his crewmates touch down in Kazakhstan – scheduled for 10:31 p.m. ET Monday. more>>
Gulf navy drill not directed at Iran: US admiral (May 13) American Vice-Admiral John Miller, commander of the U.S. Fifth Fleet, said on Sunday that a large naval minesweeping exercise involving 41 countries is not directed at Iran. Thirty-five ships, 18 unmanned machines, and more than 100 navy divers are participating in the anti-mine exercise in international waters until the end of May.
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US military involvement in Syria a ’mistake’: Gates (May 13) Robert Gates, the former U.S. Secretary of Defense, warned on Sunday that deepening American military involvement in Syria's civil war would be a "mistake", with an outcome that would be unpredictable and messy. He also said that a full U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan would be "a disastrous mistake." more>>
At 55, NORAD continues to evolve (May 12) Fifty-five years ago, Canada and the United States formally began a joint airspace defence relationship called the North American Air Defense Command (NORAD). It endured not only to the end of the Cold War a generation ago, but has continued to the present and has been expanded to include the security of North American waterways. more>>
US Navy’s liquid hydrogen drone flies for record 48 hours (May 12) The US Navy's Ion Tiger unmanned aircraft recently set a world record for a non-solar-system-powered pilotless aerial system: two days. The craft used a cryogenic tank containing liquid hydrogen that feeds fuel cells that generate power for an electric motor that drives the propeller. more>>
Three military helicopters grounded during SAR emergency (May 11) Not one of three Royal Canadian Air Force search-and-rescue helicopters were able to come to the aid of an Innu Nation leader who needed to be rescued by air on Wednesday because they all were grounded for repairs. The situation comes one week after Auditor General Michael Ferguson's report about significant SAR system problems, including a lack of trained military personnel and aircraft and old planes. more>>
Military survivors of PTSD debuting new film project (May 10) The premier of "Veterans Breaking the Silence" includes a number of interviews with Canadian forces veterans who speak candidly about their experience with trauma in the military and the impact it has had on their lives. more>>
Afghanistan to allow US bases to remain (May 10) Afghan president Hamid Karzai said Thursday that he would allow the U.S. to keep nine bases after American troops leave in 2014 if that is in the best interest of his country. "We are in very serious and delicate negotiations with America," said Karzai. "America has got its demands, Afghanistan too has its own demands, and its own interests... They want nine bases across Afghanistan." more>>
Syria has used chemical weapons: Turkish PM (May 10) Turkey's prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, told NBC News this week that Syria's government has used chemical weapons against its people. "It is clear the regime has used chemical weapons and missiles," he said in an interview that aired on Thursday. Erdogan also called on the U.S. to take stronger action against the al-Assad regime. more>>
Canada Drives Toward Precision Weaponry The Canadian Forces has projects underway to acquire precision-guided artillery shells for the Army, upgraded torpedoes for the Navy and is planning for a family of network-enabled weapons for its future fighter aircraft, said military officers and industry representatives. more>>
Canadian navy warship spills diesel into Halifax harbour (May 9) A Royal Canadian Navy warship, HMCS St. John’s, has spilled fuel into Halifax harbour, the second such incident since 2011. The base commander at CFB Halifax, Capt. Angus Topshee, said the spill was "significant." more>>
US Air Force sidelines 17 ICBM launch control officers (May 9) The U.S. Air Force has stripped an unprecedented 17 officers of their authority to control - including launching - nuclear missiles after inspections revealed substandard performance. "We are, in fact, in a crisis right now," said Lt. Col. Jay Folds, a USAF commander, in an internal email obtained by the Associated Press and confirmed by the Air Force. more>>
Assad says Syria able to face Israel (May 8) Syrian president Bashar Assad said Tuesday that his country is capable of confronting Israel after the Jewish nation attacked targets this past weekend near Damascus. However, he did not say that he would order the Syrian military to counterstrike. Syria's civil war has dragged on for several months and intensified, with neither government or rebel forces apparently capable of securing victory. more>>
Afghanistan warns Pakistan after border clash erupts again (May 8) Afghanistan has warned Pakistan this week that it will experience the consequences of more armed clashes on the contested border between the two Muslim nations. New fighting recently erupted, the latest indication of further deterioration in relations between the important U.S. allies. more>>
