Armata Prompts UK Battle Tank Review

UK's main battle tank fleet, some 227 Challenger 2, may be upgraded or replaced as the threat from an ever assertive Russia looms more ominously.

An upgrade of UK's main battle tank capabilities is being considered at the highest level in the British Army. This is partly prompted by the unveiling of Russia's new-generation T-14 Armata main battle tank earlier in May during the Moscow Victory Day Parade.

The possibility of a Challenger 2 Life Extension Programme was first discussed last year. However, the main battle tank capability upgrade will have to compete for defence dollars against other armoured vehicle programmes such as the Warrior and Scout Reconnaissance Specialist vehicle.  The Scout programme alone has already cost tax payers four billion pounds.
The planned out-of-service date for the Challenger 2 is 2025.


A look back at the Challenger 2 MBT

Janes

Sunday Express

Defense News
UK Parliament

Indian Navy Commissioned INS Kochi Destroyer

On 30 September 15, the Indian Navy commissioned its latest destroyer, the INS Kochi. At 7500 tonnes, she is one of the largest destroyers in the world. Aside from her size, what makes Kochi so potent is her state-of-the-art sensors and weapon systems. Kochi is equipped with the Israeli built MF-STAR phased array radar which is capable of tracking multiple targets several hundreds of kilometres away. The radar is paired with the new vertical launch Barak-8 which can engage aerial taregts up to 100 kilometres away. Other armament includes two multi-role naval helicopters, BrahMos cruise missiles, torpedoes, RBU-6000 anti-submarine rocket launchers 76mm Oto Melara Super Rapid Gun and 30mm AK-630 close-in weapon gun mounts.  The sensors installed are EL/M-2248 MF-STAR active phased-array radar, RAWL-02 Mk 3 L-band radar and a Atlas Elektronic low-frequency active towed-array sensor (to be installed in 2016). The Kochi is the second in a class of three Kolkata class destroyers being built by Mazgaon Docks in Mumbai. The Kolkata class destroyer measures 164 metres in length and 17 metres at the beam.  Propulsion is provided by four gas turbines, giving a top speed in excess of 30 knots. The destroyer is manned by about 40 officers and 350 sailors.


Video Tour of Kochi

CNN News Clip

Indian Express

Economic Times

ndtv

IBN

Z News

India Prepares to Induct Tejas

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is preparing to accept 120 indigenously developed Tejas Light Combat Aircraft. According to Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, the Tejas fighters be inducted as it is and be upgraded later.

This meant that the IAF has scrapped a plan to develop an upgraded version of the Tejas, the Mk II.  It was reported that the current version of the Tejas has 12 deficiencies with another 45 that were resolved. However, IAF which  urgently needs replacement fighters, will accept the Tejas if they are fitted with an AESA radar, new electronic warfare suit, refueling capability and improved missiles.

The IAF currently has 33 combat squadrons against a sanctioned strength of 39.5, which is sought to be raised to 42. The gap will widen further with three squadrons being phased out this year. The Tejas will eventually equip six fighter squadrons.

DD News

Daily Mail

Catchnews

India Today

Times of India

Russian Air Operations in Syria - Latakia

Boeing and BAE System to Develop New EW Suite for F-15

The US Air Force has selected Boeing as the prime contractor to install a new, all-digital Electronic Warfare suite for its F-15 fleet. BAE Systems will be the subcontractor to develop the new Eagle Passive Active Warning Survivability System (EPAWSS).

The program is valued at $4 billion and will replace the legacy Tactical Electronic Warfare System on 413 F-15Es and F-15Cs.

The EPAWSS will providing both offensive and defensive electronic warfare capabilities with fully integrated radar warning, geo-location, situational awareness, and self-protection solutions.  The upgrade will allow the F-15 to detect and defeat airborne threats in signal-dense contested and highly contested environments. It will also allow the F-15 penetrate an enemy's modern integrated air defense systems.

The EPAWSS program is part of a larger effort to upgrade the F-15 fleet to allow it to remain combat effective through to 2040.  US Air Force is also procuring a long-wave infrared search and track (IRST) for the F-15Cs for their air superiority missions. The IRST will allow beyond-visual range (BVR) identification of enemy aircraft, allowing the operators to discern the number and possibly type of aircraft flying in a formation.

Aviation Week

Air Force Times

BAE Systems

Boeing

intelligent-aerospace.com

USAF C-130J Crashed in Afghanistan

A C-130J from 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, 455th Air Expeditionary Wing, crashed at approximately 12:19 am at the airport of Jalalabad, the capital of eastern Nangarhar province. Eleven people, six American soldiers and five contractors, were killed. Four of the airmen were deployed from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas; and the other two came from Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts,

USAF announced that investigation was underway but the crash was not caused by enemy action.



ChannelNewsAsia

US Air Force

Air Force Times

Pajhwok

Daily Mail

Saudi Arabia Denied Responsibility for Deadly Air Strikes in Yemen that Killed Civilians

Saudi Arabia has denied involvement in helicopter air strikes that reportedly killed civilians.  CNN reported that deadly air strikes on a village by attack helicopters killed 30 civilians on Sunday, Sep 27.

The village attacked was Bani Zela, located about 6 miles from the Saudi border. In an interview to CNN, Gen. Zakariya al-Khulani of the Yemeni Defense Ministry reported that the number of casualties could increase as there were people trapped under the rubbles.

According to Reuter, a resident of Bani Zela reported that helicopters fired rockets at his village. He claimed that the helicopters returned for a second attack while residents and medic were trying to rescue the casualties. 

However, Brigadier-General Ahmed al-Asseri from the Saudi Arabia-led coalition, told Reuters that no helicopter operation was conducted in the area for the past three days.  He mentioned that 'people sometimes cannot distinguish between cannon, mortar and Katyusha' and that not every explosion in Yemen was caused by the coalition.

A few days earlier, CBS News reported on air strikes on a wedding celebration in al-Wahga, a village in the Taiz province near the strait of Bab al-Mandab. At least 38 civilians, mostly women and children were killed. According to Reuter, residents reported that two missiles struck tents where a local man affiliated with the Houthi group was holding a wedding reception. A source at Maqbana hospital later reported that dead toll had risen to 131.

Saudi Arabia is leading a coalition in support of the exiled Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi. Earlier this year, Operation Decisive Storm was launched against the Houthis, an Iran-backed Shiite rebel group who had overthrown President Hadi.  The capital of Sanaa in the central province of Marib was the focus of operations by the coalition.  The Houthis still control most of Yemen’s north.

Operation Decisive Storm

Aljazeera

CBS News

Reuter