Missile, Artillery, Hypersonic, Ballistics & Soldier Systems

Sponsored by Galvion

 

www.galvion.com

 

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02 May 24. Galvion introduces BATLCHRG soldier systems wireless charging concept at SOF Week 2024. Galvion, a world leader in power and data management solutions and innovative head protection systems, will be demonstrating their new soldier systems wireless charging concept at SOF Week 2024.  This BATLCHRG concept demonstration follows the January 2024 announcement regarding Galvion’s strategic investment partnership with the Canadian technology firm, Quaze Technologies. Galvion’s investment in Quaze combines the relative strengths of the technological innovation of both companies in bringing ground-breaking wireless charging technology to the soldier systems market.  Galvion will be exhibiting the BATLCHRG wireless charging concept, along with their wider systems and solutions, at SOF Week 2024 on booth 948.

For SOF Week 2024, Galvion is demonstrating the BATLCHRG wireless charging capability in two battlefield scenarios: integrated into a vehicle seat and wall-mounted mat in a ready-room scenario.  Both instances demonstrate that soldiers can charge multiple battery powered systems through the wireless power transfer system.  The robust wireless solution utilizes a charging mat and receiver configuration that has excellent power transfer rates and efficiency, a broad position tolerance to account for movement and misalignment of surfaces, and functionality even in the harshest environments, proving efficient even when covered with water, snow, dirt, or dust.  Integrating with Galvion’s power & data eco-system, including 2-Port Power & Data Hub (PDH-2), Personal Worn Scavenger (PWS) and SoloPack battery, the BATLCHRG wireless concept significantly reduces the logistic burden of battlefield power management, and will greatly extend functionality and capability by allowing soldier power systems to automatically and wirelessly charge when in static positions, such as travelling in a vehicle, on sentry duty, manning a command post or resting.

Quaze’s Surface Power Technology revolutionizes the way devices are powered, enabling easy and reliable wireless charging for remote or autonomous devices on land, sea or air.   Powered by magnetic resonance, this technology offers a safe, secure and seamless solution to efficiently charge multiple devices with variable power demands across a wide platform surface area.

Todd Stirtzinger, CEO at Galvion, said: “As experts in the soldier systems field, we are constantly looking for ways to minimize the burden for our warfighters.  In October of 2023, we demonstrated our Charge on the Move capability, using our Squad Power Manager in a vehicle-mounted configuration to leverage vehicle power systems for the dismounted soldier today.  Our strategic partnership with Quaze, and the resulting BATLCHRG capability that we are showcasing at SOF Week, envisions a wireless charging model that will push the boundaries of untethered power provision and management for the future.” Stirtzinger added: “We see great potential in wireless technology, which allows unprecedented flexibility in terms of system expansion when combined with software development, and Galvion is poised to capitalize on these integrations for the future.”

 

02 May 24. German Army re-establishes air defence force.  The German Army announced on its website on 30 April that it is re-establishing its air defence force, initially based in Lüneburg, northern Germany.

The force was disbanded in 2012 but is being re-established as part of the Bundeswehr’s refocus on national and alliance defence. Initially, the force will be equipped with Skyranger 30 air-defence systems mounted on Boxer armoured vehicles, providing mobile short-range air defence. This capability will be operated jointly with the IRIS-T SLS (Surface Launched Short Range) air-defence system being procured by the Luftwaffe, the German Air Force.

In addition to the Skyranger 30 procurement, the Bundeswehr has begun identifying personnel for the Germany Army’s air defence force, with training scheduled to begin in 2024. A co-ordination and control staff will be established in 2025.

The first unit is scheduled to receive Skyranger 30 systems in 2026, with the completion of the establishment of the air defence force planned by 2028. (Source: Google/Janes)

 

01 May 24. RCH 155 Boxer Howitzer for German and British Armies. A joint announcement this past week was made by the United Kingdom’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Germany’s Chancellor Scholz of the collaboration by the two counties on the development and procurement of the KMW Remote-Controlled Howitzer 155mm (RCH 155) 52 calibre Wheeled Artillery Systems.

The British Army’s choice of the RCH 155 to fill its Mobile Fires Platform requirement finds it joining the Bundeswehr 2023 decision and an order for eighteen by Ukraine for the same weapon system. These will see initial production systems potentially being delivered as early as 2025.

The RCH 155 employs the 8 X 8 wheeled chassis of the Boxer armoured combat vehicle with an Artillery Gun Module (AGM) equipped with the 155 mm L52 howitzer utilized in the already combat proven tracked PzH2000 self-propelled howitzer system.

Like the PzH2000 the AGM is fully automated to include ammunition handling, gun laying and direction. The module is unmanned with the crew positioned in the chassis. The RCH 155 with a maximum range of 54 km can transition from moving to firing an eight-round burst and redeploy under ninety seconds. The gun can engage targets across 360 degrees and is able to carry out multi-round simultaneous impact missions.

The British requirement is expected to be 116 systems while the Bundeswehr is to receive the first of fifty systems beginning in 2026. Its total requirement could be as many as 168 units. To further enhance the responsiveness and tactical adaptability of the RCH 155, KMW also offers a Boxer based forward ammunition resupply vehicle. It was not announced if these support vehicles were to be included in the planned fielding.

The thirty-nine tonne Boxer armoured vehicle is being acquired by both the German and British Armies to provide a highly mobile family of vehicles outfitting rapid maneauver ground combat units. The selection of the RCH 155 using the Boxer will provide a long range, precision indirect fires system to support these units. Utilizing a common chassis offers the advantages of equivalent mobility, as well as, simplified and common maintenance support and logistics. (Source: Armada)

 

30 Apr 24. The new ACV-30 undergoing testing by the US Marine Corps includes a PROTECTOR RT-20 remote turret from Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace. A new Amphibious Combat Vehicle that is undergoing testing by the US Marine Corps includes a PROTECTOR remote turret (RT-20) from Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace.

BAE Systems delivered the first production representative test vehicle (PRTV) of the new Amphibious Combat Vehicle 30mm Cannon (ACV-30) to the customer earlier this year. ACV-30 is the third variant in the ACV family of vehicles designed, developed, and built since BAE Systems was selected as the prime contractor for the program in 2018.

“We are proud to be working with BAE Systems and partners on a vehicle and weapon system that will increase the USMC firepower and the capacity to the Marines. The PROTECTOR RT-20 is a modern remotely operated turret with highly accurate firepower for wheeled, tracked, and robotic combat vehicles. The modularity and digitalisation of the system has growth potential to incorporate new technologies to deter and defeat future threats,” said Jørgen Bull, Vice President, land systems at Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace.

The vehicle mounts a stabilised, medium calibre Remote Turret System manufactured by KONGSBERG that provides the lethality and protection Marines need while leaving ample room for troop capacity and payload while keeping the crew under armour. The remote turret eliminates the space requirement of legacy turreted cannon systems and provides more room to transport troops and associated mission essential equipment and reduces weight for better mobility.

BAE Systems’ customisable ACV variants provide true open-ocean and ship-to-objective capability, land mobility, survivability, and growth potential to meet the evolving operational needs of Marines around the world.

“Delivering capability like the ACV-30 to the US Marine Corps remains critical in the ever-changing battle space,” said Garrett Lacaillade, vice president of the amphibious vehicles product line for BAE Systems. “The collaboration we have with Kongsberg on this PRTV enables our customer to see and test a modern and lethal firepower technology on the battlefield.” (Source: Google/www.joint-forces.com)

 

01 May 24. India tests Supersonic Missile-Assisted Release of Torpedo system. This medium-range, canister-based missile ASW system carries an advanced lightweight torpedo as payload that is said to “enhance the strength of the Navy.”

India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), a branch of the Ministry of Defence (MoD), successfully tested its Supersonic Missile-Assisted Release of Torpedo (SMART) system.

SMART is a novel concept launched from the ground. It is a canisterised hybrid system that can travel at supersonic speeds, and it is made up of a medium-range missile carrying a lightweight torpedo as a payload.

It is a weapon system that performs an anti-submarine warfare (ASW) role for the Indian Navy. The objective behind the project is to develop a quick reaction system that can launch torpedos from a standoff distance.

The test took place at Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha, an eastern India state along the Bay of Bengal on the morning of the 1 May 2024.

SMART was launched from a mobile ground launcher. Several mechanisms such as symmetric separation, ejection and velocity control have been validated in this test.

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh, the Indian Defence Minister praised the DRDO and its industry partners on the successful flight-test of SMART: “The development of the system will further enhance the strength of our Navy.”

Secretary for Department of Defence research and development and Chairman DRDO, Dr Samir V Kamat, likewise lauded the synergistic efforts of the entire SMART team and urged it to “continue on the path of excellence,” the MoD stated.

The missile has a range of 643 kilometres (400 miles) carrying a light weight torpedo of range 20km (12.5m) with 50 kilogrammes high explosive warhead.

SMART uses two-way data link connected to airborne or ship based submarine detection and identification systems. SMART can be launched from a surface ship or a truck-based coastal battery. (Source: army-technology.com)

 

30 Apr 24. Lockheed Martin UK statement on MFP. “We are disappointed that the UK Government has decided not to compete the British Army’s Mobile Fires Platform programme, as Lockheed Martin’s partnership with Hanwha on the K9A2 platform would have potentially sustained and created a peak of 500 British jobs at the Ampthill facility and through its UK supply chain, secured new inward investment, and potentially generated global export opportunities worth around £250m.”

 

30 Apr 24. MFP Interim – Talking Point, ‘A Very Expensive Political Stunt?’ What was the point of the huge expenditure and time incurred in the rushed procurement of the Archer artillery systems from Sweden as an interim MFP? Why did the MoD not refurbish the existing AS90 systems to a standard to keep them in service until the main MFP Programme was concluded between the various contenders? |Whilst it seemed politically correct at the time to donate old and outdated AS90s to Ukraine, the UK could easily have donated the money to pay for Archer systems to be donated by Sweden to Ukraine? Sources suggest that DE&S wanted to lease not buy the Archers, now they are stuck with them at the same time as ageing to fund RCH155 jointly with Germany. The existing Archers should have a shelf life post-refurb and updated with Bowman for at least 15 years which would put an ISD of RCH155 of 2040 by which time it will need considerable updates. This poses a difficult question for the MoD and the Government. Was the interim MFP always going to Archer and thus Sweden as a political gesture for NATYO Membership and the Minster’s desire to be head of NATO? If so, it was a very expensive gesture which did not achieve all its aims! Will the Archer buy be for a limited period and these systems then sent to Ukraine under an ‘urgent requirement for artillery,’ allowing an earlier ISD of RCH 155. In another twist supporting the claim of wastage, sources suggest that two of the UK Archer systems have been quietly donated to Ukraine.  The upshot is that industry has spent a lot of money bidding both projects which were both sole sourced, unless a tracked requirement is requested, again sources suggest that politics has intervened here with Hanwha being rebuffed in its pitches to the MoD and government just at a time when South Korean trade talks had been undertaken last year as well as AUKUS progressing to broaden partners.

 

29 Apr 24. New BATTLESPACE Contributor. BATTLESPACE is delighted to announce that Dott. Christian BERTOSSI will be joining our team of contributors. Christian is an LT (r) of Arma dei Carabinieri (Italian MP) and he was also in Army (Infantry), doctor in law (since 2003, born in 1979). He also teaches to Carabinieri in Carabinieri School of Fossano CN criminal law; and now works in private security, criminal investigations, and firearms expert by B-TEAM SECURITY (my company since 2009). I’ve 20 years experience (public and private work) in firearms, military questions, equipment, security and safety, Instructor, Military Advisor. Currently his work consists of defensive investigations (criminal investigations): for the Italian law in the defensive investigations (The UK has the same powers of the Judicial Police and are equivalent to the Public Officer). Christian also carries out consultancy and appraisal activities registered with the Court of Como (see below) He is technical office consultant (CTU) the CTU is formally “is auxiliary of the Judge” and Public Officer in that assignment with all the powers of law. He carries out this activity in the field of guns and shooting, ammunition and all military equipment. He also writes for Italian DoD paper/online magazine and also for abroad magazine on-line like SOF (Soldier of Fortune mag) OPS France.

References:

NATO CAGE code: AU333 (NCAGE code) SECURITY and FIREARMS EXPERT

UNGM: 873318

UEI: MZMPBTE13MP4

DARPA: 64076900

NDIA: 1554864

Supplier application reference nr: R0092898552 by Central Supplier Database for Government National Treasury – South Africa

IXARM portal DGA-France DoD “security and firearms expert”

Court of Como: firearms expert n° 92 (already old register expert in weapons shooting ammunition military equipment n°1352 Court of Como since 2009) Italian DoJ.

Prefecture of Como Owner of private investigations Institute investigations in all fields required by Law and also criminal investigations (core business) n° 12556 (old register N° 9473 criminal investigator expert since 2009) Italian DHS

Contact:

 

29 Apr 24. Beretta “51 A” and “93 R” machine pistols: special weapons for… “special” uses. A “machine gun” in same size of a normal service pistol? Well yesterday like today which Armed and Police Forces wouldn’t want one supplied? Having said that, on the basis of the Beretta model 1951 pistol in 9 parabellum (whose project dates back to the end of the 1940s) the Brescian engineers created the first automatic pistol at the end of the 1960s, the mod. 51 A (also known as 51 R standing “A” for automatic and “R” for burst) capable of firing in bursts complete with a supplementary folding handle for better control and, oversized magazine carried to 10 rounds (can make smile today, but that was not a small thing at the time). The same idea was then relaunched on the basis of the much more modern (and internationally recognized as a success) Beretta 92 pistol: we are in 1977 when some departments of our Armed and Police Forces (including obviously the Carabinieri, true pride for the Italian nation and people!) are equipped with the newborn 93 R in 9 parabellum caliber, a pistol capable of firing both in semi-automatic mode and, in a controlled burst of 3 rounds, by selecting the appropriate lever/fire selector. Like its ancestor, the 93 R is also equipped with an additional folding handle for the second hand and the possibility of using 20-round magazines! If its undoubted advantages include its concealability, carry, dimensions and low weight (it is in fact a “normal” full-size semi-automatic), these advantages are also its major defects: control difficulty (despite the second stock plate is always preferable to hold it firmly with both hands, like any pistol), a range that can be considered really useful only in very confined environments and, in a really close shot. It should be noted that additional crutches and shoulder straps are available but, with them (in the opinion of the writer), the meaning is lost and the very nature of the weapon is distorted, given that “our” machine guns are born to be used as normal pistols of service but, with a much higher volume of fire, such as to be able to excel in closed environments (rooms, vehicles ….) and at close range.

These weapons, almost unknown to most, are mostly abroad, become legendary, Italian industrial products that have anticipated (and much) similar foreign models, with the primary intention of equipping military and police operators with tools capable of effectively counter specific threats, mainly terrorist threats. (This extract dedicated to all the CARABINIERI who courageously sacrificed their lives to ensure the freedom of the people and the security of the nation). (Source: Christian Bertossi)

 

28 Apr 24. UK to develop hypersonic missiles to catch up with China and Russia by 2030 – report. Britain plans to equip its armed forces with a homegrown hypersonic cruise missile by the end of the decade, according to a report. Military chiefs are under pressure to catch up with China, Russia and the US by developing a weapon capable of flying at speeds higher than Mach 5 – five times the speed of sound, according to The Sunday Telegraph.

The Ministry of Defence wants the missile to be designed and built in the UK and to enter service by 2030.

Plans are at an early stage, the newspaper reported, although there is no decision on whether the missile will be launched from land, sea or air.

It comes after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pledged to spend 2.5% of gross domestic product on defence by 2030.

Ballistic weapons can also reach hypersonic speeds but the difference is in manoeuvrability – ballistic weapons generally have fixed paths but the path of a hypersonic weapon can be changed after launch, making it difficult to destroy.

The US, Russia and China are the main players in the hypersonic weapons race but other countries, such as North Korea, claim to have tested hypersonic weapons.

The development of hypersonic capabilities is part of Pillar Two of AUKUS – a defence and security pact between the UK, Australia and the US.

Last month the US tested a hypersonic cruise missile on an atoll in the Marshall Islands in a message to its rival in the Pacific – China. It is the latest in a number of hypersonic weapons tests the country has completed in recent years.

A spokesperson for the MoD would not comment in detail on the development of Britain’s hypersonic missile capability, citing national security, but confirmed “hypersonic technologies to further develop UK sovereign advanced capabilities” were being pursued.

“We continue to invest in our equipment to meet current and future threats,” they added. (Source: Google/Yahoo!)

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About Galvion:

 

Galvion designs, develops, and delivers mission critical head, face, and torso protective solutions as well as intelligent power and data management systems for the world’s most demanding military and tactical teams.   Founded in 2002 as Revision Military, a foundational belief in calculated investment and capability expansion led to a strategic refocus, resulting in the divestiture of the protective eyewear business, along with the Revision name, in 2019.  Rebranded as Galvion, the company’s products and technology continue to evolve beyond purely passive protection, focusing instead on active systems that enhance performance and survivability, with an eye to the ever-changing demands of the modern battlefield.  Through advanced design, keen end-user insight and intelligent integration, Galvion engineers uniquely customized solutions that go beyond what was once thought possible.

 

Privately owned with ISO 9001:2015 certified facilities in Vermont, Massachusetts and New Hampshire in the US, Montreal in Canada and Bristol in the UK, Galvion’s team of 400+ employees work proactively to solve the problems left unsolved by others.

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Sponsored by Galvion

 

www.galvion.com

 

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23 Apr 24. Galvion surpasses milestone of 125,000 Caiman® Ballistic Helmets ordered by NATO countries. Galvion, a world leader in integrated head systems and intelligent power and data management solutions, has received three (3) new orders for its Batlskin Caiman® head system through its NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) framework contract. These latest orders, combined with previously announced orders from Norway, Finland and Sweden, take the total number of helmet systems ordered by NATO countries to over 125,000, with tens of thousands more in the pipeline.

In December 2022, Galvion was awarded a framework contract by NSPA that facilitates the procurement of its high performance Batlskin Caiman® head system and accessories, for NATO countries and partners. To service the rapidly growing demand, Galvion is investing in the establishment of a European production hub in Gdansk, Poland, originally announced in September 2023 and scheduled to be opened later this year. Concurrently, Galvion established a production partnership with NP Aerospace in the UK to produce helmets for the growing demand in the UK and wider NATO markets. This partnership is now producing a steady supply of Galvion’s Cobra® Plus helmets for the UK VIRTUS programme, and Batlskin Caiman® systems for NATO.

The NSPA framework contract through which NATO countries are ordering, was awarded following extensive user trials conducted by Norway, acting as the lead user nation, under the supervision of the NSPA.  Selected to meet the higher performance bracket of four specified helmet categories, Galvion’s Caiman® helmet system comes in five sizes and is equipped with Galvion’s very latest APEX lining system, an intuitively adjustable design that enables a customized fit for users and is designed to offer unparalleled stability for the latest visual augmentation devices.  The Caiman helmet is scalable for highly dynamic operations with mission-specific accessories, and is expressly designed to incorporate electronics, communications headsets, and other critical equipment, now and into the future.

“This contract is a good example of NSPA’s added value to both Nations and Industry” said Ms. Céline Danielli, NSPA General and Cooperative Service Programme Manager. “Through the use of the NATO Logistics Stock Exchange, the Agency brings together technical requirements and the latest technology and equipment, enabling Nations to procure what they need on a web-platform”.

Todd Stirtzinger, CEO at Galvion said: “We’re very proud to see more countries joining Norway, Finland and Sweden in ordering our flagship Caiman head system through the NSPA, which offers NATO countries a vastly simplified procurement route for our helmet, along with a growing list of integrated accessories.  We continue to work both internally and in conjunction with best-in-breed partners to develop and integrate capability enhancements, from our E.D.G™ scalable power to communications to strobes and visual displays that will ensure the Caiman platform continues to evolve to meet ever-growing mission needs, all available through the NSPA procurement route.”  He added: “Our investment strategy remains focused on keeping pace with the growing demand for our head systems around the world, through the establishment of a European production facility and strategic partnerships, as well as continued investment in Galvion’s domestic facilities, allowing us to effectively service demand now and into the future.”

 

26 Apr 24. India delivers Brahmos missiles to Philippines. The first batch of BrahMos supersonic anti-ship cruise missiles from India has been delivered to the Philippines by an Indian Air Force C-17 transport aircraft. The missiles arrived at Clark International Airport in Pampanga on 19 April, according to Indian media.

The Brahmos will be used by the Philippine Marine Corps to build its Shore-Based Anti-Ship Missile (SBASM) system.

The Philippine Department of National Defense (DND) signed a contract worth approximately US$375m for the acquisition of the Indo-Russian BrahMos medium-range supersonic cruise missiles in January 2022.

The deal calls for three missile batteries, each of which comprises mobile launchers – equipped with three missiles each – and associated datalinks and tracking systems.

Depending on the variant, the BrahMos cruise missile can be launched from a ship, aircraft, submarine, or land-based launcher and has a top speed of around Mach 2.8. It can carry warheads weighing up to 300 kg.

Based on imagery earlier released by the Marine Corps on its social media channel, it appears that a modified, twin-missile mobile launcher design has been adopted instead of the standard triple-missile launcher configuration used by the Indian armed forces.

The SBASM battalion, activated in April 2022, will be operating the anti-ship missile system. The Marine Corps have also activated a new unit known as the Shore-Based Air Defense System (SBADS) battalion. According to the AFP news agency, the SBADS will protect SBASM assets from aerial threats during anti-ship missile launch operations.

Both the SBASM and the SBADS are sub-formations of the Marine Corps’ Coastal Defense Regiment, which was also recently stood up in August 2020.

The Philippine Army is also seeking to acquire two BrahMos batteries for coastal defence missions under the third tranche, known as ‘Horizon Three’, of the Revised Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernisation Program (RAFPMP) which runs from 2023-2027. (Source: AMR)

 

25 Apr 24. German RCH 155 artillery selected for British Army’s Mobile Fires Platform. The UK has announced that it will develop the RCH 155 Boxer-based artillery system with Germany for its Mobile Fires Platform programme. Seemingly out of left field, the UK has granted approval for the initiation of the co-development with Germany of the Boxer-based Remote-Controlled Howitzer 155mm (RCH 155) wheeled artillery systems for the long-planned Mobile Fires Platform (MFP) programme.

The RCH 155, which sees a remotely operated 155mm 52 calibre turreted weapon module fitted to the rear half of the Boxer mechanised infantry vehicle (MIV), will proceed through an assessment phase on the planned co-development with the UK as part of the MFP requirement.

In an announcement published late on 23 April regarding a visit by UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to Germany, it was stated that the two countries would “announce plans for a joint endeavour to develop Remote-Controlled Howitzer 155mm (RCH 155), which will be fitted to Boxer vehicles.”

The release added that the joint programme was expected to create “hundreds of British and German jobs” and would equip UK armed forces with “battle-winning capabilities” for future ground warfare.

A British Army release published on 24 April stated that the RCH 155 was intended to be delivered into service “this decade”, and would equip Royal Artillery personnel with a “world-class close-support artillery system”.

MFP programme takes unexpected turn

As recently as this week, Army Technology had analysed the prospective solutions to the MFP programme, which was expected to see a mix of wheeled and tracked options put forward by the industry later this year. The winner would replace the incumbent AS90 155mm self-propelled howitzer currently in service with the British Army.

Earlier this month, UK Defence Procurement Minister James Cartlidge stated that the country would see a next-generation artillery system acquired “within five years”, with the programme at that time seeking approval to commence an assessment phase.

It appears that the decision will see the RCH 155mm solution through to the assessment phase and intended delivery to the British Army.

In Q4 2023, the UK took delivery of the first of 14 Archer 155mm SPH platforms from Sweden, as part of an interim artillery solution intended to bridge the gap between the donation of 32 AS90 SPH to Ukraine and the eventual winner of the MFP programme.

With Archer in service with the British Army, it was considered to be a strong contender for the MFP, along with the South Korean K9A2 Thunder-tracked SPH.

MFP programme “fundamental” to British Army

The importance of the MFP programme to the British Army cannot be overestimated, with the real-world lessons of the applicability of artillery being seen daily in the Ukraine-Russia war, a conflict in which perhaps the determining factor for success is the availability of long-range fire support and ammunition provision.

James Marques, GlobalData defence analyst, described the MFP as “fundamental” to the British Army’s modernisation plans in the medium term, speaking before the UK’s RCH 155 announcement.

“Discussing any sort of generating a conventional warfare formation without adequate artillery is a non-starter,” Marques said, adding the British Army had “a lot to figure out” in terms of the intended range and ammunition of the MFP programme.

“I believe that the initial timeline given [in 2023] was based on AS90’s original retirement date, but since donating some of those to Ukraine and the security situation more broadly I wouldn’t be surprised if there are aspirations to get it done sooner, [and] would be a good example for the MoD of overcoming previous procurement problems,” Marques explained.

UK Mobile Fires Platform: Boxer commonality key

The commonality provided with the use of the wheeled 8×8 Boxer as a host platform for the RCH 155 system is significant, with the British Army already firmed up on the procurement of more than 600 MIVs in the years ahead, with early vehicles already in testing.

The Boxer has long been touted as a multi-role platform, showcasing a range of possible payload solutions at trade shows in recent years, including as a mobile fires platform, as well as moduled Brimstone anti-armour systems.

In its 24 April release, the British Army said that “as part of the Boxer family, [RCH 155] uses a common Boxer drive module, creating efficiencies in support through platform commonality and modularity, and improving interoperability.”

The RCH 155 sees the combination of the 8×8 Boxer armoured vehicle with an Artillery Gun Module (AGM) from German-OEM Krauss-Maffei Wegmann. KNDS, a jointly owned holding company of Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and Nexter, markets the RCH 155 system.

The system is based on the German Army’s PzH 2000 SPH, intending to mix the mobility of the Boxer platform with the firepower of its tracked cousin.

The RCH 155 can fire up to nine rounds per minute to a range of up to 40km with standard ammunition, increasing to a potential 54km using extended-range munitions. The AGM of the RCH 155 is uncrewed, with the platform operated by a driver/operator and commander from the front cabin. (Source: army-technology.com)

 

23 Apr 24. French Navy conducts first synchronised firing of MdCN naval cruise missile. The French Navy has successfully conducted its first simultaneous test launch of the Missile de Croisière Navale (MdCN)naval cruise missile from a frigate and a submarine. The test-firing was carried out by the service’s lead multimission (FREMM) frigate Aquitaine, positioned off the coast of Brittany, and one of its Suffren (Barracuda)-class nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs), located off the coast of Biscarrosse, on 18 April, the Ministry of Armed Forces of France confirmed the same day. During the test the two vessels launched a co-ordinated strike against a ground target located at the DGA’s Biscarrosse missile test centre at Landes in southwestern France – with both missiles engaging their target “in perfect synchronisation”, the Ministry of Armed Forces of France said. In a statement issued the same day the French Navy said the test was carried out in operational conditions to strengthen the operational know-how and combat skills of the service. (Source: Janes)

 

23 Apr 24. Pentagon budget 2025: USAF funds HACM but not ARRW development. The US Air Force (USAF) requested just shy of USD517 m to continue development of Raytheon’s Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile (HACM) hypersonic air-breathing missile in its fiscal year (FY) 2025 presidential budget request, but zeroed out the procurement of the Lockheed Martin AGM-183 Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) hypersonic boost-glide weapon. The FY 2025 funding request is a change from that of FY 2024, which requested USD350 m for HACM and USD150 m for ARRW. ARRW was for years considered the frontrunner in the US’s race to field an air-launched hypersonic weapon, but the system has seen mixed results in all-up round flight-testing, notching both successes and failures. The final all-up round test is thought to be upcoming, following the USAF’s publication of a photograph depicting the munition in Guam, hanging from the wing of its B-52 launch platform. (Source: Janes)

 

24 Apr 24. NP Aerospace Extends Ukraine Support with Norway Contract. NP Aerospace is continuing its support for Ukraine with the delivery of a further 2,000 sets of body armour and carrier vests via Norway and the UK Ministry of Defence. This takes the total number of ballistic plates sent to Ukraine from NP Aerospace to over 180,000 since the start of the war. In addition to NP Aerospace ballistic helmets and bomb disposal suits which are being used on the frontline. The latest delivery is in support of Operation Ellisiv a Norwegian Ministry of Defence operation. Previous deliveries have been in support of Operation Interflex, a British-led multinational military operation to train the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and part of the UK’s commitment of £3bn in military aid for this year. The 2,000 sets of body armour (4,000 plates and 2,000 vests) were contracted and delivered from Coventry in the UK in less than three months.

Peter Hardisty, Managing Director and Senior Vice President of NP Aerospace’s Composites and Armour Systems business, said: “Our team in Coventry are honoured to continue to support Ukraine with life-saving body armour and associated military equipment. We have expanded our facilities and team to deliver NATO programmes and will continue to do so for as long as the war continues.”

 

19 Apr 24. General Atomics is positioning a future version of its MQ-1C Gray Eagle combat drone as a potential alternative to the Army’s now-canceled Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft effort, the president of its aeronautics unit told Breaking Defense.

The California-based defense firm intends to pitch a short takeoff and landing version of the Gray Eagle — what it calls Gray Eagle STOL — to fulfill the armed scout mission now that the service has halted work on a manned helicopter and shifted the focus to drones.

“We’re trying to jump into that [opportunity],” Dave Alexander, who leads General Atomics’ aeronautics unit, told Breaking Defense in a recent interview.

Not yet fully designed, a Gray Eagle STOL would build on the company’s Mojave demonstrator, which has acted as a “proof of concept” to test capabilities that can be incorporated in future products, said General Atomics spokesman C. Mark Brinkley.

Mojave, whose existence was first reported by Breaking Defense in 2021, already shares common DNA with the extended-range version of the Gray Eagle, adding short takeoff and landing capability and the ability to carry a maximum payload of 16 Hellfire missiles — double that of the baseline MQ-1C.

In its most recent test on April 13 at Yuma Proving Grounds, the Mojave hit ground targets using miniguns mounted on its wings for the first time — providing an alternative to precision-guided missiles typically used by General Atomics drones, Brinkley said.

The company is showing off that Mojave demonstrator to service officials next week during the Army Aviation Association of America conference in Denver, Brinkley said. The aircraft will be displayed in a configuration with two M134 miniguns made by Dillon Aero mounted on its wings.

After decades of failed attempts at replacing the OH-58 Kiowa scout helicopter, service leaders announced in February their hunt would end with the canceled FARA program.

“We are learning from the battlefield — especially Ukraine — that aerial reconnaissance has fundamentally changed,” Army Chief Gen. Randy George said at the time. “Sensors and weapons mounted on a variety of unmanned systems and in space are more ubiquitous, further reaching and more inexpensive than ever before.”

The Army anticipates that that decision — coupled with ending production on the UH-60 V Black Hawk, keeping General Electric’s Improved Turbine Engine Program (ITEP) in the development phase, and phasing Shadow and Raven unmanned aerial systems out of the fleet — will free up $4.5 bn between fiscal 2025-30, with the lion’s share reinvested in aviation coffers.

So far, the plan is to give Boeing some of those dollars for CH-47F Block II Chinook production, a new multi-year procurement deal with Lockheed-Sikorsky for UH-60M Black Hawk aircraft, develop and buy unmanned aerial reconnaissance systems like the future tactical unmanned systems, and move out on the launched effects portfolio.

And while it has not yet announced new aviation requirements or program competitions in the wake of that FARA decision, companies like General Atomics are beginning to float potential options.

The goal of bringing Mojave to the show, Brinkley said, is to highlight the versatility that a STOL version of the Gray Eagle could bring to the Army, such as its ability to deploy launched effects and operate in austere environments or onboard ships. The company also intends to show a contested resupply pod that can be carried by the drone, allowing it to carry 1,000 pounds of cargo for ground resupply missions up to 500 kilometers away.

“The opportunity to use UAS [unmanned aerial system] in a new way is tremendous when we look at the requirements that FARA laid out and what FARA was trying to achieve,” he said.

Mojave, or a purpose-built derivative, has yet to land its first customer, but Brinkley said interest is “significant, especially internationally following our Mojave carrier demo last year.”

(Source: Defense News Early Bird/Breaking Defense.com)

 

23 Apr 24. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) confirms that its Mojave Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) destroyed static targets in live-fire tests on April 13, 2024, validating the system’s battlefield relevance and recording another milestone for the demonstrator aircraft. GA-ASI partnered with Dillon Aero to mount two of Dillon’s DAP-6 Gun Pod Systems onto the Mojave aircraft. Mojave performed seven passes across two flights during the demonstration, expending around 10,000 rounds of ammunition as the UAS shredded a variety of targets.

“Seeing our Mojave perform this live-fire demo really emphasizes the versatility of the Mojave UAS and what it can do,” said GA-ASI President David R. Alexander. “Mojave has the ability to act as a sensor, shooter, and sustainer while mitigating threat environments and vulnerabilities and safeguarding human lives.”

Mojave and its short takeoff and landing (STOL) capability has built significant interest in the military and aerospace communities. Mojave is unique: a UAS with significant payload capacity that can perform in areas once considered unsuitable for UAS operations. Its ability to take off and land from unimproved landing sites at short distances as well as operate from aircraft carriers – as it did in November 2023 as part of a demonstration with the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy – is capturing imaginations and changing expectations about how large unmanned systems can be used.

The live-fire demonstration took place at Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona, and was funded via GA-ASI’s internal research and development budget.

The Mojave technical demonstrator shares common systems and components with GA-ASI’s modernized Gray Eagle 25M, effectively providing an expeditionary Gray Eagle STOL capability. In addition to a wing kit option for Gray Eagle, GA-ASI is planning one for the larger MQ-9B aircraft, which includes SkyGuardian® and SeaGuardian® models.

The actual Mojave STOL UAS with multi-mission payloads will be on display in GA-ASI’s booth (#792) at the Army Aviation Mission Solutions Summit in Denver, Colorado, April 24-26, 2024.

 

22 Apr 24. Australia pursuing enhanced air strike capabilities. Australia has earmarked $21bn for the Royal Australian Air Force as part of the Integrated Investment Program. Following the release of Australia’s 2024 Integrated Investment Program (IIP) and National Defence Strategy (NDS) on 17 April, Australia’s Ministry of Defence (MOD) highlighted on 22 April the A$28bn-A$33bn ($18bn-$21bn) earmarked for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).

Enhancements include new air-mobility aircraft, and combat aircraft upgrades for Australia’s fighter jets, as well as autonomous platforms and ISR capabilities.

The IIP identifies the investments as enabling Australia to undertake expeditionary air operations and project force into the Indo-Pacific region, Australia’s primary area of military interest. The theatre involves various security challenges, including territorial disputes, military build-up, and the presence of non-state actors.

Australia will mitigate advanced threats and maintain interoperability with partners and allies by investing up to A$12bn in upgrading the fleet of combat aircraft, with a focus on lethality and survivability against threats at extended ranges from all domains.

The F-35A Joint Strike Fighter, Australia’s most advanced air platform, will include incremental advancements in performance as well as the integration of long-range strike munitions. The IIP cites the long-range anti-ship missile as an example of the new capabilities being introduced to increase the platform’s lethality and states that there is also potential for the integration of the Joint Strike Missile.

Between A$5bn and A$7bn will be spent on air-launched strike weapons, including the development of hypersonic missiles.

The MQ-28A Ghost Bat, an autonomous collaborative combat aircraft programme saw further investment in the IIP, with an announcement of between A$4.3bn and A$5.3bn for uncrewed aerial systems (UAS), covering delivery of three Block 2 Ghost Bats and other developmental UAS.

