DefenceTalkThe Netherlands’ military partnership with the Chinese armed forces is to be expanded, the defence ministry announced Monday. Chinese General Hou Shu Sen spoke on Monday with the Dutch military top brass, General Tom Middendorp. The idea is to strengthen maritime cooperation in particular. The navies of the two countries already work in partnership on […]https://www.defencetalk.com/netherlands-military-partnership-with-china-expanded-48490/

DefenceTalkDefence Secretary Philip Hammond has warned it would be “reckless” to downgrade the UK’s nuclear deterrent ahead of the release of a Liberal Democrat-led review of alternatives to replacing the Royal Navy’s fleet of Trident submarines. The Lib Dems have opposed the like-for-like replacement of the Trident system, and the review of alternatives led by […]https://www.defencetalk.com/uk-government-remains-committed-to-trident-48488/

DefenceTalkRaytheon Company’s (RTN) 3rd Generation Forward Looking Infrared (3rd Gen FLIR) Improved Target Acquisition System (ITAS) and fire control successfully achieved proof of concept in a series of laboratory and field tests. Preliminary evaluation of the impact of firing all versions of the TOW missile was also performed. “Raytheon’s FLIR improvement program provides warfighters with […]https://www.defencetalk.com/raytheon-demos-high-definition-two-color-3rd-generation-flir-system-48492/

DefenceTalkSouth Korea’s defence ministry said Monday it has ordered its staff to install a smartphone application that restricts key functions like the camera in an attempt to prevent military leaks. The ministry said that, from Monday, its 1,500 staff are no longer allowed to bring smartphones into their offices without installing the app, called “Mobile […]https://www.defencetalk.com/south-korea-enforces-smartphone-app-to-curb-military-leaks-48482/

DefenceTalkPlans to sell US Reaper drones to France advanced Monday as Congress raised no objections to the contract, Pentagon officials said. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency, which oversees foreign military sales, had notified Congress on June 27 of the proposed contract, and lawmakers voiced no opposition during a 15-day review period. “Congress did not propose […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-readies-sale-of-reaper-drones-to-france-48479/

DefenceTalkThrough a five-year, 66.7 million Australian dollar ($60.45 million) contract with the Australian Department of Defence, Boeing will provide enhanced support services for Vigilare, the air defense command and control system that is giving the Australian Defence Force unparalleled ground and airborne situational awareness. Through remediation of the multiyear performance-based contract, signed on July 1, […]https://www.defencetalk.com/boeing-receives-contract-to-support-australias-vigilare-system-48473/

DefenceTalkCombat Air Forces, or CAF, units from multiple commands began flying again today after many stopped flying in April of this year due to sequestration. The restored flying hour program represents $208 million of the $1.8 billion reprogramming allocation authorized by Congress. The money reinstates critical training and test operations for the CAF fleet across […]https://www.defencetalk.com/combat-air-forces-to-resume-flying-48470/

DefenceTalkQinetiQ North America, Waltham, Mass., is being awarded a $7,772,646 firm-fixed-price contract for the procurement of Talon IV vehicles, spares and training. This contract will support Foreign Military Sales (FMS) to Pakistan (100 percent). The Talon IV robot provides the military’s explosive ordnance disposal technicians with a man transportable capability to remotely perform reconnaissance. Work […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-orders-talon-iv-eod-robots-for-pakistan-48466/

DefenceTalkLockheed Martin recently delivered the 100thElectro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS) for the F-35 Lightning II. EOTS provides affordable, high performance multifunction targeting to the F-35’s full spectrum of military operations. EOTS is the first sensor that combines forward-looking infrared and infrared search and track functionality to provide F-35 pilots with situational awareness and air-to-air and air-to-surface […]https://www.defencetalk.com/lockheed-martin-delivers-100th-targeting-system-for-f-35-48462/

DefenceTalkTaiwan started a computerized military drill on Monday, set against an imagined scenario in which China invades the island in 2017. The five-day exercise is part of the island’s biggest annual military maneuver which is this year codenamed ‘Han Kuang 29’ (Han Glory 29), officials at the defence ministry said Monday. The drill simulates a […]https://www.defencetalk.com/taiwan-military-drill-stages-china-attack-scenario-48475/