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21 Aug 25. UK jobs and air defences boost with purchase of new missile launchers. The UK is buying six Land Ceptor air defence missile launchers, supporting up to 140 jobs across the country and strengthening our national security.
• UK buying six new Land Ceptor air defence missile systems to bolster national security and defence.
• New contract with MBDA supports up to 140 jobs across the UK, demonstrating defence’s role as an engine for growth and supporting the Government’s Plan for Change.
• First live firing in the UK of system so accurate it can hit a tennis-ball sized object travelling twice the speed of sound.
Britain’s air defences are to be strengthened with the purchase of six new surface-to-air Land Ceptor missile systems, the Ministry of Defence has announced today (Friday 22 August).
The £118m purchase will secure jobs and growth in the North-West, supporting up to 140 jobs including at manufacturer MBDA’s site in Bolton, Lancashire, delivering on the Government’s Plan for Change.
The systems will form part of Sky Sabre, a state-of-the-art defence system capable of intercepting cruise missiles, aircraft and drones.
It is hugely accurate, able to hit a tennis-ball sized object travelling twice the speed of sound. The sophisticated system can also simultaneously control the flight of 24 missiles, guiding them each to intercept separate targets at once.
The UK is doubling the number of deployable Sky Sabre systems operated by the Armed Forces in a drive to reinforce our air defences.
The purchase from MBDA will support up to 140 jobs across the UK, including at the site in Bolton, which earlier this year announced an expansion of 700 new jobs. Defence already supports 1,300 jobs at the facility, and over 5,000 more at other MBDA sites, contributing to economic prosperity in the North West and across the UK, and delivering on the Government’s Plan for Change.
Minister for the Armed Forces, Luke Pollard MP, said: “We are delivering on the Strategic Defence Review by equipping our armed forces with state-of-the art equipment to help keep us safe. Doubling our deployable Sky Sabre capability will strengthen the UK’s air defences, protect UK forces abroad, and deter our adversaries.
Through this investment we are supporting over 100 jobs across the UK, with more to come. We are implementing the government’s Plan for Change with defence as an engine to drive growth, boosting our industrial capacity and national prosperity. The upcoming Defence Industrial Strategy will set out how we will further drive defence as an engine for economic growth, building a resilient, high-growth industry and ensuring the defence dividend reaches every part of the UK.”
This three-year contract will deliver six brand new MRAD (medium range air defence) Land Ceptor missile launching systems for use by the British Army at home and anywhere in the world. These launchers can be used on their own and are also a key component of Sky Sabre, a ground-based air defence missile system used to intercept cruise missiles, aircraft and drones. The system is comprised of three main elements: radar, command and control, and missile launcher.
In line with the UK’s NATO-first approach, underlined in the Strategic Defence Review (SDR), Sky Sabre was recently successfully tested in the QinetiQ-run range in Outer Hebrides as part of Exercise Formidable Shield. The NATO exercise saw the first live firing of the system in the UK. British Armed Forces have also deployed Sky Sabre in Poland as part of Operation Stifftail, strengthening the defence of NATO’s eastern flank.
Chris Allam, Managing Director MBDA UK, said: “We welcome this contract as it builds on our strategic partnership with the UK Ministry of Defence. Land Ceptor is an excellent example of the innovative capability that this partnership has produced and delivered to the British Army. Building these weapon systems has been a key part of our growth at our Bolton site and this contract helps us to sustain this expansion going forward.
Manufacturing more launchers will provide more jobs and sustain many vital partners in our supply chain. Just as importantly, it will give the Army the decisive military capability and increased scale needed in Air Defence.
The UK is delivering on the SDR by equipping the Armed Forces to be dramatically more lethal, combining more people and armoured capability with air defence, communications, AI, software, long-range weapons, and land drone swarms. The additional Sky Sabre purchase comes on top of the up to £1bn of new funding committed in the SDR for increased homeland air and missile defence.
Recently published figures show 151,000 UK jobs are directly supported by the MOD’s spend with industry, an increase of 14,000 on the previous year, delivering on the government’s Plan for Change by reinforcing our industrial capacity and boosting a defence dividend across the country.”
Lieutenant Colonel James Boutle, Commanding Officer 16th Regiment Royal Artillery, said: Sky Sabre represents a step change in the UK’s ground-based air defence capability. As the Army’s most advanced air defence system, it provides a powerful shield against modern airborne threats, from fast jets to precision-guided weapons and drones.
