The F-35A Lightning II aircraft arrived in Adelaide for the first time on 6 November to participate in the Edinburgh Air Show, 9-10 November 2019.
The Air Show showcased advances in aviation technology during the 100 years since the epic flight in November 1919 of notable South Australians Sir Ross Smith and his brother, Sir Keith Smith, who flew from England to Australia in 1919 in a Vickers Vimy to win the Great Air Race.
Australian Department of Defence
November 7, 2019
Royal Australian Air Force Base Williamtown welcomed the arrival of seven new F-35A Lightning II aircraft to Australia’s fleet on 11 December 2019.
The seven new F-35A Lightning II aircraft have brought the Australian fleet numbers to 13 aircraft.
The aircraft travelled from Luke AFB via Hickham/Anderson Air Force Bases to Australia with tanker support.
The aircraft will be join the current fleet of six F-35A Lightning II already operating out of RAAF Base WLM.
The new aircraft will be flown by 2OCU aircrew. No. 2OCU has just conducted its last Operational Conversion Course in the F/A-18A/B Classic Hornet.
The next OPCON course will be conducted in the F-35A Lightning II aircraft late 2020, early 2021.
Australian Department of Defence
December 12, 2019
India and Russia kicked off the 11th iteration of their bilateral military exercise, designated Indra-2019, at a military training ground in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh on December 11, according to the Indian Ministry of Defense (MoD).
The exercise will be simultaneously conducted in Uttar Pradesh, Goa, a state on the southwestern coast of India, and in the western Indian state of Maharashtra. Indra-2019 is expected to run through December 21.
The exercise will include air, ground, and sea elements from both countries. “Company sized mechanized contingents, fighter and transport aircraft and ships of respective services of both the countries are taking part in the exercise,” the MoD said a statement. “The aim of [the] exercise is joint training of troops in counter terrorism operations under the United Nations mandate.”
The land component of the exercise will reportedly involve eight tactical episodes with the Indian Army providing around 20 combat vehicles, including tanks and infantry fighting vehicles, to the Russian forces.
According to India Strategic:
The exercise will be simultaneously conducted at Babina (near Jhansi), Goa and Pune. Company sized mechanised contingents, fighter and transport aircraft and ships of respective services of both the countries are taking part in the exercise.
The aim of exercise is joint training of troops in counter terrorism operations under the United Nations mandate.
Exercise INDRA-2019 will further cement the long standing strategic ties between India and Russia.
As part of the exercise, important lectures, demonstrations and drills related to counter terrorism operations will be conducted.
Both the countries will also share their valuable experience in countering such situations and refine drills and procedures for joint operations.
The exercise will culminate with a 72 hours validation phase which will test the skills of soldiers, sailors and airmen in conducting joint operations in a counter terrorism scenario.
British Army Soldiers with the 77th Brigade, 6th United Kingdom Division use information warfare during Dragoon Ready 20 at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center, Hohenfels, Germany, Nov. 4, 2019.
HOHENFELS, GERMANY
11.04.2019
Video by Spc. Ethan Valetski and Pfc. Michael Ybarra
2d Cavalry Regimen
Debalina Ghoshal
Cyber theft committed by China is not new and the country continues to violate commitment that it had made with the United States that it would not indulge in any cyber thefts.
These thefts not only include intellectual properties but also crucial weapon systems to name a few thus becoming a threat to the United States. in 2009, when the US oil companies like Marathon Oil and Exxon Mobil were victims of cyber espionage, it was assumed that the possible culprit could have been China or Russia.
As late as the June 2018 reports, China continues to steal intellectual property and trade secrets from the United States companies for its own economic development. China in the past has made attempts to hack information on US nuclear warheads.
Most recently, in June 2018, it has been reported that China has gained access to secret information of US project ‘Sea Dragon’ that would provide them crucial information on US submarines and anti-ship missiles- crucial for deterrence and developing counter-measures especially as China and the United States are involved in the South China Sea confrontation.
