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UNITED KINGDOM AND NATO
24 Oct 25. UK confirms ongoing Typhoon upgrade assessments. The Ministry of Defence has confirmed that a comprehensive assessment of Typhoon capability upgrades is underway, including radar, defensive aids, avionics, and weapons, as part of the aircraft’s long-term modernisation plan. According to Defence Minister Luke Pollard, “an assessment of the planned Typhoon upgrades is currently underway. Further information regarding upgrades to the Typhoon’s systems and equipment will be communicated in the forthcoming Defence Investment Plan.” This assessment complements ongoing work within the four-nation Phase 4 Enhancement (P4E) programme, which aims to deliver a step-change in Typhoon capability across the UK, Germany, Italy, and Spain. Pollard stated that “the four-Nation Phase 4 Enhancement (P4E) upgrade programme is in the System Definition de-risking phase of activity, following the signature of the System Definition Contract in 2024.” He added that “over the coming months, the four nations will agree on the final P4E capability package, which will then move into the Design, Development and Demonstration phase.” He confirmed that the partner nations have also agreed to begin early design work on long-lead activities, ensuring that “critical path activities for P4E capability are protected.” The combined workstreams are expected to bring major improvements to the Typhoon’s radar and mission systems, including the introduction of advanced electronic warfare measures, sensor fusion, and enhanced connectivity for networked operations. Weapons integration is also set to expand, sustaining Typhoon’s role as NATO’s principal multi-role fighter alongside next-generation systems such as the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP). (Source: News Now/https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/)
18 Oct 25. UK ‘managing’ Type 23 retirement amid Norway Type 26 deal. The Ministry of Defence has said the Royal Navy is carefully managing the transition from its ageing Type 23 Duke-class frigates to the new generation of Type 26 and Type 31 warships. The clarification follows questions in Parliament about whether the joint Type 26 programme could affect the out-of-service dates for the Royal Navy’s existing fleet.
Responding to a written question from Helen Maguire, Liberal Democrat MP for Epsom and Ewell, Defence Minister Luke Pollard said “the Ministry of Defence welcomes Norway’s defence procurement deal which will see a fleet of Type 26 Anti-Submarine Warfare frigates operate jointly by Britain and Norway in Northern Europe, significantly strengthening NATO’s northern flank.”
He added that “the Royal Navy is carefully managing the transition from Type 23 to Type 26 and Type 31 frigates, with the Duke Class Type 23s currently due to exit service in 2035.” Pollard confirmed that the Navy “continuously reviews out of service dates to achieve maximum availability of its platforms and ensure that it can meet its operational commitments.”
The Type 26 frigate, built by BAE Systems at Govan and Scotstoun on the River Clyde, will replace the Royal Navy’s current anti-submarine warfare fleet. It is designed for operations in contested environments, featuring advanced quieting technologies, the Sea Ceptor missile system, a 5-inch Mk 45 gun, and facilities to host uncrewed systems and a Merlin or Wildcat helicopter.
The first ship, HMS Glasgow, is undergoing fitting out, while HMS Cardiff and HMS Belfast are under construction.
