11 Mar 22. Finland to Choose Between Two Israeli Companies for Air Defense Systems. Finland’s defense ministry said that the country intends to purchase air defense systems from one of two Israeli defense companies: Israel Aerospace Industries or Rafael Advanced Systems. In October 2020, the country issued a solicitation for bids to procure ground-based air defense systems to five companies, including the Israel companies, Germany’s Diehl Defence, Norway’s Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace AS, and the UK’s MBDA. It received initial tenders in November last year after the first round of negotiations. The tenders were examined on the basis of the performance of their missile systems. Based on the evaluation, the defense ministry narrowed its choices down to the two Israeli candidates. The country will make its final decision on the weapon system in early 2023.
“The procurement of high-altitude capability is part of Finland’s overall air defence capacity and a broader project to develop it,” the country said in a statement. “With the project, Finland intends to improve its high-altitude air defence capability and significantly increase the range of its ground-based air defence.”
Under the anti-aircraft project, Finland plans to procure equipment including missile launchers, missiles, radar systems, and related integration equipment.
Options Available
Finland is likely to purchase either Israel Aerospace Industries’ Barak MX or Rafael’s David’s Sling.
The David’s Sling is capable of defeating short-range ballistic missiles, highly accurate missiles, large-caliber rockets, and armed UAVs. The weapon, jointly developed with US-based Raytheon, can intercept missiles and UAVs at a distance between 40 and 300 kilometers (25 to 186 miles) away.
The Barak-MX can be deployed from both land-based and naval platforms and has been developed to attack aircraft and missile threats.
Finland’s decision to boost its defense capabilities is a direct response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Last week, Russia threatened Finland with “serious military consequences” if the European country joins NATO. Finland shares a long border with Russia. (Source: Google/https://www.thedefensepost.com/)
11 Mar 22. Kongsberg announced as integration partner for Land 8116. Kongsberg Defence Australia has signed a $67m acquisition contract with Hanwha for C4 systems and integration for the AS9 Self Propelled Howitzers and AS10 Armoured Ammunition Resupply Vehicles under Land 8116 Phase 1 (Protected Mobile Fires). Kongsberg will integrate the Protected Mobile Fires capability into the Army’s C4 Force Structure. This involves the integration of tactical communication systems and Battle Management Systems into the CORTEX Integrated Combat Solution (ICS) architecture and the Odin Fire Control System. In doing so, Kongsberg says it will transfer hardware and software technology and expertise to Kongsberg Defence Australia to execute and support the Australian program.
“Kongsberg Defence Australia’s contribution will be integral in delivering the Australian Army with a highly capable and networked Self Propelled Howitzer capability,” HDA CEO Richard Cho said. “This contract builds upon a proven and successful global partnership between Hanwha and Kongsberg. Kongsberg has an excellent reputation for delivering fully integrated C4 systems with exceptional functionality and reliability, and we are delighted to be partnering with them here in Australia.”
“For nearly three decades, Kongsberg has demonstrated commitment to transfer world leading technology to Australia and Project Land 8116 provides another great opportunity to do so,” Kjetil Myhra, Executive Vice President of Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace said. “During the program, Kongsberg will provide our Kongsberg Defence Australia personnel with detailed expertise on our CORTEX Integrated Combat Solution architecture and Odin Fire Control System to generate a sovereign C4 capability for the Australian Army’s Protected Mobile Fires capability.”
General Manager of Kongsberg Defence Australia, John Fry, said: “Kongsberg Defence Australia’s partnership with Hanwha Defense Australia will deliver a sophisticated and fully integrated fires capability for the Australian Army.
“The AS9 Huntsman Howitzers will provide Army with a lethal fires capability that is highly manoeuvrable and survivable. Kongsberg’s Fire Control Solutions are based on our proven and open digital architecture which is now core to both the Australian Army’s Ground Based Air Defence (GBAD) and Protected Mobile Fires programs. These systems provide a rich and intuitive user interface tailored specifically for different weapon systems and operator roles.” (Source: Google/https://www.australiandefence.com.au/)
10 Mar 22. Thales Australia to explore development of new gun barrel tech. The defence prime has teamed up with academia for an R&D project aimed at developing a new lightweight composite solution for gun barrels.
Thales Australia, Deakin University, and the Innovative Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre (IMCRC) have entered into a collaboration agreement — a study into the local development of a lightweight composite overwrap for gun barrels.
Specifically, the organisations will explore opportunities to manufacture carbon fibre overwraps designed to reduce the thickness of gun barrels, helping to produce a lighter product with greater precision.
The $234,023 research and development (R&D) project is expected to run over six months.
