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21 Nov 24. British Army completes first live firing of next-generation howitzer in Finland. The British Army has completed the first live firing of a next-generation howitzer in Finland in one of the largest series of NATO artillery exercises ever conducted in Europe.
The Archer Mobile Howitzer. MOD Crown Copyright.
- The British Army demonstrated the Archer Mobile Howitzer – an artillery system with fully automated gun designed for rapid deployment.
- The first in the series of Exercise Dynamic Front 25 involved 5,000 soldiers, including 350 deployed by the British Army.
- This is the first time Finland has hosted a major international military exercise since becoming a NATO member in April 2023.
British Army personnel have demonstrated a first live firing of a next-generation howitzer amidst freezing conditions in one of the largest series of NATO artillery exercises ever conducted in Europe.
As temperatures plummeted to -3 degrees celsius just outside the Arctic Circle, 350 Army personnel joined soldiers from 28 countries – including NATO’s newest member Finland – on Exercise Dynamic Front 25.
During the 12 days of training, which began on the 14 November, the Army demonstrated its capability by conducting its first live firing on exercise with the Archer Mobile Howitzer – an artillery system with fully automated gun designed for rapid deployment. The system, which can fire more than eight rounds a minute at a range of 50km, was procured at speed from Sweden last year.
Also demonstrated in training were the enemy artillery detection radar, TAIPAN, and the UK’s Multiple Launch Rocket System, which can fire up to 12 rockets or missiles in less than a minute.
The training is the first in a wider NATO Dynamic Front 25 series, which takes place across four more countries in the coming months and aims to coordinate live fire artillery capabilities between allied nations from the Arctic Circle to the Black Sea. The exercise reinforces the government’s ‘NATO first’ defence strategy which has seen it set European security as its defence priority and commit to spending 2.5% of GDP on defence.
Minister for the Armed Forces Luke Pollard MP said:
The successful live firing of the powerful Archer Mobile Howitzer shows we are equipping our Armed Forces with the latest battle-winning weaponry to help keep the UK secure at home and strong abroad.
This joint exercise reiterates our unshakeable commitment to NATO and demonstrates our collective readiness to meet emerging threats and deter aggression across Europe.
The exercise focused on advanced NATO technology, with soldiers connecting different military systems from multiple members of the alliance. This allowed shared information to rapidly direct responses across the field.
This comes a month after the UK announced it will strengthen NATO’s eastern flank with a new defence roadmap signed with Estonia. The joint declaration will see thousands of UK troops held at high readiness, ready to defend NATO’s eastern flank, in addition to those deployed in Estonia. It will also boost cooperation on developing long range missiles with NATO Allies, improving the alliance’s collective air defence and offering opportunities to UK defence industry.
It is the first time Finland has hosted a major international military exercise since becoming a NATO member following Russia’s illegal full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It takes place as Ukraine marked 1,000 days of the war on 19 November. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
20 Nov 24. BAE to Develop Advanced Electronic Warfare Countermeasures to Protect US Army Combat Vehicles. Multi-Class Soft-Kill System guards against guided missiles and adjacent threats. BAE Systems was awarded a follow-on contract from the U.S. Army to further develop its Multi-Class Soft Kill System (MCSKS) countermeasures to protect ground combat vehicles against guided missiles and adjacent threats, improving vehicle survivability and mission success. Under the MCSKS contract, BAE Systems will further develop its laser-based Stormcrow™ and TERRA RAVEN™ countermeasure systems, advancing the Army’s electronic warfare (EW)-based Active Protection System (APS) work. The advanced systems effectively counter threats and allow crews to conserve kinetic countermeasures.
“Today’s combat vehicles need active protection systems that quickly and efficiently counter modern threats,” said Jared Belinsky, director of Integrated Survivability Solutions at BAE Systems. “Missile countermeasures are part of our full-spectrum approach to electromagnetic warfare. We’re creating an Intrepid Shield™ around our customers’ platforms – improving their effectiveness on the battlefield.”
