The Boeing Company released a summary of the deliveries it made in the first quarter of 2016 on 7 April, revealing an overall rise in completed military platforms year-on-year.

While deliveries of its commercial airliners were lower than in the first quarter of 2015, eight more military aircraft handovers were made in the first quarter of 2016. This overall rise came despite lower deliveries of F/A-18s and new-build Chinook CH-47s. The largest rise in deliveries was achieved by Boeing’s F-15, four of which were completed, compared to one in the first quarter of 2015.
IHS Jane’s 360: IHS Jane’s Defence Weekly – Digital, Online and Print Magazine

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The CF-18 Demonstration Jet is unveiled during a ceremony at 4 Wing Cold Lake, Alberta, on 5 April, 2016. Image by: Cpl Bryan Carter, 4 Wing Imaging, CK04-2016-0278-002

[Avionics Today 04-11-2016] The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) has unveiled the CF-18 Demonstration Jet for its 2016 season. The ceremony took place at 4 Wing Cold, Alberta, where the jet was painted over the past few weeks, and was attended by the Wing Commander, officials from the City of Cold Lake and the Town of Bonnyville, and Capt. Ryan Kean who will be flying the jet

The specially painted CF-18 Hornet features a tribute paint job designed by veteran design director, Jim Belliveau. The paint job commemorates the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP), which ran from 1939 to 1945, and the 75th anniversary of the establishment of RCAF’s 400-series squadrons.

“It is always a privilege for 4 Wing to be entrusted with the responsibility to design and prepare the Demonstration CF-18 which allows the Royal Canadian Air Force to connect with thousands of Canadians and present them with proud moments of our heritage. This year again, Mr. Jim Belliveau has demonstrated incredible talent in capturing an idea as complex as the British Commonwealth Air Training Program,” said Colonel Eric Kenny, Commander at 4 Wing Cold Lake. “Mr. Belliveau and our technicians outdid themselves bringing to life Jim’s idea. This jet will be for all to enjoy because of the hard work and commitment of our 4 Wing members.”

Aviation Today :: Military

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The U.S. Army successfully fired a Miniature Hit-to-Kill missile from its newest launch platform , April 4, 2016. The missile successfully fired as part of an Engineering Demonstration of the Indirect Fire Protection Capability Increment 2-Intercept. The system features a first-of-its-kind Multi-Mission Launcher, which is designed to fire a variety of different interceptor missiles, depending on the threat.

The MHTK missile has no warhead. Rather, as the name implies, it is designed to intercept and defeat rocket, artillery and mortar threats with kinetic energy during a direct hit. Previously during the Engineering Demonstration, the MML successfully fired Longbow Hellfire and AIM-9X missiles. A variety of other missiles will also be tested as part of the ongoing Engineering Demonstration at White Sands Missile Range.

The IFPC Inc 2-I system is a mobile ground-based weapon system designed to defeat unmanned aircraft systems, cruise missiles, and rockets, artillery, and mortars. In addition to the MML, the IFPC Inc 2-I System will use the Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System for its command and control, a Sentinel radar, and existing interceptors to provide 360-degree protection with the ability to engage simultaneous threats arriving from different azimuths.

The MML is mounted on a medium tactical vehicle. The launcher can rotate 360 degrees and elevate from 0-90 degrees. It consists of fifteen tubes, each of which can hold either a single large interceptor or multiple smaller interceptors. Developed using an open systems architecture, the launcher will interface to the IBCS Engagement Operations Center to support and coordinate target engagements.

IFPC Inc 2-I is a joint collaborative effort between the Army’s Program Executive Office for Missiles and Space’s Cruise Missile Defense Systems Project Office and the Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development, and Engineering Center. The joint CMDS/AMRDEC team brought together more than 150 subject matter experts from across the AMRDEC enterprise with representatives from six directorates and more than 20 functional areas to design, manufacture, procure, assemble, and test the U.S. Army’s newest Air Defense launcher. The MML Product Team leveraged more than 85 industry partners to assist in design and manufacturing. AMRDEC will provide additional MMLs through the Engineering and Manufacturing Development acquisition phase, six of which will be assembled by Letterkenny Army Depot. This is the first development of a major acquisition program by the government organic industrial base in more than 30 years.