The plans for enhancing Australia’s expeditionary posture include the replacement of the current fleet of 12 Hercules aircraft, with the acquisition of 20 C-130j Hercules medium air mobility aircraft, at a cost of more than A$10bn. Sustainment of the C-17 Globemaster III and KC-30A multi-role tanker transport aircraft will continue, with the airframes supporting rapid personnel deployment under the air mobility assurance program through the 2030s.

Nearly A$4bn will be allocated for air intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, including the sustainment and upgrades of the P-8A Poseidon, the acquisition of a fourth MQ-4C Triton remotely piloted aircraft, and the delivery of an MC-55A Peregrine fleet. (Source: airforce-technology.com)

 

22 Apr 24. OCCAR amends Italian CAMM-ER system specifications. As part of a second amendment to its missile contract with MBDA, Italy will continue to augment CAMM-ER missiles across its Armed Forces.

Italy will implement changes to its contract for Common Anti-air Modular Missile Extended Range (CAMM-ER) systems.

On behalf of Italy, Joachim Sucker – director of Europe’s defence programme overseer, OCCAR – signed a second amendment of the CAMM-ER contract with Giovanni Soccodato, managing director of the Italian branch of Europe’s leading missile manufacturer, MBDA.

Under an ongoing ‘CAMM-ER contract’ originally granted on 28 November 2022, the Italian Army and Air Force will benefit from a short-range (SHORAD) air defence capability. This deal initiated the procurement of two different configurations: the Modular Advance Anti-air Systems (MAADS) for the air force, and ‘GRIFO’ for the army.

OCCAR built on this contract through the first amendment on 24 September 2023, which procured more missile systems, including telemetric missiles that can be fired on test ranges.

The latest contractual change will enable the development and implementation of new technical specifications that will “increase the operational capabilities” of CAMM-ER systems in the Italian Army. Specifically, it will adopt a new fire control unit that will improve the command and control (C2) capabilities of the GRIFO configuration.

CAMM-ER missile

The difference between MAADS and GRIFO is explained by the customisable nature of the missile.

When designing the CAMM family MBDA enabled the customer to make their own choice of different components. This led the Italian Army and Air Force to select different radars and C2 systems for their respective configurations.

GRIFO’s new fire control unit will replace a subsystem that was not manufactured by MBDA.

CAMM-ER is a popular system used across major European militaries. It is featured in the Polish Mala NAREW SHORAD system, which offers protection for both troops and facilities within the operational area, as well as five units operated by the UK Armed Forces, which is designated ‘Sky Sabre’.

Incorporating advanced technologies, CAMM-ER provides complete protection against all known and projected air targets.

It has an active RF seeker that provides true all-weather performance with clutter-rejection capabilities. There is no need for dedicated complex and high-cost fire control/illumination radars.

CAMM-ER offers land-based forces a highly effective and easily deployable, medium-range air defence system, as part of the Enhanced Modular Air Defence Solutions (EMADS), capable of operating as either a standalone unit or integrated within a battlespace network.

The use of third-party target information from the wider battlespace network allows the system to engage targets that are non-line-of-sight from the local launcher or sensors. (Source: airforce-technology.com)

22 Apr 24. Bulgarian Navy to restore minelaying capability in transport ship conversion. Bulgaria appears to be seeking to restore naval minelaying to its forces through the conversion of a transport vessel.

Bulgaria will convert one of its small naval transport vessels into a dual-use minelayer for use by the Bulgarian Navy in a programme budgeted to cost around lv3.3m ($1.8m) in a bid to “restore and develop minelaying capabilities”, according to a European Union (EU) tender notice.

Details of the EU tender notice stated that the vessel would be “reconstructed” into the new role, while also “preserving its existing functional purpose”, indicating the vessel is intended to have dual-role capabilities once work is completed.

The vessel being converted to a transport-minelayer was listed as the Antares, which could be a former Polish Project 770Е Polnocny-class tank landing vessel operated by the Bulgarian Navy. GlobalData intelligence indicates that the Bulgarian Navy operates several auxiliary vessels of uncertain origin, with many hulls dating from the Soviet era.

The programme of work is due to begin in April 2024 and conclude by the end of this year. According to the EU notice, Terem-KRZ Naval Arsenal was contracted to perform the conversion.

Varna-based Terem-KRZ Naval Arsenal carries out a range of ship repair work in both the military and commercial sectors, according to information available on the company site. The company performs ship conversion and building work, with “complex repair” of military vessels including hull restoration, radar station upgrades, and armament repairs, as well as work in other areas such as hydroacoustics.

The Bulgarian Navy has a total of 51 surface vessels and naval combatants, with over 61% of its fleet being more than 30 years old, according to GlobalData intelligence.

At the time of publishing, the Bulgarian Ministry of Defence had not responded to requests for comments on the planned restoration of minelaying capability for the Bulgarian Navy.

A consequence of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was an increase in minelaying by Russia in the Black Sea, with Nato forces having reported the sighting of floating sea mines as Moscow sought to blockade Ukrainian ports. Situated on the western Black Sea coast, Nato members Bulgaria and Romania have reportedly had to neutralise mines, likely placed by either Russia or Ukraine.

Bulgarian defence spending increasing after years of decline

According to GlobalData forecasts, Bulgaria’s defence spending, like most other European nations, is set to increase substantially compared to recent years as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and the political fallout leading to a shifting security landscape on the continent.

The country’s defence spending is recovering after a sharp decline, with the defence budget from 2019-2023 amounting to $7.1bn, or a negative compound annual growth (CAGR) rate of 9.2%.

However, forecasts show that in the 2024-2028 period, the total spend is expected to accumulate to $10.9bn, or a CAGR of 5.4%, with the single highest annual spend forecast to come at the end of this period at $2.5bn in 2028. (Source: naval-technology.com)

 

23 Apr 24. Hanwha Aerospace likely to sign additional deal for Chunmoo with Poland: sources. South Korean defense firm Hanwha Aerospace Co. is expected to export an additional batch of Chunmoo multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) to Poland, a deal estimated at around 2.2trn won (US$1.6bn), multiple sources said Tuesday.

A Polish delegation, led by Deputy Defense Minister Pawel Bejda, plans to observe a test-firing of the K239 Chunmoo MLRS at the state-run Agency for Defense Development’s Anheung testing site in Taean, 109 kilometers southwest of Seoul, on Wednesday.

A successful test of the system, modified to fit a Polish military vehicle, is expected to lead to a deal, sources familiar with the issue said.

As Poland committed to buying 288 units of the Chunmoo and signed a contract to purchase 218 units in November 2022, the anticipated deal is likely to cover the remaining 70 units, they noted.

The MLRS is one of the Korean weapons systems Poland bought to bolster its defenses in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine war.

In 2022, Poland signed procurement deals worth 17trn won to buy K2 tanks, K9 self-propelled howitzers, FA-50 light attack aircraft and Chunmoo, marking South Korea’s largest-ever arms sales abroad.

The delegation has been in South Korea to observe weapons systems, review their performances and discuss terms of contracts with industry and military officials.

During their weeklong trip running through Saturday, the Polish officials are scheduled to visit K2 manufacturer Hyundai Rotem Co., K9 maker Hanwha Aerospace and aircraft manufacturer Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd., according to industry officials.

Their visit comes at a time when South Korea is mulling ways to provide state-backed loans and other financial packages to support another round of weapons deals with Poland, estimated at a total of 30trn won. (Source: Google/https://en.yna.co.kr/)

 

22 Apr 24. Lockheed Martin eyes Patriot interceptor production in Spain. Lockheed Martin has forged a partnership with a Spanish firm for the production of interceptor missile parts for the Patriot air-defense system, a move that could help alleviate a bottleneck in manufacturing the sought-after systems.

“Lockheed Martin has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Grupo Oesia to enable potential future production of Patriot Advanced Capability-3 Missile Segment Enhancement components in Spain,” the American company wrote on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, on April 22.

The agreement will allow the Spanish multinational engineering company to manufacture PAC-3 MSE parts for international customers, according to the statement. It builds on existing ties between two companies, as executives signed a letter of understanding at last year’s Paris Air Show to become strategic partners.

The PAC-3 MSE missiles are launched by the Patriot air defense system, made by Raytheon, and they rely on kinetic force to bring down a wide range of aerial threats, including ballistic and cruise missiles as well as aircraft.

Lockheed is on tap with the U.S. Army to reach a yearly production rate of 550 missiles at its Arkansas manufacturing site. In a December interview with Defense News, Brenda Davidson, the company’s vice president of PAC-3 programs said that they had attained a rate of 500 per year.

Air defense, and the lack thereof, has shaped Russia’s war against Ukraine, as Moscow’s forces target critical infrastructure and population centers.

“If Ukraine is a guide, in a conflict NATO air defenses may down most drones and missiles, but some will get through. … They might reduce risks with a two-prong strategy of strengthening air defenses and boosting infrastructure resilience,” a recent report published by the American think tank RAND Corporation stated.

The NATO Support and Procurement Agency recently awarded a contract for 1,000 missiles on behalf of Germany, the Netherlands, Romania and Spain for the acquisition of 1,000 PAC-2 guided enhanced missiles, the predecessor to the PAC-3 MSE variant.

The deal, worth up to $5.6 bn, went to COMLOG, a German-based joint venture between Raytheon and MBDA. The two companies strive to increase the European production capability of these missiles.

In a recent interview with Defense News, Tom Laliberty, Raytheon’s president of land and air defense systems, said group orders enable states to get discounts on the hefty price tag of the Patriot system.

The distribution of the missiles is derived on the basis of which of the ordering countries needs them most urgently, he added. (Source: C4ISR & Networks)

 

19 Apr 24. AEVEX Aerospace to Debut Atlas Loitering Munition at 2024 Army Aviation Mission Solutions Summit. AEVEX Aerospace, a leader in advanced unmanned systems, proudly announces the first public showcase of the Atlas loitering munition at the 2024 Army Aviation Mission Solutions Summit. Industry attendees and defense partners are invited to experience the unveiling of the Atlas, a cutting-edge development in loitering munitions, at Booth 1800.

The Atlas is a Group II loitering munition with robust capabilities in air, land, and sea tactical scenarios. With a flight duration of over two hours and a striking distance comparable to larger Group III aircraft, Atlas delivers unprecedented mission flexibility and performance. Designed for high-impact scenarios, it supports a range of operations from intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR)/detect, identify, locate, and report (DILR), electronic warfare, direct action engagements, etc. The munition’s payload includes options for fragmentation or penetration effects, further enhanced by optional ISR capabilities. Notable for its operational efficacy, AEVEX’s loitering munitions are extensively utilized in global defense activities, solidifying AEVEX’s reputation in unmanned systems technology.

“We are thrilled to introduce the Atlas at this year’s Summit as a testament to AEVEX’s commitment to evolving unmanned systems technology,” said Jim Sturim, SVP, Tactical Systems. “The Atlas represents the pinnacle of loitering munition innovation, designed to meet the rigorous demands of modern defense operations.”

Visitors to the AEVEX booth will have the opportunity to engage with our team of experts, explore the Atlas’s capabilities, and discuss future applications and integrations of this technology in their operations.

(Source: BUSINESS WIRE)

 

24 Apr 24. Major Milestone Reached for Key Weapons Component.

Sandia’s work is helping modernize the US nuclear deterrent.

Sandia National Laboratories and the Kansas City National Security Campus completed a crucial weapons component development milestone, prior to full rate production.

The Mark 21 Replacement Fuze interfaces with the W87-0 warhead for deployment onto the Minuteman III and, eventually, the Sentinel Intercontinental Ballistic Missile.

The first production unit of the replacement fuze was approved through the National Nuclear Security Administration’s rigorous Quality Assurance Inspection Procedure in March.

The Mark 21 fuze, an integrated assembly of Sandia-designed logic and sensing devices, directs the warhead to initiate firing sequences at the correct point in targeting parameters. The Mark 21 Fuze Replacement Program is a Strategic Partnership Program effort between the NNSA and the U.S. Air Force.

“Sandia’s role is to deliver a fuze that meets the Air Force’s requirements. Completing the first production unit is a visible milestone in maintaining a credible deterrent,” said Brad Boswell, a director in Sandia’s nuclear deterrence modernization program. “It demonstrates that we are providing the necessary capability for the U.S. nuclear deterrent into the future.”

Designing the fuze

As the lead design agency of the Mark 21 fuze, Sandia was responsible for incorporating Air Force requirements into a form, fit and functional package that interfaces with the Mk21 aeroshell, MMIII missile and W87-0 warhead. Work began in 2011.

“The early engineering work takes a lot of time. While some of it is done in parallel, much of the work must be sequential,” said Bob Oetken, a former program manager for the fuze program. “We’re doing a very specific job that requires, in many cases, custom parts.”

Sandia worked closely with the Kansas City National Security Campus to ensure the design was producible and delivered on schedule. While the Kansas City National Security Campus is producing and assembling the fuze, Sandia is manufacturing some of the parts.

Fuze qualification

Before production of the fuze began, a significant amount of time was spent qualifying the design, which ensures the design meets Air Force specifications. It includes analysis through testing and other engineering tools to ensure the fuze will function as intended.

“Qualification involves significant resources and time. We are in a very rigorous business. Some of the qualification is used to verify that we are meeting requirements and took as long as three years from concept to delivery,” Oetken said.

The program has conducted numerous tests, including environmental, ground and flight tests, to ensure the fuze withstands multiple difficult environments, such as acceleration, vibration and thermal environments expected during missile launch and ballistic reentry.

Stockpile assessment

Now that the fuze is in full rate production, Sandia’s responsibilities shift.

“As the design agency, Sandia is responsible for the component until the weapon is retired. Sandia is accountable for ensuring that the weapon with the fuze attached is safe, secure and reliable,” Boswell said.

As part of the stockpile assessment, Sandia will conduct surveillance through processes such as modeling and simulation and flight and ground testing to ensure the fuze continues to work as intended.

Partnering for great results

Completing the first production unit of the Mark 21 fuze is the culmination of more than a decade of work and collaboration, not just at Sandia, but by NNSA and the Department of Defense.

“This first production unit marks a significant milestone not just for Sandia but the broader nuclear security enterprise, particularly our partners at the Kansas City National Security Campus,” Boswell said. “While we stop to recognize this achievement, we must also acknowledge this is the start of the next phase of our partnership as we work to meet key production milestones to deliver the quantity of fuzes needed to meet the needs of the stockpile.” (Source: ASD Network)

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About Galvion:

Galvion designs, develops, and delivers mission critical head, face, and torso protective solutions as well as intelligent power and data management systems for the world’s most demanding military and tactical teams.   Founded in 2002 as Revision Military, a foundational belief in calculated investment and capability expansion led to a strategic refocus, resulting in the divestiture of the protective eyewear business, along with the Revision name, in 2019.  Rebranded as Galvion, the company’s products and technology continue to evolve beyond purely passive protection, focusing instead on active systems that enhance performance and survivability, with an eye to the ever-changing demands of the modern battlefield.  Through advanced design, keen end-user insight and intelligent integration, Galvion engineers uniquely customized solutions that go beyond what was once thought possible.

Privately owned with ISO 9001:2015 certified facilities in Vermont, Massachusetts and New Hampshire in the US, Montreal in Canada and Bristol in the UK, Galvion’s team of 400+ employees work proactively to solve the problems left unsolved by others.

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Sponsored by Galvion

 

www.galvion.com

 

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18 Apr 24. Baykar next-gen KEMANKEŞ 2 mini cruise missile development.

Baykar’s latest device aims to provide enhanced precision and autonomy in targeting objectives.

Turkiye’s defence sector received a boost as Baykar successfully conducts the inaugural firing test of the KEMANKEŞ 2 mini cruise missile.

With an operational range exceeding 200km and an AI-supported optical guidance system, the KEMANKEŞ 2 can neutralise high-priority enemy targets in adverse weather conditions. The integration of anti-jamming technology ensures uninterrupted operation.

The KEMANKEŞ 2 has an AI-supported autopilot system, which allows it to autonomously navigate and engage targets with accuracy. This level of autonomy enhances the missile’s effectiveness and minimises the risk to personnel.

Turkiye aims to bolster its domestic defence industry.

Despite economic challenges, Turkish defence exports surpassed $4bn in 2022, showcasing the importance of developing indigenous defence capabilities. Successes like the TB2 Bayraktar drone demonstrate the country’s emergence as a competitor in the UAV market.

Baykar’s commitment to self-reliance has positioned the company as a global player in the defence market. With a track record of exporting UAVs and now cruise missiles, Baykar has solidified its reputation as an indigenous defence technology development.

Within the last year, Romania awarded Baykar a $321m contract for TB2 combat drones. Meanwhile, Baykar secured a record-breaking deal with Saudi Arabia for the Akinci combat drone. Additionally, Baykar began constructing a factory near Kyiv, Ukraine, to manufacture TB2 or TB3 drone models.

Azerbaijan unveiled facilities for its Akinci drone programme. Finally, Baykar tested new munitions on the Akinci drone and agreed to provide TB2 platforms to the Maldives, further expanding its presence in the global UAV market.

The successful development and testing of the KEMANKEŞ 2 further show Baykar’s role within the global defence arena. The company accounts for a significant portion of Turkiye’s defence exports. With export agreements already in place with numerous countries, Baykar is poised to continue its ascent as a player in the international defence market.

(Source: airforce-technology.com)

 

19 Apr 24. NP Aerospace Progresses Raytheon Air Defence Integration on Wolfhound. NP Aerospace has announced it is one of the key partners on the UK MOD’s Laser Directed Energy Weapon Land Demonstrator programme working with Raytheon UK to progress integration of Raytheon’s High-Energy Laser Weapon System (HELWS) onto the Wolfhound vehicle.

Raytheon UK recently received its first HELWS unit from the US for testing in the UK. Since then, the vehicle engineering team at NP Aerospace’s Coventry facility have been leading the integration work, with mobility trials scheduled for later this year.

Wolfhound is one of the UK MOD’s protected mobility fleet managed by NP Aerospace. It was selected for integration due to its class leading capabilities and offroad performance potential via the new XC mobility architecture upgrade. The 15-kW laser Raytheon HELWS system is the latest product in the UK to look at potential defence against aerial threats such as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).  UK MOD who are leading the programme, last month announced the successful firing of a similar system.

David Petheram, Managing Director & Senior Vice President, NP Aerospace Vehicle Systems, Services and Spares, comments: “NP Aerospace is pleased to be supporting the development of the UK’s Short Range Air Defence capability.  As engineering authority for the UK MOD protected mobility fleet, we have in depth knowledge of vehicle platforms and wide range of associated technologies.  The Wolfhound is an extremely capable tactical supply vehicle which now offers an advanced defensive role by being able to easily carry the air defence system in new environments.”

NP Aerospace have been working closely with Raytheon UK to design and develop a wide range of integration hardware and interfaces to enable the HELWS to operate effectively from the Wolfhound platform.

Marcus Kears, Raytheon UK High Energy Laser Programme Manager, said: “Laser-directed energy weapons will play a huge role in the future of defence operations,” adding, “Our partnership with NP Aerospace is helping us to bring this transformative technology to the UK from the US, where our system has defeated more than 400 targets over 25,000 operational hours.”

“This is another important milestone in our collaboration with the MoD on the use of directed energy weapons in the UK. We will continue to work toward the live-fire system acceptance test later this year.”

 

18 Apr 24. BAE Systems Ordnance Systems Inc. (OSI) has selected Hanwha Defense USA (HDUSA), the U.S. defense subsidiary of Hanwha Aerospace in South Korea, to modernize an existing production building at the Radford Army Ammunition Plant.

“BAE Systems is fully committed to modernizing the Radford Army Ammunition Plant and furthering its support of the U.S. Army’s requirements,” said John Swift, vice president and general manager of BAE Systems Ordnance Systems Inc. “We are excited to collaborate with Hanwha Defense USA, as they will use their proven expertise to help us integrate advanced chemical processing capabilities into a manufacturing environment.”

Modernization of World War II-era facilities is important for national security. As BAE Systems continues to deliver vital capabilities to the warfighter, the focus on improving the safety of the process remains. BAE Systems’ legacy of modernizing while manufacturing, supported by HDUSA’s past experience in energetics facilities, will result in a state-of-the-art process to manufacture propellants.

“The upgrade is based on technology and experience that Hanwha has already completed in their Korean energetics facilities,” said John Kelly, president and CEO of HDUSA. “We look forward to implementing this upgrade at Radford and expanding our modernization collaboration with BAE Systems and the Army.”

BAE Systems OSI has been the operating contractor of the Radford Army Ammunition Plant since 2012, and in December 2023, received the contract to continue operating the Holston Army Ammunition Plant in Kingsport, Tennessee through 2035. (Source: News Now/ PR Newswire)

 

17 Apr 24. Next Gen US Squad Weapon and optic exceed paratrooper expectations. The first soldiers to field the Army’s newest rifle and automatic rifle began live-fire training with the weapons this week, including demonstrations on how the new round can penetrate barriers to strike targets.

Soldiers with the 1st Brigade, 506th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division received a batch of XM7 rifles and XM250 automatic rifles and their XM157 fire controls in late March.

The XM7 is the Army’s replacement for the M4 while the XM250 will replace the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon. Both new weapons are chambered in 6.8mm, a larger and more powerful round than the legacy 5.56mm round used in the M4 and M249.

The soldiers conducted classroom training last week and began firing the weapons in demonstrations on Monday, Col. Trevor Voelkel, 1st Brigade commander, told Army Times in a phone interview.

Voelkel said he was impressed with the demonstration that showed the 6.8mm round piercing concrete blocks to strike paper targets on steel backdrops behind the barriers.

“Seeing the effects on the targets we had makes up for any concerns I had initially about the increased weight,” the colonel said.

Unloaded, the XM7 weighs 8.4 pounds, which is 3 pounds heavier than the M4. The XM250 weighs roughly 13 pounds unloaded, which is 2.7 pounds lighter than the M249.

The 6.8mm round delivers energy on target that outperforms the 7.62mm round, with a flatter trajectory and a lethal range of at least 600m, more than twice that of 5.56mm rounds, Army officials said.

Staff Sgt. Garrett Steele, a weapons squad leader, and Sgt. Marcus Colston, bravo team leader, told Army Times that before they fired the weapon they were worried that the new round would add recoil, which might make it hard to get back on target.

“The recoil, honestly, was very negligible even with the larger round,” Colston said. “The weight of the weapon was pretty negligible.”

Steele agreed and said the XM7 was very accurate, both with iron sights and the new fire control. The weapons team leader said the group of soldiers with 1st Brigade that he trained with were able to zero their weapons and get tight groupings after shooting 10 rounds or fewer.

“There wasn’t anybody who had any issues getting groupings or zeroing quickly,” Steele said.

The XM157 has a host of features not available in the standard rifle optics such as the Close Combat Optic and Advanced Combat Optical Gunsight that have been used by soldiers for years.

The new fire control has a built-in infrared aiming laser, bullet drop compensator and ballistics calculator that can receive data for any weapons system in the Army’s inventory and add new data for future weapons.

The fire control will adjust the aiming point for the shooter based on distance and the ballistics of the round. It allows shooters to use eight times magnification to zoom in on a target, compared to the four times magnification on current standard optics.

Both sergeants said the optic was easy and quick to use. And the features were all applicable.

“There’s no fluff on the optic,” Colston said. “Everything that we can do with that, in my experience, the things we do as infantrymen, every single one of those features is going to be useful at a certain time.”

Voelkel echoed his soldiers’ comments on the fire control, comparing it to the current optics.

“It’s kind of like going from my Nokia flip phone to an iPhone,” he said.

The rangefinder and IR laser will allow soldiers to mark target reference points and laser targets for call for fire in the field with no additional equipment, the colonel said.

“I think that’s going to open up a whole new world of capabilities,” Voelkel said.

The brigade will receive 1,500 XM7s and 200 XM150s, all with their own optics, according to Program Executive Office-Soldier. The brigade is expected to be fully fielded with the new weapons by September.

The brigade is scheduled for their pre-deployment Joint Readiness Training Center rotation in March 2025, Voelkel said. The unit has a large-scale field training exercise scheduled for this fall with the entire 101st Airborne Division.

Those events will help the unit see the performance of a brigade fully equipped with the new small arms and optics in both live fires and simulated, force-on-force training, the colonel said.

During force-on-force exercises, soldiers armed with the weapons will have greater ranges and the ability to penetrate barriers when in a close fight. The laser shooting systems used for force-on-force can be adjusted to accommodate the 6.8mm ballistics so commanders can get a sample of its performance.

“It’s going to allow us to engage the enemy earlier than we would have,” Garrett said. “If we see an enemy far out, we can get better eyes on with the optic.”

In 2017, the 101st Airborne Division was also the first unit to field the replacement for the legacy M9 handgun with the Modular Handgun System, which includes the M17 and M18 handguns.

Following that fielding with the next generation weapons gives the division a chance to give the Army feedback on a weapon that many soldiers may carry for decades to come.

“I think there’s a lot of pride and a feeling of weighty responsibility,” Voelkel said.

The $4.7bn rifle and automatic rifle weapons contract with firearms manufacturer Sig Sauer and the $2.7bn contract with Sheltered Wings, a subsidiary of Vortex Optics, for the XM157, are the most significant changes to Army individual weapons since the M16 was fielded in the 1960s.

The XM7 is a piston-driven, modular, select-fire, magazine-fed, suppressed rifle.

The XM250 is a belt-fed, air-cooled, lightweight, gas-operated, select-fire, suppressed light machine gun that fires from the open-bolt position.

The Army plans to field the new weapons to close combat forces such as infantry, special operations, scouts, combat engineers, forward observers and combat medics by fiscal year 2033.

The legacy M4 and M249 will see continued use for decades to come for the rest of the Army. (Source: Army Times)

 

17 Apr 24. True Velocity sues Sig Sauer, alleging stolen trade secrets. True Velocity Ammunition and sister company Lone Star Future Weapons sued gunmaker Sig Sauer, alleging the company stole trade secrets.

The companies are competing against each other to produce the U.S. Army’s Next-Generation Squad Weapon worth an estimated $4.5 bn. Sig Sauer won that competition in April 2022. Those first weapons from Sig Sauer were delivered to soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, last month.

The complaint filed on April 9 in Vermont Superior Court lays out True Velocity’s claim that Sig Sauer “brazenly and wrongfully misappropriated Plaintiff’s trade secrets to obtain an unfair competitive advantage.”

Lone Star originally teamed with General Dynamics Ordnance & Tactical Systems in 2021 for the NGSW competition where GD-OTS transferred its technical data and marketing materials for the LMMG and NGSW to Lone Star. Lone Star then took over as the prime contractor in the NGSW competition and further design activities of the program.

GD-OTS, over nearly two decades, developed trade secrets through research and development in Vermont at two sites focused on armaments systems and vehicle survivability. This included the LMMG which “eliminates the gap between the lighter and heavier weapons systems” currently fielded by the U.S. military and allies, the complaint states.

At the heart of the LMMG is a proprietary “revolutionary mitigation system called Short Recoil Impulse Averaging (SRIA),” according to the complaint. “Historically, mitigating recoil forces of machine guns require either adding mass to a weapon systems or length to a receiver,” the document explains. “The SRIA technology advanced by GD-OTS and Plaintiff reduces recoil without increasing the weapon’s mass or receiver length.”

Following the development of the LMMG, by the end of 2010, GD-OTS began keeping technical data and marketing materials from the design in “highly confidential data repository stored on secure servers to which only the LMMG team had access,” the complaint states. Continued development, tests, failures, fixes, and analysis of the technology and designs were kept in this same secure repository, according to the court document.

GD-OTS employees signed agreements stating they would keep the company’s confidential and proprietary information “in strict confidence” and would not “disclose or use that information outside of employment with GD-OTS,” according to the court document.

True Velocity and Lone Star are claiming that Sig Sauer “misappropriated” SRIA and LMMG trade secrets by “aggressively recruiting GD-OTS employees who had spent years designing and developing these technologies and obtaining crucial and highly confidential design data,” according to the court document.

Sig Sauer recruited and hired three key engineers from GD-OTS with the first hire in the fall of 2013.

In January 2014, Sig hired a “key GD-OTS engineer,” David Steimke, who had worked at GD for 19 years and served as the senior principal design engineer at the company’s facility in Vermont. “During that time, Mr. Steimke was an engineer on nearly every belt-fed machine gun design at GD-OTS,” the complaint states. He was also the original designer on the LMMG project.

Steimke is now Sig Sauer’s chief engineer.

In December 2017, the Army announced an opportunity to replace its lighter belt-fed machine gun, the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon. Then the Army released a prototype opportunity notice for a Next-Generation Squad Automatic Rifle in March 2018, which would later become the Army’s NGSW program.

Sig unveiled its .338 medium machine gun, the Sig SLMAG as a direct competitor to the GD-OTS LMMG in October 2018.

“Before the SIG SLMAG, no other company except for GD-OTS had produced a .338 [Norma Magnum] lightweight medium machine gun,” the complaint states.

GD-OTS employees first began to suspect Sig’s “wrongful use of its trade secret technology,” at a January 2019 International Special Operations Forces Range Day in Las Vegas. GD employees attended a demonstration of the SIG SLMAG and “noted that it appeared to utilize the substantially same SRIA technology developed at GD-OTS before the departure of Mr. Steimke,” the court document lays out.

GD-OTS’ lawyers sent a letter to Sig about the possible use of its proprietary information in the SLMAG in May 2019. Sig denied using GD-OTS’ secret information in any of its weapons, according to the complaint.

Steimke sent another letter stating he knew he was required to maintain confidentiality of proprietary information and claimed he did not work on machine gun-related products until after the Army came out with its plans for a next-generation weapon competition.

“According to Mr. Steimke’s representations, Sig was able to design and manufacture a competing .338 belt-fed machine gun in less than [18] months when it took GD-OTS more than a decade to develop and mature its impulse averaging and LMMG technology,” the court document states.

True Velocity and Lone Star believe, according to the complaint, that Sig has used the technology in four belt-fed machine guns it has designed.

The court document also claims that in addition to knowing Sig had hired former GD-OTS employees, True Velocity also discovered last year that Sig had “misappropriated confidential GD-OTS information, including proprietary design drawing files as well as critical proprietary data in the LMMG Technical Data and Marketing Materials.”

The lawsuit comes at a time when True Velocity and Sig Sauer are also competing for another U.S. military weapons contract – a .338 Medium Machine Gun for U.S. Special Operations Forces.

The court document notes that both companies have delivered prototype weapons to the U.S. military for evaluation “and a potential production contract to be awarded in the near future,” and “based on information and belief, Sig’s submission incorporates a substantial degree of plaintiff’s impulse averaging and LMMG trade secrets.”

The complaint states True Velocity and Lone Star are seeking a court order to stop Sig Sauer from using its trade secrets and are asking for monetary damages.

“Our intellectual property exists not only to protect the best interests of our stakeholders, but also to form the foundation for a licensing model that would enable us to [share] our technology with honest partners around the world,” Pat Hogan, a True Velocity spokesperson, told Defense News. “Illegal taking and misappropriation of that intellectual property serves as a detriment to that mission and we will not stand by idly as it happens.”

A Sig Sauer spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment by press time. (Source: Defense News)

 

16 Apr 24. Ukraine’s air defense pleas spotlight Patriot bottleneck. Ukraine’s requests for more long-range air defense systems to repel Russian attacks highlight a weak spot in the production capabilities of Kyiv’s allies, according to analysts. As Russian forces have ramped up attacks on Ukrainian energy and civilian infrastructure in recent weeks, calls for defense systems have grown increasingly desperate, leading Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba to tell Western leaders, in a late-March interview with Politico: “Give us the damn Patriots.”

He was referring to the suite of sensors, launchers and interceptors, made by Raytheon-RTX of the United States, that has formed the backbone of U.S. and allied air-defense architectures for decades.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy doubled down on the request shortly thereafter, articulating a concrete need. “I can say that to cover Ukraine completely in the future, it is preferable to have 25 Patriot systems, with 6-8 batteries each,” Zelenskyy was quoted as saying by the Ukrainian online new website Kyiv Independent.

The figure caught some defense experts by surprise.

“This is a huge number – the United States only has 15 Patriot battalions. There is no way that Ukraine will have 25,” Mark F. Cancian, senior adviser at the Washington-based think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies, told Defense News.

In a recent interview with Defense News, Tom Laliberty, Raytheon’s president of land and air defense systems said that the company is currently able to produce 12 Patriot fire units per year.

That pace means it would take years to cover Ukrainian demands alone, and that’s not counting the manufacturer’s commitments to make systems for the rest of the global Patriot customer base.

Still, there may be some slack in diverting new production hardware or, in the case of Germany, cobbling together an additional system from parts in the maintenance cycle.

Berlin announced on April 13 that the government would donate one fire unit in addition to two previously delivered.

Other Patriot users, like the Netherlands, believe they have already reached the bottom of the barrel, saying that giving away any more would leave them exposed and break troops’ training cycles on the equipment.

According to analyst Cancian, Patriot systems ordered by Switzerland could be in play for Ukraine.

The U.S. State Department approved the sale of five fire units and related equipment to the Alpine nations for an estimated cost of $2.2 bn. According to Laliberty, Raytheon is in the process of producing the equipment.

“There are mechanisms by which the U.S. can give some contracts priority over others – thus, it would be possible for Ukraine to get in line in front of Switzerland and in the current circumstances there is a high likelihood of that happening,” Cancian said.

Still, approvals would be needed from all sides, he added.

For the Swiss, the question of giving priority to Ukraine is academic, according to a spokesman for Armasuisse, the country’s defense-acquisition agency.

“There have been no such requests, and we do not comment on hypothetical questions,” the spokesman said in response to a Defense News query. “Armasuisse has concluded an agreement with the U.S. government on the acquisition of Patriot systems. The delivery is planned from 2027 onwards.” (Source: Defense News Early Bird/Defense News)

 

16 Apr 24. US Army deploys midrange missile for first time in Philippines. The Mid-Range Capability missile has landed in Luzon, Philippines, as part of the Salaknib exercise taking place there, marking the first deployment of the new capability deemed vital for the U.S. Army’s strategy in the region. The 1st Multi-Domain Task Force brought the MRC weapon to the country on April 11, traveling more than 8,000 miles from Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state for over 15 hours via a C-17 Globemaster cargo aircraft, according to an April 15 statement from U.S. Army Pacific.

“This landmark deployment marks a significant milestone for the new capability while enhancing interoperability, readiness and defense capabilities in coordination with the Armed Forces of the Philippines,” the statement read.

“This creates several new collaboration opportunities for our bilateral training and readiness,” Brig. Gen. Bernard Harrington, who leads the multidomain unit, said in the statement.

During an April 16 hearing before the House Armed Services Committee, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George commented on the deployment to the Indo-Pacific region.

“We’ve seen just how effective and hard to target land-based, long-range precision fires are, and we are continuing to add those, and right now we have the medium-range capability that is actually out and exercising with our partners,” he said.

Defense News first reported the Army’s plan to pursue the midrange missile in September 2020.

The Army gave the job of finalizing and moving forward with a weapon to the Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office, and it also set a goal to field the chosen missile in less than three years — by the fourth quarter of fiscal 2023, which meant it could not start from scratch.

The office received the mission in July 2020 following a strategic fires study conducted by the Army’s force development arm earlier this year. The development team had found a gap in the service’s ability to reach enemy targets in the 500- to 2,000-kilometer (311- to 1,243-mile) range.

The midrange missile fits in the Army’s fires portfolio between its Precision Strike Munition, designed to hit targets 499 kilometers away, and its ground-launched hypersonic missiles.

The service chose Lockheed Martin in November 2020 to build the midrange missile prototype, landing a nearly $340 m contract to take elements from naval missiles to forge the new weapon.

The MRC weapon consists of a vertical launch system and uses the Navy’s Raytheon-built Standard Missile-6 and Tomahawk missiles. The full MRC system has a battery operations center, four launchers, prime movers and modified trailers, the statement noted.