The planned Norwegian order of five represents a growing trend among NATO members toward shared design and production of advanced maritime platforms. For the UK, it reinforces the role of the Type 26 as a common anti-submarine warfare asset across the alliance, strengthening joint operations in the strategically vital North Atlantic. (Source: News Now/https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/)
EUROPE
20 Oct 25. Germany plans to order 15 more US-made F-35 jets, says source. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius intends to order an additional 15 F-35 fighter jets from U.S. manufacturer Lockheed Martin (LMT.N) a parliamentary source told Reuters on Monday, confirming a report by Spiegel magazine. Planners expect the aircraft to cost about 2.5bn euros ($2.9bn), according to confidential documents prepared for parliament’s budget committee, the source said. Another source familiar with the matter confirmed the discussions to buy additional aircraft, without citing a number. The defence ministry in Berlin declined to comment. Germany has already ordered 35 of the U.S.-made jets to replace its fleet of 85 ageing Tornado fighter jets, which are set to be decommissioned. The F-35 aircraft will succeed the Tornado jets in their role of carrying U.S. nuclear bombs stored in Germany in the event of a conflict. (Source: Reuters)
20 Oct 25. Italy lays groundwork for future aircraft carrier and maritime patrol revival. Italy has launched early studies for a next-generation aircraft carrier, described in its 2025–2027 Multi-Year Defense Planning Document (DPP) as the Portaerei di nuova generazione, within a record €31.2bn ($33bn) defense budget for 2025, up 7.2% from 2024. The plan allocates €3m ($3.2m) this year for the development of advanced naval technologies, with €1m ($1.1m) designated for 2026 and €2m ($2.2m) for 2027. These funds will support feasibility studies for a future multi-capability carrier and a next-generation submarine, both envisioned as long-term modernization pillars of the Italian Navy.
Toward a nuclear-powered flagship?
Although the DPP does not explicitly mention nuclear propulsion, a related initiative known as Project Minerva sheds light on Italy’s broader ambitions. Led by Fincantieri in partnership with Ansaldo Nucleare, RINA Services, and the University of Genoa, the project explores the integration of new-generation small nuclear reactors aboard frontline naval vessels. The Minerva feasibility study was launched in 2023 under the Ministry of Defense’s Directorate of Naval Armaments, with funding of approximately €588,000 ($640,000), later supplemented by additional allocations reported by industry sources. The study focuses on compact lead-cooled fast reactors (LFR) with an electric output of around 30 MW, a configuration suited to long-endurance, power-intensive ships such as aircraft carriers.
Fincantieri CEO Pierroberto Folgiero has described naval nuclear technology as a “parallel path” to civil nuclear development, positioning Italy among a small group of European nations exploring small modular reactor (SMR) propulsion.
The ‘Portaerei di nuova generazione’ is expected to succeed the Cavour in the 2030s and could incorporate electromagnetic launch systems (EMALS) to operate heavier crewed and uncrewed aircraft.
However, the aircraft to equip the new carrier remains undetermined. Italy is a partner in the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) with the UK and Japan, but that sixth-generation fighter is not being developed in a navalized variant. Unless Rome pursues an alternative or derivative design, the Marina Militare will likely continue relying on the F-35B Lightning II as its primary carrier-borne fighter into the next decade. If realized, the carrier would mark a historic shift for Italy, which has never operated nuclear-powered vessels and dismantled its civilian nuclear infrastructure following a 1987 referendum. Italy’s move mirrors France’s Porte-Avions de Nouvelle Génération (PANG) program, a 75,000-ton nuclear-powered carrier expected to begin construction by 2026 and replace the Charles de Gaulle. Spain also launched a feasibility study for a future aircraft carrier equipped with catapults and arresting gear. These initiatives highlight a broader European revival in blue-water naval power and force projection.
Six new maritime patrol aircraft to fill gap in anti-submarine warfare
The DPP also confirms the acquisition of six Maritime Multi Mission Aircraft (M3A) for the Italian Air Force, addressing a long-standing gap in maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare capability since the retirement of the Breguet BR 1150 Atlantic fleet in 2017. Italy is reportedly evaluating Japan’s Kawasaki P-1 as a candidate platform, a purpose-built jet that would replace its limited-capability Leonardo P-72A fleet. In service since 2013, the Kawasaki P-1 was developed indigenously by Kawasaki Aerospace Company to replace Japan’s aging Lockheed P-3C Orion. Unlike most maritime patrol aircraft, which are typically converted from commercial or transport airframes, the P-1 was designed from the ground up for long-range anti-submarine and maritime surveillance missions. The aircraft features four IHI F7-10 turbofan engines and mission systems developed domestically, including a magnetic anomaly detector (MAD) and a fly-by-light flight-control system that reduces electromagnetic interference with onboard sensors. Defense spending is projected to remain at €31.2bn ($33bn) in 2026 and rise slightly to €31.7bn ($33.5bn) in 2027, maintaining historically high investment levels. The plan also allocates significant funding for munitions procurement, aimed at strengthening national stockpiles and ensuring operational resilience. (Source: News Now/https://www.aerotime.aero/)
USA
23 Oct 25. US Army reveals formal requirements for howitzer competition. The document, dated Oct. 20, and marked as controlled unclassified information, sheds additional light onto the Army’s plans to host a new competition. The US Army has issued formal requirements for its next self-propelled howitzer, which includes provisions requiring domestic production, a high level of armor and the ability to fire US ammunition, according to a copy obtained by Breaking Defense.
