Indonesia Air Force Modernisation Starts With A400M

The Indonesian Air Force, Tentara Nasional Indonesia Angkatan Udara (TNI AU), will modernise its airlift assets through the purchase of 5 Airbus A400M Atlas transport aircraft. 3 of the aircraft are expected to be assembled by the state-owned PT Dirgantara in Bandung as part the technology transfer requirement for the US$2 billion purchase. Since 2000, 5 of TNI AU's ageing C-130s have been destroyed in unfortunate air crashes. One of the destroyed aircraft was a second-hand purchase of C-130 decommissioned by the Royal Australia Air Force.



thejakartapost

IAI Heron TP XP Debuts At Aero India Show

IAI debuts the export version of the Long-Range Long-Endurance Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (MALE UAV) Heron TP at the 11th Aero India show in Bangalore, India. According to the specifications on Israel Aerospace Industries' website, the Heron TP XP's maximum payload is 450kg as compared to the Heron TP's 1,000 kg. This is ostensibly to meet the MTCR-2 (Missile Technology Control Regime) restrictions.

Heron TP-XP MALE UAV

IAI

Myanmar Seeks to Licence-build JF-17 Thunder Fighter Aircraft

Following the purchase of 16 JF-17 Thunder fighter aircraft, Myanmar is now negotiating with Pakistan to licence-build the single-engine multi-role aircraft.

The first of 16 JF-17s ordered in 2015 are expected to go into service with the Myanmar Air Force (MAF) later this year.

JF-17 Thunder Assembly Line in Pakistan - Pakistan Aeronautical Complex

janes.com

Panther FE Fixed Wing UAV Demonstrates VTOL

Panther FE, a fixed wing UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) jointly developed by Israel's IAI and South Korea's Hankuk Carbon successfully demonstrated its ability to take off and land vertically. The 67 kg hybrid-powered vertical take off and landing (VTOL) drone uses three electrical motors for vertical lift and an internal combustion engine for horizontal flight.

US to Develop New Columbia Class SSBN

The US Navy will be getting 12 new Columbia-class submarines which are capable of launching inter-continental ballistic missiles.  The $123 billion program will modernize the sea component of the U.S.’s sea-air-land nuclear triad. The Columbia-class nuclear submarines will replace the 14 Ohio-class Ballistic Missile Nuclear Submarine (SSBN). 18 Ohio-class submarines were built but 4 were converted to SSGN (nuclear submarine, cruise missile) under the START II agreement for reduction of nuclear armament. The first of the Ohio-class will reach end of service life in 2027 and the last in 2039. The navy hopes to commission the first Columbia SSBN in 2030.

Illustration of Columbia-class SSBN

B-1B Lancers at Guam Air Base. Part of the Air Component of US's Air-Sea-Land Nuclear Triad - Military Times

bloomberg.com

Columbia Class (Ohio Replacement) Ballistic Missile Submarine Paper to Congress

ISIS Using Small Drones To Drop Explosives

In the fight for Mosul, Iraqi security forces have encountered attacks by commercially purchased drones dropping small munitions. ISIS has been using UAV (unmanned aerial vehicles) or drones for some time now. They have released several videos of attacks made by dropping various type of  munitions from a hovering drone. Without a good aiming mechanism, these attacks were largely ineffectual. However, due to the increasing number of drones attack, the threat cannot be ignored. Since these are commercially available drones, it is quite easy to develop effective counter-measures such as electronic signal jamming.

In a new photo report reported released by the Islamic State, ISIS uses drones to attack an Iraqi Army convoy in Alravdi, south of Mosul.

cbrneportal.com

heavy.com

THeMIS ADDER Weaponised Unmanned Ground Vehicle First Live Firing Test

Milrem and ST Kinetics conducted the first live fire tests of their weaponized unmanned ground vehicle (UGV), the THeMIS ADDER in November. Armed with ST Kinetics CIS-50 heavy machine gun, the UGV live firing test revealed an interesting concept of operation.  The tests are expected to pave the way for autonomous robots to eventually be deployed as part of an infantry squad or even replace ground troops on the battlefield. The video showed two version of the UGV and hinted at collaborative engagement with an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that provided targeting information.

New Atlas