Sponsored by TEK Military Seating Limited
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27 Nov 25. Ajax issues – storm in a teacup, Calm Down Dear (x2). Update soon.
26 Nov 25. New Zealand boosts Army logistics with new maintenance hub. Improving defence logistics is part of the Government’s NZ$12bn Defence Capability Plan over the next four years. New Zealand has strengthened its defence logistics capabilities with the opening of a maintenance support facility and the start of construction on a new regional supply centre at Burnham military camp in South Island. Defence Minister Judith Collins marked the opening of the NZ$58m ($32m) maintenance support facility and groundbreaking of the NZ$82.7m multi-functional regional supply facility during an event at the camp. The technology-enabled maintenance support facility is designed for maintaining and repairing defence equipment, offering expanded operational capacity and increased safety for personnel.
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This facility, modelled after a similar complex at Linton military camp, was completed ahead of schedule and NZ$6.25m under budget, according to a statement released by Judith Collins. Construction is now underway on the multi-functional regional supply facility, which will serve as a single logistics hub, providing access to equipment and supplies. The project is expected to employ around 600 people throughout its duration, supporting the local economy. Both facilities are components of the New Zealand Defence Force’s consolidated logistics project, which includes five new logistics buildings across Linton and Burnham camps. The initiative covers two maintenance support facilities, completed at Linton and Burnham military camps, and two regional supply facilities, with one under construction at Linton and another which just broke ground at Burnham. A regional vehicle storage facility at Linton is currently in the design phase.
“These new facilities will form a Regional Logistics Centre for the South Island, improving the Defence Force’s ability to sustain operations, support personnel, and protect New Zealand’s interests,” Collins said.
The improvement of defence logistics is part of the New Zealand Government’s NZ$12bn Defence Capability Plan unveiled in April 2025.
Through these investments, New Zealand aims to gradually increase its defence budget from just over 1% of GDP to more than 2% within eight years. (Source: army-technology.com)
24 Nov 25. Roll-out of the KNDS LEOPARD 2A8 and PzH 2000 Systems. In the presence of German Federal Minister of Defence Boris Pistorius, Norwegian State Secretary of Defence Marte Gerhardsen, and Bavarian Minister-President Markus Söder, the rollout of the KNDS LEOPARD 2A8 and PzH 2000 systems for the German Armed Forces and the Norwegian Armed Forces took place today at the Munich site. The CEO of KNDS Deutschland, Ralf Ketzel, stated: “Today marks a milestone both for the rapid and modern equipping of the German Armed Forces and for the excellent and close cooperation within Europe in the field of land systems. The rollout demonstrates the trusting cooperation between Norway and Germany and simultaneously marks the start of a unified European procurement process, which Lithuania, the Netherlands, and the Czech Republic have also joined. The KNDS team is proud to deliver here.”
Minister-President Dr. Markus Söder: “We are resolutely expanding our defenses. Unfortunately, the war in Ukraine is challenging security in Europe like never before. The freedom of all Europe is being defended there. We are providing decisive answers: only if we can defend ourselves will we not be attacked. This requires state-of-the-art technology such as tanks, aircraft, and drones. Today is therefore a good day for security. We are producing new equipment for the Bundeswehr and our partners around the world right here in Bavaria. NATO is not just a defense alliance, but an alliance of values.
Bavaria is the number one defense tech location in Germany: a third of the German defense industry is based here, we are the only federal state with its own Bundeswehr law, and we are now also introducing a separate law for the defense industry to facilitate cooperation and permits. We stand by the Bundeswehr and all its soldiers. They defend our freedom and democracy. Those who risk their backs for us must have their backs protected.”
The procurement of 22 PzH 2000 and 123 LEOPARD 2 A8 main battle tanks for the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr) is intended to replace artillery systems and tanks delivered to Ukraine (contract signed in 2023). Furthermore, PzH 2000s will continue to be manufactured for Ukraine, where they have proven themselves in action as a superior self-propelled artillery system. The majority of the 54 Norwegian tanks under contract will be manufactured by RITEK, KNDS’s industrial partner in Norway. The transfer of know-how required for the production of the LEOPARD 2 A8 in Norway by KNDS will increase overall production capacity and deepen European cooperation in this area. The PzH 2000 is the world’s most advanced tracked self-propelled howitzer. Its high mobility, short reaction times for issuing a fire command, and maximum efficiency make the PzH 2000 so superior. Besides Germany and Ukraine, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Lithuania and Qatar have also procured the PzH 2000.
All LEOPARD 2 A8 tanks for the Bundeswehr will be manufactured at the KNDS site in Munich.
The handover of the LEOPARD 2 A8 main battle tanks to the soldiers of both nations will begin in April 2026, as contractually agreed. The first PzH 2000 self-propelled howitzers will be delivered to the German Armed Forces starting in May 2026. Among the key features of the LEOPARD 2 A8 is the „Rafael“ active protection system, which provides thorough protection against modern, high-performance guided missiles. KNDS is working closely with Kongsberg on the comprehensive modernization of the electronic system, a project coordinated with Norway. This technology will facilitate and completely redesign data transfer within the main battle tank, as well as communication with other combat systems.
In Europe, 18 nations already rely on the LEOPARD 2 main battle tank from KNDS Deutschland. Worldwide, the system has 23 user nations. (Source: ASD Network)
24 Nov 25. British Army tested two cope cage designs on Challenger 2. Although fibreglass is 50% lighter than steel, the Army Trials Unit still found the concept too restrictive in missions outside a drone-saturated environment.
