Sponsored by Galvion
www.galvion.com
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25 Jun 25. Galvion’s European Production Hub in Poland is formally opened by the Ambassador of Canada to the Republic of Poland. Galvion, a world leader in the design and manufacture of innovative head systems, power and data management solutions, and integrated soldier systems, has announced the formal opening of their Production Hub in Poland by Her Excellency, Catherin Godin, the Ambassador of Canada to the Republic of Poland, at a ceremony held on 23rd June 2025. The facility represents a major investment that has significantly strengthened Galvion’s regional support and service strategy. With both production and support capabilities fully operational, Galvion is now able to serve their widespread European and NATO customers from a geographically aligned centre of excellence. First announced in September 2023 and declared fully operational in April 2025, this major investment was driven by Galvion’s ongoing successes in NATO and the wider European regions. The opening event was held at the new Gdansk facility, with guests including HE Ambassador Godin, the Marshal of the Pomeranian Voivodeship, Mieczysław Struk and other VIPs, customers, partners and selected media, attending the milestone celebration. The event included a formal opening ceremony, followed by factory tours. Guests were able to interact with live models wearing helmets from across Galvion’s broad program portfolio, see Galvion’s product and systems on display, as well as get a glimpse into Galvion’s cutting-edge Warfighter Lab, with a demonstration that showcased work being done with Human Machine Interface through simulated Augmented Reality. Following recent consecutive program awards from key European nations, including a NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) framework contract, Galvion is expecting to have close to 2 m helmets in service across NATO and other European countries by the end of 2026. Galvion’s new Gdansk facility currently employs over 70 specialists and houses helmet finishing and assembly capabilities, in addition to critical support, maintenance, refurbishment, upgrade and training operations. The Gdansk location was chosen following a comprehensive search and assessment period, and the functionality of the facility is expected to expand through 2026 and beyond, supporting Galvion’s full product and solutions portfolio. Galvion’s existing core facilities in Canada and the USA will continue to design, develop, manufacture and service domestic, regional, and key global programs, customers, production and support requirements.
Mieczysław Struk, Marshal of the Pomeranian Voivodeship said: “Galvion’s presence confirms that our region is not only a hub for modern business services, but also a place that offers growth opportunities for companies across a wide range of sectors – including those critical to European security. Investments in the defence industry strengthen the region’s economic potential by creating high-quality jobs and attracting advanced technological expertise. As a regional government, we are consistently building conditions that support the successful implementation of such projects.”
Her Excellency, Catherine Godin, Canadian Ambassador to Poland said: “Galvion’s expansion in Poland marks a significant milestone—one that the Government of Canada is proud to support. This facility is not only a testament to Galvion’s innovation and leadership in protective solutions, but also a powerful symbol of the deepening partnership between Canada and Poland. By contributing directly to the safety of those who serve and to the resilience of our collective defence systems, this investment reinforces our shared commitment to security and collaboration. The Embassy of Canada and the Trade Commissioner Service look forward to supporting Galvion’s continued growth in Poland and across the region.”
Jonathan Blanshay, founder and Executive Chairman at Galvion said: “This is a very proud moment for the entire Galvion organization. A lot of time, energy and resources are required to build a facility from the ground up in a new country, and I am grateful for the dedication of the global Galvion team, as well as the support from our local and regional partner network, so many of whom celebrated this milestone with us.” He added: “It’s a particular honour to have HE Ambassador Godin and Marshal Struk on site to formally open the facility, representing both the proud Canadian foundation of the company and the exciting future growth that our Polish operations pave the way for. We’ve now got facilities and networks across four countries, with a team of over 500 employees. Reflecting on our 23-year history, this stands out as a meaningful and deeply gratifying moment for me.”
26 Jun 25. Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) conducted a full-scale static fire of NASA’s Booster Obsolescence and Life Extension (BOLE) solid rocket booster. This was the first demonstration test of the enhanced five-segment solid rocket motor, the world’s largest and most powerful segmented solid rocket motor built for human spaceflight.
- Over 700 data channels assessed the 156-foot-long solid rocket motor as it fired for just over two minutes, producing more than 4 million pounds of thrust from a single booster.
- Leveraging Northrop Grumman’s industry-leading experience in solid rocket motor manufacturing, BOLE improves on previous designs by replacing key components no longer in production. The booster features a composite case design, updated propellant formulation and advanced components to increase booster performance by more than 10 percent compared with the current five-segment Space Launch System (SLS) booster design.
- The carbon fiber composite case enables better booster performance, faster manufacturing, and aligns with commercial standards by providing commonality among our infrastructure, supply chain, and manufacturing operations. Other aspects of the BOLE design, including metallic components, allows the company to support a U.S.-based supply chain of American manufacturers.
