Biden announces the U.S. will withdraw its troops from Afghanistan by Sept. 11

 

Indonesia Receives First Batch of Chinese-Made AR-2 Missiles for its CH-4 UAVs

 The Indonesian military has received its first batch of Chinese-made AR-2 air-to-surface, precision-guided missiles (photo : Primasarana, Janes)

Information and images provided to Janes indicate that the weapons, which will be deployed on the Indonesian Air Force’s (Tentara Nasional Indonesia – Angkatan Udara: TNI-AU’s) CH-4 medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), arrived at the service’s main ammunition depot on the Iswahyudi Air Force Base on 8 April.

These images also indicate that the missiles, which were packed in crates of two projectiles each, were delivered in a shipping container that also included an undisclosed number of pylons and rail launchers.The AR-2 relies on its inertial guidance system for mid-course updates and on its semi-active laser (SAL) seeker for terminal homing. The weapon can carry a 5 kg armour-piercing warhead and has a maximum range of about 8 km.The TNI-AU currently operates a fleet of six CH-4 UAVs, the first two of which made their public debut in October 2019. The CH-4 variant supplied to Indonesia has an operating radius of between 1,500 km and 2,000 km and can be operated via satellite link.

The TNI-AU’s CH-4s were also seen armed with the larger AR-1 missiles during a 2019 exercise in East Java, Indonesia.

Pilot error likely cause for B-17G crash

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board has published a new report into the fatal crash of a B-17G warbird at Bradley International Airport on Oct. 2, 2019.

R Singapore AF Fighter Joint Training with F-35B USMC

 On 8 Apr 21, two of our fighter aircraft participated in a joint training with F-35B Joint Strike Fighter aircraft from the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit. The joint training was conducted in the southern reaches of the South China Sea within international waters. The USMC F-35Bs were deployed off the USS Makin Island, which is transiting through the Singapore Strait.The RSAF welcomes such interaction opportunities with the USMC, which are testament to the trust and cooperation between our Forces, as well as the excellent and long-standing defence relationship between Singapore and the US.

The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) expects to take delivery of four F-35B fighter aircraft around 2026 and they will be deployed in continental US for training and in-depth evaluation.

Thales Australia Exports Over $30m in Munitions

 The prime processed munitions export orders valued at over $30 million in 2020, the highest year on record.Thales has revealed that its subsidiary, Australian Munitions, has undergone a record year of sales with more than $30 million in orders to the US, New Zealand, Canada, Asia, and Europe over the course of 2020.

The orders included the sale of munitions, propellant, military explosives and sporting shooter munitions, produced in Australian Munitions’ facilities in Benalla, Victoria, and Mulwala, NSW.The milestone came despite COVID-induced disruptions to the supply chain, which according to Thales, demonstrates the “superiority of Australia’s sovereign munitions product”.

“The quantum of munitions export orders achieved in 2020 is testament to the world-class munitions products we manufacture in Australia, and the capacity of our manufacturing industry to support the strategic supply lines of our allied partners,” Dion Habner, managing director of Australian Munitions, said.“The strong international demand for our products helps ensure we can continue to invest in new jobs and equipment to maintain and grow this vital sovereign capability for the Australian Defence Force."Thales’ Australian Munitions business exports to 17 countries around the world, employing approximately 650 staff operating out of its facilities in Victoria and NSW.

Greece to sign agreement on deploying Patriot missile to Saudi Arabia on Apr. 20

Greece’s Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias and National Defense Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos will travel to Riyadh on Apr. 20 to sign an agreement for the deployment of a Greek PAC-3 air defense missile system to the kingdom.

Russia - Aviation of the Southern Military District delivered massive strikes against targets

Georgian AF upgraded Su-25