DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: Oshkosh Defense Products on Video

Asian Defense News: DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: Oshkosh Defense Products on Video

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by K. V. Seth
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - August 17, 2013: Oshkosh Defense, a division of Oshkosh Corporation presented its solution for the Engineering Manufacturing & Development (EMD) phase of the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) program. With the JLTV program, the U.S. military is seeking to modernize its light vehicle fleet. Oshkosh is offering the latest generation of its Light Combat Tactical All-Terrain Vehicle (L-ATV) to upgrade the light tactical fleet with MRAP-level protection and unprecedented mobility in future missions. The Oshkosh L-ATV has been extensively tested and proven to meet or exceed all of the JLTV program's requirements.

 
"Military leaders have recognized JLTV as one of their top modernization priorities, and the Oshkosh L-ATV entry represents our significant investment in this project and showcases our advanced technology," said John Bryant, vice president and general manager of Joint and Marine Corps Programs for Oshkosh Defense. "Our engineers have drawn upon extensive tactical vehicle operating experience in Iraq and Afghanistan to develop the L-ATV, with an eye toward future combat environments."

The Light Combat Vehicle, Redefined
The Oshkosh L-ATV is designed to keep Warfighters safe as battlefield threats evolve. The vehicle's crew protection system has been extensively tested and proven to optimize protection, weight and mobility. The L-ATV can accept multiple armor configurations so it can easily be adapted to changing operational requirements.

The L-ATV also uses the Oshkosh TAK-4i™ intelligent independent suspension system, building on the success of the TAK-4 family of suspensions used on more than 20,000 military vehicles. The TAK-4i system is tailored for high-performance, lightweight vehicles to give Warfighters unprecedented mobility in severe off-road terrain. It uses an advanced Oshkosh technology to deliver 20 inches of independent wheel travel; 25 percent more than any vehicle fielded with the U.S. military today.

Oshkosh's innovative L-ATV delivers expanded power capabilities, greater fuel efficiency and integrated diagnostics compared to legacy engine technologies. An optional Oshkosh ProPulse® diesel-electric hybrid powertrain is available to further improve fuel economy, lower life-cycle costs, and provide high levels of stationary and on-the-move exportable power.

*Link for This article compiled by  K. V. Seth - DTN News
*Speaking Image - Creation of DTN News ~ Defense Technology News 
*Photograph: IPF (International Pool of Friends) + DTN News / otherwise source stated
*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News Contact:dtnnews@ymail.com 
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DTN News - INDIA DEFENSE NEWS: India Launches Indigenously Built Aircraft Carrier

Asian Defense News: DTN News - INDIA DEFENSE NEWS: India Launches Indigenously Built Aircraft Carrier

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith 
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - August 12, 2013: India has launched an indigenously built aircraft carrier, joining a small group of countries capable of building such a warship.The project is part of India's efforts to enhance its naval capabilities amid a growing regional rivalry with the other Asian giant, China.

Standing in front of the 37,500 ton warship decorated with flags and buntings in the southern city of Kochi on Monday, Defense Minister A.K. Antony called it a “red letter day [a day of special significance] for the nation.”

There was an outpouring of national pride at the carrier's launch. India's biggest warship has been designed and built locally, making it the fifth country after Britain, France, Russia and the United States to do so.

The aircraft carrier is not yet operational. It will be fitted with advanced weaponry and undergo extensive sea trials before being put into service sometime around 2018. 

But defense analysts point out that New Delhi has beaten its regional rival, China, in building an indigenous aircraft carrier.

Uday Bhaskar, former director of the National Maritime Foundation in New Delhi, said it is the first time India has embarked on such an ambitious project. “For a country that does not have any significant indigenous capability, we don't make a main battle tank, we don't make an artillery gun, we don't even make a personal weapon. Forget about trainer aircraft and jet aircraft. So against this backdrop, to come to a point where you are able to design a carrier, and bring it from keel to launch is, for India, a technological and industrial accomplishment of considerable significance,” said Bhaskar.

Defense Minister Antony said India needs a strong navy to defend itself and will press ahead with developing its maritime capabilities.

Vikrant's launch comes just two days after India announced that its first indigenously built nuclear submarine was ready for war trials. That was described by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as a “giant stride” for the nation.

India's efforts to boost its naval capabilities come amid a growing rivalry with regional power, China.  One of the critical areas where they are competing for influence is the Indian Ocean region, a busy sea lane. 

Rahul Bedi in New Delhi is a defense expert with Jane's Defense Weekly. He said an aircraft carrier will help India project its power in the Indian Ocean, which he calls a potential zone of conflict between major powers. “The navy is one of the principal riders and game changers in this whole region. So this will significantly add punch to the Indian navy in the Indian Ocean region, which is going to be a zone of competition for many, many years to come,” he said. India has one aircraft carrier in operation, and Russia is due to deliver another one later this year. 

