In early November, the Namibian Navy has officially received two fast patrol boats built by the Brazilian shipbuilder Indústria Naval do Ceará SA (INACE).

The two MARLIM Class based boats, HPB 20 NS “Terrace Bay” and HPB 21NS “Möwe Bay” where acquired to Brazil´s Empresa Gerencial de Projetos Navais (EMGEPRON).

In 2009, EMGEPRON delivered to Namibia the P11 NS “Brendan Symbwaye” coastal patrol boat which is based on the Grajaú Class in service with the Brazilian Navy. The vessel was built by INACE shipbuilder. The Namibian Navy operates also the NS “Dimo Hamaambo” corvette donated by Brazil, and provides training to Brazilian Navy personnel in several domains.

(INACE).

(INACE).

Elbit Systems of America LLC has been awarded a five-year, Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract, in an amount of up to US$38.5 million, by the Defense Logistics Agency-Ogden for the manufacture of Reliability and Maintainability (R&M) Electronic Module Assemblies (EMA) for all U.S. Air Force Lockheed Martin F-16C/D Block 30 and Block 50 combat aircraft´s Wide Angle Conventional (WAC) Head- Up Displays (HUDs).

To date, the company has received initial orders in the amount of US$3 million under the IDIQ contract.

The WAC HUD takes critical flight and mission data which is normally displayed inside the cockpit on an instrument panel and projects that information on a transparent surface directly in front of the pilot allowing for eyes out of the cockpit and improved situational awareness. The new design reduces total part count, lowering power consumption and significantly improving meantime between failures.

(USAF).

AgustaWestland delivered the first NH90 NFH naval helicopter to Royal Norvegian Navy. The delivery ceremony took place 30th November at AgustaWestland’s Vergiate facility in Italy.

The helicopter delivered is the first of 14 NH90 NFHs procured by the NDLO to replace the Lynx helicopters with the Coast Guard service in addition to provide anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capability to the F-310 Nansen Class frigates.

The Norwegian NH90s will be based at Bardufoss Air Station where they will start their operational career after initial training. Norway is one of the nations selecting the NFH variant together with The Netherlands, France, Italy and Belgium. A total of 111 NH90 NFH naval helicopters have been ordered by these nations.

The NH90 NFH variant is primarily designed for autonomous and joint ASW and anti-surface warfare (ASuW) missions. The comprehensive mission equipment packages allow a wide range of additional missions to be performed including search and rescue (SAR), maritime patrol, vertical replenishment, troop transport, medical evacuation and amphibious support roles. The helicopter is designed for day and night operations in adverse weather conditions from the decks of ships.

The French Navy and the Royal Netherlands Navy already took delivery of NH Industries NH 90 NFH helicopters.

The Russian aerospace manufacturer JSC Irkut Corporation started the export of its Yak-130 light combat trainer. The first batch of three aircraft was delivered to Algeria from the Irkutsk based aviation plant on board a Volga Dnepr Airlines An-124-100 Ruslan airlifter on November 29.

The Government of Algeria procured in March 2006 a total of 16 aircraft to Russia´s federal state unitary enterprise JSC Rosoboronexport.

All the jets, ordered by Algeria, will be delivered to the Algerian Air Force before the end of the current year said the company to DEFESA Global.

According the company spokesperson, the aircraft is powered by two AI-222-25 turbojet engines manufactured by Russian FSUE MMPP “Salut” and Ukrainian “Motor Sich Public Joint Stock Company”, and fitted with an all-digital avionics suite, an integrated digital fly-by-wire control system allowing stability and controllability to be altered for the training purposes depending on the performance of the aircraft being simulated, as well as to alter the automatic control systems and the active flight safety systems characteristics. The pilot stations are fitted with three 6×8-inch color multifunction liquid-crystal displays (LCD), with the fore station having a head-up display (HUD) as well.

Since February 2010 about 8 Yak-130 has been supplied to the Russian Air Force. A contract between the Russian Ministry of Defense and JSC Irkut Corporation for 65 additional Yak-130 aircraft is expected to be signed soon.

(JSC Irkut Corporation).

(JSC Irkut Corporation).

(JSC Irkut Corporation).

Australian Aerospace has completed deliveries of the last Eurocopter EC 665 Tiger ARH combat support helicopters to the Australian Armed Forces.

The Australian Ministry of Defence DMO (Defence Materiel Organisation) procured the 22 helicopters under Project Air 87, to replace existing rotary-wing comprising Bell 206B-1 Kiowa reconnaissance and Bell UH1-H Iroquois gunship helicopters.

Australian Aerospace is also responsible for the overall program management and Through-Life-Support (TLS) of the fleet throughout their service life.

The French military vehicles builder Renault Trucks Defense (RTD) has delivered a total of 10 anti-tank missiles transport kits for integration on to French Army (Armée de Terre) 4×4 armoured vehicles in service with French troops in Afghanistan.

The kits were designed, developed and tested by RTD according an urgent operational requirement contract placed by the French procurement agency DGA (Direction Générale de l’Armement) in June of 2010.

It comprise integration kits allowing six Raytheon/Lockheed Martin FGM-148 Javelin fire-and-forget anti-tank missiles, two firing posts and two tripods to be carried inside a VAB (Véhicule de l’Avant Blindé) wheeled armoured vehicle which was previously configured for the operation of MBDA Eryx anti-armour weapon system. The integration on to the vehicles is currently being set up in Afghanistan by French Army personnel. In Afghanistan theatre, the Javelin missile system replaces the MBDA MILAN.

To fit French troops in Afghanistan, The DGA purchased in July 2010 through the U.S. DoD foreign military sales process a total of 76 launchers, 260 missiles and fire training systems.

Each year improvements are made to the VAB 4×4 vehicles in a partnership between RTD, the DGA and the French Army technical department STAT (Section Technique de l’Armée de Terre).

Several VABs have been upgraded with different systems and around 500 vehicles equipped with different systems for different mission are now available in Afghanistan including vehicles equipped with Sagem SA FELIN (Fantassin à Équipement et Liaisons INtégrés) soldier system integration kits (1207 personnel carriers, Eryx and MILAN weapon carriers and VAB T20-13 vehicles being modified to the VAB KIV version by RTD), Sagem SA SITEL (Système d’Information Terminal Elémentaire) tactical information system, armor from IBD Deisenroth Engineering, Kongsberg Protech Systems M151 Protector remote weapon stations (VAB TOP), 01dB-Metravib PILARw gunshot detection systems, stowage systems, multiple antenna mount, Thales Communications & Security on-the-move satellite communication systems (VAB VENUS) and Groupe ECA mine detection systems (VAB LEMIR).

In cooperation with the STAT, RTD developed the VAB ULTIMA according lessons learned of operation of VAB vehicles in Afghanistan. 120 vehicles are to be sent to Afghanistan during the first quarter of 2012.

The improved vehicle includes a protected M151 Protector remote weapon station (equipped with a searchlight, sights and armed with a 12.7mm heavy machine gun or a GMG 40mm automatic grenade launcher), a gunshot detection system, additional mine and ballistic protection, a large stowage system in the top of the hull to transport missiles, rockets and equipment, a stowage system to transport light ammunition, SITEL information system, a single light machine guns mount in the rear, FELIN dismounted soldier system batteries charger (Sagem SA CSM system and the junction box), suspended seats, four large boxes in the rear to safely transport equipment. The amphibian propulsion system has been removed and replaced by boxes to transport equipment. It has a weight of 15.8 tonnes (14 when empty), a top speed of 90 km/h and autonomy of up to 800 km. The vehicle is equipped with a 220 hp diesel engine and an automatic transmission.

RTD is currently working in the development and integration of an additional protection solution for VABs in service in Afghanistan according a contract awarded by the DGA in August 2010. The improvement comprises the integration of protection of the VAB against rocket-propelled grenades, mines and improvised explosive devices. Several solutions are being evaluated by RTD. The upgraded vehicle is to be ready in 2012 for integration in the vehicles used in Afghanistan.

At PHOENIX II trials held in May at the French Army training camp in Mourmelon, Sagem SA presented a VAB vehicle equipped with observation suite. The vehicle known as I-VAB comprise several high-resolution cameras.

For the export market, Renault Trucks Defense is now marketing a new design called VAB MK2. The design is available in both 4×4 and 6×6 configurations.

The VAB family of vehicles will be replaced by the VBMR (Véhicule Blindé Multi-Rôle) armoured vehicle, which is part of French Army SCORPION (Synergie du COntact Renforcé par la Polyvalence et I’InfovalorisatiON) modernization programme.

Raytheon has received U.S. Congressional and State Department approvals on a US$1.7 billion direct commercial sales contract to upgrade the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Patriot ground based air and missile defense system to the latest PAC 3 (Patriot Advanced Capability) configuration.

The award includes ground-system hardware, a full training package, support equipment upgrades and an interoperability capability to support potential coalition operations.

Patriot air defence system is in service with several countries including USA, Spain, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Germany, Netherlands, Japan, South Korea, Greece and Egypt.

The PAC 3 version has been proposed to Turkey´s T-LORAMIDS project.

The U.S. Army and U.S. Special Operations Command placed a combined order with a total value of US$31.5 million to Swedish company SAAB Bofors Dynamics for the delivery of Carl Gustaf M3 84mm man-portable anti-armour weapon systems.

General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS), was awarded a contract by the Swiss procurement agency ARMASUISSE for delivery of 70 additional GDELS-Mowag GmbH DURO wheeled armoured personnel carriers. The fleet procured as part of the 2010 Swiss Armament Procurement Program, will be operated by 2013 by the Swiss Global Mobility Task Force (GMTF).

The company has already delivered 220 DURO vehicles to the Swiss Army, procured through the 2008 Swiss Armament Procurement Program.

The Swish DURO vehicle comprises a Cummins Inc 245 hp turbocharged diesel engine and an Allison Transmission Inc 5-speed automatic transmission. All vehicles are equipped with an air-conditioning system and a NBC overpressure system.

(GDELS).

(GDELS).

(GDELS).

The Swiss Government has decided to select SAAB AB JAS-39E/F Gripen NG  combat aircraft as its future multirole fighter aircraft for the Swiss Air Force. Within the Swiss Air Force (Schweizer Luftwaffe), the type will replace Northrop F-5E/F Tiger II aircraft and complement the existing Boeing F/A-18C/D Hornet combat aircraft.

The Swedish design has been selected over Eurofighter GmbH Typhoon and Dassault Aviation Rafale aircraft.

JAS-39 Gripen C/D aircraft is in service with the Swedish, Czech Republic, Hungarian, South African and Royal Thai Air Forces. The UK Empire Test Pilots’ School (ETPS) is operating JAS-39 Gripen as its advanced fast jet platform for test pilots worldwide.

 (SAAB AB).