“To survive and support expanded maneuver on a sensor soaked and precision munitions battlefield, our artillery formations require robust and organic fire support with rapid emplacement and displacement, ever increasing range, rate of fire, and reduced sustainment to deliver dominant long-range, massed, and precision fires,” said the directed requirement document.
“To achieve this goal, we will equip two Transformation in Contact units with advanced weapons systems that include both firing platforms and mated, substantial resupply capabilities from available manufacturers,” it added.
The document, dated Oct. 20, is marked controlled unclassified information and supports a recently released request for information (RFI) for a self-propelled howitzer. One industry source said that this new requirements document closely mirrors an earlier version released in mid-2024 that Breaking Defense has not obtained or viewed. However, the source highlighted two changes from that earlier document: a “domestic production” clause for both the howitzer and resupply vehicle, and a provision that the howitzer can fire US ammunition. Both of those items are notable since there are a line of foreign competitors deciding if they will bid on the program, including Israel’s Elbit Systems, South Korea’s Hanwha, Germany’s Rheinmetall and a team-up of US-based Leonardo DRS and European land defense specialist KNDS. US prime contractor General Dynamics is also a likely contender, as is British BAE Systems through its American subsidiary that currently produces the Army’s M109A7 Paladin Integrated Management (PIM) program. The RFI released in late September asked interested companies to describe their onshore production capacity, but this requirements document solidifies domestic production as a key component of the competition. Of course, a production requirement is not a death knell for any foreign-based firm that wants to take part. For instance, Mike Coulter, Hanwha’s defense head, told Breaking Defense last week that he’s not concerned about any domestic requirement that could emerge with its offering.
“Our intent is to create capacity, build them here,” he said during an interview in Washington, although “I don’t think we have fully fleshed out options. We have not committed to a plan.”
Tracked Vs Wheeled Requirements
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The requirements document also includes a call for the new howitzer to be as heavily armored as the currently fielded M109A7, while also providing increased “mobility & transportability.”
Getting that level of armor and mobility could prove to be a tricky needle to thread. Traditionally, wheeled vehicles are lighter and built more for roads, while tracked vehicles are associated with heavier vehicles that more easily maneuver in muddy conditions. The source speculated that the mention of armor equivalent to the M109A7, could be a sign the Army prefers a tracked system or the upgraded M109A7. (Of the currently known competitors, Hanwha’s K9 is the only tracked option while BAE is still producing the M109A7.)
The requirements document also includes:
- A sustainment provision for a platform that delivers higher levels of reliability, availability, and maintainability to ensure sustained combat operations and minimize logistical burden/cost.
- A mobility provision for air/sea/rail/road transport and on/off-road mobility performance up to that of HIMARS.
- The requirement for a weapon that can reach “max range massed lethal effects” up to 58km (36 miles) and precision fires up to 70km (43.5 miles) and a min range of 4km (2.5 miles).
- The platform should be able to store more than three precision rounds (e.g., Excalibur) and be able to fire at least six rounds per minute unguided and three rounds per minute if guided.