 The launch of INS Vikrant has raised hackles in China, with Chinese defence experts saying the aircraft carrier would have great significance for India as it would allow the Indian Navy to wade into the Pacific Ocean - which Beijing considers as its backyard.

"This bears great significance to Indian Navy. It makes India only the fifth country after the US, Russia, Britain and France to have such capabilities," senior captain Zhang Junshe, vice-president of China's Naval Research Institute, told the state-run CCTV on Monday.

The Indian Navy will have lead over China as it will have two aircraft carriers by the end of this year with INS Vikramaditya, the refitted carrier from Russia joining INS Viraat, which is already in service even though Vikrant was expected to be operational by 2018, he said.

"Which means by the end of this year India will become the only country in Asia to have two aircraft carriers. This will enhance the overall capabilities especially the power projection capabilities of the Indian Navy," Zhang said.

Ruling out any race for more carriers in the region, Zhang defended India and China having more carriers since they have vast coasts and huge populations and the importance of defending the sea lanes far from home due to dependence on external trade.

Last year China has launched its first aircraft carrier, Lioning. Its hull was imported from Ukraine and refurbished in China.

China also subsequently launched J-15 aircraft to operate from its deck. The ship with over 50,000 tonnes displacement will have about 30 aircraft on its deck.

China is reportedly building two more aircraft carriers but their schedules are not known yet.

Zhang earlier told the state-run China Daily that with Vikrant, the Indian Navy will be more capable of patrolling distant oceans.

"India's first self-made carrier, along with reinforced naval strength, will further disrupt the military balance in South Asia," he said.

India is very likely to quicken its pace to steer eastward to the Pacific, where the US and China are competing to dominate.

The launch of the Vikrant as well as the first nuclear submarine Arihant also aroused the curiosity and concerns among analysts from different state-run thinktanks in China.

"The new indigenous carrier will further strengthen India's naval power and also add some bargaining chips with the world's major military vendors such as Russia," Wang Daguang, a researcher of military equipment based in Beijing said.

Song Xiaojun, a military commentator in Beijing, said the Vikrant uses technology from the 1980s and thus serves as an experiment for the Indian Navy to set technical standards for future vessels.

*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith - DTN News
*Speaking Image - Creation of DTN News ~ Defense Technology News 
*Photograph: IPF (International Pool of Friends) + DTN News / otherwise source stated
*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News Contact:dtnnews@ymail.com 
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DTN News - CHINA'S AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOUR WITH ITS NEIGHBORS OVER TERRITORIAL DISPUTES: Japan Says Faces Increasing threats From China, North Korea

Asian Defense News: DTN News - CHINA'S AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOUR WITH ITS NEIGHBORS OVER TERRITORIAL DISPUTES: Japan Says Faces Increasing threats From China, North Korea

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources By Kiyoshi Takenaka - Reuters
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - July 9, 2013:  Japan faces increasingly serious threats to its security from an assertive China and an unpredictable North Korea, the defense ministry said in its first annual report since hawkish Prime Minister Shinzo Abe took office.

The report was harshly critical of China's actions in waters near East China Sea islets claimed by both countries, and prompted a sharp response from Beijing, where a foreign ministry spokeswoman said Japan was exaggerating the threat to "artificially create regional tension and confrontation."

Sino-Japanese relations have been strained by the territorial row as well as remarks from Abe suggesting he wants to cast Tokyo's wartime history in a less apologetic tone.

"There are various issues and destabilizing factors in the security environment surrounding Japan, some of which are becoming increasingly tangible, acute and serious," said the defense white paper, issued as ruling party politicians call for the Japanese military to beef up its ability to respond.

The general commanding a Japanese airborne brigade whose paratroopers would be among the first troops to respond to an attack on a far-flung island, told Reuters his unit could benefit from better intelligence gathering tools, including drones.

"For any island operation, intelligence is crucial," Tadao Maeda, commanding general of the 1st Airborne Brigade, said in an interview. At present, his unit relies on intelligence from ground or maritime forces. Japan has allocated funds in this year's budget to look into possible acquisition of drones.

The defense ministry report said: "China has attempted to change the status quo by force based on its own assertion, which is incompatible with the existing order of international law," echoing recent comments by Abe and his cabinet.

"China should accept and stick to the international norms."

The row over rival claims to tiny East China Sea islets flared up last September after Japan nationalized the isles, known as the Senkaku in Japan and the Diaoyu in China.

Patrol ships from both countries routinely shadow each other near the islands, raising concerns that an unintended collision or other incident could lead to a broader clash.