For 16th Regiment Royal Artillery, operating Sky Sabre is both a privilege and a responsibility – ensuring we are trained and ready to strengthen the UK’s contribution to NATO when called upon. As part of this, we work hand-in-hand with industry partners such as MBDA here in the UK to continuously optimise the system to ensure it remains on the cutting edge – a collaboration that guarantees we stay ahead of adversary technology.” (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
21 Aug 25. Lockheed Martin F-35A uses Small Drone to Guide Precision Bombs in First-of-its-Kind Test. The Lockheed Martin F-35A has completed a first-of-its-kind strike test with the help of a PDW C100 drone. Acting as a laser designator, the drone guided four bombs to target, showing how small unmanned systems can enhance stealth aircraft without risking pilots or ground forces. In a breakthrough for battlefield coordination, a single PDW C100 drone has successfully guided four precision bombs released by a US Air Force F-35A stealth fighter, striking multiple targets without support from any other aircraft. The July trial, conducted by Performance Drone Works (PDW) alongside the Department of Defense, showcased how a small unmanned aerial system (UAS) can work directly with a fifth-generation fighter to deliver accurate, long-range strikes from standoff distances.
How the F-35 Drone Test Worked
Equipped with a Leonardo STAG5 laser target designator, the C100 marked three separate ground targets at ranges of 1,000, 1,500 and 2,000 meters. Loitering 3 km from its operator for 35 minutes, the drone relayed precise targeting data to the F-35, which dropped four inert GBU-12 bombs. All four strikes were confirmed on target.
“This exercise demonstrated the ability of an operator to safely mark targets from a standoff range with the C100 for joint fires capabilities without the need for supporting aircraft,”
said PDW CEO and co-founder Ryan Gury. The US Air Force has not publicly commented on the demonstration.
Stealth fighters like the F-35 are most effective when operating at altitude and away from radar threats. Traditionally, laser-guided strikes have required either another manned aircraft or exposed ground troops to designate targets—forcing the jet to descend and risk detection. By offloading that role to a small drone, the F-35 can maintain its stealth profile while still delivering precision effects.
The PDW C100: More than Just a Spotter Drone
PDW built the C100 as an ‘organic fires platform’, designed to deliver intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), target designation, and even kinetic effects.
Its modular payload system allows the drone to pass laser designation seamlessly between close air support, indirect fire, or maritime assets. According to CEO Ryan Gury, the goal is to make the C100 “the ultimate organic fires platform,” giving both ground forces and advanced aircraft far greater tactical flexibility.
The C100 has already been adopted by the US Army’s 173rd Airborne Brigade, which acquired four systems earlier this year to replace its retired RQ-7B Shadow drones.
Soldiers are also experimenting with cost-effective, 3D-printed first-person-view drones, but the C100 offers far greater range, up to 10 km with an endurance of 74 minutes, and can operate in mountainous or contested environments without line of sight.
Staff Sgt. Nathaniel Daniels, a platoon sergeant with the brigade, noted the platform’s versatility:
“We saw the PDW C100 mission sets able to drop supplies to a forward aid station or conduct autonomous missions beyond 2 or 3 kilometres. The drone will complete the task and return.”
F-35 and Drone Teaming Showcases the Future of Joint Fires
The F-35 demonstration highlights a shift in close air support doctrine. Instead of relying on low-flying aircraft or exposed JTACs to mark targets, small modular drones like the C100 can now close the kill chain from safe distances.
For PDW, the test also validates a broader ambition: to integrate compact drones across domains – air, land, and sea – supporting joint fires without exposing high-value aircraft or personnel.
As modern conflicts demand more precision, flexibility, and survivability, the C100 shows how even small drones can amplify the effectiveness of 5th-generation fighters.
The future of joint fires may not rest solely on the shoulders of stealth jets, but on their ability to team seamlessly with agile, low-cost unmanned partners. (Source: UAS VISION/Aerospace Global News
21 Aug 25. Taiwan Disguises Hellfire Missile Launcher as Civilian Truck. Taiwan’s armed forces have developed a launch system for AGM-114 Hellfire missiles concealed inside what otherwise looks to be a civilian truck. Taiwanese authorities say the truck-mounted launcher could provide a valuable new means of employing Hellfires, especially if its AH-1W and AH-64E attack helicopters are faced with heavy air defense threats.
It also offers a mobile strike capability that is more difficult for an opponent to spot, and that could be particularly useful for bolstering shore defenses in the face of a Chinese amphibious operation.
The truck-mounted Hellfire launcher was showcased in a video, seen below, put out by the Military News Agency, an official outlet of Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense (MND). The 209th Arsenal, part of the MND’s Armaments Bureau, was responsible for crafting the launch system.
