07 April 2023
by Akhil Kadidal & Prasobh Narayanan
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Initial production units of China's fifth-generation fighter aircraft, the CAC J-20, are powered by the Russian-origin Saturn AL-31FN engines. However, from 2022, reports indicated that the Shenyang WS-10 Taihang turbofan engine is also being installed in the J-20s as an interim powerplant. The WS-15 is intended to replace both of these engines in the J-20. (Janes)
An official of China's Aero Engine Corporation of China (AECC) has said that the country's Shenyang WS-15 engine for fighter aircraft is ready for mass production.
Speaking during the Seventh China Aviation Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition (CAIEC) in March, Zhang Yong, a project director of AECC's Beijing Institute of Aeronautical Materials, said that from “a technical point of view” the institute has “tackled all bottlenecks” associated with the production of the WS-15 engine.
“The mass production of WS-10 and WS-15 [engines] delivery has been achieved. Materials screening and verifications have been finalised,” Zhang said.
The CAIEC was held from 16 to 17 March, according to China Central Television (CCTV), the Chinese state-owned broadcaster.
In this episode we take a more practical look at open source intelligence and its role in understanding the current situation in Iran as it sits at the crossroads of a range of geopolitical choices, the result of which will play a large role in ...
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Next Level OSINT Considerations - Part 2
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OSINT and Journalism
07 April 2023
by Akhil Kadidal
The JGSDF operated a relatively small force of 40 UH-60JA helicopters. The crash of a UH-60JA off Miyakojima on 6 April is the first recorded by the army. (Japan Ground Self-Defense Force)
A Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) helicopter has crashed north of Miyako Island while conducting a patrol.
In a press conference in Tokyo on 6 April, General Yasunori Morishita, chief of staff of the JGSDF, said that the Sikorsky (Mitsubishi Heavy Industries) UH-60JA Black Hawk vanished from radar screens on Thursday afternoon. Gen Morishita said that 10 people were aboard the helicopter when it crashed.
This includes two pilots, two mechanics, and six passengers from the JGSDF's 8th Rapid Deployment Division. One of the passengers was General Yuichi Sakamoto, the divisional commander, Gen Morishita added.
The 8th Division is based in Kumamoto prefecture on mainland Japan. Gen Sakamoto, 55, had taken charge of the division on 31 March, based on information published by the Japan Ministry of Defense (MoD).
According to Gen Morishita, the UH-60JA disappeared from radar coverage at 1556 h local time, shortly after departing from Miyako Airport. The helicopter was supposed to return at 1705 h local time.
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06 April 2023
by Michael Fabey
Aircraft carrier USS Gerald R Ford is scheduled to deploy in May 2023. (Michael Fabey)
The US Navy (USN) plans to next deploy aircraft carrier USS Gerald R Ford (CVN 78) in May as the service continues to work out issues with the Advanced Weapons Elevators (AWEs) on the second Ford-class ship, USS John F Kennedy (CVN 79), according to Captain Brian Metcalf, Ford-class carrier programme manager.
Speaking about Ford on 4 April during a briefing at the Navy League Sea-Air-Space 2023 Global Maritime Exposition in National Harbor, Maryland, which started on 3 April, Capt Metcalf said, “She earned all of her certifications and met all the requirements to deploy. She's designated to deploy the first week of May. We expect that to be at least a six-month deployment.”
Speaking about Kennedy during the same briefing, Capt Metcalf said, “The elevators on 79 are doing much better than on 78 at this point in construction.”
The AWEs on Ford
06 April 2023
by Cem Devrim Yaylali
A screen capture of video imagery posted on Twitter by SSB on 28 March showing the Marlin armed USV firing a Kuzgun-KY solid fuel SSM for the first time. (SSB)
The Marlin armed unmanned surface vessel (USV) jointly developed by Turkey's Aselsan and Selfine Shipyard successfully fired a Kuzgun-KY solid fuel surface-to-surface missile (SSM) for the first time, İsmail Demir, head of the Turkish Presidency of Defence Industries (Savunma Sanayii Başkanlığı: SSB), announced.
During the firing test, which was conducted in the Gulf of Saros and attended by the SSB and Turkish navy officials, the missile was fired by remote control from a mission control station located on land, according to video imagery published by Demir on his official twitter page on 28 March.
The Marlin armed USV programme was first announced by Sefine Shipyard in July 2021, and in September 2022, the USV took part in NATO's Exercise ‘Dynamic Messenger' in Portugal with an electronic warfare (EW) payload.
An official of China's Aero Engine Corporation of China (AECC) has said that the country's Shenyang ...
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Defence Details 
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