BAE Systems’ active protection systems provide next-generation layered defense capabilities for vehicles and maritime platforms, leveraging advanced electro-optic/infrared (EO/IR) and radio-frequency (RF) spectrum technologies. The systems are small, modular, lightweight, rugged, and cost-efficient. They use multi-function sensors, intelligent processing, and electromagnetic emitters to provide enhanced situational awareness and threat response in all weather and lighting conditions and in challenging terrain and complex battlespaces.
BAE Systems has provided combat-proven aircraft survivability equipment to the U.S. Department of Defense and its allies for decades and is an innovator in full-spectrum electromagnetic warfare technology. The MCSKS contract builds on the company’s successful execution of the Advanced Layered Soft Kill System (ALSKS) and the Layered Soft Kill System (LSKS) development programs, including several successful capability demonstrations. The company’s vehicle protection systems are developed and manufactured at its state-of-the-art facility in Austin, Texas with research and development support from the company’s FAST Labs™ organization in Merrimack, New Hampshire. (Source: ASD Network)
19 Nov 24. LM’s Precision Strike Missile Proves Effective in Double Shot. Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) and the U.S. Army successfully completed another Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) production qualification flight test at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico.
During the test, a HIMARS launched two PrSM missiles in a mid-range flight against a target set proving the system’s continued accuracy and readiness.
“PrSM demonstrates exceptional system performance and reliability,” said Carolyn Orzechowski, Vice President of Precision Fires Launchers and Missiles at Lockheed Martin.
“We continue to advance this credible deterrent, integrating 21st Century Security® technologies into the baseline and future variants in support of cross domain and maritime operations.”
The test validates production and follows the fourth Early Operational Capability (EOC) contract, awarded in March.
PrSM is the U.S. Army’s next generation long-range precision strike missile capable of neutralizing targets out to more than 400 kilometers. The new surface-to-surface weapon features an open systems architecture design for maximum affordability and flexibility, is modular for future growth and is M142 HIMARS and M270A2 MLRS compatible. (Source: ASD Network)
14 Nov 24. LD-3000: China’s 11-Barrel Air Defense System. China has introduced the LD-3000, an advanced 11-barrel air defense system designed to intercept low-flying threats, including drones, cruise missiles, and artillery. Developed by the state-owned NORINCO Group, the trailer-mounted system is equipped with a 30mm Gatling cannon capable of firing 12,000 rounds per minute. It features integrated radar with a detection range of 15 kilometers and electro-optical sensors for all-weather operations.
The LD-3000 builds on the naval Type 1130 and earlier LD-2000 systems, which were designed to defend against missiles and precision-guided munitions. Analysts compare the LD-3000 to the U.S. Centurion C-RAM, as both systems are designed to protect critical installations from aerial threats. However, the LD-3000’s 30mm ammunition provides greater destructive power and range than its U.S. counterpart’s 20mm rounds.
While its primary role is to counter drones and missiles, the system could also address threats like loitering munitions and mortar shells. The LD-3000 may be adopted by China’s military or offered for export, targeting regions where drone warfare is a growing concern. (Source: https://www.sofx.com/)
18 Nov 24. NGC Delivers Stand-in Attack Weapon Test Missile to the USAF. Delivery initiates SiAW flight test program. Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) has delivered the Stand-in Attack Weapon (SiAW) test missile, which is designed to verify that the launch aircraft can safely carry and separate the weapon. SiAW is an air-to-ground weapon that will provide strike capability to defeat rapidly relocatable targets as part of an enemy’s anti-access/area denial environment.
The U.S. Air Force awarded the SiAW contract to Northrop Grumman in September 2023. The company is continuing to develop the weapon, conduct platform integration and complete the flight test program for rapid prototyping and fielding by 2026. (Source: ASD Network)
18 Nov 24. Poland signs agreement with domestic companies to manufacture explosives. The Polish government has signed a letter of intent with domestic companies to make the nitrocellulose and multi-base powders necessary for producing ammunition, it said on Monday. Since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Poland has taken significant steps to bolster its defensive capabilities in the event of future conflict.
