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28 Nov 25. Hanwha Aerospace has signed a KRW 705bn ($482m) contract with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) for the production of the Long-range Surface-to-Air Missile (L-SAM) system, a core element of Korea’s layered air and missile defense. Under this contract, Hanwha Aerospace will carry out mass production and delivery of L-SAM launchers and anti-ballistic missiles(ABM) to the Korean military through 2030. By adding a new high-altitude interception layer, L-SAM will give Korea additional opportunities to engage enemy ballistic missiles before existing systems such as M-SAM and Patriot are activated. The contract will provide critical capability enhancements to the Republic of Korea Armed Forces as they respond to evolving ballistic missile and air-breathing threats. The L-SAM incorporates advanced technologies including a divert and attitude control system (DACS) and a dual-pulse propulsion system. It is the first long-range missile defense system developed in Korea to apply these technologies, enabling accurate interception of ballistic missiles even at very high altitudes where the air is thin and normal aerodynamic control is not effective. This significantly improves the reliability and effectiveness of Korea’s air and missile defense. This award follows a KRW 357.3bn production contract signed last month between DAPA and Hanwha Systems for the L-SAM Multi-Function Radar (MFR). Serving as the “eyes” and primary sensor of the L-SAM system, the MFR detects and tracks incoming ballistic missiles and hostile aircraft at long ranges. In parallel, South Korea’s Agency for Defense Development (ADD), together with industry partners including Hanwha Aerospace and Hanwha Systems, is developing L-SAM-II. Building on the current L-SAM architecture, L-SAM-II is designed to expand the defended air and missile engagement envelope by three to four times compared to existing systems, further reinforcing the country’s strategic deterrence and defense capabilities.
28 Nov 25. Italy’s Leonardo unveils Michelangelo Dome defence system, as Europe eyes Russia threat. The system uses predictive AI to help position assets and shorten response times against threats like hypersonic weapons and drone swarms. Italy’s defence and aerospace group Leonardo on Thursday presented plans for a new multilayered air defence system, as European countries stepped up military capabilities to bolster defences against Russia and other threats. The “Michelangelo Dome” is an integrated defence system that uses artificial intelligence to neutralise a range of threats, from hypersonic weapons to drone swarms and naval attacks, in a bid to strengthen its role in European multi-domain security. Named for the Renaissance artist, the system is intended to protect critical infrastructure and sensitive urban areas from threats that can include cyberattacks. It fuses data from an array of sensors and uses predictive AI to help position defensive assets and accelerate response times. The system is able to detect, track, intercept and neutralise incoming air threats before they can cause harm and will work similarly to Israel’s Iron Dome, which has been operational since 2011. It aims to coordinate warfare platforms from below sea level to out in space across a single network, according to a presentation from the state-controlled Italian company.
“This is a model that is important for security in Italy, Europe, and Nato countries in the coming years,” Leonardo Chief Executive Roberto Cingolani said at the event in Rome.
Cingolani said his company would set up a team made up of Leonardo staff and the Italian armed forces to “design an architecture according to the needs of our defence”. After a partial implementation, Michelangelo will start to be fully operational from 2028. The plans were presented to top Italian military officials in the past few days. Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto has recently called for solutions to combat hybrid warfare threats, particularly for energy infrastructure and airports.
“Each country can integrate its own technologies,” Crosetto said on Thursday.
“Together, we can cooperate to create a highly advanced defence system against all types of threats, from hypersonic missiles to small drones, because threats now come in many different forms,” he said from Paris after a meeting with French counterpart Catherine Vautrin.