A variant of the Tomahawk missile was used in a land-based cruise missile capability test in 2019. The SM-6 is a long-range, anti-air missile that has a surface mode.

Salaknib is an exercise with the U.S. and Philippine armed forces meant to build readiness and improve operational capabilities as part of “the longstanding and strong U.S.-Philippine Alliance,” the statement read, adding that it also enhances “bilateral U.S. land power capacity and capabilities for joint operations.” (Source: Defense News)

 

15 Apr 24. Kratos Completes Development of the Zeus SRM Family with the Successful Zeus 2 Static Test Fire. Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (Nasdaq: KTOS), a technology company in the defense, national security and global markets, announced today that its Space & Missile Defense Systems (SMDS) Business Unit, a part of Kratos’ Defense & Rocket Support Services (DRSS) Division, successfully completed the static test firing of the Zeus 2 solid rocket motor (SRM) with Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3Harris Technologies [NYSE: LHX] company, at their Camden, Arkansas facility. This Zeus 2 milestone combined with the successful Zeus 1 static test firing last year, completes the development phase of Kratos’ new affordable commercial SRM family. Zeus 1 and Zeus 2 are high-performance 32.5-inch diameter solid rocket motors envisioned and internally funded by Kratos. The Zeus motors, designed with commonality, versatility, and affordability in mind, coupled with the Kratos ongoing development of the Erinyes and Dark Fury Hypersonic Flyers demonstrates Kratos’ commitment to investing in crucial defense industrial base technology. Kratos’ technology investments are delivering leading-edge systems and expanding our extensive portfolio of Hypersonic Flyers and SRMs available for our customers. Kratos has now initiated orders for a combined total of nine Zeus 1 and Zeus 2 SRMs in preparation for upcoming customer flights. The Kratos developed Zeus family of SRMs is in direct response to the urgent need for affordable commercial launch vehicle stages for hypersonic test, ballistic missile target, sounding rocket and other customer missions.

Dave Carter, President of the KDRSS Division, said, “I am very excited to introduce Kratos’ family of Zeus SRMs and commend our SMDS group and teammate, L3HARRIS/Aerojet, for successfully completing this crucial motor development program. Zeus motors enable us to bring to market affordable rocket systems to support critical MACH-TB Hypersonic testing, NASA Sounding Rocket Program experiments, and Navy/MDA target program requirements.”

Eric DeMarco, President and CEO of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc., said, “Kratos’ successful completion of this internally funded Zeus family of motors will enable rapid and affordable hypersonic testing and be ‘first to market’ with a highly relevant system to support DoD, NASA and commercial customers. At Kratos, we are committed to rapid development, delivery of relevant systems and introduction of affordable technology to support warfighter requirements for the United States and our Allies’ National Security.” (Source: ASD Network)

 

16 Apr 24. Lockheed wins US missile defense contract worth $17bn. Lockheed Martin (LMT.N), has won a $17bn contract to develop the next generation of interceptors to defend the United States against an intercontinental ballistic missile attack, the U.S. Missile Defense Agency said on Monday.

The interceptor program is aimed at defeating current ballistic missile threats and future technological advances from countries such as North Korea and Iran.

The win represents a shot in the arm for Lockheed after the United States said it wanted to reduce F-35 orders, and the Army in February abandoned development of a Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft, a next-generation helicopter for which Lockheed had submitted a design.

The multi-year missile contract covers the development of the Next Generation Interceptor (NGI) to modernize the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) program. The network of radars, interceptors and other equipment is designed to protect the United States from intercontinental ballistic missiles.

Lockheed is “committed to delivering reliable interceptors,” said Sarah Hiza, general manager of Strategic and Missile Defense.

The first interceptor is expected to be operational in 2028.

The NGI is currently in the technology development phase and will transition to product development in May, according to written testimony, last week from the head of the Missile Defense Agency, Lieutenant General Heath Collins. The United States plans to buy 20 interceptors and deploy them at Fort Greely, Alaska.

Collins had said the agency would select either Lockheed or Northrop Grumman (NOC.N), for the program. The companies were awarded separate contracts in 2021 to develop designs.

In 2019, the Pentagon scrapped work on a Boeing Co (BA.N), contract for a “kill vehicle,” the tip of an interceptor that detaches in space and destroys the incoming warhead, due to technical design problems after spending $1.2bn on the project.

The United States then decided to restart the contract process to gather bids for the whole interceptor. Boeing was knocked out of the competition in 2021. (Source: Reuters)

 

15 Apr 24. Avient Corporation, a premier provider of specialized and sustainable materials solutions and services, announced it will showcase its high-performance engineered fiber solutions and advanced protective materials portfolio next week at Techtextil, the leading international trade fair for technical textiles and nonwoven fabrics.

These highlighted solutions include composite fabrics and textiles that offer high strength-to-weight ratios, stiffness, resistance to corrosion and impact, dimensional stability, and more. These can be used across a broad range of industries and applications, from protective clothing and workwear to synthetic ropes to wires and cables, helping reduce weight and material consumption while enhancing performance.

Additional show highlights include:

• Dyneema®, the world’s strongest fiber™ – With its unique combination of low weight and immense strength, Dyneema® is a critical component in ultra-light outdoor gear, protective apparel, and footwear that takes performance and comfort to new heights. Dyneema® fibers are widely used by designers for their precision-engineered properties to create the lightweight, durable, and high-performance articles that today’s consumers desire.
• Fiber-Line™ Engineered Fibers – These high-performance synthetic fibers are used in diverse products and industries. With expertise in fiber selection, processing capabilities, and a broad spectrum of end products, Fiber-Line offers uniquely customized solutions that enhance the inherent properties of synthetic fibers. The Fiber-Line portfolio includes custom-formulated composite yarns for high-performance consumer applications, water-blocking yarns, reinforced polymer fibers, strength members for ropes and cord structures, reinforcement yarns, industrial yarns, and wire harness yarns for applications in industrial, oil and gas, and fiber optic markets.

Avient is exhibiting in hall 9.1, booth A60, at Techtextil in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, from April 23 – 26, 2024.

About Avient

Avient Corporation provides specialized and sustainable materials solutions that transform customer challenges into opportunities, bringing new products to life for a better world. Examples include:

• Dyneema®, the world’s strongest fiber™, enables unmatched levels of performance and protection for end-use applications, including ballistic personal protection, marine and sustainable infrastructure and outdoor sports
• Unique technologies that improve the recyclability of products and enable recycled content to be incorporated, thus advancing a more circular economy
• Light-weighting solutions that replace heavier traditional materials like metal, glass and wood, which can improve fuel efficiency in all modes of transportation and reduce carbon footprint
• Sustainable infrastructure solutions that increase energy efficiency, renewable energy, natural resource conservation and fiber optic / 5G network accessibility

Avient is certified ACC Responsible Care®, a founding member of the Alliance to End Plastic Waste and certified Great Place to Work®. For more information, visit www.avient.com.

 

15 Apr 24. Kromek shows the value of innovation and R&D to demonstrate new capabilities at international events and win further orders. Kromek, the designer and manufacturer of radiological and biological detectors, based in Sedgefield Co. Durham, premiered its “remote mode” for its ground-breaking D5 RIID at Security & Policing held in Farnborough, UK, in March 2024.

The D5 RIID is the most sensitive portable detector produced by Kromek. Its “remote mode” allows it to be carried by an uncrewed ground vehicle. Its long endurance and networked capability means that it can explore potentially contaminated sites and can loiter to scan continuously for radioactive material without putting a human operator in harm’s way. Following recent research and development (R&D) initiatives, the latest technical enhancements to the D5 RIID programme were shown to senior officials in the Ministry of Defence, Police forces and first responders at Security & Policing.

Meanwhile, at the CBRNe Summit Europe in Budapest, Hungary, Mari Tuomela, Kromek’s Head of Sales (EMEA & APAC), demonstrated the D5 RIID (and its additional probe for detecting Alpha and Beta isotopes – another product of innovative R&D) with live sources. The audience was astonished at the speed of isotope identification and also that the device detected the very weakest of sources.

Kromek’s Commercial Director Craig Duff reflects: “The evolution of the D5 RIID, with both the addition of external probes and the ability to mount the detector on an uncrewed ground vehicle for remote operation, demonstrates the benefits of continuous in-house research and development. Our products can be adapted at pace to meet the changing requirements in this complex international political and threat environment.”

Duff’s comments were reinforced by the announcement at the end of March of a further $2.1m order for detectors for the security screening market from a previous OEM customer, where joint R&D had resulted in the original contract, and by a presentation at the Waste Management Symposia 24 in Arizona, USA, on how Kromek’s CZT detectors have been adapted by researchers at the University of Bristol to be carried by drones for wide area scanning and detection.

Back in the European Union, Kromek D3S detectors were deployed in Belgium, on 9th April to secure the launch of the Festival of the New European Bauhaus 2024, at the Brussels Art and History Museum, attended by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo and other dignitaries.

 

15 Apr 24. Indian Army, DRDO conduct MPATGM weapon system trials. The weapon system is now poised for user evaluation trials, the final step towards its induction into the Indian Army. The Indian Army and the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) have carried out successful trials of the man portable anti-tank guided missile (MPATGM) weapon system.   The warhead flight trials were conducted at the Pokhran Field Firing Range in Rajasthan, India, on 13 April. The system has been indigenously designed and developed by the DRDO.  As part of the latest effort, the MPATGM weapon system was put through multiple field evaluations in various flight configurations.   The objective of the testing effort was to assess and validate the superiority of the MPATGM weapon system, which comprised the MPATGM, target acquisition system, launcher and fire control unit.  According to the Indian Ministry of Defence (MOD), the Indian Army and DRDO conducted an ‘adequate’ number of missiles firing tests, all aimed at meeting the operational requirements as outlined in the General Staff Qualitative Requirements by the Indian Army’s Infantry division.  The missile’s performance, particularly the warhead performance, was deemed “remarkable” during the trials, the MOD said.  The MPATGM weapon system’s Tandem Warhead System also underwent penetration trials, showcasing its capability to defeat modern armoured main battle tanks (MBTs).   The anti-tank guided missile system features both day and night as well as top attack capabilities, with the addition of a dual-mode seeker enhancing its tank warfare potential.  Following the technology development and successful demonstration, the MPATGM weapon system is now poised for final user evaluation trials, marking a significant step towards its induction into the Indian Army.   According to the MOD’s media release, Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh claimed that these trials mark a crucial step towards reinforcing India’s self-reliance in the development of advanced technology-based defence systems.  In 2022, the Indian Army and DRDO tested laser-guided, anti-tank guided missiles from the Arjun MBT.  (Source: army-technology.com)

 

12 Apr 24. IDF Announces Rafael’s C-DOME 1st Combat Interception of Hostile Target at Sea. Overnight, the Israeli Navy successfully deployed RAFAEL’s C-DOME™ to intercept a suspicious hostile target which posed a significant threat to Israeli assets and strategic sites in southern Israel. C-DOME is the naval version of the Iron Dome® air and missile defense system and is integrated on the Israeli Navy’s Sa’ar 6 corvettes. This marks the system’s first combat interception, following a series of comprehensive tests over the last several years, serving as a major milestone in the C-DOME’s operational capabilities. C-DOME serves as a critical layer of defense in Israel’s multi-layered air defense array, relying on the IRON DOME system interceptor, which, to-date has achieved over 6,000 combat interceptions. C-DOME is capable of addressing existing and future threats that naval forces may encounter, including rockets, cruise missiles, sea-skimming missiles and drones. In 2023, RAFAEL unveiled the C-DOME’s mission modular configuration to provide unprotected vessels, as well as vessels that lack adequate air defense means, with advanced and complementary capabilities against multiple, simultaneous attacks from a wide range of threats – without the need for deck penetration, vessel hull retrofit, cable routing, or complex platform integration. Open architecture enables compatibility with the ship’s sensors and CMS. The integration of the C-Dome system reinforces the defensive capabilities of the Sa’ar 6 corvettes, enhancing their capacity to safeguard Israel’s assets and economic interests within the exclusive economic zone. RAFAEL Advanced Defense Systems serving is the prime contractor and developer of the Iron Dome system and C-DOME systems, collaborating with subcontractors Israel Aerospace Industries’ Elta Systems, which has developed the system’s radar, and mPrest, a RAFAEL subsidiary and developer of the system’s command-and-control systems. The development of the systems is overseen by the Israel Missile Defense Organization, a division of the Directorate for Defense Research and Development (DDR&D). (Source: ASD Network)

 

12 Apr 24. Taiwan-Built UAV Makes 2nd Attempt to Pass Combat Readiness Tests. A redesigned version of the locally developed Teng Yun 2 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) has been undergoing combat readiness tests since last month after failing them last year.

A source familiar with the matter told CNA Monday that the combat and reconnaissance drone, also known as “Cloud Rider 2,” entered the final testing stage for the second time in mid-March.

The source, however, did not say when testing was expected to be completed.

Under the Ministry of National Defense’s (MND) five-step development process, all weapon systems must make it through an initial conceptual design stage, an engineering development stage, initial weapon testing, and combat readiness testing before they can enter mass production.

The military said results from the Teng Yun 2’s unsuccessful first attempt to pass the final testing stage in March 2023 indicated that there was “still room for improvement” in the drone’s design.

At the time, the military said future combat readiness tests would only be done once changes were made to the drone’s software and hardware.

Developed by Taiwan military’s top research unit National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST), Teng Yung 2, the latest generation of the Teng Yung drone family, is a large, long-endurance, satellite-guided, medium-altitude drone that can carry multiple payloads for surveillance or strike missions.

The NCSIST first exhibited a Teng Yung 2 prototype at the 2019 Taipei Aerospace & Defense Technology Exhibition.

The drone passed initial weapon testing in March 2022 and later recorded a maximum airborne time of 20 hours.

Meanwhile, Air Force personnel have since January 2023 been undergoing NCSIST training to learn to operate the Ten Yung 2. (Source: UAS VISION/OCAC News)

 

12 Apr 24. MBDA to double the range of Aster 15 surface-to-air missiles with Aster 15 EC upgrade. The Aster missile family includes two models: the Aster 15, which is designed for short to medium-range, and the Aster 30, which is intended for longer-range engagements. Both models have identical missile bodies, but the Aster 30 employs a larger booster to increase its range and speed. The Aster 15 is more compact at 4.2 meters in length and lighter at 310 kg compared to the Aster 30, which weighs 450 kg and has a length of just under 5 m. Due to its larger size, the Aster 30 requires the longer tubes of the Sylver A50 or A70 vertical launching systems (VLS) for naval deployments, although it is also compatible with the American Mark 41 Vertical Launching System.

The Aster series was used effectively for the first time in naval combat in late 2023 when French Navy frigates, Languedoc and Alsace, engaged Houthi drones and missiles in the Red Sea, firing over 22 missiles. The Aster 30 missile has also been included in the SAMP/T ground-based air defense system, a system supplied to Ukraine to counter Russian missiles.

In response to advancements in comparable systems, such as the American ESSM and the Russian 9M37 Buk, which now achieve ranges of up to 50 km and beyond, MBDA has decided to upgrade the Aster 15, similar to previous enhancements seen in the Aster 30 through various block upgrades. Originally, the Aster 15 had a range of up to 30 km, modest compared to the Aster 30’s capability of over 120 km.

Developed as part of a missile family initiated by France and Italy in the 1990s, the Aster 15 is capable of reaching speeds of Mach 3, and has gained recognition for its agility and ability to intercept swiftly moving and maneuverable targets, including those flying at low or steep dive trajectories. Its active radar seeker facilitates autonomous tracking of stealth targets, allowing for the simultaneous launch of multiple missiles to counter saturating attacks effectively.

In line with the evolutionary trajectory of its counterpart, the Aster 30, which has progressed into the Block 1 and Block 1 NT versions with mid-range ballistic missile defense capabilities, the Aster 15 is set to receive a significant update. This new iteration, referred to as the Aster 15 EC (Enhanced Capabilities), seeks to align with the refined threat response capabilities of the Aster 30 Block 1 NT. While maintaining the physical dimensions required for integration into existing vertical launch systems like the Sylver A43 launchers found on vessels such as the Charles de Gaulle and the first six multi-mission frigates, the upgrade aims to enhance the missile’s autodirector, guidance algorithms, flight profile, and onboard computational power. These enhancements are anticipated to double the missile’s range and decrease the minimum engagement distance, thereby strengthening both long-range offensive and close-range defensive capabilities.

The development of the Aster 15 EC missile will be a crucial component of the modernization initiative for the four Horizon-class air defense frigates resulting from the Franco-Italian collaboration. This modernization effort includes the upgrading of radar and combat systems to newer iterations that enhance target detection and engagement capabilities. These enhancements are slated to commence with the Italian frigates Andrea Doria and Caio Duilio in 2027, followed by the French Forbin and Chevalier Paul in 2029 and 2030, respectively, coinciding with the integration of the Aster 15 EC.

Additionally, the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier is scheduled for its third major technical stop in 2027, during which it will replace its existing firing installations with a new reconfigurable firing installation (ITR) specifically designed for the Aster 15 EC. This update corresponds with the replacement of the carrier’s radar systems and the adoption of a centralized architecture for the combat direction system, thereby enhancing its overall self-defense capabilities. (Source: News Now/https://www.navyrecognition.com/)

 

12 Apr 24. Three firms will vie for Marines’ $249m loitering-munitions buy. The Organic Precision Fires-Light contract aims to get the weapons to infantry units by 2027. The Marine Corps has chosen three companies to compete for a potential eight-year, $249m contract to build new loitering munition systems for dismounted soldiers in infantry rifle squads.

AeroVironment, Anduril Industries, and Teledyne FLIR will compete for delivery orders to manufacture, test and deliver the non-developmental items that are designed to give Marines precision strike capability beyond their lines of sight.

The Organic Precision Fires-Light contract has an initial five-year base period and a three-year option period, according to a trio of award notices posted Wednesday.

Loitering munitions are aerial weapons that fly around an area until they find or are directed to a target, then crash into it. The idea is to speed up reaction times against hidden targets that appear for short periods of time, but by using smaller weapons that are harder to find.

The Corps wants to have loitering munitions in some squads as soon as federal fiscal year 2027. OPF-L is part of that service branch-wide effort to roll out the munitions that can be deployed from the individual soldier and from vehicles.

Marine officials want systems that are man-packable and consist of the loitering munition, related ground control station, training simulator and ancillary equipment needed to support the technology.

(Source: Defense News Early Bird/Defense One)

 

15 Apr 24. Teledyne FLIR Defense Awarded $249m IDIQ Contract for USMC Organic Precision Fires-Light Program.

• New recoverable and reusable loitering munition drone platform will enable small units to directly engage enemy targets beyond line of sight

Teledyne FLIR Defense, part of Teledyne Technologies Incorporated (NYSE:TDY), announced that it has been awarded an Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract worth up to $249 m by the U.S. Marine Corps Systems Command for its Organic Precision Fires-Light (OPF-L) program. The initial delivery order is valued at $12 m.

As described in Marine Corps solicitation statements, Organic Precision Fires-Light is a new system designed to provide rifle squads and platoons with a man-packable “organic, loitering, precision strike capability to engage the enemy beyond the line of sight.”

Teledyne FLIR’s advanced small Vertical Take-off and Landing (VTOL) loitering munition solution has proven highly successful in tests against both moving and stationary armor, vehicles, and dismounted targets. The ability to recover and reuse the new system will lighten the pack load for Marines while increasing their warfighting effectiveness.

“The flexibility, adaptability and breadth of our proposed OPF-L platform will boost small unit lethality across the large target set Marines must confront in today’s battlespace,” said Dr. JihFen Lei, executive vice president and general manager of Teledyne FLIR Defense. “We look forward to delivering on this highly advanced technology and working closely with the Marine Corps to augment its force projection – and protection – capabilities.”

Teledyne FLIR will deliver the first 127 loitering munition systems to the Marines for test and evaluation later this summer. The contract has a five-year performance period with a three-year option. (Source: ASD Network)

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About Galvion:

Galvion designs, develops, and delivers mission critical head, face, and torso protective solutions as well as intelligent power and data management systems for the world’s most demanding military and tactical teams.   Founded in 2002 as Revision Military, a foundational belief in calculated investment and capability expansion led to a strategic refocus, resulting in the divestiture of the protective eyewear business, along with the Revision name, in 2019.  Rebranded as Galvion, the company’s products and technology continue to evolve beyond purely passive protection, focusing instead on active systems that enhance performance and survivability, with an eye to the ever-changing demands of the modern battlefield.  Through advanced design, keen end-user insight and intelligent integration, Galvion engineers uniquely customized solutions that go beyond what was once thought possible.

Privately owned with ISO 9001:2015 certified facilities in Vermont, Massachusetts and New Hampshire in the US, Montreal in Canada and Bristol in the UK, Galvion’s team of 400+ employees work proactively to solve the problems left unsolved by others.

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Sponsored by Galvion

 

www.galvion.com

 

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12 Apr 24. New procurement rules help rapid fitting of military laser to Royal Navy ships. The rollout of Laser weapons systems far quicker than expected, following defence procurement reforms, with DragonFire to be on Royal Navy warships from 2027. The cutting-edge DragonFire laser will be installed on Royal Navy warships for the first time from 2027 – far quicker than previously envisaged thanks to new defence procurement model which came into force this week.

Able to fire at any target visible in the air at around £10 a shot and with an accuracy equivalent to hitting a pound coin from a kilometre away, the powerful DragonFire weapon will provide highly effective defence against drone and missile threats.

Laser weapons were originally expected to be rolled out to UK armed forces in 2032.

But under a raft of reforms to defence procurement that came into effect this week and prioritisation within Defence, the weapon will now be operational around five years earlier than planned.

A key part of the new reforms is delivering a minimum deployable capability quickly to personnel and finalising development once in-service, ensuring that personnel can access the tools they need for an evolving threat.

Under contract from Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), on behalf of the UK MOD, DragonFire has been developed in collaboration with UK industry partners MBDA, Leonardo and QinetiQ.

Defence Secretary, Grant Shapps said: “In a more dangerous world, our approach to procurement is shifting with it. We need to be more urgent, more critical and more global.  Our widespread reforms will deliver the latest kit and weaponry for our Armed Forces faster and help identify export opportunities that can boost the UK economy.  DragonFire shows the best of the UK at the forefront of military technology, and we will not delay in getting it in the hands of our military to face down the threats we’re facing.

The reforms will ensure more consistent delivery for the UK’s Armed Forces, helping avoid previous challenges where programmes have been over-complex, over-budget, and over time.”

In addition to the minimum deployable capability, the new reforms include:

• New checks and balances such as the UK Strategic Command-based Integration Design Authority providing expert advice on integration. This will improve coherence and avoid some of the challenges faced in previous procurements.
• Greater empowerment of defence scientists, government export leads, finance experts and industry partners to challenge and shape proposals before they receive the go-ahead.
• The new model will set programmes up for success by consulting a wide range of experts early in the acquisition process. This will enable the MOD to take the right, expert-informed decisions from the start, saving time later on.
• Increased focus on exportability at the start of a new programme, to prioritise developing kit that can be sold to allies globally.
• Earlier engagement with the UK defence industry to ensure quicker delivery of kit into the hands of our Armed Forces.

Laser-directed energy weapons can engage targets at the speed of light and use an intense beam of light to cut through the target, leading to structural failure or more impactful results if the warhead is targeted.

DragonFire has the potential to be a long-term low-cost alternative to certain tasks missiles currently carry out, such as shooting down attack drones.Investing in this cutting edge laser technology puts the UK at the forefront of defence capabilities. Moreover, playing a significant part in reducing the challenges faced by traditional stockpiles.

Dstl’s Chief Executive Paul Hollinshead said: “This is excellent news, and a real step forward in enabling operational advantage at pace for UK Defence.  Dstl is all about preparing for the future and the DragonFire technology is a great example of that.  Our scientists along with industry partners have worked tirelessly to bring laser technology to where it is today, one which I am proud to say is a UK sovereign capability.”

The new procurement model approach is in addition to avoiding competition between the military Services for programmes to be approved and encouraging people to speak up in the face of emerging challenges for delivery – a key recommendation of Clive Sheldon KC’s report into the AJAX programme.

DE&S, the MOD’s procurement arm, has recently redesigned the way it operates so it can get equipment into the hands of our armed forces faster. Its new operating model features a single-entry point which will engage with the military earlier in the process, to help set up projects for success. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)

 

12 Apr 24. DragonFire laser programme accelerating to equip Royal Navy. The UK DragonFire laser programme – led by MBDA, with partners Leonardo UK and QinetiQ – is accelerating following a decision from the UK Ministry of Defence to install the weapon system on Royal Navy ships. The decision, announced by Defence Secretary Grant Shapps, will see the DragonFire laser weapon system rapidly develop from a demonstration programme to an operational capability for the Royal Navy. The next stages of this development will include further live firings and the manufacture and installation of weapon systems onto Royal Navy platforms.  The UK DragonFire programme is a flagship example of the Government’s new Integrated Procurement Model, designed to reform defence procurement and drive increased pace in the delivery of military capability. The UK DragonFire programme brings together the best of UK industry. It leverages MBDA’s decades of weapon system manufacturing expertise, Leonardo’s position as a world leading authority in laser technology, electro-optics and advanced targeting and QinetiQ’s experience as the only UK company to successfully develop and safely operate high-energy laser sources in the UK and coherent beam-combining technology. The latest announcement follows a series of highly successful firing trials that demonstrated the capability of the DragonFire laser weapon system. DragonFire has been developed through a £100 million joint investment by industry and the UK Ministry of Defence, working with Dstl. The decision by the UK Ministry of Defence to progress the programme ensures that the companies involved can retain, maintain and grow the critical hi-tech skills, knowledge and jobs that contribute to the UK economy. Future exports of DragonFire to the UK’s allies will further support these benefits.

Chris Allam, MBDA UK Managing Director, said: “MBDA are proud to lead this laser weapon programme that will give the UK Armed Forces game-changing operational advantage to protect and defend themselves, and the UK’s strategic assets.”

Mark Stead, Leonardo UK SVP Radar and Advanced Targeting, said: “Leonardo welcomes the commitment to UK science and engineering represented by today’s announcement. The development of DragonFire is securing vital skills and security capabilities onshore in the UK, keeping them available to support our Armed Forces and generate world-class, readily exportable products.”

Steve Wadey, Group CEO, QinetiQ, said: “Today’s announcement is a positive endorsement of UK industry and government working together, to deliver equipment to the front line.

“Our team of scientists and engineers who have developed this world leading capability have played a unique role in developing a technology that will provide real operational advantage.”

 

11 Apr 24. France to spend $540m on artillery propellant production. French explosives maker Eurenco will spend €500m (U.S. $540m) to restart explosive powder production and boost output of artillery propellants, said French President Emmanuel Macron during a visit to the company’s site in Bergerac on Thursday. The investments by state-owned Eurenco over the next two years will double propellant production, Macron said during his visit, timed to the kickoff of new production capacity construction. The company will also resume production of the explosive powder used to make propellant charges, after France shut down powder production in 2007 and switched to imports. The site of the shuttered powder production had become a wasteland. The investment in Bergerac “is, for me, the image of this industrial reconquest and military sovereignty that we want for ourselves and for Europe,” Macron said. The site started production of artillery powder during the First World War. The target is for the Bergerac site to produce 1,200 metric tons of explosive powder a year, equivalent to 500,000 modular propellant charges, the Armed Forces Ministry said in February. France has concluded that if it wants to accelerate artillery shell production and secure supply, it needs to control the entire process, including powder, the president said. Currently, French shell production relies on powder manufactured in Sweden. Eurenco will increase the workforce in Bergerac to 450 in the next 18 to 24 months, after already growing the number of employees to 250 from 200 previously, according to Macron. The company was awarded about €76 million in subsidies as part of the European Commission’s Act in Support of Ammunition Production to increase production capacity in France and Sweden. Eurenco says it will boost powder production tenfold, double production capacity for modular charges by 2026, and double its ammunition and explosives loading production by 2025. France needs to increase propellant production both to aid Ukraine as well as for its own defense, Macron said. He said the Caesar 155mm howitzers supplied to Ukraine by France and Denmark rely on propellant to be effective. Macron added that the world has changed with Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, and said that won’t end even if the war ends tomorrow.

“There’s been a massive rearmament in Russia in recent times, and because you can see military spending and orders increasing all over Europe, and geopolitics changing all over the world,” Macron said. “We’ve set off for a long-term geopolitical and geostrategic shift, in which the defense industry will play a growing role.” (Source: Defense News)

 

10 Apr 24. Neutral Switzerland joins European Sky Shield defence project. Switzerland’s Federal Council on Wednesday approved the country’s participation in the European Sky Shield Initiative air defence umbrella, designed to build an integrated air and missile defence system across Europe. The European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI) is a common air defence scheme set up by Germany in 2022 to boost European air defence, an issue that has come into sharper focus since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Switzerland had signed a declaration of intent to join the programme in July last year. Several countries, including non-NATO members, have signed up to the project including Germany, Britain and Finland. The initiative aims to cut costs for countries by coordinating their procurement of air and missile defence systems such as the Patriot missile system. It also aims to enable cooperation in training, maintenance and logistics.

“Even after the signing of the membership declaration, Switzerland remains free to decide where and to which extent it plans to participate in ESSI and which ground-to-air defence systems it plans to acquire,” the Federal Council said in a statement.

Neutral Switzerland has come under increasing pressure from its European neighbours since Russia’s invasion in February 2022 to support Ukraine militarily by allowing the re-export of Swiss-made armaments.. (Source: Reuters)

 

10 Apr 24. The UK Ministry of Defence has awarded BAE Systems a contract to maintain and repair gifted L119 Light Guns in Ukraine. The contract, which was announced during a recent UK Government-led trade mission to Kyiv, means that L119s which were donated by the UK to Ukraine can be serviced in country and returned to the frontline more quickly.  The L119 Light Gun has proved to be a trusted system that Ukrainian forces have favoured because of its accurate firepower, light weight, low logistical requirements and mobility. As the original manufacturer of the Light Gun, as well as more than 15 other systems in use in Ukraine, BAE Systems has been working with allied governments since the start of the war to help with training and support.  Following a meeting with President Zelenskyy in 2023, the Company has established a legal entity in Ukraine, opened an office and signed agreements to better understand and support Ukraine’s capability requirements and to help revitalise Ukraine’s industrial base.

The L119 contract builds on a teaming agreement signed with British company AMS in December. Under the contract, BAE Systems and the AMS team will provide maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services from maintenance facilities in Ukraine.

Gabby Costigan, Group Managing Director, Business Development, said: “We’re committed to working with our government customers and industry partners to provide solutions that will help Armed Forces Ukraine secure victory. Our partner establishing a strategic military repair facility will significantly reduce the time that critical artillery assets are out of service. This contract is another step in strengthening our relationship and paves the way for us to provide more direct, long-term support to Ukraine.”

Major General Anna-Lee Reilly, Director DE&S Operations, UK Ministry of Defence, said: “As the conflict in Ukraine continues it is vital that the UK Government and UK industry continue to support the Ukrainians to sustain their equipment. The contract with BAE Systems for the refurbishment of the L119 Light Gun continues the UK’s theme of enabling the maintenance and repair of equipment inside Ukraine to minimise the time that equipment will be away from the front line.

“The repair facility that has been secured is scalable to provide a similar capability for UK and other nations’ systems. This commitment from BAE Systems and AMS to work in country demonstrates the continued support from the UK Government and Defence Industry to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.”

As well as providing support to gifted equipment, BAE Systems has also been involved in delivering major elements of the UK Government’s cyber security support to Ukraine. The Company’s capabilities are helping to detect, block and counter both destructive cyber-attacks and cyber espionage against military targets as well as civilian infrastructure that supports vital services for the Ukrainian people.

 

09 Apr 24. Taiwan Army to Buy 25,000 Upgraded Assault Rifles. The Taiwanese Army will purchase 25,000 upgraded assault rifles next year as part of an ongoing effort to modernize its defense capabilities.

A military source told local media outlets that the weapons to be procured are an improved version of the T112 rifles, which debuted last year.

Developed by the country’s 205th Arsenal of the Armaments Bureau, the newly-designated “XT112” rifle reportedly has better range and accuracy than the existing T91 and T65K2 models.

It uses the same 5.56×45-millimeter cartridge as the T91s and only weighs 3.5 kilograms (7.7 pounds).

The operational range of the T112s has also been increased from 400 to 600 meters, while its barrel’s life expectancy has improved from 6,000 rounds in the previous models to 10,000 rounds.

Once delivered, the assault rifles are expected to allow Taiwanese soldiers to carry out longer-range missions with improved lethality and mobility.

‘A Fully Ambidextrous System’

After debuting at the 2023 Taipei Aerospace & Defense Industry Exhibition, the T112 underwent minor tweaks to make it a fully ambidextrous system.

Its charging handle can now be operated on either side and it also features dual magazine release and fire group selector to allow easy access for users regardless of their dominant hand.

The manufacturer also incorporated a deflector near the ejection port to protect the face of a left-handed shooter from being burned by ejected casings during shooting.

Additionally, the weapon features an improved sight that allows users to measure the distance of a target and a thickened barrel for improved accuracy. It also has a 30-round polymer magazine that reportedly reduces the chance of misfeeds. It also has a transparent window to see how many bullets are left. The shooting modes on the T112 are semi-automatic, two-round burst, and fully automatic. (Source: Google/https://www.thedefensepost.com/)

 

08 Apr 24. New SWaP Optimized Nuclear Event Detector Provides 4X Greater Sensitivity and Added Functionality. Micross Components, Inc. (“Micross”), a leading global provider of mission-critical microelectronic components and services for high-reliability aerospace, defense, space and industrial applications, expands its ASIC IP offerings with the addition of its next generation Nuclear Event Detector (NED), a replacement to the current 40-year old legacy NED products, which up until now were the only hi-performance NEDs available. These sensitive, high speed parts can be used to detect the initial rise of the gamma radiation pulse from a nuclear event and quickly shut down electronic systems for a brief interval in order to survive the blast and then resume normal operation.  Applications include missiles, satellites, ground vehicles, or any system which needs to potentially survive a nuclear event. This new Nuclear Event Detector IC is manufactured on US soil in the Jazz Semiconductor Trusted Foundry, Inc. (JSTF), a wholly owned subsidiary of Tower Semiconductor NPB.

Micross Nuclear Event Detector

The Micross MYXRHNEDHCJ series Nuclear Event Detectors are available screened to Class H Military flow or Class K Space flow, and feature integrated differential drivers – providing improved overall noise immunity, 300% greater radiation dose sensitivity, and 25% faster response times in comparison with legacy devices. Legacy NED devices require external differential drivers, which typically increase weight due to additional radiation shielding requirements, and further increase response times by up to 100%.  Customized NEDs can be optimized for the fastest response time, highest sensitivity, broadest dynamic range, reduced size and weight, or the most optimal combination of these features to address your specific requirements. A Micross applications engineering team is available to assist in this process.

The new Micross radiation hardened NED offers improvements in multiple areas, including:

• Reductions in size, weight and power (SWaP) due to the elimination of any shielding requirements on the peripheral circuitry, and lower power consumption
• 4X lower minimum dose rate threshold coupled with reduced dose rate threshold variation over temperature
• Increased noise immunity and sensitivity to nuclear events along with reduced delay time, resulting in 25% faster event detection
• A wide variety of packaging options
• Improvements in obsolescence mitigation and reliability, via a vertically integrated in-house sourced PIN diode and ASIC.