According to reports, China stole 614 gigabytes worth information relating to sensors, submarine cryptographic systems along with information on Sea Dragon project. In February 2019, there were reports that Iran and China have renewed their cyber-attacks against the United States.
The US also accuses China of attempting to steal crucial information on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighters (a reason why it is believed China was able to develop the indigenous Chengdu J-20) as well as the Patriot air and missile defence systems.
Other than this, the United States also accuses China of infiltrating an organisation with connections the THAAD missile defence system in South Korea- a move by the United States that China vehemently opposes. Such cyber thefts would enable China to develop counter measures against these weapon systems by studying the weapon systems of the United States in detail.
They are also accused of obtaining designs for several other weapon systems like Aegis Ballistic Missile Defence System, Littoral Combat Ship and also electromagnetic rail guns.
China’s medium of cyber theft includes- stealing secrets including computer software source codes, chemical formulas, and technology can be used in weapon systems. Other than this, technological \know-how is gained by joint ventures and purchases of companies, academic and research partnerships and front companies that “obscure the hand of Chinese government.”
As regards China’s hacking of crucial weapons systems, according to Annual Report to Congress: Military and Security Developments.
Involving the People’s Republic of China 2013, “China utilised its intelligence services and employed other illicit approaches that involve violations of U.S. laws and exports to obtain key national security technologies, controlled equipment and other materials not readily obtainable through commercial means or academia.” The same year, the Obama Administration had also confrontedPresident Jinping on the issue of cyber espionage conducted by China. In 2014, some People’s Liberation of Army (PLA) officials were accused of stealing trade secrets from Westinghouse, U.S. steel and other companies.
Despite the hue and cry of the United States, China continues to violate the 2015 bilateral accord with the United States and such cyber thefts have been reported even in November 2018. The bilateral agreement was signed by China after coercion by the United States in which Beijing agreed to not to steal each other’s intellectual property for commercial gain. The bilateral agreement of 2015 between the United States and China became a much needed arrangement especially as in 2013, the Commission on the Theft of American Intellectual Property estimated that 50-80 percent of the cyber thefts were performed by China.
Not only the United States, but China inked similar bilateral deals with Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom. However, owing to the recent trade war between the United States and China, China has resumed hacking of US confidential information and this level of hacking has only become more sophisticated and stealthier.
According to US senior adviser for cyber security strategy at the National Security Agency (NSA), Rob Joyce, “it is clear they were well beyond the bounds of the agreement today” that was forged between the two countries.
Though Chinese have denied this allegation, private sector cyber security firms have confirmed that China’s cyber theft activities have increased over the years especially since the Trump administration came into power and since China and the United States have been mired into trade war.
This increase in cyber thefts occurred despite Chinese President Xi Jinping’s positive view of the bilateral agreement and in 2015 he stated, “China and the United States are two major cyber countries, and we should strengthen dialogue and cooperation. Confrontation and friction are not the right choice for both sides.”
One of the reasons why China is so capable of tactfully performing cyber espionage is due to the government’s effort in concentrating on development of science and technology, and research and development.
This is no surprise as China’s assassin mace weapon strategy whereby it aims to defeat greater powers with both offensive and defensive technologies.
Cyber operations form a major component of China’s assassin mace weapon strategy to strengthen its deterrence vis-à-vis the United States.
Like always, China continues to deny these allegations of cyber espionage. According to Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, Lu Kang, the accusations are “purely out of ulterior motive that some companies and individuals in the United States use so-called cyber theft to blame China for no reason.”
The United States on the other hand, has come out with a new cyber security strategy in 2018 that would include the strategy of strengthening the organisations that include‘ critical infrastructure.’
Imposing sanctions on Chinese hackers and hacking agencies is another way that the United States is making an effort to deter China.
Not only this, its strategy also includes ‘naming and shaming’ those cyber attackers as well as the countries supporting such activities.