Crosetto said Italy had already talked to other European countries about the project. (Source: Google/https://www.scmp.com/)
24 Nov 25. Vermeer and Sentry team up on GPS. The partnership will integrate Vermeer’s vision-based navigation stack with Sentry’s terminal-guidance and precision-effects technology. Vermeer and Sentry Operations have entered into a strategic partnership to deliver a next-generation autonomous navigation solution for contested battlespace. Based in New York, Vermeer is a vision navigation and autonomy defence tech startup, while Sentry develops unmanned aerial system technology programmes. The latter is based in Syracuse, New York. The agreement involves integrating Vermeer’s vision-based navigation stack with the terminal-guidance and precision-effects technology of Sentry. The integrated system aims to provide US and allied forces with navigation, autonomy, and precision capabilities in situations where GPS is degraded, jammed, or unavailable. Combining Vermeer’s AI-based navigation system with Sentry’s guidance technology allows uncrewed platforms to operate accurately and reliably throughout their missions. Vermeer founder and CEO Brian Streem said: “Vermeer’s technology has been validated in real-world combat conditions in Ukraine, and Sentry’s precision-effects technology adds a crucial layer of accuracy and survivability. (Source: airforce-technology.com)
26 Nov 25. Nordics: Heckler & Koch and Rheinmetall Nordic sign Strategic Partnership Agreement. Heckler & Koch GmbH and Rheinmetall Nordic AS have signed a strategic partnership agreement covering weapons, weapon accessories and associated systems. Rheinmetall Nordic, a member of the Rheinmetall Group, is a global leader in the design and manufacture of advanced weapon accessories, weapon mounts, fire control solutions and related systems. The company brings decades of engineering excellence and operational experience, with deep expertise in the development and production of high-quality, weapon-related technologies. Heckler & Koch is one of the world’s foremost designers and manufacturers of small arms and light weapons for military and law enforcement applications. Through this agreement, the two companies will combine their complementary strengths to meet customer increasing demand and ensure the reliable, high-quality delivery of integrated systems. Both organizations are recognized for their world-class reliability, and this partnership reinforces that standard. Quality remains a shared priority, and this mutual commitment is at the heart of the agreement. The collaboration also establishes a strong framework to support new product developments, ensure timely delivery and drive increased market growth.
Thomas B.Nielsen, CEO Rheinmetall Nordic, says: “We look forward to continuing our already productive partnership with Heckler & Koch. In light of the current international situation and the ongoing rearmament efforts among European customers and allied nations, it is vital to establish formal partnerships between key European defence companies. We are fully committed to expanding our capacity and capabilities, while continuing to deliver the same level of quality and reliability we are known for.”
Heckler & Koch CSO Marco Geißinger says: “This strategic partnership brings together two strong and highly complementary European defence companies. Heckler & Koch stands for premium small arms that are reliable, combat-proven and available. Together with Rheinmetall Nordic, we will strengthen our ability to deliver integrated, high-quality solutions that meet the rising demand of our military and law-enforcement customers across Europe and beyond. In times of increased security requirements, close and trusted industrial cooperation is essential and this agreement reflects our clear commitment to that responsibility.“
27 Nov 25. Sweden and Netherlands seek long-range strike capabilities. Sweden and the Netherlands are seeking long-range strike capabilities. The Swedish Armed Forces submitted a report to its government on 24 November listing these capabilities as one of their priorities, while Dutch State Secretary of Defence Gijs Tuinman called at the Netherlands Industries for Defence & Security (NIDV) Exhibition Defence & Security (NEDS) held in Rotterdam on 20 November for industry to deliver an alternative to the Tomahawk cruise missile. The Swedish Armed Forces report said, “Enhancement of strike capability consists of investments in long-range fires and unmanned platforms. The ability to conduct strikes at strategic depth contributes to deterrence and enables, among other things, the degradation of an adversary’s critical infrastructure and military installations. The long range also makes it possible to reach more targets, complicating the opponent’s ability to effectively protect all important assets.
“The distribution between different types of strike systems requires further analysis and a balance between effect, cost, quantity, and innovation before choices are made. Strike capability is further strengthened through the procurement of various types of munitions, such as artillery and mortar ammunition, navy-specific ammunition, and combat engineering ammunition.”