“It is the first step towards rebuilding Polish ammunition production capabilities,” Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said in a statement.
State-owned companies Grupa Azoty, Polish Armaments Group (PGZ) and Mesko agree on the need to establish a nitrocellulose and multi-base powders factory, Grupa Azoty said in a statement.
Poland currently imports explosives from Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, France, Finland, Switzerland and Canada.
The Polish government announced plans this month to invest 3bn zlotys ($750m) to boost ammunition production.
“No one who observes the war in Ukraine and other conflicts in the world today can have any doubts about how important it is to have access to a large amount of ammunition for modern weapons,” Kosiniak-Kamysz added.
Marcin Idzik, a PGZ board member, told Reuters this year that Poland needed to produce 155mm artillery rounds in order to ensure sufficient supplies if Russia attacks NATO. (Source: Reuters)
18 Nov 24. PLA Air Force showcases new reconnaissance-strike UCAV. China unveiled a new reconnaissance and strike unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) at Airshow China 2024. A new unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) shown at Airshow China 2024 may potentially be a replacement for older variants of the Wing Loong series of unmanned platforms in Chinese air force service. The new UCAV, which was displayed by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) at the biennial defence show at Zhuhai, appeared outwardly similar to the Aerospace Long-March International Trade Company Ltd (ALIT)/China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) CH-5C/CH-9 high-altitude long-endurance (HALE) UAV.
The PLAAF officially labelled the platform as a new type of “reconnaissance and strike” UCAV, without specifying its designation. The UCAV was also displayed with PLA insignia and appeared in an uncharacteristic light grey colour scheme.
According to the state-owned newspaper, Global Times, the UCAV is capable of conducting tactical reconnaissance, surveillance, and attack operations.
Citing the PLAAF, the newspaper added that the UCAV can be equipped with “optoelectronic reconnaissance equipment, synthetic aperture radar, [and] communication and reconnaissance systems”. According to the PLAAF, the UCAV is capable of attacking “fixed, mobile, and time-sensitive targets on the ground and on water surface”, the newspaper said.
According to the Global Times, the new UCAV will provide the PLAAF with improved capabilities over the existing Wing Loong-2 (WL-2) armed reconnaissance UAV. However, the new UCAV has a five-bladed turboprop engine, unlike the three-bladed propeller of the WL-2. (Source: Janes)
18 Nov 24. India conducts first test of long-range hypersonic missile. India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has conducted a flight test of the country’s first long-range hypersonic missile, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 16 November. The missile was launched from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha, on India’s eastern coast.
“This hypersonic missile is designed to carry various payloads for ranges greater than 1,500 km for the armed forces,” the MoD said. “The missile was tracked by various range systems, deployed in multiple domains. The flight data obtained from down-range ship stations confirmed successful terminal manoeuvres and impact with high degree of accuracy.”
According to the MoD, the long-range hypersonic missile was developed by DRDO laboratories, the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Missile Complex (formerly the DRDO Missile Complex) in Hyderabad, as well as local industry.
An image of the test distributed to media by the Indian government’s Press Information Bureau showed the missile being launched from a mobile launch vehicle. In this image, the canister cap – designed to protect the missile in storage and transportation – appeared lodged in the missile’s nose during its launch.
The image also showed that both the missile and the canister were labelled ‘LR-02′, possibly indicating that the latest test was India’s second of this capability. It is possible, but not confirmed, that the initial test in 2023 featured a weapon known as the Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile, which the MoD confirmed in its 2023 end-of-year-review.
