Russia-Ukraine Pact Set To Put The Ruslan Heavylifter Back In Production

The anticipated signing of a government-to-government deal between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart, Victor Yanukovich, is expected to kick-start a plan to resume production of Antonov’s An-124 Ruslan freighter. The text of the agreement has already been prepared, outlining the envisaged roles for aerospace interests in both countries, but government backing for the program needs to be confirmed, not least because Russia’s defense ministry would effectively be the launch customer under the provisional plan.
Russian vice-premier Dmitry Rogozin recently outlined plans for the country’s United Aircraft Corporation (Hall 1 Stand E8) to produce 60 new Ruslans by 2020 at its Aviastar-SP factory in Ulianovsk. The Russian government intends to seal its support for the revived program with a defense ministry order for 10 of the new-build aircraft and a commitment to pay for 22 in-service Ruslans to be overhauled and refitted. On top of this, commercial airlines Volga-Dnepr and Polet have indicated an intention to buy, respectively, 40 and six An-124s.
According to Volga-Dnepr vice-president Valery Gabriel, the airline is expected to award UAC a contract for 20 An-124s, provided Russia’s defense ministry places its order first. The $4 billion contract would have an option for 20 more Ruslans, with deliveries running through 2030.

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Sagem’s Hammer laser-guided weapon completes test firing

Sagem's Hammer air-to-ground guided weapon with laser terminal guidance, the SBU-64 Hammer, has been successfully tested by the French defence procurement agency DGA at the Cazaux air base, France.

The first qualification firing test was carried out from a production Rafale fighter, during which AASM Hammer's guidance was intentionally initialised by offsetting the target's GPS coordinates.

During the last few seconds of the weapon's flight, an airborne illuminator was activated to illuminate the target.

The AASM made use of its navigation, laser spot detection and terminal guidance algorithms to position itself to a glide slope of 20° and made its way to hit the target, a bridge pier located more than 50km from the release point.

A laser terminal guidance version of the AASM Hammer modular air-to-ground weapon, the missile has been developed and manufactured by Sagem, with DGA serving as the contracting authority.

The AASM Hammer family of weapons consist of guidance and range augmentation kits attached to standard bombs.

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Taiwan's military holds major live-fire missile exercise

A Hawk surface-to-air missile during a live fire test at Jeoupeng military base in Pingtung. (Photo/CNA)

Taiwan's military forces held a major live-fire missile exercise in the southern county of Pingtung on Monday as part of efforts to strengthen the country's defense capabilities.
During the two-hour drill, members of the air force, army and navy launched various missiles to test the military's ability to repel opposing Chinese forces.
In the air, F-16A/B jet fighters, Mirage 2000s, IDFs and AH-1W helicopters deployed, while at sea a Chengkung-class frigate, Kangding-class frigate and a Chingchiang vessel took part in the drill.

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Moroccan Air Force to receive AIM-9X missiles from Raytheon

Morocco has signed a letter of offer and acceptance (LOA) with the US government for the purchase of AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder infrared-guided, air-to-air missiles from Raytheon.

As part of the agreement, the US government will supply an undisclosed number of tactical and training AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder missiles, which will be integrated into the Royal Moroccan Air Force's (RMAF) F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft fleet.

US Navy air-to-air missile programme manager, Captain John Martins, said the missiles will provide the RMAF with enhanced capability, in addition to boosting security in the Middle East and North Africa.

"This sale is a win for both the US and Moroccan warfighters because it enhances coalition air combat operations and also reduces the unit cost of the AIM-9X Block II missile through economies of scale," Martins added.

Raytheon Missile Systems' Air Warfare Systems product line vice president Harry Schulte said the sale represents the company's continued commitment to the Middle East and North African region.

"More than 400 Raytheon employees and suppliers have built and delivered more than 4,000 AIM-9X Block I missiles for the US and our allies worldwide," Schulte said.


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UK Aircraft Carrier Budget Shortfall Likely

Controversial from the start, the UK’s new aircraft carrier program has endured many twists and turns. It is now 14 years since the government first defined the need for new carriers and it will be another four years before the first of the two Queen Elizabeth II-class warships is delivered. Beyond that, it will be another four years before the carrier-strike capability becomes fully operational, in 2020.
The second vessel is now being built but, on current budget projections, the country cannot afford to operate both. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has twice changed its mind on the type of F-35 stealth fighter to be operated from them.
At 65,000 metric tons displacement, the QEII and the Prince of Wales are the largest ships ever built in the UK, and are designed to support a variety of missions, such as amphibious or humanitarian operations, as well as air strikes. Described as eight acres of floating sovereign territory, they are three times the size of the three old Invincible-class carriers, which were originally designed for antisubmarine operations during the Cold War. Two of those warships have now been retired in defense cuts, along with the entire fleet of Harriers. One remains but only as a helicopter carrier.

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MBDA unveils future vision for armed UAVs

A new class of lightweight missiles and an innovative weapons launcher could enable unmanned air vehicles and even airships to perform precision strikes from standoff range, according to MBDA.
Releasing the results of its annual Concept Visions programme at the Farnborough air show on 9 July, the European guided weapons specialist unveiled two futuristic missile designs named Caelus and Gladius, as part of a wider Vigilus system.
Under its operating concept, the roughly 100kg (220lb) Caelus would provide surveillance and targeting cover, carrying an up-to-1kg warhead or deployable sensor load for a flight lasting up to 2h. With a launch weight of only 7kg, including a 1kg blast/fragmentation warhead, the complementary Gladius weapon would have a range of up to 16nm (30km).

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Pakistan Boosting Capacity at Crossings for NATO Cargo

TORKHAM, Pakistan — Pakistan is doubling the capacity for NATO trucks at a key border crossing, officials said July 9, to speed up processing for an expected influx of supplies for troops in Afghanistan.
Customs officials at Torkham border crossing in the country’s troubled northwest saud that work had begun to expand dedicated parking space for NATO containers.
Islamabad agreed to reopen overland routes to NATO convoys on July 3 after a seven-month blockade sparked by a botched U.S. air raid on a border post that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers.
“After expansion the parking capacity for NATO trucks will be doubled,” said Obaidullah Khan, a customs official at Torkham, the closest border crossing to Kabul. “Prior to the closure the terminal had a parking capacity of 250 vehicles and now we are expanding it to 500.”

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