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31 Oct 24. Poland in Talks to Acquire Over 100 HIMARS Rocket Launchers under Lockheed Martin Agreement.
The M142 HIMARS, a rocket-launch system mounted on a 6×6 FMTV truck chassis, was designed by Lockheed Martin to provide high-precision strikes with rapid mobility. Capable of deploying a variety of MLRS munitions, including GMLRS guided rockets with a 70 km range and ATACMS tactical missiles reaching up to 300 km, HIMARS allows for rapid repositioning after firing.
Operated by a three-person crew, the system features an automated fire control system manageable by a single operator, and its armored cabin provides protection against small arms fire and 155mm artillery fragments.
With its self-loading and autonomous capabilities, HIMARS is compatible with the M270A1 system and transportable via C-130 aircraft, allowing rapid deployment to remote areas. In serial production since 2003, HIMARS is currently in service with several nations, including the United States, Poland, and, more recently, Ukraine. Weighing 10,886 kg and reaching a top speed of 85 km/h, the HIMARS is powered by a Caterpillar C7 engine coupled with an Allison 3700SP transmission, offering a range of 480 km, making it a versatile and strategic asset for modern armed forces. (Source: Paulo Dominonni via LinkedIn)
31 Oct 24. Historic Ceremony in Germany Marks the Launch of the 1st Leopard Tank Equipped with TROPHY APS. In a landmark ceremony held today 29.10.2024, the Israel Ministry of Defense and the German Ministry of Defense inaugurated the first Leopard 2 tank upgraded with the Israeli TROPHY Active Protection System, developed by RAFAEL Advanced Defense Systems. This deployment follows a 2020 agreement, spearheaded by the Ministry’s R&D Department in the Directorate of Defense Research and Development (DDR&D), to equip Germany’s Leopard 2 tank fleet with Israel’s premier active protection technology. The ceremony, attended by Viceadmiral Carsten Stawitzki, National Armaments Director in the German Ministry of Defense, highlights the deepening defense ties between Germany and Israel. This milestone adds to a series of recent high-value defense agreements, including Germany’s purchase of Israel’s Arrow missile defense system, reflecting a shared commitment to advancing defense capabilities. The TROPHY system was developed in collaboration with the IMoD’s DDR&D, the Tank and APC Administration, and RAFAEL and is the world’s only operational and most advanced active protection system of its kind. Designed to protect tanks and armored personnel carriers, TROPHY offers robust defense against an extensive array of anti-tank threats. Operational in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) since 2011, it is installed on all newly produced Merkava Mark IV tanks and NAMER APCs. Proven in numerous operational activities, TROPHY has recorded multiple successful intercepts, safeguarding both troops and armored assets on the battlefield. (Source: ASD Network)
31 Oct 24. Austria confirmed as first Crossbow turreted mortar customer. Janes received confirmation at Defence iQ’s Future Mortar Systems (FMS) 2024 conference held in London on 29–30 October that Austria is a customer for Elbit Systems’ Crossbow 120 mm turreted mortar. The Israeli company announced on 8 May that it had been awarded a USD53m, six-year contract to supply Crossbow to General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS) for installation on the Pandur 6×6 armoured personnel carrier for a European customer, its first international order. Elbit displayed a full-scale mock-up of the turret at the DSEI 2023 defence exhibition held in London in September 2023. The company first presented the Crossbow concept at Defence iQ’s International Armoured Vehicles (IAV) 2023 conference held in London in January. Crossbow can be installed in a mission module with minimal protrusion, can be easily operated by a single crew member, and is fuzed for fully automatic operation, according to Elbit. It can fire the company’s range of mortar rounds, including the Iron Sting GPS-guided precision munition. It has a range of 10 km and a rate of fire of 10 rds/min, with a sustained rate of fire of six rounds for the first minute. Crossbow is designed to be fired on the move and to shoot and scoot with a multiple-round simultaneous impact (MRSI) capability. It is to enter service with the Israel Defense Forces, which financed its development and plan to deploy a containerised remotely operated version for border defence, as well as installing it in its Eitan 8×8 infantry fighting vehicle. The containerised version will have 20 ready-to-fire rounds, the Pandur four, and Eitan six, with the number of stored rounds depending on the size of the vehicle it is installed on. (Source: Janes)
31 Oct 24. The USMC Completed a Successful 1st Live-fire Exercise With IRON DOME Interceptor. The U.S. Marine Corps has successfully completed its first live-fire training exercise using an air defense system that integrates the IRON DOME interceptor.