“Micross’ next-generation NED enables faster, more compact, and reliable nuclear event detection capabilities, with improved SWaP, performance and features, enabled through significant technology and design improvements applied to field proven building blocks,” stated John Santini, Chief Technology Officer, Micross Components. “These new NEDs provide greater safety and security in the protection of critical electronics subjected to a nuclear event, as they are able to recognize events with much greater sensitivity and react much faster to protect electronics than the current decades old NED devices.” A detailed data sheet is available for download from our NED page. Parts are currently in test. Engineering samples are available 4-6 weeks ARO. (Source: PR Newswire)

 

08 Apr 24. US Navy awards rocket motor contract to Ursa Major in supply push. U.S. rocket propulsion start-up Ursa Major said on Monday it had signed a contract with the United States Navy to develop and test solid fuel rocket engines in an effort to develop a next generation of solid rocket motor for the Navy’s standard missile program and expand and enhance the U.S. rocket motor industrial base.

The agreement is part of a series of prototype engine contracts being awarded by the U.S. Navy as it seeks to address surging demand for such engines and expand the industrial base for manufacturing them.

X-Bow Systems (Crossbow), another new U.S. entrant, has also been awarded a contract, according to a person familiar with the matter. L3 Harris Technologies (LHX.N), which owns Aerojet Rocketdyne, the incumbent maker of the Mk 104 solid rocket motors, used aboard the Navy’s Standard Missiles, was also awarded a development and testing contract, two people familiar with the situation said. The people spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private deliberations.

X-Bow and L3 Harris declined to comment.

The contract with the Naval Energetics Systems and Technologies (NEST) Program will see Ursa Major develop a new design and manufacturing process for the Navy’s Mk 104 dual-thrust rocket motor, per a statement from Ursa Major.

The Mk 104 is considered the workhorse of the U.S. Navy’s Standard Missile programs which are deployed in both offensive and defensive assignments, including the Standard Missile-2, Standard Missile-3, and Standard Missile-6.

Manufacturing of rocket propulsion motors has traditionally been dominated by a limited number of large defense contractors, including Northrop Grumman (NOC.N), and L3 Harris’ Aerojet Rocketdyne.

While these prototype contracts awarded by the Navy are small, they can provide a pathway to bigger contracts for upstarts such as Ursa Major and X-Bow should the effort succeed in furnishing the Navy with new enhanced motors.

Ursa Major did not disclose the value of the contract.

The Navy would gain a larger field of manufacturers and bolster supply, important at a time of multiple global flashpoints including Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, as well as potentially bringing down costs through greater competition.

“Our new approach to manufacturing SRMs allows Ursa Major to quickly develop high-performing motors at scale, driving volume and cost efficiencies to address this critical national need,” said Ursa Major Founder Joe Laurienti.

Other areas of the U.S. military are aiming to do similar things with motor procurement and manufacturing: Reuters reported in February the Defense Department was close to awarding an engine contract to Ursa Major. (Source: Reuters)

 

05 Apr 24. Loitering munition maker UVision contracts with SAIC for US production line. The war in “Ukraine and what happened in Israel has put in the spotlight the use of unmanned systems,” UVision exec Izthik Huber told Breaking Defense.

After closing a new deal with American defense firm SAIC, Israel’s UVision has essentially doubled its production capacity to crank out Hero-120 loitering munitions as it moves to supply US special operations forces and potentially the larger Army, according to company executive Izthik Huber.

In an interview with Breaking Defense, Huber said the deal with SAIC, announced March 27, took eight months to negotiate and, the company said, will “significantly enhanc[e] rapid response capabilities” for customers of the UVisions’ US arm, UVisionUSA.

UVision, through UVisionUSA, already has facilities in the US, but the “landmark collaboration” with SAIC is “aimed at establishing a fully independent domestic supply chain,” UVision said in the March 27 announcement.

UVision focuses on loitering munitions that feature a cylindrical body with two sets of four cruciform wings that pop out in flight.

While the Hero-120 was the focus of the agreement with SAIC, Huber said it also allows for production of the Hero-30 and the larger Hero-400 as well. The Hero-120, at 30 pounds, can be carried by soldiers and can loiter over a target for more than an hour before striking, according to the company’s website. The Hero-30, a significantly smaller model at under nine pounds, can fly for about 40 minutes. The Hero-400 weighs over 100 pounds and can fly for more than two hours.

Breaking Defense reported back in 2019 that US special operations forces and Marines were interested in the tech, and Huber, vice-president for UVision in North America, said special ops forces already use the Hero-120 and the smaller Hero-30 models, and the company is in the “final step” of a program of record for US Special Operations Command. Huber said the company has “development programs” for the Hero-400 for the US Irregular Warfare Support Directorate. (SOCOM did not respond to Breaking Defense’s request for comment as of publication.)

“In addition to that we are in final process to get into certification for the US Army,” he said. “We did some successful demonstrations for US Army in last six months, including live fire and live drills and we will do some final steps in April.”

Huber, who served in the Israeli Air Force before his corporate career, said he hopes to see progress with the Army in the next months. Procurement by the Army outside of the special warfare groups would increase demand for the munitions.

“The scalability and rate of production could be much bigger numbers,” Huber said.

Further deals with the US military could also open up business to American allies and partners abroad, he said, especially as demand has skyrocketed in recent years.

The war in “Ukraine and what happened in Israel has put in the spotlight the use of unmanned systems. It used to be very expensive and sophisticated, but Ukraine showed if you have a bomb on an unmanned system, it can be efficient against the armed forces of Russia,” Huber noted.

Although the company does not disclose the cost-per-munition, loitering munitions are cheaper than cruise missiles and they have added capabilities over regular missiles.

“You need to find the target in advance with missiles, but with loitering munitions you can do recon [and] suppression, with one attack,” Huber said. “The price is lower than any missile. That opens a lot of markets in the world, including places that we wouldn’t think we would open like [integrating on] attack helicopters, ships, boats, UAVs.”

Huber also sees potential in loitering munitions fired from other UAVs — a relatively novel idea with which the Pentagon’s cutting edge research agency DARPA has toyed.

UVision hasn’t done it yet, “but there are RFP [request for proposals] talking about it, and that’s the future that will happen,” Huber said.

(Source: Breaking Defense.com)

 

04 Apr 24. IWI unveils groundbreaking ARBEL – world’s first computerised small arms system, revolutionising combat lethality and survivability. IWI – Israel Weapon Industries, a member of the SK Group founded by Mr. Samy Katsav, and a global leader in combat-proven small arms production for military, police, law enforcement agencies, and governmental entities worldwide, proudly announces the launch of the world’s first-ever revolutionary computerised small arms system – the ARBEL. Representing a groundbreaking advancement in small arms technology, ARBEL is poised to redefine combat effectiveness on the modern battlefield.

As we all notice, challenges such as enemies appearing briefly (~3 sec.) and numerous drones in the air define the modern battlefield. IWI has developed, after a long period of R&D, the revolutionary ARBEL system to address the immediate action in the modern threats at the battlefield. The ARBEL takes into consideration the continuous fights and heavy weights compensating for the operator’s declining physical and mental abilities due to exertion, fatigue, stress, and other factors, thus, increasing survivability.

The ARBEL system increases the lethality, accuracy and survivability of the operator by up to three times more. The system includes three main components: a computer-based platform, an upgraded electronic trigger mechanism with sensors and a new firing mode “ARBEL”, and a removable battery. The ARBEL system does not influence the operation of the gun. The operator can still use the gun as a standard weapon even if the battery runs out.

One significant outcome of the above-mentioned features is ammunition saving, which is, of course, one of the big factors during combat situations and training.

IWI’s NEGEV LMG (Light Machine Gun), recognised as the world’s most accurate machine gun, is the first small arm to adopt the ARBEL system, harnessing its unmatched precision and controlled firing capabilities. The electronic trigger, featuring the new firing mode ‘ARBEL’, along with a built-in fire control system, enhances accuracy, especially in time-sensitive situations. With the ARBEL system significantly enhancing hit probability and increasing lethality up to three times more, the NEGEV LMG with ARBEL system integrated, achieves an 80-90% hit rate on moving targets.

This unmatched accuracy improves operator safety by effectively countering short target lifespans and significantly reducing the number of shots required to accurately hit targets. Its quick response time, within a fraction of a second, allows it to seize opportunities swiftly, neutralise threats effectively, increase lethality and save on ammunition.

The ARBEL’s energy system offers up to 60 hours of continuous operation without recharging, where inserting a battery activates the computer system and sensors, ensuring uninterrupted functionality even if the battery is deployed. It is optic-agnostic and operates normally in harsh environmental conditions, day or night, allowing operators to choose the required optic configuration for missions. The ARBEL can be embedded to any other Light Machine Gun without affecting its operational system and user interface.

The ARBEL is compatible with assault rifle such as the ARAD and any other AR-15 compatible rifle, by simply replacing the lower receiver. Its compatibility with existing weaponry eliminates the need for replacements, allows for swift upgrades, and simplifies the shooting cycle, requiring minimal training for operators to continue using their equipment.

The ARBEL also fills a crucial operational gap worldwide by enabling drone take-downs with minimal ammunition, boosting accuracy and lethality for various firearms, and meeting NATO standards. It excels at engaging diverse targets, especially moving ones, offering a significant advantage in dynamic combat scenarios.

“The ARBEL system not only increases combat lethality and survivability significantly but also sets new standards for precision and operational efficiency in dynamic combat environments,” said Ronen Hamudot, Exec. Vice President, Marketing and Sales, at IWI and the SK Group. “This groundbreaking technology marks a new era in small arms, showcasing IWI’s dedication to innovation and excellence, poised to redefine the capabilities of light machine guns and small arms globally. The ARBEL, with its simple and intuitive design, offers reliability and effectiveness at a level unmatched in modern warfare.” (Source: www.joint-forces.com)

 

04 Apr 24. The Russian Viking medium-range air defense system (export version of the Buk-M3 air defense system) is superior to analogues from NATO countries, in particular, the German IRIS-T SLM, the Norwegian-American NASAMS III and the SAMP/T of the Eurosam consortium, in terms of combat performance and combat sustainability.

This opinion, as reported by TASS, was expressed by experts from the Analytical Center for Aerospace Defense in an article for the National Defense magazine[1].

“All Western manufacturers report the unique rate of fire of their launchers  – they can shoot 6-8 missiles in 10 seconds. At the same time, only for SAMP/T the number of target channels is revealed – 10. And using the example of SAMP/T, one can see that the rate of fire of the launcher is not equivalent to the fire performance of the complex as a whole,” write the authors of the article.

So, after firing 10 missiles from SAMP/T, all target channels are overloaded due to the peculiarities of the missile guidance scheme, and the next launch becomes possible only as the channels are released. In the medium-range zone, the waiting time will be from 15 to 60 seconds depending on the distance to the target. At the same time, the interval between launches of the Viking is two to three seconds.

“But the system (Viking) as a whole has 36 target channels and 72 missile channels. As a result, having slower-firing launchers, the Viking has noticeably greater fire performance in its area of responsibility,” the experts explained.

As TASS notes, citing experts, the advantage of the Viking is its tracked chassis, which allows it to operate without being tied to paved roads and in a wide range of climatic conditions. The experience of modern combined arms battles shows that the mobility and combat stability of military equipment are directly related.

In addition, the Viking has a higher deployment speed of the main combat assets from marching formation to combat formation – only 5 minutes, the entire system is deployed in 10 minutes. Also, the Russian air defense system is capable of leaving a position with its systems turned on within 20 seconds after the missile launch. Another factor in ensuring its combat stability is its 15 mm armor.

At the same time, foreign medium-range systems are mounted on a wheelbase, which requires good roads. Western air defense systems are deployed from marching formation to combat formation in 10-15 minutes depending on the type.

“The combat stability of the IRIS-T SLM and SAMP/T batteries is also sharply weakened by the presence of only one radar in their composition. After the radar is hit, all the means of these systems fail. It is worth noting that the Kongsberg developers recognized this threat: the NASAMS III battery includes six to eight radars – approximately one for every two launchers. This proportion approximately corresponds to that of the Viking air defense system,” the authors note.

Thus, high maneuverability allows the Viking to quickly move into position and engage in battle, and after completing the task, leave the dangerous area to avoid a retaliatory strike.

In conclusion, the authors of the analysis came to the conclusion that in the West, in the organization of air defense, preference is given to air- and sea-based systems, and ground-based air defense systems are developed on a residual basis.

“In the IRIS-T SLM air defense system, the number of missiles and their range make the radar capacity many times redundant. In SAMP/T, on the contrary, the performance characteristics of the radars do not allow them to realize all the capabilities of the missile defense system. The high rate of fire of the launcher is not consistent with the number of target channels. “A squadron sails at the speed of the slowest ship” – this old principle is perfectly suited for assessing the capabilities of modern Western medium-range air defense systems,” the article emphasizes.

Unlike its Western counterparts, the Russian Viking has balanced characteristics of reconnaissance range and guidance range, the number of tracked targets, fire, target, missile channels, anti-aircraft missiles and the size of its ammunition – all of these characteristics are consistent with each other.

“For a number of characteristics, the Viking air defense system is a world record holder. But the main thing is that he has no weak points. None of the subsystems slows down the complex as a whole; each works to increase its performance characteristics. If we take into account the high maneuverability characteristics and good combat stability, it becomes obvious that we have an air defense system that is optimally suitable for participation in combined arms combat,” TASS quotes the authors of the article. (Source: Defense Arabia)

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About Galvion:

 

Galvion designs, develops, and delivers mission critical head, face, and torso protective solutions as well as intelligent power and data management systems for the world’s most demanding military and tactical teams.   Founded in 2002 as Revision Military, a foundational belief in calculated investment and capability expansion led to a strategic refocus, resulting in the divestiture of the protective eyewear business, along with the Revision name, in 2019.  Rebranded as Galvion, the company’s products and technology continue to evolve beyond purely passive protection, focusing instead on active systems that enhance performance and survivability, with an eye to the ever-changing demands of the modern battlefield.  Through advanced design, keen end-user insight and intelligent integration, Galvion engineers uniquely customized solutions that go beyond what was once thought possible.

 

Privately owned with ISO 9001:2015 certified facilities in Vermont, Massachusetts and New Hampshire in the US, Montreal in Canada and Bristol in the UK, Galvion’s team of 400+ employees work proactively to solve the problems left unsolved by others.

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Sponsored by Galvion

 

www.galvion.com

 

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04 Apr 24. India test launch Agni-Prime ballistic missile. The successful development and induction of the Agni-Prime ballistic missile marks another moment in India’s quest for self-reliance in defence technology. India’s Strategic Forces Command (SFC) and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) celebrated the successful flight test of the Agni-Prime ballistic missile from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the Odisha coast.  The planned test, conducted at approximately 1900 hrs on April 3, 2024, showcased the missile’s performance, meeting all trial objectives. The Agni-Prime’s flight trajectory, tracked by a network of range sensors, including two downrange ships stationed at the terminal point, showed its reliability. The launch event witnessed the presence of dignitaries, including the Chief of Defence Staff, the Chief of Strategic Forces Command, and senior officials from DRDO and the Indian Army. The border dispute between India and China is a major factor accelerating multiple missile procurement programmes. India is the second-largest spender in the regional MMDS market. According to GlobalData’s “The Global Missiles & Missile Defense Systems Market 2023-2033” report, India is reinforcing its defence capabilities through recent developments in missile technologies. Minister of Defence Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh lauded the collaborative efforts of DRDO, SFC, and the Armed Forces, emphasising the significance of the successful test in augmenting India’s defence capabilities. He hailed the Agni-Prime as a potential force multiplier poised to enhance the nation’s deterrence posture. The test comes amidst India’s ongoing advancements in missile technology, including the successful test launch of the Agni-III intermediate-range ballistic missile and the maiden flight of the Agni-5 ballistic missile. The successful development and induction of the Agni-Prime ballistic missile marks another moment in India’s quest for self-reliance in defence technology. India also undertook a test of the Agni-Prime ballistic missile in June 2023.  As geopolitical dynamics evolve, India’s commitment to bolstering its defence capabilities remains strong. The successful flight test of the Agni-Prime is another symbol of the nation’s resolve to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity. (Source: army-technology.com)

 

02 Apr 24. LM Conducts Historic LRASM Flight Test. The U.S. Navy in partnership with Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] successfully conducted a historic Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) flight test with four missiles simultaneously in flight. During the 12th Integrated Test Event (ITE-12), the U.S. Navy was able to demonstrate the weapon’s inherent high-end lethality from mission planning through kill chain integration and its effects on the target. All mission objectives were met, reinforcing high confidence in the weapon’s capabilities and superior firepower.

“We have continued to invest in the design and development of LRASM’s anti-surface warfare capabilities to ensure that warfighters have the 21st century security solutions they need to complete their missions and come home safely,” said Lisbeth Vogelpohl, LRASM program director at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. “This event was a testament to our commitment to deliver reliable products that work each and every time, ensuring those who serve stay ahead of ready.”

ITE-12 was the next ‘big-step’ in LRASM’s evolution. The successful test was a graduation exercise for the missiles’ latest configuration and lays the foundation for increased capabilities to come. As a member of the AGM-158 family of cruise missiles, LRASM delivers long-range, highly survivable and lethal capability against highly defended surface combatants that no other weapon in the inventory can provide. (Source: ASD Network)

 

04 Apr 24. Northrop Grumman Corporation’s (NYSE: NOC) Integrated Battle Command System (IBCS) seamlessly fused data from a Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS) to acquire, track, engage and intercept a long-range cruise missile surrogate with a PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement during a recent test event held at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.

• IBCS extends its performance record during live-fire flight tests, building on the success of similar tests last year that validates its critical role in revolutionizing the battlespace by integrating any sensor or effector.
• IBCS’ capability to integrate with LTAMDS as it continues in development and testing supports the U.S. Army’s Air and Missile Defense modernization strategy.

Expert:

Rebecca Torzone, vice president and general manager, global battle management and readiness, Northrop Grumman: “The integration of LTAMDS and Patriot into IBCS is a crucial element in modernizing integrated air and missile defense. Ready now, IBCS is the cornerstone of the globally connected battlespace to defeat increasing complex threats.”

Details on IBCS:

IBCS unifies current and future assets in the battlespace, regardless of source, service or domain. IBCS has demonstrated its ability to integrate with a wide range of sensors and shooters, including Patriot, Sentinel, F-35, CAMM, Giraffe, PAC 2 (GEM-T), PAC 3 and other sovereign capabilities. Through its modular, open and scalable architecture, IBCS gives warfighters new capabilities by fusing sensor data for a single actionable picture of the full battlespace that enables rapid, informed decisions to optimize shooters. This capability gives warfighters more time to make decisions on how best to defeat threats. IBCS is the centerpiece of the Army’s modernization strategy for air and missile defense, and is a foundational element for the multi-domain, multi-national future.

In 2023, IBCS was approved for full rate production, enabling the Army to set a fielding schedule for later this year for operational air defense units. Additionally, IBCS achieved initial operational capability enabling the system to be fielded and available for deployment for wartime operations. Globally, Poland has declared  Basic Operational Capability for IBCS for their WISŁA medium range air defense program and IBCS is planned for deployment in Defense of Guam as part of the U.S. Army program of record for integrated air and missile defense modernization.

 

02 Apr 24. U.S. Army Begins Distribution of Next Generation Weapons to 101st Airborne. The U.S. Army has officially begun outfitting its soldiers with the Next Generation Squad Weapon (NGSW) systems, marking a pivotal advancement in military armaments. The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) stationed at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, is the first recipient of this cutting-edge technology. This initial fielding encompasses the XM7 rifle and the XM250 automatic rifle, both of which are products of a contract with firearm manufacturer SIG Sauer. These weapons, along with the new 6.8mm cartridges and the XM157 advanced optic, represent a leap forward in the Army’s combat effectiveness.

The NGSW program was conceived nearly a decade ago, with its formal establishment in 2017 following Congressional directives to evaluate enhancements to the Army’s standard issue M4 carbines. Despite the M4’s popularity for its reliability, the assessment highlighted the need for an upgraded system capable of firing a more powerful 6.8mm round, promising a significant increase in lethality and range. The decision to proceed with the NGSW program reflects a strategic move to outpace adversaries by enhancing the standard infantry arsenal.

The introduction of the XM7 and XM250 at Fort Campbell follows extensive testing and soldier feedback. The XM7, weighing in at just under 9.4 lbs with a suppressor, and the XM250 are expected to replace the M4 carbine, M249 SAW light machine gun, and the 7.62 mm M240 machine gun across close combat units. Despite some initial skepticism among troops accustomed to the M4’s lighter frame and familiar operational characteristics, feedback has turned increasingly positive, particularly regarding the new system’s enhanced range and firepower.

The rollout of the NGSW systems comes after more than 25,000 hours of development and testing. While the current phase focuses on special operations and infantry units, the long-term goal is a broader deployment across the Army. The initiative not only promises to bolster the combat effectiveness of U.S. forces but also signifies a generational shift in military firepower, marking the most significant update to the Army’s small arms in over 65 years. (Source: https://www.sofx.com/)

 

01 Apr 24. US Army office in charge of rapid development takes on Guam air defense. The U.S. Army’s Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office is standing up a joint team to execute the Pentagon’s vision for an air and missile defense architecture for Guam, its director told Defense News.

Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Bill LaPlante signed a memorandum establishing the Guam Defense Systems Joint Project Executive Office, which RCCTO will manage, Lt. Gen. Robert Rasch, said in a March 27 interview at the Association of the U.S. Army’s Global Force Symposium in Huntsville, Ala. It will consist of members from all of the services, he noted.

The office is already forming and fiscal 2024 money is being realigned to get it started, he said.

The Army last year was assigned to lead the acquisition and execution plan for the Guam architecture and the new office within RCCTO will focus on bringing the technology together to create a joint integrated air and missile defense fires capability to protect the strategic Pacific island.

“As we start bringing to bear defense of Guam Army systems, Navy systems and MDA systems, that sensing layer is going to thicken,” he explained. “And we think we have a lot to learn on how to assimilate or fuse that information from air defense perspective and that’s a really hard domain to get right. So if we can get it right there, [we] think that will scale very quickly to the other domains that don’t quite have the same latency [or] time requirements on it for them to execute their mission.”

Pentagon leaders, focused on China as a growing threat, say 2024 will be a key year for the Army to bolster defense around Guam. During this year, the service plans to have in place a foundational capability to help stave off a potential attack.

The Missile Defense Agency and the Army sought a combined $1.5 bn in FY24 budget to begin preparing the island by moving assets into place and integrating capabilities. The effort is a test for the Army, which decision-makers have at times overlooked amid the focus on air and naval power in the Indo-Pacific region.

Success in Guam could help cement the Army’s air and missile defense role in the region. The first wave of defenses will include radars, launchers, interceptors, and a command-and-control system.

The Army requested $638m for FY24 for three Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensors, multiple Patriot air defense systems, and an assortment of Mid-Range Capability missile launchers and Indirect Fire Protection Capability launchers. Additionally, the service plans to use the Northrop Grumman-made Integrated Battle Command System to connect the right sensors to the right shooters on the battlefield.

The Navy will provide technology and capability from its Aegis weapon system; the service holds jurisdiction over the sites where it will place the technology.

Additionally, FY24 funding requests are meant to cover the installation along the island’s periphery of four high-end, solid-state, mobile AN/TPY-6 radars, which are new sensors that use technology from the Long Range Discrimination Radar in Clear Space Force Base, Alaska.

“It’s the synchronizing of all of that at one point in time, or to arrive at one point in time, on Guam so you actually have a capability – not just delivering a radar to a location where there’s no power, there’s no place to put it, or we don’t have any maintenance setup for it,” Rasch said. “So a lot of our efforts, other than building this integrated layered capability, is making sure that all of the pieces and parts make a capability, not just a material thing.” (Source: C4ISR & Networks)

 

29 Mar 24. US Army refreshes competition for short-range laser. The U.S. Army is evaluating additional 50-kilowatt platforms as it seeks to buy short-range air defense laser weapons, even as its initial four prototypes deploy in U.S. Central Command’s area of operations, a service official told Defense News.

Three of the Army’s Directed Energy Maneuver-Short Range Air Defense systems, or DE M-SHORAD, are in Iraq so the service can experiment with the capability in relevant operational environments. The fourth and last prototype will join the other three after getting some work done, said Lt. Gen. Robert Rasch, the service’s Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office director.

“All four will be downrange supporting our soldiers in the fight today,” he said. “What we’re giving up a little bit is our ability to learn how to integrate that capability into the maneuver force, so we have some work to do on the back end. We’re still capturing data; [the Army Test and Evaluation Command] is downrange with us.”

Additionally, the Army will learn from two other 50-kilowatt laser platforms while the first platoon-set of prototypes are away, he explained.

The Army had originally planned to finish the DE M-SHORAD prototyping effort and transition it to Program Executive Office Missiles and Space in 2023. That office had planned to run a competition for the program of record.

But Rasch’s office decided in 2022 that the directed-energy effort needed more time in development, and planned for a fiscal 2025 transfer instead.

The first prototypes consist of a 50-kilowatt laser from Raytheon on a Stryker combat vehicle. Kord Technologies is the lead integrator.

The two new 50-kilowatt platforms the Army will also evaluate, when they are arrive next year, are one option from Washington state-based nLight and another from Lockheed Martin, Rasch said. The designs are different, he added, so aspects like beam quality, affordability and reliability are also expected to differ.

The Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office now plans to spend approximately two years to evaluate options before deciding on a way forward.

“We’ve got a few different designs, so we’ll take the data from what we’ve received already, the data that we collect off these other two systems, and combine that together to tee up for the senior leaders, probably late ’26, early ’27 time frame,” Rasch said.

“We want to maintain competition, so it doesn’t really help if we spent a lot of money and almost unfair if we kind of load the deck and we pass off a program decision to, say, PEO Missiles and Space, and it really isn’t a decision; you’ve got one vendor who’s viable,” Rasch said. “Competition makes everybody better.”

While this effort means moving even slower, Rasch did say he “would have loved to have had them all done and be programs of record, but we probably couldn’t have afforded them all anyway. So this gives us a little time to really set up a better competitive space for that next phase affordability.”

With the DE M-SHORAD systems downrange, he added, the Army will learn about lethality and reliability.

“We’ve tested these in labs for decades,” Rasch said. “Now we’re learning some new lessons on what happens when you operationalize these, when you put them in a really ugly, dirty environment that our soldiers put them in.”

The Army is investing about $100 m a year as it prepares to make a recommendation to Army leadership on a strategy, he noted.

Right now, his office is evaluating 10-, 20-, 50- and 300-kilowatt options for a wide variety of threats and missions. The 300-kilowatt laser is designed for the Indirect Fire Protection Capability, which is a system that will use kinetic, laser and high-powered microwave weapons to destroy threats including rockets, artillery, mortars, drones and cruise missiles. The Army is to receive that laser weapon next year.

Not every laser capability we be at the range at the same time, but the service plans to collect data on power, lethality, affordability and reliability across directed-energy weapons through an integrated test campaign to inform senior leaders, Rasch said.

The process will help the service save some money from a testing perspective and, through operational assessments with the user, capture enough data to help the Army pin down the sweet spot for what it will need to counter threats in various environments, he explained. (Source: C4ISR & Networks)

 

29 Mar 24. RTX’s SM-6 intercepts ballistic missile target at sea. A Standard Missile-6 (SM-6) built by Raytheon, an RTX (NYSE: RTX) business, intercepted a medium-range ballistic missile target at sea in its final seconds of flight, after being fired from the USS Preble (DDG 88). This test verified some of the missile’s enhanced capabilities when launched from a Baseline 9.C2 variant of the Aegis Combat System.

The SM-6 missile can perform anti-air warfare, anti-surface warfare and advanced ballistic missile defense at sea. This latest flight test, designated as Flight Test Aegis Weapon System (FTM)-32, involved the SM-6 Dual II (Block IA) configuration with newly qualified software that significantly enhances the missile’s capabilities for the U.S. Navy fleet.

“This test demonstrated that the latest versions of the SM-6 and combat system provide the critical capability to destroy an incoming sophisticated missile threat,” said Kim Ernzen, president of Raytheon Naval Power. “Raytheon is committed to ensuring our technology stays ahead of evolving threats and is available to sailors as quickly as possible.”

FTM-32 was the seventh flight test of the SM-6 against ballistic missile targets and the fourth test utilizing the Dual II (Block IA) configuration.

Deployed on U.S. Navy ships, SM-6 delivers a proven over-the-horizon offensive and defensive capability by leveraging the time-tested Standard Missile airframe and propulsion system. It’s the only missile that supports anti-air warfare, anti-surface warfare and sea-based terminal ballistic missile defense in one solution, and it’s enabling the U.S. and its allies to cost-effectively increase the offensive might of surface forces.

The U.S. Department of Defense has approved the sale of SM-6 to several allied nations. (Source: PR Newswire)

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About Galvion:

Galvion designs, develops, and delivers mission critical head, face, and torso protective solutions as well as intelligent power and data management systems for the world’s most demanding military and tactical teams.   Founded in 2002 as Revision Military, a foundational belief in calculated investment and capability expansion led to a strategic refocus, resulting in the divestiture of the protective eyewear business, along with the Revision name, in 2019.  Rebranded as Galvion, the company’s products and technology continue to evolve beyond purely passive protection, focusing instead on active systems that enhance performance and survivability, with an eye to the ever-changing demands of the modern battlefield.  Through advanced design, keen end-user insight and intelligent integration, Galvion engineers uniquely customized solutions that go beyond what was once thought possible.

Privately owned with ISO 9001:2015 certified facilities in Vermont, Massachusetts and New Hampshire in the US, Montreal in Canada and Bristol in the UK, Galvion’s team of 400+ employees work proactively to solve the problems left unsolved by others.

————————————————————————-

Sponsored by Galvion

 

www.galvion.com

 

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29 Mar 24. Hanwha begins assembly of first Australian Huntsman howitzer. Hanwha Aerospace has officially begun assembly of Australia’s first AS9 self-propelled howitzer (SPH) and AS10 armored ammunition resupply vehicle at the company’s facility in Changwon, South Korea.

The howitzer, designated Huntsman, began its “mate” process, where the major components are joined to form the full combat vehicle on March 28 at Hanwha Aerospace’s Plant 3, according to the company statement.

A ceremony held at the production line marked the commencement of production, with key figures including production managers and engineers from Hanwha Aerospace and Hanwha Defence Australia (HDA), as well as representatives from the Australian Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group (CASG) in attendance.

The AS9 and AS10, based on the Australian variant of the K9 Thunder, represent a cutting-edge addition to the ADF’s arsenal. These tracked self-propelled howitzers boast enhanced armored protection and firing capability, positioning them among the most modernized artillery systems in the world.

Under the Land 8116 phase 1 contract signed in 2021, the ADF is slated to deploy 30 AS9 ‘Huntsman’ SPHs and 15 AS10 Armoured Ammunition Resupply Vehicles. The commencement of production marks a crucial step towards fulfilling this contract and bolstering Australia’s defense capabilities.

Initial production of 2 AS9s and 1 AS10 at the Changwon facility will pave the way for further manufacturing at the Hanwha Armoured Vehicle Center of Excellence (H-ACE) in Geelong, Victoria. This strategic move not only contributes to meeting the ADF’s operational requirements but also serves to stimulate economic and industrial growth in the region.

(Source: Google/https://defence-blog.com/)

 

29 Mar 24. Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) successfully launched a ballistic missile target vehicle to support the Missile Defense Agency’s Flight Test Aegis Weapon System 32 (FTM-32), in cooperation with the U.S. Navy.

• Northrop Grumman launched the Medium-Range Ballistic Missile Type 3 Configuration 2 (MRBM T3c2) Target Vehicle, a threat-representative two-stage, solid rocket-fueled ballistic missile, from the Pacific Missile Range Facility, located on Kauai in Hawaii.
• The successful test demonstrated the capability of a ballistic missile defense-configured Aegis ship to detect, track, engage and intercept an advanced MRBM in the terminal phase of flight, utilizing the Standard Missile-6 (SM-6) Dual II missile.
• Northrop Grumman developed and produced three MRBM T3c2s as intercept test targets for the Aegis SM-6 and has delivered and successfully launched all three target vehicles.

Robin Heard, director of targets, Northrop Grumman: “This program capitalizes on our proven history of innovative rocket designs, executed with speed and discipline. We continue to invest in technology that delivers these vital capabilities our customers need to respond to growing threats. T3c2 is a highly complex target providing the realistic scenario needed to test and verify the Aegis Weapon System.”

Northrop Grumman is a leading provider of threat representative target vehicles used in the test and verification of the nation’s missile defense systems.

Built on over 60 years of mission-proven missile defense experience, Northrop Grumman provides full scope missile defense capabilities to include missile interceptors and test targets, coupled with secure communications, missile warning and advanced space domain awareness.

Northrop Grumman is a leading global aerospace and defense technology company. Our pioneering solutions equip our customers with the capabilities they need to connect and protect the world, and push the boundaries of human exploration across the universe. Driven by a shared purpose to solve our customers’ toughest problems, our employees define possible every day.

28 Mar 24. UVISION USA AND SAIC TO COLLABORATE ON LOITERING MUNITIONS. UVision USA and SAIC to collaborate on loitering munition systems manufacturing in the USA, initiating production of Hero 120 in South Carolina.

UVision Inc. and SAIC (Science Applications International Corp). are proud to announce a landmark collaboration agreement for the manufacturing of the Hero 120 Loitering Munition system.

This cutting-edge defence solution will be produced in Charleston, South Carolina, USA, significantly enhancing rapid response capabilities for all UVision USA clients in the United States. The collaboration with SAIC is aimed at establishing a fully independent domestic supply chain, ensuring that UVision’s USA clients benefit from reduced dependency on international supply chains, faster delivery times, local training by expert teams, and comprehensive post-sale support and maintenance.

Major General (Ret.) Avi Mizrachi, Chairman of the BOD of UVision USA, stated “UVision USA Inc.’s business activity has expanded significantly in the second half of 2023, with several new contracts signed with the US military and other government bodies. Our collaboration with SAIC stems from the need to provide a complete solution to our US clients, independent of the international supply chain. We are proud to announce that the manufacturing facility itself will commence operations in March 2024”.

The Hero 120 Loitering Munition System is a state-of-the-art, mid-range, anti-tank system designed to address the complexities of the modern battlefield. It offers high-precision strikes against anti-armour, anti-material, and anti-personnel targets, including tanks, vehicles, and soft targets in urban environments. With its ability to cause minimal collateral damage and equipped with a range of multi-purpose warheads, the Hero 120 provides operational users with an unparalleled effective engagement solution. (Source: www.joint-forces.com)

 

26 Mar 24. Northrop says Air Force design changes drove higher Sentinel ICBM cost. A Northrop Grumman official on Monday attributed the explosive projected cost growth of the U.S. Air Force’s next intercontinental ballistic missile to the service’s design changes, including to the nuclear missile’s silo and connecting cables.

The Air Force’s original plan for modernizing its ICBM enterprise included keeping nearly all its existing copper cabling in place to be reused for the upcoming LGM-35A Sentinel. That’s roughly 7,500 miles’ worth of copper cabling, connecting 450 half-century-old Minuteman III ICBM silos scattered through the Great Plains region with launch control centers and other facilities.

But the company official, who spoke with reporters on the condition that he be identified only as an official familiar with the Sentinel program, said the Air Force concluded it is necessary to upgrade the copper cables with a higher-performing fiber-optic network. That decision apparently came after the service awarded the engineering and manufacturing development contract to Northrop Grumman in 2020, and during the company’s work on the program’s early design phase.

The Air Force also realized that the original designs for Sentinel’s launch facilities — the massive concrete-encased silos from which the missiles would launch — would not work and had to be changed, the Northrop official said. Those original concepts were drawn up during the technology maturation and risk-reduction phase as well as the early engineering and manufacturing development step.

And with hundreds of launch facilities dotting the Great Plains region, often in 1-acre plots, and thousands of miles of cable stretching across farmland and other privately held property that now must be dug up, the cost of these changes swiftly added up, the Northrop official said.

