HHI’s HCX-23 trimaran incorporates low-observability features, including reduced radar cross-sections and a retractable radar. (Janes/Chinmay Kohad)
Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) displayed a concept model of its new HCX-23 trimaran ship at the MADEX 2023 exhibition in Busan, South Korea.
The HCX-23 has a length of 130 m, a beam of 36 m, and a displacement of 6,000 tonnes. The ship features a 48 cell vertical launching system (VLS) on its foredeck, which can be fitted with a mix of surface-to-air or anti-surface missiles. At the front there is provision for one laser-based main gun.

LIG Nex1’s new AUV and XLUUV are being developed to meet South Korea’s mine-countermeasures requirements. (Janes/Chinmay Kohad)
LIG Nex1 displayed models of a new autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) and an extra-large unmanned underwater vehicle (XLUUV) at the MADEX 2023 exhibition in Busan, South Korea.
The company told Janes that the AUV, which is under development, has a length of 2 m and a diameter of 20 cm. It has an operational depth of 200 m and weighs 60 kg.
The AUV is being developed under a KRW12 billion (USD9.

Americans are not equipped with the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) skills that they need to succeed in the face of technological change. Although the United States used to lead globally in STEM skills, it now ranks 38th out of 71 countries in math and 24th in science. Only 36 percent of high school students are prepared for college-level science courses, and only about a third of U.S. students believe they will graduate with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in the job market and workplace.

First showcased at the Farnborough International Airshow in 2016, the armed Black Hawk is now being considered by the Polish army. (Janes/Gareth Jennings)
Lockheed Martin expects Poland to order approximately 32 armed S-70 Black Hawk helicopters as part of a wider revamp of the country’s rotary-winged capabilities.
Speaking at the PZL Mielec facility in southern Poland on 7 June, Marek Chojecki, sales and business development manager at Lockheed Martin’s Polish subsidiary, said that discussions had been held with the Polish Ministry of National Defence (MND).

Data analytics specialists, Cervus, and defence software enablers, Hadean, announced that they have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on 6 June to use metaverse-ready technology to power next-generation decision support capabilities.
The two start-ups will unlock the potential of next-generation decision support for customers with a simulation tool kit. This metaverse infrastructure will enable users to look at a wider breadth of factors, as opposed to one or two instances at a time.

An F-16C from Israel’s 101 Squadron at Paphos International Airport during Exercise ‘Blue Sun’. (Israeli Air Force)
The Israeli Air Force (IAF) used an exercise in Cyprus in May to simulate combat against Lebanese militant group Hizbullah, as well as operating F-16 fighter aircraft from an unfamiliar airfield.

A US triservice formation of the US Air Force F-35A (lead), the US Marine Corps F-35B, and the US Navy F-35C. (US Air Force)
On 30 May the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report about the Lockheed Martin F-35, finding that the programme has not adequately explained a cost increase of USD13.4 billion since 2019, that the upgraded Block 4 version has run into technical snags and a USD1 billion cost increase, and that the US Department of Defense (DoD) has not fully defined requirements for an engine cooling system upgrade.
The USD13.

A model of the Joint Strike Ship, which has been developed by Hanwha Ocean in anticipation of a Republic of Korea Navy requirement for such a vessel. (Janes/Ridzwan Rahmat)
Hanwha Ocean has unveiled a Joint Strike Ship concept that was conceived for Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation (KMPR) requirements.

The concept was unveiled at the International Maritime Defense Industry Exhibition (MADEX) 2023 in Busan. It was conceived against the backdrop of a growing nuclear threat from North Korea, said a Hanwha Ocean representative who spoke to
Janes
.

Google Earth and The Freedom For Russia Legion

The self-proclaimed anti-Putin partisans who have launched incursions into Russia say their next target is the Crimean peninsula.
In an address apparently broadcast on radio stations in Crimea, The Freedom For Russia Legion said they, along with the Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK), were going to conduct a raid into the peninsula occupied by Russia since 2014.

#FreedomOfRussiaLegion#Crimea a personal plea #CrimeaIsUkraine “L”For Russia! For freedom!‘ https://t.co/Smwe9Bbw4J
— 🇺🇦 🇬🇪 Сара @NAFO_REDCOW@nafo.

The United States now has at least five new secret jets under construction, with a focus on fending off Chinese threats in the Pacific and Russian aggressiveness in Europe.
These programs range from next-generation air superiority fighters that will fly amidst a constellation of AI-powered support drones to scramjet-powered dual-cycle hypersonic attack drones very similar in concept to the long-awaited SR-72.

In the history of the India-Pakistan conflict, 1971 holds great significance due to the war between the two nations. This article aims to shed light on the countries supporting Pakistan during this crucial period.
Additionally, it will explore the reasons behind the war’s initiation and other nations’ involvement in the conflict. Let’s delve into the details to gain a better understanding.
Reasons for the 1971 India- Pakistan War
The war between India and Pakistan in 1971 was primarily rooted in the tensions between East and West Pakistan.