Organisations like the Department of Defence and NSA can counter attack overseas sources of attacks with greater ease now according to the strategy.
The military division has also started with Twitter account that discloses the malwares they have discovered in order to deter hackers from hacking critical information.
Despite the cyber security strategy that the United States has adopted, there is little doubt that the US is vulnerable constantly to Chinese cyber-attacks and espionage. Its weapon systems and intellectual property are under constant threat jeopardising its security.
Debalina Ghoshal is a Non Resident Fellow, Council on International Policy, Canada and an Asia Pacific Fellow, EastWest Institute
The featured image comes from the following source:
By defenceWeb
The South African defence industry is cultivating closer ties with the Egyptian market, with the South African Aerospace, Maritime, and Defence Export Council (SAAMDEC) holding discussions with Egypt’s Minister of State for Military Production.
Dr Mohamed Said Al-Assar met with members from the South African Aerospace, Maritime and Defence (AMD) Industries Association on Saturday along with representatives from a number of South African companies to discuss defence cooperation.
The Egyptian Ministry of Military Production outlined its role and requirements, particularly regarding ammunition, weapons and equipment. According to Egyptian media, the two sides discusses aspects of cooperation and willingness to enhance this.
AMD representatives highlighted the fact that South African companies are willing to work with Egyptian companies and praised the Egyptian side for encouraging foreign companies to invest in Egyptian projects.
South African interest could be seen in the participation by South African companies in the first EDEX defence exhibition in Cairo in December 2018, with AMD encouraging other companies to take part in the next edition in 2020.
“The two sides agreed to form working groups to study the tracks that will be agreed upon to develop future partnership and cooperation,” Egyptian media reported.
SAAMDEC CEO Sandile Ndlovu, speaking at the end of the weeklong outward trade and investment mission in Egypt, said the North African country is a big market for the South African defence industry as it spends over $4 billion on arms a year.
He said the first step to entering the Egyptian defence market is to formally introduce the South African defence industry to the market and acknowledge the efforts of individual companies that have been interacting already. Secondly, areas of cooperation in the defence space need to be identified.
“Our first interactions with the Egyptian private sector occurred during a defence exhibition that was held in Egypt last year [EDEX 2018]. We interacted again this time around and have found that there is a lot of interest to cooperate with us, specifically on the promotion and marketing of our products in the private sector.
“What we have agreed on doing between ourselves and the Egyptian defence authorities is to streamline discussions by identifying specific areas where we could cooperate.
“In the meantime, because Egypt has such a huge buying capacity, they have also made an undertaking that they would forward more inquiries of their requirements to South Africa.
“Over and above the co-producing and co-developing, we will begin to assist the Egyptians with their defence requirements in areas where South Africa has solutions,” said Ndlovu.
South African companies that have already participated in the Egyptian defence market include Rheinmetall Denel Munition (RDM), which commissioned a Universal Filling Plant for Egypt in 2017.
This has the capability to fill a variety of munition products, including medium and large calibre ammunition through to aircraft bombs. It was established over a four year period.
Denel Dynamics, meanwhile, is looking to sell Egypt up to 96 Umkhonto-R surface-to-air missiles in a potential R4.5 billion deal. These would equip the Egyptian Navy’s new ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) Meko A200 frigates. Denel is also hoping to sell 32 infrared-guided versions of its Umkhonto missile to Egypt, according to a Mail & Guardian report.
In early September, in presentation to Parliament, Denel said its “largest export contract” was “imminent” with an advance payment of R1.5 billion. The presentation said the contract would boost Denel’s production portfolio and cover equipment fit for TKMS vessels for the Egyptian Navy.
Elsewhere, South African engineers from SAKSA Technologies developed the ST-100 and ST-500 armoured personnel carriers (APCs) for Egypt’s International Marathon United Technology Group (IMUT), which were unveiled in 2018 and are in production for the Egyptian military.
