majalah militer

April 6, 2009 -- BrahMos Aerospace, the Indo-Russian joint venture, has embarked on initiatives to go in for hypersonic versions of missiles, a top official of the company said.

"Having successfully inducted supersonic versions, which can travel at 2.8 Mach (2.8 times the speed of sound), plans are on to go in for hypersonic versions, which can touch Mach 5 or 7," chief executive officer and MD of the company, Dr.A. Sivathanu Pillai, said.

He said that fuel for these versions would be a combination of aviation kerosene and atmospheric air,mixed at a proportionate volume. "The resultant propulsion thrust could be so heavy that a missile could be projected at terrific speed," he said. Pillai said that lab tests had already commenced and that modules for these versions would be ready by 2010. The test missiles would be flown over rocket motors injected into space.

"After the successful 'Block II test' last week, the company and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) had fulfilled all parameters prescribed by Army and was poised to go in for mass production for inducting these into the Army. As Naval ships are all equipped with BrahMos missiles, the next focus would be to address the needs of the Indian Air Force (IAF)," he said. He hoped the final induction of the air version of BrahMos missile to IAF would take place before the end of 2012. (India-Defence)

April 7, 2009, Tallin -- NATO states have begun a series of air defense exercises in the Baltic states, involving fighter jet flights over the countries' capitals, the Estonian Defense Ministry said on Tuesday.

The Western military alliance said earlier this month that during the Baltic Air Sovereignty Training Event II (BAST-E II), "the populations of the Estonian and Lithuanian Capitals may well see NATO fighter aircraft overfly their cities."

"Onlookers in the vicinity of Riga International Airport will also see NATO fighter aircraft enacting a practice Air Policing exercise," the statement on NATO's website said.

The one-day event is focused on improving air interoperability and developing of NATO air forces' capabilities.

In carrying out the fly-bys, NATO aims "to highlight reaffirmed commitment to and ongoing solidarity with the three Baltic States."

The Estonian ministry said the aircraft being used in the drills are F-16s from the U.S., Poland and Denmark, L-159 training aircraft from the Czech Republic and L-39s from Lithuania, as well as transportation AN-2s from Estonia, and a U.S. AWACS E-3A surveillance plane.

The exercises are a continuation of drills held last October.

A NATO agreement on airspace security over Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia is set to expire in 2011, and the three countries are currently pushing for the agreement to be extended to 2018. (RIA Novosti)

April 6, 2009, Moskow -- Russia will start deliveries of Mi-35 Hind attack helicopters to Brazil by the end of 2009, a senior government official said on Monday.

The Russian helicopter beat off fierce competition from the Augusta A-129 Mangusta and the Eurocopter AS-665 Tiger to win a Brazilian tender last fall.

"We have recently signed a contract to deliver 12 Mi-35 helicopters to Brazil. The first deliveries will start by the end of this year or the beginning of 2010," said Alexander Fomin, deputy director of the Federal Service on Military-Technical Cooperation.

The official said the contract was worth about $150 million.

The Mi-35 Hind E is an improved export version of the famed Mi-24 attack helicopter, which combines high fire power with a troop transport capability.

Fomin also said Russia's Su-35 fighter had a good chance of winning an ongoing tender for the delivery of over 100 fighters to the Brazilian Air Force.

Brazil wants a multirole fighter to protect its national airspace as well as to monitor smugglers in the Amazon basin and guard the country's offshore oil rigs. However, Brasilia also wants the multi-billion dollar contract to reenergize the domestic defense industry through home-grown production and as much technology transfer as can be afforded.

"We are actively participating in the Brazilian tender, which has been reopened. It involves over 100 fighter planes. Russia has made a bid in the tender with its Su-35 multirole fighter. The tender has stiff requirements involving not only the sale, but also the transfer of technology. It is a key condition of the deal and Russia is ready to satisfy it," the official said. (RIA Novosti)