"Some of China's activities involve its intrusion into Japan's territorial waters, its violation of Japan's territorial airspace and even dangerous actions that could cause a contingency, and are extremely regrettable," the paper said.

Japan said in February that a Chinese naval vessel had locked its fire control radar on a Japanese destroyer, a step that can be considered a step away from actual firing.

China denied the warship had locked its radar on the Japanese vessel. But the white paper said Beijing's assertion was "inconsistent with the facts".

Commenting on the defense report, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said it contained "false criticisms" and followed growing calls in Japan to strengthen the military.

"The international community cannot but be concerned by Japan's real intentions and its future development," she said. "We hope that Japan can correct its attitude."

BOLSTERING DEFENCE

Abe returned to power for a rare second term after his ruling bloc won a general election late last year, promising to revive the economy and strengthen Japan's defenses. He also wants to revise the post-World War Two pacifist constitution to legitimize the military, although winning support for contentious revisions is likely to take time.

Japan is already bolstering defense of the disputed islands and this year raised its defense budget for the first time in 11 years.

The military is conducting joint drills with the United States, its main security ally, and fortifying defenses against missile attacks, while the government is reviewing its mid-term defense policy.

Japan plans to draw up a new defense plan by December, and Abe's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) submitted recommendations to the government last month that included looking into acquiring the capability to attack enemy targets.

Japan has long maintained that it has the right to strike enemy targets when an intention to attack Japan is clear, the threat is imminent and there are no other options.

But any sign that Japan is moving to obtain such capabilities could upset China and South Korea, where resentment against Japan's wartime aggression and colonization runs deep.

"The balance of power will be lost if we don't start considering striking back when attacked," said Osaka University professor Kazuya Sakamoto, who sits on a panel advising Abe on security policies.

The LDP has also recommended that the military should set up an amphibious Marines division equipped with tilt-rotor aircraft like the V-22 Osprey to boost the defense of remote islands.

Maeda backed the proposal to acquire the U.S. aircraft, whose deployment to Japan's Okinawa island has prompted local opposition because of concerns about its safety.

"For the airborne, the Osprey is a very attractive piece of hardware," he told Reuters. Japan has set aside about $80,000 in this year's defense budget to research the possible acquisition.

Abe, whose LDP is expected to cement its grip on power in this month's upper house election, also wants to revise an interpretation of the constitution that bans using the right of collective self-defense, or aiding an ally under attack.

A panel set up during Abe's first 2006-7 term recommended that the ban be lifted in certain cases, such as intercepting ballistic missiles bound for the United States. A new committee of advisers is expected to reach similar conclusions.

North Korea launched a missile in December, stepping up the threat that the isolated, impoverished state poses to rivals. In February, it conducted a third nuclear test, which moved Pyongyang closer to developing long-range nuclear missiles.

"The launch of a missile ... showed that North Korea has advanced its technologies to extend the range and improve the accuracy of ballistic missiles," the white paper said.

(This story corrects the name of the Chinese spokeswoman in the 14th paragraph)

(Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in BEIJING; Editing by Linda Sieg and Raju Gopalakrishnan)

*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources By Kiyoshi Takenaka - Reuters
*Speaking Image - Creation of DTN News ~ Defense Technology News 
*Photograph: IPF (International Pool of Friends) + DTN News / otherwise source stated
*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News Contact:dtnnews@ymail.com 
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DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: The Armored Group Launches Their New Ballistic Armored Tactical Transport (BATT) S AP

Asian Defense News: DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: The Armored Group Launches Their New Ballistic Armored Tactical Transport (BATT) S AP

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources The Armored Group - TAG
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - June 25, 2013: The Armored Group (TAG) is proud to announce the launch of their new Ballistic Armored Tactical Transport S AP (BATT). The newest BATT S AP was developed to provide unequalled safety features and tactical capabilities in the field for deployment, extraction and medic services.

The Armored Group’s BATT S AP was specifically designed for law enforcement agencies that needed armored personnel vehicles armored to protect against NIJ IV and .50 Caliber Ball Round threats, but had limited budgets available to outfit their tactical teams.  This vehicle offers maximum protection on a patrol-sized Ford F-550 chassis, yet allows for the movement of 12-14 fully geared officers.  Although sporting the Ford OEM hood, we used our extensive experience in the armored SUV and Sedan field to incorporate the engine bay armor protection behind the fenders, behind the headlights and under the hood.  This process helps allow us to lower production costs and weight constraints on our unit, which enables us to pass these advantages on to our customers by providing a lower entry cost into high levels of armor and extending the unit to offer more room to transport more officers. 

Like our BATT, the “S” Series was specifically engineered and designed for officers in full gear to sit and use comfortably.  The BATT Family of armored personnel carriers have more tactical advantages built into the vehicle than any other unit on the market.  Our base model units give your department the safest, most upgradeable, flexible, and versatile armored vehicle platform specifically designed for law enforcement available today.   

