South Korea launched its first-ever domestically developed space launch vehicle on 22 September, but the rocket failed to place a dummy satellite into orbit.  Called the ‘Nuri' or Korea Space Launch Vehicle II (KSLV-II), the three-stage rocket lift...

UK-based Babcock International Group has completed the previously announced sale of its Frazer-Nash Consultancy to fellow engineering company KBR for approximately GBP293 million (USD404.2 million), Babcock said on 21 October.  Babcock first disclosed the transaction in August, saying the divestiture would help reduce its debt. Meanwhile, US-based KBR will expand its international advisory capabilities by obtaining Frazer-Nash, which operates mainly in the UK and Australia.  Frazer-Nash serves government and industry customers in defence and...

UK Eurofighter Typhoon pilots can begin using a new networked simulator system at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire from next August, as part of the first stage in a transformation of the Royal Air Force's (RAF's) approach to simulation and training....

Seen in USN colours as part of Boeing's pitch for the service's Undergraduate Jet Training System requirement, the T-7A Red Hawk is likely to be one of the candidate platforms put forward for the USN's recently released Tactical Surrogate Aircraft requirement. (Boeing)  The US Navy (USN) has issued a request for information (RFI) for a new Aggressor aircraft for ‘red air' combat training.  The Tactical Surrogate Aircraft (TSA) requirement released on 21 October would see a new aircraft type perform three primary pilot training missions, namel...

Hanwha Systems and Elta Systems have signed an agreement to explore opportunities to export AESA radars. In recent years, the two companies have collaborated on Hanwha's project to develop an AESA radar (pictured) for the KF-21 Boramae future fighter. (Defense Acquisition Program Administration)  South Korean firm Hanwha Systems has signed agreements with Israeli companies Elbit Systems and Elta Systems, a subsidiary of Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), to pursue opportunities for technology co-operation and trade.  Hanwha Systems said on 21...

Israel's Elbit Systems announced on 21 October that it had signed an agreement to sell its 84.98% stake in component manufacturer Ashot Ashkelon to private equity fund FIMI Opportunity Funds.  The deal is valued at USD88 million and will involve El...

Storny  (P 53) was delivered to the Argentine Navy during a ceremony held in Concarneau, France, on 14 October.  (Naval Group, France)    The Argentine Navy's multimission offshore patrol vessel (OPV) programme marked another milestone on 14 October when French shipbuilder Naval Group handed over the third Bouchard (OPV 87)-class vessel,   Storny  (P 53), in Concarneau, Brittany.     The delivery is part of a EUR319 million (USD380 million) contract signed by Naval Group with Argentina in 2018 to deliver...

A dual-face Sea Fire system is installed at SESDA in a replica of the FDI integrated mast. (Thales)  France's Direction générale de l'armement (DGA) has formally qualified the Thales Sea Fire S-band multifunction active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar ahead of integration into the combat system of the new Amiral Ronarc'h-class Frégate de défense et d'intervention (FDI) frigates.  Announced on 21 October 2021, the qualification milestone follows 18 months of land-based testing performed at the DGA's Site d'expérimentation des systèm...

A scaled-up version of Textron Systems' Aerosonde HQ UAV on display at the 2021 Association of the United States Army's annual trade show in Washington, DC. Textron Systems is offering this scaled-up Aerosonde HQ for FTUAS Increment 2. (Janes/Pat Host)  The US Army's USD79 million unfunded requirement request for the Future Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System (FTUAS) in fiscal year (FY) 2022 would accelerate system fielding by two years.  US Army spokesman Jim Thomson said on 18 October that this money would field Increment 1, a capability of m...

South Korea's DAPA announced on 22 October that KDX-I-class destroyer  Gwanggaeto Daewang  was returned to RoKN after completing an upgrade programme.  (RoKN)  The second upgraded Gwanggaeto Daewang (KDX-I)-class destroyer has been returned to the Republic of Korea Navy (RoKN) after completing a modernisation programme aimed at improving the vessel's combat management system (CMS) and other sensors.    South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said in a statement that  Gwanggaeto Da...

Shown here is an image of Northrop Grumman participating in DARPA's OFFSET programme. Both Northrop Grumman and Raytheon BBN will attempt to have a single operator control 200-plus ground and aerial drones during a November demo. (Northrop Grumman)  The US Department of Defense (DoD) may be focused on finding technologies to down aerial drones, however, its Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is also working with Northrop Grumman and Raytheon BBN on ways a single operator can control hundreds of ground and aerial drones at once....