Capture via Twitter / Boevaya mashina via Wikimedia

Video footage has emerged that appears to show a Russian loitering munition, or kamikaze drone, attacking a Hensoldt TRML-4D truck-mounted radar belonging to the Ukrainian armed forces. This radar is a key component of the IRIS-T SLM surface-to-air missile system and may be the only one of its kind delivered to Ukraine to date. Additional images show a launcher associated with this system with the insinuation that it was also struck.

The Leopard 2A8 main battle tank is the latest advancement in the Leopard 2 series of tanks manufactured by Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) and Rheinmetall in Germany. 
This tank represents an enhanced version of the Leopard 2A7, incorporating cutting-edge improvements. It boasts an advanced armor protection system, believed to feature the latest generation of multi-layer armor.
To showcase the Leopard 2A8 concept, a demonstrator was presented at the international defense exhibition IDET in Brno, Czech Republic, in May 2023.

In a story of maritime intrigues and mysteries, the INS Arihant, an Indian submarine, experienced a mishap with a supposed hatch open.
Arihant’s encounter with seawater
It was 2017 when the $2.9 billion submarine ship INS Arihant was reportedly sidelined from action for ten months due to an incident with an open hatch while in port.
Seawater rushed in, reportedly causing serious damage to the Arihant’s engine room. The damage did not end there: the seawater would have corroded the pipes, threatening to affect its nuclear reactor.

A leading navigator for the U.S. military has approved the new Naval Oceanography enterprise (NOe) data strategy to set a clear path forward for managing the United States’ complex and growing cache of maritime information assets, a senior Navy official revealed to DefenseScoop.

France does not welcome a proposal for NATO to open a liaison office in Japan, a French official said on Tuesday, adding that such a move would distance the Alliance from its main region of interest.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has recently suggested opening an office in Tokyo in response to the growing challenge posed by China.
“NATO (stands for) North Atlantic, and both Article V and Article VI (of its statutes) clearly limit the scope of application to the North Atlantic,” said a French official, who asked not to be named.

From new aircraft to space-based assets, the Department of the Air Force is entering a new era of how it conducts airborne surveillance and command-and-control missions. That means how the department define roles and responsibilities for air battle management will likely need a “paradigm shift” moving forward, according to Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles “CQ” Brown Jr.

Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin has abandoned plans to offer contract aerial refueling services using a version of the Airbus A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT). Teamed up with Airbus, Lockheed Martin had originally announced this possibility back in 2019, as part of a raft of different aerial refueling proposals, mainly pitched for the U.S. Air Force. The A330 MRTT aircraft was later rebranded as the LMXT in the specific configuration being offered to that service, although Lockheed has now determined there is no credible business case for it to offer contracted tankers to the U.S.

Israel has reasserted its pre-emptive strike capability against Iran, which would likely lead to a multi-front war with serious ramifications for the region.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his threats against Iran on Sunday during a cabinet meeting held as part of a mock national war.
“The reality in our region is changing rapidly. We are not stagnating. We are adapting our combat doctrine and our possibilities of action based on these changes,” Netanyahu told the meeting held in an underground military bunker in Tel Aviv.

DOD

The U.S. Marine Corps has formally activated its first unit that will be equipped with ground-launched Tomahawk cruise missiles. The Marines are currently in the process of determining exactly how this unit will be equipped and employed, but the service expects to have a fully operational Tomahawk-armed battalion before the end of the decade.
Cathy Close, a spokesperson for the Marine Corps’ Combat Development and Integration (CD&I) Command, confirmed that this unit stood up earlier this year and provided additional details about it to The War Zone.

The Department of Defense is looking to mature edge computing with an “intermediary capability” to bridge enterprise and tactical networks.
The issue currently is reducing the amount of systems each unit across the services has to bring to support their missions.

Australia, the United States and Ukraine are considering sending 41 Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18 Hornet fighters to Kyiv to fulfill part of President Volodymyr Zelensky’s request for fighter jets rather than scrapping them as planned.
Sources have told The Australian Financial Review that the United States, which has recently authorized other Western allies to supply Ukraine with advanced fighter jets, including US-made F-16s, welcomes the idea of ​​giving away the F/A-18 to Ukraine.

According to a Nikkei analysis of customs clearance data, Russia is suspected of buying back military supplies previously sent to Myanmar and India.
The study found records of Russian buybacks of tank and missile parts that had been exported to Myanmar and India. Russia may be re-importing components to upgrade older weapons intended for use in Ukraine with the help of countries with which it has long-standing military ties.