US accuses China government and military of cyber-spying (May 8) A recent U.S. Defense Department report says the Chinese government and military have targeted U.S. government computers as part of a cyber espionage campaign. Cyber spying has focused on collecting intelligence on American diplomatic, economic and defence sectors in order to benefit China's defence programs, the report states. more>>
Former SkyHawk dies in jump on opening day for skydive school 49-yrs-old, John Scott, former team captain of the Canadian Forces elite parachute demonstration team, the SkyHawks, and was a member of the Canadian National Parachute Team. more>>
US Navy builds master control for military drone ops (May 7) The U.S. Office of Naval Research has successfully tested a system that controls drones in the air, on or under the water, and on land via a central server called a Common Control System. The CCS allows Navy personnel to get tactical data from fielded military robots and control them. more>>
MacKay looks to give U.S. choppers a second life (May 6) Minister Peter MacKay has ordered National Defence to take another look at whether some of the nine U.S. presidential VH-71 helicopters purchased by Ottawa for $164M could be modified and put into service as search-and-rescue helicopters. "This is something we're very serious about," he said, noting it would be cheaper than buying additional CH-149 Cormorant SAR choppers. more>>
New Israeli airstrikes in Syria raise tensions (May 6) Israeli warplanes attacked Syrian targets in Damascus on Sunday for the second time in three days, raising fears of possible wider conflict in the region. Israeli officials have said that the strikes are necessary to keep sophisticated, Iranian-made guided missiles from being smuggled out of Syria and given to Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group. more>>
Live-fire exercise readies troops for rapid deployment (Wainwright, Alta) About 2,000 Canadian Forces troops wrapped up a unique month-long training exercise, designed to "excite" and "engage" troops and prepare them for battle anywhere in the world at any time. more>>
High-priced design work for offshore patrol ships (May 3) The federal government is paying Irving Shipbuilding $288 million just to design – not build – a fleet of new Arctic offshore patrol ships. However, a survey of similar vessels bought by other nations has revealed that foreign governments paid less than one-tenth as much for the design and a fraction of $288M to build them. Public Works Rona Ambrose, Defence Minister Peter MacKay and Public Works officials responsible for the project were unable to explain to CBC News why taxpayers in Canada will pay so much more. more>>
Canada’s SAR system gets a boost (May 3) Defence Minister Peter MacKay said Thursday that the federal government is taking steps to improve Canada’s search-and-rescue capabilities and will reduce the size of its fleet of Challenger VIP jets to pay for the changes. Just over $16M will be invested in new satellite technology to better detect emergency beacons and an extensive review of the country’s SAR network will be undertaken. more>>
FWSAR program sparks government bickering (May 2) The Auditor General's report released on Tuesday said the military's failure since 2004 to buy new Fixed Wing Search and Rescue (FWSAR) planes was a significant risk affecting Canada's rescue aircraft program. FWSAR program problems have also reportedly created a disagreement between Defence Minister Peter MacKay and Public Works Minister Rona Ambrose. more>>
Soldiers’ mental health issues have increased 47% since 2008 (May 2) The number of soldiers and RCMP officers suffering from mental health problems such as post-traumatic stress disorder has soared over the last six years, significantly due to the decade-long combat mission in Afghanistan. The number of veterans, soldiers and federal police officers receiving disability benefits for mental health conditions has swelled to more than 16,200 from just over 11,050 half a decade ago. more>>
Canada can’t account for $3.1B in anti-terror funding The federal government needs to do better at tracking and evaluating some of its program spending to ensure taxpayer dollars are being well-spent, Auditor General Michael Ferguson found in his spring report released today, and one of the most striking examples is that it can't account for $3.1 billion in anti-terrorism funding. more>>
CDN peacekeepers should be in Mali – It’s in our national interest The United Nations Security Council has just approved a peacekeeping mission for Mali. Canada, with decades of experience in these operations, really should take part. more>>
Canadian and U.S. military police participate in Promethean Ram (May 1) Military police from the Canadian Forces' 1 Military Police Platoon and the United States' 443rd Military Police Company recently participated in Exercise Promethean Ram at CFB Wainwright. Force protection, detainee operations, and convoy security were among the simulated missions performed during the bi-national exercise. more>>
U.S. and South Korea wrap up military drills (May 1) About 10,000 American ground, air and naval personnel have completed two months of drills with their South Korean counterparts. A South Korean defence ministry spokesman, Kim Min-seok, said Exercise Foal Eagle had "made a great outcome." He told reporters that the training was led by his country's military and provided "a good chance to examine South Korean army's capability."
