21 Dec 22. Mistral Inc., UVision USA, and SAIC to Collaborate on Loitering Munition Systems Manufacturing.
Mistral Inc. is pleased to announce achieving a significant milestone in the domestic manufacturing capabilities and domestic supply chain of the USMC Hero-120 Organic Precision Fires–Mounted (OPF-M) and the Medium Range Precision Strike System (MRPSS). In addition to the already established integration of the Hero’s Lethality Package by Mistral in Camden, Arkansas, UVision Air, Mistral’s subcontractor, and its US subsidiary UVision USA reached an agreement with SAIC to provide domestic manufacturing and supply chain assistance to UVision. This milestone secures a fully independent domestic supply chain for the Hero missiles and adds a considerable number of local jobs in Virginia and South Carolina. These enhanced domestic production resources will enable Mistral to scale up the deliveries to the US Government in response to increasing demand.
“Mistral and its teammates are confident that with the fully independent supply chain and manufacturing capabilities, we will be capable of effectively supporting our warfighters with the unique and unparalleled performance of the proven Hero-120 precision strike loitering missile system, and supporting our domestic industrial base” stated Chris Weller, VP of Mistral.
The Hero-120 OPF-M and the MRPSS enable our Marines and Soldiers at the tactical edge to conduct organic ISR along with highly accurate, high endurance, precision strike. Mistral also provides the US Marine Corps with the OPF-M Multi Canister Launcher integrated on the LAV-M, JLTV, and LRUSV platforms for a wide variety of battlefield environments.
About Mistral Inc.
Mistral Inc., a US company headquartered in Bethesda Maryland, focuses on bridging the operational gaps of our warfighters with practical and cost-effective solutions. Mistral is a leader in designing, developing, and producing systems solutions within the global defense and law enforcement markets. (Source: PR Newswire)
21 Dec 22. India outlines 155 mm/52 calibre towed gun programme. The Indian Army has outlined detailed requirements supporting its acquisition of 155 mm/52 calibre towed gun systems.
In a request for information (RFI) document issued by the army, the service confirmed that the guns would be procured from local industry.
The RFI said that the Indian Army seeks to equip its regiments employed in plains, mountains, and deserts with guns for the execution of artillery tasks. The weight of the guns should be less than 15 tons.
The systems should fire all in-service ammunition and should have the capability to operate on existing roads and track networks at India’s northern and western borders, the RFI added.
The guns must be equipped with a global positioning system (GPS) and inertial navigation-based sight system with the capability to orient and fix the location of the system. The fire-control system (FCS) should also provide an optical sight for indirect firing day and night. (Source: Janes)
21 Dec 22. South Korean Army receives first batch of K15 LMGs. South Korean firearms manufacturer SNT Motiv has delivered the first batch of K15 light machine guns (LMGs) to the Republic of Korea (RoK) Army.
According to a press release by SNT Motiv, the 5.56 mm K15 LMGs will replace the ageing fleet of K3 LMGs with the RoK Army.
SNT Motiv said that the new K15 guns are integrated with day and night sighting devices, which were not available in the K3s.
“In addition, accuracy, reliability, and operating convenience [of K15 guns] have been improved. Picatinny rails are installed to use various accessories. The butt and bipod can be freely adjusted according to the physique of the soldiers,” SNT Motiv said.
According to Janes Infantry Weapons, the K15 is an upgrade of the K3 LMG. The K15 introduces a number of parts redesigns to improve the reliability and ergonomics of the weapon over the base K3 model. (Source: Janes)
07 Dec 22. 1st Successful Interception of a Target Simulating an Advanced Cruise Missile by a BARAK LRAD.
- The robust long-range interceptor was launched from an Israeli Navy Sa’ar 6-class corvette
The Israeli Navy, the Directorate of Defense Research and Development (DDR&D) of the Israel Ministry of Defense and the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) have successfully completed an interception test of a long-range BARAK interceptor, which is part of the defensive layer of the Israeli Navy’s Sa’ar 6-class corvette. This is a significant milestone in the development process of the BARAK LRAD interceptor, which is part of the BARAK Air and Missile Defense System. The system is an integral part of the primary defense systems on board the four Sa’ar 6-class corvettes of the Israeli Navy, which play a crucial role in the protection of strategic assets in Israel’s exclusive economic zone.
During the test, which is the first of its kind to be conducted at sea, the BARAK system successfully completed detection and interception processes in a challenging scenario against a target that simulated an advanced cruise missile.