The Army is shaking up how it acquires and manages software for new contracts, according to a top official.
Gone are the days of stringent and onerous requirements. Now, for software intensive programs, industry can expect brief outlines of what the Army wants, Jennifer Swanson, deputy assistant secretary for data, engineering and software, told a forum.

Despite all of the technologies that render the battlefield more transparent, the fog of war has yet to lift over the front in Ukraine.
The post Ukraine’s offensive has begun (and we won’t know everything about it) first appeared on Sandboxx.
The post Ukraine’s offensive has begun (and we won’t know everything about it) appeared first on Sandboxx.

By Stijn Mitzer and Joost Oliemans
 
Much attention has been devoted to Poland’s defence spending boost (not the least through our dedicated article) to give the country the largest army in the European Union. [1] Other NATO member countries are making an attempt to follow suit, with Romania currently embarking on a smaller but similarly ambitious rearmament programme.

FILE: Members of 5th Special Forces Group (A) conducting 50. Cal Weapons training during counter ISIS operations at Al Tanf Garrison in southern Syria in November 2017. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Jacob Connor).

With much of the world focused on the impending Ukrainian offensive and continued belligerence from China, U.S. troops continue to battle the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria long after the fall of ISIS’ caliphate.
U.S. troops conducted a total of 38 missions against ISIS in Iraq in Syria during May, according to U.S. Central Command.

After the Navy wraps up experimentation with the USS Carl Vinson carrier strike group, the service is planning to roll out its Project Overmatch capabilities in the Indo-Pacific, including to 7th Fleet, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Michael Gilday said Wednesday.
The highly secretive Project Overmatch is the Navy’s contribution to the Pentagon’s Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) initiative — a multi-billion-dollar effort to better connect the U.S. military’s many sensors, shooters and networks across the services.

REMKO DE WAAL/AFP via Getty Images

The Netherlands has once again emerged as a likely frontrunner among the Western nations looking to get F-16 fighter jets into the hands of the Ukrainian Air Force. In the latest development regarding the future of the Dutch Viper fleet, the country’s defense ministry has confirmed that plans to sell a dozen of the jets to the contractor contractor ‘red air’ company Draken have been dramatically scaled back.

The F-35 Lightning II may be one program, but in a way, it’s three different aircraft. Here’s a rundown of the F-35A, B, and C.
The post These are the 3 different aircraft we call the F-35 first appeared on Sandboxx.
The post These are the 3 different aircraft we call the F-35 appeared first on Sandboxx.

Despite their health risks, energy drinks helped fuel troops during the Global War on Terror and are now in big demand in Ukraine.
The post Energy drinks – The unsung hero of the Global War on Terror first appeared on Sandboxx.
The post Energy drinks – The unsung hero of the Global War on Terror appeared first on Sandboxx.

Army Pvt. Caleb Smither. (Heather Baker photo).

The facts of Pvt. Caleb Smither’s death are clear.
Smither was a private in the 82nd Airborne Division, assigned to the maintenance platoon of the 37th Brigade Engineer Battalion, part of the division’s 2nd Brigade, at Fort Bragg, now Fort Liberty. At some point in mid-January 2020, he hit his head in the motor pool. On January 14 he went to sick call and eventually found himself at the base’s Womack Army Medical Center. He went back again the next day and was given some degree of treatment, and told to recuperate in his barracks room.

The Republic of Korea Air Force already operates four Boeing E-7 Wedgetail AEW&C aircraft. (Boeing)
Increasing North Korean ballistic missile activity has prompted South Korea to proceed with the planned acquisition of additional airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft.
The Republic of Korea Air Force (RoKAF) already operates four Boeing E-7A ‘Peace Eye’ AEW&C aircraft, according to Janes data. Seoul acquired these aircraft in 2011–12 as part of an effort to expand its airborne surveillance and early warning infrastructure.

Finnish Defence Forces Logistics Command has ordered 91 6×6 vehicles from Patria under the CAVS programme, with an option for up to 70 APCs. (Patria)
Finnish Defence Forces Logistics Command has ordered 91 6×6 vehicles from Patria under the Common Armoured Vehicle System (CAVS) programme led by Finland, the company announced in a press release on 2 June. The order includes spare parts, tools, and operation and maintenance training, with an option for up to 70 armoured personnel carriers (APCs) in addition to the 91 vehicles. Deliveries are scheduled to begin later in 2023.

“Fattah” Hypersonic Ballistic Missile

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On Tuesday, Iran announced that it has joined a handful of other countries that have hypersonic ballistic missiles. Currently, only the U.S., China, and Russia are known to also have hypersonic weapons.
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi attended an unveiling ceremony in Tehran for the “Fattah” hypersonic missile. The name literally translates to “conquer.