“As we’ve worked through those changes. That’s led to a design that’s different than the one that they [the Air Force] started with,” the official explained. “When you multiply that by 450, if every silo is a little bit bigger or has an extra component, that actually drives a lot of cost because of the sheer number of them that are being updated.”

In a statement to Defense News, the Air Force said the Pentagon is still studying what exactly caused the severe cost overruns, which triggered a review process known as a critical Nunn-McCurdy breach.

“In accordance with statute, [the Office of the Secretary of Defense] will determine what factors caused the cost growth that led to a critical breach via the Nunn-McCurdy process, which is currently underway,” an Air Force spokesperson said. “Early estimates indicate that a large portion of the Sentinel program’s cost growth is in the command and launch segment, which is the most complex segment of the Sentinel program.”

‘Unknown unknowns’ on $96bnprogram

Sentinel is a massive program to replace the Air Force’s aging LGM-30G Minuteman III ICBMs, which now make up the land-based portion of the U.S. military’s nuclear triad. In 2020, Northrop Grumman received a $13.3 billion cost-plus-incentive-fee contract for Sentinel’s engineering and manufacturing development phase.

The program was expected to run about $96 billion, with the total per-unit cost amounting to $118 million when its most recent cost, schedule and performance goals were set in 2020. But the price tag has skyrocketed at least 37%, and the per-unit cost is now about $162 million.

In a congressional hearing this month, Rep. John Garamendi, D-Calif., pegged Sentinel’s current cost at more than $130 billion.

That triggered the Nunn-McCurdy breach, and the Pentagon is now reviewing Sentinel to figure out how to get it back on track as well as where to find funds to keep it going. Top Air Force officials have publicly said that with Minuteman III well past its originally expected life span, the service has no choice but to replace it with a new, more reliable model — and will find money to pay for it.

Sentinel, which was originally supposed to reach initial operational capability in 2029, is now expected to fall two years behind schedule. The nuclear missile’s first flight test, which had been expected to take place in 2024, is now likely to come in February 2026, according to the Air Force’s budget documents.

The Air Force said in an email to Defense News that the Sentinel’s first flight was pushed back due to longer lead times for components in its guidance computer. But the delayed flight test is not a factor in the program’s Nunn-McCurdy breach, the service said.

In a March hearing held by the House Armed Services Committee’s sea power and projection forces panel, Garamendi voiced his displeasure to Air Force officials over the Sentinel’s cost overruns, as well as the service’s inability to explain potential “trade-offs” to keep the program alive.

Garamendi questioned the need for the United States to spend vast sums of money on Sentinel, arguing the belief that the nation must maintain a triad of nuclear weapons has become a “religious issue, having very little to do with the world in which we’re now living.”

The Northrop Grumman official told reporters Monday that the company’s work on Sentinel continues, despite the Nunn-McCurdy breach and ensuing review process.

“We don’t have a pause on our EMD [engineering and manufacturing development] work,” the official said. “We’re continuing to make progress on developing the missile and iterating the designs for all the facilities.”

In a discussion last fall, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said given it’s been so long since the service created an ICBM, early cost estimates for Sentinel were based on “a huge uncertainty.”

“There are unknown unknowns that are surfacing, that are affecting the program,” Kendall said during a November 2023 event with Center for a New American Security think tank. Kendall also said the Sentinel program was “struggling.”

The Northrop Grumman official highlighted such comments — including Kendall’s about the uncertainty that went into the program’s cost estimates — and said some estimates that went into the 2020 baseline review turned out to be incorrect.

Mock-up silo

Northrop also said the company’s effort to game out how a conversion process might work also showed problems with the original plan.

Before it received the Sentinel contract in September 2020, the firm started building a full-scale mock-up of a Minuteman III silo in Promontory, Utah, which it completed in spring 2021. The project was a major undertaking, and on Northrop Grumman’s dime. But the company saw it as a worthwhile investment in its bid to win the lucrative Ground Based Strategic Deterrent contract, as the program was then known.

Northrop didn’t have direct access to the Minuteman III silos — and likely won’t until the government hands them over for conversion into Sentinel silos — since the missiles must remain ready for launch at all times. And so the company considered its construction project the best way to understand how the massive retrofitting process might work — and to find where the biggest risks might lie.

The company’s team, alongside the Air Force, pored through the nonoperational mock-up and started to lay out components akin to what Sentinel would require. But as they did so, the Northrop official said, the group found some of the original conversion plans weren’t going to work.

Other design processes, including computer-aided design work, also helped the Sentinel team map out how much square footage various configurations would take up. In the process, some of the unknown factors that led to the original shaky estimates were cleared up. Still, it became clearer that the costs would be much higher than originally believed.

“They learned, along with us, things that needed to be potentially different or changed from the design,” the official said.

Five programs in one

In January, top Air Force official Kristyn Jones compared the Sentinel project to five major acquisition programs rolled into one. But the nuclear missile itself “is not an area of concern,” said Jones, who is performing the duties of undersecretary of the Air Force.

The Northrop official said the Sentinel missile will not just be a new iteration of the Minuteman series of ICBMs — “it’s not a Minuteman IV,” the official said — but a brand-new weapon top to bottom.

Its solid-rocket motors will be made of composite materials instead of the steel used on the Minuteman III, he explained, and it will have a more advanced guidance system.

Its design also includes modular components that allow the Air Force and Northrop Grumman to more easily add new technology as it becomes available.

And airmen are expected to be able to more easily maintain the Sentinel than its predecessor, with key components accessible without the need to delve too deeply into the missile and bring along a massive security detail while it is opened up.

Sentinel will be slightly larger and lighter than the Minuteman III, which will allow it to carry more propellant and payload, he said. And it is being designed to last until at least 2075 — far longer than the decade Minuteman III was originally supposed to last.

The infrastructure for Sentinel — including the silos themselves, the launch control centers where airmen control the ICBMs, and supporting infrastructure — will also be refurbished.

That portion — which Jones called “essentially a civil works program” — is especially challenging, particularly with issues such as inflation, the supply chain and labor force shortages.

The service and Northrop Grumman plan to reuse the existing Minuteman III silos as much as possible. But that will require a great deal of new construction and equipment updates to ensure the Sentinel silos can keep operating through disruptions such as power outages.

Old computers in launch centers — some of them 1980s-era terminals with green screens — will receive updates with modern equipment.

But not all Minuteman III silos were built in the same configuration, the Northrop official said, which will further complicate their conversions.

With the nation’s roughly 400 Minuteman IIIs spread out across nearly 32,000 square miles in Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota, Colorado and Nebraska, that makes the Sentinel program a massive real estate project, requiring the government to negotiate easements and, in some cases, property purchases with numerous landowners.

All of that adds up to “one of the most large, complex programs I’ve ever seen,” Kendall said of Sentinel in November 2023. “It’s probably the biggest thing, in some ways, that the Air Force has ever taken on.”

There’s also another factor at play: What happens if the Air Force and Northrop Grumman look deeper within the existing Minuteman III silos and find they’re in worse shape than expected?

The condition of the silos is a potentially high-risk area for the program, the Northrop official acknowledged, but the program still expects to be able to reuse existing ones. A “handful” of LiDAR — or light detection and ranging — scans of current ICBM sites already took place, he said, and there have been reviews of silos decommissioned in the 2000s.

But deeper, destructive testing — “breaking apart the concrete to see what’s behind it and what the conditions are” — has not occurred on existing silos, the official said, since they have to remain operational.

Minuteman III silos have concrete liners as well as mechanical launch tubes and missile suspension systems that hold the current ICBMs. The tubes and suspension systems will be replaced, the official said, and the concrete liners underneath will undergo inspection to determine if repairs need done and what is reusable.

The government has contingency plans if the silos’ foundations prove to be seriously cracked or damaged, the official said. That could include remediation work such as patching cracks or replacing portions of the concrete.

If a site is too far gone to fix, however, drilling may have to take place for an entirely new silo.

“There’s currently no plan to dig new holes,” the official said. “But given the site conditions of the land, [there is] certainly the potential that when they get to investigating more of the silos, they may find that [reusing] some of them might not be possible.”

Though the Nunn-McCurdy review process is still underway, the Northrop official said the company is talking to the Air Force about ways to bring down costs. One idea under discussion, he noted, is potentially changing the way mechanical rooms are constructed to build them in a more modular way, which could lower expenses.

But no matter how difficult or expensive Sentinel becomes, or what trade-offs are made to pay for it, the Air Force is adamant it must happen.

Lt. Gen. Richard Moore, the service’s deputy chief of staff for plans and programs, said at the January appearance alongside Jones that extending the Minuteman III missile significantly longer is “not a viable option.”

“We will find the money,” Moore said. “Sentinel is going to be funded. We’ll make the trades to make that happen.”

(Source: Defense News Early Bird/Defense News)

 

28 Mar 24. BAE Systems Develops XM1155-SC Artillery Ammunition Able to Double Fire Range of Standard Rounds. BAE Systems is advancing artillery technology with its development of the XM1155-SC, a next-generation artillery projectile designed to significantly enhance the U.S. Army’s long-range precision fire capabilities. This cutting-edge, cannon-launched, precision-guided munition is part of the Hypervelocity Projectile (HVP) family and aims to defeat both stationary and mobile targets in contested environments. The XM1155-SC artillery munition is being developed under the U.S. Army’s Extended Range Artillery Projectile (ERAP) program, with the goal of extending the range of 155mm artillery rounds to more than double the range of current precision-guided munitions, aiming beyond 110 kilometers. (Source: News Now/https://www.armyrecognition.com/)

 

28 Mar 24. US Navy preps hypersonic weapon test this spring, with Army watching. The U.S. Navy is heading into a major test of a hypersonic weapon that will help determine the way ahead for a joint development program with the U.S. Army, according to the Army’s Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office director.

“The Navy is moving forward on their test, which isn’t a launch out of ground support equipment, but just off a stool launch, so we get another look at the missile,” Lt. Gen. Robert Rasch told Defense News in a March 27 interview here at the Association of the U.S. Army’s Global Force Symposium.

The Navy’s test of the Common-Hypersonic Glide Body will lead into an Army test of the missile in the summer from a ground-based launcher, he said. “Right now, if things go as planned, we’ll be out at the range this summer.”

Hypersonic weapons are capable of flying faster than Mach 5 — or more than 3,836 miles per hour — and can maneuver between varying altitudes, making them difficult to detect. The C-HGB is made up of the weapon’s warhead, guidance system, cabling and thermal protection shield.

The U.S. is in a race to field the capability as well as develop systems to defend against hypersonic missiles. China and Russia are actively developing and testing hypersonic weapons.

The test in the spring is focused solely on missile performance and is conducted using a test stand that eliminates ground support equipment, canister and launcher.

“It’s more of a command to the missile to ignite and watch the missile go through stage one, stage two, payload adapter, hypersonic glide body separating and do its thing,” Rasch said.

The test is to ensure the services understand the missile performs as intended, he said.

The Army, at the same time, is ensuring that the ground support equipment for its Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon, or LRHW, works correctly and will then marry up the missile and launcher in the later test, Rasch explained.

If the Navy test is successful, “that is a decision point for the Army to allow the vendor to begin putting those tactical rounds together. We’ve got them lined up, ready to go, in different stages of completeness. I’ve been holding them because I want to see the end-to-end performance,” Rasch said.

The Army has spent several years working with Leidos’ Dynetics to build the industrial base for the hypersonic weapon glide body that will be used by both the ground service and the Navy because the domestic private sector had never built a hypersonic weapon.

The service also separately produced launchers, trucks, trailers and the battle operations center necessary to put together the first weapon battery. Lockheed Martin is the weapon system integrator for the Army’s hypersonic capability that will be launched from a mobile truck.

If the Army test is successful, Rasch said, the rounds will be ready to go to the first unit equipped with the capability.

The service completed its delivery of the first hypersonic weapon capability, minus the all-up rounds, to I Corps’ 5th Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment, 17th Field Artillery Brigade unit at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state two days ahead of its end-of-FY21 fielding deadline.

The original plan was to train on the equipment and receive those rounds in the fall of 2023, but based on a series of failed or aborted tests, that timeline has slid further down the road.

The Army and Navy last year had to abort flight tests in March, October and November due to “challenges at the range,” Rasch said.

“Every time we do these tests, even if it’s a no-test, obviously, we learn,” Rasch said. “But in this case, the round had to go back and get a little work done on it. These challenges weren’t with the round, but just the process of firing those up, it takes some work.”

The pause in testing while the rounds were evaluated, “gave us a little time to stop and kind of reflect on where we had not done enough developmental testing. Obviously a program that’s moving as fast as RCCTO has on hypersonics, there’s risk involved in going fast,” Rasch said. “You’re doing acquisition and running with scissors at the same time.”

The Army looked at earlier component level testing and figured out where the service may have missed things, he added.

“And we’ve done a series of walk-ups over the last several months to try to make sure we understood exactly what is going on, what’s the phenomena going on and how do we replicate that repeatedly so we know that’s the error,” Rash said.

Even this week, Rasch said, the Army is conducting high-fidelity testing with the ground support equipment, simulating every aspect of the shot to make sure it’s captured “all the phenomena to allow us to get back out to the range.”

While the program is delayed, the speed at which the Navy and the Army are moving is extremely fast for a program of this nature, Rasch noted.

The service went from a blank piece of paper in March 2019 to delivering hardware in just over two years, including an operations center, four transporter-erector-launchers and modified trucks and trailers that make up the ground equipment of the LRHW.

“This is a hard problem. If you look at the history of missile programs, most of them in this space are 10 to 12 years in duration,” he said. “Not only is this a new missile, it’s a new technology of missile and, oh by the way, we had to build new ground support equipment, we had to build new command-and-control capabilities within it. So that was a monumental task.” (Source: Defense News)

 

28 Mar 24. New Chinese attack helicopter in development. China is developing a new attack helicopter that appears to be in the same weight class as the US Boeing AH-64 Apache and the Russian Mil Mi-28 Havoc. Images of the new helicopter, which emerged on Chinese social media in March 2024, show an aircraft that is larger than the People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA’s) in-service AVIC (Aviation Industry Corporation of China) Changhe Aircraft Industries Group (CHAIG) Z-10 attack helicopter, and with a wider central fuselage that is comparable with the Apache. The fuselage includes cheek fairings similar to the AH-64 Apache and a nose configuration similar to the Mi-28. The AH-64E and the Mi-28N have a maximum operating weight of 10–12 tons. The new helicopter (tentatively designated as Z-21 by Chinese military observers) also appears to incorporate some of the PLA’s latest combat helicopter features such as upward-facing engine exhausts to reduce its infrared signature. (Source: Janes)

 

18 Mar 24. Bangladesh Army test-fires CS/AA3 anti-aircraft guns. The Bangladesh Army’s Adhoc 57 Air Defence (AD) Regiment Artillery test-fired two CS/AA3 twin-barrel anti-aircraft gun systems for the first time during a firing exercise held in mid-March at Inanistha AD Firing Range in Cox’s Bazar. According to a press release by Bangladesh Armed Forces’ media and public relations wing Inter Services Public Relation Directorate (ISPR) in mid-March, the system is capable of hitting ground and air targets at a maximum strike range of 4 km. The test fire confirms the induction of the systems – manufactured by China North Industries Group Corporation Limited (Norinco) – in the Bangladesh Army. The ISPR imagery suggests the induction of at least three CS/AA3 systems into the service. The CS/AA3 – known as PG99 in the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) service – is intended to intercept low and slow-flying threats such as close air support aircraft, helicopters, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). (Source: Janes)

 

28 Mar 24. Introducing Full Forge Gear’s Extreme Lite Level 3A Plates: Unparalleled Protection, Unbeatable Comfort. (Dayton, OH) MKS Supply and Full Forge Gear proudly presents the latest innovation in personal protection: the Full Forge Gear 10×12 shooter style cut Extreme-Lite NIJ Rated 3A Body Armor Plate. Engineered to provide unparalleled protection without compromising on weight or affordability, this revolutionary body armor plate sets the standard for level 3 ballistic protection.

Crafted with cutting-edge materials and advanced manufacturing techniques, the Extreme-Lite Level 3A Plate offers exceptional ballistic resistance while ensuring maximum comfort and mobility for the wearer. Its extreme-lightweight design, weighing only 1.3 pounds (lbs), makes it ideal for prolonged wear without sacrificing maneuverability.

“Whether you’re a law enforcement officer, security guard, or an everyday civilian seeking reliable protection, our Extreme-Lite Level 3A Plate is designed to meet your needs with utmost precision,” said Kara Boesenberg, Executive Vice-President MKS Supply.

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Full Forge Gear’s Extreme Lite Level 3A Plates are now available for purchase, setting a new benchmark in personal protection. Trust in this plate to provide the peace of mind you deserve in the face of potential threats.

For more information about MKS Supply, visit www.mkssupply.com. For more info on Full Forge Gear visit www.fullforgegear.com

 

27 Mar 24. US Army artillery needs more range, mobility and autonomy, study finds. The Army canceled its Extended Range Cannon Artillery, or ERCA, in favor of munitions with improved range.  The U.S. Army’s recently completed conventional fires study determined the service should focus on more autonomous artillery systems with greater range and improved mobility, the Army Futures Command chief said Wednesday.

Speaking at the Association of the U.S. Army’s Global Symposium here, Gen. James Rainey said the Army will achieve these improvements by incorporating robotics into systems, improving artillery rounds and pursuing readily available mobile howitzer options.

The service began working last year on a conventional fires study intended to lead to a new strategy. Rainey said at the time the review would consider the existing capability and capacity and future Army needs. It was also going to assess new technology to enhance conventional fires on the battlefield, such as advances in propellant that make it possible for midrange cannons to shoot as far as longer-range systems.

The study has already influenced one program. The Army, after also conducting a prototyping effort for an Extended Range Cannon Artillery system, concluded the platform was not the right approach.

The service plans to focus instead on extending the range of current artillery systems with innovative munitions still under development as part of the ERCA program, Rainey said.

“We are in a resource constrained environment,” he added. “You can go after an exquisite system or you can take a more holistic approach.”

The Army was able to conduct a variety of successful tests with ERCA prototypes, including hitting a target 70 kilometers, or 43 miles, away at Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona, in December 2020 using an Excalibur extended-range guided artillery shell.

The problems with the cannon were mostly related to the length of the gun tube and its ability to withstand a large number of projectiles without excessive wear.

The Army is planning to deliver a better armored howitzer, Rainey said. “There are some great capabilities out there.”

However, towed howitzers may not have a clear future with the Army, he said, adding “the future is not bright for towed artillery.”

Rainey said he’s “very interested in autonomous and robotic cannon solutions” for joint forcible entry formations like the 82nd and 101st airborne divisions.

The Army is pursuing mobile, indirect fires capabilities for light infantry and Stryker formations as well, he noted. (Source: C4ISR & Networks)

 

28 Mar 24. BAE demos platform that gives Army AMPVs turret system options. BAE Systems showed off a universal top plate that allows the Army’s Armored Multipurpose Vehicle to easily swap turrets for different mission roles.

The company brought an AMPV complete with a 30mm unmanned turret from Elbit Systems to the Association of the U.S. Army’s Global Force Symposium being held this week in Huntsville, Alabama, to demonstrate the capability.

BAE took the original top off the AMPV and put on its own internally funded and developed top plate to create the External Mission Equipment Package, or ExMEP. The design is based off of a study of turrets “of all kinds, all over the world,” Megan Mitchell, BAE’s business development director for Army combat systems, said in an interview at the event.

The ExMEP “enables [the AMPV] to be able to accept over 30 different sized turrets,” she added. “The idea behind this is it allows the Army to basically widen their scope of what they’re able to do with the AMPV.”

The Army’s AMPV, designed to replace the M113 armored personnel carrier and which reached full-rate production in 2023, comes in five variants either being fielded or planned: General purpose; medical evacuation; medical treatment; mission command; and mortar carrier.

“We’re now in full-rate production with the first five variants and that allows us a little bit more latitude to be able to see what it can do next,” Mitchell said. “This is an extremely versatile platform and it’s already doing five very different mission roles, and to be able to expand that capability … there’s a lot more M113s out there than just what the five variants can do.

“What we really wanted to look at is where is the Army’s need and what could we possibly create that will allow us to work with the Army, to say, ‘Oh, if you need a counter-UAS, we can integrate that. If you need this kind of turret, we can integrate that,’” she said.

The company last year demonstrated it could rapidly integrate a Moog-developed counter-unmanned aircraft system turret onto the AMPV and successfully tested the capability in a live-fire event in Arizona. BAE said it hit both ground and air targets in the November 2023 test just 15 months after beginning the ExMEP development effort.

In cooperation with the Army, where both BAE and the Army funded a portion of the effort, the company integrated Patria’s 120mm unmanned turreted mortar capability using its ExMEP, Mitchell said. BAE turned over the vehicle to the Army in January for testing that will take place at Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona in the spring and summer. More testing will continue into the fall.

A flexible top plate enabling integration of a wide array of turrets is not just targeted toward the U.S. Army, Mitchell noted, but creates options for potential foreign customers who might have specific requirements that go beyond the U.S. Army’s AMPV variants. (Source: Defense News)

 

27 Mar 24. Hungarian Air Force A319 VIP jets likely fitted with Bird AeroSystems DIRCM. Bird AeroSystems has fitted its aircraft defensive aids system (DAS) for an undisclosed European A319 operator, likely the Hungarian Air Force (HuAF).

The Israeli company said on 27 March that its Self Protection Radar Electro-Optic System (SPREOS) directed infrared countermeasure (DIRCM) and Aeroshield Missile Protection System (AMPS) had been fitted to multiple A319 aircraft for an undisclosed customer to protect against surface-to-air missile threats.

“At the core of this project is the SPREOS, a patented DIRCM system for missile approach verification, tracking, and laser jamming,” the company said. “The installation also included Bird’s versatile AMPS solution, designed for both military and civilian markets, providing complete protection against ground-to-air threats, including [manportable air-defence system] MANPADS attacks, for helicopters and VVIP aircraft for heads of states. Additionally, the installation of the AeroShield pod solution on the Airbus A319 aircraft was expanded to be installed also for Dassault Falcon 7X aircraft,” it added. (Source: Janes)

26 Mar 24. US Army opens ammunition plant for Next-Gen Squad Weapon.

A new contract was awarded to support the modernisation of activities for a Missouri-based ammunition plant in support of next-generation small arms. As part of its transition from its existing small arms to the Next Generation Squad Weapon (NGSW) the US Army has awarded a contract to build a new ammunition facility in Missouri.

The operating contractor for the state-owned Lake City Army Ammunition Plant (LCAAP), Olin Winchester, will receive support in constructing a building for ammunition production.

The production building and process support systems are designed to accommodate best-practice manufacturing methodologies, processes and equipment that provide flexible, sustainable and maintainable operations and ensure manufacturing readiness to meet future requirements.

Following an 18-month-long design activity, this contract is led by the Joint Program Executive Office for Armaments and Ammunition and Olin Winchester.

After construction, the facility will house modern manufacturing systems designed for large scale production of all aspects of the NGSW’s ammunition, including metal parts manufacturing, energetic operations for loading and charging ammunition, product packaging, process quality controls and testing laboratories, maintenance operations, and general-use administrative areas.

NGSW programme

The US Army is currently transitioning from the M4/16 rifle and the 249 light machine gun to the XM5 and XM250 weapons, which it has designated the NGSW programme.

The new weapon system will use the 6.8-millimetre (mm) family of ammunition instead of the 5.56mm ammunition the M4/M16 uses. The 6.8mm has proven to outperform most modern 5.56mm and 7.62mm ammunition against a full array of targets.

In April 2022, the New Hampshire-based weapons manufacturer Sig Sauer was awarded the contract over a ten-year period. This followed a rigorous 27-month prototyping and evaluation effort that included numerous technical tests and Soldier touch points of three competing prototype systems.

The new ammunition facility will position the US Army with additional capacity in small arms ammunition – a major issue amid the tense global security environment in which militaries around the world struggle to meet demand.

For the first time, the EU Commission and the European Defence Agency unveiled their Defence Industrial Strategy in which it has put forward longer term objectives to improve European competitiveness in the global defence industry.

This will expand the continent’s defence consumer base beyond the shorter-term policies and investment seen since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine two years ago, such as the Act in Support of Ammunition Production, which mobilised a €500m ($545.4m) stockpiling ammunition for Member States. (Source: army-technology.com)

 

26 Mar 24. US Army inks Iron Fist buy for Bradley fleet, after years of budget delays.

“We were able to find some efficiencies [in the supplemental] that allowed us to buy small quantities of Iron Fist,” Maj. Gen. Glenn Dean, the service’s Program Executive Officer for Ground Combat Systems told Breaking Defense.

The US Army quietly inked a deal for a new active protection system for M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, despite having previously saying it was unable to afford them, a two-star general told Breaking Defense today.

Maj. Gen. Glenn Dean, the service’s Program Executive Officer for Ground Combat Systems, said that the Army managed to move money around that will allow the service to finally equip the Elbit Systems-produced Iron Fist Light Decoupled (IF-LD) onto a handful of Bradleys, but cautioned that the total procurement is more in the “dozens” than fleet-wide.

“I can say that we have gone into production on APS for Bradley in limited quantities,” Dean said in a brief interview from the show floor of the AUSA Global Force conference. “We were able to find some efficiencies [in the supplemental] that allowed us to buy small quantities of Iron Fist.

The service is still nailing down the fielding plan but as it buys new Bradleys to replace those sent to Ukraine, they will come off the production line ready to accept Iron Fist APS. What isn’t clear yet, according to Dean, is if the APS will be integrated immediately or if it will be kept in reserve until a unit deploys, an avenue the Army is using for its Abrams fleet.

For years the service has been hunting for APS’ to integrate onto M1 Abrams main battle tanks, Bradleys and Strykers to protect soldiers inside from incoming threats like rocket propelled grenades and one-way attack drones.

It eventually selected two systems from Israeli firms: Buying Rafael’s Trophy APS for the M1A2 Abrams System Enhancement Package version 3 (SEPv3) and picking Elbit Systems’ Iron Fist Light Decoupled for its Bradley line. While service leaders began purchasing the Trophy systems, funding shortfalls prevented them from acquiring Iron Fist (a position they reasserted as recently as December 2023).

But at a time when the wars inside Ukraine and Gaza showcase combat vehicle vulnerabilities to such aerial threats, something shifted for the Army, and in late-January the service posted a presolicitation notice seeking qualified sources that could provide Iron Fist to the Army as part of an eight-year deal for its Bradley vehicle upgrade initiative.

Although some Abrams and, soon, some Bradleys will have APS protection, Strykers remain without a candidate. Last year the service completed limited characterization testing with a possible candidate called StrikeShield, a hybrid hard-kill and armor solution by Rheinmetall and its US partner Unified Business Technologies, but that didn’t prove to be the right solution.

“We don’t have a suitable solution,” Dean said today. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/Breaking Defense.com)

 

26 Mar 24. Sweden’s Saab plans new US munitions facility to strengthen supply chain. Saab (SAABb.ST), opens new tab plans to build a new facility for weapon systems in the United States to boost munitions production capacity and strengthen its global supply chain, the Swedish defense equipment maker said on Tuesday.

The site will support the engineering and production of missile weapon systems for the U.S. military. This includes components for the Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB) system, along with close combat weapons.

The U.S. Department of Defense struck a deal with Saab in 2019 enabling the purchase of Saab’s close combat solution, which includes AT4 anti-armour systems and Carl-Gustaf ammunition for up to $422m.

Saab expects to finalize the location and break ground on the facility by this year, with production commencing in 2026. (Source: Reuters)

 

18 Mar 24. Indonesia to restart procurement process for more Exocet missiles. Indonesia will have to restart a process to replenish the country’s stock of MBDA Exocet MM40 Block 3 anti-ship missiles after an earlier attempt failed because of licensing non-conformity issues.

A 24 February letter from the Indonesian Ministry of Finance’s (MoF’s) Directorate General of Budget Financing and Risk Management sent to various departments at the country’s Ministry of Defense (MoD) confirmed that a previously granted permission to procure the missiles with foreign loans has now lapsed. A copy of the letter was provided to Janes on 18 March by sources close to the procurement process. In the letter, the MoF advised the respective MoD departments to resubmit a request for a total of three programmes for which the permission to take on foreign loans has lapsed, including the Exocet missile procurement. (Source: Janes)

 

22 Mar 24. Indian Army outlines loiter munition procurement programme. The Indian Army has outlined a programme to procure canister-launched anti-armour loiter munition (CALM) systems and associated accessories to enhance the operational efficiency of the mechanised infantry. According to an initial procurement notice issued by the Indian Army on 21 March, the service seeks to procure CALM systems to integrate them on T-72 and T-90 main battle tanks (MBTs), BMP-2 armoured fighting vehicles (AFVs), carrier mortar tracked vehicles, and reconnaissance vehicles. The Indian Army seeks to procure 180 CALM systems to provide remote-controlled beyond-visual-line-of-sight capability to the mechanised infantry and armoured units at stand-off ranges of up to 15 km to destroy enemy AFVs with a high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warhead. (Source: Janes)

 

24 Mar 24. Brahmos Missile Makes Big Impact. India has been aiming to enhance its defense capabilities through the development of a more compact and efficient version of the BrahMos missile. BrahMos Aerospace, a defense corporation with Indo-Russian roots, is set to begin drop and dummy trials of the lighter and more compact Next Generation (NG) BrahMos missile around the middle of 2025, with plans for flight testing to follow by the year’s end.

“Atul Dinkar Rane, the CEO and managing director of BrahMos Aerospace as well as the director general of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), announced to the press that the missile is expected to be incorporated into the Indian Air Force (IAF) by 2026.”

Speaking at the NDTV Defence Summit in Delhi on March 7, Rane commented that BrahMos Aerospace is progressing from the blueprint phase to the metal fabrication stage, as they await financing from sales of the NG. He noted, “The blueprint phase is complete, and we’re moving to metal cutting. The new missile will be one- third of the size and half the weight of the current model, allowing for the deployment of two missiles on a single aircraft.”

Rane highlighted, “Currently, a single BrahMos mounted on the underbelly of a Su-30 constitutes its heaviest weaponry.” He further mentioned plans to equip the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft with the NG version and noted its compatibility with Western platforms as well. Rane assured that the NG version of the BrahMos will retain the same speed, precision, and destructive power as its larger counterpart.

Although a commitment from the Indian Air Force is yet to be finalized, a contract valued at $2.3bn for 200 BrahMos Extended Range (ER) supersonic cruise missiles, intended for warships, was secured in March 2024.Admiral R Hari Kumar, the Chief of the Navy, recently informed the news agency ANI that the BrahMos missile is set to become the main surface-to-surface missile of the Indian Navy, taking over from the older missile systems.

Rane pointed out that the BrahMos missile has undergone significant transformation from its original design as an anti-cruise missile. Instead of covering a distance of 300km to target a single ship, it has evolved into a system capable of launching a salvo from one missile at multiple ships. In simpler terms, its having the ability to fire multiple missiles or projectiles simultaneously or in rapid succession at one or more targets.

Rane commented on the necessity for future naval operations to approach closer to shorelines, referencing the recent incident where Houthi rebels in Yemen reportedly executed 37 drone strikes in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, targeting US Navy vessels and a commercial ship.

He suggested that the surface drones ought to have been neutralized before leaving the harbour, indicating this would require a missile launched from a ship. He also noted, “The same type of missile can target both naval and land-based objectives.”

BrahMos Aerospace was created through a collaborative effort between India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia’s military-industrial consortium NPO Mashinostroyeniya, following an agreement between the two governments. Rane mentioned that the proportion of domestic components in the BrahMos missile has increased from 10% to 65% since its debut twenty years ago.

Rane asserted that current defense systems are incapable of consistently intercepting it, highlighting that the innovation extends beyond just the seeker technology being indigenized by India. He praised the advanced liquid ramjet engine developed by the Russians and shared with India, describing it as a masterpiece.

India’s enhancements in the BrahMos missile surpass merely localizing its guidance system (seeker technology) production. The innovations cover crucial technological advancements and collaborations, like the development and exchange of an advanced liquid ramjet engine with Russia. This showcases a wider spectrum of technological progress and self-sufficiency in the missile’s manufacture.

Rane mentioned that the DRDO, in collaboration with its design partner NPO Mashinostroyeniya, is developing the BrahMos hypersonic cruise missile, to be named BrahMos 2. This missile will share characteristics with the Russian hypersonic Zircon missile.

In the early 1990s, India recognized the necessity for cruise missiles—guided strategic missiles designed to fly at a nearly consistent speed throughout their flight path to deliver warheads with precise accuracy.

Subsequently, a formal agreement was established between Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, who was the chief of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) at the time, and NV Mikhailov, the Russian deputy defence minister, in Moscow during February 1998. The name BrahMos originates from the Brahmaputra and Moskva rivers. Following the agreement in 1998, BrahMos Aerospace was established.

The inaugural test launch of the BrahMos missile from a land-based launcher took place on 12 June 2001 at Chandipur in Odisha. Since that initial launch, the missile has undergone several upgrades, leading to the development and deployment of multiple versions.

The BrahMos Aerospace website describes BrahMos as a “two-stage missile, with the first stage being a solid propellant booster and the second stage a liquid ramjet.”Cruise missiles, including BrahMos, are categorized as ‘standoff range weapons.’ This classification implies that they can be launched from a distance far enough to evade defensive measures from the target.

Initially, the BrahMos missile had a flight range of 290 kilometres. According to the Indian Express, tests are being conducted on versions of the missile to extend its range to approximately 400 kilometres, with plans to develop versions capable of reaching up to 800 kilometres. The Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force routinely conduct tests on various versions of the missile.

The BrahMos missile is characterized by its low radar detectability and maintains supersonic speed for the duration of its flight. It operates on a “fire and forget” principle, capable of reaching a cruise altitude of up to 15 km and descending to a terminal altitude of as low as 10 metres.

BrahMos outperforms subsonic cruise missiles with a speed that is triple and a flight range that is 2.5 times greater. Variants of the BrahMos missile capable of being launched from land, warships, submarines, and Sukhoi-30 fighter aircraft have been developed, allowing them to target both land and maritime objectives.

The BrahMos missile is increasingly attracting interest in global markets, particularly in Southeast Asia and Africa. There are reports that several nations in West Asia have also expressed a keen interest in it.

In a conversation with Sputnik India regarding the rising international interest in BrahMos, Indian Navy veteran Seshadri Vasan described the missile as the world’s “Supersonic Darling.” He highlighted its advantage, noting, “When BrahMos achieves supersonic speeds of Mach-3, it leaves the enemy with minimal time to respond or defend against the missile’s attack.” (Source: Google/https://www.dailyexcelsior.com/)

 

25 Mar 24. Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) is expanding the Naval Industrial Reserve Ordnance Plant at the Allegany Ballistics Laboratory (ABL) in West Virginia. The company was recently awarded a $178m contract from Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) to support the expansion. The investment will help to expand the site’s capacity through the construction of a new modular energetics facility.

• The investment will increase rocket motor energetics and inert processing and builds on Northrop Grumman’s proven performance to quickly scale using advanced manufacturing techniques and digital transformation.
• This state-of-the-art facility will use advanced manufacturing processes to configure production for multiple products and consolidate operations to minimize travel, movement of materials and overall downtime.
• The expansion will add to Northrop Grumman’s own investment in rocket motors and increase resiliency by doubling the capacity of the defense supply chain and ensure production capacity to meet the growing demand of solid rocket motors and warheads on time and at affordable scale.

Experts:

Frank DeMauro, sector vice president and general manager, weapon systems, Northrop Grumman: “The Navy’s decision to entrust Northrop Grumman with expansion operations at ABL in support of critical missile components such as rocket motors, warheads and fuzes, will bolster critical national security infrastructure. The investments we’re making, and our mature production capabilities, will allow us to double our energetics capacity by fall of 2026, meeting recent customer demand and maintaining our signature commitment to quality.”