The BARAK system includes an advanced radar to detect threats, a weapon system and an IAI long-range BARAK interceptor. BARAK LRAD is an interceptor with built-in capabilities to deal with a wide range of aerial threats, including fighters, UAVs, cruise missiles, surface-to-surface threats, anti-ship missiles and more. The BARAK system is another layer of defense in Israel’s Multi-tiered missile and air defense array, which will reinforce the air defense capabilities of the Israeli Navy’s Sa’ar 6-class corvettes.
The system is a significant part of the Israeli Navy’s defense capabilities, both in its ability to achieve naval superiority and its involvement in the IDF’s decision-making in the face of a variety of threats and scenarios from the sea and the coast. In addition, the system will strengthen the close cooperation between the Israeli Navy and the Israeli Air Force by bringing forth new capabilities and strengthening the common language and integration between the two branches.
President and CEO of IAI, Mr. Boaz Levy:
“The BARAK MX air defense system, which has once again proven its effectiveness against threats at all levels of defense, provides a solution to the challenges of both the current and future battlefields. The successful series of tests carried out with the BARAK system aboard an INS ‘Magen’ marks the end of the development process and the adaptation of the BARAK MX naval system. The advanced capabilities that were incorporated in this series of experiments were developed by the engineers of the IAI, and they well illustrate the advanced and groundbreaking engineering achievements that are unique to the company and its people.”
Head of the Equipment Division in the Israeli Navy RAdm. Ariel Shir:
“The demonstration of the capability and the success of the test of the BARAK LRAD system is a significant milestone in the operationalization of the INS ‘Oz’ and is a significant addition to the Israeli Navy’s development of new capabilities to defend Israel’s strategic naval assets. The BARAK system in general and its interceptors in particular allow the defense ships improved detection and interception capabilities at much greater ranges and against a variety of air threats. The professionalism, high engineering capabilities and determination of the people of the IAI, the engineers of the Israeli Navy and the DDR&D, along with the high operational capability of the commanders and soldiers of the Missile Ship Flotilla and the crew of the INS ‘Magen’ missile ship, are what made the success of the experiment and the proof of this capability possible. The close and beneficial cooperation that exists between the IAI, the DDR&D and the Israeli Navy is the primary factor in the continued growth and strengthening of the operational capabilities of the INS ‘Magen.’ This cooperation will make it possible to implement the best protection of the strategic assets and vital interests in Israel’s exclusive economic zone, both in the present and in the future.”
Head of the Missiles and Aeronautical Systems Department in the DDR&D, Tal:
“The success of this test is a technological breakthrough in the field of anti-missile naval defense systems. The BARAK defense system’s operational capabilities are a force multiplier for the Sa’ar 6-class corvettes and for the Israeli Navy. The system successfully located the target by simulating an operational cruise missile and intercepted it by launching a BARAK interceptor at it from the sea. The system demonstrated compliance with the requirements of the IDF and the Israeli Navy. The test’s success strengthens our confidence in the system and its ability to protect the strategic assets of the State of Israel at sea.” (Source: ASD Network)
20 Dec 22. MBDA and BAE Systems Hägglunds demonstrate AKERON and CV90 firepower. MBDA’s AKERON MP missile has been fired from the BAE Systems Hägglunds CV90 infantry combat vehicle at a test range in Northern Sweden, in the presence of representatives of the Swedish Armed Forces. AKERON is a unique family of fifth-generation tactical combat missiles incorporating the latest technologies in terms of high-resolution multi-band imagers, multi-effect warheads (anti-tank, anti-infrastructure, anti-personnel), data-links, and multi-mode guidance algorithms based on AI techniques. CV90 is a highly capable modern infantry fighting vehicle featuring an advanced integrated combat system linked to wider battlefield management systems.
The combination of AKERON MP/LYNKEUS and the CV90 combat system offers a unique capability for target engagement in complex environments (forested, urban etc.) through the combination of either immediate target locking of AKERON in lock-on before launch (LOBL) mode, or target acquisition in-flight in lock-on after launch (LOAL) mode, all this made possible by the information provided to the crew by the CV90 combat system. This ability of AKERON to engage tanks at ranges of 4km, with the option for collaborative combat through the CV90 combat system with a LYNKEUS integrated micro-UAV for scouting is unique.
The firing conditions for the trial were set to highlight the complementarity of the CV90 advanced combat system with the unique capability of AKERON MP / LYNKEUS, and with regards to winter combat conditions in the Nordic country; with a successful lock-on before launch (LOBL) in TV band.