About PEO Missiles and Space: PEO Missiles and Space provides centralized management for all Army air and missile defense and tactical missile programs as well as selected Army Space programs. The PEO is responsible for the full life-cycle management of assigned programs.

About CMDS: Part of PEO Missiles and Space, the Cruise Missile Defense Systems Project Office provides support to Soldiers, protecting them from aerial and missile attack, as well as enemy surveillance. CMDS programs include: Indirect Fire Protection Capability Increment 2-Intercept, Sentinel Radar, STINGER-based Avenger and Man-portable Air Defense System.

Missiles & Bombs News at DefenceTalk.com

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A reliable source on Friday told ‘The New Indian Express’ that the test conducted on March 31 nearly 45 nautical miles away from Vishakhapatnam coast in Andhra Pradesh was highly successful. The indigenously developed weapon with a dummy payload was reportedly launched from the submarine in full operational configuration.

The trial was carried out with the support of the personnel of Strategic Forces Command (SFC) while the DRDO provided all logistics. The missile was fired from 20-meter deep and it pierced into the sky after breaking the water surface. INS Arihant had first successfully fired a prototype of K-15 (B-05) missile in November last year.

The K-4 missile was fired from onboard silos of the ship submersible ballistic, nuclear (SSBN) submarine demonstrating the capability of the newly built underwater warship to fire long range nuclear capable missiles and the killing efficiency of the most advanced state-of-the-art weapon system.

“Having an operational range of nearly 3,500 km, the missile was fired towards north for a shorter range. It covered more than 700 km before zeroing on the target with high accuracy reaching close to zero circular error probability (CEP),” informed the source.

DRDO officials however refused to speak on the mission. While the officials associated with K-4 mission and Arihant project were tight-lipped, Director General of DRDO Selvin Christopher did not respond calls from this paper.

On March 7, this missile was test fired from a submerged pontoon (replica of a submarine) positioned nearly 30 feet deep sea offshore Vizag coast. Although, the DRDO didn’t officially confirm about the secret mission, it was learnt that the test was a roaring success.

Even as the DRDO had reportedly conducted the first test of the missile system, which was developed under a secret project, in 2010, it officially admitted to have a missile named K-4 with a video footage of the missile launch in the Aero-India show in January last year.

Reports indicated the K-4 missile with the features of boost-glide flight profiles is designed to defeat any anti-ballistic missile systems. Equipped with the satellite updates to modify accumulated errors from its inertial navigation system, the weapon system is claimed to be quite dangerous and one of its kind in the world.

The 111-metre-long INS Arihant has four vertical launch tubes, which are capable of carrying 6 torpedoes of 533 mm and 12 B-05 (K-15) missiles or 4 K-4 missiles.

Powered by an 85 MW capacity nuclear reactor with enriched uranium fuel, this submarine can achieve surface speeds of 12 knots to 15 knots, and submerged speeds of up to 24 knots, carrying a crew of 95.

Apart from Arihant, the K-4 will also arm another Arihant class submarine INS Aridhaman which is currently under construction along with two others. These submarines will have eight launch tubes each.

-ends-

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[The] total acquisition cost estimate has decreased from $51.7 billion in February 2011 to $48.2 billion in December 2015, about 7 percent, due primarily to stable requirements that led to fewer than expected engineering changes. The fixed price development contract also protects the government from paying for any development costs above the contract ceiling price.

Regarding the schedule, the program office delayed the low-rate initial production decision 9 months because Boeing had problems developing the first four aircraft. Boeing has largely addressed the problems, but proposed a new schedule to reflect the delays. (See figure below.) Boeing still plans to deliver 18 operational aircraft to the Air Force by August 2017—assuming the Air Force approves production.

Operational testing will be completed later, in October 2017. While aircraft deficiencies could be discovered late, the plan presents little cost risk to the government because Boeing must correct deficiencies using its own resources. Boeing plans to deliver the aircraft over 6 months, instead of 14.

