Chinese J-20 Black Eagle a powerful competitor to American F-22 & Russian T-50

According to the Russian "Airport" website reported January 12, China’s fifth generation fighter J-20 which completed successfully test flight is expected to become a powerful competitor of the U.S. F-22 and Russian T-50 . Some analysts believe that the smooth progress of this test show that China’s military aviation industry has made great breakthroughs in recent years, the U.S. air superiority in the region will be seriously challenged.

In the January 11 test flight carried out, J-20 for about 15 minutes of flight.

Western media have pointed out that recently appeared in Chinese media reports on J-20 might have been the consent of the Chinese military leadership.

Analysts believe that, J-20′s successful flight test showed that the modernization of China in terms of weapons far beyond the achievements of previous estimates of foreign military experts.

It is predicted that, J-20 will be served in the 2017-2019 years, and became the F-22 (today the only fifth generation fighter aircraft in service) and the Russian T-50 (it is expected to be put into production in 2015) competitors.

Published photos from the current point of view, J-20 is greater than the size of F-22 and T-50, which means it may have a longer range and greater payload. However, the performance of the aircraft airborne equipment is still a mystery.

Of course, China’s aviation industry in recent years great progress thanks in large part to advanced technology from abroad. For a long time, the engine has been plagued the development of China’s aviation industry one of the major bottlenecks. Some analysts believe that China has not yet developed to fully meet the needs of the new J-20 engine.

However, military experts pointed out that China may use existing engines for the J-20 flight testing. The experts explained that the test flight time may not be too long, the height and speed requirements are also lower than the levels after actual use.

According to the Associated Press news release, China has produced the two J-20 prototype: a Russian-made engine installed, the other one, the installation of Chinese-made engine. It should be stressed that, for the first flight of it is that Chinese-made aircraft engines installed J-20.

As for the J-20′s stealth capabilities, some experts pointed out that the performance of the machine although weaker than the U.S. F-22, but it is also quite good, the front section of the radar reflectivity of about 0.05 square meter.

J-20 test flight in the United States Defense Secretary Robert Gates visited Beijing for the second day. British analysts have pointed out that the move may be to show Beijing its military to prepare to make their research programs become more transparent.

Of course, China also released a new generation of fighter flight out of a signal – even though the United States and its allies have expressed unease, China will continue to promote the country’s military modernization process.

Fighter Aircraft Generations

USAF Deploys Newest Armed Stealth General Atomics Avenger Drone To Afghanistan

As the US military scrambles to deal with a U.S. spy drone lost in Iran, it was revealed that the U.S. Air Force has bought a cutting edge, jet-powered stealth drone -- and plans its immediate deployment in Afghanistan.

General Atomics Avenger Drone

But the brand new drone -- an armed model from General Atomics designed for strike as well as reconnaissance -- was ordered months ago, well before the crash of the stealthy Lockheed-made RQ-170 Sentinel that remains in Iran, the USAF said in a statement to aviation website FlightGlobal.

"This aircraft will be used as a test asset and will provide a significantly increased weapons and sensors payload capacity on an aircraft that will be able to fly to targets much more rapidly than the MQ-9 [Reaper] UAS," the USAF said. Developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, the Avenger -- also known as the Predator C -- is the upgraded successor to the Predator and Reaper drones with significantly greater firepower, speed and sensor capabilities.

It also has an internal weapons bay and is capable of carrying 2,000-pound missiles.

Despite being labeled a test aircraft, the order for the Avenger came in response to an urgent request made by Defense Secretary Leon Panetta in early 2011. The Avenger was the only aircraft that met the Defense Department's needs on such short notice, the Air Force Times reported, citing a heavily redacted document posted on the Federal Business Opportunities website.

 

 

Wired's Danger Room blog speculates that the drone may be used not in Afghanistan but for further missions in Iran, given its stealth capabilities and large weapons payload.

“The Avenger reportedly carries a ground-mapping radar and the same ultra-sophisticated cameras as the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, making it a perfect candidate for quietly snooping above, say, suspected nuclear facilities or terrorist camps guarded by air-defense radars and missiles,” wrote Danger Room’s David Axe.

All of which doesn’t seem too far-fetched: Panetta recently told Fox News in an exclusive interview that the stealth drone campaign along the Iran-Afghanistan border will “absolutely” continue despite the loss of a valuable and sophisticated drone in Iran.

The mysterious loss of the RQ-170 Sentinel drone revealed not only that the U.S. was spying on Iran, but also that the program was being run from Shindad Air Base in western Afghanistan.
"Those operations have to be protected in order to do the job and the mission that they're involved with," Panetta told Fox News.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai said at a press conference Wednesday morning that he was unaware of the Sentinel drone malfunction until informed by Iran.

"Afghanistan was not aware the drone had gone down or malfunctioned in Iran ... the government of Iran has sent a note to us on that," he told reporters.