Graham Evenden, Thales Australia’s director, integrated weapons and sensors, said the project would help bolster Thales’ in-country composite manufacturing capabilities.
“Currently, the intermediate modulus carbon fibres suited to the overwrap are only available from overseas supply chains that face frequent disruptions,” Evenden said.
“By developing these fibres on Australian soil, Thales is establishing an innovative capability that can be applied to other small arms products across civil and defence sectors.”
Thales has also revealed it would work with Deakin to train and upskill staff at its Lithgow Arms facility, to ensure they are equipped to work with composites.
Professor Russell Varley, professor of composite materials at Deakin University, said the IMCRC activate collaboration would leverage local knowhow to meet the growing global demand for lightweight, high-performance components.
“Deakin, through its Carbon Nexus research centre, is excited to support Thales in the development of new carbon fibre materials which, once approved, will be used to produce a composite demonstrator at Thales Australia’s Lithgow manufacturing facility,” he added.
Dr Matthew Young, manufacturing innovation manager at IMCRC, said the project would serve as a testbed for future developments of Australian manufactured bespoke carbon fibres.
“This collaboration will develop a niche, high-quality product with significant export opportunities. By partnering with an Australian world-class research facility on composite materials, this project will directly support growth within a key national manufacturing priority area,” he said.
“It’s a prime example of the role shorter-term R&D collaborations can play in strengthening the future of defence manufacturing within Australia.”
The launch of the R&D project comes just weeks after Thales Australia commenced construction of its new $6.5 million Lithgow Arms facility, tipped to deliver an advanced manufacturing 4.0 and integration hub to facilitate the development of future locally designed weapons systems.
This first phase of the industrial plan aims to establish a modern manufacturing and integration hub for the design, development and precision manufacture of next-generation weapons systems for the Australian Defence Force, industrial partners and export customers.
This builds on $70 million in investment by Thales Australia, which has included new equipment and product development over the past decade,
(Source: Defence Connect)
10 Mar 22. Missile Defense Agency fires Patriot missile from THAAD system. U.S. Missile Defense Agency successfully launched the most advanced version of the Patriot missile from a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system in a Feb. 24 test at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, Lockheed Martin told Defense News. The Patriot Advanced Capability-3 Missile Segment Enhanced — or PAC-3 MSE — was fired using the THAAD system against a simulated incoming target, Scott Arnold, vice president of integrated air and missile defense at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, said in a March 9 statement. Lockheed manufactures both the MSE and the THAAD system. The PAC-3 MSE interceptor flew to the intercept point and subsequently self-destructed as planned, Arnold said. The test proves PAC-3 MSE can be integrated directly into the THAAD weapon system, providing the capability to launch MSE missiles separately from a Patriot fire unit, Arnold said. The Raytheon Technologies-made Patriot is the U.S. Army’s regional air and missile defense system. The service is working to replace the system with a new integrated air and missile defense system. THAAD, which is operated by the Army but owned by MDA, provides defensive capability in the terminal — or final — phase of a threat missile’s flight.
“With this successful demonstration, the Patriot M903 Launching Stations and PAC-3 MSE interceptors can be deployed with the THAAD Weapon System using only the THAAD radar and TFCC (Fire Control & Communication) for support,” Arnold explained.
The ability to do this means the U.S. military now has a “critical multi-tier missile defense capability” with the ability to go up against both current and emerging threats, he said. Having upper-tier and lower-tier interceptors within one battery expands the battlespace, increases the area of defensive coverage and adds flexibility to combatant commanders in how they use the systems, he noted.
The Army and MDA have worked rapidly over the past several years to integrate THAAD and Patriot in response to an urgent operational need from the service on the Korean Peninsula, where there is a need for a defensive capability for maneuver forces.
Multiple tests were conducted to progressively integrate the systems. In a previous test, for example, the THAAD AN/TPY-2 radar detected and tracked a threat target missile and provided information to the Patriot system, which then launched a PAC-3 MSE to destroy the target.
The most recent test only required the need of the Patriot launcher and interceptors — and not its fire control system.
The integration effort uses some of the principles of decoupling launchers and radars so an operator, for instance, can use a THAAD radar — which can see farther than a Raytheon-made Patriot radar — but decide to engage a Patriot interceptor depending on the threat picture.
The ability to use the THAAD radar also gets more out of the PAC-3 MSE weapon fired from Patriot units, which outperforms the organic Patriot radar.