- Compared with its predecessor, this evolved booster provides another five metric tons of payload to lunar orbit, a capability critical to supporting deep space missions.
25 Jun 25. Northrop Grumman successfully launched a threat-representative target for the Missile Defense Agency’s (MDA) Long Range Discrimination Radar non-intercept operational flight test on June 23.
- Northrop Grumman rapidly configures target vehicles to replicate current and emerging adversary threats by combining an industry-leading portfolio of advanced avionics, adaptable vehicle enhancement kits, advanced payloads and expertise in solid rocket motors.
- The target was dropped from a C-17 transport aircraft, then ignited in the air before performing its mission. The target’s air-launch capability provides geographic flexibility, meaning the target can be launched to and from a wide range of locations and follow a variety of trajectories to meet mission requirements.
- To date, Northrop Grumman has delivered 26 target vehicles and has supported 11 missile defense flight tests since 2011. The remaining target vehicles will be used in future flight tests to support MDA’s Integrated Master Test Plan.
Robin Heard, director of targets and interceptors, Northrop Grumman: “Through partnership with MDA, we design and launch target vehicles that replicate threats warfighters are likely to encounter operationally. Our target vehicles play a critical role in testing the missile defense systems that defend the nation and our allies to ensure they will be effective when it matters most.” The company’s targets are mission tailored to emulate customer specified threats and used to test the nation’s missile defense systems including the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense system, Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System, Terminal High Altitude Area Defense and Patriot air defense system.
25 Jun 25. NASA and L3Harris Technologies (NYSE: LHX) have successfully test-fired the first RS-25 rocket engine slated to help power the fifth launch of the Space Launch System or SLS rocket for the Artemis Moon exploration campaign. This is the first hot-fire test of a flight version of the new RS-25 engine. The first four Artemis missions use upgraded RS-25 engines from the space shuttle program.
“This successful acceptance test shows that we’ve been able to replicate the RS-25’s performance and reliability, while incorporating modern manufacturing techniques and upgraded components such as the main combustion chamber, nozzle and pogo accumulator assembly,” said Kristin Houston, President, Space Propulsion and Power Systems, Aerojet Rocketdyne, L3Harris. “Our propulsion technology is key to ensuring the United States leads in lunar exploration, creates a sustained presence on the Moon and does not cede this strategic frontier to other nations.”
The new L3Harris RS-25 engine throttled up to 111% during the 500-second acceptance test, demonstrating more thrust than what the space shuttle engines required. NASA awarded L3Harris a contract in 2015 to restart RS-25 engine design and production for SLS, including leveraging modern manufacturing techniques such as 3D printing. The new production engines are 30% less expensive than the space shuttle main engines and will deliver the same reliability and efficiency. (Source: ASD Network)
26 Jun 25. Patria introduced its new 155 SPG mobile artillery system (Self-Propelled Gun) suitable for Arctic conditions in March 2025 at the international Arctic Event in Lapland. The system, operating under the project name Patria ARVE (ARtillery on VEhicle), is based on Patria’s 155K98 field artillery system, which is widely used by the Finnish Defence Forces, and is integrated into the chassis of the Sisu all-terrain truck. The system, which is entirely domestic production, is modular and fully compatible with the current domestic artillery fleet in terms of maintenance, spare parts and ammunition. It is also compatible with NATO’s artillery ammunition and fire control. During the test firings carried out in June 2025, dozens of shots were fired at different elevations and side angles as well as in direct fire. The system performed as expected throughout the firings, despite the weapon firing even the most powerful overpressure charge.
“It has been truly great to develop to Patria a new and innovative ARVE mobile field gun system for our overall indirect fire offering, especially now that the security situation in our neighboring areas has become more tense. The system is designed for harsh field conditions and our expectations regarding its usability, performance and reliability are very high. The completely successful test and acceptance firings are a testament to both Patria’s domestic weapon system expertise and ARVE’s technical readiness. We believe that our new product will meet the performance requirements of our customers and will also find its way into international markets,” says Mikko Leino, Executive Vice President of Patria’s Defence and Weapon Systems Business Area.
The system combines excellent mobility with a high rate of fire and also enables firing at naval targets. Patria’s cost-effective mobile artillery solution offers the most advanced technology and performance, which is nevertheless based on proven subsystems in operational use. It can be integrated into any suitable vehicle platform and customers’ own indirect fire control systems as part of a larger artillery system. Patria believes that the production line for the new mobile artillery solution will bring positive employment effects to Finland, which already has globally recognized expertise in artillery weapon systems. The annual employment effect would be at least 70 person-years in several provinces, depending on the realization of the targeted production volume.