The system consists of a standard twin-rail Hellfire launch rack on a mount inside the main body of the truck. Roll-up doors on either side of the body open to allow the missiles to fire out the right side and the backblast to vent the other way.
In addition, there is a sensor mast that extends through a sliding hatch on the roof of the truck’s body. Mounted on top is what looks to be a small radar, as well as a ball-type sensor turret, which are typically equipped with a mix of electro-optical and infrared cameras. The turret may also contain a laser designator. Typical laser-guided Hellfires are seen at one point in the Military News Agency video, but millimeter-wave radar-guided AGM-114L Longbow variants are seen actually being test-fired. The system could be able to employ Hellfires from Taiwan’s stocks with either type of guidance.
“The vehicle-mounted missile system is designed for asymmetric warfare,” a member of the 209th Arsenal, identified only as Colonel Su, says in the video, according to a machine translation. “In wartime, we may face enemy air threats in anti-armor missions. We’ve integrated the air-based Hellfire missile into a land-based Hellfire system.” (Source: UAS VISION/The War Zone)
16 Aug 25. US approves possible HIMARS sale to Bahrain. The US Department of State has approved the possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) of M142 High-Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARSs) and related equipment worth up to USD500 m to Bahrain, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced in a press release on 14 August. The Bahraini government has requested four HIMARSs and three International Field Artillery Tactical Data Systems. It has also requested M28A2 Low Cost Reduced Range Practice Rocket pods; High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicle Fire Direction Centers; M1084A3 HIMARS resupply vehicles; HIMARS Driver Vision Enhancer systems; AN/PSN-13 Defense Advanced GPS Receivers; support and test equipment; simulators; generators; integration and test support; spares and repair parts; communications equipment; software delivery and support; facilities and construction support; publications and technical documentation; personnel training and training equipment; support equipment; US government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services; studies and surveys; and other related logistics and programme support. The proposed FMS will support US foreign policy goals and national security objectives by improving a major non-NATO ally that is an important force for political stability and economic progress in the Middle East, according to the DSCA. The agency added that the proposed sale would improve Bahrain’s capabilities to meet current and future threats by enhancing its ability to provide critical support for the security of US installations and personnel in Bahrain, integrate into US-led coalitions, and operate independently. The DSCA did not expect the HIMARS sale to change the basic military balance in the Gulf region. (Source: Janes)
14 Aug 25. Pakistan inducts first Chinese-built Z-10ME attack helicopters. Pakistan has formally introduced Chinese-manufactured Z-10ME attack helicopters into service. Field Marshal Asim Munir, the Chief of Army Staff, presided over an induction ceremony for the new attack helicopters at Multan Garrison on 2 August. Afterwards, Munir witnessed a firepower demonstration by new Z-10MEs at the Muzaffargarh Field Firing Ranges.
As per an announcement from the Pakistan military’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) agency, the helicopters were inducted by the Pakistan Army Aviation Corps. No details on the number of helicopters acquired were provided, although various sources suggest Pakistan could procure as many as 40 Z-10 helicopters.
Pakistan is the first export customer for the Z-10ME, with Islamabad forced to opt for the Chinese type following cancellation of a deal with Turkey to purchase T129 Atak attack helicopters.
Pakistan’s ISPR declared, “The induction of this potent system marks a major leap in the modernisation of army aviation, reinforcing its integrated battlefield response and capacity to deliver decisive effects against potential adversaries.”
The agency continued, “This state-of-the-art, all-weather platform is capable of precision strike operations day and night. Equipped with advanced radar systems and cutting-edge electronic warfare suites, the Z-10ME significantly enhances the army’s capability to engage diverse aerial and ground threats.”
Pakistani Z-10MEs sport the same black colour scheme as Chinese Z-10s.
The Z-10ME is manufactured by the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), and it is an upgraded version of the Z-10 in service with the air and ground forces of the People’s Liberation Army. The Z-10ME, for example, is powered by more powerful WZ9G 1,200kW engines of Chinese origin.
The Z-10ME was first unveiled at Airshow China 2018, and it made its international debut at the Singapore Airshow in 2024. The Z-10ME displayed in Singapore featured detachable armour panels, a missile approach warning system, radar warning receiver, countermeasures dispensers, a chin-mounted 23mm cannon, nose-mounted electro-optic pod and a millimetre-wave fire control radar.
Field Marshal Asim Munir of the Pakistan Army examines a brand new Z-10ME attack helicopter at Multan Garrison on 2 August. (ISPR)
However, images shown of the Pakistan Army’s Z-10ME so far do not feature a rotor-mounted fire control radar.