“We’re wrapping up that urgent operational need and we’ll get that out the door soon,” Vice Adm. Jon Hill, MDA director, said March 9 at the McAleese & Associates defense conference in Washington. “We’re pretty stoked about that.” (Source: Defense News)
10 Mar 22. Drive for the local production of small-calibre weapons and ammunition stalled. The initiative by the South African defence sector to have small calibre weapons and ammunition manufactured locally as part of an import substitution process has hit a stumbling block, but the National Defence Industry Council (NDIC) and other stakeholders are working to make the initiative a reality. This is according to Dr Moses Khanyile, National Defence Industry Council Coordinator, who was briefing the Joint Standing Committee on Defence on 3 March on plans to boost the South African defence industry. He reminded the Committee that the primary aim of the initiative is to ensure local production of small calibre weapons and ammunition; and to ensure that it is centrally procured through Armscor as a government procurement agency for all security-cluster departments and agencies. In late 2020, Secretary for Defence Gladys Sontoe Kudjoe revealed that a concerted effort was being made to support the production of certain military hardware, including small calibre weapons and ammunition. In the past, the production of small calibre weapons was done by Denel, but it stopped producing as the local demand declined below economical levels, although small calibre ammunition is still being produced at Denel PMP.
“There is a need for consolidation of all the user requirements, especially the law enforcement agencies — SANDF, SAPS, Metros, Border Management Agency, and Intelligence Services— which will help with the economies of scale. When these items are produced in large quantities, their cost per unit will decrease, thus making it cheap to procure and produce – all orders from these agencies have to be placed with Armscor, which is a state acquisition agency,” Kudjoe stated at the time.
The proposal was endorsed by the director generals in the Justice Crime Prevention & Security (JCPS) Cluster in April 2021, and the NDIC was tasked to confirm capacity and support from the industry and National Treasury. According to Khanyile, the local defence industry has confirmed that it has the capacity and stands ready to manufacture small-calibre weapons and ammunition as may be required. Armscor confirmed its capacity to procure such weapons and ammunition on behalf of the state, subject to a slight increase in personnel as the demand for services increases.
However, despite numerous engagements and correspondence, the South African Police Service national office could not provide the data that the NDIC required: to look at factors such as different types of service weapons used by the South African Revenue Service, State Security Agency, Metro Police, SAPS, South African National Defence Force etc. as the SAPS is the custodian of the national firearms register.
“We could not get that data,” Khanyile said, and as a result the NDIC Chairperson escalated the matter to the National Commissioner but to no avail. “As things stand, we still don’t have the data. It is important to ascertain the types of standard issue weapons for the SAPS and Metropolitan Police as this will help with understanding the economic viability of designation in terms of scale for manufacturing and maintenance.”
Khanyile said it won’t make sense to proceed with local small arms manufacture if there are not enough numbers and there will be no return on investment.
The next step is to present to the JCPS director general’s Cluster for approval. Once approved by the JCPS Cluster (director general and minister levels), the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) will move forward with the initiative.
Khanyile said that once there is traction in the government space, local small arms and ammunition production could be expanded to the broader private security industry. “It would enable south Africa to penetrate the African market,” he said, pointing out that the world is going through a period of instability, with weapons supplies from Russia now in question, posing the problems of security of supply and maintenance.
“If South Africa had a small calibre manufacturing and maintenance capability it would be able to take care of the void. It would…enable African countries to focus more south than eastwards when it comes to the procurement of small calibre arms and ammunition,” Khanyile said.
