Most Badass NEW WEAPONS of the Year

 

F-35A Lightning II flypast of Sydney Harbour - Australia Day 2021

 

Philippines Protests China Law on Coast Guard’s Weapon Use

 

The Philippines has filed a diplomatic protest against China’s law giving its coast guard more freedom to fire on foreign vessels, the Southeast Asian nation’s foreign affairs minister said.

“While enacting law is a sovereign prerogative, this one — given the area involved or for that matter the open South China Sea — is a verbal threat of war to any country that defies the law,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin said on his Twitter on Wednesday.China Adopts Law Letting Coast Guard Fire on Foreign Vessels

Locsin said he filed the protest as inaction means the Philippines is submitting to the new law, which also allows Chinese coast guard to board and inspect foreign ships operating in China’s “jurisdictional waters.” He said on Monday that the law was “none of our business.”Both countries have overlapping claims in the resource rich South China Sea. Last year, Manila filed a diplomatic protest against Beijing over the Chinese Coast Guard’s alleged confiscation of Filipino fishermen’s equipment in the disputed waters.

Elbit Systems / Remote Controlled Weapon Stations

 

Elbit Systems Secures $172M to Supply Light Tanks to a Country in Asia-Pacific

 Elbit Systems has won a contract valued nearly $172 million to supply light tanks to the Army of a country in Asia-Pacific.

The contract will be performed over a three-year period.

As the prime contractor, Elbit Systems will supply the Sabrah light tank solution based on the tracked ASCOD platform that is manufactured by General Dynamics European Land Systems Santa Bárbara from Spain, and on the wheeled Pandur II 8X8 platform manufactured by Excalibur Army from the Czech Republic.The 30-ton Sabrah light-tank solution provides a unique combination of powerful fire capacity and high maneuverability. Both platforms will be equipped with a 105mm turret and a range of the Company’s subsystems, including electro-optical sights, fire control systems, TORCH-XTM battle management systems, E-LynXTM software defined radio systems and life support systems. 

Northrop Grumman Wins $3.6B U.S. Air Force’s Battlefield Airborne Communications Node Contract

 

The U.S. Air Force recently awarded Northrop Grumman Corporation a $3.6 billion indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (ID/IQ) contract for continued Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) operations, sustainment and support.The BACN system is a high-altitude, airborne communications gateway that translates and distributes imagery, voice and tactical data from disparate elements—enhancing situational awareness communications and coordination for joint warfighters operating across space, air, land and sea. This system is hosted on high-altitude aircraft to provide persistent connectivity and operational support 24 hours a day, seven days a week as part of the BACN program.

The contract awarded today provides for research, development, test, and evaluation, integration and operations and sustainment for existing and future payloads contained in or connected to the BACN system. It also includes associated ground stations or controls, ancillary equipment, support equipment and system integration laboratories.Work will be performed in San Diego, California, and overseas locations through January 24, 2026, and $23.7 million was obligated with the initial task order at the time of award.

Air Force Thunderbirds 2020 Air Show Scenes

 

Greece signs contract for 18 Rafales

 

Greece has signed the contract to buy 18 Rafale fighters. Theodoros Lagios, General Director of Armament and Investments of the Greek Ministry of Defense, and Eric Trappier, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation signed the paperwork on Jan. 25.