Iranian S-300 missile systems

The Iranian government has brought a lawsuit against the Russian government to the International Court over Moscow's failure to deliver S-300 missile systems to Tehran. The Iranian ambassador to Moscow, Mahmoud Reza Sajjadi, held a news conference in Moscow on Wednesday to complain to the Russian media and people.

Sajjadi said during the news conference that the S-300 shipment would not be a violation of the UN Security Council's Resolution #1929, that prohibits the sale to Iran of conventional weapons, including missiles, tanks, military helicopters, warplanes and warships.

The Iranian diplomat told the reporters that President Ahdmadinejad ordered the lawsuit in the hope that the court would rule in favor of Iran and thus help Russia carry out the weapons shipment.

Iran and Russia signed the S-300 contract in 2007 during the Bush Administration. Russian leader Vladmir Putin became the de fact arms dealer of the world by selling arms and weapons systems to countries such as Iran, Syria, Venezuela, North Korea and others.

In September 2010, under pressure from the U.S. and European Union, the Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed an agreement banning shipments to Iran of the weapons and equipment listed in the UN resolution.

China Makes CSS-5 Ballistic Missiles

In the wake of a recent Pentagon report that China is moving advanced CSS-5 ballistic missiles to areas close to the Sino-Indian border, New Delhi is clearly taking no chances.

The government is now ready to induct the nuclear-capable Agni-III ballistic missile — with a range of 3,000-3,500 km and capable of hitting targets in China — into the Indian armed forces. It is also in the process of acquiring 42 more Russian-origin Sukhoi-30 MKI frontline fighters to “populate” airbases at Tezpur and Chabua in Assam to bolster the eastern sector.

The government is also reportedly moving the strategic Agni-II missile inducted earlier to areas near the Chinese border. These have a range of around 2,000 km.

 

Extra land is reportedly being procured in West Bengal and elsewhere to deploy these missiles. India is also developing the Agni-V missile (with a range of 5,000 km) that could hit targets deep within China.
When contacted, Army sources on Tuesday denied that missile units had been moved to the Eastern Command due to the Chinese threat perception.

The government is also taking other steps, including raising two more Army mountain divisions (30,000 troops) that will probably be deployed on the China border.
The Cabinet Committee on Security is considering the proposal for further troops augmentation near the Sino-Indian border.

China has deployed more advanced and survivable solid-fuel nuclear capable

China has deployed more advanced and survivable solid-fuel nuclear capable CSS-5 MRBM missiles against India as a 'deterrent posture', Pentagon has said warning that a high degree of mistrust continues to strain their bilateral ties.

The PLA has replaced liquid-fueled, nuclear-capable CSS-2 IRBMs with more advanced and survivable solid-fueled CSS-5 MRBM systems to strengthen its deterrent posture relative to India, the Pentagon has said in its annual report on Chinese military build up to the Congress.

The report also says that Beijing is pumping in huge investments on border infrastructure developments laying more roads and rail network along the Sino-Indian border.

"Although this construction is primarily aimed at facilitating economic development in western China, improved roads could also support PLA border defense operations," it said.

Pentagon said that New Delhi remains concerned by China's close military ties with Pakistan and its growing footprints in the Indian Ocean, Central Asia and Africa.

Russian military will use new MiG-35D

The Russian military will use new MiG-35D multirole fighters as an equal to the U.S. F-35 fighters, the Air Force chief said on Tuesday.

"We have not given up on the MiG-35D aircraft project, but we will transfer to the T-50 [heavy fighter] in the future," Gen. Alexander Zelin, the Russian Air Force commander, said during his visit to the six-day air show MAKS-2011 that opened near Moscow on Tuesday.

The U.S. Air Force began using the F-22 fifth generation fighter in the 2000s. America is now developing a lighter and less expensive version, the F-35.

The MiG-35 is an advanced derivative of the MiG-29, which uses air-to-air and air-to-surface guided missiles and the Zhuk A radar (Zhuk AE in exports)

T129 “P6” prototype helicopter has timely and successfully

The first flight, conducted by TAI’s test pilots, of T129 “P6” prototype helicopter has timely and successfully been completed at TAI’s facilities in Akıncı (Ankara).

The ATAK Program was initiated with the aim to meet the Attack/Tactical Reconnaissance Helicopter requirements of the Turkish Land Forces Command (TLF) by the integration of high-tech avionic equipment, hardware and software which will be developed in Turkey. 