Kudjoe told the Committee that there is a lot of procurement from the security cluster regarding small arms and other equipment, but very little is done locally. “If the JCPS cluster can procure from Denel, it will make a significant change. It’s important that we are doing that. Things should be produced internally,” she said. (Source: https://www.defenceweb.co.za/)
10 Mar 22. Spanish Navy’s Seeker UAS Passes Maneuvers Including Live-Fire. The Marine Infantry Brigade (BRIMAR), a part of the Tercio de Armada de Infantería de Marina (Marine Infantry Protection Force), deployed its Seeker aircraft from December 9 to 13 at the San Gregorio national training center in Zaragoza, during the FTX-BRIMAR 21 maneuvers. The Seeker UAS proved a vital asset in the campaign, where intelligence gathering through threat identification, tracking vehicles and other targets, and assessing terrain, routes, and settlements is imperative. The Seeker system was involved in these exercises under the RAPAZ program led by the Subdirectorate-General for Planning, Technology and Innovation, which reports to Spain’s Directorate General of Weapons and Material. In these particularly demanding live-fire exercises, the Seeker UAS demonstrated its capabilities. The BRIMAR troops were able to take full advantage of the system’s autonomy and range to conduct operations from advantageous locations, even in very adverse weather conditions, with surface winds exceeding 40 knots, and to arrange autonomous takeoffs and landings in conditions providing little to zero visibility, including night flights. Despite the complex environment, the Seeker UAS was able to deploy smoothly and enabled the BRIMAR to locate targets both day and night due to its dual payload, complete with both a thermal and visible camera. This contributed to the success of the exercises. During the exercises, the Seeker UAS processed available data sources to supplement the video with information of use to all deployed troops, not just the system operators: the video and data generated was distributed in real time to the BRIMAR control station using VidStream, a secure, high-quality, latency-free video and data transmission system. This was done using the new RF-7800H-MP radios from L3 Harris, which are natively integrated into VidStream. Because of this arrangement, the Seeker UAS was the only system to relay video from its ground position to the control station. This UAV, developed and produced by GMV and Aurea Avionics, is currently one of the most efficient systems in the Class I Mini segment, with an endurance of 90 minutes, a range of 15 km and a weight of 3.5 kg. Both the Spanish Navy and the Spanish Army received the first Seeker UAS units to reinforce the intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities of the Marine Infantry Protection Force and the Spanish Army’s “Almogávares” VI Paratrooper Brigade, two units that enjoy international prestige as elite forces. (Source: UAS VISION/SatNews)
08 Mar 22. USAF can’t buy its first hypersonic ARRW as planned, following budget cut. In the FY22 omnibus spending bill revealed by Congress today, appropriators halved funding for the Air Force’s flagship hypersonic missile program. The US Air Force’s hopes for buying its first hypersonic missiles this year appear to be dead, with Congressional appropriators halving funding for the service’s flagship hypersonic weapons program in a new fiscal 2022 omnibus spending bill. The Air Force had requested about $161m in the FY22 budget request to buy the first 12 AGM-183A Air Launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) missiles from manufacturer Lockheed Martin. However, the proposed spending bill cuts about $80m of that total, stating that procurement of the new weapon is early to need.
“Due to recent failures and delays in testing that have extended the ARRW program schedule and put a first production lot contract at risk for award in fiscal year 2022, no procurement funds are provided in this Act for ARRW,” an explanatory statement for the bill reads.
The remaining $80m would be transferred to ARRW’s research and development account, allowing the Air Force “to support an extension of the testing program and mitigate a projected funding shortfall,” the explanatory statement said.
While the omnibus bill has yet to pass the House or Senate, the proposed legislation is the result of extensive consultations between lawmakers and there are unlikely to be changes at the programmatic level as it moves through both chambers. The House is expected to vote on the bill this week.
While hypersonic weapons were a major priority of the Trump-era Pentagon, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall has called into question whether the service has done enough analysis to ensure it is optimally investing in the technology. Asked about the cuts to ARRW at the McAleese and Associates conference this afternoon, Kendall made clear that the ARRW program is not yet out of the woods.
“ARRW still has to prove itself,” he said. “So we need to do that, and we also need to take a larger look at what’s the right mix for the future. What are the things that will need investment?”
Speaking to Breaking Defense in January, Brig. Gen. Heath Collins, the Air Force’s program executive for weapons, was hopeful that the service would be able to successfully finish ARRW flight tests in time to allow for production to begin this year — although multiple test failures experienced last year had admittedly put the program in a time crunch. Most recently, the service made a third attempt at a booster test in December, but during the flight, the launch sequence was aborted due to an unknown issue and the missile failed to launch.
“We have a bunch of test windows aligned and scheduled on the range throughout the year – the next one is in a couple months,” Collins said in January. “We are really focusing on getting the failure review board done, the corrective actions completed and trying to make sure we’re ready for that next test window.”
At that point, the House and Senate appropriations committees had already signaled that they were ready to slash funding for ARRW.
The House Appropriations Committee’s draft bill recommended a $44 million cut from the program — essentially cutting the funds needed for the four all-up rounds required to declare early operational capability — due to concerns that the program had become “increasingly delayed and compressed, increasing the concurrency risk” to the first production lot of weapons. The FY22 National Defense Authorization Act, which was signed into law late last year, endorsed this approach.
But ultimately appropriators included the larger, $80 million cut to the program recommended by the Senate Appropriations Committee in the omnibus spending bill. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/Breaking Defense.com)
09 Mar 22. Philippines gets first two ATAK helicopters. The Philippine Air Force (PAF) has received the first two of six T129B ATAK helicopters ordered from Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI). The PAF said in a 9 March statement on its Facebook page that the units arrived at Clark Air Base in Mabalacat City, Pampanga, aboard two Airbus A400M transport aircraft from Turkey. Lieutenant Colonel Maynard Mariano, PAF spokesperson, told the state-owned Philippine News Agency (PNA) that one of the A400Ms carried the two helicopters, while the second carried logistical and support equipment for the two platforms. Lt Col Mariano told Janes that the PAF expects to induct the helicopters soon. “The T-129 will have to undergo the mandatory acceptance procedures, this will include, but not limited to, systems checks and test flights. It may take two weeks at the least for this to be accomplished, but we cannot yet determine as to the exact time and date of the acceptance ceremony,” he said. (Source: Janes)
08 Mar 22. Still no A-Darter missiles for the SAAF. Denel Dynamics has been unable to deliver any production A-Darter air-to-air missiles to the South African Air Force (SAAF), forcing Armscor to contemplate contracting other companies to complete development and production. This is according to a presentation by Armscor to the Joint Standing Committee on Defence on 24 February, giving an update on the commercialisation of the A-Darter and the impact on the SA Air Force, amongst other topics. Armscor noted that the fifth-generation air-to-air missile (AAM) was developed jointly with Brazil under Project Assegai, with deliveries supposed to have been completed by March 2018. However, development was only completed in November 2019 – four years late. Denel Dynamics was in March 2015 contracted to deliver eight practice (inert) missiles; 21 trainer missiles; and 41 operational missiles. However, to date only 16 practice/trainer missiles have been ‘substantially completed’ but they cannot be used because the missile hangers (the interface between the missile and the aircraft wing) have yet to be qualified. Denel discovered a safety issue with the hangers and is investigating different materials to meet requirements. Armscor said that once the hangars have been qualified, the SAAF can potentially take delivery of the first 16 missiles. There is no progress to date on the balance of A-Darter missiles, including all operational missiles, “due to challenges faced by Denel.” This includes its liquidity crisis that has seen it unable to receive components due to the non-payment of suppliers, and a lack of capacity due to an exodus of skilled staff. The delays have meant that the A-Darter, which should have been completed in 2015, is already seeing some obsolescence in certain areas. Limited re-engineering will be required before production can commence. In the meantime, the South African Air Force continues to use the interim IRIS-T missile, which was acquired from Germany in 2009. Armscor is engaging with Diehl Defence on extending the IRIS-T’s service life for another two years. On the way forward, Armscor is looking at partnering with other local entities on completing the industrialisation and production of the A-Darter and has had several engagements with entities that has revealed a willingness and sufficient capacity to execute missile production. This would be by means of a partnering arrangement with Armscor and Denel. “To continue with A-Darter production is the only viable way forward,” Armscor said. The A-Darter, under development since 2006, features a two-colour seeker and decoy rejection software. Using the helmet sight, the A-Darter can engage targets off to the side of the fighter, and it can also be used in an “over the shoulder” mode, pulling extremely high Gs – more than 80 – to engage an aircraft that is behind the launching fighter. The missile has a range of around 20 km. The weapon is intended to arm the SAAF’s Gripen C/Ds, ultimately replacing the interim IRIS-T short range infrared guided missile. Brazil intended to acquire A-Darters for its own Gripen E/F fighters. Since the retirement of the R-Darter, the SAAF does not have a beyond visual range AAM. This would have been addressed by the Denel Dynamics Marlin, which the company began testing in 2016. This new active radar-guided air-to-air missile will have a range of 100 km and will also be developed into an all-weather surface-to-air missile. However, with Denel’s liquidity and capacity problems and the SANDF’s declining budget, it is not clear how far this project will proceed. (Source: https://www.defenceweb.co.za/)
08 Mar 22. New body armour improvements for women in UK Armed Forces. Defence is continuing to improve the experiences of women in the Armed Forces by rolling out updated combat clothing and body armour. Announced on International Women’s Day, the body armour will be available to British military personnel from April 2022 and has been improved as part of Defence’s drive to modernise and better recognise the diverse needs of all personnel serving within our ranks. The armour, known as the Virtus Scalable Tactical Vest (STV), has been adapted following extensive trials with serving female soldiers ensuring personnel have more tailored protective equipment and demonstrates Defence’s commitment to meet the needs of the growing number of servicewomen. Originally designed for those in close combat roles, the STV was used predominantly by men. After the opening of all roles throughout the military to women, the new range of equipment is part of our efforts to continuously improve the design of our soldiers’ body armour, and to ensure it is fit for purpose, improves comfort and continues the modernisation of the UK military. The updated protective equipment is the result of a collaboration between several Ministry of Defence and industry organisations including Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) and Source Tactical Gear (Virtus manufacturer).
Brigadier Elizabeth Faithful-Davies said: “I am very pleased that we are continuing to roll out a wider range of combat clothing and new sizes of the scalable tactical vest for our service personnel. Now that women are employed in all roles across the Army, it remains crucially important that all our equipment is designed to ensure we can operate efficiently and effectively in both training and on operations overseas.”
Minster for Defence People and Veterans, Leo Docherty said: “All roles within the military are open to women and we are committed to providing the best equipment to help them do their jobs. This is one of the many changes we have introduced to improve the experience for women in the Armed Forces and the new body armour and range of clothing sizes will increase the choice for our serving women.”
Trooper Charmaine Cochrane, Queen’s Royal Hussars, British Army, said: “This new fit body armour has massive benefits to me and my fellow soldiers. The improved fit will help me move more freely and ultimately feel more confident to do my job better. A new range of clothing is also being introduced. The range is an improvement on the current offering with more sizes and changes to the cut of the garments for a more ergonomic and high-performance fit for all personnel. There will be around 25 sizes of shirt available. By comparison, most high-street shops only provide up to 10 different sizes.”
In addition to the new range of clothing, female Army recruits who are beginning their training also benefit from a professional fit and issue service of sports bras.
Defence continues to be committed to improving the lives of women in its ranks and is dedicated to taking bold steps to ensure they have full, thriving and varied military careers. This remains a top priority for Defence and is part of the Government’s response to the Sarah Atherton Report, titled “Protecting Those who Protect us: Women in the Armed Forces from Recruitment to Civilian Life”. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
08 Mar 22. Rheinmetall Italia signs memorandum of understanding with MBDA Italia to cooperate in air defence. MBDA Italia and Rheinmetall Italia have signed a memorandum of understanding to explore possibilities for collaborating in the area of air defence including disruptive technologies and in the national and European defence funds domain. During a two-year timeframe, the two companies will study ways of working together with the ultimate aim of developing joint business opportunities in Italy and the international marketplace. MBDA Italia and Rheinmetall Italia will create joint working groups tasked with identifying possibilities for joint technological development and business opportunities. (Source: Janes)
07 Mar 22. Indian Navy tests extended range Brahmos land attack missile. Indian Navy has tested an extended range Brahmos supersonic land attack missile in the Indian Ocean. In a statement, the Indian Ministry of Defence said that the cruise missile hit its intended target with ‘pinpoint accuracy’. The extended range version of Brahmos missile was fired from the stealth destroyer INS Chennai and it followed an extended range trajectory and performed complex manoeuvres before striking the target.
“Both Brahmos missile and INS Chennai are indigenously built and highlight the cutting-edge of Indian missile and ship-building prowess.
“They reinforce the Indian Navy’s contribution towards the Atma Nirbhar Bharat and Make in India endeavours,” the statement said.
The capability will enable the Indian Navy to engage adversaries located at a greater distance as well as participate in land operations further away from sea.
The Indian Navy started inducting Brahmos missile in its arsenal since 2006. The missile can fly at speeds nearly three times that of sound and the extended version has a range of around 400km.
Separately, the Indian Ministry of Defence announced that the sea phase of the 11th edition of multilateral naval exercise MILAN 2022.
Overall, 26 ships, one submarine and 21 aircraft participated in this phase of the exercise that sought to improve compatibility, interoperability, mutual understanding and maritime cooperation among the naval forces. The exercise began on 25 February. This was the first time that the US Navy is participated in the MILAN exercise. (Source: naval-technology.com)
08 Mar 22. Ukraine’s Punisher Drone Completes Scores of Successful Missions. The Ukrainian military has been using “Punisher” drones that can target fuel storage, ammunition supplies and electronic warfare stations up to 30 miles behind enemy lines.
Eugene Bulatsev, an engineer with the Ukrainian designer UA-Dynamics, said that the electric drones were “game-changing” and had completed up to 60 “successful” missions since the invasion began.
Speaking from Kyiv, where he is about to go and join the fight, he told The Times: “This is the cheapest and easiest way to deliver a punch from a long distance, without risking civilian lives.”
The electric drones have a 7.5-foot wingspan and can fly for hours at 1,300ft and need only the coordinates of their target so they can carry out their mission automatically, Bulatsev said.
A smaller reconnaissance drone called Spectre flies alongside to identify targets before the Punisher strikes.
After the fighting started in eastern Ukraine in 2014, a group of veterans launched the drone-making company, UA-Dynamics, according to an Haaretz report, last month.
“Three-quarters of the company’s employees are veterans with experience in special operations deep in enemy territory,”
Maxim Subbotin, a marketing expert and an unofficial spokesman for UA-Dynamics, told the newspaper.