The MoD said the test of the long-range hypersonic missile was a success but provided no additional details about the test or the missile. The DRDO had not responded to Janes at the time of publication. (Source: Janes)
18 Nov 24. ISTEC delivers first batch of weapon integration mounts for the new USAF Grey Wolf Helicopter. ISTEC Services Limited, the British company with 35 years of operationally proven experience in the design, manufacture and supply of complex weapon integration solutions for military platforms, is delivering the first production shipsets (a shipset is a left and right gun mount pair) for the new United States Air Force (USAF) Grey Wolf Helicopter. The USAF Grey Wolf helicopter is a Boeing led programme for the replacement of the famous, but aging, UH-1N Huey helicopter and is built on a Leonardo MH-139A platform. ISTEC has recently delivered the first shipsets to Leonardo and the USAF took delivery of the first low-rate production Grey Wolf helicopter in August 2024.
The Grey Wolf offers significant improvements in terms of speed, range, and payload capacity compared to the Huey. It also features modern avionics, defensive systems, and a more robust airframe, making it suitable for a wide range of missions. The ISTEC weapons mount contract was originally awarded in 2018 and following prototype design and customer testing, to ensure the maximum arcs, ease of use and air safety compliance, final design approval was granted in 2020. Full production started in 2023, and following the delivery of the first shipsets, the remainder of the contract will be aligned with the wider programme delivery schedule.
ISTEC has extensive experience in providing weapons integration solutions for the Land, Sea and Air domains. However, there were many additional elements to the Grey Wolf project such as an external mounting frame that required significant additional design input from the ISTEC team. All the Grey Wolf components are manufactured with a ‘cradle to grave’ traceability process to ensure all raw materials sourced are to aerospace release, with full audit back to the mill, regular composition testing to ensure material alloying elements are above specification and thereby ensuring that the gun mounts meet the rigorous manufacturing standards required to be classed as airworthy and type certified.
Mick Coulson, Manager Director at ISTEC said, “This has been a significant project for ISTEC, supporting a major helicopter replacement programme for the USAF, that we have been privileged to have been involved with from the very start. ISTEC is well known for our universal gun mount systems, especially on vehicles and ships, but I am extremely proud of the design and engineering expertise that has gone into producing this aviation specific system for the Grey Wolf, clearly demonstrating the universal benefits of using our weapon integration systems across all domains.”
18 Nov 24. Sensor solutions provider HENSOLDT has once again demonstrated its technological capabilities as part of the multinational ‘Timber Express 2024’ exercise. The OPTARION mission support system (german: EUA for Einsatzunterstützungsanlage) successfully integrated NH90 and TIGER helicopters in a secure data link network and connected them to modern command and information systems.
“Seamless connectivity and the secure exchange of situational information between different weapon systems are crucial for today’s hybrid operations on the battlefield,” explains Alex Irmscher, programme manager for ground stations at HENSOLDT. “Thanks to our EUA solutions, it was possible to integrate the aircraft into the Bundeswehr’s digital command network without having to modify the weapon system.”
The centrepiece of the demonstration was the transmission of real-time data between the helicopters and other platforms along the ‘sensor-to-effector’ chain. A special feature was the connection of the platforms to the “SitaWare HQ” battle management system and the real-time integration into Link-16, the standardised tactical data link network used by NATO and partner nations. This networking helps the armed forces to create a unified situation picture and improve decision-making in complex scenarios.
A core aspect of the OPTARION mission support system is its ability to increase the operational efficiency and deployment flexibility of the armed forces. In an increasingly network-centric warfare, it enables the linking of different platforms and systems via secure data links, creating a common and dynamic situation picture. This network-centric operations capability not only improves real-time decision-making, but also ensures a high level of interoperability. This makes OPTARION a key component for modern combat operations and provides the armed forces with the technological basis for successfully operating in complex and rapidly changing threat scenarios.
Innovation in the field: EUA NT and modular technology
During the exercise, functionalities from the EUA NT (new technologies) modernisation project were already in use. These include the modular radio concept for flexible antenna and radio operation and innovative data network technologies that ensure increased interoperability.