A model of KAI’s MC-X cargo aircraft for which a maritime patrol aircraft variant will be derived. (Janes/Ridzwan Rahmat)
Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has introduced a maritime patrol variant of its MC-X transport aircraft concept.
Details of the variant were unveiled for the first time at the MADEX 2023 exhibition in Busan by the senior manager of KAI’s Fixed-Wing Business Team II, Yoon Jong Sik, who spoke to Janes at the event.
The MC-X is a multirole concept that was first unveiled at the DX Korea exhibition in September 2022. The airframe has a length of 40.

Ever wondered about military ranks and what they mean? From chevrons to bars, diamonds to arcs, here’s a definitive guide.
Army ranks – from private to general
There are enlisted folks, warrant officers and officers in the U.S. Army. The top dog is the General of the Army. However, only two soldiers in all of history have ever held that rank – George Washington and John J. Pershing. Most often, you’ll see peach fuzz on the uniform of a new recruit who hasn’t yet earned a rank. Then, as a person moves through their Army career, their rank will continue to change.

When it comes to weapons, flamethrowers have a special place in our hearts. Sure, guns are cool, but they lack the fiery, explosive power that these mobile fire machines bring to the table. From the trenches of WWI to the modern battlefield, these weapons have undergone quite an evolution. Let’s take a look at how flamethrowers have changed since their inception.
The Early Days of Flamethrowers
The use of flamethrowers in World War I was a game-changer. That’s because they offered warfighters a new way of attacking enemy forces that had never been seen before.

As a mil spouse living OCONUS (outside the continental United States), it can be challenging to find and maintain employment. Moving frequently is a part of military life, and military spouses often have to deal with the added stress of job hunting in a new location. It’s no wonder that military spouses have a much higher unemployment rate than their civilian counterparts.

Sometimes called the Battle of Chosin Reservoir, this major battle of the Korean War took place from November 26, 1950, until December 13, 1950. Chosin took place on some of the toughest terrain during harsh winter conditions. In addition to the enemy, service members faced frozen ground, frostbite conditions, icy roads, and weapon malfunctions. 
Combat took place around the frozen Chosin reservoir and in the rugged mountains of Korea. This was the first major engagement between the US X Corps and the People’s Volunteer Army (PVA) 9th Army, organized by China’s Chairman Mao Zedong.

The name alone is a mouthful, but the fact is that without Charles Cornwallis, the American Revolution might’ve had a very different ending.
Lord Charles Cornwallis (December 31, 1738 – October 5, 1805) served as Lieutenant General for the British Army. He led the British campaign to capture Virginia and the Carolinas during the American Revolution. As you probably know, the British were quick to win early victories in the earliest days of the American Revolution. In fact, Cornwallis is credited with winning decisive battles in both Long Island and New York City before moving south.

Jerry Hendrix, Proceedings
To develop the decisive capabilities of unmanned and autonomous systems, and keep those systems and concepts of operations secret, the Navy should look to Lake…

Seth Cropsey, RealClearDefense

Bryant Harris, DefNews
WASHINGTON — The chairman of the House Armed Services Committee wants to pass a supplemental spending bill this year to address threats from China, he told reporters…

Jon Harper, DefenseScoop
Northrop Grumman has delivered the first E-6B Mercury aircraft with Block II modifications to the Navy.

L.C. Williams, Defense One
Expect a one-stop cyber shop as network-related programs move to new homes.

India’s Varunastra torpedo has undergone ‘combat’ test-firings, with the weapon fitted with a high-explosive warhead, for the first time. (Bharat Dynamics Limited)
The Indian Navy and the country’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) undertook the first ‘combat’ test-firing of the Varunastra heavyweight torpedo on 5 June.

The SKEC WSS capability will eventually replace the MoD’s existing satcom fleet, such as Skynet 5 (pictured). (Paradigm Secure Communications)
The UK Ministry of Defence’s (MoD’s) Skynet Enduring Capability (SKEC) team is inviting industry to respond to a “pre-pre-qualification questionnaire” (Pre-PQQ) for the SKEC Wideband Satellite System (WSS), Defence Procurement announced on 5 June.

A diorama of ship crew operating a VTOL UAV from the flight deck of a corvette on display at IAI’s booth in MADEX 2023. The company is developing a new type of radar that can be fitted onboard VTOL UAVs. (Janes/Ridzwan Rahmat)
Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) is developing a compact radar that will convert ship-based vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) into more capable maritime surveillance platforms.

The Fattah ballistic missile was displayed with a second re-entry vehicle (RV) and the motor that powers the RV. (Islamic Republic News Agency)
Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) unveiled what it described as unique hypersonic ballistic missile that cannot be intercepted by existing missile defences on 6 June.
The IRGC claimed the Fattah missile that was unveiled during an event attended by President Ebrahim Raisi has a range of 1,400 km, is highly manoeuvrable, and can hit its target accurately at a speed of Mach 13–15.