U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, West Virginia: “Expanding our capacity to produce critical munitions and their components, such as solid rocket motors and energetic materials, is critical to ensuring that our men and women in uniform have the tools they need to deter aggression and win. The Allegany Ballistics Laboratory is a critical piece of our defense industrial base, and I’m proud that such important components of our nation’s advanced weapons are built right here at home in West Virginia. As a member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, I look forward to seeing the positive impacts of this expansion project on U.S. national security and the state of West Virginia.”

U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, West Virginia: “This announcement is continued evidence of ABL’s critical importance in advancing our national security capabilities. ABL is one of only two sites in the entire country that can produce rocket motor energetics and the only one that is a public-private partnership. This taxpayer-owned facility is building the missiles that keep our forces safe.”

Details on ABL:

The NAVSEA funding provides ABL the ability to expand its capacity which is increasingly critical to national security as the defense industry experiences a surge in demand for energetic capabilities in response to worldwide events.  The expansion will enable the facility to increase the output of critical energetic materials needed to replenish stockpiles that support the U.S. and its allies.

Northrop Grumman is a leading provider of advanced weapons systems including hypersonic propulsion, armaments, components, missiles, electronics and interceptors. The company operates ABL, a national asset that has produced tactical rocket motors, medium and large caliber ammunition, composite structure, mechanical and electronic fuzes and advanced weapons for the U.S. and its allies since the 1940s.

Northrop Grumman is a leading global aerospace and defense technology company. Our pioneering solutions equip our customers with the capabilities they need to connect and protect the world, and push the boundaries of human exploration across the universe. Driven by a shared purpose to solve our customers’ toughest problems, our employees define possible every day.

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About Galvion:

 

Galvion designs, develops, and delivers mission critical head, face, and torso protective solutions as well as intelligent power and data management systems for the world’s most demanding military and tactical teams.   Founded in 2002 as Revision Military, a foundational belief in calculated investment and capability expansion led to a strategic refocus, resulting in the divestiture of the protective eyewear business, along with the Revision name, in 2019.  Rebranded as Galvion, the company’s products and technology continue to evolve beyond purely passive protection, focusing instead on active systems that enhance performance and survivability, with an eye to the ever-changing demands of the modern battlefield.  Through advanced design, keen end-user insight and intelligent integration, Galvion engineers uniquely customized solutions that go beyond what was once thought possible.

 

Privately owned with ISO 9001:2015 certified facilities in Vermont, Massachusetts and New Hampshire in the US, Montreal in Canada and Bristol in the UK, Galvion’s team of 400+ employees work proactively to solve the problems left unsolved by others.

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Sponsored by Galvion

 

www.galvion.com

 

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21 Mar 24. MBDA Enforcer missile production proposed for funding by the European Commission. MBDA continues to ramp-up its production. The production ramp-up for ENFORCER missiles – ENFORCER Production Increase Campaign (EPIC) – has been proposed for funding within the European Commission’s ASAP programme.

The EPIC project aims to increase ENFORCER production significantly and thus will contribute to the further enlargement of the series production of ENFORCER missiles at MBDA in Schrobenhausen/Germany and at MBDA partner companies in Europe.

Eric Béranger, CEO of MBDA, declared: “The ASAP EPIC project is a great opportunity to ramp up the ENFORCER missile production, while making it more resilient and faster. Series production of the ENFORCER is now well under way and the first deliveries to the German Armed Forces will follow this year. Also an export contract has been concluded. We are increasing the production of ENFORCER missiles to meet customer demand for the years to come.”

MBDA, as the European market leader for missile systems, is investing heavily in its production capacities all over Europe. ASAP EPIC makes a decisive contribution here and contributes significantly to European resilience and the sovereignty of our customers, their armed forces and their allies.

The portable, shoulder-launched, lightweight, high-precision ENFORCER is a fire-and-forget missile system with an operational range up to 2,000m. Due to its low weight, day and night passive operation and enclosed space firing capability, ENFORCER provides a significant capability enhancement in mobile ground operations. With its unique features the ENFORCER provides precision effects capabilities against the threat from lightly armoured static and moving targets, targets behind cover, and against targets at long range also in urban environments. The modular design of the ENFORCER system enables a range of future development options, including a ‘family’ of Enforcer munitions for land, air and sea applications.

 

21 Mar 24. Advanced future military laser achieves UK first. A military laser which could boost the UK Armed Forces with greater accuracy while reducing the reliance on high-cost ammunition has reached its next milestone.

During a trial at the MOD’s Hebrides Range, the DragonFire laser directed energy weapon (LDEW) system achieved the UK’s first high-power firing of a laser weapon against aerial targets. The range of DragonFire is classified, but it is a line-of-sight weapon and can engage with any visible target.

• First high-power firing of a laser weapon against aerial targets
• Laser boasts pinpoint accuracy and low long-term costs
• Partnership with industry making positive progress for UK Armed Forces

DragonFire exploits UK technology to be able to deliver a high power laser over long ranges. The precision required is equivalent to hitting a £1 coin from a kilometre away.

Laser-directed energy weapons can engage targets at the speed of light, and use an intense beam of light to cut through the target, leading to structural failure or more impactful results if the warhead is targeted.

Firing it for 10 seconds is the cost equivalent of using a regular heater for just an hour. Therefore, it has the potential to be a long-term low-cost alternative to certain tasks missiles currently carry out. The cost of operating the laser is typically less than £10 per shot.

DragonFire is led by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), on behalf of the UK MOD, working with its industry partners MBDA, Leonardo and QinetiQ.

This milestone demonstrated the ability to engage aerial targets at relevant ranges and is a major step in bringing this technology into service. Both the Army and Royal Navy are considering using this technology as part of their future Air Defence capabilities.

Defence Secretary, Grant Shapp said:

This type of cutting-edge weaponry has the potential to revolutionise the battlespace by reducing the reliance on expensive ammunition, while also lowering the risk of collateral damage.

Investments with industry partners in advanced technologies like DragonFire are crucial in a highly contested world, helping us maintain the battle-winning edge and keep the nation safe.

The latest milestone builds on a series of highly successful trials, including the first static high-power laser firing of a sovereign UK capability and demonstration of the DragonFire system’s ability to track moving air and sea targets with very high accuracy at range.

Building on this research, the MOD recently announced its intention to fund a multi-m-pound programme to transition the technology from the research environment to the battlefield.

The latest trial was sponsored by the MOD’s Defence Science and Technology (DST) organisation and Strategic Programmes and enabled by many other agencies across government, ensuring all regulatory and safety approval requirements were satisfied.

Dstl’s Chief Executive, Dr Paul Hollinshead said:

These trials have seen us take a huge step forward in realising the potential opportunities and understanding the threats posed by directed energy weapons.

With our decades of knowledge, skills, and operational experience, Dstl’s expertise is critical to helping the armed forces prepare for the future.

The DragonFire weapon system is the result of a £100 m joint investment by the Ministry of Defence and industry. Together, the companies involved are supporting highly-skilled UK jobs in new cutting-edge technologies that are delivering a significant step-change in the UK’s capability in LDEW systems.

In 2017 the MOD’s Chief Scientific Advisor’s Research Programme awarded a £30 m contract to the DragonFire consortium to demonstrate the potential of LDEWs.

Dr Nick Joad, DST said: “This is a really innovative application of science and engineering and is the fruit of sustained investment and effort. DragonFire uses cutting-edge science and technology and delivers much greater performance than other systems of a similar class. DragonFire provides a step-change in our ability to deal with high-performance and low-cost threats.”

UK defence is continuing to invest in these game-changing technologies and is advancing the plans which will ultimately bring them into service.

Shimon Fhima, Director Strategic Programmes for the MOD said: “The DragonFire trials at the Hebrides demonstrated that our world-leading technology can track and engage high-end effects at range. In a world of evolving threats we know that our focus must be on getting capability to the warfighter and we will look to accelerate this next phase of activity.”

LDEW research and technology is delivered in partnership and is a cost-effective way of meeting the needs of the MOD while maintaining UK industry’s technology and skills base.

UK defence is continuing to invest in these game-changing technologies and is advancing the plans which will ultimately bring them into service. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)

 

20 Mar 24. QinetiQ reports first successful flights of new design Rattler Supersonic Target. QinetiQ, in partnership with the United States Department of Defense and White Sands Missile Range High Energy Laser Systems Test Facility (HELSTF), announces the successful flights of the first two Rattler Supersonic Target MkIs.

As part of the High Energy Laser Measurement (HELM) Rattler program and a QinetiQ funded Research and Development project, the flights provided the first data for this design variant of the uncrewed target. It also presented opportunities for the HELSTF Tracking Illuminating Laser System to acquire, track and queue from a supersonic target at a short slant range, aiding the program’s Rattler variant development.

Graham Ollis, Managing Director, Threat Representation, QinetiQ, said, “This flight represents an important milestone in the Rattler transition to service project, and demonstrates our supersonic target capability in action for our U.S. customer, as part of the HELM Rattler program, to meet the requirement for evolving threats.”

Owen Price, Project Manager Target Systems, QinetiQ, said, “I am proud of the significant progress we’ve made with our development partners and customer in fielding this flight trial. We have been able to showcase QinetiQ’s technical and operational expertise and teamwork, launching the new Rattler ST MkI product and as part of developing the HELM Rattler test and evaluation target system for the war fighter, as requirements for more realistic, instrumented threat representation become ever more important.”

Emulating a variety of advanced missile threats, Rattler ST is a cost-effective supersonic target platform designed for threat replication, operational training and system evaluation. QinetiQ is customising the platform to support the U.S. Department of Defense’s HELM Rattler Program, integrating a third-party target board to measure high-energy laser characteristics in flight, at supersonic speeds. The $10 m (USD) program started in February 2022 and is due to conclude in mid-2024.

QinetiQ’s portfolio of targets are built in line with customers’ requirements to meet the current and evolving threats that they are needing to defend and train against, delivering realistic Threat Representation. (Source: PR Newswire)

 

20 Mar 24. On Feb. 27, 2024, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), in cooperation with the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), conducted a series of tests on GA-ASI’s Sonobuoy Dispensing System (SDS) using the MQ-9B SeaGuardian® Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) on the U.S. Navy’s W-291 test range in southern California.

GA-ASI’s SeaGuardian flew the full test flight event configured with the SDS pod and SeaVue multi-role radar from Raytheon, an RTX business. During the test, the SDS pod dropped eight AN/SSQ-53 and two AN/SSQ-62 sonobuoys. Upon dispensing, the sonobuoys were successfully monitored by the SeaGuardian’s onboard Sonobuoy Monitoring and Control System (SMCS).

“This was a very successful demonstration of our SDS capability,” said GA-ASI President David R. Alexander. “The demonstration helped us prove out the SDS, which is an important component for our Anti-Submarine Warfare capability.”

The SeaGuardian was flown under a NAVAIR Interim Flight Clearance. The SDS pod is fitted with an advanced pneumatic ejection system developed, designed, and manufactured by AEREA in Italy. AEREA also supplies the internal structure assembly.

MQ-9B SeaGuardian is a medium-altitude, long-endurance RPA system. Its multi-domain capabilities allow it to flex from mission to mission. SeaGuardian has been used by the U.S. in several recent demonstrations, including Northern Edge, Integrated Battle Problem and Group Sail. The aircraft is currently being operated by the Japan Coast Guard (JCG) and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF).

 

20 Mar 24. Netherlands’ VOSS soldier system has ‘limitations.’ The Netherlands Armed Forces’ Improved Operational Soldier Systems (Verbeterd Operationeel Soldaat Systeem: VOSS) being delivered by Elbit Systems and Thales has ‘limitations’, Janes has learnt. Primarily, the limitations are with electronic devices such as the radios, because the requirements have changed since they were drafted in 2008, Colonel Art van Beekhuizen, the Defence Materiel Organisation project manager for the Soldier Modernisation Programme at the Netherlands Ministry of Defence (MoD) conveyed to Janes on 20 March. The VOSS system, otherwise called the Smart Vest, comprises the Load Carriage and Protection (LCP) equipment, backpack, and E-Lynx PNR-1000 radio. For officers and non-commissioned officers (NCOs), the system also includes the Raptor end-user device (EUD). (Source: Janes)

 

19 Mar 24. USAF says it conducted successful hypersonic weapon test. The U.S. Air Force said on Tuesday it had conducted a successful test of an air-launched hypersonic weapon in the Pacific Ocean.

The test was conducted on Sunday after a B-52 bomber left the island of Guam carrying an Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW), the Air Force said in a statement.

Though the U.S. Air Force called the test a success, it did not disclose the speed the weapon flew. In past tests the ARRW has flown at least five times the speed of sound.

The United States is not alone in developing hypersonic weapons, whose speed and maneuverability make them difficult to track and intercept.

Russia has fired hypersonic missiles at targets in Ukraine and China has tested hypersonic weapons, U.S. military officials have said. China’s foreign ministry denied in October that it had conducted a weapons test.

(Source: Reuters)

 

19 Mar 24. Germany to order new JASSM-ER cruise missiles from US, says Bild. The German government has started the ordering process for 75 new JASSM-ER cruise missiles from the United States, German daily Bild reported on Tuesday.

Without citing its sources, Bild said the purchase could replace existing Taurus missiles in the long term and comes after the German government in 2022 expressed an interest to the US government in purchasing F-35 jets and missiles associated with it.

The purchase price for the entire package is more than 8bn euros ($8.67bn), according to Bild.

Several air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles were ordered along with the F-35s, but the process for the JASSM missiles was delayed, reported Bild.

An official purchase contract is now expected this autumn, it said.

A German defence ministry spokesperson said that the procurement of an extensive mix of weapons, including an air-to-ground component, is planned as part of acquiring the F-35A.

“The relevant contracts have not yet been concluded in full, and it is not possible to anticipate any open decisions,” said the spokesperson.

($1 = 0.9223 euros) (Source: Reuters)

 

18 Mar 24. Kongsberg Investing in Increased Missile Production Capacity.

• Financial support from the Norwegian authorities and EU’s ASAP program contributes to Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace (KONGSBERG) investing in more than NOK 640 m to increase their missile production capacity.

The security policy situation in Europe has increased the need to ensure the availability and supply of ammunition and missiles. Last year, the European commission launched the ASAP program (Act in Support of Ammunition Production) to support the industry’s capability to increase the production capacity for ammunition and missiles.

During the last years, KONGSBERG has implemented several measures to increase the production capacity, such as the investment of a new missile factory in the city of Kongsberg, opening this summer. Now the capacity increases further – with the support from EU and Norway.

KONGSBERG’s investment includes equipment and machines to increase the capacity in the new missile factory, as well as a new facility to increase the production capacity for sensor components. In addition, there will be investments in the supply chain in order to ensure future supplies

KONGSBERG plans to invest a total of NOK 640m, of which the Norwegian authorities contributes with NOK 200m and EU contributes with EUR 10m.

“The support from the Norwegian and European authorities contributes to our ability to implement concrete measures to further strengthen KONGSBERG’s missile production capacity, reduce lead times and enhance the supply chain,” says Eirik Lie, President of Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace.

The Naval Strike Missile (NSM) is currently used by 14 nations, of which 11 are from NATO or the EU. These new investments will strengthen the already close collaboration on the NSM production across the European borders, by further developing an even more resilient missile ecosystem, to ensure supply and preparedness.  (Source: ASD Network)

 

18 Mar 24. Norway Commits to Investment Aimed at Reducing NASAMS Delivery Times.

• The Norwegian government has today announced plans to order critical parts for the production of NASAMS air defence systems, aimed at improving the delivery times for launcher units upon the signing of new contracts.

The government has proposed an allocation of approximately NOK 941 m to Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace (KONGSBERG), as part of a new investment proposition for the Norwegian Armed Forces, which is being submitted to the   Norwegian Parliament for political consideration.

“We must enhance Norway’s air defence capabilities to more effectively protect both civilian and military objectives from air attacks. The present security climate necessitates the expedited procurement of advanced air defence systems. The conflict in Ukraine has underscored the vital importance of air defence in wartime,” stated Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre in a government press release.

“KONGSBERG has already committed nearly three bn NOK to increase our own production capabilities in air defence and missile systems. We welcome the Government’s initiative to introduce new investment plans,” stated Geir Håøy, CEO of KONGSBERG.

NASAMS is currently used in 13 countries and is provided by KONGSBERG in collaboration with American Raytheon.

“We’ve seen an increase in delivery times. To address this, we aim to order critical parts now to speed up future procurements of NASAMS. Extended delivery periods are a widespread issue in the defence industry, and this initiative is expected to decrease production times,” stated Defence Minister Bjørn Arild Gram.

“This government initiative will allow us to expedite NASAMS deliveries once new contracts are finalized. It offers us the chance to secure critical components with lengthy delivery schedules sooner than was previously possible,” remarked Eirik Lie, CEO of Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace. (Source: ASD Network)

 

18 Mar 24. USAF awards $3.8bn upgrade of strategic missile and aircraft test site. Located in eight states, the AEDC is one of three wing-level organisations within US Air Force Test Center (AFTC), which is one of six centres within the Air Force Materiel Command.

The US Air Force (USAF) will upgrade the Arnold Engineering Development Complex (AEDC), headquartered at Arnold Air Force Base, and home of some of the US military’s most advanced missile and aircraft test sites, in a $3.8bn programme of work due to last for more than a decade.

According to the USAF the AEDC missile and aircraft test site operates more than 68 aerodynamic and propulsion wind tunnels, rocket and turbine engine test cells, environmental chambers, arc heaters, ballistic ranges, sled tracks, centrifuges, and other specialised units, intended to test and simulate speed, temperature, pressure and other parameters of development aircraft.

Facilities can simulate flight conditions from sea level to 300 miles – effectively the lower stages of low Earth orbit – and from subsonic velocities to Mach 20.

The AEDC is described by the USAF as “an important national resource”, having contributed to the development of “practically every one of the nation’s top priority aerospace programmes”, including the Atlas, Titan, Minuteman, and Peacekeeper intercontinental ballistic missiles, the Polaris, Poseidon and Trident submarine-launched ballistic missiles, plus the Tomahawk cruise missile, among others.

The site has also contributed to the development of the crewed military aircraft, such as the F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter, the F-22A Raptor air dominance fighter, as well as the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber.

In a 15 March contract notice, the US Department of Defense (DoD) stated that the 12-year contract will provide test operations, technology development, equipment and facility sustainment, capital improvements and support services for the AEDC, with an expected completion date of 30 September 2036.

The DoD stated that work will be performed at Arnold Air Force Base, Tennessee; National Full Scale Aerodynamics Complex, Mountain View, California; White Oak, Maryland; White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico; and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.

The contract was awarded to little-known Beyond New Horizons, based out of Huntsville, Alabama. (Source: airforce-technology.com)

 

18 Mar 24. Finland awarded €32.5m from EU ASAP fund for 155mm artillery ammunition. Finland is awarded $35.4m in funding from EU to ramp up production of 155mm artillery shells, complimenting $26.1m it invested in late 2023. Finland’s defence industry has received a €32.5m ($35.4m) grant through the Act in Support of Ammunition Production (ASAP) to ramp up production of key munitions, including 155mm artillery shells, announced 15 March 2024, complementing a €24m ($26.1m) investment Finland’s own Ministry of Defence allocated in December 2023.

ASAP funds of €500m from the EU budget are intended to be available to member nations to support a rapid increase in production of ammunition, a requirement put into the spotlight during the war in Ukraine, as nations reflected on their own stockpiles during the ongoing conflict.

“Long-term advocacy at the EU and direct contacts with Commissioners produced results. We got what we went for,” said Finland’s Minister of Defence, Antti Häkkänen.

“The funding decision is in line with the plan drawn up by the Ministry of Defence in December to increase domestic ammunition production. The decision will finance investments that are critical to military security of supply and enable long-term support for Ukraine.”

With the funds allotted to Finland, €22.5m will be granted to Nammo Papua Oy for the production of 155mm artillery grenade shells and €10m was granted to Nammo Vihtavuor.

Finland’s 2023 was a busy year for 155mm ammunition procurement. The funds granted in December of that year followed a purchase in February of €35m of 155mm ammunition through French-based Nexter Munitions, and a €103m purchase of the shells from Nammo Lapua in March.

The war in Ukraine has led to heightened consumption of 155mm artillery munitions, with both Russia and Ukraine seeking outside supplies of the shells to feed the high rate of artillery barrage sustained in the conflict. Nato and European Union allies have contributed significant volumes of support to Ukraine, while Russia has negotiated for a supply of ammunition from North Korea.

Many European nations became aware, as they donated stock to the defence of Ukraine, that their industrial production base for ammunition had dwindled to a level that could not sustain ambitious military aid targets and meet their own defence requirements, so legislated within the European Union to ramp up production.

The grant of funds to Finland, one of Nato’s newest members, is a product of the European animus to replenish stockpiles of basic ammunition. (Source: army-technology.com)

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About Galvion:

 

Galvion designs, develops, and delivers mission critical head, face, and torso protective solutions as well as intelligent power and data management systems for the world’s most demanding military and tactical teams.   Founded in 2002 as Revision Military, a foundational belief in calculated investment and capability expansion led to a strategic refocus, resulting in the divestiture of the protective eyewear business, along with the Revision name, in 2019.  Rebranded as Galvion, the company’s products and technology continue to evolve beyond purely passive protection, focusing instead on active systems that enhance performance and survivability, with an eye to the ever-changing demands of the modern battlefield.  Through advanced design, keen end-user insight and intelligent integration, Galvion engineers uniquely customized solutions that go beyond what was once thought possible.

 

Privately owned with ISO 9001:2015 certified facilities in Vermont, Massachusetts and New Hampshire in the US, Montreal in Canada and Bristol in the UK, Galvion’s team of 400+ employees work proactively to solve the problems left unsolved by others.

————————————————————————-

Sponsored by Galvion

 

www.galvion.com

 

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16 Mar 24.  The British Army will opt for the 120mm mortar over the 81mm, and use cheaper rockets over Brimstone missiles.
The British Army has decided to reorganise its deployment of mortars and missiles in an effort to bring more mortar firepower to the battlefield, while also remaining concious of costs per missile.
Firstly, the Army will replace many of its existing L16 81-millimetre (mm) mortars with a new 120mm system, which will provide greater firepower.
L16 mortars are battlegroup-level indirect fire weapon systems that are capable of providing accurate high explosive, smoke and illuminating rounds out to a maximum range of 5.6 kilometres (km).
Mortar platoons are mounted in and fire from armoured personnel carriers, increasing mobility and enabling rapid disengagement and movement to new fire positions.
While it is not yet known what type of 120mm mortar systems the Army will deploy, the average maximum range of this heavy calibre can reach up to 7.2km to 9.5km. The 120mm has become a common standard across Nato, but until now the UK had been the only major Western Army in which it was not in use.
Interoperability with allies and partners has become a cardinal rule for Nato members today. For that reason, the British Army’s decision to make the change is to align more closely with allied troops.
However, it should be noted that the only force to continue using the existing L16 will be with the Royal Commandos, for whom the system is more readily deployable – troops can even jump out of a plane with the system.
Secondly, the Army will also start using cheaper 70mm rockets over the more costly Brimstone anti-armour missiles.
The UK’s Project Wolfram, a little-known programme to develop a next-generation mobile anti-armour capability utilising the Brimstone missile, could be set to begin live fire tests as early as Q2 2024, in the latest step to provide the British Army with a battlefield-shaping weapon.
Brimstone itself is a ‘one missile multiple platform’ system that can be used against platforms ranging from fast jet, attack helicopters, remotely piloted air systems, to land and maritime platforms, using the same missile. The lightweight strike missile has a length of 1.8m, a diameter of 180mm and weighs 50kg.
At the end of February, the UK sent 200 Brimstone anti-tank missiles to Ukraine’s Armed Forces.
These changes follow efforts to reform the UK’s procurement process at the end of February, whereby the Minister for Defence Procurement James Cartlidge pushed for the spiral development of systems.
“Rather than striving for perfection before delivering to the frontline, capabilities at 60-80% of their full potential will be provided to the user, allowing early application, and subsequent improvements to reach their full potential.”
Essentially, this plan eases the stress on UK industry to supply much-needed military systems at pace at the cost of buying bespoke alterations, instead the Government has opted for systems off-the-shelf.
As part of these efforts to sustain existing military systems, the British Army’s changes similarly point to the fact that the procurement of new, bespoke systems is not necessarily the solution to force modernisation and readiness.
This an issue that the Hungarian Government are struggling with as they seek to balance their policy of faster procurement and forming a clearer doctrine for its force structure.
(Source: army-technology.com)

 

17 Mar 24. RoK To ‘Junk’ US SM-2 Missiles; Will Go Indigenous For Next-Gen KDDX Destroyers To Check North.
Amid North Korean missile and drone threats, South Korea is developing an indigenous ship-based air defense system for its upcoming home-built Korean Destroyer Next Generation (KDDX). The missile is also envisaged to replace the US-origin Standard Missile-2 (SM-2) that South Korea uses.
The country’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced signing a $249 million deal with South Korean defense and aerospace major LIG Nex1. Seoul plans to have 90 percent of the missile’s components be indigenous.
However, reports said the new missile is largely an analog of the SM-2.
Home-Built, Mass-Produced System Before North Korean Swarms
This techno-industrial goal can also be inferred to have a tactical reason for retaining the capability to mass manufacture the missile and replenish stocks in the event of a prolonged war with North Korea.
That lesson, too, stems from the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, where both Kyiv and Tel Aviv rapidly deplete their surface-to-air missiles (SAM) to Russia’s Geran-2 drones or Hamas’s cheap rockets.
Ukraine’s US and European-made Patriot PAC-3, Norwegian Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile (NASAMS), IRIST-T, or the SAMP/T have come from America’s, Germany’s, and France’s armories. Ukraine, too, had flagged this issue before NATO, calling for a steady supply of anti-air missiles.
New Missile For New Warship
The KDDX itself is a “locally developed combat system equipped with locally produced guided weapons,” being a “smaller Korean version of the US Aegis destroyer.” The planned “naval surface-to-air missile-II is an innovative weapon system (that is expected) to boast precision guidance and search capabilities,” reported PulseNews.
Graphic illustration of South Korea’s Ship-to-Air Missile-II intercepting a North Korean anti-ship cruise missile and a fighter aircraft. Source: DAPA
“Replacing the US Standard Missile 2 currently in operation, the new surface-to-air missile is dubbed as type II due to its close operational objectives and concept to the SM-2 missile,” the report added.
LIG Nex1’s “extensive expertise in precision-guided weapons” explains its choice as the “prime contractor for the new surface-to-air missile system.” The project’s design and development phase will run “through 2030.”
DAPA “emphasized” that the military’s acquisition of an “upgraded air defense system against North Korean air threats will strengthen the independent capabilities of local defense enterprises in the research and development of precision-guided weapons.”
Missile’s Capabilities
An illustrated graphic of the Ship-to-Air Missile-II (SAM-II) operational concept shows the missile being flung in a ‘cold-launch’ mode from what can only be vertical launch silo (VLS) cells, with the booster falling off. Thus qualifying as a two-stage projectile, the missile is shown intercepting an incoming North Korean missile at a lower altitude while the latter is in a sea-skimming mode.
It also strikes a fighter-bomber, what appears to be a Russian-origin MiG-29.
Overhead satellites are depicted as linked to the missile, implying the SAM-II will receive guidance and course updates from space-based assets.
In December 2023, South Korea launched its first spy satellite on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket from the Vandenberg US Space Force Base in California.
However, reports describe it as a “reconnaissance satellite” meant to “monitor nuclear-armed North Korea,” suggesting it might predominantly have optical systems and not high-bandwidth communication or Position Navigation Timing (PNT) transponders that can guide missiles.
The KDDX will also be equipped with a ballistic missile interception system. This involves adapting and developing the naval version of “L-SAM,” a long-range surface-to-air guided weapon, too “being developed with domestic technology.” “Thus, the KDDX will be equipped with new Korean versions of medium-range and long-range surface-to-air missiles capable of intercepting ballistic missiles,” said NavalNews.
Standard Missile-2 (SM-2)
The Raytheon-developed SM-2, meanwhile, is designed to shoot down aircraft and anti-ship missiles at a range of 167 km. It is also used by the Australian and Japanese navies. In December 2019, the State Department approved the sale of 94 SM-2s to South Korea for $314 million.
South Korea possibly uses the SM-2 Medium Range (MR) Block I (SM-2MR Block I), also known as the RIM-66 Standard MR. This is because the other SM-2 variant is the SM-2 Block IV (RIM-156A), used to intercept ballistic missiles in their terminal phase. This is a completely different category of threat, not the North Korean cruise missiles and jets that the new South Korean missile or the SM-2 are meant to tackle.
Developed in the 1970s, the SM-2MR introduced inertial and command mid-course guidance. The missile’s autopilot is programmed to fly the most efficient path to the target and can receive course corrections from the ground.
Target illumination for semi-active homing is needed only for a few seconds in the terminal phase of the interception. This capability enables the Aegis combat system and the New Threat Upgrade (NTU) equipped vessels to time share illumination radars, greatly increasing the number of targets that can be engaged at one time.
North Korean Missile Tests
On February 15, North Korea tested the Padasuri-6 “surface-to-sea missile.” “Multiple” missiles were fired that “hit their intended targets after flying over the East Sea (or Sea of Japan) for 1,400 seconds.” The missile, seen in an official photo by KCNA, exhibited sufficient sophistication in design and fundamental technical concepts.
North Korea’s Padasuri-6 anti-ship cruise missile during its launch on February 15. Source: KCNA
It showed a disposable booster stage in the tail-end, an underbelly intake, and a small module protruding under the chin. This could possibly come into play during the terminal stage while honing in on a target.
On February 2, it tested another unidentified series of “cruise” and “new land-to-air missiles” off its west coast in a “barrage of launches.” One official photo showed the missile taking off vertically and then hitting a land target on a coast while approaching it horizontally. It is not clear if the launch and target engagement/destruction photos belong to the same missile.
(Source: Google/https://www.eurasiantimes.com/)

 

15 Mar 24. Baykar integrating more weapons on Akinci. The Baykar Bayraktar Akıncı unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is carrying out firing trials with versions of the Roketsan MAM-L and MAM-T guided bombs that can be used against targets concealed by cloud cover, the UAV’s Turkish manufacturer announced on 15 March. Both the MAM-L, which is the standard munition for Baykar’s UAVs, and the MAM-T, a small glide bomb, usually use semi-active laser guidance, but the company said it was testing a MAM-L with a television (TV) seeker and a MAM-T with an imaging infrared (IIR) seeker. Baykar released a video showing two MAM-Ls being loaded on the inner and middle hardpoints on the left wing of an Akıncı at Baykar’s Çorlu facility, while the aircraft’s right wing was shown with two smaller MAM-C guided bombs on its outer hardpoint and a MAM-T on its middle hardpoint. The inner hardpoints on both sides were loaded with general-purpose bombs that appeared to be fitted with glide kits. (Source: Janes)

 

15 Mar 24. New Turkish MiLGEM frigate TCG Istanbul conducts VLS missile tests. The TCG Istanbul is the first of the i/istif-class frigates developed under the MiLGEM programme, with eight vessels of the design now on contract.
Recently commissioned into service with the Turkish Navy, the first of the Istanbul-class guided missile frigates, TCG Istanbul (F-515), has conducted its inaugural missile test firing from its MIDLAS vertical launch system (VLS).
Built by Turkish shipbuilder STM, the TCG Istanbul, having conducted sea acceptance tests, fired the HISAR-D RF missile which also saw put the ship’s ADVENT combat management system, developed by Havelsan, through its paces.
The landmark has been talked-up by Turkish officials as it has seen the firing of a Turkish missile – manufactured by Rocketsan) – from indigenously designed and sourced VLS and CMS systems.
The contract for the construction of the TCG Istanbul – the first ship in the MiLGEM i-class frigate project under Phase 2 of the MiLGEM Ada-class corvette programme – was signed in April 2019 between STM and Türkiye’s Defence Industry Agency (SSB). The vessel was launched in January 2021 and put to sea for the first time in June 2023 for trials.
The Istanbul class, also known as the istif or i-class frigates displace around 2,400 tonnes, around 30% more than the Ada-class corvettes, and slightly longer at 113m, compared to the Ada’s 100m.
According to manufacturer STM, Istanbul-class frigates are able to perform the full spectrum of naval combat operations, with anti-submarine, anti-surface, and anti-air warfare capabilities.
Indigenisation of defence equipment has been a key focus for the Istif-class, with TCG Istanbul featuring, as well as its VLS, CMS, and missile systems, Turkish-origin Cenk-S AESA radar and Gökdeniz Close-In Air Weapon System (CWIS) from Aselsan.
However, some marine equipment is being sourced from overseas suppliers, with General Electric Marine signing a deal in 2023 to supply its LM2500 gas turbines to be fitted into later vessels in the istif class.
A ceremony was held for the first sheet metal cutting of the three additional i-class frigates (TCG Izmir, TCG Icel, and TCG Izmit) took place in April 2023, in the presence of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
The intention is to complete the construction of the three frigates within 36 months and to deliver them to the Turkish Navy, states STM, with the vessel’s to be built concurrently.
Türkiye’s MiLGEM frigate fleet renewal programme
Türkiye’s MiLGEM programme is overseeing the development of a series of surface warships classes for the Turkish Navy, with a contract signed in April 2023 for a further three i-class frigates to the same design of TCG Istanbul.
In January 2024, the Defence Industry Executive Committee (SSİK), decided to extend the MiLGEM project with the construction of four further i-class frigates (numbered 9–12), increasing the number to be built in programme to eight vessels.
Türkiye is also building a series of Ada-class corvettes for Pakistan, in a deal dating from 2018 at the early stages of the MiLGEM programme.
(Source: naval-technology.com)

 

15 Mar 24. ALTIUS-700M Hits All Targets in Successful Test of Largest Loitering Munition on the Market.
ALTIUS-700M brings unmatched payload capacity to the loitering munitions market, combining multi-domain launch, proven collaborative autonomy, and category-leading range with a larger, penetrating warhead to kill or disable armored targets and infrastructure. In September, Anduril Industries executed the first end-to-end live fire test for ALTIUS-700M at Dugway Proving Grounds, Utah, and demonstrated flawless system performance with direct hits across six missions.
The September event in Utah was the first opportunity for Anduril engineers to test the ALTIUS-700M with a live warhead. Following previous trials of subsystems and inert system testing, the system was integrated and fully-tested for the first time from launch to successful delivery of effects on target. Alongside Department of Defense partners, the ALTIUS-700M team successfully completed all test objectives and proved that the system was accurate and effective against the chosen target set.
About 700M
ALTIUS is a family of modular, highly-configurable, and multi-platform launched effects designed for expeditionary deployment by air, ground, or maritime forces for a variety of missions. ALTIUS can be configured to perform intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and targeting (ISR&T); communications relay; cyber warfare; or kinetic strike. With industry-leading loitering time, extended range, and modular and open hardware and software architectures, ALTIUS is a comprehensive family of launched effects designed to collaborate to enable simultaneous mission execution to achieve complex mission objectives. ALTIUS has demonstrated its category-leading performance across deployments ranging from hurricane data collection to the battlefields of Ukraine, as well as through a series of test events, demonstrations, and exercises.
ALTIUS-700M brings category-leading payload capacity to the loitering munitions market. With a munition payload capacity of up to 33 pounds – comparable to an AGM-114 Hellfire missile – 700M delivers highly-precise, devastating strikes on large and armored targets, including tanks, vehicles, vessels, and infrastructure. With significant payload mass, high terminal velocity, and optional delayed fuze payload configurations, 700M can easily penetrate target walls to deliver maximum effect on armored targets. ALTIUS-700M offers up to 100 miles of range and 75 minutes of flight time, providing warfighters with longer standoff distance and increased loitering time on-station to locate targets and deliver kinetic effects.
ALTIUS-700M builds on the success of the broader ALTIUS family of systems. ALTIUS-M (600M and 700m) leverage a mature common software baseline and open system architecture to integrate with a range of payloads and mission software suites. By combining advanced autonomy capabilities with a simplified user interface, a single operator is able to control multiple ALTIUS simultaneously, with each asset tasked with a unique mission based on its individual payload capability. 700M ensures that the operator maintains decisive control over tasking and terminal execution, delivering devastating effects at extreme ranges without the constraints of laser target designation or the repercussions of fire and forget.
Anduril has invested more than $60M into a new 180,000 square foot production facility in Atlanta, Georgia to scale manufacturing of ALTIUS. Anduril has already designed, manufactured, and delivered hundreds of ALTIUS variants to U.S. Government customers over the past six years.
With unmatched payload capacity, best-in-class range, and advanced autonomy to execute coordinated strikes, ALTIUS-700M is the most lethal tactical loitering munition available today.
(Source: ASD Network)

 

14 Mar 24.  US Army Wants $120m for LASSO Kamikaze Drones in Fiscal 2025.

The US Army is asking lawmakers for $120.6m to procure Low Altitude Stalking and Strike Ordnance (LASSO) production systems in fiscal 2025 as the U.S. military moves to beef up its arsenal of loitering munitions.