A Swedish Ministry of Defence spokesperson told Janes on 26 November that the long-range fires referred to in the report would have the ability to strike targets at distances beyond the reach of artillery at a strategic depth up to approximately 2,000 km.
At NEDS, Tuinman challenged industry to “deliver an alternative to Tomahawk within three months, a precise deep-strike capability with a 100 kg payload [by] a missile that can be launched at a target 1,000 km away”. (Source: Janes)
25 Nov 25. Pentagon advances Golden Dome missile defense with new Space Force contracts.
- Summary
- Contracts awarded to Northrop Grumman, True Anomaly, Lockheed Martin, Anduril, sources said
- Contracts aim to develop space-based missile defense prototypes
- Initial awards could lead to bn-dollar production contracts
- Space Force spokesperson confirms awards but declines to name contractors
The U.S. Space Force has awarded about a half dozen small Golden Dome contracts to build competing missile defense prototypes, kicking off a race for future deals worth tens of billions of dollars, according to two sources briefed on the matter. The awards went to several companies including Northrop Grumman (NOC.N), True Anomaly, Lockheed Martin (LMT.N) and Anduril, the sources said. The contracts mark a significant step forward in the Pentagon’s efforts to track and destroy enemy missiles, and include prototypes of space-based interceptors and related systems. While Reuters could not determine the size of the contracts, a July Pentagon presentation seen by Reuters suggested awards for interceptor contracts would be about $120,000 ea The contracts have not yet been publicly announced, though a Space Force spokesperson confirmed the awards, declining to name the contractors. The spokesperson said that contracts under $9m do not need to be publicly disclosed. Winners of these initial awards will compete for final production contracts that could be worth tens of billions of dollars. The contracts will fund the development of competing prototypes for phase interceptors that will shoot down a missile as it enters space, and the fire control stations to coordinate the signals from satellites and help interceptors launch and find their targets. The Space Force awarded Northrop Grumman and Anduril contracts valued at $10m, according to values printed in the July Pentagon presentation, the sources said. Names of the companies that won contracts in both these award pools have not previously been reported. The government had asked contractors to develop four different versions of interceptors to address threats at various altitudes and speeds that have yet to be awarded. A third source said the four interceptor pools may be consolidated into three. A Northrop spokesperson declined to comment. Anduril, Lockheed and True Anomaly did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The government has structured the various interceptor competitions with “prize pools” to incentivize rapid development. The largest pool of $340m would be split among companies that successfully complete an on-orbit test, with first place receiving $125m and fifth place receiving $40 m, according to the July presentation. The ultimate prize is substantial: production contracts worth $1.8 bn to $3.4 bn annually, according to the July presentation. However, industry executives estimate it could cost between $200m and $2bn to build and test a single space-based interceptor prototype. The space-based interceptor program represents a new approach to missile defense, placing weapons in orbit to destroy threats earlier in their flight path than current ground-based systems allow. (Source: Reuters)
24 Nov 25. R2S Receives $1.25bn Tamir Production Contract for Facility in Camden, Arkansas. Raytheon-Rafael joint venture opens new factory, ramps up air defense production. The Raytheon-Rafael Protection Systems (R2S) joint venture was awarded a $1.25bn contract to supply Israel with Tamir surface-to-air missiles. Raytheon is an RTX (NYSE: RTX) business. The direct commercial sales contract includes missiles, missile kits and test equipment. The companies used a $33m capital investment to establish the new facility, which opened earlier this month in East Camden, Arkansas. The facility was established to support the Israel Missile Defense Organization’s (IMDO), operating within the Israeli MOD’s Directorate of Defense Research and Development (DDR&D), initiative to accelerate serial production of Iron Dome interceptors. The new site will produce the Tamir missiles for the Iron Dome Weapon System and its U.S. variant, SkyHunter® for the Marine Corps’ Medium-Range Intercept Capability (MRIC) program.