24 Jun 25. Japan conducts first domestic missile test. Japan’s army announced Tuesday that it conducted a missile test for the first time on Japanese territory, as the country accelerates its military buildup to deter increasingly assertive China. The test-firing of the Type 88 surface-to-ship, short-range missile was conducted Tuesday at the Shizunai Anti-Air Firing Range on Japan’s northernmost main island of Hokkaido. About 300 soldiers participated in Tuesday’s exercise by the Ground Self-Defense Force’s 1st Artillery Brigade, using a training missile targeting an unmanned boat about 40 kilometers (24 miles) off the southern coast of Hokkaido, officials said.
Officials were still examining the results of the test, the GSDF said.
Due to space limitations and safety concerns, Japan has previously conducted missile tests in the territories of the United States, a treaty ally, and Australia, a top Japanese defense partner where vast training grounds are available. Tuesday’s first domestic missile test underscores Japan’s push toward a more self-sufficient military and its acquisition of strike-back capabilities as a deterrence to China’s increasingly assertive naval activity in regional seas. Japan is also concerned about growing joint military exercises around Japanese coasts between China and Russia.
Japan and Russia, a northern neighbor to Hokkaido, have territorial disputes.
Japan, under its pacifist Constitution, used to limit the use of force for self-defense only, but has taken a major break from that policy in 2022 when it adopted the ongoing five-year security strategy that names China as the biggest strategic challenge and calls for a closer Japan-U.S. alliance. Japan is currently working to deploy long-range cruise missiles, including Tomahawks purchased from the U.S., beginning later this year. Japan is also developing Type 12 surface-to-ship missiles with a range of about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles), 10 times that of a Type 88. The truck-mounted Type 88 guided missile, developed by Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, have a range of about 100 kilometers (62 miles). Japan is also preparing to build a missile-firing range on uninhabited Minamitorishima, the country’s easternmost island in the western Pacific, an area where two Chinese aircraft carriers were seen operating together for the first time earlier this month. (Source: Defense News)
20 Jun 25. Saab taps Anduril to build rocket motors for ground-launched bomb. Saab has picked emerging solid rocket motor producer Anduril Rocket Motor Systems to design and build solid rocket motors for its Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bomb, according to officials from both companies. The selection of Anduril jump-starts the company’s effort to become a new major solid rocket motor supplier in the U.S. – a small pool with currently just two big players. Amid the need to dramatically ramp up munitions production in the U.S. to meet future needs and replenish stock sent to Ukraine, more companies are stepping into the specialized business. The new teaming arrangement is about building both Saab’s meaningful presence in the U.S. and its partners. “This is one of the areas that is really exciting for us, is building these strategic partners in the U.S., which is going to complement our broader capacity and capability growth strategy,” Brad Barnard, the Swedish company’s U.S. subsidiary’s vice president and general manager of land systems, told Defense News. Saab and Boeing partnered in 2014 to develop their GLSDB, a cost-effective, precision-fires munition with 360-degree coverage. The team demonstrated the capability in 2019 and was awarded a U.S. Air Force contract in 2023 to support U.S. European Command, according to Barnard. In an effort to ensure GLSDB stays relevant in the future, the team identified a “first and most critical step” in its roadmap to find a new rocket motor partner and moving away from the government furnished, no-longer-in-production M26 MLRS solid rocket motor currently used in the munition, he said. Following a competitive effort to select a new SRM, Saab and Boeing selected Anduril. “They really distinguished themselves through the process by leaning forward with the appropriate technical solution, leaning forward with their timeline for delivery,” Barnard said. Both Anduril and Saab have taken major steps to increase their footprints in U.S. defense manufacturing. Saab is building a new facility in Grayling, Michigan, where it plans to produce GLSDB stateside. Barnard said the company is about a year away from rolling first systems off the line there. Anduril purchased a solid rocket motor company in 2023 and has invested $75m to build a brand-new solid rocket motor production facility on a 450 acre property in McHenry, Mississippi.
“We believe and have conviction that in the solid rocket motor business in our nation, we need to have more competition,” Neil Thurgood, Anduril’s senior vice president overseeing the company’s air and ground deterrence division, told Defense News. “It is the intent of Anduril to be the third solid rocket motor provider for our nation,” Thurgood said.
The idea is to ultimately produce around 6,000 solid rocket motors annually, he noted. Roughly 100 days following an initial certification process, Anduril can move into full-rate production, according to Thurgood.
“We’re super excited to be a partner with Saab on this. We believe we’re in a really good position to scale quickly with the factory and the innovation that we use in the factories,” Thurgood said.
