200,000 Afghan refugees return in exodus from Pakistan: UNHCR
Islamabad (AFP) Oct 4, 2016 -
More than 200,000 Afghan refugees have been repatriated from Pakistan this year, nearly half of them in September alone, UNHCR said Tuesday, the highest number since 2002, after the fall of the Taliban regime.
The tsunami of refugees returning to the war-torn country comes after Pakistan tightened its border controls in June and began cracking down on undocumented Afghans.
The vast major ...
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Ingalls receives $120 million assault ship contract modification
Washington (UPI) Oct 4, 2016 -
Ingalls Shipbuilding, a subsidiary of Huntington Ingalls Industries, has been awarded a $120 million U.S. Navy contract modification for the service's LHA 8 amphibious assault ship program.
The fixed-price-incentive modification covers additional long lead time in support of the amphibious assault ship program, known as the Landing Helicopter Assault Replacement, or LHA(R), an America-c ...
more
Scientists solve mystery of the lone wolf wave
Buffalo, N.Y. (UPI) Oct 4, 2016 -
Solitary waves or solitons, sometimes called lone wolf waves, are just what they sound like. Unlike normal waves, these nonlinear waves persist without dissipating - maintaining their shape, speed and energy even after colliding with other waves.
A new mathematical solution, developed by scientists at the University of Buffalo, predicts the phenomenon more accurately than ever before. ...
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US mulls 'diplomatic and military' options for Syria
Washington (AFP) Oct 4, 2016 -
US agencies are considering "diplomatic, military, intelligence and economic options" to deal with the crisis in Syria, an official said Tuesday, while stressing the need for a "political resolution."
Top US security and foreign policy chiefs are to meet Wednesday to review their options to present to US President Barack Obama, after abandoning attempts to work with Russia to impose a truce. ...
more
With Colombia off the menu, Nobel peace prize anyone's guess
Oslo (AFP) Oct 5, 2016 -
A veteran Russian rights activist, or the architects of the Iranian nuclear accord? The field of contenders for Friday's Nobel Peace Prize was suddenly thrown wide open after the Colombian people's shock rejection of a peace deal put its negotiators out of the running.
For once, the Nobel experts thought they were on to a sure thing.
But just days before the award, they were forced to re ...
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BAE Systems upgrading more naval guns
Arlington, Va. (UPI) Sep 28, 2016 -
BAE Systems is to upgrade additional MK 45 naval gun systems for the U.S. Navy under the service's exercise of a contract option.
Under the $50 million option, four Mk 45s on guided missile destroyers will be converted to a fully-digital Mod 4 configuration.
The option, exercised under an initial 2015 award, brings the full value of the contract to $130 million for a total of 10 ...
more
DCNS signs first operational contract for Australian Future Submarine
Washington (UPI) Sep 30, 2016 -
French shipbuilder DCNS has signed the first operational contract to support the Australian Future Submarine Program.
The agreement is a "design and mobilization contract," and facilitates a number of activities between the Australian government and DCNS. Lockheed Martin has been selected to integrate combat systems.
Australia's Future Submarine Project seeks to bolster the count ...
more
Lockheed Martin upgrading Apache helicopter targeting sensor
Orlando, Fla. (UPI) Oct 4, 2016 -
Lockheed Martin is to upgrade a target acquisition and vision sensor aboard U.S. Army AH-64E Apache helicopters, the company announced.
The upgrade to the Modernized Target Acquisition Designation Sight/Pilot Night Vision Sensor, or M-TADS/PNVS on the AH-64E was commissioned by the Army under a $49 million contract.
"M-DSA gives Apache aircrews the ability to more rapidly identif ...
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Saab to study precision ammo for shoulder-fired weapons
Linkoping, Sweden (UPI) Oct 4, 2016 -
Saab is to conduct research on development of precision-engagement ammunition for small arms weaponry for the U.S. military.
The study was commissioned by the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency for its Massive Overmatch Assault Round project.
The value of the contract was not disclosed.
Saab said it will use its Carl-Gustaf and AT4 shoulder-fired weapons - the ...
more
Mexico receives upgraded Panther helo from Airbus
Marignane, France (UPI) Sep 29, 2016 -
Airbus Helicopters reports it has delivered the first of ten AS565 MBe multirole helicopters ordered by the Mexican navy.
The aircraft will be operated by Mexican Naval Aviation in the Gulf of Mexico and on the Pacific coast for search and rescue, disaster relief and evacuation, drug enforcement and coastal protection.
"The Mexican Navy's first Panther helicopters came into servi ...
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Australia chooses US defence giant for submarine combat systems
Sydney (AFP) Sept 29, 2016 -
Canberra has chosen US defence contractor Lockheed Martin to provide the combat systems for its new fleet of 12 French-designed submarines, it was reported Friday.
The Australian arm of the American defence giant defeated US rival Raytheon to win the contract to fit out the Aus$50 billion (US$38 billion) vessels.
The contract will cover systems including sonar and torpedoes, Australian ...
more
New Australian destroyer passes initial builder sea trials
Adelaide, Australia (UPI) Sep 26, 2016 -
The Australian navy's future air warfare destroyer has successfully completed initial builder sea trials to test its hull, propulsion and navigation systems.
The testing of the Hobart took place over several days off the south coast of Australia and was conducted by the AWD Alliance, consisting of shipbuilder ASC, combat systems integrator Raytheon Australia and the government's Capabil ...
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Lockheed to produce upgraded Surface Electronic Warfare system
Washington (UPI) Oct 3, 2016 -
Lockheed Martin Mission Systems and Training has been awarded a $148 million U.S. Navy contract for production on the Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program, or SEWIP.