“This is the first production contract for the R2S joint venture and a major milestone for both Raytheon and Rafael,” said Jonathan Casey , R2S Chief Executive Officer. “The new Camden site is the first all-up-round production facility in the U.S. to manufacture Tamir and SkyHunter missiles.”
Developed by Rafael and operational since 2011, the Iron Dome system has repeatedly proven its effectiveness in combat, intercepting thousands of threats with a success rate exceeding 95%. Raytheon and Rafael have teamed for over a decade on Iron Dome. The U.S. version of the Iron Dome Weapon System’s Tamir, SkyHunter, is a short to medium-range air defense weapon designed to counter a range of threats, including cruise missiles, aircraft, rockets, artillery and mortars. (Source: ASD Network)
24 Nov 25. Rafael Introduces L-SPIKE 1x – A Tactical Loitering Munition. RAFAEL Advanced Defense Systems today announced the L-SPIKE 1x, a tactical loitering munition with a coaxial configuration and a fragmentation warhead intended for company-level use. It is an upgraded evolution of the well-known, combat-proven SPIKE Firefly.
The L-SPIKE 1x was developed at Rafael to the highest MIL-STD specifications and is capable of operating under navigation-denied conditions such as GPS jamming or spoofing, communication disruptions, and harsh weather. “Thanks to these high safety standards,” said an official from RAFAEL, “we can proudly say that this retrievable and reusable munition has, despite intensive operational use, maintained a flawless safety record and not a single safety incident has occurred to date.”
Key capabilities
- Range: up to 5 km
- Munition weight: 2.2 kg; backpack-portable
- Loitering time: 15 minutes (armed) / 30 minutes (recon)
- Warhead: fragmentation, ~420 g, 360° fragmentation
- Vision & AI: VIS/IR sensors, target tracking, and AI-based prediction of target movement
The L-SPIKE 1x was designed for deployment at the company level for maneuvering forces. It provides immediate, independent precision-strike capability, reducing reliance on external air or ground fire support. The L-SPIKE 1x has become known as the “Company Commander’s Army Aviation,” empowering tactical units with new levels of lethality, situational awareness, and independence on the battlefield. The system is part of a new family of loitering munitions that Rafael is introducing — the L-SPIKE Family, built on 40 years of experience in electro-optical systems and more than two decades of operational experience in loitering systems, much of which until recently remained classified. (Source: ASD Network)
24 Nov 25. Multi-Mode, Mission-Ready: Making Affordable Precision Scalable. Modern conflict is teaching a hard lesson: In wars of attrition, the combination of affordability and precision wins. We can no longer afford to choose between filling stockpiles and buying munitions that actually hit what commanders need destroyed. The battlefield demands weapons that are smart enough to find fleeting, moving, or poorly localized targets — and affordable to buy in the quantities required to sustain long campaigns.
That is precisely the operating space for Elbit America’s newest Lonestar seeker: a rugged, production-ready design that combines semi-active laser homing with an embedded infrared (IR) camera and the on-board processing to make AI-enabled targeting practical at scale.
Proven pedigree, production-ready
Elbit America’s Lonestar line has a long and public pedigree. Our strapdown laser seekers have been proven on multiple weapon families. Those programs are not prototypes. We produce these operational, widely deployed capabilities in volume at our Fort Worth, Texas facility.
How multi-mode sensing wins
What distinguishes the newest Lonestar is the deliberate merging of two sensing modalities that used to be separate: laser homing for precision cueing, and an imaging IR channel that expands capability when laser designation is unavailable, ineffective, or actively countered.
This multi-mode approach is a force multiplier for several reasons.
- First, the IR camera enables passive acquisition and tracking of a heat signature. This allows prosecution of hard targets that attempt to defeat laser guidance with rapid beam-jamming or obscuration.
- Second, the imaging channel supports image-based navigation and terminal guidance in GPS-denied environments. A weapon can correlate scene features to stored maps or to sensor cues from off-board platforms to home on a target even when satellite navigation is degraded.