The first flight of the P6 prototype marks an important milestone in the ATAK Program such that; being the first of a total of three T129 prototypes to be assembled in Turkey, it shows the level of technology achieved by Turkish Aerospace Industries, Inc. 

Turkish Aerospace Industries, Inc. (TAI) is the center of technology in design, development, manufacturing, integration of aerospace systems, modernization and after sales support in Turkey. Located in Ankara - Turkey, TAI’s modern aircraft facilities are furnished with high technology machinery and equipment that provide extensive manufacturing capabilities. TAI has a total of 3928 highly motivated employees, 1200 of whom are engineers. 

Turkey’s procurement agency, buy only six CH-FS

Turkey has signed a government-to-government deal with the United States to buy six Boeing-made CH-47 heavy-lift military transport helicopters, the first such weapons in its inventory, a senior procurement official said over the weekend. The deal is worth up to $400 million, the official said.

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency, or DSCA, the Pentagon’s body coordinating weapons sales, notified the U.S. Congress of a potential sale of a total of 14 CH-47F heavy-lift helicopters for $1.2 billion in December 2009. Congress gave permission for the sale later that month.

Because of financial constraints, however, the Undersecretariat for the Defense Industry, or SSM, Turkey’s procurement agency, later wanted to buy only six CH-47Fs, five for the Army and one for the Special Forces Command, leaving a decision on the remaining eight platforms for the future. Contract negotiations between the SSM, the U.S. government and Boeing were launched last year.

“The contract was signed in late July,” the procurement official told the Hürriyet Daily News. “After the helicopters begin to arrive, we plan to make some modifications to them according to our needs.”

The six CH-47F Chinooks will be the first heavy-lift helicopters in the Turkish Army’s inventory. Their deliveries are expected to begin in 2013 and end in 2014.

“These helicopters have incredible capabilities. Three or four of them can transport a company-sized unit and its equipment over long distances in only a few hours,” the procurement official said. The maximum speed of the CH-47F is around 312 kilometers per hour.

Developed in the late 1960s, the Chinooks have been exported to many countries, including Australia, Britain, Canada, Egypt, Greece, Italy, Japan, Morocco, the Netherlands, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates.

The Chinook has been successfully operated in combat conditions in several wars and armed conflicts.

Heavy-lift military transport helicopters are much larger versions of utility helicopters. The Chinook is a twin-engine, twin-rotor helicopter. Its counter-rotating rotors eliminate the need for an anti-torque vertical rotor, allowing all power to be used for lift and thrust.

The CH-47F is the upgraded version of the CH-47D, and is the latest model in this helicopter family. It can carry up to 60 troops and personnel.

F-22 stealth fighter

United Aircraft president Mikhail Pogosyan believes there is a market for 600 of the Sukhoi PAK-FA fifth-generation fighter, which finally made its public appearance at MAKS and is due to enter service with the Russian air force in 2015 or 2016.

The prototype, one of two undergoing flight tests, is Russia's answer to the Lockheed Martin F-22 stealth fighter. The first test flight was in January 2010, and United Aircraft sid a total of 16 flights have been made. Two more aircraft will join the flight test programme this year and a further two in 2012. 

Moscow has a requirement for around 200 of the single-seat aircraft, while India plans to buy around 200 aircraft, which are likely to be slightly larger and be twin-seaters. Its engineers and scientists are working on this programme jointly with the Russians, and contributing towards its development costs. Pogosyan believes another 200 export sales could be added as foreign air forces look to replace or add to legacy Soviet types. "There is a huge pool of MiG and Sukhoi customers that know our aircraft. We have very close relations with these customers," he said in an interview with Flightglobal at MAKS.

The PAK-FA, which is known internally as the T-50, reportedly makes heavy use of composites. It has two Saturn "Item 117" engines and an indigenously designed active electronically scanned array radar.

The delta-wing fighter has a small radar cross-section in radar, optical and infrared range, said Sukhoi, and large deeply-set intakes. It also has small, canted horizontal and vertical tail surfaces to boost stealth, the company added.

Sukhoi also plans to export the aircraft, which has been included in the initial list of types South Korea is considering for its F-X III tender. It could compete against the Boeing F-15K, Eurofighter Typhoon and Lockheed Martin F-35 if it is shortlisted.