The firm-fixed-price deal covers full rate production of several SEWIP Block 2 systems and subsystems.
SEWIP is an evolutionary acquisition and incremental development program to upgrade the existing AN/SLQ ...
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Electric Boat gets $105 million Sea Dragon contract modification
Washington (UPI) Sep 23, 2016 -
General Dynamics Electric Boat has been awarded a $105 million U.S. Navy contract modification for work on the Sea Dragon program.
The modification will cover test planning efforts to support ground- and sea-based testing for Sea Dragon phase 2.
Work will be performed in Connecticut. The estimated completion date is September 2018.
The Supervisor of Shipbuilding Conversion ...
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Ingalls receives $120 million assault ship contract modification
Washington (UPI) Oct 4, 2016 -
Ingalls Shipbuilding, a subsidiary of Huntington Ingalls Industries, has been awarded a $120 million U.S. Navy contract modification for the service's LHA 8 amphibious assault ship program.
The fixed-price-incentive modification covers additional long lead time in support of the amphibious assault ship program, known as the Landing Helicopter Assault Replacement, or LHA(R), an America-c ...
more
Saab launches Giraffe 1X radar in U.S. market
Washington (UPI) Oct 4, 2016 -
Saab has launched its land-based Giraffe 1X radar in the U.S. market, the company announced Monday.
The new, compact radar system offers advanced capabilities against small targets, along with the capacity to address multiple threat types, the company said in a statement.
The company also said it plans to transfer the system's intellectual property to its subsidiary, Saab Defense ...
more
US mulls 'diplomatic and military' options for Syria
Washington (AFP) Oct 4, 2016 -
US agencies are considering "diplomatic, military, intelligence and economic options" to deal with the crisis in Syria, an official said Tuesday, while stressing the need for a "political resolution."
Top US security and foreign policy chiefs are to meet Wednesday to review their options to present to US President Barack Obama, after abandoning attempts to work with Russia to impose a truce. ...
more
Canada watchdog warns of faulty nuclear monitoring
Ottawa (AFP) Oct 4, 2016 -
Canadian regulators are failing to monitor the country's nuclear power plants properly and such safety lapses are unacceptable, an official said Tuesday.
Canada has four nuclear plants with a total of 19 reactors in Ontario and New Brunswick provinces. They provide about 17 percent of the nation's electricity.
Regulators have carried out inadequate and irregular inspections, and these al ...
more
BAE Systems upgrading more naval guns
Arlington, Va. (UPI) Sep 28, 2016 -
BAE Systems is to upgrade additional MK 45 naval gun systems for the U.S. Navy under the service's exercise of a contract option.
Under the $50 million option, four Mk 45s on guided missile destroyers will be converted to a fully-digital Mod 4 configuration.
The option, exercised under an initial 2015 award, brings the full value of the contract to $130 million for a total of 10 ...
more
Top UN court to decide fate of Marshalls epic nuclear case
The Hague (AFP) Oct 5, 2016 -
The UN's highest court will rule Wednesday on whether to take up a case brought by the tiny Marshall Islands against India, Pakistan and Britain for allegedly failing to halt the nuclear arms race.
The decision by the 16-judge bench at the International Court of Justice will determine whether the David-versus-Goliath battle can continue to a full hearing, as Majuro seeks to shine a fresh spo ...
more
DCNS signs first operational contract for Australian Future Submarine
Washington (UPI) Sep 30, 2016 -
French shipbuilder DCNS has signed the first operational contract to support the Australian Future Submarine Program.
The agreement is a "design and mobilization contract," and facilitates a number of activities between the Australian government and DCNS. Lockheed Martin has been selected to integrate combat systems.
Australia's Future Submarine Project seeks to bolster the count ...
more
Poland drops talks in 3 bn euro Airbus chopper deal: ministry
Warsaw (AFP) Oct 4, 2016 -
Poland's rightwing government on Tuesday quit talks with Airbus on an offset deal linked to a multi-billion euro contract for 50 military helicopters, a government statement said.
"Poland is ending offset talks with Airbus Helicopters connected to the contract to purchase multipurpose Caracal helicopters for the Polish army," a statement by the Development Ministry leading the talks said. ...
more
Saab to study precision ammo for shoulder-fired weapons
Linkoping, Sweden (UPI) Oct 4, 2016 -
Saab is to conduct research on development of precision-engagement ammunition for small arms weaponry for the U.S. military.
The study was commissioned by the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency for its Massive Overmatch Assault Round project.
The value of the contract was not disclosed.
Saab said it will use its Carl-Gustaf and AT4 shoulder-fired weapons - the ...
more
Germany and France to share military facilities, aircraft
Paris (AFP) Oct 4, 2016 -
Germany and France announced plans Tuesday to share an air base and transport planes as part of a military shake-up in the wake of Britain's vote to quit the European Union.
The two countries signed an agreement with a view to sharing C-130J Super Hercules military transport planes, French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said in Paris.
His German counterpart Ursula von der Leyen, in ...
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Australia chooses US defence giant for submarine combat systems
Sydney (AFP) Sept 29, 2016 -
Canberra has chosen US defence contractor Lockheed Martin to provide the combat systems for its new fleet of 12 French-designed submarines, it was reported Friday.
The Australian arm of the American defence giant defeated US rival Raytheon to win the contract to fit out the Aus$50 billion (US$38 billion) vessels.
The contract will cover systems including sonar and torpedoes, Australian ...
more