LASSO is a new-start program for fiscal 2025 that’s part of the service’s vision for a family of low-altitude UAS that are “semi-autonomous (human-in-the-loop) unmanned aerial systems that improves the Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) lethality in terms of stand-off and destruction against dismounted formations, armored vehicles, and tanks,” according to newly released budget justification documents.

The goal of the project is to make infantry brigades as lethal as armored brigades, according to the Army.

Unlike traditional munitions, loitering munitions — also known as kamikaze drones or one-way attack UAS — can fly around until they identify a target. And unlike armed unmanned aerial systems that launch missiles, kamikaze drones destroy their target by crashing into it. They can be armed with a warhead to enhance their potency.

The Army describes the LASSO capability as a lightweight, man-portable weapon that can operate day or night. It includes all-up rounds with a launch-and-delivery system and payload.

It also comes with a fire control system that consists of the fire control unit, ground data link and terminal, and other ancillary equipment.

“LASSO can range less than or equal to 20km (straight line with auxiliary antenna) with a flight endurance that enables the Soldier to make multiple orbits within the IBCT typically assigned battlespace, to acquire and attack targets within and beyond current crew served and small arms fire. The range/endurance enables the unit to utilize reach back capability and maximize standoff … from enemy fires, significantly reducing risk to the Soldier,” according to budget justification documents.

“Unlike existing direct and indirect fire weapon systems, LASSO’s discreet payload and unique capability delivers Soldiers the ability to abort against targets in a dynamic situation (e.g., use of human shields) or prosecute targets that would have been deemed non-viable in past due to the higher collateral damage associated with alternative munitions,” officials wrote. “The LASSO base capability will be optimized to defeat tanks rapidly and precisely for IBCTs. Follow on increments will support future capabilities for company and below echelons. Future increments will focus on additional range increases, enhanced lethality, and advanced payload options (personnel, hard sites, etc.).”

The $121m that the Army is requesting would support the procurement of 54 fire control units, 434 all-up rounds and 144 reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition components.

The Army has picked AeroVironment’s Switchblade 600 for the first increment of LASSO. However, the service doesn’t intend for it to be a winner-take-all program for industry.

“We’re gonna have multiple variants and we’re gonna have competition. So, to meet the urgent need, we’ve gone sole source to a limited number of SB 600, which is a very good system. But there’s a lot of companies in this space with a lot of good tech. So, we want to have really continuous competition because different companies have things that fit different parts of the mission space better … This is one where I think it’d be unwise to pick one at the start and just say, ‘Nope, this is it. Nobody else gets anything. This one company is it.’ There’s too much competition in this space. We want to leverage that innovation,”

Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology Doug Bush said in an interview with DefenseScoop at the Reagan National Defense Forum in December.

For loitering munitions with modular payloads, the Army would like to retain some flexibility on what those payloads are, based on the service’s needs, Bush said last week during a meeting with reporters to preview the fiscal 2025 budget request.

“We might be heavy one year in [intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance] and heavy the next year on strike,” he said.

The newly released budget justification documents did not include any additional funding for LASSO beyond fiscal 2025. (Source: UAS VISION/Defense Scoop)

 

13 Mar 24. IRIS-T SLM in process of entering IBCS network.

The arrangement will help to strengthen Europe’s defence market attractiveness as the IRIS-T SLM customer base continues to grow on the continent. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the German missile manufacturer, Diehl Defence, and the US prime, Northrop Grumman, to explore the possibility of bringing the IRIS-T SLM ground-based air defence system into the Integrated Battle Command System (IBCS) network.

This has prompted a study to validate the common applications of the medium-range missile defence system with the multi-domain, sensor-effector network. In the case of a susccessful evaluation, the German Armed Forces will employ the integrated network, and possibly other European nations too.

IBCS was initially designed for the US Army as it connected various sensors and effectors that were never designed to work together into one command and control (C2) ‘system of systems’ platform where data is shared across the network.

This C2 platform enables the efficient and affordable integration of current and future systems, including assets deployed over IP-enabled networks, counter-uncrewed aerial systems (C-UAS), 4th and 5th generation aircraft, space-based sensors and more. It senses, identifies, tracks and defeats evolving air and missile threats, enabling multi-domain operations.

Buying European

The insertion of a German air defence system into the mix will support European efforts to indigenise EU defence industry systems. Longer term objectives were recently put forward to help boost Europe’s defence market attractiveness, with the aim of prompting Member States to spend 60% of their defence procurement budgets on European systems by 2035.

This longer-term approach to EU defence collaboration comes after a realisation that European militaries have become heavily reliant on US defence technology in recent years.

Poland alone is currently in the process of building a substantial American defence portfolio. According to GlobalData intelligence, the Central European nation is currently in the process of acquiring MIM-104F Patriot systems, F-35A Lightning II fighters, M142 HIMARS, M1A2 Abrams SEPv3 main battle tanks, AH-64E Apache attack helicopters, MQ-9 Reaper UAS, among others.

The Diehl-Northrop partnership comes just as the IRIS-T SLM has gained a growing customer base across the European continent. At the end of April 2023, the German Bundeswehr gave the system to Ukraine; the second of four systems to be donated to the country amid a costly war of attrition.

Likewise, Estonia and Latvia followed suit, with the two Baltic nations entering negotiations with Diehl Defence to jointly procure the system.

The IRIS-T SLM launcher unit is based on a MAN 8×8 truck with eight missile container launchers mounted at the rear. The arrangement of the missile container launchers consist of two banks of four missiles.

The system provides 360-degree protection against aircraft, helicopters, cruise missiles, and guided weapons. This mobility increases responsiveness – a necessary capability when facing advanced threats as Ukraine had with Russia’s supposedly ‘hypersonic’ missile last year.

It enables simultaneous engagement of multiple targets. It operates at short to medium-ranges (distances of 40km) within extremely brief reaction times (reaching Mach 3). (Source: army-technology.com)

 

12 Mar 24. USMC budget would add range, lethality to Force Design tools. The U.S. Marine Corps plans to upgrade systems it already fielded during its Force Design modernization effort, with its fiscal 2025 budget request looking to boost sensing and striking capabilities.

The FY25 request includes $4.2bn for Marine Corps ground procurement — up slightly from the $4.0bn request in FY24 — as well as $3bn more for research and development across its portfolio.

Among these efforts is the move from the NMESIS — the Navy/Marine Corps Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System that transforms an unmanned Joint Light Tactical Vehicle into a remote anti-ship missile launcher — to a Long Range Fires program with even greater range.

The Corps’ original NMESIS system uses the Naval Strike Missile, with an advertised range of greater than 100 nautical miles. Service leaders have said they’d like to see that range increase tenfold — which the Corps would realize with the addition of the Long Range Fires program.

Budget documents show a pause in NMESIS procurement, with zero units included in the FY25 request, after 24 in FY24 and 97 in FY23.

A new Long Range Fires program picks up where NMESIS leaves off in the budget, with the Corps asking for eight units in FY25 and 46 across the next five years.

Marine Corps spokesman Maj. Kevin Stephensen told Defense News these two are separate but complementary ground launcher programs.

“NMESIS is based on the Naval Strike Missile and provides a small, highly deployable missile launcher. This system is being fielded to the Marine Littoral Regiments as part of Force Design and will be the primary ground launched anti-ship capability in the Marine Corps,” he said, noting the procurement in FY23 and 24 completed the Marines’ needed initial capability.

Budget documents show that, while the Corps is done buying its initial tranche of launchers, it asks for money for 90 Naval Strike Missiles to boost the inventory as it stands up additional batteries.

Looking ahead on NMESIS, Stephensen said that the Corps is testing additional capabilities in FY25 that will be incorporated into a new production baseline that will begin in FY26.

The Long Range Fires program, on the other hand, “is based on the larger Tomahawk missile and provides a longer range but less deployable and mobile system that is being fielded to the 11th Marine Regiment in Camp Pendleton,” Stephensen said.

Whereas the NMESIS will hop around theater with highly mobile small units, the larger and heavier Long Range Fires “will deploy as requested by the Combatant Commander in support of long range strike missions,” Stephensen said.

Indeed, the Corps asked for 22 Block V Tactical Tomahawk missiles in the request. Long Range Fires “will support land and future maritime strike requirements and addresses capability gaps defined in the Joint Requirements Oversight Council,” according to the budget documents.

Elsewhere in the ground procurement budget, the Corps asks for funding for its Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar. The service purchased its last radar in FY23 but continues to make improvements to the sensor that’s at the heart of its Marine Littoral Regiment formation.

Stephensen said the money would cover upgrades such as retrofitting the first three systems built during low-rate initial production from the initial gallium arsenide semiconductor to the newer gallium nitride, more resilient communications to meet Pentagon-mandated GPS M-Code and Crypto modernization requirements, kits to upgrade four radars with an extended range mode and continued software development to integrate items including Naval Integrated Fire Control and Non-Cooperative Target Recognition.

Budget documents show this G/ATOR upgrade effort will cost $51.3m and is meant to “provide unprecedented reach, volume, and precision in the execution of Operational Maneuver from the Sea, allowing naval forces to project and sustain power deep inland,” according to the documents.

The Corps’ procurement budget also asks for $810.3m to buy 80 Amphibious Combat Vehicle 30mm variants — which adds a cannon atop the vehicle, compared to the personnel transport variant the Marines first bought — $340.5m for 674 Joint Light Tactical Vehicles and 340 companion trailers, and $180m for Marine Air Defense Integrated System Increment 1 systems that deploy atop the JLTV.

The research and development budget request includes $60.2 m for the ACV program to complete prime contractor test support for the ACV-30 variant, and to continue design work and build three production readiness test vehicles for the ACV recovery variant.

Within the Navy’s aviation procurement account, the Corps requests funding for 19 of its CH-53K King Stallion heavy lift helicopters, which would kick off a two-year block buy for the helos themselves and a five-year multiyear procurement contract for the engines. (Source: C4ISR & Networks)

 

11 Mar 24. US Army scraps Extended Range Cannon Artillery prototype effort. The ERCA system uses a service-developed, 58-caliber gun tube mounted on the chassis of a BAE Systems-made Paladin Integrated Management howitzer. (Ana Henderson/U.S. Army)

The U.S. Army is changing its approach to acquiring a long-range artillery capability and scrapping its 58-caliber Extended Range Cannon Artillery prototyping effort, according to the service’s acquisition chief.

“We concluded the prototyping activity last fall,” Doug Bush told reporters at a March 8 briefing on the fiscal 2025 budget request. “Unfortunately, [it was] not successful enough to go straight into production.”

The new plan — following an “exhaustive” tactical fires study meant to revalidate elements of the extended-range cannon requirement led by Army Futures Command — is to evaluate existing options from industry this summer “to get a sense of the maturity of those systems.”

Of the 24 new Army systems slated to make it into the hands of soldiers by the end of 2023, only the Extended Range Cannon Artillery program missed that goal. The ERCA system uses a service-developed, 58-caliber gun tube mounted on the chassis of a BAE Systems-made Paladin Integrated Management howitzer.

The Army was building 20 prototypes of the ERCA system: two for destructive testing and the remaining 18 for a battalion.

The operational evaluation of ERCA revealed “engineering challenges,” Bush said a year ago. Observations in early testing of prototypes showed excessive wear on the gun tube after firing a relatively low number of rounds.

Army Futures Command leader Gen. James Rainey told Defense News last summer the service was working on a new conventional fires strategy expected by the end of the calendar year. The strategy would determine both capability and capacity of what exists and what the Army may need, Rainey said.

The strategy considered new technology to enhance conventional fires on the battlefield, such as advances in propellant that make it possible for midrange cannons to shoot as far as longer-range systems.

Depending on the artillery strategy’s conclusions, there are a variety of options the service could consider in order to fulfill the Army’s requirement for an extended-range cannon, Bush said.

The Army was able to conduct a variety of successful tests with ERCA prototypes, including hitting a target on the nose 70 kilometers (43 miles) away at Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona, in December 2020 using an Excalibur extended-range guided artillery shell.

The problems with the cannon were mostly related to the length of the gun tube and its ability to withstand a large number of projectiles without excessive wear to the gun tube.

The Army is racing to extend artillery ranges on the battlefield to take away advantages of high-end adversaries like Russia and China. The ERCA weapon was intended to be able to fire at and destroy targets from a position out of the range of enemy systems.

That requirement remains, Bush stressed last week.

The hope now is to find systems that currently exist and are capable. The Army would then choose one for production if it proves promising, Bush said.

“There [are] things people say, and then we need to actually do testing to make sure it’s true,” he explained.

“It’s a shift from developing something new to working with what is available both domestically and internationally to get the range,” he added, “because the fires study validated the range and volume are still needed, so we want to find a different way to get there.”

The Army is asking for $55 m in its FY25 budget to pursue the new effort to find an extended-range cannon capability.

The service also plans to continue developing new munitions it was already working on as part of the ERCA program, Bush noted.

(Source: Defense News)

 

14 Mar 24. Indian Navy launches two ASW craft for ISR against littoral threats. India’s anti-submarine warfare shallow craft are the fifth and sixth vessels to be launched while Pakistan pursues new submarines from China.

The Indian Navy launched ‘Agray’ and ‘Akshay’, the fifth and sixth ships within its anti-submarine warfare (ASW) shallow water craft fleet on 13 March 2024.

These two ships have been re-christened as Agray and Akshay, named after the former Abhay-class corvettes Agray and Akshay of Indian Navy.

The Arnala-class will replace the in-service Abhay-class ASW corvettes of Indian Navy and are also designed to undertake anti-submarine operations in coastal waters, low intensity maritime operations, and mine-laying operations.

for building eight ASW ships was signed between the Indian Ministry of Defence and Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), based in Kolkata on 29 April 2019 in a deal worth $1.9bn.

The ASW craft ships are 77.6 metres (m) long and 105m wide with a displacement of 900 tonnes and endurance of over 1800 nautical miles.

In December 2023, the Navy began laying the keels for two ASW craft with Cochin Shipyard, the largest Indian shipbuilding company. The construction of the new fleet forms a part of the government’s ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ (Make in India) initiative.

ASW craft will perform sub-surface surveillance along coastal waters, co-ordinated ASW operations with aircraft, and destroy sub-surface targets in inland waters.

These warships will also perform search and rescue operations during both day and night in coastal areas, defend intruding aircraft, and lay mines on the sea bed.

The vessels can sprint fast for short bursts for maintaining contact with a detected submarine. It will also have the capability of sharing information of enemy submarine with friendly anti-submarine warships and aircraft through sophisticated data link networks.

India’s nuclear-wielding neighbour, Pakistan, is currently acquiring two Type-039A diesel-electric submarines from China. GlobalData projects both Yuan-class boats are due to be worth $897m and $833m respectively over the next decade.

Moreover, these new submarines will employ air-independent propulsion methods, which allows a non-nuclear submarine to operate beneath the surface without access to atmospheric oxygen – a major augmentation to conventional attack submarines.

Currently, Pakistan operates three Agosta-90B class diesel-electric submarines, acquired between 1999 and 2008, as well as two Agosta-70 class boats, procured between 1979 and 1980. (Source: naval-technology.com)

 

12 Mar 24. USAF budget backs Raytheon hypersonic, no Lockheed missile funds. The U.S. Air Force’s proposed fiscal 2025 budget requests $517m to keep developing its Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile — but the AGM-183A Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon’s future is looking dim.

The service’s FY25 budget, released Monday, includes no procurement nor research and development funding for Lockheed Martin’s ARRW. The service has one final all-up round test planned for the weapon soon and will wrap up its rapid prototyping program this year.

HACM and ARRW are the Air Force’s two main programs to develop hypersonic capabilities that can fly at speeds greater than Mach 5 and be highly maneuverable, making them hard for enemies to track and shoot down. Both are air-launched, and the service said in budget documents the programs are complementary. HACM is an air-breathing missile, and ARRW is a boost-glide hypersonic weapon.

China and Russia have focused heavily on developing hypersonic capabilities. Some lawmakers have criticized the Pentagon’s progress on fielding the United States’ own hypersonic weapons, and warned the country is falling behind.

Andrew Hunter, the Air Force’s assistant secretary for acquisition, technology and logistics, told reporters at the McAleese & Associates conference on March 7 that the results of ARRW’s final test will help the Air Force determine the program’s maturity and identify the mix of hypersonic capabilities it will need.

“The Air Force remains committed to fully analyzing and understanding all test data gathered while conducting the ARRW rapid prototyping test series,” the service said in an email. “This data will inform subsequent development and fielding decisions with ARRW.”

In a statement to Defense News, Lockheed Martin expressed pride in its work on ARRW.

“Lockheed Martin has exceeded requirements on the ARRW program, achieving a mature, fully-qualified weapon system and an established production line,” the company said. “The exceptional work accomplished by this government-contractor team will provide synergies to follow-on opportunities. Lockheed Martin will continue to apply our expertise to deliver tactical and operational assets to ensure revolutionary hypersonic-strike capabilities can be rapidly deployed to the U.S. military.”

Lt. Gen. Dale White, military deputy for Hunter’s office, told lawmakers Tuesday that ARRW has been “a categorical success to date,” and said a final decision on the program will be based on an analysis of its final flight test.

ARRW’s future has been in doubt since a March 2023 test failed. Shortly after, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall told lawmakers the program had “struggled” in testing. Kendall also said in that hearing the service was more committed to HACM, which he said had been “reasonably successful” and would be compatible with more of the service’s aircraft.

The day after Kendall testified to Congress, Hunter, the Air Force’s assistant secretary for acquisition, technology and logistics, told lawmakers the service didn’t plan to pursue follow-on procurement of ARRW after its prototyping concluded.

Budget documents released Monday said HACM would be able to carry out “vastly different trajectories” than a boost-glide missile such as ARRW, and its additional complexity would make it more of a threat against adversaries. HACM is also smaller than ARRW, which makes it easier to mount on more aircraft, the documents said.

The Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon’s total cost will be $1.7bn.

The Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile’s $517m in research, development test and evaluation funds would be a considerable increase from fiscal 2023, when it received $387m in R&D funding, and fiscal 2024, in which the Air Force requested $382m for the program.

The Air Force also expects to spend almost $449m on HACM in fiscal 2026, and a little more than $200m on the program in the following two years. In all, the Air Force so far expects to spend more than $2.4bn on HACM.

The Air Force in 2022 awarded Raytheon, a subsidiary of the company now called RTX, and Northrop Grumman a contract to develop HACM, which grew out of a program dubbed Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept, which the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency managed.

Hunter said at the McAleese conference that while HACM is still a so-called middle tier of acquisition program meant to rapidly develop prototypes, he has stressed to industry that the Air Force intends to field such capabilities one day — and industry should act like the government is working on a production program.

“[T]he goal is to develop a fielded capability that we will move into production on the most rapid time frame that we can reasonably and prudently carry out and execute,” Hunter said.

He later told reporters there are now no testing dates set for HACM.

The Army and Navy are also expecting delays to their joint hypersonic program, as testing has fallen behind schedule. The Army calls its ground-launched missile the Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon, and the Navy calls its sea-launched version Conventional Prompt Strike. The two services had planned to buy hypersonic missiles in 2025, but those moves are now on hold to allow testing to catch up. (Source: Defense News)

 

12 Mar 24. British Army to begin ramping down SA80 rifle. British Army to retain SA80 battle rifle for years to come as industry engagement for replacement under Project Grayburn to begin in late-2024.

The British Army is beginning to ‘ramp down’ production of its existing assault rifle, the SA80, designated L85A3, ahead of the induction of its replacement system under Project Grayburn.

First introduced into the service in 1985, and manufactured by the German firearms supplier, Heckler & Koch, the SA80 5.56-millimetre, gas-operated rifle has undergone three iteration developments: from A1 to A2 in 2002, while the latest A3 configuration was first issued in 2018.

A2 was fitted with a heavier and longer barrel for achieving greater muzzle velocity than the original A1 rifle base model.

Later, the A3 version minimised its visual and infrared spectrums; it is more scratch-resistant; and it came with a new handguard that supports the upper receiver while improving the precision and accuracy of the weapon system.

It has been used by UK forces in recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as more distant conflicts such as the First Gulf War and the unrest in Bosnia as part of United Nations peacekeeping operations, the SA80 suffered through significant jamming and operational failures when employed in adverse environmental conditions, prior to the introduction of the more recent variants.

In January 2022 a Parliamentary written response revealed that the UK had a total inventory of 134,912 SA80A2 variants and 17,900 SA80A3 variants, held across defence.

Project Grayburn

This time last year, British Army officials told Army Technology that Project Grayburn, which was at the time still undergoing its concept phase, was due to to replace the SA80 some time in 2025, with a “modular” system potentially an option.

Since then it has been confirmed that the future weapon system will have operational commonality and it was further revealed that the British Army will approach industry partners toward the end of 2024, kick-starting the Grayburn replacement programme.

Defence Equipment & Support – the UK’s defence procurement branch, responsible for managing acquisition and the through-life support of systems – laid out its current focus on procuring 170,000 units that can be integrated across the Armed Forces. (Source: army-technology.com)

 

13 Mar 24. India’s nuclear weapon development could start regional arms race. The country’s DRDO has carried out the first flight of an Agni-5 ballistic missile equipped with multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles, all of which could be nuclear-tipped. The flight test by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) of the country’s Agni-5 ship-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), fitted with multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicle (MIRV) technology, could ignite a regional nuclear arms race, analysts state.

Announcing the first flight of a MIRV-equipped Agni-5 SLBM on 11 March, Indian authorities hailed the technological milestone, with India joining the US, UK, France, Russia, and China as countries able to launch MIRV-equipped ballistic missiles. When fitted with MIRVs, a ballistic missile’s potential destructive capacity is enhanced significantly, with each independent re-entry able to be equipped with a nuclear warhead.

Alternatively, non-nuclear tipped MIRVs could act as decoys in an attempt to confuse or saturate enemy air defences, enabling MIRVs that have nuclear warheads to get through to target.

The Agni-5 ballistic missile has a range in excess of 5,000km, and potentially beyond 7,000km according to some estimates.

Tushar Mangure, defence analyst at GlobalData, said that, following the Agni-5 test, the next steps will see India likely deploying MIRV technology in its K-5 and K-6 SLBMs onboard the Arihant-class and the upcoming S5-class ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) of the Indian Navy, which will enhance the country’s sea-based deterrence.

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“This is particularly relevant for India, as it is trying to counter potential aggression from a stronger regional rival, China,” Mangure said.

Development could drive regional arms race

According to GlobalData’s Global Missiles & Missile Defense Systems Market Forecast 2023-2033 report, the global cumulative spending on strategic land-attack missiles is estimated to be about $71.2bn between 2023 and 2033, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 6.5%.

India is expected to account for 15% of this expenditure owing to the aggressive modernisation of ballistic missile inventory and the induction of new SSBNs in its fleet.

“With four Arihant-class and three S5-class SSBNs, India is anticipated to deploy around 60 to 72 SLBMs with MIRVs by the next decade. The Agni Prime, Agni-4, Agni-5, and Agni-6 missiles will constitute most of the land-based strategic missile arsenal.

“These next-gen missiles feature enhanced guidance systems, better propellants, lightweight materials, and canisterization for faster deployment. They are anticipated to replace the in-service ballistic missiles, including the Prithvi, Agni-1, and Agni-2,” Mangure stated.

However, Mangure said that the development of such a capability for India could lead to an increasing of tensions in the region as neighbouring countries seek to match or exceed New Delhi’s technological step forward.

“The deployment of missiles like Agni-5 will certainly improve India’s deterrence but may also lead to a regional nuclear arms race, putting over three bn people under the threat of potential nuclear fallout.”

(Source: army-technology.com)

 

12 Mar 24. AUKUS army chiefs: distributed long-range fires have role in littoral warfare.

Pillar 2 of the AUKUS pact between the UK, Australia, and the US offers more immediate benefits to the three countries, through technology development and information sharing.

Land-based long-range rockets and artillery systems, commonly referred to as ‘fires’, are among the most critical capabilities being developed for the armies of the UK, US, and Australia, enabling not just ground-effect but also into the littorals as well.

This was among the key talking points during a panel discussion hosted by the US-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), which hosted the service chiefs of the Australian Army, the British Army, and the US Army, in an on-the-record discussion on 11 March, 2024 at its Washington site.

All three land services are exploring how to harness the intended benefits of the AUKUS agreement, a trilateral defence pact between the UK, US, and Australia to manage threats around the world first announced in September 2021. Under Pillar 2 of the pact, the three countries armies will explore areas of cooperation in critical technologies development.

While the more well-known Pillar 1, which will see Australia initially lease and then acquire nuclear-powered submarines from the US and UK, has garnered more headlines, the delivery timelines are such as the near-term benefits of AUKUS to the three countries is in Pillar 2. In 2023 the UK, US, and Australia signed a statement of intent identifying areas of cooperation in the months and years ahead.

One key area readily identified by the service chiefs speaking at the CSIS event was in the ability of distributed land forces, operating close to the shoreline, to utilise long-range fires to contribute to the wider anti access, area denial (A2AD) zones created as part of integrated forces operations.

Such capabilities would see land forces able to play a significant role in mainly maritime areas of operation, including in the Asia-Pacific.

Land forces have role to play in the littorals

Lieutenant General Simon Stuart, Chief of the Australian Army, said that the country’s land domain transformation was about “long-range precision fires” and to ensure the ability to maneouvre in the littoral environments.

Following a 2023 assessment of defence strategy, the Australian Army had been “directed to assist” with operations in the littorals, Stuart stated.

General Randy A George, Chief of Staff of the US Army, pointed to the development of the Precision Strike Munition, also known as PrSM, as a capability that would enable land forces to strike well into the maritime domain.

In early March, PrSM manufacturer Lockheed Martin was awarded a further $219m contract from the US Army to ramp up production of the missiles and follows the delivery of the first batch in December 2023.

The PrSM capability is designed to strike targets at ranges of up to 400km and is compatible with existing launch platforms currently in service such as the HIMARS and Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS).

Lockheed Martin also claimed in March to have “doubled” the range of the existing Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) through the new Extended Range munition during test firing at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. This would provide a long-range fires capability of around 150km.

“You are not going to win a war from the seas, certainly not from the air,” said George, talking up the importance of the land domain fight, adding that long range fires, in whatever environment, was going to make “a difference”.

Continuing, George stated the ability of land forces to operate “in a distributed” format, which could see a number of long-range fires platforms spread out of a wide area, would make locating and neutralising such a capability extremely difficult.

To this end, a number of long-range fires platforms could have an impact greater than their acquisition costs, able to target enemy surface warships at distance entering the littoral A2AD zone. (Source: army-technology.com)

 

13 Mar 24. MBDA stockpiles 80 tonnes of ‘nuanced’ iron amid supply chain tension. MBDA has made an almost 20-fold increased in its stockpiles of special irons to prepare against supply chain lead time increases.

MBDA has increased its stockpiles of ‘nuanced’ irons to 80 tonnes, almost 20 times its regular stock of the material, said CEO Éric Béranger on 13 March at the MBDA annual press conference, in response to high tension in the company’s supply chains.

The move to stockpe by MBDA is to offset against a future of extended lead times, and is an extension of activity begun during the coronavirus pandemic.

“Not only have we not stopped what we started during Covid, but we have accelerated and increased it,” said Béranger.

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The production of missiles at MBDA involves the use of specific types of iron with special properties that are difficult to acquire. Béranger says are generally held at the company in quantities approaching 4 or 5 tonnes, and the decision to acquire 80 tonnes of the material represents the companies emphasis on stockpiling against future disruptions.

Béranger also said that MBDA have already stockpiled sufficient titanium for the production of ‘several thousand’ missiles, and are stockpiling electronic components based on their own analysis of where shortages may affect lead times.

“On supply chain – ‘touching wood’ – we don’t have any shortage today. There is a high tension in the supply chain, and we can see lead times extending. And this is the reason why we are carefully analysing, domain by domain, supply by supply, the situation of suppliers. And when we sense a risk that certain components or certain raw materials may become longer to acquire, then we make stocks in order to have buffers. So this is what we are doing,” said Béranger.

MBDA had a strong year in 2023, outdoing what was thought to be an exceptional performance in 2022. Deliveries and new orders both went up by approximately 10% in 2023 compared with the previous year, taking on €9.9bn ($10.8bn) of orders, and delivering on €4.5bn of contracts. In total, 70% of new orders were for air defence systems.

Of exports outside of the MBDA nations of the France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK, 76% of orders were to other European nations, reflecting the acceleration in defence spend that has been reported across the region.

Supply chain disruptions have been a major consideration for industry in recent years, with complications arising through the shut-down of activity during the coronavirus pandemic, the blocking of the Suez Canal, and the end of trading relationships with companies in Russia.

Stockpiling is an acute approach to overcoming supply chain disruption, with benefits companies against short term crises.

Longer term solutions that have become popular often centre on shortening supply chains, and either ‘near-shoring’ or ‘friend-shoring‘ supply to nations that are closer to the manufacturing country, or strategically aligned to it.

‘Re-shoring’ supply, by bringing outsourced activity back within national boundaries has also seen popularity in the wake of the covid pandemic disruptions. (Source: army-technology.com)

 

11 Mar 24. Bell Textron Inc., a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company, announced today the Grand Opening of its Weapon System’s Integration Lab (WSIL) in Arlington, TX. The state-of-the-art facility will aid in in the safe, rapid, and efficient integration and test of a next generation fly-by-wire tiltrotor and mission systems using a modular open systems approach (MOSA) for the United States Army’s Future Long- Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA).

As part of our commitment to deliver the U.S. Army’s FLRAA capability to our nation’s warfighters, Bell is pleased to announce the opening of its latest systems integration lab,” said Ryan Ehinger, Bell’s Senior Vice President and Program Director, FLRAA program. “This dedicated SIL supports the application, verification and validation of Bell’s innovative digital engineering approach and open architecture, playing a critical role in delivering outstanding operational performance and versatility to the U.S. Army.”

“We are grateful for our partnership with Bell, who has made Arlington the home of its Flight Research Center for nearly six decades now. The Arlington Economic Development Corporation’s recent strategic investment shows our city’s continued commitment to supporting innovation right here in our backyard,” Mayor Jim Ross said.

In 2021, Bell began construction of a new 47,000 sq. ft. facility to house future development programs at its Flight Research Facility in Arlington, TX. The FLRAA WSIL is Bell’s fifth generation System Integration Lab located at its Flight Research Center.  This latest SIL facility supports end-to-end integration of our fly-by-wire systems with state-of-the-art Avionics, Electrical, Hydraulic, Flight Controls, and Mission and Sensor Systems for multiple current and future programs, manned and unmanned.

Bell and the City of Arlington have a history spanning over 55 years. Beginning in 1967, the City of Arlington has played a major role in supporting the innovation of flight-testing for new programs at Bell’s Flight Research Center.

 

11 Mar 24. Archer delays? The UK MoD issued an RFI for Archer support via the defence portal a couple of weeks ago. They stated IOC is (now) planned to be October 2024, and FOC Dec 2024.  This is a slip of 8 months from the ‘fully operational’ April 2024 date published at Contract Award as show below.

The British Army will receive modern artillery platforms to replace those supplied to Ukraine, as part of an agreement struck with Sweden.

The British Army will receive modern artillery platforms to replace those supplied to Ukraine, as part of an agreement struck with Sweden.

The first 14 Archer artillery systems will be owned by the British Army in March 2023 and be fully operational by next April, forming an interim replacement for the 32 AS90 artillery systems the UK gifted to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Designed and built by BAE Systems Bofors in Sweden, Archer has double the maximum range of AS90, greater operational mobility, greater availability and reduced time into action. Operated by 3-4 crew, it has a lower requirement for personnel than the AS90’s five, and benefits from a higher top speed of 70 kph compared to the current 53 kph.

Archer fires further and faster than any artillery system previously in service with the British Army.

LT GEN SHARON NESMITH, DEPUTY CHIEF OF THE GENERAL STAFF

Archer 6 x 6 boasts a fully automated, self-propelled 155mm howitzer gun designed for rapid deployment, with a firing range of 50km using extended range ammunition – a doubling of the AS90’s 25km range. This is an equivalent upgrade as firing from central London to the M25 and now being able to reach Sandhurst in Berkshire.

Loading and firing of Archer is handled from inside the armoured cabin, with the unit able to be deployed into action in just 20 seconds and is ready to move after firing in the same amount of time.

Archer can fire a number of types of 155mm artillery ammunition, including extended range and precision anti-armour shells. It can also fire eight rounds a minute and four rounds in a simultaneous impact-mode, meaning several shells are fired in succession with different trajectories so they hit the same target at the same time.

What has caused the slippage?

• Was the non-competitive procurement decision flawed, being driven by the alleged ability to achieve the April date?  BATTLESPACE understands that the original intention was to Lease not Buy the systems.
• Does rapid procurement necessarily equal rapid in-service and thereby this performance underpins the old maxim ‘act in haste and repent at leisure’.
• Given the same people are involved, will the same optimism bias drive MFP procurement decisions?
• Has the different in ammunition types delayed IOC due to requirements to ramp up production in country?
• Has the decision by Sweden to drop the 6×6 Volvo chassis and change to an MAN 8×8 chassis caused issues? Also Norway has pulled out of its 6×6 Archer purchase
• Could a solution be to migrate the exiting x6 systems to a MAN 8×8 chassis and thus make the vehicles common with the truck fleet and make them easier to support?

BATTLESPACE Reader Comment: I am a distant observer of events and as such I am missing a lot of the nuances of the programme.  However from my distance this looks like another example of UK / British army exceptionalism, that leads to weird and wonderful conclusions.  It follows in line with many examples including LE TacSIS, 40mm CTWS and Challenger 2 and now Challenger 3.  Just as the war in Ukraine is demonstrating the problems of fragmented systems (M777, PzH2000, Caesar, AS90!!, M109, and others including Archer) and must be driving consolidation and commonality the UK appears to believe that there is merit in continuing to plough a lone furrow.

This is a further sign of declining relevance of UK forces and the Army in particular.  The Army has failed to meet its NATO commitment for many years and there is no sign of an improvement unless the mantra of ‘it will be delivered in five years’ is to be believed.  Ukraine has focussed minds on artillery after years of neglect.  Whilst there is a risk of fighting the last war, it is clear that there will be significant investment in artillery and ordnance and munitions in general.  In this the UK is a sideshow with the real money being spent in Europe.  Of course a key challenge for a European investment programme will be the animosity of national champions (Rheinmetall, KNDS etc.).  In this regard a paradigm shift is essential.  The British Army should be running to catch the European train rather than writing quaint requirements egged on by the usual suspects of subject matter experts (DOSG and QQ).

