German defence technology group Rheinmetall said on Tuesday its military vehicles three way partnership with truck maker MAN had landed a 1.1-billion-euro ($1.45-billion) contract in Australia. “The Australian Defence Force has contracted with Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles (RMMV) to provide it with an intensive fleet of advanced logistical vehicles,” Rheinmetall said in a press release. As section of a modernization program, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) would procure “some 2,500 protected and non-protected logistical vehicles from Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles Australia,” the statement said. The contract covered trucks “in a few different weight classes in various configurations,” Rheinmetall continued. They... Read More »

Plans to sell US Reaper drones to France advanced Monday as Congress raised no objections to the contract, Pentagon officials said. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency, which oversees foreign military sales, had notified Congress on June 27 of the proposed contract, and lawmakers voiced no opposition during a fifteen-day review period. “Congress didn’t propose any joint resolution of disapproval. The case can proceed to be offered,” Lorna Jons of the DSCA told AFP. French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian had announced on June 11 plans to shop for 12 Reaper aircraft from the us, a purchase order worth about $874... Read More »

From Jennies to jets to stealth bombers, the 131st Bomb Wing’s history really began with its co-located flying squadron, now the 110th Bomb Squadron, which traces its roots back to the 110th Observation Squadron. The 110th OS was organized by Maj. Bill Robertson and his brothers, Lieutenants Frank and Dan Robertson, owners of Robertson Aircraft Company. The Robertsons were aviation pioneers, noted for being the 1st two pilots from Missouri to enlist in World War I (Dan was too young). Among their associates were numerous former Army Air Corps veterans and visionary young men who shared an interest in organizing... Read More »

Soldiers from the Israeli Army’s Kfir Infantry Brigade trained with sophisticated robots and elite special forces to be told how one can fight enemy terrorists in tunnels beneath the Earth’s surface. Soldiers within the IDF are constantly training to offer protection to Israel from the air, at sea, on land and, just as importantly, beneath the Earth’s surface. Hence, the Lavi Battalion’s operations company participated in every week-long underground combat keep fit exercise last week. The original exercise befell on the Northern Command’s central training base and was designed to coach the fighters, who normally focus on the Judea and... Read More »

Approximately 700 U.S. and three,000 South African Armed forces service members gathered here for the outlet ceremony of Exercise Shared Accord 13, July 24. This is the second one exercise of its type between these two countries and is the results of bilateral discussions that originated in 2009, and were approved in 2010. “This particular exercise is aimed toward specifically providing collective training for america and the South African National Military while building interoperability and mutual understanding between the 2 military,” said South African Maj. Gen. Ephraim Phako, deputy chief of Joint Operations. The senior U.S. officer at the ground... Read More »