Boeing has a challenging road ahead to complete testing and deliver aircraft. Test officials believe Boeing’s test schedule is optimistic and it may not have all aircraft available when needed to complete planned testing.

Boeing also has not gotten several key aerial refueling parts qualified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and cannot get final FAA certification of KC-46 aircraft until this occurs. Program officials estimate there are 4 months of schedule risk to delivering 18 aircraft by August 2017 due to testing and parts qualification issues. Boeing is working on ways to mitigate the schedule risks.

Why GAO Did This Study

Aerial refueling—when aircraft refuel while airborne—allows the U.S. military to fly farther, stay airborne longer, and transport more weapons, equipment, and supplies. The Air Force initiated the KC-46 program to replace its aging KC-135 aerial refueling fleet. Boeing was awarded a fixed price incentive contract with a ceiling price of $4.9 billion to develop the first four aircraft, which will be used for testing.

Boeing is contractually required to deliver the four development aircraft between April and May 2016. Boeing is also required to deliver a total of 18 aircraft by August 2017, which could include some of the development aircraft if they are brought to operational configuration. The program plans to eventually field 179 aircraft in total.

The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 included a provision for GAO to review the KC-46 program annually through 2017. This report addresses progress made in 2015 toward (1) meeting cost and performance goals and (2) delivering the aircraft on schedule. GAO analyzed key cost, schedule, development, test, and manufacturing documents and discussed results with officials from the KC-46 program office, other defense offices, the FAA, and Boeing, the prime contractor.

What GAO Recommends

GAO is not making recommendations at this time. DOD’s technical comments on a draft are incorporated as appropriate in the final report.

Click here for the full report (21 PDF pages) on the GAO website.

-ends-

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Navy

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FORT RUCKER, Ala. — Fort Rucker welcomed a new commander this week.

The Dothan Eagle reports that a change of command ceremony was held Wednesday for Maj. Gen. William K. Gayler, the new commander of the U.S. Army Aviation Center of Excellence.

The program also celebrated the accomplishments of outgoing commander Maj. Gen. Michael D. Lundy.

Gayler was previously deputy commanding general of U.S. Army Europe. A commissioned aviation officer since 1988, he has been deployed for Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
Army

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The U.S. Army could have as many as 44 of the first female infantry officers by this time next year, Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Milley told Congress on Thursday.

Milley told lawmakers at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing that the first principle in his plan to open all combat-arms jobs to women is grow female infantry leaders in these units first.

“We are going to graduate coming up in May-June timeframe from both West Point and ROTC — I think it’s 44 women that have volunteered to be infantry lieutenants,” Milley said.

“If they meet all the appropriate standards — they will go through the various infantry schools, such as BOLC, the Basic Officer Leadership Course at Fort Benning, Georgia — they will graduate in the fall.

“They’ll do follow-on training that is normal for infantry such as Ranger School, and if they continue to meet all those standards, then they will be assigned to infantry units sometime about this time next year … you will start seeing female infantry and armor officers, non-commissioned officers and junior soldiers in those combat units.”

Defense Secretary Ashton Carter reversed centuries of U.S. military tradition in December with the historic announcement that all military occupational specialties, including infantry, armor and special operations jobs, are now open to women.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York, raised the concern that critics have said that the only way women will become infantry, Rangers and SEALS in real numbers is to lower standards.

“Do you plan to allow the lowering of standards and how do you plan to deal with these views from the leadership and junior personnel levels?” Gillibrand said.

“Absolutely not,” Milley responded. “Standards are standards, and those standards are developed through years upon years of blood-soaked lessons learned in combat. They are neither male nor female. They are combat standards.

“If you meet the standard for combat, then you pass go, collect $200 and move on your way. If you don’t, then you do something else in life.”

Army leaders must guard against lowering of standards, Milley said.

“If we do that, we are actually putting at risk the unit and the….
Read more at Army

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North Korea said Saturday it had successfully tested an engine designed for an inter-continental ballistic missile (ICBM) that would "guarantee" an eventual nuclear strike on the US mainland.

It was the latest in a series of claims by Pyongyang of significant breakthroughs in both its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes.