The challenge for European supply chains is volume.  I find some of the figures thrown around by the EU hard to believe.  From media reports Hanwha has capacity that is undreamt of in Europe.  I am not sure how but can the British Army be nudged towards a ‘common’ solution?  Surely that is cheaper that investing in unproven systems (RCH) and an anachronism (Archer).  Can Hanwha help Europe to solve its capacity problems?  As is often the case collaboration is offer better for everyone than futile competition, which drives cost and delays.  As a footnote what role is NGMS playing in European supply chains?  The assets paid for by the taxpayer should be sweated harder and integrated into a European supply chain.

 

08 Mar 24. Rafael expects Iron Beam laser to be active in 2025: Exec.

The Oct. 7 attacks have not had a major impact yet on the company’s bottom line, a top executive tells Breaking Defense.

The outbreak of war following the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks has not derailed Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, a key player in Israel’s defense industry, and the company is on track to deliver its laser-powered Iron Beam system in 2025, according to a top executive.

“Rafael’s performance of 2023 has reached heights that we have not expected, and these will be published on the beginning of April as a summary for 2023,” Gidi Weiss, Vice President of Strategy, Business Development and Marketing at Rafael, told Breaking Defense. But, he said, only a small portion of the company’s growth over the last 24 months has come from either the Israel-Gaza conflict or the conflict in Ukraine.

“The characteristic of the big picture to summarize 2023 is we have reached these new peaks based upon our good standing and reputation and high value proportion to our customers based on long term relationships and competitions we have been participating in over the past few years,” Weiss says. In other words, the current position of the company reflects a long-term trend and that the impact of the current war, now in its fifth month, won’t be felt or realized until some time in the future.

Rafael, whose products include the Iron Dome air defense system and the Trophy active protection system used on Israel’s main battle tanks and APCs, plays a central role in the current war effort. Israel has not published recent data on Iron Dome interceptions, but as of January claimed more than 9,000 rockets fired at Israel from Gaza and also 2,000 from Lebanon and Syria. The Israel Air Force says that there have been “tens” of interceptions by David’s Sling, which is also made by Rafael.

It is unsurprising, then, that the company sees a robust desire for air defense systems moving forward. One capability that Israel has been talking about deploying over the last several years, but which has not been active for the current conflict, is a ground-based laser air defense system, known as the Iron Beam.

In October 2022, a company official told Breaking Defense the Iron Beam would be ready in “two-to-three years,” and Weiss confirmed this week that Rafael expects the system to be fielded “by the end of 2025.” He added that the system has actually been under contract for a “year and a half.”

In addition, in January Rafael said it had completed trials with its Spyder air defense system with Israel’s Ministry of Defense. The Spyder is usually sold abroad as an air defense tool that uses the company’s Python and Derby interceptors, used often to counter aerial threats. Weiss said that the need to protect Israel against a “multitude of drones and UAVs from Hezbollah, and drones and cruise missiles from the Houthis in the south” led to a test that “showed the ability to integrate the system and aptly neutralize threats we see in this arena.”

Spyder would bolster Israel’s existing multi-layered air defenses, which in recent months have had to deal with more threats on more fronts than in previous wars. Weiss also says the company is addressing “immediate improvements and integrations and fixes of issues and technical problems, immediate application of improvement [based on] suggestions from the war fighters, this was phenomenal on all fronts: Land, air, naval cyber, intel, communications.” He did not elaborate on specific changes to systems Rafael supplies the IDF.

In terms of ground vehicles, the exec couldn’t say how many of its systems, such as Trophy, have actively been engaged in the conflict in Gaza. But that didn’t stop him from bragging about the relative lack of casualties for ground forces. (Israel doesn’t release details on the number of tanks damaged, but there have been only a few published incidents in which numerous casualties resulted from impacts to APCs.)

“Never in the history of warfare have there been so many tanks and APCs involved in such a small and tight ground maneuver,” Weiss noted, boasting that Trophy has played a major role in protecting the Israeli forces. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/Breaking Defense.com)

 

09 Mar 24. Stratolaunch says it completes first powered flight of reusable hypersonic vehicle. Private U.S. company Stratolaunch on Saturday said it had successfully completed the first powered flight of its Talon-A reusable hypersonic vehicle, but did not give precise details.

“Today was a great day for the Stratolaunch team. I am extremely proud of their perseverance to reach this point,” company president Zachary Krevor said in a statement.

“While I can’t share the specific altitude and speed TA-1 reached … we reached high supersonic speeds approaching Mach 5 and collected a great amount of data at an incredible value to our customers,” he said.

Defense contractors hope to capitalize on the shift to hypersonic weapons not only by building them but also by developing new systems to detect and defend against them.

Stratolaunch hopes to complete development of the reusable Talon-A this year.

“Primary objectives for the flight test included accomplishing safe air-launch release of the TA-1 vehicle, engine ignition, acceleration, sustained climb in altitude, and a controlled water landing,” the statement said.

The U.S. and its global rivals are speeding up work on hypersonic weapons, which travel in the upper atmosphere at more than five times the speed of sound. (Source: Reuters)

 

08 Mar 24. The F-35A Joint Strike Fighter was officially certified to carry nuclear weapons, in this case, the B61-12 thermonuclear free-fall bomb. The F-35A “Lightning II” became the first stealth fighter of its class to be given the green light (as far as we know officially) to carry nuclear weapons.

Russ Goemaere, spokesman for the F-35 Joint Program Office told Breaking Defence’s Michael Marrow that “the F-35A is the first nuclear-capable 5th generation aircraft in history, and the first new platform (fighter or bomber) to achieve this status since the early 1990s.”

“This F-35 nuclear certification effort culminates more than 10 years of intensive efforts across the nuclear enterprise, consisting of 16 different government and industry stakeholders,” said Goemaere, who then added, “The F-35A achieved Nuclear Certification ahead of schedule, providing the U.S. and NATO with a critical capability that supports U.S. extended deterrence commitments ahead of schedule.”-

The future ability to deliver U.S. nuclear bombs was one of the determining factors when several European countries, such as Germany, decided to acquire the F-35A for their Air Forces, instead of other European offers such as the Dassault Rafale, the Saab Gripen or the Eurofighter Typhoon.

Nuclear sharing is a concept of NATO’s nuclear deterrence policy, which allows member countries without nuclear weapons of their own to participate in NATO’s nuclear weapons planning. As part of this arrangement, the U.S. maintains 100 B61 free-fall thermonuclear bombs stored in high-security bunkers at five NATO countries (Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey), which have some of their fighters adapted for use them. (Source: Google/https://www.aviacionline.com/)

 

11 Mar 24. Thales provides Expeditionary Operations Centre Demonstrator To French Navy For Drone-based Mine Countermeasure Missions.

• Thales took less than six months to develop the Expeditionary Portable Operations Centre (e-POC), a lightweight, full-function mission planning, management and analysis demonstrator for mine countermeasures operations relying on unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs).
• The innovative demonstrator is a small form-factor, easily transportable operations centre that will enhance force agility by allowing naval operators to control up to three underwater minehunting drones simultaneously from a single computer set up on board a ship or at a shore station.
• The e-POC solution builds on the M-Cube and MiMap systems, which are currently undergoing operational evaluation by the French Navy, and a number of new system developments.

The French defence procurement agency (DGA) placed an order with Thales, via the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAr), for the provision of an Expeditionary Portable Operations Centre (e-POC) to meet the French Navy’s new requirement for a drone-based mine countermeasures capability. The system was developed in less than six months and has been accepted by the DGA and OCCAr after completing sea trials and delivered to the French Navy. The e-POC demonstrator enables naval forces to conduct mine countermeasures missions quickly and efficiently using only unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs).

Thales’s e-POC demonstrator is an easily transportable solution that will ultimately enable the French Navy to deploy underwater drones for mine countermeasures missions in any theatre of operations. It will provide a flexible mission management capability from outside the zone of operations, helping to keep naval personnel out of harm’s way. The e-POC demonstrator runs software developed for the M-Cube1 and MiMap2 systems on a single computer equipped with three control screens to plan, execute and analyse missions requiring the simultaneous deployment of up to three UUVs. The system can be set up on board a ship or at a shore station, and is small enough to fit into just six transport cases for deployment into the theatre of operations. The transport cases are stowed inside the UUV container to streamline logistics and boost mission effectiveness.

“Thales has combined the power of innovation with the agility of its development teams to augment the defensive capabilities of the French Navy. The e-POC solution is designed for rapid deployment into any theatre of operations, making a valuable contribution to future mine countermeasures missions and helping to guarantee the safety of naval personnel.” Gwendoline Blandin-Roger, Vice-President Underwater Systems, Thales.

1 MCUBE is the Mine Counter-measure Mission Management system

2 Mission analysis tool that enables operators to analyse sonar data in real time or recorded during a mission, with the support of artificial intelligence.

 

07 Mar 24. Brazil shortlists four competitors for its artillery effort. The Brazilian Army has shortlisted four companies as part of its VBC OAP 155 mm SR (Viatura Blindada de Combate Obuseiro Autopropulsado 155mm Sobre Rodas) 155 mm/52 wheeled self-propelled armoured combat vehicle howitzer project. Brazilian logistics command – responsible for the multiphase project together with the army artillery command – has shortlisted Nexter CAESAR 6×6, Elbit Systems ATMOS 6×6, Norinco SH15 6×6, and Excalibur International/Konštrukta-Defence Zuzana 2 proposals, according to an announcement on 4 March. Negotiation rounds with the four competitors will take place separately in March and April 2024. A winner is scheduled to be announced by 3 May after a Best and Final Offer (BAFO) is submitted by each of the bidders between 15 and 19 April. The army is expected to award a contract to perform trials on the initial two weapon systems on 7 May, according to logistics command. (Source: Janes)

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About Galvion:

 

Galvion designs, develops, and delivers mission critical head, face, and torso protective solutions as well as intelligent power and data management systems for the world’s most demanding military and tactical teams.   Founded in 2002 as Revision Military, a foundational belief in calculated investment and capability expansion led to a strategic refocus, resulting in the divestiture of the protective eyewear business, along with the Revision name, in 2019.  Rebranded as Galvion, the company’s products and technology continue to evolve beyond purely passive protection, focusing instead on active systems that enhance performance and survivability, with an eye to the ever-changing demands of the modern battlefield.  Through advanced design, keen end-user insight and intelligent integration, Galvion engineers uniquely customized solutions that go beyond what was once thought possible.

 

Privately owned with ISO 9001:2015 certified facilities in Vermont, Massachusetts and New Hampshire in the US, Montreal in Canada and Bristol in the UK, Galvion’s team of 400+ employees work proactively to solve the problems left unsolved by others.

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www.galvion.com

 

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08 Mar 24. The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) – along with its Defence industry partners MBDA, Leonardo and Qinetiq – is publishing ‘never seen before’ declassified footage of the DragonFire Laser Directed Energy Weapon (LDEW) system, in action over the skies of the Hebrides.

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/akei6xedspvxu8trpnqs8/h?rlkey=wkdya1uh2mzmds3p665o7k5j5&dl=0

 The UK’s LDEW capability is advanced and progressing well towards boosting our future Armed Forces capabilities.

 DragonFire could offer UK Defence significant operational advantage by delivering enhanced air defence capabilities to the frontline, while reducing expendable ammunition costs and reducing risks of collateral damage.

 This joint endeavour by Dstl and industry is another example of UK Defence spearheading future technology that can make our Armed Forces more effective and agile.

The file link contains declassified footage captured at DragonFire’s most recent trial in Scotland and shows operation of DragonFire from inside the control room to impressive footage of DragonFire targeting and firing on undisclosed targets.

Included is an animated video showing a sample scenario of DragonFire’s possible use in a maritime environment.

The DragonFire Laser Directed Energy Weapon (LDEW) system has proven itself in testing and has the very real potential for it to transform the UK’s Defence capability.

Demonstrating the potential of LDEW, DragonFire can provide a credible sovereign UK capability to meet the UK defence needs. LDEW offers a number of significant benefits, including reduced logistic, cost burden and collateral damage in operations.

The ecosystem of science and technology required to develop DragonFire would not be possible without the world-leading expertise of MBDA, QinetiQ, and Leonardo, and the ‘best of UK industry’ partnership they have created.

Through the UK DragonFire programme, Dstl, MBDA, QinetiQ, and Leonardo are providing a significant step change in UK’s capability in High Energy Laser Weapon Systems. The programme has developed and matured the key technologies needed.

It should not be underestimated the challenges that need to be overcome to be able to put many kW’s of energy onto a target with millimetric precision, over distances measure in kilometres. The expertise in the UK, distributed across government, industry and academia, has helped achieve this.

DragonFire is demonstrating the ‘art of the possible’ and focus is now increasingly on how to use the technology, rather than just its development, with the goal of understanding how LDEW can be used both safely and effectively.

Animation explainer:

A fictitious carrier group consisting of various Royal Navy Ships including a Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carrier and a Type 26 frigate fitted with integrated DragonFire systems (port and starboard) and demonstrating a potential layered defence scenario against three threat types.

The carrier group detects a set of incoming threats via radar (generically: air search mode and marine search mode).

Initially four sub-sonic uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) targets are detected, quickly followed by a super-sonic fast jet target via radar air search. In radar marine (small) target search, a close-in target is picked up (FIAC – Fast Incoming Attack Craft).

*Note: This is a hypothetical scenario only. Before engaging any threat, a series of steps are undertaken to establish the nature of the threat and the appropriate response before deciding to engage.

Animation sequence:

Scene opens up on the carrier group, moves over to the Type 26 escort and shows it’s forward missile area, masthead mounted radar antennas and then down to where the DragonFire has been situated next to a Close-in System (Phalanx).

Moves to radar display (marine search) showing one close-in potential threat. This is then designated as a target.

Moves back to radar air search and marks the fast moving airborne threat as a target.

The shipborne weapon systems initiates its layered defence and launches a Surface-to-Air missile to intercept the fast moving airborne target, i.e. the fast jet, while initiating DragonFire to engage the marine target.

Sequence moves to showing the missile launch.

Sequence moves to showing DragonFire slew round, lock on target and energise.

FIAC propulsion targeted is disabled by DragonFire.

Sequence returns to the in air missile and the interception of the fast jet.

Operator then designates the four remaining tracked threats on the radar air map, prioritising the Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) asset then the three strike-UAVs. Combat Management System directs DragonFire to engage.

Scene moves again to showing DragonFire energising and then moves to show a precision strike on the outlying UAV’s ISR sensor turret and disabling, causing the platform to disengage and turn away.

DF engages second UAV and its weapons package causing it to explode. Third UAV engaged by DF targeting its control surfaces and causing the UAV to lose control and plummet to the sea. Fourth UAV is then seen to disengage and turn away from the carrier group, most likely due to the loss of ISR cap

 

08 Mar 24. Lockheed Martin’s ER GMLRS rockets double range in test fire.

The next-generation munitions achieve results at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico.

Lockheed Martin‘s Extended-Range Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (ER GMLRS) rockets have demonstrated effectiveness in a recent test, doubling their range and showcasing their enhanced capabilities.

In a leap forward for US military technology, the US Army successfully tested Lockheed Martin’s Extended-Range Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (ER GMLRS) at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. The demonstration, which saw two ER GMLRS rockets fired from the US Army’s HIMARS launcher, surpassed expectations by doubling the range while maintaining accuracy and flight trajectory.

The achievement marks a milestone in developing next-generation munitions, with the ER GMLRS rockets showcasing their ability to engage targets over extended distances precisely. Jay Price, vice president for Precision Fires at Lockheed Martin, emphasised the significance of the test results, stating: “The Army’s success in this operational test further demonstrates the readiness of ER GMLRS and overall capability of our family of munitions.”

Last year, the US Army awarded Lockheed Martin a $4.79bn contract for producing two full-rate production lots of GMLRS rockets and associated equipment.

Beyond the test’s immediate success, the operational demonstration moves ER GMLRS closer to deployment and mass production. With plans to manufacture the rockets at Lockheed Martin’s Precision Fires Center of Excellence in Camden, Arkansas, the company is poised to meet the increasing demand for advanced munitions systems.

Lockheed Martin’s commitment to munitions production is evident in its track record, having produced over 70,000 GMLRS rounds. Under annual contracts, the company continues to provide integrated logistics support for the US Army, US Marine Corps, and international customers, ensuring these systems’ continued availability and reliability.

Australia announced plans to commence production of GMLRS munitions in 2025. Under an A$37.4m contract with Lockheed Martin Australia, the country will produce its first batch of GMLRS missiles.

As geopolitical tensions persist and military requirements evolve, the successful test of Lockheed Martin’s ER GMLRS rockets signals an advancement in military capability. It provides defence forces with enhanced range options and precision engagement capabilities. With continued investment in research and development, Lockheed Martin bolsters national security and global stability.

(Source: army-technology.com)

 

08 Mar 24.  South Korea enhances KDX-III with Subsonic Sea-Skimming aerial targets. The US State Department has approved a $170.6m sale to boost the South Korean Navy’s KDX-III Batch-II AEGIS class destroyers.

The Republic of Korea has secured approval from the US State Department for the acquisition of Subsonic Sea-Skimming Aerial Targets (SSAT) for its KDX-III Batch-II AEGIS destroyers. The $170.6m sale, comprising five BQM-177A SSATs alongside other logistical and programme support elements, is indicative of South Korea’s commitment to advancing its naval defence capabilities, with the target drones used to improve proficiency in surface-to-air target prosecution.

According to GlobalData’s South Korea defence market intelligence, South Korea plans to develop a blue-water naval force capable of projecting naval power over long distances and is in the process of inducting new KDX-III AEGIS-equipped destroyers.

While the primary focus of the sale is to facilitate Combat System Ship Qualification Trials (CSSQT) for the new KDX-III Batch-II AEGIS destroyers, the acquisition also reflects the Republic of Korea’s ambitions to stay ahead of evolving security challenges in the Asia-Pacific region.

By enhancing its anti-air warfare capabilities, South Korea aims to reinforce its position as a key US regional ally, promoting political stability and economic progress, read a 7 March statement from the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency.

The proposed sale will see US defence contractors such as Kratos Defense and Northrop Grumman contribute to the acquisition programme.

The Republic of Korean Navy achieved a milestone in 2012 by completing combat system ship qualification trials (CSSQT) aboard the second Sejong the Great-class ship, Yulgok Yi I. The trials validated the AEGIS combat system’s capability through anti-air multi-mission warfare exercises, electronic attack scenarios, and live air defence engagements.

Commissioned in August 2010, Yulgok Yi I is part of the Korean Destroyer experimental (KDX-III) programme.  (Source: naval-technology.com)

 

05 Mar 24. Thales completes factory acceptance tests for Type 31 frigate mission system. Thales has successfully completed factory acceptance tests (FATs) for the first Type 31 mission system, the company announced on 28 February.

UK shipbuilder Babcock, leading the ‘Team 31′ consortium, is delivering five Type 31 Inspiration-class general-purpose frigates based on the Arrowhead 140 design for the Royal Navy (RN) under a GBP1.25 bn (USD1.59 bn) contract awarded in November 2019.

Thales, as part of Team 31, is responsible for the delivery and integration of the full Type 31 mission system, which comprises the combat system, integrated communications system (ICS), and integrated bridge and navigation system (IBNS).

Thales said that completing delivery of the three main system-level FATs was a major target for the RN’s new Type 31 frigate during 2023.

The FAT for the ICS, which is being delivered by Thales SIX in Crawley, in the UK, was completed in September 2023.

(Source: Janes)

 

06 Mar 24. USN Builds New Air Launched MACE Mini-Anti Ship Missile.

Pentagon has announced its need for a rapid prototype of a new, small air-launched, anti-surface vessel cruise missile

The Pentagon has announced its need for a rapid prototype of a new, small air-launched, anti-surface vessel (anti-ship; A-ShM) cruise missile, capable of being launched from an F/A-18E/F “Super Hornet” or the F-35A/C Lightning fighter aircraft — respectively, the present and future backbone of the U.S. Navy’s aircraft carrier-based air-wing.

The Multi-Mission Affordable Capacity Effector (MACE) armament is intended to provide aircraft carrier air-wings with enhanced anti-ship strike capacity at stand-off distance, thereby avoiding placing pilots and their aircraft in immediate danger, due to the enhanced anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) capabilities of the Chinese People’s Liberation Navy within the Indo-Pacific.

Additionally, this missile is designed to be able to quickly enter mass-production, and to affordably procured by the U.S. Navy. Thus, this missile platform is a paragon of the principles expressed in President Biden’s ground-breaking National Defense Industrial Strategy (NDIS), which proclaims the Department of Defense’s intent to unburden the United States’ flagging defense industrial base by increasing the utilization of off-the-shelf weapons platforms to fill critical defense needs — rather than asking defense companies to commit to a risky decade-long development process for new, cutting-edge, and superfluous weapons systems.

The Pentagon has asked the industrial sector to plan for the missile to cost no more than $300,000 per round, and to be capable of producing the new munition at a rate of at least 500 rounds annually. More importantly, the U.S. Navy Air Systems command wants the MACE armament to be fully-fieldable and in mass-production by 2027, at the latest — the year by which many Western intelligence analysts expect China to invade Taiwan.

By comparison, the next-generation, long-range, Hypersonic Air-Launched Offensive, anti-surface vessel, cruise missile (HALO) presently under development by Lockheed Martin and RTX (formerly, Raytheon), is not expected to be fielded until well into the 2030s. Additionally, this missile is predicted to have a per-unit cost of over $40-m (similar to other Hypersonic Missile projects within other service branches), throughout a production run of only 300 missiles — after the Pentagon has already invested $400-m in its development of the missile platform. The primary benefit of the HALO missile platform is that it is designed to be launched from an aircraft carrier, an incredibly advantageous capability for war within the Indo-Pacific, a region in which the United States has a severe dearth of land-basing opportunities. More importantly, this missile is almost certainly a highly-sophisticated response to the People’s Republic of China (PRC)’s frequent posturing with its DF-26 “carrier killing” hypersonic ballistic missile — which many scholars have concluded is over-hyped and largely ineffectual. (Source: Google/Warrior Maven)

 

05 Mar 24. Babcock International Group (Babcock), the defence company, and Singapore Technologies Engineering (ST Engineering) have signed a collaboration agreement to offer capabilities across the Land domain, with an initial focus on mortar systems. This agreement brings together the companies’ skills, technology, products and integrated solutions to deliver benefits for our customers in the defence sector.

Babcock will work with ST Engineering to pursue defence opportunities in markets of joint interest, combining the benefits of Babcock’s long-standing systems integration experience and close working relationship with the British Armed Forces, with ST Engineering’s world-leading Land Systems products.

Chris Spicer, Managing Director of Engineering & Systems Integration at Babcock’s Land business said:

“This announcement formalises an exciting relationship with ST Engineering, ensuring ST’s unique Land Systems capabilities are embedded in the UK in order to serve our customers’ emerging and complex needs. By partnering, our organisations can offer complementary skills, technologies and truly transformative solutions to enhance the delivery of our customers’ critical and complex missions.”

Tan Pek Tong, Head of International Business, Land Systems at ST Engineering, added:

“We are pleased to partner Babcock in exploring opportunities in the UK and other markets. We believe the synergistic capabilities offered by ST Engineering and Babcock can offer compelling operational requirements to deliver mission critical outcomes for our customers.”

 

04 Mar 24. Saab Starts Construction of New Carl-Gustaf Factory in India. Saab has today marked the start of the construction of its new Carl-Gustaf® manufacturing facility in India with a ground breaking ceremony. The factory will be located in the state of Haryana.

After receiving approval of 100% foreign direct investment, Saab has established a new company, Saab FFVO India Pvt Ltd, which will fully own the new manufacturing facility and produce the Carl-Gustaf M4 weapon.

“I am proud to start constructing our first facility outside Sweden for Carl-Gustaf, a product that has a long history with the Indian Armed Forces. We look forward to starting production of our excellent product, now engineered and made in India”, says Görgen Johansson, Senior Vice President and Head of Saab’s business area Dynamics.

“Today is an important milestone for Sweden and India. Saab’s factory will be the first foreign fully-owned defence production facility in India. It is a testament to the strong bilateral relationship between our countries,” says Håkan Jevrell, State Secretary for Foreign Trade, Sweden.

The facility is being built in the state of Haryana at the MET City at Jhajjar. The state has a strong industrial base of good potential partners and skilled employees.

Saab will partner with Indian suppliers and will fully meet the requirements of “Make in India” for the systems manufactured in the facility. At the new factory, Saab will deploy complex technologies including the latest sighting technology and advanced carbon fibre winding to manufacture Carl-Gustaf M4 for the Indian armed forces, and components which may be included in other users’ systems.

The Carl-Gustaf system has been in service with the Indian Army since 1976 and is established as the main shoulder launched weapon in the Indian Armed Forces. (Source: ASD Network)

 

04 Mar 24. A Moment of Truth for the US Army’s Chief Laser Weapon. After nearly a decade in development, the Army’s primary vehicle-mounted laser weapon is on a collision course with its most fearsome foe yet — dust.

The service has deployed four Directed Energy Maneuver-Short Range Air Defense, or DE M-SHORAD, prototypes — Stryker infantry carrier vehicles outfitted with 50-kilowatt laser weapons systems — to the Middle East for “real world testing” in an overseas operational environment, Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. James Mingus recently told Breaking Defense.

The four prototypes reportedly arrived in the U.S. Central Command area of operations in early February, with the Army undertaking “initial testing activities” on the path to a future live-fire demonstration, according to Breaking Defense.

While the DE M-SHORAD system has already undergone testing at U.S. military facilities like the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, Central Command offers the potential for testing amid real-world challenges like dust storms and other atmospheric phenomena that, according to the Congressional Research Service, could render any directed-energy weapon essentially ineffective.

“Substances in the atmosphere — particularly water vapor, but also sand, dust, salt particles, smoke, and other air pollution — absorb and scatter light, and atmospheric turbulence can defocus a laser beam,” according to the 2023 CRS report on the Defense Department’s directed-energy weapons program.

Shipborne lasers like the 60-kilowatt High Energy Laser with Integrated Optical-dazzler and Surveillance, or HELIOS, weapon system tested aboard Navy destroyers in recent years can “markedly” reduce the impact of atmospheric water vapor on laser performance by emitting radiation only at “sweet spots” in the electromagnetic spectrum, per the CRS report.

But other phenomena such as dust storms don’t have as convenient a solution, a problem captured in Mingus’ comments to Breaking Defense.

“Our high-energy lasers are so susceptible to weather,” Mingus said. “That’s why I think this is going to be a great laboratory, because anytime there’s a dust storm, anytime there’s that kind of thing, it starts to alter the physics of the light particles that actually shoot that beam.”

This is not the first time the Army has tested a laser weapon system in an unpredictable operational environment. In August, Maj. Gen. Sean Gainey, director of the service’s Joint Counter-Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Office, revealed that the Army had sent several 10-kilowatt laser systems to the U.S. Central Command, U.S. Africa Command and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command areas of responsibility for “operational assessments.”

But the deployment of the 50-kilowatt DE M-SHORAD system represents a major testing milestone for a system that, in development since at least 2015, could offer a major leap forward for the Army’s air defense systems at a time when the rising tide of adversary drones necessitates a surge in new capabilities.

Laser weapons have been a pillar of the DoD’s revamped short-range air defense strategy since the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the resulting pivot toward “great power competition” with conventional adversary states like Russia and China.

With near limitless magazines and superior precision to standard kinetic weapons, lasers offer a low-cost way to consistently defeat incoming rockets, artillery and mortar fire, drones and even rotary-wing aircraft. Overall, the DoD spends $1 bn annually developing directed-energy capabilities, according to a 2023 report from the Government Accountability Office.

The need for effective laser weapons has taken on new urgency amid both increased drone and missile attacks on U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria and the rise of Houthi missile attacks on commercial and military vessels in the Red Sea. The latter has led to a call for increased fielding of shipboard laser weapons among Navy commanders whose warships are increasingly forced to fend off incoming airborne threats.

The technological descendent of the Army’s Stryker-mounted 5-kilowatt Mobile Experimental High Energy Laser, or MEHEL, and 50-kilowatt Multi-Mission High Energy Laser, or MMHEL — dubbed “Guardian” — the DE M-SHORAD laser system became a program of record for the service in 2019. As part of its fiscal 2024 budget request, the Army proposed about $111 m in research and development funding for the laser system and vehicle package, according to service budget documents, down from $197 m the previous year largely due to the completion of a first set of four prototypes.

The Army’s 4th Battalion, 60th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, at Fort Sill in Oklahoma, took delivery of the first platoon of four DE M-SHORAD prototypes in September 2023.

“The delivery of DE M-SHORAD prototypes to the 4-60th ADAR represents a transformational milestone in the Army’s modernization campaign. It is an achievement that adds what was often thought of as a next-generation capability, now,” Col. Steven Gutierrez, DR-MSHORAD program manager, said in a statement at the time. “These high-energy laser systems will be a game-changer on the contemporary battlefield, a critical component of an integrated, layered, and in-depth air missile defense for division and brigade maneuver formations.”

The DE M-SHOARD isn’t the only laser weapon in the Army’s air defense arsenal: The service recently inked a contract with defense giant Lockheed Martin to furnish soldiers with the Valkyrie 300-kilowatt laser weapon which, loaded onto a Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck, will purportedly provide significant defense against the same family of missile and drone threats that its 50-kilowatt cousin is designed to defeat, as well as other hardened threats like incoming cruise missiles.

After such an investment of time and money in its development, the DE M-SHORAD’s nascent laser platoon and the urgent need among commanders downrange are set to intersect during the upcoming operational tests in the Central Command area of responsibility, tests which will likely help define the limitations of the systems that prevent lasers from serving as an “all-weather solution” to incoming drones and missiles in regions such as the Middle East.

“It’s a prototype, but we want to experiment in a live environment,” Mingus told Breaking Defense. “Is it 100% ready? Is it going to work perfectly? Probably not, but we’re going to learn from it.”

(Source: Military.com)

 

29 Feb 24. Nexter, part of KNDS, qualifies the new SHARD 120mm APFSDS (Armour-Piercing Fin-Stabilised Discarding Sabot) tank ammunition.

Nexter qualifies the new SHARD 120mm APFSDS tank ammunition.

• Nexter, company of KNDS achieved late 2023 the qualification of its new generation 120mm APFSDS ammunition SHARD.
• SHARD is the solution for all NATO 120mm tanks to defeat modern MBT and future threats thanks to increased firepower (+15% penetration).
• This unprecedented performance is the result of an innovative design that offers excellent accuracy and reduces barrel wear by 25% at the same time.

Leclerc MBT [Nexter press release image]

A leap-ahead in performance: SHARD was designed by KNDS to bring 120mm APFSDS tungsten alloy ammunition to the next level of performance against all modern MBT and armoured threats in the present and future battlefields. Its capacities are unprecedented for this kind of ammunition:

• Penetration is increased by 15% while ensuring a low level of dispersion.
• Barrel wear is reduced by 25% reducing maintenance cycles and costs.
• A muzzle velocity of 1720 m/s with the Leclerc L52 gun and 1734 m/s with the Leopard 2 L55 gun

Our historical know-how in the design of state-of-the-art tank ammunition was gathered to make SHARD with:

• A numerically optimised design and a lighter aluminium sabot.
• An elongated penetrator in a new high-performance tungsten alloy has been designed with Plansee to defeat protection of latest generation MBTs.
• A proven and REACH compliant propulsion system that ensures the excellent velocity of the ammunition.

An ammunition already available for all NATO tanks: SHARD is a fully ITAR-free solution compatible with all NATO smoothbore 120mm tanks including Leclerc, Leopard 2, M1 Abrams, Ariete and Centauro 2. It has been designed according to the STANAG 4583 and Interface Control Document 120 (ICD120) standards. Thus, it offers significant operational, logistic and economic advantages to users: only one APFSDS ammunition for all gun systems.

A demonstration for Leclerc and Leopard 2 users was organised late 2023 in Alcochete, Portugal. Its 15% performance increase was demonstrated with successful firing tests performed on semi-infinite RHA targets. Demonstrations and contract negotiations for various countries in Europe, Middle-East and Asia are ongoing. SHARD is now ready for mass production. (Source: www.joint-forces.com)

 

01 Mar 24. US Industry compete for Advanced Reconnaissance Vehicle Autocannon. General Dynamics and Textron both gained US defence contracts to prototype a medium calibre autocannon for a future Advanced Reconnaissance Vehicle.

On the 29 February 2024, the US Department of Defense (DoD) issued two contracts to design a prototype for an Advanced Reconnaissance Vehicle (ARV) with a medium calibre autocannon.

Awarded to two US defence technology providers – Textron, in a deal worth $11.8m, and General Dynamics Land Systems, in a contract valued slightly less at $10.9m – both are due to complete their designs by 24 March 2024.

Army Contracting Command invested in the competition from the ‘Fiscal 2024 research, development test and evaluation, Marine Corps funds’, which suggests that the future platform may provide an amphibious capability.

According to the leading intelligence consultancy, GlobalData, the US Army operates various ground-based artillery systems including 198 M109A6 Paladin units, 247 units of the latest M109A7 artillery, 1,420 units of the M2 Bradley vehicle, as well as 143 M7 Bradleys, among other similar systems.

When it comes to the autocannon, the German-based arms manufacturer, Rheinmetall, defines its own family of medium calibre automatic cannons within the 20-millimetre (mm) to 35mm calibre range.

These weapons are designed to retain their firepower, precision and reliability even under extreme environmental conditions, they have excellent mass-to-performance ratios, compact designs, long service lives and reduced recoil forces, the company delineated.

The US Army inventory also boasts a wide array of armoured, multi-purpose vehicles, from numerous Humvees to Joint Light Tactical Vehicles, onto which its various artillery systems can be integrated.

However, the inventory list appears to lack a reconnaissance-specific platform – a potential gap that the DoD may intend to fill with these two competing designs.

An unexpected platform request

DoD’s request for a new reconnaissance platform is unexpected, given the Army’s commitment to a new modular and open systems approach. Essentially, this is a cost-saving process that involves the iterative development of existing platforms, while integrating new capabilities.

This approach is best exemplified by the various versions within the Abrams family of main battle tanks, including the popular SEPv3 and the M1A2, among others.

The US Army already has the future XM30 infantry fighting vehicle and the consideration of various forms of uncrewed ground vehicles (UGVs) (for a hybridised force structure that no longer ‘trades blood for first contact’) in the pipeline.

While a crewed reconnaissance platform would fulfill the Army’s request for a hybrid force alongside UGVs when approaching an adversary on the battlefield, at the same time, designing a new platform from scratch neglects the iterative development process that the Army also supports.

(Source: army-technology.com)

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About Galvion:

 

Galvion designs, develops, and delivers mission critical head, face, and torso protective solutions as well as intelligent power and data management systems for the world’s most demanding military and tactical teams.   Founded in 2002 as Revision Military, a foundational belief in calculated investment and capability expansion led to a strategic refocus, resulting in the divestiture of the protective eyewear business, along with the Revision name, in 2019.  Rebranded as Galvion, the company’s products and technology continue to evolve beyond purely passive protection, focusing instead on active systems that enhance performance and survivability, with an eye to the ever-changing demands of the modern battlefield.  Through advanced design, keen end-user insight and intelligent integration, Galvion engineers uniquely customized solutions that go beyond what was once thought possible.

 

Privately owned with ISO 9001:2015 certified facilities in Vermont, Massachusetts and New Hampshire in the US, Montreal in Canada and Bristol in the UK, Galvion’s team of 400+ employees work proactively to solve the problems left unsolved by others.

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