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Video: Cargo plane crashes in Afghanistan (Apr 30) KABUL, Afghanistan — A civilian cargo plane owned by an American company crashed at Bagram Air Field soon after takeoff on Monday, killing all seven people aboard, the U.S.-led military coalition said. The Taliban quickly claimed responsibility but NATO says the "claims are false." more>>
Estimates reform could impact Defence Procurement (Apr 30) Treasury Board President Tony Clement is considering changes to the way MPs approve government spending that some say would mark the Conservatives’ first significant move towards the open and transparent government they promised when elected. As a first step, Clement launched a searchable online database to help track information on departmental spending by program and expense type for the past three years. It will be updated to include current year spending within the year. more>>
CIDA: millions in unspent foreign aid to Afghanistan (Apr 30) As much as $800M of Canada's $5B budgeted foreign aid, that was supposed to go toward helping the world's poorest countries, reportedly went unspent in the last fiscal year. The government is not saying exactly how much foreign aid "lapsed" and ended up being returned to federal coffers, prompting questions whether there has been an intentional effort to dole out less foreign aid without actually having to bring out an axe. more>>
Karzai admits CIA dropped off tens of millions of dollars (Apr. 30) Afghan President Hamid Karzai said on Monday that the CIA has been leaving bags of cash - tens of millions of dollars - at his office during the past decade. He said the money was used for “various purposes” such as paying off warlords, lawmakers, and others on whom he has depended for support, and expressed gratitude to the United States for the funds. more>>
’Sequestration looms over everything’: US Navy secretary (Apr. 30) U.S. sequestration - half a trillion dollars of reduced military funding between 2013 and 2022 - is bedeviling Navy shipbuilding efforts. The service has a 30-year plan for new ships that requires about $7 billion per year more than funding available under the sequester. more>>
MBDA and Lockheed naval weapons MOU MBDA and Lockheed Martin have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to jointly explore the market for the integration of MDBA’s Air Defence and Anti-Ship missiles systems with Lockheed Martin’s MK 41 Vertical Launch System (VLS) and Extensible Launching System (ExLS), starting with MBDA’s Sea Ceptor, using the CAMM missile. more>>
RUAG Defence & ASELSAN armour agreement A cooperation agreement between RUAG Defence and ASELSAN better enables tailor-made mid-life upgrade solutions for armoured tracked vehicles: RUAG Defence upgrades tracked and wheeled vehicles and is the official maintenance, repair and overhaul partner for all tracked armoured vehicles of the Swiss Army. ASELSAN is Turkey's leading company for development and production of electronics, electro-optical systems, and Fire Control Systems for main battle tanks.
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AirbusMilitary Training Unit to US Coast Guard The U.S. Coast Guard Aviation Logistics Center has purchased the prototype CN235 aircraft and plans to transform it into an HC-144A maintenance training unit. The HC-144A is based on the Airbus Military CN235 tactical airlifter. More than 230 CN235s are in service around the world. The transformation will configure the CN235 with systems from the HC-144. The systems will have built-in faults that will allow maintenance personnel the opportunity to learn troubleshooting on actual HC-144 aircraft. more>>
DCNS patrol boat delivered to Norway On 26 April 2013, DCNS and its local partners delivered the sixth and final Skjold-class fast patrol boat to the Royal Norwegian Navy. The six-boat Skjold programme is led by a consortium comprising DCNS and two Norwegian contractors with DCNS acting as the combat system design authority and co-supplier. The Norwegian authorities entrusted the Skjold programme to a consortium of three contractors with DCNS as the combat system design authority and co-supplier. DCNS is working with Norwegian contractors Umoe Mandal and Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, through the Skjold Prime Consortium.