The system is based on an American radar and command-and-control center, combined with the Iron Dome (Tamir) interceptor and a mobile launcher developed by Rafael, with Raytheon as the prime contractor.
During the exercise, Marines operated the system fully, leading to successful target interceptions. Additionally, the continuous launch capability of Iron Dome interceptors from a mobile launcher developed for the Marines was evaluated.
The exercise followed the completion of a full training program and a series of tests, all part of a development and procurement plan led by the Marines to assess a new prototype system for medium-range interception (MRIC – Medium Range Intercept Capability).
The successful exercise demonstrated both the proficiency of the forces in fully operating the system and the performance of the mobile launcher developed for the Marines, as well as the capabilities of the Iron Dome interceptor in relevant and challenging interception scenarios.
The Tamir interceptor is capable of intercepting cruise missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, and various rockets, shells, and mortars. Developed by Rafael, the interceptor was adapted for the Marine Corps configuration in collaboration with Raytheon as the primary contractor, and they provided training support.
This successful live-fire exercise marks a significant milestone toward the operationalization of the Marine Corps’ first prototype battery.
The Israel Ministry of Defense’s IMDO (Israel Missile Defense Organization) leads the development of Israel’s multi-layered defense array, which includes four operational defense layers: the Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow-2 and Arrow-3 systems.
Moshe Patel, head of IMDO at the Israel Ministry of Defense: “Iron Dome is a system with extensive operational experience, boasting thousands of successful interceptions over more than a decade. The Iron Dome system continues to save lives, even now, during the ‘Operation Iron Swords’ conflict. The U.S. Marine Corps live-fire exercise is yet further proof of the Iron Dome interceptor’s capability, along with its ground system, to rapidly and effectively integrate with any relevant air defense system and intercept a variety of aerial threats in complex scenarios. The Ministry of Defense welcomes all cooperation in the field of air defense with branches of the U.S. military.”
Shlomo Toaff, Executive Vice President and Head of Rafael’s Air Defense Systems Division: “The Iron Dome system continues to prove itself as an advanced and unique air defense system, with thousands of successful interceptions in complex operational scenarios. The fruitful collaboration with the U.S. Marine Corps, together with our partnership with Raytheon, demonstrates Rafael’s ability to deliver tailored and unique solutions, providing effective and precise air defense against a wide range of aerial threats. This successful exercise represents an important milestone, and we will continue, together with IMDO, to expand air defense capabilities in collaboration with our strategic partners worldwide.” (Source: ASD Network)
30 Oct 24. Mörser 16 mortar system production under way for Switzerland. Production of Mörser 16 armoured mortar vehicles (AMVs) is under way for Switzerland following the completion of testing of the systems in 2024, Janes learnt on the first day of Defence iQ’s Future Mortar Systems (FMS) 2024 conference being held in London on 29–30 October.
In 2025 the Swiss Army plans to determine what subsystems the Mörser 16 will be equipped with and to complete the development and acquisition of simulators to train on the system, with the aim of training the first fire units in 2026–27.
Switzerland is procuring 48 Mörser 16 AMVs from General Dynamics European Land Systems-Mowag (GDELS-Mowag) with Cobra 120 mm turntable-mounted smoothbore mortars from RUAG, and the first system is due to join the artillery school in 2026.
The 30 tonne Mörser 16 has a speed of 90 km/h, a range of 600 km, and a crew of four: commander, driver, and two loaders. Its global navigation satellite system-supported navigation system, Integrated Artillery Command and Fire Control System, and ballistic onboard computer allows it to be ready to fire in less than a minute, according to the Swiss Army. The AMV’s ammunition will include guided munitions. It features NATO Standardization Agreement (STANAG) 4 protection and has a 12.7 mm secondary armament. (Source: News Now/Jane’s)
30 Oct 24. Australia unveils multibn-dollar GWEO blueprint. Australian Minister of Defence Industry and Capability Delivery Pat Conroy has officially unveiled the government’s Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) Plan to accelerate domestic manufacturing.
