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16 Jan 25. Swiss join continental military mobility project. The neutral nation at the heart of Western Europe will join the EU PESCO project to ‘standardise’ administrative processes. Switzerland, a neutral nation, has joined Europe’s Military Mobility project, intended to remove obstacles during military movements and to speed up travel times within the EU. The PESCO project, formed in 2018, functions as an active forum among 29 nations, led by the Netherlands, for the exchange of information and best practices regarding improvements on military mobility.
This applies to transport by road, rail, air and inland waterways.
Moving equipment and troops can prove to be a monumental task. These logistical missions are often delayed by administrative and infrastructural problems: customs formalities or narrow roads and bridges.
Moreover, there are other forms of threats to cross-border logistical movements, for example, the Western intelligence community has previously warned of growing Russian cyber threats to the critical flow of allied security assistance bound for Ukraine.
Removing these obstacles is usually the responsibility of each individual country. However, the PESCO project helps participating countries to coordinate and exchange information about their national efforts.
In joining the project, Switzerland aims to improve administrative processes through more ‘standardisation’. This should benefit the unity around the defence apparatus of the Alpine country.
Transatlantic military mobility
In 2024, a new military transport corridor also formed, spanning the Netherlands, Germany, and Poland born out of concern for the smooth supply of troops and equipment to Eastern Europe. Particularly in the Baltic States, where Nato allies exercise a persistent collective forward presence.
In Nato’s northern reaches – spanning Norway, Sweden, and Finland, from the North Sea to the Baltic – another military transport corridor was established in June 2024. It is worth noting that the three northern partners are members of both the PESCO Military Mobility project and Nato.
“Previously, we have thought in terms of north-south when planning the transport of military personnel and equipment,” stated Norway’s Prime Minister, Jonas Gahr Støre. “Now we will also be thinking west-east to a greater extent.”
Transportation exercises are also taking place besides the alleviation of cross-border movements. One notable convoy rehearsal took place on the Danish island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea – a major grey-zone region of contention between Nato and Russia.
The US Sixth Fleet and the Danish military coordinated a convoy transporting a modular containerised missile launcher. The portable, shore-based system is said to increase the Navy’s flexibility to move and deploy weapon systems to support maritime security along sea lines of communication. (Source: army-technology.com)
15 Jan 25. Slovakia considers CV90120, Leopards to replace Soviet-era tanks. As Slovakia readies to acquire new battle tanks for its military, the country’s Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Robert Kaliňák has announced his ministry is considering the CV90120, a light tracked vehicle, as one of the options.
Meanwhile, local opposition politicians say that, while the vehicle could be an alternative to purchasing main battle tanks, the Slovak defense budget is already strained, and funding for the acquisition is at risk.
Last year, Bratislava unveiled plans to buy new tanks, and local observers say the nation intends to purchase up to 104 such vehicles. Made by BAE Systems Hägglunds, the CV90120 would compete against other tracked vehicles considered by the Slovak ministry, which are said to include new Leopard 2A8 tanks from German manufacturer KNDS or used 2A4s, an older Leopard variant that would be modernized by Slovakia’s defense industry.
Kaliňák claims that buying CV90120s would be significantly less expensive than acquiring Leopard 2A8s, which are pursued by neighboring Czech Republic. Slovakia has not bought new tanks since declaring independence in 1993, and it needs to replace its outdated Soviet-designed T-72M1s. Germany transferred 15 2A4s to Slovakia after the nation donated its BVP-1 infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine.
Jaroslav Naď, Slovakia’s former defense minister who chairs the opposition Demokrati (Democrats) party, told Defense News that, during his term at the ministry, a deal to buy 152 CV90 MkIV vehicles was signed, and Bratislava started to analyze the potential benefits of using the same platform to cover light tank needs.
“The CV90120 is an interesting offer because it uses the same platform as the CV90 that Slovakia will operate, but has a different cannon. However, it is a light vehicle, as opposed to the heavy Leopard tank which weighs around twice as much,” Naď said.
“The CV90120 would be cheaper than new Leopard 2A8s, but not by as much as Kaliňák claims,” he added. “Slovakia’s defense budget is already undermined by cuts and inefficient spending on construction projects outside the ministry’s scope.”
The cuts could amount to €700m, or $718m, in 2025, Naď said, citing documents released by the government’s Finance Ministry.
Defense News has contacted the Slovak Ministry of Defence for comment. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/Defense News)
13 Jan 25. The Complex Decision-Making Process of the Military High Command on Defense Vehicles. Decision-making in the military high command for the acquisition and improvement of defense vehicles is a strategic process that goes beyond simply choosing the “most advanced” equipment. It is a multidimensional analysis that considers operational needs, potential threats, technological advances, budgetary constraints, political and geopolitical factors, and the complete life cycle of the equipment.
This complex process aims to ensure that the armed forces are adequately equipped to face present and future challenges, in an ever-changing global scenario.
The initial starting point lies in accurately identifying the operational needs of the forces, analyzing likely conflict scenarios and defining the performance requirements for new vehicles.
Assessing threats, including adversary capabilities, is crucial to determining how the equipment should counter these threats. Monitoring technological advances is also imperative, seeking to incorporate innovations that improve the effectiveness of vehicles.