After scrapping internal development of the Extended Range Cannon Artillery platform, Army officials embarked on a world tour last year searching for existing self-propelled howitzers. After seeing offerings from five companies — BAE Systems, Elbit Systems, General Dynamics, Hanwha and Rheinmetall — the Army announced plans to launch a competition to pick an existing platform rather than embarking on development of an entirely new weapon. However, that competition was temporarily placed on hold as part of the Army Transformation Initiative. Then in late September, the service launched forward and released the RFI.The RFI, authored by the Program Executive Officer for Ground Combat Systems, called on vendors to offer solutions that will “likely involve temporarily” providing their howitzer systems to brigades participating in the Army’s Transformation in Contact (TiC) initiative — the service’s push to rapidly test new equipment with units both inside the US and abroad to understand how that technology will operate in real-world environments. (Source: Breaking Defense.com)
21 Oct 25. Northrop eyes more B-21 contracts, Air Force deal to speed production. Northrop Grumman expects to receive new U.S. Air Force contracts for its B-21 Raider stealth bomber program by the end of the year, the defense firm’s Chief Executive Officer Kathy Warden said Tuesday. And Northrop continues to work with the Air Force on a potential agreement to accelerate production of the B-21, Warden said in an earnings call with investors. The budget reconciliation bill Congress passed in July provides $4.5bn to speed up production of the B-21. Warden said Northrop remains in active discussion with the Air Force on how to get that done, although the federal government shutdown has slowed those conversations. If such a deal is struck, Warden said, Northrop plans to make more investments to increase its production rate. An acceleration of the B-21 program would mean higher revenue for Northrop in 2026, Warden said, but she declined to predict how much it could raise.
“The actual production rates, the timing, and ultimately the outcome of those negotiations with the Air Force would define what that financial profile looks like,” Warden said. “It’s too early for me to speculate on that.”
The Air Force plans to buy at least 100 B-21s to replace its aging and retiring fleets of B-2 Spirit stealth bombers and B-1 Lancers sometime in the 2030s. If the service chose to buy more than 100 B-21s, as it has been considering, Warden said that would be handled in a different negotiation process from the production acceleration discussions. Warden said the program is on track to receive a contract for the third low-rate initial production lot of the B-21 and an advance procurement contract to begin acquiring components and resources to build the fifth lot in the fourth quarter of 2025. The start of flight tests for the second B-21, which began in September, represents a “significant milestone” for the program, Warden said. It also marks the beginning of a new phase in B-21 flight testing, beyond general flight performance to integrating its weapons and mission systems, she said. Multiple other B-21s are now in ground testing in preparation for their first flights, Warden said, which will validate their performance and minimize their risk. In April, Northrop announced it had taken a $477m loss on the B-21 program, which it attributed to a production process change meant to allow the company to build bombers faster. Ken Crews, Northrop’s chief financial officer, said on Tuesday that producing the B-21’s engineering and manufacturing development flight test aircraft cost more than expected, which in turn increased Northrop’s anticipated cost of building the low-rate initial production bombers. But a contract restructuring on the B-21 that reduced the company’s expected losses on the remaining low-rate initial production lots all but erased those higher costs, Crews said, and was essentially a wash. (Source: Defense News)
REST OF THE WORLD