Outside experts have treated a number of the claims with scepticism, suggesting the North Korean leadership is attempting to talk up its achievements ahead of a showcase ruling party congress next month.

According to the North's official KCNA news agency, the ground engine test was ordered and personally monitored by leader Kim Jong-Un.

As soon as Kim flagged off the test, "the engine spewed out huge flames with deafening boom", KCNA said.

"The great success... provided a firm guarantee for mounting another form of nuclear attack upon the US imperialists and other hostile forces," Kim was quoted as saying.

Now North Korea "can tip new type inter-continental ballistic rockets with more powerful nuclear warheads and keep any cesspool of evils in the earth including the US mainland within our striking range", he added.

The North's top newspaper Rodong Sinmun featured photos of Kim overseeing the test on its front and second pages Saturday, and said the trial was reportedly conducted at the Sohae Space Centre.

One picture showed Kim looking down from an observation tower as flames were seen over the horizon. Another showed flames streaming down from an engine propped up vertically.

Military tensions on the divided Korean peninsula have been rising since the North conducted its fourth nuclear test in January, and a long-range rocket a month later that was seen as a disguised ballistic missile test.

The UN Security Council responded with its toughest sanctions to date over the North's nuclear programme, and Pyongyang accused Seoul and Washington of spearheading the sanctions drive in New York.

In recent weeks, state media has carried repeated threats of pre-emptive nuclear strikes against both the South and the US mainland.

- Weapons claims -

The threats have been accompanied by claims of success in miniaturising a nuclear warhead to fit on a missile, developing a warhead that can withstand atmospheric re-entry, and building a solid-fuel missile engine.

North Korea has never tested an ICBM, although it has displayed such a missile, known as the KN-08, during recent mass military parades in Pyongyang.

While the North has clearly made progress in developing the KN-08, most experts still believe it is years from obtaining a credible ICBM strike capability.

Kim described the engine test as an "eye-catching event" that demonstrated the North's national defence capability to the world.

He also noted that it represented "another great victory" to be presented at the upcoming Workers' Party Congress, which is believed to be scheduled for May 7.

It is the first congress of its kind for 36 years and seen as a showcase for the leadership to hype its achievements and to cement national unity and loyalty around Kim Jong-Un.

"Kim was showing off his military build-up achievements to consolidate loyalty ahead of the Party Congress as economic difficulties grow following UN sanctions," Professor Yang Moo-Jin of the University of North Korean Studies told AFP.

Some analysts have suggested the North could even conduct a fifth nuclear test before the congress, and South Korean officials say they are fully prepared for such an eventuality.

The North said its January test was of a powerful hydrogen bomb, but experts said the detected yield was too low for a full-fledged thermo-nuclear device.

North Koreans across the country have been mobilised in a "70 day campaign" to prepare for the party gathering, with towns and cities across the country being spruced-up and prettified for the event.

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The United States on Saturday sternly admonished North Korea against acts that could "further destabilize" the region, amid claims that it successfully tested a new engine designed for an inter-continental ballistic missile that could reach US shores.

"We have seen the reports of North Korea's claims to have developed new engine technology for its ICBMs," read a statement from State Department Deputy Spokesman Mark Toner.

"We call on North Korea to refrain from actions and rhetoric that further destabilize the region and focus instead on taking concrete steps toward fulfilling its commitments and international obligations," Toner said.

North Korea said its breakthrough would "guarantee" an eventual nuclear strike on the US mainland.

It was the latest in a series of claims by Pyongyang of significant new inroads in both its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs, although outside experts have treated a number of the claims with skepticism.

According to the North's official KCNA news agency, the ground engine test was ordered and personally monitored by the hermit nation's enigmatic leader Kim Jong-Un.

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Iran's defence minister poured scorn Saturday on US Secretary of State John Kerry's accusations that Tehran is "destabilising" the Middle East, countering that America should get out of the region.

The broadside illustrated new tension between Iran and the United States, despite last year's nuclear deal, with contrasting stances on the conflicts in Yemen and Syria underpinning the latest barbs.