- The British Army Trials Unit tested steel and fibreglass cope cages on a Challenger 2 tank
- It is said that the apparatus significantly reduced situational awareness and rendered the remote weapon system unusable
- The trial determined that the trade-offs subjected on a tank crew mean cope cages should be used “for emergency purposes only”
On the sidelines of the Future Armoured Vehicles Survivability conference in London on 19 November, Army Technology was briefed by a member of the British Army Trials Unit regarding tests assessing the effectiveness of fibreglass and steel cope cages for protecting a Challenger 2 main battle tank (MBT). Cope cages – a colloquial term referring to a type of slat armour using bars, slats, or a mesh cage – provide an additional layer of protection to armoured vehicles against one-way attack uncrewed aerial systems (UAS). In the Russia-Ukraine conflict, UAS have surpassed conventional artillery in causing 80% of casualties on the battlefield. This figure has even led some to question the utility of armoured vehicles in an environment saturated with these pervasive systems. Of approximately 100 Western MBTs (Leopard 2s/Challenger 2s) delivered to Ukraine’s Armed Forces, it is said that 28 have been lost. Both cope cages were made by the Army Trials Unit (ATU) and are said to have successfully protected the MBT against a swarm of 20 attack drones from different angles. Even though the fibreglass cage, which can be around 50% lighter than steel, reduced the weight of the platform, the tank crew were confronted with unavoidable problems.
“Would it be dictated by operational [environment]? We’re going to be in an environment where there will be plenty of drones, [in which case] we’re now going to put on a cope cage. But from a user perspective, it was actually very difficult to navigate and to use that tank tactically,” the ATU commander acknowledged. “Situational awareness was massively reduced. Things like [the remote weapon system] couldn’t be used.”
Speaking exclusively to this reporter, the ATU commander suggested these cages were problematic since it took many hours to bolt them on and off the platform.
Furthermore, Army Technology reviewed unreleased imagery of the fibreglass cope cage. It was a tall apparatus that boxed over almost the entire MBT, covering the diesel engine at the rear hull, the main hatch, and the turret, extending down to the tracks.
“Did it improve lethality?” asked another soldier familiar with the trial, “no, because on the whole it decreases your ability to manoeuvre properly.”
However, due to their efficacy against drone swarms, cope cages could still be used “but for emergency purposes only,” the leading trial manager insisted.
“I think… the results from the trial were not unsuccessful, but there was a lot more, looking into when you would use a cope cage,” he assessed. In the end, it is a question of trade-offs between lethality and survivability.
The two said there are no further cope cage trials on the horizon but expressed there is still value in testing these optional layers of protection in the future.
Future protection
The UK is currently in the process of upgrading 148 of its Challenger 2 MBTs to the Challenger 3 standard, incorporating a new turret, main gun system, and new layers of protection. It is thought the Challenger 3 could feature new composite armour, as well as fielding the Trophy active protection system, an Israeli system that uses radar sensors to detect and track threats and deploy effectors to intercept them. During the conference, the British Army confirmed that demonstrator technology within the Modular Integrated Protection System, or MIPS, will reach technology readiness level seven sometime in 2026. MIPS constitutes a wider open systems architecture comprising various layers of protection. The system is intended to address the active protection of military vehicles against a saturated threat landscape on the ground including conventional anti-tank guided missiles and rocket propelled grenades to new generation weapons such as small UAS and a range of electromagnetic activities. (Source: army-technology.com)
21 Nov 25. BAE Systems (LON: BA) has been awarded a contract by the Danish Ministry of Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organisation (DALO) to deliver 44 additional CV90MkIIIC infantry fighting vehicles at a value of approximately $450m including spares, support, logistics, and training. This builds upon a previous contract awarded in 2024 for 115 CV90s, taking the total of CV90MkIIICs for the Royal Danish Army to 159, and replaces the planned mid-life extension program for the existing CV9035DK fleet, reflecting Denmark’s commitment to modernizing its military capabilities with the latest technology. BAE Systems has been awarded a contract by the Danish Ministry of Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organisation to deliver 44 additional CV90MkIIIC infantry fighting vehicles. (Credit: BAE Systems)
“The infantry fighting vehicle is an essential part of the combat power in the heavy brigade. It is therefore crucial that we acquire a consolidated fleet of vehicles as quickly as possible,” said Commander of the Danish Army, Major General Peter Boysen in a press release from DALO. “With the decision to replace the current 44 IFV’s with new ones, the Army will have 159 state-of-the-art infantry fighting vehicles by the end of 2030.”
CV9035MkIIIC is built to the same standard as the latest CV90 mid-life upgrade program for the Netherlands. The vehicles will be equipped with the new CV90 turret, which provides a leap forward in design and functionality. The vehicle is built on years of combat-proven experience, continuous improvements, and data gathering from current CV90 users, and offers offering interoperability between nations.
“This order demonstrates the trust that the Danish Armed Forces have in the CV90’s capabilities and our commitment to providing high-quality solutions that meet their evolving needs,” said Tommy Gustafsson-Rask, general manager at BAE Systems Hägglunds. “The CV9035MkIIIC will position Denmark at the forefront of modern defence by delivering new technology and seamless interoperability with allied nations.”
BAE Systems’ CV90 infantry fighting vehicles provide world-leading combat capability in the 20-38-ton class. It can integrate a wide range of weapon systems, providing all-target capability to land forces around the world. With a total of 1,900 vehicles ordered in 17 different variants, the CV90 has covered more than eight m kilometers. It has been selected by 10 European nations, eight of them NATO members, and has seen combat in Afghanistan and Ukraine, as well as operations in Liberia. (Source: PR Newswire)
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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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