Announced by Minister Pat Conroy at an address to the National Press Club, this plan builds on the 2024 Defence Industry Development Strategy and will enhance Australia’s strike capability and preparedness.
The $16–21bn GWEO Plan provides certainty to Australian Defence industry on its role to boost the domestic manufacture of missiles and munitions and support the uplift of GWEO stockpiles in Australia and represents 5 per cent of the Integrated Investment Program’s total budget.
Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles said, “The 2024 Australian GWEO Plan demonstrates the Albanese government’s long-term commitment to keeping Australians safe and investing in local manufacturing of cutting-edge capabilities for our Defence Forces.”
The government has already announced key capability investments set out in the 2024 Australian GWEO Plan, including:
- $850m in partnership with Kongsberg Defence Australia to manufacture and maintain the Naval Strike Missile and the Joint Strike Missile from 2027 at a new facility to be built at Williamtown, near Newcastle.
- $37.4m in partnership with Lockheed Martin Australia to enable an initial batch of Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (GMLRS) missiles to be manufactured in Australia from 2025.
- $7bn agreement with the United States to acquire the Standard Missile 2 Block IIIC (SM-2 IIIC) and Standard Missile 6 (SM-6) long-range missiles.
- $142m for the accelerated acquisition of the Joint Strike Missile, to be delivered from 2025.
- Up to $60m over five years to develop hypersonic and long-range strike capabilities.
- $22m over three years to seek options from industry to establish a manufacturing complex for the production of rocket motors in Australia.
“In the 18 months since release of the 2023 Defence Strategic Review, we have made considerable progress to expand and accelerate long-range strike capabilities for the ADF, getting capability into the hands of the warfighter sooner,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.
Minister Conroy expanded on these comments, saying, “The 2024 Australian GWEO Plan will provide defence industry with the clarity and confidence it needs to help increase defence materiel resilience and sovereign capability.”
As part of the announcement, Minister Conroy confirmed that the Royal Australian Navy’s Hobart Class destroyers would field the proposed 200 Tomahawk cruise missiles by the end of the year, providing an increase in the Navy’s strike range by 10 times.
Building on this, Minister Conroy confirmed the government’s commitment to an Australian manufacturing facility in partnership with Lockheed Martin Australia to domestically manufacture the GMLRS missiles.
The government has already commenced site assessments, with plans for the facility to be operational by 2029, along with the capacity to manufacture a range of weapons and contribute production capacity to Australia’s trusted partners in the region and beyond.
Minister Conroy said, “Our industry partnerships are essential to uplift Australia’s stockpiles and resilience and meet increasing demands.”
Defence is continuing to work with industry and international partners to strengthen Australia’s munitions stockpiles and the industrial base for domestic manufacture of guided weapons and explosive ordnance. (Source: Defence Connect)
30 Oct 24. Australia announces rapid munitions, missile manufacturing with Thales, Lockheed Martin.
The federal government has announced plans for the rapid establishment of domestic manufacturing for missiles, munitions – including producing up to 100,000 artillery ammunition rounds a year by the end of the decade.
The federal government, on 30 October, announced French defence company Thales has been selected as the preferred tenderer to build a new domestic forging capability for 155mm M795 artillery ammunition.
The 155mm M795 artillery ammunitions are used by Australia, the United States and other international partners for the M777A2 light towed howitzer, a critical close fires capability.
Defence will work with Thales as the preferred company to build, establish and commission the forge at the Commonwealth-owned Benalla Munitions facility. This project is expected to support at least 550 jobs.
The forge will produce 15,000 rounds each year by 2028, with capacity to produce up to 100,000 for global consumption. It will also be the first dedicated forge outside of the United States that will manufacture 155mm M795 artillery ammunition.
“Today’s announcement is another example of the Albanese government’s commitment to developing a more capable military force while also supporting a future made in Australia,” Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said.
“In our rapidly evolving strategic circumstances, the ADF must be equipped with capabilities that can hold adversaries at risk.
“The 2024 National Defence Strategy affirmed the need to invest in munitions to build stocks, strengthen supply chains and support a domestic manufacturing capability.
“Investment in a sovereign GWEO Enterprise that can produce and maintain priority weapons will support the ADF’s transformation to an integrated, focused force.”
In another boost to domestic manufacturing, the government is also committing to an Australian facility to manufacture Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (GMLRS), in partnership with Lockheed Martin Australia. This is expected to create 70 local manufacturing jobs and hundreds of jobs to develop the facility.