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Andrew Leslie joins Hill&Knowlton Hill+Knowlton Strategies (H+K), Canada’s No. 1-rated public relations and government relations firm, today announces the appointment of Andrew Leslie as an associate in the Ottawa office, effective immediately. Before retiring in 2011, Leslie was with the Canadian Armed Forces as the chief of transformation, leading a multidisciplinary team of military and civilian personnel. more>>
L-3 Beyond Line of Sight for RCAF L-3 Electronic System Services (ESS), avionics prime contractor for the CP-140 Optimized Weapon System Support effort, has successfully implemented Beyond-Line-of-Sight (BLOS) data transmission capability on a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) CP-140 Aurora aircraft. Unlike conventional line-of-sight transmissions, BLOS enables non-line-of-sight transmissions over challenging geographical terrain, such as that found in the Canadian High Arctic. more>>
C295 demonstrates release of Marte missile Airbus Military and MBDA have successfully demonstrated the release of an instrumented Marte MK2/S anti-ship inert missile installed under the wing of the C295 maritime patrol aircraft. This flight was the last of a series of trials performed in a joint Airbus Military – MBDA collaboration to validate the aerodynamic integration of Marte on C295, its handling qualities and performance tests. The installation of weapons under the wings provides new operational capabilities to the C295 MPA allowing the aircraft to perform new missions demanded by customers. In the anti-submarine warfare (ASW) role, the C295 is already in-service carrying the MK46 torpedo. more>>
Second Netherlands F-35 rolls out The second Lockheed Martin F-35 for the Netherlands rolled out of the production facility on March 2. This is the latest step in the production process leading to its eventual assignment to Eglin AFB, Fla., later this summer. The jet, known as AN-2, will undergo functional fuel system checks before being transported to the flight line for ground and flight tests later this year.
Esterline Cockpit 4000 for Peruvian Air Force CMC Electronics of Montreal has been awarded a contract by Korea Aerospace Industries to supply the integrated glass cockpit for 20 Peruvian Air Force turboprop trainer aircraft designated as KT-1Ps. Early last year, Esterline also completed deliveries of its CMC Cockpit 4000 avionics suite for the Turkish Air Force's 40 KT-1T trainer aircraft. more>>
Cassidian delivers 100th German Eurofighter Cassidian has now delivered 100 Eurofighters to the German Air Force. The German Air Force received its first Eurofighter from Cassidian at the beginning of 2003. The combat aircraft was launched in Germany in 2004 and since then has flown more than 30,000 flight hours without accident. more>>
Navistar to armour cabs for ANA/ANP Navistar Defense, a key vehicle supplier to the Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police, has received an urgent delivery order from the U.S. Army (TACOM LCMC) to retrofit 205 armored cabs onto Navistar Medium Tactical Vehicles (MTV) currently used by the Afghan National Security Forces. The $23 million order also includes enhancing additional vehicle elements for improved survivability to provide Afghan National Security Forces with the capability to conduct route clearance missions with mine roller applications.
Benjamin Stone the new CEO of Alenia (20 Feb 2013) Alenia Aermacchi has announced that the Board of Directors of its North America subsidiary has appointed Mr. Benjamin R. Stone as the new President and CEO. Stone replaces Dr. Alan Calegari, who had held the position for almost 13 months.
Eurocopter EC135s ordered for Indian operator In the presence of French President François Hollande, AVIATORS Pvt Ltd signed a firm order for an initial batch of seven Eurocopter EC135 aircraft for helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) operations. A second order is expected to be carried out later this year and rapid growth is anticipated in the HEMS market – as many as 50 helicopters are expected to be deployed throughout the country in the coming years.
