As the Chief of Army has pointed out, the ability to deploy offshore is crucial and Plan Beersheba will tie in with existing programs to improve the Australian Defence Force's amphibious capability.

As a precursor to the foregoing, Exercise Sea Lion 2013 got underway on June 10 as HMAS Choules slipped out to sea with a complement of more than 400 Army and Navy personnel on board, and various pieces of equipment firmly secured on the vehicle deck.

Canberra-based XTEK Limited has been awarded a US government contract to prove its unique body armour technology.

Earlier this year the C-130J cockpit simulator located at RAAF Base Richmond received a new high-definition visual display system.

Melbourne-based IT software specialist, Hardcat, has played a significant role with its Asset Management Software in the operations of the organisation awarded this year's Nobel Peace Prize.

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics vice president of customer relations Gary North recently visited RAAF Base Richmond to congratulate 37SQN for its role in one million flying hours by the C-130J global fleet.

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An Air Force official and former test pilot now involved with the F-35 program told Inside the Air Force this week that the service is pleased the Joint Strike Fighter program has kept on schedule for Block 2B testing so far, but she reserved judgment on the initial warfighting software block's performance until later in the test phase.

Harris Corporation has introduced a multi-channel radio that will enable the US Department of Defense to realise the fullest potential of the networked battlefield.

The stopgap spending measure that will fund the federal government through to January includes a government-wide ban on new multi-year procurements

The US Army has sold their Long Endurance Multi-Intelligence Vehicle to the primary designer Hybrid Air Vehicles for a fraction of the service's original asking price.

The US Navy plans to pursue a multiyear procurement deal to buy Raytheon-made APY-10 radar systems for P-8A Poseidon aircraft in the fiscal year 2015 budget cycle, according to a US government notice.

The US Defense Logistics Agency has awarded BAE Systems approximately $US60 million in orders to produce additional tactical vests equipped with body armour.

The full version of Defence Week Premium no.275 of 17 October 2013 can be downloaded here as a PDF. A separate PDF of the latest Defence tenders can also be downloaded here.

Defence Minister David Johnston has declared that avoiding a gap in Australia's submarine capability is currently his top priority.

Northrop Grumman Corporation has delivered the centre fuselage for Australia's first F-35 Lightning II aircraft to Lockheed Martin on September 23.