GMLRS is a long-range, surface-to-surface precision strike capability that can be fired from High Mobility Artillery Rocket System launchers.
The new facility will enable Australia to produce viable volumes of GMLRS for global consumption, as reaffirmed at the 2024 Australia-United States Ministerial (AUSMIN) Consultations. It will be capable of producing up to 4,000 GMLRS each year from 2029. This represents more than a quarter of the current global production and more than 10 times the current ADF demand.
This builds on the government’s commitment to manufacture a small batch of GMLRS in Australia, commencing in 2025.
“By producing GMLRS at scale and investing in the development of a capable and resilient Defence industrial base to forge 155mm M795 artillery projectiles, Australia can be more self-reliant and able to accelerate the delivery of capability to the ADF, as well as our international partners,” Minister of Defence Industry and Capability Delivery Pat Conroy said.
“Today’s announcement demonstrates the Australian government’s commitment to manufacturing munitions in Australia, to develop our sovereign defence industrial base in areas of strategic priority.
“Our industry partners are paramount to achieve the strategic priorities outlined in the 2024 National Defence Strategy. We look forward to working with Lockheed Martin Australia and Thales on these important projects.”
Both projects are part of the Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) Enterprise – backed by an investment of up to $21 bn over the next decade – and aligned with the Albanese government’s Future Made in Australia agenda. They also form part of the 2024 Australian GWEO Plan, the government’s blueprint to build Defence’s GWEO stocks, strengthen supply chains and support a domestic manufacturing capability over the decade.
The Minister of Defence Industry and Capability Delivery, speaking at the National Press Club on 30 October, also confirmed the government would be investing in tools needed by the Australian Army.
“To ensure our Army has the tools it needs, the government has more than doubled the number of High Mobility Artillery Rocket System launchers being acquired for the Army and brought forward their introduction,” he said.
“We are also planning to acquire the Precision Strike Missile, which will initially have a range of 500 kilometres, with future development taking it out to 1,000 kilometres.
“The government is acquiring new Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System missiles for the Army. These are short-range, precision, surface-to-surface rocket systems.
“Under our plan, by the end of this decade, Australia will have at least two guided missile factories, a dedicated rocket motor manufacturing facility and a facility capable of producing up to 100,000 artillery ammunition rounds a year.” (Source: Defence Connect)
29 Oct 24. Patria unveils a new modular mortar system – Patria TREMOS. On 29 October, 2024, at the Future Mortar Systems conference in London, UK, Patria launched Patria TREMOS. This robust and cost-effective mortar system increases the mobility and accuracy of trusted, traditional high firepower mortars. Patria TREMOS modernizes conventional mortars with advanced recoil technology, allowing integration into to various types of vehicles and responding to the current and future warfighting and crisis management needs with enhanced mobility, firepower and accuracy. The system can be equipped with an in-service barrel and breech enabling the use of qualified weapon, ammunition and ballistic tables which makes it easy to train and operate.
“We have developed this new mortar system in close collaboration with the Finnish Defence Forces. After the initial ideas were approved, it took only a year to produce the first prototype for proof-of-concept tests. The main objective was to significantly increase the mobility of an existing mortar equipment. The recent events have highlighted the importance of mobility as the diversity of the battlefield and threat scenarios have increased”, explains Lauri Pauniaho, Director, Weapon Systems at Patria.
First shot accuracy and cost-effective solution
Patria TREMOS expands the advantages of mobility and modern technology to traditional mortars enabling rapid deployment, accurate first round hit and by fast in-and-out of action capability. This will enhance the survivability to an unpreceded level. Patria TREMOS can be used for all fire missions in infantry fire support. The system combines cost-effectively high firepower and vital shoot-and-scoot capability.
Patria TREMOS can open fire within 60 seconds when arriving to the firing position and can leave immediately after the last round is fired. The recoil system reduces the launch stresses and allows firing without the need for ground support enabling immediate exit from firing position after the last round. It can carry all types of needed ammunition and it can be used independently or as part of a larger mobile firing unit. The mortar system is compatible with all qualified 120 and 81 mm smoothbore mortar ammunitions.