Bulatsev said that the main targets were stationary, including fuel and ammunition storage, electronic and counter-electronic warfare stations, and anti-air systems.
Different units in the Ukrainian military are using the drones, but the number of how many and the locations where the Punisher drones are being deployed is classified, Bulatsev said.
Bulatsev previously told The Sun that stealthy Punisher drones had been
“causing havoc behind pro-Russian lines on Donbas for years because the enemy has no idea what has hit them.”
He told the outlet that the drone is relatively small and light and is undetectable to radars.
“What’s more, it can drop three bombs at a time or hit three separate targets then return to base to be reloaded and sent back into battle within minutes,” Bulatsev told The Sun.
British defense secretary Ben Wallace told Sky News that Ukraine had stalled Russian advances partly by carrying out a “very clever plan.”
“We’ve seen footage we can’t verify but we’ve seen footage of Ukrainians using UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) to attack petrol train convoys, to go after logistical lines, we’ve seen lines blown up, all the things you and I think of when it comes to resistance,” Wallace said.
Along with the Punisher drones, the Ukrainian military is also using around 20 of the highly-rated Bayraktar TB2 drones from Turkey.
Videos shared by the Ukrainian military last week showed at least one strike from a TB2 drone appearing to tear apart a column of Russian tanks and armored vehicles.
The drones are deployed as the battle over Ukraine’s skies continues following the Russian military invasion.
A senior US defense official described the airspace as “contested” and “very dynamic” earlier this week in an off-camera press briefing, despite Russia claiming to have gained control.
Although Russia was expected to quickly knock out Ukraine’s air defense capabilities, in recent days, Ukraine has claimed to have shot down Russian fighter jets, helicopters, and even troop transport planes.
Experts have been surprised that Russia has not deployed the full force of its air force, as was expected. (Source: UAS VISION/yahoo! entertainment)
07 Mar 22. USMC declares initial operating capability for JAGM on AH-1Z Viper. The milestone was achieved after the completion of a thorough initial operational test and evaluation period. The US Marine Corps’ (USMC) AGM-179A Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM) has achieved initial operating capability (IOC) for use on the AH-1Z Viper helicopter.
The missile successfully completed an extensive initial operational test and evaluation period. In November last year, it was test fired from AH-1Z off the coast of Florida and in the following month, it was put through land-based testing in Arizona.
The tests helped to determine the effectiveness and suitability of JAGM to support expeditionary advanced base operations, including close air support missions and conducting strikes.
US Naval Air Systems Command precision-guided missiles deputy programme manager commander Reid Adams said: “IOC marks a major milestone for the JAGM programme and significant increase in capability for the AH-1Z.
“This accomplishment is a true testament of the tireless efforts made by so many across DoD and our industry partners to support the war fighter.”
Jointly developed by the US Navy and the US Army, JAGM has already achieved IOC on the US Army’s AH-64E Apache helicopter.
JAGM is a precision-guided missile and its design blends two sensor technologies, a semi-active laser (SAL) system and millimetre wave radar (MMW).
It is designed to target high-value, stationary and moving, land and maritime threats day or night in adverse weather, battlefield obscured conditions and against different countermeasures.
A multi-purpose warhead, JAGM, is used on fixed-wing, rotary-wing, uncrewed aircraft system platforms.
USMC H-1 light, attack helicopter programme manager colonel Vasilios Pappas said: “Incorporating systems such as JAGM on the AH-1Z is essential in keeping the platform at the forefront of warfighting capabilities.” (Source: naval-technology.com)
07 Mar 22. GATORZ Expands Protective Eyewear Options. GATORZ Eyewear sets to expand its already impressive protective eyewear options, adding the Wraptor style frame to its ANSI 87+/MILSPEC Ballistic rated options. The Wraptor frame features a wrap-style fit with full protection. This style is popular for anyone looking for a close fitting, and comfortable frame. A GATORZ original, the Wraptor looks great on all face shapes, especially those looking for a compact fit. Enduring impact testing to withstand two shots from a .15 caliber projectile between 700-725 feet per second, without cracking, shattering, or dislodging, the new Wraptor ANSI/MILSPEC eyewear is well suited for all protective eyewear needs. The lenses offer an anti-fog coating, as well as a hydro-oleophobic coating for oil and grease repellant and UV 400 protection from the sun. The Wraptor frame joins a strong ballistic lineup that includes the original Magnum frame, Delta frame, and Specter frame offerings. Various combinations are offered throughout the frame and lens selections, with most all eyewear being compliant with ANSI/ISEA Z87.1 standard and/or MILSPEC Ballistic rated eyewear with fragmentation protection. Lens options for the GATORZ’ ballistic lineup range from smoked, inferno (photochromic) or clear lenses. Some limited edition eyewear is available, as well as the Specter frame in Cerakote Gunmetal, OD Green, or tan frames with smoked lenses. The new Wraptor ANSI/MILSPEC protective eyewear is available in black frames with options of smoked, inferno (photochromic) or clear lenses. American-made, and backed by a lifetime frame warranty, GATORZ frames are built from lightweight, durable, aircraft-grade billet 7075-T6 aluminum and are designed to provide excellent coverage. Both the frame and the nosepiece fully adjust to you, and not the other way around.
