01 Jul 14. Czech Republic seeks new 81mm mortars. The Czech Ministry of Defence (MoD) is seeking to procure new 81mm mortar systems for the Army of the Czech Republic (ACR) as part of efforts to bolster the service’s artillery capability. The MoD intends to provide CZK80m (USD4m) to procure 19 81mm mortar systems through the NATO Support Agency (NSPA) to fill a much-needed capability gap and bring the ACR’s artillery capability closer to that of its NATO partners. The MoD argues that it will save approximately 20% by procuring the new systems via the NSPA rather than through other commercial channels. Apart from procuring the actual mortar systems, the MoD intends to acquire training systems as well as range-finder displays for mortar crews and field artillery commanders. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
01 Jul 14. UK promises competition for future maritime UAS capability. Boeing Defence UK’s contract to provide its ScanEagle unmanned air system (UAS) for deployment onboard Royal Navy (RN) and Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships is to be extended for two years. However, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has stated that any programme to retain a shipborne UAS capability after mid-2017 will move forward only after a competitive tendering process. Boeing was awarded an initial GBP30m (USD51m) contract to provide a contractor-owned, contractor-operated (COCO) maritime UAS service in June 2013 in response to an urgent operational requirement (UoR) for persistent intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) coverage in support of RN deployments. (Source: IHS Jane’s)