23 Oct 25. Milkor confirmed as winning bidder in SA Army border patrol APC tender. State defence materiel agency Armscor has revealed that Milkor has been chosen to supply armoured vehicles to the South African Army, which is seeking several hundred for border patrol and other duties. In a statement released by Armscor Corporate Communication representative Nonduduzo Nyathikazi on Wednesday, the state-owned entity said, “The bid has been awarded to Milkor SA (Pty) Ltd, a South African company with proven track record in the military environment.” In January 2023, Armscor issued a Request for Information (SA Army/R/403/6) for a 2+8 seat armoured personnel carrier (APC) capable of counterinsurgency operations with variable ballistic and mine protection able to defeat an 8 kg mine. Seven companies responded to the RFI (DCD Protected Mobility, Denel, OTT Solutions, Paramount, Automotive Investment Holdings/ICP, and SVI). The intention was to evaluate the different vehicles along the South African borderline in operational conditions in October/November 2023 and afterwards demonstrate the vehicles during the SA Army’s Exercise Vuk’uhlome in November 2023. Armscor was originally supposed to place the procurement contract from 1 April 2024, but this was delayed. On 23 July 2024, Armscor issued tender ELWS/2024/71 for personnel carrier vehicles for border patrol, to be utilised for internal and external missions of the SA Army. Nearly 500 vehicles are to be acquired, in three variants: 210 Section variants, 144 Command variants, and 108 Ambulance variants. The bid called for a vehicle with a 13.5 ton Gross Vehicle Mass, while catering for a minimum payload of 1.5 tons. Ballistic protection must be to NATO STANAG Level 1 that covers 7.62 x 51 mm and 5.56 mm ball ammunition. Mine blast protection must be to Level 2 (single 6 kg surrogate mine placed under the vehicle). The vehicle must be air transportable in Ilyushin Il-76 or Airbus A400M aircraft and also be able to be carried on ships and flatbed rail containers. Bids were initially due to close on 23 August 2024, with deliveries expected on or before 15 March 2025. However, the tender has faced numerous challenges, including changing requirements – Armscor revised specifications, reducing the combat weight as the original user requirement was mostly taken from that of the Badger infantry fighting vehicle for the SA Army, and this was not practical for the vehicles required for border patrol. Bid validity was extended to cater to delays, and in a letter to bidders dated 17 June 2025, Armscor’s Supply Chain Management announced another extension to 30 September 2025. Nyathikazi explained that Armscor received eleven bids, of which six complied with “critical criteria evaluation.” By October, Armscor had selected a preferred bidder and had submitted a Financial Authorisation request to the SA Army. In revealing Milkor as the tender winner, Nyathikazi stated that Armscor conducted a due diligence exercise on the preferred bidder to confirm amongst others, the technical and financial capacity of the bidder to execute the requirement of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF).
“The order placed provides for specific risk mitigating factors where the contractor may not proceed with any work prior to the successful acceptance of the First Article Variants by Armscor within a specified timeframe. The order further provides for performance guarantees to ensure the technical and financial performance of the contractor is in line with the terms and conditions of the order,” Armscor stated.
Although Armscor did not specify which vehicle Milkor would supply, the company offers three models: the Bushcat 4×4 armoured personnel carrier, Frontier light tactical vehicle based on a Land Cruiser chassis, and Vanguard MRAP (Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected) vehicle. The new vehicles will replace the ‘troop pack’ vehicles previously acquired for border patrol – over 400 Toyota Land Cruisers were originally bought for this purpose. National Treasury allocated R500 m in 2024/25 for the procurement of vehicles to replace the troop packs. The delays, changing tender requirements and other issues related to the tender have seen complaints from losing bidders, who have accused Armscor of changing bid processes to possibly favour a particular manufacturer. As reported by The Citizen, Armscor invited DCD, Paramount, and SVI to send vehicles to the SA Army’s Technical Services School for physical inspection on 28 February, to be followed by field testing along the borders from 3-26 March. However, the field evaluations were cancelled.
“The process was not delayed nor changed to favour any particular bidder,” according to the Nyathikazi statement, which added that the live field tests were not part of the pre-determined value system of the request for bid (RFB) and was not intended to be used for any evaluation purposes. “There are also no compulsory protocols such as the field tests, that needed to be followed in the procurement process. The field tests could therefore not favour any particular manufacturer.”