What is “Timber Express”?
“Timber Express” is an annual multinational exercise that focuses on the cooperation and interoperability of air forces. Various NATO countries take part in this exercise to jointly train the skills needed to lead and coordinate air operations in complex scenarios. The aim is to optimise the networking and data exchange between aircraft and command systems while ensuring the security requirements for the transmission of information.
17 Nov 24. Spear – Cruise missile of the future completes firing.
Royal Navy and Royal Air Force pilots will benefit from a cutting-edge new cruise missile, following the first successful guided firing trial of the missile.
- Cutting-edge missile successfully fires from Typhoon test platform.
- Ability to hit a range of targets more than 100km away.
- New missile backs hundreds of UK jobs.
Royal Navy and Royal Air Force pilots will benefit from a cutting-edge new cruise missile, following the first successful guided firing trial of the SPEAR missile.
SPEAR, which is a next generation turbojet-powered miniature cruise missile, successfully completed the trial after being fired from a BAE Systems-operated Typhoon jet at Vidsel range in Sweden. This most recent trial was the first time the weapons system had been fired against a target, signifying a major leap forward in the programmes development.
Each missile can hit targets from 100km away and is designed to be used against a range of targets, including air defences, ships, tanks, defended structures and fast-moving vehicles. Once in service it will be fitted to Britain’s F-35B fighter jets and allow the military to strike targets both from land and Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers.
SPEAR autonomously navigated to the target via customisable routes before using its advanced all-weather radar seeker to map the target area, and using the radiofrequency imagery to successfully engage it.
Developed in the UK by MBDA, work on SPEAR supports several hundred jobs among MBDA’s 5,500-strong UK workforce, with design work mainly in Stevenage and Bristol and manufacturing in Bolton.
Minister for the Armed Forces, Luke Pollard said: “The successful trial of the pioneering SPEAR missile marks a significant leap forward in UK Armed Forces’ capabilities, ensuring our Royal Navy and Royal Air Force personnel are equipped with cutting-edge technology to protect our nation. This achievement not only strengthens national defence capabilities but also boosts the UK economy, by supporting high-skilled jobs and innovation.”
F-35B jets will be able to carry up to eight SPEAR missiles at a time, providing the next generation of long-range air-to-surface missiles. This guided firing trial marks a critical milestone in the development of the SPEAR programme, which provides the next generation of stand-off air-to-surface missiles for Suppression of Enemy Air Defences missions in challenging and complex operating environments.
The trial, which used a telemetry unit instead of a live warhead, demonstrated the release, gather and long-range free-flight control of the missile following a high-altitude and high-speed release.
Mike Mew, Tactical Strike Director of MBDA, said: “SPEAR is a truly unique weapon system – the first to offer the range, flexibility, precision and load-out to defeat modern enemy air defences.
The success of this trial is thanks to excellent joint working from teams across MOD, BAE Systems and MBDA. SPEAR is part of a wider portfolio which supports £6.5bn of planned investment in the UK weapons industry by the MOD over the next decade – which includes other missile programmes such as Brimstone, CAMM, Sea Viper, Sea Venom and Storm Shadow, putting the UK at the forefront of future weapons development.”
Matthew Brown, SPEAR Team Leader at DE&S, said: “This trial was a key step on the way to delivering SPEAR to the UK frontline, where it will provide a new capability to defeat the most complex air defence systems, enabling pilots to fly and fight wherever they’re needed in defence of the UK and its allies.”
The SPEAR programme is being managed by Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), the Ministry of Defence (MOD) procurement executive agency. A joint MOD and industry team conducted this first in a series of SPEAR guided flight trials.
