DefenceTalkNew figures published today by UK Trade & Investment’s Defence and Security Organization (UKTI DSO) show that UK defence exports totaled £8.8 billion over the past year, a rise of 62% from 2011 in a global market that grew by 45%. These results mean the UK maintains its position as the second most successful defence […]https://www.defencetalk.com/uk-defence-exports-largest-increase-in-5-years-48208/

DefenceTalkThe Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress today of a possible Foreign Military Sale to Saudi Arabia for the continuation of the United States-supported effort to modernize the Saudi Arabian National Guard (SANG), and associated equipment, parts, training and logistical support for an estimated cost of $4.0 billion. The Government of Saudi Arabia has requested […]https://www.defencetalk.com/saudi-arabia-requests-4bn-for-national-guard-modernization-48206/

DefenceTalkThe CIA selected Amazon over IBM to build a cloud computing service for the spy agency even though IBM’s proposal carried a lower price tag, according to a government report. IBM protested the CIA’s decision to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the investigative arm of Congress, which sided with IBM on two of its main […]https://www.defencetalk.com/cia-faulted-for-choosing-amazon-over-ibm-on-cloud-contract-48203/

DefenceTalkUnmanned drones are roaming American skies conducting surveillance on people in the United States, albeit in a “very minimal way,” the head of the FBI revealed to Congress on Wednesday. Federal Bureau of Investigation director Robert Mueller said his agency’s use of a small number of aerial drones is relatively new, and that the bureau […]https://www.defencetalk.com/fbi-director-says-surveillance-drones-used-in-us-48199/

DefenceTalkThe US military has destroyed more than 77,000 metric tons of military equipment — including mine-resistant troop transport vehicles — as it prepares to withdraw from Afghanistan in late 2014, the Washington Post reported Thursday. More than $7 billion worth of military equipment is no longer needed, or would be too expensive to ship back […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-scraps-tons-of-gear-as-it-leaves-afghanistan-report-48201/

DefenceTalkWorking with Lockheed Martin and the UK Ministry of Defence, we have linked simulation facilities across five UK sites to create a common synthetic environment to evaluate F-35 interoperability with other UK military platforms. Linking Air and Maritime A recent trial saw Royal Navy, RAF and US Navy pilots operating the F-35 fighter jet during […]https://www.defencetalk.com/ukus-trials-review-f-35-interoperability-in-a-simulated-maritime-scenario-48193/

DefenceTalkCrisis stability and the means of maintaining it, crisis management, were central concerns in the Cold War. They are becoming relevant again as nuclear proliferation and the reemergence of great power competitors make dangerous interstate confrontations increasingly likely. When managing an international crisis, U.S. leaders will need to defuse the threat of war without compromising […]https://www.defencetalk.com/long-range-strike-a-comparative-analysis-of-fighters-bombers-and-missiles-48191/

DefenceTalkDuring the three-month long deployment of the FREMM frigate Aquitaine, the implementation crew for the NH90 helicopter from 33F Squadron had an opportunity to experience the operational capabilities of the FLASH SONICS system. The FLASH system (Folding Light Acoustic System for Helicopters) is an active low-frequency airborne sonar that has been requested by the French […]https://www.defencetalk.com/flash-sonics-sonar-enters-service-with-french-navy-nh90-helicopters-48189/

DefenceTalkThe construction of the stern for the first Mistral helicopter carrier being built for the Russian Navy will be finished in France because a Russian shipyard cannot meet the deadline specified in the contract, a senior Russian defense official said Tuesday. “We will have the whole stern made there [in France], we won’t take risks […]https://www.defencetalk.com/russia-moves-mistral-stern-construction-to-france-48187/

DefenceTalkThe first A400M Full Flight Simulator (FFS) designed and built by Thales for Airbus Military received European Aviation Safety Agency’s qualification for training on the 7 June at Airbus Military International Training Centre in Seville. This qualification is a key enabling milestone that allows Airbus Military to start to train A400M flight crews for their […]https://www.defencetalk.com/first-thales-a400m-full-flight-simulator-ready-for-training-48185/