Images have emerged on Chinese social media platforms showing what appear to be a new prototype or variant of the Harbin Aircraft Industry Group (HAIG) Z-20 multirole helicopter carrying anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) and other stores.  The imag...

A series of “causal factors” led to the fire risk and damage of the amphibious assault ship USS   Bonhomme Richard  (LHD 6), a US Navy investigation found.  (US Navy)  Different categories of “causal factors … allowed for the accumulation of significant risk and led to an ineffective fire response” for the 12 July 2020 blaze that caused the damage and eventual decommissioning of the amphibious assault ship USS   Bonhomme Richard  (LHD 6), according to the US Pacific Fleet Command Investigation released on 20 October....

According to MoD figures, discharged defence offsets in India (up until mid-October 2021) were valued at USD3.21 billion: a year-on-year increase of 65%. The figures also show that the MoD has rejected offset claims worth nearly USD480 million. (Indian MoD)  The Indian government is tightening up its enforcement of defence offsets, seeking to ensure that foreign contractors discharge obligations in line with commitments.    An offset official in the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in New Delhi has confirmed to   Janes  that the mini...

Nexteam and Ventana are both based in southwestern France. (Getty Images)  French aircraft parts manufacturers Nexteam Group and Ventana Group have agreed to join forces, creating a combined company with 2,400 employees, according to a joint announcement.  The merged entity will have 22 production sites, and a presence in seven countries in addition to France: Austria, Morocco, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, and Tunisia. It will serve business, commercial, and military airplanes; civil and military helicopters; satellites; space launch ve...

US Marine Corps personnel control a government-owned and government-operated Reaper unmanned aircraft for the first time in late August. GA-ASO announced the official handover of ownership to the corps on 20 October. (USMC)  The US Marine Corps (USMC) has taken official ownership of two General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) MQ-9A Reaper medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the manufacturer announced on 20 October.  The transfer of the Block 5 Reapers and their associated equipment was completed f...

An AeroVironment Switchblade 300 tactical precision-guided missile is fired from the UK's MADFOX USV during the NATO ‘REP(MUS) 21' exercise. (AeroVironment)  The US Navy (USN) and UK Royal Navy (RN) have successfully executed a maritime sensor-to-shooter (S2S) demonstration culminating in the firing of an AeroVironment Switchblade 300 tactical precision-guided missile from an experimental unmanned surface vessel (USV).  Part of a US/UK Interoperability to Interchangeability (I2I) initiative using unmanned/uncrewed systems, the S2S capability...

LIG Nex1 unveiled its KCD-200 unmanned aerial vehicle development at ADEX 2021. (Dae Young Kim)  South Korean defence prime LIG Nex1 is showcasing its new heavy-lift unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) concept at the 2021 edition of Seoul International Aerospace & Defense Exhibition (ADEX), being held from 19 to 24 October.  LIG Nex1 unveiled a model of the KCD-200 heavy-lift UAV, which is being developed to meet defence and commercial logistics requirements. The effort leverages on the company's experience in UAV development and systems integratio...

Seen here in Australian service, the Boeing E-7A Wedgetail is being lined up by the US Air Force as a replacement for its ageing E-3 Sentry AWACS fleet. (DVIDS)  The US Air Force (USAF) has launched an effort to replace its ageing fleet of Boeing E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft, with the intent of fielding the same company's E-7 Wedgetail.  The USAF issued a notice of contract action, titled ‘E-3 Replacement Aircraft Studies & Analyses', on 19 October, in which it announced it is to sole-source Boeing to perfor...

The Arnold Defense ‘Trident' three-round launcher prototype concept demonstrator mounted on Moog Space and Defense Group's Lightweight Dual Rail Launcher. (Arnold Defense)  Arnold Defense has unveiled a three-round air launcher concept protoytpe for 2.75 inch/70 mm laser-guided rockets. Developed in partnership with Moog Space and Defense Group, the concept demonstrator – designated ‘Trident' – was unveiled at the AUSA 2021 exhibition in Washington, mounted on a Moog Lightweight Dual Rail Launcher.  Weighing approximately 14.5–16.3 kg (unload...