1. Nyoma air base becomes operational

India's newest airbase at Nyoma in Ladakh was inaugurated on November 12, with Air Chief Marshal AP Singh landing a C-130J transport aircraft at the facility.

Located just 35 km from the China border, air force station Mudh-Nyoma is capable of fighter jet operations and is the highest such airfield of its kind, located at 13,700 feet.

2. Navy Chief to visit US 

Navy chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi is on an official visit to the US and is scheduled to meet the top brass and senior officials in the US Department of War.

Admiral Tripathi will be in the US till November 17 and is scheduled to visit operational commands and key naval institutions.

3. General Dynamics NASSCO to build more John Lewis-class replenishment tankers

General Dynamics NASSCO has been awarded $1.7 billion for the construction of T-AO 215 and T-AO 216. The ships are part of NASSCO's current multi-ship contract from the U.S. Navy for the construction of up to eight additional John Lewis-class fleet replenishment oilers (T-AO 214 through 221). 

Designed to transfer fuel to U.S. Navy ships operating at sea, the 742-feet vessels have a full load displacement of 49,850 tons, capacity to carry 162,000 barrels of oil and significant amounts of dry cargo, as well as providing aviation capability while traveling at speeds up to 20 knots.

4. Edge Group and Anduril announce partnership

US defense tech firm Anduril and UAE-based EDGE Group have launched a new joint venture to manufacture drones, with orders for an initial product already booked, the two companies announced on November 13, according to a report by The Breaking Defense..

Through the new partnership, the firms are standing up an organization called the EDGE-Anduril Production Alliance, billed as a hub of manufacturing and sustainment in the Middle East. The defense contractors are looking to pitch their shared autonomous tech for commercial applications as well.

5. US lifts arms embargo on Cambodia

The United States has lifted a four-year arms embargo on Cambodia after announcing a resumption of the annual Angkor Sentinel military exercises in a sign that relations between Washington and China’s tiny but key regional ally are on the mend.

Details of the resumptions were finalized by the Indonesia-based U.S. Mission to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on the sidelines of last month’s ASEAN Leaders Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, between President Donald Trump and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet.
 

Chakra Desk

Chakra News is a specialised digital media platform committed to in-depth coverage of India’s defence, national security, geopolitics, and critical technologies.