09 Dec 22. Brazil commissions patrol ship armed with new gun system. The Brazilian Navy commissioned NPa Maracanã (P72) – the fleet’s third Macaé-class NPa 500 patrol ship and the first one armed with a 40 mm BAE Systems Bofors 40 MK4 naval gun system – on 2 December, at state-owned shipyard Arsenal de Marinha do Rio de Janeiro (AMRJ).
Unlike the first Macaé-class ships, the NPa Macaé (70) and NPa Macau (P71) commissioned from Indústria Naval do Ceará (INACE) in 2009 and 2010, respectively, and were armed with an ST Engineering 40mm NADM330.
Two Bofors 40 Mk4 systems and related spares, tools, and training were acquired by the Navy Weapon Systems Directorate in 2013 for EUR8.3m (USD8.73m), the navy earlier told Janes. A fourth Macaé-class boat, NPa Mangaratiba (P73), is being built. A contract to build NPa Maracanã , NPa Mangaratiba , NPa Miramar, and NPa Magé boats was awarded to Estaleiro Ilha S/A (EISA) in September 2009, and the contract was amended in December 2011 to include a fifth ship, NPa Maragogipe.(Source: Janes)
19 Dec 22. Akıncı UCAV Test-Fires Turkey’s 1st Air-to-Ground Supersonic Missile. Developed with domestic resources, Turkey’s first air-to-ground supersonic missile, the TRG-230, hit its target with pinpoint accuracy at a distance of 100 kilometers (62 miles) in a recent test.
The TRG-230 air-to-ground missile, developed by Roketsan under the coordination of the Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB), was fired from Baykar’s landmark Akıncı unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV), according to the missile-developing company.
The Akıncı, which took off from a base in northwestern Tekirdağ province’s Çorlu district and covered a distance of about 700 kilometers off the northern Black Sea province of Sinop, hit its target over 100 kilometers away. The feat marks the first ballistic supersonic missile launched from air to ground in Turkey.
The missile has only been integrated on the Akıncı UCAV for now, and no further information has been released on whether it will be integrated on other UCAVs such as the Anka, Aksungur or Bayraktar TB2.
Baykar Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Selcuk Bayraktar also commented on the development in a recent Twitter post, writing:
“Bayraktar AKINCI hit the target with the TRG-230 UAV, Turkey’s first supersonic missile developed by Roketsan, from a distance of 100 kilometers.”
The TRG-230-UAV missile, which has an effective range of 20 kilometers to 150 kilometers, reaches its target with pinpoint accuracy. Domestic ammunition maintains its high sensitivity even with GPS interference and can engage fixed targets as well as moving targets. Strategic points such as artillery and air defense systems, radar stations and logistics facilities are among the targets of the TGR-230. Other ammunitions such as the MAM-C/L/T, TEBER-82, KGK-SİHA-82, LGK-82 and TOLUN miniature bombs have been launched from Akıncı UCAVs so far. (Source: UAS VISION/Daily Sabah)
19 Dec 22. SIPRI Publishes New Report on Illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons in Sub-Saharan Africa. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) has released a publication using U.N. reports on arms embargoes to explore data on small arms and light weapons diversion in sub-Saharan Africa. ThIs SIPRI Policy Report, Illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons in Sub-Saharan Africa: Using UN Reports on Arms Embargoes to Identify Sources, Challenges and Policy Measures, synthesizes the data on small arms and light weapons (SALW) diversion from the United Nations Panel of Experts reports on the five UN arms embargoes in place in sub-Saharan Africa in 2022—on the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan (Darfur region). The report provides a typology on the sources of illicit SALW in the states and regions under embargo and discusses the challenges of enforcing arms embargoes and possible policy solutions to address the various sources of illicit SALW in order to inform and support efforts to combat the proliferation of illicit arms. (Source: glstrade.com)
19 Dec 22. AS90 UOR Vs K9A1? Subscriber letter. I assume that you know that one of the six AS90’s that took part in the In-Service Reliability Demonstration in 1993 was fitted with a 52 cal barrel. Further, AS90 is the same generation, and roughly the same age as Pz2000, both came out of the failed SP70 project. Finally, when talking to Hanwha at AUSA, I was told that if you read the AS90 User Hand book, you know how K9A1 operates. This route forward is especially appropriate given the UK does not have a Modular Charge System in place and would need lengthy Ordnance Board approvals before one could be introduced.
14 Dec 22. AS90 UOR Vs K9A1? Sources close to BATTLESPACE suggest that the MoD is looking at reviving a 10-year-old UOR to upgrade 89 AS90 howitzers to the latest spec with a 52 calibre canon, chassis upgrades and turret interior upgrades including new seats. The funding is believed to form part of the spring defence review. However, given the age of the vehicle and the scarcity of spares, this could be a lengthy and expensive process. A faster route to field this capability could be the purchase of 89 Hanwha K9A1 self-propelled howitzers with the option to upgrade to the A2 variant, as show at DVD, at a later date. Twitter photographs from Ukraine showing a bogged down 8×8 APC certainly show that tracks are the best solution for any Northern European winter operations.
14 Dec 22. FN America LLC proudly introduces the FN SCAR 15P 5.56 NATO-chambered rifle-calibre pistol. Building on the heritage of the FN SCAR family, FN America, LLC proudly introduces the long-awaited FN SCAR 15P rifle-calibre pistol. The 5.56 NATO-chambered pistol is an extremely lightweight and compact design, weighing in at 5.65 pounds unloaded and just under 20-inches in length with its 7.5-inch cold hammer-forged barrel. Specifically developed with flexibility and mobility in mind, the SCAR 15P is an ideal choice for home and personal defence applications or for everyday range use.
“The release of the FN SCAR-SC in 2018 created excitement amongst SCAR enthusiasts who hoped that we would, one day, offer this configuration as a semi-automatic pistol to the US firearms market,” said Chris Cole, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for FN America, LLC. “With the FN SCAR 15P release, I am pleased to be able to deliver exactly what our consumers asked for – a pistol variant of the FN SCAR-SC – backed by the legendary reliability, durability and adaptability of the FN SCAR series.”
Machined from a single piece of aluminium, the receiver features a continuous M1913 Picatinny rail in the 12 o’clock position along with side rails at the 3, 6 and 9 o’clock positions, providing ample rail space for a red dot, flashlight or angled fore-grip. The rear of the receiver features a vertical Picatinny rail (VPR) with a quick-detach sling attachment for use with single-point slings. The trigger module that acts as the lower receiver is identical to the SCAR 16S, sharing a number of parts commonalities across the two systems. It offers an ambidextrous selector and magazine release along with compatibility with any AR-pattern magazine.
“The SCAR is renowned for its uncompromising reliability, durability and accuracy – the hallmark of FN’s quality. We are proud to say that the FN SCAR 15P meets those measures handily and delivers a shooting experience worthy of the name,” said Benjamin Voss, Senior Product Manager for FN America’s Long Guns. “This long-anticipated release carries the DNA of SCAR throughout from its short-stroke gas piston operating system, NRCH capabilities, cold hammer-forged and chrome-lined barrel, and so much more. We’re happy to deliver the FN SCAR 15P to our consumers who have eagerly anticipated this release.”
The ultra-compact SCAR pistol is driven by the legendary and highly reliable short-stroke gas piston system at the heart of every SCAR. The pinnacle of reliability and durability, the pistol-length gas system runs cleanly, isolating spent gases from the moving parts group and giving you more rounds fired without stoppages. Its adjustable low-flash gas regulator and three-pronged muzzle device that reduce muzzle flash are especially appreciated in pistol configuration when firing repeated rounds down range from the fully free-floated 7.5-inch cold hammer-forged and chrome-lined barrel. (Source: www.joint-forces.com)
16 Dec 22. Plasan and Hanwha Defense Australia Are Working Together on LAND 8116. Our journey with HDA and HAS has been an exceptional adventure and we are proud of the mutual accomplishments we achieved with Hanwha so far in the Make of the Huntsman SPH and AARV under program LAND8116.
The team spirit and cooperation of our two companies is something we take great pride in and the signature of the LAND8116 serial production agreement is an important milestone in our long and lasting partnership with Hanwha.
Plasan of Israel and Hanwha Defense Australia are working together on LAND 8116 to ensure the highest quality survivability systems are delivered to protect the Australian Army.
The protection solution consists of fixed and dismountable components that protect the vehicles and crew against a wide range of threats, in accordance with the customer requirements.
Building on the original contract around design, modelling & simulation and testing of the protection solution for the Huntsman vehicles, the companies have now implemented the contract change to include the production and delivery scope.
The contract change was signed in Seoul earlier last month by Plasan’s CEO Mr Dan Ziv and HDA Managing Director Mr Richard Cho.
The Huntsman protection solution delivers a capability and schedule critical part of the LAND 8116 project scope.
With the contract change, the protection solution moves from design to production, further cementing the strong partnership between Hanwha Aerospace companies and Plasan. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)