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23 Oct 24. Skywolf Ground Attack Munitions for Turkish Combat Drones.
The Skywolf family of unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) munitions developed by Turkish defense startup Astech is set to strengthen Turkey’s defense capabilities by joining the nation’s growing roster of UCAV munitions, a key export category in the Turkish defense industry.
Astech will unveil the Skywolf Ground Attack Munitions (GAM) family for the first time at the SAHA 2024 International Defense and Aerospace Exhibition in Istanbul, taking place from Tuesday to Saturday this week.
Founded by a team of experienced engineers, Astech has participated in several missile and munition projects, leading to mass production in the Turkish defense sector. This experience equips the company with the expertise to implement innovative weapon system solutions, including the Skywolf GAM family.
Astech provides a wide range of advanced defense solutions, from munition system designs to vehicles, missiles, subsystems, sensors, seekers, power systems and rocket engines.
With a focus on high-tech products, Astech’s specialized engineering teams aim to carve out a niche in the international defense arena through global collaborations and partnerships. As the startup prioritizes solutions to meet contemporary defense needs, the GAM family emerged as its first product line.
Turkey’s UCAVs to be more powerful and strike at longer distances with Astech’s GAM family The Skywolf GAM family consists of mini smart weapon systems designed for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and UCAVs. It includes three variants: the GAM-A, with a range of 20 kilometers (12.4 miles); the GAM-B, with a range of 40 kilometers (25 miles); and the GAM-D, with a range of 80 kilometers (50 miles).
The modular design of the GAM family allows customization to meet specific mission requirements, offering four different seeker options and two warhead types. This enables precision strikes against both fixed and moving targets using advanced guidance technologies.
While the avionics systems and platform interfaces are standard across the three models, they each have unique features. The GAM-A serves as the basic configuration, while the GAM-B and GAM-D incorporate different wing kits, with the GAM-D featuring a propulsion system for enhanced range.
The GAM product family provides significant operational advantages on the battlefield with three range options and warheads weighing 16 kilograms (35 pounds).
Additionally, the GAM-X, the largest variant in the product family, is designed for penetrating armored and protected targets, featuring larger warhead options for enhanced destruction capability.
The GAM family is anticipated to transform battlefield dynamics, particularly when integrated with Turkish UCAV systems. Astech’s GAM warheads are reported to deliver two to three times more power than comparable industry offerings and enable longer ranges.
The GAM features a fire-and-forget capability along with a human-in-the-loop (HITL) firing mode, allowing pilots to interact with the munition and update targets in real-time. (Source: UAS VISION/Anadolu Ajansı)
22 Oct 24. Australia to award 155 shell production contract in coming ‘weeks,’ minister says. Speaking to Breaking Defense, defense procurement minister Pat Conroy said Australia is building in “scalability beyond our domestic need” to be able to help supply international customers for munitions production.
Australia is poised to award a contract to produce 155mm shells domestically in the next few weeks, defense acquisition minister Pat Conroy told Breaking Defense today.
“All I can say is an announcement will be made shortly. So look out in the next little while for that announcement,” Conroy said in an interview during his visit to meet with American defense officials. Pressed for more specificity, Conroy said the timetable is within “weeks.”
Currently, Australia imports its 155mm shells from a South African subsidiary of Rheinmetall. While there is domestic production via a joint venture between a local company, NIOA, and Rheinmetall, those shells are only for export to Germany.
Few details have been made public about the pending 155mm contract from the MoD, including dollar amounts and quantity. Conroy confirmed that the NIOA-Rheinmetall team pitched on the deal, with French firm Thales also competing. However, the minister indicated that there is a third, currently unidentified, competitor as well.
“There was a — I won’t get into it — but there was a third option that was approached as well,” he told Breaking Defense.
Since the start of the Ukraine war, 155mm shells have become a hot commodity, with international demand far exceeding production. Speaking to Breaking Defense last week, Australian Army Maj. Gen. Richard Vagg, the service’s head of Land Capability, said building up domestic 155 production is vital for Australia’s defense.
“I think our government’s been really clear. You just look at the investment they put into guided weapons and explosive ordnance in Australia,” Vagg said on the sidelines of the AUSA conference. “I know we’re looking at 155; it’ll be crawl, walk, run. I don’t need to say it’s important — I think the government’s actions, the amount of money and effort they’ve invested in that area makes that pretty clear.”
Conroy is also hopeful that Australia can play a role in the broader supply chain globally — meaning that as Canberra invests in building up domestic production of munitions for its own use, it is building in “scalability beyond our domestic need” to be able to help supply international customers.
Overall, Australia has committed up to $21 bn AUD ($14.1 bn USD) for what it’s calling the Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance Enterprise (GWEO) over the next decade to increase its domestic munitions production.
Part of that includes a planned investment in solid rocket motor production. “I think that’s going to be a key focus, is to develop an Australian capability around solid rocket motors, recognizing that that’s sort of the pace setter for a lot of the global supply chains around missiles,” Conroy said.
Australia has a request for information out to industry for solid rocket motor production, so any competition is in the early stages, though some companies are already signaling their interest.
During Conroy’s visit to Washington, Canberra announced a plan to spend $7 bn AUD on SM-2 IIIC and SM-6 missiles for its Navy. While Conroy declined to go into quantities or delivery timelines due to “operational security reasons,” he said that part of his conversation with US Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro during this trip was to firm up production plans, given concerns about availability of the weapons.
“I’ll just say that we’re comfortable with our nominated slots in the delivery [queue] and the US Navy have been very cooperative with us in terms of how we access inventory,” Conroy said. “So I’m satisfied that the delivery schedule meets our strategic needs, and the US Navy has been very supportive of working with them on understanding the capability.” (Source: Breaking Defense.com)
23 Oct 24. India’s Reliance Infra to invest $1.2bn for ammunition project. Indian industrialist Anil Ambani’s Reliance Infrastructure (RLIN.NS) said on Tuesday it will invest 100bn rupees ($1.19bn) over the next ten years on a project to produce explosives, ammunition and small arms. India, which counts the Tata Group, the Adani Group and Larsen & Toubro as major private defence manufacturers, has been pushing to increase domestic production of defence equipment, with exports hitting an all-time high of 210.83bn rupees in the previous fiscal year. (Source: Google/Reuters)
21 Oct 24. ESSI gains Switzerland as 15th member. The joining follows the ESSI member states’ approval of the country’s application for admission.
Switzerland will join the European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI), a project coordinated by Germany which aims to boost NATO’s integrated air and missile defence.
Armament chief Urs Loher has signed the memorandum of understanding (MoU) declaring the country’s accession to the ESSI.
This signing follows the ESSI member states’ approval of the country’s application for admission, making Switzerland as the initiative’s 15th member.
The initiative seeks to enhance air and missile defence in Europe by facilitating the joint procurement of defence systems and missiles among European countries.
The Federal Council of Switzerland had previously agreed to join the ESSI on 10 April 2024 and authorised the Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports (DDPS) to sign the necessary documents.
The accession process began on 8 July 2024, when Urs Loher signed the application for membership, which was later unconditionally accepted by the ESSI member states.
Switzerland’s involvement in the ESSI presents new international opportunities for cooperation, particularly in the procurement, training, and logistical support of ground-based air defence (GBAD) systems.
The MoU outlines the general provisions for cooperative procurement projects and programmes within the ESSI framework, as well as the potential for exchanging ideas on other areas of cooperation.
As a participant state, Switzerland is now eligible to enter into separate programme agreements for individual projects under the ESSI’s umbrella.
Initially, the focus will be on medium-range GBAD systems, with prospects for collaboration on shorter and longer-range air defence systems in the future.
The signing of the MoU and the declaration of accession does not impose any binding obligations on Switzerland.
The country retains the freedom to choose the extent of its participation in the ESSI and the specific GBAD systems it wishes to procure.
This approach is consistent with the stance Switzerland took in July 2023, when it outlined its neutrality law reservations in an additional declaration alongside Austria. (Source: airforce-technology.com)
22 Oct 24. TTPI bringing out the big guns – and their turrets. To The Point International, working closely with Vision24 Technologies, has developed several new turrets, including a novel seven-shot 40 mm grenade launcher turret.
To The Point International (TTPI) designs sights, fire control systems for armoured vehicles, small turrets, and remotely operated weapon systems. Subsystem design covers weapon mounts, weapon controls (cocking systems, remote triggers, gun drives and ammunition feed systems), sighting systems, and fire control systems (including ballistic algorithms).
Other products include slaved gunner sighting systems, stabilised commander sighting systems, fire control systems, thermal scopes for rifles and assault rifles, and video borescopes for hunting and sniper rifles. A new 90 mm borescope is among the borescope options being showcased by TTPI.
Last year TTPI completed development of its new Terminator turret. In production for an export customer, the Terminator is an open one-man turret in which the weapon is aimed, cocked and fired manually by the gunner. An automated electrical assist enables the gunner to track and engage moving targets without releasing his grip on the weapon. The turret structure, which includes six vision blocks and a large gun shield, provides the gunner with NATO STANAG Level 2 protection. A canopy with Level 2 protection can be added for protection from above. The 480 kg Terminator can accommodate 7.62 and 12.7 mm Eastern Bloc or NATO weapons as well as the 14.5 mm PKVT heavy machinegun or a 40 mm Mk19 automatic grenade launcher.
Another new design is a fully stabilised, remotely operated weapon system (ROWS) that can accommodate 250 12.7 mm ready rounds in an ammunition box below armour. This gives operators a significantly better supply of well protected ammunition before needing to reload. It offers full remote operation as well as quick reloading from under armour. A day camera and thermal imager provide 24/7 and all weather operation. The turret, excluding weapon and ammunition, weighs 380 kg.
TTPI’s new Gun Slinger is an open gun mount which is manually operated for rapid target engagement at short ranges – no external power is needed from the host vehicle. It can be fitted with Level 1 protection if required. High elevation angles enable short range anti-aircraft target engagement. The Gun Slinger can be integrated on any existing or new lightly armoured vehicle or commercially available double cab utility vehicle – it has been fitted to Armourmax’s TAC-6, for example, with a 12.7 mm Browning.
A turret like the Gun Slinger is, according to TTPI CEO Vernon Kroeger, unique in the South African market today and this is in line with his company’s aim to not compete with existing designs but produce unique, well priced systems that give the user good bang for their buck, filling gaps in the product ranges on the market.
TTPI’s novel seven-shot 40 mm turret is designed for self defence. Kroeger explained that it can ideally be used in conjunction with weapons like missiles that require a period of self defence while the missile is travelling to its target. The 40 mm barrel and reloads are arranged horizontally, making for a very flat profile, but the turret can also be mounted vertically on a gun mount. A sight and camera can be incorporated.
TTPI works closely with OTT, fitting its fire control system (FCS) to OTT’s Ratel Service Life Extension Programme (SLEP) vehicle. TTPI offers fire control systems for the Ratel 90 mm and Ratel 20 mm turrets, and is exploring upgrading PT-76 amphibious light tank turrets with day/night fire control systems – one potential customer could order 50 upgraded vehicles.
Not one to stand still, Kroeger is working on another turret he hopes to complete by the end of the year. This will use a 30 mm DEFA or 23 mm Russian cannon that can be either manned or unmanned, and loadable from under armour. It will be completely armoured, as Kroeger believes this is the way the industry is heading in light of recent combat experience – bigger weapons in closed weapons stations. (Source: https://www.defenceweb.co.za/)
22 Oct 24. $7bn boost to Australia’s air and missile defence capabilities. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Industry Richard Marles and Minister for Defence Industry and Capability Delivery Pat Conroy have announced a $7bn acquisition to acquire state-of-the-art long-range missiles.
This multibillion acquisition of the Standard Missile 2 Block IIIC (SM-2 IIIC) and Standard Missile‑6 (SM-6) marks a milestone in the government’s rapid progress in boosting the long-range strike and defensive capability of the Royal Australian Navy’s surface combatant fleet.
The SM-2 IIIC and SM-6 are described as the “most advanced air and missile defence weapons in the world” and will be progressively deployed across Navy’s Hobart Class destroyers and in the future, the Hunter Class frigates.
Minister Marles welcomed this announcement, saying, “This is another example of the Albanese government accelerating the acquisition of critical capabilities for the Australian Defence Force and enhancing the lethality of Navy’s surface combatant fleet.”
This announcement follows the recent successful test firing of an SM-6 from HMAS Sydney, demonstrating the growing lethality and defensive capabilities of the Hobart Class fleet of destroyers
“The Standard Missile‑6 and Standard Missile 2 Block IIIC will enable our Navy to strike maritime, land and air targets at long-range, and provide a terminal ballistic missile defence capability, boosting the capacity for the ADF to safeguard Australians and their interests,” Minister Marles said.
Both the SM-2 IIIC and SM-6 incorporate a host of advanced technologies that are designed to greatly enhance the lethality and effectiveness of our Navy ships in line with the National Defence Strategy and the Independent Analysis into Navy’s Surface Combatant Fleet.
Minister Conroy expanded on the Deputy Prime Minister’s statements, saying, “Our investment in these world-leading, high-tech missiles is another example of the Albanese government moving fast to keep Australians safe, deter any adversary, and defend Australia’s national interests in the missile age.” (Source: Defence Connect)
21 Oct 24. Estonia mulls additional HIMARS buy, while talking with Lockheed competitors.
“If the delivery times were long, we may need to substitute HIMARS munitions for something else, that’s available faster,” said Magnus Saar, Estonia’s national armaments director.
Estonia is weighing a second Lockheed Martin M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) order and has opened talks with other competitors to assess alternative platform options, according to the Baltic nation’s top weapons procurement official.
“We are expecting [HIMARS] deliveries next year, and we plan a follow on order,” Magnus Saar, Estonia’s national armaments director, told Breaking Defense on the sidelines of the AUSA trade show last week.
“Lately, our government decided to invest an additional €1.6 bn ($1.7 bn) to increase strategic sustainability….a huge part of it” will be spent on HIMARS, he noted, before stressing that any new deal is dependent on delivery lead times and pricing from the US government.
Speaking on background, a US State Department official told Breaking Defense that “As a matter of policy, we do not publicly confirm or comment on proposed arms transfer cases until they have been formally notified to Congress. We refer you to the Estonians to speak to their defense procurement plans.”
Lockheed Martin deferred questions to the US government.
Estonia signed for six HIMARS in a package worth over $200m in 2020 and which covers several rocket types that can reach a range between 70km and 300km, communications systems, training and logistics.
First deliveries of the weapons system were scheduled to begin this year, but Saar’s reference to “next year,” highlights a delay — an issue that looks to have drawn concern ahead of placing a new order.
“If the delivery times were long, we may need to substitute HIMARS munitions for something else, that’s available faster,” he added. “We’re having those discussions here [in Washington] to establish a clear picture of if we would make an order and how fast we could get it.”
Talks with a number of non-US competitors have already taken place and include South Korea’s Hanwha Aerospace pitching the K239 Chunmoo, Turkey’s Rocketsan offering Khan and Israel’s Elbit putting forward the Precise and Universal Launching System (PULS). And there may be more — Saar said he had “probably neglected to mention a few” other competitors.
Despite those conversations, the foundations for a follow on HIMARS acquisition appear to be relatively strong, even with the question mark over delivery times.
In January, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania signed a trilateral agreement, “which aims to create a framework for joint use” of HIMARS, according to a translated statement from Estonia’s Ministry of Defence.
Additionally, the US Army HIMARS unit in Estonia, Task Force Võit, frequently trains and collaborates with Estonian Defense Forces’ 1st Brigade and NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence (EFP) Battle Group.
In a more general sense, Tallinn has ramped up defense spending in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion, reaching a figure above 3 percent GDP this year — outperforming the 2 percent NATO target.
The Baltic state plans on spending €3.5 bn on new “armaments” over the next five years, according to the Estonian Centre for Defence Investments long term spending plan [PDF].
Over the next two years alone it has committed to layouts of €200 m for 155mm wheeled self propelled howitzers, €200 m for French Mistral Man-Portable Air Defense Systems (MANPADS) and €200 m for new loitering munitions.
As it looks to build up multi-layered air defense capabilities, Tallinn is also set to receive deliveries of German made IRIS-T SLM medium range ground-based air defense systems next year.
“NATO has taken steps to enhance air defense and improve situational awareness,” Hanno Pevkur, Estonia’s Defence Minister said at the NATO Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Brussels on 18 October. “The imminent reopening of our Ämari base and the presence of Spain’s NASAMS unit in Estonia are part of this air defense enhancement, which will soon be reinforced by our own IRIS-T systems.” (Source: Google/Breaking Defense.com)
14 Oct 24. Lockheed Martin to debut model for Stinger replacement. A model of Lockheed Martin’s solution for the Stinger missile replacement programme was being shown for the first time at the Association of the United States Army’s annual meeting on 14–16 October.
In the past, the army has said a technology demonstration for NGSRI, the Stinger surface-to-air missile replacement, would take place in fiscal year (FY) 2024, an operational demonstration in FY 2026, and a production decision by FY 2027. Lockheed Martin confirmed to Janes that it has already participated in a soldier touchpoint earlier this year and is preparing for the next one before the end of the calendar year, according to Chris Murphy, lead for NGSRI.
A few flight tests are expected in 2025 in addition to some tests on the command launch assembly, he added. This phase of testing is expected to wrap up before the end of FY 2025.
The army is “hoping for some competition options” for the missile, which will have shorter time of flight and greater range in addition to a seeker and warhead geared towards generation five unmanned aircraft systems (UASs), Doug Bush, assistant secretary for acquisition, logistics, and technology, told reporters in June 2024. The service awarded other transaction authority (OTA) prototyping awards to RTX and Lockheed Martin in March 2023.
Although he declined to provide specifics on range, Murphy said Lockheed Martin engineers are exploring the possibility of increasing range beyond the requirements the army first requested. (Source: Janes)
18 Oct 24. NAVSEA order more mine sweep payloads for USV operations.
Users will integrate the MSPDS module onto Textron’s Nato-compliant, multi-mission Common Unmanned Surface Vehicle.
US Naval Sea Systems Command has called on Textron Systems, an all-domain security systems manufacturer, to produce Mine Sweep Payload Delivery Systems (MSPDS) for US Navy mine countermeasure (MCM) operations.
The company designed these mine sweep payloads to locate and detonate acoustic and magnetic influence mines. In August 2024, Nato estimated that more than 60 countries possess sea mines and more than 30 countries produce them.
Textron’s MSPDS reached initial operating capability in 2022. As of October 2023, the supplier has delivered two pilot systems and four low-rate production crafts and payloads. The Navy use these existing units to support its Littoral Combat Ship operations.
The company will undertake the work at various locations across the US, more than half of which will occur at its Cockeysville, Maryland facility. The service will induct an undisclosed number of these systems by October 2025. Although, if all options are exercised, work will continue for another four years through to 2029.
According to a Defense Department release of the contract details on 15 October 2024, the order was competitively procured under the Navy’s Unmanned Surface Vehicle Family of Systems Multiple Award Contract agreement. Specifically, the order is valued at more than $18m, which may bring the cumulative value to $106m if all options are exercised.
Typically, users will integrate the MSPDS module onto Textron’s Nato-compliant, multi-mission Common Unmanned Surface Vehicle (CUSV).
With the appropriate payload, the CUSV conducts a range of tasks besides MCM, including Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance; surface and expeditionary warfare.
The CUSV has an endurance time of more than 20 hours, a towing capacity of around 2 tonnes at 20 knots and it can use any data link. (Source: naval-technology.com)
18 Oct 24. RTAF partners with Diehl Defence for IRIS-T missile.
The contract encompasses integration support, technical logistics, and live-firing support.
The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) has signed a support contract with Diehl Defence to enhance the service’s capability for the IRIS-T short-range air-to-air missile system.
This follows a long-term collaboration between the two parties on deploying IRIS-T missiles on RTAF aircraft.
In 2018, Diehl Defence announced that Thailand ordered more IRIS-T short-range air-to-air missiles for use with the Air Force’s F-5 aircraft.
The latest agreement is set to enhance the RTAF’s capability to operate the IRIS-T across its entire aircraft fleet, which includes Gripen, F-16, and F-5 fighters.
The contract encompasses integration support, technical logistics, and live-firing support.
Signed in Germany at the start of October, the contract aims to ensure the effective deployment of the IRIS-T missiles, which have been a part of the RTAF’s arsenal since an order was placed in 2018.
Diehl Defence’s IRIS-T is a fifth-generation missile, compatible with a variety of aircraft including the Eurofighter Typhoon, Gripen, F-16, EF-18, F-5, and Tornado.
Originating from a European cooperation programme, the missile is known for its thrust vectoring and aerodynamic control, which grant it exceptional agility.
The missile’s technology features an imaging IR seeker head coupled with intelligent image processing, allowing for target designation via airborne radar or the pilot’s helmet sight.
It can engage targets behind the aircraft and intercept incoming missiles.
Currently, IRIS-T’s incorporation into the Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI) KF-21 fighter aircraft is in progress.
Earlier in February 2024, Diehl Defence and KAI signed a memorandum of understanding to further the integration of the IRIS-T missile onto the FA-50/T-50 and KF-21 Block II aircraft. (Source: airforce-technology.com)
26 Sept 24. Remote mini-gun and Hawkei remote weapon station evaluated at autonomous systems trial. M113 optionally crewed combat vehicles, remotely operated platforms and even a remotely controlled mini-gun have been evaluated during the latest Land Autonomous Systems and Teaming Demonstration.
Defence industry representatives, engineers and Australian Defence Force personnel (such as 1st Armoured Regiment) attended the demonstration at Puckapunyal military area in Victoria from 15 to 26 September.
“The Land Autonomous Systems and Teaming–Demonstration (LAST-D) is Army’s capstone emerging technology event for 2024,” Defence said.
“LAST-D showcased a broad spectrum of technology under development within Defence and defence industry.”
The demonstration continues the Australian Army’s 2022 Robotic and Autonomous Systems Strategy to explore opportunities in teaming up with machines and systems through three themes: intelligent machine, machine to machine teaming, and human to machine teaming.
RAS technology is expected to provide benefits such as maximising soldier performance, improving decision making, generating mass and scalable effects, protecting the force and operational efficiencies.
The demonstration also included an Australian Army Hawkei vehicle fitted with a 30mm remote weapon station, an optionally crewed combat vehicle fitted with a remotely controlled mini-gun, OWL-B loitering munitions and unmanned aerial vehicles. (Source: Defence Connect)
20 Oct 24. New air defence laser engages multiple missiles at once.
RAF pilots are one step closer to being equipped with a cutting-edge air-protection laser self-protection system, following 100% successful live-fire trials.
- Air protection laser defeats 100% of targets in live firing trial.
- Equipment being fitted to UK military aircraft to defeat missile threats.
- Collaboration between Dstl scientists and UK industry partners help support 1950 jobs across Scotland.
RAF pilots are one step closer to being equipped with a cutting-edge laser self-protection system, following 100% successful live-fire trials.
The laser is being designed to be fitted to a range of RAF aircraft including the intelligence gathering Shadow R2 and A400M transporter, ready to rapidly detect and defeat threats such as missiles.
During the trial at the Vidsel Test Range in Sweden, the operational system defeated a range of infrared heat-seeking missiles being fired simultaneously.
100% of threats were quickly defeated using a laser with pinpoint accuracy, which has been designed and developed by the Team Pellonia partnership between Leonardo UK, Thales UK, and the MOD’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory.
Defence Secretary, John Healey said: “Identifying, tracking and defeating threats from the air in seconds is crucial to having the edge over those who try to do us harm. We’re equipping our Armed Forces with the very latest technology to keep them safe and give them the advantage on operations. This high-tech laser is another excellent example of joint working between our Dstl experts and the UK’s defence industry.”
The system works by Thales’s Elix-IR threat warning system quickly detecting and identifying the launch of missiles, using a series of algorithms to filter out background clutter so that only valid threats are tracked, classified and declared.
Once the threat(s) has been classified, an alert is sent to the Leonardo’s Miysis directed infrared countermeasure which moves to track the incoming missile and directs a jamming laser onto the missile with ultimate precision.
Threats are defeated faster than the time it takes to read this sentence. This UK engineered capability gives the MOD the latest generation best-in-class protection, whilst enjoying full operational independence, and offering the same freedoms to export customers.
The live tests were witnessed by senior military officers from a number of NATO nations.
Dstl’s Chief for Air Survivability, Mark Elson, said: “The UK defensive aids system is the culmination of MOD’s detailed understanding of changing threats alongside years of sustained defence investment in science and technology nurtured within Dstl. This has been aligned with the development capabilities of our commercial partners through Team Pellonia. The design of the system has the agility to protect platforms now and into the future, providing long-term operational advantage to the UK and our allies. This is enabled through Spiral Development which provides capabilities such as the Dstl developed jamming waveform that defeats the guidance of the missile threat.”
Dstl’s research programme and partnerships like Team Pellonia help boost UK economic growth, sustaining 700 jobs at Thales in Glasgow and 1,250 specialist roles at Leonardo in Edinburgh, supporting both the local as well as national economies.
Leonardo’s Senior Vice-President of Radar and Advanced Targeting, Mark Stead, said: “The results of these latest trials speak for themselves, and are a testament to the skills and experience within Leonardo as a global leader in directed infrared countermeasures. Miysis DIRCM has again proven itself as a reliable, effective protection system and is flying operationally on many platforms today. My thanks go to the Miysis team who demonstrated superb leadership and technical prowess during the trials at Vidsel, working alongside our partners in Defence and Industry to prove our capabilities which help to protect our Armed Forces.”
Thales’s Managing Director of Optronics & Missile Electronics UK, Stephen McCann, said: “Once again, as previously witnessed during SALT 3 in 2018, Elix-IR has proved its world leading capabilities as the latest generation multi-function infrared threat warning system during what was a comprehensive and complicated multi-faceted trial. I am extremely proud of our entire team that supported both the UK, under Team Pellonia, and other NATO member teams in the preparation and execution of this event. UK MOD has adopted Elix-IR as its core reference capability threat warner of choice, based on its maturity and proven capability.”
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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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