Meanwhile, the Obama administration has been quietly pushing to sell armed drones to key allies, but it has run into resistance from U.S. lawmakers concerned about the proliferation of technology and know-how.
Administration officials recently began informal consultations with lawmakers about prospective sales of armed drones and weapons systems to NATO members Italy and Turkey, while several U.S. allies in the Persian Gulf have been pressing Washington to authorize drone sales, officials said.



Source: http://www.foxnews.com/

Indian Army Mistook Planets For Chinese Spy Drones For Six Months

India's army reportedly spent six months watching "Chinese spy drones" violating its air space, only to find out they were actually Jupiter and Venus.

Indian Army at Disputed Himalayan Borders

Tensions have been high in the disputed Himalayan border area between the two nations in recent years, with India frequently accusing its neighbour of making incursions onto its territory. Things came to a head during a stand-off in April when Chinese troops were accused of erecting a camp on the Indian side of the de facto boundary known as the Line of Actual Control (LAC). By that stage, Indian troops had already documented 329 sightings of unidentified objects over a lake in the border region, between last August and February, according to the Calcutta-based Telegraph.

It quotes military sources as saying the objects violated the LAC 155 times. So, the army called the Indian Institute of Astrophysics to identify the objects. "Our task was to determine whether these unidentified objects were celestial or terrestrial," astronomer Tushar Prabhu told the paper. Only once the objects' movements were noted in relation to the stars were they identified as planets. The Telegraph suggests the sentry ought to be forgiven, with planets appearing brighter as a result of the different atmosphere at altitude and the increased use of surveillance drones.

SU-30MKI Multi-Role Fighter

Turkey’s First Indigenous MALE-class Anka UAV Takes To the Skies

Turkey’s first national MALE-class (medium altitude long endurance) unmanned aerial vehicle, dubbed “Anka” after an Anatolian bird, made its maiden flight without much of a publicity just before the New Year’s Day, TRDEFENCE sources reported on Sunday.

 

Turkey’s MALE-Class Anka UAV

Anka is vastly superior to its competition (such as the Heron of Israeli origin) in the same category thanks to its heavier payload capacity, long flight time of 24 hours, higher flight ceiling and state-of-the-art electrooptical instruments that include Aselsan’s next-generation AselFLIR 300T, laser target designator and an indigenously developed synthetic aperture radar (SAR) that can detect, identify and track targets day and night, beyond thick layers of cloud, dust and smoke.

 

Anka also carries on-board artificial intelligence that enables the aircraft to fly autonomously without the requirement for remote human assistance, find allied airbases in the event of an emergency and land automatically.

An armed version of the aircraft, codenamed Anka-B, is currently under development in Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) with further funding from Turkey’s Undersecretariat for Defence Industries, SSM. Reports indicate that Anka-B’s modular weapons architecture will be able to carry Roketsan-developed Cirit laser guided rockets, UMTAS anti-tank missiles and/or other compatible weapon systems depending on the assigned mission.

Anka features low radar observatibility courtesy of its thin profile, carbon composite structures that minimize the usage of highly reflective metal components as well as its aerodynamically efficient design.

The first Anka is expected to be commissioned by TurAF in 2011 with the armed Anka-B following it up in 2013.

US Eyeing Sale OF Armed Drones To Key Allies Including India

MQ-9 Reaper Drone

US is Eyeing to sell its battle proved armed drones to key allies, including India, but the move is being opposed by lawmakers who don't want the technology to be exported.

"The Pentagon wants more North Atlantic Treaty Organization members to have such pilotless aircraft to ease the burden on the US in Afghanistan and in future conflicts like the alliance's air campaign in Libya this year," Obama Administration officials were quoted by The Wall Street Journal as saying.

It is believed that India would be one of the potential target countries for the US to sell its drones.

 

Predator Drone

India has been purchasing drones from Israel for quite some time now, and has been developing its drone capabilities, but does not have armed drones like the Predators and Reapers used by US security agencies with devastating effect against al-Qaeda and Taliban targets.

"The Pentagon's proposed sales have set off a behind-the-scenes debate between the administration and some members of Congress over whether the US should speed the spread of a technology that will allow other
countries to carry out military strikes by remote control," the report said. Drones have been highly successful in the war against terrorism in Afghanistan and also in countries like Yemen and Somalia.

However, the report some lawmakers are resisting to such a move from the Administration.



http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/

China And Pakistan Conducted A Joint-Air Exercise Shaheen-1

China and Pakistan have conducted a joint-air exercise called Shaheen-1, which saw the first ever deployment of a Chinese air force contingent to Pakistan.

"A contingent of Chinese PLA air force comprising combat aircraft, pilots and technicians arrived at an operational base of the Pakistan air force," the latter service says. "The exercise has been designed to share mutual experiences, hone professional skills, and accrue maximum benefits from the expertise of the two air forces."

 

 

Pakistan has not disclosed details about the types of aircraft involved, the missions performed, the location of the exercise, or the total number of personnel involved. The only official image shows 24 officers, 12 Pakistani and 12 Chinese.

The exercise took place over two weeks in March.

