DefenceTalkMOSCOW: The Russian Defense Ministry will purchase about 200 aircraft and helicopters, up to 30 surface ships and submarines and up to 600 armored vehicles annually, Russian General Staff Chief Valery Gerasimov said at a briefing conference for foreign military attaches. “There are plans to purchase 70-100 aircraft, more than 120 helicopters, up to 30 […]https://www.defencetalk.com/russia-to-purchase-aircraft-ships-annually-66073/

DefenceTalkThe United States is prepared to deploy attack helicopters in support of an Iraqi offensive to retake the Islamic State-held city of Ramadi, US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said Wednesday. Carter told a US Senate hearing that the Iraqi army was beginning to move on the city in Iraq’s Anbar province, which fell to IS […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-ready-to-deploy-attack-helicopters-to-retake-iraqi-city-66030/

DefenceTalkHERNDON, Va: The United States Army has exercised $65.8 million in contract options for 12 additional UH-72A Lakota helicopters and associated mission equipment packages. The UH-72A is manufactured by Airbus Helicopters Inc. at its final assembly plant in Columbus, Miss., which has already produced and delivered almost 350 Lakotas to date, all on time and […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-army-orders-12-more-uh-72a-lakota-helicopters-65846/

DefenceTalkRAMSTEIN AB, Germany: The U.S. Air Force announced today that the 56th and 57th Rescue Squadrons from RAF Lakenheath, UK are relocating to Aviano Air Base, Italy starting in 2017. These squadrons of aircraft, aircrew, Guardian Angel Weapons Systems and support personnel will relocate to Aviano Air Base starting in fiscal year 2017. This includes […]https://www.defencetalk.com/uk-rescue-squadrons-to-relocate-to-italy-65793/

DefenceTalkThe indigenously designed and built Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) is all set to achieve final clearance anytime this month. Following that, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will start serial production of the attack choppers. The 5.8 tonne multirole attack chopper is intended to play a major role in providing close air support to ground forces and […]https://www.defencetalk.com/indias-light-combat-helicopter-set-to-achieve-final-ioc-65789/

DefenceTalkA Letter of Intent (LOI) for the establishment of a final assembly line (FAL) of Airbus Helicopters’ H135 in China was signed today by Yao Yixian, the Sino-German Ecopark Deputy General Manager and Wolfgang Schoder, Airbus Helicopters Deutschland CEO in Hefei, Anhui Province. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and the visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel witnessed […]https://www.defencetalk.com/first-airbus-helicopters-final-assembly-line-to-be-setup-in-china-65718/

DefenceTalkSikorsky Aircraft Corp. today announced the successful first flight of the U.S. Marine Corps’ CH-53K King Stallion heavy lift helicopter protoype, known as Engineering Development Model-1 (EDM-1). The 30-minute flight signals the beginning of a 2,000-hour flight test program using four test aircraft. “EDM-1’s first flight signifies another major milestone for the CH-53K helicopter program,” […]https://www.defencetalk.com/ch-53k-helicopter-achieves-first-flight-65696/

DefenceTalkRussia will supply equipment and helicopters worth over $1 billion for the Egyptian Mistral helicopter carriers, the Kremlin chief of staff said Monday. Cairo and Paris signed a contract earlier this month for the purchase of two French-made Mistral-class helicopter carriers originally built for Russia. “Russia will be, if you want, a sub-contractor, who will […]https://www.defencetalk.com/russia-to-supply-equipment-helicopters-for-egyptian-mistral-ships-65664/

DefenceTalkThe first qualified LOAM (Laser Obstacle Avoidance and Monitoring) system, developed and manufactured by Finmeccanica -Selex ES, is now on board an Italian Army NH90 TTH. The helicopter has just been delivered to the Italian Ministry of Defence. The validation activity was managed in collaboration with the Italian Ministry of Defence’s Direzione Armamenti Aeronautici e […]https://www.defencetalk.com/first-selex-es-anti-collision-laser-system-operational-on-italian-nh90-helicopter-65654/

DefenceTalkRussia is currently carrying out a $325-billion rearmament program to modernize 70-percent of its military equipment by 2020. The Russian Aerospace Forces will receive 16 Ka-52 Alligator attack helicopters, 18 Su-30SM Flanker multi-role fighter jets and 11 MiG-31 Foxhound supersonic interceptor aircraft before the end of the year, the aircraft manufacturers told Defense Minister Sergei […]https://www.defencetalk.com/russian-army-to-receive-helicopters-combat-aircraft-by-year-end-65612/