If the US seeks "stability" it should "leave the region and stop supporting terrorists," Defence Minister Hossein Dehghan said, quoted by the website of state television.

"If John Kerry thought about these subjects, he would no longer utter nonsense and foolish words."

The reaction came after Kerry speaking on a visit to Bahrain on Thursday condemned "the destabilising actions of Iran," noting that the United States was taking Tehran's actions "very seriously".

But Dehghan denounced Kerry's remarks as a sign of "frustration" at "Iran's defence capabilities", charging that it is the US that is intervening in the Middle East on account of massive arms sales.

"Americans have made countries in the region dependent on them through sale of weapons and suggesting that implementing US policies are a must for their survival".

A series of ballistic missile tests by Iran since the nuclear deal was struck last summer -- sanctions against Tehran were lifted in January in return for curbs on its atomic programme -- has added to US anger.

Concern over Iran's alleged involvement in the conflict in Yemen has not died down.

The US Navy said Monday its forces in the Gulf had seized a shipment of weapons on March 28 believed to be from Iran that was destined for Huthi rebels fighting in Yemen.

"We call on Iran to constructively join in the efforts to make peace and to help us to resolve Syria and rather than to continue to send weapons to Huthis, join in the effort... to make peace and to work toward a cessation of hostilities," Kerry told reporters in Manama.

Kerry later held a meeting with his Gulf Arab counterparts, two weeks before President Barack Obama is scheduled to attend a summit of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council in Riyadh.

The secretary of state also said that the US and GCC nations "remain united in our opposition to Iran's missile activities".

However, a top Iranian military official said Saturday there would be no change to the missile programme.

"The US is not qualified to make comments about our defence power," said Revolutionary Guards deputy chief General Hossein Salami.

"Our missile capabilities will never be negotiated or compromised."

an/adm/dv

KERRY GROUP

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PACIFIC OCEAN (June 7, 2011) An MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter assigned to Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 77 prepares to land aboard the littoral combat ship USS Freedom (LCS 1). (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication 2nd Class Aaron Burden/Released)

Navy

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SAN FRANCISCO — The remains of a Korean War soldier have been flown back to the San Francisco Bay Area more than six decades after he went missing in South Korea.

Army Cpl. Robert Graham disappeared after Chinese forces attacked his combat battalion in February 1951, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Thursday.

Graham was captured and starved to death in a North Korean camp. He was 20 years old.

“Things are finally coming to closure for the family … after 65 years,” said James George, 59, of Fairfield, a retired Marine Corps master sergeant who escorted his uncle’s remains on a flight from Hawaii to San Francisco International Airport on Wednesday.

Wearing his military uniform, George watched as six servicemen carried the flag-wrapped casket from the airplane to a waiting hearse.

George and two other relatives contributed DNA that enabled the Army to identify a single bone from Graham’s leg last fall. The bone was among body parts of missing U.S. servicemen that North Korea turned over in 1993. Recent advances in genetic testing allowed officials to make the ID.

His remains were not among those returned by North Korea after the armistice in July 1953.
Army

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U.S. Coast Guard | Apr 08, 2016

© Copyright 2016 U.S. Coast Guard. All rights reserved.

Navy

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Sikorsky Aircraft has been asked to deliver 109 military helicopters to the Turkish Armed Forces by 2020.

The order is part of an ongoing General Purpose Helicopter Project, which was initiated in 2009 to develop the Turkish rotorcraft industry and meet the needs of the country’s military, along with other customers.

İsmet Yılmaz, Turkey’s national defense minister, told members of Parliament that Sikorsky would work with several other contractors and subcontractors on the project. Turkish Aerospace Industries would manufacture the cockpit, cabin and impellers and handle the integration. Text Encoding Initiative would manufacture the engine. Alp Aviation would manufacture the landing gears, rotor heads and main, middle and rear gear boxes. Aselsan would manufacture the avionics suite.

Aviation Today :: Military

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The US Army is gradually upgrading its AH-64D Apache Longbow attack helicopters to the latest AH-64E Apache Guardian configuration, like this aircraft flying over Hawaii on a training mission. (US Army photo)

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