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, South Africa supplied 14 Mamba APCs to Egypt in 2014.
This article was published by defenceWeb on December 9, 2019.
The featured photo shows an Egyptian Crotale missile. This weapon was originally developed in South Africa.
U.S. Marines with 2nd Transportation Support Battalion, Combat Logistics Regiment 2, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, work with Sailors from Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC) 69 and 53, assigned to Assault Craft Unit 4, to load equipment on to the LCAC during Type Commander’s Amphibious Training (TCAT) 20-1 at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Oct. 25, 2019.
The purpose of TCAT is to increase naval integration and preparation for real-world contingency operations.
CAMP LEJEUNE, NC, UNITED STATES
10.25.2019
Video by Lance Cpl. Fatima Villatoro
2nd Marine Logistics Group
It’s clear that combat capabilities and operations are being recrafted across the globe and, as operational contexts change, the evolution of the role of fighters is at the center of that shift.
The 2018 International Fighter Conference held in Berlin provided a chance to focus on the role of fighters in the strategic shift from land wars to higher intensity operations.
The baseline assumption for the conference can be simply put: air superiority can no longer be assumed, and needs to be created in contested environments.
Competitors like China and Russia are putting significant effort into shaping concepts of operations and modernizing force structures which will allow them to challenge the ability of liberal democracies to establish air superiority and to dominate future crises.
There was a clear consensus on this point, but, of course, working the specifics of defeating such an adversary brings in broader concepts of force design and operations.
While the air forces of liberal democracies all face the common threat of operating in contested airspace, the preferred solutions vary greatly from one nation to another, so the conference worked from that common assumption rather than focusing on specific solutions.
Among some of the key questions addressed during IFC 2018 were the foillowing:
Where is sensor fusion done?
Where will decisions be taken?
Who will deliver them?
How will different air forces connect in distributed operations in contested airspace?
With what systems and means?
As multi-domain operations (the ability to deliver effects throughout the entire combat force with fighters playing various roles, C2, ISR, strike) come to dominate, will platforms be designed to enhance overall capabilities of the combat force?
Put another way, how will legacy aircraft evolve to the challenge of dealing with contested airspace while also contributing to multi-domain operations that is becoming a primary driver of change for the air combat force?
International Fighter Conference 2019 picked up from the discussion last year, to focus notably on the second and third questions: how will fighters evolve within the air combat force to deliver multi-domain effects in a contested environment?
The conference focused on the role of fighters within the evolution of networked lethality.
The key point is that fighters are not what they once were.
They are now key players in multi-mission and multi-domain operations.
Some of the themes which clearly emerged from the conference, include but are not limited to the following:
What progress has the Future Combat Air System program of the French, Germans and, now the Spanish made in the past year?
How the manned-unmanned teaming part of FCAS could enter the market in the next decade?
How convergent are the projected French Rafale and the German Eurofighter modernization programs? Is it more a case of parallel efforts or cross cutting ones?
How has the coming of the F-35 affected rethinking about air combat operations? How to better connect fifth generation concepts and thinking with the overall dynamics of change in what I call the shaping of an integrated distributed force?
How are countries directly threatened by the 21st century authoritarian powers addressing the role of air power in their self-defense?
How best to train a multi-domain fighter pilot?
How does the telescoping of generations of fighter aircraft shape the “next” generation fighter?
How to best address the challenge of affordable capability, remembering Secretary Wynne’s core point: You don’t win anything being the second-best air force?
Is the combat cloud the best way to think about the new C2/ISR infrastructure which is being crafted, created and shaped for the advanced air forces?
In short, the fighter conference is a place to be for those who are thinking about the evolution of the multi-domain combat environment and how best to prepare those flying fighters to prevail in that environment.
For the International Fighter Conference 2018, see the following:
International-Fighter-Conference-2018For the International Fighter Conference 2019, see the following: