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11 Jan 24. US Soldiers build nuke-detecting backpack. A group of soldiers built a backpack that eliminates what is typically an eight-hour wait time when transporting a mobile nuclear detector and provides onboard power and ways to analyze samples when communications go down.
The soldiers serve with the Army’s Nuclear Disablement Teams. Dubbed NDT 1 “Manhattan,” NDT 2 “Iron Maiden” and NDT 3 “Vandals,” they are based out of Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland under the 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives (CBRNE) Command, according to an Army news release.
The NDTs are the Defense Department’s only nuclear disablement teams and conduct weapon of mass destruction elimination operations.
The teams’ mobile nuclear detector must draw outside air for its internal cooling system and expel hot air to maintain the right operating temperatures.
“The challenge the NDT always had with its Ortec High Purity Germanium (HPGe) detectors was always the deliberate cool down period required for the equipment to be ready, typically in excess of seven hours from a complete shutdown,” said Maj. Aaron J. Heffelfinger, NDT 1 deputy team chief.
The cases that came with the detector required the device to be shut down during transport, which then meant an eight-hour cooldown period, he said.
“Time is always of the essence. The longer it takes the team to provide the gamma spectroscopy and isotopic assay results to the supported unit, the more constrained the commander becomes,” Heffelfinger said. “If we can provide that information without an 8-hour cooldown first, it can drive the decision-making process that much faster.”
Members of the team tinkered with different ways of keeping the system cool over a six-month period, before developing the current backpack solution. They collaborated with partner organizations such as Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Center at the Army’s Combat Capabilities Development Command to develop the device.
The team made the backpack a self-contained cooling unit and ensured it was able to store power with a range of battery options, said Capt. John M. Prevost, an Explosive Ordnance Disposal Officer with NDT 2.
(Source: Army Times)
12 Jan 23. RSK creates new unexploded ordnance and ground investigation business. RSK, a global leader in the delivery of sustainable solutions, has announced that it has created a new company specifically tasked with delivering unexploded ordnance (UXO) and explosive ordnance risk reduction (EORR) services.
RSK Ordnance Management will support RSK businesses and additional clients with services including bomb disposal, UXO and ordnance management, risk assessments, ground investigation, ground contamination and environmental impact.
RSK Group Chief Executive Officer Alan Ryder said the new business would support and contribute to the vital area of UXO research and investigation: “Our multi-sector work across the UK and the world, on land and in the marine environment, has made us aware of the very real need for a business of this nature. It will not only be a valuable asset in supporting existing RSK businesses as part of their work for our clients but also it has an important role to play for other businesses, particularly in the construction, renewables and environmental sectors.
“We look forward to advancing the research and expertise in this sector with the skills and experience that RSK Ordnance Management Managing Director Hemi Morete, Technical Director Richard Holmes and Principal Consultant Andrew Lane bring to the business. They will also further develop these essential skills as the business grows to meet UK and international demand for these services.”
Hemi said: “The establishment of RSK Ordnance Management reflects a growing awareness of the risk posed by UXO and its impact on construction, infrastructure development and the environment.”
Richard added: “We have the qualifications and experience across our team to deliver UXO risk assessments and surveys and subsequent clearance. We have qualified explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) engineers available to deliver UXO training to on-site staff and carry out watching briefs to ensure the safety and security of our clients’ personnel.
“The risk of UXO from legacy items is present right across the UK, as seen in recent years with high-profile events, such as the one in Exeter in 2021, when more than 100 homes were damaged by a Second World War German bomb, with the added disruption for around 2700 residents who were evacuated. RSK Ordnance Management treats all tasks on an evidence-based risk analysis, working with clients to mitigate risks and find appropriate solutions to deliver safe sites and reduced downtime.
“We believe that the combination of specialist technical expertise that we have in this field together with the established industry knowledge and experience that exists within RSK is a compelling offer, and we look forward to providing this important service to RSK businesses and the wider market.”
The team’s experience includes running international UXO and demining projects in more than 25 countries, delivering UXO and quality management training to national authorities and providing EORR services to Ministry of Defence (MoD) clients.
Richard was a training manager and diving officer within the British Army’s bomb disposal regiment, and Andrew has delivered UXO and EORR services in Mali, Somalia and Ukraine, alongside running operations in the UK for a number of UK UXO operators.
10 Jan 24. Estonia proposes defence industrial park for ammunition production. The planning and environmental assessment phase is expected to take about 1.5 years, after which construction can commence.
The Estonian Ministry of Defence announced on 10 January 2024, the signing of a proposal to develop a defence industrial park in Estonia for the production of various calibres of ammunition.
This move aims to boost European ammunition production capacity, which is considered insufficient given the current security environment and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Estonia’s Minister of Defence, Hanno Pevkur, emphasised the importance of this project in enhancing the nation’s defence capabilities and supporting allies by offering locally produced ammunition. The Ministry of Defence is also exploring the potential for establishing an explosives production facility in Estonia.
The planning and environmental assessment phase is expected to take about 1.5 years, after which construction can commence. The first production output is anticipated in approximately 2.5 years from now (2026/7).
This development marks a significant step in Estonia’s commitment to enhancing its defence industry and contributing to the broader European security landscape.
At a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council of the Council of the European Union on 16 November 2023, Pevkur slammed the inaction of EU decision makers over ramping up production of munitions, before announcing a four year commitment to spending 30% of Estonia’s defence budget toward producing ammunition. “Today we are in a situation, where we need to make real decisions, not discuss the need for making decisions. With our actions, Estonia aims to show the way,” said Pevkur.
The Act in Support of Ammunition Production (ASAP), signed on 7 July, called on EU member states to restock their ammunition supplies to provide one m rounds of ammunition for Ukraine, and to jointly procure further ammunition.
Pevkur criticised the EU for not meeting the expectations it set out in Spring 2023 for the provision of ammunition, drawing attention to inaction by other parties in the EU. “If member states are neither prepared to provide from their stocks nor able to increase production, we have to refurbish ammunition and procure from third states. Expired ammunition cannot go to waste.“ (Source: army-technology.com)
11 Jan 24. Armscor reports significant progress on G5 and G6 upgrades. State defence material agency Armscor has reported significant progress made on the upgrade of the SA Army’s G5 and G6 155 mm howitzers under Projects Muhali and Topstar, and emphasised that without these upgrades, the SA Army will not have any functional artillery.
Project Muhali addresses obsolescence of the Army’s G6 self-propelled howitzers and covers the replacement of obsolete items while Project Topstar covers a gun laying and navigation system upgrades for the South African Army’s G5 and G6 artillery systems and 127 mm multiple rocket launchers (MRLs).
In a presentation to the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans (PCDMV) late last year, Armscor noted that Muhali was contracted in May 2019 and was originally due to be completed in June 2021 at a cost of R178m (R144m plus VAT, escalation and ROE). Due to delays caused by challenges at Denel (tasked with the upgrade), the new delivery date is 15 March 2024.
Armscor revealed that to date, R81m has been spent on Muhali, including R27m to Denel Land Systems subcontractor Leonardo. Fifteen vehicles are being upgraded.
Although the project is moving forward, Armscor said the financial difficulties of Denel remain a risk as they have a direct impact on the project’s progress, but the situation has slightly improved since the placement of orders. Project funds were ring fenced by Denel Land Systems to keep the project funds within the project, and orders were amended to pay suppliers directly.
“There is a significant progress on the project,” Armscor concluded, with three units 100% complete and the remaining 12 90% complete.
Topstar
Denel was in June 2019 contracted to carry out the Project Topstar upgrade, worth R239m, with contract completion scheduled for the end of March 2021. However, the new delivery date is 15 March 2024. Project funds have been ring fenced by Denel Land Systems to keep the project on track, and suppliers are being paid directly.
Armscor stated that R54 m has been spent to date, and four MRLs have been completed, with the balance to be completed by October 2023. Three G5s were completed for training in September and the remaining guns are on track as required for crew training in 2024.
“There is significant progress on the project,” Armscor concluded, stating that locally procured hardware is 100% complete, and Denel is just awaiting inertial navigation units (INUs) from Scotland. Production of Leonardo FIN 3120 INUs is behind schedule. (Source: https://www.defenceweb.co.za/)
11 Jan 24. Effective protection against threats from above: Skyranger 30 passes an important milestone. Rheinmetall’s mobile Skyranger 30 air defence system has reached a key milestone on the road to series production. In December 2023, the A1 configuration of the Skyranger 30 underwent a successful testing and live-fire campaign at the Group’s Ochsenboden proving ground in Switzerland, in which the system had to prove itself in stationary and mobile modes.
The Skyranger 30 A1 is a development testbed whose purpose is to pave the way for total system qualification of the Skyranger 30 A3 in mid-2024. The A1’s flexible design enables efficient testing and optimization of multiple customer variants with different radars and effectors. With the Skyranger 30 slated to be introduced soon by several European user nations, this is a major advantage.
As recently as December 2023, Hungary – a NATO and EU member state – contracted with Rheinmetall to develop a concept for a Skyranger 30 turret for the future air defence variant of the Lynx KF41 tracked armoured vehicle. Two other user nations, Denmark and Germany, also plan to procure the Skyranger 30, which in both cases will be mounted on different wheeled armoured vehicles.
The central component of the Skyranger 30 is the 30mmx173 KCE revolver cannon, whose immense firepower and precision have been impressively demonstrated under the most adverse weather conditions.
The Skyranger 30 A3 will decisively counter current and future aerial threats – including drones – enabling ground troops to focus on their actual mission. The well-thought-out design of its diverse array of ordnance, high mobility and state-of-the-art sensors enable both autonomous and networked operation. Moreover, the compact design of the turret allows integration into a wide variety of manned and unmanned platforms such as Rheinmetall’s 8×8 Boxer wheeled armoured vehicle. The Skyranger closes the current world wide capability gap in mobile air defence.
10 Jan 24. RAFAEL announced the successful completion of a test for its advanced SPYDER air defense system in its newest configuration – All in One which was conducted by RAFAEL with the Israeli Ministry of Defense Directorate of Defense Research & Development.
The test involved intercepting a unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in a challenging operational scenario, achieving a direct and effective hit.
RAFAEL, in collaboration with IMOD DDR&D, has successfully completed a test of the advanced SPYDER air defense system in its latest, unique configuration – All In One. The test included the interception of a UAV in a challenging operational scenario, achieving a direct and effective hit.
The SPYDER system, produced by RAFAEL, is operationally used by several military forces worldwide, providing air defense solutions against various airborne threats, including missiles, UAVs, aircraft, helicopters, and tactical ballistic missiles (TBMs). The system intercepts threats using two families of RAFAEL-manufactured interceptor missiles, PYTHON and Derby. Recently, RAFAEL introduced a new configuration for the SPYDER – the All in One, featuring an integrated radar, electro-optical launcher, advanced control and command system, and PYTHON and Derby interceptors, all mounted on a single platform. This configuration serves as an optimal air defense solution for point defense or area defense, either as part of a SPYDER battery or deployed independently with minimal operator involvement.
In the test conducted last month in Israel, the SPYDER All in One system successfully intercepted a UAV in a complex operational scenario, achieving a successful interception of the target.
Brigadier General (Res.) Pini Yungman, Executive Vice President and Head of the Air Defense Division at RAFAEL, stated, “RAFAEL is a global expert and a leading developer of air defense systems that have proven themselves in combat against a myriad of advanced threats and at various ranges. Among the leading systems currently in operational use in Israel and worldwide are Iron Dome, SPYDER, and David’s Sling. The success of the current test with the SPYDER All in One system represents another technological breakthrough that RAFAEL pioneered, providing solutions tailored to different evolving threats in various arenas. The success of the test is a significant milestone in developing the system against different threats and demonstrates the system’s outstanding effectiveness in intercepting challenging ground-launched threats. As a significant contributor to national security, RAFAEL will continue to develop advanced air defense solutions that incorporate the latest technology for the IDF and its customers worldwide.”
10 Jan 24. Sweden’s FMV, Nammo Agree to Increase Production of 155mm Ammunition. FMV has signed an agreement with the ammunition manufacturer Nammo to support the project application within the framework of the ASAP initiative, Act in Support of Ammunition Production, for investment in increased production capacity of artillery ammunition in Sweden. The agreement aims to increase deliveries of 155mm artillery ammunition and strengthen security of supply.
The planned investment is partly financed by the Swedish state and partly by the EU within the framework of ASAP. The agreement is converted into a final contract on the condition that the EU, in competition with other project proposals, allocates funds during the first quarter of 2024.
“We are now taking the next important step to accelerate investments in the production capacity of the industry. In this way, we shorten delivery times, increase the opportunity to support Ukraine and at the same time strengthen the security of supply regarding artillery ammunition in Sweden and the Nordics in the long term,” says Jonas Lotsne, head of FMV’s operational area Army Materiel.
The investment is the third step in an extensive effort to increase the production of artillery ammunition and enable continued support to Ukraine. The work takes place within the framework of the Nordic defense cooperation Nordefco and is led by FMV. In the past, the Nordic countries have signed a cooperation agreement and placed orders to enable donations of ammunition to Ukraine. (Unofficial translation by Defense-Aerospace.com) (Source: https://www.defense-aerospace.com/Swedish Defense Materiel Agency, FMV; issued Jan 09, 2024)
09 Jan 24. RTX completes technical review for prototype of U.S. Navy’s HALO missile. Raytheon, an RTX (NYSE: RTX) business, has successfully completed a technical review and a seamless prototype fit-check in phase one of the U.S. Navy’s Hypersonic Air Launched Offensive Anti-Surface (HALO) program. HALO is a carrier-based high-speed missile that will allow the Navy to operate in and control contested battlespaces in anti-access/area denial environments and will support their long-range fires strategy.
“This is a key step in fielding the Navy’s first anti-ship hypersonic missile,” said Colin Whelan, president of Advanced Technology at Raytheon. “It’s critical that our warfighters have proven technology that can address advanced threats in contested environments, and they need this technology now. We’re leveraging our expertise in hypersonics to deliver a straightforward and mature, digitally engineered system at the pace the Navy needs.”
Digital and physical design concepts and models of Raytheon’s HALO prototype were created in a matter of months using digital and model-based engineering techniques. This approach is accelerating the development of the HALO missile. A successful fit check on an F/A-18 was held in the fall, ensuring that the prototype is compatible with the Navy’s Super Hornet aircraft and existing support equipment. Raytheon was awarded a phase one HALO contract in March 2023. Work on this program is being completed in Tucson, Arizona. (Source: PR Newswire)
10 Jan 24. RoK to mass-produce TAipers anti-tank missiles. South Korea is preparing to mass-produce its domestically developed TAipers (‘Tank Snipers’ or Cheongeom) air-launched anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs). The TAipers will go into mass production from 2024 to 2031, a spokesperson from South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) told Janes. According to the agency, the programme has a cost of KRW724.8bn (USD550.5m). The TAipers is a lightweight, air-launched, lock-on-before-launch (LOBL) ATGM. According to DAPA, the missile system uses a dual-mode seeker utilising both visible light and infrared images and guided by a fiber-optic datalink. Comprising four major sub-sections (seeker, propulsion, control mechanism, and battery) and the optical fibre cable at the rear, the missile has a smokeless solid-propellant rocket motor, which gives it a cruise speed of about 200 m/s and a maximum strike range of 8 km. Hanwha has said the missile can penetrate up to 1,000 mm of rolled homogeneous armour (RHA). (Source: Janes)
09 Jan 24. AeroVironment, Inc. announced today the first successful multi-drop, live fire GPS-guided Shryke munitions from the VAPOR® 55 MX, all-electric unmanned aircraft system in collaboration with Corvid and L3Harris Technologies. The VAPOR 55 MX carried four rounds simultaneously and flawlessly showcased the live fire effects of this capability. The integration of Shryke munitions on the VAPOR 55 MX allows for multiple targets to be designated in one single flight. “Shryke’s size and weight make it the ideal choice for the weaponized VAPOR 55 MX. The lethality of a 40mm anti-armor modular warhead paired with a lightweight glider provides a highly effective, low-collateral damage solution to the front lines,” said Kyle Bowen, Corvid’s Shryke business development director.
Shryke, developed by Corvid Technologies and L3Harris Technologies, is known for its versatile, multi-mission precision strike capability, meeting the requirement to stay within 1-2 meters of the designated target. Equipped with a MIL-STD-1316 Electronic Safe and Arm Device (ESAD), L3Harris’ integrator guarantees safety-critical initiation-on-command for energetic systems and facilitates the secure post-flight recovery of remaining installed munitions. “Collaborating with our partners to develop the multi-drop Shryke payload to integrate seamlessly with the Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) design of the VAPOR 55 MX gives us a real market advantage. Quick integration for the warfighter continues to be our top priority,” said Jason Wright, AeroVironment’s senior product line manager.
The open software and hardware architecture provides added versatility to the VAPOR 55 MX and continues to allow customers to integrate third-party payloads of their choice without being impacted by excessive non-recurring engineering costs and schedule delays. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
09 Jan 24. Estonia receives Piorun MANPADS. The Estonian Centre for Defence Investments (ECDI) announced in a press release on 8 January that it had delivered Polish Piorun short-range manportable air defence systems (MANPADS) to the Estonian Defence Forces (EDF).
An ECDI spokesperson told Janes on 9 January that deliveries were ongoing from 2023 to 2025 but would not disclose numbers. He said training mainly for reservists had begun in mid-2023 as part of the planned deliveries. The full operational capability is planned for 2024, according to the spokesperson.
Estonian Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Tanel Lelov, head of the Estonian Division’s air and missile defence section, said Piorun air-defence missiles would provide additional air defence for manoeuvre units on the front line as well as for important objects in rear areas.
The ECDI and Polish defence company Mesko signed a framework agreement for 100 Poirun launchers and 300 missiles in September 2022 for a total cost of EUR103m (USD113m). The MANPADS has a range of 8 km and takes a few hours of training to operate, according to the ECDI. (Source: Janes)
09 Jan 24. Iraqi militants confirmed to have Iranian cruise missiles. US Central Command (CENTCOM) effectively confirmed that Iran has supplied cruise missiles to an Iraqi group on 5 January, when it posted a photograph of one it said had been found by the Iraqi Police in Babil Governorate two days earlier.
“The use of Iranian-supplied munitions by terrorist groups within Iraq and Syria endangers coalition forces and local residents,” it said. “The coalition is appreciative of the efforts of the legitimate security forces in Iraq for their efforts to prevent future attacks.”
The photograph showed the same type of cruise missile that the Iranian-backed Yemeni group refers to as the Quds and was displayed for the first time in Iran last year as the Paveh.
The missile had fallen off the rail on a mobile launcher that had been prepared for a launch. Its booster could not be seen and may have exploded, as there was damage at the rear of the missile and the launcher. CENTCOM said the missile had failed to launch. (Source: Janes)
08 Jan 24. Guided mortar rounds used in eastern DRC. Sophisticated guided mortar rounds are being used to attack the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) in the eastern province of North Kivu, according to the latest report from the United Nations Group of Experts on the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Released on 3 January, the report included a photograph of a previously undocumented 120 mm guided mortar round that was found in Murambi in June 2023. The unexploded munition was missing the pop-out fins that guide it to its target and its tail.
While the group of experts did not identify the mortar round, saying it was working to trace its origin, the report included a marketing image for the 120 mm Stylet round made by Israel’s Elbit Systems to illustrate what the munition would have looked like when undamaged. (Source: Janes)
09 Jan 24. IRGC receives new missile catamaran. Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Navy (IRGCN) formally received Martyr Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis (PC313-01), a new type of stealthy missile-armed catamaran, during a ceremony held at the force’s main base in Bandar Abbas on 6 January. IRGCN commander Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri said the new vessel, which is named after an Iraqi militant leader who was killed in a US airstrike along with the IRGC’s Major General Qasem Soleimani, has a range of 2,000 n miles, an endurance of 14 days, and has four engines that give it a speed of 37 kt. While Rear Adm Tangsiri was cited as saying it is the second in the IRGC’s Shahid Soleimani class, which is also a catamaran, it is significantly smaller at 47 m in length and has a different hull design. The media coverage of the event showed it has the same 30 mm weapon station as Shahid Soleimani, (Source: Janes)
09 Jan 24. USN still struggles for more powerful lasers to counter cruise missiles. The successful missile and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) defence by US Navy (USN) ships in the Red Sea has prompted discussion for accelerated development of lasers on USN surface ships in such scenarios. However, the USN is still struggling, trying to achieve the power necessary for missile defence, according to defence analysts.
“Most of the problem is trying to aim for higher powers that can be useful against cruise missiles – like 300 kW – when the technology is still not mature enough to use in a combat setting,” Bryan Clark, a senior fellow at the Washington think-tank Hudson Institute, told Janes in advance of the Surface Navy Association (SNA) National Symposium 2024, which started on 9 January.
“There are several working 150 kW lasers out now, like the navy HELIOS [high-energy laser with integrated optical-dazzler and surveillance],” Clark noted. (Source: Janes)
05 Jan 24. Mali inaugurates more Bayraktar TB2 UAVs. The Armed Forces of Mali (FAMa) held a reception ceremony for another consignment of Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) on 4 January.
Media coverage of the event showed five TB2s, some of them armed with MAM-L laser-guided bombs, lined up on the apron next to the presidential pavilion at Bamako’s Modibo Keita International Airport. The FAMa released a photograph showing one had the serial TZ-17D.
The FAMa previously displayed TB2s with serials running from TZ-01D to TZ-06D, so the latest reception ceremony appears to have brought the number delivered to Mali up to at least 17.
The TB2s have become famous in Mali as the ORTM television channel frequently broadcasts footage that the FAMa has released showing the UAVs carrying out airstrikes, purportedly against terrorists, although there have been accusations that civilians have been killed. (Source: Janes)
09 Jan 24. Aerojet Rocketdyne Teams with NSWC IHD to Maximize Solid Rocket Motor Domestic Production. Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3Harris Technologies [NYSE:LHX] company, and Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head Division (NSWC IHD) have signed a multi-year agreement to increase production for solid rocket motors for key national defense programs.
“This agreement offers a reliable supply chain solution to our nation’s solid rocket motor production needs,” said Ross Niebergall, President, Aerojet Rocketdyne. “Working in coordination with our government partners, we’re increasing our production capability to meet today’s growing demand and to prepare for any surge in support of near peer conflicts.”
The ten-year agreement lays the foundation for an innovative public-private partnership with the U.S. Navy to meet the demand surge for solid rocket motors necessary to fulfill urgent national security needs, establishing a pathway for NSWC Indian Head to become a qualified partner with Aerojet Rocketdyne to perform certain motor manufacturing processes.
“The Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head Division has repeatedly answered the call and supplied our warfighters with the best weapons, tools and equipment needed to win the fight and bring them home safely. The signing of this P3 Agreement is further proof of that,” said Capt. Steve Duba, Commanding Officer, NSWC IHD. “I am proud of the strategic work being done to strengthen the arsenal and meet the Navy’s demand signal.”
“NSWC IHD is the Navy’s Arsenal, and as such, has a rich history of advancing state of the art and providing comparative advantage to naval munitions and naval warfighting capability,” said Ashley Johnson, Technical Director, NSWC IHD. “This partnership will only bolster that capability through the production of solid rocket motors.”
For more than 80 years, Aerojet Rocketdyne has provided trusted, innovative propulsion to the United States and its allies. From supporting America’s earliest solid-fueled strategic missiles to powering tactical and air defense missiles that protect the nation’s warfighters and allies today, Aerojet Rocketdyne has a strong legacy of proven solid rocket motor propulsion. (Source: ASD Network)
08 Jan 24. Spain seeking 155mm artillery ammunition resupply. European countries are restocking artillery ammunition after having provided quantities to Ukraine that need replacement, with industry struggling to meet demand.
Spain has issued a tender for the acquisition of 155mm artillery ammunition, including specific variants such as illumination and smoke shells, in a deal worth up to €150m ($163.7m).
Published on the European Union’s contract database on 3 January, the tender has a set deadline of 31 January and will be procured through Spanish Ministry of Defence funds and not through the European Union.
The Spanish Army fields two weapons systems that utilise 155mm calibre ammunition – the US-origin M109A5 self-propelled artillery platform and the Santa Bárbara Sistemas 155/52 howitzer.
According to GlobalData’s analysis of Spain’s defence equipment inventory, the Spanish Army operates 66 155/52 APU-SIAC 155mm howitzers, along with 16 of the SBT-1 variants. Of the M109A5, it thought around 100 units are in service with the Spanish Army and Marines.
GlobalData analysis indicates that the Spanish defence budget increased from $9.5bn in 2019 to $13.1bn in 2023 and is forecast to continue to increase through to 2028 as the country looks to meet the Nato 2% of GDP benchmark for defence expenditure
European artillery ammunition aspirations failing to meet reality
Artillery ammunition production has been a key topic of discussion among the upper echelons of the EU’s leadership, with Ursula von der Leyen, head of the European Commission, calling for an increase in cooperative defence spending and artillery ammunition manufacture across EU member states.
In a December speech to the European Defence Agency, von der Leyen stated that the countries of the European Union would produce one m artillery shells per year from 2024, as the continent’s defence industries orientate towards more active production line in the face of Russia aggression in Ukraine.
Speaking to members of the European Defence Agency (EDA) at the end of November, von der Leyen claimed countries of the European Union – referred to in the speech as “Europe” – had produced or delivered 480,000 round of artillery ammunition to Ukraine.
“This would have been unimaginable just two years ago. And it already marks a massive step forward for our defence cooperation,” von der Leyen stated.
However, this figure was less than half of the quantity first intended to be produced for Ukraine. Kyiv is struggling for financial and military support from its US and European allies, offering a bleak forecast for the ongoing war with Russia. (Source: army-technology.com)
08 Jan 24. PIORUN Man-Portable Air-Defense Systems Arrive in Estonia. The Estonian Centre for Defence Investments (ECDI) has delivered the Polish short-range air defence systems PIORUN to the Estonian Defence Forces, significantly enhancing their short-range air defence capability and overall independent defence capability.
PIORUN is an air defence weapon system developed in Poland and introduced into service in 2019. It is capable of hitting targets up to eight kilometres away and allows units to operate around the clock. The system is in use both in Poland and Ukraine, where it has proven its reliability, being one of the most successful weapon systems in the Ukrainian war.
In addition to battlefield effectiveness, these air defence systems are much easier to deploy, and operation is manageable after just a few hours of training. The system will be used by a separate war-time unit of the Estonian Defence Forces, which operates under the direct command of the division and is trained based on reservists.
“PIORUN air defence missiles provide additional air defence not only to maneuver units but also to objects that are not in the immediate vicinity of the front line but are located further in the rear, yet are important from the perspective of Estonia’s defense,” said Lieutenant Colonel Tanel Lelov, Head of the Air and Missile Defence Section of the Estonian Division. “In Ukraine, these missiles have proven to be effective against most airborne attack means, and certainly, the principles of their use there will be taken into account in training and employing Estonian units,” he added.
This is the first joint defence procurement between Estonia and Poland, with the advantages of quick delivery and a relatively low cost compared to the value of the destroyed target. The technical compatibility of Polish weapon systems, crucial for the security of our region, was also a decisive factor.
The framework agreement was signed between ECDI and the Polish defence technology company Mesko in the autumn of 2022, with deliveries of the weapon system to Estonia beginning at the turn of the year. “Despite the general security situation, high demand, and component shortages, Mesko has been able to fulfil its contractual obligations, and deliveries have been timely, showing the utmost commitment of the Polish state and our contracting partner,” commented Ramil Lipp, Strategic Category Manager (Armaments) at ECDI.
The development of short-range air defence capabilities cost a total of 103 m euros, including VAT, with the Government of the Republic of Estonia allocating the sum from Estonia’s military defence reinforcement package. (Source: https://www.defense-aerospace.com/ Estonian Centre for Defence Investments)
05 Jan 24. US Military Searching for New Long-Range Sniper Rifle in Bid to Keep Edge over Russia and China. The U.S. military is looking to equip special operations forces with their longest-range sniper rifle ever fielded in an effort to maintain superiority against Russian and Chinese snipers in a future potential conflict.
According to a new notice published on Dec. 19, 2023, U.S. Special Operations Command is conducting market research for a so-called “Extreme Long Range-Sniper Rifle” (ELR-SR) capable of delivering precise fire at a range of up to 2,500 meters (2,730 yards), or just over a mile-and-a-half.
A modular sniper system capable of using multiple calibers of bullets, the ELR-SR would replace two guns in the U.S. armory: the widely used Barrett M107 .50 caliber sniper rifle, which has an effective range of 2,000 meters (or 2,187 yards), and the Mk 15 sniper rifle that is used primarily by Navy SEALs and has an effective range of 1,800 meters (or 1,970 yards), according to the notice.
For context, the long-standing record for longest-distance sniper shot was achieved by legendary Marine Corps Scout Sniper Carlos Hathcock in Vietnam in 1967 and was at 2,286 meters (or 2,500 yards), albeit set with an M2 .50 caliber machine gun rather than a conventional sniper rifle.
That record remained unbroken until 2002, when Canadian Army sniper Master Cpl. Arron Perry achieved a confirmed kill at 2,310 meters (or 2,526 yards) with a C15, which is the Canadian military’s version of the TAC-50 that counts the Mk 15 as a descendant. Another Canadian Army sniper, Cpl. Rob Furlong, would break that record days later, also with a C15, with a confirmed kill at 2,430 meters, or 2,657 yards.
The current record for longest-distance kill is purportedly held by Ukrainian military sniper Vyacheslav Kovalsky, who reportedly took out a Russian soldier from a distance of 3,800 meters (or 4,156 yards) with a “Horizon’s Lord” sniper rifle in 2023 during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, though The Wall Street Journal reported that Kovalsky’s claim remains disputed by some tested marksmen and ballistics experts.
While praising existing sniper rifles in the U.S. inventory, U.S. Special Operations Command spokesperson Navy Lt. Cassandra Thompson told Military.com in an email that the intent is to keep up with “advancements developed by industry partners as well as the long-range shooting sports community.”
The ostensible mission for this new long-range sniper rifle? To “increase effective range and probability of hit in support of the great power competition for Special Operations Forces in near peer conflicts,” according to Thompson, invoking the Defense Department’s preferred euphemisms for notional future conflicts with Russia and China.
As the U.S. struggles to reorient itself from fighting violent extremist organizations in the Middle East toward “great power” or “near peer” competitors like Russia or China, the Pentagon has invested significant effort in overhauling its sniper capabilities, with the Army and Marine Corps fielding both new designated marksman rifles (the M110A1 Squad Designated Marksman Rifle and M38 variant of the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle, respectively) and new sniper rifles (the M110A1 Compact Semi-Automatic Sniper System and the Mk 13 Mod 7, respectively) in recent years.
The U.S. military has been worried about a sniper gap with Russia, in particular, for the better part of a decade: A 2016 Army report on the evolution of Russian tactics following the 2014 annexation of Crimea found that Russian snipers have become “far more advanced than the precision shooters U.S. formations have encountered over the last 15 years” during the U.S. military campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan, primarily because Russian sniper teams have access to “sophisticated weapons comparable to rifles in the U.S. inventory.”
In response to the increased threat posed by Russian sharpshooters, the Army accelerated the deployment of qualified soldiers in designated marksman roles equipped with rifles designed for longer-range engagements, according to the report, culminating with the fielding of the M110A1 SDMR to its first unit in 2020.
Today, the Army, Marine Corps and SOCOM are all in the process of adopting the modular multi-caliber Barrett Multi-Role Adaptive Design (MRAD) sniper rifle which — chambered in 7.62×51 mm NATO, .300 Norma Magnum and .338 Norma Magnum rounds — can reach targets at up to 1,500 meters (or 1,600 yards) and will eventually replace the majority of the existing sniper systems in the respective services’ arsenals in the coming years.
While the ELR-SR’s planned range of 2,500 meters doesn’t suggest that U.S. special operations forces will break records on each shot, it will potentially allow snipers to reach the enemy more consistently at distances previously beyond existing sniper systems.
The intent is to also shrink the size of the rifles that operators would need to carry. With an overall length of 56 inches and a weight of no more than 22 pounds unloaded, the ESL-SR is smaller than the M107, according to technical specs listed by the Army.
It’s unclear which company may end up producing the ELR-SR for SOCOM, but it’s worth noting that in December, Barrett unveiled a new long-range sniper rifle, the MRAD-Extreme Long Range (MRAD-ELR), that would meet many of the required specs.
The Dec. 19 notice for a new rifle comes on the heels of a major shakeup of the U.S. military’s sniper community: The Marine Corps’ last class of elite Scout Snipers graduated just days earlier amid a large redesign of the service’s combat force. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/Military.com)
05 Jan 24. Artis debuts vehicle active protection that tackles threats from above. Defense contractor Artis is unveiling an active protection system it says addresses a gap the U.S. Army and other forces are looking to fill: the defense of attacks from above.
The service years ago evaluated the company’s Iron Curtain active protection system for combat vehicles but never adopted the technology. Now, Artis is presenting its Sentinel third-generation APS that the firm said is able to defeat so-called top-attack threats.
Artis said has it demonstrated the Sentinel can protect vehicles and infrastructure from nearly all direct-fire threats, including tank-fired rounds, anti-tank guided missiles, rocket-propelled grenades and loitering munitions — otherwise known as exploding drones, which target vehicles and infantry alike, often with deadly effect.
The Army launched an effort in 2016 to rapidly field interim solutions to protect Abrams tanks, Stryker combat vehicles and the Bradley infantry fighting vehicles. The service pursued options through a demonstration phase.
The Army had selected Iron Curtain as an interim protection system in 2017 for the Stryker but decided against fielding the system after the testing and demonstration phase in 2018. Service leaders said at the time that while Iron Curtain worked in concept, it would take too much time and money to mature the system.
The Virginia-based business has spent 20 years refining and expanding a capability versatile enough to handle nearly all threats to combat vehicles, including top-attack threats, long before the war in Ukraine and the use of loitering munitions highlighted the need for such robust protection.
What can the Sentinel do?
The Army did not require any active protection system under consideration as an interim solution address threats from above; the service was solely focused on protecting the sides of tanks and vehicles. But leadership has turned to addressing top-attack threats upon seeing their proliferation in the Russia-Ukraine war.
Artis’ developed its first design for top-attack protection through a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency around 2008, the company’s president, Keith Brendley, told Defense News. The company has since continued work on the design through investors. But Sentinel’s capability gained significant traction through a contract with the Army’s Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office, awarded shortly after the service rejected Iron Curtain for the Stryker, he explained.
Artis concluded its work with the office in June 2023.
“The focus wasn’t on top-attack; it was on sabot rounds and chain gun threats,” Brendley said of the company’s work with the Army office. “So not only can Sentinel defeat top-attack threats, but we can also defeat tank-fired rounds, sabot rounds, things of that nature.”
Sabot rounds are metal rods that can pierce armor and explode, spraying metal shards.
Developing technology to defeat threats like chain gun rounds is challenging and requires a set of sensors, radars and highly lethal projectiles, according to Brendley.
“Sentinel is an affordable APS solution that provides substantial multi-shot protection, excellent minimum-range performance, and very low collateral damage, which make[s] it ideal for both wide-open terrain and close-in urban warfare,” he said.
And the Sentinel, he added, packs a punch “many, many times more” than the Iron Curtain. Users of the Sentinel can also steer its munitions, making instantaneous adjustments based on sensor data, he said.
The design also allows the countermeasures to shoot up or down — or at other angles — he added, and are not required to be situated on the vehicle in very close proximity to a sensor.
The arrangement allows for the countermeasures to be distributed around the vehicle, Brendley added. “I think the remarkable difference is in how you can configure the system,” he said. “You can use different sensors, which we are. And No. 2, the countermeasures don’t have to cantilever far from the vehicle. They can be right up against the vehicle, then fire out at an angle.”
Is the Army interested?
The Army’s way ahead for active protection systems for its fleet of combat vehicles is unclear. The service installed the Trophy APS, made by Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, on M1 Abrams tank fielded in Europe.
Those tanks have operated on the continent over the last three years, but even that setup has proved challenging. Maj. Gen. Glenn Dean, the Army’s program executive officer for ground combat systems, told Defense News in the fall that it’s “a little bit of a challenge to operate and really deploy and sustain it because installation on tanks is a little bit of a burden.”
The Army has also long held that Iron Fist, an APS capability from Israeli firm Elbit Systems, is right for the Bradley vehicle. But technical issues first prevented its fielding, and the program has not received the funding to move into production.
The Army has evaluated other options for Stryker but hasn’t moved forward on any program to outfit the vehicle with protection.
The service is “working continuously on our ability to defeat hemispheric threats all around the vehicle against a range of threats with a range of technical approaches, so not looking for one system that is one-size-fits-all and does everything. But beyond that I’m not going to go into any more detail,” Dean told Defense News in the fall, noting the information is classified.
Brendley said he gets the feeling the Army is “very prudent and cautious” in how it decides which APS to buy.
Artis has been demonstrating the Sentinel’s capability at a West Virginia range. In addition to talking with the Army, the company is also showing its technology to prime contractors building various platforms that could benefit from active protection, Brendley said.
He added there is international interest for the Sentinel, particularly in the Middle East.
“The APS market is like any other market. If you take a look at emerging markets, automobiles or smartphones, what have you, the markets are always there, but they didn’t materialize until the right product came along,” Brendley said, “and we think we have the right product. I think the market is going to respond to that.” (Source: Defense News)
05 Jan 24. RoK increases pace on missile shield development. South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced in early January that it is accelerating development of the Low-Altitude Missile Defence (LAMD) system – nicknamed the “Korean Iron Dome” by some observers – by a year as a countermeasure against North Korean long-range artillery.
DAPA noted that further development and production of the LAMD system will be carried out from 2025 to 2028.
The effort is being led by DAPA’s Agency for Defense Development (ADD) with industrial partner LIG Nex1, which began conceptualisation and early development of the system in early 2022. Core developmental activities were completed around June 2023.
The LAMD is the lower-tier segment of the broader Korea Air and Missile Defense (KAMD) system designed to protect the country against a range of threats such as aircraft, artillery, cruise missiles, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), long-range at low altitudes. I
According to DAPA and LIG Nex1, a typical LAMD battery comprises a radar, engagement control centre, launcher, and interceptor missiles. The missiles are expected to be capable of engaging targets out to 7 kilometres and will feature active radar seekers for terminal guidance.
The missile interceptor was test-fired for the first time in March 2022 and is based on the Korean Surface-to-Air Anti-Missile (K-SAAM).
South Korea also employs the LIG Nex1 Cheongung II medium-range SAM (M-SAM) and the US-made MIM-104 Patriot SAM as countermeasures against ballistic missiles at lower altitudes.
DAPA added that development of the upper-tier element of the KAMD system – the L-SAM – is expected to be completed in 2024.
The L-SAM is designed to intercept ballistic missiles out to 150 kilometres away and at altitudes between 40 and 100 kilometres. The system has been under development by ADD and LIG Nex1 since 2019. (Source: AMR)
05 Jan 24. Aerojet Rocketdyne Poised to Accelerate GMLRS Motor Production Under New Contract. Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3Harris Technologies company, will leverage ongoing upgrades to its solid rocket motor manufacturing facilities to fulfill a new contract from Lockheed Martin to continue providing propulsion systems for the U.S. Army’s Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) program. Last year, the Army awarded Lockheed Martin a contract modification to increase GMLRS production to meet increased domestic and international demand.
“Aerojet Rocketdyne’s proven propulsion has powered the GMLRS for decades,” said Tyler Evans, President of Aerojet Rocketdyne’s Missile Solutions sector. “Our plan remains to continue automating processes and modernizing facilities in 2024 that will enhance efficiency as we continue delivering this essential piece of GMLRS.”
Aerojet Rocketdyne, which has delivered more than 35,000 steel- and composite-cased GMLRS motors to date, announced last year it had been purchasing new equipment, automating processes, and incorporating improved X-ray technology to increase production efficiency.
Last April, the U.S. Department of Defense’s Office of Manufacturing Capability Expansion and Investment Prioritization announced an agreement with Aerojet Rocketdyne to help expand and modernize the company’s solid rocket motor production facilities in Camden, Arkansas, Huntsville, Alabama, and Orange County, Virginia. GMLRS was among the tactical missile systems included in the announcement.
Aerojet Rocketdyne is the only company that produces both steel- and composite-cased motors for GMLRS, which has a range of more than 70 kilometers. (Source: https://www.defense-aerospace.com/ L3Harris)
08 Jan 24. US Army Successfully Demonstrates Launched Effects System.
The Uncrewed Aircraft Systems Project Management Office, in collaboration with the U.S. Special Operations Command, executed a successful flight demonstration involving the first launch of the Air-Launched, Tube-Integrated Unmanned System (Altius) 700 air vehicle at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.
The event marks a significant milestone in the Army’s Launched Effects program.
The demonstration on Dec. 3, which used a Black Hawk as the launch platform, served as a significant risk reduction event for upcoming Altius 700 test flights. The system was developed as an air vehicle solution to address the size, weight, and power requirements in the approved May 2020 Launched Effects Abbreviated Capabilities Development Document.
Launched effects will bring a critical capability to the Army with advanced teaming between crewed and uncrewed systems to detect, identify, locate, and report pacing threats in contested environments. The transformational capabilities launched effects brings to large scale combat operations provide Corps, Division, and Joint commanders with effective and timely targeting, enabling fires and effects at the time and place of need.
The two-flight demonstration yielded positive data that validates the Altius 700’s performance capabilities across all phases of operation, encompassing launch, flight, landing, and recovery. The insights gained from the demonstration are instrumental to refining the system’s design and operating procedures ahead of the program’s upcoming test flights.
The first test flight of the fully integrated launched effects prototype is scheduled to take place early 2024. The test will demonstrate the prototype’s performance with the payloads and mission system controlled by the prototype Scalable Control Interface software. Additional testing will follow, leading up to a final operational demonstration by the end of the fiscal year 2024 and a rapid fielding decision of the launched effects prototype scheduled in 2025. (Source: UAS VISION)
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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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