Iraq is to field the Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) FA-50 Fighting Eagle armed trainer aircraft under a USD2.1 billion deal disclosed on 12 December. The Iraqi Air Force (IqAF) will receive 24 FA-50s (to be designated T-50IQ in Iraqi service) valued at USD1.1 billion, with deliveries scheduled to

Key Points Partnership offers a new light tank that could be armed with a 105 mm rifled or 120 mm smoothbore gun The larger calibre system offers the firepower of a Leopard 2A4/A5, but with greater tactical and strategic mobility CMI Defence and Doosan have teamed up to market a light tank/direct

Key Points A command-and-control system and testing plans are to be delineated in the contract The deal is expected to be worth USD91 million EADS subsidiary Astrium and Raytheon have signed a teaming agreement that formalises the companies' plans to compete for the roles of lead system engineers

Raytheon UK is preparing to unveil what it believes to be the "world's first" handheld tactical improvised explosive device (IED) confirm/diagnose system for dismounted soldiers and small- to medium-sized unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs). The system, known as GroundEye, spins off existing

The demise of a key North Korean political figure could destabilise the Korean peninsula, officials in Seoul have said, and is a sign that the Kim family is closing ranks to strengthen the position of leader Kim Jong-un. "North Korea is currently engaged in a reign of terror while carrying out

The third battalions of the Malian Armed Forces (FAMa) to be trained by the EU Training Mission-Mali (EUTM-Mali) graduated on 7 December after completing a 10-week course at the Koulikoro facility. A fourth battalion will be trained before the EUTM-Mali's current mandate runs out in May 2014,

EVENT Around 300 environmentalist activists protested peacefully outside parliament buildings in the Albanian capital Tirana on 12 November. A second protest was staged at the nearby US embassy following a diplomatic request for Albania to host and dismantle Syrian chemical weapons. The Mjekes

In a series of statements released on its Twitter account on 4 December, the Sunni Islamist militant group Liwa Ahrar al-Sunna Baalbek claimed responsibility for the assassination of senior Hizbullah commander Hassan al-Laqis. He was attacked by two gunmen as he travelled home in the Hadath district

BAE Systems is to cut almost 1,800 jobs from its UK-based Maritime - Naval Ships business, and will cease shipbuilding operations at its Portsmouth facility in 2014. At the same time, the company has reached agreement with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) on a series of measures to restructure its