- Third, the seeker’s processing can host AI-based target recognition algorithms to discriminate among potential aimpoints, pinpoint and track moving targets, and reduce the time from detection to effect.
- The processing to communicate as a swarm of weapons is done “at the edge” meaning on board the individual system thus enabling a collaborative environment.
Integrating a Lonestar multi-mode seeker into a family of munitions or missiles makes those weapons far more adaptable across the full spectrum of conflict. Lonestar seekers enable smart weapons to operate in contested electromagnetic environments, prosecute mobile high-value targets, and survive countermeasures that previously forced either mission aborts or inefficient mass fires. The result is a lower cost per kill and shorter sensor-to-shooter cycles for the fleet.
Built for scale: manufacturing that makes precision affordable
Affordability is not an accident. For more than a decade Elbit America has refined manufacturing processes, supply-chain resilience, and production lines that convert sophisticated optics and avionics into durable, field-serviceable seekers that can be delivered on schedule. We have delivered thousands of fielded seekers, underscoring that we understand what it takes to produce precision hardware in volume without sacrificing reliability. Put simply: We know how to make the “eyes” of a weapon in the quantities the nation needs. Operationally, the benefits are immediate. In a typical contested fight, space-based and forward terrestrial sensors may only get a fleeting glimpse of an adversary launcher before it moves. A Lonestar-equipped weapon launched to a predicted aimpoint can loiter, use its infrared channel to refine the cue, apply onboard recognition algorithms to verify the target, and then prosecute the strike — all without an enduring GPS fix or a continuous laser designation. If the laser is briefly available, the seeker can still use laser homing for terminal accuracy. If designation is unavailable, the IR channel and image processing carry the mission forward. This kind of graceful degradation — the ability to work with whatever sensor picture is available — is what separates useful precision from boutique capability.
Designed for the contested fight
The future of targeting will include more autonomy, more distributed sensing, and more contested environments. Lonestar is built for that future: strapdown (no gimbals), modular, and designed to accept new processing algorithms and sensor fusion techniques as they mature. That makes it a sensible, low-risk way to upgrade existing weapon families for 21st-century fight conditions while minimizing cost and acquisition timelines. We are at a strategic juncture. Future battlefields will reward adaptability and punish rigidity. Lonestar multi-mode seekers offer customers weapons that remain lethal against moving, fleeting, and GPS-denied targets — and do so in quantities that matter. That is how you turn precision into persistence, and persistence into deterrence. Elbit America is committed to that path: building the sensing technologies that make precision both smart and affordable, and producing them at the scale our warfighters require. When the end game is critical, experience matters. (Source: ASD Network)
21 Nov 25. Armormax Defence and ST Engineering demo mortar-mounted TAC-6 vehicle. Singapore’s ST Engineering recently teamed up with Armormax Defence to host a demonstration to select members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) and diplomatic corps, in which they showcased the 120 mm Ground Deployed Advanced Mortar System (GDAMS) on the TAC-6 vehicle. The demonstration took place at Armscor’s Alkantpan artillery range in the Northern Cape on 29 October.
Grant Anderson, Managing Director of Armormax Defence, said ST Engineering’s GDAMS is a world leading 120 mm rapidly deployable mortar system (it can also be configured with an 81 mm barrel). Capable of deploying in under 15 seconds, its fire control system locks it onto target coordinates and allows for immediate engagement.