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Thales Canada wins LAVIII contract Thales Canada of Saint-Laurent, Quebec will manufacture approximately 400 sets of infrared camera sensors and display modules under a $12.40 million subcontract with General Dynamics Land Systems - Canada. The equipment will enhance the Light Armoured Vehicle III driver's vision under reduced visibility. more>>
Indigenous Technology award to DCNS India DCNS India has received the ‘Excellence in Indigenous Technology’ award at Aerospace and Defence Awards 2013. As part of the transfer of technology agreement with Indian naval shipbuilder Mazagon Dock Limited, DCNS India set up a dedicated localisation programme to build six DCNS-designed Scorpene submarines. more>>
EODC wins GD Land LAVIII armour contract EODC Inc. of Ottawa, Ontario, has been awarded a $3.75 million subcontract by General Dynamics Land Systems – Canada in support of the Light Armoured Vehicle III Upgrade Project. This sub-contract is sustaining 60 positions at EODC’s Ottawa facility. EODC Inc. will be providing armour modules for the Light Armoured Vehicle III Upgrade Project. more>>
L-3 MAPPS upgrades ’Victoria’ class systems L-3 Communications MAPPS Inc. will upgrade the four 'Victoria' Class Submarines’ Autopilot System. A new Onboard Trainer (OBT) will be designed and the Submarine Control Trainer (SCT) and Maintenance Trainer (MT) will be upgraded to use the new submarine Autopilot System hardware, software and the new user interfaces. This is the second submarine system that L-3 MAPPS will replace on the 'Victoria' Class Submarines, the first being the Fire Detection System more>>
100th F35 on Lockheed Martin production line
Assembly of the 100th Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is underway at the F-35 production facility in Fort Worth, Texas. F-35 technicians are in the final phase of building the wings that will be installed on the 100th aircraft known as AF-41. More than 89 F-35s in various stages of completion on Lockheed Martin production lines Fort Worth and Marietta, Ga., and supplier locations across the world. more>>
OMX gets financing for IRB software OMX reports that a substantial investment will support its development of a full software platform for International and Regional Benefit (IRB) process management. OMX CEO Nicole Verkindt said the company is on track to meet its follow-on software releases in the coming months, with the complete platform launch this spring. more>>
Rheinmetall Mid-East, Asia air defence orders Rheinmetall has announced C$370 million in new air defence orders from Asia and the Middle East. Rheinmetall will equip Malaysia with twelve fire control radars (TMX/EO Mk2) and six electro-optical systems (TMEO Mk2) for six new patrol boats. Another Asian nation has selected the Oerlikon Skyshield to serve as a stationary air defence system to protect air force installations. more>>
GD and Alenia team for US fighter jets General Dynamics and Alenia Aermacchi have signed a Letter of Intent, joining forces to offer the Alenia T-100 in the U.S. Air Force’s T-X trainer competition to replace aged T-38 trainer jets and related training systems.
Dutch military extends Rheinmetall ammo deal Rheinmetall Group of Düsseldorf and the Dutch armed forces have agreed to extend an existing agreement for the supply of various ammunition types in close cooperation between Rheinmetall and the Netherlands. The new 7-year agreement runs to the end of 2019.
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Egypt to double its C295 fleet (Jan 15) Egypt has ordered six more Airbus Military C295 transport aircraft, bringing its fleet total to 12 C295s. The company says 121 C295s have now been ordered by 17 operators, and more than 90 are currently in service (two recently delivered to Kazakhstan Ministry of Defence). Seven operators have made repeat orders of the proven airplane. The C295 is a currently being considered for Canada’s FWSAR program.