Chris Moon, BAE Systems’ UK Delivery Director for Typhoon Capability, said: “This successful firing from Typhoon is as a result of the hard work and outstanding collaboration between MBDA, MoD and BAE Systems personnel over many months. We now look forward to the next phase of SPEAR 3 trials, as well as delivering the testing of many other world-leading capabilities in support of the RAF Typhoon Force.” (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
17 Nov 24. Spanish Navy shifts focus from Harpoon to Naval Strike Missile for S-80 submarines. The Spanish Navy has decided to forgo plans to equip its S-80 submarines with the Boeing submarine-launched Harpoon missiles as initially intended. This decision follows the U.S. Navy’s announcement to discontinue the submarine-launched Harpoon programme and withdraw the missile from service in the medium term.
Instead, the Navy is considering adopting the Naval Strike Missile (NSM) developed by Norwegian company Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace. Already selected for Spain’s future F-100 frigates, the NSM is now being evaluated for use in its submarine-launched variant.
To this end, the Navy has tasked Navantia, a Spanish shipbuilding company, with conducting a technical study to integrate the NSM into the S-80 series submarines. This contract, valued at EUR 240,000, builds on an earlier allocation of nearly half a m euros for preliminary integration activities.
The Navy has clarified that the submarine-launched Harpoon and NSM missiles will not coexist on the S-80 submarines. “After verifying the pre-feasibility of integrating and launching the missile from an S-80 submarine while submerged, it is necessary to conduct a technical study that develops certain conceptual aspects of a technical, operational, logistical, industrial, and security nature,” the Navy explained.
The main goal of the study, it added, is to provide a conceptual framework for the proposed solution, assess associated risks, and inform decisions about the project’s formal initiation and industrial participation scheme.
The Navy highlighted that the primary reason for discontinuing the submarine-launched Harpoon missile acquisition is the U.S. Navy’s decision to end its support for the programme. “It has recently become known that the U.S. Navy will not continue with the submarine-launched Harpoon in any of its configurations or blocks,” it stated.
While the NSM is a strong contender, the Navy has clarified that it is not yet a definitive choice. The technical study will guide the final decision. “Among the missiles that best fit the needs of the Navy is the future version of the NSM missile launched from submarines,” the Navy concluded. (Source: Google/https://defence-industry.eu/)
18 Nov 24. Thales and NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) have signed a contract for the supply of a ForceShield system to the Portuguese Army, which is designed to reinforce Portugal’s very short-range air defence (VSHORAD) capabilities. It meets NATO requirements, which encourages its members to increase their VSHORAD capabilities, improve theatre protection and defend against high-visibility threats.
- This ForceShield contract is the first contract for Thales in a European Union country and part of the long-term Military Programming Law (LPM), which defines the strategic framework for the modernization of the Armed Forces’ in-service equipment.
- The ForceShield solution acquired includes a Ground Master 200 air surveillance radar, a radio communications system, Air Defence command-and-control centre ControlView together with portable weapon allocation terminals, RapidRanger vehicles with LMM and StarStreak effectors.
Thales is pleased to announce the signing of a contract with NSPA, for the acquisition of a ForceShield system by the Portuguese Army. This is a landmark contract, not only because it is the first signed for the benefit of the Portuguese Army by Thales, but also because it is the first ForceShield contract that Thales has signed with a European country. The contract is designed to strengthen Portugal’s very short-range air defence (VSHORAD) capabilities.
ForceShield is Thales’s air defence solution, designed to protect forces, citizens and critical infrastructure from an increasingly diverse range of airborne threats – from low-altitude threats such as Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) to helicopters, fighter ground attacks or cruise missiles.
ForceShield provides appropriate components to detect, coordinate, engage and neutralise threats. The contract includes a complete ForceShield Compact solution, with a Ground Master 200 air surveillance radar, a radio communications system, Air Defence command-and-control centre ControlView together with portable weapon allocation terminals. This air defence system includes as well RapidRanger vehicles with StarStreak high velocity Air Defence Missile and Lightweight Multirole Missile (LMM) anti-armour missiles.
The Ground Master 200 radar establishes tracks faster and keeps them locked for longer; hence maximising situational awareness for optimum engagement. This gives time to the ControlView to evaluate the threat, while allocating the appropriate firing units for air target engagement through each weapon terminal.