Armscor also received objections from bidders indicating a concern that the field tests were not part of the request for bid requirements. “It is correctly reported that the field tests were cancelled in order to align with the RFB requirements. The vehicle specifications were not altered during the process; however, clarification was provided to bidders regarding applicable standards for amongst other, ballistic protection.” Furthermore, Armscor said it executes its mandate in accordance with the provisions of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA). “In line with these provisions Armscor followed the established procurement processes in the evaluation and adjudication of the bids in a fair, equitable, transparent, competitive and cost-effective manner.” (Source: https://www.defenceweb.co.za/)
22 Oct 25. Armscor’s border patrol APC tender puts defence procurement in the spotlight. Armscor has identified a preferred bidder for the South African National Defence Force’s (SANDF) new border patrol Personnel Carrier. Although the name cannot yet be released, this marks a potentially positive step for the SA Army, which has long awaited modern equipment.
A Painful Wake-Up Call
Recent years have exposed the SANDF’s deteriorating combat readiness. During clashes in January 2025 in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), several South African soldiers were killed, reigniting debate over whether our troops are being sent into battle without proper protection or modern vehicles. Parliament and the media questioned the SANDF’s preparedness, pointing to vehicles over 40 years old – relics unsuited to today’s missions where mobility, protection, and situational awareness are vital. Despite calls from the President, Defence Minister, and Parliament to raise the defence budget to 1.5 percent of GDP, South Africa continues to underinvest in the tools that safeguard its soldiers and its sovereignty.
Why New Vehicles Are Urgent
South Africa’s borders remain porous, threatened by smuggling, trafficking, and cross-border crime. The SANDF currently relies on ageing Toyota Land Cruisers and armoured vehicles from the 1970s and 1980s – platforms long past their service lives. Armscor’s tender issued in July 2024 aims to supply new multipurpose vehicles for border patrol and external peacekeeping. However, since the tender predates the DRC crisis, questions arise over whether the Army’s current specifications remain adequate. Once bids are in, specifications cannot be changed without cancelling the process, leaving little flexibility to adjust to lessons learned in combat.
Potential Contenders
The local armoured-vehicle market is highly competitive. Paramount Group’s Africa proven Maatla is offered in a Long Wheelbase that was developed for border security and meets Armscor’s technical standards as an off-the-shelf unit. DCD Protected Mobility’s Springbuck range has been tested in African conditions, and a command variant already aligns with the tender’s requirements. Newer entrants such as Milkor 4×4 and SVI Max 9 could also meet specifications with modification. Denel might offer the RG21, a close fit for the requirement, but its troubled history with the Badger project raises doubts. Encouragingly, Defence Minister Angie Motshekga has stated that the Ministry will not interfere in Denel’s commercial operations, suggesting that Armscor will make its decision independently.
Lessons from Past Procurement Failures
The border patrol tender is more than routine procurement. It is a test of whether South Africa can run a transparent, technically sound, and accountable defence acquisition. Local production and industrial capability must be prioritised, yet past projects offer sobering lessons. The Badger Infantry Fighting Vehicle programme, launched to modernise the Army and strengthen Denel, became a R7.7 bn debacle. Eighteen years later, not one operational vehicle has been delivered. Similarly, a project to replace the SAMIL support fleet collapsed after legal challenges, leaving the Army with outdated trucks. The current tender must avoid repeating these mistakes.
Risks in the Current Tender
Structural weaknesses that doomed earlier projects could resurface. The tender is designed as a “winner-takes-all” competition. Potential irregularities risks controversy if the contract goes to a bidder that can be contended as lacking experience or production capacity. Losing bidders could then challenge the outcome, stalling deliveries. This is a scenario that serves neither the Army nor the defence industry.
Compounding concerns, no pre-selection testing of vehicles occurred despite plans to trial three local options. While all proposed trial vehicles are South African designs, failure to test them before selection invites uncertainty about suitability and reliability. Awarding the contract to a foreign design would be a severe setback for local industry.
Towards a Better Solution
The SANDF urgently needs a credible, modern vehicle fleet to restore operational credibility. That begins with a transparent, fair, and pragmatic procurement process. The defence industry remains one of the nation’s technological strengths, capable of high-value job creation and export growth.