During the Alkantpan demonstration, an eight-round fire mission with just two crew took a minute and a half from the time the TAC-6 stopped to the time it pulled off. “With the GDAMS base plate being firmly planted on the ground (the GDAMS hydraulically pushes down, almost lifting the rear of the TAC-6 off the ground) first round accuracy is assured.” The coordinates for the fire mission were provided by an onboard drone unit which is housed in a dedicated launcher on the roof of the TAC-6. Equipped with a laser range finder, high definition optical and thermal/infrared cameras, the drone is capable of flying out to the 9 km maximum range of the GDAMS, ranging targets and sending back accurate coordinates to the fire control computer. It is capable of observing fall of shot and then returning, tracking and landing on the TAC if it has moved to a different location. Anderson highlighted that after firing, the TAC-6’s mobility allows rapid relocation. Traditional mortar or towed systems are vulnerable once they fire (counter-battery radar detects ballistic trajectory) but the TAC-6 can “shoot-and-scoot”, minimising exposure. Additionally, the combination of real-time drone spotting means that the system may fire fewer rounds with higher accuracy (thanks to precise coordinates and battle damage assessment), reducing ammunition signature and logistics tail, which in turn lessens the opportunity for enemy detection and retaliation. “This behaviour inherently compresses the kill chain: fewer steps, higher speed, higher accuracy, reduced exposure.”
In the Double Cab configuration, the TAC-6 can carry at least 50 rounds of ST Engineering’s extended range PM120 GPS guided ammunition, along with additional smoke, illumination and traditional high explosive (HE) rounds.
The TAC-6 GDAMS was protected against drones by two six-barrel Centauri CRx-40, 40mm grenade launchers. These launchers can fire a sequence of ST Engineering’s airburst grenades to counter inbound first-person view (FPV) drones. When using 40×51 mm grenades, the CRx-40 can engage targets out to 500 metres. The CRx-40 is typically integrated with Centauri’s TriAD hard-kill counter-UAV system, comprising radio frequency, radar, and acoustic sensors for detection, an electro-optical/infrared module for target engagement, and a CRx-30 30×113 mm cannon plus CRx-40 turret. After the conventional GDAMS mortar rounds were demonstrated to the guests at Alkantpan, the new ST Engineering 120 mm GPS guided precision (PM120) round was then demonstrated. This can reduce the average 120 mm mortar round CEP (circular error probable) of around 135 meters at maximum range down to a CEP of sub 10 meters (CEP is where there is a 50% probability that rounds will fall within the radius of a circle centred on a target). “This moves the traditional role of the 120 mm mortar from an area weapon to that of a precision weapon system,” Anderson said.
“The net effect of the combined systems is that the highly mobile and agile TAC-6 can pre-deploy the spotter drone, and once the target is identified, expediently move to a firing position, stop and deploy the GDAMS, execute a fire mission using either the incredibly accurate GPS guided or traditional HE rounds, and then rapidly depart before any counter battery fire or FPV drones can be brought to bear,” Anderson explained.
“On today’s transparent battlefield, the ability to shoot and scoot, using obscuring terrain and features and always seeking beneficial firing positions is paramount. Recent and current global conflicts are driving a change in doctrine, lightning-fast response to opportunity and target intelligence, coupled with decisive and accurate application of force makes the difference between victory and defeat. The TAC-6 GDAMS gives a battlefield commander a really versatile addition to the force at his disposal,” Anderson said.
He added that ST Engineering selected the TAC-6 as a platform of choice for the GDAMS. The 6×6 TAC-6 is a modular, high-mobility tactical vehicle based on a heavily modified Toyota Land Cruiser 79 series but with an added third axle, increasing payload (up to 4 400 kg), and giving a gross vehicle mass (GVM) of seven tons. With 50% extra traction from the third axle, the TAC-6 offers high cross-country mobility. The extra payload capacity is able to support a wide range of vehicle configurations, such as weapons platform, drone platform, logistics vehicle, etc. To date, in addition to the ST Engineering 120 mm GDAMS mortar unit, the TAC-6 has been outfitted with various remote weapons systems, the Aselsan Alkar 81 mm mortar and the Centauri TriAd 30×113 mm & 40 mm counter-drone system. The TAC-6 is aimed at filling a multitude of civil and military roles – from firefighting to weapons carrier – with agility and versatility at its core. The vehicle is powered by a 4.5 litre V8 turbodiesel engine driving an eight speed automatic transmission developed and homologated by ZF. The TAC-6 has done over 250 000 km of testing in Europe and Africa. So far Armormax Defence has built single, double and stretch versions of the TAC-6 (the latter with an extra 50 centimetres of length). An armoured personnel carrier variant is in the works, as is a variant with an armoured cab. Armormax specialises in armouring private vehicles – it has armoured nearly 2 000 vehicles over the last 20 years – and offers a variety of armour packages for the TAC-6. STANAG Level I vehicle armour can stop shell fragments as well as 7.62 mm and 5.56 mm bullets: lightweight armour and 40 mm ballistic glass is employed throughout to replace the original windows. (Source: https://www.defenceweb.co.za/)