Optimized modularity and tailored configuration
Patria TREMOS has an integration module with connecting interface making the system fast and easy to integrate and move from one vehicle to another. The integration module allows the system to be integrated to different suitable types of vehicles such as 4×4, 6×6, 8×8 and light tracked vehicles. The module includes also options to optimize the available space and it can be adapted to customer requirements enabling the most effective use. A solution has been developed also for the ammunition storage making the charge and fuse preparations easy and safe.
The Patria TREMOS mortar system meets contemporary requirements of protection through mobility, rapid firepower, and shoot-and-scoot capability. This makes it an excellent option for diverse troops undertaking a variety of missions.
25 Oct 24. Fearing China’s hypersonic weapons, US Navy seeks to arm ships with Patriot missiles. Fearing China will deploy hypersonic weapons to sink ships in the Pacific, the U.S. Navy is moving forward with a plan to arm some of its vessels with Patriot interceptor missiles, two senior defense officials said.
One industry official said putting the highly agile Patriot Advanced Capability-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (PAC-3 MSE) interceptors, used primarily in the U.S. by the Army, aboard Navy ships anticipates advances in Chinese missile technology, including the use of highly maneuverable hypersonic weapons.
Integrating the Lockheed Martin-made (LMT.N) missiles with ships’ air defenses comes amid simmering tension in the Indo-Pacific region as China rapidly modernizes its military, and in the wake of successful missile defense efforts in Ukraine and the Middle East.
How many PAC-3 interceptors the Navy will need is uncertain, but overall demand is “through the roof,” said Tom Karako, a missile defense expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. (Source: Reuters)
26 Oct 24. US missile agency scales back Guam defence plans. A proposed multibn-dollar missile defence system for Guam has been reduced to 16 sites on the island from the original 22, the U.S. Missile Defense Agency said in a draft environmental impact statement on Friday.
The project is designed to create “360 degree” protection for the U.S. Pacific territory from missile and air attacks of all kinds, the agency said. Plans include integrating Raytheon’s (RTX.N) SM-6, SM-3 Block IIA, Lockheed Martin’s (LMT.N) THAAD, and the Patriot PAC-3, which uses components from both companies, over about 10 years.
The environmental impact study, which began last year and included a public comment period this year, proposes “deploying and operating and maintaining a combination of integrated components for air and missile defense positioned on 16 sites” on the island. The report does not say why the number of sites was reduced.
All of the remaining 16 sites are on U.S. military property.
The project is crucial to the U.S. and its Indo-Pacific allies because it provides a logistical hub far from U.S. shores – Guam is closer to China than it is to Hawaii. (Source: Reuters)
25 Oct 24. NSWC PHD installed first OTH Weapon System on USS Fitzgerald.
The installation supported the launch of an NSM at a decommissioned ship during RIMPAC.
The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division (NSWC PHD), along with partners had installed the first Over-the-Horizon (OTH) Weapon System on the destroyer USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62).
The deployment of the weapon system supported the launch of a Naval Strike Missile (NSM) from the US Navy Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the Pacific Ocean during the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise on 18 July 2024.
The installation saw collaboration among Program Executive Office Integrated Warfare Systems (PEO IWS) 3H, Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD) China Lake, General Dynamics Mission Systems, and Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace AS.
The OTH system, a long-range surface-to-surface warfare system, was added to about a dozen Independence-variant littoral combat ships over the past five years.
In late September 2023, the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations issued a challenge to PEO IWS to install an OTH on the destroyer in time for the exercise.
This left the team with a tight nine-month deadline before the biennial international fleet exercise.
NSWC PHD Port Hueneme OTH customer advocate Eric Romero said: “This was a high-visibility requirement for the Navy.”
The OTH system was installed on USS Fitzgerald at Naval Base San Diego from mid-March to late May, with the main components being the launcher and an operator interface console.
To ensure compatibility with the destroyer, a navigation adapter was also required. After installation, NSWC PHD trained the crew and supported system testing while underway.
During RIMPAC in Hawaii, USS Fitzgerald participated in a sinking exercise with other ships and aircraft.
The target was a decommissioned amphibious ship located approximately 50 nautical miles off the coast of Kauai.
With NSWC PHD team members monitoring remotely, USS Fitzgerald launched its first NSM from the OTH, which successfully searched for, detected, and engaged the target.
(Source: naval-technology.com)
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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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