Some of the specific, state-of-the-art features of the BATT S AP include:

·         Designed to hold 12-14 officers

·         Advanced engineered curved 1-piece wall design

·         Armor behind front fenders, behind head lights, & under hood

·         Custom designed flip-up rescue seat to allow side entry/exit

·         Adjustable (3-height) custom flush-in-floor sniper step

·         Passenger cabin door custom designed to allow entry/exit

·         Flip-out running boards to provide a safer platform for officers riding on the rails

·         Rotating turret with multiple locking positions and optic ready port

·         Large rear HVAC system

·         Roof and side wall insulation

·         4 x 4

·         V Mux control panel system

·         Extended rear officers area to hold more officers

·         Under seat storage

·         Re-engineered to accept the NIJ IV and .50 caliber ballistic ammo protection packages

·         The only size unit available in its’ price range

“Because of its’ protection level, deployment and operational capabilities, size and cost, the BATT S AP has quickly become a crucial tool and economical solution for many law enforcement agencies across the country,” said Robert Pazderka, president and founder of The Armored Group.  “We were aware of the financial limitations that many agencies have these days and it appears the BATT S AP provides a great solution.  In order to offer them additional financial assistance we provide free grant writing for our units that are eligible for grants through the GSA 1122 program.”

For agencies that require larger vehicles, The Armored Group offers the BATT XL, which has the ability to carry over 15 fully-geared officers.  Also available is the BATT S NIJ III Edition which was designed for departments requiring rifle round armor at an affordable starting price.  Our BATT S NIJ III Editions start at pricing for less than the cost of up fitting older Peacekeepers and brings with it new armor, a new chassis, updated tactical abilities, and full factory warranties. 

TAG also has a complete non-armored specialty division that builds units for warrants/raids (I.e. our NTOA Tested and Recommended RDV), Hostage Negotiators, EOD, Command Centers, Crime Scene, Equipment trucks, etc.   

About The Armored Group

The Armored Group (TAG) has over 20 years of experience engineering, manufacturing and modifying armored vehicles for use by government military agencies, law enforcement, private businesses and individual citizens around the world.  TAG will engineer, design, build or modify tactical armored vehicles for any terrain and any environment.  They specialize in three categories of armored vehicles:  armored personnel carriers, personal protection vehicles and cash-in-transit vehicles. 

TAG provides the highest quality armored vehicles available and sets the standard for customization, reliability and protection.  To ensure that all TAG vehicles meet the highest standards of safety, they undergo extreme ballistics testing and have received VPAM-BVR 2009/VR7 Ballistic/ERV 2010 Blast Certification for their Toyota Land Cruiser and Toyota Hilux armoring solutions. 

All facilities are ISO 9001 certified and managed by fully qualified and experienced professionals who serve customers around the world.

TAG is a full-line commercial armored vehicles builder and has provided customized engineering, design and building solutions to a vast array of clients including law enforcement agencies all over the world, Brinks, Loomis, Dunbar Armored, KBR, Lockheed Martin, DynCorp, U.S. Army and Air Force, U.S. and foreign governments and agencies such as the DOD, DOS  and the United Nations.

For more information, please visit these company websites: http://www.armoredcars.com/ and http://www.4swat.com or call: 1 888-997-5607 or 602 840 2271.

Mary R. Garrett

President

MG Public Relations

Phone:  602-432-2010

Web site: www.mgpublicrelations.com

*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources The Armored Group - TAG
*Speaking Image - Creation of DTN News ~ Defense Technology News 
*Photograph: IPF (International Pool of Friends) + DTN News / otherwise source stated
*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News Contact:dtnnews@ymail.com 
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DTN News - AFGHAN WAR: 3 Dead After Taliban Assault on Afghanistan's Presidential Palace

Asian Defense News: DTN News - AFGHAN WAR: 3 Dead After Taliban Assault on Afghanistan's Presidential Palace

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources CTV News
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - June 26, 2013:  Afghan officials say a brazen Taliban assault on the presidential palace in Kabul has left three guards dead.

The militant group had earlier said that all eight attackers died in the early Tuesday attack on one of the most secure parts of the Afghan capital.

Militants with false papers and military-style uniforms bluffed their way through two checkpoints on their way to the palace before jumping out of their explosives-packed vehicle and opening fire on security personnel. 

Another carload of Taliban fighters got stuck between two checkpoints and detonated their own car bomb.

The Interior Ministry said a fourth guard was wounded.


*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources CTV News
*Speaking Image - Creation of DTN News ~ Defense Technology News 
*Photograph: IPF (International Pool of Friends) + DTN News / otherwise source stated
*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News Contact:dtnnews@ymail.com 
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