Marines buy 13 GD Land Canada LAV-A2’s General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada has been awarded a USD$24 million contract to produce 13 Light Armored Vehicles (LAV-A2) for the U.S. Marine Corps. The LAV-A2 conducts a variety of functions, including security, reconnaissance, offensive and defensive operations as part of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force. more>>
Colombia orders more Airbus Military C295 The Colombian Air Force has ordered one more Airbus Military C295 to add to the five examples already ordered for use on military transport and humanitarian aid duties. Since accepting its first C295 in 2008 the CAF has steadily increased its fleet of the type and now operates four with two more to be delivered. more>>
Lockheed Martin F-35 highlights for 2012 Lockheed Martin has published F-35 Program Achievements for 2012, including 30 completed aircraft deliveries and advances in flight testing. Delivered aircraft in 2012 included 11 Conventional Takeoff and Landing (CTOLs), 18 Short Takeoff/Vertical Landing (STOVL) variants, and one Carrier Variant (CV). more>>
Refueling F35 milestone completed For the first time, two Lockheed Martin F-35C Lightning II carrier variant test aircraft refueled together with a Lockheed Martin KC-130 Hercules in the sky above Patuxent River, Md. recently. The CV aircraft, known as CF-1 and CF-2, completed the milestone as part of an F-35 flight test program that will accomplish more than 1,000 flights in 2013. more>>
Rheinmetall to provide new sensors Germany’s Bundeswehr has contracted Rheinmetall to modernize many of its vehicles with new electro-optical sensor technology. The Düsseldorf-based company will supply some 700 high-performance weapons-station sensors on a variety of vehicles. The total order is worth around €55 million over the next four years. The units form the central element of the electronic fire control unit in the weapon station, enabling highly effective target recognition, tracking and engagement, including for remotely operated weapon stations.
GD Land Canada LAV III’s for Colombia The Colombian Ministry of National Defence has awarded a USD$65.3 million contract to General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada for 24 Light Armoured Vehicles (LAVs) for the Colombian Army. Vehicles provided under this contract will be the LAV III version with double-V hull technology and add-on armour that provides crew members with the latest in protection against mine blasts, IEDs and other threats. more>>
Esterline CMC to upgrade CF Polaris fleet Esterline CMC Electronics (CMC) has been awarded a contract by Public Works and Government Services Canada to upgrade the Canadian Forces’ fleet of five CC-150 (A310) Polaris aircraft. The program entails an upgrade of the legacy avionics equipment with CMC’s latest generation CMA-9000 Flight Management Systems (FMS) with Vertical Navigation functionality and high-performance Global Positioning System Wide Area Augmentation System (GPS WAAS) Sensors. more>>
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On 26 April 2013, DCNS and its local partners delivered the sixth and final Skjold-class fast patrol boat to the Royal Norwegian Navy. The six-boat Skjold programme is led by a consortium comprising DCNS and two Norwegian contractors with DCNS acting as the combat system design authority and co-supplier. The Norwegian authorities entrusted the Skjold programme to a consortium of three contractors with DCNS as the combat system design authority and co-supplier. DCNS is working with Norwegian contractors Umoe Mandal and Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, through the Skjold Prime Consortium.
CMC Electronics of Montreal has been awarded a contract by Korea Aerospace Industries to supply the integrated glass cockpit for 20 Peruvian Air Force turboprop trainer aircraft designated as KT-1Ps. Early last year, Esterline also completed deliveries of its CMC Cockpit 4000 avionics suite for the Turkish Air Force's 40 KT-1T trainer aircraft. 
Rheinmetall has announced C$370 million in new air defence orders from Asia and the Middle East. Rheinmetall will equip Malaysia with twelve fire control radars (TMX/EO Mk2) and six electro-optical systems (TMEO Mk2) for six new patrol boats. Another Asian nation has selected the Oerlikon Skyshield to serve as a stationary air defence system to protect air force installations. 
For the first time, two Lockheed Martin F-35C Lightning II carrier variant test aircraft refueled together with a Lockheed Martin KC-130 Hercules in the sky above Patuxent River, Md. recently. The CV aircraft, known as CF-1 and CF-2, completed the milestone as part of an F-35 flight test program that will accomplish more than 1,000 flights in 2013. 
Esterline CMC Electronics (CMC) has been awarded a contract by Public Works and Government Services Canada to upgrade the Canadian Forces’ fleet of five CC-150 (A310) Polaris aircraft. The program entails an upgrade of the legacy avionics equipment with CMC’s latest generation CMA-9000 Flight Management Systems (FMS) with Vertical Navigation functionality and high-performance Global Positioning System Wide Area Augmentation System (GPS WAAS) Sensors.