The US Army is said to be watching industry to see who will be the first to fit an electro-optical sensor and an infrared sensor with wide area surveillance capability into a 15-inch turret for manned and unmanned surveillance aircraft, according to an Army official.

Boeing's liquid hydrogen-powered Phantom Eye unmanned aircraft system has completed taxi testing at Edwards Air Force Base in California as it progresses toward its second flight.

Moves by the German Bundeswehr to equip its infantry forces with the state-of-the-art Gladius soldier system are gathering pace.

The US Navy's fifth littoral combat ship, Milwaukee, from the Lockheed Martin led team will be the first to benefit from new high-power density waterjets aimed at staving off rudder and propeller damage experienced on high-speed ships.

The risk that US adversaries will develop surprising weapons capable of challenging American military dominance - perhaps by taking out US military satellites or aircraft carriers - calls for a new framework to guard against unexpected threats, according to a new study commissioned by the US Navy.

The full version of Defence Week Premium no.239 of 7 February 2013 can be downloaded here as a PDF. A separate PDF of the latest Defence tenders can also be downloaded here.

February 4, 2013 Dr Mike Kelly AM, Member for Eden Monaro, was appointed Minister for Defence Materiel, replacing Jason Clare, now Cabinet Secretary and continuing as Minister for Home Affairs and Justice, who has twice served as Defence Materiel Minister.

The NZ Ministry of Defence is undertaking a final review of SH-2G Super Seasprite helicopters that were previously rejected by the Australian government, in support of a formal bid for the aircraft.

This week public forums were held in Darwin as part of the consultations on the Social and Economic Assessments of the impacts associated with the proposed rotational deployment of 1100 US Marines to northern Australia in 2014.

Scott Wilson has won the Tectonica Australia Got a Great App Idea competition.

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For the first time, the UK Government has set out what it terms a fully-funded Defence Equipment Plan totalling almost 160 billion pounds.

The Chief of Naval Operations has recently issued a formal directive which establishes the first of two US Navy MQ-4C Triton unmanned drone patrol squadrons.

As part of the US' "pivot" to the Asia-Pacific region, the US Navy is working towards reinforcing its maritime surveillance capability in the Pacific Ocean arena.

Janes reports that Bluefin Robotics is to supply a variant of its Knifefish heavyweight autonomous underwater vehicle to the US Navy's Naval Research Laboratory.

The US Army has begun upgrading aerostats outfitted with Logos Technologies' electro-optical and infrared Kestrel wide-area persistent surveillance system to protect forward operating bases in Afghanistan.