07 Mar 22. GAMI, Lockheed Martin Join Forces to Localize Work on Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) Missile Defense System in Saudi Arabia. The General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI) has announced today in the World Defense Show, its approval of two localization projects: the first, for localizing the manufacture of missile interceptor launchers, and the second for producing the missile interceptor canisters locally. In collaboration with Lockheed Martin, these projects fall under the program for localization of the THAAD Weapon System. Such projects serve GAMI’s strategy to bolster relations with its international partners from across the globe along the Kingdom’s localization journey, with the ultimate target of localizing more than 50% of expenditure on defense equipment and services by the year 2030. Commenting on this momentous announcement, Gasem Al-Maimani, GAMI Deputy Governor, Military Industry stated that these two localization projects, are in further service of this promising sector’s national priorities. Along this localization journey, and with the robust relations with our international defense partners, air domain defense readiness is expected to be greatly enhanced, said Al-Maimani. He further noted that this project supports investment in building indigenous national capabilities, via empowering new and up-and-coming manufacturing entities, as well as leveraging the integration of efforts with large national companies, to secure their position of prominence globally. Ultimately, all of this facilitation and enablement, pours into achieving the sector’s strategic localization target of more than 50%, and amplifying the scope and impact of existing capabilities, by 2030.
“For over 50 years, Lockheed Martin has been a committed partner to Saudi Arabia, as the country continues its journey toward ensuring a safe, secure and sustainable future for its people,” said Joseph Rank, chief executive for Lockheed Martin in Saudi Arabia and Africa. “Along with state-of-the-art defense products and innovative solutions, Lockheed Martin is engaged with its Saudi partners across several capacity building programs that are formulated to contribute to the realization of the country’s development goals. This announcement will significantly boost global and regional security while supporting job creation and economic prosperity in Saudi Arabia.”
GAMI looks to secure its core national priorities, namely Military Readiness, Strategic Autonomy, Transparency and Efficiency of Spend, Sustainability of Local Military Industries, and Interoperability within and across Entities.
04 Mar 22. Brazilian Army receives first batch of new assault rifles. Produced by the state-owned company Imbel, the 7.62mm IA2 assault rifle will be sent to the Army Assessment Centre for technical and operational evaluations. The Brazilian Army announced on 3 March that it has received an initial batch of 50 new 7.62mm IA2 assault rifles. These weapons were manufactured by state-owned Imbel and were acquired by the Brazilian Army under the ‘Obtaining Full Operational Capacity’ strategic programme. The first batch of 7.62mm IA2s will be sent to the Army Assessment Centre for technical and operational evaluations. After receiving the approval, the manufacturer will start production of a new batch of 1,450 rifles in 7.62mm calibre. The IA2s were acquired under a Decentralised Performance Term (Termo de Execução Descentralizada – TED) contract, which is used by Brazilian governmental bodies and entities and state-owned companies to carry out collaborative programmes. The rifle was designed and produced by Imbel following the army’s guidelines to improve the lethality and protection of soldiers. This effort also included the procurement of 5.56mm IA2 assault rifles, the last batch of which was delivered in August 2021. (Source: Shephard)
04 Mar 22. Taiwan boosts missile production capability. Taiwan’s state-run military research and development organisation, the National Chung-Shang Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST), has expanded its capacity to produce indigenous missiles in the face of rising tensions with China. The project is aligned to a multi-year investment plan – approved by Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan in January – to enhance the capability of the island’s navy and air force. The Ministry of National Defense (MND) in Taipei said in a report submitted to the Legislative Yuan on 3 March that the expansion of NCSIST’s missile manufacturing capacity has been under way for the past few years and will be complete in June 2022. Citing the MND report, Taiwan’s state-run Central News Agency (CNA) said that since 2018 the NCSIST has invested TWD7bn (USD249m) to upgrade and expand 80 “missile-related facilities”. It added that NCSIST has completed upgrades on 50 missile facilities. Once complete, the upgrade will facilitate an expected increase in capacity of more than three-fold in terms of locally manufactured missiles. (Source: Janes)