The Z-10ME can carry a wide variety Chinese-produced munitions, including FS70B aerial blast fragmentation rockets, GR5 guided rockets, TY-90 air-to-air missiles and CM-502KG air-to-surface missiles.
The attack helicopter can carry two rocket pods (carrying seven rockets each) on its inner stub wings, while the pylons on the outer stub wings can accommodate four TY-90 missiles or CM-502KGs. It can also be configured to carry a total of 16 antitank missiles, or four seven-round rocket pods or two 19-round rocket pods.
The ongoing induction of Z-10ME attack helicopters into the Pakistan Army inventory will redress shortcomings relative to India for such helicopter types.
The Indian Air Force operates 22 AH-64I Apache Guardians, an estimated 30 Mi-35 gunships and it has 66 indigenously built Prachand Light Combat Helicopters (LCH) on order. The Indian Army, meanwhile, has 90 LCHs on order, and it recently took delivery of three out of six AH-64I Apaches ordered in 2020. (Source: AMR)
14 Aug 25. Vietnam is confirmed as K9 SPH’s first Southeast Asian customer. A loosely held secret has now been confirmed – Vietnam is the latest customer for the K9A1 155mm self-propelled howitzer (SPH) from Hanwha Aerospace. This means Vietnam becomes the first Southeast Asian customer for this popular tracked artillery piece from South Korea. The deal with Hanoi was brokered by the government’s Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) rather than by Hanwha itself, and the contract covers 20 K9A1 SPHs.
The price tag is reported to be US$250 m, which likely means Vietnam has skimped on an associated maintenance package, although a separate contract may be signed later to cover this. Nor does it seem that Vietnam ordered accompanying K10 ammunition resupply vehicles.
It is unconfirmed what engine will power Vietnam’s SPHs, but it could well be the Korean-built SMV1000 1,000hp engine from STX, instead of the legacy German MTU power unit. Egypt’s K9A1EGY SPHs will use the STX engine, with that country’s first vehicles to be ready early next year. Clear indications of the Vietnamese deal emerged when South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense issued a press release after attending the 11th Korea-Vietnam Defense Strategy Dialogue in Hanoi on 23 April 2024. The statement said Vietnamese Vice-Minister of National Defence Hoang Xuan Chien “evaluated Korea’s weapons systems and expressed his intention to expand defence industry cooperation, including the introduction of Korean weapon systems such as the K9 SPH, and requested cooperation from the Korean government for this purpose”.
Later, photos emerged online in November 2024 showing Vietnamese personnel participating in a K9 training programme in South Korea. The two countries had upgraded their relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership in December 2022.
Vietnam thus becomes the tenth customer for the K9, and seven production lines are, or soon will be, producing the K9A1. Three are at Hanwha’s production facility in Changwon in South Korea, as well as one each in Australia, Egypt, India and Romania.
Hanwha announced a US$253 m contract for India’s second batch of 100 K9 Vajra-T SPHs in April, following an earlier 2017 deal. They are being assembled by Larsen & Toubro, with 60% local content.
The artillery inventory of the Vietnam People’s Army (VPA) relies upon Soviet-era artillery systems, a lot of them towed. The VPA has just two SPH types, both of them rather obsolete: 30 examples each of the Soviet-manufactured 2S1 Gvozdika 122mm SPH and the 2S3 Akatsiva 152mm SPH. This acquisition is also significant as it sees Vietnam move towards NATO 155mm ammunition instead of the traditional Russian 122mm and 152mm calibres. It is understood the new K9s will be fielded in the north of Vietnam near the Chinese border, potentially by the VPA’s 204th Artillery Brigade. In other news, the VPA will hold a parade on 2 September commemorating the republic’s 80th anniversary. A new domestically developed armoured vehicle has been seen in rehearsals, the XTC-02 reconnaissance vehicle or armoured personnel carrier (APC) that somewhat resembles a BRDM-2 in concept. The 4×4 XTC-02 is amphibious, and it is armed with a 12.7mm NSV machine gun and 7.62mm PKT machine gun in a rooftop remote weapon station. There is also a mast at the rear containing an electro-optic camera system for surveillance. Vietnam has not released any official specifications for the XTC-02 yet. Vietnam exhibited the indigenous tracked XCB-01 infantry fighting vehicle at VIDEX 2024, but another indigenous armoured vehicle under development is the XTC-08 8×8 APC. The latter strongly resembles a BTR-60PB, but it has a turret featuring a 23mm cannon and coaxial 7.62mm machine gun. (Source: AMR)
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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.
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