The BAE Systems Taranis unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) demonstrator has made its maiden flight.

This week 24 students from four schools from across the nation will leave to take on 38 teams from 25 nations in the largest Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics competition in the world.

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The next-generation MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned helicopter has taken to the air for the first time at Naval Base Ventura County in California.

Rafael Advanced Defense Systems has reached an agreement for the acquisition of 49 per cent of PineTelecom, a South-Korean communication technology developer.

AeroVironment, has unveiled its new Pocket DDL (digital data link) secure digital video and data receiver.

Positioning itself for future Army contracts, Sikorsky Aircraft is developing an unmanned helicopter sophisticated enough to skim treetops, negotiate emerging obstacles and identify a landing zone all by itself.

Cubic Defense Systems, has been awarded a US$10 million contract with the US Army Reserves to provide its Engagement Skills Trainer (EST 3000) virtual training system, simulated weapons and services.

Japan and Russia have held their first high-level defence and diplomatic talks and agreed to step up cooperation between their militaries amid regional security concerns such as North Korea and China.

The full version of Defence Week Premium no.277 of 31 October 2013 can be downloaded here as a PDF. A separate PDF of the latest Defence tenders can also be downloaded here.

NZ's MoD has issued a RFI for a multipurpose vessel to replace the combined capabilities of HMNZS Manawanui and HMNZS Resolution.

Eying an urgent need for a new air-launched, anti-ship missile in the Pacific, the US Secretary of Defense has rolled back a US Navy push to upgrade existing Raytheon-built Tomahawks and directed the US Air Force and the Navy to make the Lockheed Martin-led Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile demonstration project a program of record by 2018.

The 2009 Defence White Paper states bravely that the principal task for the ADF is to deter and defeat armed attacks on Australian territory by conducting independent military operations without relying on the combat or combat support forces of other countries.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott declared Australia's longest war at an end during a surprise visit to Afghanistan, with more than 1,000 troops to return home before Christmas in a "bitter-sweet" withdrawal.

The US DOD's inspector general plans to audit the Army and Marine Corps Joint Light Tactical Vehicle program next year, according to a fiscal year 2014 audit plan recently released.

The AGVC is an annual event jointly sponsored by the Department of Defence and the CISR, Deakin University to stimulate robotics related research in Australian tertiary institutions.