DefenceTalkKorea Aerospace Industries, Ltd. (KAI) won a contract to export 12 FA-50s to the Philippines for Philippine Air Force’s multi-purpose fighter purchase project in a government-to-government way on March 28th. This contract including training is valued at $420 million and the company will completely deliver 12 aircraft within 38 months after the deal goes into […]https://www.defencetalk.com/korea-aerospace-to-export-12-fa-50s-to-the-philippines-59212/

DefenceTalkJapan on Tuesday lifted a self-imposed ban on weapons exports, introducing new rules covering the arms trade in a move supporters say will boost Tokyo’s global role, but which unnerved China. The cabinet of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe approved a new plan that replaces the 1967 blanket ban, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters. […]https://www.defencetalk.com/japan-lifts-own-blanket-arms-export-ban-59198/

DefenceTalkA British sniper killed five Taliban insurgents and a would-be suicide bomber in Afghanistan with one bullet, the Ministry of Defence has said. The 20-year-old marksman, a lance corporal in the Coldstream Guards, hit the trigger switch of the device from 930 yards away, causing the bomb to explode. The blast killed the would-be bomber […]https://www.defencetalk.com/single-snipers-bullet-kills-six-taliban-fighters-59195/

DefenceTalkA modernized rocket launcher will soon enable MH-60 Seahawk helicopters to carry and deploy a variety of weapons for the first time. As part of an Early Operational Capability (EOC), the Navy delivered the new system, called the Digital Rocket Launcher, to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 15 in March for pre-deployment training. DRL is […]https://www.defencetalk.com/navy-weapons-program-delivers-new-capability-for-mh-60-helicopters-59192/

DefenceTalkThe West’s relations with Russia are at an historic low. This comes after years of NATO’s enlargement policy in Eastern Europe. Should the military alliance have acted more cautiously? Jamie Shea likes to reference knowledgeable people. In the context of the NATO enlargement process, he quotes Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw, who said: “All great […]https://www.defencetalk.com/is-nato-expansion-to-blame-for-crimean-crisis-59190/

DefenceTalkMarine Corps Light Armored Vehicle Anti-Tank prototypes are in the midst of developmental tests of upgrades that could extend their lives for decades to come. The modernization program is taking shape at various sites throughout the country. Development of the LAV-ATs has already successfully met threshold testing as four of the prototypes have fired 14 […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-marines-test-lav-at-anti-tank-modernization-upgrade-59178/

DefenceTalkThe Republic of Korea ushered in a new era in air mobility today with the delivery of the country’s first two C-130J Super Hercules aircraft at the Lockheed Martin facility here. With today’s delivery, South Korea became the 14th country to fly the proven C-130J. South Korea’s new Super Hercules will be operated by Republic […]https://www.defencetalk.com/south-korean-air-force-accepts-first-c-130j-super-hercules-59176/

DefenceTalkUnited States Forces-Afghanistan has seen the inaccurate media reports stating that excess military equipment that is part of the U.S. transition is given to Pakistan. These reports are not correct. USFOR-A does not provide or intend to provide any such equipment, including MRAPs, from Afghanistan to Pakistan. “Our commitment to the Afghan people and the […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-forces-afghanistan-not-providing-excess-equipment-to-pakistan-59174/

DefenceTalkHaving effectively annexed Crimea, Russia now threatens the territorial integrity of the rest of Ukraine. How are Ukraine’s ground forces configured to deal with the challenge? This map is the closest approximation of Ukrainian ground force (along with airborne and air-mobile units) deployments based on research of Ukrainian armed forces until February 2014. Readers will […]https://www.defencetalk.com/current-status-of-ukraines-ground-forces-59171/

DefenceTalkAirbus Defence and Space has been selected by Qatar to supply two A330 MRTT new generation air-to-air refuelling aircraft for the Qatar Emiri Air Force. Qatar’s choice of the A330 MRTT makes it the seventh nation to select the type following Australia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom which have […]https://www.defencetalk.com/qatar-selects-airbus-a330-mrtt-multi-role-tanker-transport-59167/