Export success depends on domestic adoption of “procure to export.” A contentious, single-supplier award could paralyse progress. Armscor’s procedures, however, do permit multi-supplier awards, which could both support local industry and ensure timely delivery.
Two practical approaches exist:
- Variant-based allocation: Different suppliers could build the Section, Command, and Ambulance variants, allowing specialisation while spreading industrial participation.
- Shared production: Multiple qualified OEMs could each produce all variants to meet company or battalion level needs, strengthening capacity across firms and speeding up deliveries. A 10-year performance-based maintenance contract, already part of the request for proposals, could guarantee vehicle availability regardless of the number of vehicle types.
This approach would also mitigate risk. Even if one manufacturer falters, others would continue production. A side benefit is that at least 50% more sub-contractors/suppliers would be brought into the supply chain. This is needed in light of job creation.
A Test of Will and Competence
The DRC deployment proved that soldiers’ lives depend on equipment availability. The Badger saga showed what happens when procurement is mishandled. The new Personnel Carrier tender is an opportunity to show that South Africa has learned from both experiences. Choosing the right vehicles, and the right procurement strategy, could revitalise the local defence industry, restore confidence in Armscor, and ensure that soldiers never again enter combat in obsolete equipment. Another compromised tender would deepen the SANDF’s crisis. A transparent, well-executed one could help rebuild a vital pillar of national security, the SA defence industry. (Source: https://www.defenceweb.co.za/)
20 Oct 25. Trump backs Australia’s nuclear submarine deal after Aukus review. US President Donald Trump says Australia will get coveted nuclear-powered attack submarines and has signed a deal on rare earth minerals with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. The promise to Australia, which promotes itself as a key US ally against China, came after the Trump administration said this year it was reviewing a deal for the subs signed under previous president Joe Biden.
“The submarines that we’re starting to build for Australia are really moving along,” Trump told reporters as he sat alongside Albanese in the cabinet room of the White House.
“We’ve worked on this long and hard, and we’re starting that process right now. And it’s really moving along very rapidly, very well.”
The two leaders also signed a deal on critical minerals and rare earths, which are vital for the technology that runs the global economy. Albanese has touted Australia’s abundant critical minerals as a way to loosen China’s grip over global supplies. The Australian premier meanwhile managed to ride out an awkward confrontation between Trump and Australia’s ambassador to Washington – former prime minister Kevin Rudd. Rudd deleted a series of critical social media posts about Trump after the Republican’s election victory last year.
“I don’t like you either. I don’t. And I probably never will,” Trump said to Rudd when a reporter pointed out that the ex-PM was in the room and asked the US President whether he minded the comments.
Australians have a mostly unfavourable view of the Trump administration, polling shows, though the country relies on the United States to balance China’s expanding military clout in the Pacific region.
Rare earths
Australia’s government had been hoping for Trump’s blessing of the 2021 agreement for at least three of the silent, Virginia-class submarines within 15 years. The Aukus submarine deal between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States could cost Australia up to US$235bn ($409bn) over the next 30 years, according to Canberra. But the Trump administration said in June it had put Aukus under review to ensure it aligned with his America First agenda. Some domestic critics had said the United States did not produce enough Virginia-class submarines to supply Australia as well as its own navy. The nuclear-powered vessels lie at the heart of Australia’s strategy of improving its long-range strike capabilities in the Pacific. Australia had a major bust-up with France after it cancelled a multibn-dollar deal to buy a fleet of diesel-powered submarines from Paris and go with the Aukus programme instead. In the run-up to the White House talks, Australia also sold itself to Washington as a future source of critical minerals including rare earths – of which China is by far the world’s largest supplier. Australia sits on deposits of lithium, cobalt and manganese as well as rare earth metals used in technologies from semiconductors to defence hardware, electric cars and wind turbines. Albanese announced plans in April for a strategic reserve of critical minerals to provide to “key partners” such as the United States.