China and Pakistan have a long history of defence collaboration. Most recently the two countries co-developed the Chengdu/Pakistan Aeronautical Complex JF-17 Thunder multi-role fighter. The Pakistan air force also had a prominent presence at 2010's Air Show China in Zhuhai, with a large chalet and several aircraft on display.

At the November show Zeng Wen, vice-president of the China National Aero-Technology Import and Export Corporation, said Pakistan had 50 firm orders for the JF-17, but could end up buying 200. The nation's first two full-strength JF-17 squadrons are in the process of becoming fully operational.

Israeli Heron TP Srone crashes During Test Flight

An Israeli Heron TP drone has crashed during a joint operation performed by the Israeli military and the developer company of the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).

The most advanced Israeli drone crashed during its test flight on Sunday morning in an area near the Tel Nof military base in central Israel. 

 

Israeli Heron TP drone

No injuries were reported in the incident and an investigation has been launched into the cause of the crash.

The Heron TP is the largest Israeli UAV with a 26-meter-long wingspan. It can fly for up to 45 hours and carry a payload of 1,000 kilograms.

The Israeli drone is also capable of launching missiles.

Israel has increased the use of its drones over the past few years in areas including the Gaza Strip and southern Lebanon.

In July 2011, France announced its decision to purchase the Israeli Heron TP in line with plans to upgrade its UAV capabilities.

The deal with Israel is likely to reach a value of about “USD 500 million” within a few years.

http://www.presstv.ir/

Iran Starts Loading Fuel In First Nuclear Power Plant

 

BUSHEHR: Iran said on Saturday it has started loading fuel into its Russian-built first nuclear power plant, in the face of stiff opposition from world powers over its controversial atomic programme.

After decades of delay, engineers finally began loading the Russia-supplied fuel into the plant in the southern port of Bushehr, in the presence of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors, a statement by Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation said.

“The operation of transferring nuclear fuel to the reactor was carried out on 30th of Mordad (August 21) in presence of Ali Akbar Salehi, vice president and head of Iran's atomic body, and Sergei Kiriyenko,” the head of Russian atomic body, Rosatom, the statement said.

It said the 163 rods of fuel will be “transferred into the core of the reactor after necessary inspections.”

Last week, Salehi said the transfer of fuel into the reactor would be complete by September 5.

On Friday, Iranian Atomic Energy Organisation spokesman Ali Shirzadian said the one-billion-dollar plant's actual commissioning would come in October or November when the electricity it generates connects to the national grid.

The much-anticipated launch comes despite the fact that Moscow, a long-time nuclear ally, has hardened its position on Tehran's nuclear programme.

In June, Russia backed a fourth round of UN sanctions against Iran over its uranium enrichment, the most controversial part of its atomic programme and which the West believes is aimed at making nuclear weapons, a charge Tehran strongly denies.

Iran says it is enriching uranium to power nuclear reactors so it can eventually generate electricity of around 20,000 megawatts.

Iran insists it needs nuclear power for when its fossil fuels eventually run out.

On Friday, Salehi said Iran will continue enriching uranium to make fuel for the Bushehr plant as Tehran might not always buy it from Moscow.

“The Bushehr plant has a lifespan of 60 years and we plan to use it for 40 years. Suppose we buy fuel for 10 years from Russia. What are we going to do for the next 30 to 50 years?” state news agency IRNA quoted him as saying.

Russia has already supplied 82 tonnes of fuel for Bushehr and plans to take back the spent material to avoid any misuse.

On Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the Bushehr plant would keep Iran firmly fixed to the peaceful use of nuclear power.

“It is a most important anchor which keeps Iran within the regime of non-proliferation,” he said.

Mark Fitzpatrick, an expert in non-proliferation at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London, said Bushehr is not a proliferation risk “as long as it is run to produce power for electricity generation.”

“It would be a risk if Iran operated it differently, i.e. for short periods at low-burn up in order to produce weapons-usable plutonium — but in this case the IAEA would know,” he said of the UN atomic watchdog.

Work on the Bushehr plant, which is not targeted under UN or other sanctions, began in the 1970s under the rule of the US-backed shah using contractors from German firm Siemens.

The project was shelved when the shah was toppled in the 1979 Islamic revolution, and was revived a decade later under current supreme leader Ali Khamenei.

In 1994, Russia agreed to complete its construction, but since then “technical problems” and squabbling between Moscow and Tehran delayed its completion.

Fresh doubts over Bushehr were raised after Moscow voted for the latest UN sanctions, followed by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev commenting that Tehran was close to attaining the potential to build a nuclear weapon.

This triggered an angry response from Iran, as Moscow's position has always been that Tehran has the right to peaceful nuclear energy.

Ali Asghar Soltanieh, Iran's envoy to the IAEA, accused Moscow of delaying Bushehr's start-up, saying “it is hard to believe that the technical issues continue to delay the completion of the plant over the past 15 years.”

Bushehr has always been seen as a potential target in the event of a military strike by Iran's arch-foes the United States and Israel which have never ruled out military action against Tehran's nuclear programme.

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