China's Third Aircraft Carrier

Shanghai Jiangnan Shipyard Group has started building China's second indigenous aircraft carrier last year, according to sources close to the People’s Liberation Army. The aircraft carrier will reportedly have a displacement of about 80,000 tonnes which 10,000 tonnes more than China's first aircraft carrier, Liaoning.

Liaoning was formerly Ukraine's unfinished Varyag which China bought in 1998. It was rebuilt and commissioned into service in 2012. The second aircraft carrier is an indigenous design based on the Liaoning. Construction started in November 2013, and the still unnamed Type 001A vessel was launched in Apr 2017. It is expected to be commissioned in late 2018 or early 2019.

The new vessel, designated as CV-18, will use an advanced catapult launch system that is more sophisticated than the Soviet-designed ski-jump systems used in its other two aircraft carriers.  

SCMP

US Army Tests Exoskeleton for Combat Troop

The US Army is testing the Lockheed Martin FORTIS knee-stress-release-device exoskeleton system for potential deployment for combat troop. FORTIS is designed to help soldiers move, carry heavy loads and perform a wide range of combat tasks while preventing hyperextension of the knee. Using independent actuators, motors and lightweight conformal structures, the lithium ion battery powered system allows soldiers to maneuver easily with less energy. The technology involves using uses AI to analyze and augment the walk patterns, provide additional torque, power and mobility for combat troop. It is built with a conformal upper structure that centers on a waist belt. The belt connects with several flexible hip sensors. The sensors feed a computer with data such as where the location of the soldier in space along with the speed and the movements.

Scout.com

times

Lockheed Martin

Russia A-100 AWACS

Russia's prototype A-100 Airborne Warning And Control System (AWACS) aircraft took flight in November.  The A-100 Premier is based on the upgraded Ilyushin Il-76MD-90A (Il-476) airframe.

The A-100 is expected to replace the Beriev A-50 AWACS aircraft. It is built around an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, as opposed to the mechanically scanned of the A-50. The Il-76MD-90A airframe will also reduced crew workload through better avionics and be cheaper to operate while increasing time on station.

Sputniknews

Janes

IAI Proposes Upgrade for Sri Lanka Kfirs

The Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) is in talks with the Sri Lankan government to upgrade and return to service its five grounded Kfir fighters.

The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) acquired a total of 15 Kfir C.2, C7 single-seat fighters and TC.2 twin seaters between 1995 and 2005. Five aircraft were lost over the years.

Janes

SLAF

Maiden Flight of World's Largest Amphibious Aircraft In Production

China's AG600, the world's largest amphibious aircraft in production, took off on its maiden flight on 24 Dec 17.  The aircraft flew for an hour from Zhuhai airport, Guangdong on the South China Sea coast.  This first flight delayed from earlier in the year after ground tests were conducted in April.

State-owned Aviation Industry Corp of China (AVIC) spent almost eight years developing the aircraft, which is roughly the size of a Boeing 737. The AG 600 is designed to carry out marine rescues and battle forest fires. Powered by four turboprop engines, the AG600 can carry 50 people during maritime search-and-rescue missions, and can scoop up 12 metric tons of water within 20 seconds for fire fighting trips. It has a maximum flight range of 4,500 km (2,800 miles) and a maximum take-off weight of 53.5 tonnes. It can use conventional airports and also land and take-off from the sea.

The aircraft has received 17 orders so far from Chinese government departments and Chinese companies.

BBC

Chinaaviationdaily.com

Indonesia Receives AH-64E Apache

The first three AH-64E Apache attack helicopters of an order for eight were delivered to the Indonesia Army (Tentara Nasional Indonesia-Angkatan Darat or TNI–AD).  The advanced attack helicopter is a more modern version of the AH-64D operated by close neighbour, Singapore. The TNI AD fleet will be fully delivered by March 2018 and will include four aircraft equipped with the Longbow targeting radar. Together with TNI AD's fleet of upgraded Leopard 2 main battle tanks, the AH-64 will substantially increase the firepower of the army to meet the demand of the modern battlefield.

Janes

Kompas

Indonesia's Upgraded F-16C/D Delivered

The Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) has received the last six of 24 refurbished Lockheed Martin F-16C/D Fighting Falcons. The acquisition project is code named Peace Bima Sena II and involves 19 F-16C and five F-16Ds Block 25 which are upgraded to the latest Block 52 ID standard.

The deal includes  28 F100-PW-220E engines, LAU-129A/A Launchers, ALR-69 Radar Warning Receivers, ALQ-213 Electronic Warfare Management Systems, ALE-47 Countermeasures Dispenser Systems, Link-16 Situational Awareness Data Link and AN/AAQ-33 SNIPER or AN/AAQ-28 LITENING Targeting Systems.

AIN