However, military decisions must also balance the pursuit of excellence with budgetary constraints. The allocation of resources is carefully planned, seeking the best cost-benefit and a balance between what is desirable and what is financially viable. In addition, political and geopolitical factors can influence choices, such as cooperation agreements, alliances, and the development of a national defense industrial base. (Source: Paulo Dominonni via LinkedIn)
13 Jan 25. UK MoD issues industry RfI for Light Mobility Vehicle. The LMV would replace in service platforms like the Land Rover and Pinzgauer used across the UK military. The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has issued a Request for Information (RfI) for a Light Mobility Vehicle (LMV) platform, itself part of the wider Land Mobility Programme (LMP) being undertaken by the British Army in a bid to consolidate disparate vehicle fleet designs. Published on 10 January 2025, the MoD stated a requirement for the production, supply, support, and training for an LMV solution, which would “explore multiple options” including the possible delivery of a wheeled utility platform to modernise capability in roles currently filled by Land Rover and Pinzgauer with a “Common Based Platform”.
By Taulia
As part of the process, the MoD has invited industry to participate in a Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) exercise in support of the development of its acquisition strategy, looking at areas such as the potential for an Off the Shelf (OTS) solution, and through life costs of ownership.
Despite the age of the UK military’s light vehicle fleet, with platforms such as the Land Rover and Pinzgauer many decades old, progress to find replacement options has been slow.
As reported in 2024, the British Army is still to formally define the scope of the wider LMP, with the MoD not due to complete the formal change request until February 2025 ahead of an outline business case at some point between March-October the same year.
The programme does not include acquisitions being sought under the Light Tactical Mobility Platform (LTMP) Medium and LTMP Light programme, through which the MoD is currently seeking industry responses to the potential purchase of more than 1,000 4×4 and all-terrain vehicles, valued at a combined total of £91.3m.
What LMV prospects for UK industry?
The prospect of an OTS solution for the LMV programme points towards a desire to expedite the procurement process, although the approach could see the acquisition of a non-UK design that involves little to no domestic participation.
However, the new UK government has stated a preference towards local manufacture and participation, offering a degree of promise for the country’s commercial and military vehicle suppliers.
In late-2024, UK defence vehicle prime Supacat unveiled its tactical Light Mobility Vehicle, intended for use by light role and very-high readiness forces, aimed towards operations with 3 Command Brigade of the Royal Marines or the British Army’s Ranger regiment for any UK requirement.
The LMV combines Toyota automotive components with a bespoke chassis and a ‘Combat Cell’ shell and is available in 4×4 or 6×6 configurations.
The Combat Cell, developed by Armoured Car Systems in Bavaria, Germany, is configurable depending on mission requirements, and features a crew served main weapon such as a general-purpose machine gun (GPMG) mounted on a 360° slewing ring and commander’s GPMG on a dash mounted swing arm.
(Source: army-technology.com)
10 Jan 25. Thales UK and MoD successfully test lightweight multi-role missile. The missile was launched from a vehicle-mounted, lightweight fire control and launching system developed by Thales in the UK.
Thales UK, in collaboration with the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD), has conducted successful back-to-back firings of the Lightweight Multi-role Missile (LMM) against air and sea targets.
The recent firing event is said to have marked a significant milestone by showcasing the weapon’s capabilities in both air defence and surface attack.
The LMM, a versatile and precision-guided missile, is designed to engage a variety of threats such as armoured personnel carriers, fast in-shore attack crafts, and uncrewed aerial systems.
Its precision laser guidance system minimises collateral damage, making it suitable for urban warfare.
With a speed of Mach 1.5 and a range exceeding 6km, the LMM features a triple effect warhead and proximity fuse.
The company states that LMM set a new standard in short-range defence by neutralising both an aerial drone (Banshee UAV) and a sea-based target (fast inshore attack craft) with two missiles launched in less than a minute.
During testing, the missile was launched from a vehicle-mounted, lightweight fire control and launching system developed by Thales in the UK.
The test also received support from the British Army and Royal Navy, which presented various static equipment, including shoulder and tripod launchers, and a Wildcat helicopter equipped to carry 20 LMMs, referred to as Martlet in naval operations.
Separately, Thales Australia announced that the Albanese Government’s plan to invest A$100m ($62m) in the production of an additional 44 Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicles (PMVs) at the Thales Protected Vehicle Centre of Excellence in Bendigo, Australia.
This investment is part of a larger A$300m commitment to defence by the Albanese Government.
The new Bushmasters will serve the Australian Army’s second long-range fires regiment at the Edinburgh Defence Precinct in South Australia, within the 10th Fires Brigade.
More than 1300 Bushmaster vehicles have been produced in Bendigo, with exports made to eight countries. (Source: army-technology.com)
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TEK Military Seating Limited
TEK Military Seating Limited is a UK based designer and manufacturer of ProTEK military vehicle seating which offer the highest standards of safety and protection. The ProTEK brand is well respected across the globe for its robust construction, innovative design, built in modularity and cost effectiveness. Our superior products are supported by our experienced team who endeavor to offer unrivalled service to our customers from enquiry, through design and acceptance, to through life support.
From its inception ProTEK seats have been designed around a family of innovative seat frames onto which tested and certified modules can be fitted to create a bespoke solution for the user. These include Blast protection to Stanag 4569 standards, vibration reduction, head and body protection, seat risers and turntables, fore & aft adjustment, and seat back rake along with viable seat dimensions without the need for additional tooling costs.
Contact: Paul Fleming
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