Anduril is planning to deliver an improved design that is optimized for safety and affordability, brings in new sub-tier suppliers, and uses novel manufacturing that will enable the company to transition the GLSDB motor into full-rate production in 2026.
“When you make a new solid rocket motor, some people believe you can just take the recipe from someone else and remake it in another kitchen,” Thurgood said. “It’s not really quite that easy.”
Anduril’s team is working on refining those specific recipes for various size munitions for which it will deliver rocket motors from 4.75 inch rockets for the U.S. Army to larger hypersonic rocket motor for the U.S. Navy’s STANDARD missile program and now for GLSDB. The company is applying single-piece-flow manufacturing, a bladeless high-speed mixer and other automation solutions to build SRMs, which will contribute to production speed and better quality, Thurgood added. The production facility is built in a modular way “so that any given day we can make different motors down the same production line, same process,” Thurgood said, which is a departure from how solid rocket motors are historically manufactured. Once the exact propellant recipe for the GLSDB is determined, the team will move into testing and qualifying the SRM to roll into the production line, according to Thurgood. A full system-level test will likely take place in the 2nd or 3rd quarter of next year, he added. (Source: Defense News)
23 Jun 25. Hanwha Systems (CEO Jae-il Son) announced today that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with leading U.S. defense contractor Northrop Grumman earlier this year to collaborate on technologies for Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) systems. Under the agreement, the two companies will discuss core technologies related to integrated air defense command and control and explore new business opportunities in Korea. Recent conflicts, including the Russia-Ukraine war and escalating tensions in the Middle East, have highlighted the increasing threat posed by advanced aerial assets such as fighter jets, ballistic missiles, and drones. In response, nations around the world are reinforcing their defense postures with highly integrated and adaptive air defense systems. Northrop Grumman, a global leader in air and missile defense solutions, is the developer of the IBCS (Integrated Battle Command System), a cutting-edge command and control system designed to integrate various sensors and interceptors across domains—land, sea, and air. Currently being deployed by the U.S. Army and evaluated for expansion into Europe and beyond, IBCS enables seamless data sharing and optimized threat engagement across diverse weapon systems. By connecting disparate radar and interceptor systems into a single networked command structure, IBCS allows for faster, more accurate responses to evolving aerial threats. It maximizes operational efficiency by selecting the most effective interceptor regardless of its origin or type. Through this partnership, Hanwha Systems and Northrop Grumman aim to combine their respective strengths in radar and battle management technologies for more advanced and resilient air defense solutions. Hanwha Systems possesses advanced command and control technologies that enable real-time integration between top-level command structures and weapon systems. These include the Korea Air and Missile Defense Operations Center (KAMDOC), the Master Control and Reporting Center (MCRC), and the Air Defense Command Control & Alert (ADC2A) system — all core elements of Korea’s indigenous air and missile defense command architecture. Leveraging its proven track record in developing such high-level battle management and engagement control systems, Hanwha Systems is now taking on the challenge of next-generation air defense development.
* KAMDOC: Developed in collaboration with the Agency for Defense Development between 2019 and 2022, this operations center supports Korea’s layered missile defense system with centralized command capabilities.
* MCRC: A critical air sovereignty asset that provides 24/7 surveillance and control of all aircraft operating in Korean airspace, including the vectoring of friendly fighters.
* Air Defense C2A: A cutting-edge command and control solution that enables integrated and synchronized air defense operations by fusing battlefield sensors, threat identification systems, and engagement platforms into a unified network.
As a leading provider of multi-layered air defense solutions, Hanwha Systems is responsible for the development and delivery of multi-function radars (MFRs) across a wide spectrum of systems, including LAMD, M-SAM, L-SAM.
* LAMD (Low Altitude Missile Defense), Korea’s “last line of defense” against long-range artillery threats;
* M-SAM Block-II (Cheongung-II), a medium-range surface-to-air missile system;
* L-SAM and L-SAM Block-II, Korea’s long-range air defense and high-altitude interception systems.
Through these programs, Hanwha Systems continues to drive innovation in integrated air and missile defense, strengthening national security and enhancing its global competitiveness. Kenn Todorov, vice president and general manager, command & control and weapons integration, Northrop Grumman: “This MOU with Hanwha demonstrates our strong desire to collaborate with Korean industry in exploring opportunities to provide innovative and cost-effective air and missile defense solutions that enhance Korean homeland defense. Sungkyun Park, vice president and business director of Defense electronics division, added,
“Hanwha is undergoing bold transformation to become a leading global defense company. Our partnership reflects our ambition to lead the development of next-generation weapon systems and strengthen our position in the global market.”
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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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