DefenceTalkFrance will about halve its purchases of Dassault Rafale jet fighter planes over the next six years, under defence estimates on Friday, and is counting on at last clinching the first sales abroad to keep production lines going. French officials say that among potential clients are India, Qatar, Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates and Brazil. […]https://www.defencetalk.com/france-clips-rafales-wings-hopes-for-first-export-order-48672/

DefenceTalkThe U.S. Navy recently awarded Boeing [NYSE: BA] a $1.98 billion contract for 13 additional P-8A Poseidon aircraft, continuing the modernization of U.S. maritime patrol capabilities that will ultimately involve more than 100 P-8As. The contract includes long-lead funding previously approved by the Navy. The Navy has now ordered 37 of the 117 P-8As it […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-navy-boeing-sign-order-p-8a-poseidon-aircraft-48670/

DefenceTalkScientists recently launched unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from a research vessel in a significant experiment that could help boost the Navy’s radar and communications performance at sea. Sailing off Virginia Beach, Va., from July 13 to 18, the Office of Naval Research’s (ONR) Research Vessel (R/V) Knorr explored ocean and atmospheric weather variations that can […]https://www.defencetalk.com/navy-turns-to-uavs-for-help-with-radar-communications-48668/

DefenceTalkCivilian and military logisticians from the 21st Theater Sustainment Command’s Theater Logistics Support Center-Europe and Maintenance Activity Kaiserslautern are at Kaiserslautern Army Depot preparing M2A2 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicles for retrograde and transportation to the U.S. The departure of the 88 Bradleys coincides with the departure of M1 Abrams tanks from Europe earlier this year, […]https://www.defencetalk.com/end-of-era-bradley-fighting-vehicles-leave-germany-48665/

DefenceTalkA new attack missile boat has started sea trials with Russia’s Caspian Flotilla, the Southern Military District said Monday. The Grad Sviyazhsk missile corvette is due to join the flotilla after completing all trials and state tests before the end of the year, the district’s press service said. The Project 21631 (Buyan-M) corvette has a […]https://www.defencetalk.com/new-russian-missile-boat-starts-caspian-trials-48674/

DefenceTalkAlgeria’s army has reinforced its forces along the eastern border with Tunisia, Interior Minister Daho Ould Kablia said on Thursday, days after the killing of eight Tunisian soldiers. The soldiers were found on Monday with their throats cut after being ambushed by jihadist militants in Mount Chaambi, an area near the border with Algeria. Algeria’s […]https://www.defencetalk.com/algeria-army-boosts-forces-on-tunisia-border-minister-48662/

DefenceTalkThe Distributed Common Ground System-Army, or DCGS-A, participated in Enterprise Challenge 2013 at Fort Huachuca, July 15-26, demonstrating collaboration between the Army and industry through technology testing in a tactical environment. “The concepts that we’re proving and the capabilities that we’re demonstrating here at Enterprise Challenge 13 show that we can give decisions makers the […]https://www.defencetalk.com/intelligence-sharing-through-tactical-glasses-highlighted-at-enterprise-challenge-2013-48656/

DefenceTalkLeaked documents from a Pentagon budget review suggest that the agency is tired of its costly F-35 fighter jets, and has thoughts about canceling the $391.2 billion program that has already expanded into 10 foreign countries. Pentagon officials held a briefing on Wednesday in which they mapped out ways to manage the $500 billion in […]https://www.defencetalk.com/pentagon-considers-cancelling-f-35-program-48653/

DefenceTalkThe US Army could be reduced by a further 15 percent, with cuts to the numbers of full-time active soldiers as well as reserves, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Wednesday. He said a review found that priority missions could be handled with between 420,000 and 450,000 active troops — compared to the 490,000 currently envisaged […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-could-reduce-army-by-further-15-percent-hagel-48651/

DefenceTalkThe Philippines said Wednesday that US spy planes were providing crucial intelligence on Chinese military activities in disputed areas of the South China Sea. US Navy P-3 Orion surveillance aircraft frequently fly over areas that the Philippines says are within its legal territory but where China has deployed military vessels, said Foreign Secretary Albert del […]https://www.defencetalk.com/philippines-says-us-spy-planes-monitoring-china-at-sea-48649/