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The reserve is designed to help relax China’s chokehold on global critical minerals production, which it has been accused of leveraging to pressure trade partners. Trump this month threatened 100% tariffs on China in response to its latest rare earths export curbs. But Trump insisted on Monday that he now predicted a good trade deal with China at talks in South Korea with Chinese President Xi Jinping. (Source: News Now/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/)
20 Oct. 25. Egypt receives another batch of Rafale fighter jets. The Egyptian Air Force (EAF) has taken delivery of another three Rafale fighter jets from France’s Dassault Aviation, which were ordered under a nearly €4 bn contract signed in 2021. The three jets were seen on their delivery flights earlier this month and comprise two single-seaters (EM10 and EM11) and a two-seater (DM21). They were ferried to Gebel El Basur Air Base after test flights in France, joining the 203rd Tactical Fighter Wing and its 34th and 36th Tactical Fighter Squadrons. In November 2021 Egypt ordered 30 new Rafale F3Rs in a roughly €3.75bn deal. Deliveries began in late 2024 starting with EM09 (first seen in October last year), and are set to conclude by next year, at which time Egypt will have 54 Rafales in service (an additional aircraft was added to replace an airframe that was lost in a crash). To date, 38 Rafales have been delivered from France, including 24 from the first contract signed in 2015 (for eight single-seaters and 16 two-seaters, which had been delivered by 2017). It is believed the 2021 contract was negotiated after Egypt cancelled a 2018 order for Sukhoi Su-35SEs from Russia. The Rafale F3R model is equipped as standard with the Thales RBE2 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar; SPECTRA electronic self-protection system; infrared search and track sensor (IRST); helmet visor compatibility; and advanced mission management software. The aircraft can use target acquisition and designation pods such as the Thales Talios. It is likely the Egyptian Rafales will be fitted with AASM-1000 Hammer guided bombs and NARANG in-flight refuelling pods – the F3R can also carry MBDA Meteor and MICAR air-to-air missiles, SCALP/Storm Shadow cruise missiles, GBU-series of guided bombs, and Exocet anti-ship missiles. A 30 mm cannon is also fitted internally. The F3R has been supplanted by the Rafale F4.2, which boasts a range of improvements. Egyptian Rafales may be upgraded in the future to this or similar standard. Since entering Egyptian service, Rafales have been used operationally in Libya, and had reached 10 000 flying hours by March 2023. Egypt’s main fighter is the F-16, of which the service has 215 aircraft in service, including A/B and C/D variants. The Air Force also flies 19 Mirage 2000 and 39 MiG-29 combat jets. In the first week of October, Dassault announced that it had built the 300th Rafale, but did not say for which customer. To date, 533 Rafale aircraft have been ordered from France and eight export customer countries. Thus, 233 examples are yet to be delivered, with production rates planned to increase to four aircraft per month. The first Rafale units became operational in the French Navy in 2004 and in the French Air Force in 2006. Egypt was the first export customer, followed by seven more customers, with the latest being Serbia. It chose the Rafale after deciding against the MiG-29. Notable orders include from the United Arab Emirates (80), Qatar (36), and Indonesia (42). India has ordered 36 for its Air Force and 26 for its Navy while Greece has ordered 24, and Croatia 12 (second hand). (Source: https://www.defenceweb.co.za/)
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Since 1946, Industrial Electronic Engineers, IEE, has specialized in the design, test, support and fielding of display products for use in demanding military and aerospace applications throughout the world. IEE has developed an extensive product portfolio that today includes enhanced flat panel displays, smart displays and handheld devices.
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- Expert in delivering the best value in form and fit replacement by modifying existing COTS products to meet legacy requirements
- Leading the next generation avionics efficiencies by leveraging open architectures and common software standards
- Field-proven, pre-engineered displays minimize lead-time and non-recurring engineering costs.
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