21 Nov 25. MIPS: the UK’s effort to protect its armoured vehicles.
Several demonstrators associated with the Modular Integrated Protection System, or MIPS, will reach TRL 7 in 2026.
- A British Army Colonel confirmed several demonstrators associated with MIPS will reach TRL 7 sometime in 2026
- Since January 2024, the Leonardo-led Team Minerva began working on demonstrators for the open architecture standard (OAS) and MIPS controller
- It is said that the OAS will support the Army’s effort to “undercut” the cost advantage of attackers operating kinetic drones
After nearly ten years in concept and development under Project Icarus, the UK’s Modular Integrated Protection System, or MIPS, will soon reach technology readiness level seven (TRL 7) in 2026.
“Once each use case has been proven in isolation, we will then bring the system together”, confirmed British Army Colonel James Fern, assistant head of ground manoeuvre, Futures Directorate. He mentioned the update in a speech addressing an audience of global military peers and defence industry leaders during the Future Armoured Vehicles Survivability conference in London on 18 November 2025.
It was in 2022 when the British Army first committed £15m ($19.6m) to start developing MIPS from TRL 5 to TRL 7 and deliver a series of technology demonstrators across several use cases, including an armoured protection system (APS), counter-uncrewed aerial vehicle (C-UAS), and counter-improvised explosive device. Ultimately, MIPS is intended to address the active protection of military vehicles against a saturated threat landscape on the ground including conventional anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) and rocket propelled grenades (RPGs) to new generation weapons such as small uncrewed aerial systems (sUAS) and a range of electromagnetic activities.
Vision
“Our vision for MIPS,” Fern elaborated, “is a system capable of identifying, classifying, prioritising, and then protecting against a full spectrum of current and future surface and near surface threats from anti-tank guided missiles to swarms of autonomous kinetic drones to electromagnetic attack.”
It should be understood that MIPS is more than just a single APS integrated onto each military vehicle. Although the wider architecture does incorporate a specific ‘hard kill’ APS on the Challenger 3 main battle tank, namely Trophy, an Israeli system that uses radar sensors to detect and track threats and effectors to intercept them. Providing a better sense of the breadth of MIPS, Fern revealed that “the system is also developing appropriate human-machine interfacing to enable manual, semi-autonomous and autonomous deployment of effects.
“Our aspiration is that this system will be capable of assured target hand-off, enabling threats to be neutralised as far away from the survivable layer as possible.”
Components
“The core onus of MIPS is the… controller,” Fern identified. The MIPS controller is capable of complex multi-source data analysis and information processing, “this is where the magic happens,” he suggested. The processing subsystem will utilise artificial intelligence to this end.
Next among these demonstrators is the OAS. This system will allow defence authorities to configure APSs, connecting various sensor and effector modules on a standardised network for different missions.
“MIPS uses a standardised architecture to integrate sensors and effectors, enabling a nodal web that can keep pace with evolving threats and changing context,” Fern said.
“The open nature of MIPS will also enable us to trial several combinations of effectors for both their efficacy and to drive us back onto the right side of the cost curve,” he hinted, referring to wide cost gap between one-way attack drones and the larger, more costly platforms.
“In the case of kinetic drones, if we can undercut the cost of drone production and neutralise the impact that UAS has on the modern battlefield, we will protect our freedom to manoeuvre.” (Source: army-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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