Jane's Defence Weekly - Your first line of defence

Your first line of defence

Cover Story

The right call: close air support

NATO's troops use satellite radios and remote viewing terminals on a daily basis in Afghanistan to call in close air support (CAS), with its precision-guided...

29-Oct-2009

Ruag warns 2,000 jobs may be lost through export ban
Swiss defence group Ruag has warned that up to 2,000 jobs - almost one-third of its total workforce - could be lost if the ...
06-Nov-2009

Malaysia commissions second Scorpene
The Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) officially commissioned its second and final Scorpene-class submarine, KD Tun Abdul Razak , on 5 November in Cartagena, Spain....
06-Nov-2009

NATO defends co-operation with Afghan forces despite Helmand attack
NATO has defended its efforts to prevent Taliban infiltration of the Afghan army and police following the deaths of five British soldiers in Helmand at...
06-Nov-2009

*France agrees to further Argentine defence modernisation
France is to modernise 10 of the Argentine Navy's Super Étendard aircraft to Super Étendard Modernisé standard as part of a series of defence ...
06-Nov-2009

US auditors fear withdrawal from Iraq may not meet deadlines
The US military's withdrawal from Iraq has so far either met or exceeded goals, but government auditors have identified "crucial challenges" that could thwart efforts...
06-Nov-2009

*UK to deploy first Merlins to Afghanistan
The UK is set to deploy its first Merlin helicopters to Afghanistan following pre-deployment training in the US. In a statement the Ministry of ...
06-Nov-2009

US DoD looks to counter threats from larger IEDs
The US Department of Defense (DoD) is reinforcing its efforts to protect troops against dynamic roadside bomb threats, which now include some less sophisticated but...
06-Nov-2009

UK drops BAE Systems from Nimrod R.1 replacement race
BAE Systems has been dropped from the competition to provide a replacement for the UK's ageing Hawker Siddeley Nimrod R.1 electronic intelligence-gathering aircraft. Jane's...
06-Nov-2009

Germany orders 20 more General Dynamics Eagles
Germany has ordered an additional 20 Eagle protected ambulance vehicles from General Dynamics European Land Systems, it was announced on 5 November. The vehicles...
06-Nov-2009

South Africa calls time on A400M
The South African government decided on 4 November to withdraw from the A400M military transport aircraft programme due to delays and spiralling acquisition costs, although...
06-Nov-2009

UN suspends support to Congolese army units suspected of civilian murders
UN peacekeepers will suspend logistical and operational support to some army units in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) following an investigation into massacres of ...
06-Nov-2009

Thailand increases indigenous defence manufacturing
Thailand has increased indigenous defence manufacturing targets in response to the growing costs of military procurement, the director general of the Thai Ministry of ...
06-Nov-2009

UN report accuses Sudan of violating arms embargo
The Sudanese government is among the major actors in Darfur repeatedly and consistently violating the UN arms embargo and continuing to exercise their military options,...
06-Nov-2009

Lockheed Martin wins Thunderbolt Lifecycle Program Support contracts
Lockheed Martin has received three contracts totaling USD7.7 million to modernise A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft under a new US Air Force acquisition programme. ...
06-Nov-2009

*Tel Aviv within range as Hamas tests new rocket
Revealing a significant enhancement to its capabilities since the Israeli offensive in Gaza in late 2008/early 2009, the Palestinian militant movement Hamas has successfully test-fired...
06-Nov-2009

Afghan troop boost 'would need supplemental funding'
The top US military official says the White House will have to ask Congress for supplemental funding in Fiscal Year 2010 (FY10) if the Obama...
06-Nov-2009

Australia and US update submarine co-operation agreement
Australia and the US have updated a key submarine agreement that provides for industrial and naval co-operation on issues that include the support of ...
06-Nov-2009

NATO and US closer to common missile defence
The prospect of integrating NATO's multitude of national short- and medium-range theatre missile defence systems with the US long-range missile defence system is improving, with...
06-Nov-2009

France and Poland pursue shipbuilding alliance
France and Poland have agreed to open talks on a partnership between French warship builder DCNS and the Stocznia Marynarki Wojennej (SMW) yard in Gydnia...
06-Nov-2009

*General Dynamics confirms FRES-SV bid based on ASCOD platform
General Dynamics UK (GDUK) has confirmed that its bid for the UK's Future Rapid Effect System - Specialist Vehicle (FRES-SV) competition will be based ...
06-Nov-2009

EASF prepares for training exercises despite structural problems
East African defence chiefs met on 2 November to prepare for new manoeuvres by the 12 participating countries in the Eastern Africa Standby Force ...
05-Nov-2009

*US C-130E leased to Poland
The Polish Air Force (Sily Powietrzne - SP) accepted a second Lockheed Martin C-130E Hercules transport aircraft for its 14th Air Transport Squadron in ...
05-Nov-2009

USN submarine conducts 'historic' exercise with South African Navy
The US Navy (USN) Los Angeles-class attack submarine (SSN) USS San Juan arrived in South Africa on 4 November for a first-ever joint submarine...
05-Nov-2009

North Korea tries to engage US in bilateral talks
North Korea announced it has completed the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel rods to extract weapons-grade plutonium in an attempt to convince the US...
05-Nov-2009

Russian Tochka-U missile accidentally self-destructs during exercises
The Russian Defence Ministry has revealed that an army OTR-21 Tochka-U (SS-21 'Scarab B') ballistic missile accidentally self-destructed during live-firing exercises on 28 October ...
05-Nov-2009

Palestinian president orders resignation of former PLO officers
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has ordered the forced retirement of as many as 2,800 senior military officers formerly allied with the Palestinian Liberation Organisation...
05-Nov-2009

Israel accelerates search for new advanced jet trainer
The Israel Air Force (IAF) is urgently seeking a new advanced jet trainer (AJT), fearing it will be unable to sustain its ageing fleet...
05-Nov-2009

Australia requires help for future submarine
The design and development of Australia's future submarine programme would be at the margins of the country's present scientific and technological capacity and would ...
05-Nov-2009

Czech MoD prepares to issue assault rifle tender
The Czech Ministry of Defence (MoD) is to shortly issue an international tender for the selection of a new assault rifle for frontline combat...
05-Nov-2009

Germany's Rheinmetall Defence and MAN truck manufacturers to create joint venture
Rheinmetall Defence and German truck manufacturer MAN look poised to finalise a joint venture (JV) for the production of military wheeled vehicles for use ...
05-Nov-2009

ANG to exclusively operate C-27Js
The US Air Force (USAF) has announced that the Alenia Aeronautica C-27J Spartan tactical transport aircraft that are due to enter service under the ...
05-Nov-2009

Salvadorian forces shift role
The Salvadorian armed forces are to re-engage in the internal security role, providing 6,500 troops to support public security forces, mainly in the fight ...
05-Nov-2009

Colombia's Congress approves budget
On 22 October the Colombian Congress approved the country's 2010 national budget, which includes allocating COP21.12 billion (USD11 billion) to the Ministry of Defence. ...
05-Nov-2009

Colombia, US sign defence co-operation accord
The Colombian and US governments signed the Defence and Security Co-operation and Technical Assistance Agreement on 30 October. The new agreement expands US access ...
05-Nov-2009

Ecuador orders two Mi-17s
Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa signed an order for two Mi-17 medium-lift helicopters as well as agreeing an energy co-operation accord with Russia on 27 ...
05-Nov-2009

Jane's Defence Weekly is the recipient of two Newsletter & Electronic Publishers Foundation 2003 Journalism Awards.

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The right call: close air support