RapidRanger is a unique lightweight, vehicle based, highly automated system capable of delivering a rapid reaction response to air and surface threats. It will be fitted with StarStreak and LMM missiles.
15 Nov 24. India completes ‘guided’ Pinaka flight tests. India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has completed flight tests of a “precision strike” variant of its Pinaka multiple rocket launcher (MRL) before commissioning it into the Indian Army.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) in New Delhi announced on 14 November that the Pinaka tests were completed as part of trials for the army but did not state where the trials were conducted. The MoD also referred to the MRL as the ‘guided Pinaka weapon system’.
It said the guided Pinaka tests were conducted in “three phases at different field firing ranges” as part of “provisional staff qualitative requirements (PSQR) validation trials”.
“During these tests, the PSQR parameters [for] ranging, accuracy, consistency, and rate of fire for multiple target engagement in a salvo mode [were] assessed by extensive testing of rockets,” the MoD said.
It added that 12 guided rockets “from each production agency from two in-service Pinaka launchers upgraded by the launcher production agencies [were] tested”.
The MoD cited DRDO Chairman Samir V Kamat as saying that the “rocket system has completed all prerequisite flight trials before induction into the Indian Army”.
According to the MoD, the upgraded “precision strike variant” of the Pinaka MRL has been designed and developed by the DRDO’s Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) in collaboration with other DRDO agencies. These include Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), Research Centre Imarat (RCI), and High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL). (Source: Janes)
15 Nov 24. UK considers improvements to Boxer survivability. British Army Major Mark Lewis, Senior Officer 2 (SO2) Boxer Futures, outlined “areas of interest” for upgrading the vehicle’s survivability on the last day of SAE Media Group’s Future Armoured Vehicles Survivability (FAVS) 2024 conference held in London from 11 to 13 November. Those areas include human-machine interface (HMI), active protection systems (APSs) composite armour, and using uncrewed systems with Boxer. The latter would use Boxer as a mother ship for uncrewed air and ground vehicles, with the possibility of the armoured vehicle also being unmanned. HMI could be used to improve the employment of the Boxer’s fire-control system and battle management system, according to Maj Lewis. He noted that another way to improve Boxer survivability is by increasing its lethality. He said the vehicle’s RS4 remote-controlled weapon station (RCWS) could be replaced by the RS6 RCWS and spoke about giving it a counter-unmanned aircraft system (C-UAS) capability with the use of airburst and programmable munition and, further in the future, directed energy weapons. Javelin missiles could increase the Boxer’s anti-armour capabilities, and the Mounted Close Combat Overwatch (MCCO) variant could increase the Boxer’s range to 10 km. Greater range and therefore lethality could also be achieved with the introduction of the Boxer Armoured Mortar, according to Maj Lewis. He said Boxer mobility could be increased, initially with front-end engineering equipment and then by novel suspension systems and hybrid electric drives. (Source: Janes)
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About Galvion:
Galvion designs, develops, and delivers mission critical head, face, and torso protective solutions as well as intelligent power and data management systems for the world’s most demanding military and tactical teams. Founded in 2002 as Revision Military, a foundational belief in calculated investment and capability expansion led to a strategic refocus, resulting in the divestiture of the protective eyewear business, along with the Revision name, in 2019. Rebranded as Galvion, the company’s products and technology continue to evolve beyond purely passive protection, focusing instead on active systems that enhance performance and survivability, with an eye to the ever-changing demands of the modern battlefield. Through advanced design, keen end-user insight and intelligent integration, Galvion engineers uniquely customized solutions that go beyond what was once thought possible.
Privately owned with ISO 9001:2015 certified facilities in Vermont, Massachusetts and New Hampshire in the US, Montreal in Canada and Bristol in the UK, Galvion’s team of 400+ employees work proactively to solve the problems left unsolved by others.
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