The Indonesian Army has officially received four AS 550 Fennec helicopters, along with comprehensive refurbishment and spare parts, courtesy of the Indonesian Ministry of Defense. The handover ceremony took place at the South Terminal Apron of the Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base in Jakarta on Wednesday, January 24, 2024
The tragic shooting down of a Russian Il-76-MD aircraft in the airspace over Kursk and Belgorod which killed 74 persons including 65 Ukrainian POWs has exposed shortcomings in Russian air defense systems. While the missiles had been detected by both the IL-76 aircraft and a ground-based air defense radar, there were no S-400 or other air defense systems within range of the lauched missiles to intercept them
The French Armament General Directorate (DGA) has placed an order for 42 new H145 helicopters, marking another procurement for Airbus Helicopters. The order, made at the close of 2023 on behalf of the Ministry of Interior, is slated for delivery commencement in 2024
The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy's eighth Type 055 large destroyer, the Xianyang, has undergone a comprehensive multi-mission examination, signaling its “readiness for combat.” The vessel's capabilities were put to the test in sea attack, anti-submarine, and air defense missions during a full-course training examination organized by a PLA Navy-affiliated vessel training center
A Romanian pilot, trained within the European F-16 Training Center (EFTC), conducted the first flight with an F-16 aircraft provided by the Royal Netherlands Air Forces on January 15. This was announced by the Romanian defense ministry on Thursday
Test flights of the enhanced AC313A helicopter have commenced in the challenging climatic conditions of Heilongjiang province, located in northeastern China. Chinese state-owned media reported the initiation of these trials, aimed at confirming the helicopter's suitability for deployment in search and rescue missions and transportation under extreme weather conditions where conventional civilian models might face limitations
The United States' endeavor to replace its ground-based nuclear arsenal, anchored by the Minuteman III, has officially blown through its budget of $95.8 billion due to the unforeseen impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and inflation, according to a statement released by the Air Force on Thursday
Ukrainian-made drones, boasting a range of 1250 kilometers, targeted the vital port infrastructure of St. Petersburg
Japan signed a contract with the United States on Thursday to buy 400 long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles, seeking to acquire the capability of striking an adversary's territory with China and North Korea in mind. Faced with growing Chinese military clout and a nuclear-armed North Korea, the Japanese government plans to double its defense spending to 2% of GDP by 2027
Indian Navy's guided missile destroyer, INS Visakhapatnam, deployed in the Gulf of Aden for anti-piracy operations, intercepted and provided assistance to the Marshall Island-flagged MV Genco Picardy following a drone attack on Wednesday night. The distress call from MV Genco Picardy was received at 11:11 pm on January 17 after the vessel came under a drone attack by unknown assailants in the Gulf of Aden