Russia’s New AWACS Modernized A-50U Plane Enters Service

A modernized A-50U airborne warning and control system (AWACS) aircraft entered service with the Russian Air Force on Monday, an AF spokesman said.

The aircraft has an advanced onboard computer, satellite communication and radar systems, Col. Vladimir Drik said.

It now has the capability to detect various types of flying targets, including helicopters, cruise missiles and supersonic aircraft, he said.

The Beriev A-50, based on the Ilyushin Il-76 transport, first flew in 1978. It entered service in 1984, with about 40 produced by 1992.

UK To Block European Union Plan To Lift China Arms Embargo

The United Kingdom is set to resist any plans by European leaders to relax arms sales restrictions against China in return for Chinese financial assistance in the eurozone crisis, it has been reported.

An arms sales ban was put in place in Europe after China used military force against protesters in Tiananmen Square, Beijing, in 1989.

Now Europe finds itself in continued financial difficulty and the European Union is looking to leverage its bail-out fund to €1tn with the help of investment from cash-rich emerging economies such as China.

Before the eurozone crisis deepened, European leaders were publicly considering lifting the ban, along with other restrictions. In January, EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton suggested the EU "should discuss its [the embargo's] practical implication and design a way forward".

At the time, Downing Street said the time was "not right" for the lifting of the ban and Foreign Secretary William Hague is once again said to be prepared to resist any such move.

China Ordered 250 AI-222-25F Turbofans From Ukraine For L-15 Trainer

China has ordered 250 AI-222-25F turbofans from the Ukraine to power production versions of the Hongdu L-15 advanced jet trainer. The –25F is an afterburning version of the AI-222 that was first flown on the Lead-In Fighter Trainer (LIFT) version of the L-15 in October 2010.

The original AI-222 was developed by the Ivchenko Progress design bureau at Zaporozhye for the Russian Yak-130 jet trainer, and was then fitted to three of the four L-15 prototypes. The new order suggests that China will not put the basic version of the L-15 into production.

The AI-222-25F develops 9,250 pounds (4,200 kg) of thrust at full afterburner, enabling the 21,550-pound (9,800 kg)-mtow L-15 LIFT twinjet to accelerate to Mach 1.6. At a price of $10 million, the Chinese aircraft is expected to sell well in international markets. The LIFT version can potentially carry air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons.

The engines will be manufactured at the main Motor Sich factory, also in Zaporozhye. Some components will be provided by Moscow-based Salut, which manufactures the AI-222 for the Yak-130. Deliveries will begin later this year, and are due to be completed by 2015.

Progress general designer Igor Kravchenko told AIN that the AI-222-25F is the first-ever Ukrainian engine to be fitted with an afterburner. “With its development, Progress has mastered reheat technologies, which we are now seeking to apply on a fighter engine in the class of thrust up to 44,000 pounds [20 tonnes],” he said. In its primary 22,000-pound (10-tonne) version, this engine could replace Russia’s Klimov RD-93 on the FC-1 and its Pakistan air force version the JF-17 Thunder.

After Shourya Hypersonic Missile Now DRDO's Focus Shifts To K-4 Missiles

After third successful launch of the hypersonic missile ” Shourya “, DRDO is all set to start production of the missiles . Shourya which is a land-variant of India’s K-15 missile which is a Submarine launched missile iscurrently been fitted into the Navy’s nuclear-powered submarine, Arihant.

While the development work of Shourya is almost over and the missile is all set to enter production , focus now has shifted to another Submarine launched missile which has been under development for a while . K-4 which will be a modified Agni-III ,with range of 3000 km and been in development for a while , will see renewed pace in its development .

DRDO has not confirmed or denied existence of K-4 missile in media , but sources have confirmed about its existence , while K-4 is still under development and first test will not be held soon , instead DRDO want to carry out further test of K-15 to validate test parameters for a under launched platform .

In past Indian navy had refused to loan a Diesel Kilo Class submarine to DRDO for modification and testing of K-15 missile due to shortage of submarines in Indian navy . but media reports indicate that DRDO secretly tested the missile from a submerged canister in 2006 period , but DRDO have never cleared this reports .

Boeing Says Japan Could Produce F-18 Super Hornet Under License

F-18 Super Hornet

U.S. planemaker Boeing said local defence contractors might build F/A 18 Super Hornets under licence if Japan chose to buy the next-generation fighter jet.

The comment came after the U.S. aerospace giant, along with Lockheed Martin and a consortium of European countries, submitted bids to produce Japan's next mainstay combat aircraft in a deal that could be worth up to $8 billion.

Japan, which is facing a resurgent China and its growing military as well as threats from North Korea, plans to decide this year how it will replace its current fleet of ageing F-4 Phantom fighters with about 40 new combat airplanes.

Phillip Mills, Director of Boeing's Japan FX Capture Team, said Japanese makers could supply about three quarters of Super Hornet components if Japan opted for the fighter jet.

There has been great interest in how much of next-generation fighter jet-related jobs will be outsourced to the Japanese industry, which has been battered by gradual but consistent shrinkage of the defence budget.

"If you came to the Boeing production line, everything you saw Boeing doing in St Louis would be available or is available for Japan industry to do," Mills told Reuters in an interview.

Defence System of Pakistan Air Force Was On Red Alert Due To US Planes

Spada-2000

Former ISI chief lt gen (retd) Hameed Gul has said that the time has come when the government should tell the US clearly that it should not try to take revenge of failure in Afghanistan from Pakistan, adding that Pakistan Air Force had put its defence system on red alert on Sunday night due to US flights on Pak-Afghan border.

General Hameed Gul said that recent incidents clarify that the Pak-US relations cannot remain at that level where were in Musharraf era, adding that every leader of Pakistan says that we don not accept America as our Master, and this is the voice of whole nation.

He said that it is time to say US that we are not like Cambodia, we are a nuclear state. “It is time to say that if you would do this than we response in this way,” he added.

India Eyes China Tech For Railway Expansion

China Railway

After the telecom and power sector being benefited from Chinese supplies of instruments, India is contemplating leveraging Chinese experience through a “potential cooperation” in the railway sector.

The two countries are slated to share their experience in expansion and management of railway network during the first two-day India-China Strategic Economic Dialogue, starting in Beijing on Monday. In fact, the chairman of the Railway Board will be accompanying the Indian delegation, led by Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia.

The Chinese side will be led by Zhang Ping, the chairman of China’s National Development and Reform Commission.

 

“Discussions during the 1st Strategic Economic Dialogue will focus on plan formulation and implementation in India and China, the global economic outlook, efficient use of water resources, energy efficiency and pricing and potential cooperation in